Rick’s Performance

Just had a nice conversation with Rick about rebuilding my 13b. He gave me some really solid advise and didn’t try to sell me anything I didn’t need. He was very polite and friendly. I’ll definitely bring more business his way.

I needed a local mechanic that is Certified for hybrid cars after a non-​productive visit to a non-​hybrid shop in San Ramon for a check engine light on my Prius. I found Rick’s Performance in Pleasanton and they are AMAZING. I made an appointment ahead of time, showed up at my allotted time, and waited while they pulled the error code, troubleshot the issue and came up with a diagnosis. Rick explained everything to me himself and treated me like an intelligent individual. The part they needed was special order so I will be back next week to fix — at an appointed time — and I can wait while they complete the repair. Great communication, execution and price. Everything a busy person needs from a mechanic. The waiting area is clean and comfy, the service friendly and efficient. I have found my forever mechanic :)

I took my daughter’s 2 year old Mitsubishi Outlander Sport in for service today. She needed an oil change and a routine check. I met the owner, Rick, who was extremely cordial and knowledgable. I told him that my daughter had been told she needed new tires and she had noticed that the engine was making a funny noise. He told me he would check it all out. I arrived a little before my scheduled time, 10:30 and everything was completed by noon. Rick went over everything. He told me the tires were fine, still had tread on them and were safe to drive. He also explained about the engine noise and the type of oil her vehicle took. That thin brand, sometimes when the service was due, tends to make some engine noise, ‘nothing to worry about’ he told me !
I found their facility to be extremely clean both in the employees work area and in the waiting room. They had a Keurig Coffee maker, creamers, snacks (for free) and a TV. The waiting area was very comfortable and inviting, I was pleasantly surprised !!! When I was waiting for my daughters car, I looked on Unilocal and there was a $ 10.00 certificate that Rick, happily honored! I would definitely refer everyone I know to Ricks Performance Center for any auto service they might need !!

I took my ’99 Miata to Rick’s with very satisfying results each time. His advice was solid and the work was great.

We are a family of 4 and when we were on our way home to San Diego, our check engine light came on and the car started shaking. We found Rick’s Performance on Google and even though he was really busy, he said he would see our car immediately. Shirley greeted us upon arrival and in seconds, Rick and his team were under the hood. checking out the issue. Rick came out and explained everything that was going on with our car. Super friendly, courteous, clean and very professional, we wish we lived in Pleasanton so we could bring our car here all the time!
Thank you, Rick and team!

I’ve taken my Subaru WRX and Mazda RX-​8 into Ricks Performance on several occasions in the past few months.
The operation here is professional in their interactions and detailed when it comes to providing an overall inspection on the general health and maintenance of your vehicle.
If you’re looking for a shop that is thorough and comprehensive, this shop delivers. Schedule an appointment ahead of time for the services that you need. If you’re unsure what the problem is, provide a detailed summary what you’re experiencing.
The service Advisor/​Owner, Rick & the technicians are great at assessing your symptoms and explaining what the cause may be and can provide an explanation in most scenarios. After the inspection /​repair — they’ll go over what was done, other items to look after, and any preventative maintenance recommendations.
+Knowledgable about most symptoms, can provide explanations
+Complimentary coffee while waiting
+All things Rotary Engine related, a great resource

Yup– they never disappoint. Just took the RX-​7 for a quick fix and it has never run better. We really appreciate this mechanic and and how he cares about us and the car too! Looking forward to the longevity he has brought to my ’93 RX-​7!

I’ve been to Rick’s Performance /​Rotary a few times now and have received a level of service that is unequaled. Rick, the owner, and Janet, the front counter attendant, are friendly and knowledgable. Too often does talent preclude humility; this is not the case with Rick. If you’re car needs work, you can trust it will be in good hands and done right here. Anywhere else and you may not have that comfort of mind.

Rick is an excellent and very skilled mechanic, I’ve been going to his shop for over 20 years. If you have an RX-​7 /​8 it’s the only place you want to go.
He’s also worked on a couple of my Honda’s that are getting old. With the dealer’s you get hit or miss skills, a newbie or a master mechanic.
He’ll tell you what you really need done now, what can wait and what’s a nice to have. Also give an honest opinion when it’s time to get a new car rather than pump money in the old one.

Because I love my car,
I travel from afar,
In Rick-​sensei I trust.
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I drive my car from San Francisco so I can have Rick work on it. I wouldn’t even consider taking it anywhere else. He is thorough, sincere, and very communicative. The first time he called me to give me an update on my car (I was having A LOT of repair and upgrades done), I was admittedly surprised and caught off guard as I’m used to having to hound a shop for status updates.
Especially if you have an RX-​7, this is the place to go. One time I wasn’t getting any boost above 5000rpm so I called Rick up, and without even looking at the car he told me over the phone to push in a vacuum hose near the alternator. Sure enough it had come off and that did the trick.
I’ll be coming back here for all of my future maintenance and upgrades.

Rick is excellent. Did a pre-​sales checkout on a used car for me while I waited, and it was thorough and fair, with sound personal advice from Rick himself. Super clean facility. Charged me less than the estimate. Class act.

We love our Mazdaspeed3 and, thanks to Rick and his great crew, we love it even more! There had been a few things to fix (engine light, engine mount, wiper blades, etc) that added up to a day at the shop. After talking with other shops and dealers, and doing some research, we decided Rick’s would be the best place to have a thorough diagnosis and the best work done. We were not disappointed! Rick listened to what we had to say (both dealer recommendations and our own thoughts), offered his suggestions, and after a test drive and a day or two of bringing things up to par, we once again have an amazing ride! Thank you, Rick and the whole Rotary Performance Crew!
I discovered Rick when I moved to Livermore 13 years ago. I was new to California and drove a ’94 Miata, a car that I really wanted to keep on the road for as long as possible. At the time, it was just Rick and one other guy and they obviously knew what they were doing, they care about cars, their work was excellent, and their prices were fair. I never had a bad experience with them. Because of their professionalism and expertise, my little Miata made it over 185k!
In time, I got married, moved to San Francisco, got the Speed3, and had it serviced (what little it needed) in the city. While the oil changes were okay in SF, Rick’s diagnostic abilities and intelligent suggestions have overwhelmingly convinced me that this is the best shop for the life of my car. Zoom zoom!

Rick’s Performance takes customer service and professionalism to a whole new level.
We recently relocated to CA from OR and one of our cars didn’t pass the smog test, so we had to get it addressed pronto. I had visions of getting taken advantage of, not already having a mechanic I trusted. I checked around with neighbors and Rick’s was recommended.
Every step of the way was a pleasure, from the receptionist that set up the appointment, to the mechanic that took the time to explain what he did to minimize repair costs, and why it may or may not work, to Rick himself getting involved to apologize and resolve an issue with a faulty tire valve. The mechanic even called the smog place to make sure that the codes that still were showing on the car wouldn’t prevent passing.
The car passed smog, and we can finally complete the last step of becoming Californians.
Rick’s is highly recommended.

Rick’s diagnostic skills are amazing. Serviced my 1987 Mazda RX7 for years– never missed a diagnosis or botched a repair job. Even could point out mistakes made by previous mechanics. Expensive– but you get what you pay for.

I used to work at the Pleasanton Weekly and met Rick & Shirley at the First Wednesday Street Parties. They had the booth right next to us. They were very nice people right when I met them. Not to long after my car wouldn’t start and I had it towed to Rick’s. It ended up being a fuel pump (I think it was anyway I don’t know cars at all!). Shirley gave me a ride home and I found out that my Step Mom had been going there for sometime as well as my Dad and they too were happy with their service. The part was replaced and the car has worked great ever since!
I have also attended their networking group that they hold at their shop and it was great! If you are a business owner or Networker then I would recommend trying to go to one of theirs in the future.

I’ve waited to write this review because I thought I might need to return. Not many options around here and I didn’t know if they were the best of the crap out there.
I have not returned and it’s been fine so I can finally say what I have wanted to say for so long.
This place is awful. I used them a few times and once they left something unbolted under my car. Luckily I noticed right away and took it back. They fixed it but didn’t even apologize and acted like I was being petty. It was pretty obvious with it hanging the way it was that it was not smart to leave it.
The other thing was my power windows were not rolling down properly so I decided to pay for the analysis and it wasn’t cheap. So they told me the issue was fixed and I paid. A few days later I realized the back window would go down but not up. I took it back and they said it couldn’t be fixed it was a bigger issue or something I asked how they could charge such a hefty fee for an inspection of the window and then fail to notice that the back window did not work properly. What does the inspection entail??? I would think a test of each window! Rick admitted that was a good point but offered nothing. Did not fix it.
I have argued with that man several times and once the front desk lady even tried to smooth things over at the farmers market when I told her my troubles with them. But I saw after that nothing had changed in the slightest. That man seems very unhappy and uncaring of his customers. He is rude and chilly and I don’t trust him at all. Plus their work ethic leaves much to be desired. They dont pay attention to detail. They also left an inside screw cover off but that was hardly noticeable so I didn’t even mention that to them. There were unfortunately more important things to tell them. But still, it’s a bit tacky that a screw shows in my car now. They leave my car dirty with the oily greasy shoe paper in there every time I have been there (once for the window, twice for oil changes)
I’m very surprised others have such great experiences. I’m so glad I don’t have to return and pretend they do a great job so they won’t get mad at me and do a poor job. They do that anyway, what am I talking about…

If I could provide 0 stars, I would. When it comes to customer service, the reception desk at this shop fails miserably. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to work with the boys in the shop– for all I know, they are great. But the service I received was unacceptable.
I purchased an online local deal coupon for an oil change and 27 point inspection. I called on a Tuesday to see what their hours were. The woman who answered the phone said she was sorry but they could’t take a car after 5pm. ‘There’s not enough time.’ I explained that I desperately needed the oil change and I would forfeit the extra inspection just to get the oil change. She told me ‘There is no point to the coupon without the inspection. But we’re open Saturday.’ So I waited until today, having read such great reviews about this shop.
I show up at 10am and the woman at the front desk asks if I have an appointment. I explained that not once during my previous conversation with the shop had anyone mentioned anything about an appointment. She tells me I can leave my car and ‘hopefully they’d have it done by end of day.’ Are you kidding? Who said anything about leaving the car? Its a Saturday and I have a 2 year old with me!
By this point, I was FURIOUS. I left and went straight to my boys at Oil Changers, spent twice the amount on an oil change and was in and out in 20 minutes. I could care less about a $ 40 change when I’ve got knowledgeable guys working on my car who respect my time and needs.
I will NEVER return to Ricks. They lost me with their disrespectful front desk associate. As far as the already-​paid-​for oil change coupon? It went straight into the trash where clearly this shop’s customer service requirements are.
EDIT: Rick contacted me within 24 hours to remedy the situation I had at his shop. It was clear by his apology that he was sincere about feeling poorly for how I was treated and really wanted to ensure that I understood this was not the way he ran his business. He did ask if I wanted a refund and issued it to me immediately. While the situation I encountered was inexcusable and I do not condone it, I by no means believe that it was typical and do not expect that it would happen again.

I brought my FD in to Rick’s because of all the reviews. This was the first time I brought my car any car to a shop since I normally do my own work. But since this was my first turbo rotary, i figured I should bring it to a professional. I informed Rick before i dropped off the car that I have problems with the sequential system because it was running a newer JDM motor so it had the newer ‘black box’(i think thats what they called it) I told him I want to see how much it would cost to remove the sequential system. He informed me to do a basic diagnostic so I went ahead and did it.
After a couple hours later he came and told me that I would need new bushings and what not. But here’s the kicker, he also said its running a jdm motor so in order to make the sequential run i would need to purchase all the OEM USDM sequential parts. First of all, i told him what I wanted a quote on, second of all DUH I’m running a jdm motor I TOLD YOU!
All in all i ended up leaving with about $ 135 that seemed to have been ripped out of my pocket. In the end I ended up buying a sequential block off kit and did everything myself, go figure.
If you have any mods in your car I recommend bringing it to a performance shop where they can diagnose more advance issues. Other than that non diyers you have no choice but to shell out that extra cash. Sorry.

Rick’s gained it’s fifth star from excellent customer service!
Rick apparently monitors his reviews here on Unilocal and read my review lamenting about their lack of service for American cars. As it turns out they have recently hired new mechanics who are able to work on American cars. Rick gave me a call and left a voice-​mail informing me of this change and inviting me back.
I was happily surprised to hear from Rick and will definitely be contacting them soon to work on my Ford Taurus.
I was impressed that Rick monitors his reviews. I think that is a sign of a passionate business owner and he is definitely someone who deserves my patronage.

Got an oil change here quite a while ago after seeing the stellar reviews for this place.
What originally was meant to be an oil change later on turned into an oil change plus getting nails out of TWO tires. I really don’t know how nails could have gotten into two of my tires without me noticing, but I found it an extremely odd coincidence that it happened in their lot. Charged me full price for removing the nails from both of my tires and I ended up spending the same amount of money as a regular oil change even though I mentioned the Unilocal review.
I’m trying to be generous by giving them an extra star because I could tell Rick seemed like an honest person, however really what are the odds I get two tires punctured when I bring it in this shop. I’m not accusing Rick’s of doing anything malicious, but I would bargain to bet someone didn’t clean up properly while they had my car.