Rafi Autotech

I’m new to California. Had my first smog check ever. I failed a smog check due a sensor issue. My check engine light was on when I arrived at rafis shop. He charged me the $ 40 dollars and failed to mention that a check engine light on is an automatic fail for smog test.

Rafi Autotech saved my day! When driving up to LA from OC, my low pressure light came on. Siri sent me to Rafi Autotech, and I’m grateful! Friendly, attentive, quick assessment and resolution and I was on my way again — whew! Well done, very impressive!

Rafi gave me a good price on a smog check. Other places quoted me $ 60 for a 2009 RAV4 smog check, but Rafi charged me $ 40.

This place is awesome! So easy, so fast and the owner is a gem. Seriously the nicest guy.
Make sure to call and make an appointment just to let him know you will be stopping by.
A++++++ to Raffi’s Auto Tech.

Rafi Autotech truly is quick, efficient, and reasonable ($ 40) for smog checks. «Thank you, Rafi»

Simply the best place to trust. I have always had nothing but positive experiences here. I would trust no one else with my vehicles. I am a lawyer and I can always count on them. They are honest and do their job fast. It’s never a fun experience having to repair anything on your car, but these guys make it easy, always.

Came in for a smog check, $ 40 with the Unilocal offer. Friendly people and good service, will come back again:)

$ 40 smog check.
Nice people.
Quick service.
Done in 15 minutes.
Affordable.
Easy.
Come get your smog check!

Rafi is awesome. I was in and out for a smog check in fifteen minutes and I got a super cheap deal: $ 40.00. I highly recommend this place.

My biggest concern whenever going to a new auto repair shop is that they’re going to take advantage of me and claim I need repairs that I don’t. I brought my recently purchased used 2011 BMW 335i in because of a leak in the coolant. I suspected it was the tank, but didn’t know if it also involved sensors, hoses, etc. I also hadn’t had a service done in the 6 months I owned the car, so I figured I’d have that done, too. Rafi was very nice on the phone and equally as pleasant when I brought the car in. The initial charge was $ 150 for an electronic diagnosis on the vehicle. Here’s where I got scared, expecting a litany of problems to show up. But lo and behold, there weren’t, including Rafi’s claim that I didn’t even need a service visit at this time, saving me some money there.
Next, on to the coolant issue. I left my car there and he provided a free rental for as long as the car was in the shop. (Waited far too long for the rental shuttle to arrive, but can’t blame Rafi for that.) Later that afternoon, I heard from Kevin confirming that the tank was cracked and that I needed a new one. Nothing is cheap when it comes to BMW repairs, but Kevin was kind enough to knock a little off as a first time customer. He told me the car would probably be ready by that afternoon, but would let me know. Sure enough, a couple of hours later, he said that he thought it would be ready by 5pm, but it was cutting it close to closing time so better to pick it up the following morning. Fair enough.
The following morning, I arrived. The car was ready, Rafi was equally as nice as the day before and Bob, the mechanic, took the time to show me the damaged and replaced part and walk me through some of the electronic check systems on the car. I drove away happy, but only travelled a couple of blocks when my electronic sensor went off. My heart sunk, but it turns out it was a low tire pressure sensor. I immediately turned around and drove back into the shop where Bob attentively checked and filed all the tires and apologized for not checking them before I had left.
All in all, a very positive experience. I can’t say the service charges are lower than elsewhere, but the repairs were done well and they were honest, which for my money is worth a lot.

I have been looking for a place to take my Mercedes now that I am living on the West side. I found Rafi’s place and my husband and I are very please with their service. They saw us same day and had our car ready next day. Price was reasonable, specially when it comes to Mercedes. Bob who was our mechanic was EXTREMELY helpful. He takes pride in his work and it shows. Very knowledgeable. Will definitely keep coming back here as long as we stay on the West side.

Unbelievable service. Love this place. Came here to get my smog done. 1^st time here. Treated me better than family. I was in and out in 15 min! No wait no drama. Just honest hard working n caring staff! Reasonable prices too! I will be back for sure and telling all my friends n family to come here for their smog checks. Also they specialize in Mercedes cars and bmw

Thank you Rafi and team for taking care of our 2005 Mini Cooper!
They’ve done a great job on our car. In the past, they’ve repaired our convertible top (which most shops didn’t want to touch), replaced our drive belt and tensioner, and repaired various odds and ends to pass the smog test. Their inspections are comprehensive and detailed and their prices seem fair (I’ve done my research).

I came in to Rafi’s shop for a previous service. We purchased a non certified 2011 535, which seemed like a steal at the time since it had no incidents in the carfax. However, as you’ve probably heard a million times, Bimmers tend to break down right after their standard warranty coverage expires. The car developed several issues that accumulated to the point where my gf was developing acute panic attacks. The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) kept tripping for both rear wheels, the HUD stopped working, and the A/​C blew only outside temperature air. Luckily we bought a 3^rd party extended warranty. However, calling around at several dealerships, we were denied coverage several times.
It was a good thing I checked around for certified BMW service specialists. Despite some reviews on Unilocal for Rafi’s shop that were pretty entertaining, ultimately they were cause for concern. I am glad I took the chance to have Rafi take a look at our car and work with our warranty company.
Turns out, the wheels had developed hairline cracks in the rims, causing air to leak out on speed bumps and other jolts to the suspension. While this was not an item covered under the warranty (good luck finding any warranty that covers wear items suck as brakes, wheels, and tires), Rafi was able to accurately diagnose the issue and had an expert welder who could repair the rims at a reasonable rate. Since the repair, we haven’t had any issues with the TPMS.
The motor that provided elevation changes for the HUD’s viewing angle had broke. It also was not covered under warranty. Unfortunately, it required that the entire dash be removed in order to access, not withstanding the replacement part would have cost over $ 1000. Rafi offered to permanently fix the unit in place, which actually was a reasonable and clever solution to a ridiculously expensive issue caused by BMW need to make incredibly complex proprietary parts. Ultimately we decided not to fix the HUD since the labor alone would cost about $ 400 (Rafi was careful to explain that it would take several hours to disassemble everything and reconnect it, which I agreed and knew he wasn’t just trying to rack up charges).
The A/​C was repaired under warranty, but ultimately stopped working at full capacity after a month. We took it back and it was recharged, blowing cool air again within a day, free of charge. We are crossing our fingers (now 2 months since original repair), but one of Rafi’s mechanics Rob put some dye in the system so that we could track down the leak in case it happens again.
Overall, I believe Rafi and his team provide great service at reasonable rates. I think a lot of the issues described in the negative reviews on Unilocal stem from customers looking for quick or easy fixes that were not possible given the constraints. I highly advise you to go over the estimates in detail and understand the issues before signing off to avoid headaches down the line.
Also please note, do NOT park at the subway thats in the same shopping center (you will get towed immediately).

Before I met Rafi, I used to bring in my car (BMW 328 I) to the dealer for service. I did not know better, and I usually ended up paying way more to the dealer.
Rafi offers the same services as the dealer at a much affordable prices. He and his team really have your back. He waited for me until 5:30 so that I can pick up my car even though his office is supposed to be closed at 5.

Super quick and very convenient smog check! Rafi was very nice and patient. He showed me what the next steps were after my smog and how to do the DMV registration.
$ 40 bucks for the smog and certificate with Unilocal check in! Probably the cheapest I’ve found in the area. He submits the info to the DMV and you just do the registration part of it.
Highly recommended! Literally takes 5 minutes to do and everyone was very nice.

I brought my bmw to Rafi Autotech past there business hours and they took the time to help me. Now that is customer service, the price of the repairs is worth the experience. Very affordable. The mechanics are very knowledgeable and reliable. Thank again guys, you are the best. You got a customer for life. Again thank you Rafi Autotech!!!

Now that I have a full story, here is what happened. Emotions aside.
Went to Rafi because of great reviews and the low price he quoted me over the phone even after I told him my car was a 1986.
Got there and he surprised me with a higher price because my car is a 1986… But, honored a Unilocal coupon which makes him the cheapest smog check around.
I failed the smog test. He gave me a loose verbal quote of more than $ 500 to fix my car, said I needed a new o2 sensor, a new CAT and major carb work done.
I went elsewhere and replaced the o2 sensor, replaced the CAT even though mine only had about 2,000 miles on it. Didn’t replace my carb though.
Went back to Rafi, failed even worse the second time as far as I can tell from the print-​out. However, I don’t really know because he wouldn’t explain the numbers to me. He wouldn’t even talk to me. Cold shoulder. Perhaps he sensed he had nothing to gain from me?
I kept standing there till he acknowledged me. I asked him what the numbers meant and he basically told me I had to give him $ 300 and we would take it from there, he said something like «$ 300 will get your foot in the door». I’m guessing that is for some sort of diagnostic test.
Thankfully I left.
I went to another star smog place (test only) where they tinkered with my carbs a little bit for free and I passed the low speed test failed the 25mph. I then went to an amazing carb place where the guy spent no more than 8 minutes adjusting my carb after seeing the smog test results. Went back for my second free test and passed.
So although I wasted money on the new CAT and O2 sensor that did NOTHING thanks to Rafi, Rafi didn’t get a penny out of me other than the smog test.
Rafi, you clearly read these reviews. I’m sorry if you had a bad day both times I came in. Everyone on Unilocal seems to love you but I had a very different experience with you. Sorry if you are disappointed that you didn’t make more than $ 60 off me. I really can’t see any other reason to be so cold to someone. If it makes you feel any better, you did get that $ 60. So enjoy it. I’m out a lot more than that because of you. I could have just had a few free carb adjustments by honest mechanics if it wasn’t for your scare tactics and bad recommendations. Have a good life. Cheer up. Be helpful and honest to people. And if you hate your job or whatever is wrong with you, change it! It’s never too late buddy.

Rafi is super chill. Definitely recommend him for all your smog needs really nice dude and really great service !

«Lucy», my 2011 MINI COOPER S decided to turn on its check engine light and malfunction during my trip in Los Angeles. I am from San Diego and having your car break down far from home is very inconvenient! After doing research on MINI/​BMW repair shops in the L.A. area I stumbled upon this gem. Great reviews and credible technicians. Why not give them a try?!
I was welcomed in by «Rafi», the owner of the auto shop. He was cordial and attentive to all my concerns. He gave me a few pointers to make sure «Lucy» is given the best treatment possible. He then led me to the mechanic who would be working on my car.
Bob, a stern, but knowledgable mechanic was very helpful and sincere. He made sure that my MINI was in tip top shape. He not only fixed the major problems with my car but also did some minor fixes, like the windshield washers and a broken license plate bulb. He made my ride back home to San Diego much more enjoyable and stress-​free. Thanks Bob for keeping it real and for giving me advice on how to properly maintain my MINI COOPER.
These guys are great. I’m pretty savvy with cars so I know when mechanics are trying to scam you. These guys kept it one hundred and made the whole process of fixing my car, hassle-​free. They included a discount with their already competitive prices. They even included a free rental and washed my car after repairing it! If I am in the area of Los Angeles again, I would definitely drop by RAFI AUTOTECH for any maintenance or questions/​concerns I have about my car.
I highly recommend these guys to anyone with a MINI/​BMW/​MERCEDES/​VW/​AUDI! They really work with you and are competitive with prices. They use all OEM PARTS and back it up with a great warranty.
One of the coolest things about this auto shop, is that they worked on the MINI COOPERS in the new movie, «PIXEL» starring Adam Sandler!
Thanks Rafi and Bob!