Best shop I've been to ..straight forward and honest mechanic and Reasonable pricing.

Let me waste my tow miles to his shop, looked at the age of my truck laughed and told me to get a new vehicle, then spent one day with it before telling me he basically didn't feel like trying to figure out what the problem was. Had to spend money to get it towed to a Nother shop where the repairs ended up being less than $600 and not that hard to diagnose. The shop owner of the second shop said that when my truck arrived: the cab was completely trashed with all of the contents from my glove box all over the floor. Also the security club was missing. I would recommend avoiding this condescending business owner, unless you own a brand new vehicle he doesn't care about you. read more

My parents, girlfriend, and I have been coming to Tanaka for four years now. We mostly have Japanese cars and I cannot think of a better person than Tanaka to perform regular maintenance and repairs on our vehicles. Tanaka is a very honest mechanic; I definitely trust him with all the suggestions he makes in terms of what parts need replacing. Last week I brought my mom's 2002 Honda Odyssey here for a diagnosis on the engine light. After a few hours, Tanaka gave me a call and informed me that the engine light indicated a problem with the transmission and that he does not have enough resources or tools for transmission repair and suggested that I take it to the dealer. When I picked up the car, he not only didn't charge me anything for the inspection, and gave me some tips on what the issue could be. If you need a honest mechanic who will not charge you a ridiculous price and will not recommend replacements unless absolutely necessary, then Tanaka is the guy to go to. read more

Found no yelp via helpful reviews. Called Mr. Tanaka and he told me to come on by for a diagnostic check cuz my engine light turned on after driving back from Chicago (+2000 miles). I got there in half an hour, rang the bell, and he stopped what he was doing to run the OBD (on board diagnostic). He diagnosed the issue and showed me the "O2 sensor" needed replacement. He reassured me that i could continue to drive but should bring it in when i had free time. I was out of there in 10 minutes. Thanks, Mr. Tanaka! I'm definitely coming back to have my O2 sensor fixed by you. I will update once it s taken care of. read more

Mr. Tanaka is awesome. Here are the simple reasons why: (1) I called Tanaka Auto last minute around 5:05pm for an urgent oil change for my car and they close at 6pm M-F. (***keep in mind I've already called 2 other local auto centers who told me to try tomorrow because their last service is provided at 4pm) Mr. Tanaka graciously told me to swing by and that he would help me even though I told him I wouldn't be able to be there until 5:15pm! (2) I was in at 5:20pm and out by 6pm! (3) I was sitting in the entry way and he came in couple times to check-in on me and also inform me of the status of me car. (4) I could tell he was honest & thorough (5) He specializes in Japanese cars - so far all you Lexus, Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi...etc drivers head over here! *PRICES ARE ALSO REASONABLE I highly recommend ~~ be sure to call ahead! read more

My dad an I have been coming here for more than 15 years. He is very knowledgable with Japanese cars and we have brought our Toyota Land Cruiser, Lexus ES 350, and my 2007 Toyota Corolla here on various occasions, ranging from simple oil changes to replacing a transmission in the Land Cruiser. The place is run by Mr. Tanaka and his daughter. The waiting room is small but the shelves that line the room are filled with manga that would easily take you a few years to read them all. There is also a small tv that's always playing NHK, which the Japanese equivalent of BBC. The prices are comparable to many other mechanics and I always love supporting my local small businesses. If you own a Japanese car, I would definitely recommend this place! read more

Tanaka-San is a wonderful owner and mechanic. He is very polite and provides quick service and is very honest. I have taken two family cars there, and he always provides very competitive pricing and quick service. Today he simply tightened something that was loose in the suspension of my car. He could have charged me for several hours of service, but charged for the part of an hour it took him to find the solution. I will continue to be a loyal customer as long as Tanaka-San is there! read more

Tanaka Auto - Small sign great service! - Auto Repair Near Me - Irvine, California

I like it here. Got an oil change. Was advised to get brake work done, but some other time. I think they're pretty busy and you need an appointment. I like that they are open on Saturdays and you can walk over to the District to kill some time. Will be back. read more

Good, humble and honest service. Fixed a oil leak within a few hours at an affordable price. Showed me the old parts and errors of a former mechanic and replaced my items with official market parts. Highly recommend. read more

Small operation, honest, prompt, competent. That said, some times I go to a dealer, some times I go to Jiffy Lube. For Toyota, you just have to know what you need and go to the proper place to get it done. Tips, between Tanaka Auto, Tustin Toyota (AAA discount), Jiffy Lube and Costco (tire), we are all set for servicing our Toyota! read more

My 87' 4Runner was running ruff. I stopped by Monday late afternoon, made appointment to drop car off at 8:00 am Tuesday, he was done by noon. My 4Runner purrs like a kitten and passed a Star Smog Test the next day. Mr Tanaka is friendly, courteous, thorough and fully explained the repair. Very reasonably price for repair work. read more

Another great experience...never pushes any unnecessary work, honest and most of all his pricing is absolutely reasonable. He's got a customer for life. Thank you!!! read more

I take my cars here for oil changes every so often. The waiting area is small and dirty but they do good work. I usually call in advance to make an appointment and go for a walk while the car is being worked on. read more

Needed to get an oil change and tire rotation near work, and Tanaka Auto had an opening on the same day so it was convenient. Mr. Tanaka was friendly and completed the work in about an hour. I paid around $76 for everything, which is a little more than what I usually pay but I guess it's average pricing. read more

I toke my Honda Pilot 2011 for service and troubleshooting after I called Mr. Tanaka a day before. He is very acknowledgeable , found the cause and fixed the problem. Service fee is reasonable and the job was well done. I'm completely satisfied. In my case the car alternator was going bad, got a replacement. I highly recommend his work. A lot better than the dealership shops. read more

This place is terrible, please DON'T go to this place, I would give below 1 star for this place if I could, I was shocked this place changed $100 for a simple oil change and waited for half day. This people will rip you off whenever they can. I don't know who gave them 4 stars on the review must be their friends or relatives. After I've complained they just took $20 off. Again this is not a place you want to go, it's a lesson for me to learn, I will definitely NOT to use their service again. read more

Mr Tanaka is an awesome mechanic, honest and quick, he gets the job done no fuss no problem. He gets 5 stars. But - oh man! - the daughter??! What is up with that?! We arrived at the shop and Mr. Tanaka was working already on a car. We went into the office and after 5 minutes of "Sumimasen?" (Hello?) my husband eventually popped his head through the back door into the back room to find her fast asleep on a sofa amidst a pile of empty McDonalds cartons. One loud "SUMIMASEN" roused her from her slumber, and she looked him straight in the eye. Satisfied that she knew he was there now, he politely withdrew back to the front office to await her assistance - which was another 5 minutes in coming! When she finally managed to drag herself into the office, she flung a form at him with barely a word, and shuffled out again! We have had numerous similar experiences since then. I don't know if there are some problems there, or something I should be a bit more sympathetic about? But really - not a good impression for the business at all. Shame, because other than the sloth-like daughter, the service and skills are fantastic. read more

Mr. Tanaka came to my rescue when I needed to fix my Brakes and Rotors. He quoted a fair price and fixed it within 3 hours. Getting an appointment was fairly easy - they are closed every 4th Saturday of the month. He is extremely patient and explained everything that needed to be done + is very knowledgeable in Japanese cars. I have found my new "go to" mechanic. Thank you Mr. Tanaka! read more

I've been taking my car in for 10 years. He's very knowledgeable, experienced, and hard-working. One time, when he identified serious problems with my car, he worked for 6 hours straight without a break so I could pick it up that day. The reviewer from 2009 says he was not satisfied with Mr. Tanaka's customer service skills, but I haven't had a problem with him. Even if he was somewhat rude, what's most important to me is safety. Mr. Tanaka does a great job and gives me a peace of mind. read more

Can personally and highly recommend Mr. Tanaka for repair of Honda and Toyota cars, especially. We have been taking our Honda and Toyota cars to him for over six years now. Unfortunately, he doesn't work on hybrids, so I can't use him for my new Honda Accord Hybrid but we will still be going to him for our Toyota Corolla. Very trustworthy and honest. read more

Not too happy about a decision was made about repairing my Toyota Highlander's temperature control knob. Granted he did know right away what the problem was when I described it to him which earned him a minimum of a 3 rating for field knowledge, was quoted $1000 for parts and labor to replace the whole dash unit since it all comes together-which is true if you want to replace the part instead of fix it. Looked on the web and found out that the cause is faulty wiring and could be repaired with a soldering iron. I ended sending the part to somebody in Kentucky who was selling his service on eBay who did the soldering repair for $45 labor and I installed the part back into the car myself. Total cost with shipping $80. The temperature nob now works fine. Saved $920. read more

Mr. Tanaka is one of the most trustworthy mechanics I have ever encountered. He was able to repair various issues at a fair cost. He even fixed an issue with my car window weatherstripping for free. He speaks Japanese and has a slight accent, but I trust his words 100%. One time, my car AC wasn't starting up, and I took it to Mr. Tanaka to check. Although he couldn't figure out the exact reason, he did tell me the AC compressor is fine and did NOT charge me for his effort despite spending a fair amount of time diagnosing the issue. I then went to the Honda dealer to see if they can find the issue, and they told me I needed to replace the compressor and condensor. I know dealerships often rip people off so I finally took it to a small shop that was further away that specialized in Hondas, and they verified that Mr. Tanaka was right and fixed the issue - there was nothing wrong with the compressor! If it wasn't for Mr. Tanaka's correct analysis, I would be out of $2000 right now. Thanks Mr. Tanaka!! read more

tanaka auto has been my auto body shop since I got my first car, they are really good at fixing up my car whenever I get a flat or need an oil change. The people who work here are very kind, they keep my car in great condition. read more

Mr. Tanaka has provided excellent honest service for all Japanese cars I have owned for the last 6 years. He is the only shop we use for our company cars. When another shop told me I need new brakes he fixed the problem for free during an oil change. I now drive from Lake Forest to get my car serviced at Mr. Tanaka's because I know the work done is honest and of high quality. read more

Had a problem with my civic. Diagnosed it and fixed my water pump ! Flawless job, and CHEAP too! read more

So glad I found this place (thanks to Yelp!). I initially came in just for a diagnostic on my parents' 1997 Toyota Corolla. Within 10-15 minutes of arriving, Mr. Tanaka approached me and told me the idle air control valve needed to be replaced. He briefly told me what that meant (I know nothing about cars) and asked me a few questions about how the car behaves when I drive it (e.g., does it stall). He turned off the check engine light and told me I could drive it for the time being but that the valve would need to be replaced in the near future and that it would cost XXX amount of dollars (not saying how much here). When I asked how much I owed him for the diagnostic, he said not to worry about it. What?! I have never been to an auto shop that didn't charge for a diagnostic. I called my father to let him know how much everything was going to cost, plus I went home and compared prices on the internet. The price was definitely reasonable according to everything I had read and everyone I had spoken with regarding the estimate. I made an appointment for later in the week, and when I arrived, Mr. Tanaka got to working on my car right away. I was out of there less than two hours later. The car now runs much more smoothly than before. I was so pleased with Mr. Tanaka and the service I received. It's hard to find an honest mechanic, especially when you're a 20-something girl who knows very little about vehicles. It's also hard to find a competent mechanic. Rest assured: Mr. Tanaka knows what he is doing. read more

Mr Tanaka is amazing with import cars. I have brought both my Lexus and Infiniti to him and he has always impressed me. Been coming here for 15 years after my Father recommended him. Fair, knowledgeable, and efficient. Tanaka performs any service the dealership offers at a fraction of the cost. I am currently bringing my hybrid Lexus CT200H and it's running beautifully. I won't take my cars anywhere else! read more

We walked in to Mr. Tanaka's shop past 5 pm on a Wednesday. He was pretty busy but graciously answered our questions. He right away knew what was wrong with our car. He popped the hood, poured some oil and viola both the "check engine" and "oil" light disappeared! He did not try to sell additional services. He did advise that it's best to have the car thoroughly checked but i liked how he did not pressure us into setting up anything. I'm so glad we found him and we're definitely coming back! read more

Took in my Lexus IS250 to Mr. Tanaka.. Great guy, very well trained with japanese automobiles. I was actually taking my car to the Auto Clinic next door, but they specialize in German cars and I felt they were a little unorganized (nice people though). If you have a Japanese car I would take it to Tanaka Auto; they are really honest regarding when you actually need a service and pricing is fair - the Lexus advisers were literally stealing from me and going against the recommended service (ie doing services earlier than necessary). read more

Went back and had them do a brake fluid flush and transmission fluid replacement. Once again done without issues, and costs literally $100 less for EACH service compared to the dealers. read more

We have been taking our cars to Tanaka Auto for over 15 years. Mr.Tanaka really knows his stuff, and won't overcharge like some other places. He also is very honest, and won't try to recommend services which you don't need. We definitely recommend Mr.Tanaka ! read more

Just got my starter replaced. The dealership quoted me almost $600 for the same Denso starter including labor. Tanaka-san did it for $420, everything included. I know where I'll be going next time :) read more

After visiting Tanaka Auto which I found through yelp's excellent rating, I'm very happy that I found this small one person mechanic shop hidden in the industrial area in Irvine. He seems to be very honest and his price is fair. I wonder why I took my cars to dealership to get ripped off for all these years. The only downside is that he is one man show, both the mechanic and the owner. And therefore he is ALWAYS busy. So you'll need to make an appointment way in advance. Although he works on Saturdays, I couldn't get my car in on any Saturday yet. Also, there is no fancy lobby with free water bottles and coffee and he does not wash your car :-) I would recommend to anyone who owns Japanese cars although he fixes American cars too. read more

Went for first time to Tanaka on 05/14/11 recommended by a friend. I have a 2001 Toyota Corolla and was looking for a honest mechanic who is not trying to rip you off. Did a front brake job, he ran a diagnostics for the check engine light, did oil change and made some recommendations in a very no nonsense, honest approach. Even though I asked him if he needs to change spark plugs, he said no there is still some life on them. A few months earlier for the same problems, I was told to start a major tune up, spark plus change etc etc from a nearby Valero auto shop. Will recommend Tanaka auto and Tanaka San to anyone with a Japanese older car. read more

Tanaka-San is a very experienced mechanic. He had been taking care of our family's card for decades. My Mother always spoke highly of him and would always insist to take our cars to him. I will forever be a customer of this auto place to fix my car. I appreciate his honesty, kindness and superb work! His receptionist is excellent and will set you up with an appointment as soon as he is available. There's a very relaxing wait room with tv and so many books and magazines to keep you occupied. If you want honesty, and a mechanic who will fix your car then Mr. Tanaka is who you should go and see when you need a tune up or work done to your car. He can do everything from brakes, oil change, transmission flush to checking that your fluids are all topped off to everything else you may need. I can highly recommend! read more

My Family and I have been taking our cars to Auto Tanaka for many years. He is very honest and have fair price. He is very knowledgable about what he does, very good work. I never had a problem with him. If he doesn't know he will tell you and ask you to go some where else. I am so glad that I know Auto Tanaka, now if I have problems with my car I don't get stress or worry anymore I just take my car there and I m sure he will do the best service with a reasonable price. read more

Thank you Mr. Tanaka for fixing my vehicle. I had a problem with my suspension and Mr. Tanaka immediately found the problem. He said he would have it finished by the end of the day, but it was more like a few hours. Honest gentleman and has now become my go to mechanic. I highly recommend this shop. read more

Came here today because of the great reviews on yelp. They got me right in for a quote on my a/c and power steering leak. The estimate literally took about 10 min. which was so great because other places told me an estimate could take up to 2 hours depending on how busy they were. I thought the problem was going to be really expensive to fix and was pleasantly surprised at the quote. He had my car fixed and the oil changed in an hour. I like supporting small businesses and when the price and quality of work is this great, why go anywhere else? read more

Mr. Tanaka checked my CRV for an oil leak at my request. He didn't find one and the visit was free of charge. They're clearly a small family owned operation and English is a second language, but he gave me confidence in his knowledge of Hondas and I will be a repeat customer. Hard to find place next to Smog Time - tucked in an industrial park. read more

I chose this place because it's close to my work and the reviews were good. It's a small hole in the wall garage. Mr Tanaka called me within an hour to give an estimate. His quote was very good price. In fact it was 200 less then I was quoted elsewhere. I will be back and will refer my colleagues who also own Japanese cars. Great service - his daughter even gave me a ride to work. read more