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Tech-1 Automotive
Category: Automotive Auto Repair Auto Repair [Edit]
1460 Illinois St(between 24th St & 25th St)
San Francisco, CA 94107
Neighborhood: Potrero Hill
(415) 550-8534
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8:30 am - 5 pm
Sat 9 am - 3 pm
25 reviews for Tech-1 Automotive
25 reviews in English
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Review from Scraggy W.
San Francisco, CA
12/28/2011
I needed to have my oil changed, and do not have a garage i use on a regular basis, i found a coupon through Amazon, so thought why not, so booked my car in and today was the day i had reserved. Well from the call to the garage to find out how to get there, and once i arrived, i was met by a friendly Ray, and was offered the remote control, to watch any tv program i would like, while i waited, there is coffee/wifi if you would like, and everyone seems to be happy, a nice work place..! I needed to have a smog test done, and voila, that was done, the price was good, and Ray was very helpful !
I need to have work done on my car, bummer, but i am certainly going to go back to this garage, and will tell all my friends to use this Garage, its nice to have found a garage that seems to care...! -
Review from Delilah B.
San Francisco, CA
11/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had a terrible day. Up until I got my problem resolved by Tech-1. :)
I had a flat tire so I yelped "Tire Repair" and found Tech-1. I called and was greeted by a friendly voice and I asked how soon would they be able to help me, he said "bring it on in." Here I thought, I'd bring it in and be waiting forever to get it done, but, I was in and out in about 10 minutes! No hassle.
During the 10 minutes, I observed the cleanliness of the garage and the guys working and communicating with each other and thought to myself... If I ever had an issue with my car again, I'm taking it here! ;) ... and I will -
Review from Cathy K.
10/8/2011
Thanks to a Yelp Deal and these glowing reviews, I had an oil change and 24-point inspection at Tech One.
This shop is pleasantly and professionally run by Ray. I called ahead to make an appointment. When I arrived, I was greeted by one of the mechanics who directed me to the office. Everything was prompt, orderly and well run ~ Ray said I could either stay in their waiting room, or head over a few blocks to 22nd and 3rd Streets for food. I opted for the latter and ended up at Serpentine and Mr. & Mrs. Miscellaneous (hard to resist a good ice cream) ~ both were fantastic.
When I returned, Ray gave me a breakdown of the inspection and recommended fixes (timing belt). He thoughtfully took the time to explain how a timing belt works from his handy 3-D book and answered my questions. I didn't feel pressured at all. Just informed and happy to be a patron.
As for location, they are near the Muni 3rd Street light rail line, and rides can be arranged ahead of time if you want to drop off your car and need to be some place. So far it's my most pleasant auto maintenance experience. Thank you Ray & crew! -
Review from Adam K.
San Francisco, CA
1/25/2012
I first came to this place for a Amazon 24-point inspection coupon that I had purchased a couple months prior. The first visit was fine, went fast, and everything was done as advertised. Unfortunately my car had some balancing issues with the tires and was making a lot of noise coming over the Bay Bridge, so I brought it back to have them take a look. The owner, Ray, quoted me $2,000 for new struts (front and rear), 4 new tires and a bent tire rod. This smelled a little funny and when I mentioned that he started offering discounts on his exorbitant labor fees. On a hunch I took it to another local shop that a few friends gave high reviews for, and sure enough, Ray and his shop were trying to take me and my wallet for a ride. I ended up paying $425 at the new shop versus the $2,000 that Tech-1 quoted me and voila, everything of concern was fixed and in tip top shape. Please be careful coming to this place. They seem nice but will start to tack on very expensive parts that you may not even need. My car did NOT need new struts whatsoever, and the tire rod that Ray recommended immediate replacement for wasn't even bent! Use caution!
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Review from Joseph H.
San Francisco, CA
3/24/2011
I had an assortment of semi-serious repairs and long-neglected maintenance performed on my my car here recently. Work was fine, price was reasonable, communication is good, everyone is friendly, relaxed, professional.
So, two thumbs up, and five stars. -
Review from Molly V.
Richmond, CA
1/16/2011
I looked around for a shop near my work, and found Tech-1 Automotive here on Yelp. The number of 5 star reviews was impressive, and almost seemed to good to be true. Let me tell you, they're not. It's all true.
I took my car - Honda Civic- in for a major tune-up and assessment as it hadn't been looked at in way too long. Ray and his team went over the car and recommended a few repairs beyond the tune-up I knew it desperately needed. I felt like I was talking to a gear-head Uncle, speaking to Ray. He was straightforward and spent time explaining what was needed and why. I ended up needing to leave the car with him twice during the week to get everything taken care of, but in the end I had new front brakes, two new tires, four-wheel alignment, an oil change, and a full tuneup with new parts for less than $600. The car runs great, and I am very pleased. I was driven to work both times I left the car at Tech-1, can't beat it!
The only down side was one communication issue which led to some work being done that I hadn't expected, however, we're back to the gear-head Uncle status again... it was a safety issue and had to be dealt with before I could drive the car away. I actually felt looked-out for rather than wondering if there was wool being pulled over my eyes, and I appreciate that. Because of the communication issue, Ray gave me a discount on the labor for that job. I have no qualms about leaving a five star review, and I'm really pleased to have found my new mechanics. I won't be switching anytime soon! -
Review from Jason M.
San Francisco, CA
7/20/2011
Great customer service, they delivered on time and I will be recommending them to any friends.
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Review from Enrique L.
Las Vegas, NV
8/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
The shop owner Ray is really cool, great service and honest work! Tech-1 is my go to spot when I'm in the area.
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Review from Theo K.
Pacifica, CA
5/21/2009
What could I add. The best thing about them is their honesty. On a couple of occasions, early on, they told me I just needed a "screw" (not that kind-I don't swing that way) or "they just had to tighten a wire". And they didn't charge me either time. That's always my first clue that a mechanic is being honest and that's half the battle right there.
Prices are reasonable. If they make a mistake, they make it right. They offered to drive me back to my business in the morning. Ray is always pleasant and helpful. Highly recommend! -
Review from Ian B.
San Francisco, CA
4/9/2010
Let me tell you about my new friend Ray over at Tech-1.......A little over a year ago I went to a radiator shop in the Western Addition. After some testing and $800 later, I was out the door. Let's now fast forward to a year and 2 months later - now my radiator is leaking. Again.
Saw the reviews to where I had gone to previously while looking for their number to call them back. I read the reviews and decided to follow the advice of another reviewer and look elsewhere. I'm glad I did.
First off, for the exact same thing that was done the last time - I had done again (new radiator) at half the price. Not just that - the radiator has a LIFETIME WARRANTY! Not the shitty 1 year warranty I was given at the other place.
Secondly - Ray was informative. He also found that the thermostat wasn't opening at the right time when the car got warm (something I suspected a year ago and asked the technician then to look at but they said if you have heat, it's working. They never bothered to inspect it). Ray knew I wasn't a car technician, but that I knew some about how the car works and operates. He didn't talk over my head and made sure that I understood everything that was going on and why it was replaced.
After the work was done, Ray offered to have one of their technicians pick me up at home, which wasn't necessary as I had a ride there and it was close to end of business day. Coupled with the traffic, I didn't want to have someone stay later than they needed on a Friday - but knowing Ray was willing to do that for a customer was above and beyond. Once I arrived at the shop to pick up my car, I talked with Ray about scheduling a time to get my car back into their shop and get some of the little things taken care of since they're pretty much a full service automotive shop.
I'll take the service I got from them over the location that was closer to me any day of the week. I really can't say enough about the service and the hospitality I received from them. Ray treats you like family and isn't in this business to screw people over. A rarity in the automotive repair industry.
If you need your car repaired/serviced - go see Ray and the guys over at Tech-1. You'll get top notch service and won't get raked over the coals in the process. -
Review from Nick T.
San Francisco, CA
11/18/2008
The boys at Tech 1 are fantastic. They look after all of our vans right now. Can only give them 5 stars. Wait, there is only 5 stars.
Exactly
Nick
http://www.lostcampers... -
Review from Alex G.
San Francisco, CA
2/23/2011
How often does it happen that you get an estimate, then come back to pick up your vehicle and the guy says "we found same parts you needed but at a lower cost and saved you $70 on your job"? Never. So imagine my surprise when I heard these words coming from Ray.
I took my car in for service, or as I told Ray - "My car lost its mojo, can you fix it?" Sure, he said, we'll take a look and let you know what needs to be done. And so they did, and quicker than the dealer, and much less costlier, too. So the extra $70 savings was like a cherry on top. Yes, they charged me for troubleshooting, but then they gave me a credit for the same amount on the work done. No one does that for you any more. Five stars for Ray and his team, I will be going here from now on for all my automotive repairs. -
Review from Kevin B.
Oakland, CA
3/23/2010
I couldn't be happier with the service provided by Raymond and his team. They are very knowledgeable and courteous and they really helped me in a pinch.
I urgently needed to get my belts replaced in order to NOT become "the guy who broke down on the bridge and blocked the evening commute".
The Tech-1 Crew finished the job quickly and also gave me a few recommendations for follow-up service which I fully intend to have them do.
Fast, honest service, reasonable pricing and just all around good people. A place I am happy to refer to as "My Mechanic..."
Go there... -
Review from Cri S.
San Francisco, CA
2/13/2009 1 Check-in Here
I have been bringing my cars here for over 10 years and can't say enough good things about Tech-1. Robert and Ray (and everyone else) are awesome and HONEST!! Excellent service everytime! Ladies do not be afraid to try this place out on your own-you will not be sorry!
Thanks to everyone at Tech-1 for keeping me on the road :) - you guys are the BEST -
Review from jaime a.
San Francisco, CA
2/1/2011
Ray is AWESOME! I will never go anywhere else again!
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Review from Landon M.
San Francisco, CA
1/30/2009
Every six months something goes wrong with my car. It's like clockwork. I can't say that I look forward to coming in to see them, since it means something else has gone wrong with my car, but I can say that Robert and the other guys at Tech-1 have made the experiences as enjoyable as possible.
I hate being a girl walking into an auto shop, wondering how much the guys think that they can get over on charging me. With Robert - it is the complete opposite. He explains exactly what is wrong and how they would have to fix it.
They also didn't make me feel like a dumb blonde when I had to ask how to check the oil dipstick on my car. So that in and of itself deserves 5 stars! -
Review from Shoeb S.
Pacifica, CA
8/5/2011
Ray and the team at Tech 1 offer no - nonsense advice, honesty, and deliver on their statements. My first experience was with a simple oil change which they handled well. I then recalled their great service when my long term commuter needed a tune up. I had an estimate from another shop outlining the need for a tune up which I talked to Ray about. Ray worked with me to come up with a suitable cost which was fair, and then arranged for me to be dropped off and picked up in San Bruno. Thats called service. Thanks so much Ray - you have another satisfied customer.
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Review from Alex C.
San Francisco, CA
9/3/2010
Read every rave review about this place and since it's close to home, I decided to give it a try...... Tech-1 turns out to be probably the BEST auto mechanic shop I've encountered for quite some time.
Ray is a great guy to do business with. Left him a message few days ahead asking for a price quote to replace the head light, brake light and fix up the bumper. Within 3 minutes, Ray called back asking me to bring the car in today. Well, guess what? I walked into his shop around 4:40pm, listened to the diagnostic info. and drove my car out of the door completely revived roughly 30 minutes later...... for less than $25! I almost fell out of the chair when I heard the price as I was totally expecting a bill around $100-$150 for all the parts and labor! WOW! I have NEVER spent less than $100 on my car anywhere else, even for very minor problems. $25! What a shock to me.
Needless to say, the whole repair process was so smooth, efficient and pleasant! Tech-1 guys are professional, friendly and courteous! Oh did I mention AFFORDABLE? You bet! Thanks a bundle Ray, you just won yourself a happy loyal customer. Tech-1 will be my auto-place-to-be from now on! -
Review from letty e.
San Francisco, CA
3/5/2011
my roommate and i LOVE this place! always so nice and in and out quickly. would recommend HIGHLY.
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Review from Lauren W.
San Francisco, CA
9/2/2010
This was the best car repair experience that I have ever had!
In the past, I've experienced technicians who talk down to me, and only give me one possible option on how best to fix my car.
Ray, however, was extremely professional. He asked me if I knew about cars and when I said that I didn't, he drew me a diagram of what my car should do, and what was happening that needed to be fixed. He then brought in the broken part so that I could see (and confirm) that what he said was true.
He then gave me a few options - I could either keep the broken part and they could fix it cheaply, or they could buy a new part for me. Ray went over the price differences, and how long each would probably last.
On top of all this, they checked every single thing in my car. They checked the oil, tire alignment, etc. to make sure that I was leaving with everything intact.
I really appreciate all of Ray's help and his candor, and I will definitely refer anyone in need of car repair over to Ray! -
Review from James T.
San Francisco, CA
3/27/2010
Reading from what others had posted I had to try them out. I went for an oil change service. BTW, all the reviews on Yelp were TRUE. Not only the staff were friendly, but Raymond who handled our paper work, explained what they found during the service. I also asked them if they can reset our SRS light, as it is constantly on after swapping the battery. They spent time on it, but was not able to fix the problem. He didn't charge me for the time spent. Very honest man!
I would definitely recommend to ALL my friends!
They even work on foreign cars! -
Review from Jack M.
San Francisco, CA
9/27/2011
What can I say. I went in at the appointed time to take advantage of a discounted oil change coupon I got on the internet. The gentleman behind the desk, I assume it was Ray, quickly signed me in and I settled down with my newspaper and the inevitable wait for the work to be done. About 45 minutes later he told me that I had a nail in one of my tires. Since I had just driven to the shop with no sensation of a low tire I was somewhat in disbelief but I looked at the tire and sure enough there it was. He said they could take it out and put in a plug for $15. Under the circumstance this seemed reasonable and I said go ahead. Another half an hour passed and I wondered out loud when my car would be ready to go. Ray said that they were getting an oil filter from another supplier because they did not have the kind that my car required. Some more time passed and Ray said that the other supplier had sent the wrong filter and they were straightening it out in another few minutes. In the meantime he suggested we complete the paperwork and I would be ready to go just as soon as the job was finished. Then, to my astonishment he said there would be no charge for anything because of the undue delay and with a big smile escorted me to my car, handed me the key and wished me the rest of a good day! You don't find that kind of service any where, any time, any more these days. Thanks Ray and Jose.
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Review from Luiza L.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2008
This guys were awesome! Not only they charged me 1/2 of what I was originally quoted and did an excellent job, they did it in also1/2 the time! Robert was communicative and all the staff is really nice. They're out in the Dogpatch but will work with you and give you rides if you need one. I strongly recommend this shop and, for once, you will get good service and will not be ripped off!
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Review from Matt T.
Fairfax, CA
7/8/2008
Roberts great
Straightforward and honest. I have been bringing my cars to him since 1996 when I lived on Potrero. I liked the service so much I am driving from Fairfax to have him service the car. -
Review from bane v.
San Francisco, CA
12/5/2009
tech 1 auto has been the most reliable and staright shootin auto shop i have ever encountered. i have brought my beat up 93 mazda as well as my 2004 gmc and they have treated both the same and i am happy to say that they are both runnin like champs now. they diagnosed and remedied the malfunction in a quick and professional manner. i hate when my truck or bucket gives me problems, but when they do i know to call raymond at tech 1 and he will take care of it. thanks again!
