I called around and found Arroyo auto center and quickly they said come in and we got you, and they took very care of me. Thanks guys! Jim Cares!!! read more

Arroyo Auto Center - Auto Repair Near Me - Pasadena, California

Jim and his team at Arroyo will be my new mechanics. They're great, honest, quick, and offer exceptional services. Getting my car fixed was a super straight forward process, and I really appreciate them for making my life easier. I desperately needed an oil change, and I called these guys first thing Saturday morning. My usual mechanic wasn't able to take me, but Jim was able to take care of me. I got my air filter changed and smog check in addition to the oil change. Great and reasonable prices. It was a super hot day and Jim kindly offered me some cold water. Please support Jim and his team, and thank you guys for the great service! I'll be back soon :) read more

Jim is awesome! I pushed off getting an oil change until my oil life wast at 0%. I called Arroyo Auto Center and was able to get an appointment the same day. This was awesome because it fit into my busy schedule. Jim changed my oil in less than an hour and had an amazing attitude. Highly recommend this place to anyone. I will definitely be back!! read more

I brought my car to Arroyo Auto Center, because I had a flat tire. As soon as I arrived, they immediately helped me and fixed my tire in 10min! They charged me a reasonable price too. I'm really pleased that my issue was resolved so easily! read more

It's been almost two years since I began working in the Pasadena area and was referred by nearly everyone I worked with to go to Arroyo Auto Center for my car repair/maintenance needs. My car was getting old and needed some restoration in a lot of areas but I was genuinely terrified at the thought of having to find a new mechanic given some of the previous experiences I've had over the years. Upon meeting the shop owner Jim and the head mechanic Mike I knew I was in good hands. I was instantly put at ease by both of them. They gave knowledgeable assessments and went over payment options in the most transparent way possible. They have treated me like a family member and have cared for my car as if it were their own. I have repeatedly used them for major and minor repairs and can honestly say that my car has never driven better. A top tier shop run by honest and classy people. Thank you Jim & Mike!!! You guys are the best in the business! read more

I brought my car here for a timing belt and both front and rear shocks and struts replacement. Both were a big expense for me but my car was overdue to have these replaced and I was happy to get them done at a much lower price than I would have gotten if I had brought them to a dealer. I asked for a quote from other repair shops also and their price was very reasonable. Jim and Mike are very honest. Happy to have found this place and I plan to have future services to my car done here. read more

SHORT STORY: CORRUPT, SHADY, UNTRUSTWORTHY! DO NOT RECOMMEND UNLESS YOU WANT TO WASTE MONEY! DO MORE SERVICE THAN NEEDED! GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! LONG STORY: This is a long overdue review but I recently just discovered how untrustworthy and shady this business is. Back in 2021, I took my car in just to get a tire realignment. I had just moved to Pasadena only months prior, coming down for college and it was right around the corner from my apartment and I didn't know of any other places since I wasn't from the area so I decided to check them out since it was so close. The owner was very nice and he assured me they would take care of it. However, I get a call later saying I need all new tires and my breaks are bad. The bill went from an easy couple hundred to over $1,600! Again the owner was being so sweet and nice to me and told me I reminded him of his daughter who was around the same age as me and he would make sure to get my car good and safe since he absolutely couldn't let a young woman who was like his daughter be driving something so unsafe. I felt taken care of and told him to do what he needed, although I was feeling so anxious to have to pay so much money, especially being a full time college student with no income. So car gets worked on, they change all the tires, work on the breaks and do the alignment I asked for. Before I leave, the owner hands me a paper with other things he recommends I get done bc there is a creaking noise that happens when I turn my steering wheel and he said it's super dangerous and I must get this other stuff done. It was gonna be another thousand bucks so I decline for now not having the money but keep the paper for future reference. Flash forward to present day, I've graduated and moved back home now and my mom uses my car the other day and asks about the creaking noise. I tell her it has to do with what the owner told me years prior and give her the paper. She freaks out that I never got this work done and she has her coworker who is good with cars and her boyfriend do this work for me instead of going to a garage. We discover NONE -- I REPEAT NONE -- of the things on the paper the owner gave me needed to be done and the reason for the creaking noise was simply my muffler just being off or old or something that wasn't even a big deal or dangerous. The kind and sweet owner who said I reminded him of his daughter and he must make sure to help me, lied to me and just wanted to get more money out of me. Makes me wonder if I even needed new tires or if anything was wrong with my breaks before. He finessed at least an extra $1,400 bucks out of me for that first service and tried to get another thousand. Really sad and disgusting of him to use his daughter as a tactic to take advantage of a young woman, who knows nothing about cars and was living in a new city, away from family and was a full-time college student having to dip into my savings for that service. LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE! DO NOT TRUST HIM AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! He just wants to steal money and take advantage of you. Very shady and disgusting. read more

Jim treated me like a friend from the minute I walked in the door. I had an issue with the undercarriage of my car. I stopped by on a busy holiday weekend and he took care of me right away. I've had my share of disinterested mechanics over the years but Jim is not that guy. I wish I lived near Pasadena, I would look no further to have my vehicles cared for by Jim. read more

Thank you Jim for being patient with me and answering all my questions! Jim helped walk me through what my car needed and made me feel safe, not rushed and like I was getting good honest advice. I feel lucky to have stumbled upon this shop and will be returning. read more

All women know that going to any car shop repair is like swimming in a tank full of sharks. At times were even told to not go to a shop without the company of a man, laugh out loud. I did some shopping around, compared prices , and selected Arroyo auto Center. Since the beginning I was treated with respect, provided with excellent customer service, and had the opportunity to view the vehicle underneath for myself. Rather than being up sold or trying to convince me to purchase other services, the service I asked for was done. Did you hear that? Exactly what I requested, no hassle! The service was fast, easy, and safe (COVID-19 safe guideline met). Thanks for an excellent job Jim! : ) Service provided: Alignment Duration: 45mins-1hr. read more

Jim is hands down the best mechanic that I've ever worked with. My G35 has had some complex issues and couldn't be happier to have found such a trustworthy and knowledgeable person to help care for my vehicle. I truly enjoy taking my car to his shop. I know that the work being done is quality and I am happy to be able to support such a stellar local business. Recently I had multiple engine codes, a broken gas gauge and a seemingly inoperable driver's side air bag that needed fixing. Jim went *above and beyond* to find the cause of the problems. He made sure that the work being done was actually needed before going forward with expensive repairs. Along the way he explained what was needed and why, gave me regular updates, and was always so friendly and straightforward. When I came to pick up my car, it was in the best condition I have seen in it in years! The handling felt tight and responsive, it shifted smoother than it had in a long time, and both the interior and exterior of the car looked great. That is all on top of fixing the litany of issues with my car. Jim also makes sure that you know exactly what was done. He gives thorough itemized receipts, and even gave me the receipt from when he needed to top up my car with gas! I feel SO lucky to have found such a great mechanic and will be taking my car to Jim for as long as I'm in Southern California. He absolutely is passionate about his trade and it shows! Thank you Jim. You are one of a kind! :) read more

I highly recommended. The service was great and the prices was reasonable. Mr. Jim was very accommodated.Thank you

Grace G., Thank you for sharing your review. I went to this Auto Shop about one year ago and unfortunately I had the EXACT SAME HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. I regret not writing a yelp review to warn you and others of my similar experience. I chose this auto shop based on the overly favorable yelp reviews. I visited the shop knowing I needed a replacement of my air conditioner. Like you, I paid for the agreed upon work up front. However, when I returned the next day to pick up my car, I was told that additional critical work was completed and that I needed to pay $400 for that work. I was taken aback. The business had my cell phone number. They had my car for over 24 hours. They did not call me once to let me know additional critical work was necessary. And like your situation the staff representative showed me the APPARENT old part he had to replace. I was LIVID. How dare he make the decision to change a part of my engine without contacting me to share the recommendation and ask for my consent to proceed? When I told him that I was not happy about his decision to replace the engine part without my consent, HE STARTED YELLING AT ME. All of a sudden it was my fault for complaining-he said my car would break down without the part change. He also said that he was already working with the engine and he had no time to contact me, so he replaced the part at that moment. Moreover, like your situation, he had the nerve to tell me he was an honest man (If I recall correctly he had a picture of a religious figure in the office and he pointed to it as a sign of being a man of faith, one who would never scam). He also said he could take the engine out and remove the new part and return the old part. I was with my young children at the time and rather than continue the argument in front of them, I hesitantly paid the additional $400. I will never return to this auto shop. I don't trust that employee. The worst customer service experience I have ever had at an auto shop!!! PLEASE consider another honest Auto Shop!!!! read more

Went in because I needed to replace my battery, since I hadn't changed it for 5-and-a-half years, and it was starting a little slow. They replaced it with an Interstate battery which is one of the better quality batteries. I was in-and-out in 10 minutes with a brand new battery installed for a reasonable price. Great service, friendly staff, and good price! read more

They weren't able to determine with certainty what was wrong with my car (which I understand, sometimes that is not possible). However, they called me to tell me that they wanted to replace certain parts for a total of $1200 and there was a 50/50 chance it would work to solve the issue. They used what I thought was a very dirty tactic of making me decide on the spot, by telling me they were already at the dealership to purchase the parts so they needed to know right away. Of course, I refused, because I don't want to do business with someone who uses that kind of sales tactic, and it was not worth it to me without a guarantee it would solve my problem. I will not be back. read more

I am confident, that I can recommend Arroyo Auto Center to anyone that needs their car repaired. You will get excellent and outstanding service and the rates are more than fair. It is imperative for me, that I am able to trust the business and/or person that works under my car's hood and I will not settle for anything less. Jim has proven himself, time and time again. He has a proven track record and I am able to confidently recommend Arroyo Auto Ctr to all my family & friends. Thank you Jim and your mechanics for all your quality work, honesty and service in this community!!! read more

A Great Straight Forward Shop. Had a shop cancel on me the morning of a fix for my wheel bearing on my G35, and was calling around town to see if I could bring it in right away. Spoke with either Jim or Mike, but they told me to bring it in, and that I did. Brought it down 15 min later, and he was able to get me right in there. I was 99 percent sure that the bearing on my driverside was the culprit, but Jim checked it out, and it actually turned out to be the passenger side. To me i'm pretty convinced any other shop out there would just fix what you said to fix, but with that little check it saved me time and money which I appreciate a lot. With all that said he changed the wheel bearing out with the one I brought in and the noise was gone for good. From Calling around and bringing it in to Finish it was less then 1.5hours. They're a couple of chill car dudes, and I think they'll be my go to shop moving forward. read more

Same day service, great price and customer care. Best local auto repair shop hands down. Fixed my VW in a few hours where others said 2 days. Save time and money by calling Jim first! read more

This place is the best in the business. The family that owns and works here are the sweetest people you'll ever meet! The prices at this shop are incredibly reasonable and they are very knowledgeable. My fiancé and I both take our cars to be serviced here and will continue to come here for all our auto needs. The service and people make this a 10/10 experience every time! Special shout out to Jim - he's amazing! read more

When I was stuck on the 110 fwy with a BMW with a busted transmission, this is the ONLY place I would take my car to - even if it meant waiting 5 hours for a tow truck to take me from Wilmington to Pasadena. Jim and his team of mechanics are 1) honest as they come and 2) take so much pride in their work. They are the only ones that I trust anymore with my car and they've helped me keep my 2010 528i BMW in tip top shape. They even warned me months ago to get the transmission serviced or I'd have a big problem on my hands. I didn't listen and that's exactly what happened. They know their stuff 100%! read more

Arroyo Auto Center - My poor broken BMW with busted transmission. - Auto Repair Near Me - Pasadena, California

My wife's 1984 Alfa Romeo Spider has had battery issues for awhile and I thought it was time for a replacement. I checked Yelp for local mechanics and chose Jim's shop based on his reviews. I called and he said he had the correct battery in stock and to come on over. Unfortunately, the car wouldn't start (even after being on the charger) but I was able to roll it down the driveway and jump start it. Once at his shop, he tested the old battery (marginal but still ok) and surmised the ignition issue was elsewhere. Fast forward four hours and it was fixed! Turned out the issue was loose ignition wire connections which he replaced! And I didn't need the new battery! Good old fashioned customer service that you can trust! Thanks Jim!! read more

Arroyo Auto Center - Auto Repair Near Me - Pasadena, California

Quick, fast, and reliable for a tire repair. Took 5 minutes for the repair $25. I recommended and will go again.

I had an emergency car issue and Jim promptly answered the phone. He was able to see my car to evaluate as soon as I got there. A straight shooter who was very kind and trustworthy. Great place! read more

Big Jim is a very fair and honest mechanic. He fixed the issue with my car in no time, answering all of my questions along the way. On top of that, he's a nice guy! I've been to many mechanics over the years but I will definitely be a returning customer here. read more

Fantastic experience. We needed our breaks replaced and the cost matched the estimates I found online. Service was top quality. Very nice and welcoming. The cost was broken down and explained. read more

Just another positive review from my most recent experiences. Jim and Mike are still God sent and amazing at their craft and interaction with customers! Always the most respectful, honest, and hardworking men. I ONLY bring my car here since discovering them and they make me feel like family each visit and have my Honda Accord in the best shape each time I leave. Had my routine oil change done quick and gave me an update on my cars health. Take your car needs directly to them! :) read more

Found this place off of yelp, and it did not disappoint. I've been having a problem with my truck and took it to another mechanic a few months ago when the check engine light came on, and they told me nothing was wrong. The other day, my check engine light came back and on and was running even worse. Jim saw me the same morning I called, diagnosed the problem, found the parts I needed and worked on my truck right away. Very reasonable and practical, professional, and I could not beat their pricing and ability to work with you. read more

I am from the east coast and my dad usually fixes my car for me, since being out here I have bounced around from shop to shop and hadn't been able to find an auto mechanic I really trusted until I went to Arroyo. I recently needed a lot of work done on my car. Jim and his brother took time to walk me through everything that needed to be done answered all my questions and made me feel well taken care of. There work is excellent and they are really nice guys trustworthy, patient, and kind. Their turn around time even for a big job (timing belt and water pump) is fast. I've finally got a regular mechanic. read more

Met Jim & Mke. Very professional, knowledgeable and patient. Will make them my go to place for repairs

Got a flat tire in Pasadena. Put on the spare and made it to Arroyo Auto Center, slightly hidden behind the car wash. They replaced my flat tire with a used one, checked all tire pressures, and only charged me $50. In and out super quickly. Can't recommend these guys enough. read more

AN AUTO SHOP THAT CARES! They are so kind. They went above and beyond to figure out what was wrong with my car! ALSO, a few months ago I had been quoted at the dealership for an oil leak. When I came to Arroyo they fixed that oil leak PLUS other things for under that dealerships quote. read more

I had almost the exact experience as Nora and Grace. In my case I had the car towed to Him under an emergency situation. I had read the good reviews and had prior phone conversations with him so when the emergency happened I had the car towed. At first he seemed ok. He came by and gave me a ride to the garage and showed me all that needed to be done. Rather than a formal estimate he wrote some of the separate jobs on little white cards. Replace the gear handle, and two more parts that needed replacement. These were all estimated separately. Then when it came to the rest of the repairs, like redo oil pan and transmission leaks that a prior garage (Mission Auto) did not do properly, he lumped them all together into a $1,500.00 charge. When I questioned as to what the remainder of the $1,500.00 included other than the redo leaks and a valve adjust, he said "everything, everything, everything." He started the jobs and then he disappeared for over three weeks. He would not pick up the phone, return phone calls or texts. I was stuck at home with noone to bring me to the garage. I'm disabled and have no help. I became progressively concerned and upset. Than someone volunteered to call and miraculously he answered. He lied to her that he just texted me, was working on the invoice and would contact me to pick me up that day. All lies. He never texted or called me. This went on another week or longer. Finally he called and left a message. By this time I had to be taken by paramedics to emergency. I called him back and said I was not well and would get back to him to make arrangements to pick up the car. Finally, on a Saturday afternoon he was to deliver my car but waited for the last moment late afternoon to deliver it. This entire time I kept mentioning that I wanted a detailed separate receipt for the separate jobs as written on his little white cards and a separate one describing the work performed on the $1,500.00 job. He dropped off the car around 5:30 pm on a Saturday and when I asked for the invoices, he acted like he had brought the wrong invoices. He said that he would go back to the garage and work on the invoices and bring them back. I called him with my totals based on the original white cards. At the very last minute with no prior consent, he added an additional charge of $371.00 and claimed it was for wires and spark plugs. I told him that if he needed to add more parts, I would have paid him. I asked what the charge was for besides spark plugs, he said a tune up. I was burned out and confused by now. Not only confused about the additional charge but confused by his behavior as well. i proceeded with my VISA payment even though I became very uncomfortable at this point. My mistake to pay. After paying this guy I realized he was never honest and was weaving a way to cheat me. Next Monday I called and brought up the issue of the additional overcharge of $371.00 and that he had no informed consent etc. and he hung up on me. Looking back on this entire fiasco, the red flags were there all along. It started what seemed he was behaving honestly in spite of his bragging and it turned into a nightmare. This guy's pattern is similar to the treatment the prior reviews shared. It seems like he starts as an honest professional conducting business and then totally changes character and becomes a different personality. It is really frightening. I don't wish this on anyone. Beware! He is not to be trusted. He says one thing than turns on you. He obviously picks on women especially vulnerable ones. Obviously he has no compassion, for if he did he would not be such a bottom feeder trickster. Stay away and don't fall for his posturing as an honest man. I also don't think that I will trust all the positive reviews that show up on Yelp. I came back to edit my post and I am not able to pull up one of the two ladies that exposed him. I was being overcharged on the $1,500 bundle because I consulted with a reputable mechanic I was subsequently referred to and it does not cost $1,500.00 to adjust valves and do a transmission leak and oil leak job. There were other minor issues that I asked him check out and those were not addressed plus he lied to me about replacing the alternator belts. He did not. This payment was an expensive mistake. I got ripped off by at least several hundreds of dollars. The car would not start after five days and I had to get it towed again to yet another shop for diagnostics as to why the battery was not keeping the charge. Another several days without a car, and this time A Auto Tow Service in Pasadena damaged my classic car. Lots of body work will be needed. The nightmare continues. I'm not certain that a particular rubber piece which was damaged is available for my car. I am heartbroken. read more

This is what I call a legitimate auto shop! They have great service and great pricing! I live in Orange County and I drive all the way from there to get my maintenance done on my car! 100% recommend everyone to come here for service! read more

100% recommend! Super sweet and caring workers & owners! Hard working and so good at their job! Their customer service is awesome!!!

I made the mistake of purchasing a used 1999 van off craigslist without getting it check out first. Needless to say, there were plenty of issues (see title jumping, curbstoning). Once I learned more about the scam and the check engine light flicked on (P0101), I took the van into Arroyo Auto Center in May 2018 to get an initial diagnosis to see how bad the damage was. I wasn't sure whether or not to dump the van. Jim convinced me the van had many good parts and to get the repairs done. I was a bit skeptical, fearing there would be many more undiagnosed repairs, but I agreed. The first visit, Jim and Mike fixed an oil leak and replaced the radiator. I drove it around for a while and the check engine light reappeared. I took it in for a second time and they diagnosed and fixed a vacuum leak. I drove it around some more and I get another check engine (P1780). Jim and Mike diagnose a broken PCV valve and kindly fix it for free! A few more trips and I get another check engine light (P0401) which during my 4th visit to Arroyo Auto Center Jim and Mike diagnose as an EGR valve and feedback sensor. Why is it that Arroyo Auto Center gets a 5-star review? I've now driven over 1,500 miles without seeing another check engine light! While I wish they could have diagnosed all of the problems during my first visit, I understand that isn't realistic. Throughout my 4 visits, Jim and Mike were incredibly professional, quick, honest, and trustworthy. Yes, the prices are a bit expensive here, but it's well worth it to know that your car is being taken good care of. If they can revive my lemon, they can fix your car too! read more

My check engine light was on so my husband called a few auto shops to see if we could have it looked at and we're SO glad we stumbled upon Arroyo Auto Center. They picked up and told us to come by to get the car checked. They assessed the car and gave a fair estimate for the problem. While we were there we decided to get to oil changed and after a quick check up of the car they let us know that two of our tires needed to be replaced. We're very thankful that they let us know that the tires are in poor condition for our safety! As we were driving away, they flagged us down because the brake light was out. I had a spare bulb and they swapped it out for us. Jim is so kind + helpful! I would recommend him to anyone!!!! read more

My parent's honda crv wouldn't start in the morning without a jump start, so we figured it was time to replace the battery. We looked around the area and found that most places didn't have the battery part on hand or would require leaving the car there for a couple hours to service. Luckily, I called Arroyo Auto Center and spoke with Jim, who was really helpful in giving us competitive pricing and estimated service time (only 15 mins). His team was friendly, and they handled the car with care and efficiency. read more

Very kind and helpful place. The gentlemen there really helped us out. Took care of my daughter when her car broke down. Ended up having an issue but they handled it and very happy with service. Jim is a kind hearted soul Mike is very thorough. Thank is guys!! read more

Great customer service, honest and straight forward owner who runs the place himself. The price for oil change was the best I have seen in Pasadena without a coupon! I definitely recommend this place. Ask for Jim No frills and you do have to get out of your car, God forbid you enjoy the sun Lol! read more

I called Jim because I desperately needed a tire replacement. Called and came in on a walk-in and he was able to accommodate me on a VERY difficult tire to get. Had it done for me quickly, professionally and with a smile. Highly recommend. Excellent and polite customer service like this should be the norm. Jim at Arroyo Auto Center makes it so! :) read more