I used Sams for a few years but had to stop taking our cars there. We were initially attracted by the low prices. I'm not sure if its because they charge a lower labor rate, or because they bill for fewer hours, but they always seemed like a bargain. However. It started to seem like every single repair they did came out wrong. They did my brakes, and I had a loud squealing on left turns. Had to take it back for them to fix that. They did fix it, but what a pain. They did a AC overhaul on another car for me. AC never seemed to get very cold after that. Took it back to Sams and they said nope, everythings fine. After about 10 months the AC stopped working. Different shop found that a cable had not been seated properly. They reseated it and now its blowing cold as the day I got it. I took the car in because the engine was thumping around, they said replace all 5 engine mounts. I was skeptical so I took it to the other shop. They said nope, only 2 are bad. Replaced those and now we're rolling. Basically I no longer trust Sams because everything they've done has either been sloppy or misdiagnosed. read more

I loath going to car mechanics. As a female who honestly doesn't know much about cars, I always feel like the repair shop workers take advantage of me. I can pretend I know what I'm talking about, but let's be honest, I don't. I came across Sam's years ago and have never been treated better anywhere. He is extremely honest, never tries to up-sell, is very competitively priced, and gives to to me straight. I don't care how my car works, I don't care what it means when the bearings stop working, I don't care how to fix it...I just want it fixed without me having to worry about it. Being able to rest easy with car problems is something worth writing a positive Yelp review about. read more

Anmar and his team are the best!! I had gotten estimates from two other shops and they were the most efficient by far, getting me in and out in a single day. I will be back for almost everything (I drive Mercedes and STILL recommend them over everyone) read more

I brought my car here a few years ago since it was so raved on Yelp. Sam is the man. I think he's very trustworthy and willing to work with you. His son is helpful and runs a clean ship. I took my moms car here when she was having break issues on her Camry hybrid. Sam looked at the car and then insisted I go to the dealer because he thought the car was still in warranty. He didn't charge me a diagnostic fee which a lot of other austin mechanics would have done. He felt the problem was out of his hands. I appreciated this because when I took the Camry to the dealership it turned out to be a 6000$ job that was covered by warranty. I have told many people about Sam's auto because a good mechanic is rare these days. Take your car here for any thing. Even if you have body damage and want quote. Sam's is the only mechanic I will go to. Thank you for running a good business. Daniel read more

Sam's is my Jam! These guys are super nice and speedy service. They are always cool with me calling the same day for an oil change. Check 'em out! read more

Last weekend I bought a 2015 Subaru Forester from Sam's Auto Care. Omar informed me that the car was rebuilt after an accident where the front driver's side was hit.. I met Omar at Sam's and he went over a detailed review of the damage and repair work that was done. He patiently took me through all of the functions of the car and gave me plenty of time to check the car out myself. I usually dread car buying, but Omar was so honest, patient, and kind that it was the best car buying experience I've ever had! He made the process smooth and painless, and I am thrilled with the vehicle. It runs perfectly and i feel like I got an excellent deal. I will be coming to Sam's for all my future auto needs! If you come to Sam's you will get knowledgeable, honest, friendly service....that's tough to find! Highly recommend! read more

I've been coming to Sam's since he sold me the Subaru Outback in 2015. I was back for repairs to my wife's Honda Accord last week. As expected, they were done on time and at the quoted, fair price. So glad to know these fine folks and trust my repairs to them! read more

My heater wasn't working one day, and I noticed some smoke over my headlights as I got home. Weird, it's not foggy out. Oh shit, my car is overheating. I don't know too much about the thing, so I started looking around online to figure it out. Once it cooled down, I noticed I was out of coolant completely. My regular repair place was too far to drive without coolant, so after some Yelping, I called Sam's. They told me it'd be okay to use water for the short drive there, and how much to put in. I assumed this was the end for my first car. Fortunately I made it to Sam's without overheating. There were a few cars ahead of me, but they took a quick look for me so I could decide whether to wait on it or not. Immediately they came back and told me it was a cracked radiator. Not what I wanted to hear, but not that bad either. After worrying, it was nice knowing immediately what the problem was. I was worried fixing this might reveal more damage done (a blown gasket would be over $1k), but they explained to me why that was unlikely, and that the smoke I saw was probably just from the radiator. At 8 AM the next morning, my car was ready. They said they tested it and everything seemed fine. I called around and their price was significantly lower than others. I saved $200 over my usual place. In the end, these guys saved me a bunch of money, concern, and had a very quick turnaround. I'll be going back. read more

So, because I'm so very completely useless with auto-mechanics, I had to come here twice in one day: once to get my oil changed, air in my tires, and a new break light, and the second time so they could fix something I broke. These guys were quite awesome. The owner is so nice, and his prices are way more affordable than I was expecting. The staff is also very kind, and they were all really patient with my questions. And! The owner even looked at my car incredibly quickly after I broke the power steering part. He fixed it quickly and replaced the piece for me. Sam's Auto Care will definitely be my new mechanic shop, and I can't recommend them highly enough. Give it a shot, and you won't be disappointed. read more

Great service & the employees really know what they are doing, they fixed my car and after it never once broke down, the owner is phenomenal and such nice guy. I recommend this place to anyone that lives near by or coming out of state. read more

Editing since I ended up going back and getting the AC repair done here since I felt I could trust them. It was quite expensive (likely similar pricing to other establishments, but I didn't shop around). I dropped my car off after work and was given a rental (nothing special, like a 2010 hatchback) until the next day. Dropped by the following day after work and my A/C was repaired and it's still going and blowing cool. No complaints from me. Old Review: I can't review any work done since I didn't get any, but I can review their honesty and friendliness. I had an inspection done on a vehicle (with a different company) and they told me the A/C wasn't working due to the compressor not engaging. They didn't tell me anything more, and when I asked about it, they said it could be as simple as needing freon, or as complicated as leaks/the compressor being broken. I went to Sam's Auto Care asking for freon to test that theory, and they told me that they could do an AC check for $69 to figure out what the issue is and how bad a potential leak was. They also took me in same-day which was perfect. After less than 10 minutes, they came back in and told me that unfortunately the compressor was shot and I didn't need freon since it was full. The part that made they stand out was that they said they were able to figure this out fairly quickly and didn't put in any dye, etc so they weren't going to charge me anything for this. It was a huge relief to know what the actual issue was, and it was incredibly honest of them to not charge me anything when they could have easily charged me and given me the diagnosis later. read more

Sam was awesome. I got a check up at Aamco and walked out with a $1200 estimate. I couldn't believe it so I took it to Sam for a second opinion. He charged me $40 and said there were no other problems. A mechanic you can trust! Thanks Sam read more

I like to keep a good car forever or until it dies. I recommend Sam's 'salvage title' cars if you are similar. If you like to swap cars frequently, selling or trading a car which will show a salvage title on the CarFax report will have some draw-backs, of course. Consider this first, then read on about 'salvage titled' cars from Sam's Auto Care... I bought a 'salvage title' car from Omar; I saw it on Craigslist. I am risk-averse and very skeptical of car sales-folks in general, BTW. Omar said this 2012 Subaru Forester had sustained body damage to front & rear driver-side doors, and they had been replaced, repainted and blended in. I took the car to a personal mechanic who specializes in Subaru, and he went over it with a fine-tooth comb and told me the car was in great shape, even for the (low) 55K-miles it had. He also complimented the fit and finish of the body work! Yes, the car has some minor items like a missing 2nd key, and missing tinting on the windows in the new doors, but compared to the $3K-$5K I saved on a comparable 'clean title' car, I got a great deal!! Also, though sold "as is", Omar has done other minor stuff after the sale at no charge; he and Sam are awesome to work with! So, don't be put off by a "salvage title' car from Sam's until you look at it; some cars are written off as total losses by insurance companies for amazingly minor body damage, and Sam and Omar have very good body people! You can get a really good car and save a bunch of $, esp. if you intend to keep the car for a while. I trust Sam and Omar, and that trust was earned through multiple interactions. read more

I've been taking my cars to Sam's Auto exclusively for the past 5 years. Sam and Omar are super nice, honest, direct, helpful and very fair! Hands down the best mechanic shop in Austin. read more

I usually wait a couple of weeks after seeing a mechanic to give them a review simply to see if their work holds up, even the smallest of repairs. After seeing a few mechanics here in Austin, I'm happy to say that I think I finally found my go-to mechanic. My '09 Dodge Journey had a very bad squealing noise coming from the brakes which I assumed were just bad brake pads. I called around for some quotes on what it would take to replace my brake pads and potentially my rotors and Sam's had by far the lowest quote. He did it for a little over $140 and I also got my oil changed while I was at it. After it was all said and done, I didn't spend over $200 to get my brake pads changed, my rotors resurfaced and my oil changed. Other places were going to charge me over $200 just to do the brake pads. Having just graduated college and on a budget, even the smallest of price differences make a big deal but it wasn't just that. I asked Sam to keep me updated along the way and to ask me before he did anything so I wouldn't get charged for things I didn't want done or that I didn't think were necessary. I dropped it off around 8:30am, he gave me a call just about 2 hours later with my quote and for permission to make the repairs like I asked and it was done before I was out of work that same day. Overall, the service was great, staff was friendly and I haven't heard a peep from my brakes since they fixed it. I don't plan on going to anyone else for my car repair needs here in Austin. read more

I came to SAMs auto after Mercedes quoted me $2900 for a suspension job on my c class . Omar was very friendly , great energy and helpful , he explained everything to me in detail , had my car ready same day and charged me 60% less than Mercedes dealership . I went back to get my brakes done and paid very less compare to the dealership . They do great work , highly recommend! read more

I bought a Subaru here and love it! I've also had maintenance done here. Everyone I've worked with is caring and fair. Highly recommended!

In/out in under 45 on a busy afternoon. Synthetic oil change and a tire rotation for $90. And they actually correctly reset all of my maintenance alerts in my car. Didn't try to sell me on all the things that "might" be wrong with my car. I'll definitely be coming back. read more

Recently brought my car into Sam's for the first time due to a burnt out clutch. They checked it out the same day, and had it ready for me to pickup the following day. The work was fairly priced and also include a 1 yr warranty in the event I ran into issues. I haven't had a regular mechanic since I moved to Austin 3 years ago, but I plan on using Sam's in the future. Honesty and not trying to up-sell goes a long with me, and I can't recommend this place enough. read more

I can't even begin to explain how awesome this place is! I had my boyfriends car towed to them and Omar and his guys took a look and gave me the straight facts within an hour of getting it and they were really patient with explaining what was wrong. It didn't work out with the car (the engine was toast) but they went above and beyond to help out. Omar even went so far as to look into finding a buyer for the car for us and letting us keep the car there a few extra days while we got everything sorted out. I only wish we had found them before when the car first started having problems. From here out they'll always have my business. read more

I had a very quick timeline that I needed in order to move and needed my car to be fixed as soon as possible, and without any notice, Sam's was able to take care of it as quickly and efficiently as they could. I felt like all communication was transparent, honest, and super helpful! I would always recommend to a friend. read more

First off, let me say that Sam and his employees are amazing. I generally do my own auto work, however when there's something I can't take care or don't have time to do. Sam is my new go-to auto guy. I am fairly hesitant to visit auto shops due to all the horror stories pertaining to price gouging or replacing unnecessary parts. I chose Sam's thanks to the reviews all my fellow "yelpers" I needed my ac worked on since my compressor went out, and I had a few other related parts changed out as well. They explained the process of work clearly and how long it would take to complete the job. Sam was spot on his relativity low quote for all the work which was pleasing, there was even an extra small part that I didn't get charged for! Then they gave me a ride to my work nearby! Overall it was a friendly experience and I would take my car there anytime read more

This is the place to go in Austin to get your car serviced. They offer quality for a great price. Customer service is top as well. Big recommendation from me! read more

I wish I could echo the praise of other customers here, but unfortunately, I didn't have a great experience at Sam's. I went to have a high-end aftermarket air intake installed in my truck. As I went into the garage, I said hello to a mechanic and was "greeted" by saying nothing and pointing to the main office, promptly giving his attention back to his phone. At this point I was hesitant and I should've trusted my instincts and moved on to another shop. The manager quoted $150 and assured me the installer mechanic was "great". After the install was done, I received no phone call letting me know it was ready for pickup. When I came in, I inspected the work to find that the clear plexiglass cover for the air intake was full of fingerprints and had been scratched in several places. I brought this to the attention of two associates that were working there (as the mechanic that did the installation did not speak English) and they took note of the messy install and acknowledged the scratches. They cleaned the fingerprints off and told me to discuss the scratches with the manager. The manager had left for lunch, so when he returned I dropped back by. His demeanor certainly wasn't as friendly pre-sale, and said that the mechanic denies scratching the plexiglass and that it likely came like that from the factory. At this point, it's his word vs. mine and here is where customer service will make or break the business - and here is where they failed: I was told, "there is nothing they could do" and to "contact the manufacturer and tell them it came scratched and see if they will replace it." He also said "we don't typically do these kind of installs" and "we aren't familiar with that brand [of intake]." He also noted that the plexiglass was covered in protective film on both sides and that potentially pulling the paper off scratched it.... I've worked with plexiglass in the past on several occasions, and never has pulling the protective film off scratched the plexi. As a business owner you need to go above and beyond to ensure the satisfaction of your customers - which means in this scenario, getting in contact with the manufacturer of the intake and ordering a new part, and making it right - regardless of fault. If they want to tell the manufacturer it was scratched, brand new in the box, then fine - but they shouldn't off-load that to the customer that paid a pretty high price to have this installed. Too, at minimum, offer some sort of financial compensation as an act of goodwill to cover the cost of the replacement plexi cover and the time spent going back and forth because of a lack of care and attention in the installation. Even if it were scratched in the box, I should've received a call saying "hey, we just want to let you know this piece was scratched out of the box, do you want us to install it or not?" Just simple preventative and informative communication - the type of communication that shows they're looking out for the relationship - not the bottom line. But I guess communication isn't their strong suit. Hoping they reach out to make this right... read more

These guys are great, I have used them on my Mercedes and my BMW. Skip the dealership prices and come straight to Sam's!

This place is very helpful and friendly. I consistently go here and always have a good experience.

Yelp Fail alert! I set out to find a near by, locally owned and operated small general auto repair shop to solve a squeely brake problem. I prefer to give my money to a local business person, verses a national chain for a few reasons. I discovered Sam's on yelp. Given the raving reviews, I thought I'd give him a try. Here are the chain of events I experienced: 1. Took the car in on a monday morning, wanted an oil change and brake inspection, as my brakes were had recently started whistling, as if the brake pads were worn down. I told them I had found them on yelp and wanted to give them a try. I left the car there and went on with my day. 2. they called me to let me know the oil change was done, but the brake shoes were at 50% life, all the way around, and that the noise was the rotors on the front that needed to be turned. They suggested I go ahead and replace the pads for the front, so they would match the newly turned rotors. I told them to go for it, but they needed to keep it over night. 3. the next day, I went and paid them $200 and picked my car up. On the trip home I noticed the same squeal/whistle sound that I took it in for. Called them and they told me to give it a few days as they needed to break in. I also checked under the hood and found that they had left the cap off of the brake reservoir, and I put it back on. A small amount of oversight on their part, but maybe not such a big deal. 4. a week goes by...still squealing, and there is also a new scraping/metal on metal grinding sound that periodically happens. I take it back. 5. they keep the car all day, tell me they couldn't hear the problem, and claimed to have went ahead and changed the brake pads out to be safe. I pick it up at the end of the day. 6. I drive it home...same exact problem. I let some more time go by to let them break in...2 weeks of loud squealing. I take it back a 3rd time. 7. Sam informs me that it is the back brakes that need servicing and that they could fix that. I asked if it was the back brakes, why did they fix the front? he claims the front rotors were warped and needed to be turned...but apparently the back is making all the noise. They would gladly repair the back, but they would be charging me for it. Why would I pay them another $145 to fix what they should have fixed in the first place? On top of that, Sam got unreasonably defensive and loud when he was defending his position. The whole experience has been a huge waste of time and $$$ and I will just have to cut my loss and move on to another repair shop...but yelp failed me on this one. Update...the next day Sam comments with this: Comment from Sam K. of Sam's Auto Care 10/23/2012 « Hide "Alert fail? More like Customer Problem.. YOU came on 9/28/12 I have paper work on hand.. that you filled out this it what is says under vehicle problems: 1.Check brakes front and rear 2.Check engine light on 3.Oil change The front brake rotors are warped, and the front and rear pads have 50% life left, I told you possibly due to cheap pads making rotors warped. WE TOLD YOU TO DO THE REAR BRAKES AT THE TIME AND YOU SAID YOU DONT HAVE THE MONEY ALL YOU HAD TO SPEND WAS AROUND $200.00 We gave you estimate for the check engine light issues and you took it to another mechanic and MY DIAGNOSTICS WERE RIGHT ON :) Bc you told me you took care of those problems. THEREFORE: my diagnostics were correct... you not wanting to spend is the personal problem on your 98 volvo. And im not going to fix your rear brakes on YOUR CAR for free... doesn't make sense.." Your reply just further shows your unreasonable business practices. You are even yelling in it. Good job proving my point. If you told me to fix the rear brakes, why would you fix the front? They were not problematic or squealing. The back are, you said it yourself. Unnecessary work and charge. I took the car to you for a simple brake job, and you did not fix the problem, you made my car worse. There is now a periodic, pulsating/scraping sound that was not there before I took it to you. Im out the $145 "repair" charge, and I have to take my car to someone else. The problem doesn't only still exist...it's worse, as I have no confidence in taking it back to you a 4th time to resolve the problem the you created, and you'd probably yell at me again. As far as the diagnostics on the check engine light go...Why would I have you start working on my engine, when you botched the brake job? I took my car to a trusted specialist for that, and they fixed the problem. You did not fix the problem, you made it worse, and then yelled at me when I took it back to resolve it. Poor business practice, then you start an online argument instead of private messaging me or calling me. Your choice. Your right to do so, my right to complain on the forum in which I discovered you. I told you in advance that I found you on yelp, and if things go well, I would add to the praise. The opposite happened for both of us. read more

I was referred here by friends and have referred many others. Sam always does a good job, and does exactly what you ask without adding unnecessary expenses. Definitely a mechanic I trust read more

I can't say enough about how well myself and my car were treated at Sam's. I went in to get a pesky check engine light diagnosed after getting the codes from an auto parts store. In my initial visit Sam found two more codes I hadn't and quoted me some for parts and service. He was perfectly cool with me shopping around for parts and ultimately bringing the car back in for labor, and I didn't pay a dime until the job was done. Overall I'm super happy I checked this place out. Sam and his son Omar run a honest, efficient, and quality shop. Highly recommend. read more

Thank you Omar and Sam's auto!!! I was camping at McKinney Falls when I noticed five engine lights shining on the dash of my SUV...including the check engine light!!! Yikes!! Since I am from California and do not know Austin repair shops....I turned to Yelp which directed me to Sam's Auto. Omar told me to bring in my vehicle so they could scan for a repair code. They scanned and checked and found a loose gas cap...problem solved...no charge! This company is amazing and incredibly ethical. I highly recommend them to anyone who needs automotive repair! read more

I took my Acura 2003 CL in because it had a HID headlight out. After Sam tore into it and tested it, he diagnosed that multiple electrical components (bulb, inverter, and igniter) all had to be replaced (and is crazy expensive). He also shared that dealers can really only source these items and so I had to take it there. I've been to Sam's multiple times (all 5-star), but I was impressed this trip because after getting at the HID components *and* doing testing to arrive at the diagnosis, he didn't charge anything. When I took the vehicle to the dealer (not telling them a thing about Sam's diagnosis), they arrived at exactly the same diagnosis (but were able parts). I just thought it was awesome that Sam took the time to explain things to me well and didn't charge anything for at least an hour of labor, etc. read more

Sams auto are will use parts that reputable car places would not even consider using. My new mechanic hadn't even heard of the part manufacturer that he used. Sam auto will come up with estimate below what other places estimate because they use parts that other places wouldn't even consider using, they are so cheap. It took FIVE returns for me to * finally* get my AC fixed. It became like having a part time job for what should have been a simple fix. If you would like a good place, look on yelp on only pick places that have no negative reviews. read more

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!

First time to use Sam's. Had a good experience. Took my 2007 F150 in because it was making a knocking noise in front suspension. Sam's staff gave me a ride to work. In an hour or so Sam called to talk with me about the issue before taking the truck for a test ride. He called after the test drive to tell me the front sway bar bushings needed to be replaced. He got the work done within a few hours and my truck was as good as new for about $200 which is fair for the parts and labor involved. Good communication and customer service. I'll go back. read more

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

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

Busted Our water pump, radiator and a hose, took in around 10 am by 4 our car was fixed. Gave us a fair price and loaned car for the day at no extra fee... We will be back if our car needs repair. 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