Promise Auto is a Gem. Tim is thorough, honest, and efficient. Ive been a customer for 8 years and have had nothing but positive experiences. read more

When we called him and tell him about our car problems he doesn't even bother with our name anymore; he simply knows us by the type of car we have, so when we call him, our names are "The White 97 Honda Accord" or "The Red Civic" . This is an indicator of his main objective; to fix your car, and in a sense, to cure the ailment of mishandled cars by people who don't know cars. He has scolded my us before for not maintaining our cars but it's only because he cares. If you don't speak Chinese, you might have trouble understanding him, but he is honest and forthright. In the age of Jiffy/Ez Lube, it is so refreshing to have a mechanic who is actually honest (talk about oxymoron). If you want your car fixed and running without all of the frills, go to Promise Auto. I never really understood the point of a nice waiting room; sure it's comfortable but if you understand that in the end we pay extra for these frills then maybe you'd reconsider those comforts and just wait for the repair at a coffee shop nearby. If there's no problem with your car he'll tell you and he won't charge you. Other mechanics have a diagnostic fee but he only charges you when he needs to fix or replace something. He'll call you if your car is beyond repair; if it costs more than your car's worth you have the power to just junk your car and not waste the extra money. He's a far drive for me; I live in the Westside but he's so worth the trip every time I battle the ominous 405 freeway. I have been going there for the past four years and my wife's family has been his customers for generations. Call ahead of time as he can get busy. His oil change is also a good deal as his prices are very good and he changes the oil filter too. read more

I visited Mr Yu for a brake job. Brake "lamp" warning light was on (not the "brake" light--u know, when you foolishly have your handbrake on and forget to lower it down) and i didn't know what to do. It could mean that i may need to replace the brakepad and rotter. And it means serious bucks. I went to Mr Yu per the other nice reviews. Thanks a million. I am now a follower. He is exactly as described--an old farmer-look guy who speaks little but have a big heart. He examined my hood and asked, "Wow, you came from the east coast?!" which was the truth as told by my rusty engine. Then he just put in extra brake fluid and fix my brake lamp light problem. He also saw that my lightbulbs (front and back) needs replacement and he exchanged them for me just like that. He also voluntarily add extra coolant for my car. I asked him, " what else would i need? I know nothing about cars?" He didn't take it as a chance to sell me unnessary service. He send me home with a charge of 10 bucks for everything. I was appalled. 10 dollars? He even defended himself, " that was the cost of the 2 lightbulbs and the coolant! I didn't charge you for the brake fluid." I told him it was bec i expected to pay way more. read more

These guys are awesome and I highly recommend. I think they are quick and great at the repairs and at the same time, are very fair and won't trick you into paying for unnecessary stuff. read more

Radiator blew in the middle of 405 so got the van towed here. They diagnosed briefly & gave me a quote, they would let me know if something else came up. They gave me a real good price specially on labor & will be going here from now on. Great costumer service from Tim. Was not condescending like other shops who talk to my husband instead of me when I know more about the car. Bringing all our vehicles here from now on. read more

I have found my new mechanic. When the KIA dealer wanted to charge me $141 for a headlight socket, Promise mechanic fixed it in 10 minutes For free. He didn't try to overcharge me because I am a middle-aged single black female. That speaks volumes of integrity. They have a customer for life! read more

Christmas eve, a young kiddie driver (and by young kiddie, I mean early-mid 20s), switched lanes right into me, dented my entire left side of the car from the driver side to the back wheel. Insurance estimated the damage at 3800 parts n labor, with a fix time of about 45 hours (or 8 days of work). Based SOLELY on reviews from Yelp, I decided to check this place out and I am so glad I did. We just picked up the car tonight and it looked brand new and in better condition that I left it. The car was also detailed, in and out. I told my husband, wow something looks different with our car. He said, "Yeah, it's clean!" LOL We dropped the car off on Monday night, and picked it up just 4 days later. I love it.. everything in my car looks so shiny... how it's supposed to look if I actually cleaned it more than once a month haha. But most of all, the damage to my car.. all gone, like it never happened..job well done. If I ever need work done on my car, I will definitely go back to Promise. read more

I've been going to this place for oil change, they charge 20 bucks flat and they don't force you to get a new air filter, engine flushes and some other crap you don't need. They're very honest and WON'T try to rip you off. It's very hard to find a good and trustworthy mechanic and I think I found mine I always recommend this place to anyone I know. I had friends and family come here for new engine, new transmission, body work etc. and they all have been very happy and satisfied with the service. Mr. Yu is an awesome man, He might sound like he is yelling at you at times (I was scared to talk to him in the beginning) but that's how he normally talks. He means well and will give the best deal possible. read more

One day the engine in our SUV started shutting off by itself, and a warning light appeared on the dash saying "Engine Needs Servicing Soon". We took it to the dealer and they told us the oxygen sensor is dead, cost to replace is $1000, and only the dealer can handle this because the sensor is some sort of top secret device that no one else in the world knows how to handle. So then we tried taking it to Promise Auto. They also told us the oxygen sensor was dead, but it would only cost $200 to replace. They did in a few hours, the irritating warning light disappeared, and the engine has worked fine ever since. Also they didn't point out 10 other things that needed to be repaired right away, like a lot of other repair shops. We learned about Promise Auto through word of mouth. My wife's friends recommended them highly for their honesty, excellent work and reasonable costs. And now they get our highest recommendation too. read more

I visited Mr. Yu based on these two previous Yelp reviews (thanks!), and I have to say, it was a really great experience. I wrecked the front of my car last week in my very first accident. There was some big cosmetic damage to the front, and I wasn't sure how damaged the car was mechanically... I was ready to turn the car into the scrapper since its an old fogie anyway, but decided to fish around for some repair estimates, since it still ran (with some seemingly minor issues). I called ahead of time, and told Mr. Yu my situation, and he told me to bring it right over. Mr. Yu took some time out to check out the guts of my car (which I was most concerned about, rather than costmetic damage, since its my commuter car). He said that my car's engine was still fine, but I had to replace two minor parts that were broken. He said he would do this, as well as replace the hood, fender, side panel, headlights, *and* paint the parts to match the rest of my car, for a ridiculously affordable price... I have to admit I was rather skeptical, since my car looked pretty bad (hood bent up, fender and headlight busted, cracked radiator, couldn't even open my door all the way). But Mr. Yu promised that he could have it looking "like new car" in 5 days. So I took the gamble... ...And boy did Mr. Yu deliver! The first thing that I noticed, was that you *could* tell that my car had been in an accident - but only because the parts that he replaced were so gleamingly new and shiny and beautiful! The paint matched seamlessly. The car runs just fine. Mr. Yu promised, and he delivered. Whats more, the whole thing was done in less time than he promised. Thanks Mr. Yu! :) read more

Tim and his crew are Awesome! Best service ever! Took my 2015 Nissan Rouge for 60K maintenance. Always honest! Good pricing and always takes the extra effort to make sure you have great customer service! Thank you and will always take my car and family cars there for service! 5 stars!!! read more

My friend recommended this place after i getting quote from another auto repair shop. They wanted to charge me more than $900 to replace some computer controlling wiper. At promise auto repair, within only two hours and $120, they replace broken part and fixed it and provided me with one year/12000 miles warranty. I forgot to ask the name of the young man who fixed my car. But thank you so much! read more

I've been looking for a good auto mechanic for a while, since my disastrous experience with a Toyota dealership. Thanks to Yelp, it looks like I've found him! I dropped my Camry off just after 9am on a Saturday, told him I needed an oil change and brake job, and he confirmed that I would be waiting for the car. In the meantime, I walked down the street to Starbucks. Amazingly, they were done with my car in less than 2 hours. And for changing the oil, replacing the filter, checking tire pressure, topping off fluids, replacing front brake pads, cleaning and adjusting the rear drums, and replacing a blown tail light bulb, he charged only $120! I'm pretty sure this would've cost me twice as much at the dealership. The shop is located in an auto plaza on the south side of Artesia. If you're driving east, you'll past Marukai, then Apollo Merchandising. Take the driveway just past Apollo and drive straight to the back. As a female who understands very little about cars, I've had a hard time really trusting what car mechanics tell me I need to have done. I definitely did not feel this way here, and am so glad to have found the shop! read more

I get tired of writing bad reviews because I have to own up to a bad experience, so luckily this is NOT one of them. Far from it actually. My car died (see Toyota dealer review) and while I had it at the dealer, I had a couple of days to get estimates. It ended up being the clutch kit, flywheel and all - and it was going to set me back $2000. Based on Yelp reviews, I called 3 other places: Hiro charged $850 Joe's Auto in El Segundo charged something a little less, but it was a used part. Promise? $450 with a new kit. I'll admit it was scary affordable. I was looking primarily on price, but that seemed too good to be true. They took the car and that same day, I got it back and held my breath to see what would happen. That was a month and a long road trip ago. This mess happened right before driving around the state including the Sierras, San Francisco and the windy coast. The clutch worked great and passed with flying colors. They also gave a 6, yes 6, month warranty on parts and labor. Very good, indeed. Please consider their services if you need auto work done. I almost feel that with such low rate pricing, they could use a tons of customers to stay afloat. I'll return there for all my auto needs. Thank you, Promise and fellow Yelpers for accurately rating their services! read more

So these guys are your basic nuts and bolts/ stripped down auto mechanic. Mr. Yu is great. He seems like an honest guy who tries his best which is what you want in a mechanic. His english is a little rough so it can be hard talking about specifics. He also has an awesome crew helping him out. I had a bit of a touchy situation here where I had them replace some squeaky rusty parts on my brakes. They got rid of the sound. However, I been back twice in the last month to have them replace additional parts (master and rear cylinders). It sucks that my brakes have actually been less consistent since I went here. However, Mr. Yu has been as nice as one could expect about making the repairs. He won't charge you more than necessary which is great for an LA newbie like myself. Give him a try if you have a small repair. Chances are you'll go back. read more

First time here. i found this place on yelp! after reading several reviews, this place looked promising. i called ahead to see when i can stop by, the guy said anytime. usually when they say anytime, that means you have to wait when you get there,,,blah blah blah. but with this place, nope! i got there, pulled my car in, took a look, and i was done and out the door in 10 minutes. (i just had them inspect a car. no work done) they do oil changes and all major services without the dealership costs. i'm definitely going to bring my car here for service in the future. great first experience. read more

I had to replace the brake pads on my sister's car so I yelped for a good auto repair place. Trusting fellow Yelpers, I told my sister we should go here. She decided to ask around first because she knew someone who worked at an auto repair shop. Promise Auto Repair said it would be $120 for everything ! Other places said it would be around $200. It's kind of hard to find this place because there were other car shops in the same building structure, but you just go around the building and you will eventually find it (no outside sign). A guy named Tim helped us out and he was really nice! He changed the brakes and the car runs a lot better now! It took about 1hr15min~ but Mitsuwa market is right next to it, so my sister and I went there to look around. With the price, service, and location, Promise Auto Repair is probably one of the best places in this area to get your car problems fixed! It's a little far from home, but it's definitely worth it! Ask for Tim too he's very helpful! read more

If I could give 10 stars I would, because thats what they deserve. Tim helped me out with getting some parts installed on my G35. He was honest and straighforward. He knows what he's doing and got the job done quick. I'd called a few garages before coming to Promise Auto Repair and they were all over estimating the amount of time it would take to do the job and wanted to charge me per hour. Once Tim got my car up on the lift, he went straight to work and got me on the road in no time. Definately recommend this repair shop; I'll be coming back for all my mechanic needs. Work was great Price was GREAT The garage is on the right side of the automall. When you drive down the middle, you'll see alot of shops... go down to the end, make a right and another right and there you'll what i promise is a great repair shop. read more

William is fair and never, ever does more to your car than necessary. My parents and now I have gone to him for over 10 years. Oil and filter change is $10-15 depending on how long you've been there and how much William likes you. Suck up to him if you can. And he does higher-end cars too. Asian mommies from Palos Verdes love to go to William. read more

My wife was referred here by a friend because her ancient Accord was having some issues. She was worried about getting ripped off so she wanted me to come along to get the estimate (there had just been a study done on women getting overcharged at the mechanics). After going talking with the mechanic I don't think it really mattered if I was there or not. The guys there were really straightforward and seemed honest enough, plus the price they quoted was a fraction of what I thought it was going to be! Just for future reference I would read Henry C's caveat, which I will quote: '2) He is Cantonese! This is awesome but remember majority of the time older Chinese are very blunt about things (which can come off as rude)... it's not a good or a bad trait but it is what it is.... (like the sun rises and sets on a daily basis), he may speak real fast, go through things real fast, seem like he is yelling, etc. etc...' I've found this to be true with a vast majority of Cantonese, my aunts and uncles in particular. So, if you're dealing with an older Chinese person and they seem like they're yelling at you, take a step back, count to ten, and laugh it off later. It's not worth a confrontation over nothing. But enough commentary, bottom line is: these guys are honest hard workers and they're reasonably priced. read more

I brought my wife's Ford Explorer in for a simple oil and filter change. From all the positive Yelp reviews for the quality and service here, I didn't want to take it anywhere else even though all the other businesses in the plaza does the same line of work. At first, it was difficult finding this particular shop since there are no signs directly outside (the sign in the picture is no longer up). I had to drive around twice just to make sure I was in the right center. As soon as I walked up to the shop, they told me to get back into the car and drive straight up to the garage area. Wow, I was amazed at how quickly they took the car in even though they seemed quite busy. So I spent the time waiting in what appeared to be their waiting room area; which was converted into storage for books, spare parts, and decorations you'd find at an antique shop. There is no real separate room or partition so you're literally sitting right next to the cars being worked on which was strange and different. Old car seats were used as chairs. I thought this whole set-up was rather amusing in comparison to other establishments that try to impress their customers with lavish furnishings and complimentary coffee. The work was finished quickly in about 10 minutes! There was no invoice, no statement, and no sticker on the left hand corner of your front window. I felt like I drove to a buddy's house and he changed my car's oil in his garage. The work just cost $20 flat, which was astounding. When I left to thank Mr. Yue, I asked him that so many people on Yelp were extremely satisfied with the work at Promise. He gave me this blank stare and said that he's never heard of it. I got the impression that he's the type of guy who probably doesn't use the internet nor care about what people say (good or bad). He just does the job right. read more

Was recommended by a coworker and went to fix a fender bender (rear bumper) here. Young man named, Tim, gave me a shocking cheap quote to repair the damage. I was almost skeptical about how good of a job they could do at that price (1/2 of what I was quoted by other body shops), but since my coworker told me this shop was fast, cheap and reliable I surrendered my keys and tried them out. To my surprise, I picked up my vehicle in 2 days and they did a better job than Y&S on Crenshaw Blvd. near Lomita Blvd. I was rear ended 3 times this year (not my fault), and out of the 3 places I got my bumper repaired, this was by far the best experience. I asked Tim how he could keep up his business at such a low rate. His reply "we are interested in repeating customers." Fair and simple answer to my question. The mechanics seem trust worthy and since they are capable of doing work other than body repair, I look forward to visiting them again for other car related issues. read more

Needed to have my clutch replaced on my Accord. Promise was conveniently open on a Saturday. Tim was able to complete the replacement on the same day and even stayed a little after close for me to pick up my car. He also kept the old parts and showed me the wear on the old pressure disk. Highly recommend. read more

First time here today. I purchased my own motor oil + filter from Auto Zone and took it here to have them change it for me. I was expecting to be charge $10-$15 dollars and it turned out to be $10 :D Really quick change, the young guy there told me some other things that I needed to take care of (things I already knew about) so this place seems legitimate to me. Was quoted brake prices vs. if I brought my own pads in and had labor only, they both sounded good. Thanks for the recommendation Yelpers! I think this may be my new auto spot. read more

This is my second time coming here. You can get the same or even better dealer service with a very good price. The quality of service is good, all honest people. They just repair what you need and not to try selling you anything. Highly recommended! read more

Havnt been here in a long time since I got a new car, went there today to change my manual transmission fluid. I even brought the fluid, couple mechanics just sitting around asked them if I could get the fluid changed and they told me talk to the owner who just pulled up testing a car they just repaired. When I asked him he just flatly said no without an explanation. I thought it was very strange, so I kind of looked at him and said no? And he said no again/ So I left with my puzzled, At least he could have said something why he couldnt do it. I dont think I will be going back to them again. Changing the manual transmission fluid isnt the most difficult job and I even brought the fluid, Maybe it wasnt worth his time. I have no answer, its his business and I guess he can pick and choose. read more

Not impressed. I took my 10 year Nissan maxima in for: radiator hoses & flush, noises from the belts. and transmission fluid &filter change. The mechanic showed me the main bely pulley was wobbling and said they would tell me what was wrong after they started working on the car. The good is they finished on time and on estimate. However: When I picked up the car. They did not show any prices for the parts used just a total price on the bill. I asked about the main pulley and the mechanic said we did not look at it. They did replace the idler pulley and the belts that are connected to the wobbly pulley but they did not look at the pulley. The replaced the radiator hoses & fluids as expected. They said the noises were coming from the timing chain & it should be replaced. They did an oil change and they said they thought it might fix the timing chain noise? but it did not fix the noise. I wonder if they changed the filter? I asked Mr Yu about the timing chain should I get it fixed right now later he did not reply so I asked "Is the car safe to drive" and he said "not safe". After picking up my car. I am driving the 2 miles to my house with my unsafe car and the check engine light turned on after the first mile. I feel stuff on my hands and the steering wheel & gear shift are dirty from oil. upon returning home I called about the check engine light and the mechanic said I though your check engine light was on before so I did not do anything. The people there are nice enough but not a good mechanic shop. I don't feel they cheat or anything but I think they did really sloppy work on my car. I am not happy with the work. I am looking elsewhere for my timing chain. I will update after they inspect my check engine light. They left the temperature sensor unplugged. I am taking my car somewhere else for my timing chain. FYI Mr Yu quoted my 1400 I am getting it fixed else where for 1100. read more

When I stopped by Promise Auto to get an estimate for body repair after running over debris on a freeway, owner Tim Fu was really responsive in taking a look at the damage and provided a written estimate within 15 minutes. When I told him that my check engine light came on after this accident, he had his worker perform an engine diagnostic and was able fix the problem on the spot by soldering an electrical wiring back onto the ambient temperature sensor (unlike another body shop which told me that I had to separately find an auto mechanic to troubleshoot the check engine light). Obviously I ended up having Promise Auto replace and paint my bumper as well as replacing a few damaged linings under the chassis. Overall I was very satisfied with the excellent body work as well as the discount Tim Fu gave me so that I did not have to pay my entire insurance deductible. I have no reservation in recommending Promise Auto to anyone who needs auto body repair at a very reasonable price. read more

This place is the best. Quality service and guys who know what they're doing. Tim is always straightforward and will tell you exactly what you need, no more no less. Highly recommended. read more

After 3 months of driving with a busted bumper and completely broken windshield wiper fluid contraption from skimming debris one night on the freeway, I finally started going to auto shops to get quotes to fix those two things. Promise Auto was referred to me by my dad, who was referred by his friend. I came with my dad and Tim was able to give me a great quote for the job. It was better than the quotes from all the other auto shops I went to. Tim was also more thorough when he was checking out my car to make sure he wasn't missing anything in the quote. I dropped my car off on a Thursday and it was ready to go by Saturday! The work done on my car was superb! I attached a photo of my bumper before and then a photo from when I picked it up. Windshield spray contraption works perfectly! Just in time for the rainy season. I am super happy to have found a good, reliable, and honest auto shop. I had a few terrible experiences at other auto shops where the people ripped me off, so it made it hard to trust auto shops. It seems they try to over charge you and then do a crap job trying to cut corners and what not. Anyway, that wasn't the case here. I have already recommended Tim and Promise Auto to my friends if they ever need work done on their car. Tim even ended up doing a little paint job for the back of my dads car the trunk part, at a great price too and it looked brand new! Highly recommend checking out Promise Auto. Thank you, Tim! read more

Promise Auto - After Promise Auto fixed my bumper - Auto Repair Near Me - Gardena, California

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What I appreciate about this place is their honesty and that is why I'm a repeat customer. Everyone knows how shady auto mechanics can be, but this is a place that I trust completely. I went to another auto shop to see how much it would be to replace my struts, brake pads, along with some other items that were in need of replacement. I felt that the quote that they came back was definitely on the high side and I told them "Thanks, but no thanks." I came to Promise Auto and they came back with a very reasonable quote and I was able to pick up my car within 24 hours of dropping it off. I had this taken care over a year ago and haven't had an issue with my car since. I highly recommend Mr. Yue and his team - honest, transparent and they don't try to push or sell extra services. read more

I like the new owner Tim who took over from William-the previous owner. Basically you go there and they will service your need right away. I always manage to get there in the morning hours and get the car taken care in very efficient way. I also like their honest,very reasonable service charge. I had tire pressure monitor replaced and combined with cabin filter and air filter change on my Lexus RX350 for less than half what dealer charges. Recently check engine light showed one of the coil for the engine cylinder was bad, I bought the coil to them and they replaced for less than 30 minutes. I will let friends know you can take the car there and they will help you to get the job done with very reasonable price. read more

I called about 9 different places to get an estimate on changing out my clutch. This place offered the best price within a 15 mile radius. Tim was extremely helpful in explaining what work needed to be done. They took my car in at 10:00am and finished it by 2:30pm. He also saved my old clutch to show me why it was going bad. I recommend coming to this place if you ever need work done on your car. Real genuine workers and great pricing. I got rear ended back in January and had to fix my bumper. I originally took it to another body shop that I trust, but they quoted me an expensive price. I decided to take it to promise auto to see their estimate. Tim once again was very helpful and gave me a fair estimate. It was so fair that I decided to just repaint my front bumper as well. Additionally, whenever I have questions about cars he gives me solid advice. There are about 9 different body shops within a 2 mile radius from where I live but this place has always been my go to. Before you go anywhere else, call this place and ask for Tim. read more

The Best!! Honest, fast, competent, fair prices. I've had a list of items Ive wanted to get done on my G35. Referred to Tim by a family member who knows cars well and Tim exceeded my expectations. Highly recommend!! read more

Got there early this morning right when they open at 8. Paid $20 and was out of there by 8:30. It's not the most friendliest of all places but hey, it's cheap! And as long as they get the job done, that's all it matters. Will definitely return for future oil changes. read more

i am a car dealer and I have been going to Willi at Promise Auto for over ten years. I need the work done quick, right and for a good price. Promise is the best. They fix my vehicles correctly on time and at price where I can still make a profit. A very dependable shop and also a one stop shop as they do everything from body work to engine tear downs and rebuilds. read more

just went in for a basic oil change. I had called a couple months ago when my oil life was at 5% and they let me know that a basic oil change would be $20. of course being young and stupid, I put it off for a good 2000 miles. I finally realized yesterday I needed to go because I was going to be taking a long distance trip tomorrow. I called them up last minute (like this morning) and they let me know that I can come in today. I told him I would be in in 10 to 15 minutes and they were fine with that. I went in and around 855, and they were done within 10 to 15 minutes. luckily they took credit cards because I didn't have enough cash on hand. I will definitely be returning back here! read more

Took my old car in with paint damaged by chemical spilled onto it. Asked if Tim can make it look nice without spending too much. He gave a quick quote and I couldn't be more pleased. Took my daughter's car in and again over exceeded our expectation read more

Visited promise auto team again after the day I had oil change in this store. Since I have problem with the left side front door, I came back to ask them to fix it. Then, after I paid and left the store. I found my right hand back side window handle was be take off. The young man with fluent English speaking gye took off my window handle on purpose. He is not honest person. Customers do not always stay on the side of the cars. He took off my window handle and try to earn the easy money because female does not know the car very well. Very uncomfortable feeling to be cheated like that. He takes advantage of Mr, Yu. Mr. Yu does not speak English well. He trust the young man and let him do anything. Be careful!!! read more

this is my 2nd time I have taken my 2010 chevy impala to Promise Auto Repair and this is the 2nd time I'm glad I found this place. I like to thank Mr William for fixing my car at a way better rate then other shops. You rarely find any auto shops like this anymore , they take pride in there craft and they don't try to rip you off. If your looking for a shop and its your first time and you want an honest mechanic , go to PROMISE AUTO REPAIR. read more