SouthBay Autoworks

Awesome and friendly service from Tho. I brought my 06 ML550 for a service and he got my car back to me faster than expected. Cost was more than reasonable. I’ll definitely come back again.

Disclaimer: This review is solely based on my conversation with Tho over the phone. I haven’t gotten work done yet.
After a terrible experience with Midas in Sunnyvale where they wrongly diagnosed my 2002 Honda CR-​V as needing a $ 700 Fuel Pump. I had my suspicions so I got on the phone with Toe (Southbay Autoworks is a few blocks from me), who told me in his honest opinion that it’s very rare that a CR-​V needs a fuel pump replaced. He’s never had to do one. Long story short, I pumped 3 gallons of gas into the CRV while it was at Midas and it started right up. I had a bad gas gauge reading. I called Tho back and he told me don’t waste any money for now, just fill up the tank and sometimes it will «unstuck» the needle. I did as he told me, and the gas needle is now working again!
I love how Tho is not after making a quick buck off you but rather building a long term relationship with his customers and offers great advice like a trusted friend. It’s rare for an automotive business to think about the customer first, instead of their own short term gains and profits. (I worked in Auto Sales, Rental, and Repair)
When my gas needle gets stuck again, or if I ever have any car troubles, guess who I’m going to bring my car to? :)

I am so impressed by Tho! I talked to him on the phone, told him my truck brakes were making a racket, he said come by in the morning, no appointment needed. Showed up, he checked all four, took it for a test drive and assured me there was nothing wrong. I had brand new pads on all four (I just purchased the truck… used from a dealer a couple months ago) and everything seemed just fine. The squeaking was pretty much normal but he told me what to be mindful of… squeaking all the time instead of just first thing in the morning, etc., etc… Peace of mind is priceless and speaking of that he wouldn’t take a dime for his time either! If I ever need a mechanic for reals Tho has got my business!

If you want a knowledgeable mechanic, honesty and fair pricing, this is the place to go. I had initially gone in to get both my front/​rear brakes replaced and rotors resurfaced. After Tho had taken all the wheels off my car, he let me know that only the rear brakes needed a replacement and that both rotors still had a bit of some life left. I ended up only paying a fraction of the initial estimate. I talked to him for a bit and found out he has worked at Toyota, Honda and Acura dealerships as well. By far, the most upfront and honest mechanic I’ve encountered.

If you want good, honest service, bring your car here. Tho definitely knows his way around cars and I would recommend anyone with car problems to him.

Good mechanics these days are hard to find. Especially independent Vietnamese-​owned shops. You never know if you’re gonna get ripped off or not. That all changed when I met Tho the first time back in 2013 to get my 1993 Accord front brakes changed. All the other shops and places were charging astronomical prices due to how Honda designed those front brakes. Tho was charging the most reasonable price. He was upfront about what he was going to do and was not trying to sell any other services.
Long story short, he is the only Vietnamese mechanic that will not rip you off, try and upsell you anything, and is very truthful about fixes he going to do on your car.

I brought in my car today to get my brakes fixed because I had noticed that they were sounding a little squeaky lately. I dropped off my car and met Tho, the mechanic, who was super nice, straight to the point and seemed to have extremely reasonable pricing. He told me it would be done in a couple of hours and he would call me when it was finished and I could pick it up whenever. About 30 minutes later I received a call from Tho, who explained that I actually didn’t need to get my brakes fixed at all and they were just a little dusty which can cause the squeaking noise. He said he could fix them still if I liked, but when I asked his honest opinion on whether or not I should, he said to wait. When I came back and thanked him for being so honest, he also gave me a little advice on how often to get them checked and indicators of when they need to be replaced. I will definitely be going back to SouthBay Autoworks for all of my auto repair needs, not only because he was so nice and honest with me, but he seemed like he was a great mechanic. I definitely recommend going here and trying it for yourself!

If there’s one thing that I absolutely hated doing, it was taking my car in for service. It was the most uncomfortable feeling knowing you may possibly be getting robbed right in front of you because you don’t know shit about cars — well, that feeling has disappeared since I’ve been taking my car here!
Tho, the mechanic/​owner of Southbay Autoworks is AWESOME. I’ve been coming here for years and I trust him so much that I drive over an hour for my car repairs and maintenance needs. I’ve brought in a Ford Expedition, a Honda Accord, and an Acura TSX and they all have been repaired with no problems. His work is consistent, prices are reasonable, and he is honest on what is needed for your car. I appreciate how he explains the alternatives, talks to you as a friend and explains it to you as a «non mechanic» so you can fully understand what is going on.
If you’re tired of pushy mechanics trying to make an extra buck, high prices, and rude service. .. THIS IS THE PLACE TO GO! You can expect fantastic service here!
*HIGHLY RECOMMENDED*

Good, fast and cheap + friendly service!
The owner/​mechanic, Tho (pronounced «toe») completes the services at a super competitive price and in a timely manner. These are the services I’ve had done:
— Regular 5k maintenance including oil change, tire rotations, etc.
— Brake pads replacement
— Transmission fluid replacement
PRICE: 5
Can’t beat it!
QUALITY OF WORK: 5
No problems
SPEED OF WORK: 5
Done!
SERVICE: 5
Friendly!
LOCATION: 5
Near Japantown, SJ
REC LUNCH SPOT:
While waiting for your car to be serviced, have lunch at a sandwich spot nearby! Freshly Baked Eatery is yumm!

I’ve never enjoyed taking my car to the mechanic, but when I do… I so appreciate Tho at South Bay Auto Works. He is a former technician with Honda so he knows his stuff. He speaks to you like a friend and will give you honest answers. His prices are reasonable, he uses genuine Honda parts but will also offer other options. He is also an Interstate battery distributor.
We always make an appt and he is quick. Walk-​ins are welcome, but I don’t know how fast those would be. If you have to wait, my husband says there is a game console to occupy your time. He is the only mechanic so you know you are getting the very best service by the head honcho.

This a late review. I was in Tho shop around the summer of 2013. My girl friend recommend Tho. Man this guy was good. Plus he was not a rip-​off artist. I highly recommend him to friends, family, or strangers. He is the guy in the middle bay. The address is tricky and his neighbors (other mechanics) was trying to steal business plus they want more $$$. Make sure you ask for Tho.

I take all my cars to Tho. I’ve had my brakes changed on my Hondas, timing belt for my Toyota SUV, and shocks replaced on my F250. He knows his stuff, and does good work! Quality parts and quality service. A trustworthy auto mechanic!

Tho is awesome, I have gone to him for everything from oil changes to motor work. He takes care of my cars, my girlfriends car and all of our friends. Not one person has left unhappy best prices and he ONLY uses quality parts. It’s nice to have an honest shop to turn to. Thanks Tho!

Called on a ridiculously hot Monday because the air conditioning in my car wasn’t working. The owner said to come in and he’d look at it and see if he could fix it. Got there about 2:00. He found that the motor for the air conditioner was not working. He said he’d try to get the part and fix it later that day. I went back at 4:30, he replaced the motor and the air conditioning works great. I was very pleased with the service.

This is my new GO TO automotive spot. After reading all the awesome Unilocal reviews, I dialed and got a same day appointment to change the fluids in my Civic. Tho is very welcoming, he checked my 2007 Civic out and asked about any other concerns. Checked my brakes, literally took the tires off, and advised that I was still good to go.
He was quick, friendly, never pushy and beyond reasonable. I’ve already referred two people and they said the same thing. No need to go anywhere else and get gouged, I’ve found my local honest mechanic, you will too!” TIP: Tho is the middle bay in the building.

Southbay Autoworks is the best! Great customer service!!!

Went to get an oil change at one of them chains they suggest that i needed this change that change this fix n that fix. The cost was about $ 300 to get it changed and fix, but luckily I took my car to South Bay autoworks for a second opinion. The owner at South Bay told me my car is fine and I didn’t need what they said I did. Since then my car has been fine. I now been going to southbay auto for 2 years now. I wouldn’t trust anywhere but SouthBay Auto.

My husband had his engine check light come on so I called around trying to find a place to get it inspected. Most places charge you upwards of $ 35 or more just to check the issue. When i called here however, he told me that he would check it for me for free!
When I got there, he checked it and said that he would have to do a more thorough test to find the specific problem which would cost money, but he was really nice about it and told me that it might not be necessary to do it. He just turn off the engine check light and told me to wait to see if it came on again. If not, then it’s probably nothing. I really appreciated his honesty and would definitely come back here again.

Tho always does a good job on my vehicle. his prices are by far the best. he’s even replaced my transmission. turn around was quick

Tho initially contacted me regarding service and I’m so glad he did. I don’t like random dudes working on my car, so I’m more than pleased to have Tho personally do the work. He’s also a really nice guy. We chatted while he swapped out my brake rotors, pads, performed a brake fluid flush and coolant service. He knows his parts and uses quality brands or OEM. I saved about $ 150 and didn’t have to leave my car and wait all day like if you take it to a stealership.
I’ve started recommending friends and family to Southbay Autoworks.