Signal Hill Automotive

Onik was fantastic! I have needed to bring my car into a mechanic for quite some time now because my check engine light has been on for over a month and it has been having a lot of trouble getting up hills and accelerating after a stop. Then finally one night, I saw what looked like smoke come out from under the hood so I figured it was about time.
I brought my car in before work because thankfully this place opens at 7:00am! I told Onik the issues my car was having and he said he would call me in a couple hours to give me the diagnosis. A few hours passed and he let me know that the spark plugs and wire set needed to be changed in regards to the check engine light. He quoted me the price so I did a quick Google search for a «fair price» on that service and his quote was right on the money!
Onik also told me that what I thought was smoke, was really steam because my radiator was cracked. I am pretty tight on my money so I asked him if this was urgent or if the repair could wait awhile. He was very understanding and said I could bring my car back in a couple of days later and he would see how badly my coolant was leaking and then let me know.
When I picked my car up later that day, he went over what he fixed and showed me where the radiator crack was and when to bring my car back in to look at the coolant. I drove my car around the block a little bit and I had no issues driving up and down hills or stopping and going, it was driving great again!
So now I have just stopped by to check my coolant level and much to my delight, Onik said the repair is not that urgent and can wait until I can save up the money. So if you ask me, this place is wonderful! The pricing is fair and Onik provides excellent customer service and is open and honest. I would definitely recommend this place to everyone!

I’ve been taking my car to Onik for 8 years. He is always honest and never tries to over sell me services. Let’s me know when I can hold off for a while. Been really pleased with their communication and fair service prices and diagnosis. Always recommend them!

I haven’t gone here yet, but felt compelled to leave a review because I called asking for a price on a tuneup. The gentleman had to look up my vehicle and price supplies/​parts, called me back. He quoted quite a reasonable price, and I was ready to go, but he added «By the way, your van is carbureted, rather than fuel injected. Should we find a problem with the carburetor, we don’t do carburetor work, so…» He didn’t have to tell me that, indeed, had he been dishonorable, or not had my best interests at heart, likely WOULDN’T have. I’ll definitely go there when I need something else. Thank-​you Gerald!

I am pulling my last review. I was a victim of catalytic converter theft. I have never heard of that before, but some auto repair place seems to have stolen my CAT and replaced it with an illegal one. This shop correctly pointed it out. I take back my prior review.

They are so fair and do such great work. I never worry about not getting quality work from them. They have great customer service and I have never had a complaint. They work on all of our family cars and I recommend them to everyone. Jerald and all the guys are friendly and I have never felt uneasy about making any decisions about any of their recommendations. We will use them forever.

I check this place out on Unilocal,and it had good reviews, so I decided to give them a try. I’m glad I did. Great customer service, let me know what was needed, and toon care of it. I’ll make sure to come back when I need more repairs.

Onick and the team are EXTREMELY amazing! I have had a few troubles pop up on my car and a friend suggested this place. I never talk much to them, but they are ALWAYS quick, courteous, reasonably priced and honest.

Had my water pump replaced! Wasn’t cheap but I trust the work and that’s more than any discount. Got the work done and my car back in the same day, even finished 15 min sooner than what I was quoted.

Absolutely the best customer service and very knowledgable mechanics. They do not try to overcharge for anything! Even their labor charges are great.
Each time I’ve gone there, I’ve always felt confident that my car will be taken care of!

Smog person doesn’t come in until 9:30 so don’t go at 7:30 thinking you’ll get a smog check before work

We have been customers of Signal Hill Automotive for almost 12 years. It is a rare auto shop that treats you well, has reasonable prices and tells you the truth. Onik and Gerald have treated us like friends and valued customers from the very beginning.
We have taken cars to them when we are thinking of purchasing a new car and each time they have given us good advice.
Once I just told them to go ahead and fix all four brakes and they talked me out of it. Said we didn’t need all 4 but just the rear 2. When ever anything needs to be fixed they explain exactly the problem and show us the broken parts they removed.
We have recommended them to many friends and would do so again.

Sometimes it’s all about convenience.
My car registration is due next week, and of course I procrastinated to get my smog check until the week before. I was in a panic. With a busy weekend ahead of me, I knew I would only be able to do it today.
This was actually the third place I tried.
First one: Sorry, the machine is broken.
Second one: I’ve got a couple before you. It’ll be a wait of about 30 min — 1hr.
Thank goodness for Unilocal,because my search came up with Signal Hill Automative. I know there’s only 11 reviews, but 5 stars nonetheless. This would be my next stop. And I wasn’t disappointed.
I was helped right away, and my car was done in about 20 minutes. $ 50 for my smog check, and gladly, MY CAR PASSED! Fast, quick service! Makes me a happy driver.

Awesome service!!! I had my smog check done there and the guys were super nice and got it done quickly with a minimal wait. I was so impressed with the service, I thought I would try getting my oil changed there a few months later. Same great service and they actually remembered me and my car. I was able to bring in my own oil, which I got from Costco (by far the cheapest way to go). They were able to get my oil and filter changed right away with no appointment. The best part is, they only charged me $ 21.00 for the oil change and filter. So much cheaper than what jiffy lube and valvoline were charging me, which was close to $ 100 for a full synthetic oil change. I will definitely be taking my car back there for any maintenance it needs.

Great service. Joe did my smog check right away very happy customer would definitely recommend!

These guys did an awesome job today. I came in near closing time and JERALD got me out in less than 15 minutes. No joke (I used the stopwatch on my iPhone.) Hahaa. Would definitely recommend them to family and friends. If there are a few people ahead of you then cross the street and kill some time at Best Buy while you wait for your ride.

I now drive from San Pedro to get my Mech. work done at Signal Hill Automotive. They are fast and most important honest.

This place is the best place in town to get a smog check! I brought my 1988 Toyota Tercel there today and they were very helpful and honest. They didn’t try to rip me off by telling me that it needed all sorts of expensive repairs. They got the job done quickly and with very little out of pocket cost. I would highly recommend them.

I used to work at a number of different Enterprise Rent-​A-​Car locations in Long Beach/​Southern CA and each branch has a local mechanic they take their vehicles to. Hands down Gerald, Onik, and Joe at SHAM run the best shop in the area. They thoroughly explain each step of the process, set and keep reasonable time tables to fix your vehicle, and have extremely fair pricing. I have used their services almost for my vehicle and the vehicles of family members over 50 times in the last 7 years and am never disappointed.
I refer all of my friends and family there. They are great, honest mechanics.

In and out in under 25 minutes! Yes! And my car passed!
I dropped by on a Friday afternoon, right before closing, without an appointment, and the guy didn’t blink an eye. He took my keys and told me I could wait in their little reception area. I had barely opened up my laptop before my car was done! At $ 50, it was a complete steal! I’m thinking about going back to have my breaks checked when I have more time.

I have been using SHAM for the past year and half for preventative maintenance on my 2001 Honda Accord since I no longer can get work done at my old employer (I use to work at a car dealership). Joe, Jerald, and Onik are some of the nicest guys you’ll meet and consistently deliver. Their prices are extremely reasonable and they are all very knowledgeable at what they do. As long as I live and/​or work in the area, I will always use them.