JJ’s Auto Detailing Shop

Remember the novels and movie about the Lincoln Lawyer (whose office was a Lincoln Continental)?? Well, JJ’s Auto Detailing has a different Lincoln, this one used in the most extraordinary business I’ve encountered in quite a while. I think each and every person working there is a wizard– the team changed my dirty and dull ’98 Honda into a sassy, shiny, sparkling inside-​and-​out classic. I cannot thank them enough for restoring the car and my faith in small business!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
JJ’s Auto detailing was the best experience I have had with any type of shop in so long! I highly highly recommend them for getting your car to look amazing. They are my new favorite car care spot! Reasonably priced work. I am very pleased and had to write a review. Its rare to be treated so well anymore. Don’t worry about that their shop is behind an auto shop because they have it dialed and don’t need more than that. It wasn’t an issue at all.
Here’s my story:
My car flooded really badly. Clogged sky light drains. Such a complete disaster. I found JJ’s online and they said bring it by they would look at the damage right away.
My car had some other issues too: bumper falling off from high curbs pulling it off, a leak and mold in my trunk, old stickers on the bumper, super dirty sap covered car from the tree our front, interior was not only a swamp I had never had the seats cleaned and they are white! You can imagine how dirty they were. JJ and his wife were the nicest people and they took such good care of me and my car above and beyond. I arrived to pick up my car and it looks like a brand new car, they were prompt and had it done when they said. Even the bumper fixed! Plus a new seal on the trunk to avoid the leak, fully unclogged drain in skylight, headlights cleaned It looks amazing! So so clean, like never before, inside and out! It shines like its brand new! They had great advice for care and were some of the warmest people I have met in a long time. I am definitely going back!

JJ and his crew are miracle workers! My husband recently purchased a used car that was a complete disaster inside! Honestly, I questioned why he purchased the car based on how filthy the interior was. We contacted JJ’s for a quote and brought the car in the following day. The service the team provided was nothing short of amazing! The car was completely brought back from the dead (inside and out).
As other reviews have mentioned, this is not a designated «shop». It’s located behind an auto body shop on a lot. It’s in close proximity to the Albany Target, but that’s about it. Ultimately, if you’re getting a deep clean service like we did, you’ll need to arrange for a ride as there isn’t a waiting area. We found the prices to be reasonable based on all of the other quotes we received. We’re extremely satisfied with the service we received and would definitely use JJ’s in the future.

On second thought, maybe going with the detailer who does business out of a Lincoln town car in the back alley of a lot on the Eastshore Highway wasn’t the best move…
I went to JJ’s on a rainy day after having spilled an entire bottle of tangerine juice on the floor of my carpet about a week prior. Don’t ask. I had tried cleaning it myself a couple of times, but the smell lingered, so I figured I would take it somewhere to clear my head of it. JJ’s «associate» told me that they use a really great product, very concentrated, and she thought I’d be happy with the work. «Is there anywhere I can go while you do it?» I asked sort of facetiously because their office is literally a Lincoln town car in the back alley of a lot on the Eastshore Highway. She suggested I go to Target, or offered to let me sit in the back seat of the office and get to know her and JJ (I assume) better. I opted for a long walk in the rain.
Bottom line, my car still smells like tangerine juice and I’m not entirely convinced they did anything but wet the carpet and make sure to have the heat blasting to dry it when I returned an hour later. So much for that concentrated product. I’m only giving this place two stars in lieu of one because the woman who worked with me was pretty nice; she even suggested (as if she knew the cleaning had been unsuccessful) that I just buy a box of arm and hammer for the back seat. Duh.

JJ and his associate are legit. I got gum on my car seat the other day — some gum was on my pants from a food court. I knew I couldn’t keep driving around and rubbing it into the seat, so I called around for a detail shop. First shop told me that «nothing gets it out.» Then called someone I know for a referral, and he said, JJ is the guy.
Drove over there and JJ took one look at it and said he could do it on the spot. His associate mixed up some cleaners, scrubbed the seat and BOOM— all gone. Fast, competent and very reasonably priced.

DO NOT GO HERE! First of all they don’t even have a shop. They do their business in the back alley of an auto body shop. Secondly when I got my car back the front window was a mess. I tried getting it if myself at home with windex and other products with no success. I finally had to take it back and have them fix it. Thirdly whatever products they used left a film all over my dashboard and I had to wipe all of that off myself as well. AVOID

JJ did a simply fantastic job under difficult conditions. I had neglected the interior and exterior of my Jetta wagon for years. On the outside: tree sap, bird droppings, scuffs, and scratches. Inside the leather seats are barely recognizable, the floors absolutely disgusting. Playa dust in all the right, hard to reach places. The day had come to list the car for sale and it needed a makeover, bad. JJ worked a miracle in less than a day. Couldn’t believe my eyes, I barely recognized the car. The engine compartment was spotless, the exterior was dazzling, and I would happily eat off the floor. I suddenly almost didn’t want to sell her! I took photos, listed the car the next day on CL, and the first folks to come see her bought it right away.
This was a big job and so was not cheap, but I fully feel I got what I paid for.

JJ and Manny did a great job. Having no time to take care of my new car. JJs had my car in and out looking like when it left the lot.
From the engine wash to the cup holder cleaning. The time and money well spent.
Definitely would recommend to everyone.

I took in my husband’s car for a detail recently. When we bought it it wasn’t detailed and in the five years that we’ve owned it, we’ve never gotten it detailed. I can say that I regret not getting it detailed sooner because it looks way better than it has ever looked. They shampooed the seats, wiped down and oiled the interior, they vacuumed the hell out of every crevice, and they even thoroughly cleaned our nasty cup holders!
My singular complaint is that after all that, they didn’t clean the center console, which was a bummer. That thing has stored melted surfboard wax, sunblock, fast food sauce packets… I was looking forward to getting that thing cleaned :(One star off for that but otherwise, I’d go back for any other car detailing!

Last Saturday i got my care steamed cleaned there — they handled the job perfectly, there was some stubborn areas but — as picky as I am about my care. they Wrapped that baby with Plastic so it doesn’t get on my freshly painted care — i wish i can post picture of how they did. but they did it. JJ Thank you Manny Did a great Job but is suggest getting him a wet suite.

avoid.
First, they do not have facility to do detail business. They are located back alley of body shop.
second, their definition of detailing is just spray water. They promised engine bay cleaning and under carriage cleaning. They did not apply any degreser and just sprayed water… Basically they did nothing. Of course they do not have lift to do under carriage cleaning.
third, they are very careless. This left many are uncleaned. There are several water spots and dirt along door edge and trunk edge.
in short AVOID. end result reflected where they work.

I had other joints quote me $ 230 for to get my car detailed interior and exterior.
JJ charged me a flat $ 175, no funny business. Now, I’m not from the Bay Area and both these prices are what we good country folk might call ‘hella wack’ but that said, I had some tough oil and glue stains in the trunk. My whip came out looking fab, and clean as a whistle. Also, JJ arranged for his nephew/​employee to drive me back home so I didn’t have to putz around San Pablo.
JJ is a very inspirational person. Through the hardship of his muscular illness, he has been in business for 16 years with an amazingly positive attitude and ambition. He may be hard to understand on the phone at first, but be sure to talk to him in person when you take your car in for detailing; he drops mad knowledge and might make you think, Dang, I wanna be like JJ!
Excellent job for the price, great service, kind people, and feels good to support a community-​based business.

I took my car here to get a stained cleaned on the inside fabric near my drivers door. I have a lovely BMW 330 i and I made the guy promise that he could get the stain out before letting him loose on my car. He did a great job and got the grease/​black smudge from my car for a very reasonable price. They are also very friendly and personable. I will be returning for other services!

I’ve used JJ’s for years, on my black BMW sedan and white VW vanagon and now a pickup truck. He does a phenomenal job on them all. I recommend him without qualification. Car looks new when he’s done and the finish is slick as melting ice. His prices are reasonable for all the work he puts into each car. I’ve recommended dealers and auto repair services to him. Hard to find, but worth the effort. Also, great people to work with.

I made an appointment for 10 AM for a detail package which includes wash, wax, clay bar treatment, engine cleaning, and undercarriage cleaning. Brought my SUV in at 9:45 and was told to come back at 4PM. Came back at 4:45 and one guy was cleaning the interior and told me it would be ready in 30 min. As I was waiting, he turned the hose on the car and I asked him what he was doing. He said he was washing the car. This poor excuse for a detailing shop was just starting the job after having it for 7 hours. The sloppy wax job took 25 min. to complete, they did not touch the top, there was no clay bar treatment, no engine cleaning, and no undercarriage cleaning. I got the car at 5:45, 8 hours after I had brought it in. I had purchased this detail package for $ 99 (supposedly a $ 200 value) from Amazon Local. JJ’s is a total rip off!

Engine steam cleaned, paint buffed and waxed, rims painted, wipers painted — my 88 toyota looks as good as new :) I wish I had known about this place years ago. Other reviews have complained about the prices but good luck finding anywhere better. I would take all my vehicles here. Talking with JJ and employees I felt them all to be good natured and down to earth.

We take all our work trucks to JJ, we have been going there for almost 12 years now. They always do good by us.

What I am about to tell you sounds like something out of a fictional horror story… but it was not fictional it happened to me.
Picture it 30 day old car (I have not even made a payment on it). I am driving down 80 and I see a can of spray paint fall out of the back of a work truck — I can’t swerve I can’t do anything except drive through a huge cloud of bright sky blue paint. I can’t think I can’t breathe all I can do is pull over and cry… not just any cry, but the ugliest yowliest cry ever. I managed to pull myself together for a moment of clarity — I must get my car to a detail shop NOW!!! I pulled my phone out — went to Unilocal and found said detail shop. I called and through my uncontrollable sobbing JJ said «He would take care of it» — and you know what kids — JJ took care of it. I left sobbing I returned the next day to a car that was more beautiful than the day I bought it.
True Story — Scouts Honor

I am very happy with the service I received from JJ and his crew.
They detailed my 1997 car and it looks great.
The exterior is super glossy, the interior has not been this clean for years They even cleaned the engine. They work hard and do what they promise. I will use them again.

I called in and was told that a full detail starts at $ 80, depending on your car. I drive a Cadillac Deville and so I figured with the leather seats and larger interior I’d probably end up paying $ 100. I get down to the job site, and ask one of the guys how much my car is going to cost; he tells me only JJ can quote me but that he’ll probably charge me around $ 120. A 50% markup over their base price sounds steep to me, but I can deal.
I wait and JJ finally arrives, swaggers over, sees the Cadillac emblem on my hood, and apparently decides to take me for a ride. One hundred eighty dollars, he tells me.
«What happened to the $ 80 I heard over the phone?» I ask.
He proceeds to provide an in-​depth description of all the great work he’s going to do for my car. «What price will make you happy?» he finally asks.
«$ 80 would make me happy, but I’ll settle for $ 100.»
He laughs like I just made a good joke.
I try and work him down, but $ 140 is the lowest he’ll go. That’s 75% more than his base price he gave out over the phone; I get the distinct feeling I’m dealing with a man who doesn’t advertise fairly and has little use for honesty, the sort of man I don’t want crawling all over my car, and so I drive away with my money safely in my pocket.