Auto Repair Shops and Mobile Mechanics in San Carlos, CA
MechanicRank lists 41 auto repair businesses in San Carlos, CA. 2 are mobile mechanics who come to your home or work and 24 run auto repair shops you can drive to. The best rated with a real review history is Holland Car Care - San Carlos, CA, at 5.0 stars from 433 reviews. Every listing shows the phone number, hours and reviews. Or send one free quote request and a local mechanic calls you back.
Need Work Done in San Carlos? Get a Free Quote.
Tell us what the car is doing. A local mechanic calls you back, most requests get a call back the same day. No fee, no obligation.
The Highest Rated Auto Repair in San Carlos
Ranked by the rating and review count on each listing, not by who pays us. Nobody pays us.
- Holland Car Care - San Carlos, CA
- T & S Auto Repair
- San Carlos Auto Works
- Italian Performance
- TomoService
The best reviewed business in San Carlos right now is Holland Car Care - San Carlos, CA, at 5.0 stars across 433 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 41 businesses listed in San Carlos, there are 2 that will come to you, 24 with a workshop you drive to and 9 body and collision 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 San Carlos
41 pinned locations · open the full MechanicRank map →
All Auto Repair and Mobile Mechanics in San Carlos
41 independent businesses in our directory.
FZ mobile tire roadside service
Holland Car Care - San Carlos, CA
T & S Auto Repair
San Carlos Auto Works
Italian Performance
TomoService
Belmount Auto Repair
European Auto
Supreme Auto Body
Vancea Auto Services
San Carlos Collision & Repair, inc
CAMBRON AUTO BODY INC.
Peninsula Auto Works
Frans Auto Service
San Carlos Auto Solutions Inc.
Holly Smog
Bimmers Independent Service
ISSIMI Meccanica
A+ Japanese Auto Repair, Inc.
Toole's Garage - San Carlos Auto Repair
Avenue Auto Service
Automotive Enterprise
Max Motors
Image Auto Repair
San Carlos Transmission
All Automotive Masters
Perfect Lube
Greg’s Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Mini Repair
San Carlos Service
Bob & Kevin's Auto Service
San Carlos German Motor Works - Bosch Car Service
FAST TRACK TIRE DEALS & AUTO SERVICE
B.A.B Auto Body & Painting
880 Auto Works
Smog X Press
Yao's Auto Services and Star Smog Check
A & E Automotive
AW Collision Autobahn
Smart Care Auto
DG Auto Body Shop
Shops in San Carlos
Each photograph comes from that business's own website, not a stock library.
Getting a Car Fixed in San Carlos
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 valve cover gasket replacement runs about $180 to $655 and a transmission fluid change runs about $145 to $420 for a midsize car.
Of the 41 San Carlos listings that post their hours, 17 open on Saturday and 5 on Sunday. 8 open before 8 AM on weekdays, which helps if you need to drop the car off before work.
32 businesses in San Carlos have at least 15 reviews, enough for a rating to mean something, and 32 of those hold 4.5 stars or better. Half of them have 41 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, San Carlos has 1 transmission shop, 9 body and collision shops, 2 tire shops and 3 smog and emissions stations. 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 San Carlos
The average commute in San Carlos is 25 minutes each way, and 52% of workers drive there alone.
Sources, checked October 13, 2026
- Weather: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station Redwood City
- Households and commutes: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024, San Carlos city
Pre-Purchase Inspections in San Carlos
Buying a used car in San Carlos? 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 21 miles away, and inspectors drive out to San Carlos.
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 San Carlos
How many auto repair businesses are there in San Carlos?
We list 41 in San Carlos, 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 San Carlos?
Holland Car Care - San Carlos, CA currently holds the highest rating in San Carlos at 5.0 stars from 433 reviews. Holland Car Care - San Carlos, CA, T & S Auto Repair, San Carlos Auto Works 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.
Are there mobile mechanics in San Carlos?
Yes. 2 of the businesses we list in San Carlos will travel to you rather than making you bring the car in. That covers most servicing, brakes, batteries, diagnostics and plenty of repairs that do not need a lift.
How much do mechanics charge per hour in San Carlos?
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 San Carlos open on Sunday?
Yes. 5 of the businesses we list in San Carlos show Sunday hours, including San Carlos Super Mobile Mechanic, FZ mobile tire roadside service and All Automotive Masters. Call first, because Sunday hours are often short and some only take emergencies.
How do I know a shop in San Carlos 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 41 listings in San Carlos 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.
Does it cost more to use a mobile mechanic in San Carlos?
Usually not. 2 of the businesses in San Carlos come to you, and with no building to pay for, they often charge a bit less than a shop. What they cannot do in a driveway is work that needs a lift or a press, so heavy jobs still go to a shop.
Can I get a pre-purchase inspection in San Carlos?
Yes. PPI Auto, our sister company, inspects used cars in San Carlos 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 San Carlos?
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. 25 of the 41 listings in San Carlos 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 San Carlos listings have photos and others do not?
38 of the 41 listings in San Carlos 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 San Carlos?
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 San Carlos?
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. 2 of the San Carlos listings come to you, 41 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 41 auto repair businesses in San Carlos, 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. 38 show a photo or logo, 25 show a license number (25 checked against California's BAR) and 0 have been confirmed by the owner.
Mechanics in Nearby Cities
No luck in San Carlos? A mobile mechanic from the next town over will often make the trip. See all 705 cities in California.
Belmont, CATop rated: Golden State Smog Center 5.0★
Redwood City, CATop rated: Exclusive Auto Care and Auto Body 5.0★
Foster City, CATop rated: Hillsdale Arco Auto Repair 4.1★
San Mateo, CATop rated: Four Car Garage 4.9★
Menlo Park, CATop rated: Menlo Atherton Auto Repair 4.9★
East Palo Alto, CATop rated: mobile tire service 3 5.0★
Burlingame, CATop rated: Fox Tires Mobile Tires & Services 5.0★
Portola Valley, CATop rated: Portola Valley Garage 4.9★What Car Repairs Cost in San Carlos, 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.
Work on cars in San Carlos?
Claim your free listing to add photos, services, and hours, and stand out from every other shop in San Carlos with a Mechanic Rank certification.
Not on this page? Add your business free, we review every submission by hand before it goes live.































