I had a very difficult issue with my car that multiple mechanics -- including the dealership -- could not diagnose or fix. I spent a lot of money with no resolution and was close to giving up on the vehicle entirely. This shop was different. Their team was persistent, thoughtful, and clearly experienced. They took the time to properly diagnose the problem and ultimately fixed what no one else could. The owner was also very compassionate and understanding of my situation as a full-time caregiver. I was able to use the CAP program, which covered 80% of the repair, making it financially possible for me. I highly recommend this shop to anyone dealing with a complex or unresolved car issue. read more

Went to dealer, they reported a transfer case leak, dealer said $2,400 to fix. Took it to Walt's for second opinion, told not necessary! While there, Walt noticed a leak near vacuum pump that was just replaced because of a recall. Took pictures, sent them to me and suggested I go back to dealer to be fixed correctly! Done! Will never use anyone but Walt's because of their honesty and integrity! read more

I brought my vehicle to Walt's for a very loud "fan" noise whenever the engine was running. The diagnoses came back as a leaking radiator that needed to be replaced. The repair fixed the noise, but I was charged about $1,680 just for the cooling system work (including a flat $324 diagnostic fee and $745 in labor), plus a cabin air filter and tax for a total around $1,770. A year or so earlier, a different local shop had also told me my radiator was leaking and I deferred, so the diagnosis seemed consistent. My issue is the pricing and the way the work was framed. The key cooling-system line items were: * $324 flat "diagnosis/inspection" * $745 labor for "remove and replace radiator" * $530.87 for the OEM radiator * $73.90 for coolant, plus fees Afterward, I compared this to other shops and to typical labor times for a radiator replacement on this vehicle. Even allowing for Bay Area rates and OEM parts, the combination of a $324 non-credited diagnostic fee and $745 labor looks significantly higher than what many other independents or dealers charge for the same work. The job was also described to me as if it were a major, very time-consuming ordeal, which doesn't match what other sources have said about this repair. To be fair, the repair appears to have fixed the problem, and the diagnosis is consistent with another shop's earlier finding. If you value OEM parts and don't mind paying a premium for a thorough, conservative approach, you may be comfortable here. For me, the pricing structure (especially the flat $324 diagnostic fee on top of full labor) and the way the job was presented felt like I was paying significantly more than necessary, and I won't be returning as it now feels like a recurring pattern. If you do choose Walt's, I strongly recommend getting a written estimate with labor rate and hours spelled out before authorizing any work, and comparing it to at least one other quote. read more

Beyond the call of duty! Repaired my carburetor that someone else mangled. 1968 Camaro now runs great and idles like it should. Honest, friendly chaps. Thank you. read more

How refreshing. An old school service station that may not have a wait, does all things for all cars, and reasonable prices. Personally, I'm so sick and tired of most of the other service stations out there. I had a nail in my tire, so after stopping by a couple of tire stores and heard "we won't work on your tires" to a "2 hour wait even with reservation", I went home. Later, I looked on Yelp and found the highly-rated Walt's. I called and spoke to Walt. It was late in the day, so he said if I came over within the next 20 mins, they could fix. Well, not only did they fix, but I also needed smog and they did that, too. Batter up, Walt's. I found my new service station. read more

Honestly, the best auto service establishment I've ever dealt with in close to 45 years and I've had a lot of work done on a lot of types of cars. They didn't amazing job on my older vehicle and certainly got a customer for life. Absolutely would recommend to anyone. read more

I can't recommend Walt's Auto Body enough. I've taken about six of our vehicles to him over the past 12 years as well as my mom's car. Wally is very honest, reasonably priced, does a great job, and I trust him. It is really hard to find a good mechanic that you can trust. He tells you when things aren't really needed so when things do you need to be replaced I know he's being honest. He's very friendly and everything he's done to my cars has lasted. read more

Rip off. $200 for an oil change. We are never taking our Subaru back here again. The owner is a classic salesperson with a cheap smile. If you ever think of taking your car here prepare yourself for what may unfold as the average bill is several grand. This shop is more expensive than the dealership read more

If you are looking for a fast, friendly, and honest experience, look no further. My car was due for a general maintenance but had a couple of other things going on. They thoroughly investigated everything I mentioned and either fixed it or told me what was necessary to fix. They brought up any concerns I didn't mention and found the most economical and safe solution to employ. I have had honest mechanics in the past - but I will say Walt and his team are among the friendliest. The whole experience was very pleasant and painless. He truly has made his service shop a family from the customers to the employees, it had a very positive feel. I'll definitely be returning. read more

Wally the owner was very honest about my concerns with my headlights being so dim caused by the deteriorating assembly. I can now drive my car at night safely! Not only did they do the work but checked my battery and air in my tires without having to ask. Highly recommend Walt's!!! read more

This was my first time ever using this shop. My vehicle had failed a smog check and after contacting other shops and getting the run around, I called Walt's Danville Service. The owner, Wally, answered all my concerns over the phone and set up an appointment for me. I met Wally at my appointment. He is very friendly and honest and seems to take a genuine interest in his clients. My vehicle was immediately diagnosed and the problem corrected with a minimal charge to me. Thank you Wally. I was very worried that I would not be able to afford the repairs. read more

I have taken two of our cars to Walts. They have done great work on them. They recommend work that is needed but do not do not recommend work that does not need to be done. I trust them each year to get our truck ready for the RV season. Sam read more

After not having any issues with our vehicles for quite a while things suddenly changed. Hey, they're machines and machines need TLC and can break or malfunction with time. One of the jobs was a bit larger than most. The part was just a few bucks but required complete removal of the entire dash down to the firewall. Walt has a mechanic that he assured me was up to the task and he was. The job was easily two plus days work with a ton of detail labor. Optional parts were suggested considering the scope of work and that we'd like to retain the car. Price was beyond fair and the work seems perfect. FWIW - auto repair shops come and go but Walt has been in business a long time in the same area. His personnel are qualified trained professionals and the shop speaks for itself. read more

Can't recommend Walt's Danville Service enough! We take all of our family vehicles to him and trust him exclusively to always give us the best service. He is honest and up front about what he thinks needs to be done. The work is always of high quality. Recently we had an issue with our son's car that had been poorly repaired at an out of state body shop after an accident. Wally not only assessed and repaired the issues but he went above and beyond to help document a case for us to go back to our insurance company to seek reimbursement for the additional charges to repair the car properly. Ultimately, we were reimbursed by our insurance company. We would never have thought that we could have done that nor could we have fought it without Wally's help! That is part of the personal and caring service that we truly appreciate about Walt's!!!! read more

This place and the customer service here is amazing. Took my jeep here last week and they worked very fast to diagnose the issue and were very helpful in helping me decide what the best course of action would be. read more

We recently moved to California from Boston, and I needed a smog check prior to registering one of our vehicles here. I stumbled upon Walt's Danville Service and received absolutely the best customer service I think I ever have had in an auto shop. Walt himself got things set up for me very quickly, and the whole process was a breeze. I didn't have to wait, and they definitely squeezed me in just before their lunch break, which was much appreciated! Walt and his crew went above and beyond to make things easy for me as I had both of my young children in the car with me -- I can't express how incredibly convenient that was, or how grateful I am for this kindness! If this experience is any indication of the way the rest of their services are provided, I have found my new mechanic! Highly recommend! read more

Let's get real. No one is cheap but Wally isn't the highest. Some might think this an odd comment to start for a 5 star review. I want it fixed the first time and I want to believe the person doing the work. I look for competence and found it. I talked with Wally and found him personable, realistic and honest. He possesses the oft forgotten work ethic missing in most businesses and holds his employees to a standard which is above average. I don't relate this as a mere passing comment and this is not some fake review by an employee or friend we see so often in yelp. Rarely can you find competence and confidence of a mechanic's attentive intention before the work starts but I saw it here. He went the extra mile to email me a picture identifying a potential install fail from Dublin Toyota and presented his case to me. I did not ask this of him. Armed with that information, I confronted Toyota and obtained a refund for the part and their service work. Wally properly installed the component for me. What more can I say. Thanks Wally! read more

This is an overdue review for Walt's. I have a 2001 Suburban. At some point 5 or 6 years ago, I had front end work done on the vehicle. I only use the vehicle for trips and occasional hauling, so I didn't really check up on the work done by the shop -- that's on me. After driving it again, I noticed that the car was pulling to the right. I brought it back to the shop and they played with the alignment. That didn't take care of the problem. I took it back to the shop again and they still didn't fix it. Life got busy and I didn't get to it for a while. I drove it as it was. Over time, I noticed that the truck wasn't able to make proper tight turns -- the front tires would skip. I tried bringing the truck to multiple shops over the next few years. They would all play with the alignment but never fix the problem. I had brought a different car to Walt's and was happy with the service so decided to bring the Suburban to them. Wally said that his mechanic would get to the bottom of the problem. Well, they really did. Jon, his mechanic, would not let go of the issue until he solved it. It turns out that the original shop put in the front end center link rotated 180 degrees. That link ties together the left and right steering mechanism. The link has a small angle at either end of the bar. By rotating it, the angle was pointing in the opposite direction it should have been leading to all of the front end alignments functioning being off. Shop after shop did the minimal amount of work to make the truck a little bit better and didn't test what they had done. Jon tested the car, saw there was a problem, keep working at it until they found the underlying issue, fixed the issue and then tested the truck to make sure that it was actually fixed. Thank you Wally! read more

My daughter had a brilliant idea to go mudding in our new Wrangler. When it arrived home it look like it was dipped in mud fondue. We did our best to clean the engine, undercarriage and exterior and it seemed to run fine. Heat of summer arrives and the Jeep begins suddenly overheating. I took the Jeep to the Walnut Creek Jeep Dodge and Ram dealership and found out the truck is outside of warranty by a month. Of course it is. They charge me a $200 diagnostic fee to assess the problem. They call and inform me that the AC condenser and radiator are "damaged" from mud/rock debris and each is leaking freon and radiator coolant. Interestingly, the service write-up stated damage to the parts but only verbally did they inform me about the leaks. In any event, estimated repairs was $2100 to replace both which was their recommendation. I declined repairs and went off to seek a second opinion. Walt's shop had a look and advised me that the radiator and condenser were fine but were caked in mud in areas hard to see and needed a deep clean. Unlike the dealership's report, no leaks or "damage" found - just dirt in areas where it shouldn't be to maintain proper cooling. Final cost was $624 for the cleaning of the two parts and the overheating problem was solved. $2100 and all new parts at a dealer service center or $624, an honest assessment of the problem and a deep cleaning to fix things at Walt's. You decide. read more

Over $300 for an oil change. I asked for only an oil change because I had recently had a full service. Completely disregarded my ask and charged me for all these extras that I did not consent to. Lost a customer for good. Very disappointing as my family has been coming to Walt's for years. read more

I've tried other shops in the area with mixed results and decided to give Walt's a try. They identified the problem and quickly fixed my car. I was impressed by their honesty and quality of service and will definitely be back. 5 stars for Walt's! read more

Went in with our 2011 Nissan Rogue which had an oil leak. Despite the short notice - Wally rearranged his schedule to fit us in. Issue taken care of on the day - even moved the tires around at no charge. Very thorough in detail and took care of us with great professionalism. read more

Wally is an honest businessman in a time when "service" is all but dead. he took on my 1956 Ford, which had a traumatic injury to the engine, and took it apart for diagnostics. Kept it INDOORS for me, so that nobody played "pick-a-part" with it. Wally is kind and patient, and is a wealth of information. Ultimately, he took good care of me and my Ford, and he charged me a very fair price. I would send anyone to him in a heartbeat. Thank you Wally, for taking good care of people. read more

I found Walt's though the California Bureau of Automotive Repair after failing a Smog Test at another shop. First a little background ......I drive a 1998 Ford F150 with almost 300,000 miles. While most everyone I knew told me it was time to stick a fork in the old truck once it failed my initial smog, Wally was able to tackle the job. As most of you know smog repair, and in particular smog repair on an older vehicle with excessive miles, can be a LONG LIST of issues. And my F150 fit that description to a T! Throughout the process of repairing my truck Wally worked with me on each issue. Communicating with me what each problem was and how much it would cost. Never did he try to oversell me or blow smoke up A** about what the truck needed to pass. What more could you ask from an automotive repair shop...Solid Work/Knowledgable-YES, Honest-YES, Fairly Priced-YES, and Great Customer Service-YES. read more

I visited Walt's for transmission issues in my car, Walt greeted and heard my concern very thoroughly and put William to service my car. William is very expert technician, he quickly found the issues in my car. The great part start here, instead of servicing my car for a heavy amount, they explored company warranties (which were expired) but they searched bulletins or recalls from the Manufacturer and found a bulletin that can cover transmission issues of my car. So they produced documents of manufacturer's bulletin and asked me to go to dealer and get service done for free. "They did not earn any money from me we surely they earn my trust and respect". read more

Walts is one of those few car places you can count on to be honest. We have been using him for a few years and he will tell you what does and doesn't need to be done. Fair and honest. He is our go to car guy. read more

Hello to all who reads this review. Today I went to go Jiffy Lube in San Ramon for an oil change. Once all the work was completed and paid for, I was then given the keys to my car. The car started fine, but stalled immediately; so I tried again and again, but it would not idol. When I confronted the person in charge, he said that he noticed the car stalling twice while trying to get my car in to service. I said to the worker I had no troubles prior to coming there; but he was defiant, and seamed very defensive; and would not entertain the idea they may have done something to cause the car to stall. I was unable to drive home, but luckily; just around the corner was a mechanic shop called Walt's Danville Service. The owner; Walt, was the one who helped me. He was kind enough to check my car; despite how busy they were. They looked over my car immediately while I relaxed in the waiting room. After a short while Walt took me back to see what they found. The mount where the air flow is located was very loose; which may have been caused by the Jiffy Lube employee on accident. It looked as though there was a bolt that was loose; causing the car to suck dirt into the sensor making the car to stall. Walt, I want to say how much I appreciated the quick response in taking care of the problem; especially because of how busy you were at the time. Sincerely, Paul F. read more

I have been taking my cars to see Wally for years now. Even when I moved out of the area I would move heaven and earth to take my car in there. I have been to other auto mechanics where it seems to be the norm to be overcharged, left waiting, and treated like I was a big dummy while they were working hard on all the ways they could overcharge me. This is why I love Walt's Danville Service. I didn't think places like this existed anymore. I know without a doubt that Wally will not only be able to fix my car better than anyone else, he will bend over backwards trying to find the least expensive way to do it while still keeping the car as safe as possible. I can not tell you what peace of mind that gives me. Even though my car is really old, he treats me (and everyone) as if they were driving a Rolls. He is almost like a father figure or that kind uncle you have who is always looking out for you. He's kind of like a member of the family. A couple of days ago I had a blowout on the road. I have Wally on speed dial and called him and he told me to bring it in right away and that he wold order a tire for me and also (because he knows my car) check the other tires to see if they needed changing. I told him I could barely afford the one but he insisted on checking the other ones just so he could advise me about them and make sure I was safe. He did all this knowing that I could only pay for one tire, but he did it anyway because that's the kind of guy he is -- safety first. He always goes the extra mile. Always. He is so good I almost don't want other people going to him and making him busy! But bottom line he and his team are excellent mechanics and when they say they are going to do something, they do it. They care. Walt's Danville Service is the best out there, bar none. read more

I took my car here today for service and I had a great experience. Excellent customer service, mechanics polite and knowledgeable. Totally Recommended! I'm taking my car here from now on. Thanks Oscar read more

I needed someone to help me figure out what was wrong with my Ford Focus and after i had a few mechanics take a look at it - no one knew what was going wrong. The compression test showed nothing, the computer showed everything running fine. The stellar reviews on Yelp led me to Walt's and i am so happy that it did. after working on my car for a few days, he figured out the simple problem that no one else could. I definitly reccommend taking your car to Wally, the service is friendly, they are a very genuine and honest shop, just the best! I won't take my car anywhere else after this. thanks again wally!! read more

I was having issues with intermittent Transmission slippage. Walt went through my car with diagnostics and testing. He found a tiny issue that needed to be fixed. He could have told me I needed major work and charge me a huge amount of money, but he was so honest and for that I give him a 5 star review. His shop is clean and organized . I could have ended up being ripped off as another auto repair shop could have done. Thanks Walt. read more

Excellent quality advise and service but wow are they proud of it. Beware the San Ramon prices....

I would like to first point out that the people that helped me were very nice and professional. The issue I have is with their business practices. I took my car in to verify if I needed to have my brakes serviced. Like other reviews, they recommended an "assessment." When dropping off my car, the people side was good as I mentioned. When I picked up my car, I had a bill for $94.00 and they informed me my brakes didn't need to be serviced. They did say they checked my fluids, etc. but that wasn't what I was seeking. So at the end of the day, I was out $94 and left without any major serving done to my car. In their defense, I should have read the estimate a little better, but I've never had a place charge me for a brake inspection before since I have it on good knowledge that it takes less than 10 minutes. But the estimate was worse ($190) than what I paid. My suggestion for future customers is to be weary of the "assessment" phrase they recommend and understand exactly what that entails. They are probably a good shop service wise, and the technicians there seem to be knowledgeable. read more

Overpriced Service. 82 dollars for smog when you can get half that on other car repair shop. I needed to get my check engine light fix first before smog check otherwise it would fail but was informed by Wally that his recommendation is to do a smog check regardless of pass/fail and then check the issue with the engine light. After about 45 min of smog testing and having paid 82 dollars he was not straight forward on when he can get the engine light issue resolved and asked to have the car brought in at another time. I asked what his schedule was like tomorrow and all I get is a run about answer possibly tomorrow or another day is open when he has his calendar in front of his desk. I left unhappy customer with car not being fixed and 82 dollars of charity donation. read more

I dropped off my car in for a smog check. A over 2 hours passed and no phone call so I called, and Wally said, " Come on down, your car's ready! You're all set!". I get there and he pulls the workorder and goes, "Hmmm, looks like your car didn't pass". I realize they are not to blame for that... I was just disappointed with the lack of communication. Why didn't he mention it when I called? I think most places would. He seems like a nice guy, just a little spacey and not a very good communicator. read more

I have been a customer of Walt since 2004. First off, I grew up in Detroit as a true blue car enthusiast and i feel I know automobiles better than the average bear. And, I have been in the service business myself (not automotive) for 37 years. Add to that, I am frugal with how I spend my $$$ and know value when it appears. Oh, almost forgot, I can be hard to please. I have a wonderful 1996 Jeep Grande Cherokee - Orvis Edition that is a real gem and a keeper. Still looks new and the interior is unmatched, my wife drives it is on top of the world every time she gets behind the wheel. The Jeep has 116,000 miles on it and it gets serviced every 3,000 miles, all by the book. This past year was an expensive year as at this millage point things tend to need repair. No only was Wally able to solve a very perplexing "Death Wobble" issue accurately and completely for far less cash than the dealer, but got it right the first time. It came out riding like new, not joking, it is amazing. Then we had a slow coolant leak, remember, the Jeep is 17 years old and cooling systems suffer from corrosion and wear. We went forward to fully rebuild virtually the entire system (less expensive to do it all at once as many parts are hidden under other parts and when it is apart down to the water pump it even made sense to do the timing chain as well. He even solved a very aggravating slow oil drip too. The workmanship was done to a T. as my scheduled oil change was coning up, the Jeep gave us a "Low Coolant" alert. When in for the oil change today Wally checked the cooling system that was overhauled last summer and found the new radiator was seeping coolant at a seam. He ordered the part and installed it the same day, and best of all, at NO CHARGE. Sure, it was the obvious right thing to do, but believe me, many shops would have found a way to extract some dollars to compensate for the time spent on a warranty repair that was not the fault of the servicer. (after all, Wally did not make the part) The most amazing thing was Wally even looked a little bit embarrassed that his repair previous repair needed to be worked on again. I can read people and if you watch the body language and the look in the eye it reveals a lot. Wally is in it for the long haul and he is the best. In this world now where most people are so marginally capable and don't even care, Walt's Danville Service is a breath of fresh air. Running a shop like this is expensive, especially with all the regulatory hoops to jump through, the price is not cheap, but always fair. I am happy to pay for good service and I always get what I pay for here. read more

No one loves taking their car to the shop for a repair. But, every once in a while something happens that you need to see a mechanic. You can't help but feel that Wally is like a good friend that is taking care of your car. Then after you leave, you feel like you didn't get taken advantage of and the service provided was fair. This was my second experience having him work on my car. I am glad that I don't have to see him that often but when I do, I know I am in good, honest hands. read more

Excellent service and great communication. I had an oil leak and Wally found that the chain oil place I went to used a wrench or some tool to tighten the filter and damaged it causing the leak! Got everything taken care of and gave me the damaged filter and written details so I can get reimbursed from that big chain, hopefully! I will only be going to Walt's from now on! read more

Walt did a great job. Many small repairs done at no charge. Fast and fair. Thanks Wally.

Great experience - seriously one of the most pleasant auto-repair experiences i've had. Walt is so kind and very honest. He'll tell you up front he's not the cheapest on stuff like smog but i think relatively competitive pricing on major service. So funny- we felt so relaxed while waiting for the car and my husband and i realized Walt had Disney music playing in the shop...Walt said "Hey, it's better than that music with all of the cursing" TRUE! ...and suddenly we have a hankering to ride It's a Small World. Just one of the many reasons it was such a pleasant experience :) We'll be coming back for years to come. Thanks, Walt! read more