Our experience with Gil and Transmatic Transmission started a little less than a year ago. We have a longtime owned 1997 4Runner that honestly has sentimental value. Mileage 250k+ ( We had just went through the 4Runner mechanically; water pump, timing belt, full tuneup, oil leaks, and intake / valve cover gaskets. When it came to the transmission. We noticed slipping after long rides and we were looking for options. Of course we went to Yelp as to see reviews because we knew transmission work is completed and can be very pricey... Honestly, shops were asking for more money than our 4Runner was worth. Gil was quick with replies and communication, greatly appreciated. Gils price was competitive and because of his reviews we chose to do business with Transmatic Transmission. Openly, I did not write a review until our 4Runner started making noises about 7-8 months after repair at TT. I reached out to Gil as he even gave us his cell phone number and still communication was on point and appreciated. He said "no worries, bring it back and I'll take a look." We towed it back, Gil received our 4Runner without us needing to be present. Gil then repaired our transmission, stood by his warranty and really took care of us without question. Understanding that in business, when you find someone that does what they say and stands behind their work at a competitive price you need to share your experience with the public. Gil from our family to yours, we appreciate your help! Our 4Runner has been back about a month, running like a champ and we are very happy with our service received from Gil and Transmatic Transmission! Rest assured Gil will do what's right in every situation and that is appreciated. Thank you Gil! read more

I went here to get my transmission rebuilt..he did a ok job on my transmission, but he fail to put my bolt all the way back in my cross member and al of a sudden I have a cut in my gas tank which he denies doing but he's the only one whose been working on it so I asked him about he got angry and replied with an attitude which I didn't like so he said bring it back so he can screw the bolt in properly and then him and his worker proceeds to laugh as if it's a joke.. I spent $2200 and now have to spend extra money on a new tank. read more

I was doing a biennial vehicle smog check and the transmission went out. The guy at this place (Transmatic Transmission) told me it will take 2 days to do transmission "overhaul" for a $1700. I got the transmission back 3 weeks later. It worked for awhile and totally failed. The automatic transmission was making unusual noise and did not shift correctly. Wrote letter and followed up with calling but no response. Very bad choice using this transmission place. Had the worst experience. read more

There is no other place in the Bay Area. I have a vintage Chevy truck, problem solved for a fair price.

Got a rebuilt transmission from this guy and he didn't check what I asked . Nor did he list the changes he did after I had it towed to his shop because he did not do the transmission correct the first time. Got a second opinion and this guy did not put in a rear component which is common for lazy work, causing a funny noise,which I know he heard, and now I'm having to pay to get his work fix. Oh yeah he wanted 2680 for the rebuild, and it took a month and a half. read more

Gil is the man. I have been taking my car to somewhere in San Francisco for the past year and decided to try out Transmatic Transmission. I am still kicking myself for not going to Gil sooner. Gil fixed my transmission significantly faster and cheaper than I was quoted elsewhere. I have a classic car and was happy to see other classic cars in his garage. He is knowledgeable, fast, friendly and I am so happy with how my transmission is working. Thanks so much Transmatic transmission! I am never going anywhere else ever again. read more

Great shop! Gil (I think?) had me in to check my transmission after another shop told me it was overfilled and leaking. Gil showed me why another shop might think it was overfilled and leaking despite it being totally fine! I hope my transition stays solid but if not I'll be back for service here. read more

I had a mecurary Milan that had a broken transfer case. Most places charged more than the car was worth. Gil (owner) was honest and gave the best price. At least as far as I could tell. I mean I don't know anything about transmissions. But he fixed it timely and kept me in the loop. Took his time to explain the issues and walked me through what he was charging. Based upon the other estimates I received from other locations, his price was more than fair. It was affordable and the car still works! read more

I was traveling from out of town helping my daughter move into a new apartment in Berkeley when my transmission went out in my Chevy Express Cargo Van. I made some phone calls, got some quotes and chose Transmatic to do the repair. I could not have chosen a better shop and a better shop owner to do the repair. I ended up renting a van and returning home to work. Gil did the work himself and got my van repaired in 3-4 days at the price quoted. (Adding $200 because I failed to mention it was an AWD and he failed to ask, so we split the $400 additional parts cost). If I was a local or a traveler, I would highly recommend Transmatic Transmission. On a funny side note driving home my front passenger side wheel bearing/hub went out and at first I thought it was transmission/transfer case related. Lol. Thanks Gil! read more

Gil is a straight talking, honest guy. He told me directly but politely that he doesn't think there's a problem with my transmission even though he knew that I believe there's a problem and am prepared to spend money with him. When a real problem arises (they always do) I'll be back. read more

Gil responded quickly to my question regarding my transmission here on yelp and was able to see me same day. He diagnosed the problem quickly and was able to have the part shipped and installed within a day. Very professional and friendly. Thank you Gil, for getting my vehicle back on the road, and running smooth again. I will be recommending this shop to everyone I know who needs transmission work. read more

Gil is very professional, Had issues with my 2011 Camry transmission and was successfully fixed. Any questions or concerns you may have he can answer with utmost confidence and give his professional opinion. The only issue I had is that I had to order a electrical component that his sources couldn't get, just be aware that may occur. read more

Gil is honest and straightforward with addressing the concerns I had with my car. After meeting with him, I had a lot more direction if I should fix or trade-in my car instead. Thanks for the help! read more

Got stranded in Orinda with a clutch got on the fritz; had no choice but to pay $190 just to get my car looked at by a shop across the street from a freakin' golf course. Of course, they quoted me $1800 to get my clutch replaced and the flywheel resurfaced. soooooo, I looked up a transmission place where I live in Oakland and found Transmatic, Gil's shop. Got a quote from him for around $800 and had my car towed there. Did he need to see the $190 diagnostic from the other place? Nah. He knew what was up from driving it in a few feet into the shop. There was some other issue too, some kind of sleeve but he was kind and only charged me for parts for that. All in all, came to a grand for the clutch, new flywheel plus the sleeve things. Plus, he didnt have a stick up his ass like the Orinda place. Thanks for saving me $800, Gil and I'm happy to recommend you to anyone who asks for a transmission specialist. read more

Gil is hands down the best transmission mechanic in the area . Honest ,Communicative, friendly, knowledgeable, AND affordable! I won't take my car anywhere else for transmission inspection/repair/replacement. What more can you ask for???? read more

Two weeks ago, I took my Hyundai Tucson 2012 to this shop based on the previous reviews. The owner was surprised when I told him I cam for that reason and said for what it seemed like a joke that he was surprised and these people don't know what they're talking about. He checked the transmission and decided it was bad and gave me the estimate of $3,800 to have it rebuilt. I was so shocked and decided to look around. I remembered I had gone to Lopez Transmission in Hayward years back. He sat down with me and gave me all the options and gave me a rebuild estimate for $ 1,800. Wow ! I said , 1/2 of the other estimate!!!! I understand if there's a few hundreds difference but double ??? I guess the first guy wasn't joking. I am glad I shopped around. To all consumers, please be honest and write true reviews and also don't get fooled by the stars.... read more

That went really well! Made an appointment for the next day to replace my clutch cylinders. Everything was done on time, Gil gave me back my parts as I requested. Car drives fine now. Thank you! read more

I did my tranny fluid change for my BMW 535i at this shop recently. It was done within 1-2 hours and the result was fantastic. I noticed my ride became much smoother after the fluid change. By the way, I did this job at 60k mile. I bought my parts including filter and pan from FCP Euro so, I only paid for the labor cost. The cost was reasonable and the work was fabulous! I totally recommend this guy! read more

Very honest and upfront about everything. Gil very knowledgeable about his work and cars. I would have him as my everyday mechanic anytime. We talked about everything while I was there not just about cars but just what was going on around the area of Oakland. He gives back to the community and is part of the community in so many ways. read more

February my darling 16 year old vehicle decides it doesn't want to drive , she only wanted to go in reverse. Checked out a few places on yelp and utilized the messaging feature on the app. It was pretty late on a Sunday evening, didn't expect any responses but I had a few. Some were far and some were closer to home. Shopped around for a few estimates. Decided to go with Transmatic, communication was great, and location of shop. They didn't have the cheapest estimate nor did they have the highest. I had my car towed there it took about a week to have my transmission rebuilt. So I didn't write my review sooner I wanted to see how my old girl would drive for awhile first. So she's great no complaints. 2 stars for speedy response time. 1 star for great communication 3 stars for not holding my baby hostage for weeks. read more

Clutch failed after just 3 months. It literally broke.

Five stars. Had one business day to do work to my car before I needed to use it to host East Coast colleagues. I was taken care of promptly with prices quoted accurately and professionally. Close to home, was a convenient bike ride away. Will use these guys when I run out of time to work on my won cars, thanks lads. read more

Ok.....Bottom Line it's because of the soul experience at Gil's "Transmatic Transmission Shop", is motivation to write my 1st Yelp review. I picked up my 2005 G35 Coupe Limited Ed. you know.....(The stock tail and 19 in. Chrome Infiniti wheels) from Transmatic Transmission at 1:30 pm this afternoon. I'm from San Francisco and had my car towed across the bay in the rain to his Shop! Why you ask, the facts are this man loves what he does. Check Gils resume if you don't believe me, I did. Upon 1st. contact I can see how one would say Gil wouldn't lead the league in Wins, when it comes to 1st. impressions I get that....but.... ...A "MANS MAN" straight shooter and as stated from a previous poster, he was consistent across the board....Diagnosis, Potential Cost, Risk Reward, Final Bill.....Let's not even talk Length...Check the calendar, this past week was a Holiday weekend. ( MLK ) 1) 9 am Mon the 8th I called, informing Transmatic Transmission, that my vehicle would be in route. 2) 10 am Fri.12th Tramsmatic Transmission shopped for the best possible prices and called me with options. 3) Tuesday the 16th 1:30 pm Gil left me a voicemail stating, "Your vehicle is ready". 4) Wed.17th at 8am I respond to Gils voicemail and informed him that I arrive at Transmatic this afternoon for pick up. 5) Gil was flexible extending payment options and was an absolute pleasure to talk during the transaction as he's just a hard working Old School Dude, rare but I can recognize one when I see them. FINALLY) 1: 30 left Transmatic paying (Exactly) what Gil quoted me on the phone Friday. The car runs like a G35 is supposed too, Tight. I would like to thank Mr. Gil for operating a stand up shop, I genuinely like and respect this man and will call Transmatic Transmission 1st going forward for any automotive issues PERIOD! All the Best, "Reoccurring Customer" Marcus A. Red read more

Trustworthy! Very Highly Recommended!! I thought my clutch was failing, so after reading these positive yelp reviews, I brought my car here. Very glad I did! Within an hour he called to say that my clutch was fine and I picked up the car and went on my way. It's great to meet such an honest, expert mechanic. I would definitely send anyone else needing transmission work to this shop. Thanks Transmatic! read more

My car started having some jerky accelerations from complete stops over the course of a few weeks. I checked my transmission fluid levels and found them to be extremely low. I did an online quote and amongst several businesses Gil got back to me the fastest (even on a weekend during non-business hours) and told me to bring it on in. Gil was welcoming, nice, cordial, and up front he said no diagnostic fee was due. Left the car with him and he called me up later after the leak was localized. It looked like there were quite a few cars ahead but Gil was able to get mine done by the next day. Definitely very pleased and the whole experience was consistent with other positive reviews I've seen here on yelp. He runs a solid business would definitely return and recommend to others. Thanks again! read more

Its like finding a doctor you trust or maybe for me like the mustard grilled cheeseburger with whole grilled onions & xtra lettuce,tomatoes, pickles toasted bun @ In N Out, Specialization fosters excellence with lower prices. After my clutch started slipping yesterday I did a FRANTIC! search and call to see what was out there. Aamco $1300... local shops all in that range . They would probably have done the job right but not for $800!! Took Berk Bart to the Fruitvale station a 8 minute walk this afternoon. Gil showed me my worn out clutch. Being the car nut that he is he inspired my confidence in his ability. Car felt amazing. Transmission stuff or muscle car issues GO SEE GIL! 6 month guarantee!! warning when you call he's very soft spoken I had to ask if I had reached Transmatic....if you read this Gil take note... read more

Would never go here again and strongly urge future customers to do the same. Had my clutch replaced, pretty straightforward. Went to pick my car up and before I even got home, I kept hearing a squealing noise. I knew immediately what it was (a bad throwout bearing that should be replaced when putting a new clutch in). Upon inspecting the car, I noticed a screw sitting on top of the "beauty cover" that covers the spark plugs. I found where they forgot to put the screw back in. I took it back and the owner agreed to fix the throwout bearing. Never received a courtesy call letting me know they will need to keep my car over the weekend when I was told it would be done that Friday. I called and left a message with no reply. The following week I finally get my car back. By this time I just wanted to be done with this whole ordeal. A few months pass and as I am getting ready to do a tune-up on my car (I know my way around cars and had a 1958 ford that I did all the work on myself, so there is no fooling me) I notice my front parking lights wires were completely cut off and missing, my washer fluid cap is missing, and my air filter clip is missing. Needless to say my parking lights don't work since the wires were completely cut off. Makes me nervous what else I will find as I inspect a little more. I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY urge everyone to stay away from Transmatic Transmission. Horrible experience as this is not how you do quality work. read more

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Gil is the answer. We brought our Camry to Gil on a tight budget and sadly didn't follow his advice to either buy a transmission from him or locally. I wish we had, and we ended up wasting a lot of Gil's time, but he handled it like a pro in the end and got everything fixed up. Thanks for getting our car back on the road and putting up with us! read more

This place is amazing !! The business owner Gil is such a kind, funny, and honest mechanic. I was told by another mechanic elsewhere that I needed to replace my transmission. I came for a second opinion and Gil spent an incredible amount of time and energy doing a thorough evaluation and determined in his expertise that the problem didn't actually seem to be caused by the transmission. I feel really grateful to have an honest expert around, who seems like he really just loves what he does and wants to help people. He saved me from potentially spending $3000 on something unnecessary. Great experience and very highly recommend if you have any transmission concerns, it's nice to know that if you are faced with something so big there is someone around that you can trust to make the right call. read more

I went in with troubling transmission symptoms - turned out I was super low on fluid. They diagnosed the problem, filled me up on fluid, checked for leaks, and got me out of the door (without charging me a dime!) in no time flat. So grateful for their honest, speedy, and, above all, helpful assessment. read more

I brought my '86 corvette in and in 3 days it was ready and stronger than before and the price was RIGHT!!!! I'm SOOO GRATEFUL and HAPPY I came to Gil!!! read more

This is the second time Ive used Transmatic Transmission. The first time they did my Chevy Silverado. Excellent price, warranty and finished in just 3 days. Unfortunately my truck was stolen and I ended up buying a older truck with a bad transmission. I had the same experience. Great price, service, done quickly and warranty. I totally recommend using Transmatic. read more

Hard to find someone as trustworthy, honest, and who is so passionate about what they do as Gil. He is very professional and had my van back to me in just a little under 24 hours. He even stayed late after work to have my van back to me as soon as he promised. Stand up guy who really knows his stuff. Will highly recommend him to friends and family. read more

Gil is great! He is incredibly friendly, and responsive, plus, he was incredibly proactive and spent a bunch of time helping me diagnose my problem without any fee or grumbling. My problem (at least initially) ended up not being transmission related, and he helped me find someone who could help. I'm still working through my issues, but, if the transmission does need help (crossing my fingers), I'll _definitely_ come back & update this review. read more

Not lots of cars waiting for repair, but serviced my trans oil change quickly and inexpensively.

Gil knows so much about cars and is more friendly and helpful than he needs to be. He cares about his customers and his shop does great work they stand behind. My clutch came with a 6 month warranty at a great price. read more

I have a 06 Ford Explorer. I purchased my car back in 2018. In the last year, my transmission has been giving me issues. I brought it here because it was close to my house and I prefer to bring my business to locally owned businesses. Gil, the owner, connected my car to his scanning tool and determined I had multiple transmission trouble codes. He advised me to go to the dealer to verify the issues so he doesn't charge me to rebuild my transmission if the issue is much worse. I appreciated his guidance and the dealer gave me a list of the problems that my tranny was having and I brought it back to Gil and they fixed the problems. Now my transmission is shifting smoothly and I couldn't be happier. He gave me a 12-month warranty and I won't have to see him again about it unless I'm bringing another car for him to fix. This is a great shop and their prices for the jobs they perform are unmatched. I don't think I would bring my car to another transmission shop. read more

Another shop told me I needed a rather expensive transmission repair and I believed them. Decided to shop for a specialist and after researching and calling around, placed my bet on Gil at Transmatic - so glad I did. Honest as the day is long, he drove it, inspected it and let me know that he didn't find the so called problem. Not in his financial interest today, but I know where I'll go/refer friends to if transmission work is ever needed. I'm a fan! read more

Gil and his team are by far the best! When the transmission on my old '06 Ford Taurus broke down, I was dreading having the whole thing rebuilt since I knew it would be costly. I literally spent a good amount of time calling over 30 different places all over the Bay Area. Gil's price for a REBUILT transmission beat out the competitor's price for a USED transmission by (on average) $1,000! Way better deal! Gil was very honest throughout the whole process. I messaged him questions on Yelp several times, since I know nothing about cars and wanted to make sure I was choosing the right servicer. He answered all my questions with speed and patience. When I picked up my car, it was working great! I did notice the exhaust pipe was slightly off a few weeks later, so I called Gil and brought the car back the next day right when they opened at 8am. I told him I needed the car back by the afternoon if possible, and he called me right at 10am saying that it was ready for pick up. It has been working as good as new ever since. Definitely would recommend his awesome, quick, honest services to anyone with transmission problems! read more

It's been a couple of months since I went to Gil and had my clutch replaced (1st time I've needed to for my 2007 Toyota Corolla) and it's as smooth as when I first got my car. Decided to try this shop based on Yelp reviews that he is honest, charges reasonable prices (doesn't charge for the initial inspection either), and does high-quality work for anything transmission related, and I'd say all 3 things were true in my experience. I also appreciated how quickly I'd get yelp message responses from his wife, Diane, starting with the initial quote (she apparently handles all of the email and communication side of the business). It's also just a few blocks from Fruitvale BART station, which was helpful while I was carless for a week. He had actually completed the repair in one day but had my wrong #, so I didn't know it was done so quickly. *a note: I did have to take it back in once more within maybe a week because of a rattling noise. However, it was as simple as a loose screw or other and he had that fixed right away. Then, with my luck, somehow a fuse blew out during this time and my car wouldn't start -- so I had to leave it at the shop for an extra day while it got checked out from folks across the street (he didn't charge me for this part). And that was also fixed easily. My point being it's great to go to a place where I can trust the mechanic and also feel comfortable to call back when I notice any issues. read more