Japan Auto Repair

I brought my 2008 Infiniti G35 here after shopping around a few mechanic shops in Marin and was pleasantly surprised. After having about 3 mechanics flat out say no to replacing my slade cylinder or even getting a quote, the guys here had no problem taking on the job and were very helpful in the process giving me a great price on the job and finishing it in a timely and efficient manner. Tommie was very welcoming and straight forward and didn’t try to sell me on anything else for the car, just the work needed. It was overall a great experience and I will definitely be returning to this shop with any further repairs needed. Definitely recommend this place if you have a manual transmission or any Nissan or Infiniti owners check these guys out first! They will take care of you!

Kenzo was very helpful and I thought the prices were ok.

brought a mazda5 for pre-​purchase inspection. did a through job. However, car wheels vibrates at high speed braking. Kenzo said brake rotor needs machined/​replaced but the seller’s service record shows they were replaced less than a year and tires rotated 4 months ago. not sure if one driver under short period can cause that due to heat wraping. but will remove/​replace rotor and see if t they are right. Also, when I called to reserved a spot. After I showed up they said it is 1^st come 1^st serve. Otherwise they are friendly, seems professional and knowledgable

Once again I rolled into Japan Auto with my poor little Toyota Echo (aka «Danger Mouse») having intermittent problems, the worst kind to diagnose. The owner and his mechanic jumped on it, even though I rolled in with no appointment, and didn’t stop until the problem was identified and repaired. I could tell they were busy that day, so I was really impressed at the immediate attention.
I drove away with a happy car, and a happy wallet. I feel the charge was more than fair, a real value for the level of service I received. I’d give them six stars at least ! Highly recommended for excellent service and more than fair prices. Thanks, guys!

Japan Auto Repair has taken care of our cars ever since we moved to Marin County 16 years ago. Kenzo and Ken keep our Toyota Avalon running beautifully, and always have it ready to return to us very quickly — generally on the same day we bring it in for repairs. We cannot recommend them highly enough.

Great service on my car. My first time there. :-)
Quick turnaround and left no mess. Heck even cleaned the car a bit too!

I’m so bummed out. I brought my Nissan and Honda here off and on for the last few years. I’ve always found the owner to be upfront, skilled and trustworthy. I was making this place my «go to» spot for fixing anything wrong with my Civic, but unfortunately yesterday’s experience left a terrible taste in my mouth. I had brought in my Civic for a simple front headlight change about 2 months ago. Very simple! Took 10 minutes and cost $ 40. Wonderful! Yesterday I bring in the exact same car to replace the other front headlight. It took the mechanic a little longer– about 15 minutes. No problem there! Cost– $ 79 dollars! For the exact same thing that cost me $ 40 dollars before. When I asked why the price was double from just 2 months ago, the owner panicked and said «I’ll charge you $ 40.» I said he can charge me the $ 79 dollars, but that I want to know why the price is double. He then asked «is it the same car?» Yes! It is! «Did I do it last time?» Yes, you did! Then he used this utterly ridiculous excuse that the mechanics hands were too big and that the car needed to be lifted to take out the light. It wasn’t lifted last time! And because a mechanic has chubbier hands, you charge double because it took 5 extra minutes? I’m sorry, but that is just shady! Anyways, the owner was clearly embarrassed/​guilty and charged me $ 69.
The exact same procedure should cost the same amount, especially since there was no complication– other than that this mechanic «has bigger hands.»

I’m a fan. I brought my Toyota Tacoma here to get a new starter. I asked for an estimate over the phone; they laid out the exact cost and time to get it done, and it ended up being spot-​on, and a heck of a lot less expensive than taking it to the dealer. It’s important to me to have mechanics you can trust with your vehicle, and I’ll be bringing all of my Toyotas here now.

Have not been back to Japan Auto Repair since the last review, but updating to reinforce the negative review based upon further insights.
Shortly after spending a significant sum on various items, my daughter took the car back to school outside of the Bay Area — and the check engine light came back on within a month of service. She didn’t use the car much, so ignored it.
Upon returning to the Bay Area this year, she found another shop to investigate the problem and they discovered that Kenzo’s team had routed the wires to the sensor they replaced in a way that caused them to break after a short period. This shop fixed the problem for free.
Also, Kenzo’s team replaced the brake rotors but the car already demonstrates rotor vibration after relatively few miles since installation. Most of those few miles have been freeway miles.

I can’t say enough good things about Japan Auto Repair. Not just Kenzo-​san, but everyone who works there.
Japan Auto has been servicing my Honda CR-​V for years, and they always provide top-​notch service and work with good prices.
A couple of weeks ago, I was getting ready for a very long road trip when my A/​C stopped working. The problem turned out to be major, and they not only gently broke the bad news to me, but also took the time to show me the parts that had literally blown up, and thoroughly explained what they needed to do. They got the job done quickly and professionally, and I am forever grateful for their expertise.
They made sure the fluids were good, the tires at their proper inflation, and thanks to them, I was able to leave for my trip on time and stress-​free.
Their advice, care, and intelligence are seldom seen in this business.
Thank you, Japan Auto, for taking such good care of my Honda!

Kenzo has worked on my Landcruiser since 2000. He is one of the few honest auto mechanics out there. His shop is professional and you can always count on him to do a good job at the lowest cost possible. If you have a Japanese auto, this is the only shop you should visit.

Very fair and honest. My car didn’t need much work, less than I expected, and they explained everything. Will definitely be a repeat customer.

Bring your car here for maintenance and repairs. Why? I will keep this short and simple:
1) Extremely professional, intelligent, and highly efficient mechanics.
2) Honest and fairly priced diagnosis of vehicle issues.
3) Reasonable turnaround time for repairs/​maintenance.
Kenzo is a Master at his trade, and I highly recommend this shop to all.

Really happy with the service at Japan auto. I highly recommend the place. I certainly felt like I could trust the people who were working on my car.

Five star were it not for pricing, relative to other garages (not dealers).
They are clean, efficient, knowledgable and a great alternative to dealers. But mostly, they are honest and don’t try to up sell on bogus items.
Appointment are delivered quickly.
The five visits I have has resulted in punctual completion of work.
Go there.

Wow, why didn’t I go here sooner? No waiting, competitive prices, no unnecessary repairs like air filter of transmission flush. Just did the job and checked over my Rav very carefully.

I still come to Japan Auto Repair even though I don’t live in the area anymore.
Over many years they have always been honest and have made what turned out to be the correct diagnosis for my car troubles as well as taking care of basic maintenance for a fair price. I highly recommend Kenzo and his crew.

Kenzo and his crew are the best. I have been going to Japan Auto Repair for 24 years. Honest, straightforward and just excellent work and service. I would not go elsewhere if I was offered free auto repair. Kenzo is nice and very soft spoken a true all around good person, one of the best mechanics in Marin County by far.

I love Kenzo, he’s all about handling business and taking care of your vehicle. I’ve been taking my Nissan Quest vans and trucks to him since 2005. He charges a hefty price on repairs, but I drive away knowing I am safe behind the wheel, especially my kids, their grandma, and the whole family. I needed brakes and rotors, as my van was squeaking. He knew they had to be replaced immediately; I advised him I drive alot in the city. Kenzo does not bargain btw, so don’t even try :-) His top-​notch staff are pleasant and treat all customers fairly, even us women j/​k.

I took my 2000 Tacoma here a for a basic tune up and, at a separate time, for a problem ending up with a valve job. Both times they did the work quickly and for a fair price. (I verified this with my retired mechanic dad.)
They also explained things to me fully, but not condescendingly. A painless experience! What more can you ask for auto repair.