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Service Types 7

The Highest Rated Auto Repair in Petaluma

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

  1. Jay & Bill's Tire Service★ 5.0122 reviews · Tire Shop
  2. Sonoma Autowerks LLC★ 5.065 reviews · Repair Shop
  3. Lakeville Auto Body★ 5.055 reviews · Body Shop
  4. FIN Coachworks★ 5.037 reviews · RV/Trailer
  5. Norm's Auto Machine Shop★ 5.023 reviews · Specialty

The best reviewed business in Petaluma right now is Jay & Bill's Tire Service, at 5.0 stars across 122 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 49 businesses listed in Petaluma, there are 24 with a workshop you drive to, 6 body and collision shops and 7 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 Petaluma

49 pinned locations · open the full MechanicRank map →

All Auto Repair and Mobile Mechanics in Petaluma

49 independent businesses in our directory.

Shops in Petaluma

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

Jay & Bill's Tire Service in Petaluma
Jay & Bill's Tire Service photo from jayandbills.com
Sonoma Autowerks LLC in Petaluma
Sonoma Autowerks LLC photo from lh3.googleusercontent.com
Lakeville Auto Body in Petaluma
Lakeville Auto Body photo from lakevilleautobody.com
FIN Coachworks in Petaluma
FIN Coachworks photo from fincoachworks.com
Norm's Auto Machine Shop in Petaluma
Norm's Auto Machine Shop photo from lh3.googleusercontent.com
Custom Exhaust & Muffler, Brad in Petaluma
Custom Exhaust & Muffler, Brad photo from lh3.googleusercontent.com

Getting a Car Fixed in Petaluma

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 spark plug replacement runs about $135 to $510 and a valve cover gasket replacement runs about $180 to $655 for a midsize car.

Of the 47 Petaluma listings that post their hours, 11 open on Saturday and 2 on Sunday. 7 open before 8 AM on weekdays, which helps if you need to drop the car off before work.

48 businesses in Petaluma have at least 15 reviews, enough for a rating to mean something, and 41 of those hold 4.5 stars or better. Half of them have 50 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, Petaluma has 1 transmission shop, 6 body and collision shops, 7 tire shops, 5 smog and emissions stations and 1 RV and trailer shop. 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 Petaluma

20Days a Year at 90°F or Hotter
21Nights a Year at or Below Freezing
26Inches of Rain a Year
31Minute Average Commute
1.95Cars per Household
5%Households With No Car
67%Drive to Work Alone

Summers here bring about 20 days at 90°F or hotter. That is enough to finish off a tired battery or a weak AC compressor, so get both checked in spring rather than on the first hot day.

It freezes on about 21 nights a year here. Not many, but the first cold snap is when a weak battery shows itself, so test it in the fall.

The average commute in Petaluma is 31 minutes each way, and 67% 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 Petaluma Airport
  • Households and commutes: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024, Petaluma city

Pre-Purchase Inspections in Petaluma

Buying a used car in Petaluma? 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.

The nearest PPI Auto city is San Francisco, about 34 miles away, and inspectors drive out to Petaluma.

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 Petaluma

How many auto repair businesses are there in Petaluma?

We list 49 in Petaluma, 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 Petaluma?

Jay & Bill's Tire Service currently holds the highest rating in Petaluma at 5.0 stars from 122 reviews. Jay & Bill's Tire Service, Sonoma Autowerks LLC, Lakeville Auto Body 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 Petaluma?

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 Petaluma open on Sunday?

Yes. 2 of the businesses we list in Petaluma show Sunday hours, including United Auto Repair & Tires and Wheel Works. Call first, because Sunday hours are often short and some only take emergencies.

How do I know a shop in Petaluma 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 49 listings in Petaluma 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 Petaluma?

Yes. PPI Auto, our sister company, inspects used cars in Petaluma 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 Petaluma?

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. 26 of the 49 listings in Petaluma 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 Petaluma listings have photos and others do not?

43 of the 49 listings in Petaluma 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 Petaluma?

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 Petaluma?

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. 49 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 49 auto repair businesses in Petaluma, 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. 43 show a photo or logo, 26 show a license number (26 checked against California's BAR) and 0 have been confirmed by the owner.

Mechanics in Nearby Cities

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

What Car Repairs Cost in Petaluma, 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 PETALUMA BUSINESSES

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