Mel's crew did a great job on what looked like something simple turned out to be much more complex. He kept me well informed on what was recommended due to the mileage on my vehicle.It obviously took longer than initially expected,but I'm glad I did all the recommended work. So glad I went to him as it was the first time there. Thank you Mel read more

i wanna wait zero stars he charges so much and tries replacing stuff that is in great condition he was trying to charge 2000 for one simple thing don't go to this broke ass he just wants to overcharge and take your money read more

Reliable, honest, and great customer service. I had my vehicle smog checked and my. Vehicle required some minor repair in order to pass the smog. The problem was quickly diagnosed and repaired at no extra cost. Technically I could have been charged for a retest but was not. read more

Extremely Over Priced I Had 5,200.00 Of Work Done.I Made a Senior Mistake , Not Getting Quotes From Other Hollister Shops.I Would Of Saved At Least $2,000 Dollars At Another Shop In Hollister .One Example From Swell Mel Slick .He Charged Me $500.00 For A 42 Month Delco Battery .At the Chevy Dealership In Town $286.00 Would Of Been my Cost Installed For The Exact Same Battery.Mel Charged Over 150.00 For Installing It. The B.B.B. Should Take A Look At Such A Rip Off Shop..Definately Get Other Quotes For Automotive Services ."Beware" I Would Never Recommend Mr.Briganti's Automotive Services To Anyone Not Even If I Had An Enemy. Seniors An Women Beware!!! read more

Excellent business..and service. I stripped an oil drain plug somehow while changing my oil...thought I might need a new oil pan..took to Mel ..within 2 hours, he had drilled it out and retapped it... I had a good shop in Morgan Hill..but from now on I will take all my business to Mel at Brigantis... Thank You Mel!! read more

Mel is very knowledgeable and is upfront about cost. Work is very good . Diagnose a battery issue and fixed it.

I took my car into Briganti's a few weeks ago and was charged nearly $3,000 for my oil pumps and a few more things. (Wasn't a big deal) My check engine light ended up coming on two weeks later and I took it back into Mel. He proceeded to tell me that these issues were unnoticed but I needed a new timing belt and water hoses. Estimated my total to be another $4200 in the span of two weeks which seemed like WAY too much money for my issue. I started to notice it seemed like I was being taken advantage of because of my young age and my little car knowledge. To see if I was right I took my car into another shop here in town where my estimate was ONLY $1,055 to save my car. I was going to trade my car in because I thought the damage was so significant, but turns to find out I was only getting shaken down for money. Do not trust this shop, take it to someone who is truthful or ask around. read more

Owner is very honest and helpful. He could have easily gone forward with a plan I had that would've costed thousands $$$ and made him some money, but instead gave other options on what to do with my vehicle outside of his shop. A lot of mechanics would've just gone with it, he is genuinely trying to help out and do what's best for you. read more

Great friendly and fast service. Good conversation. Well done remodel of the office. Go Mel! read more

Briganti's Automotive Service - Auto Repair Near Me - Hollister, California

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My AC wasn't working and warranty literally just ended. New to the area, I googled and called around. The mechanics I got ahold of first didn't have the new equipment to diagnose my problem but Briganti's...did. And boy did the owner lecture me upon arrival of his new $6000 machine and how if I or anyone else were to put the wrong fluid in my car-it would ruin his new $6000 machine. He scolded me like I was an unruly child. As a woman seeking mechanic advice is already intimidating but I am not stupid! I am a registered nurse-and teachable! I don't need a lecture! Another interaction, I was having a non related discussion with his receptionist/his wife....less than 5 minutes and he 100% abruptly interrupted us and hurried me out of his office and sent me on my way! That broke any and all trust he was worthy of my business! He diagnosed me with a condenser leak. And wanted over $2200 to complete the job and $571.86 to just get my car back (not fixed) for the fees and services to diagnose. I paid to get my car back but I don't trust him for a minute to be my mechanic. Not surprising as I have talked to other mechanics and people who know the area-he has a terrible reputation as a mechanic. All expenses set aside-i am just sick of having to deal with the male ego and know it all attitude that this guy had. I played nice in the office but I won't be back. And to his wife, I am so sorry you get treated that way. Maybe not like that always but super glad I don't have to find out. Edit-upon further inspection-why would the inside of my motor area be so dirty after this diagnosis-it looks like a mess under the hood-the area was spotless prior? read more

Moved here in Hollister 2years ago. So, my husband searched really hard to look for someone reliable to do some work in our mini van and the other cars we have. This automotive services is the best! From our personal experience. Many auto mechanics or whatever you call it(I'm not good with cars or dunno how you call them) are oh boy you know what I mean. They will tell you so many things that needs to be done even you don't need to.‍ But Mel the owner is different. That's why every oil change, tire rotations, anything that really needs to be done he will do it and tell you what's best. Recently, I had issue with my tire. Texted my husband explained and told him i put a little air on it even the rest of the other tires but they were fine so I didn't touched the rest. the signal for air something(like I said no idea whats called)is showing already. That's why I have to do what I have to do. Anyway, my husband said to check if there's any nail in one of my tire. I did, i saw there was one NAIL at the left back of my tire. He immediately told me to go to briganti. But bec I don't want to just show up. I called first. And mel said just bring it In. But bec i wasn't looking at the time, it was almost 12noon, 35mins before noon and so he said just bring it in just don't forget out break time is noon. So I rushed safely there. And i explained to Mel and he just know what to do. I waited there. And after 30mins or so. They came back with my car already fixed. Car saver we usually make an appointment but bec of what happened I just called in, right there and then he did it. No charge too. Well, maybe bec. We just had our services for our cars there not so long ago too Definitely recommend BRIGANTI'S AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES. obviously, he is our go to guy when it comes to our cars. I have 4 kids so ofcourse we can only go to a trusted service. Reliable, safe and a very nice guy too! read more

I took my 73 Suburban to Mel. Hard to find shops that will actually work on older/classic cars. Told Mel my problem and he handled it with no problems. Very communicative from beginning to end and was reasonable with his prices, plus he was very familiar with the classics. Highly recommend and I will be returning. read more

Great service all around. I had my AC and driver window motor fixed on my 2006 Audi. Not many shops will work on older Audis, and from the first call to the shop I was immediately reassured they could help. I highly recommend this place to anyone needing work done. read more

I suffered a roadside hazard during the severe storms and had my car towed to Briganti's. I can't tell you what a relief it was to be greeted by Mel and his wife once the tow truck brought us to the shop. They were genuinely concerned about my well-being first and foremost. From there, Mel assessed the damage and provided an estimate right away and we went from there. I am very happy with the service Briganti's provided and relieved that everything was resolved easily. read more

I spend a lot of time sifting reviews trying to find good products and services. I'm glad I ended up going with Briganti's because it was a quality service at a fair price. I'll definitely go back. Personally, I've always felt Yelp can be gamed with lots of competitors making up reviews and shooting down fellow companies. There are some good quality insights you can get from honest reviews whether good or bad. And I suppose it's up to us to distinguish from them. Based on my few experiences, everyone I've met has been honest and kind. And the work has been superb. I genuinely don't understand how this company could have any truly negative reviews. - Alex read more

Good pricing, good job, great conversation. I had to make a stop for a quick oil change due to a long drive I had to make for the day. Mel took me in and had me in and out quite promptly with a job well done. However, what stood out the most was the customer service and friendly conversation I had with the owner and I will definitely be using their service when I find myself in the area again. read more

Fantastic! A light in my BMW came on while driving over Pacheco Pass 2 hours into a 5 hour drive and I didn't know what to do. My mechanic in Modesto- Europa Motors-(wonderful, by the way) told me to go here and get a scan. The receptionist was so friendly and told me to come in. Mel did a scan of the car-and 15 minutes I was on my way. The world is not as bad as it may seemHollister is lucky to have Briganti's! read more

Words cannot express how absolutely Amazing this business is! I needed an oil change in my car and I'm new to the area, so after a quick search on Google I found Briganti's Automotive Services. They were able to get me in the same day for an oil change! Upon arriving there, the office had a very homey and comfortable atmosphere. I began talking with the husband and wife who owned the business and happened to mention that sadly my Husband was murdered last month. Their kindness and generosity to me is something I will forever appreciate and be grateful for! It was truly a blessing that I found my way to their business and they will forever be my Go-To place for any automotive needs. I highly recommend this business for anyone who needs automotive work done! read more

A surprise 'check engine soon' light came on one early morning on the way to work, and my car wasn't running very well. I thought it was because of the 90k maintenance that was well past due. Instead of trying to drive all the way to work in Los Gatos, I stayed home and took it to Mel because he is a AAA certified shop. You can imagine my surprise when he calls me up to tell me rodents got into my engine and chewed up my main wiring harness, and the sensor, and quoted me $2500!!!! I checked with my long time mechanic for a second estimate, and got some advice, but he's in San Jose. Luckily for me family was visiting and was able to find the part I needed and splice the wires together instead for A LOT less. Mel is extremely proud and knowledgeable and gave good advice knowing I couldn't fork out $2500 all at once, but it took time to coax out that knowledge, it was time and money I didn't have. If you are not mechanically inclined, have $$$$, and don't mind paying top dollar for quality work that will last you a lifetime, Briganti's is a good place to go, but if you are poor, and are short on time, ... maybe he can do payment plans? read more

At 63 years of age I can quite honestly say that this is the worst shop I've ever been to. I had heard other HOLLISTER residence about their issues with him but he was the only game in town for a safety checks. He couldn't get his butt out of the chair to come look at my vehicle before the safety check this way he could charge twice for very obvious fixes instead of giving me a heads up. He then lost my hub cap and told me to find a replacement and he would reimburse me but I couldn't find one and when I went to his shop to ask him to help me he "said" he couldn't remember what he promised to do but did remember loosing my hub cap. SUPER SHADY GUY. I do want to apologize to his wife for cussing in her presence, that was wrong of me. I was warned before going to his shop so my mistake and my mistake taking him at his word. There's reason his family has nothing to do with him, his words not mine. read more

I have found my auto mechanic! Mel did a great job. Yes, it was a "simple" maintenance service for oil change and tire rotation. Mel was personable and professional. There were no hassles and the price was fair for the quality of the work. I will be taking my car to Mel for all my repair. read more

I called Mel about a check engine light after reading his reviews on Yelp. He seemed like a straight shooting, legitimately honest mechanic. I have never been so misinformed. I even filed a complaint with the Bureau of Automotives and my case worker agreed with me and attempted to get some of my money back. Mel refused. I was told that I could go to small claims court and likely win, but I'm to busy working for all that. Mel charged me nearly a thousand dollars to replace a 200 dollar part, I did not know this at the time. This is what my case worker explained to me. After he replaced that part my vehicle drove worse than it did before bringing it to him to fix. I literally mean that. It was MUCH worse and Mel freely admitted that to me. He originally told me that the 1000 dollar repair would fix my car and that is the only reason I authorized repair in the first place. He then tells me that I need a new computer and the computer will cost 1200 and that the software will be another 500. He says he wants another 1700 dollars to ACTUALLY fix my car! I obviously did not authorize the repair. This is the first time I've ever gotten my car repaired for a thousand dollars only to have it be in far worse condition than when you gave it to the shop... and then told that you have to pay another 1700 to actually fix it! Later I was told by the Bureau of Automotive that the dealership sells the computer for 600 and that he was charging DOUBLE PRICE more than the dealership! Then I was told that they couldn't legally make him give me some money back, but I was definitely owed it and that I was completely ripped off. People beware! This man will take you for everything you've got. He completely ruined my car and charged me a thousand dollars to do it! read more

I just moved to Hollister, CA in June 2011 and the end of the month my car had major problems! I am a AAA member and had to have my car towed from Santa Clara, CA back to Hollister. I looked up repair shops thru AAA and then had my car towed to Briganti's. The owner, Mel, was great when he has to give me an estimate. I was shocked at the amount he quoted but he took his time explaining to me the WHY of the amount of the estimate. He even gave me a free oil change when I asked him how much more that would add to my bill since my car was past due for an oil change. Good customer service and a nice way to keep me happy! He also mailed me a handwritten thank you note the same week. AND he followed up the week after my repair to check in with me to see how my car was running. Mel is straightforward and honest. Thanks AAA and Yelp for letting me find Mel and his repair shop! read more

I met Mel Briganti when my Mercedes E320 broke down in Hollister on a Thursday before Easter weekend at 4:30pm. Imagine my worry that I am stuck in the parking lot with nowhere to turn. I had rec'd a postcard in the mail from Briganti so I looked them up on the internet and they answered. And, they stayed open late and waited until AAA could tow my car in!! Mel kept me apprised of what needed repair and also did a thorough check up of my car to help me plan for needed future maintenance. I would highly recommend Mel and his crew for American or foreign auto repair. Honest knowledgeable mechanics are becoming more rare these days. Mel is one of the rare breed, honest, hardworking, knowledgeable, and doesn't take shortcuts. read more

I've been bringing my cars to Briganti's for service and repair for 20 years now. Mel is always professional and he has over 30 years of experience so I definitely trust his judgment. His mechanic Ken is also very knowledgeable. This is an honest and reasonably priced auto shop that's been here in Hollister for years. I definitely recommend Briganti's! read more

Mel is a great guy. Straight shooter, and will tell you how it is. I think he does a good job of reviewing what he has to do, and how much the work will cost. I think you can probably get cheaper service somewhere else, but not sure you will be able to trust that place as much as you can trust Mel. He backs up all of his work, and will work with you to come up with a solution. I would recommend Mel to anyone looking for an honest place that will do the work right. read more

I've been here a couple times, and my family comes regularly. They are honest about pricing and what actually needs fixed! Great conversation and very personable. I definitely feel this is the safest place to take my car! read more

Expensive. Shop rate (as of 6/5/2014) is 121/hr. (comparatively the dealer rates at Greenwood are 80/hr) My wife brought in our vehicle to have brake pads replaced (they had previously been looked at and we knew they needed to be replaced which was why we were there) and this shop said they had to look at the vehicle (about 15-20 minutes) then they told us what we already knew..then charged us 70$ and told us we would have to come back next week because they didn't have the parts. The parts that they did not have were the rotors which could stand to be replaced but were within spec to not need to be replaced right away (I had them checked at another shop the next week). This was all after the initial discussion with the shop manager that we wanted to get the work done that day as we were leaving over the weekend. Out of courtesy I had a call with Mel and instead of trying to resolve the issue and approaching me as a potential customer he was very defensive and did a good job of justifying the 70$ charge. I'm not worried about the 70$ charge...I never even asked for a refund only asked why a shop would charge 70$ for an estimate. If you read the other reviews you'll see the freebies (oil change...etc) that they throw in to make you feel better about spending 150% more in labor then the local Car Dealership .So if you got money to burn and a Ferrari that needs some work then this is the shop for you. Italian name and Exotic prices. -Sean read more

I was new in town, been here two days when my car broke down. My mechanic from Boise looked up someone who could work on Saab's...Briganti's! They were so nice, and worked with my mechanic in Boise who shipped some parts overnite, and got me back on the road in no time! They took the time to go over everything they were doing to my car and made special arrangements so I could get to my car even though it was after business hours! Really nice husband and wife team! read more

Mr. Briganti is amazing! Best auto shop I've been to! Great customer service, they were able to take in my car right away and provided best pricing in town read more

Literally the best auto shop I've ever been to! Mel is incredibly nice and helpful and will be honest about what your car needs. My car had the key stuck in the ignition, which I had planned on fixing at a later time, but when I took it for an oil change he helped get the key out and fixed my gear shift button. On top of that he drove me back home after dropping my car off which was really kind since I didn't have anyone to pick me up. This place will give you great, quality service for a really great price! I highly recommend taking your car here for any service you need! read more

Mel has kept all my cars running and good shape for years and never have I been disappointed. He uses quality parts and does great work. Even though a little more pricey than other places, you truly get what you pay for here. Thanks Mel! read more

Fantastic service for my CRV. Personable, thoughtful, knowledgeable and well priced. Thank you, Briganti's Automotive, for being in my neighborhood for great service and advice on cars. read more

I have taken several different makes of cars to this repair shop over the years. I get an honest assessment of what needs to be done, with a ranking of "this is most important" to "we should get to this eventually." I also have been told, gently, when enough is enough: fixing the car would be more expensive than the car is worth. Mr. Briganti stands by his work and finishes on time. He has been there for me with routine servicing and with emergencies. A dependable shop that I have frequently recommended. read more

I would highly recommend this shop to a friend, if you truly hate them to your soul. To be fair, Mel did get my car started up, but beyond that, everything else was complete garbage. If I could put negative stars I would. Communication immediately went out the window and continued to be a problem even after picking up my car. It took more than a week to get my car back. Drove off the lot with an extremely high bill and a "functional" car. 20 minutes down the road, the whole dash lit up, my car wasn't shifting into 3rd gear, and 10 seconds later I was broken down on the side of the road. I called Mel and explained to him the problem and he said "I was hoping you could get off of this one with good luck, but I know what the problem is and can fix it for you once you get it towed here." Now for $800, I would have expected that my vehicle would have at least been test driven, as well, looked at after fixing things, but apparently not. You have some damn nerve to say you were hoping for the "best of luck for me." In turn, I went to another shop to get my car fixed. I called Mel later that day to get a refund on what he said he wasn't going to charge me, but he said "he already gave me a discount on that price and so charged me half," to which I challenged him that $600 to remove spark plugs and to put the same ones back in is absolute bullcrap. He then said "I have high rates because being a mechanic isn't easy and I went above and beyond what I needed to do to your car." Which in my case is again, absolute bullcrap. Above and beyond would be returning my car in working condition. I have zero trust in Mel and Briganti's, but they did teach me to look into shops and reviews before going to them from out of town. Thank you for this extremely valuable lesson. read more

Great customer service and repair service. Brought my F'ing Bad A-- Jeep in with a rear main seal leak. Mel provided an accurate estimate of cost and time line. No more leak!! Sorry I don't remember his Mechanics name but he also was very helpful. Thank for the great experience. read more

I went in to get my engine light checked, was out of there in a short time problem was fixed. They were very informative, very nice and helpful I will definitely go back for any car repairs. read more

I've came here twice and both times I received friendly service. I'm a woman who knows close to nothing about cars, my own included. I've called this shop numerous times with questions and they always allow me to come in and they inspect my car. I suggest everyone goes to this repair shop in town! read more

Briganti's does automotive repair work, and they do it well. They've got the standard certifications you see at all the other legit repair shops, they've got a well-trained staff, and they will work competently on just about any vehicle. They also provide some of the best, friendliest customer service I've seen from a repair shop. I took a vehicle in to Mel (the owner) a couple of weeks ago. The driver side electric window had stopped working - they diagnosed the problem, ordered an new assembly and got everything installed within a matter of hours, not days. A very refreshing experience. read more

Arriving in Hollister in a tow truck, after dark, on a sunday night, was not how I expected to end my weekend camping trip!. The next morning, as soon as they opened, Mel was very helpful and honest. He diagnosed my problem, expedited the parts delivery, and got me back on the road quickly. Thanks Mel! (Note: don't take a VW Passat on a 4WD road. You might run over a big rock and damage your fuel pump!) read more