Benner Auto has worked on my 1958 and 1973 Thunderbirds. They are honest, hardworking, and dependable. I feel so fortunate to have found them. Don and Mike are very knowledgeable and really care about doing a thorough job. They don't cut corners. They stand behind doing quality repairs. read more

They are the best Honest reliable - we have used them for decades and are always satisfied with the service Kerry and Rollie read more

Highly recommended by a friend...and they were fab. 30K service on a 2020 Hyundai Tucson. Car ready earlier than expected. I can feel the difference already. And very good value, about 1/3 of what a dealer would charge. Don and Dave were very nice too. read more

Mikes garage is always full of cars, domestic, and foreign, and the two mechanics Don and David, know what they are doing and they can fix anything! It is a union shop but you get what you pay for here, fixed quickly but done right. read more

I wanted to talk with Mike at Benner concerning my F250. Having not been there in a few years, I did not know what to expect. To my great relief, Mike & Don are still there. This is an old school auto repair shop. Real mechanics, who can make repairs happen, work at Benner Auto Repair. These guys can solve your problems regardless of the year of your vehicle. When I lived & worked in Oakland, I knew Joe Benner, & knew that you could rely on him to service & repair your automobile. I'm talking about more than 50 years ago. Joe's son, Mike, grew up in this shop & learned from his father. Mike took over the business, but not in the usual way. Joe & Mike treated their employees & customers like family. Joe stayed with his son, Mike, as long as he could. Mike is now 80 years old. He treats his employees & customers in the same way that his father did. They can fix your car. Take my word for this. The mechanics at Benner Auto Repair are well seasoned with many years of experience. You don't find this on every street corner. Contact them with your needs. These guys care about the quality of their workmanship. read more

UPDATE DECEMBER 2023: UPDATE: In response to a recent review, I feel 100% compelled to revisit my experiences with Benner Auto, which date back over 26 years. I stand by my original endorsement - this is a team of respectful, polite, and honest professionals, and my opinion has only strengthened over time. They are GOOD people who care about their customers. Regarding the comment about sarcasm from a reviewer here, my experience has been quite the opposite. A "Good luck" from Mike is just his way of bidding farewell, and it's a stretch to interpret it otherwise. He's always been straightforward and professional in all my dealings with him. As for the decor, if a vintage picture of a fully-clothed woman or a poster of cheerleaders sparks such controversy, I would argue that our sensitivities may be a touch over-calibrated. In a world where far more provocative images splash across billboards and daytime TV without comment, it seems unjust to single out Benner Auto for what is, at most, a nod to nostalgia and team spirit. Take a moment to look at the photos of the office I shared - it's clear that the office is a collage of family, pets, automotive achievements, and a testament to their community presence. To label it as sexist or misogynistic is to overlook the context of these personal mementos which, in fact, celebrate a rich tapestry of life and achievements. In an age where authenticity often takes a back seat to polished veneers, the character of Benner Auto's office is refreshingly real!! I invite anyone to judge for themselves and experience the genuine service and personable nature of Benner Auto - a local business that has earned its place through integrity and excellent service. read more

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Thank you Mike and your team for taking great care of my 78 year old mom's 2014 Toyota this week. Sunday morning discovered her catalytic converter had been stolen. Monday Toyota dealership said 6-12 months to get one! Benner came highly recommended by a friend. Courteous on the phone and accepted the toed car that day. Tuesday found some other damage from the thieves that they worked on. Wednesday afternoon her car was ready. The bill came under what had been quoted over the phone. After feeling vulnerable from having her can broken into for the second time, the professionalism and quick service was really appreciated. Can't recommend them any higher read more

Knowledgeable staff. Gets it right the first time, no going back for the same problem. When they repair something it's repaired. Thank you. Mike Don & David read more

Mike and his guys are the real deal. Have one of my vintage cars coming into the shop soon, which I don't trust with just any mechanic. And when I brought a used Honda Fit that I bought from a stranger on CL, he diagnosed it and fixed it up great, was up front with costs and the price was fair. Did it quick, too. Found my new east bay mechanic! Thanks guys. read more

It was two days before Thanksgiving and my car battery starts acting up. Got some good advice to not succumb to getting a battery through AAA. So the next day I am scrambling to find a place that is open early, near my office in Oakland, where i can get my car battery replaced. Mike at Benner gave me a quote over the phone. I brought in the car at 8:00 am. And they called me at 10:00 am to ask me for my radio code to reinstall my radio. They were close to my office and I think there was not labor change. Just $149 for the battery. They even checked my tires. The location is big and so clean. Not a typical dirty garage. Thank much for saving me turkey weekend for me! read more

These guys know their stuff, I've been taking all of my classic cars here for years and they always know how to get them back on the road running smooth. read more

I started going to Benner Auto Repair in mid 2022 after my mechanic I had been using for years retired. I must say that they're very honest, prices are reasonable for parts and labor. Always friendly and appreciative that they're not hard to make an appointment with. Usually have my car in and out within the day, unless I have a repair that takes longer time. read more

Not so much of a review but more of a thanks, the other day my bike ended up having two flat tires, and I went to a garage across the street where they told me no one could help, so I remembered seeing Benner's the other day and push my bike around there. What a difference the guy just hooked up the airline and let me get on with it. Thanks a lot for helping me out, much appreciated. Nic read more

So the service is fine but it is hard to deal with the high level of sarcasm and unpleasantness we have dealt with at this repair shop. We brought in a car and we were concerned about how safe it was to drive and so although we had a car seat in the car we were not driving our child around in it and they always rode in another car. However the mechanic assumed we were putting our child at risk and chastised my spouse without asking any questions or practicing any empathy. The whole Dave Lasso, "Be curious and not judgmental" thing seems to be lost on some of the staff over there. I called a couple a days ago to try and get an appointment with them because I do have a family member who recommended them but they were busy and couldn't really look at the car for awhile and when I said I was going to call a few other places to see if I could get it looked at sooner I was met with an obviously sarcastic, "Well good luck..." Finally my spouse went in there and was uncomfortable with the sexist/misogynistic calendars they had hanging in the office, which was a couple of years ago so they may be gone, and she felt uncomfortable as a women dealing with the mechanic. My spouse has a great sense for who is safe and not safe and her warning bells went off with the poster and she was the one they chastised. So yeah we won't go there again. read more

Still the best! I've been bringing my vehicles to them for years now, and they are always honest, reliable, and affordable. One of the greatest auto repair shops I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with. Strongest recommendation! read more

Been doin biz with Mike , Don and Dave for 23yrs . Solid ,professional and down right friendly.

Benner has taken care of our 3 cars since 2016 and their service is excellent. They can do it all from oil changes and brake jobs to decarbonizing the intakes and other major repairs. Don, Mike and their team are courteous, professional and a real pleasure to work with. We just bought a new car and it's going to go to Benner for all its work! read more

I brought my daughter's 93 Corvette to Benner Auto Repair hoping that they could repair the electrical work the car needed. The interior lights wouldn't go off and the car's fans wouldn't go on. They were able to figure out the problem and correct it. I had called other American Classic Car repair shops and they didn't want to work on the car, because the C4 Corvette is a difficult car to work on. I was so pleased when they told me that they had figured out the problem and corrected it. I highly recommend this repair shop for your American Classic Cars. They are great guys! read more

Benner Auto Repair - 1993 Corvette in Benner Auto Repair Shop - Auto Repair Near Me - Oakland, California

Sounds to me like Martin W. has a vendetta against his EX and is taking it out on Benner's Auto for some warped/spurned reason. I think his shout out to the "eligible ladies should bookmark me RIGHT NOW, this incredible opportunity CANNOT LAST!!" tells you all you need to know about him and his credibility. I, on the other hand, give Benner Auto 5 stars, like everyone else not a nut-job that wrote a review. They were reasonably priced, professional, friendly, gave me a ride to/from BART and took good care of my Saturn (as you Saturn owners know, not everyone will service a Saturn). 5-stars for this family-owned neighborhood auto-shop, I'll be back. read more

This was my first time using Benner Auto Repair to work on my beloved car and they did more than impress me. This repair shop is full of highly trained professionals and the nicest, trustworthy mechanics a girl could find. Please take my recommendation and use Benner Auto Repair you can trust that your car will be taken care of above and beyond. read more

A good mechanic is hard to find. So when I needed a new shop after a move, I chose Benner because it's only blocks from my house. It was a fantastic choice. They take excellent care of my car here, and at extremely reasonable and competitive prices. They did my brakes for less than a third what the dealer wanted to charge me. Really nice folk, who know what they're doing, and don't want to have you sign over a kidney or your first born child. I'll never take my car anywhere else. At least, not unless I have to move again. You never know when the mysterious black choppers will find you ... read more

I can sum up my experience with one word - amazing! The Brenner team was fantastic. Great service, reasonably priced (the final cost was the quoted price, how often does that happen?) and the communication was excellent (they showed me the replaced parts and explained replacement process (again, how often does that happen?) I highly recommend Brenner Auto! read more

I've been going here for years, as have my dad and grandpa. They are very honest and fair, won't try to screw you over. Highly reccommend these guys! read more

Old school auto shop, it's like time capsule. Mike was friendly and professional. He heard my concerns and took care of my Dodge Truck the same day and very efficiently. These guys are honest, fair and very matter of fact. Point blank, they get the job done and they do it well. I was referred to this shop by my other mechanic who only specializes and works on Japanese cars. Best referral I have ever been given. These guys know their cars, they work well and their charges are fair. read more

I had Benner do quite a bit of maintenance on my car (over $1k) a couple months ago and then recently had to take it in again for a problem. The work seems fine and I appreciate what they did. The bid seemed fair, maybe slightly high but came with a good recommendation from a friend so I gave them a try. My reason for giving 3 stars instead of 5 is that they are not communicative. They had my car for about a week the first time (was estimated 2 days) and I (literally) never got updates from them, had to call every day or two to find out what was going on and when I could expect to have it back. Turns out they were waiting on a part but didn't let us know. A different and most recent time I took my car in (because it was making a squeak after their work) for diagnostics I hadn't heard from them for 3 days so I called them. They reported that they hadn't seen the problem I reported but had some recommendations for other work to do. That is all fine and good.... but when were they going to call me? I don't expect to be called every hour, but I do think a courtesy call every 2 days would be appropriate when work is taking longer than expected or diagnostics aren't turning up the reported problem. I don't want to be the one to have to call and check in every time. I wouldn't use them again simply because of this recurrent issue. read more

Took my 2006 Acura TL in Brenner when my engine light went off. I had already done an OBD2 test to determine that the problem was an air/fuel ratio sensor. The part was priced at about $50 on-line. The Brenner's estimate for the job was $150. Seemed about right for the whole job. But the Brenner team decided to do a "road test" which carried a charge of $150. The price for the sensor was given at $215. The total price was $385. But wait, they did check the tire pressure. read more

Great shop, personable staff and thorough service. I was really surprised by the customer service I received, they kept me informed and they have competitive pricing. I was really happy with the entire experience and they went above and beyond to help me with my insurance claim. In the end I was fully reimbursed and happy. I will definitely bring my car in for regular maintenance here! Thank you! read more

Just wanted to comment about Martin's review. Martin no one to blame but yourself. When you an unlicensed self described auto tech tried to fix your ex's car (now we know why you're an ex) more than likely contributed to the cars first intial problem. You should stick to riding the bus instead of cars. As a woman I clearly trust this shop with its professional staff and knowledge with the right tools and know how for the job. read more

I've been going to Benner Auto Repair for over 7 years now. If you have an older car, bring it here for your mechanical work! I have a 1973 Dodge Dart and they know how to work on it. They don't seem to take me The chains? I don't trust those for much more than very basic work, if even that. I learned about this shop after needing to have some work done. I had previously taken my car to a body shop just a few blocks away which had had an excellent mechanic. But the mechanic retired and wasn't replaced. I found Benner in the phone book and called my body shop to check and they recommended them. I've been going back ever since. (By the way, I also recommend this body shop. They may not be cheap, but they do excellent work. And, like Benner, they have been in business for many years, passing from father to son.) And, yes, they sometimes taken me to and picked me up from BART. read more

I love Benner Auto Repair! Not only can I rely on them to fix my 1997 Landrover Defender, they are kind, efficient and they love dogs. There's no place better for auto repair! read more

I heard about these guys thru my good friend. Their service was thorough, prompt, and respectful. Each time I call someone picks up, and they usually are not overcrowded. I regret having taken my cars to the Toyota dealerships the past few years, where they over-charged me by hundreds of dollars and most of the time didn't even solve the problem. I have never had such a quality car tune up and a mechanic who is upfront about exactly what they found, whether it be good or bad. Their location is not in the greatest neighborhood, but I definitely intend to return for my next 3,000 mile check. read more

I had a protective plate under my car come loose and called a few places around my house to see if someone could take a quick look at it. First 2 places I called were too busy to take a look. The 2nd place I called suggested I try Benner Auto Repair and I am glad they did. I called and they told me they could take a look at it right away. I brought it in 30 minutes later, they took a look, bolted the plate back on and did not even charge me. I will definitely come back. read more

Benner's is great. Mike and Don are old school, honest guys and they work on old cars!

I came here for my transmission fluid. My car isn't a common model Honda and they had to order from the dealership for some parts but they didn't charge me extra and squeezed me right in the next day. Very easy, very reasonable price, would come again! read more

I finally have a complaint about Benner Auto. They are too good. They now have a long wait for an appointment. I think it's worth the wait though. I have a '58 Chevy and a '93 Ranger and they do everything on both with no problem. Honest and upper average prices. Couldn't ask for more. read more

Reliable, competent, flexible, honest and straightforward. They have cared for my cars for years. If my wife takes the car in, the listen carefully and treat her with respect. If my daughter takes it in, same, and advise her as if she were their own daughter. These guys care. They're great. read more

Mike and his team were great. I called in with a last minute request for an assessment of an older vehicle. Mike took me in quickly and turned the car around same day. Great service. I'll definitely be back for any future repairs! read more

THANK YOU Don and Mike at Benner Auto Repair. I recently had a problem getting my 1990 Honda Civic smogged. The car needed a new muffler and some timing thing adjusted. I went to Ron and Abby's Muffler in Berkeley -- they're great -- and they suggested I go to Benner's for the timing issue. I did and I've now found the mechanics that I will take our Honda to in the future. These guys are great and many of them (I was told four of the guys that work there) drive Hondas so they know the car. I think all told, I ended up going to Benner's three times in this whole I'm-just-trying-to-get-my-car-smogged issue. Every time I'd go into the smog place, they'd find something else wrong -- or at least something that they felt could potentially cause my car to fail. I'd go back to Benner's and Don dealt with the problem at no cost. I'd just tell him what the smog guy asked to be done and Don did it for free! I so appreciate their help and their honesty. I'm so happy I found Benner and I'll definitely go back as I know my old car needs all kinds of stuff done. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU Benner! I'm a new and very happy customer!!! Kelly in Oakland read more

Perfection in every way! If I could give ten stars on this auto repair establishment, I would. Not many people want to work on an antique Edsel. Most people, as soon as they hear the word Edsel, simply scratch their head and say NO way! But, this car is simply a Ford with just another outside skin, with most of the mechanical parts being the same. Our Edsel came in for a leaking rear main seal replacement. It is a difficult and messy job and almost no one wants to do the work. Mike, who is the owner of Benner said, "Bring it in... we can do it - no problem!" Don, the mechanic, put the car up on the rack and checked for other engine leaks as well and had no problem with the job. I am very pleased with how the work turned out and the rear main seal is not leaking at all, now! While the engine had to be lifted slightly from the rear to access the seal, the radiator was removed which was also dripping. They sent it out of shop and it came back looking new and no more leaks as well. The price for all of this work was very reasonable and as you can see by this photo, they were very, very careful not to mess up the paint and new original style upholstery that was recently installed. They were very careful and I am very, very pleased. I will highly recommend this establishment to anyone who needs careful, professional work completed on any vehicle! Thanks to everyone at Benner for taking such good care of my needs! You are all the very best! read more

I'm a very polite and patient person and I usually don't even review and if I ever did I usually give 5 star even the service wasn't great as long as customer service is on point. So I wanted to have inspected my classic car and I called to see if I can bring it in but the guy I was talking to Mike said you have to make an appointment and told me to bring it after 10 days and I did. I left the car waited for another 2 weeks and came back to check and nothing was done and I asked politely what's going on and he was like this is a classic car it might take 6 month just pay me $150 for the inspection I did and you can take it somewhere else. I said ok give me the print out inspection you did but instead he gave me a hand written like a medication prescription you can't even read. Very rude and unprofessional. Stay away from this place unless you want to get treated like it's 1940. I googled a spot and I found very professional classic auto shop in San Francisco called willy's and they gladly took care of me. read more