Mountain View Auto Repair

(1.2k reviews)

Came here for a DMV-required smog check for my Mazda registration renewal and the experience was…read moreflawless! 1. Super Easy Booking: I just messaged them on Yelp and they got me scheduled right away. 2. Incredibly Fast: The whole check took about 15 minutes, and I was able to comfortably wait in their office. 3. Seamless: They sent the certificates directly to the DMV for me. 4. Value for Money: Their overall pricing is fairly economical. Efficient, convenient, and hassle-free. Highly recommend!

Ravi is awesome and open on Sundays! Look for the red and…read moreblue Smog check flags on Old Middlefield In/out in 6 minutes

Mountain View Smog Test Only Center-Star Station

4.8

(645 reviews)

Great communication, honest service, and good prices! The location is fast, convenient, and easy to…read morefind. Diesel is no problem here!

Very prompt and professional service! Second time here and experience hasn't changed. Thank you!read more

Sunnyvale Discount Smog - Star Certified Check Station

(2k reviews)

I was both impressed and very happy with Francis' service at the Sunnyvale Discount Smog business…read more He was friendly and appeared both careful and efficient. My appointment ran on time. and given that it was late in the day it told me that these were planned carefully to avoid time overrun. I recommend this business without reservation. Thank you Francis. Tony

I've been coming here for 8+ years. It's not the most convenient location for me on a weekday, but…read moreit's the best-priced smog shop I've found. For my first appointment this year, I was running quite late. I texted Francis with my updated ETA, and we agreed it made more sense to reschedule. I appreciated the quick responses and easy communication. At my rescheduled appointment, I arrived about 5 minutes early. Appointments were running roughly 10 minutes behind, which wasn't a problem, but it's worth building a little buffer into your schedule just in case. As always, once my car was in, the process was quick and straightforward. I was in and out without any issues. Note: I tried using Yelp's "Project" feature and never received a response. When I contacted the business directly through their website, I received a reply within 24 hours.

Smog Check of Palo Alto

(576 reviews)

Robert and Smog Check of Palo Alto continue to be my go-to guys for smog checks. Usually not a…read moresuper long line, efficient, and good guys. Definitely worth your time. Recommended!

quick and smooth, great experience. Ty is very friendly and…read morehelpful answer lots of my questions

Hayward Smog And Auto Repair

(577 reviews)

i love vinny'z customer service!!! fast & easy smog…read morecheck!!!!! hallelujah!!!!!!

Excellent place to go to for a Smog. Had my car smogged here a few years ago and decided to drop in…read moreon a Sunday afternoon and they were able to see me right away. About 30 min later I was out of there. Quick and easy and reasonably priced. I highly recommend going here!

Expert Auto Care

5.0

(165 reviews)

One of the only few remaining mechanics I ever trust!…read more First off, Christian the owner, is probably the most honest, humble, experienced & the most knowledgeable person you'll meet. I bought a brand new Lexus GX, Now; previously I've been taking all my maintenance & other needs to a Lexus dealer. After realizing I'm just dumping money away, I needed a solid mechanic that only stands by their work with quality but also knows what they are actually doing. Guys, save all your time and effort and go to this place. Not only Christian has saved my thousands but also he stands by his work! If he gives you his word, best believe it will happen!

Despite not having an appointment, and them being short staffed, they reattached my plastic bumper…read moreliner that was dragging on the ground free of charge! I wanted to pay them but they refused. I am not local to this area but encourage you to support this business! And make an appointment when possible. Thank you Expert Auto Care!

Nine Minute Oil & Lube

(1.5k reviews)

They were efficient and gave me a coupon for my next visit! The staff was highly professional. I…read morewould recommend them if you need a quick oil change with no long wait!

This place is crazy! Good crazy, though. They have a really cool routine down with customers and I…read morewasn't there 15 minutes total (and there was a long line on a Friday at 4:30pm) and my oil change couldn't have taken more than five. They were beyond friendly and efficient. How do more people not know about this place? How do other oil change places around here stay in business? Oh! And it was at LEAST thirty dollars cheaper than the other places I called.

Jim Davis Automotive

(175 reviews)

My battery went out on me and I was stranded, I dropped in and even though they were busy and I…read moredidn't have an appointment they helped me right away and installed a new battery for me pretty quickly in the middle of their work day, Thanks BJ and Anthony :)

The guys here are a pleasure to work with. Knowledgeable and efficient. Great quality for the…read moreservice at a fair price. Highly recommend.

SmogPros-Arco

3.2

(39 reviews)

For a quick smog I can only say good things!…read more After reading some of the negative reviews I was a little worried, but after being pleasantly greeted by the cashier who told me to wait for the mechanic (which only took a few minutes) I handed him my DMV renewal paper I received in the mail. He was extremely appreciative that I did as it saves them time and can expedite the process. I handed the mechanic my car key and he told me to come back in forty five minutes to an hour. It only took about twenty five before I received a phone call stating my car had been completed. I went back to the cashier side of the shop, paid with my phone and had a kind chat with the attendant about how I am new to the area and how he enjoyed growing up in this part of the Bay Area. If you need a quick no-nonsense smog, go to these guys! If you're worried about time they appreciate a quick call and weekdays are less busy.

L-A-Z-Y !!!! This guy! I've been taking my cars to him for years (I have 4 now, used to have 5)…read more I would watch him as he worked. Super slow and as I said LAZY. One of my cars is a classic 1978. I know smog guys don't like doing them because they have to do a little work instead of just plugging a car into a computer. But the law says I have to get them smogged and the state says these STAR stations have to test. There is a workaround to that to just be an ass. I pulled in and parked at approximately 9:30 am. The owner(?) came out and said the smog guy wouldn't be back for a while. I said I'd wait. He pulled in another car that came after me. Smog dude sauntered over to me after about 45 minutes. He asked what I wanted (Ummm, a smog check. I have been bringing this car there for years. He also said he knew the car and I reminded him it always passed). He said I'd have to leave it and pick it up later. I told him i'd wait. He said that I couldn't wait because he had that other car was taken after mine. I told him I am disabled and didn't have anywhere I could go. I said I was fine with waiting. He said he wouldn't allow me to wait. He then said I could pick it up the next day. I was not going to leave my classic car on his unsecured lot overnight. He then said I could pick it up at the end of the day. I said, "And Uber home?" He said "I don't care what you do". Once it was determined that he wouldn't allow me to wait (what????!!!!) and my only option was to leave the car I started pulling out never to return. The owner (?) walked out. I flagged him over and said that I won't be bringing the two other cars that are due to get smogged there and he waved me off like a big FU because of his partner's "policies" - which I don't know what are besides laziness. I will also not buy gas there anymore. I have two other neighbors that used to use them that I told about it who were shocked about their behavior and will not go there again and hopefully some yelpers won't go there ever. I am a kind person. I interacted with both of them pleasantly as I do with everyone orginally until this went south. This came at me way wrong. I was not asking them to do anything outside of their business. If They had an appointment model, I would have used it.

Shell - Palo Alto

3.6

(128 reviews)

Went in on Friday for a smog on my Camry and Ravi was able to assist me and take care of my vehicle…read moredespite not having an appointment. Ravi took care of me and valued my time as a first time customer and got it done within 20 mins as he promised. Good and reasonable pricing for a smog. Other shops were charging $120 + for a simple smog.

I have used PA Shell for all of my family's cars for decades now. They are always prompt,…read moreprofessional and kind. Their pricing is very reasonable.

Kevin's Auto Repair

4.8

(509 reviews)

Honest, affordable, quick. Everything you want to find in auto repair, but often don'tread more

Professional and reasonably priced! I called Wednesday afternoon and was able to drop my car off…read moreThursday morning. Got a call a few hours later and went on my way. No gimmicks, car runs great afterwards.

Ace Tire and Wheel

4.4

(382 reviews)

4 brand New tires, for Honda Pilot. Sam and his team are super dependable, will give you a clear…read morediagnosis, fix a problem if it is fixable and safe and help you save an expense. Offer alternative choices of tires depending on your driving profile and need. Excellent service and I would go back again. Thanks !

The people at ace tire are honestly the best I've worked with. I've taken my car there a few times,…read moreand every time they always help me with exactly what I need no matter the request. I ask/explain to them what I need and they get it done. I've recommended so many friends to them because of the quality of work. Definitely check them out!

Nine Minute Oil & Lube

(1.5k reviews)

They were efficient and gave me a coupon for my next visit! The staff was highly professional. I…read morewould recommend them if you need a quick oil change with no long wait!

Custom Alignment-Balance & Brakes

4.3

(146 reviews)

I'd heard great things about this ship throughout the years and finally went to them when I…read moreupgraded my suspension components. My suspension has adjustability built in and I was assured that they would use that as using shims isn't as reliable. Today I found that they did use shims as it's more convenient. This is in addition to getting my car returned with damage to my dash to which I was never responded to.

I had a severe vibration issue at high speeds with my car. Other shops could not find the problem…read morebut Joe and his team were able to figure out that the expensive EV rated Michelin tires on my EV suffered from acoustic foam that had delaminated on the inside of the tires. I highly recommend this place for anything to do with tire mounting, balancing and front end alignment. They do fantastic work!

PM Autoworks Subaru Specialist

(347 reviews)

PM Autoworks continues to deliver excellent service. I recently brought in my 2015 Subaru WRX in…read morefor a routine oil change and maintenance. They performed a full synthetic oil drain/refill with OEM filter, tire rotation, topped off all fluids, adjusted tire pressure, and completed a multi-point inspection -- all at a very fair price. Gustavo's thoughtful follow-up text a few days later was a nice touch that shows they genuinely stand behind their work. After having them expertly handle a transmission leak for me a few months ago, I now consider PM Autoworks my go-to shop. The guys here are professional, honest, and knowledgeable and I highly recommend them to any Subaru owner in the San Jose area.

Came in for a check engine light and stopped by Stevens Creek Subaru first. Their quote was…read more$300/hour for diagnostic fee. PM Autoworks only quotes $200/hour, so a significant savings if it takes more than an hour. One downside is that it took 2 weeks before I could get an appointment at PM Auto for service & diagnostics. While there I had my car fluids changed (brake, coolant, and transmission), tires rotated, spark plugs changed, AC recharge, change out O2 sensors. Pros: * Good communication with Gustavo / Sun. * Friendly staff * Fast service. Dropped off car at 9am and it was ready before 4pm. * Prices more reasonable than Stevens Creek Subaru. * Thorough inspection of vehicle with photos of potential problems down the road. Cons: * Depends on your luck in regards to appointment * May have some extra wait time during drop off or pick-up as there is one person handling pickup / payment. It wasn't too bad for me but allocate an extra 15-20 min to be safe.

Stress-Free Auto Care

(303 reviews)

Excellent and fast service. very professional, fixed many issues and replaced tires all in one day…read more Will always go back to them for service on my cars.

I received an oil change discount coupon from Stress-Free Auto in the mail for new customers, so I…read moredecided to try them since they are nearby. The office staff was professional, communication was good, and the shop was clean. In addition to changing my oil, they did a detailed overall inspection, which included a battery stress test, engine, brakes, and undercarriage. The full report, which included photos, was emailed to me and I was impressed by how comprehensive it was. If you just need an oil change and can do the minor maintenance and inspections yourself, then it will be a bit pricy at this shop (~$170). However, if you want someone else to do all that, it would be cheaper than a dealership.

Tony & Brothers German Auto Repair

(108 reviews)

Great customer service and the process was pretty quick. Overall worth it for the regular…read moremaintenance and regular oil change. Highly recommend this auto shop.

I have been bringing my 2012 VW Tiguan to the dealer for years. Finally I had it with the…read moreno-nothing dealer's service advisors working from a script. I have been to Tony & Bros twice now, knowledgeable staff, reasonable prices. They fixed check engine light issue. I should have left the dealer years ago! Kudos to owner Lou & team.

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7 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Ameri P.

2 years ago

https://goo.gl/maps/RuwhUdx4hVbpKLYY7?g_st=am I have filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department against this business for refusing to help me because because they judge me or misjudged me as poor white or gay ( even though I'm not ) or something else related to skin color or ethnicity . And yes I can pay all my bills . But I don't live my life trying to flash my money with a fancy car and stuff like that. 我已向加州民權部門投訴該公司拒絕幫助我，因為他們判斷或誤判我為貧窮的白人或同性戀（即使我不是）或其他與膚色或種族有關的東西。是的，我可以支付所有帳單。但我的生活並不是試圖用一輛豪華汽車之類的東西來炫耀我的錢。 Wǒ yǐ xiàng jiāzhōu mínquán bùmén tóusù gāi gōngsī jùjué bāngzhù wǒ, yīnwèi tāmen pànduàn huò wùpàn wǒ wèi pínqióng de báirén huò tóngxìngliàn (jíshǐ wǒ bùshì) huò qítā yǔ fūsè huò zhǒngzú yǒuguān de dōngxī. Shì de, wǒ kěyǐ zhīfù suǒyǒu zhàng dān. Dàn wǒ de shēnghuó bìng bùshì shìtú yòng yī liàng háohuá qìchē zhī lèi de dōngxī lái xuànyào wǒ de qián. read more

Samantha C.

11 years ago

Very friendly and a very good price for an oil change. They said they would be done in 15 minutes and they were done sooner. I highly recommend this place. I called around the area for the cheapest oil change price and it was here. Awesome service! read more

M N.

10 years ago

I have been going here for a decade now. I get all my work done on my car from an oil change every 3 to 4 weeks to all major repairs since I commute so much. They're very trustworthy and have great service. read more

michelle L.

15 years ago

Terrible for anything else other than a smog check or an oil change. Avoid this place. They really don't know what the hell they are doing.

Kong L.

18 years ago

High Quality and Low Price Auto Repair close to Downtown Mountain View. Great Service you can Trust! read more

Brian W.

7 years ago

Definitely a 10/10 experience, fair price with decent jobs, would recommend.

Nick W.

9 years ago

Great, fast service. Very honest guys.

Mountain View Auto Repair - autorepair - Updated August 2026

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Helming's Auto Repair

4.6

(88 reviews)

I had an appointment for a smog check that I scheduled 2 weeks ago. I had an email and text…read moreconfirmation at that time. When I arrived today, they asked me if I was dropping it off. When I asked how long it would take ( since I didn't have a ride!) the young man asked me to go to a different business because their machine was down. They did not attempt to call, text or email me in advance. I came from the East Bay for this appointment so a heads up would have been most appropriate! My second car is due in a month but I will not be coming to Helmings. My family has used Helmings since they were on Lambert in Palo Alto. I'm disappointed that they let the business decline like this!

Very happy to have found this shop. They appear to run a very tight ship in order to keep from…read moretaking on more business than they can handle and therefore turnaround times are usually within a day. I mostly communicated with Leane who is absolutely lovely. The shop is very forthright about their plans for a vehicle and will go the extra mile for their customers. My vehicle became a bit of a puzzle and they took the time to troubleshoot for hours without trying to price gouge. A customer will always feel heard there. A huge thank you to everyone I spoke to today and in past visits. This will be my shop as long as I live in the Bay Area.

The Car Doctor Tire Pros

(279 reviews)

Had a tire blowout earlier this week and ended up at The Car Doctor Tires Pro since it was the…read moreclosest shop to where I was stuck. As soon as they opened, they helped me right away, which was a huge relief. What really stood out was how they walked me through all my options--patching the tire, replacing just one, or getting all four changed. They took the time to explain everything clearly and gave me a full cost breakdown for each option without any pressure to upsell. In the end, I went with a patch, and they finished the job even faster than the time they originally quoted. The service was exceptional--friendly, honest, and efficient. I really appreciated being given choices and not feeling pushed into anything. Highly recommend!

When you have car troubles it's just wonderful to break down 1.5 miles from the car doctors who…read morealso had been my mechanic's for over 10 years. Of course Dave (the newbie) had no idea that I'd been a faithful customer and had trouble accessing my records until we figured out that I was the original owner and wasn't a regular anymore because I'd moved. Then he found the extensive records for my car. At my new location I have a new mechanic but he isn't a full service mechanic and the difference was stark. My new mechanic is honest and skilled but he simply doesn't have the equipment to pinpoint some problems. He relies on common sense and clues ( the drip has left fluid levels low and it left a small clean spot). No immediate need to fix. Just fill up the fluid once a while. That was the coolant. Fixing the leak meant pulling out the engine. The new leak left him puzzled because it occurred in a spot where 3 fluid systems converged. He wanted me to drive the car in until it built up enough residue so he could fix the correct system. Estimated time to repair was six to twelve months. The car doctors on the other hand ran a pressure test on all the fluids, identified the leaking system and found the leak in about 3-4 hours. They also identified a bad sensor ( it had gone bad in the last two days) They couldn't do much about the leak that required the engine to be pulled either. This is the difference between a small but excellent mechanic and the Car Doctors. The Car Doctors are swift and efficient. They identify problems better than a small time shop. However the small time guy can charge a lower price because he doesn't have to pay for fancy equipment. Based on my previous experience the Car Doctors are honest. When they make a mistake they don't try to cover It up. They won't let you drive off with an unsafe car. I started with them in their first year of business. Since I had car trouble I spoke with a lot of mechanics recently and the Car Docs have achieved fame in all the nearby regions. Unfortunately I needed to drive the car quickly so I had the Car Doctors fix everything they could reach. Take your pick. Is time more important? Or is money the bigger problem? That is assuming you can find an excellent, honest small mechanic with low equipment costs and who has low rent anywhere near Mountain View or Palo Alto.

Sunnyvale Auto Care

3.8

(75 reviews)

Came by the other Sunday for a smog check and it was a quick and easy experience. Made an…read moreappointment online and called the day before confirming that they're open on Sunday. Their website claims that they're open 7 days a week with smog only services on Sunday. Staff picking up the phone was courteous. Staff was ready to help when I arrived. Leveraged the website smog check price of $29.99 + $10 STAR fee + $8.25 certificate fee. Spoke and showed the price on the website to the technician while the estimate was written up. $69.99 is the base price inside the shop. Sunnyvale Auto Care is located inside the Arco petrol station. Presented my DMV paperwork and the technician completed my smog check in 10-15 minutes. Technician was courteous Checkout was easy with a simple tap to pay. In and out in 20 minutes!

*** SCAM SCAM SCAM **** My son brought our Prius for a smog…read moretest because of $29.95 + $8.25 cert online advertising. My son did not show the online ad but said he was there because the website. They wrote a receipt for $69.95 + $8.25 cert and he signed it. I called them about the mistake but, they said "when you go to Safeway you have to show the coupon to get the discount". Online it says you only need to mention it. They told us that you signed the ticket and that is the price. SCAM SCAM SCAM. They honor the online ad price when we mentioned the website in May for our other Prius. See attach receipts. *** We want to give MINUS 5 stars for this TRUMP/DOGE like business. Please do not do business with them.***

Lozano Auto Service

(106 reviews)

Absolutely amazing place to get your car serviced. Their attention to details goes beyond what you…read moretypically ask for. Paul on the front desk is kind & generous to accommodate your request in every possible way so you get maximum value for your time & money. Highly recommended!

I can't say enough about this place. I have a 2011 MB Sprinter and have had trouble finding a…read moremechanic I can trust. I have been going to Lozano for the past 3 years and Khanh takes consistent care of me and my van. The van has a lot of quirks and Khanh always spend time researching and finding affordable, common sense solutions He goes over and above every time I take the van in. You won't be disappointed if you're looking for a good mechanic who knows his stuff and is honest and trustworthy. I am very grateful to Khanh and Lozano Auto Service.

Nine Minute Oil & Lube

(1.5k reviews)

They were efficient and gave me a coupon for my next visit! The staff was highly professional. I…read morewould recommend them if you need a quick oil change with no long wait!

AAA Mountain View Auto Repair Center

3.9

(38 reviews)

I left my car there on a Wednesday about noon. It is now Tuesday end of day (6 days later) and I…read morecalled them 4 times over the last week (and left 4 voicemails with my return phone number) to find out status of my car which should have at least had the diagnostic by this point. No one picked up and there was no returned phone calls. I am just going to go in tomorrow and pick up my car and take it to another location. Update 6/30: It seemed the mechanics were fine, I'm sure it is a capable shop. I finally got a call on Friday (1 hour before i was going in to pick up my car to move it to another repair shop). The nice person who accepted my car let me know that they had completed the diagnostic. I told him I was just gonna come in and get it since it had been 9 days since i had dropped it off and couldn't get ahold of anyone there. Plus on my voicemail on Tuesday i had said to cancel the diagnostic. I picked up my car and took it to another place. Also worth noting... I responded to the yelp response below on Wednesday with screenshots of my call log and the address where i took it. I got no response from that email address, no phone call, no nothing. I suspect the problems with this place are one or more of the following: * They have a LOT of cars onsite. My guess is that they are accepting too many and we would all be better served if they didn't over commit and said no to some of us. * I am guessing there used to be someone who was in charge of answering phone calls and responding to voicemails and communicating with the mechanics. Now there seems to be no one dedicated to this (though maybe an overworked mechanic who is stretched too thin). On Friday the person i worked with seemed to have no knowledge I had cancelled my diagnostic 4 days earlier. * Maybe they have an automated system for responding to one star yelp reviews... and it is not being monitored anymore. * Maybe their phone system is down or misconfigured and they are losing phone calls and voicemails. * Maybe the owner (or office manager) is sick. I hope they get better if so.

$60 for oil change vs 44.xx with code as advertised in AAA website…read more There was no place to enter in the discount code when booking the appointment. Feels like a bait and switch. There are 10$ coupons on the internet but was told found them too late. 1.5h to do an oil change. waited 25m for them to start for a 1pm appt while person was on phone. Used to be MPG repair. They do an inspection looking for high profit repair items they can talk people into like they look into carfax records and if they don't see maintenance records they come back with spark plug replacement, replacing radiator hoses etc. The classic stuff. From scotty killmer YT channel: don't fall for the spark plug scam. People forget when the last change was. If you forget take one off and look at it before deciding. OIl change DIY is $20. Toyota dealer sells oil filters for $5. Shocking it is that low. Alawys buy the wiper insert from the dealer, dont buy the entire blade from Costco. Big ripoff. The small piece of rubber you replace is a lot cheaper than replacing the entire blade. Not a fan of the AAA collab. Feel like am being used for profit optimization.

Automotive Unlimited

4.8

(20 reviews)

This month,l had various things fixed on my 25year old car, including the…read more time belt and the noise it makes when backing up. l am satisfied with your lthorough investigation.The car is moving smoothly. l will continue to take care of my car here.l'm ready glad! thank you Fred !

Very friendly, fast service, good price .. have used them 2-3 times; in and out in 10-15 minutes;…read moreHigh success rate

Rancho 76

(49 reviews)

Fast, communicative, and honest team!! This is the second time I've used this team based on a…read morerecommendation. While this location is not very convenient, I will keep coming back in knowing my car will be expertly repaired and I'm not being upsold or over-sold on something my car doesn't need. Ask for Jared. Highly recommend.

I was getting gas and there was a lady that needed help and she seemed a little stressed but the…read moremechanic was so calm nice helpful and patient with her. That it made me feel good he took the time to be kind. Thank you for that of the mechanic reads this! The price for gas was ok since all other stations are more these days so I would say comparable.

Shoreline Auto Care