Allies Automotive

Reviews

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

  Noah Ramos
4 weeks ago
I retract my previous positive review. DO NOT TRUST ALLIESTL;DRNot only is there lack of communication detrimental to the service they re able to provide, the work they were able to provide was shotty at best.In mid to late 2023 I bought a 1988 Honda civic sedan for about $900, I knew it didn t run well, I knew it had some wiring issues, and that it overheated from time to time, but not knowing too much about this engine platform I trusted allies to take a look at it.They had helped a friend of mine get his 88 Honda Accord on the road which was in similar shape.After allowing myself some time to gather the funds necessary to start making repairs on this car, I drove the sedan to allies in December and asked that they do a post purchase inspection, I wanted to know everything wrong with it so we could go about addressing some of its main issues and slowly sort it out for me to drive.I expected a list of things that had been checked over, a list of ways they could be fixed, or something along those line.But of course I did not get a list of anything.They told me I needed to replace my distributor as 2 of my cylinders weren t firing.And that I needed a new break line on the front drivers side.That s it.I suspect they didn t even get the car on the lift.I asked how much that would cost, and they tried to upsell me.They tried to get me to upgrade my entire fuel injection system from dual point to multi point straight off the bat, I told them no, just replace or rebuild the distributorThey did so, and the car ran much better than it did before, it stopped nice as well, but we discussed after I picked it up that there were still a lot of things wrong with the car that I d like to have looked at, and they again told me I needed to upgrade to multi point fuel injection.This would mean a new ECU, distributor rear headers etc, more or less it would cost a lot of money.So I asked them to order the parts and I d bring the car by when they were ready, and they told me no.They told me I needed to pay them $500 up front to even LOOK FOR the parts, with no gaurentee they d be able to find them, and that that they would let me know when the parts where found.So begrudgingly, I gave them the $500 on Thurs. Jan 25th and as of now almost 2 months later I have not heard a word from them.That s not even the worst part.Having waited so long and seeing now that the car was burning coolant I got ahold of another garage to get a second opinion.They clued me in on a few things.The trans was leaking from basically everywhere, my rear passenger side shock was blown, oil was leaking from my oil pan gasket, the head gasket was likely blown and worst of all the rear transmission mount was just gone.All things I expected to have been clued in on by allies that they neglected to check, or they noticed, but didn t care to tell me.At this point I was fed up with allies and moved forward with this new garage.After getting things squared away with my new garage, I called Chris with allies on March 9th and told him that I needed my money back, since he had not communicated to me that any parts had been purchased or that he had spent my money in any way.I expected to receive a refund and be done with it, but of course no.He refused to refund the money because parts had already been ordered, I asked him if he could return them, to which he said no, I asked if he had an invoice of the parts he bought, when he bought them, or any proof of how my money was spent, he told me no.Chris said that he wasn t working that day, that he didn t need to provide me with any paperwork until the following Tuesday. I informed him he needed to give me any parts he can t return and any money he hasn t spent already, I told him if I did not receive AT LEAST the invoice by march 12th I was going to make a claim with my bank, and he hung up on me.I texted him the same thing, never received a response and so now I am leaving this review as a warning.DO NOT BRING UR CAR TO THESE UNTRUSTWORTHY PEOPLE!

  Terence Hannigan
a month ago
I have been taking my two aging vehicles (both '08, Ford Escape/Hyundai Accent) to Allies for years to keep them on the road. They have addressed things as small as the latch and spring for the hood to rebuilding the Accent engine when the timing belt snapped. I always get a diagnosis explained in plain English, what the solution is and what the cost will be. Not always speedy but I have never had to return for the same issue. It gets fixed the first time and the pricing is fair and transparent.

  M
2 months ago
Kind mechanic that saved me around 3-4K from a quote provided by another mechanic! I m so thankful I came across this honest business & I ll definitely be coming here for all my car needs while I m in Austin. I highly recommend this place to anyone with car troubles.

  Jesse B
a year ago
Had some electric problems with a vehicle I imported and after calling a hundred places to help me out these guys were the only ones who weren t afraid to fix it. Super excited to work on it too so I felt I was in good hands. Don t normally leave reviews but for a smaller shop in south Austin I m all about giving that support so if you ve had your doubts I can assure you that you have no reason to worry. Great guys, great work, I know where I m going next time

  J. Shawshank
a year ago
They are super friendly, honest, and candid about what needed to be done with my older car. I appreciate their straightforward , no-nonsense service. Indeed, I'll be back for the next time on my 1977 grand prix! I feel fortunate to have found Mr. Chris and his team over there at Allies! Thank you, gentlemen!

  AGENT Mr. TRUMP VARNELL
6 months ago
This is a small town Mom and Pop repair shop these guys go out of their way to do the best that they can possibly do for you with your budget I was extremely impressed with them getting my car in and getting my car out in 5 days it's been working great the air conditioning is ice cold I don't want my car to break but if it does I know where I'm taking it

  Gus Garcia
a year ago
i had a miata with a blown engine, and had difficulty finding any mechanic who wanted to try and fix it. i was told, you need a new engine, but nobody wanted the job, i went to four different very good mechanics and they all said no, it's not fixable. one of the mechanics recommended Allies. I'd never heard of them but i gave them a try. I spoke with the owner Chris on the phone and he said he would try and see what he could do.long story short, after thinking and believing that the car was a total loss, and pondering the idea of selling the car as is, i got great news from Chris. Chris and his crew got the car running, as good as it ever was, for thousands of dollars less than what i was expecting.thank you Chris.Service: Engine repair

  scott pena
a year ago
Very honest and knowledgeable! I started by taking my Buick Enclave to Juke auto and they told me I needed my motor replaced! I then had it towed to Chris at Allies and he diagnosed it as just needing the catalytic converter replaced! He had it fixed in no time! Very happy I decided to have a second opinion!

  Jason Z70J
2 years ago
Chris and his guys do great work! If your vehicle needs work or you think it's something and it isn't? Whatever the case? Honest about fix, what it needs, and in a timely manner... Busy place because they are GOOD!! THANK YOU CHRIS AND THE BOYS MY 4Runner is running great!

  Michael Hill
2 years ago
These folks do incredibly good work, especially on major mechanical repairs. Chris is the most honest and capable mechanic I've ever dealt with. I've been taking my cars to him for over 22 years. My 1999 Ford explorer just passed 315,000 miles.

  Natalie Allen
a year ago
The owner and the other guy there are amazing! They helped with my car fast. He was straightforward about pricing. He didn t want to add anything on extra than what I asked. Didn t try to upsell, I told him what I needed done and he had it done fast and done well! Thank you!! Great local guys, funny and they genuinely love cars!!Service: General repairs & maintenanceService: General repairs & maintenance

  Deborah Caldwell
5 years ago
Does excellent work. Chris the owner is an anomaly in the auto mechanic world--he is honest. The charges for his work are fair. His prices keep him and his family fed and his customers are happy and return for future work. My SO has used Chris for 9 years.

  Ryan
3 years ago
This is what American craftsmanship, quality and integrity should always aspire to be. I used to work as a Paramedic and once had a brilliant instructor guide us to always treat every patient as if they were a member of our family. Chris definitely does this in his work and it is incredibly respectable and inspirational. I could probably write an eight thousand word essay on how excellent and strong this shop is. Seriously. If you have auto needs this is the place. Beyond that; the yard outside the shop is like a symphony of awesome on its own. If you pay attention you will see some magical things. It s so cool. Thanks for all the hard work and good energy Chris and Allies. Much respect.

  Russ Robinson
5 years ago
We have been using Chris for 25 years. He is completely trust worthy and I consider him to be the very best mechanic in Texas. You would be hard pressed to find anyone better.Highly recommend and he will always provide to you several options and will give you a thorough accurate analysis and fair pricing. Chris oversees or does the work himself. My wife and I totally trust Chris.Russ Robinson

  Ben Novak
a year ago
Chris is a very knowledgeable mechanic. My first visit and their customer could not recommend them more. 10/10 service. Will be back.

  Resolute Media
3 years ago
Chris was referred to me by a friend. Chris hands down is the best mechanic I have ever dealt with. No sleezy sales pitch just gets your car back in working order. I went in for a Oil Change, Transmission Oil change, Brake check and tire rotation. He notified me that with the next oil change my brake pads would need to be replaced but were still good to go. When i take it into other places it always feels like they are trying to get my money right then and there for services i never asked for. My wife's check engine light went off when she took me to pick up my car. We immediately took it to Chris and again he went above and beyond to find the issue. He test drove it to make sure the issue was resolved, Jiffy Lube did not do this courtesy for my wife. Chris also informed my wife that even though they Jiffy Lube recharged her AC they purposefully overlooked the leak that they should have fixed. I cannot even begin to say how great Chris is. He has made some life long customers out of us and its such a relief to find such a true professional.

  John Hazmat Haddad
4 years ago
One of the best repair shops in town. The owner is honest and makes sure the work needed, gets done at a fair price. I've been going to Allies for years, and send anyone who needs a good repair shop, to them. They offer a full range of repair services, including towing and storage.

  Will Taylor
6 years ago
I've been a customer of Chris and Allies since 2009 because he does great work and treats you like a fellow human being. He's also amazing with turnaround times. If you're looking for something other than a corporate auto repair shop, then this is the right place for your car to call a second home.

  Chester Davis
2 years ago
My experience was great. I would definitely use him again and would recommend him to anyone needed an alignment and could not find a timely appointment in Austin. They took me the next day.Service: Steering & suspension repairService: Steering & suspension repair

  Hans J Schlegel
3 years ago
Great place. Chris does pretty much everything. I had my El Camino done as well as my Excursion. He is fair all the way and I trust!! him.

  Candace Carreno
5 years ago
Chris is honest and friendly. Good work for a fair price. He s worked on my vehicles and I ll continue to use his shop.

  Richard Wagner
11 months ago
These gentleman do excellent work. Walked through the process and even showed me the issue with the old seal. Can't recommend them enough.Service: Engine repairService: Engine repair

  Stan Cross
a year ago
I ve never recommended any business, person, or service more. Chris is the #1 greatest help to me and my family.

  70 c10 350 jtown
3 years ago
Guy was ok when I first used him but got more and more undependable. I personally had to walk in there to get my vehicle back because he kept lying to me on the phone week after week that he'd get the job done. Glad I'll never trust this dude with my car again!

  Rachel Saylor
3 years ago
We've been coming here for general repairs, check engine lights, etc. for over ten years now. Chris is honest and professional. Highly recommendedServices: General repairs & maintenance, Auto engine diagnosticServices: General repairs & maintenance, Auto engine diagnostic

  Louise Huerta
a year ago
I can tell you one thing my husband really enjoys the work the shop does on his Car, he's done a lot of race stuff for him

  Jake Jabbs
6 months ago
Chris is the best. Can't recommend these guys higher.

  Celine Soviero
5 years ago
I am so grateful I found out about this wonderful place! The owner is truly a lifesaver. Was very reasonable and got my car back on the road. I couldn't thank him enough! :)

  Daniel Grant
6 years ago
Chris has been great. Two vehicles repaired now, including saving $2k on repairs Honda falsely said I needed.

  Adam Wall
6 years ago
Great shop. Chris is top-notch. He and the other mechanics are honest and provide quality service.