Ditto the glowing reviews.Jim Askim is competent, fair, and puts his customers first.
— Th R.
Ditto the glowing reviews.Jim Askim is competent, fair, and puts his customers first.
Askims has cared for my daughters 10 year old subaru with 100k+ mi ...These guys are the mechanics that we all wish for.
Why take your car to Askim? First he knows more about Suburu than anyone I have ever met. He hears a sound and can isolate in a matter of seconds most problems. So could someone else too but what makes Jim a KING OF CARS is that he has helped me at least a dozen times- find a windshield like today Get new tires when I had a blow out etc Honesty and understanding make the price of his work worth it- Jim is not a fly by night mechanic. He continues to help me even tho I bought a car from someone who now repairs it. He deserves the best !!!!!!!!
When I first met him I thought "How can this be an auto shop you can eat off the floor". Jim told me his customers dont want to go home greasy and neither does he. He keeps computer info on all the cars he repairs too - It's a real business He does it well and correctly
Over by Jacksons Hardware .
Jim has been my Subaru mechanic for almost 6 years. I wouldn't take my Impreza anywhere else. Jim is always honest and upfront about what needs to be done and when we need to do it. My car runs amazing, and it's great to know I have a mechanic I can trust. I would highly recommend Jim and the Askim's crew for all your Subaru needs.
Excellent, reliable service. If you own a Subaru and live in or anywhere near Marin, have it serviced by Askim's Auto Works.
5 stars on steroids if possible. I've never met a more honest Auto Service owner in my life! I had taken my car to BROADWAY SUBARU IN OAKLAND, CA. and they quoted me $749.00 for a 30K service. I asked for a print out of what was included in the service and called around. Let's just say that after calling 2 other businesses with similar quotes, Jim Askim was the only HONEST one in the bunch. He said the 1st dealership was trying to charge me for something needed for an automatic transmission. I have a MANUAL. OMG
He also gave me options and told me that some of the items on the list could wait for another 15K miles or so. He worked with me and narrowed it down to 2 things that he wanted to look at, and suggested that I purchase a few things beforehand and bring them in to save some $$. That blew my mind, how cool is this guy!!
So I dropped my car off and got a call later that he was done looking it over and simply said, "All you need is an oil change & a filter and the rest of this stuff can wait until 45k miles. Your balance is zero today and you can pick up your car."
I nearly fell on the floor. My 30K service went from possibly being $749 to $0 for things I can do myself.
Jim Askim deserves the humanitarian award!
Ditto the 5 stars on steroids comment! I was referred to Askim's 10 years ago and have had exceptional service. Jim is thorough, honest and timely and I feel like he has had our best interest and pocket book in mind when completing work. We LOVE this guy!
I called today as I was in desperate need for an oil change. Per another auto shop, I was recommended to Askim's for my Subaru. Jim was not only friendly, he was also helpful and made me feel as if I were not being taken advantage of due to my complete lack of car knowledge. Will soon be moving to the city but definitely plan on coming back for my car services!
MOST HONEST KIND MECHANIC EVER! I took my car to Jim knowing I would not keep it much longer, and he took one look at the engine and told me not to waste money getting the 120.000 mile service done if I wasn't going to be driving it for more than another 6 months to a year...he said let's just do what you need to keep it safe until you are ready to buy a new car. This guy actually turned down work out of integrity and helped me keep the car safe and just get what I actually needed..My best friend recommended him as an honest community guy he's been going to for years - he also bought a car from him and that was also a 5 star experience...I'll be calling him when I'm ready to buy :) Great attitude, very nice guy.
For a couple years I ignored the occasional business card that Askim's would leave on my 1999 Subaru Outback wagon, and I am sorry for the wasted opportunity! I finally brought my car to Askim's and I am very happy I did. He and his crew have kept my car running without any unnecessary expense. I appreciate the timely, expert, and honest service and advice. No tricky up-selling here--they'll give you plenty of options in line with your budget and priorities.
Jim is a Subaru genius and there's no one else I'd take my WRX to in all of Marin. When you bring your car to Jim, you are going to get top notch service, honesty, fair prices and speedy gonzalez turn-around. For example:
I brought my car in with no appointment on Monday at 7:30 to fix a check engine light caused by a bad oxygen sensor. Turns out I was also due for timing belt and water pump replacement along with radiator hoses, etc. based on the milage. In other words, a big job. Nonetheless, Jim got started right away and finished in less than a day and a half. He called me with an initial estimte, then a revised estimate and then again to tell me the car is ready. Anywhere else I would have had to chase THEM down. They know what they are doing and they do it damn well.
If there's any downside its that they close early (3:30-4) and aren't open on weekends, but that's offset by the fact that they are there at 7:30 most weekdays, so you can get it in before work. Since I'm not going to be able to pick it up until after they close today, they are leaving it out for me with the key inside and letting me come back tomorrow to pay. Trust - with Askim's it goes both ways.
Car repair is like one activity behind calling the IRS on my list of things I would rather stab myself through the eyeball than deal with. I bought a used Subaru 6 months ago knowing that it had a slow oil leak and would eventually need to be fixed. Now that it's mid-June and I have finally filed my taxes, it was time to deal with the oil leak. The Subie wasn't happy and I was starting to have gear-shifting issues, too.
I brought it into Askim's with trepidation, and was pleasantly surprised to discover a fair, reliable, easy-to-deal with mechanic. He replaced the clutch with a used one that he just happened to have on his lot, and fixed the leak too, for about half of what I had previously been quoted on the leak alone. He turned it around in a half a day and could not have made the experience more painless.
Jim is very thorough, his initial inspection of your car will uncover more than you may want to know. He is also very honest.
In my case the repairs on my car were probably going to be close to what the car is worth and he suggested I consider trading it in. A less honest mechanic would have lowballed the initial estimate and then let the bill grow as new problems were "discovered" and made a ton of money in the process. He lost a job but gained a lifelong customer. I wish more people still used this old school business model.
We've been taking our Subaru to Jim for a couple years now. Before coming I was told that he was the best, but most expensive Subauru mechanic in the North Bay, but I actually think he's saved us thousands of $$. He's done repairs that Subaru dealers in other cities quoted us much more to do, found rebates (for our model of car) that have saved even more, and seems to be an expert at finding a hundred-dollar fix to a thousand-dollar problem. It's rare to find such a great mechanic--I highly recommend this shop.
I dropped in without an appointment. Jim seemed extremely busy, but took the time to listen about my concern, an oil drip. He stopped everything and personally put my Forester on the hoist. The Subaru has a common problem with leaking head gaskets. Mine is just enough to get onto the exhaust pipes but not the garage floor. Jim told me he could fix it for around $2,000, but suggested that since it is so slight that I monitor oil consumption and return in 20,000 miles. Two other shops did not offer this option.
I found out about this place from here on yelp..I am really picky on who works on my WRX..My brakes went out while i was driving so i pulled in and Jim was there to help right away. Even though he was busy on other cars he fixed my car right away. Turns out he knew my Dad from past times. I asked jim how long he has been working on Subarus for and he said "38 years"
I had a 5 star experience and i would reccommend Askim's to anyone no matter the make or model...
During a road trip my forester started acting funny. I found Askim's on google and checked out the yelp reviews and was blown away by all the good things people had to say. So I called that evening and he saw my car first thing in the morning and fixed it right then and there! Great, fast and thorough work. Jim is awesome! He fixed just what needed to be done and keep the costs down and I had my car back before 9:30am! Thank you Jim! I will be back again next time I need some work done.
I brought my 2007 Outback 2.5XT to Askim's for an issue that Jim diagnosed within about 2 minutes during our test drive. He gave me three repair options, from cheap to not-so-cheap, from bare-bones to thorough, and explained the pros and cons of each, which I thought was cool and unique, at least in my experience. That kind of honesty is rare these days. I chose the thorough route because I'd love to be still driving my Soob 100k miles from now. He seemed excited about the repair, and even more excited about how smoothly the car was running when he called me (earlier than expected, which was great) to let me know it was done. Jim's a really down-to-earth guy and i like his style. No fluff, no barriers. He actually seems enthusiastic about Subarus. I'll definitely go back next time.
There's a guy in the LA area (Monrovia) that people refer to as the "Subaru Whisperer."
I'm hoping I've found the Bay Area equivalent.
Great vibes. You'll like him...
Once again, Askim's came through when I needed Jim the most. My check engine light came on today. I need the car tomorrow to drive into San Francisco, taking my husband for a medical procedure. I took a chance and drove to Askim's. Jim told me to put my car into a stall; he repaired the defective sensor, and I was on my way home within an hour. Jenny, in the front office, served me tea, while she worked and answered the phone. Nothing better. As others have commented, service and honesty like this is rare these days.
So glad to have found Askim's! I highly recommend this shop. Very friendly owners who are very helpful and they work really fast to get you back on the road as soon as possible.
I've been going to Askims for the last 5+ years and have never once been pressured to get work done that was not needed. He is professional, honest, and does fantastic work. He has done all the major services and most recently a strut replacement (they do wear out) all for a fair price and I trust he has done a great job. If you have a Subaru, take it to Askim.
The last thing Askim's needs is ANOTHER 5-star review, but I can't help myself.
After having had ENOUGH of the dealership, I stopped in there to have my squeaky belt diagnosed. Of course it wasn't making the noise when I got there, but he tightened the belts for me because he did think they were a little loose, and he believed my report of rhythmic squeaking, and even topped off my oil. All in 10 minutes, rather than the _3 hours_ the dealership wanted my car for the SAME procedure (without the oil top-off).
He made me feel valued and smart, not like some dumb female coming in not knowing anything. I do know some things, and it's nice to be respected.
They even have a car they can loan out if they need your car a long time (all day) and you reserve it when you make your appointment.