Auto Row Smog & Repair

Reviews

Reviews are sorted by relevance, with the most helpful and insightful feedback listed first for easy reference.

  David Gibbs
a week ago
Had smog issues for a while but they were able to fix it the same day I brought it in. Excellent service and everyone was very helpful and friendly! Will definitely be coming here for future repairs

  Shelley Rewolf
3 months ago
I came in because I had a failing catalytic converter. These guys got it done the same day that I brought it in!! The staff is super nice and very knowledgeable, they set my mind at ease! Highly recommended!

  Lee Ribeiro
5 months ago
In a time where savvy car owners are always suspect of price-gouging mechanic shops, Auto Row Smog & Repair is a breath of fresh air. I told Brian about my issues and concerns regarding my 2009 Subaru possible leaking issues, and he said bring it on in and I'll check it out.He ran a free check on under the hood and pointed out some issues and possible points that could be resulting in the areas of concern, told me how to best monitor the situation, and gave me some other things to look out for without even asking for a dime. He was thorough, answered all my questions thoughtfully, and patient despite having 3 other things going on at the same time. After a couple bad experiences with some auto shops in the past, this was such a great experience. I think I found my go-to mechanic in the area.Thanks Brian, you definitely have my business.

  Julie Treichler
7 months ago
I'm a car dealership service dept kind of gal, because it has always been challenging working with multiple auto shops for tires, transmission, brakes, AC etc. and all the interesting personalities at those places, but we needed a much closer shop for an urgent exhaust issue. Well, both Zach and Gonzalo were absolutely fabulous. Young, confident, capable, efficient, pragmatic, and super friendly. What's not to love? They saved our beloved Outback with over 216k miles. I may say goodbye to my dealership friends.Service: Exhaust

  Oriol Nieto
a month ago
Terrific service. My go-to place to fix my car, they never disappoint!

  Elizabeth Finlon
a year ago
Brian and his team are fantastic. We had a couple of issues with our car, and Brian went out of his way to make sure we were completely taken care of, while keeping the cost low! It s very clear that he and his team truly care about their customers. I ve never experienced such incredible customer service and will absolutely bring my car back for any future repairs/checks.

  Leah Putlek
10 months ago
Everyone was fantastic! I was worried about getting my car checked out before a road trip. When I made my appointment I was reassured of all the items they would check plus any additional concerns I had. After the service was complete I felt confident my car is in good shape. They were honest and fair with their recommendations and I m glad I found a great auto shop in my neighborhood! Also, they were very knowledgeable and kind about answering any additional questions. Thank you!

  Stevereenoh F (Stevereenoh)
7 months ago
Want to feel better? Go to Auto Row Smog! Don't have a car? Go anyway! I went in this morning, got my car smogged. I watched Gonzalo juggle so many balls and get things done all with a pleasant smile on his face. Definitely worth the trip.

  David Wiens
a year ago
Brian and his team are phenomenal! He takes the time to explain what is wrong, what the least expensive fix would be, and what he would do if he were in your situation. They are busy because they are good! It is the first and only place I take my cars if I need something. I wish all service experiences were this good!Services: General repairs & maintenance, Auto emissions testing, Smog certification, Auto maintenance, Emissions testing, Oil changeServices: General repairs & maintenance, Auto emissions testing, Smog certification, Auto maintenance, Emissions testing, Oil change

  Jason Ladera
10 months ago
Zach & his team are life savers. My cat converter was stolen & they were able to replace it with an approved aftermarket converter. Also, they installed an anti-theft device. It took a while for the parts to arrive (not their fault). But, installation literally only took a day. I dropped off the car when they opened & the car was ready by the end of the business day. The cost of the anti-theft device was very reasonable. If I had known sooner, I would've installed one before the theft.You guys rock!!!

  Kaya Ten-Pow
8 months ago
Had a great experience at this mechanic today! My right indicator wasn t working and they fixed it in less than 10 minutes. Gonzalo was incredibly helpful - I ll definitely come back to this place again.

  Jessica Custer
5 months ago
2023: another great service from this shop. Had battery replaced and smog check completed. They make it easy, quick, and always fair/transparent pricing.2022: if I could give 6 stars, I would. Needed help replacing a headlight. Called expecting to schedule an appt and they fit me in immediately. While there I mentioned I had a 15+ hr roadtrip coming up and they made additional time to do my oil change and safety inspection. They clearly explained one issue they found and their recommendation to hold off on the repair to avoid interfering w the roadtrip and get cost advantage of doing multiple repairs at once at a later date. Once again very impressed with this shop/team. Not only are they great at what they do (efficient, high quality), but they're all so very nice and easy to work with.5ya: The people here are so kind, knowledgeable and helpful. I've been in the frustrating process of registering a car purchased from out-of-state with the check-engine light on and my visit to this repair shop restored my faith in good people and good service. They went far beyond running the smog check to helping me to understand my rights under the law of two different states and even dug up information on the I hadn't been able to find on existing warranties that should cover my cars problems and gave me advice on how manage the process. I recommend this place 100% - especially if you're unfamiliar with cars and unsure where to go/what to do (like me), you can expect them to be honest, fair, incredibly helpful.

  Dan Smith
a year ago
Never in my time of going to auto repair shops have I seen such an amazing display of honesty and transparency as I saw today.Waiting for my Smog check and the mechanic took another customer aside and told her that the past mechanic basically ripped her off, showing proof, and being extremely forthcoming about everything. Advised to lodge a ticket with the state auto mechanics department to get her money back for unnecessary repairs.Advised that there is certainly something wrong but the parts that were replaced were 2 of the most expensive parts to replace but these 2 had nothing remotely to do with the problem. Well done to this team. The mechanic should be really rewarded for how he handled this situation.

  Chago
9 months ago
Really sweet dog. Everyone was nice and informative. Extremely quick and well priced.

  Jason Post
a year ago
Super helpful and down to earth. Had a tire problem and a broken wheel stud. Tires are not their specialty so they recommended and directed me to a nearby tire shop that would be better. Love the help and honesty!

  K Apara
2 years ago
They took a very long time to fix my car but it was worth it because they did an excellent job for a reasonable price & they were HONEST. They also fixed my mom's car & they did all her repairs in one day. I feel blessed to finally have found a trust worthy mechanic in Oakland...when you're a woman it's hard to come by.

  michael
a year ago
Brian runs an honest and knowledgeable business. I drove in from SF because I had a check engine sign on my dash. Everyone in SF were asking for $175 and up just to tell me what the problem was. Brian not only did it for free but he fixed the minor problem and did it in under 5 mins. Extremely helpful and honest!!!! He has a customer for life as long as I m in the Bay. I can t recommend him enough. Thank you Brian and Zack!Service: Auto engine diagnostic

  Nicole Dahlstrom
3 years ago
This is the best mechanic shop I've been to in the Bay Area. The staff are really friendly and welcoming and the owner Brian is a brilliant mechanic. I've been having issues with my car dying randomly for the past 3 years. I've been to several mechanics with no answer to the point where I gave up solving the problem and bought a portable battery charger for when it dies. After a recommendation from a friend I took my car to Auto Row and Brian had the issue solved in just a few minutes. Thanks Brian!Service: Electrical

  Ethan Hintz
8 months ago
Gonzalo is the best. Honest, incredibly knowledgeable, transparent in his assessment and pricing. Great shop overall.

  Alia Kazuyo
3 years ago
I was recommended Brian at Auto Row Smog & Repair and I feel so lucky that I was. I'm new to the area and was very hesitant with finding a mechanic, but he was able to not only fix the problem I was having without breaking the bank, but also explained to me what could possibly be going wrong and the different tests he was running. Brian is a very competent, caring, and professional mechanic and I look forward to calling him in the future for any of my auto care needs. I couldn't recommend his shop highly enough.Service: Auto engine diagnostic

  Vicky Chia-Chieh Tu
3 years ago
Cannot stress how grateful I am to have found this place. My car had some trouble and needed some replacements to pass smog check and they were able to take of everything from start to finish. Service was also just amazing, everyone was really nice and considerate of my time. The place is also within walking distance so I was able to drop off and pick up my car easily. Thanks again for the top notch service!!

  Steve Robert
6 years ago
I ve been coming here for years and Brian is the best. My wife s car failed its test at a gas station. Brought it here and it passed the first time and I was done in about 15 minutes. Why go anywhere else? Their assistant Val was extremely helpful and knowledgeable and made the visit even more pleasant, not a term I usually associate with smog check shops.

  delia burdeyney
2 years ago
These guys were smart and professional and down to earth. Luckily, I interrupted the theft of my cat converter and Brian repaired the damage and installed a cable to deter a repeat attempt. Great value. Shop was well run.

  Matt Guidi
3 years ago
Brian and his operation is the best. Very knowledgeable, and honest. One time my car's check transmission light came on, and he quickly diagnosed a loose wire, that he plugged back in.I would highly recommend going here for smog testing and car repair.

  Joshua Lehman
2 years ago
This shop fixed a break in my front catalytic converter for $310, when another mechanic (a the Chevron on Lakeshore) quoted me $3,200 for the repair. Auto Row Smog & Repair fixed it in a day by welding the part instead of replacing it. Saved me $2,900 and the car runs great! Definitely my go-to mechanic now.Service: Engine repairService: Engine repair

  Dominik Suter
5 years ago
Stopped by for a pre-purchase auto inspection for a used car and a small repair on the family truck. Everything went quickly and smoothly. Excellent staff, Kyle and Brian were informative and friendly. Fair prices, definitely recommended.

  Ed Fung
a year ago
Amazing service! People are very friendly there. I didn't feel like I was getting ripped off. Will definitely return.

  Ian Thompson
3 years ago
Really great service for my smog check and half the price of the spot in my neighborhood. I was a drop in and was in and out in 30 min or so. Lots in the neighborhood to occupy you while you waitI understand they offer other services, so I plan to bring my car back for anything else I need.

  Uchenna O
a year ago
Did a really good job on my AC. Kinda busy place which is a good thing for the business owners and bad for me because of the wait time. That's the reason for the 4stars. The job was definitely a 5 star job.

  Bill Wong
3 years ago
Very competent folks here. Came in for a smog check and the tech even filled up a tire that was going flat. During the check, he said that the computer settings had been cleared (the battery had died due to the car not having been driven during Covid). He knew just what to do - just drive it for 30 miles or so. Retest was free. You cannot overrate expertise.This is a full service shop, so if something was wrong, they could fix it right here, instead of having to look for another shop. Also, apparently the "test only" STAR sites will not even jack up the car to check for a correct catalytic converter (now required for STAR). These folks have an in-ground lift.Price was reasonable.