Auto Express

Friendly and helpful guys. Really quick oil change plus they gave me tips on snow conditions where I was traveling too. I’d come here again!

Being a first time car owner, single lady and non Sacramento native I was nervous about having my 2000 Honda looked at. I called around to get some estimates (for an oil change and to get replacement headlights) and the numbers were not good. I also felt a bit uncomfortable that I may get taken advantage of. All these fears were put to bed when I arrived here. My Honda was accurately diagnosed as not needing an oil change (a fact I later confirmed with my parents) my tire pressure checked and to my surprise my lights DID NOT need to be replaced only cleaned. The service was not only honest, but fast and friendly. I will definitely come back for my auto servicing needs :)

I haven’t posted on Unilocal in a long while, but these guys just did repair work on my car for the second time and it was just as good an experience as the first. I feel like I can pretty confidently recommend them now. They are quite accommodating and get stuff done surprisingly quick. Nice guys. I will definitely use them again if I need to. Thanks.

This is the only place I’ll take my cars to! I had an oddball issue with a car that had been garaged for over a year, and then had major service done at the dealer. I took it to John at Auto Express to be smogged, and even though it passed the actual tests, there are calculations that are done by the car’s on-​board emissions computer that comprise part of the test and there wasn’t enough data in the system to complete the tests, so no certificate could be issued.
John helped me understand what I had to do to generate enough data for the test (different types of driving, freeway, city, etc) and offered a free re-​test. It took a week, 200 miles of driving and 2 visits, but it just passed today! John and crew are always so friendly and professional and go out of their way to explain any issues thoroughly. With a different car, I brought it in for service, and the repair was going to be more expensive than originally thought. John walked me through the issue step by step while the car was open during the repair and broke down the cost of each line item in the repair so that I understood where the extra cost was coming from.
Thanks again, John! I appreciate all of your help!

Called to check smog pricing and he’s $ 15 less than everyone else! It’s a tiny lot with only 2 garages and hella cars, but don’t let the outside fool you– these guys are super honest and get the job done quick!
There’s no office or anything, but smog check was 10−15min and it was a nice day so no problem for me to hang outside for such a short period. The Owner, John, is super friendly and professional. $ 40 out the door for smog and certification! He even let me know my hand brake was loose and if I came back for an oil change or something he’d take a look at it/​fix it. Super sweet guy! I would recommend to friends!

Get a smog check and oil change with synthetic oil under 15 minutes! Great and friendly owner makes you feel welcomed.

Brought my car here to get it to pass a smog test and John was great! I needed a thing or two done before it could pass, but John was honest and upfront about the repairs from the beginning. I’ve had this car at two other mechanics out of state and neither could figure out why my check engine light was on – John figured the problem out and fixed it in two days. Auto Express isn’t your typical mechanic place; it’s better. The workers know you and care about your car instead of just treating you as a number or a price. I will definitely be coming back here for regular maintenance, as well as bringing my car here if anything goes wrong with it. Thanks so much John!

Check their website: It clearly states «Smog Test in Sacramento, CA
For $ 31.75, we smog test your 2000 or newer passenger car. This includes the smog test only. The certificate and transmission fee are an additional and cost $ 8.25 making the total price $ 40.00.» It ALSO states, in a scrolling banner, «$ 5 off any SMOG inspection. Please present coupon at time of purchase. See dealer for details.».
Not only this, but I even had the «coupon» downloaded to my phone from their website. It reads:
Print coupon and bring to store to redeem.
$ 5 Off ANY Smog Inspection
Coupon Valid June 1, 2015 thru August 31, 2015
$ 5 off ANY smog inspection! Please present coupon at time of purchase. See dealer for details.
Soooo, I drop my car off and the kid at the «desk» (it’s really just a table in the parking lot) says «Oh, yeah, that coupon is already included in the price.» Huh?! Do you not understand the definition of a coupon? If you post a «regular» price of $ 40, and then offer a coupon for $ 5 off, it’s not included in the price. I tried to explain it to this guy for a few minutes, but figured I’d just show the website and coupon to the «smog guy», who was «coming back in a minute» when I came back to pickup my car. I mean, who in their right mind, would argue with this?
I live nearby and kept waiting for a call to say the car was finished. Nope. I finally called 4 hours later and, without explanation about why they hadn’t called me (my number is on the estimate for what reason then?), or apology, they said it was ready. So I walked down and spoke to the owner. Again I explained, very calmly, that it was clear that the regular price for SMOG is $ 40 total, I showed him the coupon (it’s even dated for Pete’s sake!) for $ 5 off. He gave me the same BS about the «coupon» already being reflected in the price. When I said it clearly is not, and that I would appreciate it if he deducted the coupon from the total, he said… I’m not making this up…“Well, you signed the estimate and if you want to drive your car away, it’s going to cost you $ 40″.
What kind of business is this? Not only is it strewn with junk cars, garbage, no inside waiting area, etc, but the guys clearly don’t care about customer service, honesty, or reason.
I would NEVER take my car here, and only had SMOG done because I was already there and I figured they couldn’t screw it up too badly. But at this point, I wouldn’t even trust them to change a tire. VERY SHADY, RUDE, and UNTRUSTWORTHY.

First off, if I could leave a zero star I would do so. This place was right across the street from my place of work so I thought I would give them a try. My vehicle would not start so I had it towed to this shop for diagnosis. The verdict was that a two year old battery was dead and that a new battery was needed. The owner «John» said he recommended an Interstate battery, stating they are the best money could buy. I agreed and arrived to pick up my vehicle a few hours later. Upon my arrival, I noticed my vehicle was parked right near the main entrance and provided barely enough room for my friend to pull into the lot without scraping my vehicle. I immediately noticed the front right bumper had brown paint transfer and the front bumper was completely pushed in. Just so happens this was within the path previously mentioned. I asked «John» if he was aware of what transpired and he immediately became defensive, stating «we just parked it there minutes before you arrived.» «John» blamed the tow company for the damage. I really was not sure who or where the damage occurred and was merely asking. This owner was completely unprofessional, rude, flailing his hands, making claims that he was a «foreigner» and that he must not understand. At one point I literally told him to take his hands away from my face and to act like a professional business owner. A few minutes later I asked about a $ 10.00 core charge for the battery and this guy lost his marbles. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else! Horrible experience by a nasty old man!

My brakes started squeaking and it was driving me insane. I was able to get a same day appointment and brought my 4Runner in to have my brakes inspected and oil changed. My brakes were wearing unevenly due to the clips not being replaced when I brought it into Toyota the last time I had my brakes replaced. My brakes feel great now and the squeak is completely gone! Not only did this shop get the work done quickly the same day, but they gave me a great price. I will definitely bring my 4Runner back here again for any future maintenance or repairs.

Always excellent service. My first experience here was getting my catalytic converter changed and, since it wasn’t an immediate need, John was able to order a different part and modify it so that I was able to save nearly 50% overall.
John is an honest guy who has always given me his real opinion on whether or not work has to be done, even when it means he doesn’t make a sale. Because of this I will keep going back any time I need work done.

Went in this morning because one of my tires had a small nail and needed a patch. From beginning to end John was friendly and honest. He told me they only did exterior patches, but it would be enough to get me by until I can have the nail removed and the puncture fully sealed.
It was still early morning and they weren’t extremely busy, but I was helped immediately and the entire process only took about 20 – 30 minutes. He noticed my coolant was low and asked if I wanted it filled before actually proceeding (which I really appreciate. Some places just do it without asking first).
He also pointed out that my rear brakes needed to be changed soon, and he let me see what he was looking at. What’s great is John didn’t pressure me into changing them right then and there, and he was honest about how much time I had left until the brakes were metal to metal.
I’ll definitely be going back next time my car needs attention!

I had such a great experience here, and John is very welcoming and knowledgable! Very fast and easy getting my car serviced and not to mention, done right the first time. I’d recommend this shop to all and although it’s not the cheapest, you pay for quality parts and quality service. Thanks!

They have done a terrific job for me in the past. Best deals in town! In the past, they have changed out lights, fixed my AC and given me an oil change. I now need my Check Engine light off – catalytic converters and misfiring code. After price checking several places, I will keep you updated on whether or not they are still the best deal on town!
Other notes: The location is convenient to other places, restaurants/​coffee houses and parks, to wait. My only change would be that they had some hours on Saturday. The Monday through Friday hours makes car maintenance difficult if you only have weekend availability.

John was great… He informed me the parts I thought I need we’re not necessary. John took the time to show me and explain what parts I needed. My truck was ready early and ran great!
Thank you John… You earned my business!

These guys are awesome, they will give you a honest direction and will work with you on your car. I recommend these guys to anyone they are excellent at what they do.

I’m a fan of this place and of John. He is wonderful!
I’ve taken my car over for routine work a few times here now. I work at the office right across the street, so the location is super convenient. I drop the car off in the morning, and when I get a call from John that the car is ready, I just hop across the street to get my car. It works out fantastically.
The customer service is always great. I have never seen John or any of his guys in a bad mood, and they are always so helpful. Also, the fairest pricing in town. For oil changes, my car needs synthetic oil. I used to go to Jiffy Lube, and even with a discount coupon of 10−15%, the oil change would end up costing over $ 80. Here, with John, it’s practically half the cost!
He’s also done other maintenance work on my car. I can’t remember what, but always, it was cost-​effective and able to be completed the same day. I will need to have a smog check done soon — and John also offers this service!
John and his guys know their stuff, are great to work with, and are always on the customer’s side. This place really is as good as it gets.

Jhon and his crew do great work. With 140k on my Ford Focus, when it dropped out of gear accelerating off a stoplight, I was sure I needed a new transmission, but Auto Express diagnosed a bad solenoid and saved me over a grand.

Stopped in to get a diagnostic on my jeep. John was quick and fair. Don’t judge the shop by the way it looks.

I dropped my sad little car off at the shop yesterday to fix a couple issues, notably a leak in the fuel line and an idling issue that was preventing my car from passing smog. Both issues were resolved quickly, the cost was reasonable (especially considering the idle issue was caused by a dirty throttle body, which nobody even makes for my car anymore and therefore cannot be replaced), and the service was great.