Got my 93 4Runner 3.0 3vze rebuilt and installed by George and his team about 2 weeks ago. Great customer service, everything is running good. I will update at 5k intervals of mileage on my engine to keep this post fresh. I would recommend their service. 12-27-17 Put around 1600 miles on the engine, a valve cover oil leak and oil seal plug leak did come up on the engine, However I called George right away and told me to bring in the truck and had it all fixed up in a day all under warranty. Great customer service! Thanks again. 6-24-19 Last I heard the owner I sold it to drove it across Florida with out a hitch and put an additional 10k solid miles with no problem. 1-07-2020 Truck is still running strong, messaged the current owner and he's loving it! I believe the truck is now in Oklahoma! read more

Lists engines online for a fraction of the price as what they are. False advertisement and lies about their prices and products.

The Hooked me with website Didn't go all that great but they did finally make it right with a warranty. Thanks again for the replacement, read more

I bought a rebuilt motor for my 2000 4Runner. There were issues in the beginning . I have a great local mechanic who was putting the engine into my car. After putting the rebuilt engine into my car, the car would not start. He checked and rechecked all his work and found nothing wrong. He even took the time to call you regarding the issue. He then did a compression check on the rebuilt engine and found the camshaft on the right side to have been installed upside down. You barely acknowledged the mistake and did not pay him a fair amount for the work he had to do to correct. Now we went to replace the water pump and discovered that you never put a new water pump on the rebuilt engine. Instead the outside was painted to appear new. When he opened the casing it was obviously a very very old water pump. There is rust everywhere and the metal disks are almost nonexistent! I would recommend to anyone not to get anything from this company. read more

Kar King Auto - This is the inside of the water pump. Rusted and worn out. - Auto Repair Near Me - Ontario, California

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So far so good on a 1ZZFE of his. Installed it in a 2001 celica GT Manual with a c60 6 speed. Dude obviously knew his stuff. Installed the engine myself but didn't have time to rebuild the engine myself like I've done others. It's a solid engine! I hope before anyone post any bad reviews they actually break their new rebuilt in properly! I did Lucas break in oil (30w for my engine) for 20 miles, then new filter and conventional oil (non-synthetic) for another 50 miles, then another new filter and conventional for another 50 then new filter and fully synthetic like normal (I went with liqui moly molygen 5-30 with added mos2 friction reducer) It's critical that you set your piston rings and at least do those first 2 steps of 20 and 50 miles, baby it, watch your fluids, let the car warm all the way up before driving it, everything needs to set itself in or else no rebuilt engine no matter how well done the job was is gonna be any good! Thanks George! read more

Had my Toyota Tacoma serviced by Jorge with karking engines . Nothing but issues since literally the first day , I call into today to get a service I'm told they don't service anymore and my warranty means nothing, finally agrees says you can bring it down but It's gonna be here a long time , really for you to check my truck it's gonna be here with no return date or anything, telling me go complain it's your fault anyways what a douche bag would be nice know when you spend money and get a warranty your taking care of not every time blamed for his workmanship and ability to the job right the first time It's gone in 3 times total Engine leaks Engine rebuild after his first one failed blaming me Didn't tighten up the engine fan caused it come loose break radiator all hoses break fan shroud destroy hood ...... Worst shop in history Complaining to the bar and see what they say I'm more then furious at the moment you make this right fix my truck but decided not too where are the negative stars when you need em read more

DONT BE AN IDIOT!!! USE THIS COMPANY AT YOUR OWN RISK!! YOU CANT MAKE THIS SHIT UP!! I wish I could give a negative star review. So this George guy is piece of work. He say I didn't personally buy the eng I'm not the customer although I paid the money now the eng is in my truck but yeah whatever..... here's the chain of events.... may19 2022 $4800 for 97 4runner eng remanufactered June 16 2022 received eng (actually faster than lead time givin) July 6 2022 300 miles engine knocking (He did replace the engine no labor paid buy him) Sept7 2022 received replacement eng Feb 17 2022 3000 miles on eng and it's doing the same as the first one. Said engine is out of warranty but even with only a 6 month warranty it's with the timeframe. There definitely something shady with this company. I would not use them buyer beware!! Super rude and gives zero fucks about a warranty! I got an engine from another company with 3yr 100k warranty. That tells you how much they value their work with not even making good on their 6 month warranty.... I get paying labor for replacing an engine but thanks to this company I am paying shop labor out of my pocket for the 3rd time..... Fool Me once Shane on you! Fool me twice Shane on me! 3rd time give me my money back but apparently a warranty isn't given with this place and it shows it other reviews... read more

I got an engine from Kar King. 2.4l 2003 Camry. Shortly after the swap out, about 3 hours, the front crankshaft seal blew. I put in a new one myself, problem solved. Then the valve cover seal within weeks. It was about six months and the rear main seal started leaking. The engine was sound. She still runs 3 years later but, the rear seal leak has grown to about losing a quart of oil or so per month. The rebuild was solid but I wish I replaced them with better seals before it was installed. Now, it's going to cost 1500 to fix the rear main. I am disappointed. read more

George' is the absolute best! He is straight forward and gives you the best price on the market with quality product.

First off I want to say I didn't buy anything from Kar King Auto but nonetheless had a wonderful Experience. I called looking for an engine for my Kia Sorento. I talked to George very knowledgeable and he quoted me prices which were more than fair. After that he made me aware that this Sorento of mine might have a recall and asked if I ever looked into that. Told him I did and was turned down he lead me to another Dealership he was familiar with I said won't hurt to try so I called then and I want to say Thank You to Kar King Auto Especially George his recommendations where more than GREAT Kia honored the Recall and I got my car fixed at no charge. If all businesses operated like this it would be much easier to not worry about spending your hard earned money. I had to write this Review because I am very Appreciative of the honesty shown from this Company. Would not Hesitate to Recommend this place to Everyone I know! read more

They did an engine swap for my Eagle Talon almost ten years ago and the engine is still going strong. George is the go to guy. Honest, reliable and professional. And they go above and beyond...They even dropped me off at the airport. read more

I'm happy there was a problem with a cam phaser. George sent me a new one problem solved. I really appreciate how he picked up the phone on the first ring emailed me back within 5minutes. No dodging or run around. Engine runs smooth no drips or problems Brent Redding CA read more

Absolute garbage service and installation for rebuilt engine. They do not stand by their work and are quick to take your money. My engine repair was nearly $5k and I returned multiple times to have them fix the nonexistent performance, only for them to tell me it was fine. A few miles down the road it would stall or some major issue would be identified. They didn't properly install the air intake, and it literally fell off. The MAP and oil sensor guage were not properly installed creating major headaches and several thousand dollars more in diagnostic and repair. Ended up selling the suburban to a scrap yard as it could not tow anything after the engine rebuild as the vehicle literally could not handle a 2k load with any kind of incline. BEWARE! read more

I was on vacation in South Carolina when my Toyota FJ blew the engine. Several months earlier I was on the Arizona Interstate stuck in stopped traffic due to a accident ahead and the alternator went out destroying the serpentine belt causing the engine to drastically overheat before I could get off the road. The Toyota dealer there wanted over $12,ooo to put used engine because NEW was not available. i had the vehicle shipped back to midwest to a authorized shop - but after several months and two short blocks later both refused due to defects I had it hauled AGAIN to a Toyota dealer close by my residence. Their estimate was considerably cheaper and they also could not get a new engine - only a short block. Upon them tearing down the old they found considerable repair was needed in the heads and the price skyrocketed. So I researched and found Kar Kings out of S. Cal could build me complete engine for less than the short block. I called George and we had a great conversation wherein he explained how they do the work. 5 months later from it breaking down and less than two weeks after I paid Kar Kings the engine is on its way. What was disappointing for me was the Toyota dealership knew of George and Kar Kings but did NOT suggest it to me. They had his name and phone number. I have no doubt that I will refer others to Kar Kings and specifically George M. He reminds me of the way business was done back in the early 60's when I was a teenager. Ethics and customer satisfaction with a personal touch. I am thankful. v/r Mick O read more

I've referred a friend and husband to Kar King Auto. George is very knowledgeable and honest! We now have 2 very happy customers! Thanks again read more

I purchased a rebuilt motor from them that failed at 800 miles on the engine. My mechanic checked it and verified the only leak was out the tailpipe from THEIR motor. The truck has a new thermostat and radiator, it did not overheat. The motor had a catastrophic failure. Basically if anything goes wrong, they will try to blame the customer. There is no warranty on these engines. read more

I ordered and received a remanufactured engine from KarKing (received mid- December 2023). When my local shop installed the engine and conducted initial test run, oil streamed off the engine (while still on lift). Shop recorded evidence of the issue and I sent video to George and spoke to him about it and he committed to "make it right." With George's assurance, the shop removed the engine, diagnosed the source of the leak (Oil Drain Cover Gasket), repaired/resealed the gasket, and reinstalled the engine. I spoke with George again after the repair and reinstallation, and sent him picture and video evidence of the leak diagnostic, and requested partial remuneration for the additional cost I incurred (I requested only $400 from KarKing for more than $1000 in additional charges to me). George completely reneged on his commitment to "make it right" and refused any offer of remuneration. While it's too soon to assess the long-term quality of the product, the initial quality is certainly poor. More relevant, however, is the complete lack of integrity and sincerity of KarKing's management. read more

I'm considering buying a car whose engine was rebuilt by Kar King. The seller talks about the warranty on the work. So, I called KK and their response was that a car sale voids the warranty. Does this cause you pause about using their services? That if you try to sell, saying the engine was rebuilt carries no weight, as the warranty will not cover their work? read more

I brought in my 2010 Toyota Corolla and had george replace the transmission and it was quick and efficient! Thanks Kar King

**PURCHASE FROM THIS BUSINESS AT YOUR OWN RISK** It's truly a gamble. Here's my story: In August of 2021, I purchased a rebuilt motor from Kar King for my daughter's 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe. Once the motor arrived, I had it installed by a certified mechanic. Upon installation, the motor had a noticeable rattle between 2500-3200 RPMs. Everything on the exterior was looked at. Two mechanics (one who has rebuilt numerous hot rod motors) and an engineer from Japanese Engine Exchange all determined that the noise was coming from inside the motor. I contacted Jorge at Kar King and he asked that I video and audio record the rattle as well as a reading from hooking up an oil pressure gauge, which I provided. Jorge said I would have to send the engine back so he could have his mechanics take a look at it. He would not say that it was their (Kar King) error, even though the noise was coming from something wrong inside the engine. Also, his policy is that Kar King does not pay shipping, nor labor for the engine under warranty. A six month warranty is better than nothing, but really does little to save the consumer money when you have to uninstall the motor and pay for shipping to have them fix something that shouldn't have been a problem in the first place. He offered to fix it or give a refund. Either way, I had to have an engine and would have to pay to have this one removed, shipped back, then get a new one or have this one "fixed", pay to have it shipped, and pay to have it installed ($1000 at a minimum for the Hyundai Santa Fe). I elected to have a local mechanic look at the crankshaft, bearings, and possibly the rods. It was determined that Kar King put the original bearings back on after polishing the crankshaft, even though they no longer fit. There was a lot of movement with those bearings. This was recorded on video and sent to Jorge at Kar King. Jorge offered to pay for the new parts ($122, give or take), but obviously would not pay for the labor associated with fixing Kar King's error. The vehicle was finally ready to go in late October 2021. We followed all the protocols of breaking in the rebuilt motor. The maintenance schedule was followed as well. It seemed to run very smoothly. Fast forward to July 9, 2022. My daughter was approximately 100 miles into a 115 mile trip when the motor started clanking and making other loud noises. She pulled over immediately. Later when the oil was checked, it was determined that there were bits of metal in the oil. We towed it to a mechanic who confirmed that the engine was done. With approximately 8,000 miles on it, Kar King's rebuilt motor blew. Simply put, I would not recommend Kar King. Sure there is a 6-month warranty, but, at minimum, you will lose time (if you uninstall the motor yourself) and some shipping expenses to exercise the warranty if the product is low-quality as mine was. Otherwise, it could cost you thousands. read more

Ok I found Kar kings Auto on ebay. Called George and told him about my car that had recently broke down. Told him my make and model. George gave me a good cost. The service was great. He told me that it would take 2 weeks to install my new engine. Cool! He finished the build in less than 2 weeks. Called me up and had the car ready. I have to say that I just don't trust just anybody working on my car! I have to give it to Kar King Auto. They lived up to the deal. Some people may say negative things about Kar King Auto. Go see for yourself. The hooked me up! Thanks to George and his team! Much Love.... read more

Kar King sold me a rebuilt engine that was not properly rebuilt. It has a engine code of P0022 which is indicative of Timing Chain and/or Camshaft phaser problems. The engine rattles, has less power, and has very poor gas mileage. On a full tank I'm only getting 160 miles when my old engine would get atleast 280-300 miles per fill-up. This is due to the Camshaft phaser not being able to adjust the engine timing as needed due to KarKing Auto not correctly reassembling the engine they sold me. in order to fix the mechanic shop needs to replace the camshaft phaser and redo the timing chain alignment which is a very expensive job. Seller asked me to remove the engine which would cost me another $1000 and then ship it back to him which would be an additional $300. Then I would have to pay the same mechanic another $1000 to place a new engine from elsewhere in my truck. The timing chain job is quoted to be a $3500 job at the local Toyota Dealership. I initially only asked for half and the seller still declined to make things right and only offered me returning the engine from Texas back to California. Stay away from these guys unless you like being scammed. George is being completely dishonest about offering for me to have my vehicle shipped to him. This is a bold lie. When I told him about the timing issues with the engine he sold me he refused to accept this as being the problem and made it seem like me and the other mechanics are just unqualified. Well the Toyota dealership has given me a report with the exact same diagnosis and now I have to go to court to get my money back. Stay away from this guy by all means. All this shouldn't even be necessary. PayPal declined my refund due to me "Altering the product". Since I replaced both solenoids, camshaft position sensors, and changed the oil multiple times to eliminate this being the possible cause of my problems is their reasoning behind it. George is the one who told me to do all this in the first place. I have faith I have ample proof to win my court case. read more

My 03 Matrix's transmission broke down and I had to tow it, and I had to leave town to Denver for a week. When I called Kar King, they were able to do everything on the phone with me, and within a week the transmission + clutch was replaced. The price was about 10 - 20% cheaper than others. read more

Ok this will be last update. I'm dropping my review down 1 star. My engine from Kar King has had nothing but problems after the 15000 mile mark. So I have just spent an additional $1500 to replace a leaking head gasket, cam and crank oil seals, intake manifold and intake gasket. In my opinion any "rebuilt" engine should not have to this many major projects done. All of this required the engine to taken out, which is very costly in labor. I will never use this shop again for an engine replacement. read more

I would recommend this place to anyone, they do a great job on your car. I talked to George about doing work on my car clutch and he is very honorable and honest. I already can tell that they do quality work and they will take care of your car. Great Price all around. I will update this review again anytime soon. thanks to George read more

Took me 5 phone calls to various vendors to get to George, who had my rebuilt motor at Kar King Auto at a better cost than competitors and with free delivery to my tech in Long Beach. Motor arrived when George said it would, and my mechanic said everything looked great. Looking forward to many miles with this engine. Thank you very much, George. read more

Took my 2000 Honda Accord to get a transmission swap and what can I say!! George and his team did a great job! I called him to make an appointment to drop it off, got it back a few days later. George told me it was good that I came in because he noticed how bad my transmission was. Now after 5 months! My car is running and driving like new!! Thank you George and Kar King for doing a great job! read more

KarKing is awesome. Our daughter's 2009 Camry 2.4L engine seized up so I had to get a replacement. George sold me a fantastic rebuilt at a great price. The engine was clean as can be. I installed it and it fired up on the first try, running quieter than ever and with all the power of when the car was new. It is so clean inside you can't see the oil on the dipstick (synthetic 5-20)! My next rebuilt engine will come from KarKing. Call and talk to George and he will take care of you. read more

I recently had a rebuilt engine placed into my 2011 Hyundai Sonata. George was very friendly and very professional. My car is running great and the cost was reasonable. I would definitely recommend Kar King to anyone that needs an engine. Thank you George for everything! T. Moore read more

GEORGE and his team are awesome! I had them do the rear main seal and transmission input seal on my 93 4runner and they took care of it quickly. Thanks George!!! read more

These folks are awesome! I broke down, my car overheated and started smoking..i googled the nearest spot and got towed into Kar King... The first guy to greet me was George.. he was very empathetic, professional and to the point. After they examined it and he gave me a quote, I went outside & called around, i found the pricing from nearby places to be in the same ballpark.. Long story short, they got the job done quick and correctly & my car runs better than before the darn thing broke down! I am referring my dad there for transmission work on his older infinity and I would recommend this place to anyone! read more

These guys really know their stuff... I highly recommend. Their prices are fair and I trust them.

Would like to thank the team at kar king auto for my rebuilt 3vze on my 95' 4runner. They did an excellent job. Special shout out to George. He was very nice and professional. He gave honest advice and his customer service is top notch. read more

Figured i could save a little time having a rebuilt engine shipped in to replace my dying one. boy was i wrong... Camshaft in motor was trashed when it arrived, heavy grooves, no lube on camshaft. I did call them up on this and was told to send a camshaft into them. I sent the box with the camsh and then upon hearing from them again the cam wasnt in the box when it arrived to them (not their fault nor mine) but they did send out a replacement. found used head-bolts as well and portions of the cylinder head still had carbon and junk caked onto them. I used to do mechanic work for a living for QUITE a while and know what im looking at.... EDIT: Update 2/7/14 The engine i received from this place is now trash. The headgasket is leaking coolant into the cylinders and ive only had 10-15k on this motor as i dont drive it much. Radiator and hoses are all new as well as the thermostat and radiator cap since engine installation. Engine was never overheated or ever had any coolant leaks. Great Quality karking... paid for a rebuilt longblock and got a junkyard motor.. thanks... Avoid Would not do business with them again. shady engine building practices and overpriced. read more

Transmission went out in my Mitsubishi. Kar King put in a re-built transmission. Within 6 months I am now on my 4th transmission from Kar King each with a different problem from the one before. The last install that Kar King did, they damaged the seal on my center differential, causing a leak which they refused to fix. They stated that it was not their problem nor did they cause the leak. Costumer service and product quality was far below my expectations and industry standards. read more

My son blew the engine on his 99 Mitsubishi Eclipse and we were told by our local mechanic that a new engine was needed. I had them research it for me and 4 days later they came back with a $5700 quote!!! We only paid $4500 for the car so I was debating whether or not to junk the car or go ahead and find another solution. I started searching the Internet for replacement engines and eventually made it to Kar King's website. At first, I was very skeptical because their price for a re-manufactured engine was about half of what USED engines were on other websites. I started doing a lot of research about 99 Eclipses and some of their inherent engine problems. I guess there is an issue with "crank walk" and a lot of people suggested doing very complicated engine swaps to address the issue. Well, after reading on Kar King's website about their solution to "crank walk", it appeared that they really knew their stuff. I called up and spoke to George about my problem and, not only was he very knowledgeable and never once stumbled when asked questions but he quoted me a price that was so good that I couldn't refuse. I took a leap of faith and had the car towed 70 miles to Kar King and delivered without ever seeing the place in person! George finished the car a day earlier than he said he was going to and for the exact money that he quoted. My son and I drove the 70 miles to pick up his car and I truly expected to pick it up from some greasy stripmall, fly-by-night garage from some mechanic who didn't speak English. You know how you sometimes get a pre-conceived idea of what something looks like? The price was so low that I expected just a nasty place in a nasty neighborhood. BOY WAS I WRONG!!! Kar King is a very clean garage in a commercial park right off the freeway. George was right there to greet me and everything was perfect!!! The engine ran like a top - and still is after about 400 miles!!!! No leaks, no greasy fingerprints on the paint, no problems at all!!! I was given a product and service that was second to none!! Way, way beyond my expectations!!!! I, seriously, will never go anywhere else for an engine or transmission replacement...hopefully, I'll never have to but, I know George is there just in case. Seriously, he was less than half the price of what my local "chain" mechanic quoted me!!!! Thanks guys!!!! read more

George is a great and stand up guy. Very nice and professional. Was getting work done on my 99 eclipse gst at Road race Engineering when we discovered I had a rod knock. George stayed late to allow me to get my car to him same day and gave me a fair and reasonable price to replace my engine and even helped lower the price buy reusing the brand new pets I had just installed. Kept me up to date the entire process and my car is better then ever. A very happy customer here and I will be giving him more business and recommend him anyone I know that needs major engine work. Ignore all the negative reviews he has been given because I have not experienced any of it. If I could give him more stars I would. Great job George and thanks for helping me out in my time of need. read more

We got my Nissan Xterra engine replaced at Kar King because they had the best Price/Warranty combination. I am SO glad we did, because George has been the prince of honesty and good workmanship. 1. He kept to the deadlines he set, and stayed in touch on the car's progress. 2. He listened to all our concerns, and stood behind his repairs. 3. Every time he dealt with us it was with a smile (that is huge). We will definitely go back to George and Kar King again, hopefully not with an ailing family car, but with fun project cars, and donuts! Thank you George! Ken and Chris read more

I was skeptical about dealing with Kar King at first, their Yelp rating was only 3 stars. I took a chance and purchased a 2.7 liter Toyota engine for my 2005 Toyota Tacoma. I spoke to George on the phone and the transaction was quick and easy, I even had Kar King drop the engine off to me. The engine showed up on time and looked good. It was cleaned and painted perfectly and all of the parts looked to be decent quality. It came with most of the gaskets you would expect. (It was missing a few but nothing big) Although I currently only have about 211 miles on the new engine it is running good and I feel the transaction was everything I had expected. I would recommend Kar King to my friends and plan on doing business with them again. I need a Transmission on my Jeep. :) read more

My transmission went out on my 99 RX 300 while I was living in San Francisco. It was more cost-efficient for me to tow my car to Southern California and have the transmission replaced in Ontario! I found the best price with George at Kar King (500$ less than in SF) and I was blown away at how quickly he replaced it. I was expecting to have my car be out of commission for weeks, but it was just a few days! Highly recommended! read more