Albert Auto

I had been putting off getting my brakes replaced on my 2008 Toyota Tundra since Toyota had quoted me a price approaching $400. When I could wait no longer to get them replaced, I turned to Angie's List to find some recommendation. Albert Auto had good reviews so I called and made an appointment for 10;30 that same week. I arrived a few minutes early and they were ready to get my truck in. The asked some questions why I felt the brakes needed to replaced, were they squeezing etc. After a quick test drive they pulled it into the bay, took off all four tires and came back to let me know that the front pads were down to about 5% and the rear pads were about 20%. The also said the the rotors while not a safety hazard at all would make the truck shake a bit when braking hard. They could replace them but again said there was no danger, just the annoyance of the rattle. I decided to just get the pads replaced and saved the rotors for another day. They gave me an estimate and when I gave them the ok, they said it would be about an hour and they'd have me all set to go. I didn't check the time but it sure felt faster than an hour. They also gave me an estimate for new tires and an alignment which I knew the tires were bad and well worn so it wasn't like they were just trying to get more money out of me. They were legitimate things and the prices for the new tires was really decent compared to the tires I had put on the truck a while back. The final bill was less than what they thought it would take to replace the brake pads and MUCH cheaper than Toyota had quoted me! I've found my new automotive repair people and when I'm ready for those tires, I'll be going back to Albert Auto!

We have been taking our cars to Albert Auto on J Street for years. I only have positive results with them. Knowledgeable and friendly people. Oil change, as usual, was fine. No dripping oil or messes when they were done, unlike nearly every other shop in town. There's something about our car that traps oil underneath during the filter change and Albert Auto is about the only shop that will make sure it's clean when they do the oil change so there's no oil dripping on the driveway for a week afterwards. The A/C works fine now. They found the source of a new oil leak and it was the rear main seal. It would be a huge job to fix so they recommended an additive to stop the leak that they've had good success with. Hooray!!! It worked for us. I know in the future we'll have to bite the bullet, but for the time we're not leaking. They are our shop of choice.

I have used Albert's Auto twice. Both times they were able to take my car in for repairs within 48 hours and called me with an estimate a few hours after I dropped it off. The work was done promptly. They have researched additional work/part replacement and provided me with costs with no pressure to do the work. I have been very happy with their service.

I have been going to Albert Auto (1st Ave, downtown location) for about one year after a good friend recommended them to me. If I could rate them as an A+, I would. Their level of integrity is impeccable. I initially went to them to find out how much it would cost to fix my air conditioning (which had quit working about a year and a half prior), get an oil change, and to run I general diagnostic to see if there were any other problems that needed to be fixed on my car. Almost every other mechanic that I have ever gone to for an oil change has tried to tell me that I had $2000-3000 worth of repairs that I needed to make on my car as soon as possible. (My car is a little older, 2005- 152k miles on it, but still fairly reliable and I'd like to keep it running as long as possible.). The A/C wasn't working because the valve for the A/C compressor was malfunctioning... Unfortunately, you can't just replace the valve... The whole compressor would have to be replaced as it all comes ordered as one piece, more or less. They didn't charge me anything more than the oil change and they estimated the compressor to cost somewhere between $450 and $700. They also told me that most everything else looked good... (Isn't that interesting...). I ended up holding off on the compressor for a while to save up the money and work on other personal projects since it wasn't crucial for my car to run. A few month later, I had my front brakes fixed. My back breaks started squealing a few months after that. I took my car in to replace my back brakes and get another oil change, but after taking a look at my car they told me that I still had 40% left on my brake pads and that the noise was just made by dust and rust buildup. They said that they didn't feel right replacing my brakes (even though that's what I had requested when I brought my car in) when they still had 40% life on them... So they asked if it was okay if they just cleaned the brakes off to get rid of the noise I was hearing. Again, they only charged me for the actual oil change. Just recently, my car started making terrible squealing noises again. I called in to explain the situation and they told me over the phone that it was probably my air-conditioning compressor making the noise since the compressor-valve had been broken for nearly two and a half years by this point (and had miraculously decided to try to work again on its own- but not the compressor itself was not up to the challenge). Again they gave me an estimate of $450-$700 to fix the compressor if I wanted. (I suppose it was good timing since I have been saving up the money to fix the air conditioning anyway.). I dropped off my car at night and the next morning, after they looked at my car, they called me back to confirm it was the compressor and asked if I would like to go ahead and fix it. I was able to pick it up later that day. I got lucky and the final cost after labor was less than $450. (apparently, if I had a different model of the same car, I might have needed a more expensive compressor, justifying the higher estimate.) Albert Auto has never tried to sell me on something I didn't need. They are excellent at maintaining communication about what's happening with your car and allowing you to make the best decision for you at that time. They are honest and upfront about all the costs for labor and repairs and they don't try to slip "additional fees" in on you after your car has already been torn apart for any diagnostic work. (That has happened to me at another company... That company took my engine apart to figure out "the problem", then wanted to charge me nearly $500 just to put it back together...without any repairs... Prompting my search for another mechanic.) Well, my search is over. Not only will I be a life-long customer of Albert Auto, I will recommend them to anybody and everybody I know!

I got a call in the afternoon saying that the transmission needed to be replaced. Unsure of what route I wanted to take, I asked what my cost would be for them checking out the car and sending it to their specialist. They didn't charge me a dime! They said that since they didn't do anything to fix the problem, they didn't feel right charging me. I had another instance where they did not charge me because they were unable to find anything wrong with the car. (Naturally, the car behaved when it was in their care.) Even though they took time out of their day and most places would charge at least $30 for the same service, they charged zero. A few days later when the car acted up at work, I gave them a call and they came over, pulled the car to their shop (I work a block away), and got the problem fixed. I wasn't charged an insane amount for that service, but a very reasonable price. For parts and labor it was around $275.00. There was something wrong with the idle air control module and they replaced that and it has been working great since then. (Until the transmission went out, which was questionable when we purchased the vehicle.) They were awesome, are always professional and kind, and do not treat me like I'm an idiot because I'm a woman. I wouldn't go anywhere else!

They stay on track a 30 minute oil change and tire rotation. The service is completed on time and if there is. Problem they in touch to keep you informed.

I've always been satisfied with the work they did, in some cases going above and beyond the minimum necessary and at no extra-charge. They treat their costumers well.

This review isnt for a specific repair but over all performance. (I'm new to Angie's list).

Went in for breaks at apx. 65,000 miles, came out with major problems which began on the day of the repair and incurred apx. $2000 of total expenses. I had brakes replaced since they were very worn. Albert Auto also suggested that I replace a wheel bearing and front rotors. This was a significant expense, but I gave them the "go ahead" since after speaking with the employees I felt that they were trustworthy. Immediately after the service, I had traction control and ABS lights come on whenever I would drive the vehicle - the vehicle only had about 65k miles on it and I had never had a single problem until the day they performed this service. I brought the vehicle in once more and they declared that the problem was related to a "bad" bearing that they put in the front, which was supposed a new OEM bearing. They said that they replaced this again for no charge, but that a rear bearing was now bad. After some investigation on my own, it turns out that the speed sensor responsible for the ABS and Traction Control systems is part of the hub assembly, and that the wheel bearing has absolutely no part in the system. I feel that this mechanic over-sold me on something that I didn't need, and likely damaged the speed sensor in the rear as they performed the brake service. After this, I immediately took the vehicle to the dealer, and they confirmed that the right rear sensor was damaged and that the entire hub assembly would have to be replaced (the sensor could not be purchased there separately). Also found a hole in the CV boot that was missed by Albert. The total cost at the dealer here was about $1000 for the boot and the hub assy. Albert probably didn't cause the CV boot damage, but they had been inspected by the same dealer within apx. 1,500 miles of bringing it into Albert Auto and it was reported to be OK then. There were no problems with the car until the day Albert got their hands on it. Not saying they did anything wrong, but there is definitely room for concern. Another mechanic in the family has told me that they have never had to replace wheel bearings on a 21 year old 250,000 mile vehicle made by the same company. P.S., Albert Auto had also tried to sell me an apx. $650 ball joint replacement on another vehicle, and upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for an inspection the report indicated that the ball joints were fine.

Everything was perfect overall. I would give them a "B" in price, but I would still use them again.

Albert Auto never overcharges or does unnecessary work to get more money. Honest, dependable, and family owned!!!! There are three locations in town, I think. My husband (who is difficult to please) loves Albert Auto and so do I! Knowing they won't overcharge and being able to actually TRUST them has been a tremendous life-saver on more than one occasion!! We have done business with them for the past ten years and will continue to do business with them for many more!