If you want to pay mechanics to change your oil, go for it. I don't recommend this location for car repair. I paid a big price for this review by taking my truck to Punahou Auto Service. Lesson learned. I ultimately had to fix the truck myself. While most mechanics can hear, most mechanics can't listen. Communication is a major issue here. No contact with me before they replaced new, original manufacturer parts I had installed but charging me big for trial-and-error part swaps (SEE PHOTOS). I'll give the short story first before I get into details. IN SHORT: I took the truck in with a check engine light recording a P0305 (sometimes P0300) engine misfire. The truck was at Punahou shop for 5 weeks (plus two days). Nothing was fixed at a cost of nearly $1,700. The shop was tired of dealing with it and resorted to the "engine needs a rebuild," which was a diversion from their inability to find and fix the real malfunction. With truck returned, I bought test kits and reviewed the engine symptoms. I replaced the crankshaft position sensor, which stopped the engine misfire and the check engine light. I also replaced the fuel pressure regulator to fix very low fuel pressure at the fuel rails. Now, the engine starts at first turn of the key, accelerates without stutter/hesitation and has restored engine power under load to factory standard. THE DETAILS: I took the truck to Punahou Auto Service on March 6 with a misfire issue. I told them I had replaced everything from the distributor cap to the spark plugs and fuel injectors. They said an engine diagnostic starts at $650. I said no thanks at that price and asked them to remove the engine head unit and have it rebuilt (the truck has 160K miles). We had a verbal agreement, so I spent the next days believing this work was underway. The next Friday, they called and said the truck was fixed. By the time I arrived, they told me oops, the check engine light came back on and there was still the engine misfire. Before I left, I reminded them that they were tasked to remove the head and have it rebuilt (not do as they please). I was told nothing about cost at this point. Two more weeks passed, so I called to check the status of the head rebuild. They told me over the phone that they were sorry, but the past two weeks a Ford Ranger pickup was occupying the mechanic who had worked on my truck. I was upset that my truck sat for two weeks after they worked on it the previous week, but I remained calm and polite. I came into the shop the next morning to take my truck out of their shop in as-is condition, but they told me I owed them $1,100 and wherever I take the truck next the same fees for diagnostics will be charged again. Nothing was fixed and they had no clue what was causing the misfire, but said they think they are close to finding the problem. They talked me into keeping the truck in their shop. I was told the expense was currently at $1,100 so I no longer wanted the engine head rebuilt (they said it doesn't need it). Week four, they called on Good Friday before Easter to say they can't fix the truck so come get it. I arrived and paid the bill, which had increased to $1,659.55. None of the parts replaced were told to me in advance. I had recently installed those parts. After I paid the bill, the shop owner said the truck's engine is shot and the computer has the truck in 'limp mode', so I need to drive it at a top speed of 5-10 miles per hour or have the truck towed. Again, I was upset but remained calm and polite. I asked how did I pay so much money to receive my truck in this condition after I could drive the truck at 70 mph before I brought it to them? The shop owner agreed to keep the truck to get it out of 'limp mode'. I called the following Tuesday, but still not ready. This was week five. I finally received the truck in mid-April. The owner walked with me and I started it up. It didn't want to start and when it did, it was sputtering. I was frustrated and told him the truck always started fine on the first key turn. His replied that I need a new engine. I drove the truck home with the check engine light on and the misfire. Immediately, I bought test kits. I tested compression - all good. I replaced the crankshaft position sensor and the misfire stopped (check engine light also deactivated). I still had the hard-to-start/crank engine issue, so I tested the fuel pressure. I removed the fuel pressure regulator, which had an obvious dent in it. The valve inside seemed to be jammed open, preventing fuel pressure. I suspect the mechanic dented it because fuel pressure was fine before. Also, the wires to the Idle Control Valve were so taunt around the lower intake plenum that one was pulled out of the control valve. I had to replace both damaged parts. Now, the truck fires up on the first key turn and the engine runs without a sputter or hesitation on the accelerator. The engine power is back to factory standard with no misfire or check engine light. read more

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Came in for safety check, 6 month maintenance service and a new key fob made ... Won and the crew are the VERY BEST here !!! They care about their customers and it shows ! Thank you Won & all the crew at PAR read more

Punahou Auto Repair - Auto Repair Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is a small family business that I admire & respect. I wish the state were more business friendly and resulted in more of these ma & pop shops. They're not perfect set your expectation. But they provide quality work, good value compared to the bigger guys around town and thoughtful corrections on the mistakes made, you just gotta do your part and communicate with them. All of the multiple issues I had with my Tacoma was addressed and repaired to my standards. I recommend this spot. read more

My vehicle died one day. I brought my vehicle into this shop to have them diagnose the issue. They replaced the battery. I paid for these services on May 25, 2026. I proceeded to drive the car around, and in a couple weeks, my car started to overheat. I brought it into the shop, and they charged me $1046.53 for a diagnosis and to change my vehicle's thermostat and coolant hoses and to fill up my coolant. I paid for these services on June 16, 2026. Within two days of driving my vehicle, it was overheating again, and my (new) battery died again. I brought it back to the shop, and they revealed that the true underlying issue behind all of this is that my harmonic balancer needed to be replaced. My belt system, which powers the alternator, coolant pump, and AC system (my AC wasn't working either) was the root of the issue. (The mechanic said that my fan clutch needed to be replaced, though. He didn't mention anything about the coolant pump being powered by the belt system, which I believe was the real reason behind my overheating engine.) Punahou Auto Repair wanted to charge me another $1400 to replace the harmonic balancer and clutch fan, so I took it to another mechanic to get my car fixed. I understand that this may have been a difficult issue to diagnose, but I am still dismayed at them having missed the issue and me unnecessarily being charged about $1400 for a battery replacement and coolant-system services that I ultimately did not need. At the least, the shop could've refunded me the $185 diagnostic fee for the second time I had brought my car in, but they refused to do this for me. I also think they overcharged me for the radiator-hose replacements ($370 of labor), which I didn't need. I also think the thermostat did not need to be replaced (another $203.50 of labor). The mechanic did patiently explain the issues at hand to me multiple times, and I do understand that this issue was perhaps difficult to detect, so I am not giving them a one-star rating. I still am disappointed in their service, though. read more

They are always reliable! Tire pressure light on and one tire almost went flat. Called them on Sunday morning and they said no problem just bring the car in. Came here and they found a piece of metal. Once they removed it they were unable to find the leak again. They wanted to put a plug in but there's no more leak. They said maybe those are self-sealing tires (didn't know such a thing exist?!). They didn't charge me just told me to come back if the pressure drops again. Thank you so much! read more

Been coming here for a year now and so glad we have a reputable mechanic so close to our home. We brought our Fiat in after the coils and spark plugs. needed replacing. In the past, they worked on our BMW or Mercedes and the Fiat We've always had a great experience here and never feel fleeced. My experience with the owner and the staff has been flawless , always getting a detailed prognosis before we even pay. Estimates are provided on request. It's a mom and Pop shop with very talented, and hard-working mechanics. I hope only the best for everyone that comes in. read more

Punahou Auto Repair - For all your cars needs. - Auto Repair Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Their team is good and their management is easy-going and dedicated to finding what's the cause of the problem. Comes with good service and reliable time completion. read more

I'm so grateful I found this place and highly recommend this shop to anyone. My car was having issues and I really needed to get it checked out and fixed the same day. I called several other shops, but most didn't have availability until tomorrow or even next week. When I called Punahou Auto Service and explained the issue, they were kind enough to fit me in last minute. I called the shop again after the service to ask for the guy's name who resolved the issue, adisu ( i hope i got his name right ) quickly diagnosed the problem and got it fixed the same day. My car feels so much better now! Huge thanks to Adisu and the owner for their outstanding service, professionalism, and kindness. I'll definitely be coming back here for any future car needs! read more

Good service. They was able to take my car in right away. I did come in pretty late and was still able to it diagnosed and was fixed and ready the next day. read more

I went because the air conditioner wasn't cooling, but they explained kindly that there was no need for repair and told me to come back if only hot air comes out again. I've been going to safety chack my car there for the past few years, and they have always been very kind. I will definitely go again and highly recommend read more

Took my car in for three major issues, mechanic called me and was very transparent. Told me I'm looking at spending a good amount which was fine and expected. Then, I paid the amount and upon driving back home the car was still giving me issues. I took it back and was very patient as I understand mistakes happen. They told me that I have to replace a whole new part now and for which I said okay fine as long as it gets fixed. They told me since I already paid for the diagnostic and had the inconvenience that I won't have to pay for labor. Finally upon receiving my car for the 3rd time, he explained that they will only charge me one hour of labor and I said Nice try. 3 stars for getting my service done as it was very inconvenient even though I had much patience. 1 star for the honesty not provided. Culminating 2 stars. read more

Easy to make an appointment. They worked on my car on a Sunday. Very convenient. AAA+++ read more

brought my trk back 3 times,2005 dodge ram 1500,had break and steering issues. the brakes were sticky and eventually cramped up while driving. they replaced master cylinder/booster/brake line/brake caliperx2/brake rotor/brake pads. total 4855.16 . after all that i had to rent a car,tow it there all at my cost not to mention the inconveniance to myself and my wife. I am 79 ,my wife is 77 . i AM a 100%disabled vietvet. read more

Diagnostics fee 185 just check battery light on . And change an alternator charge me 200 for labor. Other shop never charge me Diagnostics fee. read more

Took my car here for a blown upper radiator hose (see picture below taken before the car was brought in). After they ran diagnostics (which I found they later charged $185 for) they told me that the lower hose was the issue and recommended replacing it. I asked them well what about the upper hose since I knew that one was clearly blown and he went out, looked at the car and said oh yeah that one needs to be done a well showing that clearly didn't run proper diagnosis since myself who is not a mechanic had to tell them the issue (still charged $185 for diagnostics though) Few minutes later he called me back to say only the upper one needs to be replaced and not the lower hose. I went ahead and had them do the service which included flushing and bleeding the system. When I got the Car back it started over heating which has not happened before the service when I talked to them regarding the car now over heating they said this could be cause my by air in the system. I stated that if they bleed the car correctly then why would there be air pockets. He responded and said "Do you Know how hard it is to bleed Volvos" pretty much admitting they didn't bleed the car correctly. I would recommend taking you car anywhere else but here. Update: took the car to another Mechanic that confirmed there were air bubbles in the coolant system due to the car not being properly bleed. DONT TAKE YOUR CAR HERE. read more

Punahou Auto Repair - Auto Repair Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Service! Was good, nearby my house (walking distance) I called 3 places, no call backs. Punahou Auto Repair was recommended by GOOD FAMILY FRIENDS! I was pleased and have peace of mind that my car was taken care of... and. In good hands. My car has other issues, but will return for car repair-soon! read more

They help me get my car ready for the safety check really appreciated that. Fast and friendly service. Wouldn't go anywhere else thanks guys

This is an overdue review that I held off writing and now decided to write because it still annoys me and I hope this will help others when deciding on car mechanics. In Dec 2023, I took my truck in on a Saturday morning because it was stalling. I called ahead to see if they were able to take walk-ins and the person who I spoke with said they do and that they weren't busy. I had my 2 children and nephew with me so when I dropped off my vehicle, there wasn't any communication on how long the wait was (I assumed a couple of hours since they weren't busy so the children and I waited at a nearby establishment). Hours passed and no update. I called the next day requesting an update and the guy who I spoke with said that they had to cool the truck down overnight before inspection (I wish they would have told me that in the first place). Sunday passes and no update from them. I call them again on Monday and the mechanic said that 4 of my sensors need replacement and it would be around $725 for the service. I was already annoyed at that point because 1. Why do I have to be the one calling and requesting an update? And 2. Why does it take a few days to do a simple diagnostic? I told them that I wanted to get a second opinion elsewhere. When I picked up my truck they charged me $185 for the diagnostic. The whole experience was frustrating because I had to stress and find other transportation accommodations for my children and I, because of their lack of communication. I truly think they took advantage of my time and money. If Punahou Auto wants to uphold their reputation they need to work on their urgency, communication, and honesty. I eventually took my truck to another mechanic and they said only 1 major sensor needed to be replaced and they charged me $240 for diagnostic and replacement, which took only a few hours. My truck had experienced no problems with stalling to this day. read more

Words can not describe how well Punahou auto service took care of me. From start to finish. I needed help and they took me in last minute, addressed the concern right then and there at the same time informing me what was going on step by step. The staff was so nice and kind to teach me while figuring out the issue. Let's just say if I could give more stars I would. Highly recommend coming here. read more

I called & got in same day! They were very helpful in assisting me get in/out of my car due to my physical disability. Also very upfront with the costs before starting services. I'm always happy with the service read more

Great service for my vehicle. Will be going there for all my fixes. They are awesome and they really took care of my truck. Thank you

Gave me an appointment very quickly, and weren't hustling me to add on more work. I came in, told them what I needed and they did exactly that. Straight forward and kept it to the quote they gave me before starting. Definitely recommend. read more

ABSOLUTELY NEVER GO TO THIS SHOP! They knew I was inexperienced in vehicle work and took advantage of me! They charged me $1400 to change my spark plugs! Claiming that it was another issue entirely and gaslighting me into doing more work with them then said "we'll see how long it takes you to come back".. when I took my car into another shop to take a look, they said that the previous technician (Punahou auto) used the wrong spark plugs and caused more damage to my vehicle; I believe this was done on purpose. DO NOT TRUST THESE SCAMMERS read more

These guys are absolutely Amazing Magician Mechanics. They replaced my ABS brake system on the Toyota Prius (which is no minor feat) in half a day for well under what the auto dealer would have charged. Honesty integrity and Great workmanship. Punahou Auto is the way to go. (Especially if you need ABS brake system replacement.) ------- read more

DO NOT TAKE YOUR CAR HERE. Long story, short...I came in for warranty work (rack & pinion + alignment) on my car. I also had a squeeky belt noise they checked out and Won said I needed a new harmonic balancer, but I said no need. Just do the warranty work. No one called to tell me they were going to keep my car overnight. It was a 5-6 hour job when I took it in for the job last year so I thought Iʻd get it by end of day. The next day they said that the inner tie rods needed to be replaced. Reluctantly, I agreed as it was related to the job they were doing anyway. Shortly after the call, my car was ready for pick up. My bill was $200 for parts, $620 for labor. I was shocked at how much the labor was, so I went back for clarification. He said the labor was 3.7 hours + tax. I left, but something didnʻt feel right, so I checked my phone calls. It took 2.5 hours between the time they called to ask if I wanted to replace the tie rods till my car was done...but they charged me 3.7 hrs of labor?? Mind you, prior to this call it shouldʻve just been warranty work. The math didnʻt make sense, so I went back a second time. This time, Won explained that they use a computer software system that tells him how long a job should take, this is called "book time." Essentially, this is the labor they charge customers for, no matter how long the job takes. He said his mechanics are "flat-rate mechanics." I have NEVER heard of this system. My dad, who works on cars and knows auto shops was also not familiar with this. Why is an auto shop owner letting a computer tell him what to do? And why isnʻt this verbally stated before doing the work or transparently stated in the invoice? Is this the kind of business you want to support? I certainly donʻt. Remember that harmonic balancer I needed to get replaced? Well, I went to another auto shop to confirm that was the case and they said it was just my serpentine belt...I smell and upsell... I spent nearly $5K in repairs in the past year. Iʻm a college student and have an older car so I want to repair things right away. I honestly felt taken advantage of becuase I donʻt know anything about cars (which is like most people). Luckily, my dad knows about cars, so we were able to come to the conclusion that we shouldnʻt trust Punahou Auto. I heard the previous owners were so much better, but the current management is questionable to say the least... Thereʻs so much more I want to say (yes, this is the short version of my experience with Punahou Auto), but Iʻll leave it here. Unless you want to waste your money, DO NOT take your car here! read more

Alan and the team at Punahou Auto Repair made me feel welcome and valued. Came highly referred by family and I now see why. Took care of my vehicle, quality workmanship and was done quickly. Shop is busy and I can see why, as a customer it's about the genuine service and care we feel when we give trust to automotive repair shops. I have experienced that here. Highly appreciated & recommended read more

Holy cow they are fast. Just went in for an oil change and safety check. When I mentioned that I needed to have my windshield washer pump checked, was informed that it would need to be fixed before I could receive the safety check. So I asked if they would do that and would I need to come back later. They said no need, that can be done along with everything else. It was all completed in just over an hour. Fast friendly service. read more

Brought in my Land Rover LR2 for an evaluation of fuel pump leak on Christmas Eve. They were recommended by O'Reillys auto parts next door when I was making a purchase. I'm so glad that I did. Technician Mr. Won and his staff are very knowledgeable, polite, and quickly assessed my problem. Parts had to be ordered which Mr. Won ordered that day. I return the following Wednesday to drop off my car. It was ready in 2 days, picked it up Friday. They also repaired my AC compressor among other things. Now my fuel tank is no longer leaking. Inside of my car does not smell like gas and my AC works great - COLD. Thank you Punahou Auto Repair! I highly recommend this place! read more

Less than two weeks into 2021, thieves made off with our catalytic converter. It was a major inconvenience, but I am thankful that last week was the kid's off-campus/distance-learning week (I'd have been more upset and flustered if we had discovered the theft at 7:30am just as we were leaving for school!) and that everyone is generally in a WFM situation. I called Punahou Auto that day (my husband used their services a couple of years ago) and spoke with Won. He's familiar with the situation (we're the 14th victim he's helped to-date, from last year August!) and told me to expect six days of being be without the car, and that he and the insurance company can take care of everything. He offered to order the part to get the ball rolling (typically he orders after the car has been brought in) because he thinks someone else might call for it (i.e. we won't be the last victim!) I inquired about the catalytic lock/plate, which he said he can install for us. I had initially believed we'd have to call for a tow truck, but Won assured me it's safe to drive, but expect the car to be super noisy. My husband took the car to the shop during his lunch break. Sure enough, when he turned the car on, it sounded like two Harley motorcycles + backfiring nonstop. (Funnily enough, because ours is a hybrid, the electric component kicked in just as he drove to the shop and it quieted down!) Won called this morning to tell us our car is ready. When I went to pick it up, turns out they didn't put the catalytic lock on. (He and my husband each had different understanding of their conversation!) Won said they can put it on right away, less than 30 minutes, and they did. I found out later that Mr. Malcolm Ho no longer owns the business, Won is! He gave us a thermos; he didn't give a reason, maybe coz our bill was $500? I also punched in our phone number for the Five Stars loyalty program. He said perks include things like discounts and free oil change (I was in a hurry and forgot to ask for a list). The plate took maybe twenty minutes to be put on, and it was $209+ tax, which is the amount he quoted me over the phone. I like that each conversation I had with Won seems pretty transparent. (I asked if he could add the plate to the insurance and he said no.) He's easygoing, courteous, professional, no upselling, no chitchatting. He seems to talk to his employees in the same manner he talks to me. I feel safe going to Punahou Auto Repair, that I can trust them to not gouge/take advantage/upsell unnecessary things. read more

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If I could give negative score, I would give -5. Poor service, just want to rip you off. Don't go to them, I made a huge mistake by thinking this is just a safety check, they can't do much to me, but I was wrong again, they charged me $90+, a small bulb, the owner said, normally $15, but today I will charge you $45. So, don't go there, even if it is a safety check, unless you want to give some extra money you can't get rid of. read more

My Truck was in need of new brakes and a new front bearing I decided to take it to Punahou Auto Repair as it is near by my home and I had a friend who takes his truck there too. Although it recently changed hands to one of the workers there I was pleasantly surprised at the price I was quoted and the quickness they were able to get the whole job done I dropped it off in the Morning and before Lunch it was already ready! and it looked like they were quite busy. I will go back there if I end up needing any more work on my truck. read more

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT GO HERE! Long story short, we took our van in for a squeaking noise several weeks ago. 3 visits to Punahou Auto, multiple tows, car not starting and being stranded for hours, almost $2000 in repairs with them, and today the belt they replaced to fix this squeaking noise originally fell off while driving. Thankfully no one was hurt. The owner is extremely sketchy, gaslighting us into thinking it's always some other issue, never taking responsibility for things still going wrong. My husband was very cordial over the phone trying to get him to help us out in fixing the issue that they solved, but the owner just starts getting mad and hangs up. Very untrustworthy. I beg of you, do not put yourself through this and take your business elsewhere! read more

I needed a safety check and found this place on yelp! Usually safety check is by appointment only so be sure to call ahead. I lucked out this day though and they took me in between appointments. Staff were all friendly! Easy to pay via credit card and they even have a rewards program you can opt in to. Definitely would recommend! read more

Was so much better with the original owner. New owner doesnt know much about fixing cars, put a car rack in the exit of the shop on king st. side so no cars that are bugger than a compact can fit thru. I see tow trucks having to reverse in with cars so they can exit on punahou street. It was so much easier when u enter on punahou and were able to exit on king. Original owner kept the area around the shop clean got rid of homeless rubbish etc... i even saw a lady pooping near the surf shop. That would have never happened with the original owner there. U could trust the owner back then to know and not give u promises that couldn't be done for ur car. So sad.... dont even know how they do safety checks when that rack is in the front where safety checks were done. read more

Sooooooooooo unorganized!!! Like HELLO?!?! The staff are super kind and helpful but the owner is "out to lunch". What a $hit show. I waited for close to two hours for a safety check that should have only taken 15 minutes. Visit this place if you have nothing better to do and need to kill a lot of time. read more

CRAZY OVERCHARGE ON PARTS Got a clock spring replaced on my steering wheel so the horn would work. They ended up getting the part from a local dealership and charged me $340 for it. Earlier that day, I got a quote on that exact same part from the SAME DEALERSHIP for $150. I understand that there's usually a markup on parts when paying a mechanic but an increase over 100% is pretty crazy. But to their credit, they did get my horn fixed by the end of the day. read more

Punahou Auto Repair - Clock Spring for $340 - Auto Repair Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This shop fields phone calls on a Sunday, how great is that? My car always conveniently breaks on weekends, and since I rent it out, I usually have another reservation the next day or two after I get it back. That was the case this time too, and I called all the quick serve places I could think of and nobody would fix my Jeep. These guys said yup, come tomorrow at 8 when we open and we'll have you out in an hour or two. Guess what? That's exactly what happened, and my car made it to the drop off. Thank you Punahou auto repair! read more

Needed help with my daughter's car when her catalytic converter was stolen, plus other issues it already had. The whole experience with Punahou Auto was great, they explained the things that were wrong and the options to fix them. Super patient as I talked it through. Appreciate you guys so much! read more

Jason helped me out with my o2 sensor that wasn't hooked up properly after my catalytic converter was stolen. He figured it out and took extra steps to make sure the engine light wouldn't come back on as well as did an oil change and a visual inspection. Thank you! Happy with my experience. read more

Brah just quoted me over $700 on JUST labor for a brake and rotor replacement.. what yall smoking over here? Should have asked for their "guys" number read more