We'd been having intermittent trouble with our a/c, and our local auto repair shop had been unable to diagnose the problem. We came to Houston for a weekend away, and the a/c went out again(in August!), so we brought our car in to River Oaks to see if they could just do something temporary to get us home comfortably. Not only did they diagnose the underlying problem, but they told us what needed to be done to fix it once we got home. They were fast, very knowledgeable, didn't overcharge us, and went out of their way to help us, even though we aren't local. Fantastic experience!
Vince seems to be a very nice, knowledgeable guy, which initially earned my trust, but I've had one too many bad experiences to go back. The quality is just not aligned with the prices they charge. My two pros are the shuttle service they offer while your car is having work done and convenient location.
Let me let you know the reason this place even has high stars is due to the fact that people rate them high on state inspections but when it comes to actual repairs they seem to all be low and i can confirm with everyone else , that the repairs at this place are overpriced and suggesting things to be fixed that no need no repair. lets start with this place does not believe in customer service. They never called me on a single update on how my car was doing and i had to be call them constantly asking on the updates of my car. Secondly the diagnostic fee is the biggest scam that i have ever paid for, the whole point of this diagnostic is to tell you what exactly is not working on your vehicle. Turns out this diagnostic suggests that my vehicle needs a new computer which the total repair would equal out to 1.2k, that is absurd. Ended up bringing my car to another mechanic, found the issue is just wiring on the battery and a switch problem. Ended up spending roughly 170 to get my car up and running again. SO for 150 dollars this place cant even diagnose the right problem. FIND ANOTHER PLACE, HONESTLY.
Second, I got convinced to get a new set of tires from this place for $900. BIG MISTAKE. Within 6 months, one of the tires started losing air and they could not figure it out. They said there was nothing in it, so the 'complimentary repair' was not helpful. No replacement warranty, of course. I just aired up several times over the next few months when it got low. One day I check it out and notice a bolt, so I bring it in for another check. This time, they 'repair' it (pictured). I was furious when my husband went on a road trip for work and ended up on the side of the road late at night when the tire went completely flat. We just took it to Discount Tire and gave up on River Oaks. Incredible disappointment.
We ended up buying fans and driving the car on a 4 hour trip with no AC the following weekend. The heat was so unbearable, I had to bring it in to a place when we reached our destination and hope they could do something. Within the hour the other place determined it was simply the blower motor out (a $300 job), and it ended up costing me $400 with the recharge for a perfectly running AC. River Oaks wanted to charge me 10X that much for something that didn't even need to be fixed, and I still paid for the diagnostic.
I'm sad to say that my last experience here was terrible, and I will not be going back. I brought my car in because the AC was not blowing anymore and hoped for the best. Got the terrible call that my AC compressor was out and that with belts a new recharge was going to cost me close to $4k. I said absolutely not, I cannot afford it right now.
Went here for an auto claim and some other imperfections with my car. My car had to stay a few days at their shop and they provided me with transportation to the rental car company. They also gave me constant updates and communicated well with my insurance company. Priced very reasonably and excellent customer service! I will be coming here for my usual car maintenance now!
Came here for the first time today and have to say it was a GREAT experience for me. Had an oil change, headlamp, and State Inspection but overall experience was great. Vince was super nice and I was in/out really fast. Will be back...
Lastly, in an attempt to use my $100 credit for the AC incident (which barely covered the cost of the diagnostic and didn't even come close to compensating for the terrible road trip we had to endure), I called River Oaks for a quote when my starter went out: $450. Just had it done elsewhere for $150.
River Oaks Automotive Center is a US Car Repair based in Houston, Texas. River Oaks Automotive Center is located at 3800 W Alabama St, Houston, TX 77027, USA.
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