Japanese Auto Center

Stand up guys. Went here after the Toyota dealership seemed fishy always adding more things to be fixed that I seemed to have just fixed and of course these guys set everything straight. Only needed spark plugs and new battery they did it quick be for a great price. Thank you!

I’ve been to Japanese Auto Center twice in the last year for maintenance on my 2011 Toyota Camry, including just a few weeks ago, and they are outstanding. They’re friendly, knowledgeable, honest, and reasonably priced. They’re also open on Saturday, so I don’t have to take off from work, which is extraordinarily convenient. They don’t have 100s of people in line, like some places, so they can actually take care of my car within a matter of hours. In fact, I don’t think they took more than two hours this last time I went there, and that included repairing the brakes on my car. What I like about them most is that they are ASE Certified, i.e. they know what they’re talking about, AND they’re not trying to upsell me everything in the shop. Being honest is HUGE in my book. I understand that my car is not a Lamborghini, and I appreciate it when I find mechanics that are not trying to replace every part on the car, because it’s a year old. I’m very confident in the work they’ve done on my car. I give them my highest rating.

This is a tried and true case of why Unilocal rocks. My Prius had the dread red triangle problem light go up. This is the first time I had a real problem after 160k miles. Both Keyes and Northridge Toyota were fully booked (at my moms for the weekend) and I found this place with 4.5 stars. Matt was very straightforward told me they were super busy and might not get to it, but still drop the off the car. When I arrived he again re stated that he will try his best but leave the car and that a full diagnostic test would cost 95 bucks. A little later after working out at the spectrum a couple miles away, I received a VM from Matt to come by. When I arrived he told me they did a full diagnostic and couldn’t find anything wrong. They drove the car around to double check, went through all sorts of tests and concluded that maybe the sensors were a bit sensitive. In all he said if the warning light comes back again feel free to come back to check it. He could have totally lied and charged me, but he told me that he wouldn’t charge me 95 dollars especially because he couldn’t find anything. Man, I never got this kind of treatment at the dealers, they ALWAYS found something to charge me with. I really appreciated their honesty here and even if some work is expensive here and there I know that I could at least work with a straight up honest person. Ironically when I told my stepdad where he was going, he smiled and said aww man, I love Matt, he helped rebuild my engine for my 300z way back over ten years ago. When I heard that story I realized why Unilocal is so important, for honest people to be recognized and shared to a much wider audience.

my dads and i have been going to The Japanese Auto Center for years, and have always been well taken care of. Mathew the owner has loads of integrity… Hector is the resident master mechanic. together they will do all they can do insure your car runs super fine ! you cant go wrong here.

So originally, I had written a review on this place and it was a great one. Was very satisfied with the customer service. However, I have been needing to update my review for the longest time, and change it immediately from a 5 star to a 1! At first everything was great, customer service was great but the lack of work done to my car was ridiculous.
I took my car into the shop for new breaks and was guaranteed that the breaks on my car were brand new and very good quality breaks. After a couple of months I start to hear screeching noise when I would break. Obviously this was not fixed because I am suppose to have new breaks! So I took it back and the owner of this place said that it had to do with the breaks sometimes needed to be adjusted so he took care of it. Again, after a couple of months same thing, screeching when I would break!
I decided to take my breaks to two other shops to gather a second opinion, and both told me that I did have new breaks, but the idiots did not add the new rotors as needed. So basically to shorten up the story, I needed to get new breaks again.
I strongly advise to any new customers planing to try this place, DONT! This place is a rip off and will end up spending more later. The place does not do what they are suppose to. NEVER will I come to this place again!

Fast, reasonably priced, and enjoyable to to work with. I had the pleasure dealing with Matthew. Given that it was Saturday combined with a major holiday, we thought we’d out of luck in getting our car fixed. But Matthew not only made sure it was done by the time promised, he gave us some reassuring advice on another issue that we’d experienced on our car.

Stopped buy today for the first time. And was kindly taken care of by the shop manager. I highly recommend this place to any who needs help with there car. They have a two year warranty too.

Their customer service is great! They are always very helpful. Have not had 1 bad experience with them. I am always in and out when I go here to get my oil changed. They are conveniently located and their prices are great. I would recommend them to family or friends.

The manager there is really nice and tries to take care of his customers. My son’s car’s back light got broken and I called to see if they can fix it. Mattew, the manager, called to order the light and called me as soon as the part got to the shop so that I did not need to sit there and wait.
He told me it would cost $ 10 to put the new light in, which is a ridiculously low price to start with and I was already extremely happy. It took them 5 minutes to put the light in and Mattew decided not to charge me the labor since it only took them 5 minutes. They only charged me the cost of the part.
Even though it is not big money, it shows their honesty and gained my trust to bring my car back to them in the future.

I’ve known the owners for over 10 years and they are quality people. I know there are some «shady“people in the car-​fix world but these people are not them. They are honest and hard working and will diagnose and fix any issue you’ve got. Any person writing negative comments about this center are mixed up.

Edited to respond to owner comments and lower to 1* based on new information — see below.
My first experience with this shop was a positive one, my temperature of the car would fluctuate wildly and they found and replaced a faulty thermostat.
Unfortunately since then I’ve had a couple of bad experiences, all related to their unwillingness (or inability) to actually troubleshoot problems.
The first time was actually a series of visits to try to find & fix Check Engine Light (CEL) issue with my 2004 Mazda3.
First they decided the problem was that I had German (Bosch) spark plugs in the car instead of Japanese (NGK), never mind that the engine was designed in Germany by Ford of Europe.
Next they decided that it must be the O2 sensors, replacing those did not help
Then it was because I had an AEM Cold Air Intake, taking that off had no effect of course.
Finally they said that because I had extended the wiring harness for my Mass Air Flow sensor to support my intake that had to be replaced. That was going to cost over $ 750 (had to replace a main engine harness) and when I asked them what they were going to do when that didn’t fix it they said they would send it to the dealer. Needless to say I did not approve that repair.
Eventually through my own research online I found a common problem causing this particular CEL was a bad fuel solenoid valve, $ 80 and 20 minutes under the hood and the problem was fixed forever.
More recently while I was out of town my wife called to report that her 2007 Sienna had thrown a CEL and warning lights for traction control and ABS. Sounded very much like a wheel speed sensor to me so I told her to take to them, figuring a relatively straightforward problem should be no big deal.
As it turns out they call me to tell me that the problem is that the oil is dirty, Putting aside my suspicion that the oll would have affected the ABS or traction control I told them that was unlikely as I had changed the oil myself less than 5000 miles ago and that _​every_​time I’ve changed the oil since the warranty expired it’s come out super clean (I had even planned to have a sample tested at the next oil change to see if I could justify pushing the OCI out to 7500 miles).
What they told me next is what really blew me away, they told me «they recommend you change the oil every 3000 miles». I immediately called them on this shady line of BS and pointed out that Toyota did not recommend any such thing. Instead of acknowledging that I wasn’t the idiot they thought I was or at least changing the subject they actually doubled down on the bull and started talking about how because of all the short trips and stop and go traffic (neither apply to this vehicle) it really should be 3000 miles.
When I picked up the car (headed straight there after landing back in L.A.) they started trying to defend their line and their «diagnosis», I told them flat out that there was no point in arguing with them as I didn’t even think they believed what they were saying, they didn’t have a response for that.
Still, I give them 2 stars instead of 1 because I do think they know how to turn a wrench competently and shadiness aside I don’t think they would actually rip you off. They are probably a reasonable choice for basic maintenance (the stuff I do myself) or for specific work you want them to do. Of course I won’t be giving them any more business personally.
To respond to the owners comments:
1. Reading the DTC and doing what the book says is hardly advanced troubleshooting work.
2. The reason why I had my wife bring you her car after my bad experience with my Mazda3:
a. I was out of town and was unable to deal with the problem myself.
b. Based on the warning lights described by my wife I believed the problem was related to the ABS sensors and I was concerned that there could be a safety issue if the problem wasn’t addressed promptly.
c. Based on the warning lights I believed the issue and fix to be fairly straightforward.
3. The oil filter you showed me when I picked up the car did not look particularly dirty and some distortion of the oil filter is absolutely normal with the Purolator Pure One filters I use as they are slightly larger than the OEM or lower quality filters.
4. My belief is that the only thing you did which solved the problem was reset the DTC, which would have been the first step I performed had I been in town when this happened.
Now onto my updated info which caused me to lower my overall rating to the rare 1* (only the second 1* rating I’ve ever given). I changed the oil in my wifes car today and found you had severely over tightened the aluminum oil filter housing and I actually destroyed a cap wrench trying to remove the cap, this is a huge problem and could have led to a catastrophic failure.

Came in for a quick replacement of my ignition pack but did not allow me to use Subaru dealership OEM purchased part which is a special delivery item. Did not want OEM equivalent (aftermarket) for the obvious reasons, as a result I had to go to a different shop to replace it. Weird… not like the part was used and I had a receipt to prove it was a new item. Also person I spoke to was very rude. I’d say this place needs to bring their customer service attitudes in line with their quality of service. Very unprofessional.

I have a 2005 Subaru Legacy wagon. I was informed by my stealership (a few months ago) that I needed a timing belt on my car due to the age of the vehicle and the price quoted was shocking! I spent the next three days researching all the subbie blogs I could find, 6 hours a night until I made my decision, per the subbie blogs & Unilocal reviews, I decided to choose Japanese Auto Center.
They were out of the way, however when I spoke to Mr. Steven Rios on the phone, and after feeling good about that call, that he knew what he was talking about, a more then fair quote (which he kept to!) I drove from West Hollywood over to Canoga Park. About 4 hours later I was on my way.
The funny thing is, the belt was still good, however the parts around the belt needed to be replaced and Mr. Steven Rios explained that’s why when they do a timing belt, they do all the parts, pulleys, pumps, etc. I am grateful that I met Mr. Steven Rios and his team, as they not only kept their word, fast great service, the price was more then fair.
Bottom line, Japanese Auto Center has won me as a customer, if your car is out of warranty and needs work, you’d be just crazy to go anywhere else. You’ll get the straight deal from Japanese Auto Center, no runarounds, no up-​sales, it’s just good service.

I went to Japanese Auto Center over the weekend. My Check Engine light turned on, so I wanted to ensure that whatever was causing the omissions problem got resolved. After their diagnostics, they informed me that my fuel/​air sensor was bad and that I also needed new spark plug wires (and possibly new spark plugs). While my car was in, I also checked on my brakes. They advised me that only 15% was left. After thinking about the repairs (which would have cost over $ 1,200), I decided to only move forward with the fuel/​air sensor. I figured I could replace the spark plug wires myself… as well as the spark plugs. Also, I wanted to get my brakes done somewhere else. The cost to replace the sensor was $ 530. When I asked if I could bring in my own part, they advised that they would then hike up the labor cost (from $ 85 to $ 125/​hour or so). I understand they mark up the cost of the parts, but really? It was, however, posted in their lobby, so whatever. Also, when I asked about the Check Engine light error message, they admitted it was only for the sensor; so basically, they tried to upsell the wires and plugs for an additional $ 200+. Again, whatever, everybody does that. My primary gripe with this place has to do with the brakes. After I was told there was only 15% left, I saw handwritten notes that said there was actually 20% left. I know this percentage can fluctuate a few percentage points, but if the mechanic who visualy inspected my car said 20%, then Steve should tell me 20% and not try to exaggerate the worn condtion to get a sale. Bad form. I appreciate honesty when it comes to mechanics. There’s a reason why people don’t trust mechanics, and this is a clear example of dishonest money-​hungry folk. I wouldn’t recommend this place. Go elsewhere.
Update: How convenient that they don’t have my records. Why would I call this place to talk about how crappy they were. Btw, the check engine light turned on again after they replaced the sensor, but rather than going back… I decided to sell my truck. But it goes to show, not only are they dishonest, they do terrible work. Stay away!!!

This review is based on my experience several years ago…
PRO
Good service and they know what they are doing. They are honest and only do the repairs that is required. They also have good prices.
CON
We have a disagreement on the type of oil they are using. They don’t use the oil that is recommended by the car nor do they use a good brand of oil. He feels that the oil he is using for the cars are good and make the car last longer even though it’s not recommended by the car manufacture. If you are a regular customer there and been using his oil, than just continue using it since your car is already got used to to the oil. Otherwise, bring your own oil for him to use.
OVERALL
I will recommend him and I will continue using him but I switched cars. Now I am back using a Japanese car but I am no longer in the area. But if I live in the area again, I will go back to him.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again: YOU JUST CAN’T BEAT GOOD SERVICE. Thank you for your recent amazing service.

The job decided to relocate to Woodland Hills and I was left trying to figure out where to take my car. With almost 200,000mi, it needed some maintenance. A coworker said a lot of her friends take their cars to Japanese Auto Center so I gave them and another shop a call for estimates.
The cheaper estimate wins!
The really great thing about this place is the convenience. They drove me to work in their shuttle van and picked me up in the same spot. Also, it did not take them that long to finish. Dropped the car off about 9am and it was ready by around 2:30pm.
Replaced the timing belt, new transmission oil, and oil change for less than $ 400. I showed the estimate to a coworker who knows a bit more about cars than I do and he said they were pretty good prices.
Shuttle service
reasonable prices
and the car has been fine since. I’ll let you know if it catches fire or dies on the freeway, but so far so good.

I took my car in for a timing belt and a new clutch. When I got it back it was missing some bolts from the valve cover and the front cover. It wasn’t critical so I didn’t complain. Everything worked at the time. 5 months later I turned on the AC since it was getting hot. No AC. It was working fine before I brought it in!!! Hmm So I called them and refrained from blaming them cuz it could have leaked out on it’s own; however, it was still fishy. Over the phone he says he’ll take a look and if it was their fault, they’ll take care of it, gratis. Ended up charging me $ 150 for the work and new freon. I was not really happy that I was charged so much for something that they could have produced. Well 2 weeks later the AC died again. So I go back and they find that the freon leaked from a hose connection. They replace the freon, recharge it and i’m on my way. No charge.
UPDATE: Originally I gave this shop 4 stars but considering my recent experience 4 stars was very unjustified. I would implore everyone to stay away from this tricky and deceitful mechanic, which took me some time to figure out.
So after I get my car back with my recharged AC, after about a month my AC dies again. So I go to the shop again for the 3^rd time. They take a look at it and after 30min, Kevin says that the AC condensor is leaking and it would cost me $ 500 to replace, including the receiver/​dryer. They showed me the leaks with a flashlight on the AC fins. I was thinking wtf. I already spent good money here and now you tell me I need to spend $ 500 more to fix an AC which was working fine before coming to this shop. So I asked my friend who is a certified AC tech/​engr with a lot of experience about what happened. He told me that the very first thing to do if freon has leaked from any AC system, is to replace the receiver/​dryer which extracts any moisture left in the system, then vacuum and recharge. If there is any air/​moisture in the system it may turn into ice at the expansion valve and thus increase pressure until something fails. The new receiver/​dryer prevents this from happening. And obviously it has failed twice. And twice they did not replace the receiver/​dryer. The first time it failed at a hose fitting and this last time it failed at the condensor fins, which is odd since it’s aluminum. Which means the pressure was so great it busted through the metal! Before I found this out, I had negotiated to have the price reduced from $ 500 to $ 350. (minus the $ 150 I paid the first time) They probably agreed to it knowing that the lack of replacing the receiver dryer could have cause the following leaks. Their parts cost is very low. I don’t like to write negative reviews about any business but in this case I feel that it’s my obligation to inform fellow Unilocalers…

We have 4 Japanese cars right now and Japanese Auto keeps them all running and does it honestly. We have been doing business with them for many years and they have never had us do unnecessary work on cars and are always looking for cost effective alternatives.
They may not be the cheapest but they are the most honest. Highly recommended.

After a referral from my cousin, who had a great experience at Japanese Auto Center, I took my car here to ‘rebuild my transmission’, per the advice of another auto repair shop (A-​1 Auto Center in Los Angeles) who I believed was charging me way too much for the job. Kevin provided excellent customer service and seemed surprised that my 5 ½-​year-​old car needed this type of work. After keeping my car for a day, they informed me that the other repair shop was trying to pull a fast one on me and that my car was in perfectly good condition.
Big thanks to the honest mechanics at Japanese Auto Center!