Made an appointment by phone, then got text confirmation. Showed up at the scheduled time, and was told by grumpy guy at the front desk that they don't take appointments and I'd have to leave my car, which I couldn't do. Had bad experience with them years ago, and they haven't improved. read more

I contacted them on Tuesday January 21st and told them the issue I was having, Misfire in #2, #5 and #7 cylinder. They told me to bring it in on Thursday January 23rd. We live out of state but my son goes to college at VT and I know nothing about any of the local repair shops. First let me start out with the good... They did get me in quickly and due to my employment at a local auto parts store I was able to bring in my own parts. I carried in 8 spark plugs, 8 ignition coils, fuel filter and fuel injector because I really didn't know what was causing the misfire. Got there Thursday morning about 0930 and they had a nice lobby for me to wait in until I could get an Uber ride. Later that afternoon, after not hearing from them all day, I called to get an update. This is when the problems started. They told me they replaced all of the spark plugs and ignition coils but still had a misfire in #2 so they did a compression test and I had almost no compression in #2 and I needed either a new engine or get it rebuilt. They then told me that the #2 spark plug was missing the end of it and the strap (pictures attached) and it is more than likely the cause of the damaged the #2 cylinder and loss compression. My question to them was (and of course no answer was given) and still is, with the #2 spark plug damaged that bad, why didn't they do a compression test on the #2 cylinder before they did a complete tune up on a damaged engine??? Seems like they are just parts replacers instead of being able to diagnose a problem or problem solve. I know have a freshly tuned up, $600 for parts and labor, damaged engine that will probably have to be rebuilt. Had they done a compression test on the #2 cylinder as soon as they saw the badly messed up spark plug, I would have told them to just leave it and had it towed back to NC instead. Be careful that they dont just replace parts and you pay a lot of money and still have a messed up vehicle. read more

South Main Auto Service - Tires Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

See all

My 2008 Toyota Matrix suddenly would not start one morning last week. i knew it wasn't the battery. I am thankful, it was in the parking lot where I live at Warm Hearth. South Main Auto came and towed it. They called before 5 to tell me they ordered a new starter at what the price would be including the tow. It was done before 9 a.m. but I didn't check the phone until later. Incluuding the $80. tow, I thought $400 was reasonable. I mention that I am an old lady only because of the negative comment from Jordan. This is the cleanest shop I have been to in Blacksburg and am thankful for the reference from a couple of people on my floor. Bonus: A Parrot named Harley should be listed as an amenity. The people were all friendly and super competent. They also do inspections. I don't know why people wait until the end of the month to get their inspections done. They take 46 minutes each so plan to drop it off if you wait until late. Do not use the shuttle service. read more

TLDR; do not come here unless you want to spend $800 when you didn't have any issues before going in. they scam young females. I wish I could give this place negative stars. Went in for a state inspection on my car. They called me saying my front and rear brake pads were completely worn down and they were asking $800 to put new brake pads in. I said no and they slapped a big ol "rejection" sticker on my windshield. Took my car to another shop for a second opinion the next day.. there was absolutely nothing wrong with my brake pads. My car is 2023 and has less than 22,000 miles on it. These people tried to scam me out of $800 for shit i did not need. They take advantage of young females. DO NOT GO HERE. absolutely flabbergasted that this place is still in business read more

My daughter was having trouble with her battery not charging and she took it over to advanced auto parts and they said that she needed a new alternator. The guys at South Main auto were very friendly and understood how difficult it can be for parents to be out of town and to have their child get automotive work done. Alan was very friendly and courteous towards us and he took time to inspect her car and found out that it was just a bad connection from the battery post and our alternator was not in need of replacement. They saved us a whole lot of heartache and money. I really appreciate them. Our experience was great and I highly recommend these guys. read more

I quit going to this business a number of years ago because I overheard a mechanic explaining to his boss that he was "trying to get the bill up to $1000". I went back after hearing good things about the place. I have used the service several times since, and everything has been fine. This time, I called in advance, explained that I needed the car back by a certain time, and was told (several times) that that would not be a problem. Close to the promised time, I called, (they did not call me), and was told that the car had not been looked at yet, and would not be ready until well after the promised time. Apologies don't cut it. You are a very pleasant business, but you have to keep your promises. At the least, you need to call the customer and explain. read more

Not sure about the negative reviews here. Been to South Main Auto twice, and they're very reliable, professional and knowledgeable. I'd recommend them all day long. Plus, they have a free shuttle service! read more

South Main Auto Service - Harley, Customer Service Rep - Tires Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

If I could give LESS than 1 star I would! I dropped my car off for a state inspection and was failed for my rear suspension. I asked them to show me what the problem was and they explained that both rear knuckle bushings needed replaced, and that they were unable to replace the single problematic bushing because they were concerned it would "warp" the aluminum knuckle when they went to press it out and replace it. The mechanic stated he didn't know why both rear knuckle bushings needed to be replaced, and stated he was "just the mechanic" and I needed to talk to the guy up front about the decision. I was quoted about $2600 for the parts and labor. Their inability to correctly diagnose my vehicle was made apparent when I asked another auto shop for a second opinion and was PASSED. I was told by the new auto shop that there was in fact, "nothing wrong with my rear suspension and they were unable to make sense of the original inspection determination." I feel as though being a female in a college town that I was taken advantage of by South Main Auto. DO NOT recommend! AVOID this place. read more

came in week ago, power steering pump failed. & power issues as in acceleration non mechanical,check the brakes,they did nothing on power issues. hazard light on dash board, I asked them to reset it. within 4 minutes leaving before I got onto 460E my entire dashboard lights were on&off, power to the entire vehicle shut off while causing me to lose all control&then it cut back on instantly turned around at the hotel and they were already closed South Main Auto Friday. I had to call somebody have them pick me up. SMautocalled back Monday saying it was a defective part power steering. I said OK they had it for seven business days not included the weekend. I paid almost $900 for fucking jack shit the part exploded on me causing the engine in the jeep and everything to become a mess and then 300$ pump gone. additionally they never fixed the power issue so I couldn't get past 3000 RPM the vehicle would not want to accelerate to move up a hill it was hurting the vehicle additionally more ware and tear on the parts, I told them of the problem and they have a system that any customer that comes in with their vehicle, they will do a full inspection just basic free checks but obviously never even hooked it up to the diagnostic test because if they did, I wouldn't have been back ...when I left that seventh business day later yesterday the power steering pump may be work still but they put a new one on for the second time no charge and then they lied to me the worst part they lied to me and said they drove my vehicle for 20 to 30 minutes due to the power steering issue and they are still ignoring the power issue so when they drove nowhere because the mileage when I picked up my vehicle still had 133 miles left in the tank the speedometer didn't move much more than a mile and a half you don't drive a vehicle for 20 to 30 minutes and have absolutely no mileage taken and no gas mileage taken down and I highly doubt a place would put gasoline back into a vehicle for a test run because that is just not what those places do so again when I left roughly 4 minutes away the second time I had, my fiancé my dog and was hoping OK maybe they fixed everything no they lie they didn't fix anything ican't even speak on the power steering because that hasn't been tested, they failed to do job from the fuckin start, they made my vehicle worse then when I brought it in with just half steering pump issue, they didn't tell me the truth and didn't drive my vehicle anywhere, didn't check anything and charged more money. nothing they do is honest, They lie and say they drove my vehicle no mileage was added to the speedometer of a 20 to 30 minute drive the part you installed on my vehicle exploded, you don't even do the basic checks that every shop does or even a courtesy checkafter a mess up , but also like you advertise and or told to do, so you willingly , knowingly and deliberately, made a situation by lying to your customers and by not fixing the problem, alerting the customer to make them have an option to fix the problem or don't fix the problem except you did everything wrong by not telling the customer you got a problem. you ignored the problem knowingly and willingly chose to not tell me and then deliberately didnt tell me and more. So you all did a half ass job and you hinder your customers vehicle time effort in their family and friends and his job or whatever because you can't do your job it does not take $1200 to install a fucking pump and sensor so now even more labor time $$ for a money sucking hell hole . if I didn't have to have surgery on my damn hand&finger, I would use my hands on something different to fix. I recommend nobody ever come to this place its a money sucking pit 127that does a shitty job and they DO LIE they ain't gonna put gasoline back in your vehicle and then somehow dial back 20 to 30 minutes of driving on your speedometer after a mess up. It just don't happen and if y'all don't believe me whoever reads I'll send you the receipts. I have one for $900 almost I have the second one for the replacement part for free zero dollars of charge and both times they did a full diagnostic test and they still asking. For money out of my pocket for their fuck up because they can't do their job and they now found a cam sensor issue. Then I called to speak to them and I stated I have a brand new in the box cam sensor in the vehicle but they refused to find it and refused to use it. So tons of delays & $ from who knows what the fuck and what's the next new problem they will cause! I'll have the 3rd bill and nothing got fixed same problem occu All they had to do is be honest , hey their another problem do you want to fix it yes or no. don't lie to my face and say you test drive it for a longtime 20-30 min it's fact the speedometer didn't move for Jack shit nor did my gas mileage tank. most fucked place ever! Iam a jackass but never a lier. And cam sensor never replaced. I have original broken one.waste$$$$ read more

On a trip to Blacksburg Va, my Jeep Grand Cherokee over heated. I needed the truck to move my daughter home within 24 hours. They took my truck in, diagnosed the issue and repaired within 4 hours. The staff was SUPER , am very much appreciated they prioritized getting me back on the road so fast. BRAVO!!!!! read more

Besides being pricey, I haven't had any trouble at this shop until today. I made an appointment for an inspection and tire patch and told them I would wait for my car. They told me they would "see me in the morning". I showed up at 9:30 and they said they wouldn't be able to fit me into the schedule because I missed my appointment window of 7-9. I told the person at the counter that I was just arbitrarilly told the "morning" and he accused me of lying, saying "we always say 7-9". I had always had good experiences with the older gentleman (maybe owner), but after the younger guy accused me of lying and made me drive the 30 minutes back home without offering any alternative times or dates will prevent me from ever returning here again. Deplorable customer service. read more

We love South Main Auto! We've had an issue with our car's headlights not working properly for a year and a half. Two other auto shops failed to find the issue. During a routine inspection, South Main found and fixed the issue right away, without costing us a ton! We were very impressed with their attention to detail, knowledge, and overall kindness in service. We will definitely be taking our other car there too. Highly recommend! read more

I watch your channel. I am a retired mechanic, 40 years in the field. I am very impressed with knowledge & stand up way of doing business. Like myself I consider u a mechanic, not a parts changer"! There is a difference. I come from 3 gens of mechanics, my son is the 4th & he is the best of us so far. He does have 2 sons though so I hope the future is theirs. Thanx for carrying on the Way of The Stand Up Mechanic... read more

Car broke down on the street and had to have it taken here as it was the closest shop and had stellar reviews. Great, no problem, we had an appointment for the following morning anyway so we thought the service would be reputable and quick, just like every review on Google mentions. Our appointment was early in the morning and they didn't even LOOK at the car until at least 2pm. Then, they proceeded to keep the car for about a week because they "couldn't figure out what was wrong," despite me looking online and diagnosing the same problem within 24hours of the car breaking down that they eventually diagnosed a week after our initial intake (a period during which we had no choice but to get a rental because of how long they took). Every time we drove past the shop, we spotted our car outside of the garage, just sitting in a parking space with no one working on it, no one looking, no one even TRYING to figure out what the issue was. The people here are nice and the "diagnostic fee" was only $60, but you're out of luck if your car actually has an issue. We essentially paid $60 to board our car here while the people whose job it is to figure out what's wrong ogled it like some supernatural creature claiming "too many code lights on, brain can't work." read more

Great shop and folks who work there!! As a mom of a VA Tech student, we needed a tow and a fix. Scott answered the phone and was the best ever. He walked me through the service and stayed in touch and connected with my daughter for pick up. Since I am out of town - he made the entire experience a pleasant one. I definitely recommend South Main Auto!! Top notch!! Gipdiw-xaston-rorka4 read more

Had a state inspection done here, fast, no extra fees. They require you to drop off your car in the morning for state inspection, but you can drop off a day ahead. read more

Ever noticed that auto shops have the weirdest things playing on tv when youre there? Here it always seems to be soap operas ... anyways. Big clean shop, but seems in recent years that they've lost some of their best technicians. I'm willing to pay a little more for better service, but as they've lost some of these people the quality seems to be going down a bit. And every time they call to tell me the car is ready, they seem to add a lot of "you need this, this is going bad, don't forget that this is falling off" comments, along with an estimated total to fix. I've started using them for things like annual inspections, and not much else. read more

Had my daughters car inspected there. They failed it cause the headlights had the film on it and wanted to charge me $70 to remove it. Took it over to Firestone in Christiansburg and they said film on the headlights is NOT part of inspection. Went to the auto store and bought some headlight cleaner for$15.00. This is not the first time they made up prices with me. Will never return! Firestone in Cburg is great. friendly and does the work right. read more

Place has done a Good job for me. Diagnosed an engine problem and gave me choices... I judge car repair shops by what they get done, ready on time for basics (tires, brakes, State Insp) Prices reasonable for tires... lots of choices from top brands and others. Has a customer pick up service. I don't rate them on the waiting area or "What's on the TV!!!" read more

I went in because my check engine light was on. I was told they had to run a "diagnostics test" that cost $80 to check what was wrong with my car. The check engine light scanner only costs $20 on amazon so I would recommend buying that than going to these scammers who overcharge on EVERYTHING. Also, the reviews on demandforce.com are fake and is a ploy to bring in more customers to rip off. This company is a shame to a wonderful Blacksburg community. read more

Took my car in for an inspection and to have a coil pack replaced. The estimate for the coil pack replacement was $250. I received a call stating that the steering rack needed to be replaced and they "spoke to the Volvo guy who said he can't keep this part on the shelf since it is such a common problem with your vehicle, esp. between 120k - 160k miles and he can't get the part until Wednesday". Coincidentally mine is at about 155k. They said the part would be $1700 and labor $600. So basically a $2500+ bill. Needless to say I told them to put the rejection sticker on it. I took it to a Volvo specialist in Roanoke and learned that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the steering rack. He 1) replaced the coil pack, 2) rotated the tires, 3) fixed a small problem with the brakes, 4) changed the oil and 5) completed the state inspection..... $191. Enough said. read more

Avoid this place. They will take advantage and overcharge you, especially for anyone female. So unethical. David-- here's some more info. When I got my car inspected at the local dealership they found a nail in my tire and they wanted to repair it. I didn't have time to do it that day, but then they were closed the next day so I went to your shop. Your guy told me it wasn't repairable due to the level of tread (which had just passed inspection at the dealership) and tried to sell me new tires. I left, went to a different tire shop, and they repaired the tire for $12. When I relayed this experience to my neighbors they all told me they avoid your shop. Lesson learned. read more

We had car trouble today while visiting from out of town. The manager made sure to check our car immediately, so we could get home in time for my husband to go to work. He was knowledgeable, and courteous. They made sure our car was safe to drive back home, and it was ready the same day. Thank you, South Main Auto! read more

It seems the quality of the service of this shop is continue going down hill and the price went up! I needed oil change, went to Monday and they said that day was packed and asked me to bring my car in next day. I dropped my car in the morning before 9am. Shuttle service was fairly pleasant and dropped me to the office, 3 minutes away. I didn't hear anything from the shop and became worry since I need my car by 5pm. I called the shop at 3:37 pm and they told me that my care can get ready before 6pm which is the close time of the store. I said "no" I needed by 5pm. Obviously they didn't have any difficulty to get it done before 4:36pm. When I got there to pay the bill, I realized the price is much higher than any dealer or other store charged around New River Valley , over $73 for synthetic oil change. They also has the promotion of $8 at the time but they guy didn't offer me that option at all because he is aiming for the highest he could get me charged. When I told him that shelor only change $64, he pretty much said "don't come back." Not mention the price, a nine hours job for the oil change, bottom line the attitude - not recommend to anyone else!! read more

Never on time, 4 1/2 hours for an oil change with an scheduled appointment. Not coming back anytime soon!

My daughter is a student at VT and took her car here because the belts were squealing and wouldn't stop. She left it on a Sunday night using the early bird drop off envelope. I was a little nervous that she would be taken advantage of not knowing for sure what was wrong with her car. I gotta be honest and say that I would have told her to take her car somewhere else based on your prior reviews. I use Yelp a lot but I don't post enough about the good experiences. I am trying to change that. I am definitely happy with the service my daughter received from this garage. All she needed was to have the belts tightened. She was charged $46 which was money well spent since I wasn't there to do it myself. Thanks for the honest service! read more

Really, really, really BAD at auto electrical issues. I spent a bunch of money only to be told " we don't know how to fix it" but thanks for the payment. To add to the insult they broke most of the brackets that held the switches. Do your self a favor, avoid this place. read more

I dropped my truck off to have it inspected here, about 4 hours later an inspector named Steven Dunn inspector number 38450. He started off by saying he wanted to go over a few things with me. The week before I had 2800 dollars worth of work done to this truck , it's a 98 dodge with 130k on it, brand new motor, brakes, brake lines , lights and a new tire (was told it was needed to pass the upcoming inspection). He was polite I will say that, but he started saying all these things that were wrong with the truck. Like the brakes and the brake lines and the lights, tie rod ends , master craft courser, valve stem, and my windshield which has no cracks or anything and two tires and a few more things , I'll include a picture of what he said was wrong . Over 3 grand of work maybe even more . Needless to say , I took it to another shop for a second opinion and I was told that everything on this list was fine except for one brake pad wasn't on correctly. (I wonder if they done this) My honest opinion is that they saw my name on the paperwork and thought that I was a female and tried to take advantage of me. I know a couple of other people that have went here and were told they had problems and went to there dealership and was told everything was fine. People beware before you take your vehicle here . I wouldn't even take my vehicle here for an oil change. On my way home my vehicle suddenly had a vibration in it that wasn't there before. It's so hard to find an honest mechanic these days , and these guys are not honest. At least the guy that did my inspection isn't. Hope someone reads this before it happens to you. read more

South Main Auto Service - Tires Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

Dont take your car here! They take advantage of students and if they're not busy doing that, they're doing a half ass job. They torque your vehicles bolts to high hell and they also just casually left a pair of pliers in my engine bay that managed to touch a pair of hot wires and nearly set my engine on fire if i hadn't have smelled the smoke. Brought the tool in and questioned them about it and they didn't care just said thanks for returning it and continued to ignore me. read more

Called ahead to discuss options for repair and general price for replacing an exhaust manifold. Spoke with Terry who was very personable on the phone and knowledgeable about the repair, options (replace or sometimes weld) and the price was reasonable compared to two other shops. Stated I was traveling in to Blacksburg for the day and could I make an appointment -- all done, all good. I show up today, they don't have the parts but suggested an upsell of a brake clean and inspect. I agree because the back brakes hadn't been checked out in a few years and ask to have a slow leak in a tire checked. Brian provided an estimate of $180, which I haggle on a little, but agree. Dropped car off at 7am and at 3:30 get call brake inspect turned up bad news: my back brakes need to be machined, one side was worn out completely and the bolts need to be replaced and that the fluid needs to be drained and replaced and the brakes retested. Oh btw the tire leak was a bad valve stem which was replaced -- later I find out this would be $26! At 5:30 all is done and the bill is $290. That is one expensive brake job and the original problem still isn't fixed. Disappointed in this transaction, the day-long upsell and the day lost on the exhaust problem. I actually think the work was done correctly but the business side of this spoiled the experience. read more

Their estimates are made up and out of touch with reality. I and at least two friends have been given estimates that were significantly lower than the actual charge. read more

I would give less then 1 if at all possible. We WERE loyal customers for almost 20 years and will NEVER go back. They installed a water pump and timing belt. 3 weeks later on an Sunday while driving 70 miles an hour on the interstate the car looses all power and we were lucky to get off the road safely. We need to get the car towed and needed a rental. They were rude about having to fix the problem even though it was 100% their fault and under warranty, they refused to pay for the rental and when they returned the car "fixed" we had to drive right back to them because something was still wrong. The guy who looked at it after returned said "it sounds better now then it did". That tells me they gave me back the car KNOWING there was something still wrong - even after having it for 5 days. We also learned from the dealer that they charged us $300 more then the dealer would have for the original problem. So to recap - faulty work, over charged and rude. NEVER AGAIN read more

Best service in blacksburg. Fair prices, extremely friendly service, and quick turnaround. After getting the run-around elsewhere they were a breath of fresh air. read more

The South Main team finally fixed a hesitation in our Honda Fit that we had been living with for several years through several repair shops. It was ready when promised, and Dave followed up the next day to make sure all was well. read more

I have been going to this business for over 11 years since I moved to Blacksburg. I have always found the staff friendly and helpful. Unlike reported in other reviews, I have always found my estimates to be reasonable and the work to be done of great quality. One thing I like about this shop is that they are often able to squeeze you in in a pinch for oil changes, rotations, and inspections. The waiting room is clean and comfortable and they have a shuttle service that will take you where you need to go if you don't want to wait. I have recommended this shop to others and will continue to do so. read more

My boyfriend Robert and I always take our Chrysler (& any other car we've had!) Here. They are fair with their prices and I trust them. They have always told me if they see anything starting to become an issue and let me know which problems need attention now and can wait. I honestly wouldn't take my vehicles anywhere else! read more

I called to ask for one and they told me that they would call me to give me a price and until today 3 months ago and nothing this is a bad reference for this business read more

We've been dealing with S.Main Auto for a fourteen years. During those years they have consistently provided good service, the employees are polite, friendly and knowledgeable and the cars have been returned to us repaired and when promised. Bad experiences happen to all who deal with a variety of businesses but, this has never been part of our experience with S.Main Auto. We have no complaints and are happy to do business with them. read more

I have been taking my vehicles here for the last 7 years but will no longer be returning. I generally do my own work on my vehicles but use them in a pinch and for annual inspections because they are close to my home and have been satisfied with their work in the past. The several few times I've called or gone in, their estimates are WAY too high for very routine services like fluid swaps or brakes and other things sometimes I would just rather pay someone to do and save my time. The most recent time, I needed front brake pads and quoted me $170 for parts and labor just for pads....no rotors or resurfacing included in that quote. This is a job I can do for $50 in parts and about 30 minutes of time in a garage. I'm a guy in my mid 30's (ex: not a college kid) with a fair deal of knowledge of auto mechanics, parts pricing, and labor details on most jobs and I feel like they still try to take advantage of me. I would hate to wonder about what they are doing to folks with less know-how. The shop at SMA is big, nice, and clean, with WIFI and all the trimmings including a shuttle service, but I get the feeling that's most of what you're paying for here. Take the advice of Click and Clack and find a shop with the lowest overhead and you will find the best prices. Update: Just got a quote from a small shop in Christiansburg for $80...guess who's getting my money? read more

South Main Auto has a great staff and I have been really impressed how quickly they have gotten estimates and fixed a problem I had with a wheel bearing. They have also been very helpful with a problem I had at the local Snappy Lube where Snappy Lube did not refill my rear differential after a fluid change and it cause major damage. I have been really happy with South Main on performance and time is money and they are fast and do what they say. read more