- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Garage 1 Auto
Category: Automotive Auto Repair Auto Repair [Edit]
1603 Almaden RdSan Jose, CA 95125
(408) 298-9994
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 6 pm
About This Business:
Auto Glow is the premier Automobile Paint, Collision, and Restoration company in the Silicon Valley. Family owned and operated since 1976. Auto Glow is… read more »
50 reviews for Garage 1 Auto
50 reviews in English
-
Review from G K.
San Jose, CA
10/1/2011
Found Garage 1 Auto here on yelp and glad I did. I have been taking my Subaru to the local dealership because I was not aware of a shop that worked specifically on Subarus in the San Jose area. Until now. There's something to be said for taking your vehicle to a place that specializes in a brand.
It also helps ease your mind when you can find a business that is focused on quality work at fair prices like Garage 1 Auto seems to be.
I have nothing against the service at the local dealership or any dealership for that matter except that they are generally very expensive.
I took my car in for a 60k service. The price was substantially better than the local dealership. Agnes was very helpful, thorough and courteous checking my car in. The shop appeared to be in good and clean condition. Anything less than clean is a bad sign in my book.
Upon calling to check if my car was done, Aaron answered the phone and went over some notes and recommendations from my service.
I am very pleased with the service I received and would gladly recommend Garage 1 Auto to anyone that owns a Subaru. -
Review from Chris J.
Cupertino, CA
9/30/2011
Brought my car (WRX) in for a very minor issue that ended up being resolved for $5. Although I didn't bring my car in for anything substantial or review worthy, their customer service is definitely worth noting. Came in on a slow weekday and everyone seemed pretty friendly. These guys know their Subarus, from STIs to Bajas (or so they claim), and it seems to be run by a group of young guys and close friends.
Right now they seemed to be focused on just maintenance and repair. I talked to the front desk lady and was told they don't do any serious tuning or performance mods, but are planning to venture into that area soon.
I'm just glad there's a Subaru specialty garage in the South Bay, and honestly, I'd prefer this garage over Speed Element since my WRX is stock and I plan on keeping it that way for a while.
Would've given 5 stars if I brought in my car for a real maintenance/repair issue and got the same satisfaction/customer service, but my visit was a quick one, so I think 4/5 will do. -
Review from Nancy Y.
San Jose, CA
1/7/2012
Found Garage 1 Auto on an impreza forum. Took my 2002 Subaru impreza 2.5ts (bought used) for a complete check up. Angie took her time and went over everything that needed to be repaired and explained why it needed to be repaired, My car now runs like a brand new car. So quiet and so smooth. I highly recommend them. They are so nice and professional. Next car going in is my son's 1997 Subaru impreza outback.
-
Review from Koy T.
Palo Alto, CA
12/26/2011
I brought my car in July. I live in Palo Alto but decided to try their garage. I was conveniently dropped off at the Caltrain stop and made it back to work with time to spare. They replaced my belts and performed a 36k mile service for a very reasonable. price. They even used Eneos, Japanese synthetic motor oil. Overall, a pleasant experience, and they called to follow up on the service.
-
Review from MIKE A.
Santa Clara, CA
6/13/2011
Great customer service!! Very Knowledgable and friendly Mechanics. Aaron is the Man!!
They rebuilt my whole engine, mounts, bushings, steering rack and made my car come back to life!
One great thing is that they worked with my budget!!!
Awesome Business!!
I drive a Legacy! All Subaru owners come here. They actually work on all cars, so just bring your car here!! -
Review from Slava L.
Berkeley, CA
10/9/2011
I've been looking for a good place to take our Subaru. Came upon Garage1 on Yelp and from the reviews, the place sounded perfect. Unfortunately the service we received did not make us happy.
Brought the car in for an air conditioner repair and "a general check up" before a long trip.
General check up cost $70! They found cracked radiator hoses and replaced them for a separate charge. Doesn't the cost of diagnostic usually go towards a repair if you let a shop do it? I guess not at Garage1. And still they missed not working windshield washer. :(
Back to air conditioning. Garaga1 told us it needed to be recharged. OK, fine. On the day we were supposed to pick the car up in the afternoon, they called us in the morning saying the car was ready. Wow, ahead of time. Got there. The car was not ready. Spend 3 hours waiting for air conditioner to be recharged. Got the car, drove it of the lot, air conditioner was not working.
So after letting them have the car for 4 days, waiting 3 hours, and paying almost $500, the air conditioner and windshield washer were out of commission during that long trip.
Brought the car in for air conditioner again, this time they found a bad relay. Relay was not in stock and had to be ordered. OK. In a week, on the day we were to come in to get that relay installed, they called us saying that they ordered a wrong part, so we had to wait another several days.
End result: air conditioner fixed! Thank you! But it took almost a month, 3 visits, with 1 rescheduled last moment. Gargage1 seemed knowledgeable but understaffed and overwhelmed or disorganized or both. Either way, not the experience we were looking for. -
Review from Johnny S.
San Mateo, CA
4/19/2011
These guys were super knowledgeable and great to deal with. The shop is really clean and organized - loved to see that they really care. It's tucked slightly out of the way, without a sign, so just be aware that you have to pull off the road at the sign for Michael J's body shop.
I had my car in for 150,000 mile service and they pointed out some options I had in fixing a leak, as well as leaving off a fuel filter that hadn't been written up in the estimate - very nice of them and I'll definitely be back. -
Review from Jeff S.
San Jose, CA
3/29/2011
This garage is large and exquisitely maintained. The pride they have in keeping their shop clean seems to also overlap to customer service, professionalism and great work...
I took my RS in for a clutch job and it feels like a completely different car now. They did the job fast and did a great job. Agnes was very helpful when I dropped off my car. She even asked if I'd need a ride when I called. She also helped to provide a good estimate of price as well as an estimate of when it would be done and it was nearly spot on. I spoke with their master tech, Aaron, when I picked up my RS. He was very helpful in outlining other work that I should get done and explaining why, etc. As others have said, he's really down to Earth and helpful. Prices also seem reasonable -- all things considered.
I also noticed that they have a 12 month guarantee on the receipt. Awesome. -
Review from Justin M.
San Jose, CA
10/21/2010
Recently got my radiator replaced here in my 02 WRX wag, Aaron was really friendly and I just got a great feeling from the overall vibe of the shop and the prices are right (anything is better than getting bent over by the dealer). Gave me a call to let me know when it was ready and nothing is better than a mechanic with good communication skills. Place is clean and everyone has a smile, what's there not to like?
The place is a little tricky to find but it is definitely worth going out of your way to get your Sub serviced here. -
Review from Blaine W.
San Jose, CA
5/13/2010
I've taken my subaru Outback here several times for regular servicing and for repair. This is a family run shop by honest people. They are very competitive on their pricing have had a much better experience with them than with the dealerships and at a fraction of what the dealership charges. They also gave me a ride back to my work which was close by while my car was being serviced.
After my car was serviced, a few days later I received a thank you card in the mail. It was a nice touch. -
Review from Wayne W.
San Francisco, CA
10/11/2008 1 photo
Garage 1 reassembled a whole WRX engine for me and installed it into my car ( see attached photo ). They did a wonderful job and I hope they stay in business because the South Bay needs a Subaru shop willing to tackle jobs like that. I have a few more things I'd like Garage 1's help and I'm sure I'll be going back.
Thanks again! -
Review from gangi i.
Santa Clara, CA
11/3/2007
Garage 1 Auto is a Subaru and Mercedes Benz mechanic's shop. It's the sort of small shop where you can talk directly with the mechanic and discuss the issues with your car. I took my Subaru Legacy for a full service in Oct 2007, and was treated with honesty and respect. The service performed took care of performance problems that the car had been having for some time with rough acceleration; they also went out of their way to fix a small interior defect. My car runs wonderfully now. The price was about 30% less than the dealers charge. I plan on using them for all my Subaru maintenance from now on.
5/10/09 Update. I have continued using Garage 1 Auto, and can confirm my positive impressions after several service visits. Don't let the initial impression that the scruffy exterior gives put you off. -
Review from Stacy B.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 7/27/2009
Got a note from Agnes telling me "With our previous experience, when the gas cap was left loose the ECU kicked on a different code. The code 420 has, until your car been a Catalytic converter issue and Subaru factory manuals did not recommend diagnosing the gas cap. However, since your diagnosis we have included the possibility of a gas cap throwing a 420 code and we have changed our diagnostic procedures."
Nice follow-up and responsiveness. Adding a star. Yelp in action! Thanks Agnes!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/12/2009
The check engine light on my 2001 Subaru Forester went on so I took it to this shop based on the 5… Read more »
-
-
Review from Rus H.
Santa Clara, CA
7/29/2008
I've been bringing my Subaru to Aaron for almost 4 years now. I do a lot of my own car work so I know when a mechanic doesn't know what he's talking about--- Aaron is very knowledgable about Subarus especially, and is also honest and practical.
Also, his wife Agnes knows a lot too! She's great with diagnostics and price quotes and stuff, even over the phone. If something doesn't need to be replaced, they'll tell you so--- its nice to feel like I can trust my shop not to look for every chance to take my money. -
Review from Vadim K.
San Francisco, CA
5/25/2011
I took my Tribeca here for selective 60K service as well as to figure out the cause of flashing engine lights. The staff was very professional, honest and performed the service at a great price (at least $200 off dealer and one other shop quote).
I am very happy to have finally found such garage. -
Review from Nancy M.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 6/9/2009
We really like this place! They did a great job on our Subaru in fact we believe they went beyond the call of duty. The price was about what we expected and we were actually surprised they didn't charge more.
We will be back!!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
11/26/2008
We really like this place! They did a great job on our Subaru in fact we believe they went beyond… Read more »
-
-
Review from Richard G.
Los Altos Hills, CA
4/25/2010
I am so glad I found Garage 1 Auto via yelp and am very happy with their expertise and cost of repairing my old Subaru and keeping it road worthy!
I would have given five stars but I had to return the car for more diagnostics and it took a very long time to get it repaired and there were some minor coordination problems. Agnes does a great job of answering the phones and running the office, and Aaron is as honest as they come as he found a bunch of dollar bills that had fallen behind the ash tray and left them for me to collect. He does know his Subaru's!
Their prices were very reasonable and did not try to rip me off like Kuno's or Bela's Autosports.
If you have an older Subaru and need someone to care for it I would go here first! -
Review from Erin C.
Sunnyvale, CA
3/3/2008
An awesome auto shop experience! I joined Yelp just to spread the word about this shop.
I have a Mercedes and I needed my brakes changed, but I didn't want to take it to the dealer and spend a ton of money. We found Garage 1 on Yelp and read the fantastic reviews, so I called them up and they were able to take my car in the next morning! They replaced my brakes and I asked to see the old parts and they were more than willing to show me AND explain to me exactly how the part worked and how it got worn out. WHAT?? I don't know of any auto shop that would go out of their way to do that! To top that off, the cost was so much less than the dealership! -
Review from Jason S.
San Jose, CA
9/29/2009
I have brought my Subaru here multiple times over the last few years. They helped me with small and large issues on my aging car, and have provided great service at a reasonable price. They never pressure me into getting services I don't need. However, they do recommend services you might need in the future, and gave me price quotes too.
They've also given me rides if I needed them, to the local rental car facility.
I've been happy to find a shop that specializes in Subaru in the South Bay. I've found a shop I can trust and will continue to bring my cars here! -
Review from Ryan J.
San Jose, CA
9/22/2011
The most honest repair shop I have ever been to. If I still owned my Subaru, I would never of taken it anywhere else. Aaron and Agnes are model business owners. If you own a Subaru and live in the area, you would be crazy to take it anywhere else.
-
Review from Eduardo A.
Sunnyvale, CA
9/17/2008
I took my Subaru to Garage 1 Auto for the 45Kmi service based solely on the good reviews here at Yelp (I am new to the area).
I was the perfect fool for a dishonest mechanic: foreign guy with lack of under-the-hood knowledge and vocabulary, driving a recently purchased used car with absolutely zero records in the services logbook... I even asked them to pay attention for possible problems. They had the upper hand all the time but they just didn't use it; at pick up they only charged for the recommended service/parts, saying that there were nothing else to be done in the car... I was not expecting that!
The service was performed in a timely fashion and the engine is much better at low revs now.
I am very satisfied, the car runs nicer, great customer service and, above all, honesty. They are almost 10+mi away from my place, but I will certainly get back there! -
Review from John F.
Houston, TX
1/7/2009
I recently purchased a 1984 Mercedes 500 SEL (Euroean Model) from an individual off of craigslist a month ago, which was registered as a non-op vehicle (and had been for 6-8 months). Through the reviews in yelp (and some regulars at West Coast Cigars-right next door), I took it to Aaron at Garage 1 Auto to get the car cleaned up mechanically, in order to successfully get smogged.
Aaron changed all the fluids, belts, battery, cleaned up the engine, plugs & points, all for a fraction of what it would have cost a Benz dealership to do the same work and in half the time.
His work was so good that the smog tester down the road told me yesterday that he had never ever seen an engine so "well-preserved" for a car this old as it passed the smog tests with flying colors. I told him this was previously a non-op vehicle. The tester couldn't believe it. Aaron is getting all of my business for as long as I'm here in San Jose. I wouldn't even consider a Benz dealership if it meant a free model over the work Aaron and this garage have done for me. -
Review from Michael L.
Saratoga, CA
4/12/2011
I really like this place. I took my Mercedes there and they did a great job. I bring my vehicle in for regular service and always receive friendly service. Also its one of the cleanest, most organized Garages I've ever visited. This is a family run shop that is always honest with the repairs I need and the repairs that are still premature. I always send my wife and son here knowing that they wont recommend services that are not necessary. I use to take my car to the dealer but once I found Garage 1 I never even think twice before bringing my vehicle to Garage 1 instead.
-
Review from Alexey N.
San Jose, CA
4/1/2010
Found them when they left their card on my windshield at a parking lot, checked out reviews and decided to give them a try - after the service issue I mentioned in my review of Capitol Subaru.
They are honest, professional and knowledgeable. Although they don't have the fancy decorations of a dealership, but they compensate for that with affordable price. -
Review from mike t.
San Jose, CA
7/27/2010
Just got my tranny and diff fluid changed here, they said it would be done in an hour and it sure was. $200 for their services. More affordable than the dealership!
-
Review from Amber T.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
2/5/2008
Garage One is a special place. The kind of place that takes you back in time. The cool German guy with the genuine smile who looks like someone you would like to be your uncle. The nostalgic pedal wagons hanging in the office (the kind that Grandpa got for you when you were a kid, you know, the kind that are powered by pedaling...so much better and faster than the battery powered varieties you see kids in these days!). The old plants around the office, not thriving, but at least kept alive over the years gives a warm feeling to the place. The friendly smiles and attitude from everyone that works there. Hey, this is a family business. You know it the moment you walk in and spot the family pictures on the desk and realize that these are the people that you are talking to and are working on your car. They are nice people too. Not the kind that will rake your wallet because you don't know squat about auto-repair. Rather, these are the kind of honest folk that take pride in making you a happy repeat customer. I love places like this.
Chase (I think that's his name) is the adorable towheaded youngster of the group. He had just come from a "spoiling weekend" with Grandma and was pretty whiney the day I was there, and Mom (Agnes) was too busy to deal with it. So, she stuck him in the office with three customers (myself included) and he had a full on tantrum...lol. We were all trying not to laugh at the situation and it was a little difficult to catch up on my phone calls due to his screaming and kicking, but I can understand. This *is* a family business.
About 50 bucks for oil change, tire rotation, air filter cleaning and minor door handle repair, very nice! The oil change and tire rotation alone would have been about $70+ at Stevens Creek (Subaru). I will come back here for sure. :-) -
Review from Jonathan L.
San Jose, CA
11/10/2010
I wish i found out about Garage1Auto earlier. I have owned multiple subies, and only just tried these guys out this just now! They are located literally 5 mins away from me, and I have been going to other Subaru shops (GST, Speed Element) that are much farther away.
Although they did not do any major work on my car, I can vouch for their quality of service.
Agnes at the front desk was very informative both on the phone and in person. Aaron did a great job filling me in about my car's repair.
Great family-owned shop with fair pricing and quality service.
I will definitely come back to them for future work or repairs on my car. -
Review from Ruben G.
San Jose, CA
3/30/2007
The only place I'll ever take my car for major repairs. Fast and great service. Highly recommended!!!
-
Review from Dennis T.
Long Beach, CA
5/18/2007
Very trustworthy shop! I took my wife's MB into the shop for a check engine light, and Aaron was very helpful. He explained to me the problem and was very polite. I know a bit about cars so I knew he wasn't trying to take me to the bank! It's very difficult to find an honest mechanic. I should know. I have met enough of them that have tried to rip me and my family off! But Garage 1 is highly recommended!
-
Review from Scott J.
San Jose, CA
3/1/2008
Fantastic shop. Skilled and patient and honorable.
We needed major engine work done on our Subaru; other shops were quoting more than the car was worth to summarily replace the engine. Garage 1's quote was more reasonable, and the reviews here convinced us to give them a try. Even so, we fully expected the usual series of apologetic phone calls saying the frammengatzer was fried and the glibsmucker needed replacing and on and on, each time with a ratcheting of the estimate. Isn't that how the car-repair business works today?
Imagine our surprise, then, when their meticulous disassembly of the engine (rather than just replacing it) and careful respect for our dollar resulted in a repair bill more than 30% BELOW their original estimate! When does that ever happen in today's world??
We're still stunned. The car runs better than new now, and we are fully confident that their fine-toothed-comb approach has freshened it completely.
The place is a keeper, and we have http://Yelp.com to thank for the local reviewers that convinced us to give them a try.
Highly, highly recommended. Needs more than five stars! -
Review from Kristen T.
San Jose, CA
12/22/2008
They aren't going to win any awards for decor, but these guys are honest and know their stuff. After the wicked Steven's Creek Subaru tried to charge us $2600 to fix my airbag light (they said the wiring harness needed replacing) they really saved the day. They took the time to find the real problem and saved us $2500!!!
I'll definitely be back. -
Review from Brian K.
10/18/2008
They were really nice to me and my car! Subaru. They promptly disassembled my car and told me the bad news that my transmission was trashed. They were really generous in storing my car while we looked for a replacement. Repairs were completely successful and as requested. Much nicer than going to a dealer!
-
Review from Mel K.
Santa Clara, CA
7/15/2009
i went here to get my brakes checked out. even though it was just past 6 pm and they were technically closed , they took a look at my car and told me it was fine. i mean, they said a lot more than that, of course -- they were very informative -- but the gist of it was that i could take my car home and not worry about it for a few months to a year. can you imagine that? here i am, a totally clueless car owner who was ready to get all sorts of repairs done, and THEY DIDN'T TRY TO RIP ME OFF. five stars for honesty.
btw, i don't own a subaru. they fix all types of cars. -
Review from Giovanna M.
San Jose, CA
11/4/2009
I had some major work done on my vehicle here which my son found on line. I got tired of taking my forester to my local Precision tune(PT) because it was convenient. Convenience doesn't always give you the best price or advise! I had cam gasket repair done due to an oil leak and embarrassing smoke coming from car when I came to a stop! They took care of my car gave me a ride home and I saved $300.00+ based off a quote from PT. Everyone their is nice and the follow up call very appreciated PT never did that! I will be taking my vehicle there until Its cant go no more :-) Love the power of my Forester. I would rec commend this place to any Subaru owner!
-
Review from P. H.
Santa Clara, CA
6/2/2008
I also joined yelp just so I could provide a review of Garage 1. Being a "car nut", I own several cars and have been rebuilding cars for many years. I diagnosed and replaced an engine management component on my Subaru, but couldn't get the system to reset and run properly. After looking for factory documentation, reading chat rooms/blogs, etc., I still couldn't find the information to properly reset the system.
I found Garage 1 on yelp. I already had a very negative impression of the local dealer, based on wading through the sales force on the way to the parts department, talking to a marginally knowledgeable parts department, and paying above factory retail price any time I buy parts. Even the local Audi and Porsche dealers will give me a price break, but more importantly they generally understand what they are selling.
I also was a little concerned when I first drove up and saw Garage 1. It's not fancy, but when I talked to them I knew immediately that they were knowledgeable. They reset the system, printed out the factory info for my future use, and ended up not charging me anything since it didn't take them much time.
My impression is that they are completely trustworthy. They seem like the kind of shop that would pull the parts from a wreck (as one reviewer said negatively) if that's all you could afford, or do a top notch repair themselves or refer you to another shop if they did not feel they could handle a particular job. -
Review from Marco F.
San Jose, CA
4/12/2010
I've had my VW Passat 1999 serviced here twice. The people who work here are very nice and helpful. Prices are fair as well. Also, you don't need to have a Subaru to get great service over here.
-
Review from Michael N.
San Jose, CA
5/11/2010
I brought my mercedes c320 here twice, on both occasions aaron and agnes were really helpful. they offer quality service at a much cheaper cost then the dealer. one plus side i like about this place is that i dont feel like i am being taken advantage of . anyways hopefully my car keeps running fine but if something does happen , i will be sure to be back. thanks aaron and agnes
-
Review from Marc S.
San Jose, CA
3/16/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I'm so glad I took my car here. I found a torn CV boot on the passenger side of my car. They gave me a competitive quote to the shop I normally take my cars to. I had heard good things about Garage1 Auto so I decided to give them a try. It ended up actually being cheaper to replace the whole drive shaft instead of replacing the boot only (less labor). They dropped me off and picked me up from work on time. Shortly after picking up my car I started hearing a clanking noise coming from the front of the car. I quickly took it back to Garage 1 and had them diagnose the problem. Turned out their installation was fine, it was my installation of an aftermarket sway bar and end links tha that was the problem. They found it and took care of it for no charge. What great service!!
-
Review from Sam H.
San Jose, CA
5/26/2010
I took my subaru Baja here 1st times for fan control knobs repair.
They found out that my blower motor resistor is bad. They order the parts and I came back couple days after and they replace it.
This is a family run shop by honest people. They are very competitive on their pricing have had a much better experience with them than with the dealerships and at a fraction of what the dealership charges. They also gave me a ride back to my work in downtown San Jose while my car was being serviced.
For Subaru service i highly recommend this place. -
Review from Arielle K.
San Jose, CA
4/8/2009
My car had a broken water pump and needed to be replaced, as well as a few other things because of all the mess the broken water pump made. We originally took my car to Precision Auto Care on Almaden and they quoted me a price of $680!! We found Garage 1 Auto through yelp and they quoted me a price of $360 and did a great job. We were very impressed by their professional and quality of work. We plan on using them again in the future for our car maintenance needs.
