I am so fortunate to have found Pacific Auto when I moved here 4 years ago. Gary, the owner, does all the work himself and he is so fair. If something can be monitored or delayed, he always explains that to me. He's a real professional. read more

Gary is an amazing mechanic that checks all the right boxes: Knowledgeable, organized, quick, and above all, a fair guy that will not rip you off. You can absolutely trust Gary for your car needs. I wish him great success. read more

I've been going to this auto shop for several years now and Gary and his guys always do great work. He's clear, concise, and honest about his opinions on what would best for my vehicle short and long term. He's been in the business for awhile and his expertise shows. read more

Honest! Doesn't try to rip you off like others, and doesn't try to take advantage of a female customer who may not know every little detail of a vehicle. Great place! Tired of commercial dealership just lying to you, up charging you. He doesn't do that! I actually believe that & I have seen it. Iv come here a few times now. Thank you for honesty. It is hard to find nowadays read more

I'm very pleased to have found Gary. I called and without hesitation, he had me bring my Audi right in. I heard a strange ticking coming from my engine, which luckily turned out to be nothing alarming. My coolant was low, he filled it and also generously checked my oil and advised it was fine for the next month. His demeanor is comforting, and his actions are trusting. I will definitely be utilizing his services moving forward. Thank you Gary. read more

Gary was very clear with his assessments and explained to me his thought process and reasoning for his interventions with the car issues I had. I really appreciated his transparency and willingness to guide me through the plan. The communication was fantastic all the way through, including expected expenses and timing. I felt very comfortable that any questions I had would be received in a thoughtful manner. Very positive experience!! read more

On December 14, 2023, Pacific Auto Repair serviced my 2013 G37 Infiniti. It had 64k miles on it . The shop did a routine minor maintenance and safety inspection and changed my wiper blades. Very efficient. Today I got a call from the manager to ask how the car was doing. I had never gotten that kind of follow-up before. By the way, the dealership repair shop quoted $1309.46 to do what he did for a thousand dollars less the week before! Thanks again, Mr. Veilbaum! read more

Gary is amazing: his work is impeccable, his response time is on point, honesty and respect is 100% amazing. I will def go back! read more

Great work, they know what they're doing, and they're honest. Perhaps that should be a given, but sadly one can't take it for granted these days. The owner Gary Veilbaum is super. read more

This was the first time I had my car inspected after moving to the Bay Area. Very easy to schedule, drop off and pick up the car the same day. Gary was very honest and polite, explained everything he would check out in detail and the estimate was very reasonable. Highly recommend this place. read more

I'm not a customer of Pacific Auto Repair but I was once an employee of his back in 2003 and I would like to tell you my experience. Gary was one of the nicest boss and he was very big on his employees finishing automotive school as I was going at the time when I was working for him. He would take time out of his busy shop to explain the fundamentals of how automotive works. And one thing everyone should know about Gary is he's such a honest guy. Never upselling on services. I wish your business the best, Gary! read more

I highly recommend Gary for honest automotive care. I've been working with Pacific Auto Repair for over 10 years. Gary takes the time to go the extra step to car safety without being asked. I will not take any of my vehicles anywhere else. read more

I needed to get a Brake and Lamp Inspection with a certificate. Checking all the Yelp searches and reviews cause me more confusion. Prices were like doubled or tripled that what was mentioned on the web. My body shop tech referred me to call Pacific Auto Repair at Burlingame. I called and left a voice message and Gary returned my call. Gary told me over the phone how much it would cost and when it's the best time to come in. He's got the BEST prices in town and I've checked over a dozen locations from SF to SJ! I did not have to leave our car for a few hours. He does it right away when you have an appointment which I did online. This place is a HIDDEN GEM if you need an Official Lamp Adjusting Station and Official Brake Adjusting Station! read more

My check engine light came on, on my way through Burlingame and Gary was great. Despite having a full garage, he checked it out and had me on my way in no time. read more

Family-run business that's operated for over 100 years. Gary, the current owner, did a pre-purchase inspection of my Subaru (on little notice) and found every detail, even staying late to check a final port that needed to cool down. Easily the most trustworthy mechanic shop I've used. Favorited on Google Maps so I remember to come back. read more

Gary is THE BEST. We have been bringing our cars to Gary for over 30 years. His work and customer service are superb and his prices are always fair and reasonable. Gary is an amazing diagnostician and has been able to figure out and fix some really challenging problems. He is also great at coming up with cost-effective solutions (like finding an aftermarket kit to repair, rather than replace, a costly aluminum cylinder head). He is also a great guy and will take the time to walk you through the issues and alternatives. read more

Highly recommend - first time after researching local auto repair shops in area. Oil change and inspection. In addition to checking out entire vehicle (he explains in detail). Great value too even a couple rattles had for a few years disappeared. Easy to schedule appointment, drop off, done same day. Felt good to support a local family business too established almost 100 years ago. Amazing ! Multi generation. read more

Gary the owner of this place is awesome first off. I read up on the history of this place and I guess his grandpa was the original owner and it's a passed down company. Well this local shop cares for their customers! I have had some serious damage done to my car from Hanlon's Tire Shop, and I needed it all to be fixed. Gary and his team took 1 month and they actually fixed it! I had melted wiring, a shot fan shroud (it was melted and wharped) and a bad radiator. Not to mention the ground needed replacing and I needed an all new ignition (from just coincidence, not because of Hanlon's). Thoughtful Gary gave me a AAA discount for all that work and I got everything done for about $1000. Plus Gary informed me of all the other little things I'll need to do to have my car in tip-top shape (it's an older GTA but it's in pretty good condition :) I give this place an A+; great service, knowledgable staff, and the best part was I never once got the feeling that I was just a girl with a fat wallet who drives an old car. Many auto places do take advantage of young women, but with Gary & his crew I felt safe leaving my car with him. Sure enough my car is great now! Thanks PAC!!! You've got my loyalty! :D read more

I've been driving over 52 years and have dealt with many auto shops and many mechanics in my time. I am writing this review to let all who read it, know that Gary (at Pacific Auto repair) is the rare combination of honest, ethical and knowledgeable and treats his customers with kindness and care. I called his shop on Thanksgiving eve and told him what I suspected the problem was (the alternator) and could he fix it asap. Well, I had my 1996 Isuzu Rodeo towed to his shop by 9:30 am. He called me at around 4:30 pm and said he had replaced the alternator, however it wasn't working properly. He told me he would have to order another one, but he wouldn't be able to complete the repairs until Monday. I got a call on Monday at 9:25 am telling me the car was fixed and ready for pickup. I was blown away. I figured I wouldn't get the call until late in the afternoon. I was reading the reviews and was amazed by just how many 5-star reviews he has amassed (including mine) but through his work, he has earned every one of those stars! I highly recommend Gary and Pacific Auto Repair... read more

I recently moved to the Bay Area and needed to find a mechanic for my older car. Pacific Auto Repair is a AAA approved shop (which I prefer) so I thought I'd try them for my oil change. Gary was really helpful, explained everything that he'd check during my appointment, and called promptly to let me know when my car was ready. I found my new mechanic! read more

Gary was great help easy to communicate with and got me on the road ASAP I would recommend !

I've taken all my cars to Gary and would recommend his business to anyone. He's friendly, honest, and really bends over backwards to ensure you're satisfied with their work. In my opinion, Yelp is very customer-service based, and Gary definitely goes far beyond the mold. I come from a family business, so it makes me happy to support theirs also. read more

Went in for an A/C issue that I knew was not going to be cheap. The estimate was reasonable and I saw good reviews on here so I made an appointment. I left my car and went about my day, and later got a call. Gary told me the issue was less serious than I had though and it was going to be a much less expensive fix. I don't know much about cars so he could have easily lied and I probably wouldn't have known and paid full price. The honesty and politeness were amazing, I made sure to leave a well-deserved tip. I will be going here exclusively as long as I live in the area! read more

Pacific Auto Repair is so good. Gary is a true gem! I brought my Suburban to him and he gave me peace of mind and knowledge that he could confidently fix it and put my mind at ease. Gary is extremely comfortable to work with, you just feel taken care of. That's what I look for. I will continue to bring my vehicles and have recommended family and friends see him as well!! read more

If I could give these guy no stars ... I would. OMG ... First off GARY is a SNAKE to its fullest definition. Tries to be soo charming and then he sticks it to you. My girlfriend's car was in an accident and the tow truck took her car here... Out the way, passing so many descent mechanics that I believe he pays the Tow trucks and then charges you for his pay out expense ... Because his work SUCKS and again we passed a lot of auto shops. ... while we were waiting for our car to get back to the shop, since the mechanic took it home for the Night... YES HE TOOK THE CAR HOME to his HOUSE and used it as if it were his! I confronted this Gary guy with over charges that my girlfriend and I were concerned about. FYI.... * HAD TO COME BACK 3 TIMES & CURRENTLY STILL HAVE ISSUES * OVERPRICED & ADDED EXPENSES WITH EACH REPAIR THAT WAS A CAUSE OF THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM... WHICH WAS TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. * A true Snake .... He Said ... "Don't worry... the insurance will pay for this, I'll make sure... Just don't tell them that you took the car and came back" She said whatever the first two times but the 3rd time I intervened ... OMG ... Just fix the car... I told him. * They did things improperly and completely skipped steps to replace a radiator... like tighten the screws... and attach hose properly... and ADD new COOLANT after they drained the old coolant. DUH!!! Are they all drunk or just all stupid? BACK TO TOP WAITING FOR OUR CAR: This Gary guy and I got into an argument about the work he did on my girl's car and what he charged her for. He said "Since the engine is out, we might as well change the timing belt." .. She agreed and I agreed too... But he charged her additional hours for labor... for the changing of the timing belt... I asked WTF... and he said with a silly smirk "we got to put the engine back together." I replied... "The engine is already out... You have to put it back together anyway ... That's why you recommended the service in the first place .... why is she charged that much extra labor to replace the timing belt since the engine is out anyway? He couldn't answer. He finally said ... I'll tell you what, I won't charge you for that and I'll just charge you for the gas we put in your car. Gas? I asked... He replies, "Since my mechanic took your car home he had to put gas in it to get it back." I told him to give me the keys... talk to the insurance company and we took the car never to return to the shop. DO NOT TAKE YOUR CAR HERE! DON'T LET A TOW TRUCK TAKE YOU HERE! Please take heed. I posted this because I think everyone should know. read more

These guys are amazing. I had called 3 other places around the area for an oil change I needed ASAP when my dashboard lights started going crazy, and they all quoted me insane prices. I called this one as well, and when I got there he popped the hood, looked at the dipstick, cleaned up my engine, and then told me I just needed more oil and not a full change. So I only had to pay $11 and take less than 10 minutes of getting my car taken care of instead of getting fooled into paying $60 for a job that would take "a couple hours". My car has been running fine now. They don't try and pull one over on you, and their integrity just saved me about $50. My favorite part was when he said, "Come back or call any time, information and advice is free". I'm definitely hitting these guys up again. read more

I was almost ready to write a bad review but after I thought about it a bit and compared my experience to others I've had with different mechanics, I realized this one with P.A.R. was pretty good. I was initially upset because I took my car in on a Thursday, thinking it would be done by the weekend. My fault since I didn't ask when they'd start looking at it. In fact they didn't touch it until the following Tuesday. I knew because they left my car parked on the street and I drove by every day to check on it. What turned this negative review positive is that their mechanic traced down a very elusive electrical problem with my old car, something that other mechanics couldn't figure out. It was repaired within their initial cost estimate too. So, the customer service was great, the quality of the repair was great, just would have preferred a more timely repair, since I, you know, rely on my car to get around. I would go back again, just this time get a time commitment from them. read more

I had a great experience today at Pacific Auto Repair. While I only needed an oil change, it was the first for my car, and I didn't want to go to a chain. By speaking with Gary and reviewing everything listed on the invoice, I can tell they're extremely thorough. It's not cheap, but after reading some of the reviews of the cheap places, I'll take "not cheap" any day. Also, Gary is extremely friendly. That's worth a lot. When I got my car back, there was an extra noise (from a belt). When I asked about the extra noise, Gary had me pull my car back into the garage, so that he could make sure the noise was just a belt rather than something more serious. I'm glad to know that when more serious work needs to be done, I'll have somewhere to take my car. read more

I have been coming to Gary and Pacific Auto for years! I cannot say enough great things about them. The best analogy I can give is - it's like your dad is a mechanic and he is fixing your car! Gary provides great service, quick, and gets it right. There have been little things that he has just taken care of for me...without ever "nickle and diming" me! If you need a really good repair shop....and want someone with truly upright morals...someone you can trust - go to Gary and his gang!! read more

This is my second time at PAR and I would totally recommend this shop. Gary is honest, takes the time to explain what he is doing, why, and other recommendations. I don't know a lot about cars (internally) so taking my car in for repair is a scary proposition. Not with Gary! He is honest and looks for ways to save you money on what needs to be done. He also explains the complex car "stuff" in ways even I can understand :) I brought my car in only as needed but I was so impressed this last time that I will be coming back for all my routine care (oil changes etc.) He also doesn't waste time. I had a major tune up and had my car back in two days. A friend went to a different shop for the same work and his car was out of commission for a week! If you are on the peninsula, you should bring your car here. You won't be sorry! read more

I have been going to a local dealership for servicing and found that the level of care has diminished. I tried Pacific Auto Repair and found that not only does Gary care about what he does but also follows up with a personal phone call as opposed to an online survey. I will never trust my vehicle to the local dealership again. Thank you so much Gary for doing what you do. You have changed my mind on places of repair. read more

I must say, if we were staying in the Bay Area I would bring my car here for regular service and repair. Gary took great care of me and saw me first thing when I called in to ask him to adjust the low beams on my headlights and to check the tire pressure on a recently patched tire. We are headed to Omaha! Friendly, expert, good price, quick, what more could you ask for? read more

Gary is terrific! He is detailed and thorough. I trust his judgment and workmanship. He does whatever it takes to make sure his customer is satisfied with his work. read more

Gary is probably one of the most nicest person I ever met he is super nice and understanding and honest and makes you feel right at home Gary is a rare Commodity in the auto repair business read more

I must say Pacific Auto Repair has my vote! Many people think 'Mechanic" and go into panic mode imagining being charged for every little thing under the sun, even if it doesnt need to be fixed, but in the many times i've taken my 02' Honda Civic in to see Gary I have always left satsified and with the feeling that i'm not just another wallet walking through the door. I've been to many shops and this one is far superior. Much reccomended. Plus its AAA so i get discount, which is always nice. read more

Gary is great. I needed an oil change, tire rotation, and transmission fluid change for my Honda Accord (the B123 service on the maintenance minder). I called first, and he gave a rough estimate. I made an appointment and brought my car in. He finished on time and per the estimate. I appreciate his openness and honesty. And he's way less expensive than going to a dealer. read more

Pacific Auto Repair was great when we needed some work done on our Camry -- Gary responded quickly to our inquiry, and then inspected the car, listing both items we had noted or others we hadn't, along with items that he specifically recommended against fixing st this point. The price quote for the work we selected was very reasonable, and our car was fixed up and returned the same day. read more

It is my pleasure to recommend Pacific Auto Repair for all car service needs. My family and I have been customers of Gary's for many years and his customer service has been unwavering as absolutely the best. Gary has lengthened the life of our cars with his professional and conscientious attention to detail....always with a smile! Gary now provides excellent care for my Prius C and takes extra time to explain the technical components and functions of a hybrid car. He also takes time to do the little extras that mean so much to customers, often w/o charge. Thank you Gary for your knowledge, patience and understanding. read more

When my cars break down I usually fix them myself because of such negative experiences with auto repair shops in the past. Recently one of my vehicles had a problem I just could not address. I knew what was wrong, what needed to be done but did not know a fair price or if this shop would add to my negative experiences. The tow truck driver recommended this place and from what he had to say about this shop I was convinced to give it a try. No REGRETS AT ALL!!!! If you need your car worked on do not pass Pacific Auto up. As long as I live here and my car needs repairs, I will take it to Gary. I will also recommend Gary to anyone with car trouble. Phil S. read more

Gary and the crew at Pacific Auto Repair are a joy to do business with. I've never had a problem they couldn't fix, their estimates are always spot on, they call you to ask before they do anything beyond the original scope of the work, and they're just nice and honest people. They've always let me know what they think my best option is, even when I was trying to diagnose a Smog Check failure and they recommended limiting the work they did and referred me to another place that was authorized by the state of CA so that my repair work would be eligible for state credit. The words "Trustworthy" and "Mechanic" don't seem to go together these days; but with Pacific Auto, they definitely do. read more