J Speed AutoWorks

Needed a smog test only –in out easy piece of cake. $ 45 cash. (they take credit also) I have used this service several times Don’t be scared of the alley, it’s okay, you will be in and out in a huff Thanks !!

It’s my first time here for smog check. Carol Martinez has provided a exceptional outstanding service for my smog check. He made it so easy and providing me with peace of mind for my smog check. You can also pay your registration and get your sticker at the shop! So stop shop… No need to go to DMV waiting in line for 3 hrs to get pay your registration! Carol and this shop deserve 5 stars!!!

Changed coilovers on my Z, done well and for reasonable price!

These guys were fantastic. Got me in and out very quickly. Needed a smog test, oil change and rim replacement on my car. Called Jimmy, was in and out within 2 hours. Very reasonable prices, I needed a new tire but they found a used one in great shape and gave me a great deal. Highly recommended.

It’s always a gamble when trying to find a new auto-​mechanic that you can trust yet won’t over-​charge you for their services. I was recommended to check out J-​Speed and am so glad that I did.
Jimmy, the owner, is very straightforward when it comes to diagnosing your vehicle and always makes sure that you are in good hands. I’ve brought a few used cars here for pre-​inspection before buying, in which Jimmy gave his careful and honest opinion every time. He advised me to not buy a vehicle that was in a much more critical condition than it seemed, and I ended up finding a much nicer car in great condition in the end which he checked and approved.
I’ve been going here for little over a year now for all of my car’s maintenance needs and regular oil changes, and have had nothing but top-​notch service from both Jimmy and all of his employees. Plus, his prices are always reasonable. I will continue coming here for all of my car needs, thanks Jimmy!

This was the 1^st place I called for a price… Very convenient, best price and down the street from my home! Carlos Martinez gave excellent customer service, he was very friendly and answered all my questions patiently! You rock Carlos Martinez I will definitely recommend you and this smog shop!!!

Jimmy and his team have serviced my two vehicles over the past 7 years (from oil changes to replacing/​repairing components). He is reliable, flexible and his prices are competitive. I highly recommend J Speed for all your car mechanical needs.

This business occupies several adjacent auto bays #6, #7, and #8 in the same industrial building, and operates under several names, such as JSP Auto, J Speed Autoworks, and Friendly Smog.
My first visit there several years ago was uneventful and my car passed, so it felt like there was no reason not to come back for another smog test. On my second visit in December 2015 I ended up losing $ 60 on a «NOT READY» smog test.
On my December 2015 visit, the worker plugged a reader into my car’s OBDII port, and then started inspecting the gas cap and looking underneath the car. Then called me over, and asked me to pay $ 60.
I asked the worker if the test was done already, and he replied that it was not, and that they need to do additional testing, but that the money was due at that time. Without much thought, I forked over $ 60 in cash.
After receiving the $ 60 in cash, the worker told me that my car failed. Then he said that it did not really fail, but that my car’s computer reported it was not yet «ready» for testing. The worker demonstrated this by plugging his reader back in, and it instantly displayed the «NOT READY» status for 2 subsystems. The worker then stated that the way to get the car «ready» is to drive it at 60 mph to Mathilda and back. This was already in mid afternoon, and 101 and 237 were getting too crowded to continuously drive that fast, so the worker said that he was giving me a «free retest» to come back tomorrow.
I responded that tomorrow I will not be in the area, and questioned him why he did not tell me immediately that the test could not be done when he already knew it, and why he was charging me the money on my first visit rather than my second, when they would supposedly do the actual test. The worker responded that that’s just how they do things. I asked for the owner, but was told that he was not there.
I went for the drive to Mathilda and back, trying to reach 60 mph when I could. When I got back, the owner was back as well. I stated to the owner that I was disappointed with their policy of charging customers for tests they could not complete. The owner started arguing that they were doing nothing wrong. I told him not to argue, at which point he refused to do the smog test, and claimed that actually his worker did not promise me any «free retest». I then demanded my money back. At first the owner stated that he will give me my money back, but on his way to the cash register changed his mind, and told me that he will not. He also picked up some device by its cord, and wrapped the cord around his hand like he was going to swing the device like a ninja and hit me on the head with it.
I got into my car, and left. On my drive away received a voicemail from the owner, stating that he decided to give me my money back. Called him back, and questioned him why he refused to return my money when I was there. The owner retorted that he was «just trying to explain» that they did nothing wrong and also claimed that had I gone somewhere else, the other place would charge me just like his place.
So I went to another smog check place. The first thing they did was connect an OBDII reader to my car, and then told me to drive it some more. They never billed me or asked for money. Then I went to another place. The guy there plugged in the OBDII as well, looked at various emissions stickers on my car, and then told me that my make /​model was a special case listed at
and that only a smog referee could pass it. He did not bill me or ask for money either. I ultimately ended up smogging my car at the referee.
Later-​on in the week drove back over to JSP or whatever their name is, after confirming with the owner over the phone that he’ll be there and that they’ll return my money when I come. The owner and all the workers came out, and demanded that I give them the paperwork from that «NOT READY» smog «test», or else they will not give me my money back. The owner never mentioned that he wanted that paperwork over the phone. I asked them why, when they have their own copies, but they would not give the reason and kept on saying that that’s just how they do things. Since that was my only record of their «test» and my $ 60 cash, I refused. It also felt like something shady was going on. The owner then refused to give me my money back.
He’s still keeping my $ 60 that he cheated me out of.

Fantastic and quick service! I had a crappy time with another shop and the crew here was quick to help and fix the problem. If you need anything and you’re in the area, J Speed is a great place to go!

Excellent service, Carlos was very friendly and super fast! I was in and out in 15 minutes.

Last minute pre purchase inspection on a Saturday. Got right in and had three mechanics under my car looking at it. Thank you!

Overall great service and relatively quick (besides the wait when there’s a lot of people). I had my tires installed by them (purchased on
) and oil change, they only charge $ 15/​tire to install and $ 60 for alignment. Can’t be beat :) Somehow did not hear me say to change the oil and do alignment initially but did it once I told them over the phone (in time before I needed my car). Otherwise everything was great!

Called in around 5:10 and he was fine me coming in as they were about to close in 20 mins. I had a nail in my tyre.
He explained that the nail not being on the edge is not that bad, we can fix the puncture, but no guarantee. I was fine with it.
Also I realized later that I had one more nail in the tyre, which he fixed it too as well. Pretty smooth.

Very cool place. I like it. Quick and easy for smog check. 15 min and $ 50 and I’m out the door!

It is not possible to say enough good things about Jimmy at J Speed. It’s gems like this that make you nostalgic just thinking about moving away.
Over the years:
* Old truck had a blown head gasket. I was a broke college student at the time. Two shops say fixing it is more expensive than the entire vehicle, so I should just scrap it. Jimmy suggests I use a head gasket sealant to squeeze a little more life out of it. $ 20 later and the truck gives me no issues for 50K more miles, until I can afford a newer car.
* Same old truck croaks when I turn left, but not when I turn right. I Google the Dickens out of it and come up with nothing. WheelWorks runs up a several hundred dollar quote to replace the suspension. Jimmy takes a glance, and notices a vibration plate that rattled loose and got in the way. He bends it out of the way for free.
* Volkswagen hatchback doesn’t change gears smoothly. VW quotes me a new transmission (few thousand bucks). Jimmy notices that the engine mounts need to be replaced. Fixes the issue for a couple hundred bucks.
* Window leaks in road noise. I ask Jimmy to see if he can «take a glance.» He finds a missing bolt and replaces it for free.
* Time and again, Jimmy has shown he knows the difference between critical and non-​critical components. Uses generic off the shelf parts when they aren’t critical, and passes on the savings. Explains the pros and cons and lets you decide if it’s important.
* Jimmy holds onto replaced parts so can show you what went wrong, and why, and what he did to fix it. He explains in layman’s terms what unusual challenges occurred that caused a delay — but never charges you extra for the delay.
In summary, Jimmy will never suggest, do, or charge you for something that doesn’t need to be done; he enthusiastically shows you what work was done and why; and he will often take care of quick fixes on the spot for free.
If you ever come here, you’ll learn why dealerships are called «stealerships».

We have been taking our vehicles to Jimmy since we moved to San Jose a couple of years ago. He is one of the best mechanics that I have worked with — professional and honest! I highly recommend him.

This is the first time I want to write a review, several days ago, my car had some problems that need to repair, my friends refer me to go to jspeed autowork shop, Jimmy is a very nice guy, he is very honest and helpful, this is a very good shop~

This review is LONG overdue. I’ve been coming to Jimmy and his team for over 10 years and have never had a problem.
He’s honest, fast and very professional. I go out of my way just to take my cars here. Everyone i’ve recommended has had nothing but the best experiences.
I’ve brought over 6 cars to Jimmy and he has had no problems diagnosing any issue.
I’ll occasionally bring in cars for pre-​purchase inspection, and most of the time, I leave without being charged. Bring your car to Jimmy, you wont regret it.

Jimmy’s the man with skills beyond comprehension. He’s literally awesome.
Our family has been bringing our cars to him since one of our friends referred him to us. My TL needed the typical 105,000 timing belt change, and while I was hesitant due to the pricing with other places, Jimmy gladly showed us his prices and his experiences and all fears were gone.
Over all these years, Jimmy has provided all these services to our lovely family of cars:
Smog Check
Oil Change
Replaced Side Mirrors
Timing Belt
Radiator Fluid and fix
Reasonable price, amazing man, quick to answer questions, and yes He’s done so many cars that it’s quite funny to see those ridiculous one stars. Seriously. Keep up the good work Jimmy!

Came with two giant nails in my tire! They plugged it up and I was out the door in 10 minutes.
I know nothing about cars, so I’m not sure if it was supposed to be that easy, haha. We shall see if it holds up in a few months! :)
The people are nice, and they speak my native tongue.