The shop owner did me a solid by accepting my case. He was able to fit me in when he was already booked, given the fact that the nature of my problem was quite extensive. Nevertheless, he fixed my problem at a reasonable price. read more

The guys in the shop seem to get along and they are friendly. Went there for a smog, no line and you are out with in twenty minutes. Fast and was on my way in no time to go wait at dmv. Nice. read more

Lovely people!! They gave me a $10 discount because I solved their Rubik's cube!! Highly recommended read more

Central Auto Service - Auto Repair Near Me - Alameda, California

Have been going here for a couple years now, they have fixed my door locks, troubleshot my engine and replaced my starter motor, also helped me figure out what needed replacement when I had failed my smog test (from a different shop). Overall really helpful staff. read more

I needed a Star smog certificate. Went in and was taken care of right away. Excellent service and priced right. Very much appreciated.

I want to express my gratitude to Sonny and Pete. Sonny, Im very satisfied for the job you did for my car, thank you. Also I've been having my smog check every 2 years and this year is my 4th time done with Sonny. Thank you and very friendly people and Sonny is very skilled on what he does. I came to fix my check engine problem on June 6, and smog check on June 8, 2023. **** Noralinda 'Norreene' Bautista 2002 Lexus IS300 read more

I needed smog certification for my old car that was sitting for months. Central Auto was great. They told me if it were sitting for extended period of time I need to run it for 45 minutes or an hour to clean it out so would pass. I did what they suggested and it passed. The mechanics were very friendly and knowledgeable. Also I needed to get it inspected ASAP since my registration had expired. They could look at the car right away, know long waits. Great service and experience. read more

Smog Testing. I have gone here for years to get my Mercedes Camper Van and now my Prius smog testing done. They are always fast and efficient service at a very reasonable cost ($60 bucks including the certificate). This time I came in to make an appointment and they did my test immediately and I was on my way with my certificate in 20 minutes. I highly recommend Central Auto Service for your smog testing. read more

IT SEEMS LIKE ALL disgruntled customers send in bad reviews I just want to let people know that I have been taking my car to Central Auto for more than 17 years and they have treated me with the best service and respect they are the best read more

Best mechanic shop. I was looking for a good & trustworthy mechanic near me. Friends & families recommended me many places but for some reason my heart told me to go to central auto service Alameda. I am always happy that i followed my heart. They are very welcoming & down-to-earth & are dedicated, professionals & great mechanics with super service, work, and ethics. They are efficient, honesty with high integrity and excellence in their services.They take the time to happily & patiently explain everything that needs to be done. Everytime i call them their response is "bring your car now we will take care of it". They make me feeI they are my family that i am taking my car to my family or home. Five star isn't high enough, I would easily give them a hundred if possible. read more

Great Service with a Great Price, Willing to take on hard Jobs with a smile.

Took my truck in for an oil service and a smog test Saturday morning at 09:00 when they opened. They did not carry the oil I wanted and they told me I could provide it myself and they would charge a flat $25 fee for the change. That was very fine with me to do that. They then completed the smog test as well. I liked that flexibility about the oil selection. English is not their first language but you can get by OK. They are conveniently located where I live in Alameda and I could walk to my home while my vehicle was being serviced. Thanks guys... read more

I've had good experiences here! I brought my Honda here twice for some minor mechanical help. The staff is super friendly and helpful, and I appreciate honesty and the quick turnaround on getting my car serviced. Very trustworthy mechanic! read more

The guys did a great job to repair my van's check engine light and computer sensor. Their rate was reasonable and they were honest with their quotes. They even provided transportation instead of letting me call for an Uber ride home while the van was being fixed. read more

Avoid, avoid, avoid, these people are dishonest. I came in to pass my smoke test and knew I was not going to pass so I brought all the parts to fix the car with me and half of the work done (removing panels and other stuff to get to the charcoal canister) I was ready for the fix. I was given a brake down of the price and paperwork stating all the charges. Since I came for a smoke test the guy suggested we check if it passed. Purposely not mentioning there was a recheck charge. Something that was not on the paperwork or mention at any point on the price brake down he wrote on a peace of paper for me. What gets me the most is that when approached with the paper he wrote with the price brake down and the paperwork with no mention of any such charge, he started screaming and getting aggressive. I pass on this people if I where you. read more

Come here to get your car smogged. It's the best one in town, for the lowest price (even though I have an older car). They were quick and efficient. I came the same day, and despite having several cars ahead of me, they were done in only an hour and a half. Quick, efficient, and inexpensive service -- what more can you ask for? read more

Timing belt service! I brought in my Honda Accord 2000 and Honda Odyssey 2003 for the scheduled Timing belt service. The dealer had gave me a quote that was 3 times the amount that I paid for at Central Auto Service. It has been a year since I had the service and I have not experienced any problems. Both of my cars have over 150k miles on them. Thank you for the honest in price and the service I needed for them. ~Steve read more

I drove 20 miles from Richmond because their Yelp hours indicate they close at 6pm. I wanted to go Southern California from the east bay area and my new cars tires were in need of a rotation. At 5:12 he told me to leave because he was closing, and "you, come back tomorrow" was thrown at my over and over again when I tried to explain the situation. Worst customer service I ever experienced in my life. Huge waste of time and money for people that don't appreciate your business. read more

I stopped in for a smog check required by the DMV to renew my registration. I was in and out in 15 minutes for $60. Quick, convenient, and it got the job done. read more

I have been taking my car to central auto for 15 years and have never had any complaints. Sunny and Peter are both great and the service is excellent read more

Made me wait an hour only to tell me his machine isn't calibrating. Waste of time. And having to deal with this in pretty infuriating. I would go somewhere else if I were you and not deal with the hassle of ineptitude. read more

I almost never post on Yelp, but I feel Central Auto deserves a much higher rating than its current two-and-a-half stars. I have been coming to Central Auto for years, even after moving out of Alameda in 2007. Central Auto staff are courteous, professional, knowledgeable, and efficient. The mechanics there are always honest with me and actually seem to care deeply about saving me money as well as doing a great job. I have always had great results with them that are either more expensive or otherwise fall short elsewhere. I don't trust any other mechanics in the Bay Area! read more

This dude name sunny, giving me a hard time, when i ask him can he do ob2 check is my car ready, he is like i will do smog check if your car pass or fail that on your own. Dude i ask him if its ready than let do the smog test. He just walk away and being ass about it. So i have learn my lesson don't come here. read more

Since this place is near my house, I've been trying to get my oil changed here, but I've now given up. First, the people working here barely speak English. I'm pretty good at understanding heavy accents but most of the time I have no idea what the employees are saying. I figured out I need to provide my own oil and filter, which is weird for an mechanic to not have in stock. Now that I have the oil and filter I've spent the last week coming before and after work only to be told to "come back tomorrow." For a whole week, and it takes what, 15-20 minutes to do? These guys don't seem interested in my business, so I'll be taking it elsewhere. read more

I went to what used to be Big O and they ream almost reamed me for everything BUT what I went in there for. I took to Sonny and he reviewed the sound and fixed it quickly and for hundreds less! I told him of the others things Big O said I needed ( brakes, belts, spark plugs, etc) and he said i didn't need those yet.! Honest and great service! read more

I brought my Camry in to Central auto to have the serpentine belt and tensioner replaced. Because the tensioner is so close to the fender wall, the engine needed to be dropped, which meant lowering the sub-frame of the car. They did the repair in a timely manner, but the suspension felt way off as I drove away from the shop. The car used to have a solid and stiff feel to it, but after these guys got their hands on it, the car felt like it was sagging to the left a little, and the ride was soft and less responsive. When I took it back for them to look at it, they checked it and said all of the bolts were tight, and they couldn't have done anything wrong. If my car feels like it's been damaged after they put their hands on it, then they obviously did something wrong, but aren't willing to make it right. I've been working on my own cars for close to twenty years, but didn't have the equipment for a job this involved. Stay away from cheap places like this where you don't need an appointment. These guys are good for a smog certificate and an oil change, nothing else. read more

Dear Reader: I experienced deferential treatment at this place of business. On June 26 2014 my car needed smog test. I spoke with Pete who appeared friendly and smiling as he took my smog fee. Unfortunately, the smog test failed and per their ad I could bring the car back for a 'free' smog test. On July 2nd 2014 I decided to take Pete's offer and have a diagnostic test as well as discounted labor charges for the necessary repairs for my car to be re-smogged. As I approached Pete his manner was flat, guarded, unexpressive, , no emotion, rude and brusque. Pete: "What is it you want"? I was so shocked at his appalling manner I could not speak. He again repeated.. Pete: "What is it you want?" In shock I turned around, got back in my car and vowed never to go back there again. However, as I had 'free' re-smog testing' I went back on July 3rd 2014 after my car had been repaired by incredible, reputable and professional mechanics. This time I met Sonny. On approach Sonny said one word. again displaying no facial emotion, smile or business etiquette.. Sonny: 'Yes' Me: 'Yes' Sonny: "Can I help you?" I explained what I wanted and within three quarters of an hour my car passed the smog test. So, why this yelp review. The times that I went there I experienced non-colored persons receiving exemplary customer service from morning greetings, 'how are you' how can I help you and even offering them a seat on the chairs outside. DEFERENTIAL TREATMENT EXAMPLE One cause of racial profiling in shops is overt racism. Store staff operating under an "animus-based theory" treat African Americans differently because they dislike them, and may want to "keep them in their place". Central Auto Service has a poster by their cash register: Thank you for choosing us. We pledge our.. continuing service to offer you the best service.., They should truly practice what they preach and extend their 'best' service to all and to treat all people at their place of business, the same, regardless of race, sex, age, national origin, religion, disability.. read more

Great little shop. Got my car smogged, it was $60 out the door, that included the certificate...little more expensive than other shops. That said, Sunny was extremely nice and it's literally two blocks away, dropped the car off and walked home...I'll pay a little bit more for the convenience. read more

I had a serpentine belt fall off while driving but it was still usable--Central Auto reinstalled it for $45. Their smog checks are very competitive in price. Just today they replaced the front rotors and brake pads on my minivan for $247, much less than I've paid in the past. I brought it in a 9:15 AM and got it back at 4:30 PM. I've never had a problem understanding the mechanics but there is a native English speaking man who took down my info and called me back with the diagnosis and cost, so that potential issue for some reviewers seems to be resolved. I could not ask for better service. Cheers. read more

Thank you again for servicing my car and great service. I been going to this shop since 1999, Sony is always freindly and professional. I had a Dodge van 2003, he went out of his way to make few trips to junk yard to help me with parts, that I another shop was not willing to do. Thank you Sony! read more

Great service and people that you can trust to do the job write. I had a great experience with Central Auto and highly recommend there quality work and honesty that you will not find at some places. I had a complete service performed on my 2000 Camry (breaks, transmission fluid change, tire rotation, oil change, water pump and timing belt) when it hit 150K miles. The work was done right the first time and I would go back. Thanks Sunny! read more