The Best Auto Repair Shops in Des Moines, IA
We graded 10 companies on seven things customers actually report: satisfaction, reliability, workmanship, value, momentum, track record and how owners handle complaints.
From 288,258 Google reviews of 687 top-rated auto repair shops nationwide; 10 of them in Des Moines, IA. Updated November 9, 2026.
Find the right company for your job
Pick the job — we re-rank companies by how customers rated that exact job.
Best auto repair shops in Des Moines for exhaust
Clear ✕Job match = this company’s ★ on reviews Google tagged “Exhaust” (shrunk toward the category average when there are few), how many such jobs it has done, and its overall Experts Score.
What customers said about exhaust
Ace Body and Motor is exactly what you want and hope for in a auto repair shop! Honest, friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable! They will not push "extra" work on your vehicle. They explain what they recommend and let you, the customer, decide. Plus they have loaner cars to use while your's is being worked on. I HIGHLY recommend!
This is the best place I have ever worked with for car maintenance and repair. Very trustworthy, timely and reasonable.
Ultimate Automotive has been one of my most trusted shops for a very long time. From installing performance exhaust on my Firebird nearly 20 years ago to just last week when they fixed my wife's alternator (and found the cause, which was another concern, oil level kept dropping slowly, but didn't appear to be…
Everyone was very professional new what they were talking about and let me know what was going on !
We several repairs done over the years at Premier Automotive. They are always knowledgeable, professional, honest, and fair when it comes to the work that need to be done. They do a great job breaking the vehicle down, so you know what things need to be addressed right away. They always let you know the cost before they start the work.
Super easy to work with, very clear and helpful every step of the way. Appreciate the quality of workmanship and integrity of the Joe & his shop!
Overall ratings
Experts Score 0–100Experts Score (0–100)Absolute quality first: recency-weighted star average (≈54%), share of 1–2★ reviews (≈24%), customers’ price verdicts (≈14%), owner replies to critical reviews (≈7%); minus up to 10 points each for complaints flagged in Google review highlights and for a real slide in recent ratings. Hover a company’s score on its page for the full breakdown. and a letter grade per factor (A = top 20% of auto repair shops).
| # | Company | ScoreExperts Score (0–100)Absolute quality first: recency-weighted star average (≈54%), share of 1–2★ reviews (≈24%), customers’ price verdicts (≈14%), owner replies to critical reviews (≈7%); minus up to 10 points each for complaints flagged in Google review highlights and for a real slide in recent ratings. Hover a company’s score on its page for the full breakdown. | FactorsFactor grades, in orderSatisfaction (54%): Recency-weighted star average (2-year half-life), shrunk toward the category mean by review volume; the company’s own lifetime average as the prior; absolute: 4.0★ = 0, 5★ = 100.Reliability (24%): How rarely jobs go badly: share of 1–2★ reviews — 60% the last 24 months (or the 20 newest if fewer), 40% all-time; 0% = 100, 15%+ = 0; the category percentile can only raise it.Craft & service (0%): Google review highlights: Quality, Professionalism, Responsiveness, Punctuality — how rarely reviewers flag them as a negative, per review since highlights began; 0% = 100, 5%+ = 0. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in — clean highlights are the norm, not a bonus.Value (14%): Customers’ own price verdicts (Great / Reasonable vs Overpriced) and Value highlights; 65% absolute (all “reasonable” ≈ 80, “great” = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.Momentum (0%): Penalises only a real slide: last-12-month average below lifetime (−0.5★ = 0). Still 4.8★+ over the last year, or steady/improving = 100. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in.Replies to reviews (7%): How often the owner publicly replies to reviews under 5★ (1–4★). Needs 3+ such reviews, otherwise not counted; 65% absolute (80%+ replied = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.One letter per factor score: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39, F = below 20. | ★Google star rating as shown on Google Maps. | Typical billMedian bill customers of this company reported in their reviews (needs 3+ priced reviews). |
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| 1 | A 97How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 59%96+56.3Reliability 26%96+25Value 15%100+15.2Experts Score= 97Not enough data for replies to reviews; its weight is shared by the others.Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AA–AA– | 4.97 | — | |
| 2 | A 93How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%96+52.4Reliability 24%94+22.8Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%52+3.7Experts Score= 93Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AAAAAC | 4.92 | — | |
| 3 | A 93How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%91+49.6Reliability 24%92+22.3Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%98+6.9Craft & service penalty97−0.3Experts Score= 93Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AAAAAA | 4.85 | — | |
| 4 | A 92How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%96+52.4Reliability 24%96+23.3Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%36+2.5Experts Score= 92Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AAAAAD | 4.97 | — | |
| 5 | A 89How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%91+49.6Reliability 24%91+22.1Value 14%99+14Replies to reviews 7%49+3.5Craft & service penalty98−0.2Experts Score= 89Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AAAAAC | 4.90 | — | |
| 6 | A 86How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%92+50.2Reliability 24%91+22.1Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%7+0.5Craft & service penalty95−0.5Experts Score= 86Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AAAAAF | 4.87 | — | |
| 7 | A 86How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%89+48.5Reliability 24%86+20.8Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%31+2.2Experts Score= 86Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AA–AAD | 4.90 | — | |
| 8 | A 86How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%87+47.5Reliability 24%76+18.4Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%100+7.1Craft & service penalty88−1.2Experts Score= 86Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | ABAAAA | 4.80 | — | |
| 9 | A 85How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%89+48.5Reliability 24%90+21.8Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%11+0.8Experts Score= 85Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AAAAAF | 4.87 | — | |
| 10 | A 85How the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 55%90+49.1Reliability 24%88+21.3Value 14%100+14.1Replies to reviews 7%21+1.5Craft & service penalty89−1.1Experts Score= 85Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews. | AAAAAD | 4.83 | — |
What jobs cost
What customers paid, from the price Google asks reviewers to report.
| Job | Low25th percentile: 1 in 4 customers paid less than this. | TypicalMedian of the bill customers reported in their Google review (Google asks reviewers for a price range; we use the middle of each range). | High75th percentile: 1 in 4 customers paid more than this. | FairOf customers who rated the price, the share who chose “Great price” or “Reasonable” rather than “Overpriced”. |
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Auto Repair Shops in Des Moines, IA at a glance
How the 10 auto repair shops we rated in Des Moines, IA compare, and what customers praise most.
Experts Score grades
A = score 80+, F = below 20.
- Grade A10100%
- Grade B00%
- Grade C00%
- Grade D00%
- Grade F00%
Google ratings
Average stars per company.
- 4.90★ and up550%
- 4.80–4.89★550%
- 4.60–4.79★00%
- Below 4.60★00%
What customers praise
Share of Google review highlights.
- Quality18,95926%
- Professionalism21,67730%
- Responsiveness310%
- Punctuality15,75422%
- Value15,76722%
Was the price fair?
All price verdicts left with reviews.
- Great price15,52844%
- Reasonable17,76750%
- Overpriced8582%
- Not sure1,1033%
Price verdicts by year
Share calling it great / reasonable / overpriced.
How we grade
Satisfaction (54%) — Recency-weighted star average (2-year half-life), shrunk toward the category mean by review volume; the company’s own lifetime average as the prior; absolute: 4.0★ = 0, 5★ = 100.
Reliability (24%) — How rarely jobs go badly: share of 1–2★ reviews — 60% the last 24 months (or the 20 newest if fewer), 40% all-time; 0% = 100, 15%+ = 0; the category percentile can only raise it.
Craft & service (penalty, up to −10) — Google review highlights: Quality, Professionalism, Responsiveness, Punctuality — how rarely reviewers flag them as a negative, per review since highlights began; 0% = 100, 5%+ = 0. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in — clean highlights are the norm, not a bonus.
Value (14%) — Customers’ own price verdicts (Great / Reasonable vs Overpriced) and Value highlights; 65% absolute (all “reasonable” ≈ 80, “great” = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.
Momentum (penalty, up to −10) — Penalises only a real slide: last-12-month average below lifetime (−0.5★ = 0). Still 4.8★+ over the last year, or steady/improving = 100. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in.
Replies to reviews (7%) — How often the owner publicly replies to reviews under 5★ (1–4★). Needs 3+ such reviews, otherwise not counted; 65% absolute (80%+ replied = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.