My daughter took our old 1990 Honda Accord up to UC Berkeley from LA, with it having been given a clean bill of health by our mechanic. After she drove it up there, in addition to the car being difficult to start when it sat outside for a week, it started showing strange symptoms such as engine light coming on a super sport light coming on, both intermittently. It's not a great feeling to have your teenager driving an old car that you no longer trust, and her being far away from home and at the mercy of a car mechanic, also with an old car that you really don't want to sink a whole lot of money into. After reading some great reviews for two places, I called Berkeley Minicar. A mechanic, Jerry, answered the phone and spent 30 minutes answering all my questions, telling me about similar concerns he had with his daughter and her old car. I could tell this was an honest mechanic, one who cared about his customers. So, I had my daughter drive the car in. The car did not exhibit any problems for two days running, but they agreed to keep the car almost a week and ultimately found two problems. The price was incredibly reasonable. All the while, I had back and forth e-mails with the service manager, Jim, and calls with Nancy, who were both as wonderful as Jerry. They specialize in keeping these old Hondas running, it seems. They are the best shop I have ever used, and I am pretty old and have seen more than my share! I give them the highest recommendation. Dean A (Los Angeles) read more

I was a customer for many, many years with Berkeley Minicar and always had excellent service. Unfortunately, Jim, who ran the office and was a very knowledgeable mechanic and honest, retired and the shop changed hands. I went there for an oil change and when I picked up my car the new owner said I needed new brake pads and rotors for $749. Something didn't feel right so I took my car to a place that just does brakes in Albany and asked for new pads and rooters. I was quoted a little less so I went with that place since I was already there. Then the brake guy starts working on my car and tells me I definitely didn't need rotors. He showed me what new rotors look like and a pair of worn rotors. He then showed me my rotors which looked almost new. I had my pads replaced only. He saved me $550. I would not have known the difference. So yeah, won't be going back to Minicar. I really miss the old team! read more

I've been taking my Hondas to Berkeley Minicar for over 30 years and will continue to do so because they are efficient, reasonably priced, and honest. I rely on Jim, Eboni and the others in the front office to help me evaluate how to keep my car running and safe. There are enough uncertainties in today's world--but I know that I can rely on and trust Berkeley Minicar to care for my car. I had a wonderful 1989 Honda Accord that I drove for 22 years and the only reason I sold it was that I was making one or more trips each month from Berkeley to Sacramento for a volunteer position and the Accord did not have air bags or other more recent safety features. I dallied with a Prius but returned to a trusty Honda, a Civic model this time. read more

totally first class job again. jim immediately greeted me upon arrival. i was able to wait and work while they completed my maintenance. gave me a full summary of the work to be done prior to starting and a recap of what should be done down the road when we wrapped things up. the workspace is spotless, roomy, and airy. they make you feel welcome and show they they care about your car. would totally recommend berkeley minicar to anyone in the east bay who is looking for solid car maintenance. keep up the great work -- steve LP. read more

I'm a stickler for truth and integrity and customer service in businesses, and you can't fault or beat this one on any of those counts. Their competence is also outstanding - they specialize in Hondas and have more expertise in the cars than the Honda dealership I used to go to. I even have a friend who moved to Marin and drives all the way back down here so they can continue going there. It's rare when you can trust an auto mechanic as much as you can trust these guys. A real gem. read more

Do you remember the bargain hunter Sally Socolich from the 1980's? She recommended you back then when I drove a Honda Civic hatchback. I was never disappointed with your work but when I got a Toyota Tacoma in 2000, I assumed you only worked on Honda's. Now I have a Prius Prime which you serviced beautifully. I just wish I had called you when the engine blew in the Tacoma. Berkeley Toyota did not get a good rebuilt engine so it also blew out a year later. read more

I have brought 2 Hondas here since moving to the area 11 years ago. Honest, competent and friendly service. Recently had an electrical problem in my 2016 Honda that was draining the battery which took several days to diagnose. Jim gave me a loaner car, charged less than the time they put in saying they went down the wrong path to trace the electrical issue, and apologized for it taking so long. How unusual is that?! I highly recommend them!? read more

Jim and his highly skilled crew at Berkeley Minicar have been servicing my 2000 Honda Accord since I have owned it. I never think about taking my car anywhere else because I think they are tops in the area when it comes to Honda service and repairs. I always feel they are honest and sincerely friendly when it comes to dealing with their customers. Over the years I have highly recommended Berkeley Mini to my friends and family. read more

I've been taking my Hondas to Berkeley Minicar for decades. I can't bring myself to buy anything but a Honda because I will not give up Berkeley Minicar for my service needs. My only complaint from my last visit is that they didn't remind me that I'd forgotten to ask to have new windshield wipers installed. With older customers, such reminders are really important.... read more

I've been going to Berkeley Minicar for about 15 years and last week reminded me why. Great service and excellent care for my '99 Accord. I'd neglected the car for some time, I needed a major service, timing belt, and more. The car is now running better than ever and they finished the job in what seemed like record time. Thanks again Berkeley Minicar! read more

Berkeley Minicar is great! Trustworthy and communicative. They even gave me a few tips on how to save money on future repairs and a heads up on when issues could arise in the future. A special thanks to Eboni for keeping me in the loop and to Rich for servicing the Element. Support great local small businesses like Berkeley Minicar plz thx! read more

Thank you Berkeley Minicar for getting my beloved car back on the road! It is a special shop that is willing and able to fix a 30 year old Acura Integra with 426,000+ miles. The mechanic was able to diagnose an intermittent problem and quickly replace the part. I am so grateful and appreciative of the excellent service at Berkeley Minicar. read more

Jim and Ebony are always I have been taking my Hondas in here for many years now after too many not so great experiences with other shops. I can always count of them for top service and honest service. Jim and Ebony at the front desk were easy to speak and very helpful. I cannot recommend Berkeley Min-Car highly enough. read more

I went to Les Schwab tires for a suspension noise and asked for a quote. For parts and labor they quoted me just under $1,000! I took my car into Berkeley Minicar and they took it for a ride and knew right away what it was. They told me the cost for the part was only $50! There is nowhere else I'm taking my car! read more

I've always had Great experiences with Berkeley Minicar ! Jim and staff make me feel like I am their most important client. They have earned my trust over 15 years. Top quality workmanship High level of integrity Fantastic customer service Trustworthy Truly a jewel of Berkeley read more

Hi Andres, in a world where negative reports are so often met by cries of "fake news" and "liar," many yelp users use a screen name other than their real name. Your records may not show a transaction under my screen name, but my description of what happened at your shop is 100% acccurate. read more

I so appreciate you guys. You fixed a small body problem - even though you don't do auto body work. Thanks! The regular service was fast and kind = if you're not a mechanic you really appreciate explanations of what is going on under the hood. All the best to you guys! read more

I brought my older Honda here recently and was impressed. They kept in touch, prioritized repairs for me and got the job done on time. I appreciated that they gave me a heads up on things that may need fixing in the next 6-12 months. Prices seemed very reasonable. read more

Jim is nice and trustworthy, but the hours are impossible for busy professionals. Please, for those of us that work, this is NOT doable! Extend nightly hours and open on at least one weekend day so that I don't have to look for other options. Thanks. read more