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The Highest Rated Auto Repair in Albany

Ranked by the rating and review count on each listing, not by who pays us. Nobody pays us.

  1. Dana Meyer Auto Care★ 4.9869 reviews · Repair Shop
  2. Berkeley Motor Works★ 4.8298 reviews · Repair Shop
  3. Autoworx Albany★ 4.8283 reviews · Repair Shop
  4. Albany Subaru★ 4.72,102 reviews · Repair Shop
  5. Tire Choice Auto Service Centers★ 4.71,539 reviews · Tire Shop

The best reviewed business in Albany right now is Dana Meyer Auto Care, at 4.9 stars across 869 reviews. Every shop above clears 4.3 stars with at least 15 reviews behind it, which is the point where a rating starts meaning something. Plenty of shops hold five stars on four reviews. That is not the same thing.

Of the 17 businesses listed in Albany, there are 9 with a workshop you drive to and 4 tire shops. None has been claimed by its owner yet, so the hours and phone numbers come from public records. An unclaimed listing is not a worse business. It just means we built the record and nobody has corrected it yet.

Map of Mechanics in Albany

17 pinned locations · open the full MechanicRank map →

All Auto Repair and Mobile Mechanics in Albany

17 independent businesses in our directory.

Shops in Albany

Each photograph comes from that business's own website, not a stock library.

Albany Subaru in Albany
Albany Subaru photo from albanysubaru.com
Tire Choice Auto Service Centers in Albany
Tire Choice Auto Service Centers photo from locations.thetirechoice.com
Peles Muffler Works in Albany
Peles Muffler Works photo from lh3.googleusercontent.com
El Cerrito Tires & Auto Body in Albany
El Cerrito Tires & Auto Body photo from elcerritotires.com
Continental Auto Body in Albany
Continental Auto Body photo from continentalautobodyalbany.com
Best American Tires and Brakes in Albany
Best American Tires and Brakes photo from lh3.googleusercontent.com

Getting a Car Fixed in Albany

Independent shops in California usually charge $120 to $175 an hour for labor, which is above the national average. A quote is the book time for the job times that rate, plus parts. At California rates, a brake rotor replacement runs about $220 to $650 and a spark plug replacement runs about $135 to $510 for a midsize car.

Of the 17 Albany listings that post their hours, 8 open on Saturday and 2 on Sunday. 1 open before 8 AM on weekdays, which helps if you need to drop the car off before work.

17 businesses in Albany have at least 15 reviews, enough for a rating to mean something, and 14 of those hold 4.5 stars or better. Half of them have 140 or more reviews. A shop with a long history and a 4.6 is a safer call than a perfect 5.0 from a handful of people.

For work a general shop may turn away, Albany has 1 transmission shop, 2 body and collision shops and 4 tire shops. Call ahead with the year, make and model so you do not waste a trip.

Gas, hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles from 1976 and newer, and diesel vehicles from 1998 and newer, need a smog check every two years when the DMV renewal notice asks for one. Gas and hybrid vehicles 8 model years old or newer pay a smog abatement fee instead, and electric vehicles are exempt. A smog check is also needed when most vehicles are sold and when a vehicle from another state is first registered in California. Details are on the California Bureau of Automotive Repair site. Auto shops must be registered with the Bureau of Automotive Repair, must give an estimate, and cannot start work until the customer approves it. Customers can get replaced parts back if they ask before approving the repairs, and the shop must give a final itemized invoice. Read the rule.

Owning a Car in Albany

26Inches of Rain a Year
31Minute Average Commute
1.49Cars per Household
9%Households With No Car
36%Drive to Work Alone

The average commute in Albany is 31 minutes each way, and 36% of workers drive there alone. Long commutes add miles fast, so oil changes and brakes come due sooner than the calendar says.

Sources, checked October 13, 2026

  • Weather: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station Berkeley
  • Households and commutes: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024, Albany city

Pre-Purchase Inspections in Albany

Buying a used car in Albany? PPI Auto, our sister company, sends an inspector to the car for $225 on most cars, pickups and SUVs. That is a 122 point check with a full scan and a road test, and the report comes back the same day. Dealer lot, private seller or auction, it works the same.

There are 71 car lots within 8 miles of Albany, and 60 of them sell used. PPI Auto grades 32 of them A to F from their reviews, and 8 get an F. See the San Francisco dealer grades before you go look at a car.

Parts of California require an emissions test. Ask the seller for the last test report, and if the check engine light is on, walk away until someone has read the code.

Questions About Auto Repair in Albany

How many auto repair businesses are there in Albany?

We list 17 in Albany, CA. That covers mobile mechanics, workshops, diesel and heavy duty specialists, body shops and tire shops. Every one has its own page with the phone number, what they work on and the reviews we have found.

Who is the best rated mechanic in Albany?

Dana Meyer Auto Care currently holds the highest rating in Albany at 4.9 stars from 869 reviews. Dana Meyer Auto Care, Berkeley Motor Works, Autoworx Albany are the top three by rating among businesses with a real review history behind them. We rank on the ratings themselves and nobody can pay to appear there.

How much do mechanics charge per hour in Albany?

Independent shops in California usually bill $120 to $175 an hour for labor. The national range is $95 to $140. Dealers charge more. Most quotes are the book time for the job times that rate, plus parts, so ask the shop how many hours it is billing you for.

Does California require a car inspection?

Gas, hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles from 1976 and newer, and diesel vehicles from 1998 and newer, need a smog check every two years when the DMV renewal notice asks for one. Gas and hybrid vehicles 8 model years old or newer pay a smog abatement fee instead, and electric vehicles are exempt. A smog check is also needed when most vehicles are sold and when a vehicle from another state is first registered in California.

Are any mechanics in Albany open on Sunday?

Yes. 2 of the businesses we list in Albany show Sunday hours, including Albany Subaru and Tire Choice Auto Service Centers. Call first, because Sunday hours are often short and some only take emergencies.

How do I know a shop in Albany is trustworthy?

Look at the review count as well as the stars, because five stars from four people tells you very little. None of the 17 listings in Albany has been claimed yet, so call to confirm hours and what the shop works on. Auto shops must be registered with the Bureau of Automotive Repair, must give an estimate, and cannot start work until the customer approves it. Customers can get replaced parts back if they ask before approving the repairs, and the shop must give a final itemized invoice. Get the quote in writing before any work starts.

Can I get a pre-purchase inspection in Albany?

Yes. PPI Auto, our sister company, inspects used cars in Albany for $225 on most cars, pickups and SUVs. The inspector comes to the car, runs a 122 point check and sends the report the same day. Call 951-267-8500 to book.

How do I check a mechanic's license in Albany?

In California anyone paid to diagnose or repair cars must be registered with the Bureau of Automotive Repair as an Automotive Repair Dealer, and the number starts with ARD. You can look any shop up by name or number on the state's license search at search.dca.ca.gov. 13 of the 17 listings in Albany show a BAR number on their MechanicRank page, linked to that lookup. If a shop will not give you its ARD number, take the car somewhere that will.

Why do some Albany listings have photos and others do not?

9 of the 17 listings in Albany show a photo or logo. They come from the owner, from the business's own website, or from our own jobs for Supercanic locations. We never put a stock or AI photo on someone else's business. Owners can claim their listing free and add their own.

How does MechanicRank check the mechanics in Albany?

We call, text and email the businesses we list to confirm their details, and listings whose numbers turn out to be dead come off the directory. Nobody can pay to rank higher.

Why use MechanicRank to find a mechanic in Albany?

Because we work with these mechanics, not just list them. Besides checking listings, we run free study guides and certification exams for mechanics, publish repair cost guides by state, and give shops software to send written quotes and invoices. 17 carry a rating with the review count beside it, and the order on this page follows the published rules on our How We Rank page.

How this page was made

This page lists 17 auto repair businesses in Albany, CA. We built it from business details and ratings from each Google Business Profile, owner claims and uploads, license numbers from owners and the state license board, California repair and inspection rules from the state agency and Census and NOAA figures for the local car ownership section. We call, text and email the businesses to keep it right, and take listings down when a number goes dead.

Why trust it: no business pays to be listed or to rank, the order follows our published rules, and every count on this page is counted from the listings below. 9 show a photo or logo, 13 show a license number (13 checked against California's BAR) and 0 have been confirmed by the owner.

Mechanics in Nearby Cities

No luck in Albany? A mobile mechanic from the next town over will often make the trip. See all 705 cities in California.

What Car Repairs Cost in Albany, CA

Typical independent shop prices at California labor rates, parts and labor, for a midsize car. Each guide shows the price for your vehicle and what to ask before you pay. See all 91 repair cost guides.

FOR ALBANY BUSINESSES

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