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These principles will continue to make TLC AutoCare a professional maintenance, repair and service provider to all of our customers, so we are providing the most dependable, longest lasting, and safest means to keep you and your vehicle on the road. Electronic analysis, diagnosis and Car Tune Up of all systems and components in your vehicle. This place is great.

Very honest, won't pressure you into repairs that you don't think you need, but are very willing to work with you and explain everything. As an engineer, I really like to understand why something needs to be repaired, and these guys are great about that.
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With a staff of experienced, professional ASE Certified Technicians, Jon Holve has owned "TLC AutoCare" to provide expert vehicle computer diagnostic services as well as complete auto repair including engine and transmission replacement, auto air conditioning, wheel alignment and brake service to all their customers in Kirkland, WA, and other surrounding areas. We provide personalized customer service and use up-to-date tools and equipment to meet the needs of today's complex vehicle technologies.
Through these principles we will continue to be a quality professional service provider to all of our customers, so we are providing the most dependable, longest lasting and safest means of transportation. TLC AutoCare is committed to ensuring effective communication and digital accessibility to all users.
I found Andy and TLC Autocare after moving to Kirkland from across the country four years ago. My husband and I had a car in bad shape, two very young children, one salary, and a ton of moving-related expenses. Andy worked with me over the next two and a half years to slowly bring my car back up to par at a rate we could afford.
Andy began in the automotive business by going to work with his dad, Herb, at his service station at the age of 13 (1966). Although he left the automotive business twice to go to school (1976 and 1987) and pursue other disciplines, he always ended up coming back to work for his dad. Finally, when working for his dad at Totem Lake Chevron, they opened TLC Automotive together in 1993.
Reviews (29)
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Michael Bloem
May 05, 2022
I've been taking our vehicles to TLC for about 6 months. Honest and straightforward service. Vehicles seem to be in great shape and I understand upcoming maintenance needs. I highly recommend TLC!
Eric Wahlquist
Apr 06, 2022
TLC provides excellent auto care and service. Came in for a 7.3L Diesel fuel leak, identified the repair needed. kept me involved, updates, got parts ordered, replacement of parts, got me running, back on the road again. I highly recommend TLC for all auto engine repair needs. Excellent customer service, knowledgeable staff
Larry Aemmer
Mar 14, 2022
I have used TLC AutoCare over several years (10+), for 3 separate vehicles. They have always treated me fairly, and with respect. They know their stuff, and I have been happy with the repairs and maintenance they have preformed. My vehicles always running better then when I dropped them off. Pricing that is comparable and or better then any auto dealership I had quoted prior to my repair. Andy, and his crew are knowledgeable and great to work with.
Belle Bulis
Feb 09, 2022
Very happy to have found this repair shop. They are fair and have your car out in a timely manner. There was a lot of work to do on my truck, yet it didn't take them any longer than they said it would. It drives like a new truck again. I will defiantly use them for all my cars. Service: Transmission repair
Samantha S.
Nov 04, 2021
My adventure started with brakes grinding and wheel bearings groaning, never a good combination on a 1 ton Ford. I'm kinda passed the point of pulling the wheels and doing all the work myself even if I know how, and with the economy the way it is, I like being able to pay hard working local businesses to do the work for me. From my first conversation with Andy @ TLC to now sitting in the waiting room as they carefully work on my truck, everything about my contact with the fine and talented folks at TLC has inspired confidence that I'm getting excellent service that is worth the money from people that are really good at what they do.

I am already planning on coming back next month when I get paid again to have more work done on my truck, Andy and the whole crew at TLC will have me confident that I'm getting excellent service every step of the way! Thank you TLC, you're awesome!
Andrew Leader
Oct 14, 2021
Really great shop! They accurately diagnosed and fixed my vehicle's noise/vibration problem for a reasonable price, and Andy is so nice! They're located a bit far from me but I'll probably go back again!
Christopher
May 24, 2021
Andy was the consummate professional. I have worked in the Auto Industry over 15 years, and have had poor experiences with multiple local dealership maintenance departments. Deciding to support local business and bringing vehicle here was a game changer. I will never be back to another local dealership for maintenance. Honest, knowledgeable, and a great experience. Thank you!
Jaimie Karnik
Mar 07, 2021
Andy was very thorough, communicative and professional. He kept me informed throughout the process for my 48K mile inspection and maintenance. He was clear on options for items that needed attention and repair and talked through each one. I am very appreciative of the quality work done on my Crosstrek. Thank you! Services: Oil change, General repairs & maintenance, Battery, Brake service & repair
Elise Cho
Nov 03, 2020
Love supporting family businesses! TLC Auto Care was honest and very helpful. Car repairs can be expensive, but it is an investment to make sure that your vehicle is safe and drive-able. They patiently answered all of my questions and were transparent about their services. I did not feel pressured to do anything that I was not comfortable with. Also, their diagnostic report is a huge plus - detailed and easy to read and understand! Thanks TLC for your help! Much appreciated! And definitely recommending you guys to my friends and family.
Jacob N.
Oct 25, 2020
Okay, I never thought any business would deserve a 1 star review, and I hate to be the A-hole to do it. But this has to be said about this business. And these pictures of evidence have to be shown to the public. My car went in for an oil pan re-sealing. The interaction with the shop was pleasant. The price was about the average market rate. However, the work they did was absolutely horrendous.

After the fix, as I inspected the oil level on the dipstick, it was overfilled by almost a full quart! (The oil level exceeded the mark by an entire full-low range). This means that they either went by vehicle specs instead of the dipstick, or they just made a simple but preventable mistake. I took the car on a road trip two days after the fix. On the next morning after I got back, there was a gigantic oil spill on the ground.

Now to be fair, my car has a leak from the front engine seal, but nowhere near this bad. (You can see the old dried spots verses the newer much bigger puddles in the picture) This alerted me and I immediately took my car to my buddy's garage, that has a 2 post lift. We lifted the car up and looked under the car. The oil leak from the front engine seal got significantly worse.

There was also some oil dripping on the oil pan.!? I thought this was due to the overfilling and the fact that they used synthetic blend oil instead of conventional oil. So I decided to drain the oil, and add conventional oil back in. As I took the drain bolt out, I was shocked! There was no gasket (washer) on it! They took the oil pan off, re-sealed it, refilled the oil, and DID NOT put a gasket on the drain bolt.

At this point I was extremely frustrated and could not believe how they could possibly do such a bad job. Maybe this was an isolated incident, and they normally do much better than this. But I know I won't be coming back here anymore.
Hamilton R.
Feb 25, 2020
The 2015 Passat was driving sluggish and we were told by some other places including the VW dealer we needed this and that. Took a chance on this place based on the reviews and they did not disappoint. We also needed to get a loaner car while they had the Passat to diagnose, and we will now always bring both of our cars in for service. The price is fair, they called to let us know what exactly they were doing, and provided pictures online to view. Transparent should have TLC as a JPEG/GIF online with the type of service they provided. Thanks again, and you have loyal customer for life.
Anne-Elise Regalado
Dec 11, 2019
Our experience with TLC Auto Care has been wonderful! They have worked on two of our vehicles now and we've been very happy with their assessment, recommendations, cost of service, and timely repair. Andy is very kind, personable, and great to work with. John did our most recent repair and got us back on the road within a day. We highly recommend TLC Auto Care to anyone looking for a positive auto repair experience.
You Gene
Nov 03, 2019
TLC is the auto repair shop I have been looking for. They provide excellent and thorough service at a fair price. Our car was long overdue for maintenance so I asked a trusted coworker who has experience in the automotive repair field who he would recommend. He told me TLC without hesitation. I checked out TLC's reviews online and was impressed with what I read so I made an appointment.

I am sure glad I did. We dropped our car off in the morning with Andy for a tune-up and inspection. TLC got back to us with a text message that had a link to our inspection report. It explained both what was good and what needed repair along with pictures of what was found. We found the color coded results of the Vehicle Evaluation straight forward and easy to understand.

We authorized all the repairs they suggested, all work was completed quickly, and we were able to pick up our car that evening. Andy was very professional, respectful in his communication, and offered solid advice about future maintenance. We are very happy with the results and we will be happy to trust them again in the future.
Anastasia N.
Nov 01, 2019
My son was able to take his car in on short notice. They were extremely accommodating, professional, friendly, and knew what they were doing. We will be back.
J. M.
Mar 28, 2019
Really transparent. We had a bad experience with another car repair shop in Bellevue and brought it here hoping that they would be honest. They diagnosed the problems and sent me a report with photos! It makes everything clear and easy to understand and you don't get the feeling that they are making things up. Andy is an honest and friendly man. I am glad I found them and definitely going back.
Bryan C.
Aug 15, 2018
Very glad I was able to find TLC. I recently bought a 2008 335i BMW sedan to restore. I will do the work that doesn't require a lift for long periods I had decided. After that decision was made I needed to find a shop that would, and one that would do it right. not cut cost by some offline parts.ect. TLC uses the best parts sourced from the manufacture's there by beating BMW repair estimates easily while providing the same high quality repairs when needed.

I had my oil pan gasket and motor mounts repaired at the same time, I was charged less hours by Andy as the jobs had some overlap in labor. What sold me on the shop and why I will come back is the mechanic Jon explained the wear on my twin turbos, and were other shops would want me to fix right then, it was explained better now than later. But nothing that had to be done that day. Having worked on cars as a hobby my whole life there are VERY few shops that I trust, TLC is now one of those!
Denny M.
Apr 12, 2018
There are things I can't attest to concerning TLC Auto Care as I have been to their shop for the first time yesterday. Hadn't realized how badly my 2002 Taurus was handling until I drove away after having some neglected maintenance issues taken care of. Don't know if they are low priced and really don't care, they are FAIR priced for the superior work they do. Having a shop where you know you can believe / trust what they say means everything.

Probably can't say anything bordering on religion but thinking Andy got a extra measure of " Good ". Could about guarantee if you try them you won't go anyplace else. Denny
James P.
Feb 22, 2018
I've been going to Jim's for several years now. He's always been extremely friendly and helpful and they do good work at an honest price. Three of my uncles were in the automotive industry, and all owned repair shops for quite some time. I worked for them for several summers in college, so I know the difference between a shop that's being honest and one that's ripping you off.

If you want to get ripped off, go to the Firestone. If you want fair, honest, competent help with no unnecessary up-selling, go to Jim's. I would also add that I am stunned by the reviewer who called Jim a jackass. What an incredibly foul and dishonest thing to say. Jim is always polite, respectful, and humble. That reviewer must have been mightily insufferable to get a reaction out of Jim that was anything but gracious and welcoming. Go in and chat with Jim for a minute and see for yourself what a great guy Jim is.
S. A.
Nov 23, 2017
This shop was a great find! For my wife's car, I was making the transition to an independent mechanic after using a dealership (with all of their overhead) for so many years, when I discovered TLC Auto Care. We started with a tune-up. For the tune-up, they made a report where the mechanic took photos (to show certain issues) and the report printout also showed a colormetric chart of the various fluids (to show if they were good or needed replacing).

At the prior dealership, I had to take them at their word on everything. Later, a couple parts (thermostat and power steering pump; the car is 13 years young) went out and I had them replaced. About a week later, I noticed a trace of fluid on the garage floor. Fearing the worst, I took the car to them. They told me it was a seal, that *they* probably damaged it during the other repair and there would be no charge.

So happy! (another business could have easily sold me a bill of goods by telling me that the seal was just getting old). So, I like this business because first, they are excellent and efficient. However, just as important is that they are honest and show integrity. I would highly recommend them to anyone.
Alice T.
Jul 01, 2017
Andy is the owner and took excellent care of my car. He took the time to explain what they would recommend in the future. I didn't feel like he was upselling, only providing good recommendations of how to maintain my car well. Prices are reasonable and I felt like he was sincerely interested in keeping my car maintained.
Jim C.
Mar 25, 2017
Although they were neither the closest nor the least expensive shop, the preponderance of positive reviews swayed me & I set up an appointment online via Repair Pal (which gives you an idea of what cost range to expect) to have an oxygen sensor replaced and get an oil change done while I was at it. Andy was very straightforward in conversation, suggesting that while my initial diagnosis (the code, common things that go out on my type of car at this age/mileage, etc) was sound, I should probably let them diagnose it before replacing it blindly, which is a very respectful way of saying that they do this for a living and probably know a few more things than I do :-) :-) I liked Andy right away.

As part of their service, they would also provide an inspection of general vehicle health. Andy offered to text it to me when they were done so I could review if there was anything that was urgent. I headed over to Seattle Urban Coffeeworks with a few episodes of Season 2 of "The Expanse" and enjoyed a very mellow morning. Inspection had several watch list items -- not unexpected for a car of this age or mileage.

The thoroughness is appreciated, but what really knocks it out is the inclusion of pictures. From this, I have a better understanding on the problem and severity. Car was done shortly thereafter and I was back to work by 10. They are clearly a quality shop with top notch mechanics and great customer focus. Thanks, guys!
Gregory M.
Mar 18, 2017
This shop gets my HIGHEST rating. If you own an Audi, take it to TLC AutoCare. I had to have the top end rebuilt on my A6. It wasn't going to be cheap, and I wanted someone who had done it before. TLC came highly recommended. Too bad for them, because my car turned out to be a HUGE pain in the ass for TLC. Long story short, not only did they go the extra mile to make EVERYTHING work, but now the car drives like a brand new car.

I am ridiculously pleased with the level of attention to detail that both the owners and the mechanics showed me during the course of the engine rebuild ordeal. TLC went to great lengths to ensure that when I drove away it was as a satisfied customer, not as someone who felt like he'd just had several mortgage payments extorted from him. TLC is - in my opinion - THE BEST I've ever seen when it comes to mechanical automotive repair.

I plan to make them my go-to shop for my Audi for as long as I own the car - if they'll still have me after all the grief they had to go through. If you're ANYWHERE near Totem lake(they're right behind the Arco on 116th) you should take your car here. You won't be disappointed - this place is top notch. Period. Andy and John, thank you for restoring my faith in automobile mechanics. You guys rock!
Trang H.
Jan 29, 2017
The service is very professional and impressive. First, their business hours are flexible and convenient for us who need to start working in the early morning and finish working late. The store is very clean and well-organized. Hundreds of auto part are categorized and put neatly in containers. Andy, the manager, is very friendly and welcoming. They tried their best to fix our BMW in the timely manner with an affordable price.

They are totally different from some of other auto shops where they always play trick to charge more. After check-up, they updated the situation and asked us for decisions. They also took our narrative information seriously in order to get the more accurate results of diagnosis. They kept informing the process with us, which made us feel that our car was taken care very well.

Our communication went smoothly and ended up with the detailed report (how they fixed the car, what came up, how they tested to make sure the car works well before returning to us). This is an unique and extraordinary excellent auto repair we have had so far. Will come back and recommend.
Chris S.
Nov 05, 2016
I went in to have an alternator swapped out, and talk about above and beyond! I was greeted and was provided extraordinary customer service throughout the process. They add a free diagnostic / maintenance check to ensure your ride is equipped for the road, and better yet they text you a link of the full inspection (for us millennials.) This place is definitely the go-to if you're in the Kirkland area. Andy and his team did an awesome job; it's nice to see an auto shop that cares!
Moto G.
Mar 05, 2015
A clean, professional, well-run and honest auto care business. Andy is a wonderful guy and genuine. His employees are great. Good karma everywhere. The shop itself is clean and organized, they are in it to gain customers for life, and will always give you honest estimates and careful work. If you are looking for that mythical great mechanic you can trust, this is the place.
Roger J.
Feb 21, 2015
I use this place rarely. I say that because my cars don't need a lot of service because TLC gives me timely recommendations! Our two cars are almost 15 years old and run just as well as the day they were bought, thanks to service by TLC. I come from a family of mechanics, so I can smell a line of B.S. a mile away. TLC is honest and gives it to you straight. Highly recommended. You may find an auto service as good as this place, but why roll the dice? TLC is a sure thing.
Jenetta H.
Feb 16, 2014
TLC Auto is my trusted place to go to get my cars repaired. They are always polite and helpful. Andy remembers me after just a couple of visits and treats me like a real person. They explain everything they find that needs done on the vehicle and are very willing to answer questions and go as deep into the repair explanation as you want. I'm curious about repairs done to my vehicle so I ask a lot of questions and never get my questions adequately answered anywhere except here at TLC Auto.

Their prices have not always been the lowest but the feeling of trust I have that they will get it done right the first time and aren't telling me to do things I don't need done is worth a few extra dollars. My most recent car repair from TLC had me driving away feeling like I was in a brand-new car. What a difference! Thank you so much, Andy and crew for your excellent service!
Ali C.
Jul 22, 2011
TLC Auto Care is great! For once it's nice to leave a repair shop with a good feeling. These guys are very knowledgeable, thorough, reasonably priced and QUICK! They talk through everything with you to make sure you understand what's going on with your car and that there are no surprises when the bill comes. I would recommend TLC Auto to anyone and wouldn't hesitate to return for more service myself.
Kevin W.
Apr 21, 2010
Andy, John, and Jake the black lab are the best! For years I've been searching for a reliable and honest mechanic. I found them by going to the library and looking through a magazine that did those tests where they bring in a perfectly good car and see how many imaginary problems the shop comes up with. They gave TLC top marks for price and honesty.

And in the last 6 years of using them I've been astonished at how motivated they are to do the right thing even when it comes to an opportunity to make an extra buck vs. the best interest of the client. I cannot say enough good things about these folks. GO! And just so you know I'm not a shill I own Seattle Green Limo and have been taking my cars to Andy since it's crucial to me they stay up and running.

Time is literally money for me! Feel free to shoot me an email or call the office line of Seattle Green Limo and I'll back up my writing with talk. If there were 10 stars available, I'd give 'em! Kevin Williams Founder Seattle Green Limo