Jim helped diagnose a loud sound when steering. Really appreciate the quick and quality work these guys do.

I am updating this review simply to say sometimes a picture is worth over 200,000 words. Thanks again minicar! read more

Berkeley Minicar - Auto Repair Near Me - Berkeley, California

Berkeley Minicar has been taking care of my Honda Fit for nearly a decade, and I've always been happy with the service - never disappointed or frustrated. Jim and his team have always been great communicators and honest advocates for the most reasonable path forward. They never hesitate to hand-hold me through my options, and they're always up-front about the pros/cons of various service options. They never feel pushy, and they don't pretend that there is only way forward if that's not the case. It takes time to build trust in a mechanic, but at this point I have no doubt that Berkeley Minicar is an outstanding option for car service. read more

BMC fit me in on the same day I called and had my car ready before 4pm. I've been coming here for years and never had a bad interaction with them. They're great. read more

I've been going to Berkeley Mini Car for over a decade now! When I moved from Berkeley to SF, I stayed with the shop and had them drop me off at bart or worked from the cafe across the street. This shop is honest and prices are very reasonable. I purchased a prius this past year, after my civic which is still running and is 14 years old. My bf is now taking the civic to the shop and happy that Mini Car services Toyota as well. read more

The part for the windows of my 2010 Acura MDX has been backordered for a year and none were available in the US or Europe til November. I looked up Acura and Honda repair shop specialists and got lucky. The folks at Berkeley Mini Car called me back, listened and were the first ones to tell me they thought they could jury rig the situation so that the windows would work at least until November and maybe way beyond that time. I brought it in. They gave me a ride home and I picked it up the next day. The electric windows, mirrors, and remote control sound all work again. They were able to replace to wires that went from the door deep into the middle of the car. The price was reasonable. I am very grateful to them for their positive attitude and skillful experience with Acura's. They will be my auto maintenance shop from now on. read more

I brought my civic in because of a squealing noise in the engine. They took the car in, performed a very expensive standard service, and when I got the car back told me they did not hear a squealing noise. I took one drive around the block and continued to hear the loud noise so I brought it back. They said it was the serpentine belt and it was no problem, just an annoyance, and sprayed some lube on it. The problem got worse in the days after, so I took the car to another mechanic. Ended up being a bearing on the ac unit and was close to failure which could have left the car inoperable. TLDR: didn't examine the car for the issue I brought it in for and overcharged for a simple service. Prices quoted is 50% higher than other mechanics in the area. read more

Top joint for Hondas. These guys are for real. Speak to Jim. Or the amazingly named Ebony Love who is highly intelligent and accommodating. These guys are the real deal. read more

We love Berkeley Minicar. Service is excellent and we were able to bring both of our cars in on the same day. Service is done efficiently and at a good price. read more

These guys are the best. Friendly, and have never overcharged me and offered free advice a few times.

I have nothing but grood things to say about Berkeley Minicar. Jim Nielsen the owner is knowlegeable, friendly and above all honest. I will be coming back to them again and again. They are located right at San Pablo and Dwight in Central Berkeley. Jim was able to correctly diagnose and fix tricky problem with by moonroof in my 2010 Honda CRV. They went the extra mile and disassembled it and reassembled it after cleaning out pine needles that had built up ion the tracks. Also he found problems (more pine needles ) blocking my air intake, which he didnt charge for. My tires were old, so he saved me the bother of paying for unneeded rotating. Instead I'll be spending the savings on new tires at Costco. What can you say, they are honest mechanics and have a great staff of friendly folks! read more

Good honest quality auto service. Been here several times with our Toyota's..

Very pleased with their service! Got me in promptly and were very communicative about what I needed and ways I could save some dollars (which is always appreciated). I will be going back in the future! read more

I trust them 100%. Jim went above and beyond to give me advice about how to deal with Toyota and found potential warranty coverage. I am so grateful! read more

This is really a class operation! I called to see if they could look at my Toyota truck rear end because it was howling. The manager gave me the rear end shop in Livermore that does their rear differential work for them. He could have taken my truck and had the rear end shop fix it and then charge me more. He chose to be helpful and referred me directly to the Livermore shop and saved me some money. Very nice and appreciated. I trust Berkeley Mini and their referral was an example of helping their community. I encourage everyone to continue to support this wonderful shop!!! read more

My car would intermittently start to vibrate and the indicator lights would go showing a problem. The engine also started making a terrible noise. Berkeley Minicar spent time starting and restarting the car to late the problem. They put it through diagnostic tests and were able to get to the part causing this on and off problem We greatly appreciate their thorough digging for a problem that appeared and just as suddenly disappeared. read more

Just started with my 3rd car at Berkeley Minicar. I like them so much I've decided I can now only buy Japanese cars so that Berkeley Minicar is able to work on them. Simply the best mechanics I've worked with. read more

They were responsive and took care of my every need for my beloved high mileage Honda S2000. Seamless professional respectful service, like going to the best dentist. read more

Excellent service; friendly, knowledgeable staff. Been going to this place for almost 30yrs. They never disappoint. Roberta read more

I've been bringing my cars for several years now. Excellent and reliable service always. Thank you!

Great service, managed expectations, complete transparency, right on time. I'll be back

Berkeley Minicar is so many things. 1. Knowledgeable & Quality. they have a wealth of experience and they always get the job done as they said it would be. 2. Friendly. The customer service is excellent and warm. 3. Clear and Honest. I have always have a clear view of what they are going to do and what my options are. 4. Consistent and Reliable. My experience through the years has been always the same faith building interactions. I could not be happier. read more

Take my Lexus to them and have always had great service. Very professional and courteous staff. Reasonable prices and trust them.

Berkeley Minicar is the best. Been taking my 2004 Honda Accord to them from the first and it still runs great. Recently decided we would need to take it on a long road trip-- but it was due for a mini-service and the AC wasn't doing the job. I called two days before our trip and asked if they could take care of it the next day. And they did. Very grateful to get quick, great service--and to have AC when hitting hot weather while on our trip. Thanks once again Berkeley Minicar! read more

I've been a Berkeley Minicar customer for nearly 20 years, and I've always been impressed with their knowledge, courtesy, and professionalism. Despite my minimal knowledge of cars, I've felt heard and respected -- and I've even learned a few things! The mechanics patiently explain what might be causing a mysterious sound or symptom, and how it might be repaired. They also suggest maintenance tips to maintain the quality of my little Honda so that it can keep going for another 100,000 miles. The staff is kind and I find the prices reasonable. Thank you, Berkeley Minicar, for helping me keep my car going strong! read more

They are the best! I've been going to Berkeley Minicar for years and have always been very satisfied. I appreciate both their customer service - thank you, Jim and Ebony - and the upkeep and repairs they have made on my car. They have recently changed owners but it appears that the crew remains the same. Phew! read more

I've been going to Berkeley Minicar for about 10 years. Hondas and Toyotas. I've never been disappointed with the service or prices. Last year my work moved from the East Bay to Marin during Covid so its more involved to get the cars in for service. Still I make the trip across the bridge. Great Shop, Great Service. -J. Dye San Rafael read more

Due to a trouble that occurred on the weekend, he received a call immediately after the opening time on Monday morning, explained the condition of the car, and immediately agreed to accept the repair. Although it was caused by a minor trouble, the repair was completed in about an hour, and other services such as unsolicited tire air pressure were provided, and I was satisfied with the economical price. The inside of the shop is beautiful and all the staff are friendly, and I am grateful that I was able to ask this shop to have a stress-free day with the recommendation of my friend. read more

Berkeley Minicar is an absolutely amazing car repair shop for Hondas and Toyotas. I've been going there for all of the maintenance for our 2005 Honda Accord for several years now. They do really good work, tell you when something isn't necessary, and have absolutely excellent customer service. As just the most recent example: We drove over a screw over the weekend, and were in a real bind because we had lost the key for the locking lug nuts on our car. They removed those lug nuts, replaced them with the originals (I could find *those,* just not the key), AND put a plug in the tire. With no advance warning/appointment. In about 15 minutes. For free. Old fashioned customer service at its best. read more

Looking for a fair, trustworthy, reliable mechanic? Look no further. I took my car there and had a great experience, they took care of me from start to finish and went above and beyond in getting to the root of the problem to get the repairs done right. A friend recommended Berkeley Minicar to me, and I could see why. I recommend them to others as often as I have occasion to! read more

I've been taking my Honda CRV to Berkeley Minicar for years. They always do a great job and explain everything to me. I definitely recommend them. read more

Best repair shop in town. They are reasonable prices, care about your car, and go the extra mile to make sure you are totally serviced. Don't go anywhere else! read more

Great as always though we've had just routine service on our two Prius's.

We have 2 Hondas in our family and trust Berkeley Minicar to car for them. BMC is easy to book an appointment and the work is excellent. I wouldn't go anywhere else - it's just a wonderful experience dealing with BMC to know the quality is as good as it gets. read more

We have been going to Berkeley Minicar with my mom's 20 year old Lexus, my husband's 15 year old Acura, and my 19 year old Honda. They have kept these cars in great condition over the years, offering great advice and always doing just what is perfectly needed. Highly highly recommend! read more

My Prius failed to start one day, then started without problem for several days. I brought it in to Berkeley Minicar--where I've been a customer for more than 20 years--and they tested the battery, which failed. They replaced it and had the car done same day. As always, they were helpful, knowledgable, friendly, and professional. Why go anywhere else? read more

Competent, cheerful service and good communication from beginning to en

Berkeley Minicar offers competent and reasonably priced service delivered by cheerful and personable staff.

Berkeley Minicar has been wonderful to me and my Civic for the past 20 years. With the change in ownership, they still provide the same level of service and never try to push unnecessary fixes or services on me, which I really appreciate. It's not difficult to get an appointment and the pricing seems reasonable for the quality. read more

I had my 20 yr old Honda Civic in for it's yearly service. They were prepared that I was to wait as I had no ride and all was done within about 1 1/2 hours or so. All my questions were answered carefully and the price was right. I am always impressed by the care of the mechanics and the friendliness of the front desk. It is old fashioned care and I appreciate it very much. read more