The previous owner of my car has meticulous maintenance records from Cal's Auto Center since 2009. The car was never taken to another shop in its life until I bought it directly from them. Recently, the car began misfiring and showing symptoms of an intake leak. Is the intake gasket leaking? When we inspected the intake plenum, we found RTV on a corner of it. Hey, it looks like someone in the past fixed the leak with this. Nope. When we pulled it off, a huge chunk of the plenum broke off and was sticking to the engine by the RTV. So this shop, instead of telling the customer they dropped the intake and broke it, tried to Mickey Mouse a fix using RTV as glue and hoping they never noticed. (Yes, the previous owner was an older lady and never noticed.) They didn't even have the decency to use Alumiweld or JB Weld. They just used some RTV they had lying around the shop. Over time, the plenum developed a long hairline crack that was now creating a leak so severe that the engine was misfiring. You know how cheap and easy the permanent fix was? Getting an undamaged one from the junk yard for just $30. (These dum-dums didn't even have the decency to do this either.) I hope my story is a cautionary tale to anybody giving this shop a try. They are your typical dishonest mechanics taking advantage of people who know nothing about cars. These kinds of shops existed in the 90s and 00s before they had to face the consequences of online reviews. Please don't support them when there are a ton of good, honest mechanics out there. tl;dr These guys glued a broken intake together with RTV. I've never seen this level of laziness and incompetence in my life. read more

Top quality mechanics and great Service. Number one. Prices are very fair. Owner is super nice nice read more

Great Service All The Time They Know Their Cars I Always Appreciate Their Time Thank You Cals Team read more

Cal's Auto Center - My Shoe And The Day I Got An Oil Change :) - Auto Repair Near Me - Culver City, California

I had tires installed and they were very accommodating! They even were able to get an oil change in

Cal's TOTALED MY CAR by starting a CAR FIRE! I took my car in to have the AC checked and the mechanic 'crossed wires' - the car caught fire and is totaled! The loss of my car is devastating enough but when I tried to talk to Cal about restitution he dismissed me saying "what happened-happened and the insurance companies will need to deal with this". Cal would not answer my emails or take my calls. The insurance companies pay only a portion of the value of the car - I purchased the car just a week before the fire and all I was asking for, in restitution, was the actual documented amount that I paid for the car - I give this company an unprofessional, unethical rating! beware! read more

Cal's Auto Center - CAL'S AUTO TOTALED MY CAR! - Auto Repair Near Me - Culver City, California

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Hi praises for Cal, Claudio, Leo & Sue! Very honest, very reliable. My family cars have been serviced by him for 30 years - and I work in car dealership's sales management and have trusted him over the shops at my stores, he's serviced all of the cars I've leased, and my family members cars are owned long term (2004 and 2008) and he's helped to keep them operational and safe. Side story: In 2004 I moved across the country with my 1996 Geo Prism. Cal taught me how to change the oil and windshield fluid. The first time I changed my own oil was in the back lot of the dealership I was working at, near sunset... in the dark, I accidentally poured in a bottle of the wrong stuff. It was Cal that I called and asked what to do. He told me what I needed to tell the service guy at the local Chevy dealership, and approximately what they should have been charging me to do the work - and to tell them to call him before doing anything else! I had a similar situation in filling the air in my tires for the first time out there - I called Cal from 3000 miles away and he told me what to look for. Living on the east coast lasted a little more than a year - ironically, being involved in an accident that totaled the car was what brought me back home. As mentioned above, all of our family cars are still serviced at Cal's, and though I think he is reining in his own work hours, it's still great to see Claudio, who remembers those calls from Boston! read more

Cal's TOTALED MY CAR by starting a CAR FIRE! (see photos) If getting my car TOTALED was not enough misery ..when I tried to get the actual - documented amount of money that I just paid for the car (just a week earlier) Cal said to me 'what happened - happened and the insurance companies would have to deal with it" he would not answer my emails or take my calls - unbelievable! I have no car! read more

Cal's Auto Center - CAR FIRE - CAR TOTALED AT CAL'S - - Auto Repair Near Me - Culver City, California

Thank you so much to Cal and his team. I had a leaking tire this morning and the gas station across the street had a broken pump so I was unable to fill my tires. Luckily, I saw that across the street was Cal's auto center and when I drove there, his team helped me to check all of my tire pressures as well as put air in all of my tires (not just the flat one) and told me that it's a slow leak so I can get it fixed later. They refused to accept any payment and just told me to be safe. Meanwhile, they took the time to help check all the tires and place air in all of them. Grateful for this type of kindness and service, and would highly recommend this place to anyone to have their car serviced. While they may think it's a small gesture, it meant a lot to me on this rainy morning trying to get to work. Thank you to Cal and his team. read more

I have been coming to Cal's Auto Center ever since I've started driving and my family have trusted Cal and his mechanics with their cars for years. Cal and his workers are very knowledgeable and skilled mechanics. They do a fantastic job. They can diagnose an auto issue and operate on it fast and efficiently. They've almost always fixed my car within 3 hours. If he finds something that needs greater attention, he will always call back with the diagnosis, the quote for parts and labor, and the estimated time frame it will take to have the car fixed. His prices are very affordable compared to other auto repair shops. A simple service maintenance work runs about $80 elsewhere. At Cal's, he charges a little under $50. Extensive work like AC repair, brake pad replacement, etc is always almost half the price here. I will never take my car elsewhere. Cal and his team is simply the best! read more

BE CAREFUL. CHECK THAT YOUR CARS ARE BEING FIXED CORRECTLY. After taking my car to a different mechanic, I'm not sure how I feel anymore about the quality of service that is getting done on my cars here at Cal's. I've been going here for at least 5 years now with all my cars so I was a loyal customer. I knew nothing about cars so I believed in going in here because I know Cal won't try to upsell me like dealerships. However, it took different a mechanic and more experience to open my eyes that the quality of work being done at Cal's is not up to par. When I took my car to a different mechanic they noticed work that was done to my car was done incorrectly. Up to that point, all the work that was being done on my cars was at Cal's for years. So the mistakes had to have been from here at Cal's. The other mechanic was pointing out to me all the jobs done incorrectly on my car and actually showing me the poor quality work that was done with my car when done at Cal's. For example, my air cabin filter was placed incorrectly and was placed sideways rather than the correct direction. He took out the filter and showed me that the work done at Cal's for my filter was incorrectly placed as if it was trying to be forced or shoved in that the filter itself was bent. I took a different car that I had been taking to Cal's for years to a different mechanic. There was the same problem with my cabin air filters and engine filter. Except rather than being bent, my filters were not changed at all. There was so much debris in my filters that the mechanic asked me why it was neglected for so long. Disappointed, I wished I had known about this earlier. Another problem I noticed was when I said I needed to get the brakes checked if it needed to be done because my car was squeaking and shaking a little whenever I would brake. Cal told me the brakes were fine and I didn't need to get anything done. Little did I know, the problem was not being addressed, it wasn't the brakes but the rotors needing to be resurfaced to stop the shaking. I didn't know this until I went to a different mechanic to get it fixed. Mechanic told me what the problem was and provided a solution. Once that was done at a different place my problem was solved. The other mechanic found yet another problem that seemed to be overlooked at Cal's. Other mechanic found out my front brake pads needed to be replaced a long time ago that the padding was worn down to the metal. In other words, brake pads have a thick padding that to wear it down to the metal means that a mechanic is not doing his job in checking that the car is working properly when you bring it in. Thankful for someone I know,who knows a lot about cars, and my new mechanic were catching all the mistakes that I never knew about for years since knew little about cars. They were educating me more about the quality of work I was receiving here at Cal's and opened my eyes. Don't get me wrong, Cal is a nice guy. He always tries to be helpful any way he can. But I'm just so disappointed with the quality of work performed to all my cars after all the light has finally been shed on the quality of work being done on my cars. read more

Sadly Cal has become a former shadow of itself. I was told the part would be $340 i go to collect and told its $440 I enquire i was told $340 and the guy said they mis- ordered the part and it cost $100 more... I said so you elected not to tell me and he said something to the effect of" i should have but didnt.." I look at the receipt each part was $100 and the labor was $200.. the truth being the part was priced correct he decided to add another $100 to the labor and lie to me to make an extra $100. So for the $100 you just lost a customer who comes three times a year with oil changes and other stuff, and refers people to you. yes not anymore you just made me go find another mechanic due overcharging and being greedy, had you told me that upfront i would have been okay but you lied flat out.... AVOID they will overcharge you to make extra money read more

Cal's Auto Center - proof - Auto Repair Near Me - Culver City, California

I have been going to Cal's for years. Honest, reasonable, thorough and does a great job. I highly recommend Cal's.

I first started taking my car in years ago and all was going well although I was feeling a bit gouged with the pricing. I had a few emergency breakdowns and had it towed to this location on a couple of occasions. They fixed the issues usually but again with exorbitant prices. It wasn't til this year when I really started experiencing problems. I was told that I needed a really expensive part to fix my air conditioner. I forked it out and two months later my air conditioner went out in the peak of the summer. I was told to bring it in over and over and I was told I needed a few more things which cost way more than I could afford. I went to a backyard mechanic I'd heard about and he charged me a fraction of the price. Then after that was installed Cal's auto suggested I get a cooler fan where the part was less than 3 times what I was charged. So now here I am three-plus months later with all the recommended parts and I still have no air conditioner. I'm now being told it's an electrical problem that they can't fix. Also, the proprietor said he'd be there all week to fix my issue and when I called throughout the week an assistant that always has no answers, claimed he was not in. I asked her to have him return my call on Wednesday and here it is Saturday, with no call. Their hours are M-F 7 am to 3 pm and leaving unanswered questions and being stranded without your vehicle seems to be how they operate. Very disappointed with this shop. read more

Cal's Auto Center - Auto Repair Near Me - Culver City, California

Great service quick service, honest prices. Been a patron here for around 10 years They honor warranties as well read more

Cal's auto has provided solid services for all my cars for years. They alway have good prices on everything. The owner is no-nonsense and honest. We are moving and I'm leaving all the long time owed reviews for the local businesses we have appreciated, but heck, if it's just once in a few months regular car services I might just come back here. read more

I came in to have my brakes checked after another shop said I needed new rear brake pads and rotors for some ridiculous amount. Cal's checked it out and said I had nothing wrong with my rear brakes and that it was actually my front brakes that needed to be replaced. They did the brake job and had me in and out same day. I really respect Cal's honesty and transparency and I will keep coming back until I leave Mar Vista. Update: Not even a week after getting my brakes done they started squealing. I took my car back to Cal's where a mechanic (not Cal) told me that my braking caused the rotors to wear and cause the squealing. They charged me to re-turn my brake rotors and had me on my way. The brakes started squealing AGAIN! I took my car to a different shop that realized I had the incorrect pads (that Cal's auto installed) on my car. After changing my pads to the correct ones I have had zero issue. The customer service by Cal and the woman who works the front desk was great but the result of the shops work was terrible and almost ruined my calipers. I do not recommend Cal's auto unless you want to double check their work. Also, they stripped my rotor screws! read more

I really love coming to this auto center , nice guys ! Great work ! Thank youuuu for fixing my car !

Val's is awesome. Gave me the best prices and the costumer service is great. Had to replace the alternator and the brakes , I left my car there and within 24 hours everything was fixed. Thank you read more

Seems like this place is well Liked so I was surprised when they said they performed an alignment on my Girls car, but it is obvious that they did not. Now she has to call, take it back, waste time, money, gas, time, energy, etc. just for them to do what they said they already did. It's such a bummer that people don't do what they say and try to "pull the wool" over people's eyes that don't know any better. There is nothing worse than taking advantage of the people's trust. It's the lowest of the low. read more

I have coming to Cal's Auto Center for almost 16 years. The owner does best customer service and excellent job. I highly recommend to everyone. Thanks for the excellent job and honestly. read more

Honest and reliable. I would like to express how absolutely helpful Cal is in explaining issues and advising for things to think of or prepare for. Cal makes sure all my fluids are filled up and tire pressure are good and all lights are good, every time I come in. Thank you...you guys are awesome!! read more

My husband has been going to Cal's Auto Center for 25 years and has wonderful service with all his automobiles. My husband introduced me to Claudio who performed an excellent 20000 mile maintenance service on my 2017 Corolla. So much easier than going to the dealer which is far and requires so much planning. Price was very reasonable, too. I will be going back!!! read more

I brought my car in for service around 9AM on a Thursday - Cal was a bit skeptical telling me that the day was pretty booked - it was doubtful the car would be done in time. I get a call around 2PM, saying the car will be ready for pick up in an hour - pretty amazingly fast service if you ask me. The shop is pretty clean, and looks to be very well run and professionally maintained. Cal was very upfront to me about the initial costs and services that needed to be done on my car - he even told me certain services i thought would be needed were not needed till much later. I love an honest mechanic. I had quite a bit of work done on my car as I haven't really brought my car in for service since the car was purchased (other than the standard oil changes - and one time brake pad change). I had the brake fluid, transmission fluid, coolant, and spark plugs replaced -for a pretty reasonable price of $300 - seems pretty fair to me. While i was in the shop - i noticed that many of the customers appeared to be regulars and knew Cal by name, seems like a great honest place of business. I will definitely be coming back here for any auto related needs. My one bit of advice is to bring your car in as early as possible - as it does seem to be a first come first serve basis. read more

I have been going to Cal's for years. He has been serving both my cars and my Business Van. Always comes through for me with small problems and big problems. No complaints from me. Just very Thankful that there is trustworthy car repair shop like this in Culver City. Thanks Cal and crew! Earl Trusty Ferrufino Interiors www.ferrufino.com www.budgetblinds/westside read more

Yes! Been coming to Cal's for many years now with many vehicles. He is our local favorite. Charges fairly and has good mechanics. Help your self to the free jelly beans LOL read more

This is over due. Many years ago I had this horrible Cadillac and not allot of money. Cal was the voice of reason I needed. I didn't realize at the time but I know it now. I have gone to all the mechanics around here. Grandview, Ronnie's, the Z place etc and more. Go to Cal. Today, He dropped what he was doing and diagnosed and fixed my truck immediately by changing out fuses. Had me on my way in 10 minutes. He's fixed all of my vehicles, that old Cady I had 17 years ago, Fords, Dodge, and Toyota's He is as professional as you would hope he would be. I've lived in LA 25 years. Finding someone like Cal, who is so good at what he does and is so professional is a huge find. I give this business 5 stars. read more

I had a terrific experience at Cal's with fast service and a no-BS diagnostic! I brought my car to Cal after my engine check light had come on for the second time in a month and my usual mechanic couldn't find what was wrong. Cal seems like a very straight up guy who wants to run a smart business and keep his customers informed about the condition of their vehicle. I brought in my car in the morning and got a call that same afternoon that my ignition coils and spark plugs had to be replaced. I felt like I got a fair price for the work performed and my car has been doing well ever since! I also noticed that I was waived the diagnostic fee once they found the problem and fixed it! I would definitely check out Cal's again for my future auto needs. read more

You are only as good as your last mistake. Had Cal pump freon into my car twice and both times AC still wouldn't blow cold air. Second time Cal sat in the car with me with warm air coming out of the vents and he just shrugged and said "this feels fine to me." I had been going to him for a year prior to this experience and I had always been happy with his work but I was very baffled by him not taking responsibility for his work. Then a friend who had her car serviced at Cal's based on my recommendation chewed me out because Cal's people messed up her car too. Quality of service has gotten way down hill at Cal's. read more

I just have my car serviced, the man who services me is very nice and resolve my problem. Also he gives me a lot of good suggestions.

I've been in LA a few years now and learned quite a bit on this journey. I got lucky with Cal. I needed some work done and asked the Google gods to spare me this one time. Though the search I found Cal who at the time was only a few blocks away. Since I began taking my two cars to him my cars have run better than ever. I take about one 1,000+ mile roadtrip per month. I am happy to report that after this last trip I took with my new car, I have made it back safely to LA. If you're looking for an honest mechanic in LA (and especially on the Westside) look no more! read more

It's hard to review a repair shop. Either they fix it or they don't, have competitive rates or rip you off. It's not like I've been to a lot of these places, but that's a good thing! I don't want to be a "regular" at an auto body shop. That would suck, not to mention be really expensive!! I had an issue with the driver's side door lock so took my car in to Cal's based on the Yelp reviews and proximity to my home. The lock assembly in the door was basically broken so he had to order it and replace it. He told me it would take half a day and gave me a quote. Exactly 4 hours later, Cal called to say my car was ready. He charged me what he had earlier quoted and I got my ride back in a timely manner. Even though it wasn't cheap, I'm glad I got the issue resolved! read more

My wife and I brought our Jaguar in from Orange County because we heard so many great things about Cal's. (btw; My Mom and Sister live on the West Side and also rave about him along with everyone else they know) The job was to replace the front struts, rear shocks and re-allign. I'm not sure what happened, but the job was totally botched up by one of his, I hope former, mechanics and we had to have the car towed back to Cal's. Cal was extremely pleasant and assured us that he would take care of it... and he did, no questions asked. Long story, short; Cal personally oversaw the complete changeout of new struts, replaced the strut mounts, other suspension components, re-alligned and had it delivered via flatbed to our front door in OC. All the work invoice said was what had been done and "Customer Satisfaction", invoice amount: $0.00 Ladies and Gentlemen, the car drives great now and as a service provider myself, that's what service is all about and I appreciate anyone who stands behind their work the way Cal does. So, in my humble opinion... if you want great work at WalMart pricing but with that Nordstrom's guarantee... "Go See Cal". read more

10/10 service! Cal was extremely friendly over the phone and in person. This was my first time there and I needed to get my brakes changed. Cal was able to replace them in 30 minutes when I remember other places taking over an hour. Highly recommend seeing them :) read more

Had a great time with Igor-he showed me everything I needed to see-he was super knowledgeable, courteous and professional. Would definitely recommend the salesperson to friends & family!! read more

I discovered Cal through Yelp. Yelpers, you didn't let me down. He's great. Being female, I fear going to mechanics but Cal treated me more than fairly, communicated well, and was VERY affordable. He fixed my car, but also told me what didn't need to be fixed. When I asked about tires, he referred me to Mike at Auto Xperts. I've since moved from west LA, but will drive up to Cal for non-emergency work. He's THAT good. read more

Cal has been maintaining all my family's cars for the last 5 years, and I just can't imagine a more honest, competent mechanic. He's such a "straight shooter" it's almost comical, especially contrasted to the stereotypical/expected persona of West Los Angeles. Sometimes I wonder how he even tolerates the local culture of shallow showmanship. He would fit in better in Pittsburgh, Buffalo, or some other honest-hardworking, blue-collar town. We're blessed to have him, and his unusual little garage in West LA is one of the reasons I love this city. In any case, he has performed maintenance and repair work on our Prius, Prius C, Subaru Outback, Subaru Impreza, Honda CRV, Toyota Tacoma and Saturn Turdmobile. In every single instance, his (and his employees') work has been solid, quick, and priced fairly. Now I'm moving far out into the 'burbs, and man, I hate the fact I'll have to find a new shop. read more

This is only my second review on yelp. I normally don't write reviews, but I was so impressed with Cal's level of customer service that I want to let everyone know about my experiences. I have a BMW 335d and Toyota Tacoma. I found Cal on yelp because I didn't want to pay $300+ for an oil change at the BMW dealership. Cal's quote was almost two-thirds less than the dealership's price, so I was more than happy to have him service my car. He seemed very familiar with diesel engines, as he knew exactly which engine oil to use and even checked my urea levels without me having to ask. A few weeks later I took my Tacoma to the dealership for a recall service. When I picked up my truck, they gave me a list of recommended repairs which included leaking struts and leaking rack and pinion. Because of my positive experience with Cal and my BMW, I decided to bring my Tacoma to him for a second opinion. He inspected my truck and told me that my struts were in fact fine, but my rack and pinion had developed a very minor leak. Then he told me that he went ahead and topped off my power steering fluid with his own "secret ingredient" to seal the miniscule leak. When I asked how much I owed him for his work, he said $0...wow! Cal just saved me $2500 that the stealership wanted to charge me for repairs that weren't even necessary. I'm so happy I've found an honest and reliable mechanic for my cars. He has earned another lifelong customer. read more

If someone were to play Cal in a movie, it would probably be Christopher Walken...and I mean that in the most awesome and endearing way possible. My car was long overdue for a service. I was tired of paying too much at the dealership for maintenance and I don't trust places like JiffyLube, so I found this spot on Yelp. Holy cow! He took me in without an appointment and I was out in about an hour. I brought my Kindle into the lobby and was able to sync up to my latest read (they offer free WiFi) while I waited. Cal also suggested that I get my battery changed (it was 6 years old!) and he did that for me himself in 15 mins. Recognizing that I'm clueless about cars, he even set he clock for me as it resets after a battery change. Now I'll be sure to be on time for appointments and make it to my destination without a hitch. Love this guy. read more

Cal was great. My car overheated, and he could've tried to over charge me, but he was straightforward and honest. I really appreciated it. I would highly recommend him. read more

I'm always skeptical about auto shops because I've been to a few sketchy / shady shops in LA. Yelp reviewers brought me to Cal's because they were raving about the best mechanic in town!!! And boy, were they right! Cal is the most honest and kind mechanic I've ever met; amazing customer service!!! I brought my car in for an oil change and 20-point inspection ($39-cheaper than other auto shops around) early in the morning at around 7:30am. The shop doesn't open until 8am, but Cal got his mechanics to start on my car right away while I was waiting by the front counter! They were done with the oil chance within 25 minutes and I was able to get to work on time :) Since then, I've been going back to Cal's for an oil change. The third time I brought my car in, Cal noticed that I needed to get the battery replaced due to the massive corrosion buildup (fluffy white-blue deposit) at the base of the positive-terminal post. Cal charged me $200 for the battery, which I believe is a decent price. I also needed to get one of my tires patched up from a nail and the tire rims replaced-Cal took care of this free of charge !! He doesn't try to overcharge you like other auto shops, he gives you fair quotes, and he takes his time to clearly explain to you about the problem and gives you honest answers. I'm planning on being his loyal customer for a very long time! FYI: Cal's is currently closed for renovation until 1/6/14. read more