A&G Automotive (Los Angeles, CA) Mechanic(s): Charlie
4553 Santa Monica Blvd. , Los Angeles, CA 90029 (323) 660-4000
Features and Specialties:

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Survey results:

They are always honest
They are competent
The repair price is always reasonable
They fix the problem the first time
They complete the work in a timely manner
They respond well when they screw something up
They take the time to explain the problems and necessary repairs
The shop is located in a safe neighborhood
The hours of operation are convenient for customers
They treat male and female customers in the same manner
They are near public transportation (or provide loaners, shuttle bus, rides as needed)

Reviewers Comments:

A tenant in my old apartment in Los Angeles told me about this place. He did some minor work on both my Chevy c-1500 and Chevy Celebrity at far reasonable prices than other garages quotes me. He also fixed a temperature guage on my parents '87 Toyota Camry for FREE! He also rebuilt the top half of the engine of my 1963 Mercury Monterey $300 below 2 other garages in the area. Lastly, he fixed the power seat in the '63 Mercury which had an estimate of $125 by a seat repair, at No Charge. The man's honesty is refreshing, and he is single, girls (or guys-it is LA)

Seeing their recommendation here, I took my Oldsmobile to A&G when the check-engine light came on and the idle was rough. I spoke with Luis. They found it was a loose temperature guage and low transmission fluid and fixed the problems for about $80. They had the car ready earlier than I expected and taking the bus to and from the shop to my downtown apartment was easy. They didn't explain in detail where the loose temperature sensor was but I didn't really ask. All in all I'm glad I went there and will go again.

Like several of the other reviewers, Charlie has always told me when work was unnecessary or could wait a while. Though I have now moved a bit farther away from A&G, I will probably go out of my way to take my cars there, even after looking at some of the other shops listed on this site.

It may seem superfluous, but my wife and I also think Charlie is great. We read the above reviews before we went to him and came home in total agreement. We wouldn't go anywhere else.

Charlie and co. are very ethical and never try to sell you on repairs you don't need.

Charlie is the best auto mechanic!! I brought my 61 Mercedes here for 10 years before i had to give it up now i drive a 79 Cad Fltwd he's done a great job on both cars and as a woman it's a very safe environment not to mention extremely affordable.

These guys are honest, reasonably price, and nice people. What more could you ask for? The only time I ever had a problem was when I bought some new tires from them after a blowout and the new ones were improperly balanced (apparently the '96 Mazda 626 has tough tires to balance). They were friendly and polite and took the car back to rebalance at no charge.

Very honest owner. More than competent mechanics. Helpful and friendly. Kind of a "small" place, which may affect how fast you get your car back, but not unreasonably so. Overall, a great little find in Los Feliz.

I trust a guy who doesn't jump at every opportunity to take your money. I've been to his shop five times, and he's sent me away twice, advising me not to do the work I asked about. I reccomend this place whenever anyone asks.

i took my car in because i had heard that these were decent mechanics, but i found myself in a situation that i wouldn't like to see anyone else in. they did not do the work properly on my car ( a simple brake job) and i was charged for parts that weren't even replaced. this may have only been for me, but you never know with these guys. good luck

Charlie and his company are the most amazing mechanics and all around supermen. My car is an utter nightmare of age and decadent driving that has been saved solely by Charlie and his sense of humor and reason regarding it. AMAZING< AMAZING< AMAZING - there is no other mechanic in LA.

Charlie is a lifesaver! After my truck was in an accident, he gave me an honest estimate on what the damage was and helped me through the insurance hurdles. He's not just a great mechanic, he's an all-round great person.

Shocking to find this high quality in Los Angeles!

I agree with the positive reviews here. Charlie is an honest guy who does excellent work. He's very good about checking his work and redoing repairs if necessary. And he has always discouraged me from getting work done that isn't really necessary. Highly recommended.

I'm a twenty-something young woman and I'm used to be treated like a moron by mechanics. But I HATE it. I found Charlie here, in the Mechan-X Files, when I moved to LA two years ago, not knowing a soul, and bought an aging VW Cabriolet - and thank god I found him! In LA, a good mechanic is more important than a good doctor. I think the thing that makes him so great is that he exudes a steady calm that I need when my car is ailing. He handles business personally and he is almost always around the shop. I never get the run-around or get told that it will take four days when I need my car back in one. Once I drove by his garage on the way home from work to ask him about a funny noise. Right as I turned in the lot, I realized I had to get home right away. I backed right back out and never even saw Charlie. Later that week, I called to ask if I could take the car in for him to look over. He said immediately "I heard that noise that your car is making and I know what it is." I didn't even realize he had seen me. The best part is that I trust Charlie know what's wrong, to fix it for a reasonable price, to take responsibility for his mistakes, and to tell me the truth about it. There's not a lot of people in any field I can trust that well, but especially among mechanics, this is gold.

Charlie ROCKS! From our toyota pick up to our 25 yr old bmw. Service has always been great.Brought my Toyota in because the engine died on the 405 for no apparent reason, had to get towed back to L.A. and Charlie was closest to my place. On Monday got a call saying there was nothing wrong, my car was running again and thier was no charge. Have been a customer ever since.Completly trust these guys.

i have never been to a car shop that treated me so competantly and like a normal person and not like an idiot that can easily be taken advantage of (which when it comes to car i am...)

After 3 years of living in LA, this is the first HONEST mechanic I've found (thank you, cartalk.com). The fact is, I know absolutely nothing about cars, and I feel that I must have a stamp on my forehead that says so. All the other mechanics I've tried have rapidly taken advantage of me. At the last place I took my car, I waited for 5 hours for them to change my oil and "fix" various problems which I suspect were fictional. The guy behind the counter announced to me that he used to torture animals, then invited me to dinner. I declined, although I could hardly afford to buy myself dinner after I paid the freakishly high bill. Not so at A and G. They could not have been more couteous and straightforward. I was there for only about an hour and a half, but they checked in with me repeatedly throughout my wait to let me know how things were progressing. I am happy to say I have found my one and only mechanic.

A while back I got new tires and was told that I would need some work on my brakes (by a different shop) that shop told me it was going to be $450.00to fix them. I got a 2nd opinion, they asked what I was quoted and they quoted me 20 bucks less. I didn't fix right away--I thought that repair seemed high. After much time later, I heard my brakes sound horrible was told about the car talk website by a friend, I looked at the reviews and decided to go to see Charlie at A&G. He got me in, was descriptive, got me in on a Saturday, and gave me a quote much less (and needed more done because I waited to fix) and I walked out in no time flat. He was so nice, the waiting room was comfortable and clean. He repaired even less than my quote. I will be back and recommend him. He doesn't seem shifty one bit--something you don't get at every shop.

Charlie is a true gem; an honest mechanic in the heart of L.A. Even when he's booked, he finds time to take a look at my vehicle. Great work for rock-bottom prices.

Charlie and his staff at A&G Auto are the best in LA if not the world! I took my '94 Oldsmobile there when I first moved to LA and everything they did was on point, what they said, and even at times less than the estimate. I was so impressed that when the Olds bit the dust, I bought my next car - a '97 Volvo - from Charlie and the work he and his guys do continues to be excellent. The bottom line is if you're looking for an honest mechanic who does quality work, and won't charge you for things you don't need, then Charlie is your man! And contrary to what the last reviewer mentioned, I'm pretty sure he's married and has kids. Sorry ladies.

Charlie rocks!!! He's a good guy. First time I was recommended to him and met him, I knew I was going to make him my permanent mechanic. If you are looking for an honest mechanic who will more than likely come below the cost of other garages, give him a try. I have never been disappointed with any of his work in the 5 years i have been using him and have been recommending him since. His mechanics are equally knowledgeable and professional.

I received a $400-500 quote at another location. I checked Car Talk's Mechanic's File and found Charley and A&G's great responses. I tried them, and they not only did an amazing job, but for under $200. And they did something no mechanic has ever done -- they showed me the part and where it had broken off. Wow, that's honest!

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