I brought my Jeep in for its annual service and inspection. They performed this service as outlined and got the job done within the time stated. Their work is thorough, thoughtful and they never add unnecessary adjustments or repairs that were not included in the initial quote. I have been coming to Cowden for over 25 years and never have been dissatisfied with the results. This is one San Francisco automotive repair shop you can totally trust!

They are one of kind! I have had my engine and transmission rebuilt from these guys about a year ago and now they just replaced my whole wiring system in my classic 1964 1/2 Mustang while upgrading my brakes. They not only had the best prices but they share their knowledge openly helping you to decide which course of action is best for your specific situation. Turn around on each project was no more than two weeks. I will be back guys, thanks for making my dream car a reality!

I was visiting from out of town and Cowden was the only place I could find that was willing to look at my van and get the work done in time for me to drive back to LA. They were very understanding of my circumstances. In addition, they made sure the repairs were done well and when they discovered the new part they installed was faulty immediately remedied the situation.

Always a pleasure to have them service my vehicles. Competitively priced, top quality service and friendly people. Wouldn’t go anywhere else.

I always love bringing my car here. They like working on it, and it shows. Plus they take great care of me, explain everything thoroughly and have good communication cadence throughout.

True father and son business. You not only get honest, good, satisfactory service but lots of smiles and jokes from the owner.

I’ve been a customer of Cowden Automotive for several years now, and have very pleased with the services they provide - they’re professional, fairly priced, honest and very nice folks to work with. I’ve recommended them to numerous friends and neighbors when they’re looking for quality automotive services in San Francisco.

I have been going to Cowden on and off for about 25 years. They never dissapoint and I trust them completely!

This place sucks! I brought my Lexus RX450 here and they charged me almost $1600 to replace my clutch fan . After the fact I found out the dealer would have done the same job for $900 and would have used factory parts. Never again will I use this place.

Tl;dr This place lacks professionalism, has poor communication and I dont think is a trustworthy entity. If you look closely, most of 5 start reviews come from people with 1-2 reviews! Look elsewhere if you value professionalism and proper communication in a business.When it comes to choosing the right mechanic for vehicle maintenance, I would be looking for three things: skill, honesty and communication. I saw a lack of proper communication and dishonesty and therefore would not recommend this place.I called Cowden Automotive and after expressing the issues with my vehicle, Justin got my email and told me he would sent an email to me and I can reply on that email with the vehicle issues. I never got an email and after calling again, I got their email and sent the email so that they can schedule me for coming in. I never got a response from Justin and after two days sent a reminder to the email with no response. All I wanted was to confirm a date so I could plan accordingly.I decided to call and follow up as Justin did not answer to my email. Nobody was answering my calls. I tried morning and afternoon and still no answer even after leaving a voice mail. They had promised me to inform me by Thursday / Friday which they didnt.Overall, if they lack professionalism to keep their words, I would not want to trust them with my vehicle as there is not guarantee they would not overcharge me.

Awesome placeI was referred by a friend of mines. I can totally understand why. A family owned business that treats you like a relative. The guestroom is always open for your vehicle. The amount of beautiful classics being restored lets you know they mean business. Justin is great guy more than helpful. The type of customer service you can appreciate. Definitely going back found my car a home.

We trusted them and that is what it is about when they match your expectations.

Knowledgeable, and honest. I have a 68 mustang which is in a category of vehicles this shop has an interest and focus to service. New cars, too, but I see many classic autos there, and most are more complicated that Ford Mustangs. Ive had older cars for years, and they are by far a bigger, more professional operation.Their hourly rate is within the range of other higher end full service mechanics. And a nice father and son running the place.

They gave me an appointment right away, and finished quickly and under projected costs. Never have to worry about them padding the work. They are always willing to explain what is going on in my car if I ask. Super pleasant people, who really love cars.

First time customer. I decided to try Cowden Automotive based on its very good ratings and reviews posted on the Bay Area Consumer Checkbook site.The garages location on Folsom Street is convenient to two Muni bus routes that pass not far from where I live. It was easy to get a next day appointment for a routine annual inspection of my 1997 European sedan, which had not been serviced for two years.Justin discussed options for parts requiring immediate service vs those for which maintenance could be deferred. The total price for all of the repairs I agreed to, while not inexpensive, seemed less than what the authorized dealers service center charged me over the course of 15 years for similar services.

As always the work was done perfectly.And they always go a step further, whetherit be some other repair (in this case), orwarning me about something that will needto be addressed next visit.After 40 years here why would I go anywhere else.

I had a GREAT experience. They were very professional and I appreciated their flexibility. Great shop!

Very friendly and honest and competent shop. I dropped in at the end of the day to see if they could help me with a turn signal problem and I asked if they had time to do other work. They graciously took the truck and did some much needed maintenance and got it back to me the next day.The shop is large and clean and quiet and the owners are very friendly and welcoming. My mechanic of 20 years closed up shop a few months ago and I am so happy to have found this place. I feel confident Ill be going to them for the next 20 years.

I have used Cowden Automotive for all of my car repair and maintenance, including new car services, since 1981. I cannot overstate the peace of mind I experienced knowing that the original owner, Paul Cowden, and his crew were caring for my vehicles. I now breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that the new owner Mike Masarweh, Jared, and the rest of the crew continue in this fine tradition. I would recommend Cowden Automotive to anyone seeking stellar quality of work and extraordinary honesty. I wouldnt take my cars to any other service.

The image shows a bunch of tires.... But they dont repair tires... At least not for a reasonable price (the guy wanted to charge me $130 just to take a look at the tire + $120 for replacing it, because he said he doesnt do repairs, only replacement). At least he was honest saying that he wasnt a tire shop, and recommended a few places nearby.Please change the picture of the ad at least!

I love this place. Personally Im from Sacramento and had car trouble while in the city. Mike and Jared took great care of us on our one year anniversary. The day started horrible when we had break issues and they saved the day! Their price was fair and they are very trustworthy people. I would highly recommend this place! Thanks again guys.

Great customer service! Mom and pop shop ran by a father and son. I was in and out quickly! FYI this place takes card!

I almost forgot why I took my car to Cowden Automotive. It had been a while because I moved across the Bay to Oakland. But I needed servicing and I know that they knew my car. Well the moment I drove in and engaged with Mike and Justine it came back to me. These are two of the most engaging, professional people that you would want to meet. Gave me an excellent estimate and when I got my 1994 Nissan 300zx back it ran like a clock. Drove home with a big smile. If you need your car serviced, dont hesitate.....Cowden is the place.

Top notch facility. This is a quality/honest mechanic. Paul and his crew are great. If you look at how well they maintain their shop (super clean and organized) you can be sure they treat your car the same way.

I worked with Justin when my Subaru was having trouble starting. Just was great, talked me through the fixes and was incredibly helpful but also never tried to up sell me. Really great experience.

NotchAlways fair and truthful, Cowden has taken care of my 88 Mazda pickup for over 20 years. They are not the cheapest but are the most reasonable and give a full backing to their work. My truck still running well after 110k speaks volumes.

No hassle, easy going, very friendly. Pleasure doing business. I am not one for chit chat. Fair pricing, everything you expect from a quality garage.

Friendly, efficient, reliable and professional -Everyone Ive met at Cowden Automotive is friendly and professional. I feel that my car is in good hands. Id like to add that as a woman, Ive never been talked down to, which happens often in male-dominated industries, but not at Cowden Automotive.

I used to take my Toyota Corolla to Cowden Auto years ago. They were always honest with great service. I got rid of the car back in 2010 so hadnt been there in over six years. Recently, I bought a used CRV and when I had trouble with the car I decided to take it to Cowden again. The new owner Mike greeted me and I found out that Paul had sold the business to Mike over a year ago. But, I had nothing to worry about, Mike and his crew did a great job in diagnosing and explaining the situation and my car was repaired with just the replacement of the battery. Ill keep going to Cowden and tell everyone I know to do the same!

Always great service with a smile.

My friend Don C. has been going to Cowdens for 10++ years so I already knew Id be treated fairly. I was able to get an appointment quickly and the work on my car was done within a couple of hours. I was able to wait at Peets coffee around the corner so I didnt have to go home and come back. Mike was professional, friendly, informative and fun. Im thrilled to have found an auto mechanic shop I can trust.

This was my first experience with Cowden Automotive and it was so great that I wanted to write a review. My 2006 Volvo V50, Inga, was getting close to her big, expensive timing belt replacement service interval. I knew from getting quotes and perusing forums that this would not be cheap, and the quote I got from Paul seemed right in the ball park, plus there were such good reviews, I had just done my taxes and knew what I could spend so I said: Bada Bing! and scheduled the work.Wow, are they pleasant to work with, warm and friendly! Also the service went off without a hitch, it was pretty major work and it was done on time for the amount quoted! The shop has a nice vibe and Im very glad I had the work done at Cowden! The reviews are right, they are a great shop!

Fantastic place! Courteous, honest, and reliable. I wish more businesses were this good! I will always take my car there.

A regular customer for years, I think the world of Paul Cowden and hisautomobile service team. The Cowden folks are extremely courteous, skillful, conscientious, and attentive to preventative maintenance. I rate them as excellent, and I highly recommend them.

Cowden Automotive is the best auto shop in San Francisco. They are always super helpful. There is no place else I would take my car.

Love Cowden, keep up the great work!

After not being able to find anyone to take on my carburated 84 CJ for longer than Id hoped, I finally found Mike and Justin. I came to them just hoping for a fine tuning of the carb and maybe a transmission service. When I sat down and presented a wish list of thing I would like completed, they didnt say no to anything. Its refreshing to find a shop that will take on work like most shops used to. They installed a new radiator, new steering box, and mount, new steering pump, an aftermarket fuel injection system as well as bodywork, paint, a new front windshield frame, and a transmission service. Everything was done to perfection. They were easy to work with, used all the parts I had chosen, gave good feedback but didnt steer me in a direction I didnt want to go(pun intended). They were communicative and responsive throughout the process with an extremely thorough walkthrough when I picked the jeep up. I wont take my jeep anywhere else and will be bringing my other vehicles there as well. I cant recommend them highly enough.

Im leaving no stars because Justin told me there was nothing wrong with my car when I picked it up I drove two blocks and the car caught on fire

These guys are professionals. I had a VW Jetta at the time that needed repair, and they did work on my car like no others, plus with promptitude and courtesy.

Friendly and reasonable price. I went there just before they closed to patch my tire and they were so nice.

Car is running great! Thank you!

Excellent service as always.

Very fast service

Fantastic mechanic

Best shop