Smitty's Auto Service

Reviews

Reviews are sorted by relevance, with the most helpful and insightful feedback listed first for easy reference.

  Mimi dimauro
a month ago
Smittys saved the day! Stuck on aFlorida highway in a 2002 VW Eurovan Camper travelling from Mass ..From the first call for rescue to getting us back on the road they where outstanding Assisting us in getting a hotel transportation and keeping us updated on the progress I would absolutely recommend the shop they where professional and reasonably priced too!Thank you Smitty, Zach and Durant for a job well done!

  Philip McBride
2 months ago
Had both trans axle seals done, as well as a valve cover gasket. In less than 2 years, 2/3 seals are already again leaking as far as I know. Clearly poor quality work. when I spoke to Zach about my issue (in particular the leaking transmission seal which nearly trashed my trans), he was rude, dismissive, and kept interrupting while I tried to explain the situation. He is a detriment to the business by being allowed to answer the phone. I made it clear I wasn't asking for something for free, and he didn't seem to acknowledge it and continued speaking as if I was demanding free service. After four days of calling off and on, I never even got a quote from them. My father and I have been loyal customers for close to 10 years, and thought they could be trusted to do good work. Avoid unless you enjoy being talked down to and having the same repairs done repeatedly.UPDATE: After having the trans axle seal done, my new mechanic noted that all of the screws holding the cv axle in place had been stripped to hell and had to be replaced. The last person to do anything with those screws was Smitty's.

  Alejandra Swartz
5 months ago
0 if it was possible, went there for an oil change. New to Gainesville so I saw the reviews and thought how bad can it be. Was charged $101 for it for a 2011 Rav4. Couldn't explain why was so high, not even at the dealership you pay this much. Run if you hear about this place. "Owner" texts me the next day to ask how service was, I tell him, they're nice but $101 for an oil change is alot. Never heard from him again. Wish I would have read through the reviews with more diligence.

  Victoria Zamitalo
10 months ago
I had been having problems with the electrical fan in my 2004 Grand Cherokee and was struggling for MONTHS to get Midas on Archer to take care of the issue. $2000 and 4 "repairs" later they said they couldn't fix the problem and I took my car to Smitty's.Within 24 hours they had diagnosed the issue as a slow electrical fan and said it would only be a couple hundred to replace, as we already had the replacement part purchased (Midas, on the other hand, said my head gasket was broken and quoted me almost $4k to repair). Smitty's also went a step further and identified a leak in my brake fuel canister, and rotated my tires! All of this came out to under $1000, less than a quarter of what I had been preparing to spend.The two main takeaways here: stay as far away from Midas as possible (because they will create issues with your car and then bill you to fix them) and go to Smitty's Auto instead. They've absolutely earned my loyal business going forward!Services: Electrical, Tire rotations

  Watson Louidor
a year ago
Smitty s saved me thousands of dollars of unnecessary repairs. I was facing a $6,000.00 bill at Volkswagen of Gainesville. Smitty s fixed my engine problem for a fraction of the cost. In this day and age, it is refreshing to find a company that does professional and competent auto repair at a reasonable price! I thank God that they exist in Gainesville. I will recommend them to everyone I know and will trust them with all my future repairs!Signed, Satisfied Customer!Service: Engine repair

  Maddy Jean
4 years ago
I'm new to Gainesville and was nervous about finding a good mechanic without prior word-of-mouth recommendations. I found Smitty's though google reviews and was so relieved! Their services were very fairly priced, and Smitty himself gave me a lift to and from the shop. Smitty is a wonderful guy, and it's evident just by talking to him that he cares about providing thorough service. The repairs I needed were finished quickly, and my car drives like new again. All around wonderful experience and will 100% be calling them the next time I need some work done on my car. Whether you've got a Volkswagen, a Honda or something else, this is definitely a great place to take your car.

  Gotti Boy27
a year ago
I took my vehicle to this shop from a recommendation and they diagnosed and charged me over 300 dollars to fix it. Two days later the same issue happened with my vehicle so I called this place and took my car back there for almost a week and they charged me almost 300 the second time totalling to 600 or more to have my car fix. The same thing happened about two days later engine light came back on. I am not going back to this shop and I recommend if you have a 2018 model car or better do not go to this shop. The mechanic did not know what he was doing the service was horrible and this place is the perfect example of a no good shade tree mechanic.Services: Auto engine diagnostic, Auto maintenance

  ramueller11
10 years ago
No one enjoys having their car repaired when they break down. However, my experience with Smitty's Auto Service has been as pleasurable as it comes. In my experience, the customer service is outstanding, and the mechanic's work is accurate, fast and fairly priced.When my car ( an older Ford car) broke down, somewhat unexpectedly, I was expecting a major engine service was required to get it running again. A few hours after I dropped the car off, I received a phone call, from a friendly and informative person at Smitty's, that it was only a few minor issues. I was relieved to find out that they based this conclusion based upon some diagnostic tests to see if the major engine problem did not exist.As part of their service, they noted some other issues with the car (that I had been putting off). I felt no pressure to get them fixed (unlike some other car joints). One such service was to replace my transmission filter and fluid, which I had them perform. They were happy to fulfill my request to use a special type of synthetic transmission fluid. The folks at Smitty's even took the time to drive me to the shop (from the other side of town) to pick my car up when it was finished.The bottom line is that the problem(s) on my vehicle were correctly diagnosed and fixed in a timely manner at a very fair rate. What is also great is that all of their work comes with a 1 year / 12,000 mile warranty; this means they stand by their work. All in all, Smitty's Auto Repair is a prototype of what a family-run auto-repair shop should be and I highly recommend them.

  Jerome Johnson
4 years ago
Its hard to find a trust worthy mechanic and I believe I just found one! They took their time to explain the repair process and how long it would take. Smitty even took me too an from work while my vehicle was being repaired. Fair pricing and awesome customer service. I would recommend them to anyone!

  Roy Delee
2 years ago
Really happy with my experience with these fellas. Easy on price so good for me as a college kid. I generally do all my own work but this was an issue outta my knowledge. They were really good about being transparent with expectations, price and time. Not the best looking shop on the outside but certainly pretty stand up guys working there. Will be back without a doubt. Really satisfied with my experienceServices: Auto engine diagnostic, Engine repair, Battery

  Tiana Foster
3 years ago
I would recommend taking your car to Smitty s. They are up front about the scope of the work and costs associated with repairing your vehicle. I needed a new engine for my Kia they located a quality and reasonably priced used engine. Although the seller was located out of out-of-state, my car was returned to me in less than a week. The staff was extremely patient with me and didn t mind answering any follow-up questions I had about the process.

  William Jarrett Haines (currents)
6 years ago
Yet again, I find myself impressed by the service and work of Smitty's Auto Repair. I know firsthand how tough it can be to find honest, friendly, and competent car repair, so seeing it firsthand time and time again at Smitty's is rewarding in and of itself. I've always found the work to be superb, timely, and fairly-priced, and Smitty himself couldn't be friendly or more open about the timetable and price of the job. It's hard to imagine ever bringing my vehicle anywhere else. A well-earned, honest five stars from me.

  Hunter Joss
6 years ago
Smitty's is a shining example of what customer service and quality care should look like. The gentlemen there have provided nothing but the best for me each time I've visited. Though I recently got a summer job as a delivery driver which in and of itself is a death sentence for your car, Smitty's has somehow managed to keep my car alive and well. I absolutely see myself sticking with their service for the entirety of my time in Gainesville. If you want service that you can trust in for a price that won't gouge your pockets then I really think you should give Smitty's a visit.

  Yu-Hao Lee
4 years ago
I took my 10-years old car to the VW dealership for a routine maintenance check, they came back with a massive list of items that needs to be fixed and a quote of $2648. So I took my car to Smitty's. Without looking at VW's list, they did a thorough checkup of my car and identified the same items. To my surprise, their were able to do all the repairs at one-third of the VW quoted price. Smitty and his crew are honest and hardworking people. I will recommend them any day.

  Erik Herrera
11 years ago
Excellent, Excellent, Excellent! I took my beloved 2002 Jetta in for service about a month ago. My car was at 180,000 miles and hadn't had a full service for 3 years (my fault). I already knew from technicians elsewhere what I needed to service and the anticipated cost for each thing ($$$$$). I asked Smitty's to do a full service (I didn't tell them what I already knew) and they found every issue that I was aware of and quoted prices that either met or beat every quote that I already had noted. I had taken it in early on a Friday and they quoted, fixed and even stayed late for me finishing the mile long list of everything that needed to be done. It felt like a brand new car when I got it back. After a month, everything is still working GREAT. Great crew there.. they'll go above and beyond. Thanks again!

  Dechen Zangmo
2 years ago
Replaced my broken gasket at Smitty's and was assured that it was fixed. However, the gasket started leaking within a few days due to the defective gasket used at Smitty's. Had to get it fixed again at another workshop who honestly showed me the problem. Disappointed with the rude customer service and the fact that they tried to rip me off since I did not know much about cars.Service: General repairs & maintenance

  dkeel85
5 years ago
I must say that I am very pleased with the service I had. I was back on the road in no time and I wasn t taken advantage of like Pep Boys tried to do me. I would highly recommend Smitty s Auto Service to anyone. Everyone is friendly, hardworking, & knowledgeable. I was even contacted the day of service to see how good my car rode because I m not even from Gainesville. Thanks again for your services & I will be a returning customer if I have anymore trouble. God Bless!

  Rachel Miller
4 years ago
Smitty's is the best! About a year ago, I had a hole in my radiator and was halfway to Gainesville on i75 coming from Tampa. My boyfriend recommended that I call Smitty's. They helped coordinate a tow company to get my car 60 miles for them to look at it. They have incredible customer service, very reasonably priced and did a great job on the repair. I highly recommend them to anyone in the Gainesville area!

  jacob vella
3 years ago
I recently purchased an Audi in South Florida. En route to home in Alabama the check engine Light came on and the vehicle went into ECS mode. Stranded in Gainesville on a Sunday I had the car towed to the shop because of their positive review history on google. They were closed so I placed the keys in the Dropbox and emailed the owner. Called first thing Monday and they had already read my email and we re running codes on the vehicle. They ordered the parts, fixed the vehicle and really took care of me when I was in a difficult situation. Even pointing out a few other small things I might consider fixing . Kept the car for me until I was able to come back and pick it up. I would recommend them without hesitation. The price was fair. The Work and diagnostics were honest. Good shop. Thank you Smittys.

  Jack Gregory
5 years ago
My 02 VW Golf was misfiring pretty bad and I had no idea what was going on. Smitty s recommended a tow company, diagnosed (correctly) the issue and fixed it in half a day. Car has been running good as new for over a week with no unexpected issues. Price was extremely reasonable. 10/10 would recommend.

  Jinxi Li
8 years ago
I took my car in for a general inspection before my road trip. They are very nice and friendly. Price is reasonable. First drive on my way home I noticed there was smoke coming out of my car, a lot of them. I also noticed that whenever I hit the brake, my car would make noise when it stops. It was not like this before I took the car in! I took my car back. They assured me they were going to fix it for free. It turns out that there was a hole in the gasket they replaced. I understand things like this happen, I still feel like I can still trust them. My car drives nicely now.

  MrOleksiak
5 years ago
I had a problem with my car on the afternoon of Memorial Day weekend. The local dealer said, 'forget it', but my window was broken and would not close. I was also a stranger in town and didn't know any car service places. i called Smitty's and he told me to come over. He not only found the part, which wasn't easy because the car isn't exactly new, but they also installed it immediately, and I was on my way within two hours. On top of it all, they charged me less than the dealer would have. Thanks, Smitty.

  Ryan Brooks
4 years ago
Took my VW there after I took it to a VW dealership. Smitty is a good man and his staff works hard. Through their hard work and care for their proffession they were able to repair my car for around $600 less than the dealership estimated, and they procided me with a free ride to pick up my car.

  Raymond Lawrence
8 years ago
My wife and I have been going to Smitty's for our auto repairs for these past nine years. We both have nothing but praise for the very high quality of the work and maintenance given to our vehicles which continue to give us excellent service throughout all this time. I would unreservedly recommend Smitty's as the best auto repair people in the business.

  Rnard Sloan
9 years ago
I brought my 2006 Ford Mustang in for inspection and the technicians there were great. They explained in detail what part of my car needed to be fixed and how much it would cost. Smitty even gave me a ride to pick up a few things I needed while my car was being serviced. Excellent Service!

  BR D
8 years ago
I was referred to Smitty's by a friend of mine when my car broke down in the middle of the road. It was close to the weekend and I was sure that it would be the following week before I got my car back. They diagnosed the problem quickly and were able to get the parts in that same day. I had my car back by noon on Friday and the price was very reasonable. I even asked them their opinion about some other work on my car and they didn't jump at the opportunity to increase the bill, rather they said that it was not required at that time and informed me of the correct time to have the work done. Very honest and fast quality work.Thanks Smitty!!!

  Deena Mickelson
4 years ago
UPDATE:Well, it's time to leave Gainesville, and as I have to drive thousands of miles to my next destination and don't want my car to break down along the way I did the only sensible thing - went to Smitty's and asked them to give her a look and make sure she was good to go. Nothing they found was a surprise, and now she's purring like a kitten again. And that compressor they installed two years ago? Yeah, that's still running like a champ. Now I can only hope I can find mechanics as good and as honest in the next place as well.ORIGINAL POST:The service rep at the Honda dealers told me my car needed a new compressor and that it would cost me $1,500.00+, so I asked a friend who's native to Gainesville and she recommended Smitty's. After I called and was told it would cost me $990.00 I decided I would call around to some other placed, but ultimately decided this was the place for me.I dropped my car off in the morning, got a ride home and in the afternoon got another ride back, and I cannot tell you how nice it was to have air conditioning in my car again!!! I'm from Maine, so June in Gainesville is like a special kind of torture for me...Everyone there was really friendly, my a/c runs like a champ again, and I saved at least a third of what Honda would have cost me. Oh, and nobody tried to tell me stupid stuff was wrong with my car - you know, the normal line we women often get at car service places. No faster way to lose my good will than to do that. Very pleased customer here.

  Joanne Anderson
3 years ago
I came across Smitty's workshop when shopping for a BMW repair business. I cannot say how happy I was with their help. They are very professional, reasonable in price and can diagnose the problem immediately. I think they are skilled and experienced in BMW repair and I have continued to take my car to them when I have the slightest problem. You will not be sorry to use them for your car mechanic!!JoAnne AndersonGainesville fl.

  Isabel Gareau
8 years ago
Best auto mechanic experience I have ever had! I broke down about 100 miles south of Gainesville, my destination, and had the car towed all the way there -- directly to Smitty's around 1am. We left the car and left them a phone message and came back at 9am to deal with the repairs. They had me back on the road with a new distributor and spark plugs, this time to my real destination of New York, by midday. Amazing service, both technical and customer, and extremely friendly owner and workers. It would be a shame if you had your car fixed in Gainesville at any other place.

  Brendan Hm
3 years ago
Smitty did good work on my 86 Vanagon. It can be hard to find someone with experience on older Volkswagens. Smitty seems to have plenty. The work was done quickly and the communication from the shop was very good.