- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
The Car Doctor
Category: Automotive Auto Repair Auto Repair [Edit]
2235 Old Middlefield WaySte K
Mountain View, CA 94043
(650) 988-8600
Announcement
Mention Yelp for 10% off labor on any service over $150 excluding oil and filter change. Restrictions apply call for details
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 5 pm
101 reviews for The Car Doctor
101 reviews in English
-
Review from Jake F.
Mountain View, CA
3/30/2012
After scouring the Mountain View area for a good car repair experience,
(Kevin's Auto left half my engine compartment on the floor- guy had to come to my house on a saturday to put it back together in my driveway)
(BW's German/Japanese... wow I should be taking this lunatic to small claims court for all the bullshit shotty repairs he attempted..key word "attempted")
...I finally found Gary and Chris at the Car Doctor. I told Gary my story of my smoking VW Passat and all my past (horrible) experiences in the area. When I met him in person he said "I want to show you a whole other animal in this industry."
And that he did.
Gary doesn't bullshit you. He will show you exactly what his crew is doing and explain it terms even your girlfriend can understand. Yes, she now knows the inner workings of valve guide seals thanks to Car Doctor.
The diagnosis on my car ended up being pretty bad. But, had I not got a straight answer that I NEEDED to hear from the Car Doctor, I would have bumbled around town, spending $500 here, $750 there for mere band-aid repairs. By the end of the whole process I feel like Gary is more of a bro than just some mechanic guy. He took my past experiences into consideration and made sure I was taken care of every time we worked with each other.
I will NEVER GO ANYWHERE ELSE.
Gary also mentioned to me that he treats his customer relationships like marriages.
Lets just say "I do."
Take my advice: Call the Car Doctor if you're sick of dealing with scumbag mechanics who want to nickel and dime you to death. I've been in your shoes (actually much worse), you deserve a good experience. -
Review from Jennifer C.
CA
3/29/2012
I stumbled on this place accidentally when I was next door at United Auto collision (another fab spot) getting a quote on my car. I was in the shop paying for my Fiance's car which had just broken down and decided to ask them about a tune up on my car, the dealership is always so expensive. They talked to me for a while about what I probably really need - an oil change, gave me a GREAT quote and made me an appointment to bring it in the next week.
I messed up my time and showed up (a half hour late!!!) but Chris and Gary were more than happy to still fit me in. They checked my breaks and and changed my oil and I was in and out of there in 20 minutes. The price? FABULOUS. I am so taking my car back here for everything.
And customer service is huge with me. These are seriously the NICEST/coolest guys ever. I almost didn't want to go back to the office and hang out and crack some beers with them. This is a great place. I highly recommend it, I was super skeptical at first, how can they have FIVE stars all the way down??? Now, I am totally sold. Woot-woot Car Doctors! -
Review from Stanley H.
Mountain View, CA
2/20/2012
If you're looking for a place with great prices and even better service, the Car Doctor is the place to go.
I was so glad to find this place (through the ValPak) when I moved to Mountain View. This is where I go for all car maintenance I can't do myself. -
Review from ea o.
Palo Alto, CA
5/22/2012
Second time back to these guys. First time was a 90k tune up, this time a little air filter change. Both times so much better than the raping I would gotten at the dealer. Straight shooting, knowledgeable & friendly team.
-
Review from Arthur Z.
Mountain View, CA
4/23/2012
My roommate recommended The Car Doctor to me when I moved up to the area, and I couldn't be happier. They've been saving me a bundle (especially on the expensive repairs), and they're always straight with me about what is critical and what I can ignore. Unlike the guys at my car's dealership, Gary and Chris actually care about *the truth* about what my needs actually are, and they aren't just out to make a quick buck--and that is no doubt why their business is successful. I will definitely be using them again in the future!
-
Review from Tole H.
Santa Clara, CA
3/16/2012
I learned about Car Doctor a couple of years ago through co-workers and Yelp. For the past couple of years, Chris and Gary have done all of the factory recommended maintenance on my Corolla. I've been happy with the quality of their work on my car and found them to be very pleasant to deal with along with reasonable rates. But since I no longer work near their shop in Mountain View, I've had to switch to a place closer near my home that's open on Saturdays. But if they were open on the weekends, I would instantly go back to Car Doctor.
-
Review from JC L.
Stanford, CA
2/10/2012
I brought in my Mazda6 for a routine inspection and oil / filter change.
Best customer service I have ever experienced in a car shop. Probably best customer service experience, period!
Chris is friendly and honest, and their service is as fast as it can be. As long as I am in the Bay Area, I will continue to take my Mazda6 to the Car Doctor.
Oh, and the prices are great!! Couldn't recommend them more!! -
Review from LE P.
Stanford, CA
Updated - 1/17/2012
Excellent times 5. Below I explain why.
I just bought a used BMW, and the inspection done before I bought the car says that the lower control arm bushings need to be replaced. I brought my car to the car doctor after hearing their $600-700 quote for the job (which is reasonable, given that they're replacing the whole arm, including ball joints, and not just the bushings), and new set of wipers. I also asked them to look for potential leaks when the car would be on the lift.
They looked at the car on the lift, test-drove it, found nothing wrong with the control arms. When they called me telling me so, I told them about the clunking sound that the car makes when it hits a bump. Chris said he would take the car out on a more thorough test drive. He called me later and said that the control arms were fine, and told me to come back to their shop.
When I came back, Ryan explained to me about how a BMW drives and feels, and that there is nothing wrong with my car. They have fixed the leaks by tightening some bolts and caps, and said that they'd monitor the leaks in the future as I come in for oil change. Also, they started monitoring my serpentine belt as it is showing signs of cracks. And new wipers were on. The cost of everything: $30. I was surprised, and asked Chris: "What about your labor? I mean you got the car on the lift and test drove it and all that?" Chris: "Don't worry about it."
I mean, can you get better?2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
2/2/2011
I thought I had a blown fuse, and asked if I can get my fuses inspected. These guys did it, and… Read more »
-
-
Review from John W.
Mountain View, CA
10/31/2011
My Accord's engine light was on and I needed to pass smog soon. After plugging the car into the diagnostics computer and asking a few questions about my maintenance history, Gary explained that there wasn't necessarily a problem that warranted pulling things apart and billing me for the troubleshooting. He suspected the problem was I waited to long before my last oil change. He cleared the engine light and suggested I put a few miles on the odometer and see if the light re-appeared. It did several times but they never hesitated to re-check the codes each time I popped in on them until (as Gary predicted) the engine light disappeared on its own. I was only charged a modest fee for the diagnostic in the end.
I'm sure many other mechanics wouldn't hesitate to rack up lots of labor charges and likely charge for each diagnostic session. Not these guys. They're completely honest and not eager to charge you to death or do any unnecessary work.
I won't hesitate to come to them first for any future repairs. -
Review from Ralph N.
San Francisco, CA
2/27/2012
Excellent place. Not only did they service my car quickly and at reasonable rates, but they educated me on how to do the services myself. They really CARe about you here!
-
Review from Tracy Y.
Los Altos, CA
Updated - 12/5/2011
When you use them, they stand behind their work!! I had my brakes machine rotored sp? by them a few months back as they were making a high pitched sound. But then 2 months later, the high pitched sound returned.
I took my car back into them and they had it for a day. When I returned to pick my car up, they apologized profusely for the inconvenience of having to come back for the same problem. In return, Gary said they just replaced the rotors with brand new ones "FREE of CHARGE"! They definitely have my business from here on out!
We have been in the Bay area now for 6 months and finding the Car Doctor has been a lifesaver. It's a company that has those old fashioned values of always making sure you stand behind your work.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
8/4/2011
Gary and Chris will take care of you.
I am new to California and my car's brakes were making a lot of… Read more »
Comment from Gary and Chris S. of The Car Doctor 12/6/2011
Tracy, Thanks for taking the time to review us. We were… More » -
-
Review from Robert F.
Sunnyvale, CA
2/26/2012
It may be hard to believe a car mechanic actually has more than 90 5-star reviews, but these guys deserve it. I've never seen a car place where the people were more friendly and helpful. They bent over backwards to accommodate my weird requests. The owner's mother ferried me to where I needed to be, and picked me up days later. The car I brought in was my second, "commuter", car, which I don't want to put a lot of money in. They were happy to do the minimum work necessary to keep the car running safely, and made suggestions for how to keep maintenance cheap in the future.
-
Review from Marc L.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 2/1/2012
So I went back to the Car Doctor today because my car has been making an awful racket. I spoke to the owners for a bit and they said they'd put the car up and see if it was anything obvious. It was a heat shield that was rattling around. He attacked it with some clamps...and told me it was free of charge. I was floored. What kind of car place does that? I LOVE the Car Doctor!!!! Seriously...if you go anywhere else, you're crazy!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/19/2011
Man these guys are awesome! My car blew a hose today when I was down in Mountain View (and… Read more »
-
-
Review from Jane M.
Mountain View, CA
Updated - 9/27/2011
My passenger seat floor was drenching with water, so I went to Car Doctor after making an appointment. I was worried that it would be something serious, so I did a lot of research, and my particular car model has been found to have issues with AC leakage. I told Chris about my research finding, and he gave me an estimate of how much time it will take them to take out the parts that need to be looked at, if what I found is true.
After a couple of hours, I get a call back from Gary, and the problem was not what I thought it was, and that it was a really simple thing. I was not charged at all, I mean ZERO, even though it took them more than 1.5 hours to take the part apart. Gary sent me back home with a great smile and asked to monitor my car to see if the same problem arises over the week.
Now my car is 100% fine, and I cannot thank the Car Doctor enough for their continuous excellence and jaw-dropping customer care.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
9/22/2011
I went to Car Doctor again today to get an oil change. I can always trust that they will do a great… Read more »
Comment from Gary and Chris S. of The Car Doctor 12/1/2011
Jane, Thank you for your kind words. We strive for honesty… More » -
-
Review from William C.
Palo Alto, CA
9/1/2011
It's great to move somewhere new and find an honest mechanic right away.
Just moved here from NM, and have two imported cars (1995 and 2008) that I would like to keep in great condition with all the stop-and-go driving here in Silicon Valley. I had a GREAT mechanic in New Mexico, so I was worried about what I would find. Thanks to Yelp, I found the Car Doctor about 3 minutes from my house!
Took the newer car in for what I thought would be a brake job, and Gary gave us a quick lesson in brakes. He explained that we didn't need brakes right now, and the squeaking was brake dust on the rotors! I expected to be out a couple hundred bucks.
I definitely will bring my older car (almost 200K mile Acura Integra) to Gary and Chris.
I recommend the Car Doctor to anyone trying to find an honest mechanic, which can be as rare as finding the next billion dollar start-up!Comment from Gary and Chris S. of The Car Doctor 10/17/2011
William, Thanks for taking the time to write us a review.… More » -
Review from Patrick X.
Pasadena, CA
7/1/2011
If you don't value your time or your money, you should go to The Car Doctor. They held my car for a day and a half for a simple diagnostic, overcharged me (by over 1,300%) on wheel lug nuts, gave me a ridiculously high estimate for the repair that I wanted done, and were unable to offer quick turnaround on the repairs.
I came in wanting to get a diagnostic on my wheel bearings, as one of them had been making noise for quite some time. I approved an additional expense to break off the wheel lug locks for $40 over the phone, and they told me they could get me an estimate on the repairs either "at the end of the day or the first thing in the next morning." Neither happened, and they weren't ready with their estimate until the next afternoon.
Their estimate for the repairs was sky-high. A few quick calls to other car shops in the area gave me quotes that were not even 50% of the price they wanted. Not only that, but they wanted to keep my car until the next week (four more weekdays and a weekend) to be able to fix my car. I decided not to do the repairs there, and was able to get the exact same repairs done the same day (by 1pm the day I picked my car back up) at less than half the price at a different mechanic.
To add insult to injury, they charged me $40 for a set of four wheel lug nuts in addition to the $40 charge I approved for taking off the lug locks. A quick search on RockAuto gives me the price of a wheel lug nut to be $.73; they charged me $10 apiece. I understand a little bit of markup for receiving the parts the same day, but this is outrageous, especially for a part that I had never authorized the additional expense for.Comment from Gary and Chris S. of The Car Doctor 7/7/2011
Hi Patrick, We would like to sincerely apologize for the… More » -
Review from Jo G.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/24/2012
I hereby vouch that Chris, Gary and their other supporting staff at The Car Doctor are the best mechanics that I have encountered hands-down in the past many years ever since I start owning my car. The 99.99% 5 stars review you see it are really well-deserved by this team of people, who possesses strong work ethics in providing auto services to their customers.
To date, I have gone to them several times for oil change, maintenance tune-up, transmission problem, engine light issue etc., and they have been unfailingly patient with me in dealing with the car issues. I also sense their honesty and no-nonsense attitude in explaining the problem at hand, and they not attempting to fix more than what's necessary. This is exactly what I am looking for in mechanics. I have no hesitation recommending their auto services to anyone in the Bay Area.
I probably look half-asleep most of the time when come to their garage in the morning, but Chris/Gary are also upbeat most of the time that I instantly jolt awake after dropping the car off with them. -
Review from Ruth C.
6/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
The nicest, coolest guys ever.
They just moved to this location just a few meters from their original. They seem to like it, and I heard it's significantly bigger. I'm glad they've expanded their business since these are really truly great people.
I made a call in a panic, needing an oil change after my 15% oil life popped up on my car instrument panel. They told me not to worry and scheduled me in same week.
I rolled in for my appointment and was out within an hour.
I felt well taken care of with these guys. They were helpful, quoted me a price for my oil change, found out I needed more expensive synthetic oil, and ate the cost of the difference because they stood by their original quote. Swell! They really didn't have to do that as I was willing to pay for the more expensive oil.
They checked my car and told me I couldn't get my tires rotated because my back ones needed replacing! Oh noes~! They recommended I go to America's Tire since they're not contractually allowed to sell tires (shame!).
All in all, I will definitely be back for my future checkups and oil changes. They were honest, friendly, funny, and the whole experience was great.
I owe them some tshirts/jackets. Don't worry, I won't forget, guys!Listed in: If you live in Mt. View...
-
Review from Cassie C.
Los Altos, CA
2/8/2012
I have never reviewed anything on yelp before, but because I chose The Car Doctor based on their excellent reviews here, I felt I should contribute. I recently took my car here for a routine check-up and was really impressed with the timely service. Gary and Chris were so friendly and helpful. They took the time to explain to me what was going on with my car, using terms I could understand. They patiently answered every question I had and never made me feel rushed. I was absolutely pleased with the experience and will definitely be returning in the future!
-
Review from Melissa P.
Sunnyvale, CA
2/21/2012
If I could I would give them 10 stars.
These guys are great. After driving my car from Missouri I needed to find somewhere to get my oil change. I used google and found the yelp reviews for the Car Doctor. They are amazing as all the reviews said.
I recently had a problem with my car dieing at stop lights. It would start again if I put the car in park and restarted. When I took it to them they could not find out what was making my car stop immediately so they kept working on it (rather than just thinking I was a crazy female). They managed to find some other things that were wrong with my car as well and fixed at a great price. -
Review from Jeff M.
Mountain View, CA
9/19/2011
I brought my Subaru in with short notice, Car Doctor was flexible on the scheduling and worked with me to make my appointment very convenient with my work schedule.
They performed the same service the dealer wanted for ~30% less.
Staff was professional and extremely personable. I will be returning to Car Doctor for any further maintenance on my car.
Thanks again! -
Review from Camille D.
Palo Alto, CA
8/29/2011
// ELECTRICAL + TRANSMISSION //
The most honest/cool mechanic ever.
My experience :
I drove down from Montreal, Canada to Palo Alto with my Pontiac Grand Prix 2000. In colorado I got an overheating problem (the fans from the engine cooling system wouldn't turn on), I fixed it with a hotwire directly to the battery... just enough to get to california. Few miles from Palo Alto, another thing happened : 3500 RPM at 65mph (and it should be around 2000RPM). No check engine light. Weird.
Brought the car there on friday, fixed up the problem with the fans (relays where dead). I drove the car back home and let it run just to see if the fans kick in. At 100°C (which the boiling point for water in °C), nothing was happening.
I brought the car again on Monday, explaining them that the problem is still there. They explained me that the fans start to spin at around 110°C and that a temperature of 100°C is normal. I'm an idiot... But they took it for a free "double check" to see if everything is OK.
I asked them a little more about the other problem (the RPM problem)... Gary called me and asked me to come over for a test drive with him. So I got in the car with him and the 10K$ computer plugged in (the kind of device that will tell them everything they need, so they won't have to waste time opening stuff). After 20 minutes of driving and explanations, according to the computer, he tells me that my transmission is dying. There's nothing to do.
In a different situation I would think that this mechanic is bullshitting me. But he knew from the beginning that I don't have the money for a new transmission (and the car is not worth it). This test drive was actually a 101 transmission class that he offered me to educate me, and never get scammed in the future. He also did it because he knew that I would go someplace else for a second opinion... and get ripped off.
the double check for the fan = 0$
the computer for the transmission (normally 175$) = 0$
the test drive with gary (normally 150$) = 0$
the 101 transmission class = 0$
If any other guy would have opened this transmission, it would have cost me 600$... + the computer (175$)... + i don't know what else... I saved almost a 1000$ with them, and avoided few migraines...
I'm not saying that these guys are working for free though. All I'm saying is that they are taking care of their costumers in a way that nobody does it. In my case, they simply helped a poor little student.
I'm just happy to have met these people. And fuck Pontiac transmissions. -
Review from J Z.
Mountain View, CA
10/2/2011
New to the area, thank you yelpers based on your reviews I took our cars there for oil changes a few weeks ago. Gary showed me what is going on with the cars and explained everything in detail.
Recently, I noticed a rattling noise. Not only did Chris and the mechanics looked at it for free, in less than 5min they found the problem. Chris recommended me to have the dealer fix it it as it may still be under warranty. They were right! The dealer replaced the part and I was 1 week away from the expiration date of the warranty! They saved me at least a couple thousand dollars.
They truly care for the safety of their customers, educate us, and are trustworthy! I will always take our cars to them. -
Review from AnneMarie W.
San Francisco, CA
7/20/2011
Gary, Chris and Monica are awesome!!!
My friend recommended The Car Doctor to me when I moved to the bay area so the first time my car needed an oil change I went to them. They didn't tell me I needed this or that but instead did the oil change and sent me on my way. The next visit was for a 60,000 mile maintenance. Again, I was not coerced into a filter change, etc. They did the oil change and I rolled out of there in less than 1/2 hour.
They are fast.
They know what they are doing.
And they do not overcharge.
I never take my car anywhere else.
The Car Doctor is the most trustworthy auto repair shop and now that they've moved to a bigger location, they have the capacity to take care of their growing fan group. -
Review from Andrew W.
12/9/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Their prices are comparable with other places. They are not cheap, but not expensive.
But, they were polite enough. And, they did the job they said they would and fixed the problem that I had. Nothing spectacular. Nothing horrifying. 3 stars. I'll come back. But, if I find a better place or a cheaper place, I'll probably go there. -
Review from Daniel L.
Portland, OR
11/15/2011
go to these guys. I just moved into the area and was sent here. you can tell these brothers don't want to screw you and are willing to work with you. im very pleased and will be taking my Mustang here whenever I need to
-
Review from Paul C.
Palo Alto, CA
6/22/2011
I needed to simply replace the battery on my car without the hassle. Called them up, they had the battery in stock, drove down there 30 minutes later and had it replaced! Painless!
Don't know if I got the best price on the battery, but giving them 5 stars for actually answering the phone, answering my questions, remembering who I was when I showed up, and having me wait about 15 minutes to replace the battery for me!
Great service! -
Review from Ron Y.
Mountain View, CA
6/10/2011
The more reviews this place gets, the harder it will be to make an appointment (for me).
However, I feel they deserve the 5 stars. If you have a car problem, just call The Car Doctor! -
Review from L.A. C.
San Francisco, CA
8/7/2011
Chris and Gary are the best. I've been bringing my car here for years and even now that I live in San Francisco, I still won't bring my car anywhere else to be serviced or fixed. Whenever I have a car problem they are always there for me and help me right away. The instances when I've panicked about my car they have been the calm voice of reason. I always feel like my needs and concerns are heard and that my car is very well taken care of. They are honest, fast, they love their work and they are very, very good. These guys aren't just my mechanics, they are my friends and I can't recommend them highly enough.
-
Review from Jessica M.
Berkeley, CA
9/29/2010
I've always procrastinated bringing my car in for maintenance because I've never found any place I've enjoyed working with -- but the guys at The Car Doctor are superb, they have a sense of humor, and somehow make it fun to bring your car in!
Already looking forward to seeing Chris and Gary in a few months from now! -
Review from Jelly M.
Mountain View, CA
9/18/2010
A few weeks ago I brought my car here to be evaluated for a knocking noise. Gary and Chris told me what they thought it was and how much they thought it would cost. I then made the mistake of taking it to Larry Hopkins Honda for a second opinion. They thought it was something else much cheaper; but when they got in to do the work, turns out it was what Gary and Chris thought it was all along. I still had to pay Hopkins Honda $150 that I wouldn't have had to pay if I had taken Gary and Chris' word for it.
When I brought it back to Gary and Chris, it took a little longer than expected so they offered to pay for a rental car for me. In the end, they realized that it might have been something different all along; so they only charged me for that something. I got a whole new A/C compressor, expansion valve, condensor, and everything for about half of what I was expecting to pay, simply because they were honest enough not to rip off an ignorant female.
I suppose it's possible they sold me a big fat bill of goods and told me all this other stuff was wrong only to look good when they finally only charged me for the one tiny thing. But considering the plethora of excellent reviews here, including from non-ignorant people and other females, I don't think so.
I happen to live in Mountain View, but I would bring my car here from anywhere in the Bay Area. -
Review from James W.
Mountain View, CA
10/1/2010
TL;DR version: The reviews here are right. Go to The Car Doctor
I was having a issue where my car had trouble starting even with a jump. I talked to Gary and he said that it sounded like it was a problem with the starter. I got a tow to take it in the next day and met Chris.
When making the appointment to take my car in, I forgot to mention that I would need a ride to work. I would have been fine with cabbing it as it was unexpected, but Chris called his mom to take me into work. *They have a free shuttle service to/from work to the lot* Momz is really cool as well. On the short drive, we bonded over a love for spicy food and Starbucks
It was supposed to cost $52.50 to look at the car but it ended up being a combination of loose terminals and a battery that needed to recalibrated. They didn't charge me a dime.
They are good people. They will be honest with you and treat you right. And a plus is that you are supporting a small business. -
Review from Pablo B.
Mountain View, CA
11/12/2011
The engine of my Honda Odyssey 99 was stalling suddenly every 3 days. At Car Doctor they could reproduce the problem wiggling the cables of the ignition switch, so they changed it and the problem is gone.
I found very professional that they worked to know exactly the root of the problem before changing things.
Excellent personable service.
Fast, it took around 4 hours to fix the problem.
Price very reasonable. -
Review from Richard K.
Mountain View, CA
6/27/2010
1 star = takes the car apart and then tries to charge you extra while holding it hostage, lies to you about needed repairs, shoddy or average work.
2 stars = Doesn't recommend cheaper options, severely overcharges for parts and labor hoping you're too dumb to know any better, poor to average work
3 stars = average work, average pricing
4 stars = honest, does good work, charges a bit more than necessary
5 stars = great price, honest about repairs, does good work
The Car Doctor is two stars.
I came here for an oil change initially and that was just dandy. Super cheap price and done just fine.
Given all the glowing yelp reviews on here, I decided to bring in a fixer-upper 2000 Porsche Boxster (non-S) for him to look at.
This car had a lot of things to clean up on it. Transmission grind in 3rd, rear main seal leak, torn CV boots, and 120k service due.
The good things I can say are that Gary is very personable and did not charge me for the supposed four hours he and his brother spent looking over the car. He also did not start doing repairs or charge me while changing the estimates ... which would be a one star and probably illegal to boot.
Let's get to the not so good stuff.
I say "supposed four hours" because he missed a cracked motor mount, leaking brake line, a missing rear wheel well guard, and front sway bar link problems...
Gary did not at any point lie to me, but he conveniently omitted reasonable and cheaper repair options, attempted to charge me a 100% to 200% markup on parts as compared to Pelican Parts, did not recommend a transmission swap but instead recommended a much more expensive rebuild, and clearly failed to combine labor costs for all the repairs which should have constituted the majority of the estimate.
I gave him a chance to respond to four points over e-mail:
1. why he failed to combine the labor costs (dodged the question)
2. why he raised the price of the parts so much (something about no used parts ... well go to http://pelicanparts.com and all the parts are brand new and 1/3 of the price on his quote)
3. Why he failed to recommend the transmission swap (same used parts line ... well I bought a used car so that's one clue I don't mind, and the cost of doing otherwise would run two or three grand more, so wouldn't you appreciate being offered the option?)
4. Whether he just wasn't comfortable working on the car. Sometimes you could just get a high quote if the mechanic doesn't want the job for whatever reason.
What's funny is Gary keeps telling me that when I told him it was going to be a track car "everything changed". What doesn't change is my common sense in thinking an alignment for this car should cost 250 instead of something normal.
Be very careful if you are coming here for a big repair job. Obviously I won't be coming back. In hindsight, taking the car to a non-specialist was not a good idea, but I was impressed by all these Yelp reviews. I ended up doing what I should have done in the first place ...went to an independent former Porsche dealer mechanic who spotted the additional problems and included what is normally a 1500 dollar IMS bearing upgrade. Was quoted 4300 up front and paid exactly that.
If I add in the IMS upgrade and the additional transmission rebuild work (only diagnosis was included), Gary would have charged me north of 10K. If his jovial attitude is worth 6K to you, by all means, come on over.Comment from Gary and Chris S. of The Car Doctor 6/29/2010
Richard, thanks for taking the time to write a review. We're… More » -
Review from Jessica D.
Sunnyvale, CA
9/12/2010
I will never take my car anywhere else!
Gary and Chris are awesome. I drive a 2002 Hyundai accent, with only about 55k on it. Well, three of the four door handles broke, and I was only able to open those doors from the inside of my car (I was using a pulley system of wires to get into my driver's side door). Finally I gave up, and went to search for a mechanic. This place has five stars for a reason.
When I called them about my problem, they told me it was unsafe and that I needed to take the care there immediately - that day. I had already purchased the handle for the driver's side door, so they replaced it that day for 1/5th of the cost of what Hyundai quoted me. Also, they found that one of my doors was fine, and the other they fixed for even less than the first because they said it was easier! Believe me - I tried fixing it myself, didn't seem like there was anything easy about it.
I got rear ended a few weeks later, and I called Chris and Gary to see if they could check over my car to make sure it was still safe to drive. They had me bring it down right then, and looked over it.
I then came in for an oil change, which was amazingly inexpensive and done quickly.
These guys are just cool - talk about your friendly neighborhood mechanics. Definitely come here if you have a car problem. You won't be overcharged, you'll get fast and friendly service, and for someone like me who is completely car-dumb, they explain everything! -
Review from Clyde m.
Mountain View, CA
Updated - 10/28/2011
I was one of their first customers and can say that over the years, Gary and Chris have been excellent. The true key to their success is that they will never lie. (And also, Gray and his staff are great mechanics.)
If there is an issue and they think that it is time to turn the car in they will tell you. For example, If they can find a solution for your engine that will only cost 100 dollars instead of 1800 dollars they will tell you. This is why they get repeat business.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
5/21/2009
I was led in by a coupon because I needed an oil change, and Gary Schaller will now be my mechanic… Read more »
-
-
Review from Brian K.
Mountain View, CA
12/10/2010
Have been using Yelp for years now, these are the first guys who are so awesome I felt compelled to review them.
I went to have them check out some noises in my car. They replaced my front headlight, realigned my brakes, and spent quite a while driving my car trying to isolate the problem.
Even when I told them I was probably going to buy a new car instead of putting more money into this one (meaning I probably wouldn't be seeing them for another 2 years) they only charged me for the brake check. Amazing deal!
Long story short: go to these guys. They'll give it to you straight, charge you fair rates, and Chris and Gary are absolutely great to work with. -
Review from Kermit N.
Stanford, CA
10/18/2011
I bring my Acura Rsx here for oil changes and maintenance and tune ups.
Gary and Chris really helped me a lot, and are always patient with my persistent questions.
When my bumper came loose a while ago, Gary was the one who helped me put it back without any charge. I just popped in one morning and asked for help, and he took time off just to help me. He told me I need to change it, he doesn't do it though he can recommend another shop, but it will last for a while.
When I had a minor incident with my side mirror, I went to the Car Doctor to get some assurance that my car is still okay to drive.
I would say that the people at the Car Doctor are honest mechanics with plenty of experience. They are really helpful and reliable.
I would definitely recommend my friends to come here for maintenance services, and in fact, I have already told several of my friends about the Car Doctor -
Review from Victor L.
Honolulu, HI
10/27/2009
Right away I could tell that these guys were honest, which is a breath of fresh air because I dread car mechanics that try to swindle me. I feel like I can sit down and have a beer with these guys, even though I don't even drink.
Went in for an oil change using their coupon and I was in and out in 30 minutes. They let me eat my burrito that I got at the corner burrito place and even offered me a coke. They had no problems with me walking around the underside of my car because on top of an oil change I had a leaky exhaust that I was anxious to put my eyes on. They easily found where the leak was and provided me with a lot of tips on what to do about it, what to do about the smog check, etc. They provided me with a lot of honest information.
On top of all this, they checked my rear brakes and said they still had life in them, which is interesting because another mechanic I went to recently said I needed them replaced, no doubt in an effort to get more money from me.
I can't recommend these guys enough. You want honest mechanics? Here they are. -
Review from Leo K.
3/17/2010
The best endorsement I can give for an automotive shop:
After a single experience, the folks at The Car Doctor join the very short list of people I'll let touch my car.
I usually do most of my own work, but after moving to San Francisco, I've found it tough to find a location where I can do my own thing in peace. This brought me to TCD after reading all the positive reviews on Yelp.
Every one of the 5 stars are justified. The guys here are friendly, efficient, and you can tell they enjoy the work they do. They also keep an exceedingly clean shop, which is usually a good measure of how professional a business like this is.
Will definitely be coming back for more work in the future.Listed in: Services
