Alameda Auto Lab

I have brought my car to Robert's Auto Lab a few times now and each time I have been more than satisfied with the care and the cost for repair.

The first time the engine light was on so I called and made an appointment to have him diagnose the problem. Fortunately it was a minor issue so he did not charge me to fix the issue. I knew from that moment he earned my trust.

The second time, the timing belt needed to be replaced. It took 3 days and I got the car back in time to take my weekend holiday.

The last time I brought my car in, my Jetta was having issues with car turning off. He recommended that I take my car to the dealership since it was a hybrid engine and it would cost too much to fix at his shop. Most or some mechanics would have charged me just to look at it.

If you are looking for a solid, honest mechanic with strong record of service in the area, Robert is your guy.

We had the worst experience at Alameda Auto Lab.

We called up Robert and he talked through an issue of the engine light coming on. He said, "no problem", and that he can fix it.

We dropped off the car on a Tuesday. Usually car repair guys call by the end of the day, but no call from Robert. In fact, no call on Wednesday. By Thursday, I called and left a message. But no return call. Finally on Saturday he calls and says provides an estimate for $450.

I ask for the part number of the part he's installing and lookup on the dealer website what they charge. Robert charges $150 for a $43 dollar part from the dealer! What a mark up.

Well, we were carless and in a bind, so we approved the exorbantly expensive repair. He said the car would be ready on Monday, but that he'd call to confirm.

Monday came and went, no call from Robert. Then Tuesday went by with no call. Finally on Wednesday - a call! The car was ready.

Came to pick up the car, paid, and then....

.... as we are driving away the check engine light came on. Issue wasn't fixed.

Drove straight to the dealer. He replaced the EXACT same part for $43. Works great now.

Stay away from this place.

The Alameda auto lab is an exceptional shop. They fit me in even though I was late to my appointment and performed great services on my car and changed my tires and less than two hours. Would highly recommend them for anyone requiring services big or small.

Long story short: They'll fix your AC, it might break in about a year, and then they'll refuse to answer your calls afterward unless you call with a different number.

I truly wish I had never come here. My AC broke right before a cross country move to Ohio. I asked them to fix it without getting a second opinion. Something was clogged and it ran me over two grand, which is reasonable from what I can tell. They fixed it and I got across the country just fine.

My issues with them are the following. My AC broke a little over a year after the repair and I had to get it fixed again. I remembered they had some type of insurance policy, and so I attempted to call Robert. He didn't pick up, so I left a message. A week goes by and I don't hear from him. So I called again. I think I called him seven or eight times over the course of a few months, all within their working hours. He never picks up or calls back. So guess what, I one time after I call him I call I decide to call him with a different phone within a minute, and he picks up immediately! I can only assume this guy was dodging my calls which is super shady.

This place is located in such an inconvenient area. It's so crowded, and you have to drive into the garage or warehouse to have your car worked on. I paid $100 for a diagnostic check and that wasn't even going to go towards the price of the services that I needed. I was quoted $1100 to have rear brake pads and rotors replaced. I called around to five other places and got quotes hundreds of dollars less than Alameda Auto lab. The place that I ended up going to, told me that I needed back brakes and rotors and that my front ones were fine. I asked if they were sure because I was told that I needed to have both of them replaced. They informed me that the front brake pads and rotors looked absolutely fine but the brakes in the back do need to be fixed. It cost me about $700 cheaper than what I was quoted. I told the guy at Alameda auto lab that I couldn't afford to get the service done at the time, he said why don't you just start with the back and if you pay cash I'll knock off $50. I definitely felt like they were trying to swindle me because I'm a woman and get extra money out of me. I would not recommend this place.

Bob has taken care of both of our cars. I really trust the mechanics here in diagnosing and fixing the issue. It's great to have a local mechanic that you can trust and really wants to do the best for you.

Roberto and crew are top notch.. always professional and kind. Work is always done perfectly and in a timely manner, our cars run great after visit. Quality of service is fantastic from start to finish. I recommend the auto shop %.

We were traveling through town with 15-month old twins and got a fat tire. They were able to find a very tiny leak in our valve stem and replace it for $40 within an hour and we were back on the road. Proprietor was nice. The shop has some 20s/30s Fords and other classics hanging around you can look at while you wait.

We've been taking our vehicles to Robert and his team for almost 10 years. They're honest, accommodating and provide a great value. He's kept our cars in great shape and I'm happy to have a mechanic that I can rely on.

Robert at Alameda Auto Lab is awesome. I found this place because I needed propane for my bbq grill. And low and behold when everywhere else was out of propane I was directed to an auto mechanic. Might I add they have since serviced two of my vehicles.

What I really appreciate about this place is that the technicians do not leave your vehicles dirty after they work on it.

Thank you Auto Lab