Marty’s Motors

Alright, let me start off by saying this place is seriously committed to customer service.
I had a coupon that included a bunch of stuff, and my last mechanic was a nightmare, thought I’d try them out. They offer a ride to Bart or somewhere close if you need it, which was awesome and really nice of them!
I called, made an appointment and brought my car in a week later. I was on time, and the guy at the front desk (light eyes brown hair, nice watch, think his name was Todd/​Tom) was really awesome. I didn’t know exactly what oil I needed, but I knew I wanted synthetic oil for my oil change. With a couple of clicks on the computer he knew what I needed and it was great.
It ended up happening that my car got lost in the shuffle and when I went to pick it up it turned out they had not done any work on the car. It didn’t ruffle my feathers because it didn’t affect my life in a negative way. I thought maybe they’d throw in a free windshield wiper or two. No, these guys went above and beyond what I expected to make up for the error.
They gave me all the service that the coupon said (so mind you, it’s already super discounted) for free! I didn’t expect that, especially in this day in age. I can’t remember the last time I got some seriously good service, and genuine care for me as a customer… till I experienced it at Marty’s Motors. When I came to get my car the second time they read me off everything they checked, everything that may or may not need attention, and when I need to purchase new tires. They gave me a folder with all the services I got done, when to return, and other awesome stuff.
In the end, this place is 100% professional, precise, and honest. I didn’t feel judged as a person or as a car owner, and that is also a bit rare for me. I recommend this place to ANYONE who wants good, quality service you can count on for your car, and for you!

My in-​laws have been taking their vehicles here for years and the work has been done in a competent fashion. I recently reviewed their receipts though and was shocked at the pricing. Quality work need not and should not be done for the lowest price in town, but the pricing here borders on offensive. Another disappointment was that I took my sister-​in-​laws car in today because she mentioned a belt squeal and I verified that the accessory belts that were replaced 1000 miles ago were not sufficiently tensioned. On this vehicle, the fix would have taken approximately 3 minutes. Granted I did not have an appointment, but figured that they would make the time to correct a mistake on a long time customer’s car. Nope. Was told to bring it back tomorrow and that even then they still couldn’t promise to fix it.

I brought my old, tired ’99 Camry with Cataracts on its headlights in and Marty’s defogged the headlights so that they look like new. No more Cataracts! Oh, and thanks for a quick turn around on a tight work day, with both a courtesy drop off and pick up around my tight office schedule. What other auto shop offers that service?! And they also gave me a cool large umbrella a day or two before it rained! Thanks Marty. It’s the little things that people remember when it comes to service.

While driving from Northern California to the bay my car broke down near Marty’s Motors. All of my spark plugs needed to be replaced along with some other work. Marty’s mechanics took such great care of me and my car in ample time to get back to Northern California all at a reasonable price. I have also waited a few months to write this review to ensure the repair work was sound. Marty is the only mechanic who has ever called me back to make sure I made it home safely and I truly appreciate the job well done.

Martys has kept my 2003 Prius humming happily for years. And when we ran into a problem with intermittent dead battery they went far far beyond what I would normally expect to solve it. While it is still not clear i would unequivocally recommend them. They guarantee their work no kidding.
Mary Ann Gallagher

Was very disappointed with the misdiagnosis of my car. I have very little free time and took my car in the one day I could. I told them what I thought it was and they said otherwise. They told me they fixed the issue but the next day, it was back. Turns out it WAS what I thought. I feel like I wasted my time and money (diagnosis fee). 2 stars for telling me everything else that was «wrong» with my car but not what I took it in for.

A small business that has a great local reputation.

Wow. I was stunned and disappointed when I got a snarky email from Marty himself after I had found another provider to do a simple check for less money. Customer service can be an art, and restraint is one of its tools.

Went to Marty’s spent over $ 900.00 on repairs to my Honda truck. Great job but they ain’t cheap. Tend to over charge (a little) $ 46.00 labor to change two dashboard lights. Both were easy to get to. would I go back??? yup. hate to part with $$$$.but I trust them!!!

I’m new in the town, and look for a good mechanic who will take good care of my car. I made a few phone calls to get price quote among auto shops have good reviews ( Unilocal and Angie’s list, yes, I was serious about finding a decent mechanic who I will have business for years). Right after I explained what I need for my car and ask him for a price quote, the guy over the phone said «Are you looking for a cheapest shop? that ain’t going to be us. Go find some other shop.». What is wrong with this person? I had to ask him if I tried to bargain. Do people just show up to a mechanic they have never been before and drop their car and pay whatever mechanic calls later? Well… I did that with my old mechanic down in LA because I had a strong trust in their service over 4 years and they gave me the estimate before I even ask.
I thought the guy over the phone was completely out of his mind. I told him forget about it and about to hang up and of course he pretended like he was joking. Haha that was not funny.
I will never find out if he is an excellent mechanic, because I don’t expect a person with this attitude is capable of providing a good service. Also there are so many friendly and nice mechanics out there. I’m not going to spent a couple of thousand dollars to a mechanic who doesn’t even know how to treat their customers well.
Ah and thanks for this person, I found another good mechanic who is nice and provided a great service.

Just went in for an oil change, but I was 100% satisfied. They did when they said they would, and it took less time then he estimated. They performed an inspection on the vehicle (which I knew it should pass everything), and that is exactly what they said as well. So simply put, professional, good communication, and great customer service. I will be back. They worked on my Lexus 400Rx. Oh and yes they even cleaned the car a bit just for an oil change.

Todd and Marty and everybody else I have interacted with have always been very professional and friendly. They keep my high-​mileage Honda Accord running and gently make recommendations for future service. I feel in good hands there.

My starter pooped out on me one night and my insurance referred me to Marty’s, which was located conveniently across the street from my apartment. Towed car in on a Friday, and got it back on Tuesday (They’re closed on Saturday and Sunday). The service was friendly and they showed genuine concern, and pulled out a long list of other repairs/​updates that I needed. They kept me updated, which put my worries at ease.
I wasn’t a big fan of the price, and could have gotten it much lower somewhere else, however, I already towed it there and it was way to late to ask for it back. Anyways, at the end of the day, this is what one should expect when owning a car; that it is going to cost $$ no matter what, when shit goes down. At least I got thrown in a good vacuuming job, a dry erase white board, an envelope opener, and a good pet of their rescued dog, Sam.

Actually, I have my receipts Marty!

I am a truly satisfied customer of Marty’s Motors— couldn’t give them a higher recommendation.
Marty, Todd and the staff do a great job of taking care of my car. I’ve taken my car there for over 7 years and I haven’t had any complaints. They take customer service seriously, from excellent services and fair pricing, to follow up phone calls to make sure the customer is satisfied. You’d be hard-​pressed to find any other auto dealer or auto shop who takes such care and interest in its customers.
Also, Mary takes pride in his city. A past President of his local Rotary club, he is all about serving his community as well. Marty is just a real stand-​up guy and is really deserving of my business. As a result, I don’t think twice about driving across the bay from San Francisco when it comes time to service my car.

As Good As It Gets!
I received a phone call from Marty this morning a week after my visit — to ask how everything is going… Pretty amazing if you have ever been to Marty’s you would know that they are not just sitting around, so the fact that he takes the time for follow up calls is great. They worked on my Honda. Breaks, new tires, check up. And of course did an amazing job but that is not he only reason why I would recommend them — it’s the little things.
I received a discount for a first time visit. I was also given a certificate for a free oil change to give to «my ride» from the shop as a thank you to them for being my transportation. A calendar and some car facts that was educational.
Todd, the gentleman taking care of me could not have been friendlier, more knowledgeable and helpful. I was getting my car looked at before a trip to Tahoe. He researched tires — educated me on selection, also checked weather in Tahoe and asked if I had snow chains. He priced those out for me and checked availability at a local and a Sacramento location…
I seriously could not say enough about the SERVICE I received there. I came to Marty’s from a referral and I will personally continue to refer Marty’s to anyone I know. Thank you Marty and Todd!

I agree with the other reviewers that Marty’s puts profits before customer satisfaction. I was regular customer who was overcharged for a very simple fix, and was embarrassed and turned away — not to mention denied any compensation — when I went back to Marty’s to discuss it with them.
Also in acknowledgement of other reviews, I can attest to the risk of the owner’s dog being on the premises. If a dog is as defensive of his space as the owner claims he is, he should not be in a place of business.
Will not be going back.

I came in for an oil change with a Val-​Pak coupon and they fixed my stuck window for free! Vacuum and window-​washing is included too.
However they did not put a new reminder sticker in my window … and my sixth sense tells me they did not rotate or fill the tires as promised.
I am not crazy about having a dog on the premises, since the man at the counter said the dog was a rescue who was very defensive and might bite. I mean, I’m all for rescue dogs but if there is any chance at all that it could bite a customer, it does not belong in a place of business.

I’ve been to Marty’s for three major repairs (a 1995 Ford Escort wagon). Each time I’ve been pleased with the professionalism and efficiency of their service. Marty and Todd both take time to explain the work that is needed. Their prices are fair and I’ve always found the work to be of high quality. They also have a loaner car (or two?) available on a first-​come, first-​served basis, and this is very helpful. This is just a good, solid, ethical business, in my opinion.
In reading the occasional negative reviews here, I think one has to remember that a mechanic is a bit like a dentist in this respect: nobody wants to go to either. So people may sometimes want to «vent» their frustration in a forum like this, and I can understand that. But I think if you compare the *overall* reviews of different mechanics, you’ll get a good sense of the quality of each. (I guess I’m saying, a certain number of negative reviews are expected, just given the nature of the business.)
Marty also has a cool dog behind the counter (usually sleeping), and this is nice to see.
Best wishes to all…

I’m FINALLY done with car repairs for the year… What a year it’s been. For the first time in ages I’m able to not worry about leaving my car some place that’s going to rip me off. I’m updating my review to reflect my last two visits to Marty’s:
I have a vehicle that is a special edition and quite rare. Thus, I have no intention of ever selling it. Since it has only occasionally been my daily driver, I have been able to park it for long periods of time if necessary. My last major repair was in 2007. I haven’t actively driven the vehicle since 2008 so I was really worried when I took it into Marty’s. I KNEW there was going to be a big bill since some things had been going wrong the last time I drove the vehicle.
One test of a car repair shop is if they pick up on things that were recommended to be repaired during past inspections. That’s exactly what happened. I knew that the brake proportioning valve needed replacing, and they found that. What really amazed me was that they FOUND THE ERRORS FROM THE PREVIOUS SHOP. A brake hose had been installed IMPROPERLY and was rubbing against a tire. To say I was peeved at my former shop was an understatement. Read my reviews to figure out who it was…
I could only get one round of repairs done as I was going out of town by a certain date. They took care of the repairs at Marty’s in a timely manner and kept me abreast of the situation as necessary.
I returned to Marty’s after I got back to figure out the major issue that had been concerning me since 2008 in one way or another. They figured it out. It wasn’t cheap, but this type of repair NEVER is. They also did a repair on my power window and did NOT install a part that arrived more worn than mine (only a used one was available). They could have very well installed the too-​worn part, heck just told me they did and I never would have been the wiser…
A was able to get a loaner for my last repair. You forget how nice it is to drive where you want, when you want after taking the bus for ages.
One tip: Don’t forget to read your Marty’s newsletter. He has great coupons in there and I was able to apply one to THIS repair that saved me a good amount on labor.
I will definitely be returning to this shop even if it’s just to drop in and say HI. Yes, they are that nice.