Cheaper than anything outside of base and easy to schedule and work with, and their service was fast with my oil change and tire rotation, only took less than an hour. read more

Auto Skills Center Hickam - Auto Repair Near Me - Hickam AFB, Hawaii

Awesome place to come and use the shop. Good prices. Tool selection is limited but for the price can't go wrong. Safety Checks are quick... in and out.. They won't let that 0% percent tint all the way around slide though. Lol ‍ read more

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The MWR facility is normally great, but customer service continues to decline. This is a trend in other reviews too. There is a 55-gal drum for waste oil and a large collection tank out back. I've used it before during oil changes. Today, I asked to dispose of some old oil and employee Sharonda told me it's only for paying customers. Then I asked to rent an open bay and she refused to rent one to me because she 'knew what I was planning to do'. I wanted to pay to use the MWR facility. Ridiculous. read more

Made an appointment (about 5-days out). Arrived 10-min early but they were ready for my car anyway. It seemed like just a few minutes later, they were done! Super efficient and friendly service! read more

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I pulled up to this place at 6:58 and then checked in with Rose at the front desk. She was very polite and let me know that mechanics would be in at 0830 to start working on my car. I just needed an oil change and they called me as soon as it was finished, around 0930 to let me know it was ready for pick up. I work close to here so I was able to walk to and from my office. This was my first visit and won't be my last. Mahalo for the awesome and speedy work! read more

The coolest place to be for the gear heads. of all the hobby shops on the island, this one is hands down the cleanest and most professional in Hawaii. -with self service bays for the do-it-yourselfers they have just about every tool you need for your repair or project. available in flat bays and 2 posts lifts. -the ONLY hobby shop on island that does automotive repair -safety inspection station -parts store -A/C service -tire service -a knowledgeable staff full of gear heads. -body shop and paintbooths -outside storage for longterm projects -towing services -they even have sheds available for rent if you're strapped for space around the house -they also have bicycle repair. overall experience, you just feel right at home when you come in to work on your car, the staff has a very large variety of tasteful music in soo many genres. they are very helpful and knowledgeable about automotives whether it be basic repair/maintenance or building/modifying. these guys really do share the same passion as the enthusiasts that go to this shop. In this shop, you are amongst friends. and as for auto repair, they are fast, and the MOST inexpensive i have ever seen. your average auto repair shop will charge between $90-$140/hr for service. not here, at the hobby shop they only charge $50/hour and won't recommend repairs that you do not need. honest and to the point. i like that in a business. open 7-days a week except holidays read more

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This review is based solely on my most recent experience there. If there was an option for 6 stars, I would give them 6 stars mainly because I received outstanding customer service from both Jason and Joe. Together they both went above and beyond to help me out. My car needed to have the brake pads and rotors replaced. Amazingly I had time so decided to do this on my own, eventhough I have never change brakes before. For projects like this, you can rent out a stall for a nominal fee of $3 per hour. Reservations are not required and based on availability at that time. All the tools are provided by shop. If you are mechanically inclined, the techs will walk you through the process. Since this was my first time, Jason and Joe were very patient in teaching me; break class 101...lol. Thanks Jason and Joe for your superior customer service. I would definitely recommend and repeat. read more

The hobby shop is located closer to Kuntz gate side of base. Head towards the bowling center and pass it with it on your right side, you'll come across the track next. Take a left when the road veers to the left. At the Stop sign, take a left (you'll see a "auto skills center sign" in front of you), at the yellow "No Outlet" sign take a left and you are at the auto hobby shop. If you want to work on a vehicle in a flat bay or a bay with a lift, you need to show your military ID/CAC card, get a Shop Card (it's free), and show the car registration (car needs to be registered under YOUR name!) If the car is not registered under your name, the person whom it's registered under needs to have a military ID/CAC card and a shop card to sign it in. Registered owner needs to present when the car is being worked on at all times. Also make sure to wear closed toe shoes! If you are looking to get a safety inspection, bring in the car registration and Hawaii car insurance card with the WATERMARK! They don't accept print outs, also the card needs to valid for the day you are getting your inpection. If it's dated for tomorrow, they won't be able to do it. If you get Hawaii plates for your vehicle, make sure to mount the plates front and rear before going back to complete your inspection. It's not their job to mount your license plates for you. Since this is a military auto hobby shop, they are STRICT when it comes to safety inspections! So don't expect to pass if you have illegal tint, your air bag light is on, your tires are bald, brake lights aren't working, or anything else that won't you pass the inspection. read more

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Whether you work on your own car use the services available, this is the best Auto Skills Center in the world! Well at least in Japan, Korea, New York, and California as I've used the services in these areas. I recently had Jason replace my AC system. A few weeks later the ac didn't get as cold. He looked at it and found a faulty compressor with a slight leak. He ordered a new one and replaced it ASAP. No charge!! After commissary privileges, this service is the one I value most. So what Andy, can I get a oil change? Lol read more

I normally take my car here to rent a lift and change my own oil. The tools and workshop space are what you'd expect, but the staff has always been friendly and helpful. The reason I'm writing the review, however, is because I recently took my car to get its state inspection done. State inspections are done by appointment only. read more

Great place to work on my car and do upgrades. Prices are great. Plenty of engine bays with lifts. They keep place clean. My review is 3 star, because the staff isn't very friendly. 3 times I have gone to shop and god forbid if I have a question about where something is. They give me the REALLY look. Sorry brother but I don't work here. Lol read more

If I could give them negative stars I would. I am absolutely livid!!!! When we moved to the island I had my car inspected and it passed with the airbag light on. (It's been on for 3 years) and now I took off time from work to get it inspected and it failed. So now I have an appointment with the dealership for $130 just to inspect it and turn off the light. Fortunately though the Honda is reinspecting it for free. The attitude I had from the two employees here were rude. And surprisingly enough I kept my calm demeanor and didn't get rude back. Ice comment is filled out and I will never go back. They can keep my inspection fee. It's worth not going back. read more

Dang, Jesse G. beat me to writing a first on this place. What a secret. This place is the only spot that offers repairs. I won't holler about how inexpensive it is, you'll need a military id to get here and get work done. I got my safety inspection here and various automotive repairs. For the repairs you have to schedule an appointment but they are cool enough to let you park your car and turn in your keys the night or two before so you don't have to hassle in the morning. They provide good service. The attendants are young 20 something year old dudes who aren't stuck up at all. I'm comparing them to other military auto hobbies I've been in. There are other gear heads there and some have pretty sick rides. They aren't there to rip you off. Also, the gas station near there is the only place where you can lock the nozzle. Yes, it matters to me. I'm lazy. read more

The location of this shop is listed erroneously and if you use the GPS it will take you to the Pearl Harbor side by the McDonalds. It is actually located by the Hickman Arts and Crafts Center behind the softball field. Showed up for a vehicle safety sticker, and apparently I did not bring the right card in for the inspection. What baffled me was the fact that as of 01 July 2016 the state now authorize inspection centers to accept the mobile app as a form of proof of insurance....well apparently they haven't received the memo here at this shop. They were addimant that I needed to go to the Geico office and get an insurance card. They already had a pre-printed map of the Geico office circled ... Which leads me to assume I wasn't the first customer they've turned away. Luckily I went to another inspection center close by and got in and out with the same price paid. Not sure how their other services rank but based on their customer service I will never be back, for anything. read more

I had heard some nightmares about getting your car inspected in Hawaii and some shops finding things wrong with your car in order to make a dollar. Despite this shop being located on the base I had heard of some horror stories about some other places out and about on base finding things "wrong" to make a buck or two. I went in knowing my car was a-okay since we had literally had it serviced a few days prior to having it shipped,but I was even more pleased when moments after taking my car to inspect it the mechanic told me I was good to go pending registration. After taking my car to register it, they helped me complete my safety inspection and wrangle my plates on my vehicle. OH and you cannot beat the price $13.50!! Thank you so much!!! read more

Always friendly and helpful. I have an old 911 that I started doing some basic service on. One of the mechanics, Tom, has rebuilt a few 911s over time and is always helpful. Keeps me from making and costly mistakes. They get you in and out for the vehicle inspection quickly and seem to run a clean and friendly place. read more

First time using the auto service at hickam. Awesome experience. I needed to rent the paint booth for the day. The guys were very friendly and helpful. I just wished we had a walk through before painting on that day since time is the biggest enemy when painting a car. Car came out pretty decent and they had most of the tools that you need. Make sure the car is primered and body work is ready to go. The price was worth it. And I would surly use it again. read more

Love this place. Friendly service, lotsa tools to borrow, and not an overly burdensome training requirement to be able to use the facilities. Basically just an open book test - 10 minutes or so. Lifts, grinders, air impact wrenches, paint booths...they've got it all. Yes, this place attracts the "gear head" crowd but even so, I never feel judged when I work on my very practical and unmodified family cars and my 50cc moped here. I guess we're all bound by the DIY spirit in the end. Minus half a star for their hours - not really compatible with those of use that have to work in the day. Minus another half a star for not allowing me to bring my kids in to the shop even if I'm supervising them. How else can kids learn these things if they're not exposed to it? read more

Awesome place to take your vehicle to get anything done! My safety inspection was only $17 and it literary took them only 5-10 min to finish. Very efficient and friendly stuff. Will be taking my second car next month! read more

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If you're going here fore a safety inspection think twice. I've been to this place multiple times the first time they said just fix the washer fluid line, the battery needed a harness, and the remaining tint needed to be scraped off the back of the window because it hid the break light. I fixed all those issues and came back and they said that what I used for a harness for a battery was not the conventional one so I came back with the conventional one and they failed me again because my front right tire may be slowly degrade on the innermost side (Dry rot the inspector claims) -__-. I know people who can barely make it 2 miles with their hunk of garbage but they have a passed safety inspection. It's not rocket science people, they pass who they want to pass and their main goal is to make a profit. I am truly convinced that they aren't concerned about safety. My car is not one of those Island dumps it is good to go and if they "wanted" me to passed I would have passed. read more

Fast and easy. No problem at all. Got my safety done and was in and out. Preferred to come here than the Pearl harbor Auto center. Just need gmaps to give you correct directions then it'd be 5 stars. Spent more time looking for the place than the service. read more

This place used to be so good. Now the last few times I've been there it's been just bad. They have a policy now where their techs will not do any work on any car that has any modifications. So because the struts on my car are not factory parts, they refused to read a diagnostic code for my check engine light. This time they turned me away because they say they have no appointments available for the next week... There's only two other customers in the whole center right now. Terrible customer service. I won't be going back here read more

Tom help me re-key my 2013 Chevy Cruz took care of me in record time all the people at the auto hobby shop are very professional and helpful

Safety inspection was quick but the price is up to $17 now. The staff here is usually very courteous and the price to rent a bay to work on your car is very reasonable ($2/hour) . I was frustrated that they no longer accept used motor oil for recycling. read more

Had my vehicle safety inspection renewed yesterday. Same day service with no appointment; no long line waiting or hassles. Awesome customer service. Thank you folks and until next time. read more

Used the skill center for the first time yesterday to change my breaks. It was a great expereince. Very helpful staff and nice facility. I even had the wrong breaks and they ordered me some new ones. I had to pay their mark up, but it was worth it to get my car fixed and out the door. I would definately use this place again. read more

Went here to get my safety check and If I'm not mistaken they're open on Saturdays which is a big plus so you do not have to take off a day from work to get your safety done. There was no line at the time I went so I was in and out. Bathrooms and vending machines available. read more

I'm just going to start this off by saying if I could give less stars I would. Anyways... Came to get my ball joints worked on. Had received a couple quotes from around the island Lex Brodies was 600, Pearl Harbor auto center was 500, and Firestone was 700. Come into the Hickam Auto Skills Center and they quote me at over 1000. Complete waste of a morning having them look at my car. Do not go there, they will rip you off, hang up on you, and make you wait for 30 minutes while they slap your tires back on because you won't pay them an outrageous amount for the work others will do for less. read more

I used bought a used car and had to fully service it. The shop had all the equipment, tools and knowledge for all the help I needed. 3 dollars an hour for a lift is a lot cheaper than doing service at the dealership. I continue to go there for all my car problems. read more

This place is super convenient and you have pretty much all the tools you need readily available to complete almost any DIY job. My only complaint is some members who work the have the worst customer service, just plain attitude or seem annoyed if you ask them a question. Again, this is not all employees, just a few bad apples. It has been every time I go, o e or two guys just seem like their life is miserable by working there. read more

The guys over at the shop are very helpful. I've got a 1972 Toyota land cruiser and weather it's working on the timing, tearing into the rear diff, converting drum to disc brakes, or completely taking it down to bear metal for a new paint job, they are there every step of the way. Once you get to know them and you show that you are a dedicated gearhead, they are pretty awesome dudes and will show you how to do anything to your vehicle. read more

Just had my Hawaii safety inspection renewed. There was several people in line, and these guys had us all in and out very quickly! They were polite, efficient, and affordable. Best of all, I didn't have to leave the base and fight with traffic! Thanks Auto Skills Center!!! read more

They don't follow regulations here and just tell you whatever they please. Horrible customer service.

Incompetent mechanics. I made an appointment for my 4runner to get looked at because it had a terrible vibration when driving certain speeds. The mechanic on the phone said to bring it in and they'll definitely have a look. I brought it in during my appointment time and after filling out all the paperwork, some guy in the back said they don't do work on aftermarket parts. He said because I had a lift on my 4runner that they wouldn't check it and I had to take it to the dealership to look at it. The only problem is I don't have a lift. It has an airbag suspension in the rear that came on the vehicle as an option direct from the manufacturer. It was a FACTORY product... So they didn't even take the time to look at it as they said the vibration was from the rear being "too high". I mentioned this when I was talking to the cashier guy and he said they don't want to look at it, I have to take it to a dealership. They didn't even step out of their shop, they just looked through the bay doors, seen the car and turned me away. Worst customer service I've ever dealt with and no way to run a business even if it is on a military base. read more

The mechanics at Hickam ASC are the best I've ever worked with. Their labor prices are low ($60/hr), helped by some base subsidies, which can save you a lot of money quickly considering most other brand name shops charge $110 - $130 around here. More importantly, they are honest guys who do not try to swindle you into buying extraneous services. They quote fair prices, do swift work, and so far their work on my Jeep has been very good. Even more astounding - they told me that I could complete a simple repair on my engine (replace a sensor with a few screws) on my own in about ten minutes, and save myself some money. Integrity, low prices, quality work - can't ask for much more from a mechanic. Minor downsides to this place include the necessity of making reservations about a week in advance, the shop being closed on Sundays and Mondays, and their inability to work on transmissions or electrical systems. Overall, very highly recommended to anyone with a military ID and a car without tranny issues. read more

Many of the "employees" are only there to hook up their buddies and screw everyone else--if you like your car, save your money and get inspected off base. They'll fail you for trying to protect your paint. I don't know what circus these clowns escaped from, but you shouldn't let them touch your car if you value it at all. read more

Great place to get your safety check. They are properly staffed; not like those other small mom an pop service stations with only one inspector. The technichians understand how to get customers thru quickly. Great service! read more

Had the opportunity to come here to do a suspension overhaul on my SUV. Staff are very friendly, knowledgeable, and able to give guidance when needed. Tools, equipment, and facility are top notch. read more

This is a big "Thank you" to the mechanics and crew at Hickam Auto Skills Center! My Honda CRV locked me out on the driver's side. The electric door latch stopped working and I could not get it open. I took it to a mechanic who told me that he would have to rip the panel off and I would have to replace it. With his high labor costs and the cost of the panel, I was looking at about $1000. I told him that I needed a few days to think about it, so I took it to the skills center planning to work on it all day if I necessary. Well, it was necessary, and that was just getting the panel off and removing the lock assembly. Thinking the actuator was shot, I bought a replacement and put it on the assembly. The next day, putting the assembly back in was impossible. I tried installing the assembly several times and had to take it out each time. Finally, I asked for help and got it. First, they found that the assembly was broken also. So, it is a good thing that I did not get it installed. Thanks to their expertise, we repaired the assembly on the spot. To be more honest, one of the mechanics repaired the assembly. I thought I had been smart by taking on the job and getting it done myself because It saved $1000 that I did not have. However, I would have been a lot smarter, to just drop the car off and let them fix it after I got the door open, but at the time, I did not know they did that type of work. Now I think they can do anything. If you go there, ask first! Thanks again team! read more

I've had safety inspections done with Hickam and they did a great job and got me out of there quick, but I am VERY disappointed in their maintenance. First, from dropping the car off, having to go to ford to pick up parts, and giving them the parts, my car was unlocked in the parking lot every time. Anyone could of just opened my car, shoot I even opened it without anyone seeing to put papers in the glove box. Second, I was told on the phone that if I picked up the car the same day that they would charge me only $30, but when I checked out the mechanic laughed and said "yeah I did say that on the phone, but I'm charging you an hour of labor instead." THIRD, they replaced the cords for my emergency brake and the cover of my e-brake handle was just sitting in the passenger seat when it was "finished." I don't typically ever write reviews, but they were so unprofessional in the office watching YouTube videos and didn't deliver a clean job. read more