I was quoted $5400 for a repair that did not require as much work as this garage explained to me and that I was told would take several days and would require a rental car.. I chose to get a second opinion and I was able to get the problem fixed for 1/5 the cost in less than a day. All I needed was to replace a thermostat seal... but they wanted to dismantle my car to replace the water pump. Gouging at its best here. read more

The quality of work is excellent. The folks at Wayside Garage are extremely detailed oriented, and thorough. Where I feel Wayside Garage separates itself from other repair shops is in their customer service. They are extremely engaging with their clients from the office staff to the service technicians. I've never work with a more polite, and engaging service organization in the auto repair field. Stacey, and her staff have set a standard that is unmatched by any other repair shop on the peninsula. They thoroughly went over my car from bumper to bumper, and did a comprehensive evaluation of my vehicle. Once the initial valuation of my car was completed they then went in, and diagnosed the issue that I brought the car in for. Once that investigation was completed by the technical staff I received a call from Stacey explaining the details of the investigation, and the needed repairs. It's never easy dealing with time consuming, and costly auto repairs. I'm glad the folks at Wayside Garage was able to make the necessary repairs needed for my vehicle. I highly recommend the folks at Wayside Garage. Lastly, I just want to thank Stacey for assuring me at our initial meeting that she would get to the bottom of my issue, and get it repaired. Thank you read more

I came into wayside in November 2020 due to the fact that my service engine light had come on with a running too lean code. At the time I was tight on money so I couldn't afford the many repairs they recommended. I had them do a brake fluid flush which was done fine I thought. I came back in this year in March after saving some money to do the recommended intake manifold gasket replacement. I was under the impression that this would fix my issue. This was listed in the most important repairs section that they made for me. After inspecting my car they let me know I needed a brake fluid flush again, which I thought was impossible. It had been done only 3 months prior. They told me I haven't been driving it enough and that's what caused it which after speaking to other mechanics just doesn't add up. They tried to convince me to wait a few months to do it despite it being in the highly recommended section. I asked the lady Stacy I think if she could tell me the procedure followed for a brake fluid flush. She simply said "They use equipment and they know what they are doing." They did do the brake fluid flush again free of charge and then replaced the intake manifold gasket. The intake manifold gasket replacement was an expensive repair about $1300. After driving to and from San Jose a couple times the light turned back on again. I went back and after the inspection they determined that my brake fluid had moisture again!! This would be impossible after only a couple days!! They later made the excuse that their equipment was not calibrated correctly? They also replaced a hose that was leaking I guess. After picking it up got one mile down the street and the light turns back on again! What I have an issue with is making it seem like this expensive job will fix my issue when they could have tried many other less expensive options first. Also if you ever question anything they are doing they are quick to turn from sweet to sour. For instance when my fiancé and his dad came to pick up the car, my fiancé's dad mentioned he is a mechanic and it seems like they weren't following how a good mechanic would proceed with test driving and what not. The lady at the front said "Well if your a mechanic maybe YOU should fix it." This seems quite insulting. I don't think it's so much to ask at the very least test drive the car to see if the light turns back on and let the customer know! read more

The Wayside Garage Staff have been my mechanics for almost 20 years. They have always provided excellent service and provided me with a maintenance program to keep my vehicles in the best working condition. I'm very proud to be able to support this long standing family business on the Monterey Peninsula! Thank you for keeping me and my family safe on the roads and our adventures! read more

I have sent many people to Wayside as well as I go myself. The customer service that Stacey provides you with is friendly and kind. She is very patient and is willing to listen to all your concerns! She is very honest and straight forward on what to expect with your vehicle. Samuel and Sonny are great with the cars! They take care of them well while being worked on and they work fast! My overall experience with wayside has been the best. I've dealt with other mechanics in the past where I've left in tears due to hidden costs and frustration. At wayside, I leave with a smile. read more

My car recently developed a front end noise while passing through Monterey. The car is under warranty so I called the local dealer - they couldn't look at it for 5 days, but recommended I not drive the car without a safety inspection. I pulled into Wayside Garage, since it was close by and had good reviews. They took the car in immediately, checked out the noise, told me it was fine to drive and did not charge me a dime. They were friendly, helpful, and sympathetic to my situation. I highly Wayside Garage. read more

Great prompt friendly kind and informative service! Easy location to get to from Monterey Carmel or Salinas!! Go there!!

Just came in for a tire rotation. Turns out my splash plate was all shredded from the rain. And has been running around the last few days. Employee of jiffy lube Danny removed it and made it work for free. Super fast clean cheap work. Definite recommend read more

Excellent service, fine people. Second generation management and ownership, with the third in​ training. Also, a woman-owned business. I've found that female​ service writers tend to be more competent than​ male ones, and both Stacy and Sabrina confirm this. read more

Highly recommend! All repairs done professionally and quickly. Thanks as always! Great new location!

Extremely helpful and kind. Personable service and I would highly recommend. Very responsive and good follow through.

Went in to get my car serviced and was estimated $1400 for a master clutch and slave cylinder replacement. Outrages once I talked to a few other people. NEVER AGAIN!!! read more

This garage is a disorganized, unprofessional mess. Could not get a clear explanation of itemized charges as it kept changing. Talked numerous times to a few different people who quoted different information. I confirmed with warranty coverage they are charging way above times for standard repairs (labor costs) as well as costs for parts were vastly different than MSRP. This place is a sham and they take advantage of people when they are most in need. Sad really, beware and choose a different option or you too will be fleeced by these ridiculous thieves! read more

Best service ever! This garage is thorough, updates electronically for status, and main concern is customer service. I will never take my car anywhere else! They even gave me a goodie bag and Tshirt! read more

Took my truck in to have the brakes serviced, received a quote 20% higher than Midas. When I went to pick up the vehicle and they told me it was unsafe to drive, and told me to call Monterey Police if I wanted to drive it to Midas. The police came and made them give me back my vehicle, and had my sign a release waiver. The waiver could have been presented in the beginning to save time and tax payer dollars, but instead I was stuck waiting. DO NOT take your vehicle here, save your money and time and find anywhere else to go. If I could give less than one star I would. -Disgruntled Veteran read more

I recommend Wayside Garage for their professionalism, efficiency , and wonderful service with a smile! read more

Crummy service, they didn't return calls, we took our car there on a Thursday, my wife called repeatedly, was lied to, "We have it up on the rack now," total BS, they never looked at it. The following Monday, they admitted not having looked at it by then, wife picked it up. Turns out they're understaffed in terms of getting mechanics to come back after the pandemic. Understandable, but they don't tell you that. We took it to a more reputable place after retrieving it from these liars. read more

If you value honesty, reliability, experience and a family owned and operated business, Wayside Garage is the place for you. I have done business with Wayside for 14 years and have never had a single complaint. I truly can't say enough good things about Sam, Stacey, their daughters and all of the mechanics at the garage. They are all down to earth, pleasant, good people who care about their customers. Their equipment and technology are state of the art and provide extensive information for correcting all of your vehicle's problems. They start each job with a thorough inspection of your vehicle and provide detailed information to you via a website link they send in a text message when the inspection is complete. The website provides photos, videos and descriptions of everything they find during the inspection. They will inform you of the issues with your vehicle and offer advice on how and when to correct the problems. They never push you to buy anything you don't need. When repairs are made, they are completed correctly and as quickly as possible. I have never had to take any of my vehicles back to them for incorrect or improper repairs. They do fantastic work. I have recommend Wayside Garage to my friends an family on numerous occasions and will continue to do so for years to come. read more

Unfortunately waste of my time and money. I felt like I was being tricked when they told me the cost of getting my car fixed would be over $800. I hope this wasn't the case. I actually ordered the broken piece myself with quarter of the price they claimed it to cost, that price I paid included one day shipping. I took it to an other mechanic who then again changed it in 20minutes charging only $40. I have my car up and running. At least people seemed friendly in Wayside Garage, but I am surprised how good reviews they've got. I guess people have more money than sense in here. read more

My boyfriend and I have now both taken our cars in for various issues to Wayside Garage, and we have been extremely impressed with every interaction. As a woman who feels like she has to have her boyfriend bring her car in for her to prevent being taken advantage of by mechanics, I love that there are so many women working at Wayside. I have never once felt talked down to, or taken advantage of. All of the staff have been so sweet and understanding (especially Stacy and Sabrina), and I feel both my boyfriend and I have been treated very fairly, especially with regards to pricing. I love that this is a family business, and I love that they take thorough pictures and put together a whole file that they then send to the customer to support the maintenance they suggest. I am very happy with their service, and will continue to bring my car here. read more

I took my car in for a brake estimate to Wayside Garage recently (Oct 2017). For my Nissan Altima, brakes and rotors full replacement would be around $800. If machining is available, near $500-$600. My vehicle was quoted to be $1,100+ for machining of front rotors, replacing back rotors, and all new pads. That is quite high, and according to other local shops for comparison - gouging-ly high. On the receipt, they intended to charge me 3X for the brake fluid, a brake fluid flush when my brake fluid was still clear (Clear = good, Amber = Get changed, Black = bad). I was informed that my back rotors were in replacement condition. My car had 47K miles on it, and they were well within machining tolerances. They tried to get that past me for more gouging. The worst part in my opinion is when a brake inspection is done, they have to take the wheels off your car on the lift to get measurements of your pads and rotors. In my request, I asked in the process if they could rotate my tires when putting the tires back on after inspection. What is a complimentary request at 90%+ of other auto repair places, Wayside decided to charge me $45 for a tire rotation. $45! Something that takes 5 minutes to do and would think is complimentary because they would have to put your tires back on after inspection! Ridiculous! If you know the value of service to your vehicle, or value money in your pocket, stay away from Wayside Garage. read more

For smog it is pretty quick at reasonable prices. But if you are young, and don't know much about cars I'd recommend going somewhere else. I left with more problems than I showed up with, but I know that I don't need to have those services done. I felt targeted because I am a college student in a generic silver Toyota, that fits that "ditzy dumb girl" profile. Except I am not, I know everything about my car and change my oil myself. If you are clueless about your own car go somewhere else because wayside will tell you about problems that might not be as big as you'd think, or not even problems at all. read more

Absolutely would recommend. Fair , honest, and attentive. Did research on a warranty problem with my truck and were honest on the next steps. Didn't upcharge anything and presented me with facts. I'll be back. read more

I was traveling down to Monterey from Reno, NV when my engine stared misfiring an hour away from getting into Monterey. I knew it had to be coils or plugs and first thing in the morning I called wayside. They were able to get me in first thing in the morning and were super nice listening to all my concerns! I left my car for the day and they were able to repair it by that afternoon- the price was also less than I expected. They don't try to screw you over (I am a female but know a decent amount about cars) and they do a comprehensive examination of your car, even taking pictures and adding notes about what was done and what needs to be done. They didn't do any work that wasn't approved and didn't try to rip me off. They took really good care of me as I was hesitant taking my car to anyone out of town! Thank you wayside garage for not leaving me stranded hundreds of miles away from home!! read more

Wayside Garage is amazing! I just so happened to stumble upon their advertisement, and I am so glad I did! With the Coronavirus outbreak, they make sure to keep their customers safety their number one priority. I checked my mail and saw a coupon for an oil change and a slew of different free services they were also offering. When I called the customer service was superb. They had their team come pick my car up, they serviced it timely, provided me their recommendations for future maintenance for the car, and dropped it all off! Easiest thing ever! 10 out of 10 recommend. read more

After my 1st visit back in 2017, I have trusted Wayside to keep my 2003 Acura on the road. They are the Best and even during this COVID Era have always been there when I have had any issues with my vechicle. Like their New Location on Del Monte Ave and those great COLORS. Stacie and Sabrina are terrific and Sam and his crew do outstanding service. My trips around California are more enjoyable when I know that my car is in TIP TOP shape. All the Best Wayside read more

This is an honest shop! They are very upfront about what is necessary and what is recommended so you are able to make an informed decision. The repairs and service are always done correctly, clean, and professional. This team puts the "family" in family business. read more

Do not go here. This shop is for people with more money than sense. I took my car here because of a check engine light and needed a smog test. They smog tested me knowing it was going to fail and Stacy said that is how they run their diagnostics. No, that is how you meet your STAR quota. I have no doubt that Stacy knows what she is talking about, but she failed to realize I am an engineer and I do as well. $500 later of just testing my check engine light I decide to take it to a different shop. The other shop informed me that what Wayside is doing is illegal and unethical. Wayside quoted me at $1300 on top of the $500 ($1800 total) to fix my car- mind you I have a 2005 Hyundai Elantra with 250k miles on it and the car isn't even worth that much, I just needed to get tags to give to my brother in basic training. The other shop informed me that my car needed completely different work done and 3x less than the quote Wayside gave me. If I didn't have to work, I would be outside this shop picketing warning other potential customers. They are an example of who gives car shops a bad name and should not be in business in our amazing community of Monterey. read more

Sam and Stacey are the best, i wouldn't take my car anywhere else. I trust them to give me an honest opinion and they have serviced my husband and i's cars for over 13 years, read more

Wayside was amazing. Earlier that day I had my car serviced at a dealership -- and the same afternoon my car died completely. I was miserable and tired of dealing with the car and the horrible dealership (see my other reviews!). I was able to get my car started and drove it down to Wayside Garage because one of my friends recommended it to me for their great service. She was right! The parking lot is small, but the service is absolutely amazing. I walked in and was greeted right away and helped immediately. It was already mid-afternoon when I got in and a Monday after a power outage no less, so they werent going to be able to get to my car that day but they set me up with a great deal for a rental car from Hertz which was really helpful. Stacey was so nice and listened to all my concerns (and ranting). She called me the next day to advise me what they had found wrong with my car and didnt pressure me into fixing it there - although I did get it fixed there. The service was fast and reliable. The rates were reasonable and I even had a coupon for $25 off which helped! I felt great knowing my car was in good hands and that they treated me like a human being and actually took the time to explain to me what was going on in terms that anyone could understand. After my car was finished, Stacey stayed late so I could pick it up after work. Even better they have a deal worked out with Hertz that I was able to leave my rental car right at Wayside and drive my own car away happy and hassle free! How awesome is that? I will definitely be back. read more

This shop is fantastic. I have taken my old '97 saturn to Sam and Stacy twice now, and both times the service was fast and not overpriced. The first time my car broke down the shop i originally took it to was unable to diagnose the problem (and charged me $100 for the diagnostic) Sam found the problem in about an hour. Stacey will always to listen to your concerns and make you feel like a top priority. Some shops might over charge for parts and labor but not Wayside. They are very reliable and always friendly. I will definitely take my car to them again in the future. read more

This was my first experience with Wayside Garage, but it won't be my last. They are professional and personable. They get the job done as it should be...they definitely know their stuff. I will recommend them to others. read more

I went to wayside garage a few months ago my car has never ran better. I really like the service it was timely and polite and professional I will go back to wayside garage so in the event that my car has issues. Thank you for professional service read more

First time coming here, called in to see if they had appointments today for my 1975 Super Beetle in order to get the brakes bled. They were able to accommodate me and give me a little more information about certain issues on my car that I didn't know about. read more

This family operation really helped us out. Our Ford 150 had air conditioning problems. The first place we visited said we needed a whole new system, and the estimate was nearly $1,000. The second serviced the air conditioner, added Freon, and said we were good to go for $250. Still didn't work. The folks at Wayside had to take their time to diagnose the problem, a broken cycling switch, and Oder the part to fix it. Their fee was well under the first estimate even though they put in ours of labor figuring out the problem. Many thanks! read more

Wayside Garage is a car repair treasure in Monterey County that benefits all residents and visitors! It's no wonder they have been in business over 73 years. I have taken many vehicles to many car repair shops over many decades in several cities. I was recently referred to Wayside Garage for a specific DMV-required inspection and I had a fantastic experience! I was extremely impressed by their outstanding friendly and helpful customer service, the quality of work on my vehicle and their comprehensive valuable state-of-the-art vehicle reports sent to me via text. The report of my vehicle featured great photos, clear explanations of what was "good" and what needed "future attention" and they clearly explained what was important to fix now or later, without any high-pressure sales tactics. They diagnosed some important problems and fixed them in a timely manner so I could pass the DMV inspection and also have a better experience in my car. Each time I called Wayside Garage while my car was visiting them, the staff were friendly, informative and most important, I simply felt so welcome even though they hadn't even met me yet. I felt confident with their expert diagnosis and repair. I plan to bring my cars back for repair in the future and will recommend Wayside Garage without hesitation to my friends and colleagues. read more

I want to say that all the women in the office are very nice and friendly. Customer service was just fine. However, Wayside unfortunately wasn't able to fix my car. My car wouldn't start, and I took it into Wayside where they said I needed a new alternator, which is a pricey replacement (about $700), but understandable if that's the problem. I also asked them to replace a belt, which I was told was in pretty bad shape (I'm sure it was, the car is a 2004). After replacing the alternator and belt, I took the car home and 1) the new belt was screeching and had to be tightened, and 2) the next day the car again didn't start. After returning to Wayside, they could not immediately determine why my car continued to die, and quoted me another $350-400 bill just to continue running diagnostics. I couldn't really afford a $400+ bill in addition to the first one, so I decided to leave. They had to jump start my car just to get it out of the parking lot. I do not pretend to know anything about cars or the mechanic industry, but there were a couple of things that struck me the wrong way, that I believe are obvious to even those who are ignorant when it comes to fixing their car. When, after leaving Wayside, I took my car to a mechanic down the road, they were able to diagnose and fix the problem for under $200 and in a matter of an hour or two, which leads me to believe I was either overcharged or Wayside isn't as knowledgeable as its competitors. Also, it would seem to me that "best practices" would involve fixing the cheaper problems first, then jumping to a larger fix if necessary, such as replacing the alternator. In this case it was the opposite. Again, the women were very friendly, and I don't like complaining or telling someone how they should do their job, but the bottom line is that I wouldn't trust Wayside with my car in the future because it's clear that there are cheaper and equally effective and efficient alternatives. read more

If you're in need of auto repairs, and looking for a mechanic who knows the latest techniques, technologies and provides a honest commitment to his customers; well, take your vehicles to Wayside Garage. read more

Called to get a quote on my brakes, gave them all the information they would possibly need. She told me it would take a couple hours. Five hours later I call back and ask where my quote is, it's a different woman, who says she has no idea where the info went, I tell her my name and everything again. It's been two weeks and still no call back. Thanks for nothing. I think all these good reviews about this place are fake honestly. read more

Wayside garage has amazing customer service and gets things done. So thankful they were able to get my son in on the same day for a smog!! So thankful they didn't recommend things that weren't needing fixing. Love to find an honest shop!!!! read more