My sister lives on Blake Lane and Duncan Automotive's employees and customers treat the entrance to Blake Lane like the driveway/entrance to Duncan's. I've almost been hit multiple times, have seen other cars be almost hit by those trying to get to Duncan's. They also park the cars in a way that blocks the sidewalk. This is dangerous during the times when middle schoolers are walking and riding bikes past Blake. You can't see them coming! Duncan's doesn't have much control over how their customers drive, but they can give them better directions AND instruct their employees to not use Blake like their own personal entrance. read more

Stellar service. Quality workmanship. Honest estimates. Owner operated. Need I say more?

Always great and honest service. Also good for smog checks. Have been using them for over 15 years .

Got my smog DMV certified in 15 minutes Friendly, helpful staff I Called beforehand for a price and was charged what was quoted I highly recommend Duncan Auto!!! read more

Lived near Duncan Auto for years, but started taking my business there just recently and now I don't know why I haven't done so years ago. Two smogs on two different cars a few months apart, both very fast in-and-out, prices better than at other shops, professional, honest and fair. A no-nonsense local shop that I'll be coming back to, as long as the same people work there. The first time I made an appointment. The second time ventured in without an appointment and was prepared to be turned down. An employee told me they were busy and wanted to schedule me in for the next day, but Matt, the owner, overruled and just took me in with no wait. Also, he ended up charging me about $10 less vs initially quoted (market-fair) price. I think it was the cost of the certificate that he chose to forgo. Both times, busy as they were, it took about 20 minutes, or less. I went for a coffee across the street and when I was back, it was all done. (If you head there for the first time, know that parking there is very tight; but they will guide you or just take your keys and get your car into the right spot.) read more

As a woman, it's very stressful whenever I have to bring my car in for a service. That has changed since I found Duncan Auto! Not only do they do amazing work, but they are completely honest about what needs to be done and what doesn't. I had been told by Ocean Honda that I needed rear brakes. I knew they would be more expensive so I brought my car into Duncan auto. They had done a pretty big service on my car about six months ago and never mentioned that I needed any break work. He could've had me leave my car for the day with them and charge me for a break inspection but instead he went out and looked at my car and said right away that my brakes were fine. It was so refreshing to deal with a mechanic that was honest. I will never bring my car anywhere else! Thank you so much Duncan Auto! read more

In my 50+ years dealing with mechanics these guys are without doubt the most honest I've encountered !!! If you're looking for repairs this is the place. read more

The snot-nosed turdsnapper of a punk kid that answered the phone said they wouldn't work on my (older) car. He couldn't even give me an honest explanation as to why, which says to me: "we're lazy and only want easy jobs on new-ish cars that we can easily get parts from delivered from the dealership." They lost a potential customer, but why would they care? What the hell's happened to small businesses in this town? read more

Don't particularly like the idea of writing a bad review but i would issue a health warning here. I had a truck that ended up costing me in parts from Duncan's over $2,000. it went in three times and each time the problem wasn't fixed and they loaded up repairs. I eventually gave up with them, went into a dealer in San Jose and within 30 minutes, they charged be approx.$200 for parts and labor and I was up and running. So I think they had an issue with diagnosing the problem and went through a check list of replacing parts till the problem was solved. This is not somewhere I would go again, i am sure others will have a wonderful experience as the staff seemed pleasant but i would ensure they have deep experience on your vehicle before partaking The kicker was, my truck is not worth as much as I spent on it last year so that just added to the happy smiles read more

Have had multiple cars in here for services and repairs. Friendly and honest people. Had a spark plug/coil repaired here for substantially less than it cost my neighbor who had theirs done over the hill. read more

I just picked up my daughter's 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid after getting the hybrid battery replaced. I called around town to see who installed them and found the ones that did used batteries that didn't get good ratings. After doing my research I called Duncan and talked to the owner Matt. He said he would put in the battery I bought (they also have others). The battery ended up having a part that was being finicky and Matt was dedicated to getting it fixed. He went way over and beyond what he had agreed to do and even kept with his original price, even though the part took longer than anticipated. Highly recommend Duncan AutoTech, not that they need any additional business. The place is always packed! read more

Took too long to write this review, but Matt and the mechanics over at Duncan are experts and are also very personable. This helps a lot when you're working with a mechanic as it's not always so easy to get the car back in great shape. Long story short, they helped me out tremendously and did above and beyond work for an exceptional price. Much appreciated guys! read more

I like to support local businesses and after reading the reviews on here I decided to have my smog test done here. I have an older model jeep so I paid the premium price. Which was $75. The technicians there have a strange way of communicating with people. They can be a little Condensing ,and odd at times. But they did a quick job . I passed -and I was on my way. Then I got a phone call the next day that they didn't put my gas cap back on my car. Of course - they didn't offer to bring it to me. so I was lucky enough to have a friend grab it for me while in town. Then today when I popped open my hood I found that the clamp that they use to cut off the air flow during the test was still attached to the hose. The real question is if I wouldn't have discovered this. the what if's are endless. It's a large steel tool which I feel could've possibly done some major damage bounced off inside the car in the wrong direction. When I called to complain about my findings. Matt was rather cavalier about the whole thing. I asked him what would he do for me to make this right? He said, ". I don't know man do you want me to make you dinner? Do you want money? Most people just aren't upset about these things.But he made it pretty clear that he felt that I was completely overreacting .and his mistake was no big deal. In the end a $20 discount on future services was the only responsibility taken. I feel like a real professional should have comped the smog test. For not only one .but two mistakes. But so much for taking responsibility and professionalism. So if you have worked done there . make sure you double check that all your parts are back on your car . And that nothing is been left attached inside of it. LOL! Because after all . don't you know that's your responsibility now. And one more interesting thing. While he was smoking my car he was complaining about the state or government charging him $300 a month to do smog testing. Though from looking around that was covered easily in an hour. And when I talk to him two days later about leaving his tool attached to my car. He told me that they were charging him $400 a month. Seems like the fee goes up about $100 every couple days. LOL! Bizarre. read more

Duncan Auto Tech - Auto Repair Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

I'd give this place a six-star review if I could. That's because Matt and his team saved me $800. Here's how... Took my Honda CR-V with about 35k miles on the odometer to the dealer because battery needed to be replaced. Asked dealer to replace battery, and to check to see if any other issues - since my wife drives it. Got battery replaced, but the dealer said I needed a new alternator, and that it would cost me about $850. I called Duncan, since they're near where I live, and they said they could do it for about $500, same parts (refurbished), and do it faster. So I took it to Duncan and... well, they didn't replace the alternator right away. I was concerned at first... until they explained to me that they couldn't find any problem at all with the alternator. So, instead of making a quick $500, they checked out the car, found out I don't need a new alternator, and then told me I don't need one. So, bottom line: these guys saved me $800 over what the dealer would have charged me, and $500 over what they could have charged me. Unless the alternator goes out real soon, these guys deserve a 6-star review. I'm not a regular customer, but I may be going forward. Update: took the car on a road trip to Southern California. No problems. read more

So- Went in to get my car a smog check, i made an appointment prior to going in. they were really busy, and i was expecting to spend about an hour, it got done IMMEDIATELY. a speedy stop at an auto shop? couldn't be happier. On top of it, the people there actually smiled at you, and weren't condescending- crazy concept. So as i was about to leave, i tried for a hat trick- i told them about a problem our other car was having, two days prior it completely broke down. I explained some vague symptoms and he suggested that we clean off the battery, and if that didnt work, to bring in our battery and he would test it for FREE. Later that day, we cleaned off the battery, and the freakin car started. So they could have taken the opportunity and had us tow our car all the way to scotts valley, could have charged us a pant load to diagnose it, but instead they gave us advice to help us out. thank you much, you have our business. read more

Simple smog, cool staff. Went in, got a quick cup of coffee, got a quick smog, and got out. Happy, cool, professional staff who didn't give me crap about having a Saab. This would be my shop for everything if I had a normal vehicle. read more

I highly recommend these mechanics! The crew here is fast and efficient, with great customer service and no nonsense when it comes to diagnosing and fixing the problem(s). Even when I heard them speaking to other customers, they are straightforward and have a genuine sense of concern for each driver and the safety of each vehicle, on and off the road. In my particular circumstance, I had concerns about my vehicle's suitability to finish the last leg of a very long road trip, with little time and money to spare to fix the problem. Free of charge on the same day, they were able to take a look at my engine, and assess/diagnose the problem. They were able to give me a better sense of what I was dealing with and an idea of how much longer I would be able to drive before it might become detrimental to the vehicle. The implication here is that they assured me I could keep driving, and did NOT take this as an opportunity to scare me into doing business with them. Even so, I decided since the problem needed to be fixed "eventually," I may as well do it now. After all, there's no better mechanic I'd rather go to than those who are sincere, straightforward, and knowledgeable. And, equally important, they're not just trying to take you for your money. They got me in, out, and safely back on the road, without burning a hole in my pocket. 5/5 Go here! read more

This is definitely my mechanic shop going forward. Fair price, clear explanations, great all around service. I took my older Jeep Wrangler in to get smogged for registration. The check engine light had been on since last summer so I was prepared for some kind of needed repair. My previous mechanic said that the thermostat was stuck open, or something like that, and would need eventually need repair. Turned out that the thermostat was basically in pieces. My Jeep had also been running like absolute crap for a very long time and it turned out that the spark plugs were probably the originals (almost 200K miles on those suckers). I thought my Jeep was on its last legs and I almost cried when I drove it away from the shop because, while it still needs some work, it ran about 80 percent better with just new plugs! They did the work the same day and gave me what I thought was a totally fair price (good for me since I'm on a very tight budget right now). Good communication from both Aubrey and Matt. I know where I'll be going as soon as I can afford to get a couple more things done to the Jeep. read more

It's not that I had a particularly bad experience, I just felt like it could have been better. I went for a smog because my sister-in-law told me it was only $50, so I thought I'd try it. I however have an older vehicle and it was $67 for a smog. My truck had high numbers in the pre-test so they didn't run the smog, which was nice of them. They offered to do the work, told me that diagnosing the problem would cost $100, then whatever repairs needed to be done would be on top of that. I called my mechanic who said he would adjust some things that usually cause you not to pass. The next day I took it to another SMOG station who also told me it was running high pre-test numbers, but adjusted it as part of the smog and it passed just fine. SO really it was just in comparison, realizing that maybe Duncan was trying to make some money off of me? Or maybe the other place is just better. read more

Not sure what is going on with this place. Used to be good. Last two visits have been a disaster. Sad what has happened here

I have to say the guys at Duncan Auto are as good as it gets. I have been taking my Toyota 4Runner in there for a while and I can't tell you how comfortable I am with this team. I don't know anything about cars, so it's awesome to have a team that you know is looking out for you and beyond honest. I have never felt like they were trying to do more than needed. In fact, they have helped me determine what I should have taken care of and what can wait, to save a bit on the wallet. They have also advised me and helped me out when I went to sell my car. They really top-notch! read more

I brought my Mini there for a smog, I had purchased the car about a week before, but the smog check was passed due, so I needed an fresh smog for registration. The tech Duncan imeadatly balled me out, saying that it was the sellers responsibility to provide a current smog cert. I knew that already and didn't "need" a reprimand. The abrupt way this person conducted themselves was oddball and unnecessary. The car failed the test and displayed 3 error/problem codes. The tech added the "failed visual inspection" status to the smog check date sheet as well. (wow thanks) The "tech" said that the car was modified and the computer was hacked to in an effort to add performance. He told me I should sue the past owner and that there was no hope to resolve my smog issue and related a "story" of another vehicle he inspected. Why would I be interested to hear about some other customer's smog nightmare? Was this an attempt to ruin my day? Duh? OK, so a day later I called a qualified shop, took my car there. The mechanic pointed out the problem in a professional and analytical way. Yes the Duncan was correct, there were a couple of performance enhancements present. The issue was quickly resolved, smog was done and Cert in hand, I was quite pleased that I didn't fall for the bullshit from Duncan. No suing, no juck-ing of my car was required. read more

Matt and his team are the best! I've gone back three times and I know if there's ever a problem with my car they'll take care of me. He has super fair pricing and was willing to work with my budget since I'm a student. He's not trying to rip anybody off and will make sure he's fixing what actually needs to be fixed. Extremely reliable and great customer service, I will continue to go to them for as long as I'm in the Santa Cruz area. read more

Had a good experience for a smog check on my 2010 Tacoma truck. Called Monday 9:30a, they said no wait. Went in and they did the whole procedure in under 20 minutes and charged me $50, certificate included. Much better than my last smog experience at Integrity. Not a big operation, one seat to wait in, no coffee, but gave me their WI-FI password. Owner had a squabble with his son at the front desk which was a little stressful. But bottom line, they got me in and out fast, did the job, and charged less than Integrity. Will definitely take my Boxster there next time (see my review on Integrity) as they will charge me $75 to Integrity's $110. read more

Went here for a smog check and these guys are great. I called ahead to check availability and they said to come down. They started the smog check as soon as I walked in the door and were done within about 10 minutes. Fair price after calling around and friendly service. read more

Giving this business 5 stars because they went above and beyond in order to help me with a problem I had with a truck I had bought and couldn't register. The owner gave me an opportunity to fix what two other shops had said they couldn't do. Instead of having to miss more work driving the truck to San Jose to be inspected by the Automotive Bureau referees, Duncan Auto took the time and made the effort that was required to allow the truck to have a smog test, which they graciously did the same day. I have rarely had this level of customer service and never like this with an auto shop. This is where all my car related business will be going. read more

BEST mechanic in the county. Always honest, helpful and on time. I don't want to take our cars to anyone else. I tell everyone I know about this place. Quality workmanship. Good guys. read more

They were easy to schedule with, and were quick and friendly when I went to them for SMOG checks on both of my cars, and the price was nice too. read more

I just have to add another star to these guys! They're awesome! Once again, I brought my Civic into them, after being told by my dealership that I needed a new alternator. It turned out that the high pitched whine I had been hearing, was just a couple worn bearings, and there was nothing wrong with my alternator. Needless to say, they saved me over $300! Did I mention the honesty and integrity with which these guys operate? read more

Forthcoming, honest & up-front, committed to quality. Duncan Auto went above & beyond to fix my car. Whether it's a simple smog check or a complex job on a drivetrain, I'd trust Matt and his crew to get it right and treat you fairly. read more

This place is top notch! They are really busy because they are really good so be sure to call ahead. Matt, the owner, knows his stuff and runs a great shop with integrity! read more

Honest, professional mechanic services. Have used their services for smog checks and Vehicle services.

The guy at Duncan found out our blown up engine may get replaced for free under an old recall. He found this out by calling Hyundai. After lots of confusion talking to a local Hyundai and the Corp office we hesitantly took it into Hyundai. I can't believe we're getting a new engine for free. I'm sure we owe some of this to the service from Duncan. read more

I needed to get my vehicle smogged, and quick. Duncan was extremely helpful, accommodating, and transparent about the process. He got me in first thing in the morning, was super friendly, and shared quite a bit of insight with me about my vehicle, while we waited for the Smog check to run. Within 30 minutes everything was done, and I'll be taking my vehicle back there if / when I need to. THANK YOU DUNCAN AND TEAM!! read more

The service techs at Duncan were without exception extremely friendly and fast. I dropped my '02 Explorer off in the morning and they had the problem diagnosed by noon, then fixed by 4PM. They let me know about some unrelated work the car could use as well (no surprise as it had not been serviced other than oil changes for 25K miles), but they listed them as a suggestion and did not try to oversell me on anything. The price was very fair and I feel like they were very honest. I trust them enough to go back whenever I have another car problem! read more

Smoged my wife's Jaguar. In and out quickly. No fingerprints on car. Will definitely go back will need a major checkup on other car. read more

We had our oil change done here recently. The price was reasonable but I was disappointed to find one week later my brake light was out, the tire pressure was too low and the cap to my Coolant was missing. I had asked them specifically to let me know if anything else needed servicing, including the tires since I was taking a long road trip and wanted no problems. I had to get all the work done on these minor repairs while traveling at a different mechanic. I will not be returning to this location. read more

Duncan Auto does such a great job on our cars every single time. They are priced competitively and they never oversell us on stuff. They use high quality parts and they deliver honest, friendly top notch service. read more

Just gotta say, I've been a customer of Duncan Auto for several years, since before Matt took over. I've ONLY had GREAT experiences. Matt is a straight shooter who can explain complex issues in an easily understandable way. I wouldn't take my cars anywhere else. 5 stars just isn't enough!!! read more

these guys are great, honest, straightforward, speedy, and thorough. Brought in my subaru for a 90k service and they did a great job... i'll be back for sure! read more