Paul's Automotive, Inc.

Ted Mumford

★☆☆☆☆

9 months ago

BEWARE OF EXPENSIVE MISTAKES I am a long-time customer of Paul’s Automotive that is severely disappointed by the high costs and mistakes that this shop has been making. I have brought several vehicles to this shop over the years, but I am sorry to say that I will never come back to this shop or recommend this shop to anyone I know. I brought my 2016 Ford truck into Paul’s about a year ago when a check-engine light came on with a “P0430” code. The shop took a look at my truck and told me that I needed a new catalytic converter. The shop quoted me at about $4,300 to replace the catalytic converter. I told them to go ahead with the repair, and I paid the full amount. A few weeks later, my check engine light came back on with the same “P0430” code. I took my truck back into the shop, and they could not figure out the issue. They cleared the code and I went home. A few weeks after that, the same P0430 code came back on. This time, the shop told me that I needed to replace one of the oxygen sensors. I was hesitant, but I paid the money for Paul’s to replace the oxygen sensor. A few weeks after that, my check engine light came on AGAIN with the same P0430 code. I took my truck back into the shop for the third time, and the mechanic told me that another oxygen sensor needed to be replaced. I paid for the new oxygen sensor to be installed. A few weeks later, the same P0430 code came back on with the check engine light. I made an appointment and came back into the shop. However, I was turned away when the shop staff told me that they had overbooked me. I returned the following week. The mechanic then told me that they had to charge me for another diagnostic run. I couldn’t believe they were trying to charge me again for the same issue. This time, they told me that the issue was a tube that had melted in my exhaust system. Paul’s automotive told me that it was a few hundred more dollars to fix that. I paid it and went home. A few weeks after that, my check engine light came back on with the same P0430 code. I went back to Paul’s again. I made an appointment, but the shop told me that they had overbooked me. I made another appointment and returned. The shop staff apologized and said they overbooked me again. I returned a third time, and they told me that their mechanics were sick and they could not service me. I then went to a different mechanic to get my truck looked at (which I admittedly should have done long before then). The new shop looked at my catalytic converter and determined that Paul’s installed a faulty catalytic converter. They also told me that Paul’s went with an expensive aftermarket catalytic converter instead of the reliable one from Ford. Paul’s charged me over $3,600 for the part alone, while Ford charged about $1,500 for the part. I was also told that because the catalytic converter wasn’t doing its job, my engine had been running at the wrong fuel mixture, which caused excess heat to build up, cracking my exhaust manifold. The exhaust manifold alone was over $900 to replace. Paul’s replaced their faulty catalytic converter with a new one, but they refused to refund me for the cost of the exhaust manifold, the exhaust tubing, the oxygen sensors, the $2,100 markup for the aftermarket catalytic converter, or the extra diagnostic fees. They also told me that the owner of the shop would give me a call to straighten things out, but he never returned my calls. The shop also refused to explain why they charged me $3,600 for a $1,500 part. Pros: 1. Kind staff that seem to be doing their best Cons: 1. Inexperienced (or dishonest) mechanics 2. Overbook appointments 3. Charge 2-3 times the going rate for parts 4. Charge 1.5-2 times the going rate for diagnostics 5. Unprotected outdoor parking for multi-day repairs 6. Difficult to get through to staff on the phone 7. Staff does not return calls

David Ordonez

★★★★★

3 months ago

You won’t believe this, but it’s true. I went to Paul’s Auto for some transmission work and signed an estimate for about $400.00. When I picked up my car the bill was $218.00! When I brought it to Jonathan's attention, he said the transmission did not need as much work as they thought so they only charged me for the work they actually did! Paul’s Auto has made a new friend.

Michael

★★★★★

4 months ago

I came out of work and had a flat tire, luckily Paul’s Automotive is a block away. I showed up right as they opened and they fixed it for me right away. Great service at an awesome price, thanks guys!

Cheryl Smith

★★★★★

4 months ago

Very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. Had a nail in my tire and was shown why I needed a new tire and why I only needed one new tire. Gave me a ride back home and picked me up so that I wouldn’t have to wait because they were unexpectedly down staffed.

Artemis Huntsman

★★★★★

4 months ago

I randomly called and asked if they could change my oil within the hour and they fit me in so I could continue my tight schedule! They even vacuumed out my car, rotated tires, and refilled my coolant. I was able to walk to a bar on the same street and wait, great location. Above and beyond service for $140 thanks y'all :)

Jesse Sanabria

★★★★★

4 months ago

What a wonderful place! Everyone super kind and friendly!! had to take my car to get tire pressure checked and they kindly checked all my tires and pressure and added air! I highly recommend them! so please take your cars in for service! It’s a place where they will take care of you and treat you well! Thank you very much! Now i have a new place if need to take my car!

Cheyenne Davis

★☆☆☆☆

3 months ago

I recently brought my car (Mazda) in to get a possible transmission issue looked at. They inspected the car, and when I checked the report via text back, it said that they did not check the transmission fluid because my car does not have a transmission dip stick. I found that odd because my car definitely does have a transmission dip stick. Then, they called me to go over their findings. The guy on the phone told me that they did not find any issues when they drove the car, but, that the battery was low and that that could possibly cause my issues. I felt that something wasn't adding up, so instead of replacing the battery like he suggested, I took the car to autozone to check on the battery quality. At autozone, they say that the battery is completely fine. Weird. So then, I go back and look at the receipt they gave me when I picked up the car. I noticed there, that the mechanic notes did not match what the guy on the phone had told me. They had not found anything wrong with the car, but, they had recommended further investigation into the transmission. They also did not find anything wrong with the battery. It seems to me like the mechanic wasn't very knowledgeable about my car, since they didn't know there was a dipstick. It also seems to me like the guy working the counter had no idea what was going on with my car, and if I hadn't have gotten a weird feeling, I would've wasted money on a new battery and not gotten the problem fixed. On previous occasions, they also lost the keys to my car, I found someone's shoes in my car (did a homeless person spend the night?) they lost my engine cover, they damaged my door, and, they were completely useless in diagnosing a complex issue I had with my airbags. They also charge ALOT more for smog inspections than other shops do. I unfortunately gave them too many chances and overlooked their shortcomings. I did this because finding a trustworthy mechanic is so difficult, and I liked that they sent the online inspection report, as that seemed like a more honest way to do business. But, looking back, the way they run their business has likely cost me alot of money over the years. I don't think they purposefully ripped me off, but, I do think that the front desk guy has no idea what he's talking about, and that he needs to make sure he's relaying the proper information to the customer. I also think that because I had an older car, they didn't feel like they had to treat it with the same care as a nicer car. Hence the damage to the door, airbag issues, and engine cover. I'm assuming they're not making those same careless mistakes when a Mercedes pulls in, but then again maybe they do. I did not pay for the inspection on the Mazda, which is nice. HOWEVER, in my life experience, I've found that places that offer "free" services are usually because they know that they're going to convince you to get more work done, and the "free" inspection is to get you into the door. So, a bit scammy in my opinion.

Susette Goudeau

★★★★★

Edited 3 months ago

I received great service and a detailed report regarding the condition of my car. No one is thrilled with paying for car repair but Paul's Automotive had very fair and honest prices. Thank you for the repair job and respect.

Shannon Ikeda

★☆☆☆☆

a month ago

I brought my car in during a storm because there was a leak on my passenger side. I dropped my car off at 12:30. I called at 2:30 for an update and they said they were about to start on it. 5:00 rolls around and still no call. I call back again and they say they were not able to diagnose the leak. They charged me $300 for this. The part that upset me the most was that I had to repeatedly call for updates, and they didn’t even walk me through everything they did to try to diagnose the problem. After asking repeatedly, they said they sprayed the car with a hose and didn’t see a leak. I asked if they’d be willing to reduce the rate but they refused. Instead they said I could bring it back if it leaked again. But I do not want to bring my car back after the experience I had. Jonathan, the service tech that I interacted with, seemed annoyed and unwilling to help. Very disappointed and don’t recommend coming here.

Vicente Ortega

★★☆☆☆

3 weeks ago

Over pricey in my opinion! The dealer gave me a better price for the same issue. The front desk receptionist was incredible that he ended up calling the dealer himself to compare prices. Embarrassing in my opinion because I showed him the hand receipt I got from them…

Tom Peterson

★★★★★

3 months ago

The service, communication and help I received here from Traci and Jonathan and the team was excellent. It's a no BS operation. I called them after my older Honda Pilot would not start. They said they could take it right away. It took one business day for them to get back to me with a full diagnosis - the alternator needed replacing. They also gave me options for other services and were not pushy at all. They only wanted to help with what I wanted done with my car. I'd take my car here again for maintenance and service.

Mariana Barcenas

★★★★★

a month ago

I had the most wonderful experience. I took in my Accord to get the doors fixed and from the beginning there was great communication. Also the repair of the car was so fast. Overall, wonderful job. From here on forward this is my go to car shop .

Jeff Webb

★★★★★

Edited a month ago

Purchased a 2015 Honda Fit in November 2025. Car had been relatively well maintained, but I knew it needed various service done. Rear shocks/struts, brake, radiator & transmission service, valve adjustment, new serpentine belt. Paul’s knocked it out of the park. What was already a good daily driver came back to me running like a brand new car. Reasonable prices, friendly & attentive service. After all the work, I shouldn’t need much in the immediate future, but when I do, I’m taking my car to Paul’s!!

Julienne Oberts

★★★★★

a month ago

I had a really positive experience at Paul’s Automotive and wanted to share. I brought in my 2016 Smart for Two after it failed a smog test, and the team took the time to check the engine codes and let me know the issue might be covered under an extended warranty—encouraging me to try the dealership first so it wouldn’t cost me anything. I really appreciated that honesty. While I was there, they also fixed my rear hatch the same day and ordered a part for my seatbelt to repair after the smog issue was resolved. When the dealership couldn’t find the code, I called back and Jonathan invited me to stop by right away. He rechecked everything, confirmed the car was ready, and got me scheduled first thing the next morning for the smog—which passed. Everyone was kind, communicative, and genuinely helpful throughout the whole process. Thank you to Jonathan and the team for taking such good care of me. Highly recommend!

Thomas “Thom” Pelham

★★★★★

3 months ago

I've been taking my 2008 Acura TL to Pauls Automotive fo years now and I have always been treated with respect, honesty, and great value for tremendous, professional service. It doesn't matter if I've taken my car in for a simple oil change or smog inspection or something more complex like my last visit in November for a complete system power drain. I know that I can trust them and that I will receive the same five star professional service from Jonathan, Tracy, and the entire crew to give me the best quality, and dependable service I possibly could receive. That's why I keep coming back to Pauls Automotive in Midtown Sacramento. I trust them and they respect me.

John Matheny

★★★★★

a month ago

Paul's is a great shop to have your vehicle fixed. Brought my van in because the engine had serious issues. They took time to diagnose, give me the repair options and then did the work. Kept me updated on progress and explained what needed to be done. Van runs great now and would definitely recommend them.

Sna Fu

★★★★★

a month ago

My daughter and I had a very trusted mobile repair person who decided to retire. Normally, my fallback is the dealership. I don't mind the dealership but I've had to do too many comebacks after their service. I found Paul's by accident thinking I was searching for a different Paul's at a different location. I'm on my 3rd service with them due to the recommendations provided after inspection. They are professional, friendly and fair in price. Check out their website for coupons before you make an appointment. If you decide to wait for your car, there are many locations within walking distance for food. I was referred to N St Cafe (1 block) for breakfast. The Zebra Club is the same distance in the other direction and serves a full breakfast. I would very much recommend this shop to my friends and family for auto repairs. Traci and Jonathan are very good and easy to work with.