Everyone needs a reliable and honest doctor, lawyer, plumber, electrician, HVAC, and mechanic in their back pocket. Finding a mechanic you trust is hard. Finding one that's honest, communicates well, and doesn't charge dealership prices is even harder. But that's exactly what I found at Land Cruiser Specialist. I originally brought my Lexus SUV (Bertha) in several months ago for a major maintenance service that included an oil change, fluid changes, and other scheduled work. Their estimate came in about half of what the dealership quoted, but what really impressed me was how knowledgeable they were. They were extremely familiar with my vehicle, took the time to answer my questions, and never tried to upsell me. The work was excellent, and Bertha has been running like a dream ever since. That experience earned my trust, so next I brought in my sedan (Scarlett) for an oil change and several issues that I thought were going to be expensive. The car wouldn't start so I had it towed there, and it was a brand new battery. The door locks weren't working correctly, and the hood struts needed replacement. I was convinced the door lock actuators had failed, but instead they diagnosed the actual problem: a few blown fuses. Problem solved for a fraction of what I expected. As a bonus, they also found a nail in one of my tires and repaired it before it became a bigger issue. I have been driving Scarlett around lately and she runs like a dream, so we're both very happy. Most recently, I brought in my convertible (Black Beauty) for an oil change and to diagnose a battery drain issue - which I thought was a failing alternator. Rather than replacing parts unnecessarily, they methodically diagnosed the problem using the OEM service procedures. The alternator checked out perfectly, there were no electrical faults, and they explained that several accessories continue drawing power when the car sits for extended periods. They showed me how to minimize the battery drain and saved me from spending money on a repair I didn't need. That kind of honesty is worth its weight in gold. I've worked primarily with Hunter and Wes who are both are knowledgeable, professional, and easy to work with. Since I'm on a budget I asked them to call me if they found any additional problems that would increase the cost. Every single time they've respected that request and called me to explain exactly what they found and quoted the price before moving forward. There have never been any surprise charges, and I really appreciate that level of transparency. Don't let their name fool you, this isn't a shop that only works on Land Cruisers. I've seen all kinds of vehicles in their lot - sedans, SUVs, Jeeps, and more. Between my 3 vehicles alone, they've handled routine maintenance, electrical diagnostics, tire repair, and general troubleshooting with skill and professionalism. I think it was Hunter that told me they can tackle any issue w/ any vehicle. After trusting them with Bertha, Scarlett, and Black Beauty, they've absolutely earned my business. If you're looking for a shop that's knowledgeable, honest, fairly priced, and genuinely interested in fixing the problem instead of selling unnecessary repairs, I highly recommend Land Cruiser Specialist. read more

These guys are awesome. They went above and beyond in servicing my Cruiser. Great communication throughout the whole process and pricing was very fair. I had a laundry list of work that needed to be done and they knocked it out of the park. Additionally when there was a slight hiccup, they quickly and graciously helped fix it with zero issues. Just a great shop! read more

Book early as they are super busy great people good work and good value...! Had my 80 series worked on multiple times......all good! read more

Land Cruiser Specialist - 94 80 series...... - Auto Repair Near Me - Austin, Texas

Last fall (sep/oct '20) I finally got around to beginning upgrades on my Tacoma, I recalled hearing about LCS a few years prior. I stopped by (I had trouble making contact by phone) to talk to them to see if they'd even work on my truck since not an LC. YES, they work on Lexus *and Toyota! We talked about what I wanted and told them a couple kits I'd considered (ToyTec and another, forget now) and they sure, but they generally recommend IronMan... Ok, did some research online and even chatted IronMan (who also has amazing customer service) and decided to go Stage 2 Foam Cell Pro - as guided by LCS and IM. We got the kit ordered in and my truck scheduled just before a trip to Joshua Tree. Sure, it was a little tight but it's WELL broken-in now (JT, Big Bend, Sedona, Moab, Hidden Falls and more in the past 9mo). I went by yesterday to talk about my driver seat as it's needing some version of repair/replacement - Toyota said I needed a new seat, that the springs were bad so I've been researching OEM and Scheel-Mann. Well, LCS had a different perspective and said I could easily repair the seat (fabric in perfect condition) with new padding/batting for maybe a couple hundred?! I ended up having a good conversation with Edwin (owner) about the repair need, and even went on to talk about my suspension related to towing and doing bumpers. This crew is legit!! Not only do they do amazing work, they're honest and will tell you the best way to do something - even if it doesn't mean they're getting your money. They did my suspension & skids, have pointed me to saving money on fixing my driver seat at a recommended upholsterer. This is a no-brainer. LCS is my installer for as long as I drive Toyota/Lexus--which will be for life. Thank you Edwin, Wes, Hunter and the team! See you next year when I'm ready to do my bumpers ;) read more

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This place is the best around central texas if you have a land cruiser, they know the ins and outs of these trucks. i worked with Sean getting my AC up and running for summer, ended up replacing the whole system but he worked with me to make sure that 100% and stood by everything that was done if there were any questions. Highly recommended, hard to find honest mechanics in Austin, however, they can be hard to get ahold of sometimes so if you are close by id say just drive there and set something up in person. read more

Land Cruiser Specialist - '91 LC - Auto Repair Near Me - Austin, Texas

These dudes are great. Some may say pricey, but hey, you get what you pay for. Wife and I landed a sweet deal on a 2000 LC and we immediately took it to them. The were extremely knowledgable, not pushy, and always recommended the most cost efficient options. It's a bit of a hike from south Austin, but well worth the trip. read more

They changed the motor in our 4 runner it runs amazing and have done work on our Tacoma. They are very knowledgeable and it's hard to find people that know how to work on altered vehicles and sometimes even older vehicles. Would highly recommend 100 percent. The team that works there are also so nice and customer service is great. read more

Land Cruiser Specialist is awesome! I am a new owner of a 1994 Land Cruiser. I brought it in to get it checked out and address a few issues. Shaun took the time to address all my questions and provide even more help for me to learn to do some simple things on my own. Not only have I been able to save a little money, learn a little about how to take care of my vehicle, but also I have found a shop I fully trust with any service needed in the future. I highly recommend Land Cruiser specialist. Thank you guys very much for all the help! read more

Honest and dependable landcruiser EXPERTS! Just popped in from out of town and the owner took time out of his BUSY day to take care of something quick and simple to get me taken care of! Edwin and the guys here are first class. Worth every dollar spent. Thanks guys, really appreciate the first class service for my old cruiser. read more

Land Cruiser Specialist - 86FJ60 - Auto Repair Near Me - Austin, Texas

TOTALLY trust Edwin with my 1971 Cruiser. He helped me get it street legal & was FAR more reasonably priced than others I talked with. Very easy to talk with, gave me alternatives, &, more importantly, never talked to me like I was "a girl". :) He is my go-to now for ANY issues I have. Thanks, Edwin! read more

Great service they figured exactly what was wrong with my cruiser. All the guys there are very down to earth. Shawn is a wealth of knowledge. Has been helping me with my 100series for the year. read more

I was looking for parts for my '95 cruiser, and these guys were super helpful. They referred me to used parts dealer, and I got a door replacement for $75 (the body shop was quoting $700 to repair it!) A++ for being super helpful. read more

Nothing but good things to say about this shop. Stay away from Cruiseryard though. Jason is unprofessional and rude. Give your business to this place instead! read more

I arranged for my vehicle to be stored with Edwin after my father passed away in trade for all of the parts my father had acquired over the years as well as some parts vehicles. When I showed up to take possession of my vehicle it was missing and I was informed that Edwin was told that myself and my grandmother had sold the vehicle. Edwin said he attempted to reach her and I via phone and after not making the connection to either of us, decided to allow someone he did not know to load my truck onto a trailer and take it from his possession without my consent. He (Edwin) didn't get a name, didn't get a license plate number, just let it go. Fortunately through the local community I found out who it was that took the truck although it hasn't been recovered and most likely never will. I was never offered help to locate it and was never offered any kind of compensation to replace it (although replacing the parts is feasible, the sentiment can never be replaced with anything other than MY vehicle). The worst part about it is my father called this person a friend... I just can't believe someone can be so incompetent that they would allow a total stranger to come take a vehicle from their possession that they do not own personally without the owner's consent; there is no reasonable explanation other than intent to profit or incompetence... My father seriously regarded Edwin as a friend; things like this have made me lose trust in pretty much everybody. With friends like this, who needs enemies?! read more

I've been coming to Land Cruiser Specialist for 2 years now, these guys are the best. Edwin is very friendly and approachable, though most of my interactions have been with Shawn (since I have yet to acquire a Land Cruiser of my own). Both Edwin and Shawn are happy to discuss mechanical issues, they've even met with me during the lunch hour and after normal hours on occasion. They've helped me out with finding parts and have even passed on knowledge for some of my DIY mechanic projects. The crew are friendly, knowledgeable, approachable, patient, and honest. Very fast turn-around times, fair & accurate quotes, and unparalleled Toyota expertise. I really cannot recommend this shop highly enough. A++ read more

I have an '87 4Runner that has become my favorite thing in the world. At 350k miles, you can imagine it has a few nagging issues. After seeing glowing reviews and a handful of referrals, I took it up to Edwin. Upon arrival, Edwin comes out to the truck for me to walk him through the main issue. Within 5 minutes he knows the problem. Within 15 minutes, the truck is in the bay and the faulty part is out of the truck thanks to Edwin's son, who happens to be a 1st gen 4Runner owner/expert. Of course the part is unavailable new, so LCS goes digging for it. A day later they find it in a friends garage, and procure it for me. In the meantime, they've called me 3 times to give me status updates, and they've taken care of my other nagging issues (including one I forgot to tell them about, but they fixed it anyway). I drove the truck off today with it running better than the day I bought it 6 years ago. These guys are truck whisperers. I am fully aware of how silly that sounds, but I'm not kidding. If you have a Toyota truck and are in need of an extremely experienced, honest, fairly priced, and more importantly communicative mechanic...call Edwin and his team. You will NOT be disappointed. read more

these guys are solid. always giving me thorough diagnoses, answering all my questions, and giving me great recommendations for after-market gear without trying to make me break the bank. super friendly too and about as honest as you can get. love this place read more

I've been using Edwin and his shop for years. He's an honest and talented mechanic... I won't go anywhere else or trust anyone else with my cruisers and highly recommend the LC Specialist. read more

I can't say enough about these guys!!! I recently bought an older land cruiser with a few hiccups. Edwin and the gang have been awesome! Totally straight forward and honest, have taken so much time to explain things and really get the to meat of the issues. I have a feeling I could have easily sunk triple the money in the my cruiser had it not be for the knowledge and experience in this shop.. The pricing has been more than fair. Especially on top of the amount of customer service perks/education that has come along with the hours logged in the cruiser. Thanks guys!!! read more

I love these guys. I have an 1998 LX 470 (Lexus version of Landcruiser). I have taken it to both Toyota and Lexus many times, where they always try to get me to replace large, expensive "assemblies." By contrast, the Landcruiser Specialist guys will identify the exact component that is having issues within the assembly and replace just that component. They have saved me SO much money this way. read more

I had to come to Austin for a job in 2013 and went in and had a nice long chat with Edwin. Then had a few more and let him and his guys go to work on my rig. I couldn't have been happier. They don't bother trying to talk people into stuff they don't need. They do the work they think you really need and tell you up front how many hours it's going to take. They don't mark up prices on parts. They sit down and explain everything they did, show you what they did, and take a ton of pride in what they do. Anyways, they hooked me up with an Ironman suspension system, adjusted the valves, handled my alignment, flushed the cooling system, re-did the vacuum lines, and put new seals on the oil pan. If you're in Texas, go visit these guys. read more

When you're rebuilding an engine and the best machinist in town (Brooks Elliot) says that Land Cruiser Specialist is the best Toyota shop in town, you better believe it! As I've principally had Shawn work on my truck I can really only give you an anecdote about him: in addition to typical work, Shawn replaces multiple head gaskets a week. Not a month, not a year, A WEEK! He consistently has people sending him trucks from out of town. It's actually kind of annoying to have to schedule stuff out in advance with him, but damn, the guy is good at his job. I've used these guys for pretty much everything on my 100 series project. I can't leave now without them asking to buy it! read more

LCS (Shawn specifically) is the only place I let work on my 14 4runner Trail. No matter what I decide I wanna do, Shawn is up for the task and the results always exceed my expectations. Recent things included installations of Total Chaos upper control arms, DC Engineering 270amp alternator, a Northstar Group 31 battery (about 75lbs of 1150CCA), the "Big 3" cable upgrade, a C4 stealth front bumper with winch and light bar, as well as getting my Rigid D2 Dually fog replacements to still use the "stalk" switch, but come on independently of my headlights. Even "if" I were to switch out my differential gear or even install a Magnuson supercharger, I wouldn't hesitate to go to LCS even though my 4runner is newer than what they usually work on. As one other reviewer said, "they don't just work on older land cruisers". They have had some crazy complicated expedition vehicles through there, so a new(er) Tundra/Tacoma/Lexus GX/FJ/4runner etc., usually isn't going to pose too much of a challenge for them read more

Bought a 2003 100 Series Cruiser that had the dreaded (and very expensive) ABS brake problem. The guys at LCS diagnosed it, walked me through a couple of options for repair and allowed me to source my own part out of a salvage yard. They got the part, installed it, bled the brakes to make sure everything was right, and did it all in the timeframe that worked for me. I live about an hour and a half from their facility but it was worth dealing with folks that know Land Cruisers. One additional note, their shop is a little tricky to find, trust Apple Maps to turn in, otherwise you have to go all the way around the feeder. read more

Edwin and Shawn are a fantastic duo that know LCs inside and out. They friendly, patient when explaining complex issues to me, fairly-priced, and scrupulously honest. I'm getting ready to sell my '90 FJ62, and Edwin gave me his cell number and offered to vouch for my car's value to any interested buyer. That's pretty good customer service in my book. read more

Edwin and crew are the best in the business. I trust them whole heartedly. He's gone out of his way to help me out with my fj40 and steered me towards other reputable transmission mechanics for automatic work. THEY WORK ON ALL TOYOTA 4x4 so don't hesitate to call about bringing in your 1st and 2nd gen 4runners and tacoms. read more

I CAN NOT say enough about these guys. I purchased a 1987 FJ60 about 6 months ago and I trust her care to no one else ever again. They are so patience explaining the idiosyncrasies of these LCs to new owners. They always look for the most economical way to resolve my issues (even when they could be human error). We've been in 3-4 times since owning her to address items we knew she needed upon purchase. I have come to trust their recommendations implicitly. You always hope you find a mechanic that stands behind their work 100%. I can honestly say they do! read more

Trustworthy, fair, honest, thorough, personable, and patient. I have relied on Edwin and crew for years.

Edwin is a great guy. When my. Land Cruiser dies, I'll buy another so I can keep going back.

I recently purchased a 2003 Land Cruiser and wanted someone to look it over and let me know about any potential issues. Edwin found a few issues, but nothing that needed to be addressed immediately. When and if there is a need for service going forward, I will not hesitate to take my LC back to them. read more