The Automotive Garage of Columbia

Reviews

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

  jascha lindesmith
a week ago
First off I'm a professional mechanic. My son's friend took his car here for a noise. Turned out the ac compressor was making lots of noise I guess. The itemized bill was outrageous!! Double charged for freon and extra service charges that are absolutely ridiculous. The desiccant drier and expansion valve were not changed as stated on bill. I would not take a vehicle to this unscrupulous person. If you need a good shop come over to McKnight where I work. Here's a photo of the untouched bolt for the expansion valve. You can make this post go away with a refund to my friend.

  Tom Schuurman
4 years ago
We were passing through town on our way to Wichita, KS, when our Suburban broke down a few miles outside of Columbia. It was 3 am and I asked the tow truck operator if he had a repair shop recommendation. He suggested Brent at The Automotive Garage. The operator said he took his own vehicle there, and that Brent would treat us well, be fair, and give great service.Brent started checking our vehicle out to figure out what was wrong, and did an amazing job of fixing the Suburban. It was a significant engine problem that Brent fixed as if it was new again. Brent worked nights and weekends to get our vehicle fixed. He sent pictures by email to update, and called frequently to keep me posted.Whether you are a local customer or someone passing through, you can trust Brent to get the job done right and at a fair price. He treated us as if we had been a customer for years. Thank you Brent and your amazing team for taking such good care of us.

  Cecelia Giangacomo
3 years ago
I have been all over the country traveling and always get nervous taking my van to a mechanic. Let me tell you Brent is the NICEST mechanic I have ever met. He worked me in to his schedule despite being overwhelmed customers. He was very straightforward and upfront about prices, what to expect, and what not to expect. He even gave me some G&D pizza and pudding when he realized I hadn t had a chance to eat all day. Fair prices and nice people I would definitely recommend this shop!Services: Auto engine diagnostic, Battery

  Shannon Braida
7 years ago
My experience with the Automotive Garage of Columbia was EXCELLENT! I had been having issues with starting my car and losing gas very quickly. The first place I went claimed it was my battery and replaced it for $150. However, the problem kept happening, so I knew I needed to go somewhere trustworthy and reliable.I could NOT be happier with the results. Brent is the most caring mechanic I have ever met. I am a 22 year old woman, which can cause some mechanics to up-charge me. Brent found me the cheapest option that would also yield the best results. He even provided my pictures so I would understand exactly where the problem was. He spent a lot of time perfecting the fuel line that was damaged, and making sure it would fix the problem. He even fully checked the car for other problems and filled necessary fluids, such as the windshield washing fluid.Further, I had a problem the next day that was causing my car to make noise. I took it back, and Brent found it was an easy fix (shield loose on my exhaust pipe) and did not even charge me!This place is excellent!

  Wayne Mitchell
3 years ago
My son had just started his teaching career days ago and his car broke down at 5pm one day. Brent took his car in that night and worked on it late into the night even after hours because he understood the devastating issue my son was under. The repairs were made and car was ready the next morning. Very, very fair cost on the repairs. He was a life saver!! My son will have any repairs done at this shop from now on. If I could give 10 stars? I would. I plan on driving out there from St. Charles just to meet Brent and buy the shop lunch. There is no other place I know of that would put the customer 1st no matter what!

  Rosemary Lee
4 years ago
Great place to take your Vehicle! Very honest. I trust his opinion completely. My Jeep is a 2001. Good shape just needed a complete physical. I got exactly what I ask for. Brent checked absolutely everything on it top to bottom. Told me what needed fixed now and what could wait. I am completely happy with the result. Runs like a new one. I am no longer concerned about being on the highway alone. I am not local but will definitely bring it back here when needed . Thank you so much Brent!! Rosemary

  Andrew Seal
10 years ago
Straight truth: This is the best automotive repair place I have ever been to. Brent is very friendly, knowledgeable, and completely honest.Being new to Columbia and never having a previous issue with my car (hence to need to take it in for repairs), I was at a loss where to take my old car after it mysterious refused to move after stopping at a red light. After Google searching for garages in Columbia, The Automotive Garage of Columbia was the first thing to pop up, and the numerous enthusiastic and positive Google Reviews (27!) immediately caught my eye.Well, I decided to trust the reviews. And boy, am I glad I did. Not only did Brent quickly diagnose my problem (busted transmission), he did so at a very decent price, which made the decision to junk my car very convenient. Not only that, but he graciously allowed me to keep my junked car there for a few days while I purchased a new car (something I had been planning on doing anyways).Long story short, trust Brent. He's definitely earned my business, and while I hope to not have to see him again soon (fingers crossed!), I know that if I do, my vehicle will be in exceptionally honest hands.

  Carlie McGuire
12 years ago
BEST SERVICE EVER. I have had problems with my car for years and I have never had as good an experience getting it fixed as I did with Brent and The Automotive Garage of Columbia. First off the service itself is excellent, Brent really knows what he is doing, and my car has never run better. He did everything he could to keep the price of fixing it low, and got it done in half the time of other garages. Brent keeps in great contact with customers to let them know exactly what is wrong, why it needs to be fixed, and how he is going to do it. He isn't vague and insistent like other garages that just want your money. After explaining everything to me, he found another problem and ended up just fixing it for free. The customer service here is unparalleled. Brent and his staff are great people who really care about customers, they periodically check-in to make sure everything is running alright in the car! There need to be more honest, caring business men like Brent. I recommend this garage to all of my friends with car troubles, and as long as I live in Columbia, I will be taking my car to this garage.

  Amy Eultgen
9 years ago
My car is working wonderfully after being fixed by Brent! I was recommended by a friend, who was also recommended by a friend, and it's been a chain of happy customers! Not only am I happy to support a local business, I support the honesty and hard work Brent into vehicles and his business. He was sure to call me before he fixed anything on my car to update me on the problem and to see how I wanted to move forward. When I picked up my car he even showed me the old parts that were replaced and explained why they were old/bad. I have never met a mechanic to do that, and I will continue to service my car with him and tell others about the Automotive Garage of Columbia!

  Katie Garretson
10 years ago
Brent is a very trustworthy mechanic, and I am very happy with all of the work that he has done on my cars. I especially like that he will usually show you the parts he replaced/fixed on your car without you even asking. I know enough about my cars to change the tire, check the oil level, etc., but I always like knowing more about my car and how it works. Brent does a great job explaining what is wrong, offering several options for repairs (like what needs to be fixed now versus when something could wait a little longer) and always gives me accurate estimates. I feel very lucky to have found Brent, have recommended him to all of my friends, and highly recommend him to anyone else needing repair or maintenance work done on their car.

  Megan Wilkinson
11 years ago
I would highly recommend The Automotive Garage to anyone in Columbia looking for a good, honest, down to earth mechanic. I was very worried about taking my car in due to the face that I have been taken advantage of at other shops around town. I called Brent and he was able to get my car in that day. When I arrived he took my car for a test drive to see if he could detect any problems by just driving it. When no problems presented themselves he hooked my car up to the diagnostics machine and then showed me the codes that came up. They were all pointing to the same problem.... with the transmission. I can assure you that at most garages around town I would have been told that I needed a new transmission and that would be the only thing that would fix it. Brent was able to pin point where the problem was and order just that part. He then had the part ordered and put in within 24 hours. When I arrived to pick up my car he walked me thru everything that was done and where the problem was. He had also inspected the rest of the car and noted that there are some things that are going to need to be serviced in the upcoming months. Brent had even topped off my fluids just to make sure that everything was good to go. He took care of small problems that I didn't even know existed that could have become big and expensive problems. To top it all off, Brent called me Monday to make sure that the car was running smoothly and there were not any problems. I would HIGHLY recommend this shop to anyone and know that if I need my car serviced again, I will be taking it to the Automotive Garage.

  Amy Anderson
8 years ago
Brent did a great job fixing my car. I had originally taken my car to the dealership where they told me I needed a new alternator and were going to charge me an arm and leg. I took my car to Brent and he discovered there was in fact nothing wrong with my alternator, I just needed some belts and pulleys replaced. He was up front and honest , he took the time to explain what I needed and he saved me a lot of time and money. He even stayed late so he could have it back to me the next day. Thank you Brent for you hard work!

  Joshua Stout
3 years ago
I have nothing but wonderful things to say about this automotive shop. Brent and his crew were an absolute delight to business with. I have had some bad luck with dishonest mechanics in the Columbia area, but Brent was very honest and thorough when explaining exactly what was wrong with my car. If you need a hardworking and overall professional mechanic, then I cannot recommend the Automotive garage of Columbia enough! 5/5

  Barb K
7 years ago
My daughter goes to the University of Missouri and had car trouble in the middle of the semester. Since she was 6 hours away from home, we relied on online reviews to pick a place for car repairs. She dropped the car off with Brent, and we waited for his assessment. When he called, it was not good news. The cooling system was falling apart and the car was leaking oil in several places. Brent gave us an estimate, while warning us that he might find more problems as he took the car apart. We opted to fix the car, since we really didn't have time to take off and find a new vehicle for her to drive. Once the transmission was out, he did find more issues that needed to be addressed, and we agreed to pay for those. As Brent was working on the car, he sent pictures and updated us on his progress. He explained in detail what he was working on and finding as he fixed the car. After they had the car for several weeks, Brent and another mechanic worked through the weekend to get the car finished. When the car was repaired, Brent showed my daughter all the parts that he had replaced and what was wrong with them. Because they had the car for an extended amount of time and the repairs were much more than he originally quoted, Brent discounted the labor by quite a lot and even replaced a few parts without charging us for them. I would definitely recommend Brent and his team to anyone looking for auto repairs, they are fair and honest!!

  Nina Chapin
8 years ago
Brent is by far the most trustworthy and honest mechanic in Columbia. He always gives a fair price and is excellent at what he does. Before the automotive garage I had been to many different shops trying to figure out what was wrong with my car, all gave a different diagnosis, all claiming to have fixed the problem but sure enough the problem was still there. Once I went to Brent he figured it out right away and it ended up being a cheaper problem than most shops had claimed. I've been going back ever since and have been more than happy with his work. He's also very fast at fixing the problems. I recommend him fully and wouldn't go any where else! It's hard to find a mechanic you can trust and you can trust Brent!!

  Doug Boyer
11 years ago
Brent did a tremendous job evaluating both of my vehicles for much needed repair work. With a limited budget, Brent explained and prioritized the repairs that were needed to extend the life of our paid off autos. Once in the shop, all items that needed to be fixed were fixed to perfection. One vehicle did provide a bit of a challenge of which Brent successfully found a wiring issue that was causing the engine light to come on over and over again. I was extremely happy in the work he performed and the communication that was provided to me as a customer about the "what", "why", "how" and "when".Two thumbs up for The Automotive Garage of Columbia!

  Jordyn McFadden
5 years ago
As a young college student, it is daunting to find a mechanic to work on your car when you don't know a thing about them. I really lucked out going to this shop. He was very understanding of the fact that I am on a college student budget, and don't have a lot of money to spend. I was informed throughout the whole process of what was happening to my car, and what the costs were going to be. There were many things Brent fixed on my car and did not charge me for, and I am very grateful for that. He really cares about his customers, and that is very evident the minute you meet him and walk into his shop.

  Susie O
9 years ago
My son was about ten miles outside of Columbia, MO on his way back to Mizzou when he hit a deer on the highway. Since he noticed radiator fluid leaking on the ground, we knew we needed to have the car towed somewhere but had never used a garage in Columbia before. After a bit of research on the internet we found The Automotive Garage of Columbia. Wow...did we ever get lucky! Turns out we could not have picked a better shop. Brent Dodson did an incredible job fixing my son's car. He even repaired a couple of things that had been a problem before the deer incident. He kept us informed along the way. I cannot say enough about how terrific Brent and The Automotive Garage of Columbia are. You will not go wrong taking your car to Brent for small or large repairs (ours was large). He is honest, detail-oriented, and extremely thorough. Thank you Brent for helping us.

  Chris Luong
4 years ago
Brent and his tears are consummate professionals. He is the most honest, professional, and hardworking person I ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Sure his shop is smaller than the big dealerships but when you drop your vehicle off here, you can have the peace of mind that you are not getting ripped off and that he actually cares for you and your vehicle. The job he did for me is not an easy one either. My car basically had to be dismantled to its core. He sent me progress pics along the way with updates to the bill to make sure there would be no surprises. Every price he quoted me with was actually cheaper than anything I can find online. I will be returning to get all my work done here!

  Bob Lappine
5 years ago
I took my Nissan Frontier in to Brent a few months ago after the Nissan dealer diagnosed a whining noise in my engine as the timing chain beginning to fail. I was also having issues with my transmission not going into gear. Brent did some extra diagnostics on the truck and figured out that both issues had to do with some clogged filters in my transmission system. The extra diagnostics cost some money but I ended up not needing a new timing chain OR transmission. Brent and his mechanics fixed the issue and the truck has been running good ever since. I feel like this situation had potential for a mechanic to make unnecessary repairs to make money and that wasn't the case. Brent took the time to explain everything to me about what he was doing and he was a straight shooter the whole time. I feel like this is an honest shop and I will be using their services in the future. I would recommend this place if you need auto repairs.

  Traci Kennedy
9 years ago
Brent is the small town mechanic that everyone should know and trust! Our vehicles have needed ongoing service over the past few years and Brent always does great work. His team is very thorough, clearly explains the costs and options available to the customer. He takes the time to drive the vehicle before sending it home with us to make sure it all checks out. As someone who travels frequently for work and relies on a 10 year old vehicle, Brent provides peace of mind to keep me going!!

  Bill Surapaneni
10 years ago
Brent just does an amazing job. What makes it great is that he is always 100% upfront about what's wrong, how long it's going to take, and how much it's going to cost. When I take my car in I don't have to worry about him trying to find other things are "wrong" with my car in an effort to make a few extra bucks, and I'm confident he fixed it right the first time.I highly recommend the Automotive Garage to anyone and will be taking all our family cars there in the future.

  Cassy Carnes
a year ago
Brent always does an excellent job. He will explain everything to you, answer any questions you may have and honestly!Truly, your hometown mechanic who cares about his customers.

  Halo Nevels
5 years ago
Brent is a liar. I'm updating a prior review of mine on this account so everyone will see. Nearly 2 yrs ago I took my vehicle to him because my wiper blades were malfunctioning. I had to be in KC later that day with my child, and from the reviews he appeared to be the best choice. NOT THE CASEHe charged me $215 to replace my wipers and a retaining nut on my wipers. He also took nearly 6 hours to complete this simple fix, and was difficult to work with when I suggested that the price was high. On my previous review, he flat out lied and said I was never a customer of his. As another reviewer stated, he can't handle criticism. Observe how he will flat out lie in order to refute any poor reviews.He may seem to be a great mechanic to people who have no concept for what appropriate mechanical costs are (because he can sweet talk them and take advantage of them), but the guy is a snake in the grass pure and simple. I have a mechanic in my home town who blows this shmuck out of the water. This guy is a clown.

  Natalie Jones
10 years ago
I cannot recommend Brent highly enough. He is of a breed of mechanics that is getting harder and harder to find. He's honest, he is not only willing to explain things to you in detail, but wants to, he's not at all condescending, and he's very knowledgeable and capable. He's also a genuinely nice person and enjoyable to talk to.My sister and I were on a cross-country road trip and stopped in Columbia for gas. That's when we discovered that our parking brake no longer worked, and as the car is manual, that was a problem. It was Saturday afternoon, we were planning to spend the night in Topeka, KS, and knew we were unlikely to find a mechanic open on Sunday. We started calling mechanics in Columbia at random, and struck gold when Brent answered and said we could come by.He checked out the car while we waited, discovered that the problem was more extensive than he originally thought it would be, but not as bad as it could be, and agreed to STAY OPEN LATE and fix it for us. Another employee also agreed to stay late to help him out. At every step of the game, he came back and told us what he'd found and what he was doing and asked for our go-ahead to move forward. Several times he also took us back to the car to show us what he was talking about. I got the sense that he sincerely wants people to understand their cars and what he's doing to them, and believes that's an important part of his profession. After a couple of hours, they had fixed the problem, charged us a more-than-fair rate, and we were on our way to Topeka.While this experience would be enough for me to commit to going to Brent's shop for life if I lived in Columbia, he also has a bulletin board in his office full of cards and reviews from people who've had similar experiences and are grateful for his service. I got the sense we definitely did not just catch him on a good day.

  Jes Baldwin
6 years ago
Oh my gosh I can't say enough good things about Brent and his staff at the Columbia Automotive Garage! They'll make sure you have a safe ride before you leave and they're the fairest prices around town for sure. I had my car towed to Brent, but they offered me a ride if needed and they called me a couple days later to check up on my car too! I will always take my vehicles here from now until forever

  Mark Kinsley
11 years ago
Being new in town, I was worried about finding a reputable, honest mechanic. After reading Google reviews, I decided to give Brent call. He has exceeded my expectations. He's a great communicator and always explains the issue in a way that's easy to understand. When you talk with him, you know you're dealing with a good man. These are top-notch people I highly recommend Brent and his team.

  Tammy Wetzel
2 years ago
My daughter took her car to Brent after she called. He was very patient with her and answered her questions as best he could.H fixed the car but the part was faulty (not Brent's fault)an issue with part itself. But Brent made it right.He got the car back to the shop and made sure the car was fixed and safe for my daughter to drive. Thank you BrentServices: Auto engine diagnostic, Engine repair, Air conditioning

  Evelyn Pulliam
8 years ago
It s hard to find a good, honest mechanic. And when you re on a long road trip and stopped in a town where you know no one, except your college student daughter, it s even harder. On August 18th I arrived in Columbia to visit my daughter, a Mizzou student, after a long drive that started in Florida and went up to Michigan and then to Missouri. My mother and I were making the drive together and we began having car trouble on the drive from Michigan to Missouri. I didn t want to get back on the road without having the problem fixed, but I was very concerned about finding a mechanic who wouldn t take advantage of two women and who would actually repair the vehicle at a fair price. I went online and did some research and prayed. I was led to The Automotive Garage of Columbia and saw that it had few good reviews. I went there the first thing the next morning, and the owner, Brent, wasn t in. I considered leaving to go to the next place on my list, but the business next door told me he was out buying parts and assured me that it would be worth the wait to stay.All I can say is I m so glad I stayed! We had spoken with my uncle, a retired mechanic, on the phone prior to the visit to get his opinion on the potential problems based on our description of the issues. My uncle named two possibilities: wheel bearing or drive shaft. Brent drove our vehicle to hear the noise, and then proceeded check the vehicle and diagnosed that the universal joints on the drive shaft required replacing. He then spent a great deal of time searching suppliers in the area for the parts in an effort to help us get back on the road. He ended up having to order the parts and have them sent overnight. Brent not only repaired our vehicle at a fair price, but he went above and beyond by thoroughly reviewing our entire vehicle, adding fluids where needed and checking every potential issue. He did all the extras at no additional charge except for the cans of oil he added. He even cleaned all the bugs off of the windshield!I m so thankful to have found Brent. I even told my daughter to take her car to him for service from now on. I wish I could find someone in Florida like him. These days, it s really hard to find anyone who does a good job at a fair price, and does anything extra because it s the right thing to do. He wanted us to be safe on the long drive back to Florida. He even called to make sure we made it home safely! People of Columbia, you have a gem there in your town!

  Lynne Lowney
6 years ago
I had my driver side window fixed before starting a major road trip--so imagine my surprise when it got stuck halfway down!!! I googled mechanics and this place got the best reviews. I drove over, and was beyond blessed that Brent and Serina took time out of their very busy day to assist me in my minor emergency--storms were coming!Not only did Brent get my window back up and was able to diagnose the problem; but what impressed me the most--their genuine kindness and impressive wall of local heroes.