The Car Doctor

710 San Antonio Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA

Address:	710 San Antonio Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA
Phone:	+1 650-492-6853
Site:	autorepairmountainviewca.com
Rating:	4.8
Working:	8AM–5PM 8AM–5PM 8AM–5PM 8AM–5PM 8AM–5PM Closed Closed

Location

Photos 40

Reviews 6

Bilson Campana

Summary: Friendly service, great price, and took in my truck on a busy schedule. Great experience with Gary. My Ford F150 started stalling during idle. Couldnt even go a mile reliably. I called The Car Doctor and asked for an appointment ASAP, but was told they were booked for at least two weeks. They asked me to explain my problem, and then put Gary on the phone. Gary took time to try to fix my problem over the phone (for free), and when he couldnt he gave me a great deal and offered to at least diagnose the problem that very same day and said the fee could be spent toward servicing it whenever my appointment could come up. I brought it in the next day and told Gary exactly what happened, and it turns out I didnt really tell him all the trucks problems. It didnt seem like a quick fix anymore, but he still looked at it right away anyway. Later he gives me a call and goes over everything that hes done and plans to do. I appreciated his effort to make sure there was no grey area of what he was doing to my truck. Gary had my truck fixed the following morning. I even made the mistake of not giving him my alarm fob so my truck was stuck in his repair bay for several hours. Even still, the job ended up costing less than expected. Gary seemed very close and friendly with all the customers that he interacted with. As he walked me to my truck a car pulled up and waited there next to us as Gary and I chatted for at least 10 minutes. As I left, the guy in the car asked Gary for advice on an oil change. Gary gave it to him and the guy said "thanks" and drove off. Most likely the guy was working for Gary, because I was way too impressed by his friendliness. =)

Betty Cheng

I thought I could never find mechanics like my old shop back in Ithaca. They had two of the top ten mechanics out of 10,000 who signed up for testing. People drove a thousand miles to get their annual checkup at that shop. Never had a day of trouble with that car. Nothing but maintenance. Was I sorry when I graduated and moved. Now, Ive found Chris and Gary and I have peace of mind again. They will walk you out to the car and show you the problem. They are friendly, report what is happening, and explain future work and estimated costs. They send reminders to keep you on track, give tips on top vs. second priority car care, offer alternatives, discuss advantages of manufacturers recommendations vs. other options, stay on top of the latest products. They will send you to lower cost, high quality competitors for services they dont offer. I got a 6-9 month heads up when I needed a $1400 leak on the timing belt. Set up a savings plan for the bill. It was painless. Ive got my fingers crossed; the car is moving into its twelfth year but so far, nothing but maintenance. (Oil leaks are routine for old Subarus) Tip: if you are thinking about buying a car, contact Gary and Chris. They know cars and engines right down to the year. Its the most transparent comprehensive service Ive ever received. You know your options and consequences. I dont know what Ill do if I move. Unless its back to Ithaca. Hail Chris and Gary. Live long and prosper.

Anonymous User

Outstanding customer service and appointments on Saturdays! I called at 9am and got an appointment for the same day. This is a small shop tucked in what appears to be a little auto plaza with a bunch of different kinds of service providers around. They definitely need a better road sign because I had trouble finding them and I have GPS. In any case the shop is immaculate. Im not sure how long its been there but everything looks new. Not much of a waiting area so plan to drop off and pick up after the repairs are done. They charged what they quoted which should not be a big deal but if you have ever had work done on your car you know it is. These are a friendly knowledgeable guys who arent out to rob you by up-selling you into stuff you dont need. I got my front brakes and rotors replaced. With almost 60k on the dash they could have easily got me for the rears as well. To my surprise they told me they were fine. The price was fair. I would put it 15% below other shops in my area and about $400 less than the dealer. The fact that they double up on the NAPA warranty limits lets me know they stand behind their work and the products they sell. I hope I dont have to go back soon because that would mean something is wrong with my car but when I do need to this will be my shop.

Andrew Swank

Hands down the best shop Ive ever had my car serviced. Not only are they proficient mechanics, but also incredibly customer-focused. The prices are reasonable, the workmanship is excellent, and theyre always accommodating. In my first trip there, here was my experience: After assessing my 90k 97 Sentra, Chris addressed a number of issues that were necessary to make it California drivable after a trip from Ohio (exhaust, smog, etc.) He gave me his quote and one from his exhaust specialist (a different business). The specialists was lower, so he did the repairs through that shop. He discovered a number of other issues, including failing continuous velocity joints, which would have cost more to repair than the car was worth. Chriss recommendation: "Drive it into the ground and sell it for scrap. Put the scrap money towards a new car." Ive had a decent bit of work here and refer all my friends. Ive been going to them for over a year, and wont go anywhere else.

Minh Bui

Ive been taking my 2007 Prius to The Car Doctor for over 70,000 miles and my car is still running great. The last few auto shops (including the Toyota Dealership) did a terrible job on my car before I started using The Car Doctor, as if they didnt really have much experience working with hybrids. Ive had them do my brakes and struts replacements, very quick and very reasonably priced. Chris and Gary stand behind their work and even if I could find a place that was cheaper, I wouldnt be able to match the quality of the work by a long shot. They get the job done fast and right the first time. As a pretty cool bonus, they keep an electronic record of all your service work online so you can check your service record anytime you want. Another nice bonus is that they have an Enterprise car rental just around the corner (walking distance) in case you ever need to leave your car at the shop.

Anna Thomas

Do not recommend. I have had only one experience here, and seeing the other reviews, maybe my experience was unique. Went in with a detached sensor on my brake pads. Without really explaining what they were doing, they replaced all my brakes and my rotors....waaayyy too much money later, this was completely necessary and not well communicated. Upon picking my car up, the mechanic proceeded to tell me I should replace the entire shock system on my car to prevent the cupping of the tires and I should do it very soon. He was trying to sell me some advanced, very expensive system. Well I went to another mechanic and he simply said I just need to rotate the tires more frequently to prevent the cupping and he fixed it up in tiny fraction of the cost of what this place was trying to sell me. I felt completely taken advantage of at this place. Will not be going back.