My brakes were pretty much shot and took my truck in to Sam's. Sam quickly assessed the problem and let me know what work I needed done. He worked with me on prioritizing what I needed done in order to minimize my cost. They got the work done when they said they would and the brakes are performing well. Thanks again, Sam! - JRD Windshield Repair read more

Update: I posted about having the AC fixed (in a timely and affordable manner) at Sam's. Still working great! Good and honest mechanic!

To be honest, most small mechanic's shops are sketchy at best. Not this one. This is a family affair. Sam and his son Omar run a clean, tight ship, and are among the most personable, friendly, and reasonable mechanics in Austin. I have trusted our family's cars with them for over ten years, and have found them to be dependable, fast, and fair. Good, reliable, honest mechanics are hard to find. This shop is a gem. Don't tell your friends though. I don't want to have to wait to get an appt... read more

My experience at Sam's great - fast, friendly response to my initial query and the service experience with Omar was great, end-end.

I have been to a lot of different mechanic shops in Austin. (I drive an old jeep...) This shop is one of the best. Sam runs this place with his family. I called to have upper and lower ball joints replaced and my power steering serviced. Its not a cheap job but Sam not only beat everyone's price, he got my car back to me within a few hours! His shop gave me a ride home while they worked on my car and picked me up when it was ready! I appreciate people who deliver on their promises especially when it comes to my car! This place is no nonsense and is the kind of place that should get more business. It truly is a mom and pop shop that values customers, their time and their business. read more

Very quick and well priced. My AC quit on me. I called them at 11:30 am, they told me they could get me if I dropped my car off at lunch. I dropped my car off at noon and had a call back in an hour with the diagnosis. They gave me a very good price for the fix and had my car pumping freezing cold air conditioning again by 4 pm. Very fast. No bs. Right to the point. read more

My daughter's battery went dead on her car and even though was Sam was extremely busy, he jumped her car off one block down the road and put a new battery in for her. He quoted us a price and was true to his word. You feel the trust with him. read more

Sam's Automotive is awesome! Sam and his team work very hard, they are honest and they get the job done quickly. One of his Automotive mechanics( Steve ) just wrapped up repairs on my 2006 jeep. Their price was fair, they reviewed the worn out parts with me and made recommendations to things I should watch out for over the next 10,000 miles. Fast, efficient and they did exactly what they said they would do for the price quoted. No hidden surprises. I would look no farther than Sam's for you next automotive repair or tune up. You will not be disappointed with their work. They just earned my business for a long time in the future. Go check them out! -Brad K read more

Truly fantastic service. I can't say enough good things to do them justice. Informative, kind and helpful. Came in with my check engine light on, and left just a couple of hours later with everything fully repaired. Absolute lifesavers! If you're looking for the best repair shop on South Lamar, look no further. read more

Since I came here for an oil change 4 years ago, no one else has had their hands under my hood. They took good care of my 14-year-old car until it was time to upgrade. They always gave me pointers, and helped me hold off on making repairs until totally necessary. You don't want to throw $400 at a new catalytic converter if they can just clean up the valves and tubes and whatever else is down there. When I got my new (used) car, I brought it to Sam to look it over for any potential problems before the sale was final. The charge was minimal (like $90 or something) for all the time they spent looking over every inch of my car. Brought in my boyfriend's car for a new belt, they quoted a quick estimate before looking at the car, but then once they saw it, they corrected the quote and it was $40 LESS than what they had guessed. Oil changes are more than what you'll pay at other places, but frankly, Sam has never recommended a repair/service that I truly didn't need. (Unlike Groovy Auto.) These guys are honest, polite, and respectful. Even to a pretty little lady. And that's really saying something. read more

Just got my AC recharged at this place. Great customer service had me in and out in a few hours without an appointment. Would definitely recommend . read more

I would just like to say Sams auto is the place to go to I was having issues with my hid headlights and omar found the issue and fixed it with no problem I will for sure return there read more

My car was scratched above the left side of the bumper. I went to Sam's where got a quote for a great price, they did great work (I can't even tell my car was scratched), gave me a complimentary loaner, and returned my car to me on time. I would recommend Sam's to a friend. read more

I still love this place and as I have an older vehicle, still use them!

Great service! Excellent spot to take your car for auto repair and car services. I highly recommend Sam's.

Excellent experience! Put me in a loner and saved me over $1000! Will trust them with all future car repairs.

I couldn't be more impressed with Sam's speed and affordability! Before I found Sam's, I was taking my Volkswagen Jetta to the dealer for repairs. However, it didn't take long for me to dread the dealer's cost and repair time. My check engine light came on about a week ago, and this time I found Sam's on South Lamar (on my way in to work). Sam's diagnosed the problem in the morning, replaced the ignition coil and spark plugs, and had the car ready to drive before lunch! For under $200! I don't wish for car problems, but this experience with Sam's will make the check engine light seem less daunting in the future. read more

This is the second time I've taken my Acura to Sam and I'm very pleased. Both times I was able to use the shop's loaner car, and both times the repairs were done quickly and correctly. I would certainly recommend at least getting a second opinion/quote at Sam's and I know I will be using them for my next repair. read more

Let me start by saying that I don't know anything about cars, and I'm the easiest person to scam. I brought my car in because it was making noises that it shouldn't have been, and I had heard good things about Sam's. I was able to drop it off and within an hour it was finished. it was just a small fix, but Sam didn't charge me for it at all. Like many other yelpers have said, he's super honest and I would highly recommend this place to anyone! read more

The guys at Sams deserve 8 stars. They have done excellent work on my Pathfinder on various things over the last 4 years, and are always honest, fast and dependable. Even after not having any work done in the past year, I called on them to help jump-start my dead battery to help me get it to the store to buy another elsewhere since it had a warranty. After taking the time out of their busy day, driving to my vehicle with a battery charger, starting it.....I would think at least a $10-$25 charge....nope. They didn't charge a penny. They just wanted to help out a customer and didn't feel the work justified payment. You don't find em like this anymore....except at Sams:) read more

This is a small but straightforward & honest shop. Omar was super friendly, helpful, and informative. I was able to grab a used Subaru with very low miles for a great price. The shop is relaxed, I didn't feel pressured to buy at any point, and they have all of the services you will need for transferring titles, new plates etc. right there. Bottom line, if you have cash in hand, and you're ok with vehicles with a rebuilt title, these guys can probably find you a great car. read more

Just had a car trip check performed at Sam's Auto Care and I was very pleased with the service! This place must be in high competition with many mechanic shops considering it is on a street full of other options. However, I believe they are the best! They have fair prices, the atmosphere is small but very comfortable (free wifi, water, ac, starbucks across the street), and they are very friendly. However, what I appreciated the most was their TIMELY and ATTENTIVE service. I waited in the shop while doing some work and it was awesome to watch Sam and his son, Omar attend their customers so well and he was quick! I did not see them waste even a second. Great choice, I will be back here. read more

Went there to check my brakes because they were grinding and needed my front and rear brakes replaced as well as my rear rotors. The parts were definitely affordable (Honda Accord) but the labor was a bit steep. That being said, I came in at 9am and they were done by Noon! Fast, efficient, no-nonsense kind of service, which was great! So you get what you pay for. The best part was that when I asked to see the old parts, they immediately showed me the worn out pads and damaged rotors - total transparency. 15 month warranty . Tip - walk down to www.maudies.com Mexican restaurant while you wait for your car to get worked on! read more

Friendly, knowledgable and expedient. Definitely recommend these guys for your auto service needs.

I purchased a "rebuilt title car" from here and have had no issues. They make the process very easy, quick and very straightforward. I really appreciate their honesty. I take my car for regular maintenances with them. It has been a pleasure working with Omar and Sam and I wouldn't go anywhere else! read more

It's a little annoying having an older volvo since there are very few auto shops that deal with them. We came to Sam's on a Friday evening after our radiator died out. I'm really glad we picked Sam's because they are some of the nicest, honest and most up front people we have ever worked with. They are open just an hour after most places which makes a huge difference for people with a super busy schedule. They got the work done super fast, the price was reasonable and we've been going back ever since. At one point we had an issue with our coolant after a repair had been done, we called them up and they took our car right away and had it fixed in no time, free of charge. Definitely recommend. read more

These guys are nice and professional and went well out of their way to fix up my ratty assed junker as inexpensively as possible, finding cheap ways to get it done. They were quick, stuck to their schedule, and were polite even though my car is a total embarrassment to society. They also work on fancy, expensive cars, so if you have one of those you're still allowed to go here and they'll presumably be just as cool to you. read more

I scraped up the side of my car (my own fault admittedly) in a parking garage. I called ahead of time and Sam told me to come right in. He took at peek at it immediately and said he wouldn't be able to make it perfect, but could definitely buff out quite a bit. I asked about my wheel well and he tested it and said it didn't need repair (WOW car repair guys NEVER say something doesn't need fixing!). My car was ready a few hours later. All in all I'm pretty happy with the work done, my only bit of advice would be to walk out with your customer after they've paid and show them the work/ask if everything looks good. read more

Most professional and Affordable mechanic in All Austin. I had my truck dropped off there. Next day the problem was diagnosed. 2 days and 160.00 later. I was rolling down the street happy as ever. Thanks to the guys at Sams. Great mechanics. Also gave my truck a once over. Brakes and transmission flush were already on my list. Spot on. 140 each? Top notch prices. I'm sure I can get a deal if I get them done same time. Fantastic service. read more

Had my car shipped down to me after it had been sitting in storage for close to a year. When it finally arrived, I realized that I needed to get some things fixed and checked out. Had a great experience. Felt like they were honest and didn't try to make me get a bunch of extra, unnecessary work. Will definitely be back for an oil change soon. read more

It's always a good sign when you go into a local business and you're able to talk to the owner of the shop. When an owner makes him/herself accessible, it feels like they really truly care about their business and their customers. And it's awesome when you find out that the owner is one of the friendliest people in the whole world. On top of that, Sam, the owner of this shop, is very accommodating. I don't know what standard protocol for auto body repairs is (whether you make appointments or what), but I needed my driver's side mirror replaced the day before Thanksgiving, one of the busiest days for auto body shops. I had the part, called them up, and Sam said I could come in when ALL OF THE OTHER AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOPS IN AUSTIN said they were far too busy to take care of this quick procedure. In any case, it turns out, my mirror wasn't exactly the correct fit to my car, so he told me to come back when I had it. It was nice that he didn't charge for a job incomplete. I came back again after Thanksgiving with the correct part and he got one of the mechanics to work on it right away. It took 10-15 minutes and no more. Quick and efficient with fantastic customer service -- I would recommend Sam's Auto Care in a heart beat. On top of that, they've got great prices! Very competitive compared to other shops in Austin. read more

I can't say how much I love this place. I have been so impressed with them every time I have gone there. They are quick, efficient, honest, and really good mechanics. I have a VW, which are notoriously hard to work on. I had taken it there a few times, hoping they could work on it, even though they weren't a German car shop. Both of the first times, Sam gave me a very honest assessment letting me know it wasn't something they could fix (they didn't have the VW specific tools). I appreciated that he was honest with me, and didn't try to do work he couldn't handle. Most recently the car needed some work, so I took it to a luxury auto shop (i.e. one that has the ability to diagnose Volkswagens). They did over $300 worth of work and recommended another $2,500. Are you kidding me? They car is an 05 and barely worth that. Plus the $300 worth of work they supposedly did, did nothing to fix the issue my car was having. So...back to Sam's I go, this time with the list of supposedly $2,500 worth of repairs that needed to be done. Sam recommended we try one particular part first. He replaced that part for $90 (parts and labor), had it done in half a day, and the issue was completely solved. That was several months ago, and since then I have done a cross country road trip with no issues. They are truly honest, great mechanics, who will not waste your time or money. I can't recommend them highly enough. read more

Men seem to have a better experience here than women. I have been twice and find them extremely overpriced, rude and unhelpful. The first time I went, they replaced my after-market headlights ($200+). The bulbs burned out less than a year later but they told me the warranty had expired and offered no advice on what to do --- all the while avoiding eye contact and treating me like an annoyance. I went elsewhere and got them repaired for about half of what they charged me originally. read more

I went to Sam's to solve an issue with my car that I was told would be very costly by other auto places. The gentleman at Sam's respectfully informed me that is was not was I had been told and that he could fix the issue in just a couple moments so. He had my best interest in mind and even stated he would not feel right taking money for something that was not wrong. I will now forever go back to Sam's Auto Care and have already made an appointment for my other car to have some maintenance done. Thank you for showing me that there are still good people and companies in this money hungry world. read more

My car broke down, and a friend recommended Sam's. I am so glad that I took their advice! The guys at the auto shop were nice, gave me a few options of what to do to repair my car, and best of all they were able to fix it in a few hours. read more

Needed my A/C fixed as soon as possible. Sam scheduled me in the next morning; however, I just stopped by that afternoon and the whole crew worked hard to finish what they were working on and take a look at my truck. Sam was awesome, the atmosphere was great and, most importantly, I didn't feel like I was getting ripped off. Sam told me to come back by if I was having any trouble and he would be happy to take a look. Makes me very happy to have a local shop like this in my rolodex. read more

Omar went above and beyond to make sure my husband and I were happy here at Sams. He negotiated a price on a used car that we were both satisfied with, changed the oil and rotated the tires for us and even went in on his day off to close the deal. These people seem to be very fair and honest- and because of that, I'll for sure be back in the future! Thanks again, Omar, we love our little Prius!!---- our Prius battery went out 6 months later. Not sure if Omar could have known about that or not, but I'm dropping my 5 star review because it's kind of sketch. read more

These guys are legit. I won't take my car anywhere else. Timely, on budget and very friendly.

Turns out, Sam was spot on and his price was $400 cheaper than AAMCO down the road - but it took me a while to figure it out! My A/C on my '06 Kia Sorento died just as the temps started towards the hundreds in June. I had NO idea where to go in the 78704, came out to Yelp and Sam's recs were really good, so took my car in for an estimate. Sam called me back in less that 2 hrs and, gotta say, the price was sticker shock, ouch! Sam's team were totally cool that I thought it was high, gave me back me keys with NO CHARGE for checking the system. So...I decide to get another opinion, took it to AAMCO down Lamar, a bit later, they called, said the exact same problem details but their price was over $400 MORE. Now I knew that Sam was on the up-and-up, took it right back to him, they did the work the next day, and the A/C is kickin' butt in the Tx heat. One more very cool thing...they are closed on Saturday's, they did my work on a Friday that I had to travel out of town until late that night and I kinda freaked that I couldn't get my car back on Sat morning. Sam volunteered to come in on his DAY OFF to make sure I could get my car back to me. Thanks Sam! read more

These guys are quick, efficient and explain what's going on. You can ask to see the issue and they are more than happy to point out EXACTLY what they problem is. I'll definitely be going back. Their prices probably aren't the lowest or highest, somewhere in the middle probably. But they do good work, are happy to accommodate and are speedy in their turn around. read more