Needed an hour or so to do a cat-back replacement and very relieved I found the Austin DIY Shop before rolling around on the ground in my driveway to replace it the hard way. Being able to rent a lift bay for a bit of time made the job take maybe 1/3 of how long it would have taken otherwise. Was first come first serve, got there in the morning and the helpful staff ran me through how everything goes, where to find tool, etc and go my car up on the lift and ready to get started on. Was very happy with the experience, what a great idea. Also, each bay comes with tools so no need to bring your own. Will definitely be back again. read more

Complete AC service rip-off, lied to me about my compressor not working, then ripped me off on the ac servicing

Wanna be your own grease monkey? Mechanical wizard? Chitty Chitty Bang Bang master mechanic!!??!? Well? Okay it's not gonna make you the perfect auto necromancer, but it will certainly make your life a bit easier when you need to get your car in the air. And no telekinesis still isn't a thing to replace a decent lift. Definitely worth the money, 2 hour minimum and roughly 35 ish per hour, is way better then sneaking around on a dolly with a bad back. And no you can't ride the lift up and down in your car.... They will get mad at you. Staff is amazing, ready to help whenever you need it or just have a question. And they also let you ship parts to them, if you live in one of the many areas where packages get stolen..... yep happens to often. Oh and free water with every bay rental.... Yes stay hydrated folks! read more

I've been thru a bunch on mechanic shops in Austin over my 40yrs driving. A lot has changed in this city, including the quality, experience, and integrity of auto-mechanic shops. This is the last of the Mohicans. Great shop, good people, honest brokers. Mark and the Markettes are awesome! Look no further. read more

I had to replace the complete rear end assembly on my truck. I needed help at one point where I needed more hands on the job. The owner (who is always there) Mark, had a man to help. Xavier is an experienced mechanic and we were able to complete the change out in one day! I'm a retired mechanic and this shop is right up my alley. They will do the work for you at a very affordable price. I can't say enough good things about them. They provide free cold water and I was offered it constantly. The temperature was 100+ that day read more

The Austin DIY Shop - rear end replaced - Auto Repair Near Me - Austin, Texas

Went up from South Austin to check this place out and see if it has what I'll need to replace engine mounts in my 5.7L Jeep. Folks there were friendly and helpful, and the prices seem very reasonable to make the DIY effort cost-effective. Looks like they have what I need and more. I hope to be back soon to actually complete the swaps, but I wanted to give this place a review because I love the concept and want to support them (we need more places like this!). read more

Met the owner. Very nice. I like the shop and will use in the future on my project. He also has several engines for sale that I may consider for my LS swap. read more

Few people know about this place and I kinda like it that way but, in the spirit of helping others I'll tell you about Mark and his place. This is an automobile and truck repair shop that is different. You can work on your own vehicle if you want to. If you need help with anything they are there to help. The last time I was there I saw a young lady rotating the tires on her suburban! Mark also has a crew of mechanics that can help you or take over the job. The labor rate is more than half of a dealership!! Mark helps you get parts locally (I suggest this) internet parts are wrong sometimes and can turn your repair into a nightmare. Just let Mark order them for you, trust me I'm correct on this. Don't worry about putting your vehicle on the lift, they do it for you. Now it's hot even with fans but it doesn't seem to bother them. There's free cold water and the showroom is air conditioned. Call Mark for an appointment for a lift! Save big $$ read more

I don't trust auto mechanics as a rule but these guys made me feel comfortable. I am not a DIY mechanic but wanted some advice. Here I did not feel like I was Being hustled or recommended unneeded repairs. read more

The Austin DIY Shop - Car up on rack, what could be wrong? - Auto Repair Near Me - Austin, Texas

I was in today, 12/17/17. I researched everything prior to going so I was prepared. I am very excited to find a DIY place so I can do what I can for repairs. The place is a bit hidden so you will have to look for the banner hung up high showing where the facility is. It is very much an auto mechanic garage. Tools, parts, and a mess everywhere. The paperwork is very short. Initial here and sign here style of release of injury. One way in, one way out so be prepared to maneuver your vehicle around other vehicles. The worker on staff and another person guided me in and out. All I wanted was a bay to do a coolant system cleanse. This requires a catch pan and my time. I was put on a lift without request. Don't need it, don't want it but it appeared as if it was the only bay open so off I went. As stated on the webpage, the tools were readily available. Sockets in Standard and Metric, 1/4 and 3/8 drive. 3/8 drive extensions hanging on the side of the box. A hand full of Standard and Flat tip screwdrivers. A great option of pliers. It was an absolute beauty to see. 4 Stars instead of 5 because of the price. As in the picture I posted, which is a screenshot from the webpage, it states $10 an hour for a flat bay and $20 an hour for a lift. I went in hoping to spend $20-$30. I walked put paying $65 (see photo). I learned at checkout the the end prices are different. Nothing on the webpage states this. Two hours on a lift was $60. I did not need a lift. I was given a lift. I guess it was my fault for not clarifying the parameters of it all. But as well, the garage needs to update their webpage with the correct prices. If the pricing had been correct and I didn't get with sticker shock, this would be a 5 Star review. read more

The Austin DIY Shop - Weekend, 2 hours, with a lift final price. - Auto Repair Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Had to do a transmission swap with a friend. Used this place. Owner was SUPER nice and helpful. This place rocks. They hooked me up with a parts yard who sold and delivered a transmission to their shop for me. We swapped it using their tools and lifts. Did a bunch of other stuff while I had everything apart. Towed it in, drove it home! Thank you guys. I'm just a shade-tree mechanic, but this place saved me thousands. I spent about $1800 in parts and 2 days rental fees over a Sat/Sun. At a regular automotive shop, installing a rebuilt transmission, starter, brakes, control arm bushings, ball joints, tune up and motor mount would have run up quite a tab. North of $6k probably. Who knows? I did price a transmission swap locally. They told me it would be over $3600 plus tax for a rebuilt. That was just for the transmission work. Add in the other stuff and dang---you got yourself a big bill!!!! Thank you Austin DIY. I like working on my own stuff but sometimes you need a lift and special tools. They had it all. read more

Great shop and great bunch of people! My little hot hatchback needed a hitch receiver and it seemed like a job that my hubby and I could take on ourselves, but we didn't have the tools or garage with a lift to make it easier. Thank goodness for these guys! For a reasonable hourly rental, you get access to a garage bay, any tool you might need, and friendly professionals that help with questions if needed. If you need to do any work on your vehicle and want to try and DIY it; go here. They are great. read more

Super helpful staff and affordable rates! Plan to do all my own work here from now on

Easy, owner was helpful, needed to upgrade my exhaust, they had all the tools and the lift necessary to do my work! Will definitely come back! Definitely recommended if you can do the work and want to save money. read more

This place is perfect for anyone who likes to work on their own vehicle while having access to everything you need. Everything you need is supplied including tools, lifts, fluid disposal, and knowledgeable staff. I went in to do a simple oil change. Decided to use the lift and it was 10 times easier than just using a jack and crawling underneath. All the tools I needed were there and cleanup was a breeze. I'm definitely coming back every time I need to do anything to my truck. Being inside and in the shade is way better than tinkering out in the hot sun, not to mention it's really inexpensive to use the facility. read more

The Austin DIY Shop - 2003 Ford Lightning on the lift, getting ready for an oil change. - Auto Repair Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Unlikely they would recommend me...someone who probably should not be doing DIY mechanical work on a car, especially a Saab...but that probably means they deserve an even higher recommendation. Helpful staff, clean space, plenty of tools and a fair price. read more

This place has already saved me thousands in one day, and I know they'll save me even more in the long run. Omar put my mind at ease and showed me how to use the A/C equipment, so I could replace a failed compressor. They have every wrench attachment you could imagine and the guys were outstanding. When I doubted myself, experts were within earshot to reassure me and for a very reasonable rate. They even pulled up the repair manual for me on the computer, so I don't need to buy the $120 book. I had plenty of room to work, a clean work bench and top of the line tools. They even ordered the stuff I needed from the parts store and had it waiting for me when I arrived. Mark, Dave, Omar and Haper, you all are great people. I'll be back soon with my Peugeot 405 Mi16, as well as my BMW 5 Series. read more

The Austin DIY Shop - Great work space, exceptional tools, and plenty of knowledgeable people to ask for help. - Auto Repair Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Wow! What an awesome experience! Mark is wonderful! He saved me with an affordable break repair. Thank you so much!! The shop is pretty darned amazing. I can't do my own work, I let their experts do it. What is extra amazing is that, if you can do the work, you can pay a small fee for using a lift and tools. I've never even heard of that being available. So much safer to use a professional lift. Very cool. read more

I do all of my own repairs + upgrades, and recently acquired a very low to the ground sports car and found myself really needing a lift. Took the lazy route and tried a few different local shops for a simple axle back exhaust kit install and was quoted between $400-$700! Found the DIY shop and called to make an appointment a couple days ahead to lock down a spot. I knocked it out super easily, and was on my way. Cost me $75 out the door. If you wrench, you need to take advantage of this place. It's a little far north, whatever. Super cheap ($25/hr for lift, full assistance will cost ya more). Waters and tools complimentary. Was empty on a Friday morning, he said they get really busy on the weekends. read more

This place is phenomenally AWESOME, the absolute BEST place for working on your vehicle. They have lifts and each bay is clean and stocked with well organized, color coded tools, in tool bins. They're very reasonably priced by the hour...a heck of a lot easier and safer than using jack stands at home. They have drain stands, so no mess and they take care of the disposal. It's such an awesome place that it makes working on your vehicle fun. And, they're courteous and helpful, like if you need help getting a bolt loosened. There's an honest mechanic in case those discover that it's easier to let someone else do or finish the job. I can't say enough about them or give them higher praises. There is no way I'd have been able to repair my car if not for this place. Thank God for DIY and these guys with such wonderful personalities, knowledge, and experience. read more

The Austin DIY Shop - Auto Repair Near Me - Austin, Texas

I needed the transmission fluid changed in my car. The mechanic needed several hundred dollars and my car for the day to work in the schedule. It's pretty easy to do but I didn't want to roll around on the concrete with my car on jacks in the 100 degree heat. I was able to rent a bay and lift here for $20/hr, which includes general tools if you need them, and did it myself for less than $100 (including parts and fluids from the auto parts store) in just over an hour. Great experience and will definitely back when it's a job I can do and I just need a bay and a lift. read more

Nothing but great things to say about the Austin DIY shop! I visited here earlier this week to replace the front brake pads/rotors on my 2013 Toyota Tacoma and from the very beginning they were nothing but helpful! From guiding me into a bay with a lift, to giving me the quick run down and tour of the place/tools so I could get started ASAP, and being available throughout the whole process for any questions and help. Mark actually ended up saving the day after I snapped one of the caliper mounting bolts on my driver's side brakes. Not only was he instrumental in getting the bolt out (name brand drill bits are better than Harbor Freight as we found out FYI) after a few hours of switching between he/I drilling through the bolt, he was also able to order a replacement bolt which arrived shortly after we got the bolt out. All in all, the job was completed without any further incident. Not only did I save about HALF of what I would have paid at an auto shop, I also learned quite throughout the day. The entire time the shop workers were friendly, courteous, and helpful. I highly recommend this to anyone looking not only for a DIY shop with all the tools you'd need and lifts, but also the expertise of an on-site mechanic willing to help you out (FYI: taking more of his time then a quick question is extra money, but you are also taking him away from his own projects he has to work on so it's definitely fair) throughout the process. He also works on diesel engines and can work on your car for you as well like any auto shop should you request it. Will definitely be going back here as long as I am living in the Austin area! read more

This place and the people there are Terrific- Austin is very Lucky to have a shop like this. Lifts, tools including impact wrench- I was visiting from Florida where we have No DIY shops and was relieved to handle a list of things I wouldn't take on otherwise, including pulling harmonic balancer to replace crankshaft position sensor- If while your car is in the air you find a problem that you don't or can't take on you can have Mark and his mechanics do it- and for a reasonable price, in my experience. No pressure, no hype- it's like visiting a neighbor and using his indoor lift. read more

This DIY shop is the best time and money saver I've found in my 8 years living in Austin. Mark is a great guy, that makes your repair experience as easy as it can be. Highly recommend you call him if you are planning a automotive repair. read more

I have a 2002 Ford Explorer, with bad sway bar links. When I changed one of the links, I noticed the sway bar bushings were shot as well. I knew I could do the work, but don't like getting under cars, even with jack stands. I rented a lift and saved a ton of money. The book repair is about 3 hours, but I did it in 1.25. You are only charged for lift time, rather than what some book says it should take! All the tools were available and the shop support was great. If you have even inkling that you can do the work, take the chance and DIY your next car repair!!! read more

I had a great experience working on my car here. The staff places your car on the lift and provides you with your own set of tools and thorough instructions for lift operation. I am also an amateur when it comes to changing brakes but they were more than willing to answer questions and provide advice. I stayed there for six hours because I had many things to replace on my car yet I never felt rushed. They even provided a bottle of water for free. I will definitely return for future car work. read more

Austin DIY shop is pretty much my new favorite place in Austin. The guys that run the shop are incredibly helpful and the tool selection is top-notch. The rates are great as well. I'm working on a pretty extensive expedition build using an old Land Cruiser and I don't think I'd be able to get it done without the help of these guys. Having access to a fully equipped shop at such great rates is incredibly hard to find. I was working on a brake job and hub issue and realized that I didn't have a critical part that I needed. Mark made a phone call and had the part delivered to me in 15 minutes so I was able to continue. Anything that I've needed - these guys were there to help. Because of Austin DIY I'm able to make the progress that I need to in order to have the truck ready for a trip to Sequoia/Yosemite in May. I absolutely could not make that deadline without Austin DIY. read more

Great place to work on your ride. This shop is inside. Has lifts available and a great selection of common and specialty tools. I visited Austin DIY last week for the first time simply because I didn't want to lay down in my gravel driveway, in the cold to work on my truck. I will return when I bolt on additional upgrades. read more

This place is great. The staff is super patient and friendly. The tools are clean and organized. The shop is super clean. I took my 04 Land Rover Discovery in so I could replace the O2 sensors, since the shop manual indicated it would be an easy repair, and I wanted to save some money and try to do it myself. Well, it turned out getting those things loose was more trouble than I could handle. No problem, Dave came over and put some persuasion on those things and they popped right out. After we completed that job, I changed the oil and cleaned up some oil deposits on the undercarriage. Next time, I'm going to get Omar to help me identify some oil leaks and get those repaired. Also need to work on a wheel hub. Car is running great, and I did it almost all by myself, and I saved a ton of money in parts and labor. Thanks DIY Texas!!! read more

Awesome group of people working there. Great space, and service. Always makes things better when you have to right tools for the job.

Best place in Austin. Don't write reviews that often but they really provide quality and honest service. Had an older 2004 model with multiple issues and they were able to help me out with that quality service that's hard to find. Wouldn't go anywhere else in the city. read more

After being envious of the DIY automotive concept in Washington, we finally have a legit contender here in Austin! The main attraction is the availability of lifts and air tools, though they also offer access to welding and fabrication equipment. I went for the introduction to welding class a few days ago, and while it was a steal at $20, there were some egregious safety violations that even made me nervous (people welding in shorts and mesh tennis shoes, the local shop dog bounding across the service bays). The instructor definitely knew his stuff, I'd just hate for an awesome business like this to get taken out by some lawsuit happy idiot. I'd be much happier if DIY Texas were air conditioned, though the large bay doors seemed to provide OK airflow (to be fair, we didn't have any airflow directed our way since industrial fans and welding don't mix). All of the staff were friendly and chatty, the prices are very reasonable, and you can reserve bays online. Pretty impressive for only being open 1 month, I really wish these guys continued success. read more

For those of us who are mechanically inclined, dealerships and shops are nothing but money pits. If you like to "do it yourself" but lack the space or tools, DIY Texas is your place. I came in to bleed my brakes. I got the exact bay I wanted with all the tools I could ask for and then some. When you see the initialism "DIY", the phrase "you're on your own" comes to mind. Not so at DIY Texas. When my bleeder screw snapped off, after the profanities were done, Mark (I think) helped me try to remove it. When it wouldn't budge at all, he was on the phone with Autozone and got me a caliper at cost +5% within a half hour. When I was ready to leave, and my brake pedal felt a little soft, he helped me fix the problem until the car felt much better to drive. Even after my time in the shop, the caliper and the extra tool rental, taking my car to the dealership would have cost me at least 2-3x as much. I highly recommend this place. I'm glad a place like this exists. read more

Made several more visits since my original review, and my opinion hasn't changed. Needed their help with a couple of things, and while you do pay extra for hands on help, it's reasonable (and worth it when you're stuck). read more

No more contorting yourself when working below your car! Great bunch of guys. They were extremely welcoming and willing to lend a little advise when I was debating how to proceed with my very difficult thermostat replacement. I highly recommend going here for all types of repairs that you think you may be able to do yourself... You'll get a great feeling of accomplishment! read more

The guys here are just great! I have an old car that I still am hopelessly devoted to and this shop helps me keep her running. They are helpful with providing cost effective solutions and super trustworthy. I don't know a thing about fixing my own car, but one day I might just jump under the hood with their guidance. I'm so grateful to this shop! read more

These guys are fantastic. I first came in to do an oil change for the first time. It was a relatively straightforward process, and I was up and out within an hour (like I said: first time doing an oil change. Don't judge me.) I had such a great experience that when it came time to do my front brakes and rotors on my Xterra, I decided that, rather than spend $600 for an auto shop to do it, I'd tackle the task myself. But brakes are a different beast from an oil change, so when I came in last Thursday evening, I was pretty nervous and not nearly as confident as I was before. The shop owner was extremely helpful and really went above and beyond! Initially all I was hoping for was some help getting my tires off, and I would struggle through the rest using YouTube videos. But when the owner heard this was my first brake job, he not only helped with the tires, but then walked me through the steps of how to do the brakes on one side, including how to use the tools, the best techniques, and some hints on how to do a good job. He then set me loose to finish the job myself. It took about an hour and a half (again, don't judge me) to finish both sides, but I was definitely walking a little taller that day. And I spent maybe half the cost of a brake job at an auto shop, even using dealership parts! I will definitely be back, and ladies, there is a zero intimidation factor here. All you have to do is ask for help. I'm already planning my next few jobs and I'll be doing them at DIY. read more

I can't recommend this place highly enough. I've been coming here for 3 years. This shop ended my trips to and the expense of any other shop. I've literally saved thousands of dollars and have learned so much in the process. They have all the tools and equipment you need! Techs there are extremely nice. Very very affordable. read more

Moved into an apartment and I lost my garage. Needed a place to work on my car and heard of these guys. Showed up and Mark gave a nice tour of the shop. They've got 2 post lifts, a paint booth, tire changers and wheel balancing machines, welding equipment, and more. Really sweet place. I just needed a floor bay which came with a set of tools and Josh was around to answer any questions that came up. Installation went on without a hitch, and I supported a great business. Will definitely come back if I need to do some work on my car. read more

The Austin DIY Shop - Floor bay had everything I needed. - Auto Repair Near Me - Austin, Texas

What an awesome concept! I was able to go in there and work on the lift for about an hour so about 20 bucks. All I had to do was some muffler work so I didn't use many tools but I was told I could use anything in the area. No issues at all. The only downside is they're a bit far from my place in S. Austin but that's not their fault. FYI, if you're going to use one of their lifts, they recommend you call ahead so you won't have to drive all they way up there and wait. read more