Autotrend Diagnostics

We just took our 2005 Toyota Camry for the first time to Autotrend in Campbell. We got the car to them between 12−1pm. The car would start up fine but then die on us, not hold an idle. I checked the battery, fully charged it, and cleaned the battery terminals myself. That wasn’t it. So we had it towed to the their shop, since it kept dying… They charged us $ 158 to diagnose the problem which included manually cleaning the throttle body. They told us that the throttle body was still gummed up, and further recommended an induction cleaning, which means connect a machine that sprays a cleaner deeper and more thoroughly into the throttle body… That was another $ 139… So anyway, we got the car back, and test drove it ourselves, and it works just great! It was also nice that they checked over other things as well, and made detailed comments for us, on things that we should consider having done in the near future. I found Doug, the service writer, and Dave, the owner, very nice and cordial, easy to work with. Thanks guys.

Once again, the guys at Autotrend Diagnostics came through for me. I was working on a DIY project installing an audio system. The guys provided technical support and upgraded the electrical system wiring for the battery connections as well as tagged some wires for me that I needed to tap into to get my rear view camera functioning. The work was flawless and I was in and out in one day. Great job guys!

Thanks to David and his crew I avoided a big mistake. I had found the (used) car of my dreams at a very good price from a private dealer. He did agree to take it to Autotrends, and they went over it with a fine tooth comb. I could have lived with a few idiosycrasies and paid for those fixes, but they found major expensive issues, and a dangerous tire situation that I was unable to see myself.
Their price of $ 139 for the checkup was a bargain compared to the hole I might have dug for myself. they were so thorough and had specific knowledge of the vehicle I was considering.
Thanks guys — I know I will find my Dream Car, and not a nightmare, going forward.
David has a terrific phone «presence» if you will, and is very reassuring to speak with, even though I bothered him with a couple of calls while the car was being looked over (and under, around and through…).

I came to Autotrend Diagnostics with a real nightmare — I did some work on it myself, and only made it worse, to where I had gotten a Helicoil stuck of the wrong size. They took care of it with ease, by changing a difficult bolt on the pulley to the correct size. Dave is a really cool guy, they go above and beyond, and same goes for Kevin! Thanks, guys, can’t even thank you enough!
Sincerely,
WhackyMechanic

Dave was polite and professional. When asked about service on a vehicle he didn’t specialize in, Dave went the extra mile an recommend another shop with details. Impressive that would go out of his way to help a customer.

I was looking for a mechanic to fix the suspension on my car. It was making some rattling noises when going over loose road at a slow speed. Since I live in the Campbell area I searched the businesses nearby and found Autotrend.
I spoke with Dave on the phone before taking my car in and my first impression was that he was very friendly and thorough. I told him that I had done a little research and that it may be the sway bar causing the noise although I wasn’t 100% sure of that. We discussed a ballpark price and I brought my car in for service.
I was hoping to spend no more than roughly $ 300 since this is what the estimated cost of repair was based on a website that gives you estimates of repair costs, one of which endorses Autotrend Diagnostics, they even have the seal on the window. The estimate from the website was around $ 200, Dave mentioned that they would be on the higher end of the scale, fine by me. The actual cost was about $ 300 to replace the sway bar.
While Dave still had my car, he gave me a call and let me know that he also found a worn/​broken transmission mount, would be an additional $ 500 to fix. I hesitated slightly because that’s alot of money but hey, if it may cure the problem and for safety, I gave him the OK.
Next day the car was done and I went to pick it up. Met with Dave and he even showed me the worn out part that he replaced from the transmission mount. He said the car was ready to go. I was excited that my car would finally be free of that annoying rattling sound. Dave had mentioned that they tested the car to try and pinpoint the sound. We did also discuss the possibility of it being the front shocks although those were replaced just recently.
I left the shop and although it seems the noise it a tad bit better, it’s still there and still annoying.
I would have given Dave and his team 5 stars because he’s a very nice person to deal with, the shop looks clean, in a nice area, very thorough, showed me the worn part, etc… If my car would have been fixed, of course, 5 stars galore, well earned. But… I left with my car still making the annoying noise that I brought it in with. My expectation was to drop my car off, tell mechanic to get rid of the noise, fix that noise, drive off with no noise.
Were my sway bars really the issue? What if I didn’t mention the sway bars from the initial phone call, then maybe would they have pinpointed a different issue that perhaps may have fixed the problem?
Next time I take my car to a mechanic I’m just going to say, fix that noise and I don’t want my car back until that noise is gone.

I have a classic car which is old enough to scare off many shops. I intend to keep this car for many years, so when it’s got a problem, I want it fixed properly. My fellow classic-​car enthusiasts will know what I mean.
When my car needed front-​end work (bushings & ball joints), I called several shops. Some said they can’t do the older, press-​in-​place type of bushings because they don’t have the equipment. Others said they couldn’t work on my car as soon as they heard the vintage.
After being referred again and again, I ended up speaking with Dave at Autotrend Diagnostics. Dave had a friendly, professional and warm telephone manner, and best of all, he said he could fix my car! I had a pretty good idea what my car needed when I took it in, but welcomed confirmation and got it.
I’m a mechanically-​inclined female who can rebuild a carburetor among other things, and I want to tell other ladies like myself, I was treated with respect and witnessed another female also receiving respectful treatment. There was none of the condescension, discounted opinions or upselling attempts that women often get dished at auto shops. Dave is one you can trust to give you the straight scoop and deliver on his commitments.
Autotrend (much more than just diagnostics) found the parts for my old car and got the work done on time as promised. The price went over what I originally expected because I needed ball joints not just bushings, but they were right and I wanted the work done, so happy ending. Dave even waited for us to show up shortly after closing time because we couldn’t get there before closing due to circumstances beyond our control.
This was my first experience with Autotrend, and sadly my last because we’re leaving the area. I’d like to say I’ll be a repeat customer, but geography says otherwise. Still, I highly recommend this place. My experience was pleasant and first-​rate beginning to end.

Autotrend is one of the few automobile service shops that I can honestly give 5 stars. We originally found them after many disappointing experiences with local Acura and Honda dealerships. I was searching for someone knowledgeable, but also honest with no push for mystery service issues. Autotrend fits the bill, and we’ve been happy with their service for almost 10 years now, keeping our cars running like new.

David at Autotrend diagnostics Is great! He is an honest guy you simply know you can trust. He’s helpful, timely and great at explaining what’s best for you and your vehicle. Autotrend has exceptional service, very reasonable pricing and is a place I’ve returned to a handful of times. I would highly recommend them!

Dave and the folks at Autotrend Diagnostics were friendly, professional and their service was timely.
They helped me with my fan belt which was Unilocaling to be replaced every time I started up my car, and when I was sitting at stop lights. In addition, they spotted and resolved another issue with my car.
They went above and beyond with the logistics to make sure I could drop off and pick up the car when it was convenient for me. (They have a key Dropbox and envelopes to explain the issue for when you drop off the car after hours).
Definitely would recommend to others if they want an issue or multiple issues spotted and resolved with their car.

I have taken two cars to them over the past year and have received outstanding customer service. They did a great job diagnosing, repairing, and keeping me informed of the process each time. Honesty, Integrity, and professionalism are what come to mind when describing how this business runs. Definitely recommend this shop.

Really friendly guys, I LOVED that we called them ahead of time when we were looking for places to take my car, and they took the time to chat with us about what I might need to get done (was doing 100,000 maintenance on my honda) and specifically, in regards to any mechanic ‘you’ll want to make sure they check out this, that’ — not immediately presuming/​saying we’d have to go to them. Needless to say, by not doing that, they won our business.
When we came in everyone was polite, friendly, place was clean, they even have other beverages (soda, water bottles) in case you don’t just want coffee. They did an oil change and review of the car and when they called us back in, just told us simply what needed to be done and why (e.g. transmission fluid is black so I’d definitely get that done). They even brought up issues I hadn’t mentioned, like needing to fix my brake pads and had I noticed the car rumbling when stopped?
Ultimately, the one star off is for over pricing. They quoted me $ 85 for an air cabin filter change (which I can do for free with a $ 10 replacement), and $ 320 for brakes, $ 150 for transmission, of which I was able to get done elsewhere much more cheaply. That said, they were VERY cool about everything — when I said ‘ok, I think I’ll check out this other mechanic for the repairs’ they were still just as friendly ‘ok, we’ll have the car ready for you’ and not gripping about how I couldn’t possibly get it done better elsewhere (another mechanic experience elsewhere that I had). A very nice, friendly, smooth and honest maintenance review of my car. Especially since I know zilch about cars, its nice to know there is a place I can go to that I trust to tell me honestly what needs to be done, and without hassle.

I just wanted to recommend Dave at Autotrend Diagnostics to anyone looking for a very trust-​worthy and car saavy mechanic. My husband and I tried his business at a friend’s suggestion a few years ago and having been bringing both of our vehicles to him since. I think our positive feed back on his expertise and pleasant, very-​customer oriented way of doing business is long over due. Great work Dave!

Had an electrical issue that stumped my mechanic of many years (who is great in his own right). Gave David a call — had me bring the truck in quickly — diagnosis was amazingly fast and spot on (radio was draining the battery even when the engine was shut off).
Top shelf technical capabilities, great communication and service… highly recommended.

Friendly, helpful, and prompt! Great find as I am new in the area,

Outstanding service! Dave is the ultimate professional and will take the time to clearly explain everything! He is never in a hurry to end the conversation, but will patiently review the work to be done until I understand it. The shop is clean and comfortable and everyone there is courteous and conscientious. I’m so happy we found this place a few years ago!

on 4÷16÷2014, I took a used Toyota that I bought, only to find out days later that the heater did not work, to Autotrend Diagnostics. Keeping in mind that replacing the heater core w/​o flushing the system would only result in a new heater core clogging, even though I was referred to Autotrend Diagnostics, I called a few places to get estimates for having the cooling system and heater core flushed (hoping that flushing the heater core would result in it working again). Unlike the other shops, David said they would flush the cooling system and also flush the heater core separately. It worked, flushing the heater core separately resulted in the heater working like a new heater. Yes, the service was a little more expensive than some other shops, but the service was much more thorough than what was offered to me at other shops (would not flush the heater core separately), and because of the extra effort, the heater core did not need to be replaced.

My parents have been taking their cars to Dave for years, and now that I have my own car I take it to Dave. He is honest, and lets you know what really needs to be fixed and what can wait a month or two, which for a college student with little money is awesome! Dave really cares about his customers if you live nearby he will offer to give you a ride. He also calls you with updates, and gets everything done on the car promptly so I’m not without a car for very long! I would recommend Dave to everyone!

Horrible Horrible Horrible
I rarely post reviews, but this one got me angry. My 1992 nissan 240sx was due for a smog. Did not pass because the timing is off and it needed a new catalytic converter. I read good reviews over at Unilocal about this shop. So I decided to head over there to get my car fixed. I told the mechanic there the timing was off. He said he could get it fixed. I didn’t care much about the catalytic converter because I can go to a muffler shop. Roughly a day later, the mechanic called to «upsell» me a complete tune up, thinking that it will change the timing. I told him its been done. RED FLAG RED FLAG.
Then, he tries to «upsell» me again with a smog. He said he knows a guy that can smog the vehicle. So I told him just to fix the timing. REG FLAG RED FLAG.
Another day went by and the mechanic called and said the timing on the vehicle is fixed. Relieved that this is finally over and I brought my 240sx back to the smog shop (free or cheaper the second time around) and to my surprise, the smog tech guy told me the timing has NOT been changed. AUTOTREND DID NOT REPAIR MY VEHICLE!!!
Did I mention HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE? AVOID AT ALL COST. DO NOT GET YOUR CAR FIX FROM THIS SHOP!!!

I have known the owner of this shop for approx. 10 years & am pleased to support a small businessman. It’s also a thrill to be able to take my car to a shop & have 100% confidence that the mechanic isn’t ripping me off!
After Dave takes a look at our cars, he’ll always call to tell us what’s wrong & give us a cost estimate before proceeding with the work. He will also tell us potential problems that are likely to come up with the car, how much they’ll cost & if the repair can wait.
We usually get our car back pretty quickly, within a day or two depending on the kind of work being done.
Price wise, I’ve had people say he runs a bit high but since I know I can trust him, I don’t mind paying the extra!