Diagnostics
Check-engine lights, rough idles, noises you cannot place. Tested properly — scan tool, then hands-on — so you pay for the fix, not for guessing.
Auto Repair · Portsmouth, Virginia
Johnny's Auto Care
A family-owned shop on High Street that works on everything — classics, customs, imports, and the car you drive to work.
About the shop
Honest auto repair from the Gower family, serving the 757 for more than fifteen years.
Johnny's Auto Care is a family-owned and operated shop at 3615 High Street in Portsmouth, run by Johnny and Crystal Gower. It has been BBB-accredited since 2012 and has built its reputation the slow way — one car at a time, explained in plain language, with no upsell.
The shop works on every kind of vehicle: daily drivers, classics, custom builds, imports and American iron, new and old. If you have been told 'we don't work on that' somewhere else, this is the phone number to call next. Military, police and senior discounts are offered — ask when you book.
What we do
Services
Every make, every model, every age. If you are not sure what is wrong, call and describe the symptom.
Brakes and suspension
Pads, rotors, calipers, shocks, struts, ball joints and tie rods. The parts that keep you in your lane and stopped at the light.
Engine and transmission
From a timing chain to a transmission service, the heavy work that most shops send elsewhere. Straight advice on repair versus replace.
Classics and custom builds
Carburetors, points, old wiring and one-off builds. The shop still knows how to work on cars that were made before the scan tool.
Routine maintenance
Oil, filters, fluids, belts, coolant and tune-ups on a schedule that fits how you actually drive, not the sticker on the windshield.
Electrical and A/C
Dead batteries that keep dying, alternators, wiring faults and air conditioning that quits in July. Diagnosed, not thrown parts at.
How it works
From the first call to the finished job.
STEP 1
Call the shop
Tell them what the car is doing. You get a time to bring it in and an honest read on whether it can wait.
STEP 2
Diagnosis before the estimate
The problem gets confirmed before any price is quoted. You are told what failed, why, and what it takes to fix.
STEP 3
Fixed, and explained
The work is done, the old parts are yours to see, and you hear about anything else that is heading for trouble.
Good to know
Questions people ask before they call.
Do you work on older and classic cars?
Yes — classics, custom builds and older imports are welcome here. If you are not sure, call and describe it.
Do you offer any discounts?
Military, police and senior citizen discounts are offered. Mention it when you book.
Can I get an estimate over the phone?
For routine work, often yes. For a noise or a warning light, the car needs to be looked at first so the estimate is real.
Do I need an appointment?
Call ahead so the shop can plan for you — it is a small, busy shop and a call gets you a firm time.
Where are you?
3615 High Street in Portsmouth, near the Cradock and Prentis Park neighborhoods, a short drive from the Naval Shipyard.