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    Joe's Foreign Automotive

    4.4 (125 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated 2 months ago

    Services - Joe's Foreign Automotive

    Auto diagnosis or inspection

    Auto maintenance

    Oil changes

    12 More Services

    Auto repairs

    Auto battery or electrical system repair

    Auto brake repair

    Auto engine repair

    Auto HVAC repair

    Auto light repair

    Auto steering and suspension repair

    Auto transmission repair

    Auto wheel and tire repair

    Routine automotive maintenance

    Smog check

    Transmission leak inspection

    Joe's Foreign Automotive Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - Joe's Foreign Automotive

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    $178.61 Oil Change
    Kenneth S.

    More than just a $178.61 Oil Change/minor repair. Do not go here, expensive oil change, that will bite you again on your next oil change. Basically: Joe's Foreign Automotive 1. Not only expensive... 2. Over-torqued oil drain bolt, I needed a breaker/cheater bar to crack it. I knew because in the heat of my frustration I poured too much oil rushing to Pep Boy's (unscrewed the bolt a second time after torquing the bolt to the specified 30lb feet of torque, no breaker bar needed, the difference was night and day.) 3. The mechanic screwed the oil filter on so tight, the band-style wrench bent the can. 4. The 15400PLMA01 (OEM Honda filters are blue...the one installed was white) Long review, apologies. Scene: You're in Walnut Creek, 40 minutes away from home, with your significant who is getting their hair done (cool... get an oil change for their car/check out the damage on whatever they ran over the night before). You go through Yelp, find a mechanic shop with good reviews, call, show up. Understandably, you're going to have to wait, since there are other cars to work on (I wasn't doing anything else, the hair appointment was going to take a few hours anyways). The mechanic was nice, showed me the bent (oil pan shield?), hammer it back as much as possible/zip tie/oil change...HOLY $@#& the final bill was...$178... Dang, and I thought the last oil change (roughly $100) was expensive. Fast forward eight months later February 2021, a little DIY Covid oil change. Safety first: You pick up a low-profile 3 ton floor jack at Costco (not knowing it weighs 77 lbs), 3 ton jack stands, wheel chocks, a torque wrench for precision, then drive 15 minutes to Allied Auto Stores in Fremont (Why Allied Auto? Because they're the only ones around with AMSOIL car and motorcycle oil...Why AMSOIL? Youtube Project Farm/AMSOIL). The 0w-20 at Allied was ~$70 alone (5Qts), picked up a high performance oil filter after spending day and night researching about cut open oil filters. Not going cheap here, oh no, not today FRAM. JOE'S FOREIGN AUTOMOTIVE: Here is where the actual review starts. Remember the oil change done at Walnut Creek? Well, eight months later you are under the car just to find out the mechanic had over-torqued the oil drain bolt so much, so much so you had to improvise (floor jack handle as a breaker bar). Since the handle was too long, jack the car even higher for leverage. 20 minutes later YES!Success! Hot/warm black motor oil is streaming out. Okay let it go, it was only an over tightened bolt, the guy could've stripped the threads on the oil pan then you're screwed, letting it slide. NOW to the oil filter...there is a reason why many people advise "hand tightening" oil filters. Since you did not expect the filter to be stuck on, fine, hop on the motorcycle to O'reilly's for one of those strap-style oil filter removers because the car is unsound. The mechanic at Joe's did such a good job at tightening the filter, the removal tool dented the oil can. For those who don't work on cars a lot like myself...it's the equivalent of bending an unopened can of soup with your hands. Now you are like WTF...hop on the bike to the store again for a cap-style oil filter wrench...but guess what...the cap won't even grip because the can is warped. A two hour job for a newbie like me has now become four, and I'm not even done yet. Yes, you can drill a hole/hammer a screw-driver into the filter (if you have room in the engine bay to work with), AND most importantly you don't screw up. If that doesn't work, now your significant other's vehicle needs to be towed because you didn't want to pay the man. You finally give in, torque the drain bolt to specified 30lb feet of torque, pour ~$60 of premium motor oil for a 3.3 mile drive, just to spend another $80 for the guys at Pep Boy's who will drain the brand new oil/remove the old filter. Better luck next time. Now if you look at the receipt it says 15400-PLM-A01 $7.30 (OEM Honda oil filter, which only comes in blue for cars and black for motorcycles). The supposed OEM Honda oil filter from Joe's was white, so obviously not OEM. I wish I would have taken a photo of the filter as proof, but oh well, definitely not going there again.

    They have AAA benefits.

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    1 year ago

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    3 years ago

    Competetive prices, great costumer service and quality work. They are very transparent and communicate every step of the way to you.

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Quick turnaround times and fantastic customer service. Joe's Foreign Automotive always does a great job with my car!

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

    They did a great job!!! They really helped me out in a pinch. They were very friendly and attentive.

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    10 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Faro B.

    Faro B.

    Thank you so much for your kind words Kacie

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    12 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Faro B.

    Faro B.

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    16 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Joe's Foreign Automotive

    Review Highlights - Joe's Foreign Automotive

    Even though Joe retired a few years ago, the high standard of service remains with Faro, the new owner.

    Mentioned in 17 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    I found this shop because I was looking for someone who would take parts I bought and put it in my…read moreold car. the car fell apart but that was kind of inevitable but the service I received was phenomenal. I've been to this shop for my new car ever since and they have always treated me so kindly and explain things carefully to me. they gave me a root beer float one time because I had been waiting so long and I guess they felt bad but I don't mind waiting for excellent service. the prices are very fair and you can tell they won't cheat you for extra money. I have found the shop that I will be going to for everything my car needs from now on :]

    I have a 2019 Lexus ES300, and when I took it to the dealership, they gave me a huge list of…read morerecommended services with a very expensive estimate. I was honestly stressed out and wasn't sure what to do. A friend told me about this shop, so I decided to get a second opinion. That was the best decision I could have made. The staff took their time to go through everything with me and explained each service in a way that actually made sense. They were honest, professional, and never tried to sell me anything I didn't need. They completed the repairs using OEM-quality parts and charged much less than the dealership. The difference in price was unbelievable, and the quality of work was excellent. My Lexus is running great, and I feel much more confident knowing the work was done right. It's rare to find a shop that is both knowledgeable and trustworthy. If you're looking for honest service, fair pricing, and people who genuinely care about their customers, I highly recommend this place.

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    Excellent service from the very beginning. I'm a big supporter of small businesses, especially over…read morebig-name shops and dealerships, and Alex is a perfect example of why. Alex is humble, honest, and someone you immediately recognize as a person of integrity. His years of experience are evident when you see him work, and he's more than willing to share his knowledge and offer advice if you have questions. I reached out to him for an AC compressor service on my daughter's car. He provided a very reasonable quote, was able to complete the job the same day, and used OEM parts as promised. The work was done on time and with great attention to detail. If your vehicle needs service, give Alex a try--you won't regret it. I'll definitely be coming back. Thanks again, Alex, for the excellent experience and great conversation!

    got alex number from a colleague as he stated that he takes all his vehicles to the car doctor for…read moreall the maintenance needs. I had to get my front brakes replaced and the spark plugs also. I provided the parts and it was agreeable with alex. So i stopped by on a Friday morning and he completed all the requests in less than 1.5 hours as quoted. As I said I had the parts, however the brake kit wasn't what I ordered as they were for the rear brakes and not the front. No worries Alex agreed to obtain the the correct parts and the agreed quote changed but all for the better. Alex did a great job on my car. Will start to take my vehicle here often. Thanks Car Doctor!!!

    Joe's Foreign Automotive - autorepair - Updated July 2026

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