I'd give six stars if I could. I bought a salvage title car a few years ago and this shop has been helping me restore it back to pristine condition. It currently runs like new. They are always friendly and professional and I can count on them being honest. This is a rare trait to find in a mechanic so I highly recommend them. read more

Always, the BEST! Appreciate everything Auto Japan offers and delivers. Thanks..... read more

We are new to the area and had a great mechanic at our previous residence. We wanted a team that was reliable, honest, communicative and affordable. We found Auto Japan and have had 2 of our vehicles in to them. They are exactly what we were looking for in a new auto shop. I would highly recommend them. read more

I brought my 2006 Lexus SC430 in for a timing belt replacement. I had two conflicting service records. One said that the belt was receiently replaced and the other had no record of it ever being done. The quote for the timing belt, water pump and all associated parts was around $1500.00 which I thought was acceptable. When I arrived they offered to just pull the timing belt cover and see how the belt looked. I received a call a couple hours later and they confirmed that the belt looked very new. This confirmed that the timing belt was receiently changed and saved me hundreds of dollars. This, to me indicates that Auto Japan is a very honest shop and I, as well as my friends will always consider Auto Japan first for any automotive repairs. Very nice honest and professional people there. read more

My car's clutch failed, and I called them for help. They told me they'd get back to me with a quote the next day, but I never heard from them. I followed up myself, and instead of an apology or explanation, I was told, "That's a 6.5 hour job and that's not the kind of work we're interested in." I completely understand not every shop takes on every repair, but basic courtesy and follow-through should be standard. If they didn't want the job, they should've just said so upfront instead of wasting my time and leaving me hanging without any communication. It find that way of handling things to be unprofessional & dismissive. read more

Excellent diagnostics. You know how you can trust your mechanic? When they tell you what you don't need to do yet. Brakes are at X; we recommend service at Y. Same with tires. Joanna and Cindy in the front office are amazingly kind and helpful. read more

Accurate qoute, work done on time, good communication, and a clean and well maintained shop

Auto Japan was such a breath of fresh air from other auto shops. I was looking for another place because my previous shop way overcharged me and I wanted a place with integrity and quality service. Auto Japan hit all the marks. Mo was the friendliest, most communicative repair person I've ever met and he knows his stuff. He fixed the issues quickly and did his due diligence checking out everything else to make sure the car was running fine. And he never pressures you to do any repairs you don't want - he just explains things in a clear, easy to understand way that makes you feel you are in good hands no matter what you decide. Mo's the best - I've definitely found my shop. read more

It is time to make decisions on my aging car. Auto Japan gave me good usable information in a clear and timely fashion that really helped me. Kudos to the whole team read more

We love their service. They take good care of our Highlander. We trust them and know they do a great job on our cars. We recommend them to people we like. read more

After my long time garage closed I needed a shop for my Hyundai Sonata and my Subaru Outback. My son uses them and recommended them. They did great work at a fair price. I had plugs replaced on one car and brake job with new rotors and shoes. I heartily recommend them. Good work without dealer prices. read more

I have been a customer for the last 20 years here and have always gotten excellent service. I find them to be honest, caring and efficient! I do recommend them to quite a few people! In the past Vaughn had his 2 dogs at the shop. I always brought treats for them. They have passed on now but any person that loves his dogs so much ....I am a fan of! To me, that says something about how caring a person he is! read more

Auto Japan's service is outstanding. We own a Nissan and Toyota - both have been serviced by Auto Japan for the past six years. The techs are thorough, and the ladies managing the front desk are always extremely efficient, knowledgeable, and very gracious. I would highly recommend Auto Japan and believe their service is worthy of a 5-star rating or higher. read more

Only place I trust to take all my vehicles to. Been a customer through generations. All my vehicles retired with very high mileage.

Vaughn went into serious labor and detail to solve an issue on my beloved 44 year old Land Cruiser.

My 2011 Subaru Forester has been very well serviced for past 12 years. I appreciate their thorough explanation as to service needed. I trust them completely to be caring and responsible. read more

First and most certainly last visit, strongly suggest finding another company. I had my alternator and battery replaced here in December. I have a 2006 Lexus GS 300 - was charged $1,200 and reason for cost was that the process to replace my car's alternator is more challenging and requires more time to properly access than most cars. When I got the car back none of the power windows worked. Few days later my car died while I was at a light. I got it to turn back on and luckily I was only a mile away from home, smoke was coming from hood by time I got home. I took it to Premier Auto Service and they came across a detached radiator hose and there was virtually no coolant so car had overheated/what caused it to die day previously. I explained the situation to Vaughn and we agreed that it was the company's oversight and that I would be reimbursed for the cost as I was inconvenienced and there is a potential for future damage. Was told on Dec. 21st "will get you reimbursed first thing next week." Fast forward to Jan 3rd and reimbursement hadn't been paid, so then I checked in and asked why it hadn't happened yet and was told, "Sorry for the delay our office is in shambles from our move over the holiday." Fast forward to a week later (Jan 10th) still no reimbursement, again asked when I could expect the reimbursement we had agreed to, this time was told "We are not going to be reimbursing you ourselves as whatever happened to the cooling system way not our doing. If you wish to pursue this we do so through our insurance company and file a claim if you want." Everyone makes mistakes, so I would've been satisfied if reimbursement had happened as agreed to (even being late). The lack of follow through and then going back on his word are the truly disappointing aspects of this experience. read more

I had a couple of things wrong with my 2012 Insight. The team did a complete inspection of my car and explained what was going on. They provided advice for car care and and made sure I understood what was going on and how to adjust my maintenance schedule read more

So happy I've found a great independent shop to work on my '94 MX5 which I've had since new. Won't be taking that car to any other repair facility as my impression of them, their professionalism and service is very high. Highly recommended. read more

I have taken multiple vehicles to Auto Japan over the years and have always had great service. Services we have had done: Breaks, Tires, Tune-ups, Transition Flush and the electrical system on a Prius. I would highly recommend Auto Japan over over any dealership service. Cin Cin, J read more

I drove up from Belmont, CA 94002. Auto shop very clean. I was pleasantly surprised to see the car was even BETTER than ad description. Miata was maintained very well from Auto Japan. Honest and clean shop. read more

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I had a great experience there my first visit! As a woman, I expect not to be suspicious. I had a great confidence in them. Easy peasy.

Well, this review is over 1 years overdue, but here goes my story. I live in the South Bay and drive all over northern California for what I do. So, it's 7:30am when I arrive to my destination and smoke starts coming from my engine! I panicked, but through my panic I YELPED a mechanic around the area and AUTO JAPAN popped up. I called and Peter was very helpful in scheduling my car and giving constant updates on my car since I had it towed there. When I arrived there a nice elderly man was there and brewed a nice cup of coffee on their machine. I was going to need this pick me up for the long drive back to the South Bay. Vaughn gave me the news that the repairs to my car were going to take more than 1 day and this it would be better to find a shop near my residence to take on this project. The car was driveable, but due to the overheating I would need to pull over every couple of miles to let the car cool and add coolant. Since I was from out of town he gave me 2 gallons of coolant!!!! He also advised considering the age of the car (1996) that I just sell it, so that's what I did. Anyhow, I was very pleased with the level of service and professionalism from everyone here and if I ever have car problems in Santa Rosa this will be my spot. This is one honest and steady shop...definitely 5 STARS! read more

They are very knowledgeable and honest as the day is long. They take the time to explain what they are doing and don't do unnecessary work. Having said that, they charge dealer like prices for their work. I like going to them but they are so expensive I'm putting them in my Plan B list and looking for someone a bit less gold plated for my everyday repairs. read more

Peter at the front desk was very nice and helpful. We have an older Lexus that had an engine light come on. They were able to get the car in quickly to diagnose. I appreciated Vaughn Young's candor with us. He sat down with us and went through the problem in easy to understand language and gave us realistic estimate for the time and expense to do the fixes. Ultimately, when we went through all of the fix list, it was his recommendation to scrap the car and buy something newer. He even gave us his buying advice and what criteria he has for used cars-- so helpful. I would highly recommend this business. There customer service was excellent. I felt comfortable and confident that I was in good, capable and honest hands. The facility is clean and professional. read more

We are always very happy when we bring our car to Auto Japan. We know we're getting really good service and everyone is so friendly and helpful. read more

This is one of those rare business establishments where you wish Yelp made 6 stars available on their rating scale. Vaughn is one of the most knowledgable, skilled, empathetic parts-ordering, repairing, rusted bolt drilling, extracting, auto technician and shop owner you'll ever meet. He's one of those guys who does what he says, chooses his words wisely, and performs the task(s) at hand efficiently and punctually while doing his best to minimize costs for you. His shop manager and sister, Cindy, is just as stupendous if not more so. She will call you punctually with your vehicle's status, is patient as ever (even if you bring a car from the east coast to them with a rusted undercarriage), and will go above and beyond to accommodate your needs. I almost forgot about the other technician at Auto Japan, DJ. He's just as terrific as well. He will go through in detail everything you need to know about your car's service for your own knowledge and driving safety. So even if your car is rusted up like mine, requires an insurmountable amount of work done, or simply just needs some basic fluids changed, I will ensure you that you'll be in excellent hands if you choose this shop for your vehicle's service. They've also got a couple of great shop pups too who love to meet new faces. But I will warn you that one of them (I forget her name) can get a little needy and start pawing at you once you get the petting going and then ignore her for a little while, so be sure to pet at your own risk! read more

If there was ever a shop that I would honestly trust with a vehicle, this is it! I've been through a lot with automobiles and am completely capable of doing the work myself. Sometimes, however, I don't have the time for that with a busy schedule. I've dropped off a truck to Vaughn before a long day at work, and, sure enough, was left with a prime example of what your vehicle should be like after a visit at the shop. I couldn't have done nearly as well as the guys here have. I highly recommend this place if you are looking for any type of auto-repairs. For the record, regardless of the name, I know they'll fix ANYTHING. 1993 Ford F-150, and they helped me out of a bind...Multiple times. Highly recommended read more

As far as integrity goes, I'm a fan. For quality of work, I am also a fan. Price, its a bit steep but less than the stealership. I'd recommend if you can afford it, they are better than most shops you'll find. read more

Seeing as I'm not very car savvy & a friend kept reminding me that my check engine light wasn't going away magically- I took her advice and made an appointment at Auto Japan. From the front desk to the mechanics, the service was knowledgeable and efficient. My car is running smoothly now and I have a trustworthy place to go if that light makes another appearance. Highly recommended! read more

I had an unfortunate circumstance happen with my Mazda MPV van while it was in the shop. Vaughn was very honest and went out of his way to help me make a decision about whether to fix the van or put the money for the repair towards another van. When this was decided, he helped me locate a couple new vans and even went with me to look over the vans and offer his opinion. Then he helped me negotiate the sale and pick up the van, and later even switched some things from my old van to my newer one. I think he tried his best to make an unfortunate situation turn out as good as possible. I definitely would recommend Auto Japan and would continue to use there services. read more

I was told about Auto Japan by a friend. I asked around and several more people suggested that I take my car to Auto Japan. My initial trouble was that water was getting into the rear spare storage area inside the car. Vaughan took a look with the car on the lift and discovered that there were much more serious problems with a leaking gas tank. The staff were able to locate a used tank and replaced it quickly and efficiently. I appreciated how all the staff that I interacted with were courteous and didn't talk down to me. They were sensitive about finances and worked on important priorities first. The staff helped me figure out a course of action to take over the next months to get my car in great shape without breaking the bank. There are 2 other awesome things about Auto Japan - Vaughan's father, I wish I knew his name, hangs out in the lounge and is very sweet. I waited there for an hour or so while they worked on my car and he was delightful company. I also loved the shop dogs - so friendly and nice to pet. I will definitely be taking my car back to Auto Japan. read more

If these guys are truly only half as kind, helpful and professional as my experience with them has been this past week, I have no doubt that this is the shop and crew for you. Recently, I was with my 3-year-old son and 11-month-old lab puppy on our way to the kiddo's tumbling class when, as we got off the freeway, presumably ran over a nail and blew out a tire. As I made a few turns to find a safe spot to pull over and check the damage, I realized I was directly across the street from Auto Japan. *Insert choir 'hallelujahs' here* Long story short, after talking to some crew about the bind I was in, they kindly directed me to Vaughn, a very stand-up dude, who immediately assessed my anxiety, had me pull my van in the garage, jacked-up the tire, swapped-out the spare, helped me inspect the damaged tire and offered up some advice on replacement... free of charge! Vaughn let me know that he "had a 5-year-old at home" and totally related to my situation and the shoes I was standing in (late for a gym class with a toddler, a hyperactive labrador puppy, a busted OEM tire and $10 emergency jack). So.dang.appreciative. Reading all of the other reviews here, it surprises me very little to hear that Vaughn and his crew have been so accommodating and professional to so many other customers. Clean facility, helpful management, efficient and knowledgeable staff. Thanks again, gents. You made a crazy, stay-at-home Daddy day just that much little easier to manage for a moment. Cheers! read more

Great place & Honest people. Good Work.& the prices were a bit less than Dealer, with no BS

I've been going to Auto Japan for a couple of years. If you are looking for an honest businessman with skilled mechanics, then celebrate because you can now relax and breathe. Not only because your car will be fixed correctly, but if you wait for your car, the waiting room has a Buddha, tiny waterfall, tea, and sweet dogs, or if you need a ride home, Vaughn's awesome dad will give you a lift. Debbie S. read more

The best family owned business I have ever encountered. They will never milk you for any unnecessary repairs. Fast, efficient, friendly.

Awesome job, yet again. I swear, my car actually FEELS more powerful!! I went back for a bigger job this time: they replaced my radiator and head gasket. They even let me borrow their zippy Yaris for a few days while they worked on my car! This is super important to me, as I commute from Healdsburg to Petaluma every M - F for work. They did such a fantastic job, as usual. And they always try and get your car back to you as soon as possible, which I appreciate. They know how your car kind of feels like your "baby" and they make sure to treat it with supreme care. Thanks again you guys!! read more

I miss Vaughan. Since he has opened another shop near Oakmont the Santa Rosa spot just isn't the same. The new guy at the counter was arguing with one of the mechanics in front of me about another customer's car and it was very uncomfortable. Very, very expensive...but what mechanic isn't these days? At least when Vaughan was there, I would get a light replaced for free,...little stuff that made me feel like the business actually cared about my safety not just my money. read more

Vaughn is awesome and his father is too! I needed work done on my Highlander and he was so efficient and explained things to where we could understand it. He also does not nickel and dime you! I'm already looking forward to my next visit to get my head lights restored. Thanks Vaughn! read more

Last regular service I had done on my Toyota Prius would have been almost 40% more expensive had I continued to patronize Auto Japan. Instead, I did the service at the local Toyota dealer, and save hundreds. You know a place is overpriced when the dealer beats them handily on price. Auto Japan recently warned me that I had to replace my tires, since they were seriously worn, and it was a safety issue. They didn't even want me to drive my car to Costco to purchase the tires and get them installed, as I'd rather have done, again, saying it was a dangerous risk for me to drive those three miles. So I had Auto Japan put new tires on my Prius. About 30,000 miles later, I picked up a nail, and took the car to Costco to see if they could repair it. No dice. No warranty for such an issue. I had to buy four new tires, 40,000 miles early. If I'd purchased my tires at Costco, as I'd wanted to do, against the advice of Auto Japan, I'd have saved hundreds more. Auto Japan nearly charged me an arm and a leg when I came in for a diagnostic, some time before, also. I complained, and luckily they relented. Not good. Vaughn and company are nice people, but they overcharge by a mile. Go somewhere else. Get the same quality of service at the local Toyota dealer for a LOT less money. read more