Good Bay Area CA mechanics?

[My1985Tercel]

I'd like to know of some good Bay Area California mechanics who'll work on cars of this vintage. I'm pretty much open to the whole Bay Area.

Thanks.

[4wdchico]

That is going to be a hard call. Bay area auto repair prices are steep as you know. If you can find a master level tech at a Toyota dealership who has 25+ hands on 'yota experience, that may be a high quality way to go. It will cost plenty.

The emission systems that were used on the older carbed 'yotas were very similar all the way across the line and someone who has been dealing with them all along will know their way around the vac system really well.

Please read the discussion here: http://www.tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtop ... f=2&t=5542

The above thread touches on the viability of having others work on our beloved t4wd cars.

So the answer to finding a tech who will actually care about your car may be:

1) Download the Factory Service Manual.

2) Look in a mirror.

I know that you have been disappointed with the lack of attention to detail by a couple of shops recently. The chances that you will find a shop that will be interested in really doing things right on an old car like ours are extremely slim. Unfortunately, it takes a pretty high level of dedication to detail to get an older car up to a state of solid reliability. That kind of detail oriented work is sadly lacking at most for profit auto repair shops these days.

If you do dive in and start working on your ride, myself and others here can make the process go much better. I'm up here in Chico but go thru the Bay often on the way South to visit family. So there is the possibility of meeting up so I could give you so first hand advice some time. No, I will not work on your car...

[Petros]

during the 24 years I lived in CA (LA area) it has been my experience that the auto repair shops are either incompetent or crooks, or both. It is very difficult to find a reliable and honest mechanic in a high population area because they can rip-off everyone and never run out of customers. Even the Dealerships can be crooked too (they feel they have a captive customer base). And my observation about dealerships is they have mostly newer (younger) mechanics. The competent ones with good experience leave the dealerships to open their own shops to make more money.

Most reliable service is unfortunately do-it-yourself, no one has a larger vested interest in your car than you. You can also make mistakes on your car for "free", rather than paying someone else big bucks to makes mistakes since they are mostly learning on your car.

Best bet I think, if you will not do your own work, is to find a smaller independent shop, in a smaller outlying community. they have more to lose if they do not treat customers well. Word gets around in the neighborhood they guy is a rip-off and his business declines. That does not mean you will not get ripped off, you still have to check them out with BBB, consumer affairs, or what ever you have in your state. Also interview the owner or mechanic to see their attitude and how friendly they are with a potential customer. You will be spending a lot of money with the guy, you are in effect hiring him. So treat it as if he will be your employee, if he will have a respectful attitude toward you and your car.

Even that is not sure fire, being nice could also be a build-up to a rip-off. My daughter is going to school in Austin TX, and had to have her brakes looked at on her old CRX (that I rebuilt for her before she left for school). A large local chain was very nice to her, had a clean shop and waiting area, and it looked like they knew what they were doing. They told her the rear brakes were shot and everything had to be replaced for $600. I had just replaced the rear brakes 5 months before, and I called list member Dano, who drive down to Austin to help her out. The rear brakes were just fine, as I suspected, and we paid him to replaced the master cylinder for us (only about $25 from the local AutoZone). The experience left my daughter feeling very vulnerable to honest appearing shops that might rip her off while acting like they were doing her a favor.

This is why I mostly do my own repair work. It saves money and hassles, usually I can do it in far less time than the inconvenience of dropping a car off, driving a temp or borrowed car, and than arranging to have it picked up, and than return it two or three times to have them fix it correctly AFTER I paid them. Too much trouble. I save big $$, and have no larger burden on my life than paying some inexperienced mechanic to learn on my car.

Good luck.

[takza]

I've always done my own work...so I haven't seen any of those $600 brake jobs that weren't needed.

http://www.cartalk.com/content/mechx/

Might try Angies List?

[4wdchico]

I've always done my own work...so I haven't seen any of those $600 brake jobs that weren't needed.

http://www.cartalk.com/content/mechx/

Might try Angies List?

Umm... I went to the Car Talk angels list and entered my zip code. There are several shops listed that I know for a fact are hacks and/or outright pirates. Beware, there seems to be no verification of the posting to the list.

[takza]

Every time I have to pay out some $ for a part...I bitch. But looks like I've been getting off real easy? Just shelled out $80 for a used manual rack shipped. Either that or $30 shipped for a new pass side bushing that I wasn't sure I could get out and the new one in.

All too easy fro a shop to recommend themselves?

[skulley]

I have an excellent guy who did all my work for an incredible $30 per hour. He works out of his house in Santa Cruz. I highly recommend him. Hit me up if you want his name/number...