Square Deal Garage in
Pinole (CA)

Beware!! Pretty frustrated with this place! Purchased a used ‘94Toyota truck from a private party (single young female) that came with a receipt showing it had over $1,500 worth of service at Square Deal in June of 2022. This included the replacement of a radiator and water pump, and other minor service items like clamps, distributor cap, thermostat and spark plugs. Parts were 0ver $700 and labor was close to $800. The vehicle had 148,000 miles at the time of service. At 152,000 the radiator failed and when I called to see if they would back their work they told me “it was probably a bad engine. Not their problem.” Now the water pump has failed at 154,000, and my trusted local small truck mechanic doesn’t recognize the water pump that was installed, and stated, “I wouldn’t install THAT”… I will install the OEM replacement. Further, while the truck was apart and drained for the radiator and water pump repair Square Deal also replaced an in line thermostat and charged $128 in labor. $128!! This is literally a 5 minute, two bolt removal job during the other work that was done! Shameful. That is just seriously taking advantage of someone! I’ve both worked on my own vehicles and have paid for service for over 50 years, and it’s rare to see such blatant exploitation of someone’s naïveté. I feel badly for this truck’s previous owner. Very Surprised to see so many positive reviews, when I am now repairing so much recent work and was quickly dismissed on the phone with an obviously incorrect evaluation for these part failures. The 22RE in this truck has great compression and is not a “bad engine”. Clearly, poor workmanship. Again, be wary. I rarely review, but am frustrated by the hundreds of dollars of work I am having to redo.

Not so square deal…Beware if you drive a BMW, Volvo, Lexus, Merc. Etc. I called for an estimate on a standard service for my 10 yr old Mercedes sedan and was quoted circa $300 BUT When I dropped it off the same day I was then told $850! When asked why the difference, I was told it was ‘because it was a Mercedes’. I left and ended up getting the service done in SF for $350.

I trust the professionals at Square Deal more than my medical doctors. And I have some serious medical conditions!

Friendly, efficient and trustworthy, called upon they open without appointment, took me in and took care of diagnosis, part replacement and an oil change added on later. Let me know about warranty on part, clear explanation on all charges. Took care of what car needs nothing extra. Will come back!

I highly recommend Square Deal Garage! I took my car in to get smogged and the entire staff was friendly and professional. They got it done quickly. A huge thanks to the Square Deal Garage team!

Honest and fair. Twice I had repairs done under warranty when I was not aware of the warranty. They could have charged me and I would not have been the wiser. Square Deal has been servicing my car for 13 years and I won't go anywhere else.

This establishment is truly a gem in the world of auto repair, and I cannot recommend them highly enough. My recent experience with Square Deal Garage was nothing short of exceptional. I had been having some issues with my brakes, and I was concerned that the repairs would be costly and time-consuming. However, the team at Square Deal Garage quickly put my mind at ease. They were professional, courteous, and knowledgeable, and they took the time to explain the issue in detail and provide me with a clear understanding of what needed to be done. Not only did they fix my brakes quickly and efficiently, but they also charged me a great price for their services. I was pleasantly surprised by the reasonable cost of the repairs, and I felt confident that I was getting a fair deal.

I wish I took my car here long time ago. Their rates are extremely fair. If you make an appointment, you can get a reasonable time that they will finish your car. The staff is courteous. If you're from the area, please consider taking your car here, and keep local businesses going.

I needed a smog check. They were polite and efficient. I got an appointment the same day I called, and it only took 15 minutes for the inspection. Very reasonable prices too.

The worse! They held an event collaborating with contra Costa sheriff department for catalytic converter etching from 8am to 10 am . They started turning people away by 9:30-9:40am. This particular department always been infamous for their dishonesty and lack of social skills amongst the community. Knowing that catalytic converter thefts has been an epidemic especially for contra Costa County it saddens me to experience the lack of help and support from our local authorities. DO NOT RELY ON THEM PEOPLE THEY WILL BE USELESS UNTIL ITS TOO LATE.

STAY AWAY! I took my car in for a smog check. Brandon Osman was the smog check technician. He tested my vehicle. The tail pipe emissions tested good. He fails me for a disconnected PVC system. My mechanic evaluated my vehicle and determined my PVC was intact. This shop is corrupt. They are dishonest. They are crooks. California Bureau of Auto Repair her I come.

Brought my 98' Toyota Corolla to Square Deal because I was told after I got my oil changed a few days ago, that I may have a coolant leak and should get it checked out. Called Square deal, and they took my car immediately. After about an hour, got a call from Square letting me know they inspected the coolant system and there was no issue. However, what was leaking was the power steering fluid. The lines need to be replaced, which these guys did, and for a very reasonable price. I was back on the road within 4 hours of bringing it. And everyone there was super nice and helpful through the process. Highly recommend this garage. I know I will be back for them to take a look at some oil leaks. 👍😁

Great and honest service! The mechanics here work hard and have extensive experience. I go to them for every issue my car has.

They truly are the best deal in the Bay, Square Deal with ask that you make an appointment for most services, this may be inconvenient BUT as a independent contractor I am by appointment only so this allows you to plan the day accordingly and gives them the time and space to provide 100% for your cars needs. My dad told me he'd do my brakes, heard what they charge and said "yeah let them gon n do that Amber" Square Deal Garage call them today for your automobile needs!

I strolled right in one morning to ask if they had time to do a Smog check. They were professional and kind and got me in and out of there as fast as possible! Definitely visiting again next time I need a Smog!

This place is the BEST! They have been servicing and repairing my cars for a very long time. My 1999 RAV4 has 330,000 miles, and just keeps going, thanks to Square Deal Garage! Same for my 1999 k2500 4 door truck, with 230,000 miles. I never feel the need to go anywhere but Square Deal for all my vehicle work.

This place is probably the moat trusted mechanics I've ever come across. Ive never felt like they overcharged or ripped me off. I appreciate them and their hard work.

They are very courteous and very profesional. They did an awesome job on my truck. Definitely I will come back! Thanks For all.

Always professional and courteous!! I have come here mostly smog tests and flat tire repairs. In my experience, they have always returned my car in the time frame they have told me. Smog test prices here are lower than most shops if not the lowest already. Would definitely recommend this shop.

Had repair done on my van done here. They were honest and upfront about would needed to be done and the price was reasonable to. I would definetely use them again.

The day that I went was a 5 star experience. I had a nail in my tire and was literally on the rim. The owner came out and immediately helped me. He couldn't fix the tire due to the placement on the hole but put the spare on my SUV and referred me to a tire shop. It was a $10 charge, but his attitude and readiness to help was outstanding. I will probably update in the future when I get some actual work done.

Outstanding customer service, friendly and knowledgeable. I had my first oil change since I moved from New York and they were great. I was able to schedule an appointment for the same day, they were ready waiting for me right on time, they gave me an estimated time when my car would be ready and they actually called me before I expected. Highly recomended.

I've been coming here with my car since I had a pickup truck in high school. (2008-09) They always do good work for my car and it's a small garage with the some of the same guys that have been there for years so I trust they know what they're doing!

I love taking my car here. Brian and Bong are always so nice and prompt. When it comes to prices and my car I can always feel at ease. They know what their doing and they are very honest. Very greatful for Square Deal Garage.

This is by far the worst mechanic shop that I've been to. Not only are they sleezy but they defend their shady business practices of not actively disclosing (or looking for) whats wrong with your vehicle. I took my Honda over there and asked for an oil change plus diagnostic on the engine i.e. what the industry calls (preventative maintenance). They did the oil change and ignored the preventative maintenance (PM). I tried talking to the older asian guy behind the desk about what were the result of the PM and he said "What do you want me to do". I responded by saying "Does the car need anything else besides the oil change?". His english was really poor so he felt threatened and said bring back the car when it breaks down. I tried to simplify the conversation and asked him - "does the car need new belts or spark plugs?". He started to get angry and his body language was defensive. I took the car to the Honda dealership and they found a litany of issues with the car. That evening, I reflected on my naiveness by trusting my Honda with this garage for 2 years in the name of supporting small local businesses. I realized that this particular garage cannot be trusted. It is much more expensive to ignore problems with your vehicle (allow these issues to pile up) and then pay for a tow plus replacement of parts as opposed to just doing the preventative maintenance in the first place. Apparently if you have a car that you don't care about, just want oil changes and are happy paying the extra cost of tow + repairs after an engine malfunction occurs - then Square Deal is the perfect place for that. On the other hand, if you would want to be informed about issues with your engine and want a professional mechanic recommend maintenance items to your engine so that you are not on the side of the road, then DO NOT goto Square Deal.

These guys are very good an honest and capable. My 2005 Honda accord was leaking steering fluid. Two different shops wanted to replace the steering rack for over 6 hundred dollars. Square Deal guys looked at it, found the leak which was a loose fitting. They tightened loose fitting and only charged me 50 bucks! On the down-side, at another time my Ford T-bird had air blower problem, they replaced it, but it turned out to be a faulty wire which they didn't find. I still had to pay for the work but I fixed the problem in the end by cleaning the wire.

Have spent thousands of dollars here and numerous trips and my vehicle is still having the same problem. Also dont allow them to do your brakes. They dont turn the rotors every time and thats not right. Oh and they wont take responsibility for anything they did wrong and then they will blame you for it.