This is my go to mechanic for the last 7 years and I will keep going back. Excellent service, fair prices, and frankly Paul (the owner) just runs a great shop. I could be wasting my time elsewhere, but this is the place I trust so I don't bother with elsewhere. read more

My Dad brought my car to Mr. Paul to diagnose why my car stalls at idle. He kept my car for 2 days to make sure he thoroughly checked everything. He coordinated to get me a rental at an affordable price. Paul said the car just didn't like me because all tests showed the car was perfect except a signal code. I asked about a tuneup and he said it definitely could use that since I've never had one. He also recommended replacing the crank shaft sensor since this is a common problem with foreign Korean cars. The car runs so silent and smooth!! Thank you, Paul!! Hands down for extraordinary service. You have 2 customers for life! Tamara read more

I came first for something small and it was a pleasant experience. Then I came for something bigger and it was pleasant again. Now I come here for all my car trouble. read more

I had a Ford Expedition with a rattling catalytic converter... I chose Paul because he has donated services to a free / annual community event in near-by Albany. I also know one of the mechanics (K) he has been there for some time now - that is always a good indicator of good management / commitment to staff and vice-versa. This is where things start to count: Surprise: it turns out the 2004 Expedition has four catalytic converters. To replace the noisy one, the cross-member needed to be removed and several other obstacles needed to be worked-around; you would expect a business at this point to call you and raise the repair estimate but Paul did not - he stuck to what he quoted and that's truly impressive - wow. The truck was even done on-time despite the extra labor. The location is clean, conveniently located, very well air conditioned and the customers coming and going all seem to be very happy - I know I am. read more

was having issues with my car...showed up unannounced. took the car in right away and found some serious issues needing attention. Paul was extremely helpful and there was no pressure. the car is running great again we will be back for future upkeep. thanx Paul for your professionalism. read more

Fellas beware! They charged my wife a $60 labor fee to patch her tire when she was already paying for an oil change.

This is late in coming. Last Fall I went in for a new battery for my Pt. Cruiser and found out it really needed a lot of work (this is unsurprising because of the nature of the Pt Cruiser). My former mechanic had done bare minimum (including installing the wrong battery years prior), so the car was very nearly falling apart, it needed a new timing belt and a load of other things (which my former mechanic should have noticed). Paul is honest and uses humor to communicate bad news. I left my car for 2 days while getting the repairs completed, and he basically built me a new car, and the price wasn't outrageously high. He follows through with phone calls and the car is ready when he says. I think he might be the best mechanic I have ever encountered in the East Bay. If you have had bad experiences with mechanics, I recommend you go here, you won't be disappointed. read more

Called this place ahead to check the price. Told me that it's $80 for tire rotation. Really...??

Waited for 1.5 hours for an oil change. Thought everything was okay, but came out with a broken air filter frame (which they claimed was due to a car break-in, but I didn't notice strange smells coming from the outside until after that day!) and then on the next day, found out all of the oil spilled. Had to go to auto repair as an emergency as there was no oil in the right place. Very scary! read more

During an interview someone cut the catalytic converter of my SUV. I knew right where to take it to get the job done. This Midas has been my mechanics shop since I moved down here in late May 2018, Paul has taken great care of my SUV!! Paul is the owner of the franchise, so I'm happy knowing that this business is keeping its money local more than other chain repair facilities. Thank you Paul for everything you do! read more

This is the shop to go to! The owner, Paul, is a friendly and honest man. I've never had to second guess his judgment. If he says it needs to be done, you can bet your bottom dollar it does. When he quotes you a price, you know he is being honest and fair. I would travel to his shop from anywhere in the East Bay for his services, but as luck would have it he is 2 blocks from my home. It's nice to have good neighbors. read more

Zero star.I got my mazda3,2013 checked there and tune -up.the price is over and beyond even the dealer ship.they had done tire rotation rotation in part of their service.After two days I heard some noise from one of my wheels.I thought my self how It was possible something have happened with wheels or the suspension or the axle.I stopped the car and checked the wheel screws .in each wheel there were at least two screws had not been tightened.I'm sure I would lost two of my wheels on highway.That is not negligence ,It's trying to murder some one.When there are air pressure screw divers I don't understand why some one uses hand wrench.The brand owners have no control of their branches in term of quality and fees.I'll never take my car to chain repair shops read more

Okay yelpers and non-yelpers alike this is as non-bias as it gets aiight lol I know by now you may have glanced over the other reviews and read about Paul and there is some debate, some love him some hate him, hes actually a really nice guy but you might not get his humor lol that's not because he is a jerk, its because he has that kind of humor where hes joking but his face seems serious and you almost cant tell until he starts laughing and you're like "awwwwkwaaarrdd" LOL BUT that withstanding he's actually a really nice guy. NOW, nice guy or not, the question is if he got the job done, well i went for an oil change because i had a coupon from Safeway. I really enjoyed that he wasn't like "uggghh a coupon" he was very friendly and very efficient. I have seen a couple complaints about the other employees and yes they aren't all as friendly as Paul is, and it wasn't the fastest oil change I've ever had but for $40 they got it done with a smile so yes I would definitely give them a chance again. read more

Paul Valloton the owner is a rare gem of a person. I can't say enough good about him. He is professional but warm, follows through with phone calls about the work, a dedicated husband who isn't shy about supporting others in their personal choices (read: he loves his life and was ok with hearing a bit about mine). On the professional side, Midas did the work I needed and offered a credit card I could sign up for to take care of the work. It was not terribly unaffordable on a payment plan. This is a shop you can trust. read more

Thought it was a place that I could trust since I was referred there AND the yelp reviews (wasn't a yelper just read it a lot). Seemed great from the previous minor tune ups that I had, Paul really made me feel like I was in great hands! But from this last service, completely disappointed. Spent $1500 (radiator flush, belt, & struts) to leave and have all of my radiator fluid leak out of my car, engine light come on, and pay ANOTHER $200 to replace housing. It was SO bad that the mechanic at Midas suggested that I shouldn't leave with the car because I HAD NO RADIATOR FLUID. Would not have been so upset if they owned up to what they did instead Paul stated they didn't even touch it! IT'S CLEARLY ON THE INVOICE. Now I have another problem with the struts they installed (also on the invoice btw)... :(( ...I refuse to go back there. SOOO FRUSTRATED!!!!!!! read more

Don't take your car to ANY Midas shop. They will not stand by their "lifetime" warranty when your part breaks while it's still under warranty (1 year). These jackarshes will make excuses like "you must have been towing over the load limit o read more

Midas. Paul & his crew at Midas are terrific! You can't ask for a more friendly and competent business. We thought our car had a muffler problem. We were able to bring it in without an appointment, they looked at it promptly and saw the real problem immediately -- someone had tried to remove the catalytic converter! Because it was only partially cut, Paul was able to fix it with a little welding. It took 10 minutes and cost us less than $50. Couldn't have asked for better service! read more

I usually come here for my oil changes but have had other stuff done to my car as well. Paul is the owner and runs a very tight ship. He's knowledgeable, personable, and genuinely cares about making sure your car stays in tip top shape. I moved out here from the Midwest about a year ago and as someone that comes from a family full of automotive technicians I can truly say I love bringing my car to them. It's hard to find mechanics that are reasonably priced. read more

Finally found an extraordinary garage in the East Bay. I'd gotten most of my brake system replaced at another garage 6 months prior only to find new problems the other day. When I took the car in to Paul's Midas Auto service, he and his mechanics were prompt in diagnosing the problem and fixing it at an EXTREMELY reasonable price. These are some of the friendliest, most honest mechanics I have ever met. I will definitely be recommending this place to all of my friends! read more

Excellent customer service and humor. Quick and efficient. Fair prices. What's not to love!

After a couple months, my car broke started having the same problems again, so I took it back to Midas. Once there, Paul and his crew busted ass to get my car back to me in less than a day, apparently trying out all sorts of things to find out what the problem could be. I appreciated that they only changed me for parts, not labor (since it was a problem they had told me was fixed, when my car was in before). They tightened up the idle while they were at it. Paul, as he does with most customers, took the time to explain, with humor and patience, what the problem they had found was. They had a great, friendly manner on the phone, each time we talked. If I could give them more than five stars, I would. read more

I brought my Taurus after the heater, AC, and defroster stopped working. At the same time my brake lights came on. I figured there was a major problem and it would be big bucks. They found that a fuse blew in the transmission and only charged me the hour's diagnostic fee and suddenly everthing worked! I was relieved and it makes me trust them because if they had told me that it was in need of massive repair I would not have questioned it. I recommend these guys. read more

When my Nissan Murrano's "service engine soon" sign was illuminated and grinding noise was getting worse, I found these guys on Yelp and decided to give these guys a try. I called Midas and Chris was very friendly and polite. I did not want to turn in my Murrano to the dealership. I cannot count how many times I was overcharged, been ripped off, and had things not fixed @ Hanlees Nissan. After my visit at Midas on San Pablo, I am highly appreciative and thankful there is an auto service shop that provides first class customer service and car maintenance. Chris and Paul were friendly, helpful, and most important HONEST. They charged me less than Nissan for all of the work. Furthermore, when my Nissan Murrano was in the shop, Paul would call and update the status on my car. That's great customer service! Also, they honor AAA for an additional discount. That's even better. These guys clearly appreciate their customers and have earned not only my trust, but also my gratitude. read more

Excellent customer service. They were able to work on my car on short notice and did a great job. Very fair. I'll definitely be back.

Excellent service overall Although there was minimal work needed on the civic , they did not charge for tightening the shield which was the source of the rattling when running on idle And they did a check up on the car because I requested it for a long trip - Paul was there and overall excellent ! read more

I payed exactly what I was quoted over the phone for. Came in for a/c recharge and now it blows cold again. 10/10

Just got service today based on other reviews I read here. Boy were they right! Paul is a great guy who gives it to you straight. Didn't try to sell me anything I didn't need and did exactly what I asked for (an alignment). Will definitely be back when my car needs other work. This is the kind of shop that people can go to regularly and not be treated like a newbie each time. read more

Great shop to work with. Paul, the owner, went over and above. Initially, I went to our local Honda dealership for a new clutch and spark plugs and was a little put off due to the exorbitant costs. Doing our due diligence, we shopped around and came across this Midas and thank God we did. Paul charged us less than 50 percent of what the dealership was going to charge us for less work and less labor. This place is interested in retaining customers not burning holes in their wallet. read more

I am grateful I walked into this place yesterday. They were able to handle my car's repairs the same day. Mr Paul Vallot is an incredibly decent human. He was genuinely kind, polite, warm, and accommodating. He was honest about the problem, worked with me to lower some of my costs, and just eased my concerns by fixing my car. I highly recommend this place! read more

False advertising; they are NOT open & available for service until 5:30. All the mechanics leave at 5 & one guy stands there to be around for someone to pick up a car that's been serviced. Complete waste of time. read more

I discovered this Midas about 2 years ago when I was having overheating problems with my 2001 Honda Civic. As a young woman, going to auto places is daunting because people are often unkind and dismissive. Not at this Midas. Paul took the time to ask detailed questions to help him diagnose the issue and was very friendly and welcoming. Whenever I had a question, he explained it to me in a way that was easy to understand and not condescending at all. I went regularly up until I got a newer car and they always took great care of me. Unfortunately, instead of returning, I took my 2008 Saturn Vue to the Firestone on University in Berkeley, for a routine 50k maintenance. It was the worst decision I could have made. There was nothing wrong with the car when I took it in, it just needed the fluids changed. When I went to pick it up, their worker drove it into the parking lot and transmission fluid came gushing from the car! They promised they would fix it, citing a lost hose clip as the cause for the leak. I was livid. I called Paul as I was standing in the parking lot and he told me that I could bring it in that day or first thing in the morning and they would take a look at it. I brought it in the very next morning after the "fix" at Firestone left my car still leaking fluids. A guy named Chris who is just as friendly as Paul took care of my Vue and the total price was 100 dollars less than what Firestone charged to break my car. I highly recommend this Midas! read more

Take all three of my vehicles to this Midas. Paul is a one of a kind owner/manager with a terrific personality. His team works tirelessly to get my vehicles serviced in a timely fashion, even if it means they work after hours sometimes to do it. They keep records of work done and warranty all parts. I wouldn't look anywhere else. read more

Midas - Paul helps another customer - Auto Repair Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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I am a first time customer to Paul's Midas shop. I went in this morning to get the brakes on my Toyota Corolla inspected. Paul mentioned a free brake inspection and I however assumed the worst and that the car needed a lot of work and stories of shops gouging customers etc. Much to my delight, My experience was just the opposite. Paul is a very pleasant and honest gentleman and informed me that the brakes on my car was indeed Good and I didn't need to worry about it for another few thousand miles ! Now, how often do you hear that ? Not only that, he had his wonderful mechanic make some minor adjustments at no charge ! Thank you Paul -appreciate your honesty and great service from you and your crew. I will be back and will inform my friends of the great service I experienced at your shop !!! Kudos to you and your integrity ! Cheers, Pradeep read more

I had a very solid experience at Paul's Midas. Brought in my 2011 VW Golf on a Saturday afternoon. Told Paul that I needed an oil change, two new tires, and an alignment. I also mentioned that I thought I needed new front rotors, but I wasn't prepared to purchase but that I would appreciate a quote. 30 minutes later, Paul called, told me that my brakes and rotors were fine. Offered to do what he could to reduce the noise when the wheels were cold. Didn't try to up-sell me, matched the tires with what was already on the car, and had the car ready when he said he would. Not to mention the final cost was LOWER than the initial quote. First time that's ever happened to me. Will definitely be coming back. read more

Paul, the manager and this shop in general has been GREAT to me over the years. I've brought my car to Midas since I moved into the area, initially needing my Civic's muffler replaced - and have been taking it there for everything since, for oil changes, brakes, tires, timing belt, anything else my '96 Honda needs. I highly recommend Midas! read more

My brakes started making a weird grinding noise, and it was about time for an oil change, so I went in for the oil change and brake inspection. I was informed that my brakes were great, and that if there was a problem I'd "hear a really loud screeching noise." Not convinced, I went to another mechanic, who removed the tires and found out that my front brakes were completely worn through and shot to pieces. I needed new brake pads, rotors, and hardware. I'm amazed Midas wouldn't just tell me that they didn't check the brakes at all. They put me and everyone else on the road in danger. Definitely not going back. read more

I've been taking my car here since I moved to El Cerrito 7 years ago. They are professional, efficient, courteous and friendly. Paul is a really good guy and they have always been fair and practical. Highly recommend. read more

Always friendly , fair prices, clear explanation of repair, good on-time estimation. Have gone for years with my Toyota pick-up and am now going with my Subaru. Same great service, Paul is always there to greet you with a smile and can-do attitude. Stays late if necessary and understands what good customer service means. Would recommend everyone to check them out, don't let the Midas name scare you away because it has that small shop caring and feel to it. read more

I took my 2005 Avalon in for an oil change and tire rotation because I thought that was the cause of the noise my car was making. The noise was coming from the right front side and it was very annoying. Turns out the noise was from the bearings. So they fixed that and I needed new tires so Paul sold me the Coopers that had a $100 instant rebate. My car rides like it is brand new now. I really like Paul and his crew and I plan to bring my car to them from now on. read more

I've gone to see these gentlemen twice they have excellent service. They work in a timely fashion just great customer service they're honest. Honesty is very important when it comes to car repairs because as a woman men tend to say more than they need to. These guys fixed which should be fixed and their honest about it I recommend them to anybody I know. Thank you Paul and I thank all of your technicians guys are great and my Toyota Highlander thanks you. read more