The Auto Depot

This hidden gem is a fantastic shop in north Austin--a little tricky to find the first time and well worth it! We have all our body work and repairs done here. Jim and team are very friendly and efficient. The get the work done quickly and professional, usually within a day. The one time we had work done that took two days Jim gave us a loaner, for free, without our even asking for one! Other shops have sent us to a rental company that discounts or have had me take a cab home. The level of customer service and personal attention you get from Jim and team is rare these days. Make the trip to Auto Depot and you will find a body shop for life and quite possibly a new friend. Pros: Quick, friendly, quality workmanship, price is right Cons: On a side street--hidden gem! more

I recently wrecked my 2004 Pontiac Sunfire. I was in desperate need of a new vehicle. I was browsing craigslist when i stumbled upon a decent looking car around my price range. This place is in a central location in North Austin. Jim helped me find a great and affordable car at such a short notice. He stayed after hours to help me. I recommend checking out this place if you are looking for a vehicle. \r \r Pros: customer care more

these guys are willing to work with you. quite simply they take what you are able to give not what they want to stick you with. to a limit anyway. all in all my experience has been good with the auto depot. more

I bought a used Honda Civic with an engine that has only 9,000 miles. The rest of the car is as good as new.\r My car payments are now $214 a month. If I had bought a new car my payments, with insurance would have been $650 a month. I am enjoying the extra $400 per month and have a great car- a hybrid that gets 40 mpg. Pros: Locally owned more

It's pretty simple really - Jim Ernst and crew will repair your car for less money and less hassle than anywhere else in Austin. My car needed major repairs and they beat a competitor's quote by over $300. When it came time to upgrade, I bought a car through Jim, too. He's honest, thorough and completely trustworthy. He'll bend over backwards to make sure you get your money's worth and you are satisfied. It's no wonder that Auto Depot is so highly rated. They do what they say and they say what they do. I haven't found that level of honesty in any other repair shop here in Austin, or elsewhere. I'm now a customer for life thanks to Jim and his crew. The only downside is that they only have one location in the city, but for this level of service, it's worth the drive. Pros: Trustworthy, affordable Cons: Only one location more

I bought an Acura from Jim at Auto Depot last week, and I am very happy with it. I'm always a little wary when buying a used car, but the warranty that they offer is wonderful and helped make my decision easier. It's a very informal place but the service is good and I liked the price. I hope I don't need another car for a while, but when I do, I'll be back. Pros: Good and helpful more

I recently moved to the area and found a great with here. There wasn't any haggling over price as i was already getting a great deal. I couldn't be happier with my car buying experience, they even did some work for me (free of charge) that wasn't covered under the warranty. The rest of the staff was upbeat and very helpful. I'd recommend coming here first when looking for your next used car. Pros: great deal and great warranty more

So far I have been pleased with my experience. It was time to trade in my gas guzzling truck of 10 years and I went in to check out a couple of cars. One of them was still being repaired and I couldn't take it out yet so I took the other, a little acura out and loved the way it drove. The whole process went very smooth, had to wait a bit at the end for the car to be ready, but Jim got me lunch and made it a fun experience! He gave me a great price for my truck as a trade in too-more than I would expect from another dealer trade! The only thing is the car has hail damage so it's not the one for me. Jim is going to let me know when the other car is ready and give me first pick on it. He also said he will let me know of any others that come in since he knows what I am looking for. Bottom line is it's not your typical dealer he will work with you to get you into something you love and for a very good price. Do your homework as you would buying any car. They'll answer any question you have and make it work for you! The warranty sounds great but I have yet to use it. I'll write more after I am in the car I really want. But up to now am quite happy with the auto depot! Pros: Honest, want to make you happy more

My wife and I bought our first car from them probably 15 years ago. It was a Honda Accord, and my wife got 371,000 miles on it. Anyway, every car we've bought since then as been from Auto Depot, and the deals are great, the warranty is amazing, and Jim, the owner, has become a true friend over the years and has gone the extra mile for us several times to get our cars fixed when we needed them. I don't even shop around - I just go to Auto Depot when I need a car or when I need repairs. Pros: Great deals on cars, great warranty more

I have had my car serviced several times. The people who work there are professional and very friendly. They go out of their way to take care of their customers. It's the only place I trust. Pros: Best customer service in town more

I brought my car in for a tune up and a couple odds and ends after months and months of my neglect and not even looking under my hood or caring what all the bad sounds I heard were out of sheer laziness. Jim, Mike, Steve and the rest of the guys were all very helpful and answered all my questions. They directed the mechanics to pay attention to the things I was concerned about and a fantastic overall job was delivered. I went to this shop based on other really good online reviews I had read and I was not disappointed, they really did live up to the hype, I will be back. Pros: Good eggs to deal with Cons: can't think of any more

Jim and all of his employees do a great job! Very personal service. They kept me up to date on the process every step of the way. I bought my '96 Honda Civic for a great price and it came with a one year warranty! That is almost unheard of for a used car of this age! They did a beautiful job with the interior and exterior. I was very happy with my experience at the Auto Depot! Thank you Jim! I will be telling all my friends about y'all! Pros: Great friendly customer service,great prices! Cons: Patience is a virtue... more

The guys at Auto Depot brought our 1985 Mercedes 300 back to almost mint condition. The price was fantastic; they are easy to work with and did all the work in a timely fashion. I will definitely go back the next time I bend a fender. Thanks guys. Pros: Excellent work; good price more

I got a great '96 mercedes from the auto depot and I know i made a great choice. Wonderful car. Friendly people with attention to detail. Pros: great deals on cars and car maintenance more

My car was overheating and I dropped by to see what the problem was. Turns out something was wrong with my radiator hoses. They quickly got the parts and fixed everything faster than expected. Since then I haven't had a problem. Great job overall. Pros: Quick and easy more

After the body work done on my car at Auto Depot, the car looks better than it did before we had the accident. The car was also done a day early, during a holiday week. When I took the car back for a mechanical repair, they had it fixed later that day, and shopped around for the used part I asked for instead of just charging me for the new item. They clearly explain what's wrong and what your best options are for fixing it. I feel more than comfortable going back in the future. Pros: Fast turnaround, good work, courteous more

What a breath of fresh aire in a market of slimeballs! I met Jim four years ago when I bought a toyota pickup truck. I saw it advertised on craigslist and went to go see it. It was an old truck and Jim assured me it had been totally went through in the engine and had the 22R rebuilt fully. Did I pay more for that truck than I could have gotten somewhere else from an independent seller? Of course! Was it absolutely worth it? OF COURSE!!!! Jim's policies at the Auto Depot are ridiculously comforting and reassuring to east peoples minds when buying a used car. Who else do you know that gives you 30 days to return a car after you purchase it to make sure you made the right decision? Jim will work with you and make sure you are happy. \r \r The first time I bought a car from him, the toyota truck, I hung around the shop for three days solid for hours on end observing his business practices and do a little research on him to make sure I was doing the right thing concerning my purchase. I witnessed probably 25 different clients coming through the doors and soooooo many of them were repeat buyers, customers, and overall very, very satisfied clients. I learned and respected his business practices so much I asked him for a job!!! I can only work for someone I admire, respect an believe in whole-heartedly and I knew I had found my place...! Now, four years later, I bought my second car as well. \r \r If you are looking for a solid place to put your money in such a scary environment generally concerning auto issues, look no further. You will be treated right! Tell Jim Derek sent you and treat you RIGHT!!!! Tell him you want the VIP special.... Pros: Everything Cons: Nothing more

I bought my last car from Jim at Auto Depot. The price was great and it included a warranty that goes beyond what I'd found elsewhere. They've repaired my car for a couple of years, and now that I've bought a car from them, too, I would happily recommend them to anyone. Pros: Honest people! more

i recently bought a car from them. before pickup, simple finishing work leads to a discovery of something major. they could have temporarily fixed it and left me hurting six months later like a lot of shops. but no. jim and his staff are professionals. they are doing the job right, to the benefit of their customer and to the detriment of the bottom line. wow. i am a customer as long as i live in austin. -k Pros: honesty, above and beyond the call of duty Cons: some patience required more

Just bought a 2002 Ford Pickup from Jim. When I got to his shop, I did not expect to buy, but after hanging out with Jim and his crew, I bought without any fear at all. The truck runs great, got a price that was a good $1,000 under what other used car dealers would have sold it for, and the kicker is it came with a 1 year warranty for no charge. This is simply unheard of in the used car world. Typcically I would expect to throw $1,000 or more immediately into any used car I bought, but Auto depot checks out everything for you before you leave the lot and they guarantee the work. The only downside is he is located on the complete opposite side of town from me, but well worth the drive. I would defenitely recommed stopping by and seeing what Jim has to offer before going to a dealership. Pros: Service, Warranty, Price Cons: Location more