If zero stars were available that would be more appropriate. This shop is unable to give you an accurate quote. They try to pull the classic mechanic move of giving you a quote then call hours later saying it's going to cost more because they didn't realize the work involved. The whole point of a quote is to understand and agree to a rate BEFORE you decide to use them. I expect any professional mechanic to be able to give an accurate quote, especially when they have inspected your car in person TWICE! If they fail to do so that cost is strictly on them. If I wanted to play games and get a surprise bill at the end in addition to you having my car for 2 days to do a simple battery swap, I would go to the dealer! I don't know why mechanics try this move, as if we don't all know this game, but this is exactly the type of shop that gives mechanics a bad name! Steer clear! read more

I have taken various vehicles over the last couple of years. Each time I find then leaving with additional issues then befor they were dropped off. Also, on a clasdic vehicle that. I left for several days for leak repair (which was NOT cheap), was returned to me with barely any gas. Seriously?! It had half a tank. This wasn't the first time. I thought maybe I was wtong. I understand a test drive. But not a half-tank worth each time. Maybe joy riding should be discouraged at this facility. As for my boring commuter car, giving it back with very little gas was never an issue. I can understand human error but between several vehicles and the constant " bring it back in" i have to be smart here and find a better and more honest mechanic. The guys may be nice but that isn't gonna help me when I am broken down somewhere due to their incompetence. read more

Took our car in for an engine diagnostics test. Wanted $180 to run it which is understandable. They don't credit that to the cost of repair which I have never heard of. This guy comes recommended on Facebook but I see he has some 1 stars mixed in on here. Sounds great on paper until you get there and find out he is not all that honest or helpful and really just all about the money. I will avoid in the future read more

Wow, Best Service, I waited a month before I wrote my review. I have a 2003 Chevy Tahoe, Original Owner. It's raised my family and lasted 258,000 miles. In its older age, I mostly use it to pull a Travel Trailer. So, when it broke down. It was time to replace it. But, Todays Auto Market is crazy. I did spend time looking for a SUV or Truck and I did not want to spend so much. Even model that I found on Facebook Market or Craiglist were in worst shape than my own Tahoe. I took my SUV to Trident Auto to see if there was any hope. Joe Called me with bad News that the engine seized. Now, I need to get another SUV. But JOE came up with a Solution. To replace the Engine. But a New Motor cost Thousands like buying a New car. Machine Shops have gone out of Business. JOE suggest a USED Motor, Motor that are slightly Used that were in car accidents. But Engine are in good shape. He would rebuild it. Replace oil seals, Timing Chain, Water pumps, Do a Full tune up. Replace my Tiered-out engine. Well, I am amazed. My SUV Back. Feels like a New SUV. I missed that feeling where you are at a stop light and the Truck just want to go. I don't like to talk Cost, but the price is so affordable. I have my SUV Back, It's a joy to drive. Strong and New again. If you have taken care of your own car even personalized it. Then Go see JOE at Trident Auto. You will be surprised how affordable it is to get back your beloved car. Thanks JOE also like to send out a Shout out to Christina! read more

I went to four smog places before finding Trident. They were able to accommodate my new car and an old Jeep, no problem. Family owned and operated, it's clear they care about their customers from start to finish. Glad I found them I'll be going back! read more

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You know a great place when you hear their voice for the first time as you call in with an emergency auto problem. When they don't ask for a good survey, but they show you why you should recommend them...this is the mark of a great business tab by great people. From the ride to my place and the pickup from the same spot back to the shop, this experience was one of the best I've had in the last 200k plus miles I've traveled! Definitely recommend these guys to anyone that wants to feel like part of the family!! Thanks again guys!! read more

AAA (American Automobile Association) towed my vehicle there. The initial visit, the listing repair was not provided since AAA provides 24,000 miles warranty. The initial repair was a fuel harness. When returning vehicle for secondary repair. By law as the initial work and part was not listed, either was the second. They returned the vehicle with 1% oil in engine. I have resided in this area for over 40 years. I never have received such aweful, law breaking when it concerned even the paperwork. No one should have their vehicle returned with only 1% oil in the engine. Once the oil was changed, it was solved, held 99% for weeks. Had the oil changed somewhere else. They sent me these photos then deleted them. I already took copy of them. read more

Trident Auto Performance & Smog - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Valencia, California

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We had an issue with our truck on a road trip from the Bay Area to Southern California and Joey, Joe and their team were awesome. They were able to see us immediately and got us on our way within a couple of hours. read more

I have the truck at another shop currently and I'm finding out that they also damaged a high pressure oil line AND a massive exhaust leak read more

Trident Auto Performance & Smog - Leak - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Valencia, California

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The guys at Trident are always friendly, honest, and very good at what they do. It's a great feeling to know your mechanic is honest and not trying to rip you off. They will fix what's wrong and tell you if they find other things that could use attention without pressuring you to do more. I bring all of my cars to Joe and his guys, and they always do a great job. read more

As per Randy Reyes Review Below with Attached letter Trident Auto so happily sent us. Took Our company Car there with it still running and needed some engine work as there was white smoke coming out of the exhaust (Blown head ect.) While our car was there. They Seized up our transmission and broke our Front passenger side axel. Wanted us to pay for it due to and I quote "Our Negligence" I was there the entire time the discussion was talked about. Now they are trying to charge us $10,000 to have the car taken off the lot? You're better off taking your money else where. Please and thank you. read more

These guys are professionals. They know my 1996 Mustang so I brought my 2009 Camry with 186K miles in for fluid changes and a lower ball joint replacement. I got the passenger side one, but the driver's side was a pain. They taught me the trick to do it even though they did it. The Service guys are REAL. They hear you and listen. Real prices ( not dealership built up crap pricing ) and they do great work. I'm getting older and have worked on cars for over 40 years and it is nice to see quality work done the way I would do it. Hard for me to crawl under the car any more so I have these guys. Thanks to all for such great work. And not leaving oil on my fenders, finger prints or a mess. Professional is all I can say. And by the way, even when they don't fix it for car guys like me they explain it so I learn and know. Thanks for being real. Coming back again and again. read more

Brought my vehicle in for a 2nd opinion on a Smog Check... It failed by 1 PPM (Parts per Million) earlier today... Asked the owner "Joe" for his professional opinion on what I should do, retest it or diagnose what the problem could be... He said "we could retest it and see what happens, maybe it'll pass!"... The car didn't pass for the 2nd time, and now he's back to recommending a diagnostic for $125 and said it would NOT go towards any subsequent repairs... This is unheard of, most shops will apply the diagnostic fee towards the total repair costs!!! Here's the issue for me... He kept suggesting the car needed a new Catalytic Converter ($400) repair, and I told him (3) times it was recently replaced a few months prior (which the previous smog shop confirmed)... I told him I wasn't in the position to do the diagnostic today, and said we would get back to him at a later date... I didn't even make it out of his driveway and the check engine light came on and the car is sputtering and wouldn't shift properly. I go back into the shop and told Joe what was happening and he said "What do you want me to do about it?" "Are you implying I had something to do with this?" I said it was odd, the car was fine prior to the visit to his shop... I drove it up from North Hollywood (26 miles away), and it was running fine... Furthermore, I just purchased the vehicle a month ago and drove it up from San Diego (160 miles away) and no issues! He kept saying "it's your car, it's your problem!" I've lived here in the SCV for 15 years, and have never come across a business owner who had such a bad attitude and zero interest in at least trying to work with a client... This guy is a scam artist and definitely did something to my car! Save yourselves a headache and deal with honest and reputable people... Skip Trident Auto Performance, and go somewhere else! BTW, checkout all the bad reviews this guy has are all involving smog checks, weird! read more

Way over priced. The owner is very unfriendly. I had a smog check performed by the owner and he failed to latch the hood of my vehicle. I called him to let him know and he said sorry maybe it was left like that for a reason. He could not give a reason why he didn't close it all the way and let me drive off with the hood unlatched. read more

I cannot stress this enough, Trident Auto Performance has the best team, best price, and best quality of work anywhere. They've worked on all of my cars and have always impressed me more and more with the quality of customer service and labor provided here. Recently they've installed a new engine for my 1995 Miata and the car has never been better. I am super happy with the work provided! There's no need to take your car somewhere cheaper because you'll end up getting subpar work as I've experienced in the past. Trident is the one stop shop for all automotive needs and gives me an easy night sleep knowing that I won't have to worry about anything with my cars. I just wanted to say thank you again to the remarkable Gentlemen who work here and I look forward to further business with them! read more

Trident Auto Performance & Smog - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Valencia, California

About six months ago, I went to Trident to smog test my car. I found out that they also do general automotive repairs. Since then, Trident has taken great care of me and my 16 year old corvette. They are amazing. I will never go back to the Chevrolet dealer again. I strongly recommend Trident for all your automotive needs. They are amazing! read more

In need of a smog and friendly staff? Trident performance is the place to go. I drove in hoping to be seen for a smog, met Adrian at the front of the shop and was able to do the work and fit me in their schedule. Good location, and the shop was organized. read more

As always, Trident keeps my car on the road. Amazing service!! I have never been disappointed by the work at this establishment.

Adrian!!! Yo, Adriannnnnn!!! (Sorry had to throw in a Rocky reference) This shop rocks! I was having battery issues and called last minute on Thursday afternoon (before the 4th of July holiday weekend) to ask if they could test my alternator. Adrian answered and said to bring my car in to take a look. When I got there, we did an immediate battery test and I ended up leaving my car overnight for alternator diagnostics. They offered me a ride home (which was super kind), but I already had one. Waiting outside, I spoke with a gentleman who raved about this shop and how they've taken care of him for many, many years (a Honda with something like 300,000 miles!) Though their quote for an alternator replacement was a bit higher than a competitor, Adrian was very kind and was able to match it. In this economy, customer service like this is incredibly rare. The next day, I was called promptly in the morning...and while I was very relieved that I did not need to replace my alternator (just the battery which was already under warranty), my trust in this auto shop was solidified for their honesty. When I picked up my keys, I begged to pay for the diagnostics and amazing customer service, but was told to come back again instead. Love this shop and will be back!!! They really take care of you! read more

Great service. Took my truck in for a smog. Super quick service. Nice crew there. Highly recommend this place for quality work.

I was planning a trip to Florida and needed my truck in tiptop shape and only had a few days to prep and fix my Ram 2500 and the guys went out of their way to get me on the road again special thanks to Joe and Adrian for making this trip to Florida a great one. read more

Best place in SCV. They always go above and beyond and I won't take my car anywhere else!

Horrible phone interaction. I tried to book appointment online because I was traveling and my alternator went out, I filled out the online form and received a call the next morning. I asked for a quote since I was trying to compare shops and he told me that they didn't give out quotes. This would not have been so horrible if I hadn't broken down on the way home to bury my mother. Horrible customer service.....who doesn't give quotes???? I have never heard of anything like this before. Will NEVER give my money to a business ran like this. read more

Had AAA tow my old Ford Explorer there with a bad fuel pump. They did an amazing job and I will be back. They also do a full diagnostic on the car that is very helpful. I would highly suggest again. read more

In response to my previous post, Joseph Dwyer, owner of Performance Auto posted that he didn't want his customers to leave with bad experiences and asked me to call him. I am re- affirming , that I had called him with my complaint prior to any posting and reporting but,' he totally ignored me . His business and conduct has been reported to the state, the BBB, Yelp, Next Door, Consumer Affairs and AAA. I believe I gave him a true and fair opportunity to respond but to no avail. My experience with Trident tells me to end all association with this business, therefore, i do not need to call him again. read more

This place is a joke. Just to change a battery on my Mercedes, they charged me 700 dollars. I went to a Nother local mechanic, and he did it for 150. Save your time and money and go somewhere else. read more

Lied to me. Joe told me a Re-test for my Smog Check (failed the first one) would be $20. When I came back for the re-test, Joe charged me $98. When I complained, he discounted $20, so it cost $78. Since the first test was $90, now I'm at $168 -- for a Smog Test!! So, shop around. The original price was too high in the first place -- I didn't check around, my bad -- but $60 to $70 seems standard. FREE re-tests are generally available just about anywhere else (again, my bad for not checking around first). And, hopefully, somewhere else you can find a service manager who will not flat-out lie to you, like Joey Dwyer does at Trident Auto. Further, scroll down here and read the section called "Reviews Not Recommended." I'm not the first one this guy has gone pathological on. The genuine, credible, and mostly One Star reviews seem to get shunted down there for some reason by Yelp's algorithm. Best wishes, and ... Avoid this guy! read more

Went in the shop to get a smog- Immediately the man behind the desk was friendly. He pulled my vehicle into the shop. I was billed $68.00 for a smog test and did not pass. That's fine- however this shop DOES NOT DO A FREE RE-TEST! They are the ONLY shop in SCV that steals your hard earned $. Any reputable shop would honor a free re-test upon a failed 5 min smog test. Additionally, he then tried to up-sell a "diagnostic" for $175. SERIOUSLY? Lastly, at the bottom of the "Smog Check" waiver- he has garage "ads" for work to be done- This is NOT legal. STAY AWAY FROM THIS SHOP!! Enjoy my $68.00- its all yours- I hope you're sleeping well at night. read more

We took two vehicles in. One with a check engine light on and one without. Had we know a check engine light would result in fail we would have taken it elsewhere to get the code. They hooked the car with a check engine light on up to the machine and ran the test anyway and charged us for the fail. There is a huge sign as you walk in. Not at eye level but 8 to 10 feet on the wall beside the door behind the desk. They did offer a $10 discount on the one that passed. We used the yelp check in $25 off for the one that failed. read more

My grandmother went here to get a smog check and she was told that she needed $235 of repairs done to have her smog pass since the 'check engine light' was on. Believing this was necessary, she went ahead with the requested repairs and they told her the smog check passed. The next day, the check engine light came back on so she took the car back. That's when we found out that they never passed her smog in the first place and without even looking at the car, they recommended replacing her catalytic converter. It turns out the repairs needed that totaled $235 was a simple air filter replacement, that wasn't necessary in the first place. After a few harsh demands on our side, miraculously the car passed the smog test. This business completely lacks customer service and honesty. read more

This place is terrible. I took in my vehicle which has an aftermarket air filter. They took my car in and immediately saw the air filter (which has never been an issue the past 12 years I have owned the vehicle) and started the testing. Then at the end they say everything passed just fine but they couldn't full pass it because of the air filter. That will be $59.95 please. This is total BS. They should have told me right at the beginning they couldn't pass it because of the filter. I took it back to my old location (a futher drive) to get it smoged that same day and they passed it just fine. They said that the filter didn't effect anything sense it was just a filter and not a single sensor was touched. Stay away from this placed at all costs. read more

i've been going to trident for years and have always been satisfied with their work, always in a timely and professional manner.

Best shop in Santa Clarita valley, been knowing Joey and the Family for years best Mom & Pop business. They worked on my dodge charger 392 every single time I had an issue and the work always came out Fantastic, never any complaints and they're super quick. I'm from chatsworth by the way so I don't mind the drive read more

My first review was accurate as to cost and the truck did overheat after 5 miles. It cost me even more money for extra coolant. The air conditioner did come on with cold air eventually. read more

This is my new auto repair place. They really came through for me this week when I needed an urgent repair due to some chewed up wiring. They took me in without an appointment, drove me to and from work, and had everything repaired the same day. I could not ask for better, more friendly service. Joe, Joey and Adrian will take good care of you! Thank you again! read more

Had to get my car smoged quick and get back to Dmv with paper work In & out 10 min . Thanks Joe Use this place you won't be sorry ! read more

Trident Auto Performance & Smog - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Valencia, California

I was in the area and needed a smog check, did a quick Yelp search and found Trident Smog conveniently located near the car wash, Big O tire and many restaurants. Took advantage if their $25 Smog Check when you check in!!!! This is such a GREAT deal! Service was prompt and friendly. They were kind of busy so I made my way to the waiting room. I noticed the service area was very clean and modern but out of all things the bathroom took the cake. Being a car enthusiast and been to one too many auto shops with filthy restrooms. This restroom was honestly nicer than my house. (Check the pictures). This tells me that they take special care and attention to their Customer needs. I do have one complaint. I wasn't impressed by all the cardinal and gold paint. Then I noticed the subtle USC trash can and it all made sense. Sorry, GO Bruins. Five star service and a five star yelp. I will be back! read more

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Recently, my husband and I took our car to obtain a smog certificate at Trident Auto Performance and Smog. We have a regular mechanic that has looked after our cars for nearly a quarter of a century. However, since we only needed a smog check, and these places are certified and highly regulated, it seemed a bit too far to drive to La Crescenta. We picked Trident out of the phone book. While we were there, we requested an oil change. The person that attended us informed us that they noticed our brakes were worn down and recommended we have them repaired. Since we had not replaced them in four years, we authorized this work. The man came back claiming the control arms (shock absorbers/suspension) had cracked bushings, the power steering had a leak and that the car's timing cover also had a leak. We told him this was extraordinary as there were no oil spots on our driveway and that our normal mechanic would have told us. When we asked to a ballpark estimate for the work he quoted it would easily be over a thousand dollars. We declined further work knowing that many of these places invent more work to get money and we even told him so. We would rather have our mechanic verify and do the work. The next day we took the car to our mechanic. After checking everything, he found that none of the new work Trident "discovered" was necessary but he wanted to know where we took the car. Our mechanic stated the engine covers were not the same ones, they were old brittle and very dirty parts. These were certainly not our original engine parts; we had just had the engine cleaned about a month before when our mechanic repaired our battery cable. The clips and screws that held the engine covers in place were broken and in some cases were completely missing. It appears our original engine covers we had were switched to be sold to someone else because they are very expensive. Now, the main engine cover needs to be replaced, its cost is $345 plus tax and the second cover is also near $300 (per Valencia Lexus auto parts department). When our mechanic checked the oil, it was low and needed a quart which he added. We paid for seven quarts of synthetic oil and only got six! When we left Trident, we paid a total of $510. Now we need to come up with another $600 just to replace the engine covers. When checking all these items with the Valencia Lexus dealer parts department, they also quoted that the genuine Lexus ceramic rear brake pad set costs $95. Trident charged us $129, for regular non- specific brake pads. I called the owner, Mr. Dwyer and let him know what we found. I told him that I would file a complaint with the LACO Department of Consumer Affairs, the Better Business Bureau, the State of California Mechanic Licensing and Smog Check certification folks, and certainly post it on Next Door and YELP. He didn't even care, he offered no remediation, not even a denial. His staff would not dare to do the things they did if he did not condone or encourage such behavior. His lack of concern sadly confirmed what kind of a business this really is. Beware this place, these guys are really rats! read more

Came here for a smog check a few days ago. I had a lot of bad experiences previously and was expecting the same when I got here. But that was not the case. Great service, great price, and very quick. The manager was straight to the point and didn't try to sell me unnecessary "stuff". Came back and had some more work done. Great service here! read more

Trident Auto Performance & Smog - Inside the shop - Smog Check Stations Near Me - Valencia, California

About 4 years ago, when we were looking for a quality auto repair shop who could work on our 1971 Olds Cutlass 442, we were referred to Joe Dwyer at Trident Auto Performance, and we've never looked back. Joe and his talented team have repaired everything from the driver's side mirror mechanism to the differential, to the electrical wiring, to the alarm & stereo as well as some engine inefficiencies and other improvements that were important to our restoration efforts. In ALL cases, the service was the best and their prices very fair and reasonable. We'd gladly recommend Trident Auto Performance to anyone who happens to be looking for an auto maintenance shop with the passion and experience needed to work on classic cars as well as contemporary vehicles. Joe and team clearly care about customer experience as much as they do the quality of the work they perform. read more