Fairmount Auto (El Cerrito)
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Oct 2011
Re: Looking for a good Honda mechanic
We go to Fairmont auto & have never been disappointed. We have an 05 odyssey and they are more thorough than the dealership when it comes to service and repairs. Fairmont auto is in el Cerrito Good luck! Tonya
Feb 2010
Re: Subaru Forester regular maintenance
I have a 2002 Forester, and have been taking mine to Fairmount Auto for years. John Wansick, the owner, has taken very good care of my car over for thelast 6 years, and is really reasonable. I have sent a number of friends to him and they;ve all been very happy with his service. Fairmount Auto is on Fairmount Avenue in El Cerrito, across from the El Cerrito Plaza and a block from El Cerrito BART. The phone number there is 510-524-0313. Jennifer
Feb 2010
Re: Someone to assess car before I buy
John Wozniak at Fairmount Auto on Fairmount St. just north of El Cerrito Plaza. He's been caring for our cars for 5+ years and has never steered us wrong. When we wanted to buy a used car, we took it to him to look over. He was very thorough and found a minor problem that enabled us to talk the seller down $300. He told us ''99% of the used cars people bring me to look over are no good but you should buy this one, it's in great shape and a bargain.'' He was right. Two years later the car is still doing great, zero problems. I think he would tell you honestly if the car you want to buy is a lemon. The seller was also impressed with his look-over and was going to start to take her other car to him too! I can't recall the exact price for the look-over, but it was very thorough and somewhere around $100. Worth the price. Also, we've found that as regular customers, John goes above and beyond for us. Great service. anon
June 2007
Re: Subaru Repairs in Berkeley/El Cerrito
I'm responding late to this message, but: for years we took our Subaru to John Wansick at Fairmount Auto, right by the BART station in El Cerrito, 510-524-0313. We've used him for all scheduled maintenance and for the occasional problem-fix as well. He's done a great job with our car, and really takes the time to figure out what the problem is before starting to do any work (and therefore costing you money), so that he gets it right the first time. Our previous mechanic had been taking shots in the dark with a brake vibration issue we were having, but we took it to John and 14 later, problem solved, never to recur again. He does a great job of explaining stuff, too. He's friendly, his prices are reasonable and his hours and location are both incredibly convenient -- you can do your shopping in El Cerrito Plaza while they work, and he'll call you on your cell phone when it's done. I'm responding about our Subaru, because that's what you said you have, but he's definitely not limited to Subarus -- we recently got a new Mazda, and will be taking it to him as well. A happy customer
Re: Good & Honest Subaru Mechanic (July 2004)
We've been really happy with Fairmount Auto (on Fairmount in El Cerrito, right by the BART station, 524-0313) for our Subaru. John, the owner, is very nice, and he is always very forthright about what needs to be done vs. what could be done. He provides a lot of information in a manner that I can understand, his prices are better than where we used to go, and he's always been done with the work on time. We go there even though it's not at all close to our house, but he opens early (we've dropped off at 7:30 am) and the location right by BART makes it convenient for us. Anne
In the past I have recommended Fairmount Auto in El Cerrito for Honda maintenance. Fairmount Auto was recently bought by the owner of Blake Street Service (who has moved his business to Fairmount Auto). There is already a recommendation of Blake Street Service on the parent's web site. I just took my Ford Taurus there for service and so far am happy. Fran
Susan
For an honest car mechanic, I suggest John at Blake Street Service. I forget his last name, but he is the owner. My husband and I have had him work on our '87 BMW and our '86 Ford Ranger. When our truck needed a smog check last year we took it in for a tune up first. When I mentioned that it was due for a smog check he said he would take it over after the tune up and have the test done. This didn't cost anymore than it would have if we had taken it, and saved us the time and hassle. He prioritizes repairs on our automobiles, telling us what should be done immediately and what could wait a few months. He is always very pleasant, straightforward, and efficient. Also, he is within walking distance of campus so it is convenient to drop off your car in the morning and walk over to pick it up when it is ready. John was recommended to us by someone at Ron's Muffler Service. I believe they are on Shattuck and I also recommend them for muffler repairs. After we had the muffler replaced on the truck and it ended costing less than the original estimate (unheard of in my past experience with auto repairs), we asked them if they could recommend a general auto mechanic. We have taken our cars to Blake Street about eight times over the last three years and have never had a bad experience.