I hesitate to even write this because Jose is such a hidden gem. I don't want to give him away. He's super knowledgable. Complete professional and gentleman. And completely on the up and up. Zero scammy vibes. Complete transparency with pricing. He could charge double his current rate and still go to him as my mechanic. If you have trouble with your car, even if there's a wait, this is the guy to go to! Period. read more

Jose gets it done fast and has unbeatable prices. Probably the best mechanic I've ever dealt with. Very reasonable man and has great knowledge. Fully trust him with German cars. read more

excellent mechanic. really knows his stuff. attention to detail. and gave me good referrals for some stuff (ac) he doesn't really do.

My car broke down on the freeway and wouldnt start. Got a tow and Jose was the closest by me. I called him and he answered instantly and within 3 hours he replaced my alternator at a very reasonable price. Diagnostic only took about 3 minutes, he instantly knew the issue. I would definitely go back. Would highly 100% recommend. Car runs as good as new. read more

Totally agree with the other 5 star reviews, Jose is very honest and trusted. He fixed the problems with the lights of my 2009 Corolla, which turned out to be more than what imagined. I live close by and showed up at his store after reading the other reviews. He fixed the car on the spot while I was waiting for a great price. I will definitely go there again any time I have a problem. read more

This guy is great ! Very knowledgeable,and reasonable prices....Thank you Jose. 2015 VW Jetta TDI Diesel

Really nice guy and wonderful service. Highly recommend. Easy to work with and transparent.

Review is looong over due. Broke down on the grapevine last year with the family and friends. Told by the 'only-player-in-town-tow-and-repair-co' that my vehicle was a total loss and offered to "take it off my hands" in exchange for the pending $800+ diagnosis fee (they had to take engine apart). My friend with recommended I call her mechanic Jose who owns Tecknica Auto in El Cerrito before making any decisions. Sent Jose copy of work estimate and diagnosis. Jose said 'no way' to the total loss/diagnosis fee exchange, instead he connected me with a mechanic friend of his in Los Angeles. AAA towed my car to Jose's friend's shop in the valley (AAA+ = 200 miles!). Thanks to Jose, more than a year later I'm still driving my beautiful car. read more

Jose is a rare mechanic who focuses on doing the job right. He is not one to throw band-aids. He focuses on getting to the root cause of the issue and will suggest the best course of action based on what is actually wrong vs. a quick-fix. His professionalism and dedication are of the highest order. He solved a particularly tricky challenge with my daughter's car that stumped many other mechanics. Amazing guy and he has my trust and confidence. Thank you Jose! read more

Best service! He's very kind and caring. He is really knowledgeable and trustworthy. I've already recommended my family. He had my car in an out in one day which is good because I didn't have to miss work.. lol read more

WOW!! Jose is super nice and made me feel very comfortable as a woman. I went in for an inspection for a 2003 toyota matrix I just got thinking there's probably a milllion things wrong with it. Jose didn't try to up sale or take advantage of me. Instead, he gave really good advice (using quality parts for long term durability), explained step by step about the findings of the inspection (which was very educational), and suggested on what repairs should be done soon/what can wait til next year. I appreciate his honesty. Jose wants to help his customers save money and went above and beyond to fix the little things on my car (he even changed my windshield wiper and showed me how to do it :D). I will continue to give Jose my business as long as I own a car and will refer all my friends and family to him! You got a customer for life! read more

José is the most honest mechanic I've ever met. I trust him with my life. He takes the time and care to explain to you what's happening with your vehicle and doesn't care about making a quick buck. Truly a gem. read more

A one man shop with quality work in mind. It really shows. I usually work on my car and I am always reluctant to let others touch my vehicles . But having seen the quality of work Jose performs on all his customers cars, I am happy to have found someone who I can trust. Thanks for the amazing clean job on the water pump!!! I will surely be back when other things are need. read more

Normally, when your car won't start, a rough day will. When my 22-year old Subaru finally woke up, I coasted into the closest auto shop actually open on a Saturday in El Cerrito, Tecknica Auto. That's where my luck changed! The shop owner, Jose, is the real deal. He was incredibly friendly and even started servicing my car 15-minutes before closing time. He showed me exactly what was tripping up my starter in terms even an A-to-B car-owner could understand. Jose gave me a great price on service and free tips to help my hooptie last another few years. read more

Tecknica Auto - Auto Repair Near Me - El Cerrito, California

José is amazing! Thorough and fair! Very honest. I would definitely recommend to anyone.

Jose is the best mechanic I have ever encountered. I trust him 100% because he is always straight-up honest. He is willing to explain things to people like me who know nothing about cars in a way that doesn't make me feel stupid. I have referred several friends and family members to him and everyone has been very satisfied. read more

Had a misfire on my 87000 miles Tacoma. Stop by to get an estimate to change the spark plugs and coils. Without even open the hood or run a scan, he told me that the problem was a blown head cylinder gasket and the job will cost me $4800. Bizarre!!! read more

Simply wonderful, great, amazing. My power steering fluid had sprung a leak, and Jose diagnosed the problem, fixed it, and checked all the other fluid levels...in less than 15 minutes and for FREE!!!! But to me the most amazing part was how welcome and comfortable he made me feel. I love cars and have an interest in how they work, but my knowledge around them has limitations, which leads me to ask questions. In the past I've felt slightly uncomfortable asking questions and uncomfortable even being in auto repair shops, but Jose was extremely clear in what went wrong and why, as well as how and when to check all of the fluid levels and what color the fluid should look like, and he didn't make me feel like I was a nuisance or an idiot for asking questions. Instead, he answered all of them with a smile and with the kind of clarity and openness I hadn't previously seen in auto mechanics. I drove away knowing way more about how to service my car than I had ever gleaned from any other mechanic. I saw that another reviewer had said they felt like they got out of class--I fully agree with that statement. It was a class that I would gladly go back to. I love people who encourage curiosity and questions, who are so clear and helpful in their answers, and who are willing to share their knowledge and educate others! I will definitely go back and will recommend his service to anyone who will listen. read more

Very professional and reliable place to fix your car issues. Jose is the owner and takes care of my car with excellence!

Jose thoroughly diagnosed a very tricky electrical issue with my Subaru that 3 other mechanics could not get to the bottom of. He helped me keep the costs low by suggesting where I could source a salvage replacement part and charged a very reasonable amount. Highly recommend. read more

I had a VW Jetta and the radiator was completely shot. The dealerships I took it to were ridiculously overpriced but I got it repaired by the dealership anyway and all these other problems occurred. I got a second opinion from Technica International and Jose fixed all the problems at a very reasonable price. Another time I parked a little too close to the curb and part of my bumper fell off (I got a good laugh out of it at least). I took it to Jose to see what needed to be done and he fixed it- free of charge. The guys that work there are genuinely good people and do great work. They offer auto service and repair on imported and domestic vehicles. It's kind of hard to spot from the street. It is located right behind the smog place, to the left of the used car dealership. read more

Tecknica is located BEHIND THE SMOG SHOP nearly out of view. I had a little trouble finding it at first. My review: Jose is the man! I had a track day on a Sunday and on Friday, I stripped the nut holding my brake lines together. In a panic, I called as many shops around Berkeley as I could and at the recommendation of another performance-oriented shop in the area, I was directed to Jose at Tecknica. He was able to fit me in to his Saturday morning and get the problem fixed for me right away, for a price that was WAY more than fair. Jose is a very competent mechanic, and clearly has expertise in vehicles for all applications: the everyday commuter, the race car (he has a beautiful Toyota Supra of his own and is rebuilding one for a customer), and even the crazy project car (he has an electric powered VW Passat that he did with a UCB Electrical Engineering professor). Normally, I'm a DIY person with my car, but I will surely have to come back to Jose even if just to thank him for saving me before my track day, which was a BLAST. read more

Jose is an amazing mechanic. After talking to a handful of auto service people about the suspension problems I was having with my Ford Excursion, Jose was the only one who understood what I was talking about. He recommend the best, most reasonable repairs and completed it all in a timely manner despite running into some unforeseeable problems. He even went out of the way to correct a problem I was having with my tires and didn't charge me. My car drives 100% better now and I am very grateful for the excellent work he did at a great price! Jose is awesome! read more

I had an awesome experience with Jose at Tecknica Auto. On my first visit after being turned away from another shop, Jose took about 1 hour from his busy schedule to diagnose my car free of charge and answer all of my questions that I had about my catalytic converter, as well as other ailing parts of my car. He was extremely honest about the priciness of the catalytic converters and gave me his expert opinnion about the longevity of my car given its mileage and past repairs. I went home and thought about it for a few days and brought my car back on the weekend for the repairs. I cannot express how satisfied I am with the work Jose did on my car! As soon as I started up my engine i could immediately feel the difference! As an added bonus, he replaced my headlight, cleaned and polished my headlight covers, and I believe even washed my car for FREE!! It looked a lot BLUER than I remembered when dropping it off =) I appreciated Jose's nice and friendly demeanor especially since I no nothing at all about cars and NOT ONCE did i feel like he was trying to make a quick buck off a clueless girl! Jose also gave me helpful recommendations to keep up maintenance on my car and a positive overview of how my car is currently running! Which was good news for me to hear! I highly recommend coming to see Jose at Tecknica Auto....Thank you Muffler Works for turning me away and recommending me to Jose!! My Fiance has already decided he will be bringing his car in as well for any future work. read more

I have been servicing my car at Tecknica auto for a couple years now and Jose is the only mechanic I trust with my car. He knows his stuff and never tries to sell me on parts or services that my car doesn't need. I have a 2004 Lexus IS300 and he is always reasonable with his pricing which is so refreshing because other shops before would always try to charge me an excessive amount simply because it was a Lexus. I would highly recommend this shop! read more

Our car alternator went out and we took it to Jose. This was our first experience and we were so impressed with his expertise. He explained in great detail what had happened to our car, fixed two other minor issues without charging us and updated our car key battery for free. The dealership had quoted us $300 to replace our key. Thanks Jose! We will be back...hopefully not anytime soon! read more

Yes yes yes !!!!! Jose is the first mechanic that explained me in details about my car. I felt like I got out of the class . Very good feeling . He is honest and very good person .thats how all mechanic should be . read more

Jose is amazing!! I have an 01 Toyota Solara and he previously fixed my window after having my window broken into. So when I had car problems I was hoping he would be able to help. My car wouldn't start twice in two days. So after the second time getting it jump started I decided to drive it straight to Toyota. I wasn't sure if it was the battery and hoped it was not because i just had it replaced by Toyota less than 3 yrs ago. They had my car for 1.5 hours just to tell me that it was not the battery. So I asked them what was it and they said they did not know. That they need to do a diagnostic but cannot do it until tomorrow to see if its an electrical problem. And oh...that it will cost $140 for them to diagnostic. So took my car and decided to call Jose. I was a little worried because it was around 5 and wasn't sure if he was open and the last thing I needed was my car not starting on me again if I took it home. Fortunately he was and asked me to bring my car by and even though he is super busy due to memorial day that he will take a look at it the next day. He told me what he thought it was and he ended up doing a diagnostic on my car for free and explained to me in detail and step by step the tests he ran and what they meant in terms I could understand. On top of that., the same diagnostic Toyota wanted to charge me $140 for he did for FREE!!! Unfortunately we couldn't exactly pinpoint what the direct issue was because my car wanted to start working as soon as I dropped off the car with Jose and all the numbers from the diagnostic were good. He is so helpful and fair and I am so happy that I found a great mechanic that is not trying to get over on you, especially as woman. read more

Jose is amazing! I am a customer for life. Not only is he honest, but he is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. I have never had a better car experience. I cannot say enough, hands down, best mechanic ever. read more

Jose spent about two hours total, over a couple of weeks, on the phone with me before we even met, without making a penny for the time, just helping us choose a used car dealer -- without pushing any in particular, but giving several options to explore and avoid -- and giving advice on what to look for in a used car and how to check them out properly. He clearly loves his work and cares about giving the best possible service to every customer and vehicle. He is very knowledgeable and seems to enjoy explaining what he can about each make and model of car, the kinds of issues which might arise and how to deal with them if they do. Once we finally settled on a used Prius, he did great work tuning it up for a very reasonable price, and called to check for permission before adding something he hadn't included in the estimate (which was very minor and reasonable). I have never had as much confidence in a mechanic and would recommend Tecknica to anyone looking to buy and maintain a used car in the area. UPDATE 30-Sept-2011: Frankly, given that he's always responded within an hour when we call, *got our car back to us the SAME day we took it in, despite extensive work done*, as well as the fact that the car was definitely improved by his work and has run beautifully since, well, I have no idea who Jen J. is or whether her report is true, or what might have happened to her car, but it certainly has zero resemblance to my experience with Tecknica. Yes, it is a small business. That's part of why it's so amazing. read more

Called a few days in advance to make sure Jose had room to work on my classic and store it while it is there. Jose seems like a great mechanic with lots of knowledge but when I got there I could clearly see he had no room. My car needs to be towed as it is not registered and insured yet. He called me a short while later letting me know that he found the issue but won't be able to do the repair or order the part or store it. Told me it would be better that I do it myself and have the car towed back home ASAP. I didn't make a fuss because I've been through this before but when I got there he wanted to charge me $45 or so for "half an hour of work". I don't think this is fair as he didn't do anything but cost me towing both ways and not able to work on my car as planned. Won't be going back or referring anyone. read more

We've been going to Jose for about 6 years now. He's a very kind, honest, hard working mechanic. I'd give him more than 5 stars if it was allowed. He completely rebuilt our 97 Subaru Outback's motor and did a terrific job. He's the bestest! read more

My audi a6 broke down and I saw across the street an auto shop. I asked Jose for help. He was SO helpful, even giving me a ride down the street. He diagnosed the car for me and was very informative and exact about what the problem was. I have never met a mechanic who was so thorough and specific with his communication. He is very honest, industrious and works very very fast. Just watch him, he moves very quickly. I have recommended this shop to my friends on El Cerrito hills, and recommend him highly to anyone reading YELP. very impressed. read more

Jose is the most thorough, honest, and competent mechanic I've ever used. My family has 5 different cars: Toyotas, Hondas, and a Ford truck, He is patient in troubleshooting and explaining all repairs. He takes pride in the high quality of his work, and the satisfaction of his customers. A simple oil change (without asking) includes an inspection and test drive of the car. He treats our cars as if they're his own. I have total confidence in his work! read more

Jose and Jesse are as professional as can be. I brought in my "new" used Miata, and their inspection was incredibly thorough. They let me know how much everything would cost, and even helped me determine which fixes were most urgent. Jose is incredibly knowledge about cars, and was kind enough to explain everything he was doing to the car. I had been hearing some strange noises from the rear tires, and was very skeptical about driving the car around. Knowing that it has been checked out and given the ok takes a load off my shoulders. You definitely cannot go wrong here. Thanks guys! read more

It's a one person shop and it took the owner/mechanic two weeks and 1/2 to repair my car. According to another mechanic, I did receive some unnecessary repairs that I could have skipped. I did ask the owner/mechanic from Tecknica if the repairs in question were necessary and he went and explained in technical jargon for 30 minutes what was going on. Some people might appreciate the long winded explanations more than receiving your car back in a timely manner and with just the necessary repairs. If you don't mind waiting weeks or have everything replaced that might or might not have a longer life, this is your repair shop. Obviously, I do not recommend the place nor will come back. read more

I've been going to Jose at Tecknica Auto for approximately 8 years now and I will never go anywhere else. Jose is honest, reasonably priced, thorough and extremely knowledgeable. I have come into his shop without an appointment to ask questions about small problems and he will fix it and not charge because he knows that I will be back. He is the Best Mechanic ever and an all around good guy you can trust! read more

I have been taking my cars to jose for years and so far there hasn't been a problem he can't fix. Not only does he do quality work, he always uses quality parts. This is a quality shop with out the high end price that you would expect from this kind of work. I have a pretty good knowledge of mechanics but when i get a problem I cant fix I take my cars to Jose. I recommend tecknica auto because jose is consistent and honest. So drop in if you want your car to be running like it should. read more

Best mechanic ever! I am so impressed with Jose. Both knowledgeable and thoughtful, he clearly cares a great deal about his work. Even after moving to Pleasanton, I still prefer to drive the 30 miles to Tecknica in El Cerrito. read more

A follow up to my prior review! I got a follow up call from Jose to ask if the problem was resolved to my satisfaction. Who does that! Except someone who really cares about what they do, wow!! read more