My Subaru started losing traction even when the road was only slightly slippery. I dropped it off at Ward and Son's Automotive, and they quickly found LOTS of diagnostic error codes--more than could realistically be happening at the same time. Over four days, they repeatedly cleared the codes, test-drove the car, and rechecked the system. Eventually, they became fairly certain that the problem was related to rodents chewing on the wiring. Reluctantly, they suggested I take it to a Subaru dealership, as a dealership would have the sophisticated equipment needed to pinpoint the root cause. They hesitated to recommend this because they expected the dealership would charge me a ton of money for troubleshooting. Ward and Son's charged me less than $100 for all the troubleshooting they did over four days, which I think is very reasonable. Even though they weren't able to resolve the problem with my car, I wouldn't hesitate to use them again. P.S. They were super friendly people! read more

The Ward & Sons shop was a life saver after getting a flashing Check Engine Light (CEL) which is a high severity indication in between Xmas and New Years. I was afraid I was going to have to leave my Toyota Highlander up there but they were able to replace a fuse for the OBD port, get a diagnosis and replace a bad ignition coil for one of the cylinders. Daniella was very pleasant to speak with on the phone. Grayson at the desk was also reassuring in dropping off the car to at least address the fuse to get an OBD diagnosis. Huge props for these guys for getting me in and out in a few hours during the in-between holiday period. I was able to drive car back to SF without issue. read more

Hello there, this review is long overdue. Last summer my Subaru overheated in Truckee. I truly suspected head gasket, as it well know problem with Subaru engines. I was 200 miles away from home and probably 50 miles away from nearest dealer. Brought my car to "Ward and Son's", and repair was done next day. Not head gasket actually, this is real example of professional business. Thank you guys so much. read more

i like to look at company logos. what do the logos represent? why did those colors get chosen? is it a permanent color scheme? will the colors change in the future? or will the colors change and that is a good enough reason to notify the world they have a special going on in a way to attract business when business dries up? I like the name of the company and I like their logo. It is easily memorable as is the name of the company name easy to remember. read more

took my Subaru CrossTrek in for a bad sounding wheel bearing and bad ABS sensor - called on a Friday and got a text back after they'd closed so I was able to get my car in first thing Monday morning - got a call around 10 with an estimate and the car was done before 2pm - cost was actually $100 less than the quote! I will definitely be going back read more

Originally took my outback to the Reno dealership for some maintenance. Big mistake. Not only did they not finish the job I asked, they squeezed me for every scent I had. I decided enough was enough and brought my car to Ward & Sons. Saved SO much time and money thanks to Danielle & Grayson. I will be giving them my business from here on out. read more

Awesome place for Subaru work. Fast, reliable and decent price. I recommend Ward and Son's. I use them every time I need a local shop.

Dave and his team went above and beyond in every aspect of my repair. The communication and follow through were top notch. They made sure the repair was perfect all the way through the end. All at a very fair price. read more

Have been going to ward and son's for years. I had to get a new alternator and they were quick, friendly and efficient. Dropped it off at 3 was ready by 3:40. Love to support a local business that is affordable and looks out for their customers. read more

These people saved the day! I had a pretty serious situation with my car and the Ward and Son's team repaired my Subaru sti super fast. This is a friendly, talented and very knowledgeable group. If you're in truckee and need help with your car this is where to go. Thanks! read more

Very thankful for them. We are from out of town but our check engine light came on as we were driving up to Tahoe and I was noticing weird vibration and loss of power while driving. We were really worried that we wouldn't make it home. It's was Presidents Day when we were leaving but luckily they were open. I called and they said they could check the code to let us know if it was anything serious. They checked it out for us and said told us what the issue is but that we should be able to make it home fine and would just need new spark plugs and a tune up. They were super friendly and didn't charge us a thing for their assessment. It was a huge relief to know that we would make it home ok and not get stuck in the freezing mountains with no cell service. Very thankful for them. read more

Our family was vacationing in Truckee for a few days when our car flashed a signal that something needed to be checked. We drove in to Ward and Son's and they immediately attended to us. A nice young man (we forgot to ask his name) checked our car with automotive scan tool and found out that our tires had low air pressure. He put air in the tires and he said we're good to go. When we asked how much, he said it's free. We insisted on tipping him because he accommodated us right away even we didn't call for an appointment. We appreciate his honesty and for not taking advantage of the situation. If we live in Truckee, Ward and Son's will be our go to automotive. read more

We heard about Ward & Sons from good friends who have lived in Truckee for a long time. I found them again online while searching for Subaru service in Truckee. I took our Outback in for the first time recently and we were very happy with the experience. Our Subaru is not that old and is still under warranty. It was a surprise to have it start overheating. I called Ward & Sons to ask about bringing it in and how it was still under warranty, etc. They were friendly, knowledgeable and easy to talk to. They called within a few hours to describe the issue. Apparently, it was a freak occurrence: one of the fan blades had come off and punctured the radiator and damaged the air conditioner pump. We determined the dealer wanted to have the car towed to Reno to make these repairs themselves. W & S was happy to have the car picked up at their place, including calling me before they left at the end of the day to arrange to leave the keys in it for the tow truck, who has many hours late. W&S didn't charge me for any of this and was friendly and easy to work with while getting right to the issue and helping me get it resolved. I recommend this shop and will take the Subaru and other vehicles there again for sure. read more

Excellent service. Great people. We were visiting the area & the car's ECL and a couple of other lights went on. We called a few other shops and were worried that we will need to wait for a few days to get the car fixed. Ward and Son scanned the car and let us know that the issues can be adressed after returning to our city. Really appreciate it! read more

By far the most trustworthy, fantastic mechanics you will ever encounter... We are so lucky to have them in this community... I was stuck in another town and one mechanic there recommended like $5,000 worth of work for my car... I waited to get back to Truckee, Ward & Sons looked at everything, and it cost me a total of $100 to get my car up to speed. I'll never go anywhere else... read more

Easiest and best service especially during COVID. I needed my car inspected, made an appt, and they got me right in and out. They are all so nice, so professional and so helpful. The way they treated all of their clients while I was there was amazing. Of course you overhear what's going on with other clients, yes, I was listening. But they were so awesome to each person and they handled it better than I could have. I love this place y'all check it out great location too read more

Great job on rear breKes and value, must get muffler done else where but will be back after!

Had a small auto issue, I couldn't identity while vacationing up in N. Tahoe--swung by Ward & Sons to get a mechanics 'sense'...despite being fully booked with a deluge of customer maintenance orders the 'guys' took the time to take a look & advise me. While it turns out, I didn't have a significant matter...shop seems well 'above board' & a shop to definitely turn to for any auto maintenance questions or work. read more

Had a check engine light go on for my Kia Niro. Without any delay they told me to bring it in and they'd let me know if was serious. Within a few minutes of arriving, they diagnosed the problem was a loose gas cap and didn't even charge me a dime. The dealer and others had quoted $100-$140 just for a diagnosis. If you're looking for an honest local car maintenance shop, this is your place! read more

If you have a Subaru or Toyota that needs work there's no better place in town to bring your vehicle. A local business who specializes in what they do and doesn't try to take advantage of their customers. It's the only place I'll take my car and I send all my friends/family there read more

Come here first - highly recommended. UGH the dreaded head gasket replacement on a Subaru Outback /145K miles - Dave and his crew were incredibly fast at getting us back on the road at what I consider to be a very reasonable price - bonus that he is so nice and double bonus that his daughter didn't mind fielding my multiple phone calls - new customer for life - thank you read more

I had one of my best experiences at a mechanic with Ward and Son's. They did great work at a fair price for everything that was necessary to fix and then did not push to fix anything beyond that. They are a caring group that I would highly recommend to anyone with car troubles. read more

Great place, didn't actually have anything done but called because I was afraid I might need to. They walked me through what was likely wrong and how much I should expect to pay for it when I return to San Francisco. I would've happily pay them to do it here but it would've greatly inconvenienced me to stay an extra day, so the fact that they took the time to explain the situation and put me at ease for a drive home shows what kind of caliber and character this business has. Many businesses would tell me to come in, put the car up on the rack so they could look and then try and sell me on a repair or at least charge me for diagnosing the problem. Not here. Honest people! read more

Dave ward and staff are awesome! Friendly, respond fast, and personable. Helped me with a blown engine and charged me 3k less than estimated amounts from other auto shops in the area. Fixed other minor parts of the car free of charge. Highly recommend. read more

I cannot express how wonderful it was to have my car repaired by Dave & his team! Dave went above & beyond to locate a part that was not nationally in stock. Throughout the entire process he communicated updates which were helpful considering the stress I was under not having my car. Dave is truly one of the good, honest guys you rarely meet in the auto repair business & I highly recommend using this shop for any car repairs!! read more

I've been driving for.... well over 2 decades. I've had quite a few vehicles and therefore have been to my fair share of shops. Ward and Sons has my business. Their rates are VERY fair (maybe too fair!) and they do excellent work. I had to have my wiper fluid pump replaced. They scheduled me in quickly with no hassle. While there, I asked where a good place for a smog check would be (as they didn't do them). They pointed me in the right direction and mentioned the other shop is who they recommend if they can't do a job. They specialize in Toyotas and Subarus but can do just about anything. Their shop may look a bit... shady, but that is why they are so good and fairly priced! No frills. But all the quality! I highly recommend them! read more

I couldn't speak more highly of Ward & Son's and how they've helped me over the past year. My 2011 Subaru was having issues with running multiple codes with no real explanation. Everyone was so friendly and helpful with getting it fixed. Especially Danielle! They continually helped me read codes and worked with me until the problem was solved. Incredible customer service. I would highly recommend. read more

The best customer service I've ever experienced in any business...seriously. (See "bottom-line" at bottom of this review). My 2004 Subaru Wrx had a blown engine. A mechanic in Reno estimated that it would be roughly an $8,000 repair. I discussed this with two other shops in Truckee to get 2 other data points and some "reasonableness" feedback (two automotive related stores). They BOTH unquestionably recommended Ward and Son's Automotive. I've had a vacation home in Truckee since 1992 and had never heard of them. Dave (the father), is from Maine and the product of a good family. After meeting him 3 weeks ago (I left the country for 2 weeks), I consider him a trusted friend. He's a dying breed...a genuinely good, honest man. Turns out I needed a new clutch and a water pump as well (I feared the clutch was toast). I bought a new engine, new clutch and had a water pump installed for over 20% less than the Reno estimate for just the engine alone! Dave Ward called me and kept me informed all along the way, trying to save me money at every opportunity. When I called to pick up the car, Dave told me my gas tank was on fumes and offered to take it to the station to put in some gas (BTW, this was during the first "white-out" storm of the winter). Really? You've got to be kidding me...It's a Subaru...not a Bentley!!! BOTTOM LINE: 1. They're honest. One of the few...I'll say it again...they're honest. 2. They treat you better than Tiffany's or Nordstrom's. Best customer service I've ever experienced. 3. Korine (front desk) is a sweetheart. 4. While totally safe, (in a good part of town) their shop looks like it's a vacant dirt lot in Nicaragua...when I got out of my car, I didn't know if I was going to be mugged or attacked by a junk yard dog. Turns out the dog might lick you to death if you throw the ball for him. Hey, nothing's perfect...but these guys come about as close as you can get! 5. I recommend Ward and Son's Automotive without question and will recommend them to ANYONE who will stand still long enough to listen. read more

Our brand new Range Rover started acting up just as we were leaving town to go down the mountain. Stopped by Ward and Son's hoping it would be an easy fix. Ray (hope I remember his name correctly!) plugged it, cleared some error codes and we were safely on our way. Amazing service and super friendly! read more

I had them replace my front brake pads about a year ago. They were super affordable and extremely friendly. They were able to squeeze me in quickly. When I needed rear brakes this year, I called them up for a quote and to schedule an appointment. I dropped my car off 1/11/21 to have rear brake pads replaced and to have my transmission and radiator flushed. At the end of the day they called to let me know my car was ready...I did not need rotors, my coolant looked new and didn't need to be flushed and my transmission is sealed so they recommended I have a transmission shop take a look at it. This is the only shop I ever use and this is the only shop I have ever trusted. They easily could have charged me for all services requested and I would have never known that I didn't need most of it. They always do an honest business and couldn't be any friendlier. Do yourself a favor and check them out the next time you need any automotive service! read more

There's a very simple (but seemingly difficult for most places to get right) reason why W&S has 5 stars. Superb customer service. Every single person I have interfaced with here is FRIENDLY, capable and communicative. They get back to you when they say they will and while I've really only had minor things done here, they always get my work done in lightening speed, usually finishing well before the time estimate they provided. It's actually a pleasure bringing my Jeep in to them and I enjoy the experience! Weird thing to say about an auto shop! read more

I'm always skeptical with mechanics as most people probably are, but growing up in Tahoe/Reno this place is the ONLY automotive repair shop that I know I can wholeheartedly trust. The owner is a great person with good morals and will always make sure that not only your car is fixed, but that you are satisfied with the price of the parts and the quality of the work. I now live in the Bay Area, and still drive 4 hours to use him. Why? After trying countless mechanics all over the bay area, no one has come close. The honesty, the integrity, the quality of work. All these things make Ward and Sons Automotive the best you can get. Highly recommended to anyone living in CA. read more

We can't thank you enough for the incredible service you provided for us while visiting Northstar during New Years. We had some unexpected trouble with our vehicle the evening we were to leave town and return to Southern California. We used the drop off benefit and left our vehicle in your lot and dropped the keys in the key drop. You inspected it the next day and spent precious time to make sure that our vehicle was safe to drive. When I returned to pick up our 4Runner I was incredibly surprised to find out that you did not charge us a dime! You are so amazing! It's no wonder you have such high Yelp ratings and reviews and the locals love you! It's so encouraging to know that great people like you still exist!! read more

Hands down the most honest and reliable mechanic you will find. Dave has serviced our variety of cars (mostly Toyota's, and 1 Subaru) for over 15+ years. He will never steer you wrong, nor try to upsell services. All of his employees are friendly, helpful, and down right fantastic! He has helped me w emergency service issues, routine maintenance, suggestions for folks to see if he can't fix something, guidance on what to say no to from dealer, and insight into purchasing a newer used car. And just today an employee went out of her way to research a weird issue our Rav was having, and found info online that will save us quite a bit of money via a warranty extension (I can't see any other shop actually doing this). Don't go anywhere else! Dave is the best! And PS - will still always buy Toyota's, this post makes it sound like we have lots of issues, but over the decade a few things have come up, and Dave is there for us. read more

I cannot say enough good things about this shop!! Family owned and mostly operated. The few workers they do have that are not family..they treat as such! Its a 1 car/truck garage shop! It may not be for everyone but they were awesome for me. Most shops in Truckee can't fit you in last minute but they did for me. Dave had me look under my Subbie and see everything that was causing the issue. They gave me an honest deal and time frame. They exceeded my expectations! One of the only shops I have ever spoken to the tech, office manager, and owner in one sitting. They don't try to rip you off! They even offered me lunch which was super sweet. Overall the shop has good customer service, personal people, fair pricing, and a family type of vibe shop! My kind of shop! Definitely will be going back again! read more

Bad service. Won't ever be back. Go to auto doctor, Much more professional team. Don't trust your vehicle here

I was visiting from Southern CA, staying in Squaw Valley and I had car trouble on my way to Reno. I stopped at Ward & Sons Automotive and they were as nice and as friendly as can be. They quickly helped me get back on the road and didn't take advantage of me being an out-of-towner. I definitely recommend you go there if you need automotive help. read more

After talking with Dave Ward about options to fix my problem I am totally satisfied at the way he does business. I would recommend him and his business to anyone needing automobile assistance. Hat's off to people who keep their word. Signed : Donald James Pennington Reno Nevada read more

We bought a Subaru from Dave a couple years ago that he had put a new head gasket into. It's been a great car. The price was good and it runs good to. He will pick you up and drop you off at your house if you need to have your car worked on. I would recommend Dave and his shop to anyone. read more

Had my car towed here when it broke down after reading the reviews. Now I'm writing a review. Danielle and the rest of the team was honest and helpful throughout the process. If I have engine trouble, this is where I'm taking my car. Thank you. read more