Jim is a snake. He put cheap aftermarket knock sensors on my tundra that lasted about as long as it took me to drive home. I took my truck back and he insisted that the issue was something other than the knock sensors then proceeded to charge me for further diagnostic testing. I took my truck to a qualified mechanic who replaced the off brand knock sensors with Toyota sensors and my truck has been running perfectly ever since. it should be a sign when the mechanic can't fix your vehicle yet offers to buy it for an insultingly low price since it's not in running condition. Stay away from this shop and these poor excuses for technicians. Jim needs to retire already and stop leeching off the local community. read more

Terrible work quality, had our truck in and out over the same "problem." Misdiagnosed, overcharged, and sold us used parts while claiming everything was new. They do not have the records concerning the whole repair sequence, no new part numbers, nothing. Their "mechanic" forgot to bold down the radiator (which was never part of the problem.) Had to be towed two days after picking it up from their chop shop. read more

If google had -5 stars. I would give it. I had issue with ABS system. They charged me 1700$ saying that they will buy new part. After several days, light of ABS came again. I came they couldn't fixed it, and told me that issue is in program of the car and asked 500$ extra. After I left to another state. Till today I have ABS lights on. Recently I showed it to another auto service. They told me that ABS part wasn't new and the price was high. It could be fixed for 750$. I showed to another service they told me that the part is used. read more

Not the best experience here. I came here because of the reviews. At least the first couple reviews had positive feedback so this place seemed trustworthy of going. I got a good quote for a belt I was requesting to fix. Just my belt, nothing else was wrong with the car. I was quoted 160$ with the part being 40$ they said. come to find out, when I show up, he's talking about how they quoted me wrong for the belt, that the belt actually cost roughly 79$ . I looked up this belt through my manufacturer & it was around 50$. Now they also threw me off when they had said these exact words "we were going to call you to let you know we quoted the belt wrong , it ended up costing us more, but we already had everything out so we just decided to install it anyways" I'm thinking a phone call would have been considerate if there was a price change because now I'm at the front paying $210! THE TRUST SIMPLY GONE WITH THESE DUDES. Not to mention I brought up the Yelp discount offer & they said they never heard of Yelp or the discount, and I'm just thinking really? You never heard of Yelp? I mean they have pictures posted up from 11 years ago, so that also threw me off about this place even more. I felt very taken advantage of (probably because I am a woman who seemed like I didn't know what I was going in for) Now they are saying my Tension is messed up & I need to fix it or else my belt with break "Who knows when" , I mean who is not to say they didn't mess it up during the installation of the belt. Not to mention, before I left I checked under my hood because I have trust issues and they left the stick that holds the hood up right on top of my engine! not even put in its place I mean that doesn't take long to do it's simple and so Yeah, this place isn't a trustworthy place. first review are cool to read but even the review section on here (Yelp) don't make sense , seems like they tend to rid of negative comments & keep the 5 positive ones they have. Robert & Jim are the guys names. Very upsetting & unsatisfied customer here I am the one with the 2008 HONDA CIVIC . read more

Van Ness Auto Repair - This is how they left my bar on my engine! Like seriously?! Anything to keep my car coming back i guess! - Auto Repair Near Me - Fresno, California

First, I want to state this business was quick, efficient & provided me with an accurate quote! My car was smoking under the hood therefore my husband and I pulled over to the nearest mechanic shop ( keep in mind it was pouring rain) a man comes out tells us to pop our hood and named a few things he thought it could be .I was impressed this man had an urgency to help us ! We took our vehicle in the next afternoon & Van Ness Auto had it done the same day! These guys are the real deal! I am forever grateful because otherwise, I would have been riding the bus! read more

fast, genuine, and very kind. robert was very helpful and a stand up guy! the mechanics across the board did great work on my '92 chevy S10 and i swear it runs like new. couldn't recommend enough for all automotive needs. thanks guys! read more

Do not support this business. They do not secure vehicles while repairs and refuse to replace them. This place is bad business.

35 years in the automotive industry , learning & exceeding customers expectations & custom service The owner of Jim Medina has done & has gone beyond for each and one of his customers I've known Jim for over 40 years & worked with him back in the early 90s Thanks Jim read more

I love this place. I love Jim, he's just a good guy who can talk about cars for days. Very generous, when I brought it back because of another noise a few days after I got work done at the same shop, he took care of it all For free. He even has offered to support me in selling my vehicle. They do really good work here, there are great vibes, and the shop is super cool because it is on the same lot as a retro gas station pump. I hope they stay open for the rest of my life because I really don't want to go to another repair shop. read more

Jim at Van Ness auto is one of the most honest and exceptional mechanics I have come across ever. I have had my vehicle repaired there on numerous occasions and he was always thorough and provides exceptional customer service. He always attempts to keep costs down while providing safe and accurate, mechanical services. I have found Jim to be an honest and very decent man. I highly recommend. read more

Met the owner who ended up helping me with my truck last minute, didn't hesitate to drive down the street and help me out within minutes. Genuine person and quality service, highly recommend! read more

Alex and the rest of the crew are amazing. Price is super reasonable. Alex is very helpful and knowledgeable. I HIGHLY recommend this shop. Toyota was charging me $370 for a belt, another local shop was charging me $269 and Alex changed me $145. read more

To the Best of my knowledge they are the Best in town! I been going to them for years. Very honest people especially the owner Mr. Jim They guarantee of their work! Highly recommended read more

Van Ness Auto Repair shop was able to get my jeep in fast. I had came here after two failed attempts with other repair shops trying to take advantage. They were knowledgeable, fair priced, timely, and friendly. I would definitely recommend this job. read more

THOUGHT we had a gas line cut after car wouldn't start, tried to fill it up with a gas can and saw it leaking out the bottom.... turned out we just didn't know about filling up a car with a gas can can cause back flow to leak out. If they wanted they could have easily charged us hundreds for replacing a gas line and having the car in the shop for a few days. They educated us, replaced the battery that needed to be replaced, even filled up the tank and bit to test the car and didn't charge us for it. Great people, reliable service, and won't charge you for things you don't need. Highly recommend! They got my car repair needs for life because they're amazing! read more

We have been taking our cars to Jim's for 15 years now and we have always had great, honest service from him. He has never tried to gouge us or charge us more for anything. read more

I cannot say enough positive things about this business! They have been involved in inspecting and maintenancing every vehicle I've owned. I now live out of town but continue to use Van Ness Auto whenever I am in the area. My family has been using them for decades with good reason. I always appreciate their concise explanations for non car savvy folk. They are always professional, prompt, kind, and accommodating. Looking for great customer service, pricing, and turn around time? You've found your place! Thank you Van Ness Auto! read more

Never expected to be lied to constantly. Something has changed here; Not that local feel anymore. Brought my car back for the original issue they fixed (but apparently not) and was told Lies constantly. Worst part was they drove my car to their other shop without telling me. (Almost 2 miles away). They tried to tell me customers don't mind but I am guessing most don't know. I don't approve you driving my car across town without my permission. After finally getting my car I discovered they didn't even fix the issue yet again. Horrible! Liars and incompetent! Learn from my experience and choose a better mechanic. read more

These guys were so nice. I don't know a damn thing about cars like not a single thing and so I get really intimidated going to mechanics because I feel like I'm going to get taken advantage of but I swear they were so great. They did not try to convince me other things were wrong with my car and they just did what I needed and gave me such a good price and they were so nice the whole time. I will be going back whenever I need something fixed. They're my go to guys from now on. read more

This is an old neighborhood gas station turned repair spot. They do it all from oil changes, transmission etc. very fair prices and I feel especially well treated as a woman. New cars and old they work on them all! read more

The is by far the best auto repair shop in Fresno, they're family owned and adored by the community for their hard work, honestly and reliability. Carlos is amazing, we couldn't be happier with him, his hard work, and how he helps us with all our car needs. The whole staff is knowledgeable and best of all the get the job done!! We would never go anywhere else or trust anyone else with our car, they're the best! read more

I highly recommend this shop! Very honest guys and they always try to get you the best priced parts I brought in a jacked up 2005 Toyota and it needed a new clutch kit, brakes, cv axel and motor mounts .... they got everything done in a matter of days!! And they showed me all the old parts just so I could see it was all necessary work... Carlos was the main mechanic who worked on my car and he was super helpful and kind read more

I took my car to Van Ness Auto Repair because it was having trouble starting after I'd fill up with gas then the service engine light came on. Alex has my car for 2 days and said one of the cylinders was misfiring. He explained a bunch of stuff I didn't understand, didn't replace any parts but charged me &115 for nothing . I'm not even sure that he did anything because when I fueled up on my way back home to Oregon the car had a very hard time starting. I managed to get home and took my car in to my mechanic. He said I was very low on oil so the fuel pressure regulator caused problems. Again, I don't understand engines all I know is if Van Ness auto would have just checked my oil (something so basic) a potentially much bigger issue could have been avoided. I would never take my car here again read more

I'm shocked and a little disturbed that my review of Van Ness Auto Repair was deleted, because I didn't delete it. I don't remember if it was a 1-star or a 2-star review, but now it's sub-1-star because I'm having to re-write it. Several years ago we took an economy car here and got charged about $435 for what should've been less than half that. They charged $35 for a paper gasket that costs about $3, and claimed to have replaced a couple of vacuum hoses that they did not list on the receipt. When asked about that, they said they didn't charge us for those. Even if you are giving me something for free, I expect it to be itemized on the receipt. I believe the balance of the charges were for a smog check and having to run the car on the dyno to reset the monitors so it could be smogged. I called the owner to discuss the cost with him and he was quite rude, talking about how "they're experts" and was very condescending about the whole matter. My original review was more comprehensive and detailed. I'll watch to make sure this one stays up. read more

My AWD car was experiencing problems with a front end stutter and noise. I brought it to Van Ness Auto Repair who diagnosed a broken axle. They told me they couldn't figure out which side and given the age of my car, I should repair both. When I picked up my check engine light was on. I brought the car back to them immediately and they said they'd look into it. I left it with them for overnight. The repair shop is close to where I live. As I was walking my dog by their shop after hours that evening, it looked like my car window was open. I investigated and not only was the driver's side window completely open, and the doors unlocked, but the keys were in the ignition! I checked around the shop, but is was closed and no one was there. I decided to steal my own car. I was going to bring the car back the next day and chastise them for preparing it so nicely for car theft. Then my curiosity got the best of me. I waited instead for a call from them about my car. Nothing. Nor was I ever called by them about my car going missing. Glad to know they keep track of the vehicles in their care. And, sure enough. the original problem was still present, even though I paid them $450 for the repair. I brought my car to another place, which properly diagnosed the problem as being with the front differential,not the axels. The shop in general is not equipped to diagnose post-1990 model cars. You can tell just by looking at it. If you have a flat tire, they might be ok, but for anything substantial go to a real auto repair facility. And for heaven's sake never leave your car with them overnight, unless you want to claim the insurance when it gets stolen! read more

My car was finished the same day. They called me and advised of my two options, one being buy a very expensive part or let him try to clean the part i have first and if it didn't work he wouldn't charge me. It worked and i didn't need to pay for the extra part. He saved me several hundred dollars by being honest. And they close at six but he stayed until after sox so i could get my car that night. Wonderful service read more

I will recommend Van Ness Auto Repair to everyone I know! I live down the street and am glad to be able to support a neighborhood shop. My first visit to Van Ness Auto Repair was just to have my tire pressure checked because the sensor lights kept going on and off. The guys not only checked and put air in all 4 tires, but they surprised me by airing up the spare - I've never even had a tire shop be that conscientious. Ever since then, this is the place my husband and I take our cars when we need an oil change. We are now ready to send my husband's car to our daughter in L.A. We asked Jim to give the car a good run through and let us know what needed to be done. He gave us a fair estimate and we asked him to go ahead with the repairs. During the course of the repairs, a couple of extra issues became apparent. Jim had his guys do the additional work but instead of racking up a larger bill, he honored his original quote. It's no wonder Jim has been in business here for 14 years and seems to always be busy. If all auto shop owners were as honest and fair to their customers as he is, car repairs would not be a big deal. We're glad to have found Van Ness Auto Repair and are so thankful to feel confident in sending our daughter a car that should be safe and run for a long time. read more

First time visit. We'd gotten a diagnoses elsewhere and knew there was a fuel leak. They said they could get to it in an hour, then repair would take another hour, the work would be $115 and they'd call us if there was any other charge. (Side note, it's about a five-minute walk away from Gazebo Gardens, which was a lovely place to pass the time.) We walked back right before they were done, they'd replaced a leaking hose and waived the cost of the part (!) and let us know about another issue we'll want to take care of at some point, without pressuring us to take care of it right away, and gave us advice for getting it smog-ready. They were courteous, thorough, and professional. We came here based on good recommendations, and we'll definitely be coming back. read more

No one likes car repairs but I've been happy over the last five years or so with Van Ness Auto Repair. Most recently my AC compressor went out. I was hoping it was just the freon needing a recharge. I called Pep Boys (right next to work) and for only the recharge it was going to be nearly $300. I said that was crazy and knew Van Ness would do it much cheaper. They said $69 for a full charge. Unfortunately, I needed more than that, but their prices are always fair. For my old clunker Pep Boys would quote me $1500 and Van Ness would be more like $700. It's not "cheap" like having your boy Rocco work on it from his grandma's two-car garage in Clovis, but i find the prices extremely fair and always satisfied with the work. With my aforementioned clunker, I had a whole new radiator installed. Something went wrong, which was related to the fan and not the radiator, and the fan cut a whole into the thing. The radiator was under warranty but the fan was not, but they still honored my warranty and fixed the problem free of charge. They are good about communication. They ended up needing to keep my car over the weekend but were good about letting me know so there were minimal surprises. They've also never told me they couldn't get to my car the day I called, which is nice, because no one likes waiting around with a dead car. Their garage is in walking distance from my house, so i don't mind taking the dog or baby, dropping off my car and walking home. Very convenient and a nice walk home. There's awlays different dudes working there, but I know the owner has a good reputation and stands by his work, and so far, so do I. read more

Thank you van ness auto! Only place willing to do our brake on our rv. Every where else said no or it will be a week. They said, "sure, we can do it today"! Woo hoo. Since we are traveling though, they saved us from having to spend a week in a hotel. Very friendly and helpful :-) read more

Van Ness Auto Repair - Auto Repair Near Me - Fresno, California

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Well, I finally found the leak that had been bothering me for the last year...a new radiator. In less than 24 hours, I had it installed and running well. Would I go back, yes. read more

Van Ness Auto Repair is a truly professional business. I live a block away and they will always do the oil, check tire pressure and tire rotation. The workers are extremely helpful and always pleasant when I need service. I would encourage anyone needing auto repairs to try VNAR. I wouldn't go anywhere else for sure. Also, the station is a Fresno Treasure, From the 1920s. We are fortunate to have this place so close. Check them out. You'll love them. Their prices are great. read more

Great establishment, the employees are honest, straight forward and hardworking. I feel like they really care about their clients and are extremely caring. Especially Carlos he is amazing, he has helped my husband and I both times we have been there, he goes above and beyond to make sure our car is taken care of, we will never go anywhere else! read more

This place is great! I had a hard time finding a place that was even willing to do the work required on my car because of the difficulty in changing out the part. But once someone referred me to Van Ness Auto Repair, they were more than willing to do the work and had the experience with that specific issue. On top of that, I got the best quote I could find. And even better, the customer service was exceptional. Everyone I spoke to was very kind and professional, especially Carlos. Highly recommend this place! read more

I dropped by on a (referred) fluke to get a dragging undercarriage panel dealt with. Not only did they hop on it immediately, but they offered to secure a dangling running board on the cheap if I so desired. Three years of this running board being held up with duct tape, and they were the first shop to offer me a basic solution. With my budget, and my car, it was exactly what I needed. Thanks, Van Ness Auto Repair. You will be my shop of choice when I am in town. read more

I'm very unhappy with the services here. I brought my car in when the low tire pressure light went off. He patched my tire. I found out later, he had put a string plug in my tire which did not fix the problem and kept my tire losing pressure thus setting the tire pressure light off repeatedly. They said my sensor needed replacement. Filled my tires with air and charged $220 to replace my sensor. Since the original tire wasn't fixed properly, the low tire pressure light went off yet again. He filled it up with air and said to come back again if it goes off. Inevitably, it went off - I wised up and took my car to a recommended tire shop. They checked the tire out and discovered the messy plug which had ruined my tire. I am never going back to this place which was recommended by my mother. She isn't going back either. They lost two customers . read more

I had a weld on my exhaust header break, I didn't have time to fix it myself so I took it to these guys. They got me in the same day I called and got the job done in time for me to take my car to work in the morning. The foreman stayed late, well after closing, to get the job done. Even though I know it ended up taking him longer than the original quoted time, they still charged me the same quoted fee. I was very grateful for their help. And happy to use a local shop. The history of the shop is pretty cool too. read more

Very hospitable and caring person. Treats you like a patient, listens and recommends with care. Thanks for your service! read more

Always honest, affordable service. Every time I've needed help, I get my car back the same day, often in the same visit. They saved me $80 on my last service. read more

Cars gone back 3x but Jim and the boys keep fixing at no additional charge so I am very happy. They actually care that your car is taken care of. Very trustworthy and I appreciate the extra effort. read more