Automotive Instincts

I have been going to Automotive Instincts for years to service my older Honda. They are like family. Reasonably priced, informative, courteous and wonderful. I will always buy a Honda and go there for maintenance.

My family has been using Automotive Instincts (formerly Steve’s Independent) since they opened. Had both Hondas and Toyota serviced by them. My dad had been going to Steve since before he owned his own shop in the 80s! Great pricing, great service. Would highly recommend!

Great customer service! Trustworthy, thurough and professional. I did’nt feel like they were just trying to make money off of me, in fact i felt like i was being protected. They explained everything they were going to do (i had a brake problem) and they assured me every step of the way before any decision was made. They advised me of any other things they noticed and they even toped off my oil and secured some things as a courtesy! I definetely left knowing i was secure in my car!

A friend who has been going to Automotive Instincts for 20+ years recommended them to me and they were everything she said they would be. I also read the reviews about them on Unilocal and there were many, many grateful customers who couldn’t say enough good things about them. My situation was that I had a 2006 Honda Odyssey with 216,000+ miles on it and needed to determine whether it was worth repairing or if it was time to send it to the big car lot in the sky. Automotive Instincts told me they would do a thorough inspection on it for $ 90 (that would get credited to any repairs if I decided to do them). It turned out that it need $ 5,000 or more in repairs and they did not recommend putting that much more money into the car. That was exactly what I needed to determine as I didn’t know if I should fix it or buy a new car. I was so thankful for their integrity – that they didn’t try to have me fix a few things for less money only to find out more needed to be done. I towed my car from their shop to a salvage yard in Sun Valley and was able to get $ 2,000 for it, which was money I could put down on my next car. If I end up buying another Honda or other Japanese car, I know where to go now!

I’ve relied on Automotive Instincts (formerly «Steve’s») since purchasing my first Acura Legend in the 80s. Prior to that I had countless negative experiences with other shops. I had concluded that there was no such thing as an honest, reliable mechanic– until I went to Steve’s for the first time in 87.
Thirty years of doing my repairs, inspecting used vehicles and keeping everything in reliable running condition at a fair price deserves at least a ⁵⁄₅. I’ve referred many friends to them over the years and haven’t heard a single complaint.
Great shop, friendly service writers, certified mechanics, and AAA discounts on your work (just show your Automobile Club card prior to paying).
Shame on me for not writing this review sooner…

After recently moving to the valley, we were looking for a new place for our cars to be serviced. It is difficult to find an auto shop that is thorough, clean, honest, and reliable, but the Unilocal reviews are right!
This is the cleanest auto shop I have ever been in, the customer service is outstanding, and the workers are very honest and up-​front with you about the estimates and services needed for your car.
I’m glad that my husband and I both have Japanese cars so that we can take both our cars here!
Thanks Automotive Instincts!

went today for my oil change, great service as well as quick. the price seemed quite reasonable and the 5 dollar discount on here was the cherry on top. hopefully it stays on here for a while.

I bought a car about a week ago and it’s my first. Didn’t do the wise thing to bring it here first to get it checked out because they would’ve told me to save my money and bit but a lemon from a third party. But lesson learned, they have me such great knowledge and I’ll definitely be back. Fast, friendly, and efficient… You should definitely come here for your Honda needs. I bought a lemon 1993 Honda Civic EX to them. Thank you, you’ll see me for my next or current car again soon! Recommended by a friend named Jhon Sebastian (:

I’ve been bringing my cars for servicing for well over twenty years. Great owner, excellent front desk people, and fantastic customer service and pricing. Plus, you can wait for your car if you wish. Not a bad thing to say.

I have been going to this shop for a little over a year now.
I own a 2011 toyota Camery and these guys Rock!
On my first visit I was very impressed with the cleanliness of the shop and the appearance of all the employees.
When I first spoke to Al, he made me feel like I was a part of their family.
I felt totally at ease and very comfortable with all the guys, al, mike and the rest of the crew.
Since I know very little about a car I was looking for a place that was honest and had people who took pride in their work.
I was given an estimate and the results were pretty close to that.
I find these guys are very competent, honest and really took an interest in their customers.
I have gone back several times for routine maintenance, and I am glad I have found a shop I can trust and people that I really like.
If you want a shop where the people are very competent, honest, quick, and caring, I dont know of a better place you could go to.
I only wish I had a doctor that cared as much about me, as these guys do about taking care of my car.
I am 68 years old and have lived in the valley my entire life, and I never thought I would find such a great shop and great group of people.
Automotive Instincts is the best and I highly reccommend it to all my freinds.
Harold Longanecker
Reseda

We’ve been going to Automotive Instincts in Woodland Hills for many years with the 3 Prius cars we have and they are GREAT!
But this past weekend we were in Northridge when we heard a sound coming from under our Prius and my husband looked and saw that part of our undercarriage was dragging on the ground. So I googled Automotive Instincts because I remembered they had a location in the Northern San Fernando Valley and found the Lindley Ave location, so we headed there.
Well I must say that the manager, Al Renton was so helpful and friendly and reassured us that this was a common problem because Priuses are low slung and he had his technician repair our car.
The best part was that they repaired the car and did it at NO CHARGE!!! When was the last time you had any service comped I ask? Well Automotive Instincts did that and has earned our loyalty for LIFE!
Al Renton at the Northridge location was a great guy and made us feel comfortable and valued as customers.
Overall, Automotive Instincts are the best for all Toyota products– and the best part is — – they APPRECIATE their customers!!!

I went in to Automotive Instincts to get my 98 Accord checked out and tuned up (if possible). It had been awhile since I had done any work other than oil-​changes on it, and I wasn’t sure what to expect.
I spoke mainly with Al while my car was there, and he was great. While the bad news was that there was more repairs to do on the car than it was worth, the great news is that he urged me to not do any of the repairs and, instead, put that money towards a new automobile.
It was quite clear that what was most important to him was me getting my money’s worth and making the smartest decision possible for myself. If my next car is another Japanese Import, I’ll certainly be taking it here for anything it needs in the future. I can’t recommend these guys enough. Really trustworthy mechanics are worth their weight in Gold, and this place appears to be akin to Fort Knox.

I’m a woman and don’t know much about cars, nor do I want to. I want my three cars to get me from point A to point B without any problems. A friend recommended Automotive Instincts years ago, and since then I refuse to get my cars serviced anywhere else! I trust them completely because they always explain the problems and my choices for resolving the issues.
Recently on a Sunday, a friend told me I needed to get one of my cars into the shop right away to get my tires balanced. Worried, I rushed to F***S***E. Before they even looked at my car, they signed me up for a credit card and a bill for almost $ 1500. I said «Thanks, but no thanks» then looked up at the heavens and said, «Thank you for Automotive Instincts.» I was a fool to go elsewhere when Automotive Instincts was closed. The next week I went into Automotive Instincts and once again, they explained the problems and my solutions, then fixed my car. Now it runs smooth as silk. This place is my personal treasure.
You’ll be sorry if you take your car any where else. I’m just saying, when you’re broken down on the side of the road, or crying over an auto bill you may or may not have really had to have the work done in the first place, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Prices are a bit more than other places, but they’re thorough with their check-​ups, keep an electronic record of everything and I love their service, honesty, professionalism & expertise. Very reliable and go-​to mechanics.

Used these guys to help repair our car after its theft. Met Steve and he agreed to look over the car and make sure it was in good shape. That’s the last I heard from him. Mike was the service agent that dealt with my service. Both were polite. My complaint was I didn’t feel they were working for me. When I spoke to Steve he made me feel I was in good hands. Unfortunately I didn’t feel that way afterwards. I feel they were working for the insurance company instead of me and my family. We’ve all been there and wished that they fought harder for us and have repairs completed that we know we’re a result of the theft. I’ll rate them as average and will likely look elsewhere next time.

This is THE best repair shop for Honda, Acura, Toyota, and Lexus. My husband & I have been taking our cars there for 15 years and won’t go anywhere else! The quality and speed of service is excellent. Al and Mike at the Northridge shop are honest, and they care about their customers. They go above and beyond the call of duty to keep your car running great, while trying to minimize your out-​of-​pocket expense. HIGHLY recommend them.

Been going here for over 20 years. They’re the best! I even bought a car from them once. Two CRXs, two Civics and a Pilot later, they’re still my guys.

As a young woman who knows absolutely nothing about cars, I rarely feel comfortable taking my car in for ANYTHING. I drive a 13 year old Lexus and over the past year or two, she’s been a nightmare! Even getting an oil change feels like a suicide mission… I always feel like I leave having paid at least twice as much as I should have or somehow slighted because mechanics know they can play on the fact that my car is older. That fear NEVER crossed my mind in dealing with Automotive Instincts.
Long story short, I came here to have work re-​done that I had done at Sears a few months back (FIRST MISTAKE). Their prices were reasonable and they had my parts ordered and completed the work quickly. Mike and Al were there that day and they are two of the sweetest men I have ever met. They made me feel like family. They even talked to my mother (lol) who called to check on things… I’m the baby of the family… don’t judge! Ha! On top of everything, they gave me my original parts and marked the ones that were faulty so I can take them back to Sears and demand they honor the warranty they tried to cheat me out of. Wow!!!
I mean… I’m impressed. If I could give them 10 starts, I would. I will never take my car anywhere else. I would love to get a new car, but I have a feeling my old car will last quite a bit longer if I keep taking her to Automotive Instincts!

Al, Steve, and Mike have been maintaining my Civic for the past 5 years. I haven’t had any major maintence on my car, and I can safetly attribute that to the folks at Automotive Instinct. Honesty and Integrity are the values put into the business model. My only complaint is that they don’t work on other brands of cars ritually, so I’m having difficulty trying to buy a new vehicle that isn’t a Honda.
They did fix my wife’s Toyota radiator when she broke down at CSUN, and I really appreciated them going out of their way to work on it even though it wasn’t a Honda.
Now I only go to the stealership if there’s a recall. I recommend this place to all my friends who own Hondas. While a dealership would never be able to get me in the same day, Automtive Instinct is always able to fit me in last minute. I highly recommend them, and will continue to come as long as ownership doesn’t deviate from their current standards.

It was time that I found an auto shop in my area. My boyfriend and I had been taking our cars to my dad and brother in Orange County for 3 years (after we moved to Northridge).
I find them to be friendly, competent and honest. They’ve never tried to sell me anything, except perhaps the sign inside that said they sold tires. I’ve tried Honda dealerships for regular services but I found them to be squirrelee.
Cars that I’ve taken there: 2002 Accord, 2007 Accord, and 2011 Acura.
Services provided: brake pads, filter replacement, oil change
Would I come back: definitely.
Tip 1: They are open the first Saturday of the month. It does get busy. I waited 2 hours for an oil change.
Tip 2: Bring your AAA card. They offer discounts.