Kehoe Automotive

1999 ML320
AC compressor not engaging. Once parts were on hand they had it done in a day.
Complete with 12 month 12,000 mile warranty.
Trip to Houston the next day — in the driving rain — AC worked perfectly.
Thanks Sean and the folks at Kehoe

After going to other places and spending money on what i thought would solve my truck problems. I decided to bring my truck to get looked at as it had been running rough. I was greeted with a smile. i was given all the information i needed. Needless to say my truck now runs awesome. I will be recommending Kehoe Automotive to all.

Tire vs. storm drain. Storm drain for the win. I was doomed to an entire day of sitting in a vinyl chair at a Pep Boys, watching daytime television, cringing from the shrieks of small children whose mothers were otherwise preoccupied with their phones. Desperate to escape my dark fate, I canvassed the city in search of an alternative.
Okay yeah… bit of a stretch. The boring truth is that I ran a search on Google Maps to see what other choices were available because, seriously, Pep Boys, Tire Kingdom, etc. are (I imagine) quite comparable to the deepest circles of hell.
Kehoe Automotive. Never heard of them. Went there anyway. Glad I did. They were super busy, but managed to squeeze me in anyway. The tire was in stock and very reasonably priced, so I dropped the car off, walked a block or two to a coffee shop to have a snack and by the time I was finished, they were calling to let me know my car was ready.
The repairman, whose name escapes me, was very friendly. He checked the pressure on all my tires before I left and even put all the crap that I had to pull out of my trunk earlier, back into my trunk! The store manager was very helpful. I don’t remember her name, just her pretty smile and long brown hair.
Thanks Kehoe Automotive for salvaging a potentially cruddy day!

Highly recommend auto shop. Honest, competent, quick, and reasonably priced. Whenever there is a problem with my car, I take it here and am always highly satisfied with the results.

Great place that works with you honestly and competently. Will readily tell you what’s involved and how long it will take. Prices are reasonable. People there have an upbeat can-​do attitude that shows they appreciate their customers! Love it!

A friend of mine suggested I try this shop and I am so glad he did. The staff is courteous and the work is top notch. They don’t give you BS about what needs to be done and if it doesn’t need to be done then they don’t it and advise you properly. Prices are fair and location is convenient for uptown New Orleans.

I wouldn’t even call them mechanics. I wouldn’t even give them a star if I wasn’t forced to. Today was the second time and the second truck that they told me wasn’t worth fixing. The first truck a1995 f150 that needed the oil pump changed, it’s a difficult job due to the fact that the motor needs to be lifted to change this inexpensive but important part. They implied that they don’t work on anything pre 1996, guessing the reason was because 1996 was the year OBD2, the computer system for diagnosing problems was put on all vehicles, red flag because a mechanic should be able to tell what is wrong on any vehicle just by listening to it. I eventually got it fixed and would still be driving that truck if it didn’t get totaled while parked on magazine st. I decided to give them a second chance today because they are really close to my house. My present truck is a 2004 f150 and needs the timing chains and cam phasers replaced. This «mechanic» tells me it’s not worth doing, again, and is a very difficult repair that might not work, red flag #2 sounds like he’s not very confident in his ability to make a simple but tedious repair, it’s a lot of work but really not very difficult if you just do it carefully, have the right tools and know what you’re doing. I know exactly what and how to do the work that needs to be done (just don’t have the time to do it myself, trust me I would happily do this work if I did) and for this guy to tell me that a repair that should cost around $ 1500 parts and labor isn’t worth doing on a truck that is in near perfect condition besides this problem blows my mind. It was a poorly engineered part but they have come up with an improved replacement (he apparently didn’t know this) and if I can get another 170 000 miles out of a $ 1500 repair I would say it is definitely worth fixing. Seems like anything involved with the internal parts of an engine is beyond their ability to repair or they are just lazy. I guess all they do is change starters and alternators at this place. If you don’t know shit about cars you might think he is a good mechanic, I know a lot about cars, this type of work doesn’t scare me and I will probably just have to find the time to do it myself so trust me when I tell you this isn’t a real mechanic shop, it’s a glorified simple part changing place.

They were so honest, they saved me about $ 1,000 by fixing my issue with a simple $ 30 part instead of what the dealership and one other garage told me was needed.

BEWARE!!! January of 2014 I had the timing belt and water pump replaced on my car at Kehoe. The repair cost $ 985.71. It is now 4 months later, and I am having a problem with the parts replaced. Unfortunately, the service paperwork and receipt provided me at the time of service did not document the mileage on my car, and there is no extended warranty terms mentioned or noted on the receipt. The only service obligations they saw fit to print on the receipt were mine: Payment due on receipt.

Trustworthy, quick, personable, compassionate, thorough, accommodating. Support local

This is the best Auto shop I’ve been to. Their prices are great but their service and quality of work is better. It is the only shop I trust for my 4Runner. I’ve also taken my fiancé’s Mini Cooper there for oil changes. The shop has a quick turnaround but does tons of business so I’d recommend you call them before dropping off your vehicle if you can. They never do work or buy parts without calling you to get consent; unlike other auto shops that will do work unauthorized and expect you to pay to fix the «pixie-​dust unicorn O2 sensor”* that wasn’t broken in the first place or that you didn’t want to get fixed at the moment.
*pixie dust O2 sensor» is purely a hyperbole but you get my point.

Take your car to Santos if you can drive it 3 extra miles!!! There was a HUGE difference in price for these guys and Santos and Santos did a wonderful job. Plus they seem like great people while the Kehoe fellow comes off as a money grubbing a-​hole. I feel a lot better about paying Santos.

I have taken my car and my wife’s car several times to this repair shop and I’ve always been treated with respect. They seemed to do a good job each time and I didn’t get the feeling that they were trying to rip me off.

Great experience, which I’ve never said about an auto repair shop.
I called on a Friday to ask if they were open on the weekend. I was told yes, but by appointment only. I asked to schedule an appointment for next weekend. Instead of just scheduling me, the guy asked what the problem was. I told him, my tail light won’t turn off and it’s draining the battery. I might be a brake light switch, he says. I can have you in and out today. First win.
I go to the shop, expecting to drop my vehicle off and wait for the rest of the day. When they took my name, number, and keys, they wrote my info on a big white board. It was so full that the guy had to erase a name to put mine on. I thought for sure I’d have to wait all day. About 30 minutes later, he tells me he’s done. Second win.
Over the phone I was quoted an approximate cost of $ 120 for the switch and labor. When the work was finished I was told it wasn’t the switch, it was a brake switch depresser thing (real mechanical term). Instead of paying $ 120, I paid $ 45. Third win.
3 wins equals 5 stars in my book. Hopefully, I won’t need a mechanic in the future but if I do, I’ll coming back to this place.

I had a flat tire (passenger front side) last July. I took it to the Pep Boys where they told me that it was a nail and they patched it. Couple days later the tire was flat again. So I took it to the Kehoe because of excellent Unilocal reviews. I explained the situation. They told me what the Pep Boys told me and they fixed it. I was surprised that they didn’t pay attention to what I told them. Honestly, I assumed that the Pep Boys did a bad job with fixing a flat and I hoped that the Kehoe would be better.
Couple days later I had to go back to them because the tire was flat again. They said that they needed to take a look at it.
Couple hours later I received a phone call from them. They told me that it was the alignment issue and tread wear issue so I had to replace both tires in the front. They gave me a quote of $ 413.18 for two tires, wheel balance, alignment, valve stems, and disposal fee. I said that I’d like to talk in person first.
When I was there, they told me that both tires are wearing off unevenly and it is dangerous to drive like that. We talked about different options how to fix it. But we still went back to the same option. I tried to explain that I could get my tire replaced for free because I had a tire replacement certificate from the Discount Tire (in Dallas). In the end they gave me $ 20 back that I paid them last time for fixing my tire.
So I just took my car and contacted the Discount Tire. The Discount Tire asked me to find a mechanic who can inspect my tire. Then I would have to send images of the inspected tire to them in order to confirm that it is eligible for free replacement. Since the Discount Tire’s website referred me to the Tire Kingdom, I went there. At the Tire Kingdom it turned out that the tire could not be fixed because the damage was on the side of the tire. Neither wheel alignment was required. Regarding the uneven tread wear of my front tires, they said that I could replace another front tire once it’s time to replace it.
And off the topic. Here’s my tip. Mark at least one tire each time you have to rotate them. Car shops sometimes skip it.

My daughter needed a new tire. Although the place was packed, she left with a new tire within an hour. Well-​priced, too! Great customer service!

My experience with Kehoe was overwhelmingly negative, so much so that I joined Unilocal to write about it. I was overcharged, and the check-​out person was incredibly rude.
In response to the original review, I received an apology and partial refund, which is nice (ignoring the creepiness factor of that).
I would not go to Kehoe again, even if my car died in front of their lot, but I hope others have a better experience.

Great place to take your car. The staff are always friendly and helpful. I have a 20 year old Saab and when it had a seemingly unsolvable problem they worked until they figured it out. Can get very busy so make sure to go early.

I went there to get my F150 serviced after Firestone did not want to even look at the issue.
Tom was friendly on the phone and took care of everything.
They do exactly what I want my mechanic to do,

This place is right around the corner from where my boyfriend used to live. I’m always a little wary of neighborhood mechanics because they go 1 of 2 ways: really really nice, honest, fairly priced, quick, and accurate, or Baaaad! Thankfully, Kehoe is everything good!
My starter gave out on a Tuesday night. Had the car towed to Kehoe, dropped the keys in the slot, and called Wed morning. They had it ready for me that evening! The boyfriend (who is blissfully clueless when it comes to cars) takes his in for everything like he’s just popping into rouses: headlight changes, battery replacement, air conditioning troubles… All the way up to heavy engine maintenance. They’re always speedy, they’ll always say what needs done and what can wait, and they won’t break the bank!

I was nervous about bringing my car here because I know nothing about cars other than bring it to a the shop to get the problems fixed. But i had reached a point that I couldn’t put it off anymore. I had so many problems:
I needed an oil change. Pretty standard. I got it changed for $ 36.95.
My car squealed. At first, it was just when I had the air conditioning on. Then, it just wouldn’t stop. I knew it would be the belt, and people warned me that it would be at least $ 300. They changed it for $ 83.54. The mechanic did tell me that he didn’t change the tension pulley (I think that’s what its called.) because it can be expensive and was going to hold.
I told them about a consistent thumping noise my car started making after I hit a curb too hard. They investigated, and couldn’t hear what I was talking about. Maybe changing my ties was the solution (see next paragraph). They didn’t charge me for investigating the problem!
The thing I did not expect was that my tires would need to be changed. He said that I only needed the front 2 changed. Not all four. I’ve never had anyone recommend that two of the four changed. I’ve always had people tell me to change all 4. He said that since my car was front wheel drive, all the weight was in the front etc, that’s why the front needed to be changed only. And the back ones were fine, they had a lot of life in them. I looked up the prices of the tires online, and it was a fair price that they charged me.
This is now my go to for any and all car needs.

UPDATE: The 12 year old Honda is starting to have more problems, and for the ones I could not fix myself, it’s gone to Kehoe. They executed a quick and reasonably priced replacement of a failed clutch pedal position switch that locked out the starter. They correctly diagnosed and fixed a radiator leak that was producing bubbles that I thought indicated a head gasket leak.
These more recent experiences warrant an additional star. (Not that they need it; both Kehoe and its neighbor Dat Dog down the block are almost comically busy, every day). As for me personally, I lose a star for the incorrect diagnoses that Kehoe caught.

I initially came here as a referral from my boss when I was looking for a place to fix the A/​C in my car. I spent all of July (2011) without A/​C and just about died from heat exhaustion and there was no way I would survive August in New Orleans without it. Turns out, it was just a loose wire.
I found their receptionist to be direct, not super friendly and chatty, all business which came off as competent and efficient so I respected that.
Since fixing the A/​C, I’ve also had them change my oil, patch a nail in my tire and replace both AV axels in my car (d*mn potholes and crappy NOLA streets). I like that they check my tire pressure and top off the fluids every time I stop by. I also appreciate that they check out the rest of car (beyond what I had come in for) to make sure everything was in order. I’m a girl who doesn’t know much about car maintenance, so it makes me feel better that someone else is monitoring my car safety.
I never feel like they’re taking advantage of me as an aloof girl and telling me to fix things that don’t need to be fixed or overcharging me (my brother is a mechanic in WA so I tell him what I’m being charged so he can tell me if it’s on par and so far, it has been).
I’ve only had a positive experience here and will continue to give them my business.