When I lived on the west coast my 65 plymouth needed a 904 transmission rebuild, as 1 or 2 steels were worn out from the previous owners drag-strip style driving habits. Lightfoots did a great job on the old 3 speed and were very meticulous and showed me the worn bands after, and put the kickdown linkage where it should be! They even installed a way bigger oil filter since I have a v8 in there (had to find an old iron 90 degree adapter and gaskets) this adapter is key on the v8s as the exhaust is often in the way so you can only fit tiny oem mopar filters! They also upgraded my existing transmission cooler up front w/ an easy to access secondary magnetic filter. After the transmission rebuild I took the car on a very long road trip thru arizona new mexico and route 66 back to california and the transmission shifted like a new car even in heat. I should have done this repair years before! it was limping around socal shifting wonky for a long time :) Thanks to lightfoots garage. read more

The staff was professional and upfront. Estimated the repairs and accomplished the repairs as discussed!! highly recommend. read more

This garage came highly recommended by several friends... AND I believe is competitive to OTHER places--,if you have the money to spend! Years ago I bought a used Ford and brought it to him for a tune-up, which cost $300+. (The car cost $500!) A month or so later the transmission began to fail; at this time he informed me that it wasn't worth it! I needed it fixed, cuz I couldn't afford another after spending$500+ the $300 tune-up. He claimed it was a done! Junk. The issue I had was why didn't he tell me this before I invested hundreds into a tune-up?! My best guess was to cover costs of so many mechanics that work there. He was also quite rude to me because I was a 50+ woman. I had called cuz my steering wheel jammed. I have ADHD and am a very strong woman who will break things quickly trying to force it, so I'm careful. He told me, "you know a lot of older woman don't have the strength needed to push it hard." Obviously he was clueless, foolish with his character and fixed items that didn't need it. AND I mentioned I was a returning college student who had limited income, so I opened all the doors of communication necessary for personal negotiation. After the older women slur I found my mechanic who saw me as an individual, and not just parts and man-hours earned by my biz. Good luck to him and his more affluent customers... Seniors, or just senior women? Plus he was quite my senior in years, so I suspect misogynistic undertones, or he resented phone support? I gave up after that and found the mechanic that has character, as well as a well run Business. read more

Josh runs an HONEST automotive repair shop, which is a rarity. His prices are reasonable and he stands by his work. Since I have a second car, he is willing to find the least expensive replacement part which sometimes takes a couple of days longer to receive it. If I can't wait a day or two, he is able to procure parts quickly. He is unusual in that he actually knows cars and how they run; he's been able to diagnose and repair a strange problem my vehicle had. I recommend Josh with utmost confidence, based on years of taking my vehicles to him with more than satisfactory results. read more

I have had Lightfoot work on my car around 7 times over the past few years. I can say without a doubt that they are the best. Josh is beyond helpful, trustworthy, understanding, and knowledgeable. I moved to Orange County but I still bring my car to Josh when something goes wrong. I'll be a customer for life. read more

Knowledgeable, honest, fast, hardworking. Best in South Bay! I highly recommend Lightfoot for all your automotive needs!

I have been going to Lightfoot's for years. They have always been professional, helpful, and were always 100% honest. Whether you are talking to Jim, or Josh, you'll get straight answers, great advice, and amazing customer service. I wouldn't take my car anywhere else, and I ALWAYS recommend them to people that are in need of a honest mechanic that is down to earth and don't overcharge. read more

If you are looking for an honest mechanic... Look no further! I moved to the area a couple years ago and have been to multiple mechanics where I've left disappointed. I went to Lightfoot's Garage today because my AC stopped working for the second time in 13 months. I've had a terrible time with this car and have spent so much money on temporary fixes the last few years! I showed up today without an appointment and Josh immediately greeted me. I explained to him what was going on and waited for him to diagnose the issue. We talked about all the issues I've had with this car and he informed me that the fix would be between $900-$1800. He was patient and explained exactly what was wrong and why it would be so much to fix. Instead of trying to sell me $1800 worth of labor and parts, he told me that my car wasn't worth the money I had to put into it. He gave me advice and was so honest with me. Being a 20-something female going to the mechanic is always a little intimidating with a constant fear of being scammed. Josh easily could have tried to sell me $1800 worth of work, as many mechanics would. He didn't, and I'm so grateful! I will definitely be back... with a new car! read more

Extremely knowledgeable and friendly management and staff. Very fair pricing and they completed the repair on time and within budget with total and complete transparency throughout the entire process. Although I live 120 miles away, I come to Lightfoot's Garage to have my car repaired because they're solid, upstanding, reliable and hard working mechanics who don't skimp on quality yet keep their pricing fair and just. Only one way to find out. Try them. You won't be disappointed. read more

Very trust worthy! I took my Jeep there and the owner was able to diagnose the problem and fix it the next day!

I was looking for an affordable and honest garage to have my Mustang checked and fixed - as the Dealership and other repair shops in my neighborhood are just ridiculously expensive. A neighbor recommended Lightfoot's and I am so happy went with her advice. They are friendly and honest. I wanted my plug sparks changed and the first quote they gave me was actually a little higher than the final cost! Also had the car checked before a road trip and they said everything was fine. Totally recommended, they will have my business again whenever the silver bullet needs more fixing. read more

I always trust this garage, they know their stuff & some. Just felt so taken when the so called company joined to save a few dollars & found out those companies that say they are there for you when your normal service isn't possible without their services. THAT'S a bunch bull! Those companies like "Car Shield" are pulling your leg & some. Just know I'm going to check with my insurance company. And see what they think of hear companies that lie of fixing your vehicle. You already have car insurance. Right "Ice Tea & Vivica A. Fox"? They sound like it's legit but to be honest these companies that are telling you these things. It's not lie true. I'm canceling my service that I signed up for! I was got a lot of education by Lightfoot's Garage! To everyone I said my peace these companies that claim to take care of things like engines ETC... when they go out it's a lie it's a double talk about insurance and then they double up on the paperwork and take forever to pay off the actual people doing the work on your car! read more

There is much good to say about Lightfoot's Garage in Lomita. The service advisor and general manager, Joshua is extremely experienced, competent and efficient. He can solve problems other shops are stumped with. He has a good working attitude and gives you an honest price. He also takes time to explain the issues so you are informed and understand what repairs were done. Shop came highly recommended by a trusted friend so I went for it. My first time there, I would have given 5 stars hands down, but here's the rub. In his zeal to solve a perplexing problem, Joshua or his associates did some unauthorized body work that wasn't explained to me as an option when I left the car, nor was I informed or alerted when i retrieved my vehicle. However, in solving the initial problem, he created one that's far worse. A reputable body shop observed that my trunk cover was misaligned where she knew it was correct on a previous visit. She also examined the hinge and the electrial wiring to determine the hinge had been compromised, and the wiring connections somewhat oddly placed and secured. It gets worse. Joshua was not at all receptive to my reporting the problem in a recent visit., He became very temperamental, defensive and argumentative immediately denying the body shop's opinion. Further, he, refused to give me the shop owner's contact information, pushing me toward the only option to file a complaint with the proper authorities. A mechanical repair shop doing body work is one thing, alienating a new customer's trust with attitude and behavior that exacerbated the problem is another. To the point I'm stuck with a problem potentially worse with weather and time, and unlikely to be solved, since replacement parts aren't available. read more

My girlfriend had taken her car to a Toyota dealership to get her oil changed. They came back and gave her a long list of things that needed to be fixed and told her this car is unsafe to drive. The bill was more than the value of the car. Of course we politely said hell no and looked else where... We came to Lightfoot and was greeted with a very pleasant man; you can just tell he was sincere, knowledgeable and honest. We left the car in his hands and not so soon after we received a call stating that the car looked fine and that we only just needed our front brakes changed. The amount we paid was 1/10th of the cost that the dealership quoted us. This place is reliable and most importantly, HONEST! Couldn't have asked for a better experience. Highly recommended read more

I gave this shop one star because i have to rate it to give it a review. I can sum up my experience with one word... SCHEISTER! Claimed he could fix ANY CAR (2001 jaguar) had my car for THREE DAYS his kid locked my keys in the car and instead of calling me for a spare the kid totally dismantled my trunk and left boot prints all over my white leather upholstery while he climbed through the trunk to get to the keys in the front of the car. Couldn't fix the problem which he could have told me on Day 1 instead of inconveniencing me for three days without my car. Then he charged me $150 for nothing but trashing my car! read more

Thank you for your kindness and professional service. I was really impressed by how wonderful this business is professionally and how courteous everyone was. They helped me out through some great people who have trusted them for years. Now they have a new customer for life. Thank you so much for all your patience and understanding with my car. They have great prices and are honest about their services. read more

A few days ago, my car was repaired at this service station. Replaced the engine mount. Everything was done quickly. I was satisfied with the price. read more

Not sure what happened to those that had bad luck here but Jim saved me today and replaced my starter quickly and for a very decent price He even added a quart of oil that I didn't know was low Thank you Jim and your staff I hope I don't need you soon but if I do, I'll see you! read more

By a recommendation, I took my truck in around 12 this afternoon to get serviced. Speaking to Josh, I thought my truck would be in the shop for a couple of days, which I kind of expected. Needless to say, Josh was able to figure out the problem and repair my truck, by the end of the day. The price was very reasonable. I highly recommend this garage as I have now found my go to place. read more

In my opinion This place seemed good at first but once they gain your trust they rip you off. They did work work without authorizing it through me first and then used crappy parts that dont last. I would highly recommend NOT going there read more

Josh immediately advises that the alternator needed to be replaced. During that repair Josh called to say the water pump needed replaced as well. Appreciate the honesty and the communication. Great work at a great price. read more

I had my car serviced there a while back for a tune up and front brake pads with rotors resurfaced. The tune up was a success and my gas mileage improved. However, the brake job was a failure (in both literal and figurative senses). Just a few months after the brake service was performed the rotors were bad again and then because the brake fluid cap wasn't properly tightened I lost most of the braking power when coming down a steep hill. My problem is not with the sloppy work, everyone has an off day every now and then. My issue was with how it was handled when I brought the situation to the shop owner's attention. While I was offered to have the labor for the service waived on the next appointment, I could have done without the attitude, lack of apology and his implying that this was somehow my fault. read more

I have a 1999 SL2 Saturn with over 200,000 miles on it and it's needed a lot of love in the past couple of years, which can be very expensive at the dealership. I had some major stuff come up with the air conditioning and some pieces parts and a friend recommended LIghtfoot's, knowing I was going to be in the L.A. area (I live in San Francisco). Love this place. The price was at least a third cheaper than the quote from the dealership and this included some other work they did at the time that wasn't included in the original quote. Another time I was driving down to L.A. and my car kept dying and the power revving down. I made it to Lightfoot's and it turned out the battery cables were loose. The mechanic didn't make me feel like an idiot, didn't charge me a dime. My friend takes his Saturn there too and has had the same stellar service. I've since found a corresponding kick-ass mechanic in San Francisco (Habelt's), but would not hesitate to go back to Lightfoot's if I need a mechanic while visiting L.A. or thereabouts. Totally worth the drive! read more

Jim was my regular when I worked at Starbucks. Very friendly and professional. My regular place to get my oil change and repair! read more

We have been bringing our cars to Lightfoot's for over 7 years, the family of the friend who recommended them for over 20. They are honest and efficient with no-frills (if you need a coffee machine & magazines, try the dealership) but will keep your vehicle tip-top until it's no longer viable to do so. Then they will tell you straight up when to let go. To folks who complained about a (missing) wiper being replaced w/o pre-approval... are you kidding me? It's a wiper, not a transmission. Would that more mechanics pay that much attention to detail! Lightfoot's is awesome and they will treat you honestly. If you live in the South Bay you can not do better. read more

Brought my Lexus IS350 here to have the brake pads replaced. Mr Lightfoot was very straightforward and got my pads and rotors replaced within hours. He told me the rear brakes looked fine and did not need to be replaced anytime soon. I will be seeing him for my future automotive needs. read more

JOSH is the man !!! Extremely knowledgeable and friendly. I will definitely be back because of his customer service !!!

Very honest people working here and they do a great job! One time, we were thinking to buy a used car from someone who lives nearby this garage. We contacted the garage if they can inspect the car and they did with a very short notice and revealed that the car was in a terrible condition! They didn't charge us for inspection and just told us to think of them if we ever need some car repairs. So recently, we needed to figure out why the check engine light came on and took our car to this garage. When we went to go pick it up after repair got done, the mechanic have a thorough explanation of what got fixed and what else he suspects might require fixing. I appreciate them just honestly sharing their professional opinion on other related potential issues and they weren't being pushy to get those done. read more

If you're looking for honesty, integrity, reliability and fair pricing, Lightfoot is the right place. I've been taking my vehicles to them and referring friends for about 20 years. They have always taken care of me and never, ever let me down - I won't go anywhere else. If I could give them 10 stars, I would. I highly recommend Lightfoot's Garage. read more

Good, experienced, knowledgeable and most important, honest car mechanics. They replaced engine starter on my 2003 Ford F-150. Highly recommend. read more

This place gets 5 stars all around. Josh was very informative when it came to having to replace my starter. I googled some things that could be the cause of my noise and the bendix unit was the culprit. He was very patient with my lack of knowledge on the situation. Instead of pulling apart my starter he suggested I get a new one at a fairly decent price. I also got my transmission fluid changed there recently too on a different visit. Both times they were able to take my car the next day and my car was done by the time promised and the exact quote. I will recommend them to anyone And make sure to keep coming back if my car acts up again. read more

My mother had been using this shop since the 90's, and myself for nearly 10 years. But recently, I brought in my Subaru for a 105'000 timing belt change, and they installed one of the 6 pulleys incorrectly. My car went just 2000 miles and all hell broke loose. Timing belt shredded, engine jumped time and was ruined. It cost me a new engine from Subaru. I felt that Lightfoots was understaffed and so careful attention could not be maintained on this complex operation. They might be good for oil change and brakes, but from now on, my Subaru goes to the dealer. They may be more expensive, but they know Subarus. I was not offered one dime of compensation from Lightfoots. read more

You might want to make sure you understand the issues with your vehicle before you take it to this place. This shop works on a lot of old and antique cars. They seem to do a good job but they are also selective with whom they choose to do business. The guy, Josh, who sits behind the register may know what he's doing but he is a slick highway robber. Frankly, I took my car here because I read the reviews and got the referral from a stranger who seemed to be genuinely caring. I mentioned I was having trouble with my car and needed to find a good shop to take it to. She recommended this place and said she just moved to the area and found it while also looking to find a place to take her 1976 vehicle. I got home, looked-up the place, read the reviews, and decided I was going to take my car in to have the heating problem checked-out. Before going there, I called up the shop and spoke with Josh, who answered the phone and said I bring in my car the next day. I took it in, and later that day Josh called and gave me a list of issues with the vehicle. All of the issues were indeed items I was also aware of and decided to take the most critical ones first and get those taken care of. This was not a small job and a bit on the pricey side. Once the heating issue was fixed, I got my car back and found out later that day that my air conditioning wasn't blowing cool air as it did before the repairs were done. So I took it back to Josh, and after he evaluated it, he told me a hose was leaking to the a/c and it'll continue to leak unless it is fixed. The charge to getting it fixed was over $300. I was devastated. And as I had mentioned to him before, when I brought in the car the a/c was working fine and now it isn't. I told him I brought it back so he would simply put it back to what it was before because now it isn't giving me any cool air at all. He said he has it working now but it isn't going to last long because the hose is leaking. He then said I can pick-up the car as is but it'll probably only last me a week and he was charging me $150 for what he had to do to put it back to where it was and he'll be happy to receive $100. It wasn't going to do me any good if it was only going to last 1 week and it cost $100 for a temporary fix. After contemplating, I agreed to get the whole matter fixed. When I got to the shop and asked about the old part so he can show me where the leak was, there was absolutely no apparent leak and it was obvious they replaced the hose with a new part. I not only knew I got gypped but I wasn't prepared to go over a nasty battle with this shop's crooked dealings. Karma will play out when he least expects it. read more

You can never truly be at ease in a place until you have your super bomb, kickass- totally awesome garage- and now I have it! You first have to understand- I actually know about cars- plus, I know about people...put the two together and and you can know a lot about auto mechanic places. And I know that it is a daunting task to find a decent one- let alone a really really good one. And let's face it- even when you do- it's kind of a time limited thing- I mean, the place (especially and honest place) could go out of business any time, they could get a new owner or manager that ruins everything- they could even just get careless over time, something that has happened to me recently in my hometown...and then the REAL, good, old school, independent, honest places- well, they're like relics of a time gone by... they are on their way out, they are probably a mirage in the first place, they really don't exist any more- except- that ONE DOES- and it happens to be oh so close to my work- there in Lomita on Narbonne between PCH and Lomita.... After a week in which I went and interviewed (yes I interview all my most important relationship possibilities- mechanics, dentists, bosses, etc) 5-6 different garages in and around Redondo Beach/Torrance/Gardena and wasn't crazy about any of them....someone at work told me about Lightfoot. When I have a true find I offer it up as a gift and so I really don't have the energy or inspiration to really go into it or sell anyone on anything, I just say, "Go!" They fixed me up with so many things that really needed fixing up YESTERDAY and did it right as I pulled up and stayed late to make sure I wasn't on the road with all my problems (that kind of crept up on me in a kind of denial- I mean, who wants to take all those various and potentially very expensive problems to your typical expensive, lying, inept mechanic so you can be reamed bad and probably treated rudely (Manhattan Beach Firestone, Redondo Beach Firestone) to boot? And they didn't do things that didn't need doing (ex: brake pads- they could have told me rotors needed shaving- I wouldn't necc have known better- battery charged me their cost, (yes I believe them) lights- could have easily taken my car into garage, pretend it was a complicated fix, charged me $ 128 /hr like another garage quoted (vesus their rate about half that rate) instead of doing it quick right in front of me,...etc etc, Jim even gave me the coat off his back when I mentioned I was cold! This is what I planned to pay at a typical shop: Anything to do with brakes $250-400 (their bread and butter) Battery - a good one $100 + labor ~30-40 Electrical $100-250 Oil $25 Cab rides to work and back $35 Attitude thousands of small digs start to add up Kindness/soul not available What I paid: ~$180 parts ~$180 labor coolness: free of charge read more

I have a 528i BMW and they replaced the thermostat and water pump. I thought they were honest and treated me well but now, I go to South Bay Independent BMW to do my repairs now, as the water pump seized and the thermostat was not installed correctly. The water pump seized because it was an inferior & counterfeit part and in turn, caused more damage to other parts of the engine = $900 later. Before that, the engine ran hot at idle, so when I took it to SB Independent, they said the thermostat was not installed correctly and thus, the problem. read more

You've heard of the phrase, "don't judge a book by its cover"...well that goes for this shop. Looking from the outside, it looks like a garage from hell. However, in this garage you'll find the most competent, honest, hard working mechanics there are in SoCal....trust me I've lived everywhere in SoCal and NorCal for that matter. Josh is an awesome Mechanic....he worked on my audi's transmission that the dealership would have charged me triple. Of-course, Mr. Lightfoot himself is the most reasonable and honest guy. He always provide professional and honest assessments and tells you exactly how much life you have on a part. Consider yourself lucky for finding this mechanic. I live too far now to come here, but everytime I'm in Lomita, I would go out of my way to say hello. They all make you feel like a friend. read more

I first had my car serviced at Lightfoot's about 20 years ago. Honest service, that's what you can expect from Jim & Josh. They're very good at auto repairs and I would highly recommend them. They have always gone above and beyond any other repair facility I've used. read more

I originally went to Hanks Auto Service at the end of oak street and the corner of lomita blvd and they told me it would cost $140 to get the hood fixed since it was supposedly "broken" but I felt like it was stuck like not shut correctly since I was the one who opened it. Anyways, I call lightfoots garage I've known Jim or a long time and josh has been working for him for awhile Jim tells me to bring it in and josh takes a look at it and opens the hood and adjusts a few things and bam! He gets it to open and close properly! Josh saved me!!! Go here ! The prices are great and they are honest!! Not like Hanks Auto Service in Lomita!!! Total fraud! read more

Jim Lightfoot and Josh always take care of me! They remember my name and are honest. How do I know this? Many people can be kind... but they have an honest reputation in the Southbay community. :) I come here for oil changes just so they can keep things running smoothe. They never sell me something I don't need! They are great people doing great work! read more

I didn't like Josh's attitude towards me. He was speaking down to me and being very rude. But as soon as my husband got there, his attitude changed. He might be a chauvinist. He said at minimum I would be charged $90 for a diagnostic. My instinct told me to leave. They might be great mechanics but his attitude didn't give me the chance to find out. I went back to yelp and found Hiro Auto Service inTorrance. They were so polite and told me they wont charge for the diagnostic. My car is there right now, so I don't know how it will all turn out. But my initial impression is great so far.They have great yelp reviews. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. read more