Breaking down is never easy- the tow truck arrived quickly and I was put at ease. Fred at the front desk was clear in communication, very easy to reach and helpful in every way. Work was done well and timely. They are not the cheapest people, but they are located in Manhattan. They cleaned my car as a nice gesture to give it back to me even better.
Tim jumped my battery on a AAA call a few days ago - and we ended up replacing my battery! It was the right thing to with the original, 7 year old battery on my Subaru Crosstrek...I would have gotten into more trouble had I just gone with the jump. GREAT guy, great call, super fast response time (15 minutes). Give that guy a raise!
I had such a great experience at this auto shop thanks to Johnny, the manager. From the moment I walked in, he was welcoming, professional, and very knowledgeable. He took the time to explain everything clearly, answered all my questions, and made sure I understood what my car needed without ever feeling pressured.
Johnny truly goes above and beyond for his customers—he kept me updated throughout the process, made sure the work was done on time, and even double-checked everything before handing my keys back. It’s rare to find someone who genuinely cares about both the quality of service and the customer’s peace of mind, but Johnny does exactly that.
If you’re looking for an honest, dependable, and customer-focused manager, Johnny is the one to see. He turned what could have been a stressful experience into a smooth and positive one. Highly recommend!
STEER CLEAR! Inexperienced (or just stupid)! AAA contacted 54th Street Auto Care to pick up my car which had broken down in Manhattan. Car is clearly marked AWD which should have been flatbedded or dollied, but rather the 54th Street Auto Care driver dragged the car 15 miles and destroyed the drive train to the tune of ~$6K for resulting repairs. If 54th Street Auto Care cannot handle a simple tow properly then I wouldn't trust them to change my oil let alone any mechanical work.
@54th Street Auto: Glad to share photos of the car NOT on dollies. Would like to see your rear cam footage please indicating otherwise.
I normally wouldn’t even pay attention to such insignificant people, but what really bothered me was the lies. I absolutely cannot stand lies, and that’s the only reason I’m leaving this review – because of Nicholas and his company, who are complete liars, scamming people. Instead of helping when something bad happens, and leaving a good impression, they choose to deceive and take advantage of someone in a desperate situation.
Here’s what happened in my case. My alternator broke down and I needed to tow my car 14 miles. AAA covered 3 miles, and then it was supposed to be $5 for each additional mile. As you can see on the receipt, they already lied and cheated me. They charged me for 15 miles instead of 11, which means they overcharged me by 20 dollars right away.
On top of that, we drove over the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan, which is completely free, one way ride - from city to Brooklyn.
I don’t think my review will affect them, because these are the kind of people who only care about their own profit. By the sound of Nicholas’s voice, he’s an older guy, very “old school,” greedy, whose only interest is to grab the money without caring about the person’s situation, problems, or anything else. That’s his right, but it’s my right to leave this review and tell the truth about how you scam people.
When the tow truck arrived, the driver named Oscar told me he wouldn’t even move the car unless I paid him an extra $185 upfront. Keep in mind – I had already agreed on the price with AAA and was only supposed to pay for the extra miles. Nobody ever mentioned any “extra toll.”
And let’s be clear – there is no such thing as a $90 toll from Manhattan. You can lie to tourists, but don’t lie to me. No toll like that exists. I don’t mind paying if it’s a real fee, but you drove me from point A to point B and then invented a made-up toll.
So please, keep your lying comments to yourselves. I’m sorry that in New York there are still these greedy, old-school types of companies who, instead of helping people in trouble, take advantage of them. That evening, I had no choice. It was late, it was raining, and I didn’t want to waste another 4–5 hours waiting for another tow truck. So I agreed. When we arrived, I went to the ATM, withdrew $200, and gave it to the driver. Of course, he had no change. He took the $185 plus an extra $15, calling it a “tip.” For service like this, I wouldn’t even give one cent as a tip.
IOn the receipt, you can clearly see the lies – they cheated me on the mileage, cheated me on the tow, and listed a completely different amount. The driver lied at first, saying he wouldn’t go unless he got $185. But on the receipt, it shows $167. So again – lies and scams.
Let me emphasize this: be kinder. Maybe this review will make you rethink your policies and how you treat people. Though honestly, I doubt it, because greed defines you. All you care about is taking as much money as possible when someone is in trouble. But remember this – in life, the most important thing is to remain human, not to act the way you do.
Also, Nicholas, was extremely rude, unprofessional, and clearly had no idea how to treat customers. It felt like he would sell anyone and anything for just one dollar. I’ve rarely met people this greedy and dishonest.
And when I asked for a clear breakdown, I got more lies. I paid $200, and he said the “extra” was a tip. So imagine paying $38 in “tips” for this kind of disgusting service. Completely absurd.
So yes, I just want to leave this comment to say how sad it is that companies like yours still operate in New York, treating people this way. To you as a company, I only wish one thing: make the world a better place, work on yourselves. Though again, I doubt you’ll change, because I’ve read the other real reviews on Yelp and google, and it’s always the same story.
Maybe someday you’ll rethink your ways. But believe me – karma exists.
Outstanding to work with. Had a flat tire in Manhatten. Tow truck was there in less than 10 minutes. Since we had run flats and had to order them, we needed a tow to Long Island. Super friendly driver. Wish I remembered his name. Several weeks later, I called for a receipt to turn into insurance and the dispatcher, Dylan, was very helpful and friendly.
My 2016 Jeep Wrangler now drives better than the day I bought it.
Was it cheap to get it to this point? Absolutely not. But is anything in Manhattan cheap these days? Absolutely NOT.
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re deep in the Google review rabbit hole for 54th Street Auto — just like I was. And I’ll be honest: I was nervous. Nervous about what this was going to cost after my brake caliper broke in the tunnel, and nervous about trusting a new shop with that kind of repair.
But let me tell you — my expectations were exceeded.
Fred is an absolute gem. He tells it like it is. No fluff, no games — just a clear breakdown of what’s wrong, what it’s going to cost, and what actually needs to be fixed now vs. what can wait. That kind of honesty is rare in this business, and I appreciated it more than I can say.
Richie, the owner, was just as great — checking in during and after the repairs, making sure I was fully satisfied and letting me know I could always come back if anything wasn’t perfect. (Spoiler: It was.)
Honestly, I think they fixed more than I paid for, because my Jeep feels brand new. I haven’t driven this smoothly in years. I’m beyond grateful — and now I know exactly where I’m going if anything ever happens again.
So if you’re in a bind, unsure who to trust, and already bracing yourself for the bill — do yourself a favor and go to 54th Street Auto. You’re going to have to pay someone to fix it anyway… might as well get it done right the first time.
My 2016 Jeep Wrangler now drives better than the day I bought it.
Was it cheap to get it to this point? Absolutely not. But is anything in Manhattan cheap these days? Absolutely NOT.
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re deep in the Google review rabbit hole for 54th Street Auto — just like I was. And I’ll be honest: I was nervous. Nervous about what this was going to cost after my brake caliper broke in the tunnel, and nervous about trusting a new shop with that kind of repair.
But let me tell you — my expectations were exceeded.
Fred is an absolute gem. He tells it like it is. No fluff, no games — just a clear breakdown of what’s wrong, what it’s going to cost, and what actually needs to be fixed now vs. what can wait. That kind of honesty is rare in this business, and I appreciated it more than I can say.
Richie, the owner, was just as great — checking in during and after the repairs, making sure I was fully satisfied and letting me know I could always come back if anything wasn’t perfect. (Spoiler: It was.)
Honestly, I think they fixed more than I paid for, because my Jeep feels brand new. I haven’t driven this smoothly in years. I’m beyond grateful — and now I know exactly where I’m going if anything ever happens again.
So if you’re in a bind, unsure who to trust, and already bracing yourself for the bill — do yourself a favor and go to 54th Street Auto. You’re going to have to pay someone to fix it anyway… might as well get it done right the first time.
This shop towed my car [sent from Onstar and then an affiliate with AAA] and they dragged my AWD car DESTROYING my drive shaft. If you get a tow and see that it is from this shop CANCEL IT!!! Unacceptable. When we contacted them we got a "someone to help you is not in and they will call you in the morning." Never got a call back. This cost me over $5,000 to fix due to the shop's carelessness.
My gf and I were trying to move a heavy treadmill earlier today from the 54th street. Didn’t realized how heavy the treadmill was. Elliot and the business owner saw us struggling so they decided to help us load and carry the treadmill all the way back. Even after Elliot injured his hand because of helping us. We felt so grateful yet sorry about causing them so much trouble. I know this is a little irrelevant to being a customer. But if I do own a car in Manhattan I’ll absolutely only choose 54th as they are so caring and kind. Thank you all for helping us!
My husband's car would not start. Needed a tow to a repair place. This company was great even with AAA messing up time of arrival. Will use them for regular car service when necessary
I can't speak highly enough about Kevin and the team at 54th Street Auto care. They are responsive, informative and helpful at every turn. They explain everything whether about the repairs needed or the insurance process. They are the very best!!
My car died in Manhattan, so I called AAA and the guy determined it was the alternator not the battery. I needed a tow and West 54th Street Auto Care’s tow truck driver showed up within the hour. It’s a AAA certified business. The shop owner was transparent about what exactly was wrong, the pricing and timing for me to pick it up. Everyone I dealt with at this Auto Body Shop was friendly, knowledgeable and professional. They even threw in a free car wash - nice surprise! Both AAA and West 54th Street Auto Care earned a customer for life after providing such wonderful service. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! (and I rarely write reviews, but these guys absolutely deserve it and your business!) I’ll be back for my inspection, oil changes and any other car problems. Thanks a million!
Kevin and the rest of the 54 st. auto care staff were amazing to work with. They explained everything in detail, answered all of our questions, and made sure that we were well taken care of. They helped us deal with our insurance company and offered fair, knowledgeable advice. Our car came back fixed and clean! They are my new go-to spot for all my car needs, I cannot recommend them enough. Thank you 54 St. Auto Care!!
I hate to say, but I will NEVER be using 54th Street Auto ever again and would never recommend that anyone use 54th Street Auto to have a car towed. We broke down in Manhattan on Saturday and called On Star to have the car towed. By chance, they sent 54th Street Auto to tow the car. As a 27 year old girl who knows nothing about cars, I didn’t know any better to step in at the time. The all-wheel-drive car was dragged on its back wheels from Manhattan to the closest Buick dealer in New Jersey (North Bergen). Because the car was not towed properly with either a flat bed or dolly on the back wheels, the car has suffered SIGNIFICANT damage. Minimally: the drive shaft, differential, transfer case, and rear tires are absolutely destroyed. The damage will be at least $5,000 to fix ALL because our tow truck driver did not properly tow the car. To clarify, NONE of this was a problem before the car was towed. The car was initially towed for a thermostat issue. This is beyond upsetting and honestly shameful that a tow truck driver wouldn’t know how to tow a 4WD car. All of this could have been avoided.
Been taking my vehicles here for years now. Staff is knowledgeable, professional and overall a pleasure to do business with. If you’re in Manhattan and need any work done to your vehicles, this is the place to go!
I had my oil changed and a dent repair. They also detailed my car. I was very happy with their work. I will be returning for my regular maintenance. Nice people, fair prices
54th St. Auto did a phenomenal job with my auto repair, maintenance, and tire rotation! The service was top-notch, efficient, and the staff was incredibly professional. Fred was awesome and got me in and out within an hour. My car feels like new again. Highly recommend them for anyone needing quality auto care!
I’m giving 6 stars
Kevin and the staff at 54th Street are the best in the business. I have tried other garages in the past and, no one knows customer service like this team! They are on time, communicative, and precise. They even thre in a car wash after all the work was complete on my vehicle. It’s fairly easy to make an appointment and they get the job done in a timely manner always with a smile. Thank you for making the experience a pleasurable one. I trust these guys!
Kevin and the whole team at 54th Street Auto Care are fantastic. One night around 10pm I was taking my daughter home from surgery. I was tired and not in the best shape. As I was driving out of the parking garage I side swiped our minivan against a support column and tore the entire sliding passenger door off of the van. Triple A told me to get towed and go to 54th Street Auto. The tow was great. Within 1/2 hour a gigantic tow truck arrived, the driver lashed the entire wrecked door onto my van and took me to the Auto Care Shop. Starting the next day Kevin searched in New York and out of state for the least expensive door replacement. He found one, the shop replaced it, fixed some scratches and big dings, and the van actually looks better than ever. The door works great and looks like new. Service at the shop was excellent, communication to keep me informed about the process was extremely helpful, and performance and execution of repairs was superb. I highly recommend 54th Street Auto. If I lived in the City I would use 54th Street Auto all the time.
Car breaks down in Manhattan, we get towed to this place. They diagnose a broken radiator & it takes them the week to replace it.
Ended up with a $2000+ bill that only allowed me to drive an hour before my car was leaking coolant again. Now stranded in Jersey with a 6-year old who can’t get back home to go to school & an auto repair shop owner who runs a skeleton crew during the weekend and has them tell you “come back to us on Monday, use AAA to get back here. You are still on warranty.”
Why don’t you use your tow trucks drive to pick us up in Jersey? How can you replace a radiator and have it leak coolant an hour later?
If I call in on the weekend AFTER LEAVING YOUR SHOP - I don’t want to talk to the tow truck guy, I want to speak with the owner, since this is his mess to clean up and help us with. But apparently, they are too busy to give a damn. Simply “we open on Monday.”
I have never in my life been more mad, or treated in such a disrespectful manner. I manage hundreds of customers weekly & this place has a thing or two to learn.
As of me writing this right now, we are over budget (broke), stranded in NJ & no way of getting back home.
Excellent service I called triple A on Friday morning . My car was stranded infront of my apt building on east 88 street in Manhattan , And I believe ELLIOTT & Thomas was they names , they came in a Chevy impala with a TRIPLE A ON THE DOOR basically 10 mins after I called TRIPLE A FOR ASSISTANCE. They were Very professional & very helpful in helping me understand why my car was not starting . Thank you again. I give this place 10 stars.
I had a bad situation turned good with their help! I was getting into the city for 2 days with my family. My car conked out in midtown. I called AAA they sent a tow truck, (54th auto care) the guy came with in 45 minutes, towed to their show late in the day. Next day I had a diagnosis, they had to replace, radiator, alternator and Battery. All was done in a few hours (warranted by AAA for a few years) and I drove home!
Thanks guys, amazing and I totally appreciate it.
Towed late night through AAA - towing was good but driver made me pay a $36 cash fee upon arrival at the tire place for congestion pricing? Later to find out the late night congestion toll is only ~$5 for trucks (and should have been covered through AAA regardless…not to mention you only need to pay the congestion toll once per day and there’s no shot I was their only customer for the entire day, so why am I paying it in the first place?). Felt completely scammed after receiving an otherwise good service. Not to mention I gave him $40 and let him keep the change…
The shop I was towed to, 54 West Auto, absolutely preys on AAA customers who think they are getting a deal. I was charged $230 per Goodyear tire, I have never in my life paid more than $140 per tire. The 10% discount offered was only on labor, so it did not save me any money and certainly resulted in me spending significantly more on this repair than I would have at a retail repair shop.
I am glad that I am safe and now able to use my vehicle, but this $650 repair is much more money than I have to spare at this moment. I feel like a victim to some scam, shame on you all.
Absolutely OUTSTANDING people who work here. Fred and the other gentlemen around saved my day! They were helpful, friendly, kind, and funny and rescued my ring which had fallen in the grate out front. I am extremely grateful for their kindness and ingenuity! 12/10 service here!! Thank you!!
Iyor the tow driver was really cool! He secured our food truck very well and drove safe. We bonded over our love of food. Hope we can have him again as our tow driver for any emergencies. We booked through AAA for an emergency tow for our food truck to be delivered from
Manhattan to Queens for emergency repair.
Someone hit our car while it was parked on the street. The car subsequently stopped starting & we had to have AAA tow it. The guy that came to tow was very professional & quick. We had them take a look at it & from the start felt safe in their hands. Kevin kept me in the loop the entire time. He was reasonable, transparent & accurate with time & costs. They fixed the car and had it looking like new in 2 weeks! The detail people really deliver! Rich got us settled up with payment & pick up & was very helpful! I look forward to using this shop in the future & I definitely recommend. Thanks again!
Criminal. Charged 3k to someone trapped in New York for a starter. Two new batteries. Only changed one battery. Car made it home. The next day it won’t run again.
I appreciate the response. …almost a month later and no one can figure why it never ran again after you guys had it. But hey it ran long enough to drive home.
This car still doesn’t run. And AAA won’t honor the warranty to cover the initial cost.
I was stranded in NYC. This company came with 15 min and rescued me out traffic. Cristian was excellent guy who provided the service quickly and professionally and drove me back to Jersey safe and sound. I highly recommend Cristian as a top notch service provider for this company.
125 W 3rd St, New York, NY
Website
