Kim’s Auto Repair

I was driving my daughter’s car while she was out of town last week. On Saturday (Memorial Day Weekend no less), I noticed that the steering wheel was starting to shimmy while I braked and the car seemed to idle roughly. I wanted to get it fixed but there was a hitch in this… I was leaving town on Wednesday and Monday was Memorial Day I knew I needed to find someplace that was not only open on Saturdays but could also FIX it. I opened up my trusty Unilocal app and Kim’s Auto Repair popped up near me. I called him to even see if he could look have it looked at and he said yes, bring it by. I was there within ½ hour and one of his mechanics stopped what he was doing and immediately took it for a test drive. Verdict was handed down 10 minutes later. New rotors, one bad caliper and new brake pads were needed. He ordered the parts and the car was ready within an hour.
Mr. Kim was very polite and very easy to work with. He was sensitive to my desire to have the car fixed as quickly as possible.
I highly recommend his repair shop.
Thank you Mr. Kim, you made my day.
Faith Morris

My dad and I have been to this place a couple of times for our cars. Most recently I had work done with my timing belt and wheel alignment and a smog check too. The prices are very reasonable and we’ve always had good experiences.

Thank you Mr. Kim. You fixed my Van at a very good price, and got me my Smog certificate. You have excellent mechanics. My Van runs so smooth, and you give a one year warranty.
I am planning to bring my other car soon
Thank you

December 22, 2015 We were driving from Arizona to Oregon when our truck started overheating. We were in crazy traffic at right before 6pm. Pulled over and googled a shop on 9^th street and headed that way. Tons of auto repair shops and they were all closed, except Kim’s. Pulled in and he told us no worries he could get us on the road in the morning, just needed to order a part. The shop opens at 9 am and when we called at 9 he had already ordered the part and said he would have it in the next 15 minutes. We came in and he had us all fixed up in under an hour and for a very reasonable and fair price. He was so nice, put cartoons on for the kids and made sure we were warm. In a very stressful situation he put us at ease. Would definitely recommend this shop. Honest and reliable, they will take great care of you! Thank you so much for your kindness and help!

Worst experience ever. Don’t waste your time here. this should be negative stars. I was looking for a good place to go in r. c and saw good reviews. But trust me don’t even bother with this place. Called and said to bring in. Got there and not a car in the shop. Questioned how good the work would be if they didn’t even have any work at moment. But since reviews were ok. and need work done. I left it there any way. Having a friend waiting for me to take me home I let Kim know what I needed done and he said no problem. By the time I get home he’s already calling me to come back because they can’t find lock key for rims. I asked if he had looked in glove box and he said it wasn’t there. So I got friend to drive me all the way back to look myself. Truck was on lift so had to climb up lift since they didn’t lower downs for me to look and In and five seconds I open glove box and there it was, right when you open glove box. Then I ask if they really looked. And they told me that it wasnt here responsibly to look. And it wasn’t there. Then Kim and mechanic gave me attitude because I was upset with the hassel of having to drive back just for that. I then asked it they got anything done while I was gone For 45 mins. They said no since they were waiting for the rim lock but couldnt do oil change because they wanted to do brakes first. They continued to give me more attitude about the situation so i asked for my truck back. I now can see why they had no cars in there shop. They don’t seem to have the common since to find something in a glove box or do other work while waiting. I went down street to A-​1 auto and much more professional.

Around July of 2015 I took my Mazda 3 down to Kim’s auto repair, I guess its called KARE Auto now. I needed to have my 5 speed manual transmission rebuilt. My 3^rd gear was grinding and popping out. Mr. Kim quoted me 1400 for a rebuild. Best price in both Fontana and Rancho Cucamonga. So i took him up on his offer. Mr. Kim said the vehicle should be ready in about a few days. No problem, I rent a car, since the 3 was my only vehicle at the time and was on my way.
No updates from Mr. Kim for about three days. I call Mr. Kim and he states he needed to add more parts to the repair. I talk it over with him and these are usual parts that would need to be replaced during a rebuild such as a transmission mount, etc. I agree and my new bill is at 1600. Mr. Kim states about two to three more days. At this point I am getting a bit anxious since I am burning the last few days i have left on my rental agreement.
I call Mr. Kim on the day i have to turn in the rental. Mr. Kim states the car would not be ready for another two to three days. Mind you a week has already gone by. So i have to extend my rental, more $$$. Three more days go by and Mr. Kim gives me a call. I pick it up, test drive it, and all is good.
Good price, good work, but be prepared for extended wait times, and a possible increase on your estimate. Would I do business with Mr. Kim again? Yes, as I have done so in the past.

Horrible. I come 20 before it closes and they refuse to give me an oil change. So rude about it too.

I needed an oil change and both my air filters replaced on my 09 corolla. I was looking for a good honest shop because my last shop I felt want being completely upfront with me. I found this place and decided to give them a shot.
I went in and explained what I needed with out any other details. I was amazed at how honest and experienced they were. I typically get an oil change every 5k miles and they told me that even though that’s the suggested time to change the oil, they told me my oil was still good and that I didn’t even need one for another couple thousand miles and even showed me how clean my oil was. I still did it anyways since I was there already.
Even though they had to order the air filters I was in and out in a little over an hour. They seemed busy but was still able to get me back on the road under their estimated time and for a good price. I know it’s hard to find a reliable and honest repair shop but I think I just just found one. Thanks Kim’s!

This review is about one year late bc I have a busy schedule but I have to write it to save others. Mr. Kim cons his own people as he did with my family. I always hope and pray for honest mechanics but sadly my family has been overcharged for unnecessary repairs by fellow Koreans. I of course have to clean up the mess as the dutiful daughter. Basically without writing an essay, he lied and kept my family’s car hostage after taking it back bc his prior repair didnt work. he demanded more money for a part that shouldve been credited. i spoke calmly and respectfully to just get it back with no new part or repair. i really wanted to kick his butt in my mind but i’m a professional lady and work in healthcare so i didnt of course. He knows he was in the wrong bc I saw it in his eyes. Greed will never bring a business respect or a good reputation. If this ever happens again to my kind and overly trusting family members by any shady mechanic, be prepared for court or worse.

Finding a trustworthy auto repair shop that you know is trustworthy is something that happens to very few people in life. If you are ever fortunate to find one, then you need to hold on to it for dear life. I, for one, will definitely be latching my fingers onto Kim’s Auto Repair for as long as I live.
My 2000 Acura TL is an indestructible soldier, but with any senior citizen, it started having numerous problems as a result of old age and some serious wear and tear. My brakes sounded like a banshee that just lost its child; my driver-​side backseat door no longer opened from the outside (although, it did make me look like a true gentleman always opening the door for people from the inside); and my front bumper was so banged up that my car paint looked like stucco. My car was even denied when I applied to become an Über driver — WTF? I’ve seen Über X cars and the standards are pretty damn low.
Anyway, I shopped around for a bit and it turns out that Kim’s had the most reasonable prices — a good 10% lower than the lowest I could find in the area. Now, of course I was a bit skeptical because I’ve had some pretty bad experiences with auto repair shops in the past, but Mr. Kim was completely professional and went way above and beyond to explain to me exactly what needed to be done and why. He even gave me a short auto repair lesson so that I fully understood what was going on. Even that alone would have been enough to make me love this place.
After finishing up all the work, everything looked perfect and everything was done earlier than expected. In addition, he said that I didn’t need to pay for the backseat door handle work, even though they spent all this time taking apart the ENTIRE door to find the silver thingy that attaches on to the other little metal thingy (hey, I didn’t say that auto repair lesson was extensive). Instead of just handing me the keys and shooing me on my way, he took the time to give me another walkthrough and explained exactly what was done.
From beginning to end, the entire experience at Kim’s Auto Repair was exactly how auto repair shops should be. Everyone was professional, knowledgeable, patient, and friendly. I couldn’t be happier with the work that was done and, even better, the prices were the best in the Rancho Cucamonga area.
I’ll be going to Kim’s for any auto issue I have from now on. A part of me kind of wants to key my own car, just so I have a reason to.

I never write Unilocal reviews but I felt this shop deserved to be recognize for all the good that they did for me ( Unilocal is how I found them afterall). I called other shops and was quoted such ridiculously high prices for my brakes that nothing matched my budget. Finally, I called them and let them know about my budget and they were able to explain my options. They explained the difference in pricing and why they charge what they charge based on objective labor guides (something other shops apparently don’t adhere to). Not only that, they were much cheaper than the other shops!
Anyways, when I went over, they let me know that my rear brakes weren’t that bad and didn’t have to change them. What?! They don’t want my money? I only had to change out my front brakes and I ended up spending half of what I budgeted. Trust is worth paying more for but these guys cost less. They found a new loyal customer in me because its businesses like this that understand that by gaining my trust, they’ll win out in the long run.

I had serious problems with the cam phaser on my 2005 Ford expedition. Being an industrial mechanic i am fully capable of dismantling and making major repairs to automobiles. After extensive researching the problem and several tries at repairing the cam phaser issue i was unsuccessfull. I contacted Kim and got a quote, and entrusted their expertise. Kims Auto was able to make the necessary repairs to my expedition and my car now runs great. I am fully satisfied with Kims Auto and have returned for a brake job, starter install and routine maintenance, Kims Auto is a very reliable, professional and trustworthy Automotive repair shop.

Being very skeptical of auto repair people, I used Unilocal to find Kim’s auto repair. I brought my girlfriends Cadillac escalade in for 3 separate repairs totaling $ 1260.00 when we picked it up. It was $ 200.00 cheaper due to some parts that were still in good working order. Since then, my motor blew up in my Chevy work truck and I had Kim’s auto replace it dud to them being approx $ 1500.00 cheaper than the next repair center and I shopped it very thoroughly. I feel very confident that you will be very pleased with the services that they give. Eric with STREAMLINE PLUMBING

I went to this shop because I had a check engine light on. I was referred to Mr. Kim as I was in LA to visit my friend and didn’t know where to go. He checked to see exactly why it came on. Fortunately it was because my gas cap was cracked. Honesty is so hard to find especially in a mechanic. If you want an honest accurate knowledgeable mechanic this is where you want to go.

I was previously quoted $ 850 to fix an exhaust manifold for my 2002 Honda Civic. Mr. Kim came highly recommended as a knowledgeable and fair mechanic so I took my car to him for repairs.
EVEN THOUGH I TOLD HIM I WAS PREVIOUSLY QUOTED $ 850 he charged me less to repair the crack and provided MORE services (changed oil & brake pads and rotors).
Since then, I’ve referred him to another friend who had a «check engine» light that was on so he brought it in for Mr. Kim to check. After diagnosing the light, Mr. Kim confirmed it was just a faulty gas cap ($ 10~$ 20 part) that my friend could pick up at any other auto shop (the part wasn’t availabe at his store.
Summary: Mr. Kim has his customer’s best interest in mind. His shop has been around for many years so he’s not in it for a quick buck. If you need an honest, reliable place to fix your car this is the place to go.

If you want a trustworthy honest to God mechanic, this is where to go!
I called several different prominent mechanics in Rancho Cucamonga to get price quotes for replacing all four struts on my car. Every other place I contacted quoted between $ 840-​$ 950. Kim’s Auto Repair was the only place that made the calls to find out the cost of parts to give me an accurate estimate. I was given the brand of parts used (which happens to be the leading brand for struts), the cost of labor, and the cost of tax… and their quote was $ 200 LESS than the cheapest quotes from the other shops I’d called.
Took my car in the morning, got it in the afternoon, and paid the actual price I was quoted to begin with the day before! No hidden fees or shady extra work required. I left with a four-​year warranty on the parts and a guarantee that should anything go wrong between now and then it will be fixed at no charge to me.
Prior to bringing in my car, I asked about Kim’s business ethic. They are committed to providing honest rates. They recognize that a good long-​term business is not built on scamming, but on serving the customers with integrity.
I’ll be coming back to Kim’s for any of my auto needs!
Thank you!

On November 11, 2013, I brought my 2002 LEXUS ES300, odometer reading 208,618, to KIMS DSK, INC., who does business as KIM’S AUTO REPAIR, and entered into a repair contract with Duk Sung Kim to replace the rear main seal. The warranty was 8,000 miles or six months, whichever comes first.
On November 13, 2013, Mr. Kim notified me that the repair to my automobile was complete. I picked up my automobile and paid Mr. Kim.
On November 14, 2013, I noticed fluid on my garage floor in the vicinity of where KIM’S AUTO REPAIR had repaired my automobile. I notified Mr. Kim on November 14, 2013, brought my automobile to KIM’S AUTO REPAIR on November 14, 2013, and left my automobile with KIM’S AUTO REPAIR on November 14, 2013.
On November 19, 2013, Mr. Kim notified me that the re-​repair to my automobile was complete. I picked up my automobile from KIM’S AUTO REPAIR on November 19, 2013.
On March 3, 2014, I noticed fluid on my garage floor in the vicinity of where KIM’S AUTO REPAIR had repaired my automobile. I brought my automobile, odometer reading 212,450, to LONGO LEXUS, where a technician put dye in the transmission fluid and instructed me to return after 1,000 miles to determine the origin of the leak.
On April 14, 2014, I brought my automobile, odometer reading 213,030, to LONGO LEXUS for evaluation of the leak.
On April 16, 2014, LONGO LEXUS notified me that its technician found the rear main seal had been replaced but was still leaking from the rear main seal/​plate area and the galley plug above it, and the rear main seal installed by KIM’S AUTO REPAIR was an aftermarket seal, not a factory seal, which was the cause of the leak.
On April 18, 2014, I notified Mr. Kim telephonically (in the presence of the LONGO LEXUS service consultant) that my automobile was at LONGO LEXUS, and again requested warranty service. Mr. Kim was offered to speak with the service consultant, but declined stating he would need to locate his repair invoice and call me back. Mr. Kim never called me back. I authorized LONGO LEXUS to repair my automobile.
KIM’S AUTO REPAIR failed to properly repair my automobile, despite two attempts, and failed to respond to my request for warranty service, requiring me to repair my automobile at LONGO LEXUS. I was also without the use of my automobile from November 14, 2013 through November 18, 2013 and April 14, 2014 through April 21, 2014.
Jaung Kim has indicated in his reply to this review that the use of aftermarket parts is so that their «precious customers» can «save significant money.» In the instant case, the aftermarket rear main seal, which failed twice, was $ 15.95, whereas the factory rear main seal was $ 31.86.
Jaung Kim has further indicated in his reply to this review that I have been offered a refund for the rear main seal repair and refused, and KIMS DSK, INC. won’t be bullied. The repair at LONGO LEXUS was $ 1,450.63. Jaung offered me $ 395.00, and nothing for my loss of use.

Kim use to be my go to place but after a year and a month with a changed water pump… heard the same sound went to Kim at first said it was just normal sound but after further inspection he or should I say his assistant determined it was my fan belt, tensioner and WATER PUMP! When asked him about it he said the part only had warranty for a year… WTF so a month after it expired. asked him if he could help me out with the price bc of the water pump he put in he said I cant still take 5 hr job. so a 600 dollar fix good for only one year!!! Mr. Kim you lost a great customer and reference person for great business!

I have a Nissan Maxima with high mileage whenever it needs service I take it to kims automotive. Kim is always straight forward with pricing .He is very professional and very Honest. He has a team of knowedgable mechanics that will get you and your car back on the road. Kims is the only shop I take my cars to.

Not an honest mechanic… took my car in for maintenance and he said that my battery needed to be changed. The owner, Mr. Kim, charged me $ 145 telling me he put in a 6-​year performance battery into my car. I felt like it was a bit pricey but since it was a 6-​year battery I didn’t complain.
When I got home I opened my hood and lifted up the battery cover to check and see what he had put in. What did I find? 4-​year performance battery instead of the 6-​year he had claimed. I thought maybe he made a mistake so giving him the benefit of the doubt I called in and asked him what battery he put in my car. He goes on to say he put in a 5-​year battery… Then I tell him that I personally checked the battery and it was a 4-​year I asked if I could bring my car in so he can put int he correct battery he promised but then he says he actually doesn’t carry any 5-​year or 6-​year batteries… yea… he said that.
So based on his response I knew his intentions were to deceive me in the first place. He didn’t offer a refund and just kept saying he would guarantee 5-​years worth of performance (as if his word means anything anymore). I didn’t bother arguing further with this liar. I hope it was worth lying to steal a $ 40 from me because he just lost my business for my car as well as the business for the other two cars my parent’s were going to bring in for 60,000 mile maintenance.