I was referred to RDS when my Subaru's a/c quit. After they had my car for 4 business days, they said it was a 3-way switch, which they diagnosed and replaced for $770. I drove it away, and the faint bit of cool was gone within the day. I took it back and waited almost 2 hours while they attempted to find the problem. At closing time, they told me to bring it back the next day because their tech didn't know what was wrong, but "we have someone we can call for help with Subarus." At that point it seemed to be a problem that needed the dealership. I took it to Stivers, and Cameron had it diagnosed, fixed, washed and ready for pickup in 4 hours. Their charge was $872. They agreed that the 3-way switch did need to be replaced, but it would not solve the problem on its own. I then went back to RDS and showed them the paperwork. I asked for a partial refund, and didn't specify an amount. I only felt they should give me something back, since they had failed to fix the a/c. Matt disappeared, then came out with word from Tom, the owner, that I could have nothing back, because in the second writeup, they had said "two hour diagnostic is recommended" and I hadn't brought it back in for that, after all the time they had already had it. I then wrote Tom a polite letter laying out my case for some money back, left it with their office, but got nothing from him after weeks of waiting and hoping he would do the right thing. Do not bring your Subaru here. Just go to the dealership and get it done right the first time. read more

Always great service and honest advice at this place. When we were looking to buy a car, we brought all of the new ones by and they told us yes or no, and we went with the one they suggested and it's been perfect. So thankful for them and kind employees. Great service and great communicators. read more

Bad, Bad all around. Never RDS again. Without paying attention to the concerns I had about my car: a) poor pick b)dragging noise when driven over 55MPH, Tom was more focused on "Things I don't like about your car", the occasional the cranking sound upon starting. Despite telling that it was not my priority, that is what he wanted to fix. He recommended changing timing chain tensioner and flushing of the transmission to fix my problems. Charged $800. The car pick up and the drag noise got worse than before. I went back to RDS after a week. He drove with me upon my isistance to show him my continued problems with the car. His patronising the old female customer and her driving style did not fix my car problem. After charging me $800, as an afterthought, to my original concerns he recommended replacing wheel bearings for another $1K+, "eventually but not an immediate concern". As the performance of my car has gone from bad to worse by the day after the RDS repairs, I took my car to a certified dealer only to find out that my car, Honda, should never have the transmission fluids flushed. I was warned to anticipate transmission problems in the future as a result of RDS ignorance. I had to spend over $1K in addition to the $800 RDS charged to undo the poor job RDS did with the timing chain tensioner and get the new wheel bearings put in by a certified mechanic. If you have a car worth saving, I would strongly recommend staying away from RDS read more

Tom and his wife (the owners) are good, honest people who are fair, and they do good work. Price wise, I wouldn't say they're the cheapest, but they dang sure ain't the most expensive either. Just make sure you communicate your needs and budgetary limits up front to avoid any possible misunderstandings. There's a MUCH longer to story to tell here, but I'll save you and my fingers the time and skip to the bottom line: RDS is an honest shop and where we'll be taking our vehicles for the foreseeable future. read more

Came in for an oil change and brake inspection and walked out paying $150 and confused (most people do brake inspections for free) the people were very kind however that did not excuse the fact that not one employee was wearing a mask. Also they told me I needed new rotors but I knew I didn't, took my car somewhere else the next day to find out that my rotors are fine and that I just needed a new cv axel. I will not be returning read more

My Wife and I recently took her car to RDS for repair. I had been there a few times over the years and I thought they were good people. For the record I am an ASE Certified Master Automotive Tech, ASE Certified Master H.D.Truck Tech, ASE Certified Master Body and Paint Tech, and an ASE Certified Master Machinist, so I know a little bit about how cars should be repaired and I have over 55 years of experience repairing cars, trucks and equipment. First we never authorized or was even told about replacing her rear wiper blade. Then we were told one of her tires was separated, when I wanted to see the tire, it was worn but NOT Separated. The tire that was not separated was the only part that I was allowed to see. After getting her car home I noticed that the sway bar link on the passenger side had not been lubricated and the new tie rod end on that side had not been lubricated either. The sway bar link on the drivers side had been lubed. Then I noticed that we were billed for three sway bar links and I could only see two new sway bar links. I looked and NAPA only listed two sway bar links. I looked in the Ford Shop Manual and it only listed two sway bar links, 3B438 for the right one and 3B439 for the left. RDS charged us nearly double for the parts that they supposedly used than what the NAPA List price is. Over the years I have referred many people to RDS but I can no longer do that. I do not plan to ever go there again. read more

It's been years since I have used them but will NEVER!!!! return. EVERY repair quote given prior to service was never the price...ALWAYS more than stated withOUT any notice so I could decide to decline or not.. I'm easy to work with...give me your price?...do the work right?...and have a nice day.... After 2 times of this? I was done! read more

I've had some terrible experiences with mechanics, so I'm always hesitant to try a new place. From the time I called the shop and spoke with Jennifer, I knew these were reputable people. She was extremely friendly and helpful from the start. Tom told me to bring my Honda in for him to check out (even though they were booked solid all day). He took the time to ride along with me so he could hear the strange noise I described. We took it back to the shop and he was able to diagnose the issue very quickly and had me fixed up in no time. I will DEFINITELY be back to see them. read more

If you are looking for a personal service that really takes care of its customers, then RDS would be a good fit! Tom always has time to explain what the problems are and also what the options might be! I never feel pressured to have something done and Tom will go out of his way to be accomodating. I asked him to find me a second hand radio and then bought one while I was out of the state. Tom returned it with no charge. Another time, he patched one of my tires when he found a nail. Several times he has squeezed me in when I had an emergency or could only come at a certain time. I feel like I'm in good hands and can trust Tom not to suggest unnecessary repairs or services. When compared to other car services I have visited over the years, his prices seem fair and reasonable. His newsletters always contain a Special Offer on something and other helpful information. read more

I've been taking our cars to Tom and company for the last 6 or 7 years. I'm pretty happy. I've never been sold any service I've not needed. I drive a lot, put a lot of miles on cars, mostly highway. So beyond my normal scheduled oil changes and scheduled maintenance, we've been paying a little more attention to rotate and balance and I probably get an alignment more than most people. Thank you Atlanta roadways with all your giant potholes. Oh - and when the world went to Ethanol and my gas mileage dropped amazingly badly, Tom put some time into figuring out was it my gas or something else... And they usually call me after a service and make sure everything is ok. We like that. read more

I have taken my car five times to this establishment and will not be returning. I was just charged twice as much as I should have been for tire installation as well as $33 dollars to have a license light replaced. Did I want a new light installed? No. What they should have done is simply tell me that one of my lights was out and that I should get it replaced. The light costs $3 and anybody can install it in a manner of minutes. It honestly feels like $33 was stolen from me. To top it all off, the employees do not wear masks during a pandemic. read more

Tom is amazing and you can tell a lot about how a shop is run, by it's leadership. It flows from the head, down..he's straightforward, extremely easy to talk to, won't try to sell you into getting services you don't need for your vehicle. His prices are fair and they are very extremely knowledgable plus highly experienced. It's a rare find to encounter a auto repair shop who's about integrity instead of purely focusing on how much money they can make off a customer. This is only place that I'm taking my dear Penelope to get what she needs done. If your car is sick, I would highly recommend coming here. read more

My boyfriend and I read good reviews about RDS on Yelp, which is why we brought our Monte Carlo in initially. We had a number of problems with the car, but didn't want to shell out a fortune, so we told Tom to just do what will get us by for now, and we'll fix the rest as-needed. We had an issue with the car shaking once it got up to 60-70 mph, and had already taken the car to get the tires re-balanced -twice - somewhere else... and it was still shaking. Tom told us he'd take a look at it, and actually found that we had a twisted tread because we were sold cheap tires! Tires which we had only bough 3 months prior! He warned us that there is a difference between CHEAP tires and inexpensive tires, and told us when we're ready to switch them out that he would get us some good quality inexpensive ones. He went ahead and re-balanced the ones we had anyways, and even with the twisted tread - NO MORE SHAKING! That was just the first time we went. Then, New Years Eve day, we were planning on flying out to NY around 3pm, and that morning the car was making terrifyingly loud grinding noises. My boyfriend brought the car to Tom and desperately asked him if he could help us out in time to be able to get to the airport for our flight. With no appointment, he fixed the car right away (needed new brake pads, ground down the rotors - which he told us would need to be done soon the last time we went in), and we were able to catch our flight - no problem! The car is running great, and we definitely put our trust in Tom's hands from now on! Oh, and when have you ever gotten a Christmas card from your car guy!? Or a thank you note?! Or his wife's adorable newsletters with recipes and stories of their holidays and their kids? I can't remember a business with that kind of warmth and personality. If they are willing to let you get to know them on a personal level, you know they're a trustworthy business. I would definitely recommend RDS to anyone looking to get honest, quality work done for your car. read more

I took my car to them in January with the details of what my issues were and now it is running worst than it did when I took it in. Of course they are saying it has nothing to do with what they changed which is the REAR BRAKES for $297 - that are also not functioning properly! Totally rip off of $297..but like I told Gary..Karma comes to repair shops to so I hope the $297 was worth it!! I see all of these positive reviews so I guess they pick and choose who they are going to do good business with! read more

UPDATE 11/10/12: My "Low Trac" light is now coming on after hitting the slightest bump and my ABS typically turns off after the first bump I hit. This has been going on for about the past month. As you can see, the work they did on my car didn't last very long at all. This just seems to be the cherry on top of my already utter disappointment with them. For anyone considering taking your car here, I would reconsider and go find a certified mechanic. ORIGINAL: I took my car here to have the wheels rotated, ABS, transmission, and check engine light fixed. It cost me about $1500 for everything, however after I got my car back it had an annoying scratching sound whenever I was moving slowly in my car. I called Tom about this, and he gave me a lame excuse that it was probably "just a piece of rust"... and whenever I took it back, it turned out that he had actually bent the rock guard on one of my brakes. Two more weeks went past and my transmission problems were back, so I took it back again... as it turned out there were more serious problems with my car's transmission so I got charged another $1500 to pay for an ENTIRE transmission overhaul. As soon as I get my car back this time, the cruise control was malfunctioning and on occasion the ABS lights would come back on... To say the least, my car is 'nearly' worst off then whenever I took it to him, plus he was incredibly unprofessional whenever I would report these problems to him. I usually just got excuses from him and no real answers, and he was hardly willing to fix what he hadn't fixed in the first place. As of today, I've lost $3000 to him. My cruise control now malfunctions. My check engine light is still on, and my ABS will turn off randomly whenever I hit a pothole. In addition, my car's transmission make a lot more noise than it used to... and I might even go as far to say that my car feels more sluggish while trying to accelerate. Bottomline, I will never be taking my car back here ever again... what a nightmare. P.S.-- He doesn't even work on transmissions (he outsources his work), don't even bother taking your car there. I called some other certified Buick shops afterward, and their mechanics told me that they could do a transmission overhaul for about $1,200, unlike Tom's guy who cost $2,200 in the end. read more

Took my car in for repairs and was very pleased with the service that Tom offers at RDS. Great customer service and incredibly knowledgable about the work that they do. Don't take your car anywhere else! read more

I run a nonprofit that serves hundreds of people in an average week. My staff are constantly taking people to different appointments. We cannot do what we do without reliable transportation, and when there is a problem, I need to get it fixed fast. That is why I am so glad that RDS is nearby. I know Tom and his team will diagnose a problem correctly and help me discern the best solution. If you live in the Decatur area and need a good mechanic, look no further. read more

I took my car here when I moved to the area and was pleasantly surprised with the service! Tom is genuine and knowledgable and will let you know what exactly is wrong with your car and why and what needs to be fixed if anything. I've always been leery of mechanics since I've been burned in the past, but that was always with national chains. I enjoy getting their newsletters every month with tips on how to keep your car in optimal shape as well as fun recipes from his wife! Go to RDS and you'll be a happy customer! read more

Tom and his crew are the best. I've been going to RDS for -- wow! 10years? And I won't go anywhere else. I've referred him to a lot of friends, and everyone has been enormously please. My 1999 Camry LE just keeps chugging along -- even with the way I drive! -- and I don't see me ever switching mechanics. Not gonna happen. You also get a one-time discount when you send him a new customer. And his wife does a great monthly newsletter that's always fun and informative. Thank you, Tom. Keep up the good work!!!!! read more

From the outside, RDS might not look like an impressive operation. But from the inside, under the hood, so to speak, this is exactly what you want from an auto mechanic. RDS is a mom-n-pop operation that provides personal attention from the owners Tom is a straight forward, no-BS guy who looks out for your car's best interests ahead of his wallet. Unlike other car shops, RDS will not try to upsell you. I visited many mechanics before and after RDS (I moved away from Atlanta), but RDS remains the gold standard in my book. read more

I usually don't have time to post reviews, but I am so impressed at the work that RDS performed on my work vehicle that I had to let everyone know! Tom and the guys were able to fix things on my GMC 2500 van that I had lived with for years because other shops told me "it was a big job". They were able to fix my brake problems and prevent it from happening again just by taking the time to properly diagnose the problem and then performing the proper solution! Then they fixed my emergency brake, which had not work in over ten years in just a short time. I have finally found a shop I can trust and plan on being a loyal customer from now on. Thanks RDS!!! read more

I have taken my car to Tom at RDS for a year and I cannot recommend him enough. Other mechanics in Atlanta will try to cheat you but Tom is trustworthy and will not! Tom recently did a tune up for my car before my first eleven hour road trip and the trip was very smooth--a lot of which I attribute to Tom taking good car of my car! Go to RDS! read more

I rarely write reviews on Yelp, but I'm writing one now because I was very impressed with my experience at RDS. I brought my aunt's 2010 Toyota Venza to the shop because the pressure of one of its tires had been decreasing. Everyone at the shop was so so so nice. The front-desk lady, Jennifer, was very polite, helpful and reassuring. She asked what the car's problem was and sought someone to look at the car immediately. She even stood up, shook my hand, and asked what my name was. I had been to a lot of auto shops before and most of my experiences at those places usually involved a front-desk person either being grumpy or being indifferent to their customers. But not at RDS, Jennifer gave me an impression of high-level professionalism. Then Tom (the owner I believe) asked me about the car's problem, took a thorough look at the problematic tire and all other ones, and gave me his knowledgeable advices. He then fixed the tire in a very proficient manner within minutes. I had interacted with a lot of mechanics, and with Tom, I could see that he was a very honest, experienced, and down-to-earth person. He even gave me insights into how to take care of the tires. Additionally, from what I observed inside the shop, RDS is definitely an established experienced auto shop. I highly recommend this place to everyone ! In the future, I will bring my car and my family members' cars to the shop for any repairs because of my positive experience at RDS. read more

I recently brought my car in for front wheel issues. Every time I went over a small bump or dip in the road, the front of my car felt like it was skidding. Tom was a pleasure to speak with. He diagnosed the issue and gave a quote for repair. I called several other service companies to see what they were going to charge for the same repair and Tom's quote was lower than all of them. After the repair was completed and I went to pick up my car and the cost was even lower than the original quote. He stated that after further inspection one of the parts he quoted did not need replacing at that time. I really appreciated his honesty and integrity. My car works great and I even drove it round trip from Atlanta to Chicago with no issues at all. I would highly recommend him to other friends, in fact, I already have. read more