F & F Automotive in
Carrboro (NC)

If there was a way to give a negative star, I would. The customer service at this place - in the two times I've interacted with them - was aggressive, unwilling to listen and simply dismissive...ultimately hanging up on me. I asked them to fix a problem they created, and they claimed I was "fishing" before even hearing what I had to say. Apparently they never make mistakes. As someone who has lived in CH/Carrboro for decades, I work to support small businesses but take your business elsewhere. No one needs to endure the treatment I did.

Once again, Mike and the team fit me in, diagnosed, repaired, and went an extra mile to get me going again. Back story: 2013 Volvo XC 90 died in the road,…worst case: transmission. My wife and kids were already picking out my new vehicle. (“Dad, you getting that truck, finally?”,..,they wrote off my Volvo for the junkyard, did they. ) Alternator? Maybe, said Mike, but not likely. “We’ll take a look” Sure enough, he found it, electrical coil. Not Transmission. Not $4k. Not a total. Three digits. And in two days. Thank you again F&F. I love not having car payments. You all rock.

Had a great experience with F & F Automotive! When my old car started having trouble I was a little nervous about finding a mechanic (I'm definitely the stereotypical young (woman) college student that knows absolutely nothing about cars. I was hoping to avoid higher prices or being pressured into getting something unnecessary done). I believe it was Micheal who I spoke with throughout the process. He was very friendly and straightforward with what needed to be done / how they were going to proceed. They kept me updated on pricing and repairs so I didn't feel like there were any unexpected costs. They were able to get the parts, to my very old car, that a previous mechanic could not! BONUS points for a very speedy process. BONUS BONUS points for putting up with all the calls I had to make with my parents / grandpa while making the bigger decisions. I too had read (the few) more negative reviews and was a tad bit wary. However, my experience was nothing less than fantastic. I've had some friends (with similar anxieties) looking for a trustworthy mechanic and I would recommend in the future!

Good people, quality work, fair prices, locally owned and in business since 1962! Updated 10/25/24.....Very late on a Friday afternoon my Check Engine light comes on flashing and truck starts running BAD...Michael explained that due to how late it is he probably won't be able to diagnose/repair until Monday. 2 hours later he calls back that truck is fixed and ready to go!!! I am a mobile locksmith and this truck is my mobile lockshop so this is great news! Thanks a bajillion for your concern and good work Michael! It is very much appreciated!

The most reliable and inexpensive mechanics in the area. Since moving to NC in 2018, I've had my vehicles serviced there and I have always had great outcomes. I highly suggest them for all your car needs.

I strongly advise against visiting this repair shop if you prefer to be treated with respect. After trying their services, you'll quickly regret engaging with their staff. Everything about this shop goes against the norms of a healthy business. First, our appointment was canceled without any valid excuse; they simply claimed that we didn't have a reservation and asked us to return later due to their lack of availability. Next, it took three attempts and three days for them to resolve a simple issue with the car, and they still charged us for labor despite their inability to fix it. Micheal, the receptionist, is extremely impolite. It's no surprise that the shop is much emptier compared to a couple of years ago. Despite being around for many years, the shop's past history has not been preserved, and it's nothing like it was in the old days. It's disheartening to see its decline under the incompetent managers. I recommend finding a place where you'll receive better service and treatment.

Monday Feb 19, 2024 I was driving on smith level road towards carrboro when drove over something and got a flat tire with my family in the vehicle I tried to go to Chapel Hill tire but they close at 4:00 then I reviewed F&F automotive and they close at 5:30 I arrive around 4:40 and I greet the person in the front desk white gentleman and explain what had happened. He said they only do appointments only which I understand, but I asked him if he could just take a look at it for me. He said he needed to get the guys wrapped up because it was almost closing time which I understood that then what was pretty messed up was when I asked if I could at least get some air on my tire to get me to another place or so my tire wouldn’t get damaged driving it on a flat he said no but he offered to give me one dollar to get some air from a gas station money is was not the problem I could’ve paid him double to get my tire fixed but the way he said that he could give me one dollar is not even professional I’ve seen reviews here where it might be the same guy at the front desk not a very professional look my friend will definitely not recommend this place went to another place down the street. They said the tire was pretty much done for since it was driven on a flat, but they offered to switch my rim for the spare tire when finished I asked how much I owed them they said no charge I was shocked to hear that when moments ago I was just turned down for just air on my tire thanks MEINEKE in carrboro

The person at the front desk is rude, snippy and condescending. I have had my car serviced here several times (The mechanics are great) and each time I tell myself I am not going back again. This is purely because of the front desk guy. I have nothing but good exchanges with the mechanics. I hope each time I go he (front desk guy) will be civil (or not there) but neither is true. He's better if the conversation is short and you follow his suggestion to the letter, but if you question anything he gets very snippy, very fast. I called today to make an appt to have my suspension looked at. He said bring the car in the night before or first thing in the morning before 8. I told him I can't do either but I could bring it around 10am, and asked if that would be ok. He said "How do you expect us to fix your car if you can't bring it here?!". Not the kindest of responses and even less so with the exasperation in his voice when he said it. I have reached my limit with this prima donna. Luckily there many other fine places to get your car serviced in Chapel HIll. If you also are looking for alternatives, try Chapel Hill Tire or Lloyds. I very rarely leave negative reviews because I realize people and businesses have bad days. But this place has used up several innings of 3 strikes. They are out.

F&F fixed my oil leak. I thought I was going to have to get rid of my vehicle. They fixed it for a very low price. Michael gives alot of good advice .He is very good at explaining things. The mechanics are awesome.

We've trusted F&F to service our cars for more than a decade and have always been happy with the service. The prices reasonable and they won't try to talk you into any extra work. In fact, they've saved us money a few times with their honesty about parts still having more life in them when we expect them to be due for replacement.

My dad has been going here for years and always felt they were trustworthy. This last visit we felt like they were trying to get as much work out of us as possible. First, I made an appointment for a state inspection only. Dropped the keys off, marked it on the card state inspection and then the next day he calls confused on what we wanted done but went ahead and changed the oil. My husband knows how to change the oil so we would never have asked for that. He said we had about $800 worth of work we needed that was pretty pressing, but could get us in next day. We were about to leave for the holidays so went ahead and got it done. When we went to get our license plate they said we didn’t need an inspection because we were registering an out of state vehicle and the first year the inspection is waived (being from NC originally we didn’t know that), and that the inspection place should have told us that. Super disappointing and now questioning whether we even needed all the work we had done. Hopefully that’s just a one off experience for us because we like to support the small guy.

Upgrading my review to 5 stars. I've continued to use their services and am always impressed with them. They always get in my quickly and provide excellent service. Highly recommend! (Previous review) I just relocated to the area and wandered in looking for a place to take my car for inspection. They were super friendly and helpful in getting me set up with an appt and then clearly communicated what needed to be fixed. My issue had to be taken care of elsewhere, but they told me not to worry about making a follow-up appt once I had the issue taken care of - just to let them know it was done and they would squeeze in the re-inspection. That worked out great. I'll certainly plan to use them for future maintenance!

The best mechanic in the area! The best mechanic I have ever had in US and abroad. Years ago, I firstly asked him a quote for an expensive maintenance (timing and drive belt etc.), their price was almost half of other mechanics in the area! Most of the mechanics in the area will overcharging you and suggest unnecessary services, Michael will never do it! The most honest in the area. You will never pay for something that is not necessary to you. I trusted Michael from the beginning, and He and His team always took great care of my car. They are serious, professional, genuine, always rapid to do the job and available to explain everything! 5 stars in review are not enough to rating them! They deserve 5+

I've used F&F for several years and I won't change unless I move away. The staff has been very helpful and professional in their interactions with me. I first brought a car there 5 years ago for a second opinion. Another shop said I needed a $1500 AC service. F&F said the first shop wasn't presenting all the options and was able to achieve the same results much less expensively. I fully trust F&F and you should, too!

Mike is the best mechanic I know and probably the best one I've ever had anywhere. Between myself, my wife and our kids we've got at least 5 cars in regular rotation and he takes care of everything with expertise and helpfulness. He's also very fairly priced, doesn't recommend needless work, and on the rare occasions we've had a follow-up to resolve something not quite perfect after a visit it's no question and no charge.

Fair price and quality of work was great. They gave me a call to update me with issues they had run into that slowed the repair process. In doing that they also explained how they we're fixing it explained any and all additional charges I had for the service. As a car guy myself who at the end of the day would rather do my own work, I was very happy with how they handle their work and the service they did.

F&F Auto is Great! I won't take my car anywhere else. They provide fast and reliable service. They are straight forward and honest, and the prices are extremely reasonable. I keep coming back to F&F auto because of they have handled all of my car and tire problems with utmost professionalism and they always provide quality work. I highly recommend their services.

So I was having a car accident and the engine light was on. I tow my car to the shop. The owners and everyone else are super helpful. They are so responsible and makes extra miles to help me. They are so responsive and reply every email asap. They only charge me when they think it's fair but no more. They have an awesome service here. They are very good citizen. Besides, everyone recommends this place, for the good people and for their good mechanist. You know what you do when you have problem with your Subaru then!

The shops in CH/Carrboro have been infamous for a long time for overcharging, sloppy and unnecessary work. I think this is because of the large student population with parental credit cards. Once nearby place actually gave me my car back without the air intake manifold then acted like this was a minor oversight. F&F was suggested to me and I have been using them for a while. Don't expect to be waited on like a prince and have your feeling validated. These are serious and honest mechanics some some waiting room fluffs. I knew I had found the right place when they gave me overall assessments of my vehicle including what I should consider sooner versus later down the road. It had been a long time since someone looked carefully enough to do this for me. The most important quality of a mechanic is honesty. If you don't have that, they can pull anything. This said, they are not going to put up with a lot of attitude before they send you packing. You should be grateful for a business like this and show it.

F and F was recommended me to me by a colleague early last year. My initial experiences were neutral-- they were pleasant and generally seemed on the ball. Subsequently, I had issues with my honda van pulling to the left when driving. I took it to F and F and they aligned the front end. The problem persisted and I took it back and they said they rechecked the alignment and it was fine. They rotated the tires ( all appropriate things) and said the pull was gone. It was not. This time, they also flushed my brake fluid (which probably needed to be done but had nothing to do with the steering pulling) without asking before hand and that cost $180. I called back a voiced my concerns and that I wanted to talk to them about what to do next and that I was frustrated with the lack of progress. I also voiced my concern over not checking with customers for repairs >$100 ( probably the standard). I never received a call back. I finally took the car to the dealer where they showed me the the alignment on the front end was not correct. They put the car back into spec and it seems to be fixed. On a positive note, when one of my brake pads that F and F installed wore down way to quickly ( on the same van) , they did replace it free of charge. On the whole, however, my experiences with F and F have been negative and I will not be returning.

My father has been going to F&F for 15+ years- the former owner was an older gentleman, and he was the most fair and honest business person we have encountered. We have taken many of our cars there now as well. His son has now taken over, and clearly keeps his father’s mission in mind: Fair Pricing, honest estimates, and great work. I came on here to review them, not only to review the great work I have had, as well as my family, but also because my father has a very thick accent, and we have never been treated anything but kind & fair by this business. I was sad to see some negative reviews, and was glad I came on to discuss our experience with them for more than 15 years as a family. They sometimes charge such a fair price that I have felt guilty! The work is always done right and on time- and we have even referred friends to them. I believe this family has carried on a great business for this many years by just doing the right thing, and treating people the way they would want to be treated themselves. We have purchased tires, many repairs, batteries, full car part replacements (that they’ve ordered new from the manufacturer for us) and have had nothing but A+ service. Give them a chance, you won’t be sorry!

I am a regular customer and went to Michael to have the brakes on a used car I'd just bought checked. He checked the whole car over, alerted me that it had many expensive problems, told me to take it back under lemon law, and didn't charge me (I had been in recently with my very old former car needing repairs and he knew I was having to be careful with money). He gave me a tech sheet listing all the issues, which I then showed to the dealer, and they took the car back. They seemed to feel bad about it, and then gave me a much newer, certified one, still under warranty, for a lowered price. Michael's noticing the problems with the other car saved me from being bound to yet another undependable vehicle. He also did this quickly on a busy Friday afternoon, without my having made an appointment. I highly recommend F & F.

Passing through town for work and found a slow leak in my tire. They assessed the situation, patched the leak, checked and filled the air in all 4 tires, and fixed my wiper blade without me asking. In and out in 25 minutes. Professional staff. Reasonable rates. Grateful to not be taken advantage of like many other auto shops. Highly recommend.

I went here today to get my oil changed and to have my tires inspected/ rotated. The oil change was the cheapest I have ever had to pay at any location by far. I also received two new tires at a good price. The best part of my experience was the service. Their new owner seems to be more concerned with making an impression and building a reputation than making a buck. Definitely recommend!

I went in for an estimate on my vehicle and was told that estimates are free. When I picked up my vehicle, I told him that I needed to talk with my husband first and then would make an appointment. He then charged me for the estimate that I was told was free. I did not go back to him since he lied and deceived me about an estimate, how was I going to trust him on other things. I need a mechanic that is upfront honest and trustworthy which F&F is not. If you charge people then you need to let them know about it upfront not after the fact. Yes I was going to return but after you made me pay for a free estimate, I didn't trust you anymore. Now you are just grasping to look good for others, I never threw trash out of my car. I do not litter!!

Been to these guy twice and love the service. They really go the extra mile to make sure you are happy and bring the old days auto shop quality to today's world. UPDATE: 11/20/2016 Brought my Jeep to be looked at. Honestly, I thought it was dead but it ended up being the water pump. I had this Jeep into two other local mechanics and neither of them could get my Jeep running correctly and both charged me a lot of money. I have been driving my Jeep for a few days now and can say F & F were able to fix it and fix it right! They made sure I understood what they did and why. They were also super quick. I'm not going to say it was cheap BUT the price was in line with what the other two shops charged me so they a definitely FAIR. I will bring my Jeep to them again.

We used to live in Chapel Hill and took all of our cars to F&F for repairs. Cleave was always fantastic, honest and reliable. Moved away 10 yrs ago but recently was in the area on vacation and needed some work done on our van. They were exceedingly helpful. Replaced water pump and serpentine belt same day. Service was spectacular and the price VERY reasonable. We could have been fleeced in the cost but once again they were very honest. Without a doubt F&F provided the best service I've ever had for automotive repairs. Highly recommend to anyone in need of service. Thanks again.