Str Auto Repair

I just called in about dropping off my car, and the guy that answered the phone was a complete asshole. I don’t know anything about their service, but I won’t be visiting.

STR was highly recommended by my long time Mercedes mechanic who couldn’t work on my Mini Cooper which had come off warranty. I have been bringing the Mini to STR for at least two years now, and I am very pleased with their care of my car. They have replaced water pump, brakes, alternator, worked on air conditioner and more. Excellent work. They are honest, helpful, direct. The place is clean and organized, and you will see their satisfied customers coming and going. If it wasn’t for them, I would have traded the Mini in for a new one because I hate worrying about dishonest mechanics, but they have given me the confidence to keep it. They are very much appreciated.

These guys never ended up servicing my car, so I’m not reviewing their actual work. What I am reviewing, by all fair evidence, is their attempt to rip me off.
About two years ago, I brought my car to STR Auto to get a 60K mile tune-​up. I asked them for an estimate before starting any repairs – good thing I did. They quoted me over $ 1,000 of repairs on a 2003 Honda Civic. Here are my notes from the quote:
$ 260 for a 60K tune-​up including oil, filters, spark plugs, etc.
$ 65 to replace cabinet filter
$ 170 to replace engine belts, power steering, water pump
$ 260 to replace 2 front struts including springs, inside shocks, leaking oil
$ 175 labor to replace 2 front struts
— — — — — –
= $ 1,190
A guy friend of mine recommended I get a second opinion. So I took my Civic to another highly reviewed mechanic asking for the same service: a 60K tune-​up. They quoted me $ 60 and said there was nothing in dire need of service aside from a battery that would need replacement in 6 months. 1 year after that, my car needed an induction cleaning and transmission flush, for which I paid $ 240 service and parts.
My car is still running flawlessly 2 years and 10K miles after STR Auto’s original quote. The whole reason I’m writing this review is because I’m cleaning out a file cabinet and and found this quote, which I happened to save. It reminded me of how pissed off I was, and also how grateful I was for the advice from my friend:
Trust your gut when something doesn’t smell right (no matter how good the reviews are on Unilocal) and GET A SECOND OPINION.

I HIGHLY recommend this shop for any car and especially for BMWs which can be expensive for any shop to even just look at! I have had all my service done on my 1994 BMW 325i here since 2008 and am SO glad I found them! The shop is owned & run by a father/​son team who are both very knowledgeable, funny, and honest though they can come across impatient and harsh, they really just like to get to the point and be honest. They have saved me financially from a number of issues that could have put me in the poor house by finding ways to fix problems on my car cheaper though staying completely safe. For ANY of your car problems/​needs don’t walk or run… DRIVE to them ASAP! Thanks guys for all your continued help!
Brian, Massage Therapist with the white BMW! ;)

I had an excellent experience! I highly recommend them for outstanding service, honesty, and superior work. They know what they are doing! They took the best care of my car (and me).

i’ve taken my car here twice so far, and had a good experience both times. the guys there were very friendly (in a sincere way, not in a fake customer service way). i dropped my car off and they called me back w/​a quote in a timely manner. the first time they were able to fix my brakes quickly for a reasonable price (not the cheapest, but very reasonable). the second time, they couldn’t fix the issue b/​c it was a problem w/​my hybrid battery, but they were able to identify the problem for me and they didn’t charge me for the diagnostics. it’s really hard to find a good and honest mechanic, but these guys fit the bill! will definitely bring my car back in the future.

After reading all the rave reviews as well as being a loyal Bruin, I was somewhat amazed when they wanted $ 25.00 to replace a leaking valve stem, which Firestone replaced in 5 minutes for FREE,

We came here to get a flat fixed, which took about 1.5 hours because there was only one person working at the store at the time. This seemed like an inordinately long time. The repair cost $ 25, and then the tire blew out on the highway about a month later. Not sure we can really blame the repair shop for this because it might just be the nature of a repaired tire, but we will definitely not be returning to this repair shop.

The owners are amazing. They were knowledgable in what the problem was with my car and they were able to fix my car the day of and have it ready for me before 1pm. I am by far impressed with the knowledge of vehicles and their customer service. I will be going to Str from now on.

Super friendly, experts and awesome prices! We got a flat while visiting West LA and thanks to the great reviews for STR we received awesome service, tire & price. Son & Dad business they smell GREAT too! Polo :) The facility and office area is clean with plenty of room. Though you only spend a few moments in there since they are NASCAR fast!
Personally I would travel the 300 miles round trip to buy my tires from them because they blow away our towns tire shop in price alone for better tires too!
Thank you for getting us back on the road safe & fast. God Bless

Came here to get air pumped into my tires. It literally look 1 minute! Service was quick and friendly. Will go here again for any auto troubles from now on!

Super nice & helpful guys, great customer service!
I don’t normally write reviews, but when I do it’s deserved. Car was making this clicking noise from the tires after a roadtrip back from Vegas, nail possibly? So of course I went to Unilocal,saw the great ratings and hurried my way in. Luckily it wasn’t a nail, just a mud guard thing that went loose *whew* (why does a lexus sedan even need one?!) As a woman, car issues scare me, and they were very helpful in explaining what they were going to do. I wasn’t sure how much this check was going to cost me, it wasn’t a concern since safety is important, they didn’t charge me at all — I would’ve paid $ 20 just to know my car is safe to drive in. Thank you! I’ll just pay it forward :)
While it wasn’t a full service, I’m definitely coming back for future tire services.

It is always so difficult to handle unexpected repairs on our daughter’s car (2002 BMW 330i). She is a med student at UCLA and has no time to even take her car in. Str was available to take her car in at 11am on a Saturday and had it done that day. The issue was a broken window regulator, with the window dropped down into the door. They made everything quick and easy and it is SO appreciated. Seriously highly recommend this business. Thank you!

This is my first Unilocal!review, and Str Auto Repair deserves it. They replaced my damaged tire in less than 10 minutes and only charge $ 19 for labor. I will never go any place else for tire repair. Thanks, guys!

What’s not to like? The owner or manager, not sure which, was really helpful and friendly, and my two front tires were changed in less than 30 minutes. He gave me a great deal on a pair of used tires, once he heard I was financially strapped (This whole struggling student get’s old sometimes). I will be returning to get my tires aligned when the wallet is a bit thicker — I know it’s a good deal, because he already put the price he quoted me into their system. His wife is UCLA alumni, and I think he has a soft spot for students.

I’ve been taking my 2002 BMW 5 Series to Tommy and Tamir since 2006, when it went off warranty. My younger sister and her husband swear by STR — they drive 30 miles each way to drop off their cars. I have always found Tommy and Tamir completely principled and trustworthy. Each year they give me the confidence to keep my car another year — it’s running perfectly, little by little, most of the key systems are wearing out and getting replaced. The $ 2,000-$ 3,000/year in STR repairs is some of the smartest money I spend.

Had a slow leak in my tire and finally needed to get it fixed.
Found these guys on Unilocal,called ahead, in and out in half an hour! They pulled out the nail and patched it up. Simple fix for a simple problem.
If you’re looking for QUICK tire repair I highly recommend them.

I was visiting a friend who was having her car repaired. We came in when it was finished, and the VERY FIRST THING he said to her was, «You don’t need to have this done so often.» Talk about undercutting himself! He was polite, very well spoken, and obviously an honest guy. If I lived in the Westwood area, I’d definitely go here.

Nice guys. Helpful, friendly. Their prices seem reasonable, and they’ll work with you to do what you can afford. But…
I bought a Volvo that a previous customer been taking here for 10 years. It ran beautifully, and had been kept up impeccably, or so it seemed. It had 100,000 miles on it, and had just had the timing belt replaced, which is a really big repair job. But a year after I bought it, oil started pouring out of the engine. Turns out that when the timing belt was replaced, the job wasn’t done right.
Replacing the timing belt is an expensive repair in the heart of the engine, typically done every 90,000 miles or so. But a responsible mechanic would’ve replaced the water pump and cam seals & gear as well, because these parts have to be removed in order to get to the timing belt. It costs an extra $ 200 for new parts, but no extra labor, and means that this repair doesn’t have to be done again for another 5 – 10 years. This mechanic did not replace those parts, simply took them off and reused them.
So now, a year later, the seals failed, and oil is pouring all over the timing belt and out of the engine. The new timing belt has to be replaced again, as well as the seals and water pump. Total cost? $ 1000 for a repair that could have been entirely prevented.
The guy at STR had the nerve to offer to do it for $ 800. Damn right you’ll offer me a discount on a repair that you could’ve prevented, but didn’t, knowing that the car was a ticking time bomb with old seals. I’m furious, and taking the car to a responsible mechanic this time.

I took my 72 VW Bug here years ago and they charged me over $ 600 for a whole new brake job. Well I still had the same problem of my brakes getting tight when they warmed up. I took it back and they charged me another $ 300 for a master cylinder. Needless to say I still had the same problem, so I took it to another mechanic who told and showed me that the brakes were never changed. What? Really? I hope they have new owners now. I told them I was going to report them to the better business Bureau, but I never did. So now, I get to leave a review. I leave it up to you.