I was referred to this place by my mechanic and he said I might need a transmission flush. My car was driving fine but no work was done on it for at least 50k miles. So I decided to give this place a try. Aldo managed to schedule me into his extremely busy calendar. He took my car out for a spin and said I didn't have to do flush my transmission​. And he said only a service was needed. It didn't cost much at all. He's an honest mechanic and brought me into the shop and showed me what work was done and didn't do the whole sales pitch about several things that needs changing like most other places do. He said not to comeback to him for at least 30k miles! read more

Aldo is not a good guy. He brings you in like family he's going to do this he's going to do that all is good. His MO three weeks $3000. He's got a lot of great reviews don't know how. Ford explore transmission call the week after dropping it off hasn't looked at. After 3 weeks it was done $3000. The extra cost was for hard parts drums gears. It ran great I was happy. I thought I found a good guy. Brought the explore back for front end work. I knew the hubs were bad needed brakes upper bushing noises. Kept getting call needing more work. It has 130K miles on it I was ok with it. $3000 three week later and I get my explore back. And it runs great healthy V8 howling down the highway suspension feels great transmission shifting very very pleased So now I drop off my 92 Toyota SR5 also in bad shape it needs a little work under the hood. So here comes the phone calls that need stairs it needs that it's starting to grow I trusted him OK let's do it. After two weeks it's still not done he had to adjust the valves dial it in a little better just a various of excuses. So when my little pick up truck is ready I go down to pick it up and I get a bill for $3000. I said something little too loud like wow seems to be $3000 for three weeks. And then I get to sales pitch it runs great yada yada yada so OK I paid my bill and I left not feeling very good the third time. So a few months later I hear a clicking on my front end when I break not all the time but it's there. Every time I called Aldo to bring it in he was always busy call me Monday call me Friday call me next week. The clicking get louder and I started getting upset had some words with Aldo you need to look at this shit too damn busy. Pulling into Safeway hit my brakes a big clunk and my right front tire locks up. I had to drive forward with a locked up wheel to get out of traffic it was a Saturday Aldo was closed I had it towed to a shop and they found caliper bolt missing it's like a 4 inch bolt evidently it wasn't tight and it worked itself out. When I reached out to Aldo I was pretty pissed and he seemed to not believe me I don't know. I still had clicking on the front end that was very sporadic took it to another shop they charge me another hundred dollars just to check everything and they found another bolt loose on the power steering. At this time I'm furious with Aldo I have two invoices and I want him to pay. After having two different shops look at it I still heard a clicking. After things cool down a little bit I told him that my transmission was slipping not big just a little step bang slip bang. That's the only reason why I brought it back to him. He did say he found something broken in the front and he replaced it and he adjusted the transmission. This is all about a year ago or year and a half ago explorer runs great transmission shifts front and tight just a lot of bullshit to get to it. I never write reviews just not my thing. But today I just had to. I just put a $1500 deposit on an engine rebuild for my little pick up truck. The one that Aldo worked on and charge me $3000. Aldo is a bad guy and not to be trusted read more

I'm a car guy so take this review from someone who knows cars and knows the industry... Stay away from Gearmaster and the owner, Aldo. Although they might seem knowledgeable with transmission issues, they will use every possible opportunity to milk your wallet dry. This is the last place I would recommend getting transmission work done. I took my car to this shop after the manual transmission shredded a few gears on the freeway. They charged me an outrageous amount to put a "new" transmission in the car only to find out they simply rebuilt an old used unit from a wrecking yard and just installed it as "new" (they never said rebuild/rebuilt). Cost was twice what I would have paid for a rebuilt unit at other shops. In addition, they were very hesitant in correcting some of their own mistakes that cropped up later and I had to literally argue with them to honor their "warranty." On top of all this, they left my car out in the rain with the windows cracked or trunk cracked open - whatever it was left a raunchy mildew/mold odor that has yet to dissipate years later. This experience left me feeling extremely ripped off and tempted to call the BBB. I'd never go back to this shop again. read more

I thought my transmission on my F-150 was slipping and since Aldo's team at Gearmaster had rebuilt my transmission, I took it to them to fix. Aldo went for a test drive with me and informed me it was one of my spark plugs misfiring. I had them change all the spark plugs and the problem was resolved. Keep in mind if I took my truck to the Ford dealership to replace the spark plugs they would make me sign a waiver releasing them from liability if the happen to break off one of the spark plugs in my engine which seems ridiculous since they're the original manufacturer of my vehicle and I bought it brand new from them. Aldo and his team took care of it without all the hassle or release of liability. I highly recommend Gearmaster for their professionalism and workmanship. Thanks Aldo!! read more

Shredded my differential 2 Fridays ago. Got my truck towed from RWC to a local shop by the house here in SJ. I knew what was wrong with it but I didn't know how bad. That shop calls me on Monday to give me the bad news and quotes me at $2600. HAHAHAHA!! I'm not a mechanic but I know how much parts and labor should cost for a job like this, and they had lost their mind! Called another local shop and they said the job was too much for them. However they recommended Aldo & Gearmaster. I called Aldo for a quote and he got back to me a couple hours later. He said they were closed on the 4th (Tuesday) but if I had my truck towed to the shop and dropped my keys off, they'd take a look at it ASAP. I did just that. I told the first shop to put my rear end back together and paid them $250 for the "labor". No way I was paying $2600. Had my truck towed to Gearmaster and waited for a call. Aldo called me Thursday morning to discuss my options. New OEM parts and a complete rebuild for HALF the price of what the other place was charging. Gave him the green light and had my truck back by Friday afternoon. Did a road test with me before I drove away and gave me some tips for the future. Overall a great shop and Aldo is a great owner. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone needing rear end work! read more

A year and a half later. Truck is still not done. It has become a trash can and is missing parts. read more

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Having to incounter trouble with your transmission is no fun, neither is finding a place to repair it. So when my 2001 Acura finally starting acting up I was on a mission to get my monies worth and questions answered. After a little searching and getting quotes, I found this place and the experience and outcome was GREAT and definitely satisfying. The owner Aldo is a very nice,down to earth, knowledgable mechanic and had a way of explaining things that I could understand. Not once did I feel like it was getting got or sold, he offered to take a look at my car for free. The other thing I liked was that there was constant comunication between the us. When my car was ready they even picked me up from my work and took me to my baby (my Car). My car drove like a champ again! I would most certainly recommend anyone looking for a trust worthy shop to go here, you wont be disappointed. read more

I am an owner of Mini cooper 2005 made. My car had some troubles for these two years. Each time I took it to the dealer, and I was always charged expensive fee. It had a trouble again last weekend and it seemed something wrong with transmission. The dealer's mechanic recommended to replace it, but the cost is $9000 ! No way! I almost gave up to drive my car, but I took it to Gearmaster. Aldo is a very kind man, he checked it and tried several ways to fix it even searching information in the internet. Finally my car has been fixed without changing transmission. It was just computer problem, so the cost was only $200 for labor fee. I am very happy to be able to drive it again. I highly recommend this shop ! read more

This is a great shop, I had my Range rover sport transmission replaced. They were extremely thorough and explained everything that need to happen. They gave me an accurate quote and I highly recommend this shop. read more

As far as I am concerned Gearmaster is the only place to take anything on wheels. I have been doing business with Aldo (the owner) for over 15 years and he has never let me down. You get the absolute best service and value for any and all of your repairs at Gearmaster. I just picked up my Tahoe tonight, Aldo only had it for 24 hours and he was able to replace the old burned out transmission and replace it with a new one and got me back on the road in no time. Although I don't live in San Jose anymore I still make the trip down to assure myself I am taken care of by Gearmaster. Bottom line, if you want good service and quality work it's a no brainer where to take your car. If you take it somewhere else, it's a risk your going to have to take. read more

I am not surprised that everyone wrote such shining reviews for Aldo. His customer service is upstanding, and he was genuinely interested in my car. He knows his stuff, and he freely answered any questions that I had. He showed me exactly what was going on, and overall I left feeling like my car was safe in good hands. I brought my car in 900 miles after he changed my transmission so he could make sure everything is still working as expected. I am the original owner of a 2001 Rav 4 with 170k miles on it, and I'm hoping I'll get many more years out of it - maybe even reach 300k, because I love that thing; It gone through so much with me. Anyway, Aldo and Gearmaster have been great, and it feels like I made a new friend. Thanks Richi Rich for the referral! Usually I have a hard time trusting car mechanics since I know so little about cars, but not with these guys. read more

Let's start off by stating that Aldo's golden customer service and communication are without comparison! Ok, I see a few negative reviews here. I can assure you my fellow Yelpers that this was not the case for me. About a month ago my daughters PT cruiser went out, her lifeline between work and social life. I had my mobile mechanic Ritchie Rich (highly recommended as well) look at it. Unfortunately he doesn't service transmission issues. He pointed me to Gearmasters. From the start Aldo, the shop owner gave me a warm welcome and after looking into my daughters car he came back with some very scary diagnostics. The power control module went out as well as a few other things. After almost a month in his shop, yes, a month (car was in bad shape) he tackled every issue it had. Explaining every detail along the way!! He went to extremes to have the issues resolved as soon as possible. My daughter was at the point of hysterics from being chauffeured by mom and dad from point A to point Z! Finally got the car back! It runs smoothly, it feels secure, and the best part? It didn't break the bank!! So fellow Yelpers, with all respect to other shops, please give Aldo a visit the next time your vehicle has the hiccups! His shop takes on all makes and models! Be safe out there everyone!! read more

Even though I've moved an hour North, I still have my vehicles serviced at Gearmaster. I've had two crappy cars blow their even crappier transmissions: A Ford Exploder and a Dodge Dakota. Both transmissions were rebuilt perfectly without any need to return for additional service or repair. (Note to American cars--We're breaking up) This is the way a shop should operate. Aldo knows his business and sticks to his word. I have friends who have been screwed by a transmission shop, who initially gave a much lower estimate, and SURPRISE, once your vehicle is in 500 pieces, they need more $$ to put it back together. Good luck out there. read more

Hello this review is for my 2007 FJ cruiser I took my FJ in because I heard a noise coming from the rear and I took it to gear master because of their reputation on yelp was stellar I was greeted by the owner Aldo he was very nice and knowledgeable we took it for a test drive and he knew what it was right away he rebuilt my rear end for a very good price I will take all my cars to him from now on he is very honest and Will not replace parts that do not need replacing very easy to communicate with The guys at gear master and the owner are awesome read more

I have to admit Aldo is definitely a great mechanic and definitely has patience and is always professional. He will try to save you on cost and helps in every way he can. Know this I am not always pleasant to deal with when it comes to my truck. Even with that he was positive and always giving feedback. It was the best clutch work my truck has seen. read more

I brought my car to a Nissan Dealership after my engine light went on, to only find out that my 2012 Nissan Quest Tranny had ran its last mile. Nissan asked for 5000 to fix my tranny! I admit, I was totally expecting that price, but I definitely didn't want to hear it. After talking it over with my dad, he suggested for me to take my car over to GEARMASTER! First off, let me say I was really hesitant, just because I figure the only way it was going to be done right was going to be thru the dealer themselves, but I gave them a shot and I have to tell you I was AMAZED of how smooth the process was and how much I appreciate Aldo assuring me that my car was in the best of hands!!! Not only were they able to fix my tranny, but they were able to save me lots of $$$, back their work, and accommodate me by getting my car back in running condition within 24 hours. ALDO and his team are LIFESAVERS! Aldo is a great communicator, provides excellent customer service, loves to help people save money and lastly, an owner that stands by his work! I really appreciate all that he's done! I definitely would recommend him to anyone that is currently looking to fix there car! Giving him 5 stars for satisfaction, customer service, price, cleanliness, quality, and communication! I would love to give him an extra star for requesting a follow up visit. It's not everyday that your mechanic or dealer wants to check out their work weeks after it's been done. BTW... my car runs like a brand new car :) read more

Had issues with a leaky transmission. Diagnostic was quick and honest. Due to apparent rust on other parts I decided not to perform any repair on this vehicle. I really appreciate the honesty and recommendations I received but also fair price for the time spend disassembling and reassembling the transmission part. I would highly recommend them for any transmission work and would go back if I have any issue with my new Toyota 4runner off road. read more

Great work and prices and gets the job done quick. Too bad Yelp puts them on the bottom even when you search their actual name.

Saying Gearmaster is a master of gears is an understatement. These guys are the gear kings. I'm a car junkie and I know my car inside and out. I don't let anyone touch my car unless I sense that they know what they are doing and that I can trust them. I drive a high performance Mitsubishi Evo IX that was having some grinding issues at high RPMs between gears. The car was stolen and joyrode by someone who didn't know what they were doing. This resulted in my transmission being damaged but still driveable. The car saw multiple repair shops that could not figure out what the damage was nor how to fix it. All the gear's seemed fine, but the problem persisted. Luckily, I found Gearmaster. They are a clean shop full of people who know what they are doing. Upon pulling out the transmission, Aldo invited me over to the shop to go over the parts and what he determined to be the issue. I saw and inspected every part of the transmission and was highly impressed with Aldo's ability to find and itemize the few bits of wear and damage that were most likely the cause of the issue. After this, he told me what needs to be replace and gave me a quote that was extremely fair. A week later I was back in the drivers seat and all I have to say is..."WOW!!". Not only is the grinding issue finally fixed, but the car is shifting smoother than ever. When I bought the car brand new in 2006, it didn't even shift as smoothly as it does now. Thank you Gearmaster! P.S. Aldo, hope you don't mind that I snagged a few of your business cards. I'll be handing them out. read more

Aldo is super attentive and kept me up to date. Got a re-gear on an off-road vehicle, no issues with me bringing my own parts. Came here based on a recommendation from a friend and he was right! read more

The entire customer exp and truck repairs were better than I expected. I was given a free analysis and they found it was only front deferential need replaced And they deal it on time. read more

Aldo is an amazing guy that takes a lot of pride in what he fixes and rebuilds. I would recommend people to come here first before going to other shops because he only fixes the problem and he's a master in diagnosing mechanical issues. I had to take my truck here because my regular mechanic was booked out two weeks and he had misdiagnosed the issue as being a transfer case failure. Aldo found it to be a differential carrier failure and saved me hundreds of dollars. Him and his crew did the job in 2 days. Simply amazing! read more

I went to this place after reading the reviews on yelp. The owner Aldo is great to work with. I am happy with the service I got. Things I liked: Quality of work, customer service, and open to saving the $$ Things I didn't like: Takes too long for giving an estimate, Doesn't look at overall health of the vehicle(For example, I ended up spending $4k on rebuilt transmission and several other stuff, but alternator failed one week later).. But, overall, they seem to be honest compared to other repair shops.. Thanks read more

Thank you for restoring my 59 Chevy Impala rear axle very great job looks like brand-new and runs like new really appreciate you working with me on the price read more

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Gearmaster is hands down the best experience I have ever had at a mechanic. About a year ago my car began having transmission faults and I spent the better portion of $1000 and 8 months going in circles with various other mechanics trying to diagnose the issue but none were successful. I was so frustrated and on the verge of selling my car when I met Aldo at Gearmaster. Aldo was incredibly transparent with everything he was doing and didn't try to play any games or screw me over like any mechanics had done in the past. He even went through the work that other mechanics had done and found that they installed a faulty valve body and went out of his way to call them and make sure that I was refunded for their error. Since the work was completed, my car finally runs as it should and I'm very thankful for Aldo and his team for providing amazing service! read more

Had my 4L60E transmission fully rebuilt and 'upgraded' here two years ago for close enough to $2,500 (NOT including removal or installation) After 15,000 miles it's needed another full rebuild. Just looked at the parts removed and spoke to the tech at the shop doing the repairs. Input shaft end play was way too tight, FIVE stripped bolts on the pan, the 5 pinion planetary sets I paid for were never installed. Sun shell was damaged and bits of gear teeth everywhere. I can go on but 'nuff said I think... Giving three stars as at least the 3-4 clutch was good and they did at least install the upgraded band and the "beast" sunshell. Seems the primary issue was input endplay too tight read more

The rear end on my wife's 64 Impala SS was making some funny noises. I took it to Gearmaster to have it checked out. Turns out the spider gears had broke. Aldo recommended we go with the heavy duty Posi rear end. The work was done in a couple of days at a reasonable price. We couldn't be happier with the results. The car drives better than ever, he even went over everything else while he was down there. Great service, great parts, great price and great people! read more

I don't know anyone who enjoys spending their money on auto repairs, I know I don't. Unfortunately, at times, we have no choice, so when I noticed a grinding sound coming from the rearend of my 2005 GMC Safari Mini Van, I thought, here goes my hard earned $$$$! Since my last visit to the GMC dealership in Sunnyvale was a total joke and what I felt was an attempt to rip me off, the search was on for a competent repair facility the could repair rearends and still leave me with some money left over for the upcoming Christmas Holiday. I found that repair shop in Gearmaster in San Jose, CA. I called and spoke to Aldo, the owner and we made an appointment for the next day. When I arrived, he put my van on the lift immediately and John the technician disassembled my van's differential as i watched! It was clear to see I had brought my van to the right place! John was smooth and methodical in his work and had the rear end completely apart within 15 minutes. He and Aldo pointed out the damaged bearings that was causing the grinding noise. He wrote up an estimate that I was very happy with, ordered the parts as we spoke and announced I would be able to pick up my van early the next afternoon! I was all smiles! I was never so confident that the repairs were going to be done right the first time! A week later, I drove to Southern California, a round trip total of over 700 miles and my Safari ran smooth and quiet again, just like new! So, if you need rearend, transmission or transfer case repairs, Gearmaster is the place to go! You won't regret it! Thanks Aldo! read more

From numerous past experience I've had with mechanics servicing my car, I can honestly say that GearMasters is far the best experience that I ever had. I had researched the website for a shop that would replace my transmission and after stumbling upon yelps review on Gearmaster, I have made a call. I have spoken to Aldo, who was the owner, regarding my situation with my car. He was very professional and very helping in which I felt a sense this was a good choice to go with and not only good but the best for several reasons. I needed to get my car towed on a Saturday and couldn't during the week. Aldo had plans on Saturdays but instead made the effort in showing up to the shop to meet with me to make sure I was taken care of. The day I picked up my car, Aldo and I together took my car for a test drive and made sure that I was aware what was serviced on my car. Bottom line, Gearmaster have shown me the honest professionalism and commitment in being the best service I have received. Thanks Aldo!!! read more

My Toyota Previa had 258,000 miles and had served us well for many years. But I finally managed to kill the transmission by taking a six backpackers and gear over Sonora Pass. The van was slipping badly in reverse and changing the tranny fluid and filter didn't solve the problem, so I dropped by a few repair shops. Based on the high reviews on Yelp, Gearmasters was one of the stops. Aldo only had to smell the transmission fluid to know that something was amiss within the transmission. Given the age and mileage of the car, he advised that swapping out with a used tranny would be cheaper than trying to re-build it. He called later to say he had found a compatible transmission with low miles on it (as far as Previas go). He got the job done for a great price, and with a warranty to boot! The folks at Gearmaster were helpful, friendly and efficient. I would definitely recommend this shop to my friends. read more

Very rarely do I post a comment online about any business, but I felt compelled to write one about Gearmaster in San Jose. My mother's VW Beetle Bug was facing complete transmission failure as I was told by other automotive shops in the area. I was quoted approximately $4500 for a replacement. For a "second opinion", I just happened to call Gearmaster and told them of the symptoms of the car. I spoke to Gabriel and he convinced me that the problem may not take a replacement to resolve. Rather, he told me that he sees this problem often and the fix is the replacement of a simple component and NOT a rebuild. I took the car in and received it back 3 days later. The car runs great and I paid about 1/5 of what I was quoted at other shops! I personally called the owner (Aldo) and thanked him for his honesty and integrity. I'm very happy with their service and above all saving me (literally)thousands of dollars. Thank you Gearmaster. Terry Qureshi read more

Stopped by for a quick transmission checkup. Aldo did a clutch adjustment and a long test drive for no charge! Plus their prices are the best in bay area, will definitely bring my cars here from now on. read more

Gearmaster began work removing a transmission from my car (at a great price). The owner of Gearmaster, Aldo, found a service bulletin online, saying that the transmission may be covered under an unusual extended warranty at the dealership. Aldo called me (they did not have to), stopped all work, and did not charge me for this work (they could have). I respect this kind of honesty. They lost money because it was the right thing to do. I was given all the facts as they became known, and decided to take it to the dealership, where it is being repaired at no charge. I will be taking all transmission work to Gearmaster, and sending anyone else I know as well. read more

Can I just say honesty and good work go hand in hand with this place. Aldo is the man! Saved me time and money. If you have a problem with your transmission don't look any further than Gearmasters. read more

Knowledgeable, reasonable and honest. What more do you want in a repair shop? Don't believe me? Check out the show cars they are usually repairing. Each time I've gone in, there are high end cars, low-riders, hot rods, customs, up on lifts. You don't get that type of business if you don't know what you are doing! But don't worry they'll treat you like a VIP even if you are driving a 20 year old Jeep like me! read more

I read all these great reviews about this place so I thought I'd give them a try to solve a shuttering problem in my jeep's rear end. With the name "gearmaster" I expected a shop that specialized in drivetrains. I met with Aldo at about 9:00am and I was impressed with how clean the shop was. He test drove the Jeep with me, identified the symptom I was talking about, and he offered to diagnose the problem for no charge if I could leave it with him for a few hours to which I agreed. I left and waited until 4:30 to check on the Jeep, to which Aldo repsonded he hadn't been able to finish diagnosing it yet. I said, "You said you only needed it a few hours" and he said it was a busy day and he couldn't get to it and he had already locked the vehicle up behind other cars and was leaving for the day. I told him I wouldn't had left it then, because I needed the vehicle to get to work the next day and I demanded that I get the vehicle back. He said he would wait for me. I arrived and he proceeded to give me a $3000 dollar quote for EVERYTHING that is wrong with the Jeep EXCEPT for the problem I asked him to diagnose (leaks, cracked hoses, etc) I did not go there for general services and leak repairs for which I am already aware, I went there for a drivetrain issue, that clearly they would have had time to diagnose had they not focus on the unimportants. Aldo, the owner is NOT a mechanic, he is a salesman. STEER CLEAR of this shop. read more

IF YOU WANT YOUR CAR TO LAST MORE THAN A YEAR, DO NOT GO TO GEAR MASTERS!!! ALDO IS A TOTAL LIAR!!!! Feb 2010: I go to Gearmaster. My 2002 Honda Accord transmission was supposedly rebuilt $2200. I got a one year warranty. Results: car drove fine. March 2011: My tranny starts messing up again! I take it back to Gear Masters. My Torque Converter is bad. I talk to several mechanics and they say the torque converter should always be replaced when a tranny is rebuilt! They HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT! Aldo told me the torque converter is not apart of a rebuild. LIE!!! At this time, he has my tranny in pieces and wants to charge me $500 to replace the torque converter. I told him what I thought he should do and he honored the warranty. March 2013: My torque converter is bad AGAIN!!! REALLY??? Shouldn't rebuilding a tranny give it new life? It's not like I drive Nascar with my sedan. I just take the kids to school and go to work. My car sits in s parking lot all day til I have to go home. Aldo took advantage of me. And now, I am here writing this review. And looking for a new car. iF YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR TRANSMISSION BREAKING DOWN AGAIN A YEAR LATER...........DO NOT GO TO GEAR MASTERS!!!!! The above update is from yesterday. It is not just the torque converter. As of today, I was told that my transmission needs to be rebuilt AGAIN!!! A whole nother REBUILD!!! On a HONDA ACCORD!!! BS!!! So Furious at the kind of service I got from Aldo at Gearmaster!!! The WORST service EVER!!! read more

Students come here!! Gear Master is the best mechanic shop I have ever been to. Aldo took extra care of me and my car. He put in extra effort to make my car run like it has never before. Also he hs a fair price and quality work. I would recomend coming here. Best mechanics in San jose read more

A big thank you to Gearmaster for you "expertise" in transmissions. They are so well trained that they didnt notice that my torque converter was the culperate and reason for my transmission to go out on my Envoy. So after 2,500 spent at Gearmaster, with a very limited warranty, of course the transmission has gone out again. This time it has blown out completey taking the entire casing with it. If they would have taken the time to inspect the transmission the first time, I would not be spending our rent money on such an easy catch for a transmission professional. read more

If you need transmission work done than you want to take your vehicle to Gearmaster. Aldo is so good at what he does. He is honest and does a great job. We took our Excursion to him and it is now running better than when it was brand new. A huge thanks to the shop for your hard work. read more