The leak that wasn't
A client called back two weeks after I replaced his water pump. It wasn't the pump, it was a loose hose clamp I never touched. An hour and a half, including the stuff he asked me to look at while I was there. No bill.
About KevinOne mechanic. Since 1976.
No service writer, no upsell, nobody rushing to clear the bay. Just one guy who likes the engine bay to look like it was never worked on.
About Kevin
If you use me one time, you'll never have anyone else do your repair work.
I'm Kevin Huttenlocher. I've been fixing cars since 1976, and I started Housecall Auto Mechanics in New York in 2004. I got fed up with fixing cars in 22 inches of snow, which is how I ended up in warm, sunny Myrtle Beach.
I carry current software and hardware to talk to every car I work on, and I pride myself on getting the diagnosis right the first time. It's just me. No service writer, no upsell, nobody rushing me to clear the bay.
Where it started
Long Island, 2004.
The idea hasn't changed since the first day: I come to you, I find what's actually wrong, and I fix it right there. The van just traded the snow for the beach.
Why mobile
One car at a time.
When I worked in a shop years ago, cleaning a valve cover until you could see the original paint got me told to stop wasting time, they needed the bay. On my own, I take the time. Every plastic clip comes off carefully so it can go back on. Every bolt goes back in, even the hard ones.
Working alone means there's nobody to cover for a bad diagnosis, so it has to be right. That's why I'll spend uncompensated hours on a car before I'll guess.
Things I didn't bill for
Good karma, on the house.
I do these more often than I can list. It depends on the person and the day. I just want you to know the kind of guy you're calling.
Stuck at Walmart
I'd done her brakes once. A month later her battery died in the Walmart lot, so I turned around and jump-started it. No bill. We hugged it out.
The sagging door
Finishing a brake line job, I noticed his door sagging. He'd bought hinge pins but couldn't get them in. Forty more minutes and it closed like new. Good karma, not extra profit.
Reviews
5.0
312 reviews on Google. The ones people mention most: honest pricing, phone diagnosis, and showing up when they said.
Read them all on Google →Diagnosed on the phone
I had just been to a wedding, and was checking into my room at the Hampton Inn before the reception. Went out to leave, and the van would not shift into gear. On the phone, Kevin determined that it was likely a broken transmission cable. On the way, he decided to get the bushings he thought would fix the mess I was in, and from the time I called him at 5:00 p.m., it was about 5:45 when he arrived (with the parts). Overall, a 5-Star quality guy.
Two shops couldn't find it
Kevin did an excellent job on diagnosing and repairing a frozen u-joint on our 08 Dodge Ram 3500 dually. Two other shops could not figure it out. By the time we got back from lunch he had the project complete. Kevin is a fair honest mechanic. Our trucking business takes us all over this country and with over 1,420,000 miles on this truck, we have seen a lot of mechanics.
Saved him a starter
Called him to change a starter I thought was bad. He showed up, tested the starter (it was fine) and proceeded to trace the problem to its source. I would have been screwed without him. Best interaction with a mechanic EVER. If you have a car problem, CALL THIS MAN IMMEDIATELY!
Helped before he was paid
What started as an informational call about a check engine light turned into almost an hour of fantastic customer service. Our car ended up being so low on oil our engine almost seized and he walked us through step by step how to fix it without even seeing the car or receiving any payment!
Vacation rescue
We drove our 2008 Saturn Vue to Myrtle Beach. The day after we arrived, our steering failed as we pulled into a parking space at a local restaurant. Kevin was able to get the steering working very quickly, and our car back on the road. He is very thorough, patient and professional and does not overcharge for this service.
New Year's Day
New Year's Eve is not the time to have a car that won't start. Too late in the day to fix before everything closed, but he came out on New Year's day and got me going.
Saved future labor
While performing a timing belt replacement, Kevin diagnosed a possible water pump problem and suggested a replacement. Since he was replacing my timing belt, it would be much easier to access and save me money in future labor costs.
Stranded at home
Kevin came and fixed my rack and pinion power steering in just a few hours. He diagnosed the problem straight away. If you have found yourself stranded at home and need assistance to get going again do yourself a favor and call Kevin.
Head of customer relations
This is Simon.
He's been on the website since 2015 with no explanation, so here it is. He doesn't fix cars. He does approve of you.
Also by Kevin
GooseGrip work lights
I build rechargeable LED work lights for professional mechanics, better than a person holding a light for you. Custom made, with a lifetime warranty. goosegrip.com →
Car won't start? Call me.
843-310-3000
Call or text. Myrtle Beach, Socastee, Murrells Inlet, Surfside Beach, and farther out for a travel charge.