I was super late on my oil change and needed my car serviced asap. Mario helped get me an appointment next day. He was fast, efficient, kind, and informative! Competitive pricing as well. Thanks so much Mario! read more

I went to this shop because I had a engine light. Mario charged me total $400 changing sensors and simple things. He knew exactly that my car didn't need those sensors repair. All mechanics do a scan first but he rather took advantage that I as a woman we t to his shop by myself and RIP ME OFF $400. I came back because the engine light turned on again and he simply just told me to go yo the dealer and they'll take care of it. Mario seems very nice , caring and he made me thing like he was helping me. Not cool to lie and then send me somewhere. read more

Really fast and very honest. Told me exactly what I needed to solve my issue and gave me options which was nice. The pricing was very fair and straight forward, no BS and he did what I needed him to do. Saved lots of money going here vs a dealer read more

We have been using Kenco longer than Yelp has existed. Because, it is good to stick with an auto shop you trust. Through the many cars we have owned over the last 25 years at least, from our first cars, starting out, to later ones, kids growing up, kids getting their first cars, then nicer ones. We went to Kenco when Ken was still there, and now with Nate. There is a famous ad, which goes "Now, you have a friend in the diamond business." Now, I have no use for diamonds. But cars, that is something completely different. From the prosaic to problems that could qualify as the "Puzzler" on Car Talk with Click and Clack (hey, if you know, you know!) Kenco was the go to shop. They were always the neighborhood car shop and the same vibe exists today, decades later. And what has not changed also, is the expertise, the dedication and the trust. Kenco has become, over the decades, the trusted auto shop for extended family. Because now, we have a friend in the automotive business. A diamond in the rough. Someone you can actually use. read more

Nate the owner & staff are wonderful people and super helpful. Quality work, great pricing!!!!! I would recommend KENCO to everyone looking for an ethically run business. They go above and beyond to solve the problems and give you options, so you don't break the bank. Finally a good guy!!! read more

They have good customer service and they explain well with the issues of you car. Prices are reasonable, they closed on weekends but i think you can make an appt just call ahead a time. Thank You Kenco for your excellence JOB. read more

Kenco Automotive - Auto Repair Near Me - Newark, California

See all

Kenco is my go to because we live really close. We got lucky because they really do provide quick and honest service. I've brought my car in on multiple occasions. The owner, Nate, is always there to greet me with a smile. I've brought in my Pilot to get a diagnostic light checked out before. They couldn't replicate the error and didn't even charge me. They took the time to run the test and even had to keep my car overnight. That was the first sign that he would be an honest mechanic. I just brought in my Pacifica to get a flat tire fixed and they were able to take care of me right away and charged me $20. Nate even checked in midway to let me know what they were seeing on the tire. I haven't had to take my cars in for anything big but I wouldn't hesitate. I always recommend Kenco to my friends and family. I appreciate honest and kind service! read more

Kenco Automotive - Ask for Nate! - Auto Repair Near Me - Newark, California

See all

This is the best repair shop around, period. Quality repair and great pricing, what else do you need

I was house-sitting for a friend and her family (who had gone to a cabin) and went to run some errands when... uh-oh! The car won't start again - and it's not the battery! And it's 3pm on a Friday! And I only brought enough supplies through Sunday! Augh -- I needed help, and fast! After much hassle and time wasted with AAA I finally asked my friend for her rec, and she sent me to Nate, and I am so glad she did! With a 21-year-old Pontiac and many miles from my own trusted mechanic, I could be conned within an inch of my bank account's life, don't I just know it (shout-out to Hooman's Auto back in L.A.!)... By comparison or any other standard, Nate was simply amazing, sliding in my repair as promptly as humanly possible, and well before my hosts returned from their trip. Not only did he replace the starter motor in the most cost-effective but reliable manner he could, he then replaced my freon after I didn't even ask for it! Nate is an ANGEL and I was lucky to be recommended to him. read more

I've taken all of my cars here for the past 10-15 years. Nate is a solid guy and doesn't try to rip you off. His shop is honest, and the crew know what they're doing. From a simple oil change to overhaul of your engine, these guys are the place to go. read more

This place is absolutely horrible, I suggest that everyone stays away!!! My father got rear-ended, and the lady who hit him asked the we avoid insurance and take the car here. We decided to be kind and forgiving and listened to her. BIG MISTAKE. Kenco did a horrible job fixing the bumper, it was not aligned correctly; there is a noticeable gap between the bumper and rear fender. The paint DID NOT MATCH AT ALL, and then Kenco lied and said it was OEM Infiniti paint, which it was not. After all of this, they continued to lie to us, said the car was more damaged before, said the paint would eventual match, and then accused us of trying to squeeze them. Lesson learned, NEVER TAKE YOUR CAR HERE. read more

Water pump went out on my 1999 Ford F-250 Super duty ,I was referred to Kenco by a friend,called 10 AM ,they had me back on the road that day read more

Nata along with his workers are so sweet and reasonable! Thank you for the work you have been doing on my family cars! Great services, great prices! read more

It will be hard to find a shop with better service. Nate is awesome, honest and provide great customer service with reasonable cost. This shop is highly recommended! read more

Nata! Love you bro. Thank you for taking care of my cars! You are honest, fair and creative. Thank you for being a light in the community.

Drove from san mateo to newark to get my car breaks fix ,many places in san mateo where i can get my car fixed but a i know natanael and i know he is going to be honest and he is no gonna try to over charge me or trying to sell me anything than i do not need read more

Kenco has been taking care of all of my family's cars for a long time, over 10 years. Nate is awesome, knowledgable, honest, helpful, trust-worthy & sincere. He will always take great care if you and your cars. I'm so lucky to have him for all of my family's automotive needs. read more

I was referred this car place by many of my coworkers. They've been going to this guy for years! And now I know why! This guy, Jim, he's upfront and honest with you. He'll give you the exact reason as to what's wrong with you car, what needs to be done to fix it, and a fair and reasonable quote to get it done! Never had I had such an easy time getting my car repaired. One of my tires was wobbly and needed balancing. I went to Jim, and he said that the tire needed replacing because of a knot. He asked about my other tires, and when the last time I replaced them, because if anything, they all might be getting bad soon. I told him, what the heck, replace them all (he was asking $60 a tire, not bad!). The next day when I bring my car in, he calls me and says that I don't even need to replace my other three, they're all brand new, and the tire that I needed replacing wasn't even the same brand as my other tires! How honest is that! Jim could've easily made an extra $200 (tires and service) on my naivete, but he chose to tell me what exactly needed to be done. Needless to say, I paid for one tire and walked away with $200 in savings. :) Definitely awesome. read more

I don't give out 5 stars easily but this place is as good as it gets in auto repair. I was told that my truck needed all four ball joints replaced to the tune of $700+ by Big-O tires in Newark. I didn't think it needed them so I read the reviews on Yelp and decided to give Kenco a try. I am glad I did! it turned out to not be ball joints at all but tie rod ends. These guys are reputable, honest and very quick. I dropped my truck off at 8:00AM and had it back by 11:45AM and the bill was about a third of what Big-O had estimated for the wrong thing! Not to mention Kenco also lubed all the ball joints and other lube points and gave everything a once over at no additional cost. I would not hesitate to bring my baby back there again, they've earned my business. read more

Well it's summertime and I was taking the kids camping in the Sierra's and I decided to have a "TuneUp" on the old SUV. Since I am towing a trailer it was time. I looked up on Yelp and Kenco came up with a 5 Star rating. This may be hard to fathom but Kenco is an HONEST MECHANIC SHOP..........I know your thinking, NO, It can't be, but yes it's true. I've had to pinch myself twice. Here's the scoop, I worked with Chris and he gave me a true reasonable price for a 60,000 mile tune up and he rotated the tires for free. While they were tuning the SUV up, they found a hole in the radiator, ugh.......just what I needed. But they gave me a great replacement price and had a new one installed the next day! YES, THE NEXT DAY! The SUV hasn't run this good since I bought it in 1996, and the camping trip went off without any problems. I can't say enough good things about Kenco. read more

I bought my Volvo and my Toyota Van to them three different times to check my battery, whether it could be recharged, or should be replaced, something with the alignment on my tires, and whether I had a short that was killing my battery. Each time they took the time to diagnose and answer, not once would they accept money! And, though several had referred me to them, it's not as if they had made a lot of money off me in the past! When I considered buying a used car from the bodyshop next door - they checked it out, and found a potentially serious, yet invisible problem to the naked eye, and immediately disclosed it, knowing it would be to the detriment of their friend/neighbor. It's just nice to be able to trust a mechanic. read more

Great customer service! Excellent work!! Handles everything I come with a touch I've never experienced in the automotive industry. That's the main reason I come back! And I travel from oakland dont mind paying the gas because the service is that great. Second to none. STRONGLY RECOMMEND..if you want to be treated fair, not cheated, served with professionalism and top notch service, while paying reasonable prices, this is your destination. read more

I love Chris and Jim ( owner) at Kenco. Before i gave up my 2001 LandRover for good, they were straight up and honest with everything that was going on, even down to me getting rid of the car because I would be exhausting more expenses than the truck was worth. Even since i bought my new car, I stay with them for regular maintenance and recommend EVERYONE to them! Thank you Kenco for always being there! read more

If you guys want to waste your money go there, 6 months ago this place used to be a tire shop and now the same guy doing alignment. Took my car twice to this guy and made it worst than had to take it somewhere else to fix it. This place doesn't even deserve 1 star. read more

Absolutely wonderful experience. I brought my 2002 Saturn in with a very vague problem. They easily could have tried to sell my a new transmission (which would have also meant a new clutch and a nice profit for them). I dropped the car off late Friday afternoon, and by 8:45 Monday morning, they'd called to tell me it was just a clutch cable and it'd be ready that afternoon. What a pleasure to find a good -- and honest -- mechanic. read more

I have been coming to Kenco automotive for a while now and I trust them to get any major repair done right and the customer service is superb. First experience I brought them a 1998 Oldsmobile cutlass that had a leak on the head gasket and the owner advise me to do a full head gasket job and replace all the seals and also some other tune ups for a car with 60,000 miles on it, needless to say the Oldsmobile now has 130,000 miles and the parents could not be happier with the car. at the time I was a recent college graduate and Chris and the owner work with me to get a very competitive price on all my repairs. Second experience a 1997 Toyota 4runner which they replace the head gasket seals, fixed a fuel injector issue , shocks and other tune ups for a car with 150,000 miles. The 4 runner is now at 200,000 miles and runs like it just rolled out of the dealership. they knockout the work in less than 4days and the process was painless. Even though they were $50-$100 dollars more expensive than the competitors I chose Kenco Automotive because their initial estimates are very accurate and they will get you on the road ASAP. Third experience, I did not shop around at all this time , I did my homework on parts pricing before dropping my car off with Chris and he got back to me with a reasonable quote and I gave him the go ahead and in less than to days I had my 2002 Chevy Avalanche with new shocks, new brakes( including emergency brakes as well) , serpentine belt, oil change, and brand new tires (Chris help to get the best deal possible on a great set of tires) Chris further saved me money and helped me stay under my initial budget by suggesting to hold off on unnecessary services that could wait for the next major tune up. Bottom line- They have earned my trust (hence my first Yelp review ) and if you got any major work to be done on your car I would bring it here first if you live in the Newark / Fremont area. read more

Nataniel is a fantastic mechanic and a wonderful family man. He has reasonable rates and can be trusted. A wonderful Christian man who trusts the Lord with his business. He will give you the shirt off his back. read more

If you need a great mechanic, look for Natanael! I love the service and the people! Thank you Kenco!

I have to write this review as Kenco saved me $600! My service engine soon light came on and I took my Nissan 3.5 to my regular auto repair shop. They did a diagnosis and told me both solenoid valves needed replacing - $650. And they charged me $45 for the diagnostics! This mechanic has always been good to me - but this seemed like a lot of money. My friend recommended getting a second opinion at Kenco as they had been going there forever. First contact on the phone with Chris was extremely pleasant. He really has an excellent manner - and meeting him in person was no different - really great individualised customer service. When I picked up my car about 4 hrs later (yah it was quick!), Jim explained he had done a diagnostic test (for free) and had changed the oil as it was really low. This was a recommendation on the diagnostic code to try first before changing out the solenoids. Well, the oil was low and just changing it did the trick. The engine light has remained out! The other shop didn't even consider trying this. Jim also explained to me exactly how and when the sevice light had come on. As a single woman, I really appreciate the honesty from this company - not to mention the excellent customer service. I am sooo happy I didn't have to pay out all that money! Thanks Kenco for a wonderful auto experience and you are now MY mechanic! read more

I went to this place to get a pre-purchase inspection of a vehicle. They were very friendly, efficient, and professional. Nate was awesome and provided me with a detailed repair list and gave me some great advice. I highly recommend this shop. read more

I've never experienced any better service nor customer care that I have @ Kenco. I had a van with water & bleach in the gas tank, and so it hydrolocked & died. Had it towed there, and talked about it with Chris over the phone. Fantastic customer skills; a real pleasure to talk to over the phone. He explained a rough estimate of $350, and could get it done in 3-4 hours. Fantastic! I had the car towed in, talked to I think Jim (the head wrench/owner?), and he doubled back what Chris explained to me over the phone in more detail. I asked him several other questions regarding brakes and what not, and he was eager to help. Same price/time estimate. I'll update when the car is done, and if it costs more/takes more time, but this shop has become my only shop to work on my car. The best in the bay, no doubt! *******************************UPDATE************************************* Jim finished the van in 3 hours, just like he expected. He also totaled it up to be $350.90, ninety cents over the estimate. He was a fantastic mechanic, mentioned an issue with the starter & tire, and had a no pressure sales attitude for them. I will never use another mechanic as long as I'm in the area. He is fantastic, and I would recommend him to everyone I know!!! read more

These guys are great. I'm used to obnoxious service at car places, but the guys I met here were friendly and respectful. They give free inspections to AAA members -- something most AAA shops charge you $100 for. On top of that, they diagnosed and reset the SRS light that had come on in my car in about 10 minutes and didn't charge me. Can't speak to the quality of their repair work, but you can definitely count on these guys to provide honest appraisals and approachable service. Judging by the other reviews though, it seems like they do reliable work too. read more

Took my Lexus in for the first time today just for some regularly scheduled maintenance. I have a mechanic that I've used for many years, but he's located in the Peninsula and I now work in the South Bay. I read many good things about Jim and his honest way of doing business. When I brought my car in, I was not disappointed! Unlike some shops, Jim doesn't tell you that you absolutely have to get things done or else. He's pretty straightforward and gave me a quote on my other car that needs some mechanical work done. Not only were their prices reasonable but they got me in and out pretty quickly. Highly recommended! read more

This shop is awesome! Chris was great at the desk, Jim (owner and mechanic) is really honest and knows what he's doing. I had a problem with my small utility / boat trailer and they really took care of me. Got me in quick and took care of my trailer at a very fair price. It's great to find an honest shop. read more

The shop is very honest and that should be rewarded and that is why I signed up. Here is my story. I was told by my friend that my radiator hose may need to be replaced. I checked yelp and found out that this shop is good. I called first and Chris gave me a quote: labor (at least half an hour, 47 something) and part. Fair enough. I drove there and Chris went out for lunch. I asked the boss if he can help me to check if the hose needs to be replaced. He checked carefully and said "I'd like to take your money but I don't think it needs to be replaced." That is great. read more

Wow! First time customer and it won't be the last. I called at 8am and asked if I could bring my Lexus RX300 in to look at the transmission. They said bring it now and I did. A few hours later they gave me a status report by phone. A few hours after that my wife was using it for grocery shopping. Impressive. Very friendly, very quick, and reasonable prices. Saved me money not going to the dealer. A+ read more

I have had two of my cars worked on there recently. Had great service! The first car they fixed and issue with the electronics, the engine and power would randomly shit off. Second time I had oil change and new tire put on. read more

I can't say enough about the awesome experience I had at Kenco. I went in to get a regular service, which would normally have cost me a couple hundred dollars at most places (even more at Fremont Toyota). They did it for me, in 45 minutes, for less than half of what I assumed it would cost before, and even gave me a discount on the price they had quoted me. Great service, friendly staff, and a quick turnaround: that's what you can expect from Kenco. read more

I love Jim and Chris. They're so nice to me. And honest. They do a great job keeping my Toyota van running well and keeping me and my kids safe on the road. read more

These guys are great. They're totally honest, into saving you money. I have a not-always-reliable assortment of ancient vehicles, so an honest mechanic is a godsend. Chris is friendly and always drives me to work while they work on my car. Jim pulled an obscure piece of knowledge out of his head this week, that a $13 part often went out on 78's, and turned a multi-hundred dollar repair into a small one. read more