I had a great first-time experience with Franks last week. My car's throttle cable snapped while driving, leaving my accelerator at the floor and useless. Not only was that surreal, but I had rolled into a business that I needed to have my car towed from pretty quickly. My usual mechanic lives a little way out of SM, and bc of the towing, I wanted to find someone nearby. We had stopped by two other shops with over a week wait when a friend recommended Frank's, who could get my car in that day. Everyone I interacted with was great there, and they tried very hard to get a difficult to find part for me as quickly as possible. I was impressed with the quick turnaround, and I was able to check-in and use their yelp offer too. All in all, glad to know where I can take my car in town if I have other issues. read more

I can't comment on the quality of their work as I never got that far with them. I carefully explained the issue with my car...both an ODBC scan and the information on the car's screen indicated a faulty Oil Temperature Sensor. The gentleman at the desk said they would need to check the thermostat as that sometimes caused the problem and quoted a price for the diagnostics. I let him know that the water temp was not reading high and reiterated that the problem was the oil temp sensor. He quoted me a price to replace it and I gave them my information and set up an appointment for the next morning. Later that day I got 2 additional phone calls that were so confused on their part that it gave me pause. I took the car in anyway the next morning and on the way home I received a call telling me that they were seeing an a code for the faulty oil temp sensor and did I want to fix that too. Completely exasperated by their lack of understanding of the situation I asked them to give me an updated quote and was told they would get right back to me. Two hours later I received a call with what seemed to me a ridiculously high price based on the information I had available (and much higher than the original quote). When I picked up the car without them doing any work they seemed totally unconcerned about the loss of business. Caveat Emptor read more

These men were able to fix my cars son within a few days. We live a few hours away and my college student needed repairs from running over a mattress on the highway. This place got him in quick, and did a great job. The owner let us pay over the phone and we a grateful for that option. I highly recommend this place!! They will not disappoint!! Thank you Franks automotive! read more

When I first moved to San Marcos I reviewed several auto repair places. Franks fit the bill at that time. Good service and reasonable price. But, something has happened since 2022....VERY POOR customer service. Given the run around and even lied to. So mad the last time I left there that I have already identified a new place for car repair. Unless something major changes in the front of house, I won't be back. read more

When Colton was there I trusted the place. He was a straight shooter. He always told you straight up what the deal was. I respected that. Since he's gone, they just try to pull money from your wallet. I lost all confidence. read more

I highly recommend Franks, I went there with my Prius, after my warranty ran out with Toyota. They helped me decide what was most important to get done. It was done In a timely manner, so I did not go without my car for long. I Definitely will be going back for future service with them. read more

Then they say they can't find me into their database. Lies lies lies!!! Be very careful with this company especially if your a college student! I would always get a second opinion. read more

I had went in because my sunroof was jammed. I called then went in the next day and the man who helped me informed me that a man that works at VW onion creek was there to help too. I was under the impression they would fix it (as one would think.) I went in and he was very charismatic and chatty which makes you feel like you can trust them. I walk out, paid, and the cover to the sunroof was making weird sounds and wouldn't open all the way. I turned the knob to open the roof and it didn't open either. I walk back in and ask why it's not opening and he says, "yeah I told you not to open it." I was like ???? I asked and paid for y'all to fix it? He comes at me with "no you asked us to close it so that's what we did and I have it right here on the computer that's what you asked. Repairing it all would be $1500" trying to make it seem like I'm dumb and that he's not in the wrong. Not transparent about anything. Mind you this entire conversation is AFTER I pay. So there was nothing I could do but let the public know not to go here if you're a college student or a young woman - it's just messed up. I will never be taking my car, business, or money here ever again. The smiles and fake small talk is so see through. Unless you want to get scammed, I suggest not to go here. $230 for them to ONLY CLOSE my sunroof. $220 for labor. $8 for a part. THEN I get in my car to see they literally just ripped off the piece I was told they would repair. Left in my car for proof! YEAH NEVER GO HERE. Attached below are pictures of the lining left in my car: read more

Frank's Automotive - Auto Repair Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

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I had them do some exhaust work on my car and it took 8 hours when they told me 3 hours. And it was over priced from what I've seen. To make it worse after about 1000 miles my exhaust fell off. Would not recommend this place. read more

Frank's Automotive - Auto Repair Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

My Bobcat (from VA) ran over a log which was the final lights out for our 225k+ family van. We knew it was on its last legs and wouldn't be worth the repair, but son had it towed to Franks to get it out of the middle of an intersection when it had died on him. After they evaluated that it was going to cost over $2k in repairs (hole in the radiator, torn up stuff all the way under the thing, plus more) we asked if they would simply help us to junk it from a distance. It was a 17 year old vehicle and even if it had been in great shape (which it was NOT) it would barely have gotten $2k if we sold it, so we were just happy to walk away. As it turned out, we had Trump's USPS in power plus a pandemic. I made the mistake of (with the guy at Frank's urging) just staying home and putting the title in the regular mail from my house, trusting it would arrive safely so that I didn't have to go to the Post Office and chance infection. My letter was stamped December 17. We hoped it might arrive before Christmas but realized that it probably wouldn't, with so many mail sorting machines having been removed prior to the election. I kept checking back, even after Christmas and New Years it didn't arrive. Finally I decided I needed to get a duplicate title (which fortunately I could do on the same day since I had a connection at the DMV- thank goodness since the next appointment wasn't until April). I paid $15 for that, then another $7 to have it sent priority mail, and it arrived within three days. The entire time, Frank's has been incredibly patient with us and nothing but helpful and understanding about the junker car on his lot. Meanwhile, my original title just arrived today, January 12, 2021 at Frank's. He called to let me know. I appreciate their willingness to trust that I was telling the truth and wait for the title to arrive. I was the one who went ahead and sent the second one because it seemed like I was being a scammer (though I clearly wasn't) and it wasn't fair to his business. I will have my son take his "new" car there when it is needed. These guys have earned my trust. read more

I don't typically leave Yelp reviews (this is my first) so that should be a testament to how much I love Frank's. I've had a problem with my door (it was bent and wouldn't open) for the past month, but I haven't taken it to get fixed because I'm a suffering college student and haven't had the money. I finally got sick of having to crawl through the back to get into my car that I gave in and took it to Frank's. They fixed it in less than 20 minutes, and didn't charge me a cent. They're also some of the nicest people I've met, especially since I don't know anything about cars. I would absolutely go to Frank's for car troubles again, and I highly recommend others do as well! read more

Charged $100 for diagnosis & then threatened storage fees if vehicle wasn't picked up immediately.

Wow Franks really came through for me. My engine light came on and one shop stated it was my catalytic converter and quoted me $4k. Went got second opinion at Franks and they said let's rule out bad gas lol instructed me what to do and return if it was still coming on. Safe to say I've driven my Jeep for a week check light engine free. I didn't have to pay an arm. Leg and kidney either lol. Keep up the great work. It did take a couple of days for them to look at which means they are busy w great business. Thanks again. read more

Came here because my Chevy Malibu had an error code reading "shift to park" not allowing my car to turn off completely despite being in park. They didn't have availability to fix it for several days so I needed a way to turn the battery off at home manually. The man that helped me told me that if I wanted to be able to turn the car off myself at home I would need my "dad, brother, or boyfriend" to do it for me, instead of showing me how I could do it myself. Come on man, it's 2021. Sexism isn't it. read more

I've been here several times since moving to the area and they've always been so helpful. The staff is friendly and very straight forward, the pricing is very good, and they always have an accurate timeline on when they will have your vehicle finished. read more

I called this shop hoping I could get good service and atleast get sent in the right direction but turned out complete opposite. The man on the phone was so disrespectful and impatient. Told me "well if you talk on the phone all day I would never be able to get anything done" my friend took her car up here last week and it never got fixed. Sat up at the shop for 5+ hours there is workers smoking illegal drugs in the parking lot. If I could give them a 0 rating I most definitely would read more

A/C sprung a leak. I called in the morning and they said bring it in. After diagnostics, it was definitely a leak. They sourced a condenser and I had my car back that evening. Fast, professional, and solid work. read more

Awesome service! Professional, courteous and Texan friendly! The completed a major repair in one day and came in under their original bid price. Even added an additional minor fix of some sap that had marked up my paint job. Colton was so reassuring with his military "can do - get it done" attitude. I would definitely return with any future repairs and refer friends and family to bring automobiles here. Five stars is all this app let me rate them but if it was up to me I'd give them 10 big gold stars! read more

Hands down the Best Service in San Marcos!!! 20+ years in the business and it shows that they know what their truly doing & know how to treat their customers. Great work and keep it up Frank! read more

Franks automotive was a professional and quick experience. They were very nice and took care of my automotive needs quickly. As a girl, I hate dealing with car repair places because I often feel ripped off, I know nothing about cars, I never felt this way at Franks. They are trustworthy. The waiting area was very clean and the whole shop seems to be well ran. I appreciate Franks for your help today! I would highly recommend Franks! read more

My wife had her battery die while shopping at Tanger Outlet Mall today. I called Franks and they sent over one of their wreckers (who arrived within 15 minutes!!) with a new battery (at my request). The technician jumped the car and even tried to talk my wife out of the new battery after checking to make sure the alternator was charging adequately. However, since she was so far from Austin and had some guests visiting from overseas with her... we opted to go ahead and get the new battery installed rather than risk further breakdowns while they were returning to Austin. My wife and I were both very pleased to have this breakdown dealt with so easily and the price was more than fair. Based on our experience with Frank's & Bigfoot Towing in this instance we feel good about recommending them to any other motorists finding themselves in need of roadside service in the San Marcos area. read more

They just wrote me a check, repaying me for their shoddy work. That should say it all!! read more

Frank's Automotive - Proof that I finally caught them doing shoddy work. - Auto Repair Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

My battery died in a large parking lot, near nothing. I called AAA and said that Frank's would assist me within 45 minutes. A worker from Frank's called me to make sure where I was and was there within 18 minutes. After testing my battery, showing me the test and explaining everything, he recommended what the test showed, to get a new battery. He offered to jump my car and follow me to a place for me to buy a battery and also said he had a small and large battery for my car type in his car. We could go either route - it didn't matter to him. He was completely transparent, even showing me that the dealership had sold me the car with a smaller, less strong battery. I decided I have the battery changed right there. He was done within 5 minutes and made sure everything was connected and running smoothly. He was pleasant the entire time, making the process that much easier. He ended up getting there, testing my battery, installing the new one and leaving before the outer estimate of 45 minutes was even reached. His name is Noel and if you ever get him, consider yourself lucky! Thanks Noel! (And Frank's!) -Evan read more

Best repair shop in San Marcos. They've been here for locals forever and they're the best for college students. I've been coming to Franks for over 5 years and the service has always been amazing. They shoot me straight and the technicians are honest and knowledgeable. I recommend if you want to find a reliable honest shop with the best techs, come to Franks! read more

This is one Awesome Auto Repair shop if you are looking for "Your #1 Car Service Shop". Yelper that is their motto but they also repair trucks like my 2001 Chevy. I initially used them some months ago for a diagnostic check for a "Service Engine" light. Well, it didn't take them long to find I had a bad fuel pump and regular and the next day I dropped my truck off before they opened and dropped my keys in a secure lock box. Their normal business hours are open 8 am - 5 pm but they will open their doors at 7:30 am. I can tell you Frank's Automotive Inc in San Marcos Texas not only goes the extra mile but they will go another 4 miles at least. You ask me why? Well the first reason is because they will diagnosis problems fast, make only necessary repairs and are very easy to work with. Later I decided it was time to have additional work done. But this time I decided to wait at their shop for the work to be done. But because it was going to take so long to do the job Colton Perez, the Service Manager offered to have an employee run me back to my home with no extra charged and picked when the repairs was done. I could have waited in their comfortable roomy waiting room as they provide WIFI and a table for your laptop but I took Colton up on his offer. Isn't that cool? Yell the second reason is because they do care about their customers' valuable time. When I got home I got a call from Colton who text me a 69 Point Digital Inspection Report which included pictures of the vehicle condition and additional problems they found. That makes my third reason why I would consider using them again. I had a warranty policy with the truck and Frank's Automotive worked well with the warranty company which saved me hundreds of dollars, Oh yell my 17 year old truck also needs a new paint job. Well they can do that too. So Colton offered to drive it down to Frank's Automotive and Collision in New Braunfels Texas for a free estimate. Believe me that saved me a ton of time. On the way back Colton notice there appeared to be something wrong with the brakes and of course he found the problem and made repairs. My final reason I would return to have work done is because the shop gave me a 3 year/ 36,000 mile warranty for all work performed including free wrecker service. And this isn't warranted for just local but nation wide. So why not give them a try sometime when your vehicle is in need of attention. Shops are located in San Marcos and New Braunfels, Texas. read more

I had a valve cover gasket replaced 5/22/19 on a 2007 Toyota Tundra . 5,000 miles later it failed . I called after noticing it 7/2/20 . They told me to bring it in and I will have to pay for labor again to replace the failed gasket . I've been taking my vehicles there for over 10 years and I lost confidence in there labor abilities. Why would I want to pay labor again . The labor costs are a lot more than the gasket . If they would have offered to replace the gasket again w/o labor costs , it would have been a different story . They have a 12 mo 12,000 mile warranty. I failed to notice the clearly blown gasket in time . With my vehicle driven less than 5k miles , there is a clear problem with there labor . Look at there reviews, I should have . It tells the truth . I will tell everybody I know about there lack of customer care . I will keep leaving this review after they delete it each time . read more

We drove our Traverse into a pole. The front bumper, headlight assembly quarter panel and hood had to be repaired. Frank's was the closest Progressive approved shop. The service Frank's provided was fantastic from the estimate to pick up. Very refreshing to experience great customer service these days. read more

I really trust this place for all my car's needs. There were a few times I went somewhere else and they quoted a large estimate and wanted to replace unnecessary items. George is real friendly and gets straight to the point; he breaks down what you need visually and shows you everything they plan to do. I appreciate their honesty and competence to help me get my car in safe, working condition. read more

What wonderful folks! They took care of me even though they were super busy and it was just before a holiday. Kind, professional...my heroes. I'm from out of time and they got me back on the road! read more

Went in for an oil change, they gave my friend an hour estimate, 2 hours later we still haven't heard from them so we go to the shop and they haven't even started on the car. It took over 3 hours to do an oil change and we were there when they opened in the morning. Waste of time and energy, don't come here read more

Needed my clutch repaired on my 07 mustang so I called around the shops in San Marcos to get quotes and Frank's gave me the best deal with the best turnaround time of only 1 DAY! I was pleasantly surprised & skeptical with that time table but I ended up going through with the deal and got my car back the next day working good as new. Couldn't be more happy and grateful for such an amazing and reliable shop to be right here in town! read more

Charged me almost $100 ( for an hour)after they said they would charge me 50 ish (half hour was what I was quoted initially) for a TEN minute job ( replacing a fuse even though I told them that was not the issue just a symptom) then treated me poorly when I asked what diagnostic tests they ran and they said "well once we replaced the fuse it started so we didn't need to did we?". Car broke down from the same issue three days later. Terrible service, poor work, terrible people. DO NOT GO HERE. read more

I decided to wait a few days and cool off before I wrote this review primarily because I didn't want my anger to guide the way I rated and reviewed Frank's. So here is how my experience went: I was recommended by Jiffy Lube to come to this place because one of my headlights was not working even with a new bulb. So when I arrive I already have an idea of what is wrong with the car which was one of the plugs the headlight attached to and I explained this to the girl who works at the front counter and then to Bob the manager and he came out and checked it out. After approx 2 hours of waiting and hearing the two front desk people talking to each other in spanish while awkwardly staring at me Bob finally pulls the car in and indeed diagnose the issue as there being a problem with the plug. So they order a new plug which took about another additional hour and Bob calls me to the desk. He informs me that the part is 6-8 dollars and that the labor included would come out to 58 dollars. Now I know what you are thinking what a rip off and why would I pay? Well I had no choice as I don't know how to discard the old plug and put on the new one nor do I know where to buy this piece so reluctantly I agreed to this and it was quite upsetting. So after about 10 minutes of work they finally attach the plug and roll the car out. One of the Mechanics informs Bob that there is an outer piece that holds the light bulb in place that is missing. Bob then waste more of my time by trying to find it but comes to the conclusion that he has lost it and would have to order in another one. So he writes on the back of his business card "AC Check Basic 40.00 No Charge" for the inconvenience since earlier I informed him my A/C was messing up. He tells me he has ordered the part and to come back Monday and keep in mind it is Friday at this point in time. So Monday rolls around and I come by after class before I head to work ( I live and work in Austin BTW) and he tells the part has not arrived yet and that I can wait there since their guy usually brings parts in the afternoon, or have them call me. More upset than before I decided I will come back Wednesday. So Wednesday rolls around and I receive a call after class which was about 11:00 AM that they finally have the part and I knew I would have to deal with this place one more time. So I go there and Bob comes outside and puts the part on and I leave being annoyed at how much more simple this could of gone. To sum things up I wouldn't return here again even with a free $40.00 A/C check. I rather hot air be blowing on me all day then have to spend another day or dime at this place again. I will be honest though and say I genuinely believe they want to help people but they also want to rip people off and are disorganized and slow and hence a two star rating rather than a one star. read more

I used AAA's certified recommendation. I left my car here & returned back to get the quote on my ignition switch issue. They charged for diagnosing even though there is many places that do it free! So, I felt ripped off, I understand they did work but, free is even better considering I had to take my car to another location because they were expensive! I got my issue fixed for half the price back in my hometown! I won't take my car here because I feel it will waste my time towing it there & I am not satisfied with their price. read more

I have had my car towed by frank's automotive before through AAA and assisted with changing my tire and both times the people have been prompt and really nice. The most recent time they helped me I had a flat and asked the guy if he knew where to get it patched and he told me to go here. I go there and ask the guy at the desk about getting a patch and he was extremely rude to me. Customer service at this place is awful and I do not recommend taking your car or spending any money here. read more

Best in the area! They take the time to explain everything they're doing and why, even to those of us who aren't really gear-heads. Prompt, professional and affordable service. Give them a shot, you won't be disappointed!!! read more

Great place for Auto Repair. My daughter attends Texas State and is about 600 miles away from home. When we first took her Mountaineer (which had 150,000 miles) we searched for a great automotive repair shop. We found Frank's and it has been so comforting knowing I can count on them for repairs and oil changes. They even give 10% off to students and are AAA certified. Well my daughter's engine light came on and now she has about 170,000 miles on it. She took it in this morning and they said it was going to be $85.00 for a diagnostic check. They checked it and determined it was under warranty on some repairs they did this year. It didn't cost us anything - George thanks for being honest and taking care of my daughters car. Great place - I will definitely continue to take her SUV to Frank's. read more

We took my daughter's old car in for an extended oil change. The mechanic found a serious issue with the tie rods on the front end. George gave us a no pressure quote on repairs on that and a couple of other things. I checked with friends and the consensus was that the price was fair. We liked them enough that we brought the car back the next week for the tie rod repairs. We would go back. read more

I brought my car there a while back ago because my serpentine belt was stripped. When I got it back they fixed that, but suddenly my headlight was broken. Once I drove off it fell and was just hanging on. I brought the car back to Franks and told them they broke my headlight and they just busted out duct tape and put it back on. Needless to say that didn't work. I called them to get a quote on fixing a cadallitic converter and the broken headlight and they quoted me 300-400 dollars more than my place back home. Never again! read more

Kept misdiagnosing our truck and throwing parts at it, and still couldn't get it fixed. All they did was rack up multiple huge bills until we decided to trade the vehicle in. Would not recommend them to anyone! read more