Thomas Automotive

Feb 06, 2025

Thomas Automotive provided a thorough pre-inspection of the Golf TDI I purchased from the dealership across the street. For $135, they were communicative, trustworthy, and their expertise helped me make an informed decision. The dealership was accommodating, and the car has been running great since. Highly recommend both for their professionalism!

Feb 04, 2025

David is a great guy.I needed some answers about my vehicle he answers every one of them. Next time im in Portland im going to go to David honest and good mechanic. And also made back home safe to central Oregon.

Jan 17, 2025

They have replaced my engine, radiator, break lines and always at a reasonable cost with high quality work. I could not recommend this shop any more, my grandma has come here for years and years and if you ask anybody at les Schwab or express service places for somewhere that can do more in depth work they are always recommended.

Dec 07, 2024

I was referred here to fix my car, after taking my car to 3 different locations in salem and couldn’t figure what was wrong with it, I brought it to Thomas Automotive… David figured out what was wrong and fixed the problem, not only did he figure it out, he did it all with in 3 days, dropped it off Monday and had it ready by Wednesday afternoon. It was not an easy fix but his skills made my car run smoothly and good as new. Highly recommend these guys, especially if you have cars with Turbos, these guys know their stuff!

Dec 07, 2024

Thomas Automotive is the only shop I will let service our fleet of vehicles. Extremely knowledgeable and honest. Do not waste your time and money getting the run around from other shops. Thank you Thomas Automotive!!

Nov 07, 2024

I cannot thank Dave enough from Thomas Automotive. I blew a tire on the way to the airport and limped into his parking lot. He came out of the shop and told me he had it. I could Uber to the airport and my tire would be fixed ny the time I got home. His service and personal touch was incredible. Highly recommend Dave and his shop to anyone needing help.

Sep 07, 2024

David was informative, responsive and honest. I will return and recommend to others who need an honest mechanic interested in helping folks get back on the road.

May 07, 2024

David is a great mechanic and has a solid family!

May 07, 2024

The best mechanic I’ve come across in town. Does awesome work. Is honest, fair and punctual.

Apr 07, 2024

David did a great job diagnosing a complicated electrical problem on my 16 year old car. He kept me appraised with detailed updates and kept the bill within reason for the age and likely lifespan of the vehicle. He is honest and skillful. Highly recommend.

Feb 07, 2024

A great place to take your vehicle. They are honest, knowledgeable, and friendly. The company I work for uses this place all the time because they're so great. I'm now going to use them for my personal vehicles as well.

Feb 07, 2024

Came in with an AC issue on our Toyota RAV4, and it turned out to be a more serious issue than I had hoped. However, like other reviewers have mentioned, David laid out exactly what was going on to me, gave me a very accurate quote, and gave me a few other options. We ended up choosing to go through with his repair, and we now have a much safer vehicle and ice cold AC. Very well priced, and surprisingly quick turnaround given the size of the project. I will definitely be taking our car to David for our next repair.

Feb 07, 2024

David is very experienced and reasonable about what work needs to be done. His prices are also very competitive.

Feb 07, 2024

Honest and thorough. Dave went above and beyond, and with very reasonable prices. Excellent Customer Service.

Feb 07, 2024

I had a great experience at Thomas Automotive and would highly recommend coming here for car service! David was very friendly and thoroughly explained what he thought was wrong with my car after doing diagnostics (in layman terms so I understood everything). I had taken my car to a different shop before bringing it to David, and what they determined to be my car’s issue was only part of the problem. If they had replaced that one part, I still would have had issues, so I am very grateful that David is knowledgeable and figured out the other root problems for my car. He worked quickly and had my car fixed and ready to pick up the day after I dropped it off! I’ve had my car for almost a week post-service now and it has been driving great (and the problem I came in for is completely resolved). I will definitely continue coming to David for all of my car needs and would recommend him to anyone in the Portland area looking for a great mechanic. Thank you so much!!

Feb 07, 2024

In all of my years dealing with mechanics, this shop was the best of them all bar none. David was exceptional in not only the work he did, but also being extremely communicative. He was honest in what exactly needed to be fixed, explained exactly what broke and why it did, and gave the benefit analysis of each way to repair the issue. He also went above and beyond to argue with an insurance company so that I paid out of pocket as little as possible, and he updated me constantly on the steps and progression. Thomas Automotive is my go-to for any repairs or any other services I need because I trust this shop to be honest, repairs done correctly and diligently, and will always look out for what is best for me.

Feb 07, 2024

My 08 Toyota tundra threw a check engine light, something to do with the secondary air flow injection system, I did a little research on it and figured it was time for a mechanic. I did not have a mechanic at the time so I made an appointment at Ron Tonkin Toyota where I bought the truck, they were quoting me 3 to 4000 to put in a new system, I figured I didn't need a complete new system, and the kid that I was dealing with had no clue what he was doing. So I asked how much their hourly rate was, after I stopped laughing, I jumped into my truck and backed out of their service Bay, I don't trust Ron Tonkin mechanics so I was hesitant to begin with. Anyway, on my drive home I went past Thomas automotive, Been by it 100 times, never notice what it was. I googled to read reviews, which were very good. I called to set up appointment, he was a little ways out, like every other mechanic in town, well worth the wait !!! Stopped in one day before my appointment to talk to David, the owner. He took time out to talk bout what I needed, and maybe what I didn't need to fix problem. 20 minutes went by and I was sold, we seem to be on the same page. His shop is old school which I loved, just wanted to hang out and look around 🤣don't let that fool you, he has top of the line equipment in there. Finally got my truck in there for repair he called me every step of the way sent me pictures of the problem , he even let me stop in there one day to look at what he was fixing,which I was very appreciative of that cuz I was dying to know what a 600.00 check valve looked like, he also tested my 2 air pumps for water intrusion, big bucks, thankfully he Said they were still fine. I'm wondering if Ron Tonkin Toyota would have done that for me ??? Picked up the truck, he gave me the bill for 1300.00 which was a dream come true from my other quotes. David, thank you very much, actually the best mechanic experience I've had in years. My hope now is he stays in business for many years, as, unfortunately, I have four cars 🤣see you soon David, my tundra is working perfectly. Paul

Feb 07, 2024

My go to place for all things automotive. David keeps my car on the road. He's honest and tells me what's wrong so I know just what he is talking about.

Feb 07, 2024

Shop was very responsive to my inquiries and was able to get me in pretty quick! Tech was really communicative and the pricing was very reasonable

Feb 07, 2024

Straightforward, honest mechanic! Brought in a truck for a pre-purchase inspection. David was thorough, meticulous and straight up with me. He did exactly what he promised and charged exactly what he quoted to help me in my decision. Great experience. Highly recommend.

Feb 07, 2024

The owner is very honest and does a good job.

Feb 07, 2024

This is my go to auto mechanic. They may not be the quickest since they have a small staff but you will get honest service without being sold a bunch of nonsense. Highly recommended.

Feb 07, 2024

Very professional and honest mechanic. I love this place and can't recommend it enough!

Feb 07, 2024

Walked me through multiple options on a tough call on fixing our car, and another time also room for us on the schedule during an urgent fix. Highly recommend.

Feb 07, 2024

brought in my hyundai after it got stolen+totally trashed and let me tell you- David did an amazing job doing everything he could to get her up and running again! she had a flat tire, entirely broken steering column, missing levers for the windshield wipers and blinker, and TWO broken windows (with internal mechanism malfunctions) among a laundry list of other problems. the price i paid was generously reasonable on his part for doing so much and im super thankful to this company for all their help 🙏 MUCH cheaper than buying a new car! thank you again david i highly recommend thomas automotives for your car troubles, big or small (:

Feb 07, 2023

Although the shop was busy, they got my vehicle in on the same day I called for a pre-purchase inspection. We originally set up an appt for a few days out, but I called back offering to pay extra if they could get me in the same day. David got my van in and out of the shop in just over an hour and still only charged the original price he quoted me at. He took the time to explain everything to me and I left feeling a lot better knowing about the condition of the vehicle I was about to buy. I’ll be coming back to Thomas Automotive for future service.

Feb 07, 2023

Best,honest mechanic around,ask for David. Wouldn’t take my car to no one else,the guy is a stand up guy and knows his stuff. Thanks man!!

Feb 07, 2023

I flew to Texas and bought a V8 4Rrunner and drove it all way back to Portland. The first place I brought it to was Thomas Automotive for a Vehicle inspection. The car was in good shape per the seller and was confirmed by David at Thomas Automotive. He replaced all the spark plugs and showed all of the ones that were damaged/worn out - no other upsell or pressure. The turn around was only a couple of hours, I had a long lunch and he was done. He notified of the work the seller had done on the transmission (which was not mentioned to me during the sale). For this truck's future needs I'll be taking it to Thomas Automotive for no BS work.

Feb 07, 2023

I had a really good experience with David. I needed some broken bolts replaced on the top of my engine and for him to look at my AC. He did all the work in the timeframe we agreed on and came in under budget. I haven't had any issues with the car since the repairs. I appreciate how straight forward he was and how well he explained the issues without being rude or judgmental. This shop is professional and does good work.

Feb 07, 2023

I had the a/c on my wife's Highlander fixed here. The a/c now works great, and I am happy that I brought it here. He was professional, explained the situation well, and the repair was performed in a timely manner. I would definately recommend this shop to my friends...

Feb 07, 2023

I have taken my Chevy to Thomas for the past five years - Dave and his uncle have always been helpful and informative. Dave takes time to explain what needs to get fixed and how so I can make an informed decision. I’m generally driving my cars into the ground 😄 which they get and don’t try to upsell me or have me pay for repairs that may not be worth it to me in the long run. Every time I’ve taken my car in, they have been courteous and responsive to what I need and have worked late to fix things so I can have my car back sooner. Would recommend driving out of your way to go to Thomas!

Feb 07, 2023

This is the only location I’ve ever taken my car to be worked on. My dad took our families here when I was a kid, and my grandma + grandpa even used to take there vehicle’s here a far back as in the 80’s. They’ve always been honest and I can’t believe how fast they are… I cooks say a lot of nice things about this business… ⭐️

Feb 07, 2023

Went thre extra mile to get my car running after it was stolen and stripped.

Feb 07, 2022

I highly recommend this repair shop, I first took my wife’s 2004 Lexus GX470 to have an alternator replaced. I was so pleased with his fair pricing and professionalism that I ended up having him work on my Toyota tundra as well replacing the radiator. He is thorough, efficient, and honest. I feel that I not only gained a mechanic but a friend as well.

Feb 07, 2022

I took my car in to have the windshield wiper transmission replaced. They quoted me $400+ for parts and labor. That seemed pretty high to me, so I refused the repair, and was then charged a $98.50 diagnostic fee. There was no mention of a diagnostic fee when I dropped my car off. I found the OEM part online for under $100 and installed it myself in less than two hours. The only reason it took me that long is because I know little-to-nothing about working on cars, but I still managed it - there is no way it would have taken a trained mechanic more than an hour to do. Folks should absolutely be compensated for their time and expertise, but $300/hour for labor (or even $150/hour) and $98.50 to tell me the name of the part I already knew needed replaced seems pretty steep. Two stars because at least they were friendly.

Feb 07, 2022

I would give this place 6 stars if I could. I called to schedule an appointment on a Thursday. They took it the same day and had it back by Friday morning. On top of that, the final price was less than what they had originally quoted me. I'm so glad to have found an honest mechanic after dealing with so many crooks over the years. Take your car here and you won't be disappointed.

Feb 07, 2022

Solid & reliable service. Good pricing and David knows his stuff. He is honest and fair.