Detail. Competence. Helpful tone…read more Good explanation of the services and options. Fair and transparent pricing. Reputable.

It's been five years now since my rebuild and I would like to report that my transmission still…read moreshifts well. I recently had a check engine light illuminate (P0750). Mohammed's team performed diagnostics and found a damaged wire touching the exhaust heat shield. I had the transmission serviced at the same time. This shop is extremely knowledgeable on transmission repair for a fair price. Recommend

I really enjoyed my first visit to Stress-Free Auto Care. Requesting my appointment was easy and I…read morewas able to do it on a web browser. I was taken care of immediately when I showed up for my appointment and they even offered me a ride to and from my house for pick. I got text message updates throughout the process which included photos to see how they were diagnosing the issues with my vehicle. I could click through the option of services to see which ones I approved them to do and I chose to decline. I also liked they had a camera where you could watch them work on your car live. All in all, this was really and truly an Stress-Free place and I will definitely come back for more work in the future.

Where do I begin? I genuinely wanted to like this place because I had read several positive…read morereviews, and my initial experience with the staff and customer service was pleasant. I brought my car in because it wasn't driving the way it normally does. They kept the vehicle for a day and contacted me the following day to recommend replacing the transmission. The estimate was approximately $9,800, which was far beyond what I expected--and, quite frankly, extremely concerning. My vehicle is not yet six years old, and I have consistently kept up with routine maintenance, including regular oil changes. Naturally, I was very disappointed to be told that I needed a replacement transmission, especially at that cost. I decided to get a second opinion from another repair shop, and I'm very glad I did. They diagnosed the issue as spark plugs and ignition coils--not a transmission problem. After replacing those components, my car is now running beautifully. I appreciate the customer service I received, but unfortunately, I cannot justify returning to a shop that would recommend a repair of nearly $10,000 when the actual issue turned out to be something significantly less expensive. I understand that diagnostics can sometimes be complicated and that different shops may reach different conclusions. However, an estimate of $9,800 is a substantial amount of money, and I strongly recommend getting a second opinion before committing to a repair of that magnitude. Thank you for your time and for the service you provided. I sincerely wish you the best, but based on this experience, I will likely may not return.

Requested a quote for a transmission on a 2002 Honda Accord that was slipping badly, they got back…read moreto me in about 15 minutes with a general price and a few more questions - speedy replies are a plus, especially when I need the car to commute for work. I asked if I can come in ASAP and the guy I was talking to, I believe his name is Hasib, said to drop by anytime. I came by after work, Friday 4:30PM. I settled on getting one of their already-rebuilt transmissions installed, as long as I give them the current beat-up one that was already on my car, I said yes of course because what will I do with a bad transmission sitting in my garage lol My car was ready Sunday afternoon, ready to go to work for Monday. I've only driven it today, and there is a night and day difference, it feels like a new car! No more slipping accompanied with the screeching grinding...thank god. I've already recommended these to the people at work who have heard how my car used to sound, downside is they only work on Honda's currently, but they did mention once they start growing they will expand into other brands of cars. Will definitely be using them again if myself or family needs work, luckily half our cars are Honda! Really glad I found this shop, I did find out its family owned and operated, a father and his two sons, starting up a business on what they enjoy doing, and doing a Hell of a good job at the same time. Thanks for the help, guys!

My 2006 Acura TL broke down while I was driving on free way. Following week I started shopping…read morearound for a transmission replacement. I called a few places and the estimate given to me is costing more than the value of my car. I found Pristine Transmission on Craigslist. I spoke to the owner over the phone twice and I visited the shop twice. I was able to meet the owner on my second visit. His name is Rasul. Every review that I read has his name wrong. Rasul explained to me why Honda/Acura transmission would fail after certain mileage. He actually had a few transmissions sitting on the work bench and he explained to me how he rebuilds transmission. I am 100% sold at that time. When I picked up my car, Rasul told me that he replaced one of the engine mount because he noticed the one near the back was crack. He also attempt to rotate the tires but found out all four tires where the inner edge is peeling and advised me to take them back to the tire shop. There is no cost to me for the extra work. I waited two weeks before writing this review. Just want to say - thank you.

I needed some work done on my 2000 F150 with 360K. Once again the work performed met or exceeded my…read moreexpectations. The shop rate is $220/hr but you get what you pay for with auto repairs. You can save on shop mark up by supplying your own OEM parts.

Not only are they friendly and knowledgeable, but they fixed the horn on my CMAX as I'd asked and…read morenothing else unnecessary-- fast and efficiently. They made further recommendations too. Very easy to talk with and understanding.

I had a good experience with boulevard auto. As a woman, it's hard to find a mechanic that isn't…read moreeager to rip me off. I have had bad experiences with several official dealership mechanics as well as other mechanics in Castro valley. My dad comes to Boulevard Auto for work on his vintage car and recommended I try them because they always treat him well. He is a man, so his review couldn't really tell me whether women get treated as well as he. They were quick to get a quote to me after I filled out their form. I needed my side mirror replaced. Initially they quoted me $888: $180 for labor, $4 for hazmat, $25 for supplies, $63 for taxes, $140 for a new mirror and $477 for the mirror assembly (the housing for the mirror that lets you change the angle from within your car). BTW, when I looked on the GM site, these are the exact parts prices they list to the public. I'm not sure if boulevard auto gets a discount that I don't see as a civilian (as opposed to a licensed mechanic rate), but either way there's no outrageous upcharge (and potentially no upcharge at all?) on parts. When I talked to max about the quote, I told him I'd seen the same mirror for 1/8 of the price on amazon. He explained to me that boulevard auto only uses the officially licensed materials sold by the car's company (in my case, with a Chevy, it's GM). This is so that the parts are covered under warranty. He explained that as long as they use the official GM mirror and housing, I'd be covered if, say, a rock hit my mirror. They don't install non-licensed parts. This seemed like good reasoning to me and I was glad that he took the time to explain; it made me feel better about the astronomical price. So the issue with my car was a broken side mirror. They told me that my particular car doesn't have easily accessible parts and they'd need to order it from another state. That meant I would have to pay a non-refundable upfront amount for both parts with a chance that I wouldn't need the $477 part, only the $140 mirror. Max said he was about 80% sure that the entire thing (casing and mirror) would need to be replaced. Because I was hesitant about the astronomical price of potentially having to replace the whole housing in addition to the mirror, max offered to take apart the whole thing and determine whether it was actually necessary to order both parts. They did this for me and determined the car did need both. A side note for other women reading this, I know they really took it apart to inspect it and didn't just lie about taking it apart because the already pretty broken mirror shattered in the process of them inspecting further. The tape in hidden places had also been removed. So I felt pretty sure that they had actually put in the effort to truly take it apart, and not just pretended. A lot of times I've been to other mechanics and they just lie about doing that kind of thing (i guess it's like "a woman can't possibly know the difference" or maybe feeling disgruntled that I would question their expert opinion). So this opposite kind of treatment from boulevard auto made me feel lots better about trusting them with my business. I paid a $600 deposit to cover most of the $616 parts cost (mirror and housing). Max then let me know after I paid that he had been mistaken, and that the housing actually came with the mirror, so there would be no parts cost for a separate mirror (which had been originally quoted for $140). He ended up applying the excess amount of my $600 deposit to the labor cost, and my total was a little over $700. They finished the replacement in only like 45 minutes, so $180 is kind of a lot for such a short amount of time, but I guess a lot of behind the scenes labor was required; sourcing a part that wasn't available locally, coordinating shipping, consulting with me several times and answering all my questions. This is a lot of money. But also, it kind of seems like it would have cost me way more at the dealership, because there wasn't a markup on the supplies. It would have cost me more at another mechanic too because they would have tried to upsell me. A small young woman with a cutesy car, these places often see me as the perfect target. Boulevard auto didn't try to sell me on anything I didn't need, either. They didn't even try to sell me on what I needed, they went out of their way to take the whole thing apart to confirm that I actually needed the expensive part. The new mirror works great, blind spot sensor, folding in, adjusting the angle remotely are all in working order. My only complaint is that they put the drivers seat allllllll the way back and didn't return it to its original position. Other short people out there get this because we all deal with this minor annoyance when having car work done lol. I felt I was treated with respect & kindness. Open communication, enthusiastic to help, timely work. note: I drive a Chevy bolt, & they had never worked on one before. Just a heads up to bolt owners

I had a great experience with Boulevard Auto…read more Scheduling was really easy, and when I brought my car in for an oil change and tune-up, they got everything taken care of pretty quickly. I appreciated how they treated me like a priority and kept the process straightforward. I drive a hybrid, so I didn't realize it still needed many of the same regular maintenance items as a traditional car. They explained what needed to be done, took care of the fluids, and took care of my car and fixed a check engine light that turned out to be caused by a bad sensor. A reliable shop for sure!

Had a great experience I took my 2020 mustang and got my transmission fluid flushed which fixed the…read moreslipping of some of my gears. Also, the price was fair and he explained thoroughly what was going to be done on my car and what to expect. I will be coming back to do my breaks in the future.

First time having to do a Smog Test on my RAV4. My DMV renewal notice didn't even note it was…read moreneeded until I paid and received a letter it was INCOMPLETE. I guess when your car hits 8 years, the first smog needs to happen and coincided just shy of 8 years *eye roll* I was in the area and came across Hayward Auto Care (HAC). STAR certified location which i realized (later) is overkill for my low-mileage and maintained vehicle. I was told up front the cost (was a bit surprised) and in hindsight, should've gone to a regular Smog Check location. Yes, I should've done my homework beforehand (failed) and paid more for convenience. Completed in 20mins. I would consider returning for other services. Be sure to utilize their COUPON (discount) on their Smog Service and other services located on their site! Disclaimer: There was no hard sell and/or pressure from Ken or his son who were friendly and efficient. Note: STAR stations are held to higher performance standards by the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) and are authorized to test vehicles flagged as high-polluter risks

I needed a new front tire and left with the best deal for 4 brand new tires and the best feeling of…read morehappiness ever. The guys at this shop are my saviors. They are very polite super informative and helpful and have the best prices ever. They will work with you if it is necessary. This is not my first time at this shop and will definitely not be my last. Check them out. You will not regret. And they are open on Sundays!

Definitely left an impression for a lot to be desired…read more... I called and spoke with Sylvester, who told me it's $150/hour labor rate, $150 for diagnostics; but he offers to wave 50% off the diagnostics job if the job ends up going to him/his team/shop in the end. Sylvester seems nice enough, personable and relaxing conversationalist enough when I talked on the phone and when I dropped off the car. I wish the positive impression there translated to a more positive experience or instilling any positive confidence in... I bought a very old used car (20 year old car; but under 110k miles), and didn't need the premium pricing for maintenance, considering I don't want to put in too much into a car that is in its last years (for reference, I usually bring my cars to Precision Auto Care in San Leandro). Based on location, labor rate, high rating ratio (and compared to other local repair shops at a similar rate), and some reviews, I chose to try this place out to give my car a good look over. I wanted to see if his shop would be able to confirm/observe some of the same the things they should've from the Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) I had done, and didn't fabricate more merely to pad on costs. In the end, I was not impressed... After dropping it off for the day, when I came to pick it up, this was the outcome (for the $150 to get an official after-sale inspection "Diagnostic & Analysis; Potential Issues"); Sylvester gave me the most generic, plain, perfunctory assessment! He basically merely pointed out the easily observable & obvious/superficial; showing it wasn't given any kind of in depth inspection. All he gave, specifically, was that the gear number indicator isn't accurate (who cares, it's from 2005, it's not going to show when it momentarily goes down to 2nd or 3rd gear after cruising at 4th), and that "it's old". That's it. He went on about how it's an old car, so not in great shape (yeah it's old, but was under 110k miles with no major accidents or issues and had every service milestone), and that it needs a (what I imagine a still pretty costly) basic tune up before anything else can be figured out...! He claimed it could barely be expected & trusted to drive to as far as San Jose (from Hayward). I asked him about any of the findings from the PPI (transmission needs tune-up, brakes look worn, serpentine belt looks worn down, parking brake could be tighter, various evidence of small leaks), and he merely shrugged and kept pushing for the basic tune up because it's old before anything else. I then specifically asked him what was observed about the brakes, and he again shrugged and nonchalantly responded "well...it stops..." What kind of response is that?! I know what a proper inspection looks like (shot out to SafeBuy); I don't think he or his team even looked at it -- merely test drove it a little bit, took surface-level observations, and didn't even bother to inspect even the most important & vital parts (even as it's not even small compact components)! He couldn't even take a credit card (machine was acting up), or give a proper receipt. I've driven it for 7 months now, and put 13k miles on it (because I work in San Jose from San Leandro; going against his wrong assessment) -- I've brought it to 2 other mechanics who confirmed most things from the PPI, and dispelled a few others that weren't as concerning as initially observed (PPI can only inspect so extensively); I did get a transmission tune-up and the spark plugs needed to be replaced, but it's worked great all this time (opposite to what Sylvester said). And none of which was observed or brought up by him/them. They might be competent enough, and great in other situations and for other people (hence more than 1 star). But after it all, I felt it ended up being a waste of money with Exodus Auto Repair - with bad generic uninformative not-complete diagnostics. In the end, if that's the effort and comprehensiveness of the inspection he'd give at the base/first level, how can I trust him and his team for more in depth troublesome issues & major repairs?!

Larry's Automotive is a an exemplary automotive service repair shop. Their honesty and integrity…read moreare noteworthy. Our 2025 Subaru had a reminder to get the oil and filter changed even though we were 3,000 miles short of meeting the milage requirement. Subaru recommends getting the service done every 6 months or 6,000 miles which ever comes first. After dropping our car off at Larry's, he called and said the car did not need service. He advised getting serviced when the mileage was closer to Subaru's milage requirement. How many other dealers would have gone ahead and performed the service?

I have since been here for service on my 2003 Toyota Camry. Larry was extremely knowledgeable and…read morevery helpful. Repaired my issue quickly. I highly recommend this repair shop.

I highly recommend this auto repair shop. About two months ago, I brought my 2011 BMW in because of…read morea cracked radiator that was causing coolant to leak. During that visit, they recommended that I replace my timing chain. After having such a positive experience with the radiator repair, I decided to move forward with the timing chain service as well. While working on my car, they also found a few other worn parts, including a hose and spark plugs. Because I had delayed several repairs over the years, they helped identify what needed attention to keep my car running reliably. They were able to get the parts at a great price and worked with me on the labor costs, making the overall repair very reasonable. What really stood out was the communication. When I called to check on my car, the mechanic was still working on the timing chain repair and offered to send photos of the progress. He also shared his Instagram, where he posted stories explaining the repair process and showing exactly what was being done. It was helpful to see the work in real time and better understand the repairs. I actually found this shop because I used to go to the gas station nearby, and I'm very glad I gave them a chance. My BMW is running great now, and I truly appreciate the honesty, fair pricing, and quality service.

I wouldn't take a damn thing to this shop! the lead mechanic took money for my car, drove it around…read morefor months with no update, ran up fast track tickets, wanted me to pay more money without fully repairing the car, and then I finally get my car back with parts missing!! parts that had zero to do with the repair! this shop is TRASH!!!

You should read this because these stars were hard won. I've been to other shops in Castro Valley…read moreover my car's lighting issue. I've been over-charged, bait and switched, wildly underwhelmed, and still, my car's lights didn't work after paying out far too much money. When i brought my car in to these folks, they listened. They were kind. They had a specialist in San Jose who drove up to check on my car, for which they didn't charge extra. They spent extra time making sure they knew exactly what was going on before they even came up with the estimate. They got a good price on the part and didn't throw a huge up-charge on it. On top of all that, and all the time and effort they put into this, they only charged me for an hour of labor. Even better, they got the job done perfectly. Honesty. Integrity. Amazing skills. They may not have the fanciest shop in Castro Valley, but they have the best crew in Castro Valley. I won't be taking my car anywhere else from now on.

I truly appreciate the clarity and transparency this place provides. I especially want to give Joey…read morea huge shoutout -- he is kind, professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely makes every client feel valued and comfortable. He always goes above and beyond when explaining the services I'm paying for, as well as any future services I may need. When he provides future services, he offers estimates so you can make a clear decision when the time is right. What I appreciate most is that he takes the time to educate me without ever making me feel pressured into purchasing anything. Joey provides honest guidance, answers every question clearly, and makes the entire experience stress-free. Highly recommend!