I had check light on and TRAC off light on at the same time. Did my homework and decided to go this place. From what I found from the website, I will probably end up paying something like 700-1000+. Soon they found that actually the problem was caused by a rat who sneaky bite the wire under my car. End up paying only $240. I was pretty happy and come back for the maintenance service. Independence Car Service did not disappoint me again. Come back for the auto body work for minor repair. Another auto body shop near by quoted me $3300. End up I was paying $278 for both labor and materials. The car look anew! I am very happy. Because I don't have to go through the insurance and don't have to take $1000 as deductible. My husband is laying in the hospital bed and my kid is little. There is nothing more important to help me as a woman who never handles all auto related issues along and charges me at very reasonable price. I am really thankful. And I will definitely come back at another time and also refer a lot of friends to this place! read more

Jay Johnson that started/owned this shop was a marvellous gentleman. Many times he fixed problems with a car I had then at a fraction of what other mechanics quoted. He sold the business to Tesh who was equally good and now that business is in the hands of Vladmir B. What impresses me is that the transparency, integrity, and quality of workmanship has remained intact through the change of hands. Vladmir replaced the brakes and timing belt on my Volvo 850. Good quality work done in a value-conscious way, saving me money compared to other Volvo mechanics and a lot less than what Carlsen Volvo quoted. At the same time Vladmir recommended I go to a Volvo shop for fixing the ABS module, something too Volvo-specific for him to engage with. Prompt service, honest, clean shop, quality work, and all at a cost advantage to other mechanics and especially the dealer shops. What a treasure! read more

Color me satisfied. I've been here twice in the last few years and both times, I was able to get an appointment fairly quickly and easily. On top of that, the prices are extremely reasonable. My 50K mile checkup was less than $100! Through my fault alone, they were unable to check my tires (my wheels are locked and I didn't give them the tools to unlock) so they didn't charge me for tire rotation, etc. (I'm not so sure any other place would have been this honest.) I'll definitely be back. read more

I've been bringing my vehicles to them for the past 5 years, and they are not limited to just Hondas/Acuras (although thats their specialty). They are competent, honest, and reasonably priced. There's not much more one can ask for. Now if you want a fancy waiting room and fawning customer service you wont get that, but for me thats pretty low on the list of things I care about in my auto mechanic. read more

I think it's 8, maybe 9 years since I first brought our Acura TL to what was then Independence Acura. No need to gush; Vladimir and his crew do wonderful work! Honest, helpful, and reasonable. 'Nuf said. read more

Vladimir is one of the best !!! He is very honest and will not lie to you and he will not charge you extra *(if its not needed). I highly recommend coming to Honda- Acura Service Independence!! read more

This review is long overdue. I've been coming to Vladimir for years now and have never had a less than positive experience. I appreciate how open and honest they are in terms of recommendations and suggestions --they never try to run up the bill. I've taken everything from Hondas and Acuras to even a Corolla and 4runner and I'm never disappointed. I have never had to bring my car back because of a problem with a part or quality of service. Highly recommended! read more

These folks are amazing -- skilled, efficient, professional, reasonably priced -- but the most of all, utterly honest. The only advice I have is to Vladimir who should be less grumpy with his customers. Quality trumps everything, however! read more

Unfortunately I can't recommend this place to anyone. I wanted to watch what they were doing when check out my car to see why the check engine light and they rudely told me to step away and wait inside. Then they told me what was wrong and they would also suggest changing my air filter. I said ok and they wanted me to pay for the repair and the air filter even though the air filter wasn't going to arrive till later today. I was not informed I would have to prepay for the air filter before it was replaced. When I said I didn't want to pay the full amount until it was replaced and the man snapped at man and said "fine you pay for the repair and don't bother coming back". All in all terrible customer service and very aggressive personality. I will not being going back to this place. read more

Thanks Yelp for turning me on to this gem. Vlidimir and friends do the job quick and with a smile. He always laughs at my wife's giant keys on her key-ring. Take a walk south on Independence to Thaddeus Park while you wait. I'm set for life with this place. read more

Wow, even after having high expectations going in, these guys impressed me. I dropped off my car in the morning for a belt replacement and I had it by noon. These guys know that their good reputation is valuable, and they work really hard to keep it. I'm probably willing to pay a little extra for great customer service, but their rates are really competitive. Thanks yelpers for pointing me in the right direction! read more

My 03 Acura's rear-view mirror needed to be replaced, so I called them based on Yelp reviews. They ordered the part that morning and called me when it came in so that I could bring my car in for the replacement. Charged what they quoted me, which was half what I was quoted at the Acura dealership. I'd have given them 5 stars if they hadn't told me over the phone that it was going to take 1/2 an hour, only to inform me upon my arrival at the shop that it was going to actually take 1 hr+. Still, I plan to bring my car there from now on. read more

Excellent prices and service. He was even going to drive me to a coffee shop while I waited for the repair. Took the car to a Chevron, and they quoted me at $850. At independence it was around $250. Quick, trustworthy and hassle-free. Will be my go-to person for all car needs. read more

Not surprised to see such fantastic reviews. I've had numerous things done for my 97 integra. These guys are very professional and understanding when it comes to old cars that aren't really worth that much. Thanks and I hope they continue this high level of service. read more

My first time here. Wanted to get an oil change for my Acura RDX but didn't want to pay $100 for dealership to do it. These guys are professional and straight to the point. Oil Change with Synthetic = $70 including tax. Not open on weekends. :-( However, I was able to get an appointment early before work on a weekday. I have a soft spot for Russian men and I did enjoy listening to them talk in their native tongue as I waited. :-) read more

This is an update of my earlier five-star review. This is a very special place for car service. I recommend Vladimir and his crew to anyone who needs to get a car fixed away from the dealer network. Why do I say this? Here's why: In the last week I have had occasion to get my Honda Civic serviced. It was done promptly and at reasonable cost (who could ask for anything more?). In addition, the service staff identified two issues (air filter, which I knew was overdue for replacement but hadn't mentioned) and battery (wouldn't hold a charge, six years old and really needed replacement). Both added and done, in less than an hour. Furthermore, they did a sound job of analyzing the car's over-all condition and presented their findings in a simple and clear manner. Also in the last week a relative had a problem with her car and I recommended that it be towed to Independence. She made clear that the low value of the car meant that she did not want to pour more money into a dying vehicle. Nevertheless, they did as best they could diagnosing it, called me, and explained that if it were injectors ($235 plus installation) or an ECU ($1,500 plus installation) they could violate her decision not to invest such money in a car worth only $2,500, Blue Book, if it were running (which it was not). Car service can be endlessly challenging, but Independence made it seem easy. I will continue to have my car serviced there. Remember, the definition of a customer is someone who comes back. read more

Vladimir and his team have been taking care of my family's cars for over 15 years. They are professional, dependable, honest, caring. They do quality work in a timely fashion. We have compared what Vladimir charges with other car service places, and know that his prices are very reasonable. He has provided thorough, easy to understand explanations of what's going on with our cars, and never tried to sell something that we wouldn't need. read more

I've had work done here before and been happy with it, so I went back with a problem with the heater in my Odyssey. I had replaced the heater valve myself, but that wasn't the problem, so I was stumped. After a day of puzzling over the problem, Vlad told me that it was working, but it might work better if I replaced the thermostat. Wait, I asked, don't you want to do that? No, he said, if you can replace the heater valve, you can replace the thermostat. And that was that: Vlad diagnosed my car, recognized my DIY needs, and refused payment. Working with Vlad feels like a partnership, he never tries to sell you more than you need. I'll definitely be back. read more

Tried to park in front of this place, there were two car park spots right out front. I was backing up and suddenly a car comes and cuts me off to take both spots - the mechanic called Mike comes out of the car and tells me to park somewhere else. I said I want to ask a question (wanted to change my oil), so in the rudest manner said to park on the street and then I can ask him, and no I cannot park there. I said I simply want to park ask a question and can I park for 2 min, NO. I say thanks (yes it was sarcastic) and he says in the most sarcastic way at your service then laughs. Wow what an asshole, I went 2 doors down to laszlos and an amazing opposite experience with a super guy, did my oil and refused to take a tip for his friendly service. Unheard of!? Go next door is my advice. read more

you don't get a better shop than this. I chose it initially based on yelp reviews, and I'm glad I did. as others have said, vladimir is extremely honest and very helpful in explaining what your car needs, what it needs soon, and what you can get by without. any time I've compared prices between him and others nearby, he's always the lowest. I took my car in there a few weeks back, and they fixed a few things here and there. I noticed a problem with the shifter afterward, and took it back for them to check it out. vladimir had it there all day long, and had the hardest time figuring out what was wrong. when I stopped by in the evening, he put the car on the lift just to show me underneath (what other mechanic will do that??) as he looked at it one last time, he noticed my car had a salvaged transmission, and with one small tweak, fixed the problem. on top of that, he refused to accept payment for the hours of time he spent that day trying to diagnose an extremely rare problem. he's an honest guy with an honest shop that does great work. read more

I have an Acura MDX, and recently the emissions error light came on, so I took my car into Independent Car Service. Within minutes one of the employees was running diagnostics tests on my car. The problem was likely a loose seal on my gas cap, causing a loss of pressure in my gas tank. The fix was a simple replacement of my gas cap. After all of this, I was told NO CHARGE. This is the kind of HONEST service that is so hard to find in a car service place. As a result, I will certainly be back here when my car needs a full service. I highly recommend this place. read more

I've been bringing my Acura TL here since 2005 and I'm very pleased. They do quality work and the prices are very reasonable. My TL is a 1999 -- and recently I've had problems with the start-up. On a few occasions, it'll idle rough. Valdemir ran diagnostics, couldn't find anything wrong, and didn't even charge me for his time when he couldn't diagnose the problem. On another occasion, he told me it could be one of two things. 1) main relay or 2) idle control valve. He suggested replacing only the main relay -- but I felt he should do both -- just in case. The repair fixed my problem, and I'm very pleased that the repair bill for both items was under $430.00. I've been bringing my car here for all major, medium and minor tune-ups. A special thanks to my mechanic and his team. You're the best. read more

I have my Accord serviced by Independence for the last 10 years. For oil change and minor services, it's always done within an hour and a half. The car has been running smoothly and I trust this place. read more

I've been going to Independence Acura for years now. I'm not sure what I love more -- my little car that keeps going and going (20 years, 251,000+ miles!), or the guys who take such good care of it. I love the brand, and I love my mechanic -- while I'd really like a new car by now, my brand loyalty includes my mechanic loyalty. I'd hate to have to switch from such a great shop! Vladimir always gives me options, and distinguishes between the things that must be replaced, vs the things we just need to watch. He'll keep the old parts out to show me, but I'm not mechanically inclined, so I'm afraid this level of honesty is fairly lost on me. I try to nod intelligently when he shows me a automotive doo-hickey that he replaced. Even though I'm not informed, Vladimir does not take advantage. When a tire shop told me I needed new struts ($1k plus, as I recall), I called Vladimir in tears, (hiccup, gulp) "theeeey sss-saaaaay I neeeed neeeew ssss-struts!" Vladimir had me bring the car over, and we determined that indeed I could use new struts, but they were optional, and what the trade-offs were in getting them or not. I'm sure there are other talented and honest mechanics around, but I'm completely happy going to Independence Acura. If and when I *finally* can afford a new car, being able to take ti to Independence Acura will be part of my decision! read more

All I can say is : This is long overdue. Vladimir and Misha, and the whole staff are incredibly efficient. Vlad is the most honest professional I have met. When i moved here 5 years ago, I had plenty unfortunate moments with my car at other places; then, I found Vlad. He will tell you what your car needs, and what it does not - meaning he will never cheat you. He is kind, knowledgable, and timely. I told him that I would have to move if he ever moves. They will even give you a ride if it's not far. So, there are not enough words except to say his loyal and repeat customers says it all.. usha read more

I've been taking my car here for routine maintenance since I bought it about five years ago (before actually -- Vladimir did the inspection on it when I was buying it used). This shop is very professional and always fair. None of the work they've done has ever exceeded the estimate, and on multiple occasions when they've had unexpected costs not in the estimate, they simply didn't bill me for them. Yesterday I needed some work done after a front-end collision, where the front of my hood was crushed a bit under the rear bumper of an SUV. I was paying the costs out of pocket (old civic, not worth the collision coverage), so I was a bit concerned about price. Something like this can go into the thousands of dollars, at which point it might have been cheaper for me to simply buy another old car than fix this one. There was damage to the hood (bent), grill (crushed), fender (bent), and one headlight (shattered). Fortunately, everything was fine under the hood, except for a little superficial damage to the AC condenser, which Vladimir said should be OK. So that just leaves the body work, which is notorious for being really expensive. Vladimir somewhat nonchalantly said that his employee (forget the name unfortunately) could do it in six hours, plus the cost of replacing just the headlight. I thought he was joking, but OK... I guess I trusted them enough after five years of very reliable business, so I left the car and went to work. In the evening (same day) I get a call, Vladimir says he's very pleased with how the work turned out and I should come pick it up. When I get the car, it's quite unbelievable. I still don't entirely understand how they fixed it, but except for a few small dents and a crack in the grill, it was pretty much perfect, not even necessary to repaint (good that the SUV didn't have any sharp bits in the back). How? I have no idea. They must have bent it back into shape, but it seems amazing that it turned out so clean. Final cost was the estimate (as always), and probably 3 times less than I expected to pay. read more

Driving down 101 and my car starts to overheat. Eeks. Made it to a parking lot in Mountain View and called AAA. Was thinking of having car towed back home (San Mateo) but that would have cost me quite a bit - so AAA told me of a this local place. Vladimir and Michael were great when I was towed in. After all, they weren't expecting me at all, but they made things very painless, quoted me a very fair price - and then said they could have my cracked radiator repaired by the next day!! They then gave me a ride to Caltrain so I could get home. When I went back the next day, they picked me up from Caltrain again, and the repair came in within $19 of the quote!! Great guys, great service. Good job!!! read more

Fast, efficient smog test. With a $39.95 coupon plus state fees and $10 for my older 82 Acura, the total was just under $60. Waiting room and test area were both comfortable, clean, and bright. Highly recommended! read more

Love this place. Take both cars (Honda and Acura) there for regular maintenance. They do a great job and they do it right - plus, they will do extra things, for free, like balance the tires or replace non-working tail lights. read more

I found this place to take my 99' Honda Civic after Midas told me I needed to have my timing belt replaced, and would charge a mere $1000 for the job! I said, "Thanks, but no thanks" and proceeded to check with other shops. I happened to be looking on "Yelp" for a restaurant, and noticed they also post reviews for auto shops. Needless to say, the "yelpers" were absolutely right about this place - Vladimir is a consummate professional...when I told him I thought my shocks might also need replacement, he told me that was VERY expensive and he didn't think it was necessary. In addition, the cost he quoted me for replacement of timing belt was $450 - when I went to pick up the car, he said that the cost of parts and labor turned out to actually be about $100 more than that, but told me that since he quoted me $450, that was the price he would charge me!! What a revolutionary way to do business...charging the customer based on the quote, and not all the other "add-ons" that most auto repair mechanics usually tack onto the bill! I will definitely be taking my car here for future repairs! Thanks, Vladamir! read more

This is an auto shop that Jack Reacher would take a car to be serviced. I was impressed by the honest, no-nonsense, and intelligent work given to to my 1995 Acura Integra GS-R. I needed the timing belt replaced, and Independence did a great job at a very reasonable price. During the timing belt replacement, they also noted the nail in my rear tire which was the reason why it kept going flat and some suggested maintenance for my suspension. read more

Took our van in for diagnostics and potential work, and all I got was complete honesty, friendly service, a feeling of confidence and timely service. Not much more could be asked for. I haven't used these guys before, but I certainly will from now on. read more

Checked them out on Yelp and asked for quotes from multiple mechanics to replace radiator in my SUV that had a leak on a Sunday.Got multiple responses. Decided to go with Vladimir and Mike. Called up Mike the next day and told them i have received their quote and asked them if they could get the radiator replaced without being charged anything extra. Mike was honest and told me that if it is only the radiator as stated per my request and that there was nothing else wrong he would get it done the same day for the same price. He told me what could go wrong with radiator leaks. Since i did not have towing coverage he advised me how to drive the SUV without damaging the engine or anything else and bring it in to the shop. Upon arriving he checked the car and said that the only part that needs to be replaced would be the radiator. I left the car and got a call in about five hours saying the radiator has been replaced and that the SUV is ready for pick up. When i arrived he showed me what was done and i ended up paid him exactly what he had told me and not penny more of additional charges.The SUV runs better than before. I would recommend Mike and Vladimir for their honesty and the great work they do on cars. They are not only great people but also perform a high quality of workmanship, cannot go wrong with that combination. Thank You Vladimir and Mike. read more

my family has been coming here for years. Vladimir is great!!

First time customer, heard of this place by word of mouth. Called in, and they were able to take me the same day. Vladmir walked me through the inspection and then gave me some directions to nearby place to hangout while he worked on my honda. The service was quick with no issues. I think mike, another mechanic had found a problem with my TPMS light due to something I installed myself in my car and explained what was wrong. Overall great service, and very friendly people. read more

After reading reviews, I booked an appointment today at 10. These guys cant even keep their word. Mike gives excuses like his mechanic is sick and if I wanted to get things done, should bring in the car at 8 and he can do mine first. And he says these guys do it on a first come first serve basis...did they realize all this today? Why cant he tell this to me when I called to make the appointment? I wasted my time coming all the way here to write this review. No respect for your time. read more

Best service and a very honest shop. Want to replace brake pads for both axsles due to close to 45,000 miles since the last pad replacement. They test drove the car and inspected both axisle brake pads and recommended only one axsle pad replacerement at a very reasonable price. I will use them again for the next car service. read more

Great and honest service. The only car mechanic I trust!

Brought my car to the shop for the first time after considering the rave reviews from yelp members. From initial inquiring about the symptom of the problem (related to a door lock problem) over phone to bringing my car to the site for inspection, Vlad displayed patience and expertise in diagnosing the problems. The price is fair and he has great customer service. I bought my car without realizing the shop is pretty much closing for the day. However, Vlad did not turn me away but instead he asked his staff to work on my car to save my extra trip. He had to paid OT to the staff but he kept the price for fixing my car the same. I am really pleased with his service and his customer oriented attitude. I highly recommend his services to others. read more

If I owned a business, I would want it to be run like this place. No bs, professional yet personal, and they thoroughly investigated the issue. After the initial paperwork, I asked where the Caltrain station was, and he drove me there (2 min) in my car while he listened to my suspension and brake noises. I'm sure that he can't do that for everyone, but it was pretty awesome. I haven't picked up my car yet, but I can bet that their initial impression is also representative of their work in general. Even at this point, I would recommend this place without hesitation. Good luck! read more