I didn't get my vehicle serviced here. But Will helped me out when I was in trouble and I think that means something. I was having a rather terrible day and locked my car keys, wallet, and cell phone in my trunk. I walked around to the nearby shops, none of them would give me a time of day or even let me use their phone. I stumbled by San Mateo Auto Works and saw someone who was busy on the computer. I expected him to shoo me away like everyone else but he actually helped me out big time, he looked online, contacted a couple of locksmiths, and one of them was able to help me out within the hour. Will totally saved the day. Thanks so much! read more

Will was so very helpful with servicing my car.l'll never go anywhere else. Great service, good prices, and overall great place. My car was sitting for 3+ years and Will had it fixed and running like the professional that he is. Will made taking my car in for service a pleasant and easy. Definitely recommend San Mateo Auto Works. Thank you Will! read more

Don't be fooled by all the positive reviews. That was the reason why my daughter-in-law had my Prius towed to this shop: My son has been using my Prius and left on business for a few weeks. On his return it wasn't working. His wife searched Yelp and found this shop with good reviews and had the Prius towed there (unfortunately I was also out of town - because I suspect the Prius only needed a new 12V battery). She paid $1,374 for the "repairs" but the car was still not working right and the VSC warning light was on! The memo (see attached) on the invoice said: "VSC light still on, 2 codes still present during scan, C1231 steering angle sensor, possible clock spring??? & B1432 passenger solar sensor circuit. Further diagnosis recommended" Can you imagine what the costs would have been if my son would have brought the car back for "further diagnosis"? I checked it out myself and found that there were two bad fuses when they said they replaced the main fusible link/block for more $$. Guess what, I replaced the fuses and everything works perfectly. I can understand paying for services, people need to make a living. However, in this case, it is more than dishonesty. I have nothing to gain by writing this review, it's water under the bridge but wanted to spend the time doing it so that others don't get scammed. read more

San Mateo Auto Works - Invoice from San Mateo Auto Works - Auto Repair Near Me - San Mateo, California

Will and Hung are fantastic!! Been going to them for many, many years. Review is long overdue. They are always kind, positive, friendly, and are a pleasure to work with. They do a fantastic job and are always so thorough!! read more

Needed an oil change for my Mazda CX-5 and found this place on yelp. I can tell you I was very pleased with the service. There's a reason why this place has such high ratings. Not only did they complete my service earlier than expected (few hours), they rotated my tires and filled all the fluids (ie window wiper fluid) for free. Best of all, they made the maintenance dashboard light go away (typically something I had to go to Mazda to get done). They also did not try to over sell me on anything. Will (office manager) was very honest in explaining to me when a full check up would be necessary. Before going, I called multiple places and not only did this place have the best price, they proved why they have 4+ stars. 5 stars! Highly recommended! read more

See all

Called the day before and they worked with my availability for next day appointment for oil change. Ample parking, waited in the lounge for not too long, friendly and quick. Will be going back next time I need service! read more

Oil Change/Tune Up - Called Wil Ho to make an appointment for my Honda CRV. My vehicle has not had an oil change or tune up since the Pandemic . I explained that I also needed to have a Smog Check (which SM Auto Works does not do). Wil recommended a place close by. I was able to secure an early appointment in order to get both Services done on the same day. I have been a steady customer of San Mateo Auto Works for many years and have always been satisfied with the Mechanics who serviced my autos. I was pleased that Wil was the person who would service my car this time. His work is impeccable ! He explained in layman's terms what he serviced and the "problem" he found with the air pressure on the Tires being extremely low. He corrected the problem and gave me advice on other issues which may occur. The cost for the work was reasonable. Thank you, Wil, for always making appointment times for me and taking care of my automobiles throughout these many years. read more

Rude service, very pricey, to check your car they charge $200. I called another shop and they told me they wouldn't charge me to check what's wrong with my car. Very ambitious mechanic at this shop. Don't recommend. read more

Very honest! My daughter brought the car in for the 1st time.They found nothing wrong with the car. They only charged her for the oil that they had to put in.Didn't even charge her for labor.You won't go wrong in trusting them with your car!!! Thank you ! read more

I had my Honda CRV brakes serviced by Will and Hung. They were very friendly and professional in their recommendations and brought my brakes back to safe limits of operation. I will go back to them in the future for service and recommend them to others as they specialize in Honda repairs. read more

Way overdue! I've used Will for at least 10 years now. He came recommended from a few friends. He's seen us through many cars and my family goes to him now also. He's always been honest & fair. He lets me know which parts have the better warranty and often more economical than Toyota parts. I've brought cars I was about to purchase to be looked over also. Huang is awesome too! He does the work on my car & I couldn't be happier. They do a great job & I feel safe driving my car & my daughter driving hers also. Won't go anywhere else. read more

I forgot to mention in my original post that San Mateo Auto Works offers free WIFI while you wait. A great deal for me as I am always online :) -=-=-=-= Hey folks, all I have to tell you is that I stopped taking my Sienna minivan to the dealership because San Mateo Auto Works does a better job and cost cheaper. Win-Win situation? you bet! I also gave up my San Francisco Giants license plate frame to put the shop's plate frame ;) Try it out and you won't be disappointed. read more

San Mateo Auto Works - Auto Repair Near Me - San Mateo, California

Great customer service and have a great knowledge. Very professional! I had an annoying sound for a while in the car, they detected it at once. They fixed it real quick. They are really clean and organized. Their mechanics are respectful and know what they are doing. Great experience! read more

Awesome!! I love working with Will. He's honest. Dependable and very accommodating! I will be telling all of friends and family to go here as I know I will be from now on. You won't be disappointed. read more

Very untrustworthy...I was deceived by the amount of good reviews he received on Yelp and had my car towed here when the hood was smoking. He told me I needed to replace the radiator and several hoses and it would be 800 bucks to get it running again. I asked several times if this was the minimum amount of work needed on the car and he said yes, it wouldn't run otherwise. Prepared to fork over the dough, I called my dad to tell him about this. My dad knew the guy was total BS and immediately called him directly to talk to him on the phone. Turns out only ONE hose actually needed to be replaced...got out of there for 90 bucks because of my dad's phone call. Car has been running great for months since...no radiator replacement necessary. Would definitely not recommend this place if you want someone who's honest and won't take advantage of you not knowing about cars. I really hate to write bad reviews, but I don't want anyone else ending up in the situation I was in! read more

Brought my subaru in because of a whining sound. Turns out to be one of the pullies with the timing belt. He recommended me to change them all and the belt as well. The car is under 45k and the belt is usually changed at 105k. Afterwards there was still a different whining sound and the mechanic refused to acknowledge that it was there. The next day they called to tell me they forgot to put a part back in the car. Not the most detail oriented place, but at least they called me back before i had to discover it myself. I then found a subaru specialist in redwood city to take a look at everything. I should have gone there first. Always go to a shop that is specialized for your car. They looked at the timing belt and found out that they used genuine subaru parts for the pullies but not the timing belt. The timing belt was too tight even with the tensioner at the lowest point. Apparently most of the pullies usually last past 100k and i should have only changed the small pully and the tensioner. Thats 3 extra pullies i changed at $75 a piece. Will is good salesman who knows how to talk but i fee like i can only trust half of what he says. Bottom line, if you have a subaru, find a subaru specialist like AutoHeadquarters in redwood city. I would not recommend bringing it to this shop even though both of the mechanics own subarus. read more

As a female, I am always wary of taking my car to the shop, even when it is clearly very sick. I have been taken advantage of so many times over the years and have had so many mechanics try to sell me things I don't need (i.e., a few months ago, Burlingame Honda tried to get me to buy a brand new transmission on an issue that they didn't know was related to the transmission!). Needless to say, I often avoid taking my car in, just because I'm afraid of being taken advantage of and because I can't afford to be charged more just because of my gender. When I called San Mateo Auto Works, Will answered, and I could tell immediately by his tone and elocution that I was dealing with a higher quality person, professional, and business-owner. When I met him in person, my feelings were confirmed. Will really classes things up. It is amazing to have a conversion about anything--especially a car-- with someone who is so intelligent, warm, and transparent. He is always busy, yet very accommodating and helpful, while trying to fit customers in whenever he can. I highly recommend this business to everyone, especially the ladies. read more

I am waaaaaaay impressed with this place. I called ahead for an oil change and they were able to take me right away. They also changed a break light for me that I had not even noticed was out. They also checked my fluids, my tires, and battery. My windshields were even sparkling. Waiting room was clean and sunny. And if you ask they will give you their wifi password. I was able to continue working which was a godsend since I had much to do. Ho was really friendly and the prices are reasonable. I wil be kissing my Subaru dealership good bye and coming back here again. read more

Will Ho (owner) knows Japanese cars. He will great you with a smile and tell you what's wrong with your car - no selling, no bullshit. He's the car doctor. Will and his team has worked for Honda for years and years so they know what to expect. I came here for an oil change. The price was reasonable and I didn't have to wait! Plus, Will pointed out what could be serviced and showed me what the free inspection turned up. Wow! What a difference to see what's wrong with your car instead of reading a computerized print-out that you get with the big auto repair places. Got a Japanese car? Go here. I have to go here for other services in order to award lifetime five stars, but SM Auto Works deserves five stars for the service they provided today! read more

This review is long past due but sometime is better than never! First off, Will is a very sincere and knowledgeable guy. The radiator on my 97 Accord was busted and Will offered the lowest price in town, no doubt! Here is when the story gets a little weird but do not panic, it does get a lot better! Installation went well and car was running smooth as ever. All of a sudden about two weeks after labor, the new radiator busted as well??!! I was in disbelief when I saw a river full of coolant while stepping out of my car. I called Will back up and told him about the scenario. He said it sounded like the radiator and to bring my car by again. Will was very honest upon diagnosis and informed me it was the radiator. He had no idea how it busted again, said it's a potentially leaky head gasket. Will was very courteous in replacing me with a new radiator AND labor free of charge under warranty. Most mechanics would have left an unfortunate customer like me in the dust. I was so grateful for running into Will as I can sure as hell tell you he's my go to guy as of now. Great karma for Will for taking the extra step in helping me out with that complicated scenario. read more

My 1995 beat up green mean machine has not been feeling 100 percent and was coming down with something. I was afraid it was dying a slow death and was in denial that she could ever be repaired. SM Auto Works came highly recommended and was told they specialize in older foreign cars that appear to be on their last legs....I mean wheels. I made an appointment to come this morning and decided to wait in the waiting room for four plus hours anxiously pacing back and forth to hoping and praying any good news. I kept my hopes up and within 30 minutes the mechanic came in and gave me the good news that my car will be fine and that I will be able to take her home this afternoon. By 2:00 I was on my way with my car feeling completely healthy once again. The staff is friendly and do not at all try and talk down to you. I do not know a lot about mechanics and the inner workings of an automobile, but know enough to be dangerous in more ways than one. They certainly know a lot about the World Cup which is a plus in my book. Not so much on tennis but will not hold that against them read more

This place is quick! I called ahead around 3 hours (left a voicemail) saying I'd like to schedule an oil change at 3:00pm, and got a call back in around half an hour. I arrived a little early, and Will took my down info. Within minutes, the car was on the rack. 20 minutes or so later, my car was ready to go! Something I expect with 5 stars. What really sets this place apart (and merits another star) besides the prompt and professional service, is the cleanliness of the place. We've all been to those "unkempt" garages, which sometimes look more like a junkyard more than a customer-friendly service. Oil all over, bits and parts, unswept, things half-finished...all of these lead to an uneasiness to even hang around the shop. San Mateo Auto Works gives me NONE of that uneasiness I get from local, and even franchised services...hell, even the parking lot is clean. To anyone who's ever worked on or around cars, you can appreciate the work ethic and sheer willpower it takes to keep even a one-car garage free from all detritus and gunk, let alone 4 bays, and a parking lot shared with a neighbor's shop as well! I will definitely be returning here, even though it's a good half hour from where I live. (Luckily, I work nearby.) Will, the manager is definitely customer-oriented, and his years of experience and professionalism show itself in the way his facility is run and maintained. To everyone who posted before, thanks for coming through on this place! read more

Will is great, conscientious, accommodating and up front.

Love Will!!! Brought in my 07 CR-V in today to get its 30k service and also to have some weird noise it was making when I turned slowly. I was able to make an appt within two days (awesome!), dropped it off at 7:30am, got a call at 1pm and it was ready! So fast!! And his prices are great! :-D My happy lil' car will have happy to give Will a visit again! read more

Got an oil change in 15 mins on a Friday afternoon! Good prices, no upsell, and speedy service. Definitely coming back, though hopefully not too soon. Thanks Will! read more

This place is great! I took my 2003 Lexus IS for a major service, including replacing the timing belt. The work was done in a day, as promised, and the price was much less than what the dealer quoted. Car runs great! A couple weeks later I noticed that my car was pulling to the right during acceleration, so I brought it back. Will's team looked at it and found a nail in my right rear tire, and the tire was low on air, which caused the pulling. They repaired the tire while I waited (for free!!) and my car no longer pulls to the side. I'm a happy customer! I will be back. read more

I found SM Auto Works a few years ago on yelp. The excellent review proved to be accurate because I've had nothing but promp, fairly priced service for my 2004 Lexus GX470. Will is great! Glad I found them. Doug List read more

took my nissan truck in for the 30k service today and 4 hours later I get a call saying it was done. Will is a great guy with a wealth of experience and fair prices. Will be looking at them to do my future major services. read more

Shame on me for not writing a review sooner. There are several services in our modern world where TRUST is paramount. Auto care is certainly one of them. I have taken my vehicle to Will on several occasions along with my son and daughter's cars. Because of the type of service Will offers to all customers, it's no wonder his shop's rating is one of the most consistently highly rated. In so many ways San Mateo Auto Works is like having a relative in the auto repair business; someone you can trust and count on to repair and service your lifeline to transportation. I have recommended Will to three friends without hesitation and they in turn have done the very same thing. In a world where mediocre service is the norm, Will's level of service hearkens back to days when service with a smile was the norm and gasoline was $0.49 a gallon! Will, you've got a customer for life, thank you! read more

I've been here twice for an oil change. Each time, I was treated with the utmost care and courtesy. Will is thorough & explains things in non-technical ways. And doesn't make me feel stupid when I say things like, "oh, so is bad that I had no coolant"? Previously, he warned that I had xyz things wrong with my car, but didn't try to "sell me". (Of course I should've had xyz fixed earlier...and would've saved a chunk o' change...but ah, a lesson well learned). I had an appointment at 3:30 and was out of there by 4. The oil change was around $26 including tax. This will be my go-to place from now on. read more

Will is great! A really friendly guy, knows his stuff. I went in for a new battery and an oil change for my Lexus IS 300. Will got it done quickly and well, good pricing. Waiting room has WI-FI access, couch, TV. Also there's a Denny's type place (Heidi's Pies) a couple of blocks away where I had breakfast. ===== 2/4/2009 Will came through for me again. Went back to get my driver side low beam replaced--it was flickering. Now I know what you're thinking "How hard could it be to replace a lightbulb?" Yeah. Turns out it's tough. First off, the whole encasement is sealed. Not user accessible. And FURTHERMORE the bulb had partially melted onto the encasement. So it didn't just screw out, oh no. Will had to take the whole thing off, put it on the bench, carefully pry out the bulb. He did this and stayed within the budgeted estimate, too. Very cool. So I got a new bulb installed (a tricky install at that) at a 33% discount from what the dealer (Putnam) quoted me. Nice. Oh yeah, and I discovered that there's a Japanese restaurant (used to be Vietnamese, now Japanese run by Chinese people...) a block away, is open in the mornings. Not sure what time they open, but well before lunch. Had a good enough meal and a good quiet place to work and get some stuff done. ===== 3/2011: The "something on other" belt on my car was starting to crack and so I got that replaced, along with some other stuff that goes with it. You can tell I'm really into cars. Actually what I am into is comparison shopping, and so called the usual suspects and sure enough--Will's pricing was the best! Plus I just have a good experience going there. Will needed the car for the day, and so he gave me a loaner to use, which worked out fine. So now I have a brand new "something or other belt." All is well. ===== 1/2013: needed new rear brakes, and I got 'em. BTW there is a nice coffee shop about a 5 minute walk away, San Mateo Coffee Co on 25th, that has good seating and light, and free wireless. I like the vibe here 100 times better than your average Lexus showroom work area. I read some of the low reviews, and a comment I'd have is I don't think it's a great idea to approach car repair with an attitude of "tell me the absolute minimum I need to get the car moving again." Personally, I don't want to spend my life going back and forth to car repair to get each hose done one at a time. And I don't like getting stranded. I like to get a repair done properly; in my experience Will has done that reliably for me. read more

I've had my car serviced with Will and team for 10 years. He is always fair and helpful with advice. Thanks Girlie read more

I have finally found the place to go to for my 2009 Acura TSX. I've had the car for two years now, and was never really satisfied with either the service or the pricing at the other places I've checked out. For my minor service (every 7.5K miles), it was a good 40-50 bucks cheaper than the dealership. Will (the owner) was very upfront with me about my car, and didn't try to sell me any extra stuff either. I'll definitely be making this place my home for my Acura. read more

I think found new my mechanic. Replace today alternator at my TSX Will Ho and his team Did amazing. Quick professional job Good estimate before work Planning next week comeback for another Service read more

Will is always straight forward and very honest with his business dealing, his shop is clean and the charges are very reasonable, we have been bringing our cars to him for years, he is like a "car doctor" . When your car needs a checkup, maintenance or repair, he is the one who will give you great service and advice, thanks Will, San Mateo Auto Works is the place to go for all your automotive needs. You will like his integrity and honesty.. read more

I just purchased a 2005 Mazda6 and decided to bring it to Will for an oil change. It was great to hear, for once (after years of bringing my car to a dealership), that my car was fine except that it was a good time to replace the battery. When I came to get the car he showed me a printout of the battery test for my car compared to another car he was checking, just to show me the difference between my battery and a healthy battery. Im impressed because this was after I agreed to get a new one put in, so it wasnt like he was trying to convince me to get a new one, just informing me. He was great with communication too, calling me the next morning to let me know what was going on, and a few times throughout the day with any important updates. Hes so friendly I will definitely be taking my car back in the future! read more

Fake reviews! Scam! Stay away ! Rude and discriminated against. Does not care about customers puts more effort in order to build his fake reputation then to fix cars . Don't say I didn't warn you! My car was hit by a driver a few days ago . I park at the shop , and go to the neighboring tow company to take a few pictures/videos and show the mechanics for a good estimation since we were going to plan an appointment with them . We did not take less than 4 minutes to go record and come back . When we left to go to the towing company next door we did not see any mechanics nor anyone in the office assuming they were busy we left to go record and come back thinking they were going to be there , pointless to just wait at an empty office just to tell them we're going to leave to go take pictures and come back right ..? While we're coming back we proceed to look for someone again after the 4 minutes and we started walking towards the door. Assuming the owner of this shop is named Will which is very unlikely since these comments vow and claim that will is a great guy . Well I think I ran into the real version of this man . This man out of nowhere slams his door at me and my brother screaming profanity in Japanese , not giving us any time to explain that we came to get service for my Chevy . He said " I can't help you bye you Mexican idiots" even though I am Caucasian and my friend is Arabic "next time you park in my parking I'll break your window and tow your car " . Distraught and shaken at his violent behavior I open the door to the office he shut in our face and asked why he was saying all of this and try to reason with him an apologize for leaving the car for less then 4 minutes . He responded with "see the sign I have the right to refuse service to anyone" I responded with "yes you do sir , but we did not do anything for you to treat us this way nor even be mad over something this minor " I also proceeded to tell him that he lost a future customer right away by doing this because as god be my witness I was thinking they were going to be friendly people like these fake reviews claim to be . Totally opposite . I understand that he has the right to refuse, but we did not do anything to deserve that type of nasty treatment . Totally ruined my day . I hope future customers see this , stay away from here . Will does not care for his customers . This is real life review most of these reviews are biased or most likely Will telling them to write it in order to attract new people since he scares them off ! Better safe then sorry . I feel bad for all the people he is going to scam and come up on . Please go to a more reliable mechanic shop this place is known to be notorious at scamming their own customers and being a******* for no valid reason. read more

Another great experience with San Mateo Auto Works. I needed just a quick oil change this time. I swung by and asked Will if they could fit me in - no problem!. Expert service, professionally done at a very reasonable price. It was absolutely painless. read more

Honestly, the best experience I have had with an auto repair shop. Such great customer service. My car battery completely died and needed to be fully replaced. I called Auto Works right before they closed and they said they would still take in my car for the night and start on it tomorrow morning. Early next morning, Auto Works called me to confirm that my battery needed to be replaced and it can be change immediately, if I needed it to go to work. This is beyond anything I expected. I appreciate the kind service and the flexibility this company showed me. THANK YOU AUTO WORKS! read more

This was my first time visiting San Mateo Auto Works (was referred by a friend who's been taking his vehicles there for two decades), and I'll never go anywhere else. Great service, good prices, and nice staff. Will and team made taking my car in for service a pleasant and easy process. They were done with everything in barely 30 minutes! Definitely recommend San Mateo Auto Works. read more