Christian Brothers Automotive

On the phone they say it’s $ 89 for wheel alignment, charged me double because I told them I did my own struts and shocks. Then tell me they can’t do my rear tires because I need a «shim». So they wind up charging me around $ 150 for aligning only 2 tires. If I wanted these shims which are only $ 10 each online, it would’ve costed a near $ 400. BTW it took them over 2 hours to get it all done, 2 tire alignments. Nickel and dimers.

Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, here’s your Unilocal review. We have been very loyal customers of this particular Christian Brothers location for more than five years. We always brought all of our cars here and, until recently, were very happy. In the last six months, we have had two painful lessons and are looking for a new «family mechanic».
Incident #1: My son’s «college car» had some ignition problems. We took it in twice (for a total of around $ 2,100 for various «fixes») and still had problems with it starting consistently. My son tried to talk them to see if he could take it to the location in Dallas (where he is in school). They seemed cooperative at first but then quit communicating for around 3 months. When he came home for the holidays, he took it in. They said that this was a completely new problem — the fuel pump hadn’t failed… but was failing. My son received a fantastically condescending lecture from their staff on «well, it’s important that you understand that ‘essentially’ and ‘basically’ are not the same thing… and we pride ourselves on communication…» They called me the next day and proceeded to explain that maybe my son ran the car on empty too much.
Incident #2: Our daughter’s SUV had a wonky driver’s side window that occasionally wouldn’t roll up. She had it stuck in the down position and it was going to rain. They told us first that it was the motor and related parts. Then he called me back to say they were going to have to replace the entire window… and we needed some hoses changed out. $ 1,100 later, it all seemed good. Two weeks later, the window won’t roll up again. We take it in. This time it’s a switch. On the phone, they tell me that this probably caused the motor to fail. They told my daughter this was a completely different issue. They said they were going to comp the labor… they didn’t. They have just received the last $ 200 they will ever get from us.
Hey guys, appreciate the Christian theme (including the guy telling me that he used to be a youth pastor so he understands how kids are), but let’s try some basic values like honesty, respect and integrity. I don’t know if they have been through a management change or I just got the wrong guy FIVE TIMES IN A ROW. I miss the way they used to be.

Ooops, I previously posted a review but for the wrong shop!
I am posting that same review here.
This shop initially told me one early morning I visited it for the first time (Dec 8^th), that it cannot do my inspection til after lunch. After the manager sensed my urgency, he did not think twice and told me I will be next in line. That would have had to be a miracle since no shop would just push you to the start of the line just like that.
Incredible service was done after about half an hour wait and a nice chat with an elderly nurse who wrote a book about her heaven exoerience before coming back to life, 10 years ago.
This shop has earned my respect and I will take my car here for service from now on, if the price is right
Special thanks to the manager for his kindness and generosity.

I received great customer service at Christian brothers. Jim was great listen to my problem showed true empathy and was very knowledgable on my vehicles issues. I greatly appreciate the service and recommend anyone go here to get assistance with your vehicle. Thanks Jim and Christian Brothers for your great service.
Regards,
Chad H.

Christian brothers automotive. Hmm what can I say. For people who follow god and meant to do good and help others, They really are rude people. I was they literally inside for 10 minute without any one asking me if I needed assistance. I probably said hello like 20 times. I can see and hear the people in the back enjoying their time. I was being ignore. I later called back and ask them if they were working today and they said they were. I explain the situation and was inform they were on lunch. I guess when it comes the time to eat, they shut down the business. I guess staggering their lunch seems non beneficial as they need all there rep taking lunch at the same time. There were no be right back sign or anything at all. From all the other reviews, they use the Christian name in vain to lure people in. We need honest local mechanics here and these guys are not it.

Jim is a great man who stands by his services. I had a road hazard incident while out of town, and he coordinated with another Christian Bros (Who are all owned by different people mind you) to pay for my new tire and the related service. I believe this to be an ethical shop whose focus is on their customers.

I have always received prompt, courteous and very decent/​fair priced service from Christian Bros. I take my Civic here for regular oil changes and they do not try to sell me on a bunch of services I don’t need. Of course they recommend what is needed based on the mileage of my car but they aren’t pushy like many other auto repair places I have been to before. A+++

Said I needed new spark plugs but had replaced them 8 months ago. Said I needed new struts they had been replaced a year ago. I just needed an oil change not a bunch of unnecessary bs that’s all ready been done. I need to stick with my regular guy!

I came in after a botched job at another shop. They pulled my car into the garage 5 mins after I got there and I was out the door in 15 mins total. It was a simple fix but they did fix the problem and didn’t charge me for it at all. Free.
The two gentlemen at the desk were very nice. They were great!

Wonderful service at a great price! I’ve taken my car there several times now and each time the repairs were done very quickly and for a good price! They even provide a shuttle service so I didn’t have to miss work! Highly recommend! I will definitely be back!

Fast service and reasonable prices (as far as I know).
My Nissan Altima wouldn’t start (push button starter). I originally had it hauled to the dealer, because I couldn’t think of anyone else to haul it to. They weren’t going to be able to even LOOK at it for 1.5 days, at the earliest. Then I remembered Christian Brother’s was close to home. I called them and the woman said they would look at it right away. I paid for a second tow to get my car to them. It was well worth it! They looked at it, called me with the problem/​estimate, and had it repaired within 3 hours!
The only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is because several years ago I stopped by to get an oil change. They told me I needed an appointment, and that put me off. That isn’t a deal breaker, but I wasn’t happy about that. I don’t like have to schedule an appointment for my car. .. just my peeve.

I’ve got over a decade experience with Christian Brothers (this location as well as both in Cedar Park). We use Chip’s location at Round Rock because their service manager, David, and their crew are knowledgeable in European models, specifically when we need diagnostics or computer programming.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that quality work is not cheap. If you want to pay the very least, there’s a Brake Specialist up the road somewhere. If you want accurate diagnostics and warrantied work, see Chip and David. You’ll get what you pay for.

I’ve seen some very harsh reviews, and, frankly, I am sympathetic to some extent, but I must say that I’ve had the opposite experience at this shop. They’ve been courteous, helpful, and honest with me, and most important, they’ve done great work.
Although they were not bargain-​basement, price-​wise, I did not think they were as overpriced as one of the other reviewers.
Now, for the sympathy part. Though I am a Christian, I loathe things like «The Shepherd’s Guide». When I need a plumber, I want a competent, responsive plumber who isn’t too expensive. I don’t want someone with a holy mackerel on their business card, who expects to be able to charge inflated prices and to do sloppy work, and then expects that God will just shield them from the performance pressures and expectations of the world. That’s childish, self-​serving narcissism, not admirable Christian values.
So, I understand feelings of indignation when someone tries to ostensibly gain credibility by flaunting religion in their marketing. It irks me, and I normally avoid businesses that market religious affiliations.
However, again, I have to say that MY experience with this shop has been OUTSTANDING. They really have treated me EXTREMELY well, and I would return to them in a heart beat. I’m very grateful.
To the extent that they do mix religious stuff with their business, it has been modestly blended in, not obnoxious, and they seem to be very sincere about both their faith and about the customer’s care.
I’m not calling other reviewers liars. I suppose two people can get different results at the same restaurant, too. My experience with this Christian Brother’s Automotive location, however, has been SUPERB.

«Just going by the book.»
That was the explanation I received for the extremely inflated prices. I guess the book is the bible and the profits are paying for huge ark they are building in the back. I’ve brought both my cars here and had the same experience as the other reviewer who mentioned the price disparity between a BMW and Japanese car. When a $ 180 water pump replacement is quoted near the same as complete new radiator and cooling overhaul on more expensive car, something is going on. Why the favoritism for German vs Japanese. Is it because one country is Christian and Japan is full of soulless agnostics — jk :-) — hmm.
Price disparity aside, the attempted gouging is expected, its an auto shop after all. What is not expected is the attitude when attempting to find out the why something is so expensive and try to get a realistic price. That is where repeating «just going by the book’ is not a good explanation. Nearly $ 500 in labor equal to more than half a day work for what simple research reveals the repair should take less than hour — that is attempted robbery. And when called on it, they don’t budge on labor price. And you can guarantee the prices on parts are most likely doubled. A simple call to the local dealership with part number in hand exposes this fact. And you most likely will get a suggestion to fix something that does not need repair. The kicker, at the bottom of the quote, near the tax, is a fee for supplies? Is the mark-​up not enough? The only thing that is not marked up or inflated is the fluids. If you’re used to negotiating a little for a fair price, this is not the place. They start so high, by the time you get to a ‘fair’ price its still 40% higher than a mom ‘n’ pop shop.
Sorry Bible Bro’s, don’t have the extra cash to donate to your Ark. Try working with your customers a little more.

Anything but «christian» prices!
I thought the air-​conditioning replacement service I had was very expensive but it wasn’t until I talked to my regular mechanic afterwards that he told me I could have done if for half that price at somewhere else! He also told me that he «used to work there and because of the franchise fees they have to charge upwards of 60% mark-​up for repairs etc.»
I thought I could trust them since they are supposedly a «christian» based business but what I found is just another in a long line of people and businesses that use «christianity» as a front to take advantage of you!

Called 6 different locations in Round Rock for quotes to have my EGR ports cleaned. Got the best price from Christian Brothers. Got there for my appointment at 7:45 am, and they had a car waiting to take me where I needed to go. They charged $ 10 less than they quoted me, and pointed out two issues with the truck that I hadn’t known about that definitely weren’t part of the job they quoted me. They didn’t even offer to repair it or do anything about it, they just went out of their way to point out things that I wouldnt’ve known about without them.
Overall, very impressed, and will go back if the need arises.

Took our truck here for an oil change and quick look over. They looked everything over and changed the oil. We walked away paying around $ 40 for everything. The service guy David Jowers is a little strange in personality and I wasn’t sure if I caught him on a bad day or he was just generally like that… All in all the experience was OK at the most…

I just got a full brake job done here and I called all around round rock and christian bros. was the best price. The place was very nice and the staff was extremly nice, and the owner drove me home and picked me back up in the shuttle, she was very friendly. The whole experiance was a good one! I highly recomend them.

All I can say is be careful and get second opinion, these thieves are known to suggest and make unnecessary repairs. Then lie to your face
There are better, more trustworthy shops who wont take advantage of you.
I would give them 0 stars but that isnt an option.

I’ve been taking my Grand Cherokee there for years after I knew their business had made a particular charitable donation. Out of the 10 or 12 times I’ve been there over the years, I’ve only once had to take it back for a re-​repair (I actually had to take it back a third time on that one, they were trying to replace one large cooling system part at a time in an effort to keep my cost down). Today I called them around 11am with a transmission issue, and they fit me in before 2pm. They diagnosed and replaced a single sensor and had it back to me by 6pm for the weekend.
So I’m yet again a happy customer, and my Jeep just keeps going. They are indeed more expensive with parts on occasion, which I believe is because they don’t use refurbished parts, only new parts. There hourly rate seems to match what’s around Round Rock.
There has only been 2 other shops in P-​ville and San Marcos that I’ve been loyal to over my many vehicles, but for now I’m loyal to Christian Brothers. Plus their website has a 10% off coupon … which is a nice reward.