Repair and service for 1980s and '90s cars in Houston

A red Acura NSX with its headlights on, on a fog-covered country road at dawn. — The owner's 1992 Acura NSX.

Red Car Garage is an owner-operated Houston shop for modern classics: cars too old for the dealer to want and too new for the old-school classic shops to understand.

Robert Cope, the owner, drives a Ferrari 308, an NSX, and a ZR-1 Corvette himself. Your car gets worked on by someone who knows these platforms from the driver's seat as well as from under the car.

Email the shop

Send the year, make, model, and what's going on. We'll reply with next steps.

Why Red Car Garage

An owner who drives these cars. Robert learned the trade at a VW shop in Austin and has kept his own modern classics on the road ever since.
$100 an hour, straight time. You pay for the hours actually worked, not a flat-rate book time. There is no diagnostic fee; diagnosis is billed like any other labor.
No surprises. You get a written estimate before work starts. If the job grows, we stop and contact you before going further.
Backed by a warranty. Our workmanship is covered for 12 months or 12,000 miles.

What we work on

We handle diagnostics, repair, and regular maintenance. Before we turn a wrench, we research your platform, its factory service manuals, and its known quirks. We'll track down the reference material and tools these cars need, and parts that are no longer stocked.

Diagnostics: drivability faults, OBD-I and early engine management, electrical and charging issues
Fuel systems: early electronic fuel injection and carburetors, pumps, lines, and tanks
Engine service: timing components, cooling systems, belts, gaskets, and seals
Brakes: pads, rotors, calipers, lines, and fluid service
Suspension and steering: shocks, struts, bushings, alignment-related repairs
Wiring and electrical: harness repair, grounds, connectors, and aging insulation
Scheduled maintenance: oil and filter changes, fluid service, inspections

Cars we know

Japanese performance, European exotics and sports cars, and American V8s, including Acura/Honda, Lexus and Toyota, Ferrari, BMW, Land Rover, Corvette, and air-cooled Volkswagens. That's where our experience runs deepest, but it isn't a hard line. We'll take on most cars within reason, 2000s cars included, depending on the job. Not sure we're a fit? Ask; it costs nothing.

We focus on mechanical and electrical work. We don't do bodywork, rust repair, or full restorations.

Ready to get your car sorted? Email sales@redcargarage.com with the year, make, and model, and we'll take it from there.