This rating is based on customer reviews, inventory size, pricing, and service quality
Number One Auto in Iowa City, IA scores 90/100 with a strongly positive trend. Reviews praise professional, kind staff (often Raffy), fast same-day repairs, weekend help, fair-to-low pricing versus others, and making things right; customer service and short wait times stand out. Many note helpful explanations and quality parts, though a few cite higher costs, work done without prior OK, issues not fixed, and serious allegations of rudeness/racism, plus a complaint about reckless driving. Car quality gets kudos; inventory variety, yard organization, and ease of finding parts are unclear.
What clients say about Number One Auto in Iowa City (IA)
I couldn’t be happier with this place. Our son got flown to Iowa City for heart surgery and on the 9 hour drive from where we live we started hearing a couple of different noises our vehicle was making, knowing one was a wheel bearing and I knew we needed to get it fixed. I called Number One Auto and talked to Raffy and he said bring it in. He figured out the problems right away and told me to come back tomorrow. He had it in and out of his shop as quick as he could. I was happy with the price, he actually shocked me with the price because I thought I was going to have to pay more. Raffy is a great guy and I’m glad I got to meet him. He even asked questions about my son and how he was doing so I could tell he’s a very caring person. I highly recommend this place if you like stuff done right and good conversation. Thanks again Raffy, my family and I appreciate you more than you know
I had an excellent experience with Number One Auto! They repaired my son’s Audi and also fixed my Camry and everything turned out perfectly. The team was professional, efficient, and clearly skilled at what they do. I’m very satisfied with the service I received and truly appreciate their attention to detail. I highly recommend Number One Auto to anyone looking for reliable and high-quality work!
POLICE INTERVENTION and COURT needed!! I had an extremely upsetting experience at #1 Auto Repair while traveling from out of town with my 9-year-old son. I got a flat tire and went to the nearest repair shop, as I have run-flat tires that can go an additional 50 miles after a flat. After agreeing to a price for four tires. I left the shop and spoke with some family, who thought the price seemed very high. I later contacted two other area businesses, and they quoted $800 less for the same tires and a fully completed job.
When I asked the owner, Raffy, if I had been accidentally charged for the wrong tires, he completely lost it. He shouted, used profanity in front of my child, called me “you people,” and even threatened that he knew where I lived. My son was traumatized since he had never seen anyone speak to me like that, and I couldn’t even get a word in as Raffy ranted at me. He also refused to release my car unless I paid in cash, despite advertising credit cards, Venmo, and other payment options. I had no choice but to call the police to intervene.
I was charged about $800 higher than the other businesses, plus shop fees and a hazardous materials fee. In court, he admitted that these are the fees he charges on every job, whether or not they relate to the service being done. The judge commented that this was ridiculous and that these fees were not standard business practice, ordering him to pay that portion back to me. He admitted that no hazardous materials or shop supplies were actually used even though he charged me for them. I had my credit card company review the charges, and they refunded me the full amount, even though I was primarily concerned about the additional fees.
He may try to deny it or make me look like the bad guy, but a quick look at other reviews shows a pattern: overcharging, shouting, anger, and blaming the customer. You can also check the court records for the judgment against him.
My friend bought a car and they were very helpful, installed a new stereo touch screen no charge, thank you Raffy, I will come and buy next car from him, very recommended
PAID A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A BOLT SWAP AND IT BROKE DOWN TWO WEEKS LATER
Definitely the biggest rip off I’ve ever had at a shop before. Kept my car for nearly two weeks and charged 900 dollars for labor for a fix that amounted to a couple hundred dollars in parts. Basically they determined that the bolts on the battery needed swapped. I understand that it can take a bit of time to diagnose an issue and that shops can be busy but when I called the shop twice during the first week and a half, the response amounted to “we haven’t gotten to it yet.” To add insult to injury when I arrived to pick my car up it wouldn’t even start and needed to be jumped. You’d think after dropping over a thousand dollars on a fix it would be ready to go. Again, I understand some of the challenges especially with an electrical issue but it's hard for me to read this situation as anything other than some opportunistic up-charging. Looking at the other reviews it seems like this is a common experience at this shop. This shop seems designed to scam college students who don't know any better out of their money and I'm embarrassed to say I fell for it too. Don't make the same mistake as me. Do not take your car here, unless you're prepared to be charged a thousand dollars for them to keep it in the shop for a couple weeks before getting to the issue.
I've read Raffy's reply and it's pure nonsense. Here's all you need to know: I got two janky new bolts put on my battery. That's a two hundred dollar fix at most and I was charged a thousand. I'm not upset that they took their time as he tries to argue, I'm upset because it seems like they just gave up working on it and made up a temporary fix to get it off their hands. Why do I say this? Because a couple days ago, two weeks after getting it back, the car wouldn't start up and I'm right back where I started before bringing it in. Tried charging the battery and it drains. Needless to say, I won't be going to Raffy or the ironically titled Number One Auto to resolve the issue for real this time.
Thank you for great service on a Saturday without appointment. Super nice staff and quick work. They found the real reason to my car problems when so many others had told me it was the battery (surprise it wasn't).The owner was so nice even though I took over his office with four kids. Thank you again.
I got my car from Raffy and had a great experience. He was professional, patient, and helped me find a good car. He also put a lot of care into making sure the car was well taken care of. Very reliable!!!!!
Number One Auto was amazing at helping me . I was towed here from Hope Lodge and on a Saturday they got me right in for a starter . Very kind -Raffy is amazing he goes out of his way to help. I have a new starter and now can drive home to Illinois. Highly recommend.
Needed my alternator replaced, Number One Auto was able to replace it and get me my car back all in the same day! They were super easy to work with and very kind! Raffy made sure that I wasn't paying anymore than I needed to as well, phenomenal place to go to!
I bought a car from Raffy and his team and from the moment I entered his shop I’ve been treated with the utmost respect. He did a thorough check on the car and fixed all the things that even remotely seemed like they would be an issue for me. The service was amazing, on time and he was very professional at all times. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to buy a car.
If I could give ten stars I would. These guys go above and beyond for you! They know what they are talking about and are always willing to help! Great cars too!
So happy to find an auto mechanic who thinks independently and solves problems himself! Raffy is the real deal: knowledgeable, warm, professional. He diagnosed my sensor problem easily. Plus, without my asking, he anchored my dangling wheel housing panel. No up-selling, no drama. Wish him every success!
Raffy has saved my life twice now, first time was sophomore year of college when my key broke in the starter of my car. He towed it and fixed it in less than a day, and he had a very reasonable price.
Second time was yesterday when my son threw up all over my car and it got into the window well. I asked for him to detail it and to clean out the window, and he had it done in just a few hours, thank heavens, because I don’t think the mess would have come out without professional help.
Raffy is kind, knows his stuff, and will take care of you if you’ve had a disaster happen!!
Was in a tight spot with a tire during winter storm, trying to get home weekend of Thanksgiving. When everyone else was closed, Number One Auto helped me with no appointment to put my family on their way! They tried their best to plug a tire, then coming up with a quality tire in a pinch.
You can tell that they are committed to helping people when no one else will! Highly recommend.
Worked fast considering it’s Black Friday and there was a snow storm coming in. I called and had my car in within an hour and out in just over an hour. Also did the job for pretty cheap considering how much needed done
PLEASE DONT GO HERE. I brought my car for a diagnostic. After a couple of days, the mechanic said his machine doesn’t work and demanded $600 cash for work I never authorized. FOR A DIAGNOSIS!!! This felt dishonest and unprofessional. When I questioned the charge, he became rude and unprofessional.I also noticed racist behavior during my visit, which made me extremely uncomfortable. SCAMMERS
Thank you!
Got a clock spring mechanism replacement. It was installed and ended up being faulty. They made it right by installing a new one at no extra charge. They were great.
DO NOT GO HERE!!!!!!
They majorly over charged us! I paid an outrageous amount and they STILL didn’t fix the problem!!! My truck is worse now than when I brought it in. I think they are purposefully causing more problems in hopes of having to return to get even more money from me. Absolutely disgusting. They also damaged my vehicle and unhooked my exhaust and then left it like that didn’t hook anything back up. I am contacting an attorney as well having everyone look into this fraud company and investigate!!!
Do not bring your vehicle here!!
I'm a news editor and reporter. This was my first time at this shop, as it's close to my home and has good reviews on Google. Yes, it's a small business. The shop doesn't look fancy, and the work environment isn't particularly high-end. But the owner, Raffy, welcomed me warmly and helped me with the inspection and maintenance of my car. He completed the work according to my needs and also enthusiastically helped me with an interview I was doing. I'm very grateful that he took some time out of his busy schedule to give me some time. I had a comprehensive diagnosis and maintenance. Honestly, the price was a bit high, but not outrageous. Raffy told me they use higher-quality parts, so I understand the slightly higher price. One suggestion: next time, it would be better to call and ask before deciding on any parts. While I don't mind them using more expensive parts, as I want my car well-maintained, I'm sure some customers would be bothered by them using parts without asking. After the service, the car is in excellent condition. They told me the brake rotors and calipers need to be replaced, bringing the total to $2,000. I value my car, so if the work is done well and honestly, then I'm fine. I'll certainly continue to monitor the car's condition. Overall, it was a positive experience. The owner, Raffy, was very friendly. As a Chinese immigrant, I felt his warmth. He impressed me deeply; he was confident and genuine. I've seen some negative reviews, but I didn't feel he was rude or racist as those reviews said. Regarding some people's allegations of dishonesty, I will continue to monitor the car's condition. I believe time will give a fair judgement. If the price is truly overpriced due to dishonesty, I will edit this review. As a journalist, I also expose dishonest behavior. As long as there are no issues, I'm willing to trust Raffy and his shop. As I said, they treated me with respect and completed their work efficiently. It left a very good first impression.
We were traveling across Iowa on I80 when our 2016 Acura MDX had major problems and would not go over 45 mph. I looked up the nearest auto repair shop and got #1. I called and got the word he could help. We limped in and was told, since we were traveling we would get top priority by the owner, Raffe. He determined the problem and ordered the part and fixed it. While test driving, he noticed a brake wobble that I knew about. He said he could replace front brake rotors and pads in a half hour if we wanted. We wanted and a half hour later we were on the road. Raffe and his team went above and beyond to help us. I can only give him the highest review possible.
Fantastic experience! My son's BMW alert lit up on the dashboard the Saturday he was driving out to join college - engine thermostat not functioning. Raffy fixed it promptly with fast friendly service, and even came in on Sunday to put the engine thermostat new part in, which he had special ordered the previous day. My son just made it for his first orientation session 130 miles away that Sunday evening!!!
Thank you, Raffy. Great mechanic. He has been great and gets to the point. The job was done very quickly. Very honest mechanic with great work and quality. Will come back again even if I run into any trouble.
DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY HERE!! The worst ever car shop!! This guy is a scammer and he will eat your money. Avoid his shop at all cost. He sold me a broken car and lied that the car was fine. And I trusted him, because he said he doesn't sale his cars if he know that they have problems. Before I purchased the car, he deleted all the codings on the car so that I wouldn't see what is wrong with it. 3 days after I purchased the car the codings started appearing. The engine, transmission, oil and battery lights came on signaling that they are in need to be fixed or maintenance. I took the car to this guy to fix it as he promised to fix the car for free if there was anything wrong with it after a few days of me purchasing it. When I got to the shop, the guy denied to fix the car and called the police on me to get out of his compound. I wanted him to take his car back and give me my money, but he did not want to take his car back and give me the money that I wasted on him. Mind you, I am a college student and all I needed was a reliable car for school and work, but now I have been scammed. And I'm here with no car to depend on. My money has gone to waste, sadly. Now the car stops in the middle of the highway every-time I drive it. I realized he has done this to so many other people. PLEASE DO NOT BE SCAMMED BY THIS GUY. Take your money elsewhere. God will deal with this man named Raffy!
Don’t buy a car from this shop, the guy is a scammer and the place is terrible. Basically, they buy janky cars and clear the codes out of their cars, sell them to the customers, and lie to you the car is clean and the Engine & Transmission are new. They try to convince you by telling you to take the car if it has any problem you can bring it back they will fix it for you without a warranty that's how they get you. They will lie to you that they trying to take care of their customers so you can like the car and drive it off the lot by the time you take it home, 3 days later or a week you will randomly start seeing codes popping up out of nowhere with different issues and if you try to take it back they break their promises and try to have you pay more money to fix the car, please don't buy a car from this place they will get you people. Terrible place I’ve ever experienced in my life they got my sister real bad!
Just got a used car from here. Rafat was really helpful and he respond to messages very quickly. He was also willing to fix minor problems that I had with my car after sales. So far the car runs great and reliable, would recommend buying a car in Number One Auto.
1st review.. Took my car in for an estimate.. liked the price.. in and out in less then 2 days.. looks great.. thanks again......
2nd review...someone side swiped my vehicle and took this one here also.. got it back and I love the work..
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