I have a last minute emergency. My battery that I bought at Costco 2/2017 is dead and no charge. I was able to charge it a bit and i went to this auto shop that I called around 4 pm. The owner waited for me and immediately provided me services changed my battery and boom my car is in good shape again and running. That is customer service resolving my problem and made me happy. Thank you very much. read more

Just went for a regular oil change and minor maintenance. Finished within half an hour! Awesome speed, friendly people and reasonable price. read more

I went to this mechanic many years with my old car and liked them a lot. When I upgraded to my wife's 12 year old honda I decided to start going to the honda dealer because they were closer. After running down the battery (light left on) and recharging it, the SRS light went on. Honda told me that the SRS unit needed to be replaced at a cost of $950. Dan at Chin's told me that it would cost $820 to replace, but maybe the light just needed to be "cleared" (reset). I took it in and Dan reset it in about 3 minutes. Problem fixed, no charge. Forget the dealer, I'm going back to Chin's. read more

Great service. Dan was very patient with answering my many questions even though he was juggling a few customers at once. Their price was cheaper than the another garage nearby and it seems very reasonable. They were able to fix my brakes on the same day (after I brought it in earlier in the day). Would definitely come back and recommend to friends. Very convenient location too. read more

Yep ....it's true, this bunch rock! Dan brought my "mothballed" BMW back to life after a year of hibernation. Dan and his crew took good care of my baby at a affordable & fair price. The best neighborhood mechanic you could ever want. read more

I've been taking my car here for several years. Dan always works on my car. They do a great, thorough job and always go out of their way to get me more affordable parts if they are available. Dan always explains exactly what is wrong with the car and gives me his professional opinion about the priority of what needs to be done. I like an auto shop that treats you like a person, not like a girl! Thanks guys! read more

Henry Chin's is a no-nonsense, honest kind of shop. The other day I had my car battery replaced there, and got some good advice along the way. Quick and courteous service. Highly recommnded. read more

These guys are awesome! We came in with a broken muffler. They could have charged us a fee for looking at our car and telling us what was wrong, but they didn't. They sent us on to the specialty auto shop we needed without charging is at all. This business is honest, kind, and has very quick service. I will definitely be coming here in the future for any car repairs I might need. Thanks guys! read more

When I moved from the east coast to Berkeley, I was pretty sure I would never find an auto repair shop that would be as trustworthy, reasonably priced and honest as the place I used back east...I was so wrong. Henry Chin has fixed three of my cars over the past few years and the work has always been perfect and not too expensive. My favorite thing about this shop is that they will tell you what needs to be done immediately to keep you safe and what you can hold off on and do later. My best experience (of very many experiences) with Henry came late last year. I brought my 94 Honda Accord in because it was making a horrendous sound. It turned out that it was something related to the water pump and it needed to be replaced. Apparently, according to Henry, this was something that was on a previous estimate I'd had at the shop and they had meant to fix it a few months earlier when I'd brought it in. I looked back at my bills from Henry's and saw that this was true and that it wasn't fixed and it I wasn't charged for it. When Henry called he said he was sorry for the mix-up and that they'd do all of the work for free. What????? Free???? Isn't that supposed to cost a couple hundred bucks? Henry is awesome! They did the work and gave me a call at the end of the day to say the car was all done and there was no charge. When I was stuck in traffic going to pick up the car Henry said not to worry about it because they were still at the shop having some beers. I arrived with a six-pack (it was the least I could do) 15 minutes after closing and got my car back and it was all fixed. You can't get better than that! I bought a new car last year and the only downside is that I don't get to see Henry as often. Thanks to Henry and all of the guys at Henry Chin's! I'll never go anywhere else. read more

Henry Chin's is the best. A friend had recommend him to me and I'm so glad he did. I got my Honda Civic towed in for a crank no start issue. He checked it out and found the computer was busted. Replaced the computer with a used one and reprogrammed it to the car. I rode my bike over to pick up my car and Henry helped me load my bike in the back of my car. All the staff were really nice and helpful and gave me a reasonable price to fix the car. read more

We stopped at thanksgiving eve to see if by any chance we can get our tire checked. We waited in a coffee shop for only 20 mins and everything got all set. Not only check but also repair. So surprised! Wonderful service and efficient work! Thank you Mr. Chin and team! read more

Henry is a life saver! Thank you for taking such good care of me when I was really prepared for the worst news. Henry calmly said he would need to look into the problem before he would agree to my thoughts that the engine was blown. After a few hours and some investigating he called me with good news he had found the problem and could fix same day! Total honesty and integrity more than fair pricing what else can you ask for. You have a new customer for life, thanks again. read more

Henry Chin and his crew are the best mechanics ever. I would not take my toyotas anywhere else. Great service, reasonable prices, no surprises. I've been a customer since he first opened his Berkeley shop. You will not be disappointed. read more

These guys are AMAZING! After being screwed over by two other mechanics, a co-worker recommended them. I am so glad she insisted I try them! I came to them with my Honda Civic which had been constantly having problems for the past month and half. Not only did they fix the current problem (a leaky heater hose) but they also checked the timing belt after I asked about it, and then figured out why my car was running warmer than usual. And all for a very reasonable price! They really seem to know what they are talking about and care that you have a car that is running the way it should. I can just not say enough good things about them. They are my regular mechanics for sure now. Thank You Dan and every one at Henry Chins Auto Care! You are all awesome! read more

Great service, fast. I really appreciate how straight forward they are. At some other shops I get the feeling they are working me or trying to make me feel like I don't know what I'm talking about. I feel respected at Henry Chins. Also, I don't need fancy waiting rooms or a courtesy shuttle. I need my car fixed fast with no bs. These guys delivery every time! read more

YES YES YES!!!!! No bullshit, on schedule, solid mechanic. I've taken my last three cars to Henry and I'm always amazed how quickly they get a job done. I recently had an engine part break and other shops were telling me to junk the car (2003 Lexus).....I had the car towed to Henry's where he custom fabricated a part for me within 3 days! Problem solved and the car drives better than the day I bought it!!!!! Don't go to him....he'll get too busy and won't have time to help me!!! HAHA....I kid I kid....You want the job done right and for a reasonable price? Henry Chin is the place to go. Nuff said. read more

My first visit here was just to do a quick oil change on my old clunker. The service was fast and reasonably priced so I decided to return for a second time when a turn signal bulb burned out. To my surprise Dan offered to replace the bulb free of charge on the spot! FREE!!! No charge for labor or parts! On another visit I was dropping off my car for an oil change and asked about how my headlights had become really dim over the years. At first Dan said he'd call around and see if he could find replacements or some xenon ones. Later in a day I get a call from him and he says he cleaned the headlight surfaces with a buffer solution and they're a lot brighter. I was surprised by his honesty. I'm sure other repair shops I've been to would've just bought new bulbs and installed them without offering the cheaper, easier fix. If you want honesty and fair prices from an auto repair shop then bring your car here! read more

I have gone to Henry Chin's for the past year for numerous car issues. Each time I've been treated very well by Dan and Henry. I find them to be very honest and hardworking. They are affordable and reliable. Their estimates make sense and always come out to be cheaper for labor when I consult with other places. I highly recommend them! read more

I used to love this place. I've brought 3 different cars here over 15 years. The owner, Henry is great, but the guy that interacts with the customers now is Dan, and he's not as cool. I've decided not to go back. I want a mechanic who will listen to me. They don't do this here anymore...at least not with me. read more

So i didn't have a car for a long time, and it's been awhile since I went. But last year I got an old truck, and i took it in to Henry's to have a once over on it, since it hadn't been driven much in a long time. So Henry's retired now, and his nephew is running the business, and it's not the same. They double charged me, and they didn't find something pretty significant. I went in and told them that it needs a good looking at to see if anything rubber/plastic was wearing out (like hoses and belts) and it needed a fluids change and to look for anything that didn't seem right/was wearing out that was more than just cosmetic. -- they found a few legit things, but also did not find something pretty significant that they should have found since it was making a pretty regular noise -- that i didn't find out about until later. But they double charged me for something like (I can't remember exactly any more) the hose inspection because they do that already during the fluid check/change. Henry would have never done that. I didn't notice the double charge until later, and it wasn't that much money so I didn't bother to say anything. I went in later to fix one of the things they had originally found, and mentioned the squeak in the wheel (which had been there when i took in the last time) and then they told me my brakes were cracked -- sure wish they'd realized that before i'd driven another 1000 miles -- and they didn't offer to show me the broken part like Henry would've. Anyway, I'd say their actual work is still decent, and they're still really affordable - but it's definitely not the same as when Henry was minding the store. read more

I've had nothing but great experiences with Henry and Dan - have had them service multiple cars - including rebuilding an engine. They have also worked on my wife's car and other friends cars. Everyone had nothing but good things to say. They are super nice, knowledgeable, experienced, and extremely honest and fair. They always act with your best interests in mind - and are creative in finding the most affordable way to address the car's problems. They never try to oversell you service you don't need. I can't recommend them enough if you have anything from a minor issue to a regular service to a major repair. read more

I've had 2 cars (Ford Focus and Honda Fit) repaired at Henry's. He always takes care of me and I appreciate him or his staff explaining to me what caused the need for my repair visits. An honest mechanic that charges very reasonable prices. read more

Dan at Henry Chins is one of the most honest and helpful mechanics I have ever met. He goes above and beyond for his customers. I recently had a very frustrating experience where my car broke down at the lake in Livermore (over 30 miles away!). My car was towed to the Honda dealership in Livermore where they were quoting me an outrageous price to replace my radiator. I called Dan to get a second opinion. He was appalled at how the Honda dealership was trying to rip me off and was determined to help me. Not only did he call around trying to find a tow truck that could get my car to his shop, but he also called mechanics in Livermore to see if they would match his price. In the end, we came up with a brilliant plan that enabled his mechanics to fix my car and get it back to Oakland for half the price that the Honda dealership was quoting. I was blown away by his kindness and determination to help me get my car back without breaking the bank. After such a trying experience it was so nice to have my faith renewed in humanity. This is just one of many positive experiences with Dan. He is always looking out for our best interests and goes the extra mile so that we are safe. I'm so thankful that we can rely on him. read more

It is miserable morning, cold, raining... I come in and ask if they can give me a jump. Short "No." is my answer. Well, thanks for nothing. Granted, even though I live across the street I never take my car there any more. I think they know it. ;) But guess why? Because who would want to pay for the same repair twice in a span of 6 months?! read more

Horrible nightmare mechanics. I had a year long experience here. The owner/ mechanic said he could do anything and everything while rebuilding my engine for my car. He lied. It took them 9 months to rebuild my engine. Yes I said nine months. I got it back and two days later it broke down. They tried to blame me for screwing it up. Then after they finally fixed it for the second time one year had elapsed. This shop is full of it. Bad mechanics who think they know everything. If you ever heard of the mechanics that are not good people and try to rip other people off, they are in this shop. Maybe it's just the owner of the shop but they are not professional nor are they knowledgable. Don't go, save your money and peace of mind! read more

My name is fish. I have another place I want to tell people about. This time it's Henry Chin's auto care. First of all I would like to say hello to Henry and Dan and the rest of the knowledgeable staff. Through a period of time I have taken at least five maybe seven cars to Henry's for various things ranging from insurance claim work to personal vehicle repair to advice on semi major jobs to small little knickknack items. Henry and Dan have been consistent with their knowledge, know-how and willingness to help me at a fair price. One of the many things that I appreciate no matter what sort of business I choose to patronize is customer service. Henry and Dan provide great customer service. Even when they are not available they make it a point to call back. They consistently update you on all of the things that are going on with your vehicle, and are able to answer any and all questions honestly. Henry chins auto care also works on classic cars. Recently I took in a older American car that had a slew of various problems ranging from carburetion to brakes. Henry's staff is so knowledgeable when it comes to all of the variables that involve an older car. They were more than willing to work with me and all of the various items that presented themselves and was very fair with their pricing. When the occasion arises where I have to take the car back for another repair or something that could or could not be related to the previous repair Henry's makes me feel very confident that they will not treat me like how some repair shops treat you when you want to come back to address a previous repair or ask further questions related to repair already done. Henry and Dan will personally ask you to come back and they will check it out and they stand behind their word and consistently back it up. I highly recommend anybody who is considering finding a new shop for their automobile, regardless of year make and model to strongly strongly consider Henry Chin's auto repair. read more

Purchased a 94 Lexus last year and had issues ever since...not super bad issues but enough where I've been to this shop at least 3 times last year...I've always talked to Dan which reminds me of my Supervisor at work...lol He's a really cool guy who always keeps it real with me. I called on Friday and ask could I bring my car in on Monday...he said no problem get it in by 10 am...on a couple of occasions I've had my own parts so that kept it simple and quick...I'm on my way to pick my car up and now and I'm sure I'll be pleased...I will be bringing my Acura in as well to get some work done...this is my go to shop...I recommend it BIG TIME!! read more

We were in Berkeley for move-in day and as bad luck would have it our truck overheated. The mechanics were quick to get the problem diagnosed and repaired for a fair price. We couldn't believe the level of service. Everyone friendly and professional. Nice garage close to campus. read more

This place is honest. I really have not had any major work done, so I cannot speak to their proficiency with complicated jobs, but honesty is always necessary in a mechanic. First time I brought in a 2009 Nissan Altima in early 2010. It was a rainy day, and my tire pressure monitor flashed. Maybe i ran over a nail I thought, and I took it to Henry Chin's. On the Nissan, it only signals low tire pressure, it does not tell you which wheel it is in. I brought it to Henry Chin's, simply told them that there might be a puncture and if there is, just patch and plug it. They checked every single wheel for the puncture. They took the wheels down and put it in the water bath to check for leaks. They spent almost 20 minutes checking each wheel, but found nothing. Turns out the air pressure was just low, they refilled the air for free and told me there's nothing to worry about. Fast forward to November 2011, this time I brought in a 2011 BMW 3 series. Same rainy day, same tire pressure issue. Except this time, it told me which tire the pressure seemed to leak from. Again, they took the wheel down into the bath and checked it carefully for 10 minutes. Again, there were no punctures. Both times, I was simply in the office and let them do their job. both times, they couldve charged me for their time. It wouldnt be a lot a lot of money, but I think their honest and friendly attitude towards me during my inconsequential visits really speaks to their honesty and dedication they have to their customers. read more

SO, the other day my civic stalled while I was driving home and it wouldn't start up again. It was a Sunday evening and unfortunately the only mechanic that was open was a Firestone. Big mistake. I should have just donated my car to charity and bought a segway or something, but I was pissed off I guess and not thinking straight. Anyway, I brought it there and they told me the computer was broken and gave me an estimate of $1100. I don't know much about cars, but I knew that seemed PDH (pretty damn high). As much as it pained me to eat the Firestone $100 diagnostic fee, I got my car towed over to Dan at Henry Chin's and discovered not only was the computer functioning fine (some of the wires around it had merely shorted out), Dan only ended up charging me less than $400 bucks, all said and done. The dude is super cool about explaining everything, and gives off a great, honest vibe. You can tell he's not going to rip you off. I've had mostly bad experiences with mechanics, and I was so happy to find this place. Moral of the story: DON'T GO TO FIRESTONE, PLEASE. and DAN IS THE MAN. HENRY CHINS FOR LIFE!!!!! read more

I came to Henry Chin's based on the recommendation of a good friend, who's had excellent experiences there for several years. I was also very impressed with the reviews here. My immediate objective was to have a trustworthy mechanic do a thorough pre-purchase inspection of a used car I was considering buying. The inspection cost $90, which is slightly more expensive than average in this area. I had a good experience with Dan himself - he was nice and seemed honest. The younger guys were not as nice but okay. More importantly - the inspection itself. Henry Chin's produces a very detailed print report outlining all the tests and results. They diagnose any problems with the car and then give you detailed quotes, itemizing part and labor costs down to each process involved, so that you have a sense of how much it would take to fix them. Overall, Dan said, the car seemed to be in good order but he pointed out quite a few repairs - replacing the tires, rear brake pads, an exhaust flex pipe, and a few other more minor things. To be honest, I was a bit surprised at the total sum that all these repairs would come out to. However, none of them seemed incredibly urgent. I ended up buying the car based on Henry's recommendation (it's a Nissan Maxima from the early 2000s). Four months have passed since then, and the car has been fine. I have not experienced any problems at all. Now, I am finally starting to think about actually doing all of the repairs that Dan had advised. And here is where my small complaint with Henry Chin's comes in: I went around a bunch of shops - here in Berkeley as well as in El Cerrito, and almost all of them gave me written quotes of parts & labor significantly lower than Henry Chin's. Some of his diagnoses also seemed to be a bit precocious - the exhaust flex pipe is obviously not (yet) broken (you'd hear it down the street if it were), and there is no need to pour $200 into it at this point. The wipers blades may be worn but they are doing their job just fine and don't need to be replaced. My conclusion: Henry Chin's was good but didn't quite live up to the hype. Shop around for some quotes before trusting blindly that you'll get the best deal here. The guys at Tire Joe's seem good and I also like the mechanic at Albany Tire, to cite just two alternative places. read more

Very friendly, fast help when I needed it--didn't cost me an arm and a leg when they could have charged me whatever they want -- car even stayed overnight for free for many nights read more

I came into Chin's last week hoping to get a quick fix on my front headlight--I already had the part--and Chin's quoted me 45 dollars! I said thank you and then drove across the street to see how much the Honda of Berkeley would be (I assumed Chin's would be cheaper than the dealer) but the dealer did it for free and it took them 5 minutes! Thanks Honda of Berkeley! read more

Hi Joseph, MYSTERYSHOPPER M. has sent you a message on Yelp: you have made a mistake "All your statements are false. We did not aquire a 5 star rating by screwing people. If you had a problem we would have taken care of it. You must be upset about something else and you are taking out on us. I hope you resolve all your personal issues before you write any more reviews because they are not helpful to others." Hi Joseph, MYSTERYSHOPPER M. has sent you a message on Yelp: I never even heard of you "I dont remember seeing you or you car here at the shop. I would remember if you were here three times. I think you are a liar. We have never worked on a Hyundai Sonata. Are you sure you have the right shop? I think your story is a bunch of bull. Are you just in the business of making bad reviews to make yourself feel better." the above are two personal messages i received from "mysteryshopper m" AKA henry chin's auto shop owner/manager LOL. so... mysteryshopper m, why are you writing awesome review for henry chin's auto in the guise of a customer? that's kind of misleading, isn't it? kind of manipulative, don't you think? you send me a personal message calling me a liar and saying i'm ruining and abusing yelp, and then you go ahead and give yourself(henry chin's auto) an awesome review "pretending" to be a customer... and i'm the liar? who's really being manipulative, buddy? in the personal message you are CLEARLY admitting that you are either the owner or manager or at least an employee. saying stuff like "WE did not acquire five stars.. blahblahblah.." and then on your yelp review for henry chin's, you write "there is no way THEYYYYY have 5 star... blahblahblah" YOU are the liar, bud, LOL. dude, accept the fact that you screwed me over. i literally spend 2000 or more on fixes from you incompetent losers and ended up selling the car for dirt cheap because it was just broken... i lost a ton of money because of you. you never fixed the problem and you just kept charging me, period. never admitting that you guys missed something or did something wrong or anything like that. just took the car and did more crap too it and charged me loads of money for it. why did i keep going back? BECAUSE I DID READ YOUR REVIEWS ON YELP and was hoping that you guys would come through. but you didn't. you guys milked me for all i had, so... yes, you better believe i was pissed and felt taken advantage of. you guys are dishonest, period. i think i've already proven that well enough in the above paragraphs. lol, i like your personal attack on me in your "customer review" for your own business(henry chin's). classic insecure, overly-defensive, guilt-proving retort, LOL. i still hope you incompetent and manipulative kids over there at henry chin's go out of business :) read more

This is the best shop I have found in the Bay Area. They have honest workers, and Dan is always available to explains the issue. He has even taken the time to put my car up on a lift just to explain what was going on with my car and show it to me in person. They are honest. When I had several issues with my car at once, Dan gave me a quote for what it would cost to fix, but highly recommended I go back to the last shop that did work on it and try to get them to fix it for free, since the last place messed up. He even wrote out what he found and what the issues were, so I would have something to show the owner of the shop that made the mistakes. read more

This shop has produced A+ service at a low price for me at least 5 times in a row. I just got home from my latest repair at Henry Chins. They replaced both of my engine mounts, my transmission mount, replaced my leaking power steering hose, and somehow managed to clear multiple error messages from the car's computer in one short visit for a low price. Now the car is running great and the Check Engine light is off. These guys are the best in the business. read more

This was the first time going to the shop. I brought my 1999 Toyota in for an issue with my car and they took the time out to talk about the issues. They did a brake job and installed a starter. They were very friendly, fast and reasonably priced. read more

This is my first time at this shop. I went there today to change oil and replace my battery. I got there at 2PM. I was not sure if they have the battery i need. I was lucky and they did. They told me they will have the job done in one hour. I came back at 3PM and it was done indeed. Great service, great customer service. read more

Your review helps others learn about great local businesses. First visit : I brought my Mercedes S550 in for a service check and a thermostate regulator replacement. I was nervous since the car has only seen the Mercedes shop. I was extremely happy with the service. The owner, Henry was very knowledgable and very professional. The price was fair and reasonable. I will taking my car there in the future. Please don't review this business if you received a freebie for writing this review, or if you're connected in any way to the owner or employees. read more

This was the fastest, service I have ever had done. They will get all of my future business!! I had a broken door handle on my 92 Toyota. Took my car in on Tuesday, Daniel ordered the part, went back on Wednesday Henry installed it. One hour later it was all done, he found a little problem with a rear brake lite, fixed that too. The service was great and I cannot believe how nice they are. The cost was very reasonable and fair. Great to find an honest mechanic, actually two, they are father and son!! read more