My boyfriend had left his car at my apartment complex when we were out of town during the 2015 Austin late spring floods and had come back to it with some weird liquid in the passenger seat. We went online car 'webmd' style and deduced that it had to be a leak somewhere that was dripping coolant due to the chemical-y smell of the liquid. We thought that perhaps the heavy rainfall had caused the leak to worsen. We filled the car with some more coolant since drives over 5 miles caused the engine to start overheating. We yelped different places nearby as soon we could, found this shop, and decided to drop off the car on a random weekday. They weren't able to look at it right then and there, but we received a call about 5 hours later telling us that there wasn't anything wrong with it. We went to pick up the car, and the attendants told us that they did a pressure test of the engine and couldn't find a leak anywhere. When we were first warned of a possible leak during an inspection a few months prior, whatever-chain-auto-place told us that it'd be at least $150 just to test for a leak, but Sam's Auto Care really took care of us and did it free of charge. We were completely willing to pay given their good reviews here, but they stepped it up by offering amazing service. We were still concerned, but they said that they kept the engine running for at least 30 minutes and there wasn't anything wrong with it. If we had any issues, they said, we could bring it back and have them look at it. They even said that there wasn't any point costing us more money for more tests if the test they ran didn't yield any damages. FANTASTIC service, and would totally come here again for any other car needs. It's great to finally find a place that isn't trying to up-sell or rip us off. Unicorns of the auto care business, I'd say. read more

Here is the chain of events that explain why Sams gets 5 stars... 8/4/12 8:30 am Car wont start. 8:35 am Call Sams, They give me a number for a tow truck company. 9:00 am Tow truck arrives, takes me to Sams. 10:30 am Sam calls and tells me what needs to be done (battery is shot), I also ask. for him to check out my brakes as I think they need a look. 11:30 am Sam calls, battery is done, yes I need new brakes. 5:00 pm Sam calls, car is done, come pick it up. Not only did they get everything done in a single day, but they were also able to roll the tow charge into my bill so only one payment was needed. The guys at Sams are sharp, attentive, and will tell you exactly what needs to be done. No more, no less. Lets just say I know where my car will be going any time its sick! read more

Believe your fellow Yelpers, you need not look further for the best mechanics in town! THIS is the place! Sam is an honest mechanic who will do superior work at a reasonable price! I found myself in a tight spot. My engine light was on, and needed an asap inspection. I brought my Ford Fusion in on Wednesday at around 1pm, and Sam advised it would be about 3 hours. I strolled down to Drafthouse for a movie, then walked back and the work was done!! The charge was minimal and the service superb! The owners, Sam and Omar are kind, caring, and HONEST. They truly helped me out of a bind, and I will only bring my car here! read more

Excellent service, super fast and very fair price. I'll never go anywhere else with my Envoy! Thanks guys! 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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 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

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

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

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.

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

After catching my previous mechanic of 10 years trying to scam me on a job, I decided to give Sam's Auto a try and I'm grateful that I did. Sam and his team are honest, and genuinely good people. Their work is solid and their prices can't be beat. I've been going to Sam's for over three years now and refer everyone I can. Highly recommend! read more

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

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

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

Omar and Sam have been great to my Honda. They always call me before doing any work to make sure it's ok. They don't make me do anything to the car that they wouldn't do to their own. So hard to find a good, trustworthy mechanic and I've found mine here at Sam's Auto Care. Thanks. read more

Had to have some emergency work done on my car. Took a risk and went to Sam's Auto on S. Lamar since it was close. Because of the location and the area I expected the work to be expensive. After all was said and done my bill was ALOT lower than I expected and the mechanic walked me through the issues. It's a small shop but they do good work. 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

Prompt, straightforward and honest service. No games to play. Nice people. We've been taking our cars there for almost ten years. Great location - one block from our house. 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

The check engine light was on in my wife's car. I took it to another place, and called another, both wanted $100 to do a diagnostic. Sam did it for free. After checking it out, he came in and told me there was a leak in my evap system that could most likely be fixed with a new gas cap. I drove down to the auto parts store and bought one for $11.50. Sam and his team are top notch. 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

I recently bought a car from Sam's Auto Care. I must say these guys are awesome! They were very helpful with what I was looking for. There was no pressure like your typical dealership does to try and force you into something you may not want. They put me in a loaner while they worked the transfer of title and registration. I also noticed that there facility was very clean with top notch mechanics who take pride in what they do. I am very, very pleased with their customer service and attention to detail and would highly recommend there services. read more

Bought a used car from this place. Drove it less than 600 miles. Had it inspected at the dealership and it needs over $8,000 in repairs including the catalytic converters. This place would not do anything. What a rip off. To update: the outback was purchased in middle March of 2029. It was driven 500 miles until June 28 when all the lights came on. Check engin brake lights cruise was flashing and one other. Drove it to the dealer and paid for inspection. It needs catalytic converters and Spenser. There was so much rust it needs all studs replaced.heat shields nuts and bolts.$2475. Lower control arms & bushings sway bar front struts & mounts. Rear sway bar links. Serpentine belt $2500. Plus more. I don't know how you got this car a state inspection. When I called I talked with Omar and told him when the car was bought and asked if he wanted to buy it back. I don't want what was paid for it 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