I'd been going to Diablo Auto Specialists the past couple years and had really good experiences when Jon was running things. We had 4 cars we took there and always had confidence in the work. Jon's gone and I'm stunned with the change in service now. They don't offer an online list out of items inspected including pictures showing what they've found, and recommendations for work needing to be done. They don't text you with an estimate. They don't call if you need something replaced; you find out only after you show up. The customer service is gone. But it's worse than that. But what really shocked me up was opening up the hood of my car to add some washer fluid only to notice the air filter housing was still unclipped, which seemed negligent. But opening the housing I discovered the air filter was missing entirely! They serviced my car 5000 miles ago and my car didn't have an air filter put in. I was just planning on taking it in for service but it won't be with them now. I'm livid! I'm done with Diablo Auto Specialists, or Autoworx or whatever name change is going on there. I would never go back and would highly discourage anyone else from going there. read more

Diablo Auto Specialists - Air filter housing missing the air filter. - Auto Repair Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Love Diablo Auto Specialists. They take great care of us and our cars. We have older cars that are in great condition because of them. John always explains everything and is really honest about what absolutely has to be done and what can wait. Also really appreciate that we don't have to hound them about when the cars will be ready. They always keep us in the loop on what's going on. Prices are reasonable and we know that they get it done every time so we save money not chasing a problem. Very very highly recommend Diablo Auto Specialists! read more

IF YOU ARE A WOMAN DO NOT TAKE YOUR CAR HERE! They will upsell and charge you with unnecessary things. Car was finished with required work done and set to be picked up. Right before scheduled pickup , got a call saying the actually found more work that needed to be done. If work was finished and ready to be picked up why call and say they found more work that was needed. SCAM ALERT! They will take advantage of you if you are a woman. Do not bring your vehicles here if you don't want to be scammed read more

All I can say is: RUDE! Called with questions and the guy answering the phone was a jerk.

find the cost before service! my car after 2 days parked on the street the keys was not operating after picking my car back ! i found out leak in coolant was not $960 the they told me was only $150 ! no more going there i am done! my car is sl500 mercedes! read more

1. Very good service 2. Reasonable price 3. Quick and quality repair I took my older Accord in (strut replacement) as I'm passing it on to my son, who has just started driving. The car was in and out the same day before lunch. read more

Terrible communication and just overall bad service. I went and dropped my car off and after about an hour and a half they call back and say their technician left early. I understand things happen so we rescheduled for the following week. My appointment was set for 2 pm so i got there and the guy then tells me that his specialist isn't even there. I wasted a 30 minute drive and wasted time out my day for something that i could've received a call for. Really disappointed and will take my money elsewhere! read more

This review is a few months late, but I recommend Diablo to anyone in the local area who needs their car looked at. I took my car in back in December (2024) for a routine six-month checkup, but I mentioned when I checked in that the steering was shaky at high speeds. It turns out that I had torn bushes on both sides of the car (admittedly, I jumped a few too many curbs in the months leading up to this appointment). They recommended that I replace the entire setup (including the lower control arms instead of piece by piece - it made sense!). I scheduled an appointment for shortly after the new year. I also have third-party repair insurance (best purchase ever!), and the team made it an easy transition to work with them to have the repair done at no out-of-pocket cost to me by dealing with the vendor directly. The basic cost for the six-month checkup also seemed very reasonable and took less than an hour! Most importantly, they did exceptional work. Replacing the control arms and bushings was the best idea. The car now rides just as it did when I first bought it on the road and freeways, for which I am thankful. I even feel much more comfortable navigating the ongoing construction around these parts without feeling my car will slide all over the place as it did a few months ago and I can feel the alignment now when driving which is perfect. As someone who values top-notch customer service, I appreciated how thorough their initial reporting was and how I was kept informed on the status of my repair throughout the day it took place. I look forward to bringing the car back in soon for another check-up. This team seems to value their work and "know" cars of all types well - very important. read more

John was very helpful in my Lexus SUV diagnosis. After a detailed report, I walked away is confidence in the work that needed to be done. I was treated with respect and honesty. Was not pushy. Seems reliable. Will come back for future work. read more

I have a German car that was overheating. The first mechanic I took it to could not diagnose the problem. Then I called Tim at Diablo and he said he'll be glad to take a look at it and quoted me $90 for a diagnosis. The issue turned out to be a really nasty blown head gasket that took a couple days to diagnose. Tim kept me in the loop each day and informed me of what was going on. He could have easily settled on what he THOUGHT the problem was; instead, he took his time and ensured he was diagnosing the problem correctly and accurately. His team surely spent a lot of time to exactly pinpoint the issue -- over the course of two days -- but Tim still kept true to his quote and only charged me $90 when I went to pick up the car. He was honest and informed me I will need to take the car into a German-specialized mechanic to get it fixed. Thank you Tim! read more

Diablo Auto Specialists - Auto Repair Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Excellent service, kindness, professionalism! Knowledgeable people and a fair price! They took care of my broken seatbelt clicker in a timely manner. Highly recommend! I will definitely be back. read more

Not the cheapest shop, but they're friendly, honest, and communicative. If you're in need of a diagnosis, they'll give you a very detailed report of the car and you can decide on how you want to proceed. read more

My transmission gave out on my old car and John's knowledge and suggestions were invaluable to me. He was a great support. He worked with me through the entire process. That type of service is a rarity and greatly appreciated. read more

This used to be a great shop but something has changed. Was the shop sold? They wanted to charge me a $30 fee to replace a tire that only had a few hundred miles on it. It was covered by the road hazard warranty, but they insisted on a fee to mount a balance the tire. After a lengthy argument, they agreed not to charge me. However, they failed to call me as promised more than once to let me know the tire was there. The shop appears very disorganized and it doesn't appear that anyone is managing. I have spent several thousand dollars with them this past year but wasn't treated like a valued customer. Lots of apologies but no action. When I got home and looked at the wheel they worked on, I discovered that there were grease marks all over the wheel and the adhesive from the balancing weights they removed was stuck to the wheel. The car and wheels were clean when I took the car in. They didn't even bother to wipe the grease off the front of the wheel. When Tim owned the shop, this would have never been allowed to happen. I can no longer recommend this shop. My previous review was 5 stars. read more

I came in for my appointment. I was 15 minutes early. I was told my service advisor was out to lunch. I asked I see someone else they said no, I said well if my appointments at one and he's out to lunch till 130 I still have to wait yes so then I said no never mind. I'll go to oil changers if no one else can help me and then I heard the service advisor. Say I don't care let her go nobody cares so now I'm sitting here trying to talk to the manager and I'm sitting here and I've been sitting here waiting for 10 minutes. It's ridiculous. I don't know what happened to the service but it's definitely went down the drain. read more

I scheduled an appointment because I thought my Prius was having issues with the wheel bearing. My husband brought the car in and they did a diagnostic and found out it was something else (something to do with a wheel well and found out that the previous owner held it with zip ties to hold it together). They advised him to take to an auto body shop because the bumper had to be removed and wheel well needed work. They did a temporary fix so the wheel well wont be hanging/grinding until we get to a body shop and did not charge my husband anything. AMAZING customer service! Thank you! read more

I noticed my cars splash shield was hanging off the bottom driver side and googled immediately what to do (lol). I kept hearing that I'd be charged $50 to put a bolt in or I can keep it together with duck tape but I didn't want to do that. I was in the area and decided to call the first shop I saw on Yelp and I am so glad I did. First of all, John answered the phone with the friendliest tone that it made me smile. He was so polite and was so nice. It's always intimidating when I call for car stuff because I'm not car savvy but I was immediately put at ease. I got there eagerly at 4:12pm as his guys were about to leave and he immediately took my keys to one of the guys. The service was fast and efficient! He was amazing and his team was polite. I really appreciate the help and the great customer service. Please give John's shop a try if you need servicing or have questions about your vehicle! read more

Amazing service for our 2002 Xterra. From time service was booked Jon already ordered the radiator, dropped off the car at night and next day it was ready for pickup. Best Service we have seen in a long time. Thank you! read more

Excellent service, reasonable prices, impressive technical expertise. I will definitely be a regular customer going forward!

One of the great mechanic shops out there. I have been going here for years when Tim was running it (so incredibly sad to hear of his passing, he was a great guy). They moved their location and are a little hard to find off Main but once you find where they are do not lose the address. When you can find a great garage, it's a rarity and this one is one of the best. read more

Jon is so helpful, knowledgeable, warm and kind. My SUV water pump suddenly went out, and it had some other issues going on unbeknownst to me. I didn't know who to take it to, and I don't know much if at all about cars. I had it towed while out of town directly to Jon, and he had it fixed and ready to go in no time. Jon is the best!!! Thx Jon and Diablo Auto Specialists for getting my vehicle back running smooth again and for being unicorns in the industry; having integrity, being ethical and not cheating people out of their money! God bless all of you! read more

Great mechanic. Been here a couple times. They are honest and do a good job and if it's something they cannot do, they will recommend someone who can. Definitely a solid garage to take your car too. read more

Fantastic service at the best price I could find. The staff are very friendly, and I felt like they were being honest with me every step of the way. This is the only place I will be taking my car from here on out. read more

Jon and his team are the best! Responsive, friendly and honest...what more can you ask for in someone who is dedicated to making sure your car operates safely and efficiently. The prices are very reasonable and when discussing my tires he was very honest about the brand he felt was of better quality than the ones we bought at Costco. I defer to a specialist's opinion based on his experience because I am a woman and women are easy marks for mechanics who promote their interests over the customer's interest. I appreciated Jon's candor, recommendations and expertise. I will be a repeat customer for sure. read more

I was purchasing a car from a nearby dealer and needed an inspection. They were very friendly, flexible and affordable. They worked with timing of dealer drop off and sent me the report quickly. It was very thorough and gave me the confidence to purchase the vehicle. I highly recommend. read more

Let me start this review by noting that I have (had) been a loyal customer of Diablo Auto for around 20 years, my extended family as well. I held the previous owner, Tim Stussi, in high regard. He and his business were honest and I never felt scammed in my many dozens of interactions with numerous vehicles I have owned over the years. Unfortunately, when he passed away and new owners took over, apparently the businesses integrity went with him. It saddens me to say that neither, myself nor my family will be back. This morning I brought my car in for a routine servicing as I have done many times in the past. Previously, I had been paying $160 for this service at this business (which, coincidentally was the same amount I was quoted by the Chevy dealership down the street just this month), now the price has jumped to $230. Although that was disappointing to hear, I chalked it up to inflation. When I arrived at the shop I was told almost immediately that my car was due for new spark plugs and that would be an extra $311. I declined this work as I wasn't prepared to spend over $500. I was told by the man at the desk (Jon, according to the paperwork) that the car would be ready in the afternoon as they were short staffed and I went about my day. I was then amazed to hear that the car was ready for pick up less than 40 mins later. While waiting to pay I asked how everything else looked as it didn't seem like I was going to get any more information volunteered. Ordinarily, from this shop or any dealership they will tell you things like tire tread wear, brake pad condition, etc and give you a printout of the details. After all, a "50 point inspection" is included in the price of the minor servicing. Just a verbal "everything looks good" is not sufficient. I then asked about a printout of these details and was told that they don't do that anymore. So, I guess you're just going to have to trust that things were checked? And trust that your vehicle is safe based upon one person's words. After paying, I walked over to my car to notice that the tires were in fact NOT rotated. This is also standard in a minor servicing and was also explicitly mentioned as part of the work they would be doing. When I asked Jon if my tires had been rotated he seemed confused and asked the mechanic, Jose, if he rotated the tires. Jose responded by saying "I thought that was just an oil change". They then took my car back and rotated the tires. It appears to me that Jon didn't do any of the work and the person who did do the work on my car only did an oil change, yet Jon was comfortable and confident telling me previously that everything else looked good. If this was just a simple miscommunication, this is the point in time that the staff members could have talked it over to confirm that the work I paid for was actually performed. This is the point that the owner/Jon/whoever could have explained to ME why one person (the person that did the work) said they just did an oil change. I would have been happy to wait until the job was finished properly. This wasn't done and that's not integrity. It shouldn't be up to the average person the inspect the work of a licenses business to make sure they actually got what they paid for. I just spent $230 for an oil change I could have done at Midas for $30 and a tire rotation I could have gotten for free at America's Tire Co. Consumer beware and consider yourself warned. If a nearly flawless five star review seems fishy on Yelp or Google that's because it is. I'm giving it to you straight, like Tim Stussi would have. read more

My windshield washer tank was leaking. Diablo Auto Specialists fixed my problem and the car is working fine. The employees are very nice and they communicated when my car was ready to be picked up. read more

Diablo Auto Specialists has been working on my vehicle for 10+ years. I am very happy with the service from this business. They have a proven track record of being trustworthy. read more

I highly recommend Diablo auto specialists. I got my rack and pinion replaced on my Ford C max 2013 and the price was fair and they did it quickly. Everybody is really nice and professional. Next time I need service I will definitely be coming back! read more

2-3. We were loyal customers for 13 yrs of prior owner. Never questioned his integrity. Yes first time with new owner, we took 2 cars in and lots of items to fix per them. went with it- over few thousand dollars later. My husbands car drives worse than when we took it in. Brought it back and they said that's the way it is bc car is old. We had four cars we regularly took to them. We have not been back and don't feel we can trust them. read more

Jon's full of integrity and the work was fast, Brought my Mini cooper in for a coolant and oil leak and saved $400 bucks in the process from other quotes I received. Ill be coming back for other repairs and maintenance. read more

I took my Subaru Ascent into Diablo Auto Specialists for an issue that I'd been trying to get resolved at the WC Subaru service center. Subaru WC was a terrible experience but Diablo Auto Specialists was fantastic. I spoke to Jon Kearns about the issue when I dropped off the car. Jon quickly and professionally handled the issue. He took time to explain the issue and solution and was really pleasant to work with. I had a great experience here and recommend them without hesitation. Thank you Jon! read more

Been going to Diablo for years now. Tim Stussi the deceased owner was everything you would want in a automobile service manager. He would give you the straight dope about what your car needed and no bs. I had lots of auto repair background myself so we would often discuss lots of stuff around cars. When they had a problem with fixing my car's air conditioner, he took my suggestion where to look next and it ended up being right. He was a great resource for me about how best to keep my 20 year old car alive and encouraged me to keep it around because he knew it was capable of getting way past 200,000 miles. Well things have changed there. I made an appt. to get my oil changed recently. When I got there, the new service manager couldn't find me on their list. Then he gave me a quote that was more than double what I was quoted over the phone. Then he wanted to add on a whole vehicle service for a few hundred dollars more. And the most insulting is they would only check and fill my tires for an other charge! Arghhhh! Apparently we need to find a new place to go. read more

I got some long overdue maintenance on my car and all done at a price that was much better than I could've gotten anywhere else. John didn't push me on anything that I didn't need but was willing to do the things that I chose to do for a fair price and did terrific work. My car has 85,000 miles on it and now runs like a top. read more

John was quick and efficient. Prices were fair. This is a reputable business that I will return to.

This is the best of the best ! John honest professional And a caring human So glad I went there ! Done same day Super helpful! Thanks I'm grateful read more

i took my car for getting estimate for blown head gasket repair on 2/12/24. i presented by diagnosis from the previous autoshop. unfortunately, my previous autoshop does not work on old cars. Diablo Auto Specialists told me that they do work on old cars too. so based on their rating i accepted to take my car for an estimate. Make the long story short. i had the worse experience with Diablo Auto Specialists. They left the radiator cap off and the hood was not completely closed. my car lost all the radiator fluid and the car overheated. basically, putting the cap where it should belong is the basic task as 1-2-3. now, the car is worse condition than before. they maximized the damage to my engine with their carelessness and lack of attention. i will never take my business to them. read more

Diablo Auto Specialists - radiator cap is placed on frame. lost all fluid and over heated. - Auto Repair Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

I, too, was a long-time customer when Tim Stussi was the owner. Unfortunately, his wife sold the business when Tim died. I took my car in for a routine oil change, check-over and to rotate the tires. I noticed that the cost for this had sky-rocketed but paid it anyway. The guy at the desk told me that my tires were in a dangerous state and must all be replaced. I declined but he continued to give me a long lecture. I mean he just wouldn't stop. After I paid, I walked out to my car to see a large dent in the passenger door. That wasn't there when I brought it in the morning. The guy looked at it and said it looked fresh, took a picture of it and said he would call me the next day. Of course he didn't so we contacted our insurance company. Beware, these aren't not honest people. read more

I have been bringing my car to Tim for years. He's very friendly, honest and straightforward with you regarding what is needed for your car and doesn't try to sell you any unnecessary services or parts. Communication is excellent and he always calls with an update if your car needs something unexpected or will take longer than initially quoted. His prices are extremely reasonable and fair - I recently took my car to the dealership (I know, I know) for an oil change and was (unsurprisingly) quoted thousands for all these services my car "needed" but I brought my car to Diablo Auto Specialists and it turns out, only one of those services was truly necessary and did NOT cost me thousands. I trust Tim and Diablo Auto Specialists and know that my car is in good hands when I bring it here. read more

My car had an issue with vibration while breaking at high speeds, she's pretty old and has been handed down a couple times. Jon took a look at her and was very straightforward with me, timely in communication and didn't try and push extra doodads and whatnots. He walked me through what the critical repairs would be if I wanted to make her last for a while, and even though it ended up being more cost effective to just trade her in and get a new car altogether I will definitely be going to him for future car issues. Location is convenient, shop is clean and well kept. read more