Just moved to the neighborhood and was excited to find a local mechanic unfortunately they decided to right up a laundry list of things there were just completely misdiagnosed. Vehicle had after market air intake but even once I clarified and confirmed it is aftermarket but CA Smog Compliant they said it would NOT pass and did it in the most absolute tone. It has passed the last 3 years and passed a week after, they also claimed my turn signals were out when they were not... this one was concerning because if they can't diagnose a functioning turn signal i don't know why I would trust them with anything else. They did correctly diagnose frayed belts which is why I went in but decided to not go with them based on their approach... went down the street, got another quote, was cheaper and they used OEM parts. Would not recommend and would also suggest shopping around before committing to this shop. read more

Online booking system is awesome. The people are really friendly. They diagnosed my car's problem in minutes and had me in and out in no time. I will be back for sure any time my car needs something. read more

Quick turnaround, super expensive. I feel like I was overcharged but most car places leave you feeling like that.

Recently brought my car in for a service and wasn't totally happy with the results. After I noticed something was off, I contacted Brian the owner and he told me to come back and that he would make it right. And that he did. Super happy with Oceanworks and Brian for helping resolve my issue in the most honest and professional way possible. read more

Had an amazing experience w oceanworks! I drove from LA to berkeley to visit my bf n noticed the maintenance light was on. So I called and checked if i could drop off my car for oil exchange n maintenance. Bob was being super helpful n patient both on the phone n at the shop. I dropped off my car at 9 and got a text at 10:30 saying that my car is ready. Highly recommend! read more

Staff very friendly. But I was charged over 100. To unhook my battery and reset codes. Then I was quoted over 4000. To replace a catalytic converter on a 99 Tacoma It's too bad they are soooooo expensive...I would have returned for more repairs based on how nice some of the mechanics are. read more

No Apology 1. Was told I needed new radiator hoses because old and soft ($400). 2. New hoses were installed. They were soft. 3. I inspected old hoses. Nothing wrong with them. 4. Owner (Brian) inspects old hoses. Agrees nothing wrong with them. 5. He argues since there's no way to tell when they will fail, best to replace. 6. He argues repair was "recommended" and I agreed to it. 7. After research I learn soft = good hose, hard and stiff = bad. 8. A few months later the new hose starts leaking coolant. 9. I write an email to Brian and he gives me a full refund. Read on if you like a good story... I brought my vehicle in for a couple of repairs. They evaluated and told me that in addition to the requested items I needed new radiator hoses. The service manager said "they might be original". Since my vehicle was 20 yrs old, I told them to go ahead ($385). That evening I was looking through the dealer service records the former owner had given me and saw that 5 months earlier the hoses had been inspected and noted as "OK", and as having "been replaced" at some point. Wondering about what might have changed in that 5 months, I called the service manager the next morning and asked what it was exactly that was wrong with the hoses. He put me on hold, conferred with the mechanic, and then told me that although they couldn't determine if they were actually original, they were "soft" and "mushy" and that you could "easily push your finger into them". He then described how he had seen OEM hoses from the dealer and they were quite firm and hard to press into. I thanked him for the info. Later that day I went to pick up the vehicle. It was parked out front and I had the hood open to add motor oil (they told me it was low). Brian (the owner) came out to give me some info about my Nissan I had requested earlier. He glanced under the hood and his first words were "Oh, after-market hose" (not a genuine Nissan part). He was looking at the new upper radiator hose. His tone was critical. I told him that his shop had just installed it. He played cool and chose not to respond. I changed the subject. That was the first point against him. After he left I squeezed the hose. Soft. Mushy. I pushed my finger into it quite easily. Hmmm. I asked the mechanic for the old hoses. I took them home and cleaned them off. I went online and every single source I checked said "Soft and pliable = Good hose. Hard and Stiff = Bad hose". These hoses were pliable, with no cracking, bulges, stiff spots, nothing. I'm not good with confrontation and this was setting my heart racing. After a few weeks I got the nerve to go see Brian. I reminded myself to stay open to other perspectives, not to go into it like a fight, to keep cool. But $400 is almost 2 day's work. I show him the old hoses. He agrees there's nothing visibly wrong with them. After some back and forth and me asking for a refund, he argues that the mechanic "recommended" the repair based on his experience. And that since there's no practical way to guarantee that a rubber hose will not fail tomorrow, it's safer to just replace it if there's some doubt about it. He argues that if they hadn't brought it to my attention and then a hose were to fail a few months later, then I could find them at fault... I was getting worn out and losing steam. I guess he had a point... (it was getting hard to think clearly)... and so I accepted his offer of 1/2 the cost of the repair to be credited back on my next repair. A partial win, a compromise. I was not happy but I wanted it to be over. A few months later I noticed coolant leaking from the after market hose. I boiled over. I got my reasoning powers in order. I started composing my refund demand email to Brian. First there was the BS story from the service manager about soft hoses. An outright fabrication to protect a mechanic who was having a bad day? Then the mechanics notes that stated "hoses appear original... need replacing". So "appear original" was based on what, being dirty? If the owner agrees there's nothing wrong with the replaced part, then yes, my hoses were replaced because they were dirty. Then there was Brian's "recommended repair" argument. If the shop says "needs to be replaced", you trust their judgement. If they say "we recommend that you have this replaced even though currently there's nothing wrong with them..." then you might ask some questions and think about it. But I got BS instead. Then there was the after market hose - which Brian didn't offer to fix until I brought it up. Then there was a third radiator hose which had not been replaced, which I had to point out to Brian and he said, "yes, they missed that one". OK, that's enough storytelling. Is it one lazy mechanic? And one dishonest service manager? And one owner who refuses to take responsibility for their screw ups? read more

Came here upon moving back to the Bay Area and looking for a local mechanic, my mom recommended... They were great! Very honest and transparent, friendly!! I will be returning. :) read more

Fantastic service. A long running and very complicated issue with my Chevy van got worse (leaking break fluid from broken ABS module causing electrical problems that also affect the transmission and more). Instead of replacing expensive parts, the good folks from Oceanworks dug deep and deeper until they understood the root cause, found a fix, found a used part, and all issues are resolved! A+ service and value! read more

If you're looking for a cheap mechanic, keep looking. If you're looking for an honest, trustworthy mechanic, you have arrived. Congratulations!! (And they're cheaper than the dealers.) These people are genius. They can hook you up with similar genius as needed. They will tell you what practically should be done, and what might be coming down the pike, so you can head it off or just start saving dough to get it fixed. They have been spot-on every time we've brought a car in for a pre-purchase inspection. The car they told us to pass on and we bought anyway is now having serious problems. The two cars they told us to buy and we did are still on the road and going great guns. They're extremely helpful. They're super funny. Angus will tell you right up, he'd prefer to ride a bicycle. He can even sell you a good one. Natalie is a walking, talking (really fast) automotive encyclopedia. They're pretty much up and running 7 or 8am to 5pm (earlier on Fridays), which is a bummer - but apparently they have lives too (who knew??) My one complaint about them - and this kind of sucks - I see these ASKANGUS plate frames all over town. Is there one on my car? Noooo. Is there one on my babe's car? Noooooo. What the heck is up with that?? Big meanies. read more

Oceanworks - Not my car - Auto Repair Near Me - Berkeley, California

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My 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid wouldn't start after it was left with the headlights on for 11 days. I got it jumpstarted and replaced the starter battery (3 different attempts, long story.) Still nothing. Each mechanic I called had different ideas about the problem and most rejected my strong feeling that it was merely an issue related to the battery. All sorts of other larger, costly engine problems were floated. Wait times for diagnostics ranged from a week to three weeks. I called Oceanworks because I had read that they were hybrid specialists. I merely wanted to see if their wait times were shorter. A friendly person took the time to answer my question about the hybrid battery and a 12V boost option I had heard about over the two days I'd been calling around. He said there was a button hidden behind a panel by the driver's seat and suggested watching a YouTube to address the repair. I googled and watched a 6-minute video twice. I grabbed a flathead screwdriver and had the panel off and the car fixed within 15 minutes. For free. These guys were the only ones out of 13 calls (including the Ford dealership!) who knew what the problem was immediately and told me so over the phone at no cost. These are the guys I will be bringing my car to if ever I actually need service. They are clearly the best. Highly recommend! read more

These guys are the best! They are professional, helpful, and they use real Toyota parts. They rented us their car for the day. Seamless.

These guys have always been friendly and helpful. They know the ins and outs of Toyotas very well and have even taken the time to help me understand parts of the car I want to work on myself. read more

My check engine light went on. Everyone I called wanted to charge a huge amount and had a huge wait just to look at it. Chris was so kind. Treated me like a human. Fit me for a quick check before service. What a relief to find a shop where it doesn't feel like you're just a wallet with a head. THANK YOU! read more

Thank you for keeping all the COVID restrictions. I am very happy having such a great team on keeping my car operating. Thank you for your diligence and neat work! read more

I was surprised by the bad experience I had here, as I'd heard good things about them from the community. And my initial visit, which was just a very minor check of some things, in which they correctly diagnosed the situation with my expired Catalytic Converter and sent me on down the road to Pele's, who actually are a top notch word of mouth place, was positive. So so far so good and I had hopes for this place (Oceanworks) as a possible future go-to mechanic. But when I returned, this time to do my 140,000 mile checkup, this is when things got sketchy. In the end, they told me their mechanic refused to work on rusty vehicles (my car is from the East Coast and that just happens there, and most mechanics deal with it). REFUSED! But not so fast. Not before they charged me $200 to tell me this. And then didn't do the complete 140,000 mile checkup, but instead, told me much what they had just told me a month ago for $50, but added some things like "off-market catalytic converter" (they sent me to the place from whence I got this and the down market one is just fine anyway, but they should know that!), and other comments like "gas light is on" (yeah, I could have told you THAT! I paid $200 for THIS information?!). Okay, so fussy mechanic, has a thing about rust maybe but did some perfunctory (though not complete) checking up on my uncleanly and untouchable (according to him) vehicle. Okay, if that were all, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. But they also lied to me about some things that I caught them in (ignorant about cars as I am). For one, about how far gone my tires were, and the need to replace them (even though they refused to do any further work on my car). But unbeknownst to them, I knew how to do "the penny test" on the treads and caught this. Took this down the road to Berkeley Mini Car, who were completely willing to do all of this, and for less this time around (yes, I had to repeat the 140,000 checkup because the one from Oceanworks was incomplete and a waste of money), and Berkeley Mini Car, who are always dead honest with me, confirmed tires were fine. What's more, all of the things that the mechanic made up about my brakes being in serious dire shape were untrue too. Anyway, they completed the work Oceanworks refused to do the first time around though (including completing incomplete diagnoses for less money). Which was nothing LIKE what Oceanworks claimed was necessary and then refused to even do! I am going to give Oceanworks a break here, because most of the people seemed mannerly and honest, and perhaps they just have one bitchy mechanic they should be aware of and possibly deal with. (Although I did get a "We don't actually want to work on your car" from someone else when I called back with questions; again, AFTER I'd paid the $200!). Also, because of positive and hopeful experience first time around, I am going to leave them with two stars instead of one. Pretty bad stuff though! read more

love love love this place. I have taken multiple cars to this place. 1991 Nissan P/U !990 Nissan P/U 1989 Toyota Camary they are fair and will tell you if its worth fixing, what should be taken of and can wait. I brought the 1991 Nissan in when I first bought it because it was making a terrible noise when I turned the wheel, they said it was the fender hitting tire ( a small accident from the previous owner) they gently pulled it out: no cost. read more

I hate to give such a negative review of this business, of which I was once a fond and loyal customer. But it's a candid reflection of the shabby and dishonorable treatment I received after Oceanworks' staff caused $2000 damage to my car, and the owner (Angus) refused to take responsibility for it. The incident occurred when a AAA tow truck appeared to take my car to a dealer for a repair that Oceanworks couldn't do. Oceanworks' employee moved my car out of a parking spot, but failed to put the car in park, and so it rolled out of the lot and hit the tow truck, causing damage to the front end. There were two witnesses - myself and the AAA driver - as well as the employee himself, who immediately accepted responsibility. As did Natalie in the office. It was agreed that Oceanworks would cover any needed repairs. I trusted this place so much, I never thought to get anything in writing, or on video. Turns out Angus later insisted that AAA was responsible for the damage to my car, even though their driver had never touched it and his employee had admitted responsibility. Still at that point trusting him, I went through the time-consuming process of filing a claim with AAA (even though I'm insured by State Farm) only to have it denied based on the obvious fact that the car was never in AAA's possession. After six weeks of this, with Angus telling me he would cover only half of the cost, I went to my insurance company, State Farm, to file a claim. Eighteen months later, they are still trying to collect from Oceanworks. The company simply hangs up on them, puts them on hold, and refuses to return their calls. Looking at Yelp, I see this wasn't the only time Oceanworks refused to take responsibility for damage to a customer's car. I could never trust this business again. read more

I don't normally rate services but I have to give this a major thumbs up Super friendly staff and honest work done. Not sure how the cost compares to dealers but I definitely felt better walking out of here. Mind you it was a pretty penny to get my brakes and battery replaced... but I guess it comes with the territory Worth checking these guys out read more

I took my car to Oceanworks to get my AC fixed. After running a diagnostic, Angus told me the whole system would have to be replaced because when one part fails, the rest of the system quickly deteriorates, so it was important to get it fixed as soon as possible. This was going to run me about $1500. I declined to have it fixed, but later took the car to three different places, all of whom said Oceanworks tried to scam me. I chose to believe the other places were just trying to sell me a quick fix. After putting it off for a year, I finally had Titan Automotive fix it (hubby twisted my arm). All they had to do was replace the condenser and an O-ring. It was a quarter of the price Oceanworks quoted. Weeks later and it's still running like new. Maybe Oceanworks would have tried to find a more reasonable fix for me if I had been a recurring customer. Who knows, but after this experience, I will not be going back or referring them to anyone. read more

Angus and Natalie at Oceanworks have saved my ass and more on many occasions. I used to drive a classic 1970 Toyota Corona Mark II station wagon that ran on propane, that broke down every 200 miles or so. I got my car towed to Oceanworks repeatedly and they dealt with my seriously special-needs car very competently. I always left with my car running and with enough cash in the bank to buy dinner. Once they went out of their way to deal with my "Nixon-era tires" as Angus called them, even though tires are not their thing at all. For that, being cash poor, I had to bake them cookies to at least acknowledge their insane generosity. Now I bring my 1991 Toyota Camry that I got for free to Oceanworks. It's still a crappy car, if slightly more reliable (but much less beautiful) than my Corona. I won't bring my car anywhere else, after all that Oceanworks has done for me, and within my very modest budget. Here's hoping that one day I can bring them a brand-spankin' new Yaris for an oil change instead of a collosal pain in the ass. If you go to Oceanworks, you'll never have to find a new mechanic again. read more

Charged a lot. I told them that there is a coolant leak and they still give me a full inspection reporting nothing. Reluctant to work on my car which I don't know why. Probably because it's a model that they don't like working on. Not that quick either. Dan Chin is rated lower here but I think I am still going to Dan Chin. I told them I need an oil change and they didn't do it for me and let me to oil changers a couple of blocks away which I don't know why either. read more

Not to sound like I'm doing an "oh yeah? well..." on Ruthifer's review below, but here goes anyway: Angus & company have seen me through my last VW, a 1985 Jetta; my first Honda, a 1984 Civic DX; my one & only Nissan, a 1984 DATSUN-Nissan Sentra; and now my bestust car ever, my 1996 Civic EX. Quite simply, Angus is what this great nation of ours is supposed to be about: Angus is a small business owner. He is independent and he tells it like it T-I-is. You say "Angus, can I put this repair off" and he says "sure; let me know how many miles you got on the car before the engine blew up and burned you alive ok?" or "sure, do it in the next 10k miles." I will never buy another car that Oceanworks can't work on. Screw GM. Screw Daimler-Chrysler. Double-screw VW. End of story. BTW: Angus really is f'ing HOT. But hands-off him, Ruthifer: I saw him first. 1991 baby! :) PS. Behind every great man... Hello to the recently-returned Natalie! Nat rocks the house, keeps Angus in line, and has that honest simpatico I have only found with other transplanted Southerners. Ask her about her Bill Clinton stories. Mmh, if Natalie is standing behind Angus, then maybe she can hold him down while I ... [whoops, that little voice just told me to stop. Sorry.] read more

I love Oceanworks and wish I could give them more than 5 stars! I discovered them because my mother has been going there for years, and she's really picky about everything. Since I've been going (several times over the last few years) I've felt that they deliver fantastic customer service (Thanks, Natalie) and most importantly, are totally trustworthy. These people are more committed to building long-term customer satisfaction than in making a quick buck by taking advantage of you. I feel completely confident in referring anyone to them. In fact, about a year ago, the question of a "high quality" auto mechanic came up on a YahooGroup I'm on of about 100 local friends. About 5 of them said, "Go to Oceanworks." That's high testimonial, indeed. read more

Not sure what is going on with this place. I went here because of the good reviews on yelp and was expecting top-notch service. They did not seem very enthusiastic to have a new customer, or to look at my car first hand. Instead they chose to rely on my verbal description of what is going on with the car even after I asked them if they would mind looking at the car. Angus seems to have a lot of attitude. He also gave me some really bizarre advice on my car. And the problem with my car: he had no idea how to fix it and made up some story with a lot of confidence. Taking it to another place totally fixed the problem. I am still giving 3 stars (despite having a bad experience) because of all the other 5-start reviews. I am guessing my experience may be uncharacteristic here. Other people seem to love this place, just like I wanted to love it. Perhaps they treat you better if you are a long time customer and just are not interested in gaining new customers at this point. Not sure. read more

I love Oceanworks. Natalie and Angus are incredibly nice, helpful, and fair. So is everyone else I've encountered there. They treat my Toyota very nicely. They never take too long to fix my car. They really seem to care. They are great! I don't ever feel like I'm paying too much, and they always give me great advice about how to keep my car running for a long time. I'll never go anywhere else. read more

Natalie and Angus are super knowledgeable about all matters related to my Honda, and even better, they are friendly and honest. I absolutely trust what they say when it comes to my car. I really appreciate the fact that they will always let me know which repairs can wait a little, and which repairs are urgent. They're not just trying to get my money, like so many other repair places, they're actually trying to help me! They recently saved me several thousand dollars. I came in with the check engine light on in my 2001 Honda LX, and it turned out to be a transmission problem (bad torque converter). They let me know there was a service bulletin regarding this problem, and sent me over to the dealership. With their help, I got my transmission replaced for free! I would have had no clue about how to handle this issue without their excellent advice. Take your car to Oceanworks! You won't be sorry! read more

Are you one of those folks who worries that a car mechanic will rip you off? Try Oceanworks and you'll never have to wonder again. Or.... are you one of those people who scrounges the mail for coupons for cheap deals on auto repair, and then mysterious problems arise? Bring to Oceanworks. They may be more expensive, but they will save you big $$$ over the lifetime of your car by basically being totally honest experts. I'll never go anywhere else again. read more

I'm back, four years later, to say that Oceanworks is still the bees' knees! Angus, Natalie, and team are simply phenomenal. They are a touchstone of truth, and I never feel a teaspoon of uncertainty when I have to bring my car in. Today I brought my car in for some basic maintenance, and they changed my oil and transmission fluid, replaced a broken taillight, changed my air and cabin filters, adjusted a chirping belt, checked and cleaned the dust out of my squeaky brakes. Natalie quoted me $300 and it came out to $260 - score! Sure, *maybe* I'm paying a bit more (I don't even think I am in this instance), but I'm financially privileged enough to consider it a very worthwhile tradeoff. I'd so much rather be out an extra $50 than to have $200 worth of anxiety! They also do a late pickup service with Juan's Mexican Place down the street if you can't pick up your car by the time Oceanworks closes - really convenient and helpful. tl;dr - Oceanworks is boss. read more

Well, I can't speak as a customer, but after my phone conversation with Angus, I am convinced that these folks are honest and down-to-earth! I told him about a problem I was having with the dash-lights on my Infinity J30, and after breaking down in great detail the ins-and-outs of the long, arduous, and expensive process it would be to fix it, he suggested to simply tape an LCD flashlight to the dash to light it up rather than invest in taking the entire Dash Harness apart. I love that. Thanks, guys. You might have just saved me a grand, and some time. read more

They have a whole wall of long letters from thankful customers, not just thank you notes, but heart-felt letters of thanks. That said a lot in itself, and after a couple of visits I feel similar gratitude. Natalie explains everything that needs to be done, why it needs to be done, and why it cost what it does. So far most of my stuff has never been "you HAVE to do this, NOW", unlike sooo many other autoshops seem to try and convince me of such. She actually gives an explanation with a set cost, or a range. Kinda like they do in most businesses, but it traditionally lacking in the auto repair business. She even did this over the phone, and when I couldn't get scheduled in time she gave me a few other shops she trusted. I really appreciated her explaining to me the need for my Honda to get oil changes at Honda certified places because standard wrenches over tighten end up cracking the oil pan over time. Neat-o. read more

Excellent with my car, my daughter, me. They ask smart questions, give smart answers. They take apple slices from generous five year olds. I cannot explain what a relief this place is. When the dealer suggested I needed to replace a part MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE, Oceanworks explained what my car had instead, why I did not need what was recommended, and did so without talking smack about the other place (although I may have talked enough smack for us both). They talk me through problems, give accurate quotes, are fast and friendly. They are so friendly. Really. I always want to ask to stay for dinner, but don't want to push it. read more

On March 27th at approximately 11 am, I took my car into Oceanworks (2703 10th St., Berkeley) for an oil change. I drove directly from my home to the Oceanworks lot and made no stops along the way. I went to a nearby cafe to wait for the service to be completed and was informed via text that I needed my transmission fuel serviced, and was later advised that I needed new tires. I agreed to the transmission fuel service, but wanted to see the tires for myself, then agreed to this service as it was indeed needed. The total for the service was $690.07, which I later paid. As I was waiting outside for my car, I saw the service man pulling the car into the same lot that I had originally parked in. As he was pulling into their lot, I immediately noticed a large scratch and dent on the rear driver's side (see attached pic). This dent was NOT there prior to taking my car to Oceanworks. I immediately ran into the business to speak with the woman behind the front desk who grabbed her camera phone and verbally stated, "it wasn't like that." I spoke with Angus the owner and he acknowledged that it was "very fresh" as the paint was powdery when he touched it. He asked around to determine which cars were parked next to mine, and also combed through his logs to see which white cars were present in his lot that day. One customer wasn't too far away and returned and it was determined that it wasn't his car, and he said he called the other two people but it was doubtful they'd come back (I'm not certain if this was actually done). I asked him what he was going to do as I drove my car in one way and I was now leaving with body damage (his verbal estimate was $3-4k). His initial offer was to polish out the paint, but I pointed out that this did not take care of the dent. After going to the police (they called Angus); I was informed that I could come to the shop so we could work something out. He offered me half of my deductible, which is $250.00. Because this is a no-fault incident, going through my insurance will not jack up the price and I would have been fine with him covering the $500 deductible and he has refused. His stance is now that I can't prove this happened at his shop, and I may not have noticed the damage. If you see the pic, you will see that this is absurd because of its location on the driver's side of the car and the sheer size of it. Do not take your car to this business! This isn't the last of this. read more

You guys are amazing. I was getting quoted around $3-400 dollars for a replacement starter on my Toyota Tacoma. I called you guys up after being recommended by a friend. Angus took the time to explain how starters worked and also told me that he could probably fix my starter instead of replacing it. The total he quoted me over the phone was around $175. I got my car towed their the next day and was greeted by the friendliest staff. They were chatting me up, cracking jokes with me and playing awesome classical music. They called me the next morning telling me that my starter was fine and that all they had to do was re-adjust some wiring and clean up my battery. The total...$65.40!!! They could've sold me a brand new starter and got exactly what they quoted me but they took their time and had my best interest in mind. I'm extremely grateful to have such honest hardworking people in my community. THANK YOU OCEANWORKS YOU WILL HAVE ALL MY FUTURE BUSINESS!!! read more

Took my NIssan Altima to McKevitt for a 90K tuneup and they found a bunch of things that needed fixing adding up to $2K+. When I showed the list to Oceanworks they told me right away the prices listed were too high-- and they proceeded to fix major things for less than half of what I was quoted from the dealership. And a special shout out to Natalie for being so awesome and caring-- I don't know how she keeps so many details of all the customers cars in her head but she's amazing. I would recommend this place to anyone in a heartbeat! read more

I LOVE these guys! A trusted friend who has lots of vehicle repair work done recommended them, and I used them for the first time this week to do some extensive brake work and other car-related repairs. They are super friendly - and Angus will tell you cool, funny and random stories, especially first thing in the morning! I found their approach very customer-centric, thoughtful, and respectful of budget, time, and my lack of knowledge of some of the repair work. They quickly pointed out what was critical versus optional, gave me clear timelines and costs, and did everything they could to make it work for me. The repairs were done quickly, and they kept in touch as the repairs progressed and they had questions that would impact cost and timing. They even have rentable ($25/day) loaner cars so you can drop off and go without having to arrange a ride or take a cab. HIGHLY RECOMMEND, and will be going back! read more

Ok.. I have to admit now that Honda of Mission Valley in San Diego has been ditched for Tune Craft Auto run by Shawn on Clairemont Blvd in San Diego. Now Tune Craft Auto is the only one to touch my car when I am outside the Bay Area. Another real plus is I can call Nat or Angus when I did go to Honda of Mission Valley and double check anything they said or repairs they would recommend before I would make a choice. The dealership people really wanted to sell me a new car...but don't they know Honda's are Beasts! 300k before they die at least! read more

First off this was 5 years ago. I take my 1993 Truck in for a terrible intermittent whining noise. They say it's the alternator. I leave it, pick it up two days later and as I am driving away the whine begins again. I turn around. I leave the truck. This time they say it's the starter. I doubt this, but what do I know? I return, pick it up, and as I'm driving away it begins again. I turn around. They are frustrated. They apparently want some high end Prius or SUV to work on. They say they don't know what it is. I reply, well, I've just dropped $800.00 for repairs I didn't need and the owner gets snarky and replies, well do you want us to put the old parts back? One can imagine how I felt. So, the whine stopped on the drive home. The following day I'm leaving Berkeley Community College and the whine begins again. It is SOOOO loud everyone on the street is looking at me wondering WTH? I'm frustrated and figure I am close to the Toyota dealer/repair shop, what the heck. I NEVER go to a dealer to have my truck worked on but I was desperate. They hear it, all the mechanics come over to check out the engine. I tell them about my experience at Oceanworks. They are flummoxed. The whine stops.They suggest I leave it overnight and they will run it until the whine begins again. They call the next day and tell me it's the water pump. They replace it. I haven't had a problem since. So you may be thinking, 5 years? Let it go. I have, and have a great mechanic now, but one doesn't forget businesses that #@!*& you. Caveat emptor. read more

UPDATE: Six years later, this car, which Natalie kindly helped me pick out, has never had a problem (well, except when I ran over a nail, but obviously, that's not germane). I always bring it to Oceanworks for maintenance and they do a great job. Oceanworks ROCKS! read more

TL;DR: Used to be a great shop, recent business changes have upgraded the space and downgraded the service. Now they're as bad as the stealership. This isn't the Ocean Works I grew up with and I'll never go back. I've been going to Ocean Works II (they've since combined with Ocean Works) ever since I first learned to drive. They used to be a wonderful shop - encouraged me to do my own routine maintenance, gave me sound advice, and were always very considerate of my poor college student budget. My family has been taking our cars to Ocean Works and Ocean Works II for decades and always liked both shops well. This year, they merged, and the new Ocean Works might look like the old, but they have completely changed. The person running the phones now has no idea who the longtime clients are, or anything about their cars. They try to get you to agree to additional work without determining whether that work is even necessary before they try to sell you on it. Rather than encouraging clients to do their own routine maintenance, they 'volunteer' to do it for you and charge through the nose for every little thing. The final insult was that I wasn't given the bill to review before I was required to pay, so I had no opportunity to dispute over charges. My latest experience completely blind-sided me. I expect this kind of behavior from dealerships, I'm ready for it. But I never expected it from a mechanic I've known and trusted for my entire driving life. Used to be when I called Ocean Works, I got someone on the phone who knew me and my car (and my family's cars). Not anymore. The guy manning the phones now, Johnson, is clueless. But I made an appointment anyway because the check engine light was on. It was a bad wiring harness, which I agreed to have replaced. They also said I needed to replace my drive belt assembly, and it wasn't going to be cheap. But I trusted them, so I agreed. Then, when the work was done, I was told my car needed another $1500-$2000 in work. I asked how severe the issue was and Chris had no idea. My car's nearing 20 years and is over 200K, and it's just not worth it to fix every little thing. The last time I was driving an older, high mileage car, Chris was great about sorting out the 'you need to have this fixed immediately' from 'this doesn't hurt your road safety, so don't worry about it'. This time, I was pressured to agree to additional repairs without any indication of its necessity or immediacy. Felt like I was at the dealership, being pressured to get my car in pristine condition. I don't need my car pristine, I need to know what things to watch for as it ages so that I can drive it safely from A to B. Turns out one of the suggested repairs wasn't necessary, the other wasn't immediate. The final insult was that they charged me $150 for diagnostics, even though I had agreed to over $1000 in repairs. Most shops waive the diagnostic fee when you agree to pay for the work. I would think me being a longtime customer would be worth them seeing that I wasn't overcharged. That extra $150 has cost Ocean Works all my future business. read more