I wish there were more places like Hill Top these days... they are knowledgable, price things fairly and clearly, give estimates up front, don't try to up-sell you ANYTHING you don't really need, and do the work well and on time. That's far too uncommon these days, but Hill Top is one of those rare auto service centers that does this and more. I bring my Acura NSX here from Saratoga... about 45 minutes away, because I really only want Don at Hill Top to work on it. He's known as an NSX expert, but more importantly, he's just an honest, talented mechanic for any vehicle (especially Hondas and Acuras). Don and wife Diana are a great team that deserves your business and will earn your trust and admiration. read more

Hill Top Auto Service - Auto Repair Near Me - Daly City, California

My mom and I have been taking our CRV's to Don for years. The car she passed on to me is almost 15 years old and over 200k miles, it's still running strong. I believe partly due to the upkeep and service we get from this shop. Between the two of us we've probably had.. oil changes, brake replacements, spark plug change, starter repair, suspension work, general tune-up etc. Don always recommends things that he thinks the car absolutely needs not just to tally up a large total on a bill (also his prices are fair). He's an honest mechanic with a ton of experience on Hondas and Acuras (I think ex dealership mechanic?). You can tell purely by the quantity of NSX's which probably have a cult following, in the lot. It's a family business, Don and Diane want you in and out with a functional vehicle. Maybe that rubs people the wrong way but I would always recommend them. read more

Been going here for 5 years for oil changes on my Mazda. Very fair priced and always an excellent job, my Mazda has never had an issue thanks to the care they give my car. Super nice service. This is the only shop I trust with my car. read more

Two years ago I paid over 1000 dollars cash for 4 new break pads and 4 new rotors The price I thought it was ok. After two years 15000 miles on my car. All 4 pads and rotors are going bad, i need change it right away, Looks like dishonest business and won't going back ! read more

Diane and Don run a great shop. They were both warm and transparent about what work I needed on my 2005 Acura TL ( valve job, spark plug replacement, and a broken intake tube). Car runs amazing now, thank you. read more

I have been coming here for years only because i know Don is a good person and he really good mechanic. But because of his wife Diana who has the worse customer service I am not coming back ! read more

Went in for a quick engine light reset. They were able to do it on the spot. Thank you!

Most expensive parts and labor in neighborhood. Just for 10 minutes " not warranty " diagnostic charges more then $ 100.00 dollars. read more

Came into Don's shop for my 1998 Honda Civic dx to get a brake and clutch flush. Don did a amazing job he inspected my car too while doing the job performed. He has over 20 years of experience with working with Honda's/ Acura's. If your Honda or Acura needs anything make sure you see Don he is a great person and does not take any shortcuts to fixing your car. read more

I brought my car in to replace the brakes and a lock issue and at the outset was impressed by the positive reviews and Yelp coupon offer. I agreed to the price for the repairs and everything was going fine until it was time to pick up the car and I received a call about a pricing issue from Don's wife. What transgressed was a passive-aggressive attempt to get me to agree to the new price, which while it was close enough to the agreed-upon price, was still not what was quoted. I opted not to approve the new fees and mentioned that I had read others' reviews about her service. At this point she conceded and rudely told me to come and get the car. When I arrived, I received an additional lashing (as if not to belabor the issue) for how the pricing wasn't correct. I'm not quite sure how this is my fault and refuse to pay the difference. I fully expect a suspiciously well-written response from the owners and would like them to know that this is no way to treat customers, new or old, and it's unlikely that I will be back as a result. It too bad because Don did a great job, only to have the experience muddled by his wife's continued antics. read more

Now it has been a couple of months since my brake pad replacement. I continue to remain extremely satisfied with my brake performance. All squealing has been eliminated . Highly recommend for cost-conscious, professional service from friendly and good-natured proprietors read more

It was my first time trying out a non dealership repair. First impressions.. They open on time, mechanic made me feel comfortable. Prices are very fair. Specialize in Japanese makes and definitely worth a try. read more

We returned to this shop 3 times in the past year. This place is very knowledgeable with Japanese makes. The woman at the front desk is very kind and easy to talk to and is tremendously helpful. She is very familiar with the specific service needs of our vehicle and communicated directly with the mechanic. I highly recommend this wonderful small family business for your beloved vehicles! read more

I had Hill Top Auto change out my timing belt, water pump, and cam seals on my 2005 Honda Odyssey. Not the cheapest price but as the saying goes, "you pay for what you get." I paid for quality because I want my van to last. 60k miles later at 169k miles I noticed my motor mounts are wearing. I dropped by and Don said I can drive it for awhile and take my time in coming in to find out which mount failed (front or back). Very honest owner. I ended up selling my van to get a Sprinter van. I'll have to ask Don if he will work on a Benz. read more

Hill Top Auto Service - Auto Repair Near Me - Daly City, California

I found this shop as it was recommended to me by The Goodyear shop nearby. I must say it is a blessing to have a repair shop you can trust. Their quality of work and paying attention to details and keeping the customer update of all the possible issues with the car is superb. You need work done on your car, this is the one stop shop, they will take care of all your needs. read more

The best auntie and uncle! Explain to you all the tests and costs it will be. Very nice and excellent service! 5/5 stars!

Literally the BEST. Make sure to always call ahead of time and see if they have availability. They're honest and either tell you to come in or that they're busy and the suggest a different day to come in. I've come in for an oil change and they offer different types of oil, which is great because my car takes synthetic blend and it was around $50?! Not bad. Also today, there was a nail that punctured my tire - I called them up, they said to come in right away and although mechanics were on lunch - I was in and out within 30-45 mins! Not bad considering it be last minute and they were busy with other cars Don and his wife are amazing people and support your local business y'all! read more

My family has come to Don for years to work on our cars. Toyota Corolla alive by always finding a solution. I bring my BRZ here for all of its work. I've had brake work, regular oil changes and even major engine work done here with no issues & great pricing. Don is fair & honest, his wife is amazing & doesn't give you the run around like other shops. If you're serious about having your car taken care of then look no further. read more

This review is based on my last two expierences here. A few months ago I took my car in to have a 100k mile check, it was running smooth prior and I took it just to prevent anything bad and to keep it maintained. BAD mistake. After I brought the car in, it would jerk when I would drive over 50 mph, I asked Don about it and his wife who is the receptionist/speaker for the company blamed that it was because the car was older and it hit 100miles, so it was a coincidence that it started jerking. OK, I get it, but can you do something so it doesn't jerk? Left the car again so they can somewhat fix, Don said it was fixed. But again, the jerking remained. Not cool, and over it.I just let it go and didn't want to deal with it. SO...just recently I took the car in because of a check-in light. (You ask why do I come back? Because its up the street and I just got lazy to search for a new auto repair). Low and behold Diana first said she did not do a diagnostic but from what they can see it was my gas thingymajiggy loose, so they reset my check engine light. I had to pay almost $90 for that and she mentioned something else was wrong and I said I didn't want to fix it so she got upset and said if I fixed it they would waive the diagnostic fee, and I said "you just said you didnt do a diagnostic" than she starts venting how people use them for free diagnostics and go fix it themselves. And starts yelling and getting mad at me like I was the one that has done that to her. Check your records lady because I have been pretty faithful thru all the BS you have done to my car and have not onced played you. Basically Diana, you need to go to a customer service class and learn to control your emotions. You lost a good customer that thought the world of you and Don at one point in my life and now that you have been tainted by past, greedy customers you decide to take out your anger on innocent customers like myself. It's too bad, Don is a good guy, but keeping his wife in charge of talking to customers is not good for the business. **Diane, in regard to your comment, my main issue is how you talked to me as if I was a thief because you clearly said when I decided not to pay the fuse issue you raised your voice and said that "well you need to pay because people used us before for diagnostics" which was what you were implying i was doing. I did not want to pay because I couldnt pay to get the fuse done at that time, not because I was using your diagnostic as a freebie. read more

First, I'd like to say, Don appears to be an awesome mechanic. He seems very informative and honest. I brought my Nissan GT-R to his shop to swap out a midpipe. He put the car on a lift and inspected what needed to be done to swap the midpipes and quoted me a very fair price. After the install was done, he checked for any exhaust leak and noted that there were none. I proceeded to pay my bill and had to talk to his wife, I'm assuming by the reviews below that her name is Diane. I made some small talk with her and was on my way. She seemed nice at the time but please keep reading... I ended up take my car onto the freeway and did some spirited driving and instantly noticed a hissing type sound from under the car. Since I had never heard this sound before, I thought it must be an exhaust leak. I drove my car back to Hill Top and was greeted by Diane this time. I explained to her that I thought there might be an exhaust leak. Her next words were: "How can you only charge $XX to work on a car like this. Now he says there is an exhaust leak. How much time are we going to have to spend on this car??" I was shocked! To me, that statement basically meant, because this car is on the expensive side why did you offer to perform service on it for such a low price? So in other words I'm supposed to be charged more because I brought in an "expensive car". Are you kidding me? Don, being the honest mechanic that he is, took a look under the car before he quoted me any sort of price. He identified the scope of the job at hand and offered to do it for a very fair price. It was basically removing and installed 6 bolts. I was very offended by what Diane said. I can understand that you might think that I should have been charged more but to scream it out loud right in front of me? VERY VERY UNPROFESSIONAL and unexcusable. Again, Don appears not only to be an awesome and honest mechanic but also a very down to earth type of guy. I would love to have my car serviced by Don and his team but alas I would rather not deal with Diane. The reviews are right. Don's great, Diane is not. I'd like to offer a few words of advice. Do come here to have your car serviced. I'm confident that these guys know what they are doing. BUT, find out when Diane is off. Remember, YOU are the paying customer. You shouldn't have to put up with someone like Diane who treats their customers in this fashion. 5 stars for Don and his team. -2 stars for Diane :[ read more

Yelpers! If you're looking to find an extremely capable and passionate A-grade mechanic, look no further than Don at Hilltop Auto. He has had a deep love for cars and has been in the industry for over 20 years. The prices for the normal services are very reasonable. I've had everything from simple oil changes to check engine light repairs to ignition coil and spark plug replacements done here. During a test drive, I was informed that I would eventually need my shocks/struts replaced as they were making funny noises but that it wasn't urgent and I did not feel pressured at all. I love that this a Mom & Pop type shop, as these seem to be harder and harder to come by nowadays. They are highly personable to each customer. I know nothing about cars, so this is a very important aspect of the experience to me. Repairing your car is serious business. It can cost some serious damage to your wallet, but ignoring the health of your car can be potentially very dangerous to both yourself and loved ones. I would highly recommend Hilltop if you want to keep your car healthy at a great price, not to mention, a fast and prompt service. read more

I really tried to like this place because Acurazine members recommended it but I didn't see it. My past experience: I took my Acura in for service to save some money instead of going to Acura of Serramonte. While I ultimately saved 20% for the service compared to Acura of Serramonte, I ran into a couple of issues: 1. When I asked for a quote, Hilltop told me that it would cost X amount. After the service, however, they charged me an extra 40 dollars for labor. When people ask for quotes, that means the ENTIRE cost of the service. So instead of me thinking that I would save 50%, I ended up saving only 20%, which is negligible in my book. This seemed a tad shady to me. 2. I personally asked the clerk to NOT rotate my tires. Even after he acknowledged that, they did it anyway. I didn't know this until I got home and by then, I didn't want to take the trouble to bring the car back. 3. The mechanic used a FILTHY rag to WIPE finger marks off my my car door paint. I wasn't happy. Anyone with car paint experience knows that that is absolutely horrible. I can understand that fingerprints on the car paint can happen, but don't use a DIRTY RAG on DRY PAINT which induces SWIRL MARKS. 4. Even knowing that I was a first-time customer, they insisted that I needed to print out the coupon to get the first-time customer discount. I was a little disappointed in the inflexibility. I completely trust Winston over at Acura of Serramonte. He and his crew have never let me down. By the way, I got my A1 service done for 60 bucks at Acura of Serramonte. It's ironic that I went to a dealership and paid 25% less than if I went to Hilltop for the same service. My mouth dropped when Hilltop gave me a quote for A1 service. read more

I'm not really sure what happened to this place but it's upsetting that I need to update my review after such a long time of being a fan and recommending this place to everyone I know. My TSX is just over the 80k mark and the maintenance light went on. I brought my car in a couple days later requesting a general maintenance service (when I'd had this done before at the dealership, they did everything from changing the oil to topping off fluids to checking the entire car to make sure there were no other issues). Hilltop only did two things - check my brakes and change my oil. Both of which they charged me for. Most places do not charge to check your brakes unless there is an issue that they need to fix; my brakes are actually still quite new. So essentially, I just overpaid by a whole lot just for an oil change. And I will take the blame in that I did not tell them "not" to check my brakes, but I guess I wrongly assumed that they do it for free like all the other shops and dealerships unless there is a problem. Hilltop claimed that they topped the fluids off for my car and just "didn't bother writing it down" but it's hard to believe when there is no record and the fact that my car had a leak and that no leak was ever mentioned to me. After reading some of the other updated reviews, I see a lot of the low star ratings involve interactions with Don's wife. I guess that is why my experience this time was really subpar because I didn't get to speak or interact with Don. His wife had told me to my face that I was never a customer before and that my car hadn't been to their shop - this is incorrect. She then also stated twice again in her email that I was a first time customer. Not true. I most likely still have the receipt from back in 2009 when Don fixed the same car, my TSX. Really sucks to get ripped off by a place that you trusted so much before. So I'm already out $$ and now I need to find another place to bring my car to to finish a simple job that Hilltop couldn't do. I actually reached out to Hilltop on my own about the situation and was basically told "we can't please everyone." If you're okay with really tawdry customer service, getting nickle and dimed for everything and not even getting a thorough job done then come to Hilltop, if not then you're better off going elsewhere. read more

We already know a honest mechanic is hard to find. Therefore, this place deserves nothing less than 5 stars! Don is well acquainted with my Honda-loving family. All our cars go here for the usual - oil changes, brakes, service. We completely forget about the overpriced dealerships and see Don and his staff instead. He's personable and provides excellent service. He tells you what you need to have done and what could wait. Dealerships just try to get the most out of you every time you take your car in for a simple oil change. It's a good feeling to know that you aren't being ripped off when you leave this place. read more

Don is a great mechanic, and I trust he won't overcharge me, but I hate dealing with his wife. She is rude rude rude. Sometimes I hesitate to bring my car here, because it means I have to deal with her. His daughter is super nice. Too bad the Mom doesn't have the same service skills. I asked her once about about my car dashboard rumbling. She said, "Your car is old. You just need to deal with it." Ummm yeah, I know my car is old. It would be better if she said, "It's nothing to worry about. It's a common sound a Honda makes for that model or mileage." I also hate getting information relayed from Don through Diana, but I understand that Don is just busy. She may know some about cars, but not all, and sometimes her answers are rude. I typically wait to speak to him about issues that concern me. read more

My one and only auto experience here was one of the best... Introducing the Patient...'92 Acura Legend: It had broken down in Berkeley, and I was referred to Hilltop by friendly folks on the Acura Legend auto enthusiast forums. My car was in desperate need of a good doctor. Enter the Master...Don: The tech who runs this dojo is named Don. He quickly diagnosed my problem as a failed fuel sensor. His prices are really reasonable. The thing that separates him from all others is that he is one of only a handful of Acura NSX certified technicians in the world. He has the certificate on his wall to prove it. He has NSX gatherings at his shop every once in a while, if you're lucky to go on that particular day. Honest Service with a Smile: When I asked him where his personal NSX was, he replied that his wife wouldn't let him keep one. He then replied with a crooked smile that he drove a Honda Odyssey. I shed a small tear for him. I'd definitely be taking my car here if I were still living in the Bay Area. read more

Almost $70 for oil change and not even rotating my tires! ?? I could have my oil change perform in my dealership with this price!!!!! And I will have a hell lot better service than I received here this morning. As I asked what kind of maintenance was required for my car, "Check your manual!"was all I received from the owner. Not to mention he was not willing to answered any other questions. I do not need a very socialize one to to repair my car, but at least a well informed one. This place is the worst and the most rip off place. I would not recommend anyone go there, unless they do not care the kind of service he/she will receive and pay a rip off price. read more

Don is the best secret with regards to service for your car in the bay area (obviously no longer a secret with his extremely high rating here on Yelp). He is one of the most honest mechanics I have ever met, and has very great prices. I first heard about him from the NSX club, since practically every NSX owner in the bay area entrusts their precious cars to him. Since then, I have been taking both of my NSX's to him for service (he is one of a very select few who are Honda factory-certified to work on these rare automobiles). As everyone else has attested to in his reviews, you know you can trust Don with your car... that is something that can not be said for most mechanics. His location is very far from mine, but I do not hesitate to make the 3 hour round-trip drive to him to have him service my vehicles. Don has my absolute highest recommendation. read more

I just had my 94 NSX serviced here. I heard many great things about Don and his NSX skills so it was a no brainer to take my NSX here. Don help me to service the suspension system in addition to replace some worn parts from the previous owner. I was impressed by his dedication to his work. He really took the time to carefully work on my car and didn't rush the project. After a week of waiting, I finally got my NSX back. He took before/after pictures of what he fixed and took the time to explain a few tips to me. I appreciated that a lot for that transparency. Also I can tell that he genuinely has a soft spot for NSXs as he was pointing out what he fixed he was smiling pretty big. I will definitely be taking my NSX back to Don for future services. read more

In a world where people try to bleed every last cent out of you, Don is one of the last remaining honest dudes out there! I brought him my very rough running Suzuki Samurai. It's been sitting in the driveway for the last few months, and needed a tune up and more, badly. A few months ago, I was quoted about 500 bucks for a tune at the local gas station and I said "Hah! forget it!" I used to tune it myself a few years ago, and I know that the parts only cost around $75 for everything. Well, time got away from me, and I never performed that tune up. I tried to start it the other day and it ran like an unevenly loaded washing machine. We've had Don work on another car (a real car) and he did such a great job and was so honest about the things he could have easily snuck in and charged us for (you know...mechanics and autoshops are not the most honest folks you're going to meet) But instead, Don told us he didn't do this or that, because the parts still looked good. How about that? MOST places would have performed every darned test, and replaced half the components and then charged you for them, whether you needed them or not. I ended up having a leak between the intake manifold and the block, which is why it was running like I had thrown it off a cliff. He replaced the gasket AND a tune up, and the bill came out to 450 bucks or so. STILL well under what the corner gas station wanted to charge me! The shop is clean, orderly and never yucky. Most garages you go to make you itch, the music is too loud, and it looks like they employ tattooed derelicts, but not Don's. They always greet you courteously, and more importantly, they do what they say they're gonna do, they have the car when they say they're going to have it, and from now on, I'm not taking my little zuki anywhere else! If it's Japanese, he knows how to work on it. You are NEVER going to find a better shop than this one. read more

Worst customer service ever . Sounds very unprofessional. Car had a problem so I called her to see if she could diagnose it . Told her the problem and she said they don't do diagnostic . Worst mechanic ever . No Idea what she's talking about . Called on 1/30/16 at 9am. Sorry Diana you're probably the wife .. I clarified you guys don't do diagnostic there ? She specifically said no . I said what auto shop does not do that? She said this one . I know more cars than her . She knows nothing . read more

$80 for oil change and tire rotation? Don't bother calling before hand, they'll give you a lowered price until the very end they'll drop the increase on you read more

This was a very yelpable experience! I couldnt decide if I should keep this place a secret or advertise it, because I like the convenience of showing up and getting things done right away. Do you get that sinking feeling at auto-service shops that you are about to get ripped off and there is nothing you can do about it. Only to be reinforced later into a belief when you get the invoice. NOT HERE! Owner Don, runs this gig, did a great job fixing my brakes in really short time, and above all gave me the best price so far in the city without asking for it. How do I know it was a good price - In general auto service costs in bay area are between 20-60% premium over southern california, so I did a quick price check with my brother, and I was on par with any good deal on brake replacement in southern California. Guys come from Concord (yeah way east bay!) to get their car serviced here. Only catch is that they specialize in Honda/Acura and most other Japanese car, and if you got an NSX this is the place to go. There are tons of auto shops in the city with 100s of testimonials posted on their walls, and still they screw you with bills claiming they charge more because they do a good job. Well I got a great job at the great price so I had to yelp. Its a special feeling to feel not getting fleeced at auto-service shops! Keep you feeling good for a long time. enjoy. read more

Hill Top Auto Service saved me twice! The first time in March 2019 my 1994 Acura Legend wouldn't pass smog. I first took it to THE GARAGE on 10th street in San Francisco where I had been going for years. They racked up $900.00 in charges and it still didn't pass SMOG. Fortunately, someone at THE GARAGE told me about Hill Top Auto - said they were experts in servicing older Acuras. Sure enough, they figured out that one of the cylinders was misfiring, fixed the problem for a very reasonable price and ......my Legend passed SMOG with flying colors! The second time was earlier this month. My transmission stopped working on I-5 180 miles from San Francisco. I spent the night sleeping in my car. The next day I was able to contact my auto insurance and I had the Acura towed to Hill Top Auto. I thought the transmission was shot and I would have to junk or donate the car. They discovered a leak in the line connecting the transmission fluid reservoir to the transmission. They replaced the fluid and the line for $249.00! I had just assumed the transmission was shot. I had been in Mexico 6 days before the transmission conked out and banged the bottom of the car (loud bang) driving on a deeply rutted road. My mechanic thought this was the probable cause of the leak. Being towed back to SF for $600.00 saved my car! Had I had it towed to some local place - Coalinga to be exact - it probably would have been misdiagnosed, declared dead and I would have been stuck in the middle of nowhere. These guys at Hill Top Auto Service really know there stuff! read more

I used Don for many many years with my Honda Accord. He has worked for Honda before and he is Honda certified & everything. Then he branched out & opened his own business. He is really nice and completely trustworthy. His pricing is good and you know that you won't get screwed over. His wife runs the office and he is handles the customers and the cars & the mechanic stuff. He also runs his staff. If I still lived in the area, I'd be a regular customer again. I think I was his customer from the very beginning when he used to put out fliers about his new business in the Sunset area. Now I am sure he doesn't need fliers to spread his business as I am sure his business is booming. It is hard to get out of his shop, as there is a left turn where you can hardly see anything and then if you need to make another left onto Mission/ Top of the Hill, that gets tricky too. But other than this, you'll be very happy every time you go to him. read more

As the owner of a 95 Honda Accord, I have had my car service at Hill Top Auto Service since !2/01/03. I am fully satisfied with the service provided by Don Lam. He is honest and very competent mechanic, qualities very difficult to get from auto mechanics nowadays. Most of all, he is humble and hard working. Nestor L, Daly City, Ca read more

I love hilltop auto. I'd recommend it to anyone. It has the two things I need from a mechanic. Trust and knowledge. I feel like I can trust Don that he won't charge me for shit I don't need. And I think Don really knows his shit. He's there everyday... running his shop. My 10 year old car has been running smooth without any issues and I'd have to think it's mostly Don because I drive my car hard. read more

This is the place to get my oil changed. They were very professional all around - with their customer service and their work. I called ahead of time and got an appointment that same day. As soon as I got there, the lady came up to me and took my information and let me know it was going to be around 40 min. Luckily, I was hungry so I decided to walk around the neighborhood for some grub (it's a good neighborhood to explore if you have a little wait). I left and came back in 40 minutes and my car was done. They put a sticker reminder for me to come back in either 3 months or x amount of miles. I appreciated the friendly service and see myself coming back for oil changes regularly! read more

Since moving to Daly City, this has been the one and only place that I trust my car with. There are plenty of places that scam you, but this is not the place. Its a family run place that does a great job at a great place. Don (the owner) is always there and very friendly. He has helped us out with tons of car issues and is very honest. read more

Don and his team are awesome. They are very professional and have friendly attitude. Service and labor fees are reasonably priced. It's a busy shop and it's best to call ahead for an appointment. read more