Smitty's Automotive Service

I took my vehicle to this shop from a recommendation and they diagnosed and charged me over 300 dollars to fix it. Two days later the same issue happened with my vehicle so I called this place and took my car back there for almost a week and they charged me almost 300 the second time totalling to 600 or more to have my car fix. The same thing happened about two days later engine light came back on.

I am not going back to this shop and I recommend if you have a 2018 model car or better do not go to this shop. The mechanic did not know what he was doing the service was horrible and this place is the perfect example of a no good shade tree mechanic.

Really happy with my experience with these fellas. Easy on price so good for me as a college kid. I generally do all my own work but this was an issue outta my knowledge. They were really good about being transparent with expectations, price and time. Not the best looking shop on the outside but certainly pretty stand up guys working there. Will be back without a doubt. Really satisfied with my experience

Critical: Professionalism, Quality, Value Wouldn't recommend anyone I know to have these want to be professionals to work on there vehicles! They are clueless on what the real problem is and sell you parts you don't need. If you use them, good luck! I had to figure out the problem and fixed it myself after they charged 600 and couldt figure it out.poor workmanship! Services: General repairs & maintenance, Auto engine diagnostic, Engine repair

Javier and his Crew offered Great Service and a Great deal! He even put in the time to make several calls to different places looking for the cheapest, correct part for my 2006 Toyota Tundra! Also he always answers the phone! Even to me on Christmas Eve day!

The mechanic didn't put my skid plate back on correctly and it fell off while I was driving. When I took it back for them to fix, the mechanic used zip ties and various screws to get the plate back on and didn't tell me they lost the original screws. I didn't find out they used zip ties until my next oil change at a different location. Terrible customer service. When I asked for compensation the mechanic said he would "make me a deal" next time I came in.

They were very thorough and professional. They even checked on me days after to see how the car was doing. It has never happened to me since I started driving for 23 years now. That's commendable. I highly recommend this shop. Service: General repairs & maintenance

Hard work and honesty. What more can you ask for from an auto repair shop? Turns out the reason for my car stalling was a dead battery. They were quick to identify and resolve the issue. Thanks guys! Service: Battery

Replaced my broken gasket at Smitty's and was assured that it was fixed. However, the gasket started leaking within a few days due to the defective gasket used at Smitty's. Had to get it fixed again at another workshop who honestly showed me the problem. Disappointed with the rude customer service and the fact that they tried to rip me off since I did not know much about cars.

Its hard to find a trust worthy mechanic and I believe I just found one! They took their time to explain the repair process and how long it would take. Smitty even took me too an from work while my vehicle was being repaired. Fair pricing and awesome customer service. I would recommend them to anyone!

Smitty's auto service was awesome! I had to tow my car because of an engine problem and they discovered the issue within a couple of hours and had replaced and fixed my radiator within 24 hours. The service is amazing and it was reasonably priced. I will be going back the next time I need this service! All around great place!

Took my VW 2002 Eurovan to Smitty's because the engine belt was falling apart. He used to work at Volkswagen in the 70's and my current mechanic used to work for Smitty. This guy knows his stuff and did a great thorough job. He is extremely knowledgable. He even saved the parts for us to look at afterwards that was causing the problem. We know enough about cars and this guy is honest and runs a tight team. Great place, quality work, and fast.

The service rep at the Honda dealers told me my car needed a new compressor and that it would cost me $1,500.00+, so I asked a friend who's native to Gainesville and she recommended Smitty's. After I called and was told it would cost me $990.00 I decided I would call around to some other placed, but ultimately decided this was the place for me.

I dropped my car off in the morning, got a ride home and in the afternoon got another ride back, and I cannot tell you how nice it was to have air conditioning in my car again! I'm from Maine, so June in Gainesville is like a special kind of torture for me. Everyone there was really friendly, my a/c runs like a champ again, and I saved at least a third of what Honda would have cost me. Oh, and nobody tried to tell me stupid crap was wrong with my car - you know, the normal line we women often get at car service places. No faster way to lose my good will than to do that. Very pleased customer here.

Smitty is a first class mechanic as well as being an honest and ethical man. He has repaired my 74 VW beetle back to great working order again. He could have charged me twice as much but it shows what a respectable and solid guy that he is. I had 2 other mechanics work on this Beetle but Smitty solved the problem. Highly recommended.

This guy seems very nice on the outside but I wouldn't trust it. I was here about a year ago and he fixed my car for one problem and claimed there were like 5 other ones, I asked for specifics and then told my family member (who does cars) and he said "wow I didn't think your car was that messed up let me have a look before you take it in to get that all worked on" and basically this guy was b.s-ing to get money.

I would not recommend this place. Usually I'm all about supporting local business but this was a bad experience. Not cool. I think he took me as a fool because I don't look like I know much about cars -which is accurate- but that's not an opportunity to try and get more money out of someone. This business can be sleazy. I'm not saying it's always this way.

Maybe it's just my experience. I'm willing to say that. Don't be a fool just because the employees seem "nice". Please beware folks. I personally would never recommend this place.

Great service! Went to Smitty's because my car had a grinding noise. They found a couple other things wrong under the hood, but there was no trying to convince me that I had to get these fixed ASAP, which a lot of other mechanics do. Fair prices and my car was ready the next day. Even offered complimentary rides to and from the shop. Will be doing business with them again in the future!

Sold me a car with the incorrect transmission. It's going to cost me a lot of money and time to fix this ridiculous problem. Smitty swore to me the car was mechanically sound. Untrustworthy and did me dirty.

My daughter has her car in Gainesville for college & it started making some noises, shaking & she smelled something burning. Smitty identified the problem and repaired the car in 2 days for a reasonable price. About 3 weeks later it started doing a similar thing. I called Smitty and brought the car back. He promptly phoned & explained that although it wasn't the same problem, it was something that should have been caught by the mechanic during the repair.

He fixed the problem in one day and said, "NO CHARGE" because he felt bad that he didn't catch it the first time! Who does that anymore? I'll be a loyal customer forever!

Not so much mechanics as parts replacers. They seem to lack some genuine diagnostic abilities. Pretty friendly people, although they tend to become a little irritated if you ask too many questions. Prices are competitive, but that only holds true if they fix the problem the first time. Will reserve final judgment until after I've been there at least one more time.

Awesome guy! I was looking for a good mechanic and all the rave reviews led me to Smitty. I took my car because the check engine light came on. AutoZone told me the error code and what it might be but I wanted to be sure from a professional. Smitty properly diagnosed my car and told me everything he installed in. He also popped the hood and showed me the exact parts that were newly installed.

He was even nice enough to take me to work for the few days my car was in his shop. They also have multiple forms of payment and even Bill Me Later, so you can split up your payments month-to-month. Quality service, family-owned, friendly individuals. I will be going back anytime I need car service!

Had a new battery put in, oil change, and replaced the ball joints and tires. As always, Smitty's was honest, fast, and very reasonably priced! Most mechanics see a woman walk in and try to scam me, but Smitty's has never tried to sell me something I don't need. I can't recommend this family owned and run business enough!

Smitty's was the best! Driving north from Florida to upstate NY in a 2002 Saab with my mother-in-law and stopped in Gainesville for lunch. After lunch, our car wouldn't start so I googled Saab service, Gainesville and found Smitty's. i called right away, 2:30 pm and asked if they could help. They would be able to diagnose but probably not repair it until tomorrow. OK! i did get the car started, drove the 4 miles to Smitty's, they diagnosed, gave me an estimate, ordered the part AND delivered us to a very nice, clean, inexpensive Gainesville hotel ALL by 4 pm!

Car repaired by noon the next day, they retrieved us from the hotel, we paid the bill which was identical to the estimate and were on our way! Nicest people you could hope to meet and I can't emphasize that enough! It turned out to be the crank position sensor and we have had no problems since. Thank you SO much to everyone at Smitty's.you certainly made our day and trip!

I took my VW Golf to Smitty's for an oil change yesterday, and I couldn't be more satisfied with my experience. Every person I talked to was very friendly & knowledgeable, and they treated me with respect from the time I called to schedule an appointment until the moment I walked out the door. I was also very impressed by their integrity. It's probably pretty obvious that I don't know the first thing about cars; they could have easily used that to their advantage but didn't.

Between the quality of their work, their fair prices, their honesty, and their outstanding customer service, it's not surprising that they've been in business for over 25 years. :

No one enjoys having their car repaired when they break down. However, my experience with Smitty's Auto Service has been as pleasurable as it comes. In my experience, the customer service is outstanding, and the mechanic's work is accurate, fast and fairly priced. When my car ( an older Ford car) broke down, somewhat unexpectedly, I was expecting a major engine service was required to get it running again.

A few hours after I dropped the car off, I received a phone call, from a friendly and informative person at Smitty's, that it was only a few minor issues. I was relieved to find out that they based this conclusion based upon some diagnostic tests to see if the major engine problem did not exist. As part of their service, they noted some other issues with the car (that I had been putting off).

I felt no pressure to get them fixed (unlike some other car joints). One such service was to replace my transmission filter and fluid, which I had them perform. They were happy to fulfill my request to use a special type of synthetic transmission fluid. The folks at Smitty's even took the time to drive me to the shop (from the other side of town) to pick my car up when it was finished.

The bottom line is that the problem(s) on my vehicle were correctly diagnosed and fixed in a timely manner at a very fair rate. What is also great is that all of their work comes with a 1 year / 12,000 mile warranty; this means they stand by their work. All in all, Smitty's Auto Repair is a prototype of what a family-run auto-repair shop should be and I highly recommend them.

How appreciative i am of Smitty and his crew! The service was excellent! Everyone was super friendly! Thank you so much!

Now it's been near two years and I'm here updating this review, confirming that my brakes are working properly. Thanks, Smitty's crew. Last week my check engine light was on, and left mirror motor was down. So I came to the Smitty's. Within a day they took care of the engine, at a reasonable price. Sadly the mirror had to be replaced and the estimate was above my budget.

So Surinda helped me search and find a relatively low price on the internet. I ordered it and when it arrived I took it to the Smitty's. While Mr. Smith referred me to a neighboring autobody service where I had my new mirror painted and installed, he offered me a free ride again. I suppose a free ride from the north to the far south town on days when gas price goes up crazy was something worth applause and appreciation. Besides, the real life story about Mr. Smith is truly touching and inspiring. To the Smitty's - my GO-TO auto service.

Smitty personally drove me across town to the outskirts of Archer Rd and was really kind. They finished in one day and the car was great.

I was very impressed with Smitty's. My son, who's a freshman at UF and new in town, needed an alternator for his '05 Corolla. Hey, that's what parents are for, right? I called Smitty's, and they gave me a quote of $225 (vs. $500+ at Aersi). And what friendly people over the phone! We ended up taking it to Pep Boys for $60 more because we wanted the lifetime warranty on the part. But next time we'll probably go to Smitty's!

These guys are VW specialists. If you're having trouble finding a shop to repair & maintain your older model VW this the place for you! Honest & fair. They repair & maintain newer vehicles as well. They are also a great source for parts if you want to do it yourself!