Ben White Automotive

Awesome service and they stand behind their work.
I went in this week to get my A/​C repaired and they are awesome! Explained every step and didn’t try to talk over me. I’m not a car expert so this was big.
They did exactly what they said they would do and got me out in record time. Ron, Adam and Mike do outstanding work and you’ll be treated fairly.
If you don’t know a lot about cars, they won’t try to sell you what you don’t need and you’ll get a really good explanation of what’s wrong and what it will take to fix your car.
Trust these guys. You’ll be very glad you went there.
Master Certified mechanics and BBB top rated members. This all means a lot to me.
Oh and the A/​C, it was so cold in the way home I had to turn it down. Man that was a great feeling!
Thanks guys! I’ll be back.

Gave me straight up feedback on what was going on with my car. As a woman I get afraid of going to the mechanics at times because I’m afraid of being taken advantage of. There was none of that there. They gave me the straight dope on what was going on and told me that it could wait for a few thousand miles before it had to be done. They were very fair and honest. I would HIGHLY recommend them to anyone looking for an honest mechanic who will tell you how it is and not just try to upsell you or pressure you to get work done NOW that can wait until it’s a bit more financially feasible. A++

Here’s an update and oh, where to begin. Today I received an email (
) saying :
Hi a-​Ron, Tomas D. sent you a message on Unilocal:
Subject: Your Review
«Hey Ron, I’ll give you $ 100.00 to remove or rewrite your review. We have new management and are wanting to get a better Unilocal rating.»
First off, who’s Ron?
Secondly, this is pretty frowned upon according to
where it clearly says :
«2. Solicited reviews are less likely to be recommended by our automated software, and that will drive you crazy. Why aren’t these reviews recommended? Well, we have the unfortunate task of trying to help our users distinguish between real and fake reviews, and while we think we do a pretty good job at it with our fancy computer algorithms, the harsh reality is that solicited reviews often fall somewhere in between. Imagine, for example, the business owner who „asks“ for a review by sticking a laptop in front of a customer and smilingly invites her to write a review while he looks over her shoulder. We don’t need these kinds of reviews, so it shouldn’t be a surprise when they aren’t recommended.»
Thirdly, this is a review from 6 years ago. SIX YEARS! I don’t even live in Austin any longer. This is so long ago that my life doesn’t even involve the ridiculous maintenence cost of a car any longer! I. DIDN’
…until I got an email from the owner trying to «bribe» me into a better/​removed review.
You have better management? That’s fine! Great! Prove it! Prove it by being a better company. Prove it by going above and beyond for your customers. Don’t send me an email 6 years later trying to change my mind without even so much as an apology. Take a look at the rest of the reviews here. All of the bad reviews here within the past year or so are commented by management and NOT taking any responsibility for the employees. Management is saying «We didn’t do anything wrong. The customer is wrong.» This is just bad business practice. Unilocal was created with the sole purpose of creating honest reviews that a community can view. Paying me to rewrite/​remove a review isn’t honest.
Again, this is so long ago, I don’t really care, but it annoys me that businesses still operate with the mentality that they think this can happen. A company should become smarter and better as it grows. No company is perfect. It’s progress, not perfection. They will get good reviews and bad reviews. That’s just business, but what a company should do is take feedback and say, «How can improve on this? What can we do to show customers that we don’t really deserve this 1 star review or maybe we did deserve that review and it’s our fault! What can we do?»
BUT instead I just recieved an email trying to pay me off. That’s not a company looking to improve it’s ratings through hard work and turn its business image around. That’s a company looking for an easy way out. That’s a company that’s trying to scam people.
Take what you will from this. Based off the owner’s comments on other reviews, he’s going to have some snarky remark about this too. I don’t care, but as a potential customer, YOU should care.

Its unfortunate that I am unable to apply zero stars at this company is untrustworthy and overcharge, liars and cheaters. I had come in Monday because my front left window would not go up. They diagnosed the problem and I needed a new window regulator. $ 451… Yay right. Parts were just $ 218.00 and said it was a dealer part only. Never believe them when they say dealer part only as they will charge you an arm and a leg just to get the most expensive version of that part. I left, found my regulator at O’reily for $ 150.00 and another shop installed it for me less than $ 100.00. Don’t trust these guys… the mark-​up on everything will make you more sick then eating at the Chinese buffet on Westgate.

I went in first thing in the morning to get my A/​C checked. I had a pretty good idea of what needed to be done but when trying to make arrangements to get the work done it was clear they obviously didn’t want the business. I came in prepared to wait but he wanted me to leave my car there and leave. The hours show they open at 8 AM but then they have to get the shop ready and look at what they have for the day and the he was talking about how the lady with breakfast tacos comes in between 9 – 9:30. So you open at 8 but pretty much don’t start working on cars until almost 10AM. This was my first time using them for any work as I like to give my business to places other than the dealership. But you just made the dealership look amazing. I may be a girl but I don’t bull shit. Treat me like the rest of customers.

This place is alright. They complete the repairs in a timely fashion and they are relatively friendly. The mark up on their parts seems a bit excessive though. They claim to carry higher quality parts to justify the price. This is the best auto shop I have come across in Austin, but that is not saying much.

Can I give ZERO STARS? Nope, I tried, and Unilocal insists I give ‘em at least ONE UNDESERVED STAR! That’s how I wound up feeling by the end of my relationship with Ben White Automotive: like they were a big Zero, and that they felt the same about me and my patronage: a BIG ZERO CUSTOMER.
I used these guys for YEARS. I first started using Ben White Automotive (from this point on: BWA) when the manufacturer’s ⁷⁄₇₀ warranty ran out on my car. Things started off very well, actually. My rapport with the owner (Thomas Dalin) was good, and with the Service Manager as well. That is, the ORIGINAL Svc Mgr, when I first started taking my car there. Seemed like a good, reliable establishment.
However, eventually the original Service Manager left and was replaced with a new guy. THAT’S when things began to change for the worse. For me, at least.
It started out as just a «personality clash» between the two of us, the SM and I. I can tolerate that, as long as the REPAIRS are done properly. But over time little items seemed to get overlooked, and when I would mention, however politely, it was met with resistance on his part. It never came even close to blows, but a very HOSTILE relationship by the end, most hostility coming from him. But I still had faith in their COMPETENCY, if not their CHARM. We don’t have to LIKE each other, just please fix my car, please…
But it was about to get MUCH worse.
At just over 200,000 miles, my original American-​made Chrysler motor croaked. Remember the «American-​made» part. It’s a factor.
If I wanted to keep the car (and I did), I had 2 options: (1) Have existing motor rebuilt, or (2) Swap out for rebuilt engine from out-​of-​state. I chose option 2; THEY made a big mistake suggesting it. I made a bigger mistake by AGREEING to it.
Between shipping of the motor to Austin and the work to install, it took WEEKS AND WEEKS, much longer than it should’ve for a QUALIFIED mechanic. Thomas, EVENTUALLY realized this, and loaned me his personal vehicle so I could get around, something I’d never heard of them doing at the time. He was doing what he could to try to smooth over a bad situation, but he was who was doing the installation. It was his crew.
FINALLY I get the car back. Between parts & labor, costs were OVER FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS. That’s what I was quoted; no surprise there.
Now, with a rebuilt engine, built to the same specs as the original (allegedly), you’d expect a «running-​like-​new» vehicle, right? That’s what I expected.
WRONG.
After all the expense & waiting, car never ran right from day 1. For one thing, motor was DETONATING; that’s when the spark plug’s firing too early in the stroke, sending the piston and crankshaft back the WRONG direction. Very BAD for a motor. Plus it had no power. It’s Turbocharged, and used to SCREAM before the new motor.
I took it back time & time again. They didn’t charge me for successive visits but it didn’t matter. THEY COULDN’T FIX IT. In addition, they dented my hood due to carelessness and DIDN’T EVEN TELL ME! I noticed it myself & showed it to ‘em. They KNEW what they had done, but not a word. Once I brought it up it was something like: «Oh yeah, we meant to tell you.» SURE ya did…
They gave me a discount, but hood’s not fixable; new one has yet to turn up. It’s an ’88, and Chrysler doesn’t make ‘em anymore, junkyards are the only option; so far no luck.
Motor detonated so much, the cylinder head burned up. Rebuilder blamed it on ME, wouldn’t honor their warranty, & I had to spend ANOTHER $ 1400 on new one.
I finally gave up & took it to another shop. Next mechanic gave me disturbing news: Engine block I’d swapped for was AFTERMARKET, MEXICAN-​MADE BLOCK. That wasn’t the whole problem, but it sure wasn’t the «exact replacement» promised by BWA. They chose vendor for the motor, not me, & did the installation. But when I got blamed for the failure of the cyl head, BWA didn’t have my back, or bear even part of the expense for the new one. Hey, I’m not a mechanic; that’s why I HIRE someone to do the work.
Later on, I discovered other things BWA had done to my car. The repl motor doesn’t have all the same connections. One of the PCV hoses has nothing to attach to, so now I have to sneak it through smog inspections. For some unknown reason, they unhooked my O2 sensor, again causing emission problems. Just plain pure INCOMPETENCE.
Maybe things have changed since 2004, when I quit using BWA; there are some high Unilocal ratings, but MORE 1-​STAR RATINGS than any other. Me, I can’t afford the RISK, & if you ask me, YOU can’t afford it either. Read my other reviews & you’ll see who I use NOW.
Bottom Line: TAKE YOUR CAR ANYWHERE BUT BEN WHITE AUTOMOTIVE, ON BEN WHITE BLVD!!!
If BWA reads this (and I hope they do), they’ll know who I am.
BTW, in the end, Thomas took the side of his rude, incompetent Service Manager, and between that and repair issues, I’m just plain DONE with BWA.
larrythediner

My husband I have been taking our cars to Ben White Automotive for quite some time. They have always been very truthful to us, and stick to their estimates. Their prices have been fair, they fix the problem, and they’re courteous to boot. My regular car dealership could learn something from them. If you’re sick of being lied to, give these guys a try. It’ll be a refreshing change!

I took my truck in to get a quote due to worn out brakes and a damaged rear shock. I had already assessed the damage myself and just wanted a quote. I dropped it off at 9 a.m. and was told I would be called back promptly with the price. I did not get a call back until almost 4 p.m. This is after I waited a day for a call back on a preliminary quote they were going to give me before taking it in, which I never got.
Not only was their pricing astronomical, my grandfather has a truck shop near San Antonio, so I know my prices for labor and parts and what is and is not fair, and they wanted to charge me nearly $ 500 over the actual cost of the parts, and almost $ 1,200 in labor, to change out 1 brake rotor, caliper, and shock…
To top it off when I went in the next morning to pick it up, someone had rifled through my center console, some of its contents were in the back seat and I had brought it in completely clean, and a very special custom Buck knife was missing. When I asked the older gentleman upfront about this, he said: «Well I can not be held liable for what happens before we actually bring it inside while it sits in front, and my guys would not steal. If you have an issue with this and do not believe me you will have to obtain the address of the owner and send in a letter, but he probably will not do anything about it.»
Now shame on me for leaving it in there in the first place, I did not think I needed to worry about it, but the attitude I was given when I asked thoroughly irked me.
I will not be going back, and I WILL deter anyone who asks about a mechanic or otherwise from visiting. Keep your money, and your belongings safe, go elsewhere!

Great business! Fast and trustworthy. Would definitely go to them again.

I dedided to try a new mechanic closer to home instead of going to my usual quite far from me. This was a very bad choice.
The mechanic Oscar told me my car would be ready on the following day. I advised I would pick up my car in two days instead. 2 days later when I get there my car is barely being worked on. Keep in mind that I had to take a taxi to get to them.
I was very upset for I had taken the afternoon off just to pick up my car for I do not have any other means of transportation and had to use my own money to get to this mechanic. In other words I had to plan everything in advance and use my own resources just to get back my car and when I get there is still not done and no one had the decency to call me and let me know that the car was not ready.
If only they had picked up the phone and called me they would have prevented me from going through so much hassle.
What is worse, when I get there Oscar the man at front does not seem to care one bit;
he is sharp tongued and unapologetic.
I wished I had read other peoples’ reviews earlier and would have taken my vehicle somewhere else.
Moreover, when I asked them that I wanted an alignment done to my vehicle, they responded: What kind of alignment do you want frontal or rear-​ended alignment?
I’ve never heard ever that alignments are done in parts most car shops just do them in one package. What is more, they wanted to charge $ 99.99 for just a partial alignment.
Where have peoples’ morals gone?

These guys have been straight shooters with me, so far. If I have demanded lengthy explanations, they have always been willing to slow down and walk through what’s being done and why, step by step with me. (I never get anything done without first researching on my own to be somewhat conversant and know what prices are reasonable:
). The last time I went in, I asked if it were something I might be able to repair myself, which they confirmed for me after a brief diagnosis without charging me.
It’s worth noting that all their mechanics are master certified, which is something else I look for (
).

BEYOND impressed with this place!!! Explained everything and absolutely no pressure or «upsale» on repairs beyond what I brought my car in for.

Used Ben White for several major and minor repairs, both on my husband’s and my car. I found them very courteous, helpful and most importantly honest. Sometimes they are a bit overworked, but having to follow up with calls at times is not such a high price to pay for an honest and reasonably priced mechanic.
I just had a major timing belt repair and not a lot of money to pay for it in the bank, and Oscar in the front office worked with me on the list of what should be included and could be left out reasonably without not paying a lot extra when it needed to be done. And he also helped me with every discount he could think of.
To respond to some of the other reviews, I never felt talked down to as a woman. And I do know just a little about cars repairs. On the contrary whoever was at the front desk (usually Oscar) always took a lot of time explaining to me what needed to be done, and what the alternatives are, and whatever detail about that repair were of importance to me.

I walked in and had an immediate gut feeling that I was going to get taken for a ride. Sure enough, within a couple hours I was paying $ 170 for them to put on a new gas cap for me. That’s it. It’s hard to feel good about that.

I have used Ben White Auto a few times now for major repairs (AC, timing belt replacement etc…), and both times the work was completed quickly and thoroughly. I am sure there are others cheaper out there, but you get what you pay for.
Ben White Auto — Quality new parts and solid fast service.

The staff weren’t the most friendly people in the world but when I went in to get my car diagnosed and fixed I had no problems! Great mechanics and I will be coming back!

Horrid, horrid, horrid. If I could give them 0 stars I would. My car was making a whistling noise and they said I just needed to replace the belt.
They then said that it was because of my tensioner that it was happening. They already ordered the parts before asking me, and $ 500 later I get a belt and tensioner installed. What’s the problem? My car still makes the whistling noise. Never coming back here again.

Straight shooters. They fixed my transmission for $ 300 (after another shop said it was ruined and would have to be rebuilt and that it would cost at least $ 1200). Two years later, my car is running like a top!
I love these guys.

My experiences at Ben White Automotive haven’t been nearly as dramatic as the first two reviews, but they weren’t smooth, either.
Maybe I’m naïve, but I thought that in this day in age, it should be known that women know more about automobiles than ever before, and are more savvy in general about what to expect from any specialty service, like a mechanic. The good olé boys at Ben White Automotive, however, seem to think that women are still clueless about their cars, and can be bullshitted just like it’s the damn 1950s.
I had two prior services on my 1999 Hyundai, and those had gone well. I thought the price was fair (I actually work at a generator company wherein we service machines) for the labor and parts, and everything was explained to me fully. The technician even came in on a Saturday to finish the work on my car that time and to release it to me. Nice!
This time, I had a fuel line and a tensioner replaced on my car. The mechanic assigned to my job said my car would be ready on a Monday, and the Monday came and went. To me, if you’re going to be longer than you’ve quoted someone, a simple phone call is the least you can do to tell them they’ll be without their vehicle another day.
The very next day after I got my car back, I was experiencing the same issue with the tensioner. Due to time constraints, I couldn’t bring my car in for about a week. When I did finally bring it in at about noon on a weekday, I was told that they would get around to looking at it «after lunch,» and they didn’t give me any kind of ETA on when I could expect the problem to be fixed. There was never an apology or sense of remorse. I didn’t hear anything back from them all afternoon. At 4:30 PM, I still hadn’t heard back. I was expressing this concern to a male coworker, who asked that I dial the company. We decided to hold a little social experiment: He pretended to be my husband, and here’s how that conversation went:
Male Coworker: «Yes, my wife brought her Hyundai in today. Is it fixed?»
Mechanic: «Yes, the part was under warranty. You know, you had some problems with this car.»
M C: «I know, and we brought it to you all to have that taken care of. Why haven’t you notified my wife? It’s 4:30 PM, four-​and-​a-​half hours after she dropped off her car, and she’s worried.»
Mechanic: «Uh, I’m sorry about that, sir.»
When I went to pick up my car, the mechanic told me that the the belt on the tensioner had a tear in it. A BRAND NEW BELT. That THEIR PEOPLE INSTALLED around the tensioner that THEIR PEOPLE INSTALLED. The mechanic then told me to come back in a week so that they can check under the hood, just to make sure everything was working properly, a courtesy that was never extended to me before, when I was the person they were dealing with. The guys at Ben White Automotive are complacent, is my best guess. They’re lazy and old-​world in their idea of how to deal with female customers.