this place is a hidden jewel. Vi and his dad Shanta really know what they are doing. You can tell they are good because they have a steady flow of customers even though they don't advertise. They got my car in and out within 2 days even though it was a mess: engine mounts broken, broken tie rod, throttle needed cleaning and engine air sensor needed replacement. Quality work and all done for less than 2K. I will be coming back time and again! read more

After speaking to my bank about a fraudulent charge that was declined, they recommended that I call the station to determine if the purchase was attempted via prepaid amount in the office or at the pump in order to determine if I should get a new card. I called the station and the call was automatically routed to the service department. The gentleman who answered asked if this was a call for the gas station, I said yes and he politely routed my call. The gas station attendant answered and after hearing that there was no charge, he began yelling over me saying, "If there is no charge then why are you calling me," over and over until he slammed the phone down. Hilarious if this was a sitcom but terrible service in reality. read more

Usually I never have any problems here, but there was a gas attendant working that I had never seen before who gave me less gas than what I paid for. When I questioned why I only received that amount after paying more, he was rude, dismissive, and acted like I was the problem. I only realized it after I finished pumping and saw that the total only went up to the amount he claimed I had paid. I counted my money multiple times before handing it over, so being told otherwise was extremely frustrating. It was only a small amount off , but that doesn't make it okay ... it was still my money. More than anything, I'm disappointed by how poorly the situation was handled and by the complete lack of customer service or accountability. Honestly one of the worst experiences I've had at a gas station. read more

BEWARE. The only reason anyone comes to this place is because it has some of the cheapest gas you can find in the local area. Apart from that, the disgusting short Indian man you inevitably end up having to talk to inside apparently thinks he can talk to customers however he wants and nothing will happen to him. I've been going here for as long as I've been driving. Since I was 16. I've been a loyal customer my entire adult life and the nerve of this guy to yell at me over asking him a question about the recent spike in pricing. It took every ounce of energy in my body to restrain myself and leave before I did anything I would've regretted. I can't understand how this man is still employed the way he talks to customers. Makes zero sense. read more

Had them do trans service and tune up. Mr V is the best to deal with. Recommend this business.

This is a follow up review so I'm gonna keep it straight to the point. It was Saturday morning and all of a sudden my car started having some serious problems and the engine light came on. I made my way to Arco. I expected that perhaps Sam would take a look at my car on Monday but he asked me to drive it into one of the bays where he immediately checked out what was going on. He then took it for a brief test drive and immediately knew what the problem was. He said he would fix it on the same day. I couldn't believe it! Any other place would've kept it at least through Monday or Tuesday or perhaps even longer before they ever got around to it. But, a few hours later my spark plugs and my ignition coil had been changed and all done for a very reasonable price. Unbelievable! You really don't find mechanics with this kind of business ethic any longer. Great service. Great price. Highly recommended. read more

Awful. Arco used to be competitively priced. Now that it isn't there's no reason to put up with the horrid man who works here. He's rude and unhelpful. Dealing with him was easily the worst thing I've had to do. Avoid this place. The arco in rolling hills is better. read more

This place is being rip off. They're very dishonest and they give the run around. On top he wanted ti charge me $15. To use credit card machine.. it's unbelievable Sam is not there anymore so this guy took over! read more

I've done my research via consumer reports and contrary to popular thought, Arco is not bad gas. That said, this Arco station has gas at a value price, and it's never super crowded like other Arco stations. They have a little convenience store for people wanting a snack or drink (no coffee). Most important, the gas is always a good value. Remember, you get a good value on gas because you need to pay with cash or a debit card. read more

Living in LA we all need a good, reasonable mechanic. We all probably spend half our day in the car so it's a vital part of our lives. If you are still in search of your car's private doctor ie. mechanic....read on! So I used to get my car smogged from Sammy's uncle for years. My parents have used Sammy for all their car maintenence for over 10 years. Since I am in LA and haven't needed real work on a car, never gave it a thought except for "Thank G_d" they have someone honest and good. That all changed today. My teen hit a curb while making a turn and front end was wobbly. Took it to the local Pep Boys for an evaluation. They came back saying it was the strut, spindle, hub, and other things totalling $800 BEFORE LABOR! Decided to take the short drive down to Sammy. My father took the car over and come to find out...we needed ONLY A TIE ROD! $100 out the door! SERIOUSLY??? THAT'S IT? And it is being fixed as we speak. No delay except for part delivery. OMG! Sammy is a G_dsend! You need anything done...come here. You will not regret it! read more

Arco Smog Pros - Corner of Rolling Vista Dr and Palos Verdes Dr. N - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Lomita, California

I started bringing my wife's car here for oil change because it is close to my house. Sam was very friendly and made it quick and easy. After that I started bringing both our cars here for other repairs. Sam is very honest about work that needs to be done and advises you of your options. His prices are hundreds of dollars less than dealership and I have not had any issues with any of the work he has done. He is also very friendly and willing to go above and beyond for his customers. I recommended anyone in the area to bring their car here for minor repairs, oil or smoging. read more

Arco Smog Pros - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Lomita, California

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Good prices you would expect at ARCO. Good location, never been pan handled. Minus one star for not refiling the receipt printer in the dispenser with paper often enough. Minus one star for that. Being an other location, the bathroom is accessed outside, 'round back. What surprised me was that the men's room wasn't completely disgusting, like most gas stations. It was...decent. read more

5 star Thumbs up for Sam, You can locate him nearby at LJ Automotive on Crenshaw. Go to a mechanic you can trust. read more

Yesterday I stopped by to ask a question about my car- Sam took the time to ck the Transmission fluid & run the computer to see if any codes showed...He did this with a very pleasant attitude (in what looked like a very busy day (& week ahead)....). He made a suggestion but without any kind of pressure or trying to 'sell' me anything... I was very impressed....gave me an impression of someone I could trust as a mechanic....Thank you!! read more

Horrible experience with smog check. Three days no calls. I called and they were still "diagnosing." I had stressed that I was in a hurry due to a death in the family. Said to stop work, I'd pick it up. There were going to charge me $250 for what they had done, I came unglued. $250 for nothing. They gave me my keys and said no charge. When I got home I realized they had also badly scraped the driver's door. Unbelievable. I should have looked at the mechanic bays - filthy, empty containers and trash everywhere. If they cannot work on a brand of car they should say it up front. AVOID THIS GARAGE read more

Reliable and trustworthy mechanic. My family has been going here a while. He never tells me to get more services than I need to. They are closed Sundays so Saturdays are packed with customers. The only way to get in is to call before you go to tell him you are coming and do it between 9 and 9:30. read more

This is the first time coming here. I had a Best Buys Guide coupon (Best Buys Guide is a regional direct mail advertising/coupon magazine that gets sent each month), which had a good deal for several smog check centers in the Palos Verdes/South Bay Area, where I work. Out of all the smog check centers in the area, this one had the best Yelp ratings, so I decided to get the smog check done here, instead of a couple of places that were closer (one of those places were slammed on Yelp, I wouldn't have considered it anyway). I will say this... They are a busy place, and for a good reason - they have excellent service, and the pricing is good. They do a lot of regular auto maintenance/repair work, so it's more than a test site. However... Despite being extremely busy, Sam did make the time to get the smog check done, which is definitely commendable. The waiting time wasn't too bad either. I had asked to take an extra long lunch, because I had expected a long wait, but that didn't happen. It took only about 20 minutes, which is pretty good considering the circumstances. And I got back to work on time. And having some great music to listen to (AC/DC and Iron Maiden) playing in the garage made things all that much more pleasant, as I'm a huge fan of those bands. :) I would like to say thank you very much for your exceptional service, great selection of music, and I will be coming back when the time comes. :) read more

I have to admit when I was first told to bring my car to the Arco Station in Lomita for the best service, I said "Are you kidding?" But Sam is the MAN! Sam provides great customer service, affordable pricing, and quality work. I refer all my friends to go to Sam now. Thank you Sam! read more

What I usually hate about getting my car fixed, is when the mechanics try to tell me that I need more done than what I came for. They try to make you spend more money, but Sam isn't like that. He seems to be running a very honest business and seems to greatly value the satisfaction of his customers. He doesn't pressure you to pay for more services and his prices are reasonable and fair. 100% Recommend coming here! read more

I've had dealings with Sam over the years and he has always been fair, honest, timely and saved me money on service and repairs! Recently he put brakes and a new A/C compressor on my 1997 Mercury Sable saving me hundreds over other mechanics quotes or the Ford dealership! Last week he replaced the front shocks on my 1996 Volvo 850 and came in $100 under his quote because he did not need to replace all the mounting kit items he ordered! The drivers side was broken at the top mount and the other side was OK! He replaced only what was necessary and to keep the car driving safely! I trust Sam more than any other mechanic I've used and will continue to bring my cars to him for ant work I need done! read more

Arco Smog Pros - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Lomita, California

Nice located station. Excellent smog check mechanic. dealt with him for 2 of my cars. But aside from smog checks, the station is owned by a rude and hate mongering man. One night at about 9:30pm stopped over for some fuel. Tried to used the dispenser but it did not read my card. Surprised by it I walked over to am/pm store. I then told the man behind the counter. A dark complected man. " Hi. My card was rejected by the fuel dispenser". His reply was, in a rude tone of voice..."i am closing" I replied, surprised because it was early...."How come ? It is 9:30 pm" He retorted at me in angry and uncouth tone, yelling in loud voice .... "I am the owner of this station and I close anytime I want " I replied...." I am your customer, why are you yelling at me" ? He retorted...."This is my store and if you do not like it go away" He sounded very rude and angry. I turned around telling myself...." It is not worth it, I will never come back...poor angry soul" This happened like 9 months ago. Decided never to go back. It was yesterday that while driving my car off my home I noticed one tire being very low. Decided to go to said ARCO station ho get some air. Stopped by the air machine and left my car there. Walked to the store and, as normally done at stations , at least in this neighborhood, asked the guy go please turn on air machine. His reply was. "Sr....deposit $75 cents" I replied. " Beg a pardon". I am a customer. I have filled up my vehicles gas tanks many times here, as well as gotten my cars smog checks done here too. His reply was....Sorry Sr. Deposit 75 cents". Unbelievable. I turned around and this time I will never look back. read more

Honest, fair, knowledgeable and consistent. Sam at Arco Smog Pros is all of this and more. He will diagnose and repair your car. He will recommend things you really need, not stuff the dealer always wants to sell you. He does smog checks and does all kinds of repairs. I feel comfortable recommending him to anyone I know. read more

Sam is great to bring all my cars to him For maintenance needs from oil changes to brake jobs and anything.

An honest mechanic with fair prices. Won't try to sell you stuff you don't need. Sam is the best!

Love this place Sam is the best, honest and reliable!! He will be getting all my business, the gentlemen also that works with Adam is super nice. read more

Sam is an honest, hardworking, reliable mechanic which is very hard to find!! He is a great mechanic! Audi quoted me $800 Sam did my repairs for $300!! He is always decently priced and works very hard for his money. We bring all our cars here!! Without Sam I don't know what we would do!! He is a lifesaver!! read more

A long time ago I brought my Chevy to have work done and they were great. Yesterday my Passat (2003) had a coolant problem. Not only did they figure it out quickly, but they didn't charge me the normal arm and leg others have. Great service. Honesty counts! Thank you. read more

Just got my car back after Sam worked on it. My car was running lean and would stall. Sam was super honest and only charged me for the hoses that needed repairs. There was a number of different possibilities for my car running lean according to the OBD2 codes but he managed to find the problem right away and was honest with it. I will definitely be going back here. PS - Several reviews here are for the GAS STATION which is not affiliated with this mechanic. read more

This is the only place we will take our cars to. For over 10 years we have been coming here. Sam is the best and we can always trust him. He is very kind and helpful. The prices are great too. Highly recommend read more

I have been going to Sam for the past 8 years with the recommendation of my dad. My father hardly trusts anybody including myself, but he trust Sam with his cars. He is one of the few honest mechanics out there. My BMW is hitting 150k soon and runs great due to Sam and his assistant. I made a mistake one time of going to BMW to try to fix a problem. The BMW center charged me close to $500 bucks just to find out exactly why I am getting the error codes after it was scanned. They gave me an estimate to fix the problem that Sam was able to do for a thousand dollars less! From now on, I am always going to Sam for any problems and maintenance needs. read more

I am not sure if anyone enjoys the going to an auto mechanic. But, my visit with Sam was exceptional in every way. Even though I was only there for a smog check, Sam made me feel welcome and kept to his promise of 20 minutes or less, even balancing me and two other customers at the same time. I might be coming back for regular auto services. read more

My name is Toni Newman, I met Sam because I had a coupon for a smog many years ago....I don't take my car anywhere else. Sam is the best mechanic, the most honest man you could ever find. He tells you what your car really needs and gives you decent prices. I get my car back the same day. Miguel was his great side kick but he recently moved away. He has hired a new guy who recently I met when I brought my car in for maintenance. Sam would not hire any dishonest person. Sam is kind, helpful, hardworking and honest. Our world needs more mechanics like Sam. If you bring your car to him, make sure you go early because it fills up quickly. Locals all know of his Merritt! I'm so glad I got that coupon originally. I have found my ONLY mechanic, for all our cars!! Thank you Sam!!! read more

Sam is a wonderful mechanic I bring my work truck to Sam for everything and also my cars ,he is just a pleasant guy to deal with it, by the way I do not even live in the area I have a mobile detailing service and I come all way from Los Angeles . read more

Arco Smog Pros - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Lomita, California

Sam is honest and priced fair. He tells it like it is and gets the job done. It is hard to find that in a mechanic these days. I have been coming here for many years and have recommended Sam to many people who have also had good experiences. read more

I have now been going to Sam for about 4 years and I will not go anywhere else. He is extremely honest and makes you feel like you are his top priority. I have never trusted a mechanic as much as I have trusted Sam. Prices are very fair too. If I could give 10 stars, I would! read more

This is the worst place if you want service and you don't live in PV..took my car there last year as it was making a strange noise. Owner tried telling me what I needed was an oil change. Treated me as " ignorate" and talked down to me. 2 days later the timing belt broke. Last week tried to get a smog check thinking he might have improved his stupidity..NO..told me he couldn't do the smog check because it has on the forum "to be done at a "star" smog center. Imagine my surprise when he tried telling me "oh that's for people who are Low Income"...let's put it this way, I might live in San Pedro but at least I know how to treat people decently! . Or Maybe he should go back to his Country and treat people like he's used to...we American women don't have to take this Iranian crap from men like you! read more

Sam is the most honest and reliable mechanic in town. I've brought all my three cars there for years. Many times Sam will tell me things I need done as well as things I don't need done. He is only mechanic I will go to. I hope he never leaves that station. read more

Sam is the best of the best! I believe in aligning yourself with great people and Sam truly defines great. His character and genuineness is worth 5 stars. He and his partner Miguel are such an incredible team and I feel 100% confident that if you need to find a mechanic Sam should be your first choice. I believe that God puts people in our life for a reason, I am so grateful that he put Sam and Miguel in mine. You will not regret taking your car to Arco Smog Pros, they will always be honest, polite,detailed and professional. Thank you Sam and Miguel for always taking care of me and my family. Blessings read more

Wtf? Is all i can say. I called and asked him something and he just said f off and hung up.

Hi my name is John B. from San Pedro i have been going to Sam for 1 year now and he is a great mechanic. My aunt has been going there for years so we gave him a try and i am happy so will you. thank you Sam. read more