Owner is the best! Service thorough, expedient, plaudits for Randy, his demeanor outstanding, follow-up is very timely, advice for keeping my car in great condition is always appreciated read more

Randy is a hardworking, honest man who has treated my family and our vehicles right for well over a decade. Both he and his team are highly capable and knowledgable about mercedes of any age. They got my 25+ year old W202 running like a top. If you have a Mercedes that you love, bring it here. read more

Customer service like no other. I brought my 1993 300SL to Randy and the staff at Octane after my SL failed a smog check that was required to renew the registration. It can be a real challenge to find a garage that is comfortable working on the early 90's Benzes, which are an odd mix of analog and very primitive digital systems. I got my car back swiftly and at a very reasonable price, which was less than quoted. Happily cruising the coast in my SL again! read more

Octane - Auto Repair Near Me - San Francisco, California

High-quality service, friendly, honest, quick, responsive, good price. This is why I've been going to Randy for almost 20 years. Just regret not writing a review sooner! read more

I don't know why I waited to see Randy and I had gone to the dealership a couples times already this year... Literally left Octane with happy tears. Service B was done by the time I got off work. I asked if they could check out my rattling speaker if they had time. MB of Oakland told me I need a new subwoofer which will cost about 2k. Randy and Francis finds just a lose screw that needed to be tightened. Mic drop ‍ P.s there's a girl mechanic there too that I appreciate just as much. You go girl. read more

My Mercedes is a 2003 C240...nice 6 cylinder engine. I found Octane by fluke...another shop for my old BMW suggested Randy at Octane when I bought a Merc. Wow. What a great find...this shop is honest...let me know when I should do a certain maintenance issue, likes brakes. I have been towed in twice due to age related issues thinking this might be the end of my C240....no not at all. One the road again, doing very well. I trust Randy...suggest you might try this shop. Bill read more

Today, I had Randy (owner) & his team worked on the front and rear brakes of my Porsche 911 (2013-extremely low mileage), and they properly replaced them and now it does not squeak anymore!!! Randy explained what was happening to them and resolved the problem! I was extremely impressed because no one could figure it out for almost 2 years!!! Great Job Octane! Here is a little back story...the front brakes (pads and rotors) were replaced and the repairs were all done by a local Porsche dealer in the Peninsula. It squeaked ONE day after I got the brakes done. I brought in the car to the dealership several times and they kept telling me it will eventually the noise will go away. Well, it is been almost 2 years and still is squeaking even louder! I called the dealership 6 times. Very unhappy with the work that was done there. I really appreciate Randy's professional and friendly approach. He is an extremely honest business owner and offers very competitive rates for high-quality work. Being a woman, I always felt like a little taken advantage of when I walked into an auto repair shop. Finally, I found a person I can trust with all my cars. They work on several different types of cars not just Mercedes. Ladies look no more!!! This is the place! read more

I've been taking my pre-owned MB to Octane for the past 8 years and have always received great service. Octane/Randy was highly commended to me by a friend who had his MB serviced here for many years. Randy is very knowledgeable and transparent...and also he just seems like a great guy. I never feel over-sold or pressured, and my car runs great. I also really enjoy seeing his cute fur babies. read more

I brought our 2015 Mercedes GLK in with vibration problems that I though was due to failing motor mounts. After talking to me and discussing the vibration in the steering wheel and the pedals, Randy thought it might be the wheels and tires. Two days, later we got the car back and the problem was solved. Both rear wheels were slightly bent and needed to straightened and one of the rear tires had a bubble in it. It's is great when a repair shop deals with skill and experience that solves a problem quickly without guessing. read more

I drove my tired new (to me) 1990 Mercedes 300E into Octane with a sense of trepidation. I had just bought the car but the check engine light was staring at me ominously as a reminder that it was never going to get through smog. A handy Yelp search turned up Octane as I really didn't feel like spending double the cost of my car at the Benz dealer and off I went, nervous, palms sweating and heart beating fast as I await the estimate and whether my gamble on my bargain Benz was going to pay off. They did a top to bottom check of the car, fixed the O2 sensor, got it smogged and gave me a laundry list of 'things to do'. Ok, not bad, just $400 extra and I was road legal. Hooray. The laundry list however was scary but Randy went through it one by one and said, these you need to have done, these you should get done and these would ne nice to get done. As I do my own regular service work I some of the stuff was easy and Randy explained some of the foibles of servicing my car, even though he was talking his way out of some cash. I felt a little humbled seeing my German airport taxi surrounded by E500s, AMGs and SLs of a more modern vintage and Randy even discounted some bits and pieces because he figured I shouldn't be spending *that* much on an old car. And that brings me to my conclusion, you can tell these guys love Mercs and consider us, the drivers as part of their family. When you find a specialist like this, you stick with them. Bravo! read more

I only trust Randy and his team with my car. This is the second Mercedes I've owned. The last car needed different services and was serviced by two different dealerships and neither team fixed the issues correctly. Randy was less costly, did great work, and is incredibly trustworthy. Highly recommend, don't even look for another repair shop! read more

I have been bringing my 1989 Mercedes-Benz to Octane for 8 years after using the dealer for 12 years. Dealer told me I needed a new exhaust system for $3-4,0000. I thought I would get a second opinion and contacted Octane. Randy put my car up on the lift and inspected the underside and exhaust system and told me I had a hole in my tailpipe. A $200 weld job. I have been using him and his shop ever since. read more

Octane - W124 - Auto Repair Near Me - San Francisco, California

Had my radiator replaced last year. Had a leak and Randy fixed it with the warranty. No cost. I highly recommend.

I've been a customer of Octane since 2004. Randy and Lawton are excellent Mercedes-Benz technicians. I have two Benzes: 500SL and C280. They are in tip-top shape because Randy and Lawton work on them. Both of them are Mercedes-Benz trained and certified. Randy and Lawton have strong work ethics by way of being honest and reliable. I never had to bring my cars in a second time for a same problem -- in other words, Randy and Lawton make sure they fix the problem correctly the first time. They also return telephone calls and are patient to explain the work that needs to be done and the work that has been done. Because of the positive experiences I had with Randy and Lawton, I refer my friends and acquaintances to them. Octane of San Francisco: Mercedes Benz Specialist is, and will always be, my choice for Mercedes Benz service. Check 6. /s/ Alfonso Faustino read more

I'm a regular user of Yelp but this is my first review, and for good reason. I took my SL500 to the SF Mercedes dealer for some routine service and a headlight repair. They were less than enthusiastic about dealing with my extended warranty company and made the process a total headache. After a week of frustration, I took my car back from them and found Octane. The owner, Randy, went completely out of his way to help me deal with the warranty clowns and convince them to cover the repair ($1600). I have always taken my car to the dealer for service, repairs, etc. - but they'll never get another dime from me. The guys at Octane are professional, skilled, and customer-focused. Randy is a class act and earned my business for life. If you have a Mercedes, take it here for anything that isn't covered by the factory warranty. They're honest, their prices are reasonable, and you'll always know they have your best interests in mind. read more

If I could give this place -500 stars I would because the work they did on my car put mine and my boyfriend's safety and life at risk despite having trusted Randy fully. My parents gave me a 1981 Mercedes Benz Turbo Diesel because I'd been needing a car for awhile. It had been sitting in my uncle's garage for a few years unused but it was also in perfect condition with only 90k miles on it. We specifically told Randy that we were planning on driving it back from SF to Seattle, and to let us know if that was a realistic goal. He ended up charging me $298 for an oil change and trip inspection, and said we were all good to go but also sent me home with a list of things we'd need to work on back in Seattle. Otherwise, the car should be okay to drive up and there wouldn't be any issues. UTTER AND COMPLETE BULLSHIT. We left at 4 AM and didn't get back to Seattle till 230 AM, had our car towed, died twice once in the morning and finally around midnight in the middle of nowhere. Turns out our 3 fuel filters hadn't been changed and were completely clogged and if it wasn't for my boyfriends dad being an amazing mechanic and our tow truck driver helping us out by staying around to help us with the minor repairs, we wouldn't have gotten home. What's worse was that it wasn't even included on the list of things we needed to fix later!!!! The first fuel filter was completely black and it was an easy fix at least, but all the way to Seattle, our car would go from 60 MPH to 25 MPH to nothing driving up hills. The fuel gage started going berserk from empty to full and the dashboard lights weren't even working, things you would assume would have been looked at with an expensive tune up. By the time we got to Tacoma, the car completely stopped and it was just by sheer and utter luck we got home safely. When we had opened up the engine the next day, we found that the 2nd fuel filter was completely clogged and covered in sludge and grime, which is to be expected from a diesel car but Randy had failed to check that out. Again, despite knowing that the car had been sitting around a garage for years and that we were driving back to Seattle. It seems that instead of pushing fuel through, all the sludge was just letting air into the engine and making things worse. I left Randy a voicemail on Saturday asking him to call me back about this but still haven't heard back. I will never go back to Randy and ask that people proceed with caution and restraint when going to his shop especially since safety doesn't seem to be a big thing they worry about. read more

My husband decided to go to Octane after getting an outrageous quote from the mercedes dealer. The team was responsive, honest and the service was excellent. In addition, the price was reasonable. We will definitely be going to Octane to get our car serviced....it is refreshing to go to a place that is focused on delivering good service. read more

I feel like I was cheated. I went in with a very simple problem. ( A squeaky pulley). The next day they called and said I needed a new supercharger pulley. Thats a $1500 part! So I assumed that was where the noise was coming from. A f ew days later, I went to pick up the car. It was still making the exact same noise! They didnt even fix the problem! So, l wondered did they even take it for a test drive? I'm pretty sure they didnt. I know this because I have a dashcam in my car that automatically turns on when the car is started. When I got home, I looked at the video, and there was no evidence of them test driving it. It looked as if they just parked it and replaced the pulley. My advice to you is to make sure you get in writing exaclty what you want done to the car. and... dont accept delivery of the car until you have verified that the work was done. read more

Brought my E350 in for service - Jeff was fantastic, straightforward, on time and spot on the estimate. The only thing I would improve is the customer waiting area - which is nice and clean, with Corbusier sofas, but I so desperately wanted to hang the art and put in fresh orchids. Jeff and the team went above and beyond, they even took some tire rubs off my bumper at no charge. I recommend! read more

Randy you are truly my savior when it comes to my car. I would recommend them to anybody in a heart beat. I knew getting a Mercedes would be costly but honestly had no idea how much it does cost for the upkeep. Im so thankful I found Randy and his great team. They are reasonable with pricing and do a fantastic job plus they give me back my car super clean and shiny :) Thank you thank you thank you!!! My baby will always be in your hands! read more

Octane - Car after seeing Octane. It was so shiny it looked better than when I first got it - Auto Repair Near Me - San Francisco, California

1 star...I would consider that overly generous. Word of advice for potential customers, AVOID! I've been a customer for a few years and each time left with an uneasy feeling. The final straw for me was during my last visit. I told Randy I was in between jobs and just needed the essentials done. Knowingly money was a bit tight, Randy still recommended a ton of unnecessary premature repairs, such as a complete brake pad and rotor replacement. When I told I'll be repairing it on my own, he blatantly laughed in my face. Hey, guess what Randy...I didn't need to replace the pads and rotors till 2 years (10,000+ miles) later! We also had a disagreement over the sum of ~$50. During the initial invoice I clearly indicated all I wanted was an oil change and not the 'A service'. It was even typed on the invoice, but when I went to pick up the car it suddenly changed to an 'A service'. I suppose it was my fault for not remembering to bring the initial invoice in order to prove what was originally agreed upon. Guess a customer's word isn't trustworthy enough at Octane. Hope it was worth the extra $50. read more

JUST got my car back and as usual I'm thrilled with the service! I own a 2007 c230 and I feel like its been falling apart. i took it in to get serviced and asked that they fix the ignition - the place where the key goes was super loose.. my passenger handle was coming off.. falling apart.. Randy and team fixed it ALL.. This is the only place that I trust. Thanks again for awesome work! read more

When I first bought my used E320 (2000) model about five years ago, I loved the car, but was afraid of the horror stories I had heard when it came to the price of maintenance and repairs. So, the first time I brought it to an official Mercedez repair shop/dealership, I knew what I was in for. I paid, thinking this would be the price I would have to pay from then on to have a such a nice ride. Thanks to Yelp, I found Octane and thought I would give them a try, because I could not afford to pay top dollar anymore. Randy and his team are a true class act. They promise what they deliver and more. Yes, it still costs more than maintenance on my Toyota (my other car), but its significantly lower than what I pay at the dealership. Plus, they are open, honest and get the job done. And if a light bulb goes off or if my oil is a little low, they fix it, free of charge, on the spot. I will never go anywhere else. My 13 year old car is running like new and its all thanks to Randy and his team. Did I mention they never fail to give it a wash with each service so it drives off like a brand new car? Plus, they are all nice people and not in a smarmy sales person way, but just genuine and down to earth. read more

While this independent Mercedes Benz shop is cheaper (how can it NOT be) than going to the dealership, my past experience with it when I brought in my SL was also less than luke-warm, as mentioned by some others here. I also believe that they did not do a good job of diagnosing my car's needs thoroughly to warrant still fairly high rates on nominal services. Luckily I found a local indy mechanic who is pretty well versed with Mercedes automobiles. He identified a lot of things that Octane should have and while parts pricing is what it is (he does get a slight discount) his labor charge is definitely less. No more Octane for me!!! read more

This is the best place to take your Mercedes Benz. Is is owned by Randy and he is very thorough. He replaced my breaks and went above and beyond. I received an overall evaluation of my car after the repair. He also details them after repairs. Octane really cares for your car! I have been back for other things and highly recommend this place. read more

Another repair shop referred me to Octane. I need just a few simple repairs. Sandra ordered the part I needed that day to ensure that I could get my car in and out quickly. They got me in the next morning and finished up in a few hours. They even washed my car! They were so polite and helpful! I will definitely be going back whenever my car needs repairs! read more

Randy at Octane is a class act. Before spending more time reading on, please note that Octane is a Mercedes Specialist shop. I happened upon Octane as customer 32, and would not take my car elsewhere. Their service is excellent and professional. The location itself is immaculate. The difficult part of car ownership can be trusting your dealership or shop. I had told Randy that I suspected that I needed new breaks and wanted an estimate. Randy inspected the car, and called me to tell me that the quote was zero dollars as I did not need breaks but instead an easy adjustment. If you have a Mercedes which requires service, I highly reccomend taking your car to Octane. They will also work in conjunction with the Mercedes and repairs covered by warranty. Give them a call. read more

Excellent place to take your Mercedez Benz to!!! I only wish I had found them sooner! Randy, Jeff and their team are helpful, personable and straightforward. AND most of all, they fixed my beloved 99' SL500 problems without breaking my bank :-) read more

Very happy with every service/interaction I've ever had with Octane. They've always gone above and beyond; very trustworthy and dependable. Amazing service, amazing team, amazing shop dogs... read more

Randy has taken care of my 2003 C32 for about 6 years now and consistently provides superb service and goes out of his way to communicate what needs to be done in the most cost effective manner possible. I wouldn't dream of taking my car anywhere else. read more

Octane is like the best-kept secret of the "cool kids Mercedes club". Why waste your money at the dealership when you can have the same exact treatment at Octane and save a ton? This shop is run by former Mercedes technicians who have all of the same training and experience of the current dealership techs (but have chosen to go independent). Give Randy or Gwen a call - they'll take excellent care of you. Honesty, integrity and dealership-quality work at a savings. What more can you ask for? They have my business. read more

I wrote a review a while back but some how it disappeared. Randy @ Octane is the BEST! I've been taking my Mercedez there for the last couple of years and couldn't be happier. When going to Octane I always know that I'm not only going to receive FIRST CLASS service but I'm also going to save money! I reccomend that anybody with a Mercedez get their car serviced at Octane. You will not be disappointed! Jazz read more

I've been going to Randy at Octane for a couple of years now and have to say, they are the best, honest, and helpful mechanics I've ever been to. Not only do they try to save you money by finding other possible options to resolve the issue, they also are professional and courteous. A warning sign came up last week and I brought it to a different mechanic near my house. Big mistake!!! They found something wrong, but it had nothing to do with the warning sign. They charged me $253 for what they have fixed which had nothing to do with the warning sign. So I drove home and the warning sign came up again. This repeated twice after the first time; which was driving my car to them, having them look at it, then picking up my car after they said they resovled it. I was fed up with the new mechanics which had 4.5 stars on yelp (so I thought they were supposedly good.) I went back to Randy and really... I have to say, Octane is the best. They found the problem, resolved it, and helped me saved a bundle. I'd recommend this place for anyone owning a Mercedes-Benz. read more

Years back, I came in there like I was a big-shot b/c I knew somebody who knew somebody. Maybe I thought my Audi was "race car", lol. Randy had the patience and reservation to treat me like I knew what I was talking about when I sought out a custom transmission install; and to educate on what I didn't know! The rates were incredible, considering the herculean task I proposed. And the job was done thoroughly -- Props to mechanic stuck w/ that assignment! Breakdown: Even when this boy-racer came into a squeaky-clean Mercedes shop, I got treated right. Good Biz all the way. read more

I heart Randy and his awesome team at Octane. When my warranty expired on my C-Class Benz, I was looking for a cheaper alternative to dealer servicing. I found Octane through their stellar Yelp reviews. I have been using them for the past few years now and the service gets better and better. For instance, I stopped by this morning to have a blinker replacement part installed. They only charged me for the part and not the labor, plus threw in a free car wash! Time and time again, these guys have been generous with their service and I will be a loyal customer because of it. Thank you Octane, you rock my MB! read more

Still going strong with Octane, but today, we're going to talk about trust. 9 years in, and I still trust Randy with my life. OK, hyperbole. But I do put him in charge of my AMG. Trust is key. You're reading these reviews because you're putting at least some level of trust in what you read. And I'm here to tell you to trust the overwhelming majority of 5 star reviews given to Octane. Notice the time people have spent to say great things about this shop. These are folks who have paid well-earned money to maintain and often fix these expensive cars. An independent shop like this is more likely to face these things: 1) being criticized for not saving the customer enough ex. "they charged almost as much as dealer ___, so 1 star" 2) charging more than the next independent ex. "another independent charged me much less for an oil change, so 1 star" 3) fixing dinosaurs that are just expensive to fix and on the verge of breaking down no matter whose clock it's on ex. "my 1989 ___ broke down when I took it up a mountain, and they didn't foresee the issue, so 1 star" 4) not dispensing FUD like dealers are known to do, and therefore, not fixing everything that could conceivably be fixed. ex. "they told me it's about time the ___ is replaced, but it wasn't broken yet, so I chose not to fix it- but the ___ did break a few months later, so 1 star" 5) having to insist that a part be replaced because they genuinely believe it to be a potential issue, but at a time that's inconvenient to you ex. "I came in for an oil change, but they said I had to fix my ___, and it cost me more money than I expected to pay when I brought the car in, so 1 star" Look, he's not a goddam wizard. No mechanic is. And, because you're not made of money, he can't turn back the clock on your aging car. No mechanic can (unless you actually are made of money). And you know we're taking our cars here because we don't have a ton of money, and we don't want to get fleeced at the dealer. And our older Benzes are just not inexpensive to maintain. So trust the overwhelming number of 5 star reviews that demonstrate trust in Randy and his team. Also, Sandra is a pro, and she never fails to make me feel like a VIP. read more

Highly recommend, Randy and his team returned my car (Merc 300e) washed and running as good as it ever has. The Shop Dog will open office door for you and then grab his own treats. Great vibe and experience. read more

Absolutely amazing service! Randy is so knowledgeable, personable, honest and trustworthy! Hard to find mechanics like this these days!!!

Randy Kuwatani of Octane is awesome. I was stuck with a flat tire in a shopping mall, and when he saw me struggling, he dropped everything to help me out, accepting nothing in return. He was just coming home from a backpacking trip on a Sunday evening, and I'm sure the last thing he felt like doing was changing a tire for a stranger. You're fabulous, Randy!! Thank you!!! Bring your cars to him to fix. Randy is a Great Samaritan! read more

I took a Mercedes I was interested in buying to Randy at Octane. WOW!!! What a refreshing experience after dealing with a local dealership -- it was such a contrast. Octane was professional, top notch service, great staff. I agree with the postings on the Yelp site -- honesty, integrity, super capable -- I was so very impressed. I will go to the dealer for warranty items, but everything else goes to Octane. I was in the waiting area working on my laptop during the inspection. I was able to see Randy and Gwynne in action and talking with customers on the phone -- With each call or client they took the time to explain things that were necessary, what could wait, recommendations if repairs were too much for a customer at that point in time, and where they could help save on the costs of repair. A rare gem!! What a find!!! I am still in shock to see such honest and reputable people still exist!! A great omen for 2009! I am really hard to impress -- Randy & Gwynne are a 20 on a scale of 10. read more