I've had a couple problems with my car which has led to a check engine light being on for the longest time. I needed to pass smog so took my car to Fontes Auto Repair. Joe and his team repaired my coolant system and intake manifold. I finally passed smog and couldn't be more thankful. These guys are awesome and I'm so glad I live in the neighborhood. They're super nice and upfront about everything too which was wonderful. I'll be taking my car here anytime I have a problem. read more

I recommend Fontes to everyone! Joao and his team have always steered me right on repairs. He's been honest and fair with me regarding my aging baby (2011 Jeep Wrangler). 5 stars all around. read more

I've been going to Fontes for about 5 years now, and it's the only place I trust to service my car. Joao Fontes is honest and his prices are fair. He always makes a point to remember my name and car -- such a nice guy! He'll give you realistic timeline for when your car will be ready and stick to it. The Fontes team are respectful and efficient. From oil changes to a major repairs, they always take great care of my car. I love supporting local small businesses, and this one is a gem. read more

I have been using Fontes Auto Repair for 20+ years, and have always been provided high-quality and honest service. I highly recommend.

WOW! How nice to have an "old school" mechanic in the neighborhood. You know, the honest ones? What a pleasure it is to have your car serviced here. The mechanics are wonderful. Professional. Proficient. Punctual. Twice, on short notice, I've dropped my car off there. When they give you an exact time for a drop off or pick up they stick to it. Pleasant as can be, they've come to the rescue for me. I appreciate their attention to detail. I feel their services are extremely reasonable. Quality of their workmanship outstanding. It is so nice to have great mechanic so close by. Nice to have people with integrity and pride in their work still in business. read more

I've been to Fontes twice in three years to service my Jeep. Thai guy is so honest. Quick on diagnosing and finding parts which isn't easy... and, the cost is fair. More than fair. Jeep wouldn't take me for two weeks. He fixed a drive shaft in a day and half. Honest, fair, fantastic at what they do. Is there any note you need from a mechanic? read more

Did a great job for a fair price. Came in for a break job and he provided an accurate and fair quote.

Been going here for years. Owner and staff are excellent. Very responsive and do great work. Highly recommend.

Joao is the BEST! I would trust him with my life. He kept my 15 year old Mustang running smoothly and never overcharged me like another mechanic might. Then he helped advise me on my next car purchase which I'm super grateful for. Go here! read more

I've been going to Fontes for 2 years and I wish I had found them earlier. I've always found them to be honest, thorough and well-organized. The first time I took my car to them, they found things that my previous mechanic of many years had overlooked. Joao always takes the time to explain issues and options to me and so far has never overcharged me. He recently replaced my oil pan and charged me $350. The dealer had wanted to charge me $800! If you call with an urgent problem, he'll always fit you in. While my car was on the lift during a recent repair, he showed me the cracks in my tires and said they needed to be replaced. I realized I had totally lost track of how long ago I had bought the tires. Thanks, Joao! I hope his business survives the impact of the coronavirus because people like him deserve to remain in business. He's one of the honest ones. read more

After I started taking my 1999 Civic to Joao Fontes, my only regret was that I didn't switch to him sooner. I am especially impressed that he sends photos or videos of unexpected problems he or his staff detect to aid in decisions on what should be done. One time he sent me a photo of an oil leak. I found it hard to believe but the picture was pretty clear, and I approved the repair. When I arrived home that night, I saw that there was one spot of oil on my garage floor -- the leak had just started! Thank goodness his team caught the problem before it became bigger. The shop location was super convenient, two miles from home and a half-mile from work. I typically would drop my car off, walk the few blocks to work, then reverse the process at end of day. My wife started taking her 2003 Accord to Joao and also enjoyed her relationship with this shop. The only reason we recently stopped being Fontes customers is that we moved 65 miles away. read more

I have been going to João's shop for 20 years. Honest, kind, knowledgeable, professional and friendly. Can't recommend his services enough.

Highly recommend! Joao is the only mechanic I trust! I have been going to him for years, and he is always helpful, honest, and thorough. You won't be disappointed! read more

I took in my older-model Jeep for some major repairs and was chuffed with the results. Mr. Fontes and his team, including Josue and Oscar, were a joy to work with in every way. In fact, I had such a great time that I would often sit in the waiting area with a book so I could visit a bit with these expert car mechanics and learn about my car better. It required a few days to get all of the work done, but now it's like I have a new car. This business has high integrity, experts mechanics, and you can trust it will all be done to a very high standard. They even fixed my broken horn and put in a new AC system along with many other repairs. If you want a place you can trust, you can't go wrong with Fontes Auto Repair. read more

First of all, Joao is a mensch - a really good human, totally honest and sincere. He will never upsell you, or lie if he doesn't know something. He gets right to the problem, fixes it and makes sure you are back on the road ASAP. I have been going to him with all of my many cars since 1991. He has had 3 locations since then. When I bought a used Prius a few years back, I brought it to him to look over. He said: "You should definitely buy this car but I am very sad because I will never see you again." Me: "Why?, don't you fix Priuses?" Joao: "Of course I do, but you won't need anything. These cars are amazing. Just change the oil on time." Still driving my Prius and Joao is her primary physician, keeping her 12-year-old heart beating for a few bucks a year. He's pure gold. read more

Best place to get your car maintained and fixed !! Always feel well advised and taken care of when I bring my vehicle here. They do a wonderful job across the board. Highly recommend! read more

Kind, efficient, thorough, cheap. My car was making a noise every time I braked and I am not from the area so I really needed it repaired asap. The owner test drove the car and did a FREE inspection right away. Gave a very reasonable quote and showed us exactly what the problem was on the car and told us how to avoid this problem in the future. Within 3 hours our car was fixed and we were out! This man went above and beyond what we expected. read more

Just realized that I have never written a review to this business, even been a customer since late 07/early 08. I went there first time by referral after hearing a conversation of two customers' of Fonte's about how João is that rare type of mechanic that will only touch something in your car if it is REALLY necessary. I had a 94 Geo Metro with transmission problems at that time (it was a stick shift) and after driving and assessing the problem, João told me that if that was his car, his wouldn't do a thing because the problem it had was not to get better or worse. So that was what I did, I had the car for 2 more years and the transmission did not get better or worse, as he said. After that, my husband and I became frequent and loyal customers and would not take our cars to any other place. I could write here each and every one of the cases where we were surprised by João's honesty and how precise his service is, but this would become a journal, not a review. I do not remember a single time that we had to go back to adjust or redo something, every time the service is perfect and the customer service is class A+. I have no doubt that as long as João is in business, he will be our mechanic and we will keep referring him to friends and whoever asks for our opinion. read more

Joao is the guy to go for you auto repairs. Honest and always does what needs to be done to get your car back in business at a reasonable price. I have been going there for over 20 years and I completely trust the guy. Highly recommend! read more

My husband have been going to João for over a decade. I was introduced to him actually when he helped me to find a car four years ago. Nowadays I send all my friends there SPECIALLY WOMEN. For us to have a trust worthy person taking care of your car is essential. Ain't nobody got time to be trying to figure out if your car actually needs - what the mechanic is normally just trying to up sell you. He always tell me like it is, if something is wrong he even tell me how long I have to safely wait to get fixed. I got 99 problems. A Bad mechanic ain't one of them ;) read more

The people and service at Fontes are wonderful! I called in about squeaking brakes and Micler was extremely patient and explained all the possible repairs and estimate prices. I brought it in the next day and he took of the tire diagnosed my car on the spot in less than 30m. Turned out to be a non pathologic squeak and they did not try to sell me part or services I didn't need (nor did they charge me for the diagnosis). (For that I am grateful!) I also had them take a look at a small dent in my front bumper, which autobody shops would say to just replace the whole bumper. They agreed to pull out the dent by heating the plastic and buffing the area to remove the scuffs. I came back in 1 hour and it looked almost good as new at at least less than 20% of the price it would have cost to replace the bumper. AMAZING. I felt comfortable asking questions and the service was very reasonably priced. I've never had a go-to mechanic before, but I think I've found my place! read more

Best auto repair in the west side, I would highly recommend them for their service and their great price!

Joao is probably the classiest guy I've ever met. Super friendly, honest and reasonable. As long as I live in LA, he will be my mechanic!

Fontes is a consummate professional with a well-deserved reputation for honesty. Among other mechanics I've dealt with, even the good ones sometimes seem to up-sell you here and there. No such concern with Fontes. His upbeat personality doesn't hurt, either. read more

Couldn't diagnose the problem with my car and was super unhelpful. In fact, was rather surprised when they told me to go elsewhere if my problem persisted. I felt like I was being turned away when I needed help : ( read more

Though my car is old, I have had it since it was a year old. In that time, one mechanic took care of everything that I needed. Then I moved to LA, and finding someone trustworthy to take care of my car became a thing that I had to deal with. Luckily for me, Fontes Auto Repair was recommended to me. I've gone once, and he has a customer for as long as I live here. I went early on a Saturday, and my car was immediately taken in. As a female dealing with car professionals in general (dealers, mechanics, etc), I am well aware that some will (and have) tried to take advantage of me not knowing much about cars. That is not a myth. It happens. However, that is certainly not the case here. They did a safety inspection, and other than my needed oil change, his only recommendations were to replace the wiper blades and the air filter. No trying to get me to replace things that didn't need replacing, just an assessment of what I actually needed. I left feeling that I was treated fairly, provided excellent service, and at a reasonable price. The gentleman that I spoke with was also able to make a recommendation as to who to use for my smog check. If you are looking for a mechanic with integrity, I highly recommend this shop. read more

What I like about Fontes Auto Repair is honesty besides professionalism. I take my car nowhere else.

Joe did an amazing job on my car - he went above and beyond to ensure I was well taken-care-of!

Joao Fontes is a Pro and a gentleman. I've never had a problem sending our cars to his shop.

Very reliable mechanic shop with fair prices, great service and honest feedback..... they tell you what it is and don't try to over sell. I have been taking my cars there for over 15 years and never had a problem!! It's worth to try..... we all know how hard it is to find a good mechanic!! Good luck. read more

100% best place. Fontes treats his customers well, doesn't overcharge, and doesn't add on useless services. I go here almost exclusively for my repair work. read more

Walked in the no appointment, they took my car right in and found the problem with my AC. Gave me a quote before commencing work and got it done quickly once I gave the ok. Will def be going back if I need any other services to my truck. Job well done, and a very personable crew! read more

Most honest mechanic ever! Love Joao and how much he truly cares. I recently bought a lemon of a car from a careless small dealer on Craigslist and the cat has had so many problems including a bad transmission. Joao has saved the day once again... Even though it's still costing me a lot of money, it's a fraction of what I'd pay at so many other mechanics... He is truly fair and does top quality work every time. read more

Joao is great! I have been going to Fontes Auto for years now. Best service around. And amazing work. If you're looking for a mechanic you can trust to give you the best price and do the best work around, this is it. A previous review mentions him not having time to answer questions about a previous employee, for a reference. Sounds like Joao was busy and his customers come first. (also sounds like someone else is a little self-centered) Whenever I've been there, Joao has always been very professional, courteous, and very good communicating with me. read more

My car broke down a couple of months ago, so I I brought my car to my local mechanic, who told me my engine died and the cost to replace it was so high I might as well get a new car. I decided to get a second opinion with Joao. I couldn't be more thankful that I made this decision. He found a way to replace my engine at a rate that was reasonable. Even though he had to order new parts from across the country, he managed to get it back to me in about a week. This guy is amazing. Highly recommend. read more

Several years ago while driving down from the Bay Area to visit my parents, my car broke down. I was desperate to find a reliable, knowledgable, HONEST mechanic near my parents' home. Fontes Auto Repair did not disappoint. My experience was so wonderful and the service so excellent and personal, that my parents changed mechanics and have been regular customers ever since. My mom still phones me after every single visit to tell me about how grateful they are to have found Joe Fontes. Thank you, Mr. Fontes, for your kindness and for taking such great care of my parents over many years. I highly recommend Fontes Auto Repair for all of your auto repair needs, and most of all, for their honest customer service. read more

The right side of my car was making noises. I thought it was coming from the suspension and thought I'd have to pay up big. However, that proved not to be the case as it was just a bent piece of metal right behind the rotor that was making the noises. They did only what was needed and I was only charged $25 to have it fixed. The honesty is incredible from this shop considering they could have made the problem look bigger than it was and charge many times more! If there is anyone looking for a professional and honest shop, this is it! read more

I second third fourth tenth hundred what all of the reviews say here. Best mechanic. Really took good care of my car. No hassles, treated me like i've been his regular even though I went to him for the first time. Going there again today to get my regular oils replaced and topped up. Good guy fotes! saving us mechanically illiterate a lot of money! read more

I'm writing this review like everyone else in saying how great João and his shop is. I recommend to everyone as it was recommended to me. João is knowledgeable, honest and on top of the issues and everything else to make sure you get your problem resolved. I already referred him wholeheartedly to several friends and will take my car as I already did every single time in the future. I believe it's hard to find someone that will go out of his way to help and make the customer satisfied. So if you're checking and reading here please go ahead and you'll be satisfied. I'm very happy that now I have someone that I can trust and provide a great service. read more

I used to live right now the street from this shop and it was just convenient at first. I moved and I still keep coming back because these are the most honest people you will find! I never feel pressured in replacing anything and owner is always available to check out my car if I have some concerns. The best place! Highly recommended. read more