Engine repair service near Spicewood, TX

David Newman was a longtime family friend so I write this with sadness. In October 2023 I was told by a Chevy dealership that i needed a transmission replacement . The auto strike was in full effect and the time without my car had already passed a month and now a completion date was unknown. At this time I saw Mr Newman and he convinced me to have my car towed to his shop with promises that I could trust him to have my back and count on much quicker repairs than Chevy. I had my car towed that very same day we spoke. As promised he was able to have a transmission installed and my car ready to pick up much quicker than Chevy but the dependability and trust ended there. Soon after I had my car I could tell it was not shifting correctly. I contacted Mr. Newman and he assured me that the car was good since he test drove it himself. I hoped that he was correct and maybe it needed some time operating iwth the new transmission before it was running smooth. This little issue made me uncomfortable enough to ask for a copy of the invoice for my repairs as well as a copy of the warranty for the part and labor so I made my first request with the service advisor and was sent the invoice on the transmission. The invoice reflected the transmission cost for Mr. Newman and when I compared it to the amount my warranty company paid out to him i was taken back at the difference. I fully expected to see a difference since the shop is due a profit but this large of a difference prompted me to call my warranty company who confirmed that they paid that much since he reported a remanufactured transmission was purchased and installed not a used one . I then contacted Mr Newman and requested a copy of my warranty once again and i was given a brochure that advertised a nationwide coverage for 36 month or 36,000 miles whichever came first. Mr. Newman had told me it was 100,000 miles and this made me call the company to confirm. When I did I spoke to an agent who informed me that they did not cover transmissions at all so Mr. Newman lied to me and when i have tried to discuss this with him he ignores me and will not return my calls. He has essentially left me with a used transmission that has questionable performance and absolutely no warranty. Now that I have become a victim to his shady business practices and he has commited insurance fraud to make a quick profit off me I refuse to ever take my car back here and want to warn all other potentional victims . Beware of this business !! He does not genuinely care for his loyal unsuspecting customers like he states. Your money becoming his is the only goal and how he will do that is his only concern.

Rafa and crew are absolutely the kindest and hard working group of mechanics I’ve ever come across. They are affordable and honest, and it is so nice to support a superb local business. I have an 03’ and 05’ ML and HCEA has kept them running smoothly for years. Please do yourself a favor and ditch the annoying dealership and check these guys out!!! The shop is beautiful, clean, and easy to access as well.

I have owned a German car since age sixteen and know the problems and maintenance that comes along with them. Ever since I moved to Austin for college this has been my go to place for any car problems. Their rates are very reasonable and yes to do provide FREE loaner cars. I highly recommend this place to anyone who owns a foreign vehicle. Clay the GM is very helpful and upfront with what your vehicle needs and what can be held off. Thanks again German Auto Center

It is WORTH every penny. They come out and don't jerk you around. They arrived AND repaired my vehicle within 45 minutes of my call. When you consider the cost of a tow truck, you actually come out ahead, and since they come to where you are, it barely puts a hitch in your day. Tommy was wonderful!

Because of my long,great history with y'all, I am disappointed in my most recent experience. While repairing the wiper motor there was some collateral damage to a door handle and fuel hose. As the car is over 30 years old, I know that these things happen. However, it is not reassuring to see these issues overlooked. I am not really sure how to rate y'all this time. When I pointed these issues out, y'all were extremely quick to fix them. I appreciate your fast and thorough service and hope to have future great experiences.

I have been a customer at Don’s Auto for 15-20 years. On Dec. 15, my car had a breakdown which required a multi-day, multi-thousand dollar repair. Don could not complete this huge repair before his shop closed for winter break between Christmas and New Year’s. I considered going to another shop, but a friend had agreed to loan me a car, so I Ieft my car at Don’s while he was closed. I anticipated that it would be first-in-line for service when he opened on Jan. 2. Don’s shop was swamped when he reopened on the 2nd and he chose to service other customers ahead of me. On Jan. 8 I had to return the loaned car and get a rental. I sent an email, Don replied and explained his policy: “In the time that removing, dismantling, assembling and reinstalling this engine requires, we could keep 15-20 other cars on the road.” I replied and literally begged Don to work on my car. Don defended his policy but agreed to start work on my car the next day. I should have left it at that, but in my reply I unfortunately used the words “It’s not right” in reference to his prioritizing other customers ahead of me. Don wrote back that he was reassembling my car and I could pick it up to take it to another shop. I drove the 25 miles into town to speak to Don personally, so he could hear my voice when I said that I wasn’t accusing him of being unethical. (Don is very ethical, but I believe he is wrong about the issue of prioritizing and that he has problems with communication.) I even apologized to Don, not because I thought I was wrong, but because I felt sorry for him seeing the state that he was in. He was locked in his own world and determined to show me that he would not deal with a customer who said that he did things that weren’t right. On Jan. 10, after waiting since before Christmas for Don to work on my car, I had my car towed to another shop. Don did not charge me anything.