Southside Auto Repair

Reviews

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

  Terry Allen
3 weeks ago
Excellent service, fairly priced, and a really cool t-shirt for free if you ask for it. Employees obviously take pride in their work and are careful to keep customers informed every step of the way. Top marks!

  Michael Malette
2 months ago
Had an issue with my car on Monday afternoon. Really needed my car fixed by Thursday for a road trip and my usual mechanic wasn't available. Called Southside Auto and was told the service I wanted would likely cost about $200 dollars and they could have it fixed by Tuesday or Wednesday. Seemed reasonable so I had AAA tow my vehicle there Monday evening.On Tuesday morning my car was given an 'inspection' by Southside Auto that I didn't ask for. I drive a 2008 Acura with 177,000 miles so I wasn't surprised that there were some problems on this inspection. What did surprise me was that Southside Auto REFUSED to perform the original service they quoted me $200 on, unless I ALSO let them work on other 'issues' they found with my vehicle during their 'inspection'.These additional repairs would of course would bring my total owed to Southside Auto to over $1000. When I asked why they couldn't just perform the service that I had originally called about and brought my vehicle in for, they claimed it was because of "safety concerns" with my vehicle and that that's their policy. I'm sure it has nothing to do with them charging me an additional $800. Again, none of this was mentioned to me on the phone on Monday.Since I was at work across town and really needed my car by Thursday, I couldn't risk having my vehicle towed again to another mechanic. So I was pretty much forced to get an additional $800 of work done on my car that I didn't want.I think their bait-and-switch policy is pretty bogus, and if that's how you're going to operate, you should be really upfront about it, and not wait until someone's already dropped off their vehicle.Beyond disappointed.

  Jorge Servin
3 months ago
My vehicle was inspected thoroughly, and they sent me all the pictures and even videos of it! I got work done there, and I am extremely satisfied with their honesty and integrity. Great work!

  Adriana White
3 months ago
I took my car for a complete check-up. Chris was friendly and listened to my concerns. They were able to repair everything that needed to be repaired. My car is now running great. I'm happy with the results and overall with the service. I will recommend this place 100%.Thank you.

  Tristan Tristan
10 months ago
I travel across the US doing expedite deliveries for big manufacturing companies. The fear is breaking down away from home and having to go to a mechanic you don't know and trust they are not scum bags. I have had some bad experiences in this area. So it's nerve-racking.Last week I was having a little rattling on my front ened and I needed it inspected to find out if it was safe to continue with my delivery. Enter Southside Auto Repair. I found them online and gave them a shot. They were professional from the start and extremely helpful. Not only were they able to quickly find the cause of the rattle But they showed me it and assured me it was nothing catastrophic. They were honest and cared. That's more then I could ask for. Because of this they earned my business and I will be back for the major repairs when ready. Definitely a recommended in my book! Thanks guys!

  Josh V
a month ago
Best car shop in Lexington. Jorge and Ben went out of their way to make me feel comfortable, and confident with my decision to bring my car into Southside auto.

  Sharon Martin
4 months ago
Extremely expensive $$$$ they didn't tell us if you use your debit card to pay they charge you a fee. They did fix initial problem and after car worked on air conditioning and heat didn't work they said they didn't do anything that would have caused it to stop working but it worked fine prior to repair. Car still doesn't run right so going to have to pay more and find someone else to repair

  Shaun Kotwitz
4 months ago
Southside Auto Repair went above and beyond to repair my son s car. They stayed an hour after the shop closed (after working on his car most of the day) to repair the car so that he d be able to make it back to Kansas City at the end of his fall semester classes at Asbury. They honored their commitment to get some difficult repairs done all in one day and did very high quality work. We are so thankful that we found Southside!

  Dakota Mullins
3 months ago
The staff here were very friendly and were to completely answer any question that I had. I also liked how professional they carried themselves and it definitely shows in their work. Any repairs are also given a guarantee that you cannot get anywhere else!

  Matthew B
3 months ago
Inspection is very thorough and staff is friendly. Some miscommunication and prices are a bit higher here, but probably still slightly better than a dealership. Overall would recommend

  Rezard Valeth
5 months ago
Their service was very friendly, and gave me back the confidence I needed after I acquired a car that needed major repair. For the peace of mind, and guarantee they offer for their service, I know the next time I come in for service, I will be among friends.

  Stephanie Calia
10 months ago
Poor customer service, will not work with your insurance company, marks up parts over 37% (standard is 20%) - they were going to charge me $2090 for a part and they only paid $1300.24. They also find what they consider "unsafe" things and then tell you they won't fix approved insurance repairs unless you pay to fix those also. I've talked with multiple other repair shops in the general vicinity and no one marks parts up that much nor will they hold other unwanted repairs over your head. Save yourself time, money and serious headache and go elsewhere! I would have given them zero stars if that was an option!Per the business response from my BBB complaint: "You also had a deductible that needed to be met...we worked with your insurance to try and get everything taken care of for you, you didn't want to pay anything out of pocket. Anyhow we got your bill down to $150 out of pocket..."James, I DID pay my deductible plus over $800 worth of other charges (unwanted I might add but your shop refused to complete the insurance repairs unless I did so - "cherry picking"). I did refuse to pay the $150 as is was IN ADDITION to the deductible and you refused to come down on an INCREDIBLY OVERPRICED (PRICE GOUGED) PART. After 8 weeks of this fiasco, I was fed up and did leave you a "nasty" email. I will happily post my experience everywhere publicly available so CONSUMERS are aware of your less than honest business practices and I do hope that I am able to deter others from spending their money at your shop. Why would anyone want to pay a 37% markup on parts when the standard is 20%.After I removed my vehicle per your request, I took it to a competitor and they fixed it for just a little over $350 (you wanted to charge insurance/me $3282.20). I then came to your location to collect the part you only paid $1300.24 for and tried to charge me $2090 as it belonged to me per the insurance company and I most certainly was not going to leave it with you to then sell and profit from. I also learned that you went to said competitor and tried to sell them the part but they refused to buy it from you. Thanks to your competitor down the street, the car runs great and the part is unfortunately sitting in my garage. I did also report all of this to my insurance company and offered to refund the money they had sent to me for labor on your overpriced, unneeded fix!

  Antoria McReynolds
a week ago
The guy answering the phone today caused this shop to lose business with me, no hesitation. Learn how to be empathetic with unsure inquiries!

  Samantha Feucht
a year ago
It's a very clean and shiny auto shop. The people were also very nice. The reason I only give two stars is because I brought in my old, rusted grand caravan for an antifreeze leak. These guys said I also had an oil leak, and that a spring (or strut) was about to completely break and I would loose my back end on top of the antifreeze leak. They also said they would not fix my leak as my motor was rusting and rotting away. When I went to pick it up, they stated "it was dangerous to drive and to park it." I thought was a little dramatic as I've fixed things under there myself and didn't think it was horrible (of course it'll be rusty it's an old van!) so I brought it to another shop. They took a look. Found my leak, quoted me appropriately, and would fix it within a day of getting the parts. They also said the spring or strut on the back end was completely fine and not about to "rust through". In the end, this place will fix your vehicle....... But only if your vehicle is rust free: by the looks of other reviews and the look of the cars they bring into their shop. You're better of bringing your trusty rust buckets to another shop that'll want to work on them. :)Update because they replied 6 months after the first part: I have had no issues with my van breaking down after it being fixed by another shop 6 months later with my normal oil changes and fluids. Still starting and running great at 250,000+ miles even in extreme temperatures. Can't quite remember the exact mileage off the top of my head... But for sure over 245,000. So their "professional opinion" to "park" my rusted old van that still gets me where I need to really only works for people who have money to get a new shiny vehicle.

  Aaron Aubrey
a year ago
Dependable service. I called late with a last minute 4 tire change.Found what worked best for them and fit my crunchtime. Got me in early the next day with loose wheels and tires and out the door on schedule the next day. Doesn't work everytime at every shop but they definitely put the customer first!Service: TiresService: Tires

  Becky Crook
a year ago
The staff was friendly enough and that's the only reason I rate them with two stars. I had to call to get information - several times my car was done and they didn't bother to call me. I was charged for services that did not fix my problems. When I brought it to the owner's attention, he didn't resolve the issue. My car's water pump went out and it had to be towed in. I had it towed to Southside because I work down the road and it was convenient - even after the other issue I had with them. It sat there for 3 days before I got a call from the owner that they would "pass" on fixing my car. I had to get it towed to another shop - Scheller's Automotive (who I highly recommend) and they fixed my problem and I've been in good shape ever since. They also told me things needed to be done to my car that I had 2 other shops verify did not need to be done. The inconvenience Southside caused - I had to rent a car to get to work, thought my car was in progress of getting fixed while it just sat there, I had an additional tow charge - none of this was ever acknowledged. They couldn't fix my car - they are a car repair shop - I don't think anything else can be said. Don't go to Southside!

  Spencer Renfro
8 months ago
Southside auto and their people were awesome. Chris nowlin helped every step of the way on recommendations and had excellent communication throughout the process. Work was done quick and professionally.. would highly recommend and get work done there again.Service: Air & cabin filter replacementService: Air & cabin filter replacement

  Seth Hull
2 months ago
Called for pricing on a service and they wouldn't. Wanted me to bring in the car so they could charge me a $150 inspection fee

  Rebecca
10 months ago
Air blower was making a loud rattling sound and emitting a horrible smell. Southside found the cause and fixed the issue quickly. Price was reasonable and definitely cheaper than any dealership.Service: Auto engine diagnosticService: Auto engine diagnostic

  Leah Veal
a year ago
I will start by saying this is a zero star review. These people are thieves. There is simply no better word to describe them. Southside Auto Repair claims to be a "high end" repair shop; however, the only thing that is high is their price. It took 24 days to get my car back after it was towed due to a bad starter. They charged in excess of $1,200 for a valve cover gasket sighting a safety issue, and they would not work on the car without adding this repair. After reading all the negative reviews, this seems to be their mode of op, especially with females.Two weeks later, they still had my car because they broke a bolt during repairs and did not communicate this to me. I found out about the issue when I called. There was zero communication, no courtesy car offered - which a truly "high end" shop would have offered from the start. It took over 3 weeks to get my car back, and when I did, they REFUSED to put a total on the invoice. They only offer the amount owed verbally. I totaled the invoice they gave me, because they refused, and realized they overcharged me $240.50. When I called to dispute the charge, I was told, by 2 male owners, that I was irrational, and they refused to speak to me. I requested they send a totaled invoice to me via email and again they refused. Instead, they sent a text outlining the repairs with no prices listed for each one. Honest businesses will gladly give you a line item receipt for work performed.PLEASE DO NOT TAKE YOUR CAR TO SOUTHSIDE AUTO. THESE ARE VERY DISHONEST PEOPLE. I WISH I WOULD HAVE READ ALL THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS BEFORE USING THEM. ANY POSITIVE REVIEW MUST BE WRITTEN BY AN OWNER, FRIEND, OR FAMILY MEMBER. THIS PLACE IS HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!P.S. Scotty, one of the mechanics, quoted me $2,000 for 4 tires. This is completely unheard of and shows they are very dishonest, devilish people only interested in making a buck off of people in a bad situation.Part 2 - from the owner - James Lewis ( greedy liar and thief)It sounds to me by your review that your biggest complaint is the time frame that your vehicle was repaired-No, my biggest complaint is that you charged triple what any other shop would charge, took 3 weeks to fix it and didn't communicate AT ALL, and overbilled me, refusing to provide a line item invoice with a subtotal, tax, and total for the work performed.From the owner -James Lewis ( greedy liar and thief)I would also like to remind you that you went on vacation for one week when repairs were started -No, I was not on vacation and you knew that. I work out of town and called several times while away on work.From the owner - James Lewis (greedy liar and thief)You were then told that we had a bolt broken in a control arm bushing and that we were having trouble locating parts for your 2004 Infinity FX35 because of supply chain issues -Complete BS. I don't believe a part even broke while working on my car. The mechanic refused to produce the part that supposedly broke. Any honest mechanic would keep the part to show the customer.From the owner- James Lewis (greedy liar and thief)I'm sorry you are unhappy with our service, but we strive to be as honest as we can be -You don't strive to be as honest as you can be. You are either an honest person or you are not. YOU ARE NOT. YOU ARE A LIAR AND A THIEF.

  Cara Kaleher
5 months ago
Southside Auto was able to answer any of my concerns. Although the service was expensive, I feel confident my vehicle was well taken care of.

  Yvonne Arrington
a year ago
They did a wonderful job on my car and had excellent communication! They changed my timing belt/belt tensioners and did a flawless job on my tire alignment. The inspection had far more details and found more than the mitsubishi dealer found (and far better work than the dealer as well). They sent a detailed list with pictures from the inspection as well! Would absolutely recommend!Services: General repairs & maintenance, Wheel alignment, Brakes

  Rianda
2 years ago
Southside is without a doubt the best shop I've been to. Everyone is super friendly and wonderful to work with. Prices are fair and the repairs are made quickly. I had rented a car thinking a suspension job would take a while but they had it done the next day! They were even kind enough to pick me up and bring me to the shop when my car was ready. I will be coming back for all my car needs!Services: Steering & suspension repair, General repairs & maintenance, Brakes, Battery

  Nathan P
2 years ago
James took good care of my truck. It had a chatter and needed new timing kit. Oil pump and long list of parts and labor. Truck runs fantastic now and it only took 2 days! You always pay more for the best. Don't waste money taking your car to cheaper shop. It's worth the extra money. Great place, thank you Southside!

  Nicholas Federico
9 months ago
Staff have always been very professional and helpful. Haven't had any issues, and service is done in a timely fashion. Online inspection report is very useful for someone who does not know much about vehicle maintenance.Services: Tires, Wheel alignment, Brakes, A/C installation & repair, Oil changeServices: Tires, Wheel alignment, Brakes, A/C installation & repair, Oil change

  Jennifer Beard
2 years ago
ZERO stars!! Be Aware! Southside DOES NOT do free estimates! You WILL pay $100+ depending on their mood that day, just to walk in the door and talk to them. I called ahead of time but was not informed of this "fee" until it was too late. Note, this "fee" does NOT go toward repair costs, which are also overpriced. I've never done business this way and will not moving forward. When asked about this fee, I was told "You pay a co-pay at the doctors office don't you." WOW! Very poor customer service! I have a brand new vehicle, brand new tires, with just one slow leaking tire. $400 and 2 days later I have a new tire. If course they weren't able to fix mine. I left Southside TOTALLY uncomfortable with my purchase!! But I needed the tire fixed. Now I have daily thoughts of what they may have done to my vehicle unnecessarily, to get more $ from me :-( I was seeking service for peace of mind! I DID NOT get that from Southside! We've lived in the Southland neighborhood all my life (40+years) and was kind of excited to see this convenient location for family car repairs. My entire family (9 vehicles total) and anyone else I can tell will know DO NOT use Southside! Please drive/tow to another location! It's just not worth the stress. I have a Great Mechanic and have never been treated this way, EVER! I now see why we stick with what we know.Service: Tires

  Gerri Kay Fritz
a year ago
My 2005 cadillac escalade had a leak that i wasnt sure where it was comong from. I am not mechanically incline but i was referred to southside automotive by a random person seeing mu vehicle steaming at the time in lexington. I was able to get it to them and met the owner james and scott. They immediately got my keys and pulled it in. After a few minutes his mechanic and him saw it was my water pump. They was able to get it repaired in no time and have me back on the road. The price was below my expectations and was very impressed. Will definitely go back to these great people for future services.Services: General repairs & maintenance, Engine repair, Vehicle Inspection

  Jamie Robertson
a year ago
Get what you paid for. After going to shops just because they are cheaper still ended up having to get another car after paying thousands. Was sold a car with no oil in it for a long time. These guys fixed me right up and saved my motor. After having the car towed from a different mechanic. Will only be using this shop from here on out. I m happy to pay these guys what they are worthServices: General repairs & maintenance, Vehicle safety inspection, Oil change

  Josh Lindsey
3 years ago
Great place to have repairs. I had some hoses on my heater core break. Lost all of my antifreeze and couldn't drive my truck. They towed it and diagnosed other potential issues. Got the repairs done in only 2 days and all seems great now. Price was not too bad. It was a bit pricey but so was everyone else I called so I guess it wasn't pricey after all.Overall great service and easy to deal with. Got my truck back quickly and couldn't have been a better experience. Definitely recommend!Service: General repairs & maintenance

  Devon James
2 years ago
Searching for a New Garage can be stressful, especially when finding a Auto shop in another state. More than blown away with the service I received for my Ram 1500. I highly recommend coming here. I was having issues with my Battery and truck starting, I explained and with all the in depth testing they were able to pinpoint my issues, give a detailed analysis for each test, and provide photos of the process. I will definitely be a returning customer going forward.THANK Y'ALL!Services: Air & cabin filter replacement, General repairs & maintenance, Vehicle Inspection, Battery