I find Dan and Shannon to be so knowledgeable and patient and possess superior Customer Service. I am grateful to have them as a resource for my 2011 car and for them to always be flexible. They take my car after hours. They've worked on it in emergencies when I had it towed there without any warning they advise me and again they are trustworthy and fair and yesterday their kindness absolutely blew me away that they didn't even charge me for checking out why my check engine light was on, and they advised me on what to do in the meantime before I panicked about the expense of a catalytic converter. They are just a treasure read more

Bay Auto has consistently done excellent mechanical work on my vehicle, and I have trusted them with major repairs in the past. The quality of their workmanship has never been the issue. My issue arose around a timing belt appointment that I believed was scheduled for Wednesday of that week. When I arrived, I was told it was scheduled for the following Wednesday. Whether this was a misunderstanding or miscommunication, the result was that I had already arranged and paid for a rental car based on the date I believed was confirmed and was unable to recover that cost. When I explained the financial inconvenience this caused and asked if there was any way they could help offset the cost or offer some consideration, I was met with very little empathy or flexibility. I asked whether they could meet me halfway on the rental expense or offer any discount on the repair as the final cost of this event would be around $3000 ($1000 for both rentals), and was told they would check with the other owner, but I never received a follow-up. That customer service experience is what led me to write my original review. Since posting, the owner has called, emailed, and texted me repeatedly into the evening hours expressing how upset they were about the review and stating that video evidence shows the appointment date was said as "next Wednesday." Bay Auto does very good repair work, but this experience and the follow-up communication have led me to seek another repair shop moving forward. read more

Came in with a drivable leak problem in the afternoon. Quick check to see if my car is safe to drive then given appointment for 8am next day even though Bay Automotive was busy. Next day got phone estimate within 2 hours of bringing it in. Work completed and well done by end of the day. Total charge came in below the estimate. Hourly rate is $140 mid-to lower range for this pricey. They did some complimentary adjustments such as on side mirrors. Also advised on two safety related repairs and DID NOT make any attempt to sell those or more services. Dan the owner and Shannon the office manager answered all questions. Skilled and professional. We are not a big bucks Ferrari owner but an ordinary family with a 15-year-old American car. This shop is worth driving out of the way to this small family-owned repair service near Naval Post Graduate School. Easily reached via Del Monte Ave, Freemont St. or Hwy 1. Deserves 5 plus stars. read more

The nicest of people in a family business. It's been a while since we had any auto maintenance expenses so a bit of sticker shock at the latest mechanic hourlies -- wow! Still, very accomodating and friendly at the front desk and in the shop. I raeally appreciate their communicativeness. Value? Well, everything got done alright -- not cheap but I figure it was probably fair, and mighty convenient. We'll be going there again so I'll be a repeat customer to update my review if needed. Only removed one star because I wasn't quite sure if they were a bit too pricey. Still, garages have quite an overhead to bear around here and a payroll to maintain along with every conceivable tax, fee, insurance, permitting, etc. to keep current. I'm sure the owners aren't getting rich at this. read more

Great and speedy service from Dan And Shannon. I will definitely go to them for my service needs again!

This family owned business is awesome! Integrity, experience! You can trust Dan/Shannon and their crew!

We were heading down to Big Sur for a weekend trip when our car broke down in a very remote location. Our tow service hauled us all the way back to Bay Automotive in Monterey. I decided to trust Bay Automotive and my instincts were correct. The problem turned out to be difficult to diagnose but Pete found it quickly. I needed Karen's help to deal with factory warranty support and she was great about it. The bill was fair & reasonable, too. Bay Automotive took very good care of us and they have my undying gratitude! I can't say enough good things about this shop. Now I know why the towing service wanted to send us to Bay Automotive :) read more

Bay Service Automotive - A clean, well-maintained shop - exactly what I like to see! - Auto Repair Near Me - Monterey, California

This is a shady crew of people. I went in to get a smog check and fluids changed. They said I should get the smog "pre" inspection just in case it doesn't pass smog. THEY ARE NOT STAR CERTIFIED!!! They didn't tell me this so they charged me $30 for absolutely nothing worth renewing my registration. Next, they decided my radiator needed to be fixed rather than just a flush. They charged more than $200 to change a hose that I later found out could've charged myself. This is a shady establishment and crew. If you risk going in here make sure you listen to every bs word they say just so they don't steal your money read more

WORKMANSHIP ISSUES, POOR ETHICS, OR JUST A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION - YOU DECIDE. Found these guys on Yelp with one positive review and decided to take a chance. I went in with an unexplained draw on my battery - dead every morning with some funny noises coming from the center console.  I explained the situation and I mentioned that I might also be related to my alarm system since I came back to the car no long ago with the horn making funny noises after the alarm went off. $100 of electrical diagnostics proved that the center instrument panel had to be replaced because the onboard computer was bad.  Ok so far. $600 later I go to pick up the truck with the bad part replaced and I'm told that my $300 alarm system and my $300 radar detectors cannot be reinstalled because it'll void the new part warantee...  OOPS!!!  That's something you're supposed to share before you do the work, right?  But I need the car to run in the mornings more than I need the expensive be extras so I take the car and go. Not 5 min in I discover that the speedometer is sticking and the horn no longer works...  OOPS!!!  Who forgot to quality check thout work they just did? So they say bring it back after we order the new part - it's refurbished from the dealer so it'll take little while...  I return after they have pneumonia, flu and other stuff - we all had it so I'm just grateful they didn't forget.  But on the phone I explain about the horn and they argue that they never touched the horn... Hmmm...  Lots of electrical diagnostics, wires hanging at my feet now, and I have no way to prove that something worked before I went in because I didn't video tape every working function of my vehicle before I took it in...  OOPS!!!  Biggest error a mechanic or the front desk can make - deny their mistakes by saying they never even touched that. I talk a bit further and discover that the owner thinks that the alarm system he removed (and is now asking I take it to an alarm system place because "...it's not like the older models... It's a mess down there") had been in charge of the horn so now it's not working.  OOPS!!!  Again, maybe something I should have been told by an experienced mechanic before they started working on the car... And finally...  After their front office and the owner had me in the office talking over me and whatnot...  I just say...  "Ok.  You have your view and I have mine.  I'll share mine on Yelp and see where it goes".  Would you believe they started yelling at me?  First I got "if you do that I'll review you back!"  (Do customers or mechanics read reviews on other customers?  Kinda thought he wasn't as smart as he should be but now it's obvious...). And then the real kicker.  On my way to my vehicle he chases me out the door and says if I review him in Yelp, he will sue me...  OOPS!!! Well Yelpers...  You decide... read more

Only had 1 experience here. I went here for a smog check to get my vehicle registered for the first time in CA. I called ahead and got an appointment within a half hour. Smog check was $50, they offered something called a smog pre-check which would have saved money if i was at risk for smog. They recommended I just do the $50 smog check as the vehicle q's evened to be running fine. I did the $50 deal and passed. I think their price for oil change was 44.95 or so, which is a little expensive if before tax, but in all seemed like a fair garage. read more

I came to this place based on the great reviews. I took two cars to Bay Service. Both cars I payed for the full enchilada safety checks and oil change. My 2007 Ford Fusion "checked out" with only needing the serpentine belt needing replaced. Two days later I drove to school and the power steering went out and the battery light came on. The serpentine belt had come off. I took it back to them and they graciously put it back on and tightened it. Apparently they had ordered the wrong serpentine belt. The next day, the serpentine belt came off again! I took it back and there was another issue trying to get it on. This time they were embarrassed and even gave me a ride home, which I appreciated. They fixed the serpentine belt again and I haven't had a problem since. They didn't charge me for the second and third repairs. My 2008 Kia Sedona also had a full safety inspection, including brake check. Not more than a month later, I hear this awful grinding and take it in to a different repair shop. The brake pad on the front left tire is all gone and the rotor is ruined. What did they check with the brakes? I have no idea. The customer service was good, and I really really wanted to give them more than one star, but I cannot do it. Bottom line: Pricey, poor car repair with good customer service. read more

I appreciate their integrity and realistic prices. They were knowledgeable, honest and informative. It's so refreshing to find an automative shop that reflects the values and concerns of their customers. I'll be back. read more

Have always received great service over the years on several of my vehicles. They are honest and try to keep vehicles safe to operate without doing unnecessary superfluous repairs. read more

Made an appointment for the following day to have my daughter's 2003 Toyota Corolla brakes checked. Polite, professional and very reasonably priced. Will have her return for any future needs. read more

Fantastic service, broke down on a vacation. They got me in and out same day with major repairs.

Been going there for decades, great family runned business, friendly, professional, and best of all honest!

I was very disappointed with Bay Service's actual ability to repair a car. I would give the wife of the owner 5 stars. She is professional, and knows what she's doing when it comes to customer service and dealing with warranty companies. The owner/mechanic is a different story. He read the engine code on my car, and instead of following the procedures required to fix the problem he decided to do a tune-up. The tune-up did not fix the problem, and when I asked him about it he got defensive and started threatening me. There are too many other options to put up with that kind of poor quality repair service and mean-spirited behavior. read more

Great honest mechanic. Took my Subaru to him, got it back the next day and it's running like a champ.

I moved to the Monterey area in 2011 and have been taking my car here for service ever since a colleague recommended them. They've been great, never recommended repairs that weren't needed, giving me a timeline on what needs to be fixed now and what preventative maintenance could wait. I've never had to take my car back--when they repair something, it's fixed. read more