Midtown Auto Service & Repair

Address:	4510 Almeda Rd, Houston, TX 77004, USA
Phone:	+1 713-523-2886
Site:	midtownautoservice.net
Rating:	4.6
Working:	8AM–6PM 8AM–6PM 8AM–6PM 8AM–6PM 8AM–6PM 10:30AM–3PM Closed

Location

Photos 28

Reviews 4

Christian Warren

It may have been my one experience, but I was a college student at the time on a very limited budget. I took my car into Midtown Auto after it started making a horrible noise all of the sudden while I had been driving. I brought it in to them because they had the best reviews and were pretty close to where I lived (I didnt want to have to drive far). I walked in and heard Christian music playing which made me comfortable because I am a Christian and would expect a certain degree of ethics. Now I think its probably on just to make the customers more comfortable. Anyway, the guy at the desk pulled my car in and charged me about $60 to diagnose the problem. Literally all he had to do was stick his head under my car and see that my catalytic converter had broken at one arm. It was literally a piece of metal hanging down. That cost me $60. He told me my options: 1) OEM replacement catalytic converter for around $2,000 2) Aftermarket replacement for $1,000 3) Something he could "whip up in shop" for $500. Well I didnt have money like that at all at the time, although I probably looked like I did, and this seriously scared me. I asked if I could drive it home, and he told me "he wouldnt feel safe allowing me to drive it anywhere". He could tell I was very upset and didnt know anything about this. I then asked if legally I was okay to drive it, and he said he couldnt stop me. Long story short, I got home and found a transmission place that had great service and knew exactly what my problem was just by me explaining it on the phone. He welded my catalytic converter back together for $75 (the third option Midtown would "whip up in shop" for me Im sure). They also told me its completely safe to drive the car when thats the problem, it just sounds bad and you have to get it fixed to be up to code. I dont appreciate being lied to and taken advantage of. I have never written a review before in my life and I had to write one here. This was very wrong and Ill tell people this story the rest of my life. It was ridiculous and just blatant lies. I couldnt believe people would do that to people who are vulnerable.

Stephen

I came in here for a state inspection and wasted multiple hours trying to work with the man behind the counter. I had to wait despite the lack of people in the office. I was off from work so I wasnt in a hurry, but when I was tended to, I was rushed because the employee wanted to get me in "before lunch." When he found out my insurance was from the wrong state and he couldt help me, he voiced his annoyance with me for wasting HIS time. As a customer I was disappointed especially as I had not been combative in any way. I called my insurer and changed my insurance over the phone right away. When I came back in and showed the worker, he quickly dismissed me as my new insurance wasnt valid until tomorrow. He then proceeded to ignore me and tend to the next customer. I decided I wanted to give this place another shot the next day because I live so close by and I wanted to find a place I could trust with my business in the future. When I returned, the same man was there tending the counter. I came in and he collected my money without exchanging any pleasantries. He did take the time to make a comment in which he explained his expectation that I wouldnt waste his time again today. I took a walk and came back to a failed inspection. I felt there was possibly some actual anger behind it as if I had to pay for wasting his time the day before. I left right away and later went to Auto Best in Midtown where I was helped quickly, with a smile, and passed my inspection. My frustration is not over failing a 25$ state inspection. I share this post only because as a customer I feel this auto shop is undeserving and unappreciative of my business due to their negative interactions with me over the two day period in which I too wasted a few hours. I will never come back to Midtown Auto.

Anonymous User

Had a good experience at Midtown Auto Service. As mentioned in many of the reviews, the owner Mikey was great... hes friendly, approachable and honest about all the work he does. I had been needing to get my car in for awhile for some regular maintenance and an issue with the throttle body, and was quite frankly dreading the experience as Im fairly new to Houston and had no idea where to go. Heard about Midtown Auto from a friend, read the reviews, and decided to try it. It was definitely one of the better experiences Ive had with car repairs. They were able to get my car in right away (no appointment needed) and had it done within 24 hours. Mikey called me twice to update me on the repairs as well as letting me know about an additional problem. When he was unable to do the transmission flush as part of the maintenance (thanks to a Ford design that allows only their dealerships with special machines to access the transmission properly), he knocked off $100 (but more importantly actually told me about it). He also saved me several hundred dollars on the throttle body issue. Rather than replacing the entire unit (which the dealership would have done based on some research I did before taking it in), he was able to clean and fix it for less than $200 (read some reports of people with the same problem being charged upwards of $1000 at dealerships). Overall I was pleased with the speed and quality of the service and appreciated that Mikey was honest with me and definitely not one of those overbearing, intimidating mechanics you often encounter these days. Will definitely go back.

Chris Lin

My radiator sprung a leak yesterday so I looked up some places on Google Maps and this particular shop stuck out from the rest. Great reviews and the ideal location: it was close enough that I could haul my bike there and bike back from the shop. First Impressions: Although it sits on a relatively small lot, this place has lots to offer. From engine to exhaust, this shop does it all. Dont be intimidated by the neighborhood, this shop is immaculate. Going inside the shop, I was personally greeted by Mike, the owner. As an ex-military, Mike was professional and courteous. He was easy to talk to and easy to understand. After running a diagnostics test, he confirmed what I had assumed: a leaking radiator. Although his labor rates are a bit on the high side, who wouldnt pay more for the peace of mind to know that his mechanic knew exactly what he was doing? Mike was well acquainted with insurance and warranty agencies and attempted to gain some coverage for my repairs, but the warranty company informed us that radiators werent covered under my warranty. Quick service: my truck was ready the next day. I biked back to the shop. Total was just over $740. I asked him if he could knock the price down and presented to him a coupon found on his website. Mike was more than happy to give me a discount, seeing as how my warranty company decided to bust my bank. All in all, this was one of the best experiences Ive had with auto shops. If youre willing to pay for quality service in Houston, this is the place to go!