About Us - Berkeley Minicar

For more than 40 years, locally owned Berkeley Minicar has been providing dealership alternative repair and maintenance for all Acura, Honda Lexus Scion and Toyota vehicles. Our team of dedicated auto repair technicians combine more than 150 years of hands-on experience with state of the art tools and technologies to ensure our customers’ vehicles remain safe, reliable and comfortable to drive. As a bumper to bumper automotive service center for these brands, we are able to conduct any type of work your car, truck, van or SUV may require. This includes factory auto maintenance, including oil changes, belt and hose services, and 30/60/90K maintenance, as well as complex auto repairs like engine diagnostics, transmission repair, brake jobs, auto AC repair, electrical repairs, shock replacement, and hard-starting repairs. When your Acura, Honda, Lexus, Scion, or Toyota, gives you trouble or requires factory car services, you can count on us. Give us a call to schedule service and find out why people have been trusting our Asian auto repair shop in Berkeley, servicing the South Bay Area since 1980.

As a local auto center, the car mechanics at Berkeley Minicar love being able to serve our friends and neighbors in Berkeley, Albany, Richmond, Alameda and the neighboring South Bay communities. To ensure our customers have an excellent experience from the initial quote for the cost of Acura, Honda, Lexus, Scion or Toyota repair, until the time they pick their vehicle up, we’ve made our service process as convenient as possible. We offer options such as early or late drop-off and pickup, shuttle service to the BART station, highly competitive prices, and we provide a 12-month/12,000-mile parts and labor warranty with most services.

Founded in 1976, Berkeley Minicar serviced Honda vehicles.

The story of our name. Why do we have Minicar in our name? During that time, the oil embargo of the mid-70s and scarcity of oil pushed vehicle manufacturers to build smaller and smaller cars to make them more fuel-efficient. Gone were the days of large gas-guzzling vehicles. During that period, Honda built very small cars, some with 3-cylinder engines. Those vehicles were known as minicars. The Honda N600 was commonly known as the mosquito because of its size. The owner at that time chose that name for the shop. Although the name prevails to this day, Honda no longer makes "minicars". Berkeley Minicar added the luxury line of Acura a few years after the brand came onto the market and in 2007 added Toyota, Lexus, and Scion in 2007 to the vehicle list of brands serviced.

When are you open?

We are open from 8:30am-5:30 pm Mon-Fri.

Can I drop off my car before you are open?

Yes, you can park your vehicle in our lot (next to our building) before we open we will not begin repairs until you have contacted us and received an estimate.

Can I pick up my car after you close?

We can take payment by phone and lock your key and receipt in your vehicle for after hours pick up. (Remember to bring an extra key!)

Can I have my car towed to your shop if you are closed?

You may, but please remember we are not responsible for anything that may happen to your vehicle while it is parked in our open lot.

What methods of payment do you accept?

We accept cash, personal check, Visa, Master Card, or Discover.

Do you perform Factory Service/Maintenance?

We provide service that satisfies your Factory Required Maintenance in order to keep your Warranty intact.

Do you perform warranty repairs?

We will tell you if/when we discover repairs that should be covered by your Manufacture Warranty. Unfortunately we cannot bill the Factory for these repairs. So we will refer you back to the Dealer when necessary.

Do you have shuttle service?

Yes, we ask those needing to be shuttled to Downtown Berkeley or the Bart Station to arrive when we open at 8:30 am so we can write your repair order and get you into our shuttle vehicle that leaves at 8:50am.

Can I schedule to wait for my vehicle?

Certainly, minor services or oil changes can be completed in about 1 hour. In order to schedule waiters in the most efficient manner we ask that you arrive when we open at 8:30 so we can write your repair order and route your job to our technicians when they begin at 8:45. Later in the day waiting appts. may be available depending on the work schedule.

What can I do while I wait?

There are a variety of stores and places to have a hot beverage or meal in our neighborhood.

Are your prices competitive?

We frequently check prices in our area to make sure we remain competitive with other shops. As of our latest labor rate survey (January 2009) our labor rate is 20-60% lower. We use OEM (original equipment manufacture) parts whenever possible because we believe that they are built to a higher standard than many aftermarket brands. Also since we specialize in Acura, Honda, Lexus, Scion, and Toyota cars only our skilled technicians with over 150 years of combined experience can diagnose and repair your vehicle in less time than other shops without that knowledge.

Does your work have any warranty?

All of our work carries a 12 month or 12,000 mile parts and labor warranty. If we replace a component with a Honda Remanufactured part (like an alternator or starter) that part carries a lifetime warranty (as long as you own the vehicle).

What cars do you work on?

Currently we are only working on Acura, Honda, Lexus, Scion, and Toyota cars. But since many of our customers have asked us to consider helping them out with their other cars we are looking into that possibility. If you are interested in that drop us an email and let us know so we can make our future plans accordingly.

Above all, we take the time to make sure our customers understand why certain services are necessary to keep their cars on the road. We want you to make an informed decision regarding your vehicle’s repair and maintenance needs. Whether you need complicated repair, or factory auto maintenance in Berkeley for your vehicle, we’re here to help. Give us a call at (510) 841-1221 to learn more about our services or to request an appointment or an estimate for expert Acura, Honda, Lexus, Scion, or Toyota repair in Berkeley or the surrounding South Bay areas.

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Berkeley Minicar

SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST, SINCE 1980