I had a plastic cover under my Prius come loose just before I was supposed to start a long road trip. I showed up right when they opened with no appointment and Ricky quickly found a technician to reattach the plastic part with new snap fits. It took less than 15 minutes and they didn't even charge me for it. I've been taking my car here for years and I will continue to do so. read more

Ran over a screw on my way to work. Pulled into Berkeley Auto Care and they greeted me very warmly. Told them what was going on and they patched up my tire in literally two minutes. I was back on the road and didn't even arrive late to work. And they were super friendly the entire time. Highly, highly recommend. read more

Above and beyond!! Last week I rescued a tiny baby kitten from a busy road in Oakland. I put her in my car and she proceeded to climb up into my dashboard. She climbed so deep I couldn't get her. I tried waiting and letting her come out on her own but she didn't. I decided to call Berkeley Auto Care who I have always had a great experience with. They were very intrigued with my call and told me to bring my car down and they would look at it. They ended up having to take apart the whole dashboard, including the cup holders in between the seats to get her out. They took pictures and were so kind to this sweet little kitty. They called me and said they got her and to come on back, when I got there they explained where she was and shared the pics with me and then DIDN'T CHARGE ME because I had rescued her off the street. They said that they are happy to help those who are helping animals. It was so sweet of them and such a feel good moment. I have been bringing my car here for years and loved them before this experience due to their friendliness and reasonable prices. Now they have gone above and beyond and I am so thankful!! I highly recommend this place whether or not you have a cat in your dashboard. ;) read more

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In July, 2014, I took my car to Berkeley Auto Care after the "check engine" light came on and it overheated. They completed extensive and expensive repairs on the car, which I okayed because the car, though older, was in otherwise great condition and poised to last me at least another 10 years. In December 2016, my timing belt SNAPPED IN HALF while I was driving on the freeway. I am lucky that I was able to coast off at the upcoming exit and was not hit by traffic. My engine, of course, was not so lucky and would cost $3k to repair with an engine that had more miles than my car did originally. I ultimately decided to sell the car to someone who could fix it himself for $500 and purchase a new used car while in school and with a limited income. The timing belt was replaced by Berkeley Auto Care and should have lasted me at least 80k miles. The mechanic, a Honda and Acura specialist, says that he has NEVER seen a timing belt of such poor quality placed into a car and that the mechanic shop must have saved themselves about $10 by using a cheap knock-off rather than a genuine Honda part. Even regular wear does not cause a timing belt to snap in half, let alone after just 2-and-a-half years and, at most, 20k miles. DO NOT TAKE YOUR CAR HERE. They cut corners with cheap parts that could have ended in a very grisly freeway accident but "luckily" only cost me my car. I also selected them due to the high Yelp ratings and had no idea what a shoddy job had been done until it was too late. read more

When the catalytic converter got stolen off my Prius, and I didn't have comprehensive insurance to cover it, Berkeley Auto Care got me in quickly and gave me a very fair price on parts and labor. Really, they went above and beyond. At this point, I won't go anywhere else with my car. Thank you so much!! read more

I live in san josé and my car broke down in oakland. I was nervous about finding a good auto shop that wouldn't try to rip me off. This is the place to go. read more

I went to get an oil change on my hour lunch break, and they were efficient and very polite. They helped me as soon as I came on the premise and there were no hitches. They quoted me 30-60 minutes and when I came back after about an hour they were all done. Even though I just requested an oil change, they checked my tires's air pressure and then fixed it. They told me that my wipers were getting old but never tried to make the sale on new ones, which was a refreshing change. I highly recommend this place. The oil change and fluid top-off was $40 which is pretty average for (decent) places in this area. read more

Gets the job done, but don't expect great customer service. So I've been to this place on multiple occasions for a variety of things. My previous housemate came here 2 years ago to get her Yaris bumper replaced but this process took a whooping 4 months. A huge waste of time (we were still full time students and would have to rush out in the morning to drop off the vehicle and rush back before they close to collect the car on multiple occasions). I took my BMW in for servicing and tire works the next year. Everything got done ok but the process was longer than they said it'd be. So if you're in no rush, this place is ok and will get the job done. read more

Don't come here... came here to re align my tires. They added different sized tires to my car. Had to redo everything at a different dealership. read more

My car was literally breaking down on the freeway as I was driving into Berkeley. I called Berkeley Auto Care, and they fit me in, and within 2 hours, my car was fixed and ready to continue you journey up the coast. Great prices and a wonderful staff. I recommend to anyone! read more

I ran over a large screw and needed help patching my tire. They were able to see me right away and only took a few minutes to repair!

Ok 1) They definitely fall into the category of, go in for an oil change and get a list of 7 things wrong with your car that will cost more than your car to repair or you WILL DIE tomorrow. Gimme a break guys. I know better. Everyone does this though so whatever. 2) So I went in for an oil change. No biggie. Well later on down the line (I don't really tend to pay attention to these things), I notice that something is different about my car and I realize that they REMOVED my license plate cover and replaced it with their shitty Berkeley Auto Care one. WHAT THE FUCK? My car is not your billboard dicks. If I buy a car from a dealer, fine, they put whatever they want on it and I take it off. Don't sneak your ads on my car though, its a shitty move. Maybe offer, say, 'hey buddy, see you have an old license plate cover there, want a new one free of charge?'. I know what you are thinking, why am I getting so worked up over this? Well friends, its not such a big deal in and of itself, but it demonstrates their overall disregard for your property. I had a license plate cover on my car, a perfectly good one. I certainly didn't need another one, honestly I didn't need a first one. Thing is, they don't see your car as your car. They see it as their wallet. That's why they bring up 100 things that need fixing, and that's why they plaster their name on your car without asking. I'll go to Jiffy Lube next time I need an oil change and a real mechanic next time I have an issue with my car. Man, I was totally going to take my car back there for brake work before I noticed the license plate cover.... read more

Is Ricky friendly? You bet. Honest? Think again. At first I didn't want to believe it myself, because I've loved this place and have been coming here for two years, but after the shop tried to charge me $400 in unnecessary maintenance, I don't have much of a choice. I had a 60K mile service for my Corolla done at this shop, and recently returned after 7.5K miles to have some minor repairs. I first got suspicious when Ricky said I needed my spark plugs replaced. When I said that I have 90K spark plugs in my car, he said yes, but that they looked worn. I thought at first maybe he was just being overly careful. Then he said I needed my coolant flushed, transmission flushed, and air filter replaced -- all of these services were performed 7K miles ago by Ricky. I pulled out my trusty owner's manual, and sure enough, these services are to be performed every 30K miles, not 7K. Yet Ricky's assistant still tried to convince me they should be performed every year. Could these services be done? Sure, if you've got $300 burning a hole in your pocket. But this is like your mechanic telling you that you need to have your oil changed every 1000 miles, instead of every 3000, and acting like it's perfectly normal. And then there were my breaks. When replacing the break shoes, Ricky also wanted to replace the rear cylinders (and charge me an extra $100 for it, for a total of $300) -- he tried to make it sound like routine maintenance. I called the car's dealer, and another repair shop, and both confirmed that break cylinders are not replaced as routine maintenance, and only if they are leaking or otherwise damaged. When I called Ricky out on this, he responded that they "recommend" the service. Instead, I took the car to Dan Chin's shop on Shattuck, who checked the coolant and said it was fine, and confirmed that transmission flushes are done roughly every 30K, if at all. Dan Chin replaced my break shoes the same day, no cylinder replacement needed, for under $200, and had the car ready an hour early. I'll be taking the car to Dan Chin's from now on. Had it been just one thing, like just the spark plugs, or just the coolant flush, I would let it slide as a difference of professional opinion. But Ricky systematically pushed hundreds of dollars of unnecessary maintenance of every possible kind -- not at all honest in my book. I know a lot of places will try to rip off young women, but I expected better out of Ricky. The only reason this shop gets 2 stars instead of 1 is that this shop does in fact have very friendly customer service. They're personable, will stay open late, and they will vacuum your car -- great for a simple oil change. But unless you know a ton about cars, or have money to burn, I would not bring my car here for any serious maintenance or repairs. read more

A while ago I posted a review about this place giving it 5 stars... I've since changed my mind about this place. I recently had to come in due to a problem with my car not holding any coolant and thus over heating. I called this place asking if they could get me in just for a diagnosis and they were able to squeeze me in (was there for 5 hours by the time all was said and done though) in the end it ended up being a problem with a cracked radiator. Here's where it gets stupid: they want nearly $700 dollars to put in a new one along with new hoses and a seal and labor.... PLUS THE DIAGNOSTIC! WHAT?!. I'm sorry but that is BS!! I know I look young but i'm not stupid. First off, the price of the diagnostic should not be a part of the estimate for fixing it if i come back to them to have it fixed. Which after I asked them about it they said they'd take off half of the $99 dollar diagnostic(Yes i said $99) in the total price of the estimate for fixing it which was brought down to about $650 instead (oh yes... so much better). In a phone call to my dad I confirmed that a new radiator costs no more than about $50 or $60. They wanted something crazy like $150 for it. Methinks not! So when I came back to them to tell them my verdict that I wouldn't be having them fix it soon because I couldn't afford it, one guy pulled me aside (same guy that handed me the first estimate sheet.) and hurriedly printed a "new" estimate with the diagnostic taken off (now down to $600. i'm sorry but my car is only worth about $1000 at best... I'm not paying that much to have a new radiator put in) saying "oh yeah we had the diagnostic on there before, this is without it" when he is the same one who i asked about the diagnostic being on there in the first place and he said he'd only take off half.. probably noticed me on the phone checking their work. Long story short, don't trust these guys. If they think they can take advantage of you they will definitely try to BS every last dollar out of you. Not very honest. Not cool Berkeley Auto Care... I will not be back... read more

Wrote my 1st review in 2014, since then I've became a regular at Berkeley Auto Care. From oil changes to tire repair or other mechanical work, I've been extremely happy with everything they worked on. Just got some work done on my car today: 4 new tires, rear shocks, alignment, oil change. Again, Ricky took care of business and car is now as good as new. read more

Went in to fix the sunken tray under the front of my car. They didnt have any availability same day, so I made an appointment for the next day. Went in right at the time of my appointment and the front desk said theyd have my car fixed and ready in 20-30 minutes. Sure enough, half an hour later I get a call saying that my car is ready to be picked up. They even helped adjust my tire pressure since my tire pressure light was on. The total came out to $35 which definitely isn't a bad price. Overall I would definitely recommend this place for prompt and professional service. read more

This was quite honestly one of the best car service experiences I've ever had. My car was broken into and left with a missing window, missing stereo system, and dangerous pieces of broken glass everywhere. They immediately took care of the glass, found the best deal for parts, and fixed my car within two hours of receiving the parts. Robert was extremely understanding of my situation and worked with me to address all of my concerns. I would highly recommend this place to friends! EDIT: As happy as I initially was with their service, I do have to mention that they ended up breaking my door handle as a result of replacing my window. Apparently the plastic that made up the handle inside my car was getting very old. They called me before I went to pick up my car and asked if I wanted to get it replaced. I said no because I did not want to incur anymore charges than the $250 I already had to pay for the window. They remedied the broken handle by pasting it back together with some glue... Well that came apart VERY quickly. Ever since, my passenger car handle (interior) has been broken and I have to get out of the driver's seat and let out my passenger by using the exterior door handle. I understand that the door handle was probably quite weak, however if I am paying them to replace my window, I would not expect them to return my car to me with any additional damages. read more

Had some ok experiences where the work was fine, other times where they installed new brake pads and rotors incorrectly and it ended up causing damage to the area around the axel. Generally fairly lazy work, where the taped my air filter to engine tube rather than replace it, which is not allowed and caused me to fail my smog check. Overall, pretty mixed experience, but won't go back given the total fail of installing new brake pads. read more

Great service. I called last minute mid afternoon. Not only were they able to squeeze my car in same day, they were able to finish the work on my car in a matter of hours. They did a great job and at a better price than the other shops were quoting in the area. read more

Had a tire patched here. It was super quick and there was no fuss which is all you're going for with an autoshop.

Been back multiple times with oil changes, broken window replacement and other issues and I have to admit that this auto care is one of the best I have been to. Ricky is one of the nicest guys around and extremely willing to make accommodations for the customer. They offer the lowest prices to ensure that customers are getting the best deal and do not push anything onto their customers. I had my car broken into twice in this last half year, and they were quick and efficient in ordering the parts and getting the window replaced within the day even without an appointment or call beforehand. Robert and Ricky are the two people I interact with whenever I visit, and they are extremely friendly and make small talk with you while you wait. I haven't had any problems with my cars, and they always let me know beforehand if there is anything that might need replacing and give me an estimate, but they have never pressured me into changing anything which allows me to go home and do some homework on pricing, but they are usually the best price I find anyways. read more

I was a difficult customer. I couldn't believe how much work on my Mazda Miata was going to run. And how MUCH they wanted to do. And then I did my research. And started talking to my mechanically inclined Miata Club buddies. I hadn't dealt with an independent shop in a very long time, and this shop is very competitive with reasonable rates, they were easy to work with, honorable, and FAST. I had major work done and it was done within a day. I highly recommend this great group. Polite, professional, great work. read more

I like to walk everywhere, but when it comes to getting cart parts there is no local store in Berkeley. I am sick of driving to Oakland or Richmond for a part store, so I decided to call an auto shop to see if they would sell me a part over the counter. Berkeley Auto Care was the first place I called. They were really nice and gave me a fair price (actually better than the part store in the end!). Just for research, I decided to called ALL the other auto shops in North Berkeley. Everyone either jacked up the price (another $10), or were completely rude, or told me they only worked on a particular brand of car and would not check their stock unless they had a model (I just needed a standard $5 light bulb!). Art's Auto was the only other place that was nice, but they are a big operation and I was on hold for a long time and then told everyone was out lunch. Whatever.... SO if you are looking for small auto parts in Berkeley and no hassle, I highly recommend this place and if not here drive to the next town and go to the part store UPDATE: When I went to the store they were even more friendly. Employees were working hard on 6 cars and but playful and making jokes - great sign of a healthy business I think. They also took my credit card without hassle for my tiny purchase. I will definitely be returning. read more

I took my Infiniti in on Saturday afternoon because of power steering issues.. and Ricky fit me in to diagnose my car. Turns out that I needed to get a hose completely replaced. They promised Monday morning.. and then Monday afternoon.. and then Monday at 4 PM. (They had broken a sensor and needed to get the part from somebody.) I just picked up my car and no sounds, no struggle, nothing. So happy I took it here for the price when it was $200 more expensive at Jiffy Lube! **things to improve on: maybe keep the customers updated.. I had to keep calling multiple times to check up on it rather than them letting me know about the problems they were having. Overall super helpful and kind and broke down all of the issues so I could really understand what was going on with my car! Thanks and will be back here again. read more

The electronic window on my car suddenly stopped working. It needed a new regulator. I took it to a Firestone Shop and Berkeley Honda, and both quoted me absurd prices, $435 and $392 respectively. I called Berkeley Auto Care and Ricky quoted me at $282 (with tax). It was obviously a better deal than the previous two quotes. Also, Berkeley Auto Care took my car in and had it done in a few hours. The window works great now. It was an ideal outcome for an unideal window situation. read more

tl;dr friendly guy Robert is very helpful My boyfriend's car had been having trouble starting for about a month, and we were getting ready to drive it down to LA so we came to Berkeley Auto Care to get it checked out before the trip. He knew a mechanic in LA who would look at it after we got it down there, so we just wanted to get the car checked out in Berkeley to make sure it was ok to make the trip to LA. After hearing how much it would cost to get the car checked out, my boyfriend decided it was a little too much for him to afford. So we talked to Robert about the issues it was having and about our situation, and he offered to take a quick look at it. So he looked under the hood and made some suggestions, free of charge. He was really helpful and reasonable and we really appreciated him doing that for us. read more

Someone decided to break my passenger side window and rifle through all of my belongings to find a three-year-old GPS in my glove compartment (still slightly bitter). SO. I had to go get that taken care of ASAP so I could, you know, drive places. Berkeley Auto Care took care of it pretty quickly! It took a little over a day to order the parts and install it, and it was a reasonable price, cheaper than other estimates I got. They were super nice and vindicated how angry I was that someone busted my window, and they cleaned up all of the mess for me, which they definitely didn't have to do. And some of the mess that I had made in my car myself was gone! They are pretty typical-auto-mechanic with a list of things that have to be fixed immediately, and they're a little pushy about it. Overall, though, they're friendly and provide good, reasonably-priced service that you can probably trust. Get a second opinion on additional work that you might want done, though. read more

This place is FANTASTIC!!!!!! Take your car here. NOW. You know you need an oil change. I have had nothing but completely POSITIVE experiences at Berkeley Auto Care. Not only are they fantastic repairmen, but everyone who works there is incredibly nice, and more importantly - HONEST! I'm always wary of auto care places, because it's so easy to screw over the average citizen who knows very little about cars beyond oil changes and tire rotations. The first time I took my car there, I got an oil change for $24 with tax, which is a great price. And they'll check everything else out for you too. I needed my idler replaced, but the guy told me if I didn't want to pay for that, I could have it cleaned for cheaper and it would last for another year or two. What a guy! I brought my friends here for oil changes and inspections too, and the guy then gave me discounts on my services. I REALLY love this place, and think everyone should go here!!! read more

I've visited this shop about 3 times now, and their service has always been great since the first visit! Ricky was persistent and always in constant communication with me. With some shops, you worry about getting scammed and if they're going to charge you for more than you actually need done. Don't sweat it here, they definitely have the customers best interest in mind. They were having a difficult time locating new parts for me at a decent price, and as a college student, it was important to keep the prices low. It took a few more days than I hoped for, but Ricky and his team found some alternatives and I am now reunited with my wonderful chariot. Definitely take your auto needs here, but like with any shop, be persistent and call often. They're more than happy to provide you with updates and their customer service is top notch. This location is accessible, and for many students, is close enough to campus and apartments that you can take public transportation or walk to where you need to go after dropping off your car. Even if you need accessories, stop by and ask. They had some fluids that I needed and there isn't a auto supply store nearby! Overall, I trust these guys. They'll take care of you. read more

They have consistent great service! They used to turn me away on my oil change though, because I like to bring in the performance oil that I purchase at WalMart in instead of buying the oil from then. BUT now they are back to letting me bring the oil! 5-Star review is served, they've earned it! read more

I personally really enjoy great customer service, and you'll definitely get that here. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable and they work efficiently. Glad I stopped by here for my car needs! read more

No, no, no, HELL NO. Too bad Yelp* didn't exist in 1994. 20 years later I feel compelled to go out of my way to speak up about Ricky and his shady-as-fuck business practices. I guarantee you that every disparaging remark made about Berkeley Auto Care in these reviews is 100% true. I brought my 7 year-old Honda in for a quick, DMV mandated smog inspection and was totally extorted out of $200 in extraneous, totally fabricated repairs in order to get my car to pass. I'd never had a problem before or since, and that's NOT a testimony to their work, because they didn't really do ANYTHING to the car. They prey on the young and naive, so GET A SECOND OPINION and avoid this place at all costs!!! read more

I've been going to Berkeley Auto Care for a couple years. Ricky & his mechanics team are wonderful! They are very polite, professional and take their time to explain things to me so I understand fully what is going on. The price they gave me is extremely fair compared to other shop in the area. I can typically just drop my car off in the morning and it will be ready in the afternoon. I know parking space is limited, but they will do their best to accommodate. I would recommend this place to anyone. read more

I had a flat tire, they were extremely helpful, honest and took care of my flat right away. They are always ready to help. Thanks for a great service. read more

My go to repair place now. Ive never had a bad service, they're super quick at the job and I don't usually have to wait long if at all! super nice people working there too very patient and friendly, highly recommend :) read more

I had a dead battery so I stopped by this repair shop for some help. The auto mechanics were very nice and helpful. Being a girl and knowing nothing about cars, I was skeptical about the cost so I called around to compare prices and this place had the best deal! I'm all about a good deal, so I had them change my battery. It was quick and easy! Cheap. Great service. Conveniently near campus. & a fast repair. Perfect for every college student! read more

I really like these guys. When my I was unable to smog my car due to an engine light, they said the'd attempt working with the power train control unit and see if they could get it to work, but also said that I may need to take it to the dealership. They spent 15 minutes with me, said they couldn't do it, and didn't charge me, which I really appreciated. Well organized and friendly staff. read more

Ricky & his staff are amazing! They are very polite, pleasant and take the time to explain things so that you understand fully what is going on. Ricky has been very helpful and understanding countless times. I can typically just drop my car off on the way to work and pick it up after work. If that is your plan, just be sure to ask if there is enough parking for the day as they share their parking with the wash house behind them. I would recommend this place any day and will not go to any other place from now on! read more

Great service! Ricky and Cesar have always been straight up with me, fair, and incredibly professional. My fiance take our cars there for all of our automobile needs, from brakes, to oil changes, to helping me get my truck to pass smog. Awesome service! read more

The line is pretty long. Nonetheless, the staffs are pretty friendly. I had my 2011 Prius serviced there quite a few times and it still runs fine; I suppose they did a great job then? If you were to get your car serviced there, I suggest you go there before 2pm. Often times, they get so much business that they might or might not be able to fit your car in the lot and will ask you to come back the next day. read more