Great shop. Carlos is awesome and knows his stuff. Great prices too! Definitely will take all my cars from now on !

Zak's staff mechanic Carlos was extremely helpful in fixing my side view mirror. It was way out of whack (long story short, equipment was extending into the roadway from a construction site that smacked my mirror something fierce and knocked it off kilter, making switching lanes on the freeway even more dangerous than it already is). Carlos carefully put the mirror back in place and explained that while the mirror's motor was not working, the mirror would stay put just as he left it. He advised me that to have the mirror working 100%, he'd have to order a whole new mirror and install it. (I'd already consulted another mechanic who shall remain nameless who didn't even offer to fix it manually!) Needless to say, I opted just to keep it as is. I thanked Carlos and asked how much I owed him for his work. Zip. Zero. Nothing. That's good customer service, folks. I'll be back. read more

I was referred to Carlos at Zaks indirectly by another mechanic. I have an old Vw Westfalia that is tough to smog. Carlos made some recommendations and he got it to pass. I did not ask the price and when I paid it was reasonable and the van runs great. Cannot say enough good about Zaks and Carlos read more

After 3 different local mechanics including the Audio dealership in Pasadena tried and failed to repair the center console electric outage on my 2001 Audi TT Quattro ((which also caused the AC to stop working), Carlos diagnosed and fixed it right away. There were a few other repair needed that the others missed. The service was excellent, Carlos and his colleague are very friendly and great to work with and the cost was reasonable. I just wish I'd found Zak's before losing money on the other mechanics. One even told me that Audi's are crap and I'd be lucky to donate it and get the $500 tax write off. This was a mechanic in La Crescenta. It's been months now driving the car and it's been a joy again. read more

I was referred to Carlos. Best mechanic there is. Can figure out your car issues like no other mechanic. He knows what he's doing and gives you amazing value. Much respect to him read more

Few things better in life than having an honest auto mechanic you can trust with your car. We've been taking our family vehicles to Carlos and Miguel at Zak's for years. They've serviced Mini Cooper S, Mini Clubman S, Chevy Colorado / Tahoe and Ford Edge for us at different times. They troubleshoot, disclose, and make needed repairs at fair prices. Excellent service - 5 Star all the way. read more

I had 3 quotes for my brakes before I went to Zak's. Carlos gave me the best deal, didn't over charge and include additional unneeded work like the other places. I highly recommend for price and service. read more

I have a hard time trusting people to work on my car but this shop is amazing i definitely will take my car back to them if I ever need anything no matter if it's a simple oil change to brake job you can definitely trust them with your car thank you guys for taking care of my car I'll definitely stop by more often and recommend customers to you read more

Carlos is awesome! Great honest service. From troubleshooting my transmission to repairing it, they only did what needed to be done. They gave me a warranty and honored it above and beyond. I had to return because of an error code of another failing sensor in my transmission, Carlos replaced the sensor and did not charge me. I am definitely revisiting in the future. Thanks Guys! See you on the next repair. read more

Very professional . Fast and friendly . Gary fixed my car leaking oil from the engine . The pricing was extremely honest . Thank you and I appreciate you guys . Thanks Carlos . read more

Zak's Foreign Auto Repair - Car Stereo Installation Near Me - Montrose, California

It is very hard to find people that know about the complex Porsche turbo engines. Luckily I found this shop that was covered in quality work and dedication. They gave me an AMAZING price to change my 2003 Porsche 911 Turbo exhaust from stock to an Agency Power. They did everything right to make the exhaust sit right. They did their work very carefully and handled all the parts with care. To all the porsche owners its very expensive getting simple jobs at the dealer, just bring it over to Zaks and you get a very educated crew that does the job for the fraction of the price. I highly recommend this place to everybody. A++ read more

Zak's Foreign Auto Repair - Agency Power Titanium exhaust installed at Zaks did an outstanding job for a great price - Car Stereo Installation Near Me - Montrose, California

The guys here are so nice! I had an urgent matter with my car battery that needed to be resolved asap and not only did they fix it, they were so nice and just great about it. Thank you for helping out a mom of 2 babies! read more

I really need to have an honest mechanic in my life. Beyond the gas pedal and the ignition, I have very little understanding of the intricacies of cars and engines. My days of being taken advantage of are over. Gary at Zak's is the guy that I will take either of my cars when they need repair. I'm so lucky that this shop is in the neighborhood. Gary is not only honest, but an expert at what he does. I never worry that I'm going to be overcharged or have a needless repair done as has happened at less forthright mechanics and dealerships. I have taken my Mercedes for a variety of issues and the work is always done well and prices are excellent. I can't imagine going anywhere else and would encourage anyone in the area to check this place out. read more

I took my e39 m5 here to install new audio head unit(Dynavin N6) which is well known to bmw forum. Gary did really good job for me. He is honest and has lots of knowledge about my car not even the audio. Thanks Gray! read more

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Gary is great! He's super nice, honest, patient in listening, and truly knows about cars, as opposed to just fixing them, and that is HUGE! I limped along for a few yrs after I purchased my most recent BMW, since my former repairman retired. It was not good, as not one of these other repair shops really knew anything about, or understood these cars. And in order to truly diagnose and repair foreign cars - you REALLY have to "get them", and be knowledgeable about them as well. He will also let you know about other things to keep you eye on, things that might need repairing in the future. That is SO helpful too. As you then can be aware as a sound or issue develops, and be on top of it before it actually breaks. I give Zak's 10 stars! read more

I trust my 84 Alfa Spider and my 2001 Porsche Boxster S to Carlos and Miguel. They do top rate work, are extremely reliable, nice, and their pricing is very fair. I couldn't recommend them more! read more

Not just the best mechanic in town, but the coolest too. Solid, honest guy. Customer for life.

They guys at zaks are great. Knowledgeable fair priced and great service. I had my breaks bled which took about 2 hours so I went home . When they finished they even picked me up. Definitely recommend read more

I took my Boxster to Gary for an oil change. Since I work close, he was able to take me back to work. While getting serviced, he noticed signs of a leaky waterpump, which is unfortunately common at my mileage. He took a picture on his cell phone to show me the dried coolant. Since I had the CarMax warranty on the car, Gary was able to call and get authorization for replacement. Painless process, the ride was appreciated and he worked late that evening to get me the car back that evening. I met his family; super cute kids!. Real friendly, seemed knowledgeable, especially with common Porsche issues. Gary gave me the old parts without me asking (belt, pump, gasket etc). He used OEM parts including the coolant and took the time to explain vacuum filling the system. He waves at me whenever I drive by now, which is what makes Montrose a cool place. Try the Blackened Chicken sandwich next door at Giuseppe's and have a beer. Starbucks and Coffee Bean a couple of blocks away. I won't hesitate to take my car there in the future for service. read more

Zak's Foreign Auto Repair - Maintenance all upto date! - Car Stereo Installation Near Me - Montrose, California

They are dishonest...had a bad experience and will never return. They promised my car would be ready in a day...it took them three days with excuse after excuse for the delay. Said I needed a $1200 new water pump...went to an honest mechanic who said a clamp on a hose was loose, which fixed the problem. Within five minutes of paying my bill, over $1,000 was charged to my credit card by someone in Mexico. read more

Like everyone else, its hard to find a knowledgeable mechanic nowadays. I've taken several cars to Zak's so far, and it has been a good experience everytime. They know their stuff, use quality parts only, and do things the right way. I highly recommend to check them out if you are looking for a knowledgeable mechanic. read more

Gary is honest, extremely knowledgeable and the most professional mechanic I've ever dealt with. Recently, my wife and I were considering buying a foreign car so I cold called Gary. He gave me 30 minutes of his time answering every question I had. He was patient as he told me the pluses and minuses of the cars. After I got off the phone with him, I compared my notes with my wife's separate research. And Gary was spot on with my wife's conclusion. Gary knows his stuff and anyone who chooses his shop would be in good care. Thanks for everything Gary!! Louis read more

First auto shop where I didn't get screwed over as a woman!! They did a great job on my car, charged me way less than what the dealership quoted, and everything was in tact when I picked up the car (sounds silly, but I've had car parts missing after picking up my cars from other shops!!). This place is also the only shop my brother recommends, and that's saying a lot coming from a car guy! A+ in my book. read more

Zak's is NOT closed. They continue to do excellent work. I have been using their services for all my vehicles for over 10 years.

The service here is excellent. These guys are honest and fair and willing to go out of their way to help you.

Zak's Foreign Auto Service is the best in town! Gary is an expert/certified mechanic. He has worked on my Mercedes and after years my car is running like new! The turn around time was unbelievable and prices affordable. I would not trust anyone else! read more

Great shop, Gary helped me get my car back into shape so I could pass smog; I had neglected it for quite some time... he showed me what he was replacing and why and did what he could to keep the overall cost low while still fixing what I needed to have fixed. Honest and up front, did good work, I will take my car back if I need further service down the road. read more

So I took my 2003 Mini Cooper s here to have some brake work done, and they didn't let me down. I didn't schedule an appointment, they fit me right in. I brought my own parts in, they found me better pricing. Just can't say enough good things about this place. I'm glad they're in my neighborhood. read more

its hard to find an honest mechanic. With that said, I think I just found my forever mechanic. I am lucky to have found this amazing shop conveniently located in the heart of La Crescenta/ Montrose area. I originally came in once to get my new radio installed. He gave me the best price and the previous reviews helped a lot too. When I picked up my car, not only did he install my radio, but went ahead and informed me that my car needed a little maintenance (which i knew of, but hadnt found anyone to do the work). His prices are so un-beatlable that I would be crazy not to come back. Gary goes above and beyond! He does clean work, he is honest, and works hard to get you the best deals possible. I hope they are ready to work because I will be sending ALL my friends and family to him. Thank you so much! Its nice to feel taken care of and not ripped off. read more

I brought to Gary for a electrical problem was difficult to figure out but he did perfect and very well, today when I picked up my car he explained me in detail all the work was done in the car, the store offers good warranty read more

On a Sat. morning, while going through the drive-thru ATM across the street from Zak's my driver side window FELL into the door! ACK - what to do?! I drove out the bank driveway and into Zak's driveway. Gary looked at it instanteously, knew what the problem was, and said he could get the part there by 1 o'clock - here it is 10am on a Sat. when they close at 2pm - and I pull in with this emergency. GREAT! I ran a couple errands, brought my car back at 1pm and they fixed it beautifully. I believe he even had to stay late an hour to get the job done. I am ever so grateful for Gary's kindness and willingness to help in an urgent situation. Can I mention that Gary is just plain old nice, too? Smart businessman... read more

Great Shop. Gary rocks! Honest as the day is long!

I took my son's truck here to install a Sirius satellite module. This guy is awesome! He's professional, smart, fair priced, finishes in a timely manner, and has an awesome sense of humor to boot! I highly recommend him for any mechanical or audio needs. read more

Great shop, great prices. I've been taking my cars here for service for the last year ever since I discovered them. Gary is very honest and doesn't try to sell you useless services. Keep up the good work! read more

Fast and efficient, I like the fact that Gary takes the time to explain and show his work on my 996 4S. They are very down to earth with me and I like that approach. read more

I needed a radio moved from one car to another. Gary did the job for me, and charged a very reasonable rate for the exchange. Parking may be a bit of a struggle, but that's not Zak's fault. The radio exchange went smoothly, and the radio sounds great in the new car. Thanks, Gary! read more

Gary is really a great guy and does top top work. He help me out big time. My radiator blew right at the bank across the street from his shop on Christmas Eve. He fit me in and got all the work done that day by working late. He spotted a few other things wrong like my timing belt was way over due to be changed. My other mechanic failed to even bring it up when my car was with him a month before. He gave me a great deal on breaks and getting my struts replaced. He is every honest and will show you your old parts. Recommend him to all my friends now. He also did my alignment. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Zak's Foreign Auto and Gary, the owner. We have a 2008 BMW 750li that was out of warranty. I took it to the dealer, and they wanted $4300 to repair some transmission issues. Gary did the exact same work for $2400. Then we had another issue . . . a bad one. The car would simply stop accelerating. The dashboard would light up like a Christmas tree and say "engine malfunction." Gary thought he fixed it, and charged us a very low price for the service. Then it happened again. Gary was relentless. He called the BMW dealer, who told him the car should be fine (Gary is very well connected; he knows who to call and what to do when odd, intermittent problems crop up). He finally found a recall that had been put out on the car in 2009, despite the dealer telling him there were no recalls and there was nothing wrong with the car. He got the faulty part replaced, and then refused to charge us. He is incredibly honorable and honest, in addition to just being fantastic with fussy cars. read more

my 96 bmw convertible just breathed new life! carlos and gary, very understanding of my budget, and very good at planning its restoration. and they're just around the corner. here's to a wonderful 2013 for them! read more