Said and Otto are the best. I have used their services with different car problems for several years and they are always friendly and professional. Today, with no appointment, they fixed the nail hole in my tire so quickly and kindly. It's great to know good mechanics that you can really trust. read more

Excellent and honest service. He will tell you if you don't need something you thought you did. He thinks outside the box. This guy will be my go-to mechanic from now on. read more

Bob was a huge help! I accidentally closed my dog blanket in the back hatch of my Ford Escape and I wasn't able to open it. I spent over an hour with a friend trying to open the back hatch with no luck. The next morning I called Bob at Arlighton Auto Shop and he said to bring in my car and he would fit me in. After 30 minutes of him working to remove the stuck blanket, he was able to open the hatch! He was fast, helpful, cheerful, and he saved me a lot of money! I am so grateful. I will be back with ALL future car issues. read more

Bob is great Top shelf mechanic who has 100% of our trust. We've been with him 10 years - and 4 different cars - and always leave feeling happy. read more

I contacted this repair facility explaining that my car recently failed a smog test. The mechanic sounded as if he were interested in helping me however when I told him the make and model of the vehicle; he quickly responded that he would rather not get involved with this vehicle. I've heard of conspiracies to get the older cars off of the road but this is ridiculous. read more

I had a wonderful experience having my car smog checked this morning. It only took a 1/2 hr and I got $20 off with a coupon. So it cost me $38.00 for the check and certification. But don't forget the coupon b/c it's $58.00 without it! Service was speedy, only took 30 min and Bob was kind enough to check for exhaust leaks in my cabin, trunk and from my gas cap. I had some friends mention a strange "air conditioning" like smell in the back seat but everything came up clear. I plan to go back next year if I have to and had a nice time chatting with Bob while he worked on my car. read more

I took my mercedes benz c240 to Bob to replace my shifter and change the gasket and filter on my transmission pan. After driving my car for about 50miles, the transmission started to leak. Very poor job! I will never recommend this place to anyone. read more

Bob is a great guy. He performed some quick diagnostics for me gratis and always gave me a detailed explanation and fair price.

Bob, a wonderfully nice owner of his newly relocated auto shop cares about giving you a good deal on your auto service! Open on Saturdays, and in a pivotal location in the heart of Albany...his smog checks are quick and the most affordable deal in town...trust me I've checked! I'm going to Arlington Auto Shop for all of my auto needs from now on because he's so cost effective for the quick service he gives for you car! read more

Having started out life as a journey man mechanic I do know a little some thing something about cars and the business of cars. Some times a clunky clunk noise means some big money and sometimes it does not. If you go to the wrong place it will invariable always be big money. Having brought my newer car to the dealer they wanted to make a big deal out of some noise from the brakes. I am so happy that I was referred to Bob, it was a little drive for me, however, his honestly and dedication to his craft is well worth it. He performed a smog and took care of the clunky clunk noise for a mere fraction of what the dealer wanted ! One hint, it the shop you are going to is clean and organized it is a big plus ! Bob is one of the best !! read more

Arlington Auto Shop - Bob made my clunky clunk noise go away for a fraction of the price. Thank you ! - Auto Repair Near Me

Got my truck smogged here today. Service was quick and friendly! The guys working seemed to really know their stuff and we're very personable! I'll be back for my next smog! read more

Bob have been checking my car for the past 3 years. There is no other place I can think about it when my car needs any maintenance. Is not easy to find someone that you can trust your car like him. I have a Toyota Sienna 2008 and since I bouhgt it Bob have take care of it. Nothing to complain. read more

I've lived in Berkeley/Kensington 7 years and Bob's been my mechanic for the last 4.5 years. He's trustworthy, friendly, but most importantly he's a great mechanic. My Mazda used to have a check engine light that came on intermittently. Big pain in smog tests. Took it to Val Strough, then SOS, both said they fixed it but the light came back on after a couple weeks. Took it to Bob and he fixed it permanently - hasn't come on in 3 years and I haven't failed a smog test since. I also had a grinding noise when I accelerated for about a year and he diagnosed it within minutes and fixed it up while I waited. He's the only car guy I trust around here so I don't mind driving down the hill from Kensington now that his shop has moved to San Pablo Ave. Bob also has a $29.95 promotion going on right now for smog tests, I just took advantage of that - it's as low as you'll find in Berkeley. read more

Bob is the best! He always takes care of me. He will even keep the shop open a little later so I can make it there after work. He's quick, honest, and very resonable. Plus, the location is great. I've been changing my own oil for 20 years. And now, I let Bob do it. Thanks Bob, you're the best. read more

Just moved to the east bay from Maryland and was looking for a shop to replace the one I have used for the last ten years. Found You Bob. Thanks for being honest, fast, and thorough. D read more

I took my car to this shop because it couldn't start that morning. Bob was really nice to take it in even he already had a bunch of works lined up. And he checked it pretty fast too. I dropped in my car and went to Royal Cafe cross the street for a brunch. Before I finished my food, Bob called and told me what is wrong with my car, and the quote for fixing. He gave a very reasonable price, and get it done really fast too. I recommend this shop and I would come back myself for car services. read more

Bob basically saved Christmas for me. Two days before (Sunday), I finished packing my car for the trip south and discovered that it wouldn't start. Desperate to find a mechanic Monday morning, I successfully jumped my car and headed down San Pablo. When I saw that Bob's door was open, I pulled in and explained the problem. He immediately walked through several diagnostics with a volt meter, showing me what he was finding and explaining what it meant. By 9 a.m. or so, he had isolated the distributor and possibly the starter as problems (consistent with what two very car-savvy relatives had surmised from over-the-phone diagnoses). Two hours later, my car had a new distributor and was running great. By 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve, I had finally made it down to southern California, without a hitch, and was able to join my family for Christmas after all. Bob's prices seemed reasonable, too. I will definitely go back to him next time I need maintenance or repairs. read more

Bob is great - strong recommend if you are looking to build a relationship with a mechanic. Honest, trusted and very good at his craft. If the problem leading to the 'check engine light' is a 25 cent grommet - he'll tell you, fix it and send you on your way - and if it's major brake work, he'll get the job done on time and on budget. He has been our guy for last two years, on two cars. It's a little bit further to go from Berkeley Hills, but worth the trip down. I believe that several police departments use him for their big jobs - so clearly his work is quality. read more

I know getting a smog check is like going to the dentist for some people. Arlington gave me a no hassle and cheap smog check. I had no appointment and I wad still in an out in 30 minutes. They also didn't make me feel like a criminal for having a few mods on my car. They are a small shop so I am not sure if they do major services but I'd imagine if they did the price would ve reasonable because they don't have the same big overhead other shops have. read more

$30 smog check! They were super friendly. I came in, dropped off my car, walked around the corner to the Albany flea market, and by the time I was done with my Scream sorbet mini, I was all set to go. Nice. read more

Bob is great. He's an upbeat, funny guy and does a great job inspecting your car. Small place but can do really anything you need.

I'd never had a Check Engine light go on before last year, and it pulled me into a nightmare world of failed smog tests, very expensive repairs, impossible-to-find parts, and byzantine rules of the state program that subsidizes low-income owners up to $500 for smog-related repairs. My car wasn't smoking, and it ran well, so I really resented being forced to make these expensive repairs. Where do I start? My '98 Nissan Sentra has two, not one, catalytic converters, which together would have cost more than $2000 to replace. I saved almost $1500 for most of my share, but I couldn't start the process until I got my registration renewal notice - the one that required a smog test. Complicating matters was I was moving 85 miles away, right during the renewal period. Under the state program, all diagnoses and repairs have to be done during the renewal period by the same shop. But shops can't give you an estimate without the diagnosis. It was hard to know what to expect, or how much it might cost, or when I could get it all done. I found Bob on Yelp. The first thing he said when I asked for his estimate was, Wait, your car only has 130,000 miles on it. Maybe it's not the catalytic converter at all. Maybe it's just the oxygen sensor that went bad and is throwing off the monitors. Try replacing that first, for around $250, and do the cat repair only if I'm wrong. Not knowing Bob at all, I resisted at first, but in the end I went for it. (Good thing, too, cause he couldn't find any parts - another state program helps with that, but that's another long, bizarre story.) And guess what, he was right: after he replaced the sensor, my car passed the smog test with flying colors! I'm no longer stuck in this netherworld where I can't register or sell my car until it passes the smog test. And Bob saved me $1200+ in the process ($1700+ if you include the state's share). I'm still pinching myself. When I thanked him profusely, he told me he loved his work, he loved the challenge of figuring out how to solve the root problem - here's the best part - for the least cost possible. He knows so much, he can do this quickly too. He really is on our side. Before I went to Bob, I spent a lot of time asking a lot of questions at another shop, which is also reputable but never even hinted at anything less than the full-blown $2000 repair job. I really think it just never occurred to them. Bob is like those rare doctors who not only have deep knowledge but also are excellent at diagnosis: he's worth his weight in gold. read more

Bob is a great guy. He's honest and he knows his cars. The kensington police do all their cars through him. I've taken my car twice to him now. The first car was junked because I bought it without a prepurchase inspection and it had structural damage that he found. I took my second used car that I bought for him to look at. He diagnosed it for some minor stuff ( rotors and rear tires ). And I'm in the shop now. He moved, his new address is 806 San Pablo Ave albany, ca 94706 read more

This was better the first time I used it. The second time, he was in a hurry, inpatient and not very willing to help. I will say that he fixed a problem that other mechanics would not touch. That was a good thing. read more

40 dollar smog check! Hello?! I called 3 other shops in the Richmond area and all were 60 bucks. Bob was very friendly and knowledgeable. Go here for a smog check for sure!! read more

A five-star review for a smog check? Yep. Roberto was friendly and knowledgeable, and gave me great customer service. I had no appointment and there was another car ahead of me, but I was still out in under an hour. The icing on the cake: out the door for $38.20. Next time my Civic needs service, I'm headed here. read more

I had an excellent experience with Bob at Arlington. I had taken my car to another SMOG shop and it didn't pass, due to some code error with my car's computer. The mechanic said I would have to take my car into my dealership and that the repairs could be very costly. I decided to take it in to Arlington Auto shop to get more information, because they had great reviews for Smog diagnostics. The owner, Bob, talked to me for a while to understand the issue and said that before I freak out and take the car to the dealership, perhaps we needed to reset the computer, drive it again for a while and come back to see him. He reset the car for me and I came back a week later- and I PASSED!!! It was such a weight off for me, and Bob really saved me a lot of time and money. I will absolutely be back in the future with any car issues. read more

If you're looking for an honest, reliable, and reasonably priced mechanic this is the place for you! Bob, the owner and primary mechanic, is superb! read more

I'm happy to have found Bob again at his new location on San Pablo. I needed a smog check and was able to drop in and have it completed in 30 minutes for a very reasonable price! He's a nice guy and an honest mechanic. read more

I used Arlington Auto for a smog check, which I paid for once but failed repeatedly. Each time I returned to try to pass after a reset, Bob gave me a suggestion for a cheaper possible fix (e.g. an 02 sensor) than what he suspected would ultimately be needed (a catalytic converter replacement). My friend replaced the 02 sensor, and we tried again, and failed to pass. Bob invested hours in helping me diagnose the problem, even though I only paid for the smog check once. The problem turned out to be the catalytic converter, as Bob had originally suggested (now replaced). Thanks, Bob, for being so generous with your time and talent. read more

The owner is a very professional friendly and honest person. my impression was that he deserves every star he gets.

Awesome service. Good price. And a friendly guy running the place. Was in and out within 30minutes.

Bob at Arlington Auto Shop did a great job getting my older car (1988 Mercedes) smogged for a fair price. He is an expert at emissions, oxygen sensors, catalytic converters, and brakes. Nice guy too! Give him a try, you'll be glad you did. You can tell him Andrew sent you! read more

This is the best automotive shop. Bob is knowledgeable, fair, honest and a thoroughly caring and delightful man. He takes great care of my truck and I totally trust everything does. read more

I've been a customer of Bob for many years. He's a very honest person and always try to do whatever he can to make customers happy. He's knowledge and expertise are amazing. I will strongly recommend him. And he got the bast prices for smog checks. read more

I took my car here to get smog tested and the service was great. In and out in an hour for $30, and I felt I could trust the owner which is hard to find in that industry. Not only will I take my car here in the future to get tested, but I also found a new mechanic. :) read more

inexpensive smog check~ ONLY 30$!!! The men were so nice and friendly. It took only 15 min. NICE~

Bob is an honest, trustworthy and quality mechanic. We had a older Honda Civic hatchback which he serviced faithfully for two years. He went out of his way to save us money. He gave us sound advice, as to what to fix and what not to fix. When it was time to retire the vehicle due to larger problems, he let us know. I highly recommend his shop. read more

I have all my facts, just because the BAR could prove you were negligent doesn't mean you weren't negligent. The FACT is and remains you passed it when it shouldn't have been passed, the car smoked like a Rock Concert the very next day, and failed the smog check within 2 minutes at a different shop. If I didn't have that proof the BAR would have never visited you, the BAR actually made the joke "they must've smogged it with a blind fold." These are are the facts. All the facts point to a shady or very incompetent smog shop. Being that you've been around for 23 years, I doubt it's a competence problem, more of a shady issue. So for all that want a shady smog check, bring your car to this shop, they'll pass no matter what. read more

Needed a smog check super quickly, as I didn't realize I needed to get a biannual smog for our diesel vehicle in order to renew the registration (even though the car is only two years old). Called, Bob said "first come, first served" over the phone, I zoomed down there, and he had me in and out in about 20 minutes. Affordable, super friendly service...we will be back for our 30K mile checkup next month! read more