Short and sweet: We really appreciate the quality of the work here, the fair price, and the honest recommendations. We used to take our cars here... But haven't recently because we have a new car and it has a warranty. I kind of miss going here! The owner was really nice and helpful. read more

John is the most ethical, kind, and generous mechanic you will ever meet. He has taken care of my vehicles for 20 years and has extended himself to provide the best car care multiple times. Trust him completely. read more

Always gets my car in in a timely manner and services very well. Also helps if ever I stop by and have a question. Very nice

John is an honest professional that has earned my trust. He has worked on multiple vehicles that my family owns and hasn't let us down.

An great honest mechanic, all round good human and doesn't cheat women. Everyone else said it better. read more

the guy who works here is a jackass. rude, unprofessional, refused me (a returning customer, who he had been respectful to in the past) service at 10am for "showing up too late" even though every other time I had come to fairmount auto I got service in the afternoon. you'd be better off going to Dana Meyers down the street, at least they will make an actual appointment with you instead of saying "come by early" and then wasting your time when you don't show up at the crack of dawn. read more

John is like a gift from older times. Friendly, honest. AND competent. He helped get my wife's beloved older car back in shape after another shop had punctured the AC while replacing a radiator. On my newer car, his eyes were open for cheap preventive measures to take for me. Stopped by recently for some advice -- freely and friendly given. read more

My car started making some funny sounds and I found this auto service here on yelp. I decided to ask them for help based on others positive reviews and was so grateful that I did. John was willing to listen to what I had done to try and solve the problem without any judgement. He took a look at my car and was very honest about what needed to be done. He communicated clearly what I needed to do and how he could help. I hope to not return too soon, but am glad to have found an honest mechanic where I feel comfortable, taken care of and not taken advantage of just for being a women with a car problem. Highly suggest to anyone having any car problems! read more

John is an excellent mechanic and a fair business owners. If he can't do the work or isn't the best person for the job, he'll tell you and recommend someone else. That kind of honesty is hard to find these days. read more

John Wansick, the owner of Fairmount Auto Services embodies the words, honesty, integrity, knowledge and kindness. I had been put through the ringer with another repair shop, that did not come close to repairing my car. After Mr. Wansick completed the diagnostic, he knew exactly what was wrong with my car. During the process of repairing my car, he also spoke to the Insurance Adjuster about the previous work not done on my car. How many people take the time to help you get a refund for repairs that were not completed by another shop? My car is up and running great because of the excellent care and service I received from Mr. Wansick and his great team of automotive technicians. I highly recommend Fairmount Auto Services for all of your auto needs. read more

Have used Fairmont Auto for decades and they are thorough and professional. John and the rest of the employees are awesome! Would not go elsewhere! read more

I needed a trailer hitch ,that I had purchased online , installed on my vehicle to hold a bike carrier. Some of the popular auto repair shops in El Cerrito and Albany would not install the hitch . The repair shops that said they could install the hitch wanted $175 to $250. John , the owner of Fairmount Auto Service , said bring it in . I didn't ask him what the cost of installation would be and he did not give me an estimate because there was no way to know how much time it would take. There was something about him that made me immediately trust him. One hour later he was finished with the installation. Cost $84. Thank you very much. You have a new steady customer. read more

John is great. Only works on certain cars, and is ALWAYS busy. But your problem is going to get fixed, and diagnosed. His opinion is worth the money. I highly recommended stopping by if you live around here. read more

John was great. I got trash work done by a chain and needed some reassurance that the work they did would hold. John checked it all out and gave me sound advice. Big plus, I got a complimentary hot wheel car for my daughter that she loves. I'll be taking my car here from now on read more

I appreciate John's honesty and interest in only doing what is necessary for my car and my neighbors. I have a 10 year old car and a 20 year old car. Both have been to John's shop and are running smoothly! Thank you John read more

I've been using John at Fairmount for more than a decade. Besides having high competent, he is someone who I can FULLY trust with my car. To me, these two factors (competence AND trust) are the most essential when dealing with auto repair. The fact that John is also super-friendly is just icing on the cake! read more

Fairmount Auto is a high-quality repair shop that provides excellent service at a reasonable price. They are also very honest, which in my opinion is one of the most important things to look for in a car mechanic. read more

Honestly, John is the best car mechanic is the Bay Area. I've lived in this area for 25 years and it's the only place I bring my cars. He's honest, reliable and efficient. When I was searching for a very cheap used car with my friend moving to LA, John directed us to a customer who had a beautiful 94' Camry with 40+ service records that exactly fit the budget. John is the only trustworthy mechanic I've know beside my own Dad. He will treat your car like it's his own. read more

Friendly and communicative about my auto's needs. Recommended by several friends. Will return!

Fyi When you pay for a service expect that only that service will be performed, additional inspection costs additional money you are paying for the time of the technician to look at your vehicle. Just try to imagine not getting paid for your time away from your loved ones. How much is your time from them worth to you? So if you have an additional request ask them to put it on the estimate. Be aware of noises from your vehicle, drive it on the freeway and on bumpy streets, drive it local and far and all the while listening for strange noises and then and only then drop off your vehicle because you will be hyper aware of noises after your vehicle is serviced. Be aware of smells from your vehicle drive it up hill and down hill get the engine warm turn on the a/c, learn what an oil leak smells like. Take out your dip stick touch it to the exhaust manifold and learn it. Same thing with coolant learn the smell of coolant take off the radiator cap or expansion tank cap and drop a few on the exhaust manifold and learn it. Inspect your vehicle for scratches before you leave it at the shop insist that the technician be aware that the paint has no scratches and if it does make sure to take note of it. Most shops have an estimate you need to sign that releases liability from lost damaged or stolen items from the vehicle. Don't leave valuables in your vehicle During service. Your vehicle can have thousands literally thousand of reasons your check engine light comes on. A modern vehicle can have more than 10 computers and more than 20 sensor s controlled by each one. Your check engine light coming on after an oil change or getting your tire pressure checked is most likely a coincidence. Most shops will gladly pull just the code for you then you can use your phone to retrieve information about the code. The best explanation comes from yourmechanic.com look for that one. The mechanic is not obligated by law to perform a diagnostic for free just because your check engine light comes on. However he most likely will want to check out of pure curiosity if the light is somehow related. If a diagnostic is needed pay for it if its not related to the recent service of it is then the shop most likely will not charge anything. read more

As a fellow local business owner, I always appreciate supporting small shops like this. Got my oil changed and it was fast, easy, and friendly. My new go-to auto service. read more

John at Fairmount Auto Service, is a real Gem for ladies. John has taken care of my mother, sister, and both of my daughters. He is one of the best at not taking advantage of customers. read more

This is the neighborhood mechanic you can finally trust to give great service, explanations and tries to save you money while keeping your vehicle safe and maintained. New to CA and concerned about getting taken advantage of but I have had two problems with my 2006 Matrix addressed here and I am confident I saved $100's of dollars by not going to a dealership. read more

I guess the owners name is, John. I pulled up to the shop to ask if I could get my oil changed there. I have an import so I can't just take it anywhere. I waited for the owner to stop his conversation with an employee, to ask about my oil change. Without even looking at me, i got a rude ass hand gesture and was told " I'm too busy to talk to you" I guess some " small ass business" are flourishing with clients to where they can just turn people away.... in a gross manner. Never going there again, and if anyone asks me about the place... run. I usually don't write reviews. F this place. read more

John isn't going to lie to you for an up-sell, but he's also not there to hold your hand when you did something dumb. He's busy (because he knows what he's doing) so you need to respect his time, but he'll fix your car right the first time and he'll do it on time and under budget. I've taken him foreign and domestic, luxury cars and SUVs and it's been the same every time for everything from bad belts to transmission troubles. He just gets it done and he's across the street from BART - drop it off on the way to work, pick it up on the way back. I'll put it this way: I sent my mom there. read more

Very happy with the service and the owner John, he's always very helpful and kind. A friend recommended him and I'm glad she did.

John was able to get me in quickly to check out an issue before an upcoming road trip.

We were starting out our trip and broke down in El Cerrito. We were surprised, after hearing from the local Honda dealer, that it would take four hours just to diagnose a check engine light code. With a carful of family, that was horrible news. We called Fairmount and John said to come in and he'd look at our code right away. It was an orange warning code but we lost engine power. After being stumped initially (it was not a normal car issue), he came out about a minute later before we drove off and said there was a technical bulletin that sounded like our fix. It was a 'rare' problem though. We thought to give it a shot. After a little over 1 hour, the part arrived and we were on our way again! As soon as we hit the freeway, our van had more power than ever. We had a new vehicle. After a week's worth of driving around northern California, we are grateful for the trip that was saved! Thanks John!!! read more

I think the reason everyone likes John and his auto repair establishment, myself included, is that John is a no-nonsense, straight shooting guy. He tells you exactly what your car needs and doesn't try to upsell you. He's honest, and you can tell. His repair prices are also reasonable and just a bit better than the dealership repair garages. Best of all, he's local. Glad to have Fairmount as our local auto repair. read more

I would give 0 stars if I could. The owner is very rude and arrogant. I was intending to become a new customer here. When we called, John the owner told my husband to bring the car the next day, he said he closed some time between 3:00pm and 5:00pm. I went there at 3:30pm. When I approached the front desk, nobody was there. I asked one of the mechanics to find out who to talk to. He pointed at John. I approached him. He asked me what I needed, but he immediately told me he was done for the day and that he didn't take any car after 9:00am (never mentioned that on the phone). He was incredibly rude and arrogant, and he left me talking to myself and went away. I stayed in my car trying to process what had just happened and he came back to make fun of me because I was still there. I told him that he had been very rude and i didn't plan to get my car worked on at his place. He started making more comments, at which point I just left. read more

If you're looking for an excellent mechanic who is fair and honest, please go see John Wansick at Fairmount Auto. Over many years, we've taken our Honda, Subaru, and Toyota to John, who has diagnosed and fixed every problem. The one time he felt another shop could better handle an issue with our Prius, he recommended a place to take the car (and they needed to refer us to a dealer since it was a factory problem). He's clear and direct and has earned our trust over and over again. I highly recommend him. read more

I grew up with a skeptical mother who was never poor but always penny-pinching. She was so easily convinced that people would try and cheat her out of every nickel to her name if she let them. This was never more emphasized to me than when she, heaven forbid, had to take her car in to be serviced. To this day, she swears that you can't get away from a service center for less than $400. I would try to prove her wrong, but I generally agree. Well, I agreed until I took my car to Fairmount Auto Service. Now I won't go anywhere else and I've never spent more than a couple hundred on necessary (not accessory!) repairs. The owner, John, is very cool and upfront. I think he has realized that a repeat customer who only earns you a little cash per visit is more valuable than the customer you can really ream once for expensive and extraneous auto repairs. Mom swore auto mechanics were out for blood with women because they assume you're both completely ignorant and too embarrassed to ask many questions. Well, not MY mom... ...and not her daughter! Take your car to John Wansick, the owner of Fairmount Auto Service. An honest car mechanic cannot come more highly recommended! read more

Another great find thanks to Yelp. Several weeks ago, my husband's Jeep would not start. We've recently moved to Richmond and didn't have a local auto repair shop yet. I searched Yelp and found Fairmount Auto Service. We had the Jeep towed in, explained the problem, and John got to work. He called us with the diagnosis and repair costs and completed the job. It still wouldn't start. That's when he looked at the problem a bit closer and realized his original diagnosis was wrong. He called us, explained what had happened, and gave us the new repair cost. He also said that he would eat the cost of the repairs he had already completed (the wrong repairs) because he was at fault for not doing a more thorough diagnosis in the beginning. He did the second round of repairs, the Jeep runs like a champ, and our final cost was about half of the cost of the original diagnosis. People make mistakes, it's part of being human. John made a mistake, but he owned up to it and was honest with us. Instead of saying "Oh, yeah, the first repair was *part* of the problem, but we also need to replace more parts driving your cost up another 50%", he owned up to a misdiagnosis and only charged us for the actual issue. And he gained new customers. We will absolutely be bringing in our vehicles for any future issues. read more

I'm sad because I'm moving across the country and I know I'll never find another mechanic as awesome as John. I call him every 2 or three months, and he remembers my name and my car. He's always quick, communicates well, and doesn't do extra stuff I didn't ask for. He always suggests options to save money, I never feel pressured to pay for more stuff than I need to. A few months ago I went through the whole ordeal of getting a 2000 corolla smogged, which took weeks of getting the light turned off, checking error codes, driving it, rechecking, etc (you know what I mean). He was super helpful through all that. More than that, my girlfriend is rather socially anxious in general, and in particular around cars and mechanics. I have no worries about having her deal with John if I'm out of town because he's kind and doesn't pressure. I'd come to Fairmont auto if I lived anywhere within 200 miles. read more

I'm a bit disturbed by a previous reviewer's comments that come across *mildly* racist (see: "bad experiences with foreign mechanics who don't conduct business well, but this guy does business the American way - honestly..."), but I will agree that John is a shop owner that gives you great customer service and works hard to give you a competitive price. (sidenote: so, dishonest/frowning service is... say, the French way of doing business? um, yeah...) I've had conversations with him in the past where he's admitted that while there's a mark up on the cost of parts and labor (everyone... EVERYONE in the industry rounds up), he's not interested in trying to make as much money on one visit as he is in having customer who wants to continue coming back. I can tell you from experience (I've worked on cars) that he doesn't gouge anyone and tries hard to keep the premium to a minimum. And that, along with the fact that he's friendly and communicative, makes him one of the best mechanics that I've ever gone to. Awesome shop, owner and staff. And despite the fact that I'm also "foreign," I promise you can trust me. read more

I wanted to check out a new used '97 Toyota Camry I'd received, which had a warning about the back light needing replacement and which did not warn me when the door was left open or my lights were left on. I also had some starting problems but nothing serious until I didn't drive it for 3 weeks while instead driving the '96 Honda DX I was about to sell.. I chose Fairmount at the time because it was close to my home and has good Yelp feedback. Going in at the end of the day, I was met by the very pleasant owner (John Wansick) who said he'd take a look at it. Said he could give it more time the next day if I came in early the next morning as they were very booked up that week. But 8-9am is a good time to fit in a car for inspections, he said. He added that I should hold on a minute because he wanted to fix my back light and did. And wouldn't take payment for that. Unfortunately, I tend to work nights and could not make it in early in the morning. When I finally decided to have the car looked over and fixed, it was again late afternoon and on a Friday and they close early on Fridays. We made a tentative appt for Monday morning if I didn't get it fixed, and he said I could leave the car there in their large parking lot if I wanted. At any rate, in the 20 minutes or so that I spoke with him that first day and he replaced the back light, I found out he used to be co-owner of Blake Street Service, which a friend used regularly and had a good rep. I liked his way of doing business, and if I were not a night owl and never conscious at 8am in the morning, I would have had the car serviced there for sure. But an emergency came up on a late Friday afternoon and I found another good place. But from what I experienced I recommend John's shop also. read more

My Dad initially selected this mechanic for my old beater 1987 Volvo 6 years ago. I've been a happy customer ever since. John doesn't waste his or my time (and money!) on unnecessary repairs and does what needs to be done quickly. My most memorable experience was when my car suddenly spewed steam into the passenger compartment and started to overheat. After John looked at it he called me back to tell me the heater along with a few other things broke and it would cost more than $1000 to replace the necessary components if I wanted a working heater (the car is only worth about $1200). He followed that by saying: "It doesn't really get that cold around here, you don't really need a heater anyway. I can fix it and bypass the heater for you for $80." Done! I appreciated the fact that he didn't try to force the expensive repair on me. Instead he seems to be very practical and is more than willing to let you know when certain things don't really need to be replaced if you're willing to do without. Great for a poor grad student's ailing car. read more

I'm fairly new to the bay area, coming from DC, so I had been looking for recommendations on auto services after driving my Honda across the country. The first place I tried wanted $250 to run a diagnostic test even though I was already fairly certain my shocks were the issue. My engine splash guard had also come loose and they told me I needed to replace the entire thing. I'm glad I decided to wait. John at Fairmount diagnosed the issue within minutes (it was the shocks...), was able to tell me the price upfront, which was reasonable, and fixed it the following Monday within a few hours. He also gave me a quick fix on the splash guard by tying it up so it didn't continue to drag (something the first place told me was not possible to do). John was very easy to talk to and explained things really clearly. I'll definitely continue to go here for any future auto needs. read more

A few weeks ago while driving over the San Rafael bridge I downshifted to fourth gear and my shift linkage dropped out of my transmission. I can't even begin to tell you what was racing through my mind at that time but it was a serious "oh s*** moment."I was able to get my car off of the freeway but my next concern was when I could get this fixed, where I would go, and how much it would cost. I had a headache for days. I decided to come see John at Fairmount Auto Service as he came highly recommended not just from Yelpers but also from friends. I was upset with myself for not coming here long ago as it's super close to my house and he doesn't try to rip you off. After John checked out my car he was able to assess that it was the pin that fell out of the linkage due to age and wear and tear but was able to fix it without having to replacing it. That alone saved me a few hundred bucks. I also had an ignition issue that Honda quoted me $500+ and all John did was fix a connection and got it to work perfectly and charged me about $60. Also did I mention that I dropped off my CRX at around 7 pm at night and it was ready at 4 pm the next day? It might have even been earlier if I wasn't working and able to pick it up. John was also super professional, very polite and had a great personality. Needless to say I will be coming back here with all of my car issues. If you need an honest mechanic whose very name is built on honesty, this is the place to come. Thank you so very much for all of your help John! read more

I always send my cars there to do regular checkup and oil change. Things were perfectly done with reasonable price Highly recommended~~ read more