Charlie's Auto Center in
Lexington (KY)

Fair, honest, timely, good communicators. They don't make 'em like this anymore.

Have struggled to find good mechanics in town and I first came across this place when I had my BMW 328i inspected for a sale I was going to make. Decided to come back with my Saturn SC2 to get a water pump installed and new trailing arms put in. Super quick service and a very reasonable price. I normally can do most things on my car on the top, but for anything that's out of my skill set I'll be taking it to Charlie's from now on!

Took my rav4 to Charlie’s for squeaking breaks. Did a great job of explaining the issue and eventually getting them replaced. After the brakes, my battery died in their lot and they jumped it for me and told me to go back to the dealer who installed it and that the battery should be under warranty. They could’ve done it for me themselves but helped me save money by sending me elsewhere. Trust them to be straight shooters.

My water pump went out. My brother recommended Charlie's and i had my car back within two days. During this time, i also emailed them and they answered back within the time they state they will. When I picked my car up, he showed me the water pump and helped me understand about the part, repair, and the price for everything was great! They are very polite, truthful, professional and caring. My brother told me that he recommends them and now i will as well.

As I have said before, these guys are awesome!! Took my CRV in for an oil change and a safety check for an upcoming road trip. Was advised to have brake pads and rotors replaced (Good Call!!!) They showed me the worn parts and I am very glad I took their advice ! I showed up when they opened and was done and gone in an hour and a half!! Who does that!?!We are taking a l400 mile round trip and I now feel confident in my vehicle and my safety. Thanks Jimmy and Chris.

They seemed like good people, honest and fair but couldn't help me fix an oil leak.

As a young woman, I always experience a lot of anxiety going into the mechanic. Having been talked down to, objectified, etc, going into Charlie's was a breath of fresh air. Chris was honest and informative, without a lick of condescending. His prices were very reasonable and he worked fast. Thank you again for cultivating a space where I-- and I'm sure many others-- feel safe and heard.

Chris does great work and is very trustworthy! When the dealership recommended thousands of dollars worth of repairs, I took my car to Chris for a second opinion. He told me that the dealership had not only misdiagnosed the problem, but also planned to overcharge me by an order of magnitude. Instead of spending thousands of dollars at the dealership, I spent hundreds at Charlie's Auto Center. Thanks Chris!

We’ve gone to Charlie’s for almost 30 years. They are the most knowledgeable and honest mechanics out there. We wouldn’t drive old cars if not for Charlie’s.

Charlie's Auto on Delaware Ave These people took such good care of my car and I'm pretty sure I hardly paid for any labor. They replaced my entire EVAP system, and the kit for MY specific car is more expensive than most others. Ford Escapes are notorious for high prices of parts and even location of certain parts under the hood, usually resulting in crazy extensive labor. Even changing a battery in this thing is pure hell. I basically paid for the parts. I don't want to make it out like the labor was free.. but the price I paid? It was basically the cost of the parts. I googled these parts for hours. The car would need a good 5 cranks after fueling before it would start. It finally stalled and tried to give up while I was driving. I researched a full day and by the next day I'd found Charlie's. Amazing reviews. (Thank you, truly, to those of you that influenced my choice). After he fixed it, this man took my car to the gas station, filled it entirely full, and checked to make sure it cranked on the first start. And of course it did. That gas did not come out of my pocket .. there's just no way. If I'm wrong, and I don't believe I am, I still came out with a beyond fair price. Check engine light gone, worry gone, everything but my money is gone- because again, those parts were expensive. And it was the cost of my total bill. Please, PLEASE always take the time to leave good reviews for businesses that deserve them. Reviews are exactly what influenced me. I'm passing my respect along on here and everywhere else I can.

Charles Hill detailed my wife's VW Beetle today and it looks FANTASTIC. He is very knowledgeable about what he does. I really appreciate someone who takes pride in their work. Please call this guys to do a car or truck for you.

Charlie’s is consistently the most honest, careful, respectful car repair shop I’ve ever utilized. I’ve taken my (very old, very problem-ridden) car here for years and every time, I’m so impressed by their kindness, patience, and integrity. Can’t say enough good things about them.

100% recommend Charlie’s Auto. I’ve lived in Lexington for 3 years and it’s difficult to find a good repair shop that doesn’t price gouge customers. A friend recommended this shop to me after I had car trouble (couldn’t get it to start). I had my car towed to Charlie’s late on a Monday afternoon (4pm) and upon walking in I was immediately greeted and told the exact issue with my car (a bad starter). They even had the replacement part already out on the counter. They gave me an estimate for the repair and then called me shortly after I had left to confirm the starter was the problem, and the exact $ estimate. I was able to pick up my car first thing the next morning (8:30am), and paid what they quoted me. Extremely fast, quick service and these guys are upfront and down to Earth to talk to. Will def be coming back if I have another issue with my car. Thanks!

I don't normally leave reviews, but these guys went above and beyond. I would highly recommend these guys for any car repairs. They were friendly, honest, and didn't charge me a crazy amount to fix my car. If you need help fast. These guys can help you out.

Highly highly recommend! We needed a simple repair job done on our daughter’s vehicle who is there in the area for college and Charlie’s was the only one that was honest and quoted us a very, very fair price. It’s a job. I could’ve done myself, but I am active duty military and several states away. Everyone else quoted us anywhere from 3 to 5 times the amount for the job. Thankyou Charlie’s Auto Center!

I wish I could give this place 1000 stars. I cannot recommend it enough as a parent with a young college student there in Lexington. It is difficult when you can’t be there, especially when it comes to vehicle problems to make an incredibly long story short my daughter needed new rear brake shoes on her vehicle and everyone wanted to completely gauge us ($550-$800) with the prices of something that would be a $15-$20 job plus labor which the labor on that should only be about 30 to 45 minutes tops for a mechanic with all the right tools/shop (my husband and father are both mechanics) when I called and explained what was going on to the son, (which I absolutely love that this is a family owned shop). He was completely honest. I trusted him. He was friendly and gave me a reasonable estimate. Then, when my daughter brought her car in the owner, which is the father called me asked me what was going on and again was totally honest, telling me that my daughter’s brakes were actually not completely detrimental but probably should be replaced soon and gave me an actual fair price, but more than that peace of mind, knowing that my daughter would be driving a safe vehicle! Thank you so much, Jimmy you have my business and I will always recommend anyone and everyone in that area to you all!

I could not recommend this place enough. I first contacted them a few months ago after I got an oil change at Tire Discounters and was told my car needed over $1800 of repairs. I figured I better get a second opinion and I'm sure glad I did. I took my car to Charlie's and they told me my wheel was just off balance. I just need to take my car to a body shop and it should be a quick fix. They did charge me a dime. Fast forward to last week and I completely took the passenger side mirror off my car. It was dangling and looked to be in bad shape. I went to Charlie's and they did everything they could to fix the car right without charging me extra. They were even able to salvage my old mirror covers and put them on the new mirror, which means the new mirrors didn't have to be painted, which saved my money. If you are looking for an honest business to repair your car at a great price, this is the place. There are so many times they could have overcharged me (I'm young and know very little about cars) but they always did what was best for me. I could not recommend them enough!

100% best repair shop that I've ever done business with. Very friendly and communicates well. Replaced all 4 rotors/brake pads in about 3 business hours, but he was super understanding and held on to my car inside for a few days until I was able to retrieve it. Work appears to be as good as any, with the added bonus of quick and friendly service without relentless upselling at a VERY reasonable rate.

I've been bringing cars to Charlie's for about 10 years now. From old beaters that need a lot, to new cars for basic maintenance. They are honest, transparent, and have fair pricing. I wouldn't bring my cars anywhere else

I have had several vehicles in my family serviced here and it has been a positive experience every time. They are wonderful honest people. Their work is both efficient and dependable and I have never felt overcharged. As someone who doesnt know a lot about vehicles, I also appreciate that they explains things to me in a way I can understand without making me feel stupid. My spouse recently took their car here to fix a weird noise issue. Not only did they find and fix the issue they also told my spouse about the rear rotors and brakes, even showing my spouse how bad they were went the car got picked back up. Genuinely good folk.

I took my car in today for an oil change. They also replaced one of my wiper blades that had been coming apart. Kind people, the service is great, and I am super happy with the price I paid (I have paid more for less at other places.) A very positive experience, highly recommend!

Getting your car worked on can be an anxiety-inducing experience. The folks at Charlie’s were so unbelievably kind, attentive, and made sure I left with a reliable vehicle, which eased so many of my worries. When I expressed my concerns about the issues going on with my car, Charlie and his staff took my vehicle and let me know they would find out how to make it drivable without making me pay an arm and a leg. They were able to take me quickly and on short notice (thank you!!!) and I had my car back by lunch time. I’m beyond grateful to this shop, and cannot recommend them highly enough!

This shop is absolutely great! These guys took such good care of my vehicle and me as a customer. Excellent quality of work and totally fair pricing! The speed they got work done was outstanding. I will be back here for ALL of my future needs for repair and/or maintenance. Thanks so much to Jimmy and Chris!

Best mechanic in town!! Extremely professional and expert. Chris is amazing. I have brought my car to him with a varying range of comically bad sounds, which he has diagnosed and fixed promptly! The guys at Charlie’s are all super fun and I always end up having a good laugh at whatever nonsense I have gotten myself into. Thanks again, guys!

Highly recommend Charlie's Auto Center. When scheduling to bring my vehicle in for diagnostics and repair, the expectation is clearly set for what day they can service my vehicle so it's convenient for pickup/drop-off during the work week. They clearly communicate what the issue is, how they will be fixing it and the prices associated - so there are no surprises. Charlie's Auto provides exceptional service and I've always been a happy customer. Look forward to visiting in the future for maintenance and auto repair.

Excellent service, value and timeliness. They are super honest. I have taken my foreign made vehicle in several times for various issues and they could have pulled one over on me more than once. Foreign cars are usually expensive to maintain and they have been affordable. They are honest, with speedy and excellent service. They diagnosed an issue that is under extended warranty, referred me to dealer as they said dealer would likely replace for free. I would have had no idea and let them replace had they not told me. I have had several interactions like this. I currently live close to them, but if I ever move, I will happily travel long distance for their continued service. 10/10 is not high enough. Life long customer for sure. In other news, avoid don jacobs Honda/bmw dealer whenever possible. Transparency and price wise the dealer and Charlie’s are truly worlds apart.

We have used Charlie's for years to service our Honda's, BMW's, and Mercedes and could not be happier with the service and rates. Jimmie has saved us a great deal over the years with his honesty and experience. We have had numerous instances where we had been told an expensive repair was needed by a dealer's mechanic,only to take it to Charlie's and find only an inexpensive repair was needed. I highly recommend Charlie's to all of my friends.