I went to A1 Auto Tech to have a full checkup of my 20 year old car (Jeep Grand Cherokee) as I bought it from a private party, and a mirror repaired I was walked through the list of items which would be checked up, got called back in the day with a quote for the mirror and other things that needed to be fixed. Prices were fair, any questions I had got answered. They also offered me a ride home (from and to the garage). Got my car back on schedule, with an extra complimentary wash. Thanks so much and special thanks to Chuck! Will come back read more

Great service! They went above and beyond to work around my schedule. Really appreciate the prompt service and good work!

Frank and his guys at A-1 have ALWAYS been so thorough on inspection, care and maintenance on my car. I know I can always call them up and ask them a question and get my car in if and when something comes up. I feel lucky to have car guys who care for my safety. read more

I have gone to A-1 for over 20 years. They have seen me through a car that, with a rebuilt engine, lasted 180,000 miles. They have asked to take home a car with an intermittent electrical problem that worked fine in their shop to see if the problem occurs on a cold start. They have told me about developing problems that are not urgent and given me a timeline for when they are likely to be problematic. Once, Frank (the owner) even looked at my bill, said it seemed a little high, and shaved off some of the costs. Once, after my second valve job on the 180,000 mile car, Frank told me that it was time to get a new car. However, when the car engine light came on and I called to ask how I could sell it for scrap, Frank offered to look at it for free. I said, "You told me it was time to let it go!" He said, "But what if it was a $ 5 part?" Due to the cost of towing from Berkeley, I declined his offer. Even when I go in for an oil change, they look the car over for developing problems. They have my permanent loyalty. If Frank says I need it, I need it. I wouldn't go anywhere else. read more

Only word i could think of when i think of A1 auto tech. My family. They always treated me like a family. Its a shop you can trust and depend on. Absolutely honest. Sometime even if its at the fault of their own. They will admit it. Not cover it up. If thats not honesty, I dont know what is. "No one is perfect. If we were all perfect then all our fingers will be the same length." I a wise man once told me. I truly believe that this shop is the real deal when it come to genuinely wanting to help their customer. Old school customer service is what you will get at this shop. Have the customer's best interest at heart. No matter what your financial situation is they will always try and help you. "We'll try to keep your car on the road as long as we can." Frank would say. Thank you Frank for always treating me as a family and a friend! read more

Came in for a routine smog check. Got me in and out with a reasonable amount of time. Did a standard check of things to take care of. Didn't push me to get anything taken care of on the spot, which was really nice. Being a female going into a service shop it can be uncomfortable at times. The shop owner was pleasant and courteous. I will absolutely be coming back here for any of my service needs. read more

I honestly can't think of enough good things to say about the professionalism, quality of work, and honesty of the folks at A-1 Auto Tech. Frank Edelman is brilliant, and has surrounded himself with personable, brilliant people. Chuck Clements is extremely patient, and assiduous in following up on service issues, and Patty in their back office is wonderful for her humor and assistance in payment issues. There are two caveats with A-1. Sometimes they take more time than they originally estimate, or than you would prefer to do their work. Your service results will be, in my experience, worth the wait. They will not rush a job to get it out of the shop before it's done right, and if there are any questions about the fixes they've performed, they're excellent about apprising you in advance of what to look out for. The second caveat is expense. You may be able to find a cheaper price than A-1's, but you won't at a dealer, and you won't find their level of quality and customer devotion either. If you're throwing piles of money into a car to start with, you owe it to yourself to spend that money smartly. A-1 is a smart place to spend it. Regular maintenance with A-1 is great because they can, and do, catch small issues before they become big-ticket ones. This isn't a level of service you'll find at a quick-lube or gas station. They are very good about offering a continuum of possible fixes from band-aid level ones to full overhaul level ones, and educating you about potential choices such that you have power over your automotive service choice. I realize that this review sounds exceedingly astroturfy and gushes much, but I've no professional or personal association with A-1, save as a customer. If I didn't live a hundred miles away over a mountain range, I'd not think twice about continuing as a client with them.. and even now, if I have a big-ticket service need, it's been worth my while to drive over the hill from Santa Cruz to get a second opinion. Do yourself a favor, and give them your business. I don't think you'd ever regret it. read more

Frank and his team are magicians. Fair prices and expert technicians are much appreciated these days and they will continue to get my business for years to come. read more

My air conditioning system broke down completely in the month of July and I had no idea where to go get it fixed. My colleague recommended this place so I checked it out. They were super friendly, super sympathetic for my loss and helped me work out all the details so that I could get my a/c fixed. I dropped off my car in the morning and they even drove me to work! Even though I wasn't pleased with the bill, I was very pleased with their service, their confidence and their willingness to make me feel comfortable with what they were doing. After that, they sent me a thank you card and a coupon for my next visit and a 12 month guarantee for their work. What I paid was worth it. ****Update**** I found a nail in my tire, and gave Chuck a call for some advice as I was just on the road and was panicking about what to do next. He took me in right away and helped me with my tire! He put a plug in it, something that he guaranteed would work for the life of the tire, and the cost wasn't too bad, something under $30. Again, another 5 star experience!!! read more

Everyone there was super, super friendly! And that really meant a lot to me. I went in pretty early in the morning (7:30 am), and I think they were still setting everything up. I was in a rush, because I didn't know I needed a Smog check before my dmv appointment (oops!! what a dummy!!). I was afraid that they wouldn't be able to fit me in. But I was able to get in and out in a little under 30 minutes! While the work was being done, a few of the other employees were walking in and out of the office, and they were really great about checking that I was being helped and making sure I was comfortable. I was & am so thankful for their work and will definitely go back again :) read more

Had a great experience with A1. They gave me great advice on my 1986 Nissan pickup. There were lots of issues that previous mechanics had covered up just to pass the smog test. A1has some skillful mechanics who did a proper diagnosis to find the root cause. Once they had a list and a plan, we discussed what needed to be fixed. Frank kept me informed throughout the process. As a result, I found a great buyer for the truck and felt good that they got a fair deal on an old truck that will continue to work well for them. read more

They never, ever steer you wrong! They look out for their customers, they truly care about your safety when they make recommendations for repairs. Even when all you do is take it in for oil change, they look at every part of your car. Well worth the price. You want a cheap oil change and poor service, find another place! If you're like me and you barely put any effort into your vehicle, this is your place! These are your guys! read more

Awesome. Helped quickly. Did work at a great price. Also, I stopped in the very first time with some stuff to do that was fairly easy and they worked my car in on the spot and got it done while I waited (about 20 minutes). Very accommodating and no problems ever after several visits. Highly recommended. read more

me that diagnostics will be ~$320 and I need to leave my car for a couple of days. I explained symptoms and was curious about root cause issue. In 3 days they just started to test my car, which is not bad and I completely understand that they are busy. I know these guys probably understand what they are doing, professionals and pretty sure they are friendly and HONEST to regular customers. In my case, it costed my ~$200 and 6 days to hear that I have issue with transmission. Yes. Nothing more. When I asked what specific part of transmission is malfunctioning, I was told that they do not know it and in order to get to know it they need to disassemble transmission and so on.... Well, I think I knew that I have some transmission issues before I came, no? My impression: pricey and useless. They talk more than listen. Hope this review will help somebody. read more

I was in town over the Thanksgiving weekend and needed an a/c compressor replaced. No one was open on Friday, but I left a message via the A-1 website, hoping to get some service on Saturday. In the meantime, I found that Al's 76 in Sunnyvale was open on Friday so I went there. On Monday, Patty from A-1 sent me an email saying they were closed over the holiday and asked if they could help now. I replied that I already took it to another place and thanked them anyway. I didn't get service done there, but I appreciated that they took the time to call me back. That's a sign of someone who understands customer service. (I wrote a review for another company who responded after I already had the work done, thinking that no one else would respond. Now this is the 3rd review I've entered just for companies that responded. I'm really surprised! I didn't plan on reviewing auto repair places on their customer response abilities!) read more

Review based on smog experience. I showed up at 710am to find out smog isn't working. Disappointing, but not the end of the world. However, then he precedes to tell me he doesn't work on BMWs, well that's the first I've heard of a smog check station doing that. Then he tells me he'll do it as a favor, but not till tomorrow and not till 730, cause that's really when work starts. Just not a good experience. read more

A1 is awesome, I've taken my 23 year old car here many times and they always do an excellent job. They will call and tell you exactly what's wrong, and how much it will cost. Frank is really patient and does a good job explaining what they are doing, even if you know ~0 about cars. All the mechanics who work here are really nice, genuine people, and seem to really enjoy their work. If you need a ride, they can pick you up or drop you off (might depend how far away you are). Most times I've needed a significant repair, it takes several days to fix, but if you just need something like a smog check / oil change, they can do it while you wait in the lobby in less than 1 hour. If you can't pick it up before they close, they will let you pay over the phone and pick it up after hours. Very good service, I'm really happy they were able to fix the leak in my sunroof. :) read more

It was a time to do a smog check for my registration again. Unfortunately my favorite quick smog place in San Antonio Center was closed down. Then, I had to search a smog check service. Since the A1 were close enough from my office, I brought in my Nissan. They had to say that it is going to cost me $60. It sounded pricy. However, I took it so that I can get it done as soon as possible. After 40 mins or so, a mechanic told me that my Nissan failed on the test. It had slightly wrong timing. Then, he offered to fix it for another $60. If you know cars, you realize that it is a simple job. I felt they were trying to take as much money as possible. So I declined. They've also told me that it would cost $40 to re-test. In the other day, I'd stopped by my mechanic. He needed only 5 mins to adjust it. No charge. I stopped by another smog test place which was recommended by my friend. They did the job for 15 mins and $40. I do not know their technical competency. Maybe they are decent. However, you should expect them to charge you every penny. I would not be able to trust them. Be aware that they just work for their best interests. read more

Looked up an auto shop around my work area to get some brake work done. Found this business on Yelp and decided to go with them. Ended up needing new rear brakes along with rotors. I have a 2010 Scion XB and even though they mainly work on American vehicles, they did a good job. About a month later I started hearing a sort of rubbing/squawking noise. Called in the morning, and they were able to look ay my car that same morning. Turns out I had a defective brake pad. Replacement service was completed by that afternoon. Thanks goodness it was still under warranty. Pad replaced quickly and customer service is top notch. I definitely recommend this shop. read more

I love this Auto shop!! no matter who I speak with or who services my car I always have the greatest experience. I am very confident that I am getting quality service and trust that they have my best interest at heart. make this establishment your home for all your auto needs. read more

Frank is brilliant. Dropped by with a battery problem, with no appointment, at 645pm on a workday. Frank came out, took a quick look, helped with a temporary fix, and then was going to quote me to replace it. He realized my car was still under warranty, told me to go back to the dealer and have them check it, instead of having to pay him to fix it. And yes, his temporary fix was free! At 645pm on a workday! Excellent service, highly recommended. I'll be back. read more

Yeah! Frank SAVED my car. He didn't just "Smog it" or "fix it", he saved it. Got crappy older car, but it really "works" for me. Other shops in area were baulking because it had slightly out of ordinary Smog issues (and I could sense the fear in their voices...lol). Took a little longer than expected, due to circumstances outside shop's control, but I was 4 out 5 EXPECTING to get a call saying "Sorry, no can do, just not gonna happen on this car" type of call. Now it runs better than ever and gets great MPG. He also did a couple extra fixes and adjustments while it was waiting. Sort of thing that takes a guy like him 2 seconds but would take me 1/2 day to do wrong. If you got a car with "issues" and you need a real mechanic(as opposed to some kid fresh out of Jr College), then he is about the only game in town, maybe only one in Santa Clara County. Just make sure you PLAN AHEAD because appointments might be couple weeks out, so don't call at 4pm expecting him to work a miracle before the 5pm DMV closing. Call 2-3 weeks ahead of time and expect him to work a miracle. read more

Great service and they guarantee their work. I recommend this shop to everyone!

Great service from competent, professional mechanics. It's a great facility with a very decent turnaround time. Always a pleasure to do business with! read more

Came in for a brake and lamp inspection sign off for the DMV. Service was great, welcoming and completed in the time frame specified. I think I found my new shop to go to. They are also AAA authorized. read more

I haven't needed A-1 Auto Tech's services often, but when I've used them it's always been a good experience.

I have been going to Chuck for years, and he is quite simply the best mechanic i have ever dealt with. Cheap? No, but not expensive either. He charges a fair rate, uses quality parts, and gets the job done thoroughly and correctly the first time. Pay somebody else to fix something twice, and see what a deal A1 really is. They have solved problems the dealer repeatedly couldn't figure out and saved me a bundle of money when there was a cheaper solution. They fixed an electrical glitch no one could locate and rebuilt my electrical harness for half of what a new one would have cost. The dealer told me my timing belt was shot, and A1 just tuned the engine back to purring like a kitten. Chuck is also bluntly honest about when your car needs expensive repairs and he is simply unwilling to take the "cheapo" quick fix route that will either cost you more money down the road or leave your vehicle unsafe. He explains what is involved, and asks you how long you wish to own and drive your car. I much prefer to have someone just tell me straight up what I'm in for, and gives me options about how to proceed. And their work is clean, done on time, and done right the first time. Highly recommended. read more

I've been taking my cars here for 10+ years. They are not cheap but, they are the best. Extremely professional, highly competent. They do fantastic work and are very honest and trustworthy. If you need a smog check, there are cheaper places to go. If you need reliable service and maintenence, this is the best in the bay that I've found. read more

I've never had anything but great service from A-1 Autotech. Chuck and Frank are very interested in your car, even though neither still does the actual repairing. Patty, the receptionist, is friendly and calls you if anything is wrong. These guys are great at preparing cars for towing, and nothing went wrong when I drove to Yellowstone and back with a 24-foot trailer. read more

I really appreciate that these guys got me in same-day for a quick headlight change even though they were slammed with other cars to work on! read more

Honesty is the real keyword while searching for a mechanic and these guys are way beyond your expectation. I have a Toyota Camry 2000 and I took my car to these guys based on recommendation. They took care of it charging less per hour labor rate, giving genuine suggestions too. After a couple of weeks, my car stalled and I took it back to them and they checked and confirmed that it was their error and would take care of the car free of cost including towing. It is very difficult to find such honest guys. They are my mechanic for life. In fact my friends are even considering switching their mechanic. Frank, the owner has been very friendly, professional and good to talk too. He explained me in detail about what was wrong in the car (he even drew diagram on paper ex planing me that :) ) Henry, the shuttle guy has been very friendly. All others whom I met there had a very friendly approach and a great energy. You will never regret going to these guys. read more

Frank and his team remind me of everything that is good and old school about America and the American experience when it comes to cars. I have been going to Frank with my vehicles for more than 7 years and have never had a reason to complain, other than the rare big bill ;-), that sometimes happens when you are dealing with older cars, with very justifiable reason :-). A1 Auto and Frank's team are absolute and amazing specialists in my American made vehicles and I would trust them completely when it comes to jobs big and small. Driving a vehicle is a very personal thing for me and my vehicle is an extension of who I am and it is something that helps me experience beautiful things and feelings, and keeps me safe when I need it to keep me safe. Frank gets that, and that is the beauty of dealing with Frank and his team. They are there because they love what they do and it shows in the kind of work they will put in your car. If you love your vehicle and want to keep it ticking over and providing you beautiful and meaningful experiences as you go about driving, then you want to leverage Frank and the A1 Auto Tech team to take care of it. THANK YOU Frank and A1 Auto team for all the years, here's to many more... read more

Brought my Fusion in after major engine trouble. They diagnosed it fairly quickly, called the dealer for me, found out it's probably covered by warranty. They made sure I was fully informed of the best option (i.e. $0 further out-of-pocket costs via dealer fixing the problem), and answered all my other questions. Overall very helpful. read more

I enjoyed doing business with A-1 and I was completely satisfied with the job. Prior to A-1 I went to another shop to fix my brakes, but they did not fix them correctly and I had to have A-1 fix them again. Since then I have decided that A-1 is the place for me to take my car for repairs. I also appreciated the quick service. I was in and out in no time. read more

I needed a Gold Shield Smog Check for my '99 Camry and they were close by. They have great service. They drove me home so that I did not have to walk, or wait around. They called promptly when they found a problem, and my car was ready in a very reasonable time They even have a sense of humor. I would recommend them highly. read more

I found this wonderful auto shop in the daily paper. I have been trying to get my car fixed correctly for the last year. Frank, and his staff are very personable, and give great customer service. I am tired of getting ripped off from other auto places!!!! He found the problem in two days. I have my own business, and am on the road everyday. I have found my new auto repair shop. In addition, they will pick you up, or drop you off. Love these guys. Thanks!!! Annette Follas The pet nanny read more

I've brought my car here twice and each time I had excellent service. The first time was for major electrical work when my car mysteriously stopped working. The second time was to replace a light and to change out my brake pads. Each time, they maintained great communication updating me along the way and giving me estimates of how long and how much the repairs would take. They always give my car a thorough inspection and let me know smaller repairs I could make, but I never feel pressured to spend more than I want. Frank and his team are definitely reliable and trustworthy. I will continue taking my car here for future issues it has. read more

I have been bringing our company vehicles, as well as my personal vehicles, for years. From day one of coming here I was impressed with their honesty and professionalism. This has been reinforced throughout the years. Their mechanics are well trained and always up to date on all the latest car technologies. Recently, crew at A1 went way out of their way to help me with a issue with my wife's car. I am really glad to have someone I trust now that I don't do many repairs myself. read more

I called A-1 Auto Tech inquiring about diagnostic services for a used car I may purchase. The gentleman I spoke with explained they no longer provide that service because of liability issues. He was kind enough to direct me to a local AAA owned facility that will help me with that service. He also proactively provided helpful information regarding the major problems that could occur with the vehicle I'm considering buying. I was very pleased with the experience and the helpful information that was provided. read more

Great mechanics, fair prices. I brought two cars to them, both had electrical problems that two previous shops and the local dealer could not fix. These guys got both problems fixed right away. Also did some repair work that save me a more costly future repair. The office entrance is around the back, off of Pioneer Way. read more