Murphy—a resident since 1992, around the time he started working in the industry—bought the business in 2013 from Bill Vogt, who originally opened the auto repair shop as Northcross Exxon on the southwest corner of Burnet Road and Anderson Lane in the late 1970s. After parting ways with Exxon, Vogt built Friendly Car Care in 1996 at its current spot on Burnet north of US 183.
“We have 40-some years of North Austin roots,” Murphy said.
Before buying the shop from Vogt, Murphy said he wanted to make sure the shop’s customers were used to good customer service, which is a priority for him.
“I like handshakes,” Murphy said. “Relationships are a whole lot more important than adding to the quantity of your customers.”
Customers at Friendly Car Care can enjoy complimentary coffee and Wi-Fi as well as a free shuttle service within 5 miles of the shop.
Besides offering car repair services, including for hybrid and diesel vehicles, Friendly Car Care also offers oil changes, vehicle inspections and buyer’s checks for drivers who want to purchase a previously owned vehicle.
“We’re famously known for our buyer’s checks,” Murphy said with a laugh. “We have one bad Yelp review from a lady who tried to sell a car, and we were very thorough.”
Friendly Car Care
9110 Burnet Road, Austin
512-821-3300
www.friendlycarcare.com
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.-3 p.m., closed Sun.
