Re: Looking for a good Honda mechanic
We go to Fairmont auto & have never been disappointed. We have an 05 odyssey and they are more thorough than the dealership when it comes to service and repairs. Fairmont auto is in el Cerrito Good luck! Tonya

Re: Subaru Forester regular maintenance
I have a 2002 Forester, and have been taking mine to Fairmount Auto for years. John Wansick, the owner, has taken very good care of my car over for thelast 6 years, and is really reasonable. I have sent a number of friends to him and they;ve all been very happy with his service. Fairmount Auto is on Fairmount Avenue in El Cerrito, across from the El Cerrito Plaza and a block from El Cerrito BART. The phone number there is 510-524-0313. Jennifer

Re: Someone to assess car before I buy
John Wozniak at Fairmount Auto on Fairmount St. just north of El Cerrito Plaza. He's been caring for our cars for 5+ years and has never steered us wrong. When we wanted to buy a used car, we took it to him to look over. He was very thorough and found a minor problem that enabled us to talk the seller down $300. He told us ''99% of the used cars people bring me to look over are no good but you should buy this one, it's in great shape and a bargain.'' He was right. Two years later the car is still doing great, zero problems. I think he would tell you honestly if the car you want to buy is a lemon. The seller was also impressed with his look-over and was going to start to take her other car to him too! I can't recall the exact price for the look-over, but it was very thorough and somewhere around $100. Worth the price. Also, we've found that as regular customers, John goes above and beyond for us. Great service. anon

Re: Subaru Repairs in Berkeley/El Cerrito
I'm responding late to this message, but: for years we took our Subaru to John Wansick at Fairmount Auto, right by the BART station in El Cerrito, 510-524-0313. We've used him for all scheduled maintenance and for the occasional problem-fix as well. He's done a great job with our car, and really takes the time to figure out what the problem is before starting to do any work (and therefore costing you money), so that he gets it right the first time. Our previous mechanic had been taking shots in the dark with a brake vibration issue we were having, but we took it to John and 14 later, problem solved, never to recur again. He does a great job of explaining stuff, too. He's friendly, his prices are reasonable and his hours and location are both incredibly convenient -- you can do your shopping in El Cerrito Plaza while they work, and he'll call you on your cell phone when it's done. I'm responding about our Subaru, because that's what you said you have, but he's definitely not limited to Subarus -- we recently got a new Mazda, and will be taking it to him as well. A happy customer