Pete’s Union 76 Service

Came here because my tire has a nail. When I drove up to the boss and ask if he can help me fix my tire he said to me «you need to tell me which tire is it» I was like hmm. If I know I don’t need to come to you. And he told me to go home and drive around to see which tire is low … Immediately I feel not welcome at all, so I asked how much is it to fix it. He said $ 20 … Ok … So I went to another 76 which is on Lawton and 41^th? The owner checked all of my tires and found the nail on my rear tire and for the same price and better service!!! $ 20
Ps: they can’t even tell if my rims had plasti dip or not and told me my tires are bad due to my plasti dip have dripped on to my tire …

I brought my car here so I could have them diagnose my ‘Check Engine Light’. Upon meeting the mechanic I start explaining to him, «My ‘Check Engine Light’ is on, I’m pretty sure I just need an oil change…» and before I could get out anything else, the mechanic starts LAUGHING AT ME and walks away saying «that couldn’t be it»! I am a little taken back by this response. He could’ve at least let me finish my explanation before assuming I was wrong. So as I am speaking with another mechanic, I try to explain to him the same thing, but once again the first mechanic comes up and starts laughing, again saying «that could not be the problem»! The second mechanic then says, «the only way it could be your oil is if you have almost NO oil.» Which I reply, «Exactly. It’s been a WHILE since I’ve changed it and I’m pretty sure that’s what it is.» (I know I should’ve changed the oil before the light came on, and I usually do, but it just didn’t happen this time)
I ended up leaving my car there and they said they would call within a couple of hours, which they did. As I’m speaking with the guy on the phone, he informs me that they checked the light and «the oil was extremely low so they will need to change it.» (just as I speculated). The guy tells me it will be $ 50. I don’t feel like searching around for a better price (and I also need my car for work) so I tell him to «go ahead.» I told my husband about this and he says that specific 76 has an online coupon! So I look for it and found a coupon for new customers, which I was. When I got there, the guy who laughed at me rings me up (and pretends he’s never seen me before) and I told him I had the coupon, he looks at the coupon and says, «No.» Then repeats the full charge amount. So I ask, «No? No explanation, just ‘No’?» After some disputing, he hesitates then leaves to ask his boss about the coupon. Upon his return he tells me that they still won’t honor it. The boss comes in and basically tells me that I should be happy they didn’t charge me $ 50 just for checking the ‘Check Engine Light’ and another $ 50 for the oil change!!! I said, «Are you serious?! I told your mechanic I thought that was the problem BEFORE you checked it and he laughed at me!» But the boss insisted that his mechanic did no such thing. I told the boss that I would never again patron that business, and he tells me «good!». After the boss leaves, the guy at the register doesn’t even look at me, holds out his hand and says «CARD»!
WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE. EVER.

This place revived my bike, thanks!
I finally figured out why my Motorcycle in storage for 12 months wouldn’t start, it needed gas! I simply walked into the shop of this friendly 76 and asked if I could use one of their portable gas containers and they were more than happy to lend it to me. Brought it home to fill into my bike, and now she purrs! Brought it back in as soon as I filled her up of course.
Thanks Pete’s Union 76 for the helping hand!

I’ve only talked to one person here so this review is based on those two experiences. I’ve called them to see if they experience the same CEL code that popped up on my car. The person I spoke to on the phone was knowledgable and said they could do the job. I brought my car in and he told me a few things I could do to see if the problem persist. I did what I was told and reset the code. A few days later, the code comes back along with another one, so I brought the car in again and spoke to the same person. This time, he was rude and seemed as he didn’t car. He sat there picking his teeth while speaking to me. It was pretty disturbing. His attitude was totally different than the last time and sounded like he didn’t want to work on my car. I was told to TRY to come back the next day to SEE if he is free to take a look at my car. I said fine, walked out and brought my car to another shop. There’s another 76 on taraval and the owner is Sam. He was WAAAAAAY nicer. They were really busy as well, more cars parked in front of their shop than this one, but Sam still gave me his attention and suggested a fix. If Pete’s doesn’t want me business, I’ll bring it elsewhere; not a problem. BUT PLEASE CLEAN UP YOUR APPEARANCE.

I went in for an oil change and a basic check of fluid levels as well as belts.
The one thing I specified was regular, not synthetic oil. They put in synthetic. They were all right other than that I guess. The feeling that the guy’s were not listening all that carefully was confirmed by the oil. I gave them a try but they will not become my local mechanic. I will keep looking. I own a 15 year old jeep that has been very well cared for and so I want my mechanic to treat my baby with some respect.

My brakes went out over the weekend. I moved to the outer Sunset last year and hadn’t needed an auto shop yet until now. This 76 is just 3 blocks from my house, and normally I’m wary of the closest option, but the Unilocal reviews were so good that I dropped my car off anyway on Monday morning.
Tran took care of me and gave me a realistic estimate. He said he could have it all done by the end of the day, and at about 4 I got a call back saying it was done. The total ended up being $ 50 cheaper than he originally quoted me, and while they had it they fixed my left rear turn signal which has been broken for a year.
I’ve only ever gotten gas here before because of the convenient location to me, but now I will take my car here the next time I have a problem. If you live a few blocks from the coast or GG park this is a great option for a mechanic you can drop your car off at and walk home.

Tran has a very honest ethical business here. Brought my wife’s car in to have the check engine light checked out. Car was also stalling in idle. The car was checked out fine with only an issue of the gas cap not being tightened properly. Engine code reset. Stalling was diagnosed as dirty fuel injectors with recommendation for owner treatment. No charge! Have to get all my cars serviced here. Also brought my honda here for previous strut replacement.

This is only for the gas. The prices here are always way above the rest of the stations I usually go to, but it’s down the block from me and I can go here in a pinch. I won’t get more than a few gallons though just to tie me over till i can get to a costco or somewhere cheaper.

Amazing service! I came in and had to get my tires replaced and I was really short on time, but they were able to do it in just a few hours! I used to have a really long commute (1.5 hours each way!) so I was constantly coming in to get something fixed, but they always manage to do it in a timely manner and with a smile! I’ve gone in a few times getting nails out of my tires and they always comp me because I’m a recurring customer. And I only live a few blocks away so I can just drop off my car and walk home! I love this place and will keep coming back!

These guys are the best. They won’t up sell you and always back up their work. I have used them as my only mechanic since the early 1990’s. It’s a good feeling when you know you can trust the guys working on your car.

Wow! Calvin is a magic mechanic and he’s super duper nice — everyone who works at Pete’s Union 76 is very kind.
I had to change a low beam headlight bulb in my Mazda 6, which was not designed in a way that makes changing the bulb easy — in fact, you have to take the bumper or wheel well cover off. The Mazda certified service center (Royal Motors on Howard) was going to take half the day and charge $ 113. Calvin did it in 10 minutes for a ridiculously low charge, so I gave him a tip. He saved me sooo much time and money — he has no idea.
I would trust these guys with my car for anything. Good, honest, and thoughtful mechanics. Very nice young cashier too — all smiles!

All the work they did is still working perfectly. Doesn’t get any better than that, does it?

Wow! I have to write the well earned praises of this business. I have always had anxiety around car repairs. But, this place really made me feel comfortable and well taken care of. I recently moved to the neighborhood and needed some major help with my older vehicle.
I first took my truck to another place that gave an estimate that was much higher and then they wanted me to wait three days to have the work completed. A friend called Pete’s Union 76 and spoke with Louis about my repair. They took my truck right in (on a Saturday) and had the work done the same day! Not only that, the repair cost about $ 150 less than what I would have paid at the other repair shop! The staff was very attentive, explained the repair/​options and competently fixed my vehicle. Oh! And another nice feature of this business is that you can pick up your repaired vehicle at any hour! The gas station is open 24 hrs, so they hold your repair ticket and car key if the repair shop is closed. Well, now I have found my new repair shop. Bet you would like them too:)

Pretty good prices for being do deep in the Sunset! Only thing that would make it 5 stars would be a cheaper cash only option.

Just a short of review of three repairs I have had done here, two of which were serious and in the $ 500 range. I have an older car and their service has kept it going better than it has ever run in the first place. Repairs have been in the tune up area & the electrical area/​engine area. First rate and a lot of attention — the guys care and you can get in a conversation with them about your car. I am very satisfied the the people there as my dealer has closed and gone away.

Wow! I can’t believe I am reviewing a gas station. I can’t help but have to say that this service station is THE BEST!!! They are SO super honest with you it’s unbelievable! My hubby brought in his civic because of a rattling noise that seemed to start whenever he drove the car and he also told Pete, to give us a tuneup if necessary. Pete said no problem, I’ll have Calvin drive the car around and see what the problem is. Next thing you know they call us, tell us it was just something lose and we fixed it for you and we’re NOT going to charge you for it. He also said, «Oh, you don’t need a tuneup.» Most places would give you tuneup regardless if you need it or not. AMAZINGLY Honest and someone you can trust. This is not our first time bringing our car here. They never charge you for an estimate of what needs to be done and they are SO great about being honest with you. Thanks Pete and Calvin for helping us fix our car and being SO honest.

I got the absolute best above-​and-​beyond service from Minh Ta today. My battery died at Lands End, between the Sutro Baths and the USS California monument. My leisurely Sunday morning park stroll turned into a sad mid-​morning when I got back to my car after a hike down to one mile beach, only to find the car would not start.
A friendly yuppie couple tried to jump-​start me, but as soon as we disconnected the cables, my car died. They hiked on, with kids strapped to their backs. Unilocal for my iPhone has been crashing a lot, so I had to use AroundMe (ahem, Unilocal) to find an auto parts store or service station nearby. The Pete’s Union 76 popped up a mile away, and I gave them a call to see if they had the battery, and get a quote.
I explained my situation to Minh Ta, who I learned later is the station manager. The battery was $ 109, and installation $ 25, which is average for a private service station, and matches the suggested retail price from the interstate battery site. He offered suggestions, and told me to keep the cables hooked up with the cars running for at least 5 minutes, then to drive over. He said that if I couldn’t get a jump, to call back and he would close his station to come bring me the charging block so I could charge up and drive over to get the battery replaced.
A very nice hippie couple with a beautiful black lab were kind enough to try to jump the car, and we had a great chat about Tacoma and San Francisco (where they had each grown up). Minh Ta called me back while we were charging, just to see if I was okay. When we finally disconnected the cables, my car died again immediately. Battery dead. Way dead. Like maybe there’s an alternator problem kind of dead. I asked Minh Ta if the offer still stood to drive me back over here if I got there… and maybe he could change out the battery here? He cheerfully said he would. I was floored.
So, the hippie couple offer to drive me over to the service station, sort of in the direction they are going. They refuse to take any money, and the wife even sat int he back seat with the lab, a sweet rescue dog from Marin.
At the station, Minh Ta and I chatted about the car, and the possibility of the alternator going out. He sold me the battery and we talked about me bringing the car back in when the mechanic is around so they can check the alternator. I tried to buy some smart water, but he said it was on the house. We chatted about San Francisco, real estate, mortgages, financing, Buddhism, and all kinds of things while other customers came in and out. We waited until the station got slow, and he put up a ‘back in 15′ sign, and drove me over to the stranded vehicle.
At Lands End the yuppie couple was just getting back to their car when we pulled up and popped the hood. It was five minutes from open to close, with some good conversations about the battery terminals and alternators. He also pointed out my brake fluid is getting low.
The car started right up, and we parted ways. He wouldn’t accept a tip, and though I wanted to hug him, I restrained myself.
I have never had such a good experience with a service station, especially on a Sunday. I thought I was going to have to spend all day struggling with this, but the kindness of strangers, including Minh Ta, got me home by early afternoon.
I’ll be back — tomorrow, when I get the alternator checked out. And any time I have mechanical trouble anywhere near the Sunset. And I’ll drive the extra few blocks for gas just to support the station.

Great service. Friendly staff. Professional. Low prices. Right by the beach. Absolutely belongs in the Top 5 service stations in San Francisco!
That pretty much sums up my review for Pete’s Union 76 Service Station. If you want to read of then please do. It was by word of mouth that I found this place. I have been coming here for a while to get my cars serviced here. The first time I came here, they did a great job on my A/​C when it sprung a leak. It is super cool now, cooler than when it was new. That made me make the switch. No more dealerships and no more searching. Oil changes, brake jobs, and the greater necessities are all done professionally here. It is conveniently located for all the Sunset residence and beach goers. Drop off your car, go to the beach and have some fun. Come back and drive back home with your happy car and your new tan.
Prices of service and gas in San francisco is so high that I had to look for better and cheaper service. This place hit the spot like a nice steak when you are super hungry. This 76 station has the best service by far (⁰⁶⁄₂₀₀₉). The best thing about this place is that they will tell you up front what needs to be done or what will be a total waste of time and money. After the job is done there, I feel my car smile as I drive back home. Seriously.
I used to take my cars to F******e when their service used to be ok, but now it is a step from terrible. Things are not up to par there anymore. I used to recommend them, but I gave them many chances to make it up. I still go for their lifetime alignment and tire replacement. Brakes sequel, wrong type of oil, and rising prices. Instead, I come to this Union 76. They go the extra mile with that friendly smile. (ok. sorry. that was corny, but it’s true.)

so one star only for it’s location (aka three blocks from my house) and another star because the owner is a nice guy. i needed new front brake pads and rotors and his price wasn’t the cheapest, but like i said, he is close and it and that was a huge help. so that gets fixed, two front tires back on, good to go. Two weeks later my roommate drove my car, got a flat (front right). lame. he and my bf try taking off the rim, no luck. these are strong guys and can’t get the rim off? werid. thanks to mom, i have AAA, he comes within 15mins, and one lug breaks off! wtf! he tells me they are on too tight and he’s not going to try the other because they probably will break off two. He follows me to this place right around the corner. Call the owner tell him i’m leaving the car there. Next day, a mean guy tells me (i brought the roommate along to be manly about this) the guy says, OH triple AAA broke 5 OTHER customers lug nuts off too. Weird? i don’t have to say this, but buddy, i don’t think it’s AAA thats the problem. He tried charging me for the replacement of the lugs that were in his fault and labor for it… it ended up costing over $ 150 for a new tire, and labor. lame again.

Calvin and his crew of mechanic’s are the most professional of any auto shop I’ve been to in town. Every time my husband and I have taken our car ‘s in to have them repaired we have been very satisfied. They have even helped us with little things and didn’t charge us.
I used to take my car to Parkside Garage on Taraval, they were o.k. but would charge me for a diagnostic even if they couldn’t find what was wrong or just too busy to deal with me or my car.
Calvin is very helpful and will give you honest advise and is always willing to help. I highly recommend this shop to anyone who is looking for an honest mechanic and reasonably priced.
Athina and Michael Butler