It's really hard to find a trustworthy mechanic, as a woman and as someone who's livelihood is the car. I had given up hope having taken my car to two different places about brakes. Each of them telling my brakes were fine. Alex and Jim listened to my concerns let me ride with them to explain the noise and did in fact find the problem. At the same time I had another car after getting brakes somewhere else, then told I needed told I needed axle and wheel bearings and also a new transmission. I went straight to them who let me know none of that was required. That was December 2024. I have now taken 4 different cars to them. They listen and are honest, the price is under dealer prices but the work is quality of the dealership. I've had major service from brakes, water pump, struts and shocks, serpentine belt done at A1 and I'm very happy. They give me a plan and let me know what to expect. They are also very quick to return my car. Which I need because it's my work. Highly recommend. Thank you Jim and Alex. read more

Absolutely the worst car shop in Salinas. And I see the owner likes the reply and act though, but not with me... No intimidation here! take as it is, Your shop sucks. and you are a very arrogant, rude and miserable person that shouldn't even be owning a shop if you can't take criticism. And I'm not deleting anything. I went in for a simple oil change and completely regretted it. The staff was rude, careless, and acted like they didn't even want to work. The prices are ridiculously high for the kind of lazy service they provide. I would not trust them with my car at all. Save yourself the headache and go somewhere else. First and last time I ever step foot in that place. read more

i will never go back to this place again. I was quoted a price and was told I would be informed if it would cost more but didn't inform me and charged me almost double of the quote and then charged me for some new items only to find they were used. Horrible service read more

Very good. Very reasonable pricing. Extremely knowledgeable. Highly recommended. Much lower than your local dealership.

I went in to get a price for diagnostic on my Trailblazer. The guy talked to was arrogant and rude and his estimate was incredibly high compared to other shops I've talked. Instead of A1 it would be more aptly named A-hole automotive. read more

Owner insisted I needed a timing belt even though I had a Honda with a timing chain. Guess he thought this girly was clueless. What a jerk. read more

Avoid this place at all costs. I had a diagnostic done and they told me what the problem was and how much would it cost me to have it repaired. I decided to spend the money on the repair but once they finished they called me and said that there was something else wrong. I think that when you pay for a diagnostic you are supposed to be informed of all the problems related to the issue so you know if you can afford the cost before they start any work. read more

y'all may have your preferences but from my experience, it definitely was not for me. I had brought my vehicle in for a diagnostic. i was already aware of the engine codes i had which is mainly due to my aftermarket parts. I was quoted a new engine plus labor which would've came out to about 15-20k!! Not even the dealership estimated me close to that amount for a new engine plus the labor; now i don't know if it's because i'm a female but i felt like i was being taken advantage of. my main problem was leaving the shop. I noticed my vehicle sounded different as i started it upon leaving, i heard horrible scraping from underneath the vehicle to which when i got home i checked underneath and noticed they did not tighten my part at all and was hanging loose. unfortunately the shop was closed as i got home so there was no way to contact them back but luckily i had a relative install it for me correctly. Sucks to be recommended here for their good services but come to find out they can't even install the parts correctly; i'd suggest the manager do double checks before handing the vehicle back to the customer so this won't be a reoccurring issue. read more

A1 Automotive - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Salinas, California

Alex If you are the business owner, I advise you to change your team before you lose your business. From minute one, customer will figure out that this shop is not qualified to repair, but rather collect money, give false diagnosis, never offer customer service or care about customer satisfaction, use bad quality parts, improperly install the parts and never check or fix the improper work. Though my cars' brake lasts working perfectly for years, I took my BMW car to the shop in 11/17/2024 for shaking steering wheel, and Jim said I need to replace the front and rear brakes. I agreed to replace the front one only and see. He asked for $746.57. After the replacement the problem got worse, and I returned to him 3 times to check his work, but every time he refuses and gives me false reasons (It could be so or so or so...etc.). He asked for new charges to perform new diagnosis. Finally, he said he will check the brake, but he deceived me and do nothing more than moving the car from the front to the backyard of the shop and took a quick look at the break from outside using a small flashlight (I was watching him from across the street). When I came back to pick up the car, he said that he performed a complete inspection and found that the problem is that the break got overheated and needs to be replaced again and it's my responsibility and I have to pay again to replace it. he did not say that the overheat is because the improper installation, but because of me and when I told him that I'm retired, and I have another car and I don't drive the car more than one mile, he said one mile is enough to get the brake overheated! Horrible and unbelievable diagnosis! read more

I have taken my car to A1 Automotive a handful of times & have been satisfied with both the customer service as well as the service rendered on my vehicle. As a female it can be challenging to find somewhere to take a car and feel confident that you will not be taken advantage of. At A1 I feel they are honest & I do not feel pressured at all. They diagnose, suggest what is needed so your vehicle is safe & will not proceed unless you give the green light. I have mainly dealt with Jim whom provided me with nothing but professionalism & explained things clearly with patience. Their diagnostic test was more reasonably priced than the dealership & after repairs I had my car back the same day. I appreciate the positive experience I had & would recommend this establishment to others. read more

I took my car in for a smog check, but it didn't pass. A1 said they could run a diagnostics check for $180, but thank goodness I knew to take it to Auto Zone, where they ran the test for FREE! Dodged an expensive bullet on that one. read more

So, so sad to say I can not recommend A 1 auto or the owner in anyway shape manor or form... From begining to end I was lied to... I paid for things they didnt do... They told my my battery was dead and wouldnt charge and that I needed a new one... ...What they didnt know was that I just bought 2 weeks prior...So I went to where I purchased the battery and told them what I was told...In front of my eyes it was tested 100% good...I had to have someone else do what I paid them to do, because they lied and didnt do it... So so sad to say... read more

Came to do a smog and JIM said I needed an oil change because my oil was FILTHY... DO NOT LET THIS DUDE SCAM YOU.. I did my own oil change 2-3 weeks prior and didn't drive more than 40 miles within that time. Caught him in stupid lie & wouldn't trust this business with anything except a smog or headlight detail. Jim also texted my phone after to thank me for coming in, red flagggg, unprofessional read more

A1 Automotive - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Salinas, California

Went to this shop to see about getting a wheel bearing pressed in. Owner quoted me 2 hours for a 30 minute job. When I politely declined, the owner got very passive aggressive and accused me of "complaining". He tried to say that no one else would even touch the job. He was still mouthing off as I walked away. I'd rather set my car on fire than give this shop a dime. Meanwhile Trustlane Automotive is doing the job for 1/4 the price. Plus they have snacks. read more

I wish I could leave 0 stars. I went in today to ask for estimates on repairs that the dealership already checked and diagnosed my vehicle for. As soon as I walked in an older guy at the counter rudely asked me what I needed. I told him I went to the dealer and I had a list of repairs I wanted an estimate on. He asked to look at the document I had. He then proceeded to tell me I'm going to have to charge you $140 to take a look at it myself and see what's wrong with your vehicle. Umm... No thank you. I paid the certified dealer already to do that and money doesn't grow on trees. Why would you force a customer to pay for a diagnostic that has already been done? These people need to be humbled and know they are not the only shop in town. They also need to work on their people skills because by being rude and not knowing how to talk to the customer will make no one want to step into your business ever again. I'm sure never going here again. HIGHLY NOT RECOMMENDED. Take your vehicle and money elsewhere. read more

Quick and efficient. I brought my car in for a smog and it was no more than 15 minutes. They gave me the certificate of the smog pass but also send an electronic copy to the DMV which saves me a trip. Location is convenient with plenty of parking. read more

My van broke down on a trip down to Morro Bay from the Bay Area just last March. We stopped in Salinas for a break and steam started pouring out of the front of the van...cracked radiator! This was a Saturday so it couldn't be repaired until Monday. I was so glad this place was open on a Saturday. The owner, Jim, was very kind and helpful. He didn't refuse me due to being so busy but squeezed me into his packed schedule already. He took the time to help me understand what was needed and showed me where the crack was. He kept my van in the shop overnight for safety and did an excellent job on the repair. I had my mechanic look it over when I got it back home and he said the repair was solid. We had to wait for a friend to come pick us up so Jim was so kind to drive us down to the nearest starbucks to wait it out. I highly recommend this business for your car repair needs. The repair was expensive, but everything is expensive these days and you get what you pay for so I would rather pay for a job done right. read more

Overcharges for the most simple things... also doesn't take parts if you or another source provides them.

4/24/23 Options: pay 30% restock fee (not posted) and labor to put car back together $2800, or do repair $4800. I asked for validation of restock fees to cure my concern of being overcharged and held hostage. Once I asked for validation Jim became aggravated, his response, behavior suggested parts may not have been ordered. My intent: pay fees, labor w/validation of parts order. Again, I just wanted to ease my gut as a consumer, that the $2800 was valid. The debating was extensive by phone, in person, over several interactions. One interaction while debating Jim asks, "You work at... right?". Me: "That's irrelevant, has nothing to do with any of this". Jim: "oh yes it does, caller ID is a beautiful thing". I felt intimidated, uneasy, uncomfortable, he knew my spouse was out of town for the week. It was as if to say "I know where you work". Helpless, my car was held hostage, I had no ability to ask for clarity on anything. Jim further aggravated the situation with now storage fees, numerous comments and suggestions against my character saying, "you should've took control, like you're taking control now!". Jim: "ma'am I don't have to DO anything, it's what I CHOOSE to do!". He told me he was upset, I was rude, condescending, nobody deserved to be talked to, treated that way. Yes, I raised my voice, I told him I didn't believe he ordered the parts prior to cancel. I too was upset, I also did not deserve to be talked to or treated that way. I was responding, as a consumer, to poor service, poorer treatment. I understand customer service, bad days exist, not everyone can be satisfied or every situation rectified. I also understand most businesses, or people in general, will do the unconventional in order to instill trust, show integrity, build ethical business, and gain lifetime customer relations. In my opinion, Jim is unprofessional, untrustworthy, and unethical. I aim to support small businesses, not this one, experience was beyond negative. I paid $1377.70 no smog, no repairs. read more

make sure that no check engine light is on because you I'll be charge up $69 dollars up front take your car somewhere else where they do the scan at no charge read more

If you want to get yelled at by the owner and told over and over again how you are wrong about what you know to be how your own car is then look no further. I heard the owner insulting me. He talks badly about the dealerships. The dealerships will never treat me this rudely. The services are way too much money. Getting a smog here is probably the only thing you can do without getting charged way too much money. The owner is a total cliche of the dishonest mechanic who will just try to get you to pay for something your car doesn't even need. The owner has no human kindness or comapassion in my opinion. I have been to this shop a total of 3 times and I will never be going back and I don't recommend it to anyone. read more

horrible customer service and very rude management would not even let them patch a tire.