New to the East Bay with a Lexus. Berkeley Minicar is reasonably priced, clearly explained service,…read moreprompt, and friendly service. (huge contrast to overpriced at Coliseum Lexus dealership in Oakland).

Charged 50% more than the Honda dealership for scheduled maintenance, tried to pad part prices by…read more2.5 times what the dealer quoted for genuine OEM part, and tried to sell services that were not necessary. It's one thing to charge labor rates that exceed the Honda dealership, but if a shop is charging 2-3 times the genuine Honda part price...it is owned by scumbags.

I am extremely disappointed with my experience at Precision People's Car Repair…read more I brought my vehicle in specifically because the right turn signal was not working. Before taking it to the shop, I had already replaced the bulbs myself, and when that did not solve the problem, I suspected an electrical issue. I explained this clearly when I dropped the car off and specifically asked them to diagnose the electrical problem related to the turn signal. When I arrived, Brian informed me that every vehicle receives a diagnostic inspection. That seemed reasonable, especially if it would lead to identifying and repairing the turn signal issue. I dropped my car off at 9:30 a.m. on May 22 and did not receive a call until approximately 30 minutes before closing. When I arrived to pick it up, I was charged $250 for a diagnostic report. To my surprise, the report did not identify the turn signal issue at all--the very reason I brought the vehicle in. I was told there was no electrical problem and that the turn signal simply needed new bulbs. This was frustrating because I had already replaced the bulbs and had specifically informed them of that fact. I then learned that they had not removed any components necessary to thoroughly inspect the front turn signal wiring because doing so would require additional labor charges. My concern is not that additional labor may have been required. My concern is that no one contacted me during the day to explain that a proper diagnosis of the issue would require additional work and authorization. Instead, I was presented with a $250 bill at the end of the day and left with the same unresolved problem I arrived with. Fortunately, my regular mechanic eventually returned my call. I took the vehicle to him, and he quickly found the actual issue: an electrical fault behind the front right wheel well. The repair cost me $150 and immediately fixed the turn signal. Afterward, I called Brian and explained what had happened. He told me he would discuss the matter with the owner and call me back regarding a resolution. As of today, I have never received that call. I understand that diagnostics take time and that not every problem is immediately obvious. However, charging a customer $250 while failing to investigate the specific issue they requested, incorrectly concluding there was no electrical problem, and then failing to follow up after promising to do so is unacceptable. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend Precision People's Car Repair.

AVOID. My plug-in hybrid was having charging issues, so I took it to Precision People's. BIG…read moreMISTAKE. First red flag: They wanted to charge me to change the brake fluid and head gaskets. I'm not exactly a master mechanic, but I'm pretty sure those things have nothing to do with charging a plug-in hybrid, so I said no thank you to those suggestions. Second red flag: After charging me $350 to "diagnose" the charging issue, they tell me the problem is the charging cord is broken (the portable cord in the trunk for 3-prong outlets), and they want to charge me to replace it. I tell them that can't possibly be the problem because I don't use that cord to charge the car. So they come back with a different problem. Actually, a couple different problems. The explanation keeps shifting, and they're being rather... vague. Finally, they settle on a broken charging port harness. Their estimate is that it's going to cost thousands of dollars to fix it, and by the way, they add, it might end up costing more than their estimate. I'm getting the feeling something ain't right, so I talk to another mechanic about it. When I mention Precision People's and their fishy diagnosis, he chuckles and tells me, "Trust your instincts" (exact quote). So I take it to the Ford dealer, who charges $250 (less than Precision People's) to diagnose the problem. Turns out it's not the charging port harness at all. It's a completely different part, and the dealer's estimate is $500 to fix it. I show them the paperwork from Precision People's, and they tell me in no uncertain terms that Precision People's doesn't know what they're doing. I send the dealer's diagnosis paperwork to Luis at Precision People's, and Luis emails me back. He claims it's actually the Ford dealer who has it wrong. He says (I'm quoting exactly): "These types of faults can be particularly challenging to identify, even for experienced hybrid and electrical specialists like ourselves." So I have Ford fix it. And they do. It cost exactly $499.91, and now the car charges properly. I email Luis at Precision People's to tell him the Ford dealer fixed it, and that the car's charging fine now. I attach a copy of the dealer's paperwork with my receipt showing what I paid for the repair. I ask Luis to refund me the money he charged me for his bogus diagnosis, and I point out that they were going to charge me thousands of dollars to "fix" something that wasn't wrong. Luis refuses to refund me the money they charged me for the bogus diagnosis. According to Luis (again, exact quote): "I'm sorry we aren't able to refund any diagnostic testing charges. You paid for a block of testing time and that is what we provided." So, when you pay Precision People's a chunk of money to diagnose your car, you should know that you are not actually paying them to give you a correct diagnosis. Instead, you are paying them for the privilege of having your car in their shop for a day or two. They don't think they actually have to give you a correct diagnosis, and they might want to charge you thousands of dollars to "fix" something that isn't wrong. EDIT: Luis responds (exact quote): "Diagnoses can evolve as more evidence is uncovered." Luis, I don't want the diagnosis to "evolve as more evidence is uncovered." It's a car repair, not a murder investigation. I want the mechanic to get it right the first time, like the dealer did. You guys ordered the charging port harness; you charged me a $466 deposit, and it was going to take two weeks to get one. I had to tell you to cancel the order, remember? What if I hadn't gone to Ford? At what point in your evolving diagnosis would you have finally discovered that wasn't the problem? You're right about one thing: Diagnosing these cars is hard. That's why an honest mechanic would have said, "We're not qualified to diagnose this; I recommend you take it somewhere else."

I have been to Berkeley Bob's about three times now and every visit has been very smooth and…read morethorough. Intake is usually done by Leo who is very communicative and honest when it comes to what's going on with my car. He never has any issues answering all of my questions even if it was something that he may have already explained and he is ready to explain it in a different way to help me understand. I am also grateful that they showed me how to use CARFAX- I wouldn't have known about it otherwise even though I've been to 3 or 4 other facilities prior to starting service with Berkeley Bob's in 2025 or 2024. Also, they are one of the only non-corporate service/auto repair centers close to me that services Hyundais with very reasonable prices!

Berkeley Bobs are first class auto repair! They did a very efficient and thorough job on my Toyota…read morePrius and did not try to upsell me anything that was not needed. Leo was a very nice guy and they are super honest. I highly recommend Berkeley Bobs!

Thank you Brad for the excellent service and quick turn around. A convenient, honest place.read more

My parents have been taking their cars here since the beginning, probably 40 years now. I recently…read morestarted taking my car here myself. Art's Automotive is good but unfortunately there is one service advisor who seems too pompous, which probably explains some of the bad reviews. He only answered my questions reluctantly and just didn't seem like he wanted to be there at all. When observing the other service advisors, they all seemed enthusiastic and even cheerful, whereas this guy seemed grouchy with a 'I can't be bothered' attitude, which seemed so out of place given the good things I had usually heard about Art's over the years. Luckily, if you bring your car here, you are not necessarily guaranteed to get this guy as your service advisor and you might get one of the other guys, all who frankly are a lot better. The techs here really know cars (hybrid). Prices here are not the cheapest, but still lower than the dealership of course. The work was done satisfactorily and they don't do things like try to sell you extra services that you don't really need.

Everything from intake (extremely friendly and comprehensive) to vehicle delivery was smooth and as…read morepromised, without additional charges. The person at the counter answered all my questions and explained everything, before and after, through photos of the current state of the car and what has been done. It was just an extremely pleasant experience. Will come here for all my car issues.

I used Argonaut guys for many years and they have always done a great job for a reasonable price. I…read morereally can't say an enough good things about them. Just great,always have been from when Jason started in Kensington.

I recommend this shop to all my subaru friends. I originally took my subaru outback to another…read morereputable shop in livermore when there was oil in the coolant reservoir and that mechanic told me the car was toast. Thankfully I decided on a second opinion and read that Bruce was the go-to guy for subaru knowledge on a reddit forum. I gave him a call and told him what was going on and he immediately said " sounds like you have a bad pcv valve" and he was right! Im so grateful I found Bruce! If I would've trusted that livermore mechanic's diagnosis I would've retired a car for a cheap valve part...

Bruce and his team are always friendly, professional and take great care of my Subaru Outback and…read moreme as a customer. My son referred me to Ackerman's a few years ago. All work is completed as requested and on-time. Thank you...Chris

I acquired a 2006 ford Focus with several problems: the air conditioner did not work. Oceanworks…read morerepaired that, plus the check engine lite said that the thermostat had failed - they replaced that plus the water pump (leaking). The job was done on time and everything seems to have been done properly. They had a rental car available and because they needed me to leave the car over a weekend , they did not charge me for the weekend days. I thought the price was acceptable considering all the issues they had to address.

I've been here multiple times now, and I felt quite comfortable with the service received…read more I will probably come back.

This is one of the very few places I trust with my BMW M3. These guys are extremely professional,…read moreknowledgeable, and clearly know their way around BMWs. When it comes to a car like an M3, I'm very particular about who I allow to work on it, and I have complete confidence bringing it here. I've tried and considered other shops in Fremont and San Jose, but when it comes to the East Bay, this is the one place I'll continue bringing my M3 whenever it needs service or repairs. Their pricing may be a little higher than some other shops, but you're paying for quality workmanship and people who actually know what they're doing. I'd rather pay a little more and know the job was done correctly than save a few dollars and question the work afterward. If you own a BMW, especially an M car, and care about who works on it, this is definitely a shop worth considering.

Consistently great experiences here across multiple employees. Fair and insightful service!read more