Ron is always helpful and even though they raised their labor rates to $95 an hour (from $88.), they always work with me to get a reasonable estimate. They don't gouge you with extra stuff you don't need. In fact , they saved some work that was recommended by another shop but turned out to be unecessary. I've been to them three times (I drive a '91 Corolla with 170,000 miles on it for Pete's sake), and have always been happy with the results. Their parts and labor are waranteed, and they are AAA recommended. Just be straight with them and don't be afraid to negotiate. read more

I am not a big Yelp reviewer; this is my 13th review in over a decade of having an account. But my experience at Downtown Automotive was so nice, and they were so friendly, that I owe them. My Honda Civic broke down on the highway in the middle of the night, and I had it towed to them. Despite having me over a barrel (I would have had to pay for another tow to leave them), they gave me a cheaper price than anyone else I checked with. So I gave them the green light. The next day they called me up and told me my car body was rusted and they had to spend an hour or so extra dealing with frozen/broken bolts. This is totally plausible as the car is from NY and does have a lot of rust. In NY the situation would have gone like this: "I had to spend an extra nineteen minutes because of a frozen bolt. Our shop rate is $250/hr. and we round up. So you owe me an extra $250 or I will drop your car off the Brooklyn Bridge." At Downtown Automotive they apologized and asked for a few extra bucks. They close at 5pm, so got there to pay and pick up the car at 4:59. Everything worked fine. I casually asked about the check engine light. I was honest and told the man there that it was on before the repair. Instead of just giving me a quick answer, he spent an extra half hour with me, after they closed, checking the error codes with a computer. He found nothing wrong and reset the error codes. When I offered to give him some extra cash, he said don't worry about it. Perhaps this is just an east-coast/west-coast thing. I am used to mechanics being jerks and am especially not used to them being nice. These guys are fair and friendly. A top notch outfit. Thank you! read more

I've been here twice now (randomly had car issues in the neighborhood that would have needed a tow to go anywhere else) for two different issues and feel compelled to write a review. Visiting a mechanic is stressful because you always are worried about being at their mercy and ending up overcharged. Both times here I've been treated extremely fairly - clear and honest communication with very reasonable charges for the work done. Can't recommend highly enough for anyone looking for a stress free repair. read more

About me, my father's been in the auto repair business for 30 years. I was a mechanic for 4 years in the Air Force. I know a thing or two about this industry. I get all my repairs done at my dad's shop but for oil changes I usually go to Jiffy Lube. Downtown Automotive is only a few blocks from where I live so I decided to check them out. I told them my dad has a shop but it's in Portland and I'm looking for a place to do my oil changes as I only use Castrol for my car. They quoted me $20 for labor. I had my wifes car go there for an oil change. It was about $25 including tax and charges for hazardous waste. The lady (I'm assuming manager) didn't disclose that, but for $25 that's ok. When my wife's car went there for a 2nd oil change they charged an extra $3 for windshield fluid. I went there and asked the lady what this was. She told me the windshield washer was low so they topped it off. I asked what their company policy was as shops generally have to ask permission for performing additional services, unless the customer says "just fix it." She told me she attempted to contact my wife but she didn't answer and was late for pick up by 2.5 hrs. I asked her if that's her reason for performing additional services and why does it matter if she was late. She said that the windshield washer fluid was low so the technician used one whole bottle. I said that my dad's shop never charges for little things like that and a lot of other shops will top off fluids for free. She then told me my dad probably uses the cheap stuff and she showed me the bottle they use. She said they used one full bottle and they charge $3. The bottle was about 1/2 pint in volume. I asked her if that bottle was necessary as it's a small amount. She then said they got a new technician and was only doing his job. I told her the amount of money in question is not a problem. It's about the principal. She then went on about how they generally don't do oil changes for people that bring their own oil. I then stated that I checked with her in advance and she said its $20, so where's the problem? She told me it's ok in advance. Some shops try to squeeze in money here and there by throwing in unnecessary services. I told her she lost a customer read more

These people are great. They kept my car longer to ensure no additional issues after replacing my battery. Lori is so knowledgeable and excellent at communicating. read more

I highly recommend Downtown Automotive! My story: I needed brake work. I asked the body shop where I had received a new front bumper (following a parked side-swipe by a U-Haul truck) for a recommendation and was sent to Downtown Automotive who did my rear brakes. They sent me on my way inviting me to come back if I heard any unusual noises. Noticing a gentle tapping noise when I applied the brakes on my way home, I returned the same day. It turned out after more looking, driving, and listening for it, the mechanics at Downtown Automotive discovered that I had a bent rear axle. I asked, "How does an axle get bent?" The answer was it could happen in an accident--especially if my car was hit from the front left side. That was exactly where my car had been side swiped! But how to report this newly discovered functional damage to the insurance company who had already reimbursed me for the obvious body damage and closed the case when they cut the reimbursement check? Downtown Automotive came to my assistance. Not only did they supply the proper paperwork for the estimate and repair that insurance company needed to even look at the case again but also photographic the evidence needed. A still photo of the axle would not really portray the damage very clearly. It was a video of the axle in motion (posted on Youtube) that provided the insurance company convincing documentation of the damage to the axel. The case was re-opened and the further damages discovered, documented, and repaired by Downtown Automotive were covered by the insurance company. I now have a solid, safe, car. I am so grateful to the mechanics at Downtown Automotive and their persistent detective work. I also so much appreciate the additional work of both the mechanics and the office staff who provided me with all the extra documentation I needed to convince the insurance company to cover the cost of the accident damage. Great detective and repair work, respectful and friendly service, intelligent and imaginative problem solving, excellent communications, a solidly safe car that I can enjoy driving with confidence. What more could a customer ask for? Downtown Automotive went several extra miles for which I am grateful. Their dedication to the tradition of providing high quality work at fair rates to their customers really stands out. This is honest, solid, professional, friendly auto service that can be trusted. I rate Downtown Automotive as both excellent and exceptional and a wonderful resource for the community. read more

Really like these folks. Went in for an oil change and they told me I would need to replace my battery, which I didn't do just then. I (typical) delayed, only to find myself at the wheel of a dead car a few weeks later. AAA towed it to their garage, they replaced the battery in no time, and the woman behind the counter (shoot, I forget her name) looked through some coupons to try to get me the best deal on the service and tossed in a discount on some new wiper blades while she was at it. Always friendly, always honest, have recommended them to several friends. Go there! read more

Fixed my friend's passenger side window for free. It was stuck in the down positive. They won a lot of goodwill points from me! :)

The ENTIRE staff at Downtown Automotive is great! I took my car in because the check engine light was on. They diagnosed it and turned out it was something I had to go to the dealership for. Lori called over there and made the appointment for me! She walked me through everything that was going on with my car and what needed to happen at Subaru. When I arrived at Subaru, I was told I needed my O2 sensor replaced for the 3rd time (all covered under the NAPA warranty). Lori helped me through the process to have NAPA cover the 3rd O2 sensor. She went out of her way to help me even though the previous changes has happened at a different shop. I felt very comfortable and in the know when I was at Downtown Automotive. read more

Excellent service! My radiator crapped out and they got me in on the spot. Threw in an oil change and new air filter as well and had me on the road in just a few hours. Very reasonably priced. Really saved my bacon and highly recommend! read more

My husband and I broke down on I5 and were towed here. Not only were the staff friendly and knowledgeable, but they got us in right away and fixed our car as fast as they could. Top notch! The car is running like a charm and we are back on the road for Thanksgiving. read more

I took my 2006 Ford Ranger in because it was having engine trouble and had shut down. They helped the issue and quickly alerted me that I would eventually need the engine repair or a new one but did not pressure me in buying it from them. They fixed my oil filter and replaced the oil for a very reasonable price. Lori was great to work with and runs the shop very well. They are very friendly and a pleasure to work with. read more

Got my car towed here after a broken water pump. They incorrectly fixed everything. I had to bring it back into the Ford Dealership who had to re-fix the water pump and multiple belts. They charged extremely high prices and didn't even do their job read more

I was in Seattle to see my son who was working on a ship - and our Mazda MPV had all sorts of problems. These folks were busy but took me in anyway - and they were able to fix everything but one small issue that required a part that had to be ordered. I'm suspicious of mechanics in general - but I trusted these folks - their service was excellent, cost reasonable and the van has run great ever since. read more

I run a business and have a fleet of 13 cars. I have used Downtown now for two major repairs, and they fixed them quickly so that I could get the cars back in the business. I feel like the pricing was fair. With a fleet of cars, I am pretty familiar with what often breaks and how much it costs. They treated me well, and i plan to use them again. read more

I have been coming here for years and was always pleased with the service. I drive a now 18 year old car and they have always been very honest about what I have to replace and what I can drive around with. Also they are always very friendly and reasonable. What actually prompted me to write this review was going to Elliott Tire and Service Center at 444 Elliott Ave W. They tried to scam me into some brake repairs. You can read the details on their Yelp page if you are so inclined. They made it seem like my car was a death trap. Important thing is I got my car back and took it here the same day. Told them I thought I was getting scammed and asked if they could check my brakes. Brake pads were little worn but no fluid leaks and nothing dangerous. Got the new pads and went on my way. Car is fine, brakes are fine, and I have more money in my pocket. read more

I had a great experience with Downtown Automotive! My '97 Jeep Cherokee had a problem with the heater but I didn't know exactly what was wrong with it. I took it to Downtown Automotive and they were able to diagnose the problem in less than an hour. The staff is more friendly than any other place I had been to! They were very time efficient when fixing the problem and had a great attitude! Love this place! read more

Gary has a great garage and only uses OEM parts to make sure your vehicle is fixed and running right.

I live next door to this auto shop and had a flat tire one day. As I was taking off the flat to put on my spare to drive to Firestone (where I bought my tires) the nice guy who works at Downtown Automotive offered to repair my tire for only $20. He also helped me put the tire back on and was just really wonderful. It was absolutely 5 star service. read more

Helpful, communicative, even followed up a couple months after to see my car was doing. Thanks!

Very shady, they are overpriced and also damaged my car during their 'inspection'. I would only recommend my worst enemy to this place. I drove away quickly and ended up saving 80% from what they estimated a simple repair would be. DO NOT GO HERE unless you like to be ripped off. read more

This shop is great. Michol is who my point of contact was while my car was in there. He was very friendly and walked me through everything that was going on with my car. They will not try to scam you out of any money. They really made a broken down car a not so bad experience. Thanks a lot Downtown Automotive! read more

I had a good first experience with this mechanic. My car broke down a few blocks away from their shop, and I was referred here since they were the closest repair facility. My husband walked over to the shop and explained our dilemma, and one of their mechanics was nice enough to come over to the disabled vehicle and try to diagnose the problem and possibly jump start the car. After several minutes and no success, we had it towed to the shop for a more thorough evaluation. It turned out to be a problem that required a part from a store that was two hours away, and it happened to be the day before Christmas Eve. The repair shop was planning to go home at 3pm and wouldn't reopen until after the holiday, but they knew we were in a jam and they didn't want to leave us stranded over the Christmas weekend. They stayed well past 5pm until the part arrived and made the repair for us so that we could be on our way. Although the cost of the labor was a little more than we expected, we felt like we had found one of the last few good mechanics who was willing to go the extra mile to help a customer. If needed, I would definitely return to this mechanic and would recommend it to others. read more

DEFINITELY recommend coming here. The guys here are awesome! Very friendly environment and the customer service is great. This is going to be my go to shop from now on. Came with a dead battery on a bike helped me out even though they don't work on bike. Truly thankful. Thanks Robert and Michael. read more

Let me first start by saying I never write reviews for yelp but I always read them to get an idea of a place before I go there... DUH should have done it for this place but trusted it since my roommate had already had THIS car serviced there are few months prior and could avoid the diagnostic charge. So I take it there because of a rough idle /stall out issue and check engine light that continues to stay on- which was a common problem for Chrysler 300's I learned. A couple hours later they call and tell me that I needed some new EGR valve because the one they initially installed - when my roommate took it there - was the wrong part and it needed some factory part blah blah blah. So I obliged, she said they'd only charge me for the part not the labor which I figured was a good deal. Later that same day a guy calls me from the office saying I need new spark plugs and it'll be cheaper to do it now rather than go back under and do it later. Now, I'm not a car person so I have no clue what old or new spark plugs look like so I said Okay-at this point my scam alarm went off, but I figured worst case scenario I have new spark plugs. I pick up and they stated everything was fixed, a couple days later my car stalls out while running errands, but this time a little more frequently. I get the front desk lady on the phone which, that front desk lady is REAL good at distracting you with a bunch of car jargon to make it seem like they know what they are doing. I had family coming into town and couldn't bring it in right away so she-the front desk lady - recommend I try stepping on the gas a little when it rough idles to see if it'll keep it on . So I can accelerate into traffic at a stoplight? No ma'am. The car then stalls out 6 times in the course of two hours of just driving on the streets to which I call them and immediately come by. Left it with them over the weekend (while family is in town) and she calls and says they were able to fix the rough idle but I never said anything about it stalling out-which in one of her previous voice-mails I have saved, she clearly states her guys have experienced the problem and are working on it - so they would have to take it to the dealership. At this point I'm infuriated for 1. Passive aggressively being called a liar and 2. The lack of actual car expertise, but I told them to take to the dealership. She stated that they would see what the dealership quotes them and work with me on the price since myself and my roommate already had it in for the same problem. I begrudgingly said okay as long as you keep me updated. From that point on all their calls went to voice-mail as proof. They kept my car for a whole week while calling and letting me know they were trying to find an dealership which would diagnose it ASAP. Once they got it back from the dealership the front desk lady called me and said and I quote "the dealership was really vauge with what they did, but they updated the computer system and everything is good to go ". So I go to pick it up and the guy who drove it back from the dealership was there along with front desk lady and he said the same thing to which she cosigned. They gave me a printout with nothing but a charge for gas they had to put in. Which I thought was weird. So I ask which dealership they took it too and he said Bellevue. A few days later I'm still peeved over the whole situation so I call up Bellevue Chrysler and inquire about my car having just been there. Chrysler gave me the WHOLE run down on everything they did told me exactly what was wrong. They also said that I had some leaky tubes which only could have come from something they did. So the next day, I drive ALLL the way over to Bellevue to pick up this invoice that shows EXACTLY what they did AND the price of it. The guy at the dealership even told me they gave that EXACT same paper to the guy when he picked up the car. All in all they ended up paying for almost 400.00 in work THEY initially should've repaired. As long as it didn't come out of my pocket. They must've thought I wasn't gonna call up Bellevue and inquire because it exposed their trickery. But, they definitely know how to take advantage of people who don't now much about cars. And last but not least. They quoted me 400.00 dollars for front brakes as one of my next repairs!!! Umm no thank you. I got it done on Aurora for more than half that. I don't like liars or swindlers or unprofessionalism read more

I came here to fix my car because the engine light on. The price seemed expensive for the repair but I am not a car guy so I just trust what the experts say. BUT NOT AFTER BRINGING THE CAR 3 TIMES AND STILL THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES BACK ON! And each time I paid more and more for the repairs. I have been driving this car for 5 years and I never had to repair it so many times. And that was when I used to drive it 60 miles a day. Now I only drive maybe 20 miles a week. Am I paranoid? What are the chance multiple parts require pair at the same time and why can't they detect it. ARGGGG. I wasted so much time coming early to drop it and pick it up. If my car is crap just tell me so; not try to micro charge for months! Keeping the car is already expensive enough in Seattle. Anyway I give 2 stars for at least nice enough people working but not currently happy with the repairs. read more

Had my car towed to this shop through AAA because my car would not start. Downtown Automotive quoted me $800 for fuel injection and stuck transmission. When I went to the shop, they gave me a bill around $1500 because they also claimed my timing belt needed to be replaced, even though the timing belt had been replaced 6 months ago at another shop. When I argued with them about this unauthorized surprise cost, they told me it was my responsibility to ask them if they had extra costs- not their responsibility to keep me updated on extra costs that might accrue. read more

I found Downtown Automotive by searching through AAA Washington's list of approved auto repair service providers nearly four years ago. The shop's expertise has contributed significantly to my car's great performance, despite having over 170,000 miles on the odometer. Lori and Ron make it easy for me to schedule appointments for repair, and provide excellent customer service. read more

My Acura was displaying a warning concerning inadequate tire pressure on my driver side front tire. I stopped at Werner's Crash Shop to see if they had air I could buy and they referred me to Downtown Automotive which is just around the corner from them on 6th. Even though I had no appointment I had zero wait time. These super friendly and competent people checked Acura's inflation specifications for my model and gave me air in all four tires, after which they put the car up on the automotive lift and carefully examined the tires for punctures and wear. All this in about 15 minutes. When I tried to pay they wouldn't accept a penny- honestly when does that happen? I can't believe I've lived on Queen Anne all these years and never even knew they existed. What a fabulous discovery! These people are great and I will be using them in the future when I am need of auto service. (Thank-you Werner's for the recommendation!!) read more

My 4x4 truck's drive shaft broke at the rear differential the afternoon of Dec-23 during a snow storm. Using my front tires I dragged myself to Downtown Automotive to get the bad news given it was Christmas Eve-Eve. By the next afternoon they had fabricated a part and hooked everything back up so I was *still* able to finish my Christmas shopping! They did a great job and with tax it was only $500. I'd definitely recommend these guys. read more

I went there for the first time today and was thoroughly impressed. Enough to open a Yelp account! I've been burned by mechanics in the past and thought Downtown Automotive did a wonderful and professional job. It turned out that all I needed was a new battery, which is the sort of situation that they could have twisted into all sorts of things (new solenoid, new starter, etc.) but didn't. read more

Downtown Automotive is a gem! They are so warm, welcoming, accommodating and efficient. I dropped my car off before work for a transmission fluid flush. Not only did they call me when it was done to let me know that everything went well but also let me know my oil was abnormally low and due for a change in about a week (from the sticker date). After getting my OK they changed the oil also. They told me to come back in about a month to come back and check the oil level for free. I will continue to come back for my auto needs! read more

I have never been dissapointed with the outcome of the work they do. They have always been honest with me, haven't over charged for their services and best of all, did the work on time with a warranty to boot. They've help me when it was an emergency and didn't tell me I needed a bunch of parts and work unnecessarily. I highly recommend them to everyone! read more

I can't believe the way I was treated today on Wednesday, Sept, 07, 2011 by phone. I received this phone call by some woman from Downtown Automotive in Seattle WA, giving me a bad time for not showing up to an interview last week. She was accusing me of taking advantage of unemployment and basically judging me of something she has no idea of. I got there for an interview early; but there was no parking anywhere available without getting towed off. They never warned me of this situation before I left to have an interview with them and I didn't carry any money to pay for parking at the lot across from their location because I was unaware of this problem. Their building was smeared with graffiti alongside the entire building also which put up a large red flag that if hired on, I might get my tools ripped off. That area showed to me to not be a safe place to work and the last thing I needed was some nasty woman calling me on the phone and being mean to me. I went on to explain to this woman what happened and she hung up on me. I emailed these people two times after I got home to tell them what I am saying in this review and the last thing I needed was some snotty mouthed woman calling me up a week later and giving me a bad time because I decided not to work for a place like this. If they treat someone as myself this bad before being hired on I can just imagine how they would of treated me if I would have worked for them. They owe me an apology for treating me badly and I would not recommend them to anyone when it comes to working on vehicles. That was terrible to be judged like that and treated like some criminal just because I decided not to work for them. read more

They are inept. Although Ron is a nice guy, it stopped at the front desk after all their good mechanics left the business. Two summers ago I asked them to check my engine in preparation for a drive across state. This they did, "renewing" only a drive belt presumably, but for some unfathomable reason they also disconnected the idle switch and temp. sensor, resulting in fowled spark plugs that caused my car to die on the narrow I-90 bridge spanning the Columbia River at Vantage. After $600 in repairs in a Spokane shop + towing charges, I called Downtown Automotive to inquire why they'd made the disconnections that caused such damage. Ron said he'd investigate and get right back to me. Two months later, having never heard back from him, I wrote a formal letter and attached the repair bills designating the cause of engine damage. Never did hear back from them. You only need one experience of semi-trucks swerving to miss you on the narrow Vantage bridge to look for another repair shop. Don't wait until they damage your engine, charge you for it, and then pretend it didn't happen! Incidentally, they commonly gouge on all their bills. read more

I've had a couple major repairs done by these guys last winter: slightly expensive but they did a good job which is almost all that counts when you go in to the auto repair casino: am I right? If I would of cashed in my chips then, they'd be looking at 3.5 stars but I guess I got greedy and brought my box van in last fri. at around 1pm because it wasn't starting unless we jumped it: told them that we needed it repaired that day. They didn't end up having time to repair it: that was completely understandable. They thought it might be the battery cable so they "fixed" it. But obviously it wasn't the battery cable because: 1. it was starting when we jumped it 2. it wasn't starting after they "fixed" the cable. Slightly less understandable but still, by auto mechanic standards, sort of acceptable. Here's where it goes haywire: they wanted over $150 for that and they didn't even replace the cable: they just put electrical tape over it! They didn't have time to repair my vehicle, that's OK, what's not OK is them getting in a free kidney punch to my wallet just because I was foolish enough to ask for their services. Do better then that people! But I suppose that's what Yelp's for. Two reasons their getting 2 stars instead one: 1. The guy on the phone let me talk them down to about $120 so at least I limped away with some part of my manhood not wedged in to my lower stomach 2. The woman who works the front desk is a diamond in the rough: professional, knowledgeable and courteous. read more