I very rarely review places on Yelp as service is usually okay at most places - something that is a bit above average or a bit below average is not going to convince me to spend my time writing a review. Dowdy's, however, went well beyond good service for me. We woke up with a car issue, did a bit of panicking, randomly found a place online that was near work, called the shop, and Dowdy's told us we could bring it in immediately if we wanted. They checked it out, diagnosed the problem, and then informed us that we were probably still under warranty and should see if we can get it repaired through the dealership with little cost to us. I'm not sure if the dealer/warranty will cover our issue yet, but I am pretty sure that I will be taking all of my future service to Dowdy's. They easily could have just fixed our car and not mentioned a cost saving alternative; instead of getting a quick buck, they have earned a future repeat-customer. Thanks to Tyler and the crew for their help today. read more

Dowdys is a place that does not honor business agreements. One was struck where they would keep a car because it could not be paid for. They agreed to this. Then, they sent a bill that was not a part of the agreement. All that was asked for was the license plates be sent to the owner. Dowdys said that this was just too much for them to do. I will not be doing business with them. And I suggest that others not do business with them also. B.usinesses should honor an agreement that was struck. Not pussy foot around for weeks without a word. Just be leary about doing business with Dowdys. read more

I highly recommend Dowdy's auto repair. They are absolutely wonderful. Communication is superb and they are fair and honest. Customer service is outstanding!! We always always go back to them. read more

Spent over $2000 fixing my son's car here and they didn't tighten the spark plug down all the way. Less than 24 hours later had to spend another $340 because the car was stranded hours away. When my son went back to ask them for compensation they told him, no. Definitely don't stand behind their work. read more

I am very disappointed in the service l received here. They told me 2 different things were wrong and wanted a outrageous amount of money to fix my car. I went to a different shop and paid $900 less for the same repair read more

Took my car in with major vibration and the warning lights were going off. It was a front wheel bearing,, which they replaced. The beginning was fine. They got me in right away. When I came to get it, I pulled out and the front end was still jumping all over the place. I went back and they had the mechanic talk to me. I asked him why the front was still jumping and vibrating. He said it was because of my tires. Said they were "cupped." He said if you rotate them front to back, it will smooth out. You can get another 20,000 miles out of them. I said "well you test drove it. Why didn't you rotate them?" He said it wasn't on the work order! I said, "well who cares you are the mechanic and you put me back in an unsafe vehicle. Then he said they called and I didn't want to! Why would I have said that? I didn't. He was BS ing me. I went back in and ask the front desk why they didn't rotate them. The girl went back to talk to the mechanic and I hear, "What does he want now!" They just shrugged. So I left. The next morning I took them in and rotated from to back like they advised. No change. So $900 later I had a fixed wheel bearing. Never again. read more

I have been a loyal Dowdy's customer for over 15 years, but yesterday I was totally blindsided, and angered, by being charged $100 for a simple oil change for my 2017 Ford Fiesta hatchback; well above anything I had been charged before for the same service. When I complained (and I admit I was hot) the manager was rude, and dismissive. I will never return!! Not sure what has happened to my neighborhood auto repair shop, but don't get gouged like I did. Shame on them!! read more

I took my car in two years ago for a brand new rear axle. At the time the shop was owned by Tune Tech and only offered a 1 year warranty. The repair cost me $3800. The shop changed hands 2 weeks (new owner, new sign, new shirts but the same crew). The new owner offered a 3 year warranty but 2 years later the axle bearings and seals are bad. I took it in to see if they would back their work and was told that the old warranty applied. But they would fix seals and bearings for $320 labor cost (it's about a 30 to 45 min job) and wouldn't cover any other expenses (new axles etc) Seals and bearings are around $50 for both sides. I'm taking my car to someone who will honor the work their employees do. read more

Incredibly dissapointed and irritated with the service here. I paid $2,200 just for my spark plug to eject and essentially self destruct in the middle of nowhere only one week after I got my car back. I then had no choice but to abandon my car as it was Saturday and all mechanics in the area were closed til Monday. After I was stranded for 9 hours I called NAPA to see if the warranty is covered since it was a simple spark plug, and the warranty was not valid because NAPA and the new mechanic deemed it was a Maintenance issue and not a faulty part. Do not go here unless you want a dishonest mechanic that is too proud and egotistical to admit they made a mistake! All I wanted was a refund for the additional $400 I had to pay, and the employee at the desk basically told me there was nothing they could do since they couldn't verify it was a maintenance issue. I could not recommend this mechanic any less! They are in the business of scamming and taking advantage of college students, and most importantly they are dishonest, rude, and money grubbing narcissists. I would recommend quite literally any other mechanic in Boise, because usually the people here are very helpful and understanding- could not be more opposite at Dowdy's Automotive on Federal Way! read more

When you get a text from a service provider asking you to consider leaving a "FIVE STAR" review, something does not feel right. That about sums up my experience with Dowdy's on Federal. We were on vacation, with Boise as our first stop. In Nampa, the brakes became very, very stiff and hard to push the pedal. We limped into Boise, and tried to call the only dealer in town to take the car in. After 3 hours (2 calls and 1 text) without a response from the dealer, we contacted Dowdy's, based on a relative's old recommendation and their slew of "FIVE STAR" reviews. They were able to get us in before they closed on Tuesday, and we made arrangements for them to fix the brakes while we finished our trip in a rental. On Wednesday, they called with the results of the diagnostics. We were on I-15 in Salt Lake, so were kind of at the mercy of the traffic gods. They told us there was NO OIL IN THE ENGINE, although there had been no oil warning lights, and 10 minutes before we dropped the car off, oil pressure was between 36 and 42 psi (can anyone explain how no oil can create 36 psi of pressure at idle?). Their recommendation was a Motor Flush ($324.42). They did the flush, then informed us they could not do anything on the brakes, as "they didn't have the tools". By now we were in Denver, the car (un-drivable) is in Boise, and Dowdy's says it's up to us to get the car to someplace that could fix the brakes. We found a dealer that would help, swung back through Boise, picked up the car, drove the car very carefully to Nampa (with wonky brakes in Boise traffic, the sight of the "This Lane Must Exit" signs along I-84 still make my stomach churn). Some of this is on me. I did not verify there was oil, just normal oil pressure levels and behavior. I did not verify Dowdy's could actually perform the work needed to get the car in running order. I may have fallen for the motor flush scam (see "Avoid the Vehicle Flush Scam" [ https://www.cartalk.com/car-owning/avoid-vehicle-fluid-flush-scam ]; see also "5 Car Maintenance Procedures You Don't Need: Scam Watch" [[https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/a2015/4220245/ ]; see also "Beware of Engine Flush Scams"[https://www.cheapfullcoverageautoinsurance.com/beware-of-engine-flush-scams/ ]) Caveat Emptor. Be aware, especially when it comes to auto repairs. read more

My fan belt was making noise they got me in the same day that I called, fixed it and had me back on the road all in the same day! I highly recommend them. read more

They are always friendly and and fair. The office is alway clean. I started going to Dowdy's when the speedy oil change place kept messing up and changing too much. I feel Dowdy's does a way better job plus it is less expensive. Thank you, Anne read more

Stay as far away from this place as possible!! I went in there and asked them how much it would cost to replace a blend door AC accuator and the 2 guys working there told me it would be $1500 to $2000 because they would have to remove the whole dash and it would be 8 hours of labor. I knew this didn't sound right so I called my cousin who is a 37 year veteran mechanic and he said thats insane and for me to call a local Meineke and they should tell you it should only be around $230 to $300, sure enough I called my local Meineke and the owner qouted me $225 and he told me you don't have to remove the dash board and that you only have to remove the bottom panel and then just pop it right in and it should only be a half hours worth of work and thats exaclty what I ended up paying at Meineke. Thank God for my cousin and thank God for the honest guy at Meineke. read more

Attempted to schedule service for my vehicle and after several questions that we not answered, the service writer said to me "I do not think we are are the same page.....I do not think we want to service your vehicle!" I then proceeded to tell if you feel that way then do not send any flyers through to the mail. Talk about substandard customer service and complete disrespect. Potential customer enter at your own risk!! read more

Very disappointed. We had an emergency with my spouse's vehicle. The brakes, rotors, and brake fluid needed to be replaced. She drives kids to and from school in the morning and evening, so it's something we were not willing to wait on for the safety of our children and others. They charged my wife over $1140 to get this done. Our regular mechanic quoted me almost half of their cost at $650 to do the whole job, a day later. I feel like they took advantage of my wife. Stay vigilant, people (especially women)! Update: We tried to get it resolved the next day. They offered us a "free oil change" to make up for the $500 discrepancy. Justin also told my wife "we are not known for being the cheapest shop in town". Buyer beware! read more

Serpentine belt came apart while in traffic, on my 2011 Ford Powerstroke. I pulled in to the Ford Dealer across the street only to be told they couldn't get it in for a couple of MONTHS! I limped it across the street with a dump trailer in tow, and saw Dowdys. They told me drop your trailer and pull it in! They didn't have to, and I know it wasn't an easy belt to replace. They had me finished before closing time. I appreciate the awesome service and quick repair, with a price far less than I expected. Thank you all! read more

I went against my better judgement after listening to other diesel owners.....eyeball say this shop is terrible. I figured I'd try. I've had my Diesel truck there 4 times, 2 of them were for legit problems and the other 2 were to repair what they repaired. First time was the steering box and pitman arm and the second time was because the tech failed to notice the leaking power steering pump after he repaired the steering box. The power steering pump they installed failed and hey had to install another. They gave me a big excuse about having to drive to meridian to get the pump like I'm supposed to pay them extra or something. The second pump they installed whines like crazy and their tech seems to think I'm hearing my turbo. I've had this truck for 13 years, I know what my turbo sounds like and I know that a whiny power steering pump sounds like. Their "tech" must be deaf and blind. DO NOT USE THIS SHOP if you're a diesel owner. Hot garbage! read more

Great friendly service, the shop manager took the time to call me to setup an appointment and also setup transportation to work and back to the shop after the maintenance was done. The price was very reasonable too, it's great to know I can take my car to a place other than a dealership and have a great experience and save some money. read more

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Nice people. You can trust them with your car and your money. My family has stuck with them for over ten years, and we will continue to do so. Seems like they realize that your money AND your transportation are on the line, and it actually matters to them. All the guys there have taken good care of our family cars. I inherited a family vehicle and the fan that powers the ac/heater went out. Their service invoice for the car still had my mother's name on it. I asked if I could change it to my name, and Justin advised me to wait so their warranty would cover my repair when he could very easily have changed the name and then charged me hundreds of dollars. I arrived prepared to pay for the service: he went out of his way to save me a lot of money. He even offered to stay late to scan my check engine code when I was running low on time. PS. Just FYI, I am a different Brandon R. than the one below. read more

Took in for noise when accelerating noise goes away when you take foot of gas pedal and coast comes back when you put it back on the pedal was sold 3000$ in parts and labor I pick up the truck noise still there 2 people couldn't hear the sound one test drive it one drove it to the alignment shop after the repairs after picking it up and dropping it back off I took Tecs for a drive one said he was half def and the second Tec person hears it I didn't even have to leave the parking lot to make the noise for the second 2 noise is loud enough my wife can hear it in her car siting in the parking lot waiting but can't tell what it is and I was sent to another shop I would not recommend these scammers very disappointed for a full service shop approved everything on there online service/diagnostic page / suggested services they never even looked in to my abs lite or why my e brake light was on my dashboard or even recommended repairs read more

They do great work on our business fleet, and are knowledgeable and prompt. We've been taking our trucks here for over 5 years. Never had any issues. Honesty is a big deal in the auto industry, and we trust them implicitly. Highly recommend. read more

Excellent service! Fast and honest. Wonderful value. I know it's hard to find a good mechanic and I'm so thankful to have found Dowdy's

Took my car in they said it was fine ran it thru there scope charged me almost 400 00 for nothing

I took my 2004 Mazda 6 in for rough running, and the check engine light was on. I dealt with Stu. He really seemed to know his s*%@. I picked it up when finished. The problem came back the next day. He told me to bring it right in. A few days later I picked it up. Check engine light came back on. We were both frustrated with the car now. But, he said to bring it in again. I picked it up a few days ago, runs absolutely perfect now. The staff seemed more determined to figure out what it was rather than just getting more money out of me. It was a truly amazing experience, and I would highly recommend them for all future repair needs. read more

This is the worst customer experience I've ever had with any business. I feel that consumers should be able to make informed decisions about how they spend their money, and when I had a problem with my car, unfortunately, I trusted Dowdy's to provide an accurate diagnosis based on the symptoms I described. However, Dowdy's Automotive wrote up a document that stated that the issue I described was an oil leak, when it was not. But, because I signed their inaccurate document accepting service for an oil leak, I now have no recourse for the situation I'm about to describe. The sickening part is that the Vice President of the company seems delighted about being able to keep my money knowing that there's nothing I can do about it. I say that due to his comments during a nasty phone call that he made to me which I will describe below: My car was leaking all over the garage, so I agreed to have it fixed by Dowdy's for $1381. They said it was an oil leak. When I finally got the car back an entire week later, I noticed the car was still leaking. I gave it back to them for another week. They said the car was not leaking, but when I got the car back home the 2nd time, I immediately noticed that it was still leaking. Having been without my car for two weeks, I am understandably fed up and just want a refund. The unsympathetic and argumentative shop manager, Brandon, was bad enough, but it got worse when he gave my number to what turned out to be the company's very belligerent Vice President. The VP called me while I was at school. I told him that I didn't have a ton of time to be on the phone, and that I needed a quick answer from him about the refund. Instead of being extremely sorry for the situation, the inconvenience, and lack of trust that I now feel towards them, the VP was focused on me leaving an online review about my experience. My conversation with him was seriously shocking. He constantly interrupted me, and, at first he said that he was "not inclined to continue to work with me if I was going to leave a negative review." So, I questioned him and asked him if he was saying that he was not going to honor the warranty, because I wrote a review. He then realized that what he had said was not only inconsistent with his company's warranty, but also a violation of the consumer protection act, so he started to change his position and, he said, "incase the call was being recorded". He then said that he was "not going to go above and beyond" for someone who leaves a negative review while simultaneously refusing to give them a 3rd chance to fix the problem. Not going above and beyond under these circumstances is my definition of providing worse customer service than prior to his nasty phone call to me. As previously mentioned, they had a 2nd chance and an extra week to fix the problem. They had plenty of time to see the car leaking, but weren't thorough enough to figure things out. Anyway, I told him on the phone that, at this point, I felt they were incompetent and that I was going to now have the dealer diagnose my car. I was not surprised to find out from the dealer that the leak that I had originally described to Dowdy's was not the source of fluid on my garage floor. It was a power steering fluid leak. So, here I've been over two weeks without my car and charged $1381 to fix what had to have been a tiny oil leak. (Who knows if there even was an oil leak.) Even though Dowdy's misdiagnosed the problem that I described to them as an oil leak when it was not, they still REFUSED to refund my $1381 because I "signed the paperwork" and agreed to an oil leak repair. That is seriously messed up. They decided to return only $300 and fixed the power steering for free, without providing a warranty on the power steering. Absolutely terrible "goodwill". In the end, I've spent $960 more than I needed to spend because the power steering was only going to cost $340 at the dealer. I finally had to agree to their bogus offer because I needed my car back in working order. It has been extremely inconvenient to not have my car for so long and I have little faith that this latest work will hold up given that there is no warranty. The VP has since sent an email in an attempt to redeem himself and his company from his angry and aggressive behavior and his company's lack of thoroughness and also to have his final position "on the record." (Which is another indication of how nasty he was on the phone). Regarding the negative review, he writes: "What I didn't understand and what I tried to convey is why you would try to work with us on one side and drag us through the mud on the other side even before we had a chance to resolve the problem." (Really? You've had 2 weeks.) He also apologizes for "his part" in escalating the conversation. Well, "his part" was freak show insane. Neither his email, nor the final and best offer to correct the situation redeems them in my eyes when they are keeping $960 of my dollars. read more

I was visiting from out of state in the heat of the summer and my air conditioning wasn't getting cold. I called Dowdy's on a Monday, dropped my car off on Tuesday, and picked up my car later that same day. Brandon kept me posted throughout the day as to what was happening. Rather than replacing my compressor (which another automotive established had told me I was going to need), Brandon and crew were able to determine the problem was an electrical one that they were able to fix for 1/4 of the cost of a new compressor! I could not be any happier with the service I received, and highly recommend Dowdy's for any repairs! read more

Great customer service and very helpful staff! Knowledgeable and quick and will work with you well! Highly recommend

Disappointed. Beware!! There is a button here that says, "request quote". Learn from my experience that it will be $70 min to look at your car. I chose Dowdy's based on their reviews and proximity to work. I scheduled an appointment online and quickly received an appointment. In the message box I indicated I was rear-ended by an uninsured vehicle and wanted to know what was damaged and the cost to fix it. When I arrived I was checked in but nobody asked me what they were doing, so I assumed they read the message from my request. After waiting 35-40min the technician came and told me my exhaust had been bent in the accident, and that it could just be bent back out, no big deal. When my vehicle is finished, I find out there is a $70 charge. When I asked about it just being an estimate/check of damages I was informed that ANYTIME THEY LOOK AT A VEHICLE, THERE IS A MINIMUM $70 FEE. I understand they can't work for free. But MOST places will at least eyeball your situation and give a rough estimate of damages and the cost of repairs. I know $70 might not be much to some, but it is to me. I suppose it is what it is and I learned a valuable life lesson. I'll also be on a diet the next 10 days until payday since that $70 was my food money. read more

My boyfriend wanted to drop off his car at a buddy's place, but accidentally took us here. I was already running late for work so we decided just to let them look at it instead of driving further away. Dowdy's is conveniently located right off the freeway and right off Broadway at Federal so that was a huge plus for us. While the staff was nice to my boyfriend, I can't recommend them if you know how to do car maintenance yourself. They charge $50 just to look at your car when other places provide free bids, and they tried quoting us $250 for a new battery and $450 for a new starter when we could purchase both for a little under $100 and install bith ourself in an hour. The prices do seem average/slightly above what other places charge, but cheaper than dealerships. Because they were nice and cheaper than dealerships I'm giving them four stars, but I'd still HIGHLY asking around or researching how to do the work yourself. There's an O'Rileys right down the street on Broadway and you can buy the parts yourself for 75% cheaper. read more

My car died on the way from Portland, OR to New Mexico. They got me in early AM, fixed my car in 24 hours, and we're very helpful! My car is a 93 Volvo and I can't imagine parts were easy to find, they also had a shuttle pick me up! Thank You!!! read more

The guys, and gals at Dowdy were great! The waiting room was comfortable, and they were happy to give us a ride to the mall while we waited on our vehicle. The repair turned out to be something minor. It was absolutely great that I could trust them to tell me the truth and not attempt to make a repair that was not necessary. They treated me like they would have treated their own mother. I was so very impressed. I will recommend them often! read more

I received fair, honest, efficient, and very fast service. Dowdy's was able to give me a ride home and came to pick me up when my car was completed. Justin was exceptionally kind and professional. He took time to explain what was going on with my car. My car is running great! I highly recommend Dowdy's and will be a return customer for all of my auto needs. read more

My Truck had a grinding noise and I took it to Dowdy's for a diagnosis. They took a look and told me the front differential was going to need to be replaced or rebuilt and there were metal shaving in the differential fluid. Their quote to fix this was significant. I called a few places for other quotes and found Dowdy's to be much more expensive than anywhere else. I ended up taking my truck to a different mechanic for a second opinion before moving forward with the fix. The mechanic at the second place told me it had nothing to do with the front differential and there were no metal shaving's in the fluid. The issue ended up being the transfer case and a few other small things. The cost to fix these issues was about half of what Dowdy's quoted and nothing to do with the diagnosis Dowdy's provided. My truck is working great now, without having fixed what Dowdy's stated the issue was. Although I did not ask for a refund on the diagnosis, but I did inform Dowdy's and they did not seem to care. read more

Excellent customer service. For example, I needed a headlight changed in a pinch and they had no problem fitting me in. Always fair prices. Comfortable seating area, and the all-important good hot coffee and/or tea. I will be recommending Dowdy's to friends. read more

I went here cuz I had a great experience last time. Man. Not this time. I came in for a check engine light. Let me first preface that I used to work for a mechanic as a secretary for two years, so I'm somewhat aware of costs and times and copacetic customer service behavior, and also aware of how badly (sometimes) people get taken advantage of. I was charged 50$ right off the bat for check engine light diagnosis. Which takes about 5 mins. of plugging a computer in to a persons car and no labor. literally I needed codes pulled. That's IT. They made me drop it off ALL DAY , in addition to charging me HELLA. For a 5 min. job. They ended up having to keep it a WHOLE DAY b/c I guess it needed a brake switch? I was assured it would be done this morning. That's right, folks. 24 hrs. for a check engine light diagnosis and brake switch install. Low and behold it is now afternoon, and i was not notified the part was gonna take longer or that labor was delayed. and now I'm being told they just " have no idea". I am a one car family. I have two people relying on ME to get them to where they need, in addition to my own needs that Boise's sub par transportation system cannot handle. I understand QUITE well, having worked in this industry for 2 years, that parts can be delayed and things can take longer. and in those cases, you call the customer and touch base, letting them know it will be longer, and making sure THAT IS OK,esp. if you have someone who has let you know they are tremendously inconvenienced by not having their car, and heavily reliant on it.. The man on the phone was beyond rude and combative with me. on top of everything else. VERY bad taste in my mouth. You know that vibe you get as a woman where you deal with someone whose ex wife was a bitch and therefore because you BREATHE you are HATED? yep. That's what it is. Maybe it's been a real " off" couple of days, b/c they were SO nice the first time I was there,but I am infuriated by how situations were/are being handled. If you hate people, don't work in a business where you have to be nice to them. On the up side, they DID say they were going to waive the diagnostic fee.Soooo, at least that's cool.... : / read more

Several years ago I got my oil changed here and a couple small mechanical issues, the mechanic was amazing and super honest with how to save money. Recently however, the service has been slim to none. My car had a bunch of transmission issues, and I was expecting a pricey quote. But Patrick was vague about what was wrong, gave the typical "well you'll probably just have to replace the entire thing" sales pitch- and was actually rude and patronizing when I tried inquiring more about what issues I'd be paying to fix. I'm so disheartened because Dowdy's used to be a place I could count on. Now, I wouldn't go back unless you absolutely have to. read more

Very friendly staff who respond promptly to emails. Explain to you exactly what's going on with your vehicle, and are clearly trying to save you money rather than just replacing parts left and right. Love this place and highly recommend it. read more

Visited the shop today and I thought it was a pretty clean shop beautiful waiting room and it looks like a pretty talented staff super clean office organize well run I met the owner son he was very nice talk to me for a bit shared some of his ideas about the business and that's about it read more

I have been a customer here for many years. for the most part they have been good to deal with. I recently bought a van and wanted them to do a though inspection. I was told " the spark plug wires appear to be old and likely the vehicle will need a tune up including replacing the spark plugs, wires, cap and rotor" quote unquote from their invoice. In order to see these items you need to remove the engine cover. I decided to remove the cover to see about replacing these items myself. Gee! look at what I found, a bird nest. Guess the mechanic thought it was part of the engine. Also the distributor cap and wires are in good condition. And you wonder why people don't trust mechanics. read more

My family had a terrible experience many years ago with Dowdy's but I must say that the new GM Tyler contacted me and was very warm and welcoming to my concerns. I was informed that they are under new ownership and management. My first experience consisted of us having to deal with the mechanic at the time (Since then he has been fired) pulling out my coil wire and told me I needed a new fuel injection. Would have cost me $1000. I found the coil wire in my back seat and plugged it on. It ran fine after. I am now going to give Tyler another shot because he was very kind and concerned. I will write a follow up review shortly. read more