Smog test service near San Jose, CA

Car shaking while driving at speed. Seemed obvious alignment problem. Had alignment done. Received car back WITH NO COMMENT. I drove car and shaking still there. Took car back to tire/alignment shop. Now they tell me it’s the shocks. Something they probably should have noticed and told me already. But I know a little something about cars and it didn’t seem right to me; the car clearly passed the bounce up-and-down test. So I took the car to Expert Auto Care (EAC) being reviewed here. They put the car up on the rack, and within minutes came back to me to show me rattling tie-rod and bad ball joint…OBVIOUS, they were so bad. On the opposite side they showed me an adjustment nut was rust-locked into place and rounded-off. It obviously didn’t happen within the last week, when I had the alignment done, because of the corrosion. You would think the alignment shop would have noticed and told me that too. And how the heck could they do an alignment with either of those problems??? Also, they showed the tire shop we got the tires from (not aligned so), used a single 6oz weight for balancing. EAC said maximum single weight to use, according to state regulations, was 2oz. This is something else you’d think would be noticed by the alignment shop. All in all, EAC ball parked a couple of thousand dollars to service a $2000 car, and suggested it might be better to buy a new/newer car, and we should go home and think about this. Which was very good of them. (Not that I wasn’t going to do that anyway). On the shop wall there is cost of service, and the 20-25min diagnosis should have run between $60-$95, but EAC charged me nothing $0. Which was very very kind of them. I can highly recommend EAC for, at least, diagnosis service honesty. And, based on EAC’s diagnosis (which they showed me) I cannot recommend “Wheel Works of Mt. View” for suspension work.

When rating something you don't know a great deal about and whose quality is not immediately apparent, like auto repair, pretty much the entire experience is based on the honesty of the person you deal with, and the price. I've dealt with this place twice, and it was absolutely genuine, as well as affordable. Highly recommend.

Our Palo Alto auto repair facility has been providing top quality auto repair and maintenance services for 50 years! Since 1962, we have been family owned and operated, and we love serving Palo Alto, Mountain View, Menlo Park, and Stanford with reliable auto repair that’s done right the first time.

I had an awesome experience here with Juan. They did a nice clean job on my alignment and found issues that they then explained to me well. I highly recommend them.

Just got a few suspension related stuff fixed at BTM and the folks at BTM Mike and Brad did a fantastic job on the car. At 160k, my bimmeer runs like a brand new one. keep up the good work guys.. -Murthy

I had problem with the engine with my Mercedes and was cautioned about visiting a dealership. A friend recommended this shop and I drove there .Although it was far from San Jose I am glad I did that . They did a good job and fast and were very courteous... I am very happy with their workmanship and reasonable prices. I just wanted to share my good experience with everyone. Two thumbs up! Azar S.

The BEST tire place! The atmosphere of the business is very relaxed and friendly, and they make sure that if you decide to wait there, you're totally comfortable doing so. But more importantly, they're fast and efficient, polite and courteous, and have good pricing with no tricksy upselling. I've bought tires here and had them checked just for tire pressure; nobody made me feel dumb for requesting that simple service. The wonderful person who helped me today was Kurt, and if you ever get to deal with him, he's an angel. He was super kind, knowledgeable, and respectful. He's a huge part of why Redwood General Tire will continue to get my business for years to come.

This is the place I will return again and again! I am very impressed on how they handle the entire process of my car trouble. I was changing out my drive belt and ac belt, not only their price was more than reasonable but their work was spot on! I was able to get in and out fast. Also ask for an oil change while I’m there and it was not a long wait at all! They were upfront about the cost and give me a detailed break down. They also warned me about taxes and fees that may apply later at check out. No hidden cost that will surprise you later. Overall, I am very pleased with my service and I will return with both my cars for any service needs. Thank you RC auto for taking care of my car! Ben Chang

I have used A+ for my cars for a number of years now. The work is always done correctly, on time and I am treated politely. They explain things to me in terms I understand. A huge plus is the ride TO and FROM work so that I am not bothering colleagues to get a ride. I recently had to use the dealership and it reminded me why I go to A+ instead, polite, on time and professional.

I have been taking my automobiles to Cactus Care for over 15 years. The one thing that I most like and appreciate is the honesty of the owner Jonathan and his technicians. They always tell you exact ally what is wrong with your automobile, and you can believe that is the truth. They stand behind their work. They are respectful, attentive and courteous. You get in and get out no long waits. Excellent mechanics. Great Great Mechanics