California Auto Service

I guess a good time to make a judgement about a place is when things go wrong. As this place was convenient to us we chose them for some work on our car. The quoted price was no better or worse than we expected. So, we went with them. They did the job on time and communicated with us clearly. Things did not work out and we started having new problems straight after they finished. So, we had to take it back for a re-​do. They dealt with our problem promptly and sorted it out without charging anything extra. There have been no further problems since. 5 stars because I can trust them in the worst of circumstances.

I got nothing but positive things to say about this shop. Great staff and very knowledgable. I brought both my vehicles in for service and got them back in no time. Highly recommended.

Usually I go to Import Car Specialist which was next door to this place. Mike was an awesome car tech, but this review is not for him. I needed my Jetta repaired right away as it was leaking coolant. Since Import Car Specialist is closed, I decided to go to this shop because they had a BMW e30 in one of their bays. After speaking with both Orlin and Alex they took my car in right away and got to work. They immediately discovered the source of the leak and informed me of how much the repair would cost.
My car was ready the next day at a very reasonable price. After this, I think I will starting taking all of my cars here.

Had a very good experience here, the owner of the shop went out of his way to ensure everything was done right the first time. I had the Giubo and the driveshaft center support replaced on my 86 BMW e30. Owner of the shop stayed a few hours after the shop was closed to make sure I went home with my car the same day.

Bottom line up front: I found that they were willing to grossly overcharge me for repairs that costed only a fraction of the price elsewhere ($ 2000 here, $ 85 dollars at High Street Auto). Dishonest and disappointing, with unrealistic time frames for completed repairs. Avoid if you can (you certainly can).
Pros: A good base point, so once they quote you here, you can go elsewhere and see just how much cheaper it would be to fix your car.
Cons: Prices, inefficiency, lack of professionalism, dishonesty, and overall dissatisfaction with their service.
Came here about three weeks ago to fix my car. Had AC problems, squeaky brakes, a blown taillight, and my car would shake violently when driving beyond 60 mph. Dropped off my car here since I live close by, and was told to come back in half an hour for a quote. Came back, ended up waiting an extra hour and a half, with no one else in the lobby and only one other car in the shop.
Was told that my AC system had to be completely replaced, brake discs and pads same story, front bumper and blown shocks/​struts were what was «probably» causing the shaking (the mechanic said he didn’t notice any shaking… despite my telling him that I noticed it for the past few days).
I was quoted a $ 2000 price tag for my car, and that it would take several days to order everything and replace/​repair. I asked the mechanic to give me a print out of everything, but he said he couldn’t. Instead, he hand-​jammed everything on a little notepad, while pecking away at his keyboard with his index fingers (and dramatically raising his eyebrows occasionally) to show he was looking up the «least expensive parts that can be used» that were still of quality.
The mechanic gave me a snake’s grin when he slid his quote to me and said that if I make up my mind on the spot about going with the repairs, that he could see what he could do about a discount. I quietly (and disbelievingly) left with the thought that I wasted half my afternoon with this place. I called another repair shop that I had my car serviced at before in the past, and found that they were much more professional, reasonable with their assessment of my car, actually took the time out to show me what was wrong (as opposed to just making me sit in the lobby while making of show of an inspection), and gave me recommendations for what I can do.
I ended up replacing my tires, based on feedback from the new shop, instead of replacing the front bumper/​shocks/​struts from California Auto. That fixed the shaking immediately. The new shop, High Street Auto, ended up repairing everything else on my laundry list for $ 85 dollars. I literally saved myself a rent payment by trusting my gut feeling and going to High Street.
Do yourself a favor. If you live close by to this shop, California Auto, take the time and go to the other side of Fremont and visit Terry at High Street. Put the money you save into something worthwhile, because you will end up saving quite a bit.

Good and honest people, had my car serviced there a couple of times. Oil change, tire and light switch fixed. Both times work was done in timely manner and prices were very reasonable in comparison to other shops in the area that I’ve gotten quotes from previously. Definitely will do business again.

Orlin and Alex are the most honest auto mechanics I’ve ever met. Clean shop and always timely. They do great work for a fair price.

I brought my car here for a break fluid flush. They gave me a quote on the phone and that is exactly I much I paid at the end. They also did not mind to use my fluid and explained what they did as they worked. The job itself was very thorough and professional, they bled the brakes until clear fluid started to come out so now I am confident that all brake fluid was completely replaced.
Highly recommended!

Great auto shop with very knowledgeable and honest mechanics. I am extremely happy with the service and high quality work they did on my car. They charge very fair prices, and I highly recommend these guys to anyone looking for an auto shop to take their car to.

Orlin and Alec (Sasha) are great guys. I have been having them work on all the cars in the family. 2011 Acura Tsx, 2003 BMW 325I, and 2005 BMW 645CI convertible. These guys are experienced and honest guys. They take their time to explain their work and why it is necessary to do so. Every thing they have done on any of the cars I have serviced with them so far, has been spot on. Do not miss out servicing your car here! These guys know the complicated German engineering well and can service them for affordable prices. Based on their experience, they will be able to tell where the problem exactly is.

Honest and competent mechanics with very reasonable prices. During my last visit I had my rotors and brake pads replaced, thermostat assembly replaced and antifreeze/​coolant flushed.
I can tell these guys really care about what they do and really take the time to educate the customer about the issues they are fixing.
I will be back and will definitely recommend this place to family and friends.

This is the only place where my husband bring our cars to. Jay has been servicing our cars for the past 10 years. He is very honest, no hidden fees added and he lays out all the fees upfront. You will always have the perception that mechanics are shady and cheats but not them.

I drive a MINI Cooper S and noticed the clutch started chattering and slipping. I saw the great reviews for this place and that they specialize in European cars so I gave them a call. They were professional and got me an accurate quote quickly. The quote was very fair and I decided to go with them. When dropping off my car I noticed that the repair area was very clean and organized.
You can tell they are passionate about what they do. When I picked up my car I was shown the old parts and explained what was wrong with them. They even took photos of my car during the repair and showed them to me :-)
It took them longer than originally quoted, but I know that the clutch/​fly-​wheel replacement is labor intensive and MINI’s are a pain to work on. They were kind enough to give me a discount because it had taken longer than expected.
I will definitely be going back to them whenever I have any car repairs and can’t say enough good things about them!

The best auto service in Fremont and Bay Area. The owners are so down to earth and helpful! They fixed my Mini Cooper very fast. They have so much knowledge to help you in any moment.

Great place! I only come here every time I need service done on my cars. Honest professional technicians. I definitely recommend to everyone.

This is a great shop to bring your car in for service. They specialize in BMW but can work on all type of cars. Owners are friendly and the prices are fair. Will definitely bring my car back to them for service.

Excellent small European auto shop. They do everything from basic maintenance to full engine rebuilds and transmission swaps. They are honest and work quickly. They will explain everything that needs to be done and why. They specialize in older cars so if you’re struggling to keep that old BMW out of the junk yard, these are the guys to ask for help.

Orlin and alec are the best. They just opened up and I went to them via facebook. These guy are so good. They repair anything and they will actually explain everything to you as the repair it. And if theres anything else you need done they will tell you why it need it needs to be done. They dont give you the usual bs. These guys actually know what their doing and not some itt tech or boy that works at firestone.
I got my driveshaft and tie rods done for under 500 $?!? Where do you find that?
They let you sit in the office not to far away and they explain every step. It feel like your own friend is fixing your car. These guys are super friendly and will never over charge you or make you do repairs you dont need.
I live in san francisco and i make the drive to them because they do the job. Educate you and its affordable! Just how a california auto service should be like!