Honest ! Very honest. We took our truck here for a go through. We wanted her to last another 100k miles. This shop was so honest! They spent a good amount of time diagnosing all and any issues. Rob called with a complete rundown of what should be done to what and how much each thing would cost. When we asked him what he would do, he told us the truth even though it meant not spending a bunch of money with him. He said trade it in, it's still has a ton of life for now. We did. We bought a brand new truck. We have other vehicles and we have decided he will be our mechanic! read more

Valley Import Center - Auto Repair Near Me - San Ramon, California

I want to commend the owner Rob for being straight forward about issues with my 2014 Subaru Forester. This particular model has many quirks including a very poorly designed front end. Rob took the time to explain to me about the design flaw and covered rework when technically he didn't have to. Maybe not the cheapest but who else covers repairs for 2 years, 25k miles? Not Subaru. Not your local tire dealers. Thank you Rob, Ethan and the crew! read more

I reached out to find out if they could perform a wheel alignment for my 1953 F100. I was pleased to get a confirmation and appointment. A thorough inspection was completed and the brakes adjusted. They discovered my steering box was worn out along with the pitman arm. They took care to explain the safety of not driving the vehicle until repairs were made. I'll bring the truck back once I find a steering box to be installed and be ready for the alignment. As with all classic vehicles, they are expensive to own and maintain. I fully expect to pay the price of said services at a premium. They aren't cheap but they do excellent work. I trust and recommend Valley Import Center for all your automotive needs. read more

Family owned businesses, especially one with 46 years longevity, positive reviews, and highly recommended to our family by a business acquaintance. Congratulations, you are doing something right. This is certainly a company I would like to support. Unfortunately we won't have the opportunity to do business with each other. Valley Import Center may have the best operations staff, mechanics, and trustworthy owner, however if Ethan is their window to the world on the other end of the phone line... I can offer my opinion on where improvement is needed. I made two calls over 8 days to schedule appointment. Ethan made it clear the shop is full, no room for another vehicle in the garage or on the lot and then added, when a spot does become available, "I will not be first on the list"! Understandable, business is good. I then asked for estimate of how long before possible opening? Response; "could be 3 weeks, maybe longer", (and here's the best part) "I don't mean to sound rude, but you ARE NOT first on the list". Yeah, I heard that once already. Now a second time with some serious attitude and underlying anger. Business may not always be booming Ethan. Be humble. Mike F, Danville Oh! 2 stars because the reviews for Valley Imports are awesome. Think of the rating more like negative 3 stars, on account of the less than pleasurable phone interaction. - read more

I called needing a quick check for my car to make sure it was safe for my baby, and they took it in within minutes. They found and fixed the issue in just two hours. Honest, knowledgeable, and efficient I'd definitely bring my car here again. read more

Valley Import Center was able to get my car (an old Acura MDX) in quickly and diagnose what was wrong, as well as telling me my tires were past due for a change (which I knew but not as bad as they were!). Everything was completed in short order and for a very reasonable price. I'd definitely recommend them! read more

Worst experience ever. I would not recommend ever taking your car here. I took my recently purchased classic for a check/ assessment because one of the neighboring businesses recommend Valley Import Center. I knew of a couple of things I would need to get done but wanted to get an "expert" assessment. The owner Rob M talks a good talk. He said he would do a detailed inspection that would take 3 hours and would give me a detailed report after that. I agreed even though the cost seemed high. He was done in less than two hours and since my well kept daily driver developed a problem with the AC, he said I could pick up the classic and drop my daily driver off. I received an estimate for the AC and some suspension work (for ~$3k)which i approved. When i checked back a couple of days later, imagine my surprise when i was informed that the suspension work was done but the AC would cost me $10k or more. What kind of auto shop gives you an estimate and then triples it? I told them i was not prepared to pay the revised amount and the fact that they did not honor their own estimate. When i went to pick up my car, they ended up charging me $$$$ even though the AC work had not been completed per their estimate. Worse, the $600 for inspection for my classic got me a report which was not even 6 sentences. On top of it, Rob's son has an awful attitude. Obviously never going back. Hope this helps other unsuspecting clients. read more

Valley Import Center has been my go-to place for servicing my vehicles (2017 Mercedes and 2018 BMW); their shop is always spotless and their service is top-notch. read more

The service at this shop is amazing. I have an older "classic" Buick 87 Turbo Regal T-Type that has had brake system issues for some time. First problem was a failed master cylinder with no replacement part available. So the shop had the existing unit rebuilt. It was then discovered that a small brake fluid pump relay had also gone bad. The shop and I scoured the Internet for a replacement part but no luck - couldn't find a replacement part anywhere. I was looking at having to replace the entire braking system at a HUGE cost. So, the master repair technician/owner took the little relay apart and FIXED it! My brakes now work GREAT. Let me tell you, THIS place really knows what they are doing. They service practically ANY kind of vehicle. I can't recommend them enough. read more

Straight talk, no BS. Rob is a standup guy and knows his stuff. Very reasonable on his repair costs and will not make stuff up. Office guy Ehan? Needs better customer skills perhaps he is new, he is young. Not going to rate low due to one experience. read more

Impeccable service. They are always upfront and honest regarding what to expect (e.g. costs, time, etc.) and consistently cheaper than other area shops and dealerships. I take all of our cars here for major and minor maintenance. read more

If I can give these guys 0 I would. I don't know how they got nice reviews because they're assholes. I drove all the way from Fremont for what they said would take an hour that became 2hours. Not professionals. Rude people here! No compassion. Expensive here. There's a lot of reputable shops nearby definitely not this shop! read more

Just completed a major service on our 2009 Toyota Camry at Valley Import Center and came out a satisfied customer. Background information: Since 2007, we have been taking all our cars that we have ever owned to Valley Import Center for regular service and maintenance. Rob, the current owner, along with Mark, the service agent, are honest about what your car actually needs and suggests options if possible. Service review outcome: With their great service and hard work, currently we have 2 cars running smoothly, each with more than 145,000 miles. I value their honesty and excellent service so I'm willing to pay what I believe are fair prices. I highly recommend Valley Import Center. read more

A++++++++ Tremendous car repair business. Extremely capable and hard working. We brought them all kinds of issues with different vehicles and they are fast to turn it over, always completely fixed, and they are fair and honest in all dealings. In this day and age, Valley Import Center is an absolute gem to know about. Highest recommendation. read more

I originally chose Valley Import due to the number of good to excellent reviews , however after my recent experience I will not be using their services again. We brought in my daughter's' VW Jetta for a regular service and the work was completed without issue . However, coincidently the check engine light came on in the car the day after service , so we brought the car back in for a diagnostic test, in addition to a wheel alignment for recently purchased new tires . We were then told that that the purge valve and vent valve were leaking and that the Evap Canister and Purge Valve would need to be replaced at an estimated cost of almost $1,700. We declined the repairs and I took the car to a repair shop that specializes in repairing Volkswagens, for a second opinion . After running their own diagnostics and tests ,the new shop found no issues or leaks with either the Evap Canister and Purge Valve and explained that a check engine light can sometimes give false positives . I just so glad that I didn't opt for , what I now know to be unwarranted repairs from Valley Import and in all honestly would never feel comfortable bringing in any of my vehicles to them again for service . read more

Excellent service with a company you can trust to give you their honest assessment and the service and parts that you need.

This is an overdue review of this place. I found this place because of discount thru Costco services. My car didn't pass smog check because of leak in the evap system and had another minor issue. Off the bat I was told inspection fee was $180/hour to find the cause of issues. Pricey but I was whatever as long as get car fixed. I was called and told 1.5 hours of visual inspection ($270) and need to replace the gas tank cap ($27) and replace a part for the other issue. Total was close to $1000. After paying and driving the car, surprise: one issue not resolved. Was told to come back another day. I drove about 200 miles in the week as they recommended before re doing smog check. Another surprise: it didn't pass after their "fix" (replaced gas tank cap). I went back there furious. They told me to leave car there for more inspections ($$$) I refused and fought them for a refund. Lost the "inspection" fee of $270 in the process. Later, I took to a different mechanic and was told those were easy fixes. Had they have done a real inspection, they would have found that evap hoses were cracked (reason for failed smog check) and a different part that needed replacement. The second mechanic said either they were incompetent or dishonest. I don't like calling people dishonest. So, I will assume they were incompetent. I wasted 4 round trips to this place, wasted numerous hours of lost work, lost money in smog re-test, paid for a gas cap that didn't need replaced ($27) and lost $270 for their "inspection." Not recommended. read more

Best qua of service imaginable. Rob is a true expert on all the brands they service. They give accurate estimates, good explanations, and very courteous. I have recommended Valley Import Center to several friends. read more

Third time is a charm. Went to one place in San Ramon (won't mention names) to have the Toyota Prius checked out for a hybrid sluggish part thingy. First guy wanted $4000 to fix, so we keep looking. Second guy in Hayward, couldn't get the part and took too long. This guy tho? Juuuust right. He not only properly diagnosed the problem, but researched it and found out it has a recall. He took it a step further and called Toyota in Walnut Creek to see if they'll fix it (they said yes). THAT my friends is honest customer service. Saved us a ton of money!!!! Problem: Inverter needs replacing read more

This is a great auto care place. I went for the first time for an oil change and tire rotation. They said I didn't need the rotation, very fair. And I was not upsold on services as I was at the dealership. The prices were very fair and my car was serviced in a timely manner. I will continue to go here for all my auto needs. read more

I highly recommend this business, they are total professionals. Please give them a try. Mark and Rob are awesome.

I've been going to this shop for 30+ years and they do not disappoint! Always happy with the service, the shop is very clean and the staff are epic! I totally trust my vehicle(s) to the skills of the workmanship. Rob, the current owner, has been a friend, for all those years and is truly a professional in his ownership of the shop. He's certified in all sorts of knowledge for how an automobile works! Your auto is in great hands at Valley Import Center! read more

I've successfully lived by an axiom that there are two possessions of mine that I leave in the care of professionals - my teeth & my automobiles. For over 30 years my automobiles have been wonderfully cared for by Valley Import Center (VIC). This relationship has spanned 4 owners & early-on I made a commitment that I wouldn't purchase a car that VIC wouldn't/couldn't maintain for me. In 1996 I wanted to purchase a (used) Jeep Wrangler. The original owner of VIC, Ian Cook, gave me his recommendations re: the purchase & Rob Muhleman then a mechanic, now the current owner, performed the maintenance. Now, 26 years later the Jeep has +230,00 miles on it while looking & running like new! I owe its operational longevity to Rob, Jeff & Mark the great guys currently responsible for VIC's continued high-level commitment to quality car care. read more

Great service and helpful estimates on my Audi. Took it to Audi dealership for an oil leak and quoted me $7000.00 They quoted me $3800.00 Big difference and would highly recommend to bring your car in for honest quotes and repairs. Ask for Mark. read more

I would recommend this very honest business. I went in thinking I had some problems with my alternator, but it turns out it was something else that I already fixed, so there was no service that was needed related to that that part. Since I was already there, I decided to take care of some overdue routine maintenance and some bigger repairs (bad bushings among other things) that I've been putting off. They accurately diagnosed my suspension issues and took care of them. read more

2006 Tundra with 180,000 miles running strong because of excellent maintenance service by Valley Import Center experts. I've taken all my vehicles for service for decades now. They are the very best in the valley. Getting that extra 50,000-100,000 miles on my cars has saved me thousands of dollars in new cars and car payment interest. They are the smart independent shop! read more

After 2-4 visits and 2-5k spent at this place, I truly question their ethics and taking accountability. As I always kept my wits about this place and their $180 "diagnostic" charge that they nail you with, even if you complete the service that costs thousands. Last major repair I had done at this place, my car has leaked antifreeze. I took it in a week after, they said they fixed it but it turns out I need to top it off every 2-3 weeks. It has been 3 or so months since the last major repair and I haven't had the time to take my car back. Best to know they will use this to their advantage. Everyone is in business to make money, however, this doesn't mean the customers best interest is first. read more

I used to make the trek from San Ramon to Walnut Creek for dealer service for my VW e-Golf. No longer. The Walnut Creek dealer charged $235/hour in labor to diagnose my front parking sensors, which had stopped working. It turned out that a rodent had chewed through the connecting wires. They wanted $850 to repair -- on top of the $235 in diagnostic fees. Had I done this, I would have been out $1,085 just to fix two wires. I found this hard to believe and took it to Valley Import Center on my way home. They set up an appointment for the following day and completed the repair in the morning. All for $350 (they did have to remove the bumper so it's not as simple as it seems) -- only slightly more than the dealer's diagnostic fee that didn't fix anything. Not to mention they were much friendlier and more knowledgeable. Ultimately, Valley Import Center had much better service at substantial savings. This was an eye opening experience for me and I am very grateful for Valley Import Center's support. I will be taking my vehicles here in the future. read more

We went to Valley Import based upon their reviews and the years that they have been in business. A dealer had told me that the brakes on my 2012 Honda Accord need replacing. Valley Import performed a review prior to replacing and confirmed that I had more than enough and I did not need to replace anything. It is rare to find an honest and trustworthy business and you can be sure I will be taking all of my cars to these folks. read more

updating to 3 star since they took the vehicle and said they replaced all 4 breaks again! Which is still confusing ---- I go in because i had a break pad message. He started with $800 to $1000 quote to change 2 front rotors and pads. Later he called and said they have to change all 4 rotors and break pads and i agreed and paid $1680. Less than 1 month i have noisy breaks. Now I wonder what kind of job they did. Did they even replace everything with new things or not! Like another reviewer I suspect the quality. Anyway they asked me to bring back the vehicle. Will keep u posted ans update review. But I am extremely unsatisfied with the noise on my 40k mile gls read more

Who has an auto repair shop that tells you Not to do some work. well Valley does if not needed they will be honest and go over details. Great shoo my family has been servicing all our cars there over 12 years now. Once again received excellent attention to request for service same day return. Car with 157k miles will hopefully get another 100k due to Valleys excellent care and advise over the years. Had brakes and rotors newly installed. Thanks again. read more

What a nice surprise to find a local repair / maintenance shop for more complicated German and foreign vehicles ! I can't believe I've missed this gem of a place. I've been going to the dealership for maintenance, but now that my warranty just expired, this is my new favorite ! When I made the appointment, all they needed was the license plate number and they were able to figure out what kind of filter I needed. I didn't have to hunt around for paperwork or anything. They made an appointment a week out because they needed to order the oil filter. They called and reminded me of my appointment. I got there and immediately they knew who I was. They took my vehicle, and started changing the oil filter within 10 minutes. Such a nice group of people -- they've all worked there for over 20 -30 years. What does that tell you about a place like this? It just tells me they do a great job. And, yes, they did a fabulous job on my car. They reset the "change oil light" and I was on my way in an hour. I am so grateful for places that still exist like this. Thank you Jeff!! read more

June 2021 - a quick update. My old Lexus was started to drive a little rough. While getting it serviced at Valley Import Center, they let me know the tires were starting to be pretty worn down. Ok, got new tires and an alignment and the car drives so smoothly now. I feel I could drive it anywhere. Great job guys! read more

Rob, the owner, was great to work with and very very knowledgeable about my 65 mustang. He did a great job and highly recommend this company for any kind of automotive repair. read more

One of the last auto shops that will perform real diagnostics rather than just replace parts until the problem is resolved! The owner Rob is a TOP NOTCH mechanic, diagnostician and performance tuner. He and his team are on their game and I highly recommend this shop for any auto repair or service. The shop is as clean and organized as I've ever seen. Almost could pass as a pro-racing shop with everything neatly placed, pending cars sitting in their drive bays, tools organized. I'd bring my classic Toyota Supra here too (if only I had a classic Supra)! Anyway, bought a new to me 17 year old VW with a non-functional A/C unit. I was confident the problem was deeper than simply low refrigerant. Rob and the team did the usual charging refrigerant (it was low) and tested for leaks. When that didn't resolve, they called and explained exactly what they wanted to do next & provided an updated quote before moving forward. Then, AFTER ACTUALLY TESTING the bad electrical component/control module, they determined it was bad, provided the final cost and completed the work the very next work-day after receiving the car. Price was fair (as fair as can be in the Bay Area) and I'm sure less than the dealer (no offense dealers, LOL). Not to mention the business is locally owned! I'll be back, just hope not too soon ;-) read more

First time to shop. Customer Service Oriented Mark, Jeff , and sorry. Didn't get mechanics name. performed as asked. First impression honest and do what they say they will do. Actually appreciate the business. Treated me as if they were there for me. Not like I should be appreciative to give them money because they are alive. As we know. Today hard to find good reliable trustworthy service who perform the way it should be. There is Value in the price. Type of people who will treat you as well as you treat them. Not take you for granted. GIVE THEM A SHOT. DECIDE FOR YOURSELF Tell them chuck sent you. If you see different shout out. But if you agree make sure everyone knows read more

These guys not only do a great job but also are friendly and reliable. I don't go anywhere else for my Acura, Honda, or Mercedes. They always call to see if I want extra fixes they never do them and just charge me later. GREAT PLACE read more

Needed a smog test on a mid-engine car. Other places were quoting high prices for a smog test due to the labor involved. Their price was the cheapest, communication the best, and they got it done very quickly. Highly recommend. read more

Fair, respectful and just great guys!! Thank you Rob & Jeff for taking care of everything.

Charged for services other auto shops offer for free and when you ask why... they say "Oh well you signed the estimate...to Bad" . Guys, not everyone knows that Brake Inspections are free at many shops. Just because someone signs an estimate and paid you for the services doesn't mean that others shouldn't know about how you handled it and go elsewhere ! read more