Auto Repair in the SeaWorld area (school, shops, car)

[Orincarnia]

Originally Posted by majormadmax

MD Automotive just off of Culebra/471 outside of 1604 (7454 FM1560 North). Been dealing with them for years, and have nothing but the utmost confidence in their work. It is a family-owned and operated business that stands by their work. Chris, Mike, Joseph and Jason are more like friends to us than the guys who fix our cars...

Cheers! M2

i agree, my car is at MD automotive right now. Joseph has been way more informative and helpful than any other place i've been to. one guy even gave me a ride home after their shuttle guy left.

they exceed luxury car service at MD automotive.

[Steel Man]

Originally Posted by wellguy

I would strongly agree that Potranco Automotive is the BEST in the area. Yes sometimes their prices are comparable to the Dealers but the warranty is just as good and I don't think they are going anywhere in case they are needed in the future.

I go to MD to have the oil changed in my pickup. I use Amsoil and it is a little hard to find and their oil change costs is much less than what I was paying up until three years ago.

Both Garages are AAA approved which will save you $$$$$$ . They don't want to make you unhappy since their Service and your Feed Back depends upon that rating. It's (AAA) worth the investment of 50 plus dollars for the basic card. Mine was renewed in July and it has already paid for itself in other discounts like eating establishments, Hotels, Motels, etc. *You can usually find their infomercials on the weekend and the Membership Fee is waived. *I'm sorry, I didn't want to make this sound like a AAA Thread.

They would not give AAA discount on the battery (even though the store they bought it from does), just service.

Originally Posted by goodmanm

My mechanic is Potranco Automotive but if you're having problems getting the issue diagnosed you may want to consider taking it to a dealer. MD is also good but may not be able to diagnose the problem either.

With regards to parts at Potranco if you can get the part cheaper somewhere else bring it in and they'll install it for you. They're just passing on the cost of what the supplier charges them.

Disagree...for example, they installed a new battery and I asked them where they got the battery from. I called the place and I could have bought the battery for $25 less (with AAA discount no less!).

[svg210]

I've heard that some shops add Mark ups some have even go as far as 50 percent!

[DexterCat]

Originally Posted by margaritanow

We are fairly new to the area and looking for a decent, reputable (hopefully there are some? ) auto repair shop in our area. We live near Seaworld so anything on Culebra, Potranco, etc. We tried one down on Potranco several times and didn't have very good results. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!!

people need to stop limiting themselves to a certain area. the good mechanics will be where you least expect it.

that being said:

honda mike - 210-889-4117. tell him robert in the black volvo sent you.

extremely honest, extremely reliable, very competitive rates. he specializes in imports but will work on anything. does the job right the first time, doesnt cut corners at all.

[majormadmax]

Sure, I want to drive across San Antonio to get my car worked on; instead of using a good, reputable family-owned shop that's a couple of miles from my house...

[SabresFanInSA]

In DexterCat's defense, the place he is referring to is on Bandera @ Eckert, so not really across town.

[majormadmax]

I refuse to drive far due to all the idiots that won't get out of the left lane!

And honestly, if there is are several great shops within a few miles of my house; why bother even driving over to Bandera & Eckert? People want to find a garage that is close to them, and belittling them because of it deserves the response it got!

[skeet09]

A good place to find a mechanic as well is near your place of work, especially if they offer a ride to your job after you drop off their car at their shop. I work near downtown and use As The Wheel Turns (a spin on the name of the TV soap As The World Turns, lol). There were no decent mechanics near my previous residence so I thought of finding one near work would be a good choice too.
Good luck in your search!

[skeet09]

Originally Posted by majormadmax

Sure, I want to drive across San Antonio to get my car worked on; instead of using a good, reputable family-owned shop that's a couple of miles from my house...

MajorMadMax: Not everyone lives near good mechanics. It's good that you do but not all of us have that option so moving our search further out of our vicinity may yield better results.

[majormadmax]

Originally Posted by skeet09

MajorMadMax: Not everyone lives near good mechanics. It's good that you do but not all of us have that option so moving our search further out of our vicinity may yield better results.

But several people have recommended garages that are close to the OP, and someone suggesting that those aren't adequate just isn't right.

If that wasn't the case, I would understand the recommendation to broaden the search; but to state that one should do so without good reason just doesn't make sense...

We're not talking about hamburgers here, where some will drive across town to sample the offerings of Lord's Kitchen or Bracken Store Cafe; the vast majority of people who are looking for generalized auto work prefer to have it done close to where they live. Now, if it's specialty work, say on less common makes of foreign cars, then it's understandable; that just isn't the case here. The OP never mentioned needing Saab work done or something along those lines, and since the OP mentioned a specific area, it's safe to assume that proximity was a priority.