I have been looking for a quality auto mechanic since my last one closed during the pandemic and I think I may have found it. Like what many other reviews say, Universal Automotive is very reasonably priced and did not attempt to upsell me on anything nor did they try to rip me off. I requested them to do a full safety check on my 2012 Honda. There were no existing problems I could discern but it has been at least 3-4 years since I've had a comprehensive look at the vehicle and I wanted it checked out to be on the safe side. They changed the oil and some of the other fluids, advised I should get the shocks changed on the next visit but otherwise did not tack on anything else. My car drives great and was only charged $180. Had I attempted to have this done at a Honda dealer, it would been more than twice as much. This place doesn't look like much and a lot of their mechanics smoke (not in your car at least), but they seemed to do the job I asked without trying to cheat me and that's what counts. I'll be going back again. read more

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Was charged $20 jus to put air on my tires and was told there a was a nail hit my tire was never taking off nor wet and I was out in 2 mins smh don't go here unless you want to be ripped off for AIR Shame on the owner since he's the one that helped me read more

Me and my family have been coming here for over 15 years. As everyone else has stated, John and Danny are trustworthy and reliable, not a given in this industry. When I need work they explain things, give me a fair price and quality service. When I don't need work like when I accidentally left the gas cap open and my check engine light came on, they just let me know and send me on my way. As a woman, I never feel intimidated or taken advantage of. Highly recommend for any car trouble or just your routine oil change. read more

John is the best! Honest mechanic and best price. I've been going to him for over 20 yrs.

I highly recommend this shop in Lincoln Heights. I took my Toyota Prius here for a tune-up because I was at 200,000+ miles and needed a transmission fluid change as well as a spark plug change. John took great care of my car and the prices were very reasonable. I knew John was honest because I started the conversation by saying that I *think* I need a spark plug change. A dishonest mechanic would say "Ok!" without asking any follow-up questions. John responded by saying there's a regular schedule by which spark plugs need to be replaced and, if the spark plugs were replaced recently, then I do not need to replace them again. John asked me if I remembered the last time I replaced my spark plug, and I said probably 100,000+ miles ago. John was very kind and warned me about the rampant catalytic converter theft. He cautioned against parking my car on the street, if I can help it. The transmission fluid change, spark plug change and synthetic oil change only took ~2 hours. The auto shop is centrally located, so I was able to grab some lunch and check out the thrift shops while I waited for my car. read more

Ive been coming here since i was 16!!!! I live an hour away now and I STILL bring my car here ! John and his son Danny are theee best ! Honest, friendly and will not charge you an arm and a leg ! Instead of trying to upsell unnecessary services or repairs, they ALWAYS took the time to thoroughly assess my car's issues and provided me with transparent recommendations. Ive always felt like they genuinely had my best interests at heart, which is soooo rare find in the auto industry. From oil changes, ac filters, blinker fluid (haha) they do it all. I'll be a loyal customer forever. read more

My new car had its beautiful blue paint scraped on the wheel well and side panel. Ouch. So I pulled right in and an honest technician, John, gave me my options. And he recommended doing the least expensive option (by a factor of 10) as he would try to do his magic. My husband and I came back to pick it up later in the day and we were literally astonished. Why go here Just based on the fact that they actually work with reasonable assumptions that people shouldn't waste their money on BS car repairs and options, Universal Auto Repair is nothing short of exceptional. They don't just replace stuff that can be repaired and the environmentalist in me likes that too. read more

That's right.. an honest mechanic does exist Los Angeles. Read on if you just can't believe it. When I called and told them about the damage, he said, "Well maybe we can repair it vs. having to replace it. We will definitely try." Wow. That sounded like something my father-in-law would say vs. a company looking to gouge a stranger. And beyond exhibiting strong ethics (of which many mechanics and dealerships do not have), the work they did was phenomenal, well-priced, and quality. Support ethical businesses like Universal Automotive. read more

John is a very intelligent mechanic and very truthful and helpful. I definitely recommend this place and their services.

My gf's car broke down and needed a new alternator. This shop just so happened to be down the road and decided to give them a call. I didn't catch the guy's name, but he quoted us a price and personally drove to us to check out the car. The service was honest, great, timely, and accommodating. I rarely ever write reviews, but this was deserving of one. read more

I would highly recommend this shop to anybody who has car repairs or maintenance to do. After an accident, the insurance company and the repair shop was freaking out about the car with extremely insanely high prices to repair and long delays. Nothing was happening. I then got my car out of there and brought it over to this shop. They gave me a great price and it never went up. The car looks brand new when I picked it up and they did it quickly, efficiently and did a good job. I would definitely use this shop again. They even ended up repairing some small things for me here and there that wasn't connected to the original damage. It was extra. Great service! read more

Most affordable full synthetic oil change in town. Won't over sell you. Requested tire rotation and they assured me I didn't need one quite yet and was able to repair something the dealership would have charged 500.00 for. This is the only mechanic I trust. read more

Been here quite a few times and is always no bullshit, fast, and great work. From little fixes, to new brakes or tires, they have never disappointed. read more

This place is awesome - convenient, responsive, and quick!! I had oil changed here once (very reasonably priced) and the mechanic noticed that my tires had too much air in them. He took care of it for me! Second time I came here was to fix my parents' car cigarette lighter on a 2007 Toyota Corolla. I needed it to work so I can install a dash cam. I changed the fuse but it didn't fix the issue. I brought it to the shop and spent maybe 30 minutes in the waiting area and was told it was fixed, on the same day. Thank you so much for your service; I can't express how grateful I am for it being so convenient and quick! read more

10/10 service!!!!! I called about an oil change and said I could be right there. I pull in and they immediately motion for me to go into the garage. 10 minutes later my oil change is done. John was very nice and I couldn't recommending coming here enough! Super quick with reasonable pricing read more

Always fair. I moved to Ontario and my husband still brings my car here. They're fast and the pricing is always great!

Took my car here a couple days ago for an oil change. I called them ahead of time and they said that they had a spot for me so I came right away. The shop looks full but don't be afraid to go inside. I was greeted by John who took my car and started to the oil change. He was very friendly and professional. They also completed my oil change within 15 minutes! From what I can gather from the reviews of five stars I truly believe it now. John seems like an honest mechanic. He offers great prices and doesn't try to upsell you anything. From this point forward I'm taking all of my cars to get oil changed at his shop. read more

I bring all my cars here for regular maintenance, large jobs, and small jobs. I have a 4Runner. Tacoma. CRV and a Pilot. This place consistently does a great job at a fair price. Highly recommend. read more

I've been coming to John for a few years now. He is honest, straightforward, and hardworking. It took me a while to find a local, trustworthy mechanic who will do right by the customer. But I finally found that in Universal Automotive. John is a good man who only fixes what is needed. He won't upsell nor upcharge. He will give you his honest opinion and lay out the options. The price points are always reasonable and fair. I highly recommend John and his team. They are good people doing honest work. read more

My friends and I have been coming here for years now and John is truly the best and most honest mechanic we've ever come across. We've done all sorts of things to our cars over the years and John and his team have never disappointed the quality and service. One of the best auto shops you can go to in Los Angeles with reasonable prices. Highly highly recommend! read more

FIVE STARS PLUS!!! Amazing customer service! I went to get an oil change and they did it in less than 15 minutes. Seriously painless oil change experience I've ever had. One guy took my car, another changed the oil and the last one cleaned up. Going back tomorrow to change my back brake pads which will only take one hour. I'm completely blown away because my last car guy made a big deal out of ever job I gave him for my car. It shows that experience gets the job done fast and right without any fuss. Cross my fingers these guys will be my life time car caretakers :0) Good service and reasonable price. Very highly recommended. read more

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I've lived in Lincoln Heights my whole life, and I wish I'd come here sooner. I got a tune-up done this morning, and my car was done and ready to go in less than an hour. John was great! He was quick, cordial, honest, and gave me the same prices he had previously given me over the phone. I highly recommend this place to everyone! read more

I do a lot of the work needing to be done on my cars myself, at least when it's easy enough and I have the time, so I'd like to think I have a very good idea of how much something should cost. So my review is not based on them being extra friendly, or because they "seemed" genuine. Also it has months since I last went in and they did not ask me to leave this review. They are always cheaper than expected. Whenever I have multiple issues they are extremely clear about what the options are, what needs to be done asap vs. what can wait, I always 100% agree with their assessment. They do quality work and I have never had any issue with a repair they have done. On top of this, they have saved me a ton in knowing work-arounds to issues that I would have never thought of (Saved me from having to replace my catalytic converter). The bottom line is, they are very talented at what they do and because they work very quickly and efficiently they do the work in less time and you save money. read more

My car sounded like a lawnmower so I brought it in to these trusty gentlemen. The parking lot was full but they were still able to complete the job within 4 hours. The price was like a tenth of what I was expecting to pay. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THESE GUYS! read more

I absolutely love this place. I've always just driven right in, no wait. My oil change and tires are done in under 15 minutes. Top value, quality and service. read more

Very professional. I hired the brother of this shops owner-- Daniel He did a full service including replacing spark plugs and low beam headlights and topping fluids all for 100 dollars . Great deal. Highly recommended. My sea of approval. One call -- Danny comes to you. Excellent mobile mechanic . read more

Have been coming here for years and have always been treated with kindness and transparency. They are fast, efficient, and never, ever overcharge. The best. read more

I really can't sing their music praises enough. I would leave a review every single time with five stars if I wasn't afraid they were going to get flagged LOL. Every time I come here I am treated with such respect and good humor and they really do everything they can to do right by their customers. I don't even live in the neighborhood anymore and I still drive across town just to go to these guys. read more

I found Universal Auto and met John at while my work took me to Lincoln Heights to check on a project. I have taken 2 of my vehicles here a 2003 Toyota Tacoma 4 door and Lexus rx35 for various items that needed to be done; shock change out, starter change our , control arm change out etc. In all the repairs all work was done expertly and quickly at a fair price. John makes it a policy to let me know how the work is going and what options I have if there is a change. the most important part of this review is that UNIVERSAL Auto is Honest about what they do and how they treat you as a customer. read more

I would recommend Universal Automotive to anyone. John is kind, honest and extremely helpful, answering my questions in a straightforward and logical manner. I had my catalytic converter stolen and had read that a replacement could cost $1k or more, and in fact my friend who had also had his stolen ended up paying that price. John gave me an alternative, reassured me why the much more inexpensive alternative would not compromise the function of my car, and took care of it all in a very time efficient manner. I ended up paying probably about half of what my friend did. Unfortunately a few months later I totaled my car and again brought it to John's place. Although it was too damaged to be fixed, throughout the experience, he was again kind, thoughtful and considerate of my situation. He really goes above and beyond for his clients and he deserves all of the business he can get. This is my first review on Yelp and I cannot think of one that is more well-deserved. Thank you John and team! read more

It's really difficult to find an auto shop with integrity in LA. I've been given obscene quotes and have had bad to mediocre experiences both on the quality of work and customer service. I had to get some body work done: huge dent on the hood and dents and scratches to the rear of my Audi S4 . I was referred to this place by a friend and John did an amazing job! He's quick, efficient, and keeps it honest. Truly a rarity among many mechanics and body shops around the area. Needless to say, I'm referring all my friends/family to John. read more

Universal Automotive - Auto Repair Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Many of my friends and acquaintances have personally vouched for this spot because the owner, the youngest-looking mechanic there, was honest, willing to help and prices were reasonable. I personally can't say that rung true for me on my first visit to this spot a little while ago. I came here about two weeks back, just before the whole coronavirus shelter-in-place executive order went down, I had two issues. My gear shift lever won't shift out of park and the car's transmission was acting strangely. Now, this is an old 90's Japanese car, a Honda to be exact. The last of the great Japanese cars before the 2000's era Honda Accord's where these newer generation of Accords were known for pre-mature transmission failures. Maybe my car was the proto-typical Accord to experience what the newer generation of Accords would experience or maybe I just happened to have gotten a dud but in any case, I wanted to see if there was a fix. So naturally, based on the highly positive remarks by many of my friends and acquaintances as well as the previous reviews where Yelpers recommended talking to the youngest mechanic there, it didn't go down as I'd imagine that it would. I go in expecting him to take a test drive in my car around the block and actually try to diagnose what he believes may be the issue and give me my options. This didn't happen. What ended up happening was this: I explained to him what I was experiencing in my car and he didn't even go into my car, pop the hood, give it a few rev's and check what's wrong. He just stood there and straight up said: "Well, even if I fixed your first issue, no matter what, your transmission's shot. You're better off just junking it but if you really want it fixed, it'll be $1600. But hey, tell you what, I have a 2001 silver Honda Accord whose transmission was newly rebuilt. It's sitting at the edge of this shop. I'll sell it to you for $1700, out the door. Mechanic's special. Think about it and let me know!" And then he abruptly walked back into his shop to work on something else before another car, a younger dude driving a 2006-2011 white Hyundai Accent pulled up and he asked the owner-mechanic if he did body shop work. Man, I don't know if I caught this guy at the wrong time, or that he was just inundated with repair work at that time of the day (it was two hours past noon) but this experience didn't sound like any of the experiences that my friends and acquaintances seemed to have had with this place. This guy acted like I was bothering HIM with my car's issues. In my mind, I was like "This is a car repair shop, right? Did I come to the wrong spot?" I take a quick look at the shop's sign and look around the shop's tools to confirm that it's car repair shop. I looked up Yelp on my phone to confirm that it's not some other shop where they only perform certain types of car work like, you know, an oil change station or a brake shop, or some other type of equally minor maintenance repair shop. I gave him that look like "Seriously, bruh? That's your solution? Junk it and buy another car? Do I look like I'm made of money?!?" After this experience, which is actually my first experience, I can't say that I can recommend this spot. I wanted to have the positive experience of the 70+ five star reviews that this shop has on their Yelp page or the uber-positive experience that many of my friends and acquaintances have said about this place but...I don't know. I can't say that I can agree with any of the Yelpers for this spot nor what many of my friends and acquaintances have said about this spot. Maybe what they were raving about this spot were for more minor work like car maintenance stuff: oil changes, power steering/brake/coolant/transmission fluid changes, replace brake pads/brake shoes, replace distributor rotor & cap, spark plugs, air filter and fuel filter type of work but not like more major car repair work like replacing timing belts, accessory/AC belts, sprockets, belt tensioners, belt pulley's, diagnosing electrical issues, engine compression, rebuilding an engine and transmission work at a reasonable price and other complex mechanical and/or electrical work. I have to tell you, $1600 for an old 90's car is not reasonable. Not at all. I had my engine rebuilt for $800 at a different shop and they're quoting me twice that amount for the transmission? WTF?!? That makes no bloody sense! Apparently, rebuilding a transmission is more complex and labor-intensive than rebuilding an engine. All in all, I wanted to like this shop and wanted to have a closer car repair shop that I can rely on when I'm in a pinch rather than driving further out (or have my car towed) to the SGV for a car repair work but sadly, I cannot say that I can recommend this shop based on this experience. read more

My car broke down nearby in the middle of the night and I left my car there to get the damage assessed. Unfortunately John found that the engine had to be replaced and he let me keep my car there while I figured out what to do. I ended up deciding to junk it but went to the shop a few times to grab items from the car; John and his team were incredibly accommodating, I saw customers go in and out of there happy and the place was always busy (a good sign). This was a very pleasant experience with an issue that could've been a massive headache. These are good people. Thank you John! read more

Absolutely the most honest auto shop in Los Angeles. HANDS DOWN. I really can't recommend this place enough. First of all, $45 for a full synthetic! Not a sale, you don't need a coupon... that's their regular price and it's the lowest I've EVER encountered. I've gotten this a few times here already and they're always quick and reliable. If you bring up any issues with your car that you're experiencing, they'll gladly check on it for you. I've gone home with their estimates for a few things that I needed repaired and researched pricing only to find out that they're estimates were lower than most average costs that I could get anywhere else. When my 2011 Toyota Corolla failed a smog check at another establishment because the machine read that my car had NO power (!!!), I brought it in freaked out thinking it was some crazy electrical thing that I would need to take to the dealer and would cost my entire life savings... and it was literally just a broken fuse. Which they replaced. FOR FREE. They also blew out a clogged A/C tube at no cost and also recently replaced my axles for cheaper than I've ever heard of elsewhere. This shop is def no BS or frills. Very small and quaint. There is a waiting room but you can also walk across the street for some bomb Vietnamese food or a block further for a cute coffee shop while you wait. Being a young woman, I cannot even begin to list the amount of times that mechanics at both big chains and small shops have tried to rip me off, oversell, overcharge, pressure or just downright make me feel uncomfortable. Finding a trustworthy auto shop is incredibly rare nowadays, but that is exactly what you get at Universal Auto. read more

He has been my mechanic for almost 5 years he is honest and straight forward... I had a transmission problem and he literally said it's more expensive to fix it that to buy a new car!! And things like that are to be appreciated, other mechanic will try to milk your money and not fix it... read more

The service at Universal is excellent. Ask for John and he will make sure to be very thorough in explaining and take care of your vehicle.

Been coming here for about 5 years. This team is reliable, knowledgeable, and trustworthy. They provide excellent, speedy service. They always do great work, and I never have to question their prices and rates. They present me with several options when it comes to parts or tires, etc. They've saved me a bunch of money by pointing out problems before they get out of hand, and presenting affordable options. read more

No BS. Talk to John about replacing my clutch, agreed on a price, done. Brought my car in the morning and it was done by end of day.

I brought my Prius here yesterday to check my battery and change my oil based off my friends recommendation and I believe I have found my go to shop! John is awesome: smart, compassionate, kind. I'd recommend this place ten times over. Everyone here is great and they get the job done well. I definitely will be returning for all my car needs and have already spread the word on what a great shop this is and how amazingly it is ran. read more

Jon is the man. Been coming to Jon for over 12 years now. He's honest, quick with his work, and won't overcharge you for anything. He's always willing to work with you and get you in and out as quick as possible. Great mechanic with extensive knowledge on a lot of cars. Highly recommend for anyone who has been looking for a reliable mechanic. read more