Like most "finds", in todays world, this find was one chosen on line. It happened I was lucky to find a great mechanic shop. Tom, who serviced my car did a great job, on the car. Even more he communicated extremely well. It's wonderful having found a reliable, (seemingly), honest mechanic. I'll return for more needs. I feel confident using this business. Thank you Tom! Thomas Plumlee read more

This was 1st time there. Scheduled an emissions test and went went in they fit and oil change in for me as well. The staff is very friendly, treats you like family. I talked with the owner Cathy, who was very knowledgeable and extremely sweet. This is a woman owned business and LGBTQ Friendly business. I highly recommend this shop, they are fair and honest and we definitely should be supporting companies that support our community. Thank you for the great service cathy! read more

See all

Initially, I was told I needed a new battery, which was a mis-diagnosis of my 'car not starting' issue So, I paid for a new battery. The real problem was a new starter was needed; which I was then overcharged for. Mark PS. Not very impressed. BTW: I live two miles away; not in SF, CA. read more

If you want an honest and knowledgeable mechanic, go here. Simple as that. Side Note: they used to be located on Hampton ave, but are now on Gravois. The auto shop that moved into their old Hampton location is NOT owned by the same family. read more

AC wasn't working took it up there reason why I went there is because their shop is so clean from the outside. Now the AC is cranking out 20° loving it. read more

I do basic maintenance on my truck including changing oil myself so it had been a few years since I had taken my truck to an auto shop. I wanted to make sure everything is fine before I take an 800+ mile drive in a couple weeks. I was hoping this would only entail a tire rotation and potentially new spark plugs for the engine misfiring occasionally. I went to St. Louis Hills Auto because of the reputation on here and other websites. They did not disappoint. I called and made an appointment a week before and they were ready for me when I arrived. Unfortunately after inspecting my vehicle, they let me know there were additional issues that needed fixing. Before proceeding with the work, Kevin at the front desk, helped prioritize fixes I needed for safety and fixes I should do for long term quality. Kevin was up front and honest about time to repair, price, and priority. The work took two days but when I came to pick up the vehicle (about 15 minutes after the shop closed), the owner Tom was waiting for me and discussed the fixes personally to me for 30 minutes. This really set the shop apart for me. Once I got to my car however, I noticed that the tires were not rotated which was disappointing. Tom told me he would talk to the mechanic and call me back tomorrow. After the call, he said the mechanic told him that he had forgotten but come in anytime and they would work around my schedule to get it done and provide a discount for a coolant flush (which I knew should probably be done and was not upselling). I said I would come back at 2:00pm. When I arrived, they had kept a bay open just for my car, and the mechanic who worked on my vehicle was waiting to apologize and talk to me about what happened and the work he did on my car. Then he got to work immediately on the coolant flush and before I left, Tom the owner came out to shake my hand. The two actions of the owner waiting for me after hours to discuss the work done on my vehicle, and the mechanic keeping the bay open and waiting for me to apologize for missing the tire rotation caused me to write this review. Personal service like that is rare and deserves a 5 star review. I would recommend and come back to St. Louis Hills Auto for any car issue. The employees are up front, honest, and caring. read more

Came in to get my AC fixed. After having my car checked bout and heading the price to fix. I opt to take my car to another mechanic, that I have known for 10 years, for a second opinion. I was surprised to learn that at Louis hill auto STOLE my Freon !!! I will never be back again. read more

Took my Nissan in and it got ShYted on, mf worked perfectly fine until I took it there, and now it's missing shit(＠_＠;)

They did a great job with my 2013 BMW, and they were honest about what they could and could not handle when it comes to repairs for her. I am super pleased with all the staff that I have interacted with there. Will definitely continue to use them, until they tell me I have to take her to an actual foreign repair shop. Even then, I'm sure they could refer me to someone just as good as them. Thanks guys! read more

First and foremost I really want to thank Tom, he went out of his way, way out to get my truck fixed. First he told me it wouldn't be ready till mon, after the fourth of July holiday which I totally understood because it was a fuel system problem. But they found the problem, searched dealerships for the new part went and got it. Their hours are 7:30 a till 5 p., they got it finished by 5, and he waited till I got there at 5:45. That my friends is exemplary service. Tom, thanks again, you definitely have a new customer for life!!!! read more

These people are honest and hard working. I've never felt like they were trying to over charge me for anything. I have an older car and they tried to help me find some random parts and they were able to get them. They're family owned which means everything to my own family. Keep your money local, stop giving your money to the corporate overlords that try and squash the American dream of the family business. Thank you guys! read more

My 2004 Toyota Camry and I moved to St. Louis from Southern California 3 years ago. I needed to find a shop to keep the car running smooth, so I went to Yelp and found St. Louis Hills Auto which had great reviews. I was thinking of what to say and all I could think of were the words "pleasantly surprised"... Quality of repair - pleasantly surprised Cost of repair - pleasantly surprised Friendliness of Tom and the team - pleasantly surprised Timeliness of repair - pleasantly surprised I can't say enough good things about how Tom and his team take care of my car. I wouldn't even think about going anywhere else unless it is a service which they don't offer. read more

Trustworthy and fair service. The mechanic here is thorough. When working with them, they were consistent and provided updates & asked permission to continue before any paid actions. This shop is good for day visits and drop offs. They are convenient and expedient. The mechanic was shipped a bad part for my car from a part seller and this shop filed the warranty and replaced it within the week for no additional charge. I felt like the staff listened to me and empathized with me. I'd recommend this location. read more

BEST AUTO SHOP IN ST LOUIS!!! They did incredible work on our 2006 vehicle and it works great. We just took our 2015 car in, ease of appointments is awesome, work is done fast. So lucky to have found this place. I will never go anywhere else again! Cori M read more

Tom turned a concerning first time experience into an amazing one. He is a professional who obviously cares about the service he provides to the people who come to him for help. Installed and aligned 4 new tires quickly and efficiently with no surprises-walking me through the process and explaining all the steps so I know what to look for in the future. I am greatly appreciative of Tom and his team. Thanks! read more

Car finally fixed! Go see Tom for any car issues, inspections, etc. Tom took care of an issue that started with another shop. He was honest , reasonable and explained everything in detail. I'll be bringing our cars here from now on. read more

123 Auto - Auto Repair Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Anything less than 5 stars would be impossible, couldn't ask for anything more. I was on a roadtrip 2,000 miles from home when my Check Engine light came on. I had 2 weeks of pre-booked hotels and attractions booked and staying in town was impossible. But he diagnosed the issue, had it fixed within hours (it was a serious issue), and got me on my way. The car is running better than ever, I would've been stranded somewhere eventually without Tom. I was in a completely foreign place with a car about to die on me with thousands of miles to travel and Tom bailed me out. Everyone there is incredibly friendly and nice. You really can't ask for anything more, this place is literally as good as it gets. read more

Can't compliment more. Tom is a great guy waiting for me 1 hour after they close and allow me to pick up my car on the same day they finish the tire replacement. The price is also very reasonable. A bit far from where I live but definitely worth visiting! read more

This is by far the nicest and most female friendly place I have ever been. From the polite person on the other end of the phone every time I call, to the explanation of what is wrong with the car to the details on why. I appreciate this place giving back some votes for humanity. Also my fiance had a flat tire one day and he stopped what he was doing to pull his car in and fix it with a used tire to save money! What a great guy! What a great place! PS-- You should drive out of your way for this place, it is worth it. read more

I needed my AC fixed so I told him to let me know how much is gonna be so after they find out they charge me $170 just for checking that's crazy usually is 50 bucks check it and then they wanted $1700 for AC compressor that was way overpriced I took it to a different shop they charge me only 900 bucks never going there again!! read more

Took my 99 Corolla in for an inspection without making an appointment and was a 3 hour wait. I stayed because of their reputation! Within a half hour they squeezed me in. They very friendly and courteous! They got me back on the road within an hour! You can't beat that! I will most certainly be back. read more

The best experience I've ever had with any auto shop, anywhere. Tom was extremely cordial and accommodating. His prices are also the fairest of any other shops I had checked with in St. Louis. Old school, personal customer service from all other staff brought this experience to the top. read more

When I first started taking my car here, I trusted Tom and thought he had my best interest at heart. However, there have been several things that happened where I ended up paying more than expected. I never said or did anything because I really did trust him. Today I had an appointment to get my oil changed. I made it last Thursday and the girl said I could make it for Monday and that they were completely open and what time did I want. I made a one o'clock appointment. After a short wait today, I was told it would be a while until they could get to it. I asked for a time and the gruff gentleman said 45 minutes to an hour before they could even look at it. I told him I had a serviceman coming at 2.30 he said they "should" be done" by then. He then unloaded on me loudly telling me how they had no way of knowing this and got a bit ugly with me. I told him that the last time I was there for an oil change I had to wait a long time and now we go through it again. He balked and walked away. As I was waiting in their chilly waiting area the wife came out and I asked if she could turn on the volume for the TV. She told me NO! because she may not be able to hear the phone ring. I had just had it by this time and, of course, they still hadn't touched my car so I told her I was going to move on. She brought my car to me and I went elsewhere to get my oil changed. I will not be back. read more

Great and honest mechanics are hard to find! I was referred to Tom by a friend when I was new to town and just needed an emissions check to get registered in Missouri. Also needed an oil change. He got me right in. After the very quick service Tom brought me under his lift to look at something. He said "this is why your car has been making that noise when you hit bumps". He showed me a worn joint and showed me a good one on my other wheel. I was impressed. I NEVER mentioned that noise and didn't expect him to even check out my suspension linkage. What impressed me is that I've been having that issue for a few YEARS now and have specifically asked mechanics at THE DEALER to figure it out and they NEVER figured it out. I'm an engineer and understand things pretty well. Tom took a long time explaining to me what it was and why it was acting that way. Made perfect sense. He laid out all the options on whether to replace one or both and what it would cost. Seemed fair and straight forward. Since I knew I was dealing with a very rare mechanic that REALLY knows his stuff and is GREAT at explaining it, I then asked him about my transmission and how I needed to maintain it for now on. I already knew the answer. I had done my own internet research and just wanted his opinion without letting on how much I knew. He not only knew MORE than the DEALERSHIP mechanics about this particular issue but gave me some insight as to why Ford went away from that design and why the maintenance of it goes wrong so often. Again, I was amazed at how a guy who works on ALL cars would be so much better at knowing my Ford than people who ONLY work on Fords! Later on we brought my wife's Hyundai in for regular service and to check on some small issues. Right away he reminded me that it was still within the 100k powertrain warranty and to take it to the dealership to diagnose the transmission noise. Also had a problem with the tire pressure sensor not being reset after getting new tires (somewhere else). The dealership charges like $80 just to reset that sensor! Unfortunately, that instrument to do that is specific to Hyundai and it costs like $800. I also learned that through my own research. But I asked Tom to look into it. Within the same day of the oil change he went out and BOUGHT that device for his shop and charged us half what the dealership would. He said he'd make up the cost within a year. Very impressive customer service. Have a friend with an old car who doesn't make much money (teacher). Clueless about anything mechanical. Her car had been sounding and running badly for a while. She asked me about whether she should replace her car, I suggested she go to Tom first. He ended up spending like two hours going over her car and explained to her everything that was wrong and her options about extending the life. Charged her like $25 for the entire diagnosis and a few hundred bucks later her car is running like new and she's so happy she can put off trading it in! I've used a lot of mechanics in my life and distrust most of them. I think most aren't very mechanically smart and some are downright dishonest. Tom is a rare combination of being a GREAT mechanic and also a trustworthy business man. He understands that repeat business will help him flourish and I will trust him completely to diagnose and fix any issues I will ever have. Never going back to the 'certified' Ford mechanics! Oh, he also has a nice little partnership with a glass place and can arrange for a windshield replacement on his site while you car is being serviced. Got my entire windshield replaced for $180. After reading the negative review I can see why that would happen. Tom takes a lot of pride in getting it right and will stand behind his work. I could see why he'd be hesitant to stand behind messing with a 20-year old pump. He's not out to over-diagnose problems, he has WAY more work backlog than time. I think you can be pretty confident that if he says it will be a $500 repair that there MAY be a cheaper band-aid fix but that if he does it then it's the RIGHT repair with the best chance of long-term reliability. To me, that is the job of a mechanic. read more

We know we can trust St. Louis Hills Auto. Plus, they are quick and communicate often.

I discovered an oil leak under my car on a Monday morning. I called a few places and this place quoted me a good price, was close, and could work on my car that day. So, I took my car there and had them look at it. They said that the leak was coming from somewhere in the timing belt case and that they would have to tear into it to find out exactly what the problem was. I left my car there overnight, and the next afternoon they called me back and said I needed a new oil pump and that it would cost me over $1000. I am a poor grad student and don't have this kind of money. So, I did some research and discovered that oil pumps themselves rarely go out and that a much more common problem is for a 5 dollar gasket in the pump to wear out. I also found out that if the pump itself had been bad, I would have lost oil pressure and had my oil light on the dash come on rather than just having a leak. So, I called the mechanic back and told him all of this. He then said that he knew this, but that no where sold just the gasket because my car is old (96), and that he called everywhere to ask this and that the only option was to buy the whole pump. After he told me this, I looked up a diagram of the pump and got parts numbers for all the seals and gaskets in it. A two minute online search and an equally short couple of phone calls, and I discovered that every auto parts store in town has all of the seals and gaskets in stock in a variety of brands for, you guessed it, around 5 dollars apiece. So, I called the mechanic back and confronted him with this information and he kept changing his story. He told me that he now thought it was a crack in the housing of the pump and not the gaskets. I told him that if this were the case, I would have lost oil pressure. Then he said the only way he could warrantee his work was if I let him put on the new oil pump and that he didn't know if he could tear into the old pump and put it back together right, and blah, blah, blah. At this point, I told him not to do anything else and that I would get the car the next morning. I was going to have it towed to another garage. He called me back later that night with yet another story about how he was going the extra mile and wanted to look at it one more time just to save me as much money as possible and it turns out that the gaskets I found will work and that the people he called looking for parts are all idiots because they gave him bad information. At this point, I was afraid of him leaving my car in a million pieces or of making him mad and having him sabotage something, so, I told him to go ahead and fix it. It ended up being around $400, and seems to be okay for now. I just hope it stays that way. While this place seemingly did the right thing in the end, the bottom line is that they tried to put one over on me and got caught. I am sure this place has done this before and gotten away with it and I am sure that they will do it again. So, be advised, I would avoid this place for anything more than an inspection or an oil change. In fact, I plan to avoid it altogether because I don't like the idea of giving my hard-earned money to liars and swindlers. read more

I have left a review for another car repair place on this site that was negative. That's what lead me to find st. Louis hills automotive. Let me say that they are AWESOME ! The owner is super knowledgeable and it's the 1st time IN MY LIFE that I didn't think I was being taken advantage of at a car repair shop because I am a woman. He was very communicative and didn't try to get me to have a bunch of repairs done that I didn't need. I will always take my vehicles to this neighborhood gem. Thank you St. louis hills automotive! !!!! read more

Can't saw enough positive things about Tom & the other employees. Inherited my moms 66 F100 pickup and was having troubles with it running correctly. Took it to another shop and after $1,000 and me supplying the parts it still ran horrible. Finally took it to Tom and won't take it anywhere else. I told him to take his time and when I got it back its running great and it didn't cost me an arm and a leg. He could've tried to charge me more for labor hours but was honest in saying he just tinkered on it when he could and that it really didn't take that long and also didn't try to sell me parts I didn't need! read more

Finally found my new mechanic! Tom was wonderful and the service was great. My old truck might not seem like much to some people, but she means a lot to me even if I do not always show her the love she deserves But Tom and his crew were not judgemental they walked me through what I needed and DID NOT try and sell me on what I didn't ( huge pet peeve). I will definitely be bringing my truck back to st. Louis hills auto! read more

Tom is a great personable mechanic who was willing to go through my list of questions with me. Very knowledgeable and willing to take the time to explain everything. Great on pricing as well, very fair, most likely less than most. Will definitely make this my neighborhood mechanic, for maintenance and hopefully not too many emergencies. read more

Honest ,fair prices, fast, this is by far the best place, very helpful. Fast oil change. They know car repair. No bait & switch.

I can't say enough great things about this shop!! Tom and his mechanic Nathan were fantastic. They not only explained and showed me everything that they were doing to my 2001 Impala but also informed me of what needed to be done to pass inspection and the cheapest route to go about it. Even informed me that I could buy the parts myself and bring them in so that they would only have to charge me labor. I am a single mother and know very little about cars but they still explained everything to me in terms I could understand. I will never take my vehicles anywhere else! I've always felt intimidated when going into dealerships or repair shops by myself as a young female and I've finally found a place where I feel confident they they will not over talk, over sell or intimidate me. So, I highly recommend St. Louis Hills Automotive to everyone but especially women. I've also posted their business card to my FB for all of my friends and family, so they can know about a great mechanic, an honest business, and a professional friendly environment. read more

Great place. Honest. Reasonable cost. Gets the work done on time and they keep you informed as to what that are doing. No surprises.

Great experience with St. Louis Hills Auto. Tom is such a nice and honest guy. You don't have to worry about getting ripped off here. Very fair and honest. I won't be going anywhere else now. read more

From the first call to this shop all the way to the finish of the repair I received nothing but wonderful professional service from Tom. Very friendly and efficient ! Willing to work with my schedule. Its nice to see people taking pride in their jobs, kinda hard to find now days ! Thanks St. Louis Hills Automotive !! read more

The owner of this place is a dirtbag. I've known him for 20 years and he sold me a truck and said it was in good working condition. Really laid on the sleezeball salesman tactics. Said the break are new all the way around (which they weren't so paid $400 for that), said the shocks were new which they weren't (repaid to replace those as well). Hos partner even inspected the truck and said it was in good condition. The owner gave me a 1 year warranty on the transmission. So, I said ok I'll buy it. I trust you Tom. Big mistake. I just found out that the truck is not in good condition. The inspection should have caught it. Guess his partner, Paul, was lying too. I can't drive a 4 year old in a vehicle that is unsafe to drive. The front end needs to be overhauled at $1,000. Oh, and the transmission is slipping between 1st and 2nd gear. Tom's response? Oh it just needs a little grease. Repeated attempts to get him to honor the warranty haven't worked. Are you kidding me? That transmission will have to be rebuilt too. I get that a used truck needs repairs, but do you have to lie and say it is in good condition and then offer a warranty that you never had any intention of honoring? I'll never go back to St. Louis Hills Auto. They ripped me off. read more

Gosh I don't even know where to start. Tom at SLHA seriously is the best mechanic and person in St. Louis. After autotire ROYALLY screwed up and neglected things on my car, I came here by referral and I was not disappointed. He thoroughly checked out everything I had a problem with on my car and there were some issues, and fixed them for a VERY reasonable price. He also educated me and explained everything that was wrong, why it was doing what it was doing when i drove it, and how it could effect other parts of the car. I never felt once like i was getting "taken for a ride" or overcharged. I certainly did not feel like he treated me differently because I was a young female who didn't know a lot about cars, he actually wanted me to know what was going on. I won't be going anywhere else in St Louis for my car needs, even oil changes! Do yourself a favor and come to SLHA (the one in AFFTON), ask for Tom, and get the best service from a car shop you've ever had! read more

I always use local mechanics. My grandpa was one in Milwaukee, and my uncle took over the shop from him. They have a lot more riding on the honesty of their word and the quality of their work than a dealership or chain shop ever will. I moved to the area about a year ago, I have three vehicles I maintain, a Honda Accord, a VW Jetta, and an old F-150. I do the minor maintenance, but bring them to St Louis Hills for the big stuff. Tom is great. He's honest and upfront with the work and cost. He treats you fairly and with respect and stands by his work and that of his employees. He'll describe what's wrong in understandable terms, or more detail if you want it, without talking down to you. I have no problem sending my wife there to get her car looked at or worked on, as I know he's not going to try and sell her what she doesn't need or pressure her into buying what she doesn't want. The only time I had an issue with service, they were apologetic, acknowledged they made a mistake and made up for it. That's exactly what I want in a mechanic. I will continue to take our cars there, and suggest you do the same. read more

Before purchasing my 1995 Jeep I had it evaluated by a repair shop and they recommended several items that totaled over $1000. Wanting another opinion, I asked my friends and family for a recommendation with no luck. Finally, I grew impatient and decided to have St Louis Hills Auto give me a quote for service. After the evaluation my Jeep, Tom went over his recommendations and pricing. Tom gained my trust immediately after pointing out items that could wait (the same items that I was told needed to be fixed asap by the other repair shop) and his recommendation for repairs. St Louis Hills Auto Repair completed all my work the next day and saved me A LOT OF MONEY and time. I couldn't be happier with my experience and I will be recommending Tom and St Louis Hills Auto Repair to everyone I know! Thank you Tom! read more

I was pretty sure that I needed brakes and I had been meaning to take my car in for service. I needed an oil change as well and the first place I thought to go to was Dobb's. They agreed to take a look during my oil change. Well ... 2 1/2 hrs. later a mechanic tells me my oil is all changed (gee, thanks, and all it took was half my morning) for $29 BUT for $500 they will change out my brakes as well as rotors because they were pretty worn. I politely declined. I may be "just a girl" but that doesn't equate to a fool. Seriously this is such gross overcharging that I immediately hopped on my Yelp app and found a private owned & operated shop within close proximity where the mechanics wouldn't rip me off. I called & got the owner Tom who was so incredibly nice I thought I was being Punk'd. He gave me a pretty up front estimate which was $200 less than Robb's. Yeah, that's how I will refer to Dobbs from now own. Because if you let them, they will ROB! Tom told me to come in but there was one ahead of me and for the job the wait would be pretty long but promised to have my car up by 10 & done by noon. I arrived a little after 8 and noticed that he was working with another car that was an older model car that had EVERYTHING wrong with it. Seriously, I wanted to call the owner myself and tell them to get rid of it. In addition to it being on its last leg, the owner tried to "fix" it herself and further jacked it up. I'm saying this to say that he took extra care & time so that he could get to the root of the problem and let the owner know. I kept thinking "I hope he's getting paid for this diagnostic." Most shops charge you just to tell you what's wrong and THEN charge you to fix it. He took his time and finally got to mine... Late... Because of the little Black Death box he was working on before mine. Once my car was up he was great with communication, giving me a play by play of what was going on. He even showed me how worn the brake pads were and soon enough he was done. And even though my car wasn't up by 10 he was still done by the promised time. Actually before the time! I noticed that he pitched in to help speed things along to ensure I wouldn't be there longer. Once it was done he took it for a spin around the block to make sure all things were good and before noon I was rolling out. Tom runs a great shop and is extremely helpful and trustworthy and overall he doesn't make you feel like an idiot or cheapskate for trying to hold on to a car that's passed its prime (i.e. that Black Death box). read more