I've been bringing my car to the crew at Reliable for years now, and they've always treated me wonderfully. They have always been fast and honest, and always work with me for a fair price on repairs. When I was tight on money and had a cascading expensive repair, they already had looked into what they could do for me to help bring that massive bill down to a more reasonable price, when they could easily have dropped the full bill on me. I have stood in line and listened to them give the same respect to others over the phone and in person, no matter if they were ignorant to engines or a hobby mechanic talking shop. I was referred to them years ago from another local mechanic for a specific job, and over these years I have certainly learned why. read more

These guys are the best. Our kids live in San Marcos and we're so glad that we found a mechanic shop where they can drop off their vehicles and trust that the work needed will be done right and at a fair price. And, in a day when customer service is not a top priority at many businesses, we have always been treated friendly and politely by the staff. When picking up the vehicle in for service, they provide an update on it and let them know what services are needed and which need to be done right away or can be put off a little while to maintain the vehicle and keep it running like a charm (very important for vehicles ranging from 9 years old to 14 years old with high mileage). After several bad experiences with the Hyundai dealership where we purchased our SUV, we even put off servicing it until we can make it to San Marcos to have Reliable do it. They've been spot on with their quotes and time needed to get the job done so that we're not hit with a big surprise bill or left waiting for hours (or days) when we drop off a vehicle. And, they're great to drop us off at home, or wherever we like, while they work on our car and pick us up when it's ready. We highly recommend Reliable! read more

Very nice staff here that was quick to diagnose the issue with my car but don't let them overcharge you. They tried to charge $800 for a $50 part I was able to order/replace myself in 30 minutes. read more

It was my very first time coming here and the service is truly unmatched! I came to get my tail light fixed and they took me right in, within 15 minutes my car was as good as new! They really put their guests first and their work speaks for themselves. Seriously, those reviews that go on about how they "take advantage" are a complete lie. If you want good customer service and even better car service, this is THE place to go! I am 100% coming back to them from now on for all of my car needs! read more

So I initially saw all the great reviews on Yelp and other places about Reliable so I figured I'd give them a shot since they were highly recommend. Let first start out by pointing out what was wrong with my 2003 Mustang. The exhaust pipe had split in half causing it to make a horrendous noise similar to a go-cart. I take it over to Reliable and am immediately greeted by the guy at the front desk. Everything seemed great. After he ran the diagnostic he comes back and tells me that the whole Y-Pipe is split in half and the only option is to replace it which will cost around $1300. He showed me the pipe was indeed clean cut all the way through and I asked if he could simply put a patch on it the fix it and he said there was nothing else cheaper he could do. I didn't trust my gut with the guy so I say "okay, I'll think about it." I take it over to Fritz's Muffler Shop and I tell the mechanic what happened and he laughs and tells me this happens all the time to Mustangs at some point in their life and will only require a patch and it'll cost $80. This happened 2 years ago and my car still sounds fine. So basically to summarize this long-winded review: Reliable wanted to charge me as much as humanely possible and squeeze as much money as he could which is the number one thing an auto repair place shouldn't do. Think this situation is one of it's kind? A few days ago my mom's truck started making a rumbling noise and the same guy from Reliable wanted to charge her $1250 to get it fixed. My mom takes it to a Ford dealership and come to find out a bug had landed on the sensor and had to be reprogrammed for a fraction of the price at $328. I'm not sure if this guy is just ignorant or a slimeball but either way I will never even think about taking my business to this guy ever again. read more

I just moved to San Marcos when my engine light came on. I looked for auto shops and found the best reviews for Reliable Auto. They didn't disappoint. Michael was very helpful, up front and very accommodating. While I hope to not use them often, they are my go to for any auto problems. All employees seem to be very hard working and Michael actually cared about my car problems. I give them five stars because they deserve it. read more

They took great care of our 2008 grand marquis and after a diagnostic done by them we found out that we didn't need 1500 worth of work done like another car shop in San Marcos had told us. These are honest good people and we felt horrible for not needing any work done by them because there wasn't a problem to begin with. We didn't realize we could've got new tires here or else we wouldn't have gone to Walmart to get them. We will definitely be coming to this shop for all future car needs!! read more

I have nothing but good things to report. I called last week and explained to them I needed my ignition coil replaced. I was quoted about $200. All the other places in town were asking for $300+ for a $55 part and labor. I went in the morning and had me out as soon as they could. I am very impressed at how friendly and knowledgeable they were. I will not return to Austin Automotives where I was ripped off multiple times. read more

I've been here twice and both times is was exceptional service! Very attentive, thorough, straight forward and timely. I highly recommend them for your vehicle repair needs. read more

After 30 years in the auto dealership business myself, I know how things work in the service area. Despite the difficulty getting parts for my Mini, Jesse at the Hunter road location in San Marcos kept me up to date, and made sure my car was secured and safe while waiting on the parts to get there. When they finally did he had the car rapidly repaired and back in my hands. Afterwards, I visited the Reliable Auto on Hwy 123 in San Marcos for an inspection and was in and out in less than 15 minutes. Everyone I spoke with at both locations were awesome. Highly recommended! read more

I have been to the reliable auto location in Buda twice and had wonderful experiences both times. I live in San Marcos, so I decided to try the closer location for my AC repair this time around. Unfortunately, the San Marcos location does not live up to the standard of the one in Buda. I was told my vehicle would be ready "first thing in the morning" Friday (NYE). Im a late sleeper and had to get a ride, so I showed up around 2 pm. Not only was my car not ready, it seemed as if they had just started. I waited in their lobby until nearly 4 pm for my car to be ready. The mechanics did great work, no shade to them! But The people managing the desk did not seem knowledgeable or very professional at all. Overall, this shop definitely has a lack of professionalism and communication. I'll be making the trip up to Buda in the future. read more

My experience with Reliable Automotive is hands down THE BEST experience I've ever had with any shop, ever. First off owner Brad Hullum know good customer service! He answered all of our questions before we brought our car in. Honest, straightforward and always accessible. David is also fantastic! Very friendly and dedicated to quality. We were able to get a few repairs for a fraction of what other shops would charge. They even sent someone out to pick me up at my apartment when the car was ready. They worked after closing to make sure the job got done. Then, followed up with a phone call a week or so later to make sure everything was a-okay. I'm VERY wary of auto shops and generally avoid them at all costs. Reliable Auto is staffed with friendly folks, honest as honest can be (no hidden costs or extra work). Made this trip to the shop actually enjoyable. I highly recommend choosing Reliable Auto. They go down in my book as an A+! read more

Brad has been maintaining my most recent Suburban for 226,000 miles as of today! He has serviced and maintained two other family cars over the last 8 years. The service is always tops! Brad has been honest, reliable, knowledgable and always makes it right! Satisfaction guaranteed! Thanks read more

As a mom of 3, safety is my #1 priority. So when my brakes starting to make a grinding sound I went into panic mode! I moved back to the area in August of 2012 and hadn't really had to take my car anywhere for major service. So I started with Chuck Nash Chevy to get a quote on what needed to be done. Not only was I concerned about the brakes, I was also concerned about being at 100,000 miles so I wanted a quote on the complete work that needed to be done. After receiving a quote for over $2k in service that needed to be done to my vehicle, I called Reliable to find out if they could offer the same services and at what cost. Not only did Reliable save me over $600 on the cost of the services & parts, but they also only quoted services that were required to maintain the "health" of my vehicle. Dave Morales (Manager) is a GREAT guy! He didn't try to sell me something I didn't need, rather he told me exactly what I needed & why it was important. Echo'ing another review...it was like talking to my dad! I completely Trust Reliable Automotive. Not only have they won my business for my Suburban, but I will give them the business on my other 2 vehicles and my parents 2! read more

I must say that this was one of the most amazing experiences that I have had with an auto repair shop. My daughter's car broke down in SM and since I live in the Dallas area, I was very nervous about finding a mechanic over the phone. I started calling around and ended up speaking with Mike at Reliable Auto. Mike was very nice, patient with my questions and made me feel extremely comfortable with his shop. I had my daughter's car towed to him the day after we spoke. He not only informed me of the cars issues and solutions but he had my daughter's car fixed in a very timely manner so that she was able to get to work that day. And to top it off, Mike called the next day to make sure the car was running well. Thank you so much! read more

After going to a few different places and getting extremely unreasonable and expensive rates/feedback I came here because my car review mirror was hit and hanging off. I was helped quickly by the front and two mechanics came and saw it was missing a bolt. They were able to find a bolt that fit and put the mirror back in place, free of charge!! Highly recommend, not going to try to fraud you for extra money. read more

I came in today ,without an appointment, to have a vehicle inspection. I received the inspection in less than a half hour. The professionals who helped me today were courteous and very helpful. The manager even put air in all four tires and thanked me for stopping in. This place is A#1 with me and my friends. Thank you again for your help. read more

From the moment that I walked in to Reliable Automotive I was pleasantly surprised to find how clean and inviting this place was. I received friendly and prompt service. My car was in and out in hardly any time at all. The owner took the time to explain to me what was going on with my car and made me feel at ease which is not usually the case when I drop my car off somewhere. I usually feel like it's just going to be some expensive bill because I don't know any better and I'll be taken advantage of. That was not the case here at all. I actually met the owner just a few months ago and immediately thought that there was something unique about him as a businessman. As a business owner myself, I can appreciate how hard he works. He's got it right! You can tell his employees work hard for him and respect him because he treats them right. He's all about building relationships, quality, attention to detail, hard work, and integrity. If you haven't tried this little San Marcos gem, I highly recommend you do! I had such a positive experience. I will definitely be back! Add me to the list, of one more happy customer! read more

The staff and owner (Brad) at Reliable Auto are friendly and very helpful. First off you get a free courtesy ride while your car in the shop. They will drive you where you need to be instead of waiting there. I chose to wait and my AC was checked, parts replaced and recharged within 2 hours. Their prices are reasonable and very competitive. Honest service from honest people. No added or recommended service, no fraud, no headaches. Thanks Brad, I will be coming back with any car issues. read more

I came for state inspection and everyone there was so nice and professional! The owner did my inspection himself so that I wouldn't have to wait! After being told I'd have to wait 2 hours at Firestone, I'm so glad I found this place. They just gained a repeat customer with me! read more

Reliable automotive has always been one of the best places for me to go get my car fixed. I had a lot of car trouble's going through college and reliable Automotive was always available and always took great care of me and my vehicle. Staff is always friendly and very prompt on fixing issues read more

I have a 1996 Jeep Cherokee. Last Summer, I noticed my Jeep running hotter than normal while stuck in traffic or waiting at stop lights and a local maintenance shop recommended I take it to Reliable Automotive. I had been using another auto repair shop for years prior to going to Reliable Automotive but they started getting a little sloppy - e.g., forgetting to tighten belts after taking them off and putting them back on, not putting all of the screws back in, etc. I figured now would be a good time to find another mechanic. I'm so glad I did! I take good care of my Jeep maintenance-wise but it is a 1996 and older cars breakdown more frequently. In the last year, I've taken my Jeep to RA four or five times for repairs as well as maintenance. In those four or five times, I've had to take it back once to redo a repair (an oil leak) only because the part RA used to replace the broken part was a manufacturer defect, not because RA didn't do the work correctly. And RA could not have known about the defect during the time they had my Jeep because it took a week of driving before the defective part broke. RA apologized for the inconvenience, fixed the leak with the OEM part instead of the aftermarket part, didn't charge me a penny for it (my previous mechanic would have charged me the difference in cost between the OEM and aftermarket parts), and I was back on the road by the end of the day. The last time I took my Jeep to RA was to fix a fuel leak. They told me the problem was that the fuel filter was old and clogged up. I brought my Jeep to them late in the afternoon on Friday, they called me a couple hours later to tell me what was wrong, they ordered the part, they went to pick up the part, they had my Jeep ready for me to pick up by 11am on Saturday, and they charged me $0 even though it wasn't under warranty (it was the original fuel filter). I highly recommend Reliable Automotive. They have exceeded my expectations not only in their quality of work, but also in how they treat their customers. They explain the problem clearly and are more than happy to show you if you don't understand or need better clarification. This is an important aspect to me because I usually want to know exactly what part has failed, what the failed part is suppose to do, how the failed part is suppose to work, and whether the failed part could potentially cause something else to fail. Although they don't provide loaners, they've always offered to give me a ride to wherever I need to be and pick me up when I need to come back. The only thing that could make me happier with Reliable Automotive would be if they got an after hours key drop. read more

I 10/10 recommend taking your vehicle to Reliable Auto. The staff is very helpful, knowledgeable, and worked quickly to get my car diagnosed and repaired. I took my 2014 Camaro in because I had accidentally knocked the window loose from a couple of it's bolts, and in under an hour the mechanics had taken the door panel off, tightened the bolts, and had the door panel back on and ready for me to go. All around great service and a great experience, I would definitely take my vehicle here again for other services if/when needed! read more

Great experience. David was very helpful and communicated what was wrong, needed and what it would cost. My truck is back to running great - and my bill is what they said it would be. They will get my business in the future. Recommend! read more

10/10 all around, brought Joey my truck around 2:30 yesterday needing front/back brakes and rotors replaced & also a leveling kit installed. They had it ready to go for me by noon today, easy to work with & lives up to the name reliable. Appreciate it guys. read more

I had an extremely bad experience with Reliable Automotive, and I do not understand how they have any good reviews at all. I brought my vehicle to the shop, which needed about $1000-1200 worth of parts. They originally quoted me at $2500--charging well over $1000 just for labor. The next day they re-quoted me at $4500 for the addition of a single $80 part! I politely told them I would be taking my vehicle elsewhere, and got a tow truck to meet me at their shop. While I was inside, they harassed the tow truck guy, asking a bunch of questions about me, where I was going, why I was leaving, and complained that I was a bad customer who just 'didn't want to pay'. They also charged me $50 JUST for the two (dishonest) estimates they had given me. They also broke my key fab, and specifically gave it to the tow truck guy while I paid the estimate fee inside, so that I wouldn't see my key until I was already gone. When I called back about the key, they tried to tell me that the tow truck guy broke it, obviously lying to both him and me about what had happened. (My car was at their shop for a week and the tow truck guy had it in his hand for like 30 seconds...) The tow truck guy also informed me that he had taken his vehicle there and that they also tried to over-charge him for minimal work to his truck. This place is extremely untrustworthy and they charge outrageous prices for labor. They try to take advantage of people, especially college kids and/or young women! Update: A day or two after leaving my review on google, they called me several times and left voicemails trying to BRIBE ME to take down my review. They still wouldn't admit to doing anything wrong but they wanted to pay for my broken key fab in exchange for me taking the review down. These guys are DISHONEST SCUMBAGS! DO NOT TAKE YOUR VEHICLE TO "RELIABLE" AUTOMOTIVE!!! read more

The folks at Reliable Automotive never fail to live up to their name! I've been bringing my car to Reliable for a while, now, and I've had a great and personal experience every time. Their work is top notch, the turnaround is speedy, and they remember me like I'm a friend every time I come in. They have always been completely accommodating each time, somehow managing to work me into their busy schedule with no complaints or extra charges. I always feel confident and comfortable when I bring my car here, and I think you will, too. Perfect stars from me! Always ask for Brad !!!! read more

This place is anything but reliable. They are careless and manipulative. I dropped my car off to use their free break inspection and receive an estimate. They then took two hours until they closed with my car still there. They kept it there OVERNIGHT. I received no call and had to go in there the next day just to find out they never looked at it the day before. Yes they apologized profusely, that's why I'm willing to give them two stars (they are nice people). But to top it all off they gave me an estimate that was outrageously overpriced with a "coupon" to compensate me for my time. I wouldn't suggest going there unless you'd like to be ripped off by guys with fake smiles! read more

Manager Thomas and Raul gave amazing service and helped with all my car issues. Highly recommended and would visit again need be.

My kid is in San Marcos for school. Starter died in his Fiat while he was down there. Reliable towed the car from the apartment to the shop and replaced the starter. They were able to give me a very good estimate over the phone, and the final bill was right in line with the estimate. Very friendly and helpful throughout the entire process. read more

We highly recommend Reliable. Our daughter was stranded after her alternator went out. We had her car towed to Reliable based on other reviews and it was the perfect choice. In by 7:30 a m & fixed by noon. Mike worked long distance with us, diagnosed the issue and reasonably replaced the alternator. Our daughter said that they were "SO nice" to her and we felt extremely relieved that our college girl was treated so respectfully and back on the road. I wish I had known about Reliable before and will use again for any future repairs! read more

I try to do all my car repairs myself until it either becomes too much of a hassle or it's a car repair that requires more expertise. Reliable Auto checked both for my second visit to their shop. I had a P0340 code on my 96 corolla that could have been my distributor or my timing belt. Their mechanic, John, walked me through the entire process and recommended opening the engine up to first check the timing belt to see if it had jumped (which it did) instead of spending the time and money on the distributor. I suspected the same, but having an expert who knew what he was doing was comfortable and reassuring. The repair took almost an entire day, but John got my 96 corolla's timing belt calibrated and my car up and running again in perfect condition. I will definitely be back for other repairs as John took his time to get everything right on the first go around and the owners and Scott (new hire from another auto shop in San Marcos) worked with me to make sure I got the best price available. Definitely go to them if you need a repair, good people with great mechanics that'll treat you like family. read more

I came to Reliable Automotive on a busy Friday morning with my 11 year old Mini Cooper with a few lights on. Not only did they explain to me candidly and easily what the problems were when the codes were ran, but they were honest in suggesting it might be time to look at new cars because the repairs were going to be so expensive (i.e. they were only interested in my best interest rather than making a profit). The upstanding crew here was easily the most friendly and caring set of gentlemen I would highly recommend to anyone in the San Marcos area. I personally worked with David, who took great care of making sure I was safe in my rather old vehicle, but everyone here is outstanding. Make sure to get there right at opening, you can guarantee there will be a line of smart people waiting to get the best autocare in the hill country. read more

Excellent service. They are very busy so it can be a bit of a wait (a sign that they are popular). I don't mind the wait if I know I'm getting good service. They were friendly and would give me updates while I was waiting. They had no problem working on my European car. They even called around to Austin and San Antonio to find a license plate mount for my car. Saved me a lot of money. Thanks guys! read more

This has probably been the most positive experience I've ever had at an auto shop. Reliable got me in at the end of the day to get my car fixed after the building and area had been flooded out the day before. Even though my car was giving them trouble, they did everything to get it fixed and at 100%. They even stayed after hours to make sure everything was at 100%. Additionally, the lobby area was super clean and all that fun stuff (which is crazy since it was flooded the day before). The work was done at a wonderful price and just amazing hospitality and service. Super grateful for this place! read more

Best service, rates, and trust worthy professionals! I got 3 different quotes on a laundry list of things I needed done for my piece of $)&! Truck. Jiffy lube said I needed almost 3k worth of work, a mom and pop shop said I was looking about 1.999. Took it to reliable automotive they did everything on the list and more for 1k!!! To top it off they dropped it off to my work place and called me the next day to fallow up on how it was running. The customer service and quality of work is just outstanding. As a small business owner, needing stay on a budget is extremely important to me and reliable automotive understood that they didn't try selling me on unnecessary work. Also as a women I felt very Comfortable and taken care of. Wouldn't take my cars anywhere else!! read more

Highly recommended! If you're looking for dependable service and mechanics who aren't trying to sell you what you don't need; look no further. I moved here recently from MO my check engine light has been off/on. I received one quote from another automotive service for over $2500 and I didn't feel that was right. After much research on yelp, I called Reliable Automotive and spoke with Mike. He gave me the cost of a diagnostic check over the phone. I took my car to them and even got a ride to and from work. James was the best! Mike told me everything I needed to have repaired and the cost was much lower than I was originally quoted. Thanks Reliable for making me feel "at home." read more

I usually don't review things on yelp but I felt very strongly this was the only way I would ever feel better about what just happened to me lol. So I took my Honda Civic in to get a transmission drain/fill, high mileage oil change, lock actuator replacement and drive belt replacement it came out to 800 dollars. Although this seems very high I like the guy at the shop (mike) who is very professional and understanding. One week after these services take place my car over heats on the way home from school so I call a tow truck and get it towed to reliable who just worked on my car less than 6 days ago. They call to tell me my radiator is leaking and needs replacing it's going to cost me 800 dollars which seems CRAZY high for that service but I needed my car back ASAP so I said go ahead and do it. I go to pick up my car and am driving home after giving this business 1600 dollars of my money my car over heats AGAIN. So we pop the hood to see a loose pipe spilling out smoke that was supposed to be attached to the radiator and that they didn't clamp it together tight enough.( I will post pictures in tips) so we call them and tell them to tow my car to their shop and fix their mistake. They offer no explanation as to why my radiator was not assembled properly and do not apologize for costing me time and money that I don't have as a 19 year old college student. I would not recommend this shop TO ANYONE. DO NOT GO HERE. To the owner if you read this- you should have offered me an explanation as to why my car was still over heating after paying you so much money to replace a part that should have been done effectively and correctly since I paid your mechanics 450 dollars in labor. I will be contacting the Better Business Bureau about my experience. I should have been given a refund for labor or at least an apology. Absolutely ridiculous. read more

Reliable Automotive - This is a random tube floating in my engine after paying this shop 800 to repair my radiator. My engine over heated. Again. - Auto Repair Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

I came here to get my brake pads replaced, and the awesome mechanics at Reliable found a few other problems with my 2001 Buick. I've come to them for all repairs because of the great customer service and the stellar work that gets done quickly. So far I've had my brake pads replaced, tie rod ends replaced, and a power steering hose replaced. All repairs were necessary. not only could I see the damage, but I could also trust the manager (David, I believe) was looking out for my best interests. Come to this shop for any maintenance work and you'll be glad you did. read more

this is our second time coming to this place & it's always super quick & easy. staff is really friendly!!