Very dodgy when asked for estimate multiple times, always said "won't know til later". I sort of understand, sure, you won't know exactly, but every shop I've ever gone to has been able to give an estimate. Performed services that I specifically said over text that I did not want them to do. Recommended new battery, told them I could change the battery myself. When I went to pick up my car they said they already changed the battery (almost $250 for battery plus labor). Every other shop I've been to has had me sign off on repairs before they start. Never going back here. On the plus side, they were very nice and very quick to respond via text (even though their responses were confusing at times), and they gave me a new key fob battery for free (a whopping $5 value) read more

This place had excellent service for my car that needed a lot of work! They were so nice and helpful and send me updates along the way.

ADS Temescal is still keeping my 2007 Hyundai tucson running in great shape. I come here for all my oil changes, as well as maintenance, and even had them create new remote keys after I had lost original remotes. And I find they're always honest and affordable. read more

Had a nail in my tire and came here to get it patched up. The team here is great. Friendly and know what they're doing. I explained the situation with the manager, Phong, and one of the mechanics checked out my car and all four of my tires. In the end, he found the nail and patched it up. It was an efficient, simple, no-frills experience. Will totally return for minor car issues in the future. Highly recommended. read more

Been in the neighborhood for years. Had various services with varied results. However last time I was here the owner/operator sold me a battery and installed it. Said it was a great battery. However a year maybe two later the battery keeps going dead on me. I bring it by the shop. It's not busy and he ignores me and blows me off. Said it could be anything computer etc... . I had to ask him if he would please at least test the battery he sold me. He asks me to wait and continues his talk to an another customer and ignores me until I closed my hood and left. Won't go here and I don't recommend it. read more

Don't bother bringing your car anywhere else--this place is the freaking bomb. I brought my Honda in for 90k service and I can't rave enough about how great Phong and his crew are. So polite, professional, and comprehensive. These are absolute experts. Unlike other shops I've been to, which either don't check what they say they will or wrench on things that really don't need it, Phong checked everything but only fixed what needed fixing. He was very familiar with my model of car and didn't cut corners. Phong walked me through their findings and despite how thorough he was, he still got everything done quickly. Their itemized billing is precise and their labor costs are SO reasonable. I'm sending everyone I know their way! read more

We took our cars here for a few years based on a neighbor's positive recommendation. I felt uneasy with Phong's seemingly excessive service recommendations but kept coming till a different mechanic I really trust confirmed my suspicions and said he was way off. The final straw was when he charged us a second time for a repair he improperly performed only 6 months earlier. We won't be going back. read more

Phong is the most honest mechanic I have ever met. He is very knowledgeable and looked out for my best interest. The quality of work and honesty far exceeded any other mechanic. They are very busy so good luck getting in. read more

Brought my truck in to get tires installed, nothing else. When asked if I wanted to have anything else inspected, I said no. I get a call telling me it's ready to be picked up, but then suggests a whole list of other work that he would not have been able to know unless he popped the hood and checked fluids, which I explicitly asked not to be done. The numbers didn't add up when he's listing things off, and it's because he was going to charge $27 to put the spare back, which is ridiculous. Told him to put the spare in the truck bed and I'd take care of it. I'm extremely surprised by all the positive reviews this shop has. TLDR: 1. Tried to upsell me on work I explicitly said I wasn't interested in 2. Tried to charge me $27 to put my spare tire back read more

I highly recommend this auto repair shop. Phong was very responsive and easy to communicate with. He had the part my car needed and got me back on the road again quickly. read more

Phong and his team are amazing!!! I heard about Phong through several friends who said he was very knowledgeable about Subaru's. Although I live in SF, I thought it was worth the drive to Oakland for a great auto mechanic. I drove up on Thursday to have my newly purchased, used Subaru looked at. I knew of some issues the car had and they explained in more detail what needed to be done. They kept me informed of all the things that needed repairing along the way and the turn-around was very quick! I would recommend Phong and ADS Temescal Auto Care to anyone. Very fair price, excellent and friendly staff, and great work. I will be back for sure! read more

Phong is great, he helped my Subaru through a Turbo rebuild, and was willing to put in an aftermarket solution after we had researched it. He can be a little bit too thorough sometimes, which hits my pocketbook, but he's really solid when it comes to knowing his stuff. read more

Phong and his team are AMAZING --professional, kind, reliable! Phong is working to ensure your car lives a long life and is always looking out to stay ahead of problems. They always do right by my Toyota and Ian't recommend them enough! read more

This place was asking me to change unnecessary parts for my car and trying to charge me 1200 out of nowhere. Seriously I repaired my car within 2 years after a thorough checkup by other mechanic paying 1200 and I know that my car isn't a new one, it's 9 years old with the 95,000 mileage. But they wanted to change literally everything and the labor costs were too expensive compared to the other places. So I just changed the headlight bulbs from this place and took my car to other mechanic. And they say you don't need to change all those things they listed in their estimate. They didn't even tighten up the oil filter and wanted to charge me to replace the WHOLE THING!!! Only thing it was needed was to TIGHTEN UP the oil filter. I could've been totally duped. Thank God.. I saw the review yesterday that someone wrote about having the exact same experience as me.. So the other auto shop that I took my car to charged me 370 to fix parts and get a gasket for the oil leakage. What an auto shop. Almost like a thief. read more

I brought my 2003 Mazda Protege there to troubleshoot a broken Alternator/Water pump belt that had broken twice in 3 years. I explained it always slipped and squealed. They said it was a leaking water pump that was causing it to slip and break. They replaced both parts and it still squealed as I was driving away. I took it back and they tightened the belt. Still squealed now worse than ever. Took it back. This time it was explained that they failed to clean the pullies off. Replaced belt again. Still squealed! Finally they said it's the alternator pulley, worn edges that were sharp and cutting into belt. Phong replaced the pulley and belt. Seems better but still getting a slight noise at times. read more

Great, quality service. I was heading on a long road trip and they took care of an oil change, tire rotation and air filter replacement. Afterwards, I thought something wasn't working with the AC. They were able to check it out, free of charge (ended up just being a setting was wrong). read more

Disappointing experience. I was told my car would be ready at a specific time and it wasn't ready until half an hour later. This caused me to miss another appointment I had. The car also wasn't fixed correctly and I had to bring it back for them to do more repairs. read more

Phong is the best ! He is a very busy man though, not easy to get a time slot with him . But if you do, he is the mechanic you need . From regular oil change , to maintenance inspection to serious repair , he is da man ! He has good work ethics , great attitude , friendly and cheerful . Phong's colleagues also form a great team and they have been very helpful !! read more

Phong and all his mechanics are awesome. I live in Hercules and happily drive my car to Oakland for great service and fair prices.

Phong is the man!!!! Excellent service, guy and his staff work very hard and will do everything they can to accommodate you. My favorite thing about the service was how detailed Phong was in explaining his recommended services for my car (mid-2000's Ford Escape) and how detailed the invoice provided to me was. I brought in my car for a standard checkup and the result was the replacement of various hoses, O-rings, etc. Phong walked me through everything on the phone in a very detailed manner which I really appreciated. When I came to get my car he was showing me before and after pictures of various parts he had replaced, had steam cleaned my engine for free, and had me bring in my car a few weeks later (but basically just whenever was convenient for me) to check in and make sure everything was good to go. This is the way an experience with a mechanic is supposed to go. Couldn't recommend these guys more. They just need a bigger shop to keep up with demand! read more

I brought in a used car I was considering buying, and Phong did a very thorough inspection for me, was totally up front about the good and the bad and very generous with his explanations and advice. He definitely wasn't just trying to find imaginary problems to fix, since the one defective part he found he suggested that I ask the dealer to replace it in their own shop before buying the car. He gave me a lot of good perspective and saved me from from making a shady deal. Glad I found him! read more

Trust Worthy The owner of this shop, Phong, is someone you want on your side. He's not a smooth-talker, just a friendly, down-to-earth guy who is really good at his trade. I've been taking my vehicles to him for 10 years. Always pleased with his prices and recommendations. His business has increased a lot over the years and he's always got cars lined up. Recently I needed repairs but I took it to OceanWorks in Berkeley because Phong was booked up for the week. OceanWorks is well known by many, and its former owner, Angus, was a Toyota expert and a bit of a character. I'd had repairs done there 10 years earlier and was pleased. But I didn't know that Angus had sold the business. The result was that I was sold $400 in unnecessary repairs. After examining the perfectly serviceable "bad" parts, (shops are legally obligated to let you examine or keep the old parts), I showed them to the owner and demanded a full refund, which he gave without much argument. I going back to ADS Temescal. read more

My car wouldn't start. I had it towed to ADS. The guy I dealt with (Fong, I believe) was nice. He kept telling me how lucky I was because my car could have caught fire and any other place would tell me I needed a new engine. Now I am not a mechanic and I can only take his word for it. I can also only assume he is being honest about all the confusing claims of not charging me for stuff. That was the last I ever spoke to this gentleman. The car ran again. Win. IMMEDIATELY upon exiting the cramped parking area, I noticed a new clicking/vibrating sound. ADS was busy and closing, so I continued home trying to figure out the clicking sound. (ADS hours are 8-5:30 which cuts it a bit close for someone who works 8-5.) I brought my car back in and left it with ADS for them to examine the vibrating sound. After no word, I called them and was dismissively told it was my cd's vibrating. This seemed absurd to me but perhaps they hadn't heard the sound. I was invited to take a mechanic for a drive to point out the sound. I left work early to get to ADS, stood around ignored for 10 minutes and then Mr. Dismissive told me nothing was wrong with my car and there was no sound. I was about to storm off when he asked a mechanic to ride with me. On the ride, the sound was impossible to ignore. Mr. Mechanic and Mr. Dismissive insisted that it was just something in the dashboard over and over again. I never contested this. However, it didn't make the damn sound before they worked on my car! Mr. Dismissive was extremely dismissive and rude and eventually told me that perhaps I had just not paid attention to the loud clicking sound before now. It was obvious that despite having done something to trip this vibration, ADS was not going to help correct it. I left and will not be driving my clicking automobile back to ADS. read more

I'm giving 3 stars because I came here lots of times and was happy with their work, but now I will NEVER return here. Pros: family run, close-by, fast service, cheap Cons: the don't speak English well, the put water in your windshield wiper fluid when they give you an oil change, and the story below: I came in because my shifter was sticking. They said they I would need to have my transmission rebuilt. It cost me $1500--good price for the work but ouch. I did it anyway and I got my car back quick. The shifter still stuck. I came back the next day and they took off the shifter console and cleaned the area around the shifter...maybe 15 mins of work. That fixed it. Turns out I didn't need to pay the $1500 for a re-built transmission. They said, there's no way to tell if the re-built transmission fixed the issue or not and I was not entitle to a refund or anything. Basically I'm out $1500 when they only needed to clean the area around the shifter. Never going back again! read more

I needed my front breaks re-done back in July or August. They did the job in a day for $100 less than my usual place charges, and did just as good of a job. I'll be back! read more

I had a really good experience at ADS Temescal Auto Care, after being inspired to visit from Yelp. I just needed an oil change and tire rotation for my civic, a maintanence procedure that costs about $150 at Honda because, they say, Honda checks fluids, tire pressure, breaks etc. So I decided, I can check those things myself (well not the brakes, but those aren't too important are they?), and I will go in for an oil change and tire rotation at ADS. Not only could they take my car right away at 5pm on a weekday (they close at 5:30), but they only took 25 minutes and charged me a grand total of $40! The mechanic told me (without me asking) that they gave the car a check-over, filled the tires, and that everything looks good except that we will need new tires in the next 10k. He wrote that down for me too (again without me asking) so that I could remember. I thought it was great service and a great price. I will return. read more

Have gotten my oil changed on my '98 CRV here a couple times and the guys are really nice. Recently, I had a major tune-up and transmission service done. My buddy back in KC works at the garage of an auto dealership and he said the price they quoted me at ADS was a really good deal. Bottom line: These guys are honest mechanics and they even washed my car for free. read more

Phong and his crew are amazing! My very old car wouldn't start (hadn't been driving it much for obvious reasons...) so I'd talked to some other car guys who couldn't figure out the problem and had tried everything to fix it myself because I was really trying to avoid having to get it towed on top of everything. I'd been to ADS when I lived here a few years ago and had a good experience, so I talked to Phong and because I live just down the street, he and Kha came and worked on it at the house! He fit me into his very busy schedule, came over and quickly diagnosed the issue, came back with a fixed part, got it started and then drove it back to the shop to check on a few other potential issues. And when I couldn't come pick it up that evening, he brought it back himself because he was afraid of leaving it out overnight! He even noticed another basic issue I'd been having with my coolant cap which none of the other mechanics I'd taken it to recently had found which was only a $15 fix! And with all that it was a totally fair price with a very detailed inventory of the work. He is a really friendly guy, super thorough and seems to really care about his work. I've already recommended him to some neighbors. Thanks Phong! read more

I've taken my vehicle here several times - once for just an oil change and tire rotation; then for a full break job plus wheel sensor issue; and then for my 90,000 mile service. Each time I've felt well taken care of. The owner is up front and honest. I don't get that feeling in my stomach like I'm about to be screwed (you know what I'm talking about! Like when you go to the dealership service center!). Glad to have found a place I feel is trustworthy. read more

I think oil changes are a pain because not only do places over charge, but they always try to up sell you and give you things you don't need. I also hate having to come in with attitude to make sure they don't haggle me cause I'm female (can we get over this already?) Well I had my bad attitude ready for anything... and I didn't need it! I drove my car up.. and for $54.40 and in less than an hour I got a well needed oil change, patch for my leaky tire, and tire rotation. The guy even tried to give me my 60 cents in change... They're local and easy going... support em! read more

UPDATE: It's a great place to get a cheap oil change. They are honest and don't charge you any extra dollars for that service. However they are not great about finding problems that can later turn into BIG problems. So many positive reviews on yelp about this place--and they're right! I needed a new place to get my 1993 Camry (I know, so old, right?) an oil change and routine check up. This place is 3 blocks from the MacArther Bart station, so it was very convenient for me on a weekday. I called them at 7:30 in the morning and they were available to take my car right away. I dropped it off soon after and they promised to call me if anything major needed to be done to my car. They were done with my car in the early afternoon, but they held onto the car for me until I was done with working at 2:30. With no major repairs, the oil and filter change only cost me $24.50! At Oakland Auto Works, it would cost me $80 AND it would have taken twice as long to get my car back. The owner also recommended a place for me to get my car doors replaced without spending an arm and a leg (they have some major dents in them...). I haven't taken him up on the offer...yet. I'm going to come here for almost all my future car needs. It's friendly and easy to get to. read more

Love these guys! Honest, hardworking, very nice! You may need to keep up communication with them because the shop is busy and it might take a minute to hear back. read more

These guys seem like a good neighborhood mechanic. I brought my 90 corolla in for a brake job and to look at a squeaking noise. They quickly found the problem and their quote was what I paid. The brake job was a bit more than listed, but they told me why because of some damage that needed to be repaired and most importantly told me an accurate price before doing any work. The work was done quickly and honestly. read more

I have to give a shout-out to Phoung and his crew at ADS Auto Care. They were top notch in my book. I took my 1998 Ford Explorer Sport to them after doing a TON of research a fuel pump issue I was having. I brought it in and since I wasn't in a hurry, they kept my truck for a couple days. When they were finished, I had a new fuel pump, oil change, major tune up AND they WASHED my truck (which had been sitting on the street for over 5 months - can you DUUURTY?) -- all for less than I had been quoted at other shops for only the fuel pump work. Good guys over there! Thanks! read more

I was looking for a place to do maintenance work and repairs to my car. I called in and made an appointment. I told Mr.Phong what repairs I needed. In my case I had a hydraulic issue with my clutch pedal and rubbing brakes. After the repairs Mr. Phong sat me down and showed my the parts which were worn out and explained to me what he did. Overall I am happy with the experience. read more

I went in knowing I needed an oil change and belt replacement. It turns out my brake pads were near their sad little death as well and got those replaced for what seemed to be pretty reasonable pricing. They were also very cordial, responsive and quick. read more

I went to these guys last month to get my break pads replaced and a new oil filter. They were friendly and gave me rather fast service. The prices they charges were reasonable: ~$70 for the break pads and ~$80 for the labor. They are an honest, local auto repair shop. They have become my automotive repair shop and I would highly recommend them. Plus, I can walk home in 5 minutes and wait for the job to be done too!! read more

Phong was fantastic!! I'm a travel nurse and was on my way to my next assignment, and my car engine died in Oakland. I found this place online, called phong, and he was able to get me in and start on my car literally 20 minutes later. I was on a time crunch to get to work, and he went to amazing efforts to finish my car by the end of the next day. He caught many things that I needed to fix that would have screwed me on my trip to work. He sent me pictures and updates the entire time. He saved me!! Thank you, Phong! read more

A few years ago this place saved me serious cash by doing major maintenance on my beater '96 Camry for less than half what it would have cost at the dealership. But last time I went, for a tune up before a road trip, they tried to sell me a new radiator (the radiator is the only new thing on my old car). They also charged me for repairing an oil leak. When my transmission went out on the trip and I broke down in Coalinga 2 days later, the mechanic I had the car towed to pointed out the un-fixed oil leak. The transmission failure could be a coincidence, but after the attempted up-sell and failed repair, I remain suspicious. It seems like several reviewers agree this place has declined severely, which is too bad. read more

I signed up on Yelp JUST so I can rant and rave about this Auto Care joint... Once upon a time, I brought my 99 Camry here to get a tune up. After all the checking and the topping of fluids, the owner informs me that my radiator had a slight crack and that I should get it replaced or else POOF - it will go up in lovely steam in the middle of driving which will scare the brains out of you. Eh, I said. I'll get to it. Eventually. And tra-la-la I went. Low and behold. POOF it went and yes it scared the brains out of...my sister (ahahaha). Okay, I laugh at my sister's miseries but ADS Temescal Auto Care does not kid when it comes to cars. For that, I thank thee with my forever customer status and a 5 star review. Lightening fast and friendly service, and all the while sparing the arms and legs. What more can a car, a wallet, and one's sanity ask for? read more