Firestone Complete Auto Care

Had a flat this morning on my way to work; just a giant puncture in my tire tread :(Lucky for me this Firestone location was super close! Used to be my go-​to location when I lived near UNM. Now it’s far from home, but close to work!
Firestone in general is usually a good place to go for mechanic work. They do all sorts of different things; not just tires — but that’s what I go there for. Big selection and decent prices.
The employees at this location are always friendly and willing to help. Waiting area is nice and clean with fresh coffee and water. The TV was on for entertainment! I think that they have kids channels for those of you who have that to worry about!
The timing of the service was good, but I just dropped the car off. Usually that will take longer since you aren’t actually there waiting. They are pretty fast though if you DO wait.
All in all a good place to get some work done on your car! I will probably take my car back to this location again if I have another problem within the vicinity.

I made the unfortunate decision to get most of the maintenance for my old car done at this Firestone, and thousands of dollars and two cars later couldn’t regret it more.
Each time I went in, even with for a simple oil change, they found something wrong, and I naively believed them. «It’s the tie rod.» «Okay, fix it up.» «Oh wait, it was actually the ball bearing, too.» «Um, okay.» «Wait, you need breaks, too.» This went on for an embarrassingly long time, until the final straw broke my back. They told me that a major part was about to go, but that it was unimportant related to the overall mechanical function of the car, and instead suggested I throw money at a few other «more immediate issues.» A week later, that part indeed failed, only for me to find out from three other mechanics that it was absolutely crucial to the functioning of my vehicle. I was livid after having spent $ 1500 on repairs only to find that the car now needed another $ 3000 of work. I would have saved my money and scrapped the piece of sh@t had I known what the result would be.
I called the shop to complain to no avail. The manager just told me that they, «are not responsible for the quotes and vehicle advice they give.» Great, guys; thanks a million.
I then discovered Billy at Alternative Automotive, who may very well be the only truly honest mechanic in town, and whom I highly recommend.

These guys are fantastic! My car needed repairs while I was moving across the country for a new job (fully loaded car, roof rack, and dog in passenger seat), and they really understood my predicament and made sure I got what I needed in a timely manner. Honest, straightforward mechanics are tough to find and these guys are the real deal. If I lived in Albuquerque, I wouldn’t go anywhere else.

After a blow out on I-​25 on the way to the airport, I took my 95 Corolla here and was talked into buying four brand new tires. I was also told that my struts were leaking and would need to be replaced as well as my shocks for a total of $ 1,847.42 (parts and labor). I don’t believe the car is even worth that much. The rep, Sean said that this was an urgent and necessary repair, because if I didn’t the tires wouldn’t wear evenly and could destroy my new tires.
After taking the car to a trusted local mechanic in Santa Fe (
), he thought the Rio Grande Firestone price quote was extremely high. He said the service wasn’t as urgent as Rio Grand Firestone had told me and I could replace the struts in the summer if I wanted. Santa Fe Motorplex also offered to replace the struts for $ 500.
I came away from Rio Grande Firestone feeling like they were trying to milk me for as much money as they could. I would be cautious when dealing with these guys AND GET A SECOND OPINION! Don’t let these guys scam you. I know I would NOT recommend these guys to anyone, especially for costly repairs.

My truck broke down at a gas station on a roadtrip to Las Vegas. Not knowing anything about Albuquerque, I had the tow truck take us to the nearest service station, which happened to be the Rio Grande Firestone. The service manager was very kind and understanding of my situation, assuring me they would get me back on the road ASAP. They stuck to their word and quickly diagnosed the problem. Within three hours, I was driving the truck out of the parking lot.
On top of being very professional and quick with their service, I also appreciated the fact that they understood I was traveling with my dog and allowed her to come inside out of the heat.
I really appreciate how quickly the fixed my truck and the overall service I received!

Unassumingly, I stumbled into this shop for a 4 wheel alignment because Firestone offers a lifetime 4 wheel aligntment special which i utilize since I’m anal about my vehicle maintenance. After about 30 mins the tech. stopped working on my vehicle. Strange I thought but went inside and sat down anyways. 45mins later, the Service Manager Max said that he had a «quote» for me. Whaaa… Quote? Since when did a 4 wheel alignment mean full service check?
What happened next made me loose total respect for this place: Max/​the Service manager tried to rip me off for the following: battery (genuine factory battery not more than 2 years old), right front axle (just replaced and had some minor oil near it from a recent trans fluid flush), aftermarket rear wheel alignment kit (didn’t need it), rack/​pinion boots (were torn but wanted over $ 500 to replace), tires (had good tread and were perfectly fine and balanced) … need I say more? If I hadn’t been auto savy this shop would have thrown a $ 1700 bill my way. Stay away from this place and go to the one on Montgomery Ave. NE. where I experienced much faster, better service for my alignment.