Don's Automotive Repair

Very honest shop, didn't end up going in but the guy on the phone gave great advice and their quote was way better than elsewhere

Great service had been looking for a gas line for my 79' chevy that they no longer make for about 3 weeks they solved that issue in minutes Don's for the save will definitely be back for any service needs in the future. Service: General repairs & maintenance

Jimmy at Don's Automotive was super helpful, informed and professional! He helped me get the car ready and fixed only what was necessary to make sure it was safe and sound! Really appreciate the fast turnaround! Forever their customer. Trustworthy mechanic I know I can bring any car to and I know I am in great hands! Services: Brakes, Auto engine diagnostic, General repairs & maintenance

WOOP WOOP Huge shout out to the gang at Don's! We were about to give up on our 2001 Toyota Tacoma when a Toyota dealership said they needed another 3,000 bucks to fix it. We did it once but couldn't wrap our heads around that much being wrong with the truck again nor that price. At the same time we just couldn't call it quits on what has been a great truck.

We called Jimmy at Don's auto repair and he said bring it in. We told Jimmy everything the dealership said needed to be done and well, let's just say Jimmy was a bit skeptical. They were A-MAZING! Our Tacoma ended up in the best hands in town and after their diagnostics run and expert mechanic care our Tacoma is purring right on down the road again, at a serious fraction of the repair work and cost that the dealership quoted. Dealership $3,000.00 - Don's $450. Monumental difference in diagnostics, repairs, cost and trust. They are straight up, no nonsense, great mechanics that know their stuff and we are so happy we didn't put our Tacoma out to pasture but instead took it to Don's!

We've seen the light. We're converts. We've lived here almost 50 years now and how did we not know? Don must be Jesus. Or at least some kind of an auto miracle worker. After try after try of getting the 20-year old clunker diagnosed and being told the car needed a whole new computer system, we called Don's. Jimmy gave us undivided attention and listened to our explanation of our car's symptoms, and previous repair attempts.

He suggested we bring it in, because the holidays were fast approaching, and declared he'd do his best. His best turned out to be three items that our previous repair shop had completely overlooked. The work was fairly priced--a system diagnostic costing 50% of the same diagnostic at our former shop--and what's better, seems to have cured our car of it's ills.

And all by closing time before the holiday break. I fail to see how our car could have been more skillfully serviced. Moreover the staff was respectful and polite. They don't mind sharing their knowledge either. If we could get our money back from the first mechanic, we'd give it to Don's. They deserve it. Now the old car with only 87K miles is humming along. With each additional mile, we silently give thanks to Don's for resurrecting our beloved clunker.

I wish I could give this place more than 5 stars. Awesome service, reasonably priced, fast, and great communication!

I went in to get some scratches on my bumper fixed. The team was available and responsive. They quoted out different options - getting the area fixed, getting the whole bumper replaced, etc. Then, Rick got some paint out and touched it up by hand which looked 90% better, and gave me the option of repairing it as he'd quoted. I thought it was good enough, and when I asked how much for the touch up. He said "free". Thank you! Great transparent communication and service.

Incredible customer service! Honest and genuine. The mechanics were very helpful and took time to replicate issues, explain things and discuss my concerns. Great experience!

They worked really hard on my car, and eventually found and fixed the problem, but charged me for 100 percent of the exploratory labor. Experts in the area of dispute resolution argue that in most cases, a mechanic should make an adjustment to the bill if a repair was based on a faulty diagnosis. Don's Automotive failed to do this, and at the time I didn't know how to stand up for myself when they presented me with $900 bill for a hundred-dollar fix. Instead of Don's, I recommend Newman's or Rising Sun.

WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD! We moved to Austin 14 years ago and were lucky enough to find Don's from long time Austin friends. Don and the team have serviced our cars through the years. There are few things more valuable than a honest mechanic who tells you exactly what "needs" to be repaired and what still has some life it. Even for work that they don't do, I always call them and ask who they recommend.

They know the best/honest folks around town. I've recommended Don's to my friends and family and it's always come back, with "HOLY COW, they are AMAZING". Love you guys. Thanks so much for all your help keeping me and my family safe and on the road. - Scott

We've been taking our cars to Don's for more than 30 years and have never been extremely happy with the work, the prices and the attitude of everyone there. In my experience, the staff here is knowledgeable, and they are one of the most honest businesses I've ever dealt with. This is one of the few places I don't resent spending money, because I know it's always money well spent.

Great and fast turnaround on getting a/c fixed, awesome customer service. Only fix what needs fixing and charge accordingly. Jimmy is the dude and the dude abides.

These guys are amazzzing! If you need work done on your car and you live in Austin then please trust me that you are in great hands here! They took care of the blinker light that I needed fixed on the same day I dropped it off and did it for half the cost of a competitor! Thank you again! I will bring my Jeep back anytime something is wrong because I know you guys won't jerk me around and you will get the job done!

Been going to Don's since I got my first car, always does good work. Last time I went my car I needed a new battery and alternator. He knocked 200$ off the price of parts and fixed it the same day I brought it in. Great work

This shop is fantastic. Great prices. Great turnaround time. Great work. Great customer service. Great location. And the owner, Don, is a rad human. 10/10 highly recommend.

These guys were amazing! I would recommend to everyone! They were not pushy the prices where super reasonable! They gave me a lot of information on all the ways I could move forward! If you're looking a place you can trust, look no further! I was brand new to Austin and so many people recommended this place and now I see why!

Don's Automotive Repair is by far one of the hidden gems of the Auto Repair Industry in Austin. My car was towed in and put on the schedule for next Wednesday (its Thursday right now) to my suprise, I received a phone call 4 hours after taking it is informing me that my car was fixed and ready to go. They test drove it to make sure everything was properly working and had me come pick it up.

Good as new! The customer service is above and beyond, and the quality of work put in to the repairs are also 5 star standards. I've been coming to Don's for years, and they will continue to have my business.

These guys are awesome. Honest mechanics who also look for creative solutions are hard to come by, but I hold on to them when I find them. I couldn't recommend them more.

I have literally never written a Yelp review, so this should tell you how happy I was with the service. Don's came highly recommended by a couple of friends for my Toyota Sienna. When I called I explained I was trying to get my repair done asap because I was moving out of town. Jimmy did his absolute best to get me in and diagnose all of the issues. Jimmy was so damn good about calling and updating, asking questions, etc. - and all done with a great sense of humor which made it feel like I was dealing with a friend.

In the end, I felt the price they charged for putting in my new starter, plus the fixed leaks and getting rid of the ridiculous tire sensors that never seem to go away - was very fair. He even said that if that sensor light comes back on in a few days before I leave town, to just bring it in and they'll fix it again on the house! Can't suggest this local bearded business enough. What LEGENDS!

Patient explanations, fair prices, stellar work, honest assessments, helpful referrals, and a good sense of humor. It took me years to find a mechanic shop that I had complete confidence in, that I could completely trust. This is it. Have been going here for several years now, and always walk away with a car in good shape and feeling like I have been treated fairly. And maybe chuckling at Jimmy's jokes.

This is one of the most amazing auto repair places I've ever been to. No frills shop but their customer service is unmatched, so patient with translating car talk to someone who's definitely unversed in the subject. First time I went there I walked to Bouldin Creek down the street to have breakfast and even the server was saying how nice and decent those guys are! Tony and can't rmr the other guys name but are probably some of the nicest people I've ever met (great conversationalists too ).

Two manly men, big ol beards, gentle and kind as ever, and come to find one is a vegan/vegetarian because he doesn't advocate for the harsh handling of baby chicks in the dairy industry! They totally hooked me up when the couldn't find what was wrong the second time around with my car and I promised them I'd write a good review! Hope I don't have any more car issues but if I do I'm definitely going to them!

A friend recommended Don's Automotive to me to repair a tear in my fuel filler neck. I'm so glad I stopped by because Jimmy was so helpful and candid with the cost of the replacement part and of their rate to repair. Another automotive shop up the street was going to charge me over $800 and wouldn't explain where they were getting this number from. Jimmy at Don's charged me only $150 and had my car ready in a day. I will definitely be going back to Don's for any maintenance and appreciate Jimmy's great work!

We've been taking our cars to Don's Automotive for twenty years now. Every time these master mechanics make the right diagnosis and execute the best repair. So I always expect excellence from this shop, but my last repair exceeded all expectations. For the second winter in a row squirrels have taken to nesting under the hood of my 4Runner and gnawing on the wires. Don's fixed the wiring problem fast and cheap.

I asked Jimmy at the shop how I might stop these meddling rodents in the future. We discussed fox urine. Tony said the smell would be too awful. Jimmy suggested snake poop. I left the shop wondering how to get my hands on some. The next day Jimmy calls me and leaves a voice message that he had a ziplock bag of python poop for me if I wanted to swing by the shop. Does your mechanic go to these lengths? Does any other shop on the planet?

I think this is a great place to get your older car fixed. Honest and fair prices and they will not add things to the bill that are not needed. It is a bit cramped there (few parking spots), so I would be a bit concerned about parking my new car there as the spaces between cars can be only inches.

I like to thank this shop for fixing my car right. I did not felt I was taken advantage of. I am very happy with the whole service. My car has naver run this good Thank you so much!

I've been taking my Nissan truck to Don's for many years. He runs an honest business with knowledgeable mechanics and his shop has helped to keep my truck in great shape. Jimmy is running the shop now, and he and Tony are both great mechanics as well as being friendly and nice to customers. I appreciate knowing that when I take my truck to Don's, I can expect consistently great service.

My van had a strange jingle underneath, and I didn't know where to begin to address it. A friend recommended Don's, and when I called I felt befriended right from the phone, and they made space for me on the same day. They listened, brought their expertise, and showed genuine care and kindness. In the end, Jimmy solved the issue like a pro, just by tightening a loose bolt. Wow. Surprise. What a champion.

Don and the team do great work and are honest. I've been taking my car to them for two years: engine mount replacement, new timing belt, and a new starter. Great work. Good team.

They do not do inspections but the guy jimmy was really nice and made a few suggestions.

Man, reading the poor reviews here is a stark reminder that Yelp can be such a toxic place. Don is a wonderful mechanic. My husband and I have been taking our cars there for over ten years. We've owned a total of six cars during that time (Volvo, Ford, Nissan, Mazda, 2 Hondas) and Don's has always treated us well by 1) offering brutally honest diagnostics, 2) providing contingency plans and helping to prioritize multiple repairs, and 3) giving us advice on selling our cars or buying new ones. They've saved us a ton of money.

To address another review, we've had both minor and major repairs done here--from belts and filters to AC work and clutch replacement. If Don cannot do something, he'll be honest about it and send you somewhere reputable. It's really difficult to find an honest mechanic, but Don's has integrity. Don't let yourself be drawn into the undertow of Yelp insanity. Watch for context, like histrionic language and multiple exclamation points, and then ignore those reviews.

We have been using Don's for a long time and always have a good experience. They run a genuinely honest and trustworthy repair business. A breath of fresh air in an otherwise challenging business. We highly recommend them!

Update: Don's response is trash. The NISSAN DEALERSHIP diagnosed my car. HELLLO but I'm pretty sure they know what they're doing. All I wanted was a quote. I was fine with having to get a diagnosis and continuing with that, but seriously I just wanted a question answered. And yes he did say BACKWARDS MEXICAN because I was APPALLED and hung up. Let's pretend he did say "backyard" -- is it acceptable to say a "backyard person who doesn't pay taxes?" Incredibly rude and disgusting.

I called Don and he said he was in the middle of the call and would call me back. Cool. He called me back less than 5 minutes later. I missed the call, called back, and he answered immediately. I bought a wheel bearing on Amazon and asked if the shop installed customer-brought parts, and Don went on a rant about how only a "backwards Mexican mechanic who doesn't pay taxes" would do that.

I politely asked for an rough estimate as I was just shopping around. Don asked some questions then decided that the dealership's diagnosis wasn't accurate and wanted to diagnose it himself. I politely repeated myself and asked for just a rough estimate and he cut me off, scoffed, and went on and said he wasn't going to provide an estimate and honestly I hung up on him since he didn't let me finish my sentence either.

His tone was incredibly rude and it's like, I'm TRYING to give you my money and you can't even answer a simple question, and I had follow up questions as well. Quite rude. Maybe he's having a bad day, but I'll be telling others to avoid this place.

Nothing more to say than you will never find a better mechanic/car repair shop anywhere. Don provides character, well organized and fair business practices and a wealth of knowledge. Don and his crew even know how to rebuild things - a rarity these days. Living legend doesn't even begin to describe it - don't hesitate a moment to take your car to Don's.

The inverter in my Prius died after 110,000 miles, missing the 100,000-mile limit for the warranty. I took it to Don's, and they let me know that Toyota extended the warranty on the inverter for certain Priuses, including mine, and that if I took it to the dealer they'd fix it for free (which they did). Let me underscore: Don's lost the $ they would have gotten from doing this repair themselves, by looking out for me me and hooking me up with a free repair at the dealer.

There are still good people in this world. UPDATE, 5/29/17 ----------------------- When I picked up my car fro the dealer for the extended-warranty inverter replacement, the service rep recommended I have the following done: $249.95 Fuel Kit $316.99 Tune-up $149.95 Brake Flush $169.99 Transmission Drain & Flush $229.99 Engine Coolant Flush That's over $1100 worth of work.

Of course if I had it done anywhere I'd have it done at Don's, so I showed Don the list but he said that none of it was warranted, it's just the dealer trying to sell unnecessary service. Don has saved me so much money, over multiple occasions, it almost makes me hope that my car breaks down so I can give him some more business.