My son's 2000 MR2 Spyder Would not pass smog. I took it to a local mechanic in Santa Clarita, He kept it for a month, and it came back without a smog certificate, still throwing codes. My wife used to take her 1983 Celica to Virgil back in the 1980s and we also took our 90s vintage Corolla and previa there as well for Virgil to work on them and he always did well by us. I told my son, "we need an expert. We need Toymasters." Virgil was able to identify five different problems with the car that were causing the codes including a cracked Gassville pipe, improper valve adjustment, fuel injectors not working properly, and defective mass air sensor. Virgil and his Mechanics took the time necessary to fix the car in and charge me what I thought was a very reasonable price. If you have a Toyota or Lexus Needing repair, I cannot recommend Toymasters more highly. read more

I had a question about my car and it was 6 pm, the shop was already closed, I called even though the shop was closed, Virgil still picked up the phone, and I was able to bring my car early in the morning the next day, this place is a great place to bring your car, they use original parts, they have reasonable prices. Customer service is great, if you live close enough of the shop, they could even give you a ride home & pick you back up... this place is top notch!! Virgil is the guy to go to, & Carlos does an amazing work in the cars. They're an amazing team... they work full time to get your car up and running like new again.. two thumbs up all the way... best place to take your car. I definitely recommend this place to everyone. read more

This place is the best!!! Better than going to the dealership. They will take good care of your Toyota and give you a better price that's the dealers read more

Carlos was amazing and professional and helped me with my back seat button that I totally destroyed! He was so kind and didn't make me feel bad about jamming my stupid headrest down in there in the first place! I was in and out of there in a jiffy and he was so friendly and helpful that if I ever need anything with our Prius again, I'll definitely come back! read more

A+++ Service and professionalism. They guys at Toymasters are a rarity in mechanical service. Honest and go above and beyond for you to get your vehicle back on the road. Brought in my 82 Corolla, which I drove across the country and through the high desert of California to have my transmission fail nearly once I arrived in to LA city. Virgil, Carols, and the Toymasters crew made sure to find (even machine) parts for the 20+ year old Corolla's transmission. A lot of love put into the car by them. "Ichiro" runs as smooth as I'd imagine it did off the assembly line in Toyota Japan. read more

trustworthy honest and expert mechanic. Always less expensive than the dealership Virgil the owner has proven to be extremely honest recently when my hybrid battery light came on and he simply turned it off and told me he thought it had turned on accidentally when I went over extremely bumpy terrain. since turning the light off if has not turned back on. he also told me not to panic if it came back on because the car will not stop working if the battery begins to fail. so blessed to have found this place. thank again guys!!! read more

Simply put, Toymasters is the best, period! I have been a customer for more than 10 years and have decades of experience in these matters (a great mechanic once found, is like finding a needle in a hay stack), all of the above reviews by other customers are accurate when describing the services rendered from Mr. Virgil at Toymasters (Certified Master mechanic). For me it's well worth the drive from LA, California and leaving my car and/or truck for several days on end, because I know when the job is done, it is going to be repaired at the highest level with original parts... Thanks Virgil! read more

The reason why my ole reliable 1989 Toyota Camry is still on the road today, and running great...is solely because of Toymasters (Virgil & Carlos). Ten years ago, the hard-to-access "locking latch" on my trunk needed to be adjusted/tightened. I went to several auto mechanics, and all of them gave me an attitude that they couldn't be bothered...that it was "too beneath them" to bother making a simple repair on such an old car. Fate brought me to Toymasters. It was on a Saturday - I was a stranger, and everyone was busy...and yet Virgil immediately stopped what he was doing and said "Yeah, I can fix that". In 2 minutes the job was done. And because of that "customer-service" attitude...I've been bringing my car back to Toymasters ever since. I have never been disappointed with their work. I whole-heartedly recommend Toymasters...especially if you drive an older Toyota! read more

Now my go-to Toyota garage. Very happy I found them and go there religiously twice a year for my Prius maintenance.

Unbelievable! I was charged over 1200.00 to a change couple oils and check my battery and a sear fix. . Anyone who trusts this man is crazy! He saw me coming. Just saying, I'm older. When I tried to call he pretend not to be himself? I hate this about mechanics. I had my 90 year old mother with me who was in the car. Really does not matter bc he's a total scammer. Virgil, shame on you! ! I'm having my car looked over. We will see what you even did. I'm not well and I have an 90 year old mother I take care of. You have not seen the last of me. You're a disgrace to mechanics. read more

HANDS DOWN THE BEST!!!! It's simple, Virgil & Carlos at Toymasters Auto know what they are doing through-in & through-out, hands down, period. They are truly master technicians and will pin-point any issue and execute resolving the issue effectively. NO Doubt. I speak from experience having worked with them on my personal vehicle... OTHER mechanics would "fix" an issue but I repeatedly had problems, leaks, noises, etc still occurring and thus more questions... later I'd find they were taking a more band-aid type approach. THEN with Virgil & Carlos - Toymasters, this was NOT the case! They would clearly evaluate the vehicle and locate what exactly what is the issue or potentially could become an issue AND take the time to show me on the engine firsthand. They can easily explain how parts function and explain what parts/issues take priority to repair/replace and WHY that is. CLEARLY. Then they execute and resolve the issue, done. NO MORE WORRY. So, don't waste your time with other mechanics that don't know the engineering of vehicles. You are wasting money by cutting corners (and wasting time). To summarize, I Trust Virgil & Carlos completely, so much so I currently have a vehicle in Texas that I will take to them to evaluate and maintain soon as I'm back in CA. You are in good hands with Toymasters Auto and can feel great about that. They are solid. Not to mention, really nice and positive attitude good people. I have recommended friends and they have all been very happy with the results! Say hi to Virgil & Carlos and trust you are working with the best!!! read more

Toymasters Auto - 2001 4Runner - work preformed at Toymasters Auto, Studio City Los Angeles - Auto Repair Near Me - Studio City, California

I just wanted to stop by and say thank you to the owner (?) or the person who greeted me the other day when I brought my prius as it had its battery issue. I pulled in, and the person (I believe his name was Calros? sorry if I was wrong) greeted me with a smile when he and his workers were dealing with million other things. I felt very welcomed and I told him about the issue, and he told me that I should be still on a warranty and I should be able to replace the battery for free as its good for 10 years. I got it taken care of without a cost, thanks to him!! I haven't gotten any service done yet here at Toymasters, but I really wanted to show my appreciation towards him and his workers for being honest with me and made me feel very better when I was facing some car issue, which is always a pain in the ass. haha. Thank you very much for your generosity. I can already tell why they are doing well and people are leaving awesome comments for this business. I hope I won't have to deal with the car issue for a while, but I highly recommend anyone who is looking for a car service in the valley to give it a shot. :) read more

This is my first ever review on Yelp, and I'm more than glad to make this my first. I found Toymasters after looking through countless hours and calling other Toyota shops around. I had recently purchased a 1986 Toyota Vanwagon that I knew would require some work. This will be my all around camping slash weekend cruiser and I wanted it be mechanically sound before I can do all of that. My main issue with the van was the front suspension. Like all things old, wear and tear is a given, and upon arriving to toymasters and seeing all the old Toyota classics from trucks to sedans to even priuse's, I knew this was the shop. What really sealed the deal was talking to the owner Virgil. Virgil has more knowledge of Toyota's than anyone I've met. I gave him the symptoms of the suspension, and he was able to diagnose the issues right off the bat. He was very honest about what's required and the total amount it would cost to fix it. And a few weeks later it was done. Virgil was so confident, he asked me to drive around the block with him and see if there was any issues at all. No surprises! The van ran as smooth as a 1986 butter. The work done was top notch. The van soaked up the bumps like it was nothing. Let's just say the van is one step closer to seeing lots of adventures. Thank you Virgil and Toymasters crew for getting it done right. read more

Toymasters Auto - My 86 - Auto Repair Near Me - Studio City, California

See all

I have known the owner for over 30 years. Who is taking my vehicles to him. They know what they're doing there read more

My last straw with my local Nissan dealer was when they wanted to charge me $90 to tell me why my check engine light was coming on... So I called Toymasters and they said they'd let me know for free! Turns out there was nothing wrong with my car -- the light merely needed to be reset. (Would Nissan have made something up for them to "repair"?) So I've come back to Toymasters multiple times and each time it felt like I received fair pricing and was well cared for. Carlos is nice and knowledgeable and I feel this shop is trustworthy, which is not a feeling I've had at most mechanics over the years. These guys get everything done quickly, and I much prefer supporting a local small business than the monolithic car dealership. read more

After the warranty on your new car expires, it's insane to keep going back to the dealer. Yes, the Lexus dealer treats you real nice: massage chair, popcorn, a new car loaner or shuttle service, and they wash your car. But you're paying close to double for those things! I was tired of paying full dealer price for servicing, brakes, etc. Then my catalytic converter went out. I was fortunate to find Toymasters Auto Clinic in Studio City. They do it all! They replaced the catalytic converter, original part, for a little over 50% of what Glendale Lexus wanted! The actuator (motor) in my passenger door went out. Again, the part was replaced at considerably less than what Glendale Lexus wanted. Last year, I had a dead battery caused by a loose cable from the alternator. I was towed to Toymasters... and they quickly took care of me. These people are the real deal. Straight forward. The prices are more than fair. Virgil owns the shop; Carlos is his main man. They're both great people. They're pros. They specialize in Toyota and Lexus, and really know these cars; and they have a solid work ethic, and are absolutely honest. They tell you what needs to be done, and what can wait. They do not have car loaners, but there's an Enterprise rent-a-car within walking distance. And it you decide to wait while your car is being repaired, there's a comfy couch and a large flat screen TV in the office. One extremely minor criticism: Sometimes - only sometimes - completing the job may take a bit longer than promised. But, to be fair, they just installed four tires... and it was done in less than half the time! I've got almost 170,000 miles on my Lexus; Toymasters will keep it running. So... no massage chair, no popcorn, no new car loaner or shuttle, and no washed car. Assuming you don't need these "frilly" extras, you'd be smart to go here. The shop is a bit difficult to find. It's on Ventura Blvd in Studio City... but it's recessed and somewhat easy to miss. Find them... you'll be extremely satisfied. read more

Virgil is honest and has fair pricing. I never feel scammed or hustled. He tells me what should be fixed urgently and what things can wait. Keeps my 2001 Lexus running well! read more

After some horrible experiences with other mechanics, I found Toymasters on Yelp and decided to give them a try - being only a few blocks away from my apartment. I know very little about cars and look like I'm 13, so that combination usually leads to some shady dealings with mechanics. As everyone keeps saying, make sure that you drive all the way to the back! The front mechanic won't say that they're Toymasters or not but try to help you anyway. I had to have the belts replaced in my car and, after hearing from another mechanic that I needed to have my water pump replaced because of a leak, Toymasters told me that it was (essentially) bogus. I'm so glad that I went to them! Thanks for saving me over $600 in repairs. Will definitely be returning and you should as well. :-D read more

Carlos and Virgil were able to help me quickly even though I didn't have an appointment (I didn't know that you're supposed to make an appointment). He gave me two options to fix a noise coming from my car and he gave me his honest opinion about what he would do personally. I really appreciate the hospitality and honesty from them!! They are friendly people. Thanks y'all! read more

When I first moved to LA, I asked around my new job for recommendations to a mechanic. Finding one in a new city can be daunting! A co-worker immediately offered up Toymaster. He had recently brought a used Toyota truck he was having trouble with and was told the work required on this vehicle wasn't worth doing. It was this level of honesty that made him believe in this mechanic. They basically said "no thanks" to five grand worth of work on his behalf. Luckily I had a Toyota. I brought my car here for seven years and never took it to another mechanic. Virgil and his crew work on Toyota and Lexus. That's what they specialize in. The prices are good, they work fast and they always explained to me what they were doing and why. Many times they told me I didn't need work that I thought I did. I NEVER felt that I was being sold work that my car didn't need. The guys are nice and remembered details about my car between visits. I relied on Virgil to tell me when I needed new tires and other things that his shop didn't do. Overall, I felt that I was in very capable hands and feel confident referring other people here. Some things to know. 1) It's on a curve on a busy part of Ventura Blvd so it can take some practice finding and getting into their driveway. 2) It's a dirty city mechanic and not really a nice place to sit and wait and the location is not ideal for walking around. It's best to have someone pick you up and come back when the car is done. 3) When Virgil was onsite and supervised the work, it was always great. There were one or two times I drove the car away and came right back, called Virgil and had him check or redo the work. And he was not always there when he said he would be, especially in the mornings. Afternoons are better. read more

Virgil and the gang did a great job with my car! My '97 Corolla is getting on in years (and mileage: 180K!), and I knew there were some things wrong with it when I brought it in. I asked him to flush the steering and transmission fluids, since it hadn't been done in ages (I really notice the difference with the transmission especially: the gears shift much more smoothly!). I also asked him to check the car out and tell me if anything else needed to be done immediately. Well, the rear brakes were almost gone, so I had to say yes. As much as it hurts to admit you have to throw down some good money, it has to be done and that's that. One cool thing about Toymasters is that the price is fair, especially considering they use Toyota parts: you definitely won't get such a good deal at the dealership. I even called my old mechanic up in SF and he corroborated the quote. Before I went in, Virgil had quoted me a price over the phone for both the tranny flush and the steering flush, but when I got there, he'd misremembered how much he quoted me over the phone, so make sure you write it down if you call and ask. After the repairs were done, he told me about some of the other things on the car, like my cracked belts and the small oil leak. He was honest enough to only tell me I had to fix the thing that was most urgent (the brakes, which had started to squeak a bit anyway), rather than trying to make me pay for a bunch of stuff I don't need yet. What's more, he took the time to open the hood and show me exactly what he was talking about. My only gripe is that the oil change is a little pricey ($28--probably because of those genuine Toyota supplies), so I might go elsewhere for that next time. Regardless, my experience was very good and I will definitely be returning to Toymasters. They KNOW Toyotas. read more

I have been taking my 1989 Toyota Supra to Virgil for over 15 years. He has kept my car working extremely well for all that time. Over the years he has rebuilt my engine and my transmission. We have also replaced the suspension and the exhaust system, People often stop me to comment on the great condition of my car. I always tell them that I owe it in large part to Virgil. He is simply the best Toyota and Lexus mechanic in Southern California. He always diagnoses the problem correctly and gets it fixed right the first time. If you have a Toyota or Lexus you would be making a mistake to take it anywhere else. read more

Great service, honest working people there, clear, concise, straight to the point without trying to up-sell you other things. I like Carlos, he seems like a very knowledgeable person who definitely isn't new to his craft. I will come back for certain. :) read more

We came across Toymaster through Yelp, and took our 1993 Corolla in for extensive work, and Virgil and his team did a superb job. Then we promptly had a bad accident; the insurance company wanted to total the car (of course!), but his guys brought it back to life, and it runs better than ever. He's an honest and trustworthy guy, and you won't find better work anywhere -- and this car has seen its share of work. One caveat: MAKE SURE YOU GO TO THE BACK OF THE LOT off Ventura. That's were Toymaster's offices are -- there's a separate auto repair business in the front, and while we don't know them, we can't imagine you'd get anything equal to -- certainly not better -- than you do with Virgil. read more

Hi Everyone, Toymasters, 2nd shop in the alley at 11467 Ventura Blvd, located in rear of driveway - remember NOT the first shop (express smog and auto repair) Whoever reads this I want you to know TOYMASTERS are the greatest shop in town, hands down!! For real, I have a 2002 BMW M3, they took my car in when no one would and fixed my conv. top for me in a matter of hours they knew what the problem was, they are amazing, honest, true to their word and most important, EXPERTS! They are pros, they know exactly what they are doing. YOU CAN TRUST THESE GUYS, 100%, they have fair prices and do amazing quality work. Virgil owns the shop and has his 2 guys working there, they are all professional and know exactly what they are doing. They are pros on Japanese cars, Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Acura, scion, infinity but they will not turn you down if you have a German or exotic car - there is nothing they cannot do for your vehicle! If you are looking for a good, honest, trustworthy shop, go here!! 818-753-8808 don't forget they are located in the back not the front, when you pull in make sure you don't mess up and go the first shop which is called express smog and auto repair, THATS NOT THEM and honestly I went there once and they are horrible, continue driving down 1 shop and you'll see their hanger - TOYMASTERS ask for virgil! THANK GUYS!!! YOU'RE THE BEST!!!!! :) read more

My warhorse 98 Lexus GS400 needed some repairs...I had to have some major items done: engine cylinder head valve gaskets were leaking & both front ball joints were worn. I went again to Toymasters and the owner Virgil made sure the repairs were done in a highly expert way. The entire job, including an oil change, was $800...a lot of money, but a huge discount over what Glendale Lexus charges. In these tough economic times, if I didn't have a resource like Toymasters that charges fair prices, I wouldn't be able to make the repairs needed to keep the GS400 running. read more

I just moved to the area and was nervous going to a new mechanic when the dreaded "Check Hybrid System" message came up and my Prius wouldn't start. I had my car towed to Toymasters, and I couldn't be happier! Virgil handled my issue with honesty and care, and I am now confident I have found my new mechanic! Thank you, Virgil! read more

Review is long overdue. My wife has a 2010 Scion XD. Car was turning off repeatedly at stop signs and red lights. Checked it for battery, gas cap, spark plugs before finally taking it in to Toymasters. They took care of the issue, explained the causes, and cleaned up carbon build up and flushed transmission fluid. This was over a year ago. Scion XD has been doing great since then and has yet to turn off when iddling. Our Scion XD has 135,000 miles and is going strong. Prompt service too. read more

I brought my FJ62 to Virgil, in early 2021, to get the starter replaced. Virgil took a look and let me know I'd need new brakes and battery as well. I made the decision to go ahead with the brakes and decided to save money by looking for a new battery (as my previous Optima had been a good investment for the previous 3-5 years). One day later I received a call from a random stranger asking if my vehicle was for sale. Evidently, someone had walked on to the property, opened my vehicle door, rifled through and found my registration (with phone number) and called me. This was less-than-appreciated... and I made sure to let Virgil know. In any case, as my car was being worked on, updates were few and far between. In fact, I only found out of the car being finished, 7 days later, by calling them myself. When I arrived to pick up the car, I found my battery had been replaced and my Optima core had been sent away (this despite me wanting to keep the core and choose my own battery). I later found out the $300 ("dealer cost") Exide battery model they had replaced my Optima with was, in fact, easily found at my local Home Depot. For much less than $300. This wasn't the most pleasant experience and I hope others can avoid going through the same mistakes I did. Make sure phone updates are frequent and take prodigious pictures of your vehicle before sending in to a shop (water reservoir caps, etc. go missing on these vehicles at shops frequently). I can't say I'd recommend going here, really. Hope this was a one-time occurrence. read more

After 20 years of fantastic service from this great shop it's time to share my great experiences. Virgil has personally worked on my Porsche, Mercdes, Toyota and Lexus cars and SUVs masterfully. Everything from pre-purchase inspections to complete front-end rebuild of my Landcruiser to body & paint repairs and everything any of my 5 SC400's needed. When I moved away he still treated me and my needs as if I was still in town around the corner. When I had come in for an expensive A/C repair he noticed a heater control valve was leaking. I said it just wasn't in the budget at that moment and he took care if it because he didn't want it to fail and leave me stranded. Told me to pay when I could. Wow. What else can I say? His shop and the guys there are awesome. Go! You won't be sorry. read more

Just took my Sienna there two weeks ago, and everything was excellent: service, price, and attention especially. They really care about their customers and will go the extra mile. One note if you are planning to go there: The guy from Brakemasters down the road had recommended Toymasters to me, and I accidentally went to the shop right next to Toymasters instead of following the driveway to the BACK where Toymasters is. Didn't realize my mistake until after the work was done. But I came back when I needed more work two weeks ago, and I was very happy with my experience. So be sure to go to the shop in the BACK and make sure you ask for Toymasters... You won't be disappointed! read more

I just want you to know that I refer all my friends to Toymaster, because of Virgil the owner and his crew work hard , give excellent service, good prices and won't jive you because you're a female... Great prices for me on a teachers salary you need to have a honest person on your side that can guarantee work done like in a dealership manner.. My whole family comes to Toymaster, for about 2years and have always had the best ... Thank you crew at Toymaster Auto Clinic continue to the best job and fair prices.. Dee read more

Virgil and his team are by far the best and most trustworthy mechanics in town. I have been looking for a place like this for years and am so happy that I have finally met a team I can fully trust. No one understands the Toyotas as Virgil does! Thanks, I will be back! read more

These guys are great. Took care of the repair on a 2010 Prius for me. So far so good. Honest and friendly too!

It's such a relief to finally find a trustworthy mechanic. I live on the opposite side of the valley, but it's worth the drive to bring my car to someone I can have confidence in. One thing I really appreciate is that Virgil (the owner) is willing to tell you when a repair just isn't worth it and it's time to get rid of the car, whereas other mechanics would gladly keep doing expensive repairs that cost more than the value of the car. He could have a made a lot of money off of this repair, but he opted to be honest and tell me what would be best for me. I'll keep referring everyone I know to this place. read more

These guys are really amazing! I found them on yelp for my mom when her car brown down. We got it towed to them and they fixed everyone for a very fair price. They even stayed after they closed so she could pick up her keys. Since then she's been back to fix a couple things and they are always honest, kind and very professional. Finally a trusted and amazing mechanic! 5 stars and beyond! read more

Went over to get my leaky 2000 Camry fixed for the road. She was crying, bleeding oil like crazy, but the guys here didn't make me feel too stupid about it. They were helpful and gave me a detailed description of what they were going to do to my baby beforehand and then the mechanic showed me in person what he did to her afterwards. Totally transparent pricing, friendly people, and quality service! I needed a trustworthy tinkerer to get under her hood and fix her up without gouging me for dollars and I couldn't have been more satisfied. Edit May 25, 2019: the car made it 2600 miles across the country! Thanks guys! You made sure I got home safe and sound! read more

Yes!! Toymasters did it again!! My Sienna cooler pipe burst. Instead of putting in the same pipe that burst. Virgil put in steel pipe in place of rubber pipe. Now, I will not have to worry the pipe will burst again, and that will save me money. Virgil really knows what he is doing and he cares, if I took my car to some other shop maybe they will put rubber pipe again to get another business from me in the future. By the way, I stopped by to ask Virgil about the sliding back door which has a grinding sound. He gave it a quick fix, I asked him how much is my damage. He said that's nothing (free of charge). Now a days, there is no such free. I'm a very happy customer. read more

Let me preface this review by saying that I actually didn't bring my car in for service here, but there's a reason for that, thus this review. I called Toymaster to get a quote for a 90,000 mile service for my 2004 Toyota 4Runner. The person on the phone put me on hold for a couple minutes, and then comes back on the line and tells me it'll cost approximately $1200 for the 90K service, because I would have to replace my water pump and timing belt. He claims that I should replace my timing belt immediately because otherwise, I would run the risk of losing my transmission, which would cost me even more. I thought that made sense, but wanted to shop around so told him I'd call him back. I wondered how much a dealership would cost, since $1200 seemed pretty expensive. I ended up calling two different Toyota dealerships, and each dealership quoted me approximately $350. Wondering why there was such a big difference, I asked them what was included in the service. Turns out, my car DOESN'T HAVE A TIMING BELT! And yet, Toymaster wanted me to pay $1200 for a service to replace my nonexistent timing belt! How do you trust a mechanic who tries to charge you for a service you don't need for a part you don't have? Needless to say, I didn't bring my car in. read more

I love this place! It's my new local shop. Quick, friendly, and comprehensive details on quotes and estimates to make decision making a breeze. I really like this shop and I've been to MANY MANY before this one. read more