Alameda Auto Lab is great. They take pride in their work and charge fair prices. I have been going there for almost 20 years for both their propane services and car maintenance and repairs. Their work is meticulous and their service is fast and friendly. I just purchased a new (to me) car, and plan to have its service left in their very competent hands. read more

Really appreciate the service on my "classic" Chrysler's TC by Maserati. I was passing it on to a new owner and not many places will work on cars this old. The new owner felt really good about his purchase after they went through it and gave him a few key recommendations that would ensure it was ready to roll read more

Like a Dr you trust we all need a mechanic. I have been going to Alameda Auto lab for a few years. They have worked on all my vehicles and they have done an honest great job. I highly recommend these guys. You can trust them to do a good job and tell you the truth. read more

I have brought my car to Robert's Auto Lab a few times now and each time I have been more than satisfied with the care and the cost for repair. The first time the engine light was on so I called and made an appointment to have him diagnose the problem. Fortunately it was a minor issue so he did not charge me to fix the issue. I knew from that moment he earned my trust. The second time, the timing belt needed to be replaced. It took 3 days and I got the car back in time to take my weekend holiday. The last time I brought my car in, my Jetta was having issues with car turning off. He recommended that I take my car to the dealership since it was a hybrid engine and it would cost too much to fix at his shop. Most or some mechanics would have charged me just to look at it. If you are looking for a solid, honest mechanic with strong record of service in the area, Robert is your guy. read more

We had the worst experience at Alameda Auto Lab. We called up Robert and he talked through an issue of the engine light coming on. He said, "no problem", and that he can fix it. We dropped off the car on a Tuesday. Usually car repair guys call by the end of the day, but no call from Robert. In fact, no call on Wednesday. By Thursday, I called and left a message. But no return call. Finally on Saturday he calls and says provides an estimate for $450. I ask for the part number of the part he's installing and lookup on the dealer website what they charge. Robert charges $150 for a $43 dollar part from the dealer! What a mark up. Well, we were carless and in a bind, so we approved the exorbantly expensive repair. He said the car would be ready on Monday, but that he'd call to confirm. Monday came and went, no call from Robert. Then Tuesday went by with no call. Finally on Wednesday - a call! The car was ready. Came to pick up the car, paid, and then.... .... as we are driving away the check engine light came on. Issue wasn't fixed. Drove straight to the dealer. He replaced the EXACT same part for $43. Works great now. Stay away from this place. read more

I went here to fill up two propane tanks, one 10 gallon tank was mostly empty and the 20 gallon tank was 3/4 full. Although they had a working propane counter on the machine they charged me full price for both tanks despite one tank already being mostly full. This place is a total rip off, I will not be coming back. read more

Auto Lab, the owner being SR. Roberto Is one of the best shops! I've ever been at for working getting repairs done on my cars At age 70 at age I've been to a lot of shops!! And it's so convenient to get to!! If anyone wants A mechanic they can truly trust go to Roberto's Auto Lab! read more

Had the rear struts checked and replaced for hundreds of dollars less than other alameda repair shops. The quality was amazing and done in a timely manner. Robert was not only very friendly but on time and greatly efficient. This is my new repair shop in Alameda and I feel like they are honest and also the greenest shop in the area. read more

Wonderful service. Quick and clear communication. Very fair pricing. It was a great experience.

The Alameda auto lab is an exceptional shop. They fit me in even though I was late to my appointment and performed great services on my car and changed my tires and less than two hours. Would highly recommend them for anyone requiring services big or small. read more

Long story short: They'll fix your AC, it might break in about a year, and then they'll refuse to answer your calls afterward unless you call with a different number. I truly wish I had never come here. My AC broke right before a cross country move to Ohio. I asked them to fix it without getting a second opinion. Something was clogged and it ran me over two grand, which is reasonable from what I can tell. They fixed it and I got across the country just fine. My issues with them are the following. My AC broke a little over a year after the repair and I had to get it fixed again. I remembered they had some type of insurance policy, and so I attempted to call Robert. He didn't pick up, so I left a message. A week goes by and I don't hear from him. So I called again. I think I called him seven or eight times over the course of a few months, all within their working hours. He never picks up or calls back. So guess what, I one time after I call him I call I decide to call him with a different phone within a minute, and he picks up immediately! I can only assume this guy was dodging my calls which is super shady. read more

Bob has taken care of both of our cars. I really trust the mechanics here in diagnosing and fixing the issue. It's great to have a local mechanic that you can trust and really wants to do the best for you. read more

Robert at Alameda Auto Lab is awesome. I found this place because I needed propane for my bbq grill. And low and behold when everywhere else was out of propane I was directed to an auto mechanic. Might I add they have since serviced two of my vehicles. What I really appreciate about this place is that the technicians do not leave your vehicles dirty after they work on it. Thank you Auto Lab read more

This is long overdue. Best shop in the Bay Area. Best people. Always a smooth process. Stupidly, I've kept a car well past it prime. My all-expense paid, work-car has overly provided; clouding my better judgement. So she requires service. Robert is my only call. Quality, relationship, simplicity. It's the neighborhood shop with a hometown vibe. Heck, better than my hometown, but you know what I'm saying read more

We've been taking our vehicles to Robert and his team for almost 10 years. They're honest, accommodating and provide a great value. He's kept our cars in great shape and I'm happy to have a mechanic that I can rely on. read more

They are great!!! I have had all my cars in there and the price is always right!!! Robert Ramos knows what he is talking about with Cars. read more

Roberto and crew are top notch.. always professional and kind. Work is always done perfectly and in a timely manner, our cars run great after visit. Quality of service is fantastic from start to finish. I recommend the auto shop %. read more

We were traveling through town with 15-month old twins and got a fat tire. They were able to find a very tiny leak in our valve stem and replace it for $40 within an hour and we were back on the road. Proprietor was nice. The shop has some 20s/30s Fords and other classics hanging around you can look at while you wait. read more

This place is located in such an inconvenient area. It's so crowded, and you have to drive into the garage or warehouse to have your car worked on. I paid $100 for a diagnostic check and that wasn't even going to go towards the price of the services that I needed. I was quoted $1100 to have rear brake pads and rotors replaced. I called around to five other places and got quotes hundreds of dollars less than Alameda Auto lab. The place that I ended up going to, told me that I needed back brakes and rotors and that my front ones were fine. I asked if they were sure because I was told that I needed to have both of them replaced. They informed me that the front brake pads and rotors looked absolutely fine but the brakes in the back do need to be fixed. It cost me about $700 cheaper than what I was quoted. I told the guy at Alameda auto lab that I couldn't afford to get the service done at the time, he said why don't you just start with the back and if you pay cash I'll knock off $50. I definitely felt like they were trying to swindle me because I'm a woman and get extra money out of me. I would not recommend this place. read more

Don't go here...they're a bunch of shysters. I had my car in for A/C testing last July, and then had my regular mechanic do the work. Then when there was still a leak problem six months later, I brought it back to Alameda Auto Lab for diagnosis. They insisted that pretty much the whole A/C system needed to be replaced (which is what my mechanic replaced six months prior), and that there were "two large holes" in the system. They quoted me $1,200. I took it to a shop in San Leandro, who did the dye test at no charge. They ended up replacing the charge valves for about $160, and that fixed it. Funny how they never found those "two large holes" that Alameda Auto Lab insisted were there. read more

Took the car in because the engine light came on. Found out it was spark plugs and coils issues. Bob was professional, informative and efficient. Got the car back the next day and pricing was reasonable. Highly recommended. read more

Our friends recommended this place when we got a flat tire, and we're glad to discover this friendly shop! They patched up our tire in half an hour, put the spare back in its place, and we got back to our day. It's also a quick away from a bunch of restaurants and coffee shops like Peets, so you have lots of options to pass the time. Excellent service, professional staff. read more

I have taken my car here several times now and my partner is now taking his car there. Both Luis and Robert are great. Straight forward and honest. I highly recommend them! read more

Very professional and friendly. Price is reasonable and Bob explained the service needed in details. Definitely will return for service in the future. read more

I recently finally took a friend's advice and had my Z3 and Z4 towed the same day to this auto repair shop in Alameda. I had been taking my cars for some years to another auto repair shop, almost next door, but in the last couple of years, I have not felt that they were finding the problem of my Z4 having a draw on the battery that it kept going dead. The other problem is that the owner and his son have sour personalities. Just didn't make me feel welcome. They acted like I was bothering them. Stressful environment! My experience at Alameda Auto Lab was almost Zen-like. A very peaceful and friendly and very clean environment for an auto shop that made me feel welcome. They got both of my cars repaired and returned within one day. of each other. They also came in on a Saturday to repair the Z4 for me. I also felt the fees I paid were reasonable. The owner, Roberto, felt like an old friend! I highly recommend this auto shop for quick turnaround of your vehicle and honesty and professionalism in their work! read more

Many years ago back in the late 1980s I needed some assistance with my vehicle. Needles to say every car I've ever owned has been taken care of by Alameda Auto Lab. VW, Nissan, Chrysler, Chevy, BMW, Honda! Lord knows I've had a string of vehicles. I've never had a bad experience with service and I Highly recommend AAL for anyone to have thier vehicle repaired. I'm not just a customer and they're not just a mechanical shop. We have formed the greatest bond, they have become family over these years. I don't live in the area anymore, but IF I need my car repaired, rest assured I'll go the distance to have my vehicle repaired with AAL! When it comes to honesty IT GETS NO BETTER THEN THIS! Saying Thanks to Robert and Luis isnt enough to show my appreciation, and to All The fellas at AAL for everything and all they do. read more

Honest,competitive and competent help for my BMW 335i. Not every repair shop knows general information regarding this model but Robert did. Very inexpensive major service (aren't all BMW repairs 'major' when you get the average bill?) done with respect and some friendliness thrown in for free. I'm a customer for life. Thanks Robert. Eric read more

This was initially a mechanic, Robert, that we trusted; however, this last time he charged us for several services we didn't authorize. He also wasn't honest about what the car needed, or how much labor/cost would be involved. If you come here, get a hard quote in writing. We trusted him, and didn't... we won't make that mistake again, and will not be back. read more

This guys are serious jerks. I gave them my car cause the engine was shuttering. They charged $80 for diagnosis, which I'm completely ok with, even though all they did was plug in an OBD2 tool to check what the engine was saying. They determined its the ignition coil and a spark plug. The wanted to charge me $400, and I asked, "why so much?". "Its 260 for labor." I asked, "Why is it 260 for labor? Its a really easy job to replace the ignition coil, isnt it?" "Ya the labor is cheap, but we had to find out what was wrong with it" Um... what? They wanted to charge me $260 instead of $80 to figure out whats wrong with it. An ignition coil and spark plug job doesn't cost $400! The absolute most you should pay is $200. read more

This is for the misleading internet special (see below) -- The internet special says it costs $28.95 but they quoted me $36+ on the phone. I do NOT drive a truck or SUV... don't try to price discriminate me! Who knows what other price discrimination methods they use? They just lost my trust and confidence in this place... Thank goodness I called and didn't just show up. ------------------- http://www.alamedaautolab.com/Specials.htm $ 28.95 OIL CHANGE FILTER AND LUBRICATION (up to 5 qts. of oil - most cars) Includes: Checking Tire pressure, check brakes, check all vital fluids, check lights, check belts. (Trucks and Vans, SUV- extra) read more

That guy Robert everybody's talking about is a sleaze. He'll quote you outrageous prices if he thinks you don't know anything about cars. The first time I went there, they took an hour to change my oil with no other cars there. I waited there. I decided to try them again and he tried to charge me $78 for a synthetic oil change. A good number of these reviews talk about how "honest" and "fair" he is without any real stories. I wouldn't put it past him that he had a role in spawning those reviews. If you live in Alameda, make the drive to Oakland. On the positive side, my experience there caused me to create an account on Yelp. read more

Brought my Jeep in for repair, they changed the radiator, idler arm, water pump and serpentine belt. Within a week it started to squeak loudly, took it back but they said they were too busy. Went twice, always told to bring it back. My time is valuable and I don't have time for this Took it to another shop where they found the serpentine belt was the wrong size, cost me $102.00. Stay away, there are better shops read more

I guess if you know the owners you get better service. I took my car in and told them what I needed checked out. They said they'd call back with the source of the problem and an estimate. 5 HOURS later I called THEM. I was told the problem, the cost and that they would keep the car overnight (after having it for 5 hours!). I heard liquid swishing about under the hood near the windshield. They denied this! The worker (Luis) claimed it was my antennae going up. WHAT??? I think I freaking know the difference! So, that wasn't fixed. I asked them to fix the lock on the door--when I picked it up this wasn't fixed either. The worker (Luis) said it would "take a long time." Guess they don't want the business. They did, however, fix my radiator problem for $300 (one star). They never thanked me for bringing my car in and acted like I was bothering them for doing so. This is the THIRD mechanic I've been to in Alameda and I'm now onto my fourth. read more

I know Mr. Robert Ramos personally. He is such a great person and his family is wonderful. Great people so I knew I could trust them to service my Xterra. I had a clutch problem, they replaced it quickly, even washed my car!, and now my car is working great! I am definitely going back if I need something else done to my car. It's hard to find a mechanic you can trust but now I found one!!!!! Great work, honest people. bottom line: I found my mechanic. read more

5 Stars 4 Years later !! Alameda Auto Lab continues to deliver top-notch, honest and professional service. My F-150 recently got a make-over and winterized for a "2nd Honeymoon" 2,000 mile road trip. My son's turbo-charged Ford Fiesta just got new front brakes. Always two thumb's up for keeping us mechanically safe on the road !!! read more

Wow, I was shocked that by the attitude of this place, which seems to be "shut up, trust us and pay up." When I dared to ask a question, I got short one word answers. When I didn't understand what he was talking about, I got exasperation and intimidation. In my experience this is NOT a place that believes that "there is no such thing as a dumb question!" If you're looking for someone to elaborate on the work or, God forbid, the charges (which he really didn't appreciate!), look elsewhere. Maybe the guy was having a bad day or maybe this is his gruffy charm. Either way, I didn't appreciate the attitude. And BTW, I also didn't appreciate them taking off my back license plate frame and replacing it with one that advertises their shop, without even asking! I didn't notice it until a couple of days later. Of course, I took it off and threw it away, which is what they did with my original one, I'm sure. The work is probably fine and the cost is, maybe ,competitive, but they definitely need an attitude adjustment. Not a good experience, especially if you want someone to talk with you about the work and charges, without going away feeling intimidated or condescended. read more

Great service and friendly workers! I needed an oil change, and I was able to drop my car off here and pick it up about an hour and a half later. I also asked how to put windshield wipers on since I just bought some new ones from costco, and they offered to put them on free of charge! Unfortunately, I ended up buying the wrong ones including wrong size *facepalm* so I just purchased the ones that they had there and was good to go. Will definitely be back for all other car services! read more

Excellent and honest service. Robert is awesome , professional and welcoming. Quality repairs as well.

The best kind of mechanic is one who finds a way to get things done without having you pay through the nose. Let me explain. I drive a Honda Civic. As customary to Honda's, I haven't had a lick of problems since purchasing it a few years ago. Just recently one of my check engine lights turned on. Took it to Alameda Auto Lab due to the good reviews on Yelp. Talked to Robert the next day and he informed me the part for my car was probably going to knock me out, but he was going to check a few things and call me back. Not only did he call me back in a timely manner, but he found out my car's ailment was most likely covered by my warranty. The diagnostic fee was all I paid for that day. The next time I have another problem with my car, I'm going to take it back to Robert for some TLC. read more

I have been a client of Robert's ever since I moved to Alameda in 2000. He is always kind and considerate and practices old school customer service. He has even picked me up from school to bring me to my car or brought my car to me at home. Who does that anymore!? AAL does! I always feel like Robert is speaking to me honestly about my car and really tries to work with me and my budget. His prices are competitive, the service is great, and he makes me laugh...can't ask for more! The only reason he didn't get 5 stars is because Luis (the other head mechanic) comes across as rude and grumpy at times. read more