San Carlos Auto Repair

The story of A+ Japanese Auto Repair began in 1997 but continued to unfold in 2001 when Adam and Eric took over the facility from their parents. Our family-owned and operated shop provides quality auto repair, quality parts, and courteous service to customers in San Carlos, Belmont, Redwood City, Foster City, Woodside, and San Mateo. We are committed to ensuring you receive the best automotive repair for your Honda, Acura, Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Infiniti, Subaru, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Kia, Scion, Hyundai, Isuzu, and hybrid vehicles.  Here is precisely what you can expect when you bring your vehicle to A+ Japanese Auto Repair:  We stand by our core values of integrity, quality, and commitment. We aim to become your lifelong auto repair shop. Together, we can enter a partnership to keep your Japanese vehicle performing in tip-top shape.  Our service advisors and technicians are ASE-Certified, and we continue to receive training to stay on top of the automotive industry.&nb ... read more

Modern vehicles are built with two air filters -- engine air filter and cabin air filter. Even though these filters have similar designs and construction, they each perform distinctly separate tasks. The team at A+ Japanese Auto Repair is here to help you understand how your cabin air filters and engine air filters function and why these components essential for both your health and your vehicle’s health.  Your vehicle has a complex intake system that pulls in the air for your engine’s internal combustion process. Your engine air filter is responsible for filtering out any dust and debris from your engine. This process ensures only clean air reaches your engine. When you bring your vehicle to our shop, we will look at your engine air filter for any signs of excessive dirt, grime, or debris. If needed, we will suggest a replacement. Without a pristine engine air filter, your vehicle’s overall performance might be diminished, as debris and dirt can obstruct combus ... read more

Congratulations! You just got through another winter! Since Spring is almost here, it is the perfect time for some spring cleaning. The team at A+ Japanese Auto Repair is here to remind you not to forget about your vehicle. Your vehicle, most likely, needs a little extra TLC after going through the winter weather.  With Spring quickly approaching, here are 4 items to check to get your vehicle ready for Spring:  Let's start with your windshield wiper blades. During the winter, your windshield wipers are working overdrive. Cold temperatures take a toll on your vehicle's rubber components, including your windshield wipers. Early Spring is the perfect time to examine and replace your windshield wipers, especially since we have all heard of the saying: "April showers bring May flowers."  Take time to inspect your tires! Rain on the roads can lead to slipping and sliding.  Be sure that your tires have the proper ... read more

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! This Day is the perfect time to show your appreciation and gratitude for that special someone in your life. If that special someone loves cars, the team at A+ Japanese Auto Repair is here to help. We can help you find the perfect gift for that car enthusiast in your life.  This task is relatively easy, seeing as the team at A+ Japanese Auto Repair are also car lovers. We would love any of these gifts if we received them from that special someone in our life. Here are 11 valentine’s day gifts for the car lover in your life:  Car Wash Kit: For many of us, our vehicles are a member of our family. With a car wash kit, your loved one can make their special vehicle spark and shine. You can purchase a complete car wash kit at an auto parts store.  Headlights Restoration Kit: Yellow, filmy headlights are the worst. With a headlight restoration kit, your special someone can get rid of those dull headlights.  Car Cove ... read more

First and foremost, the team at A+ Japanese Auto Repair would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! We can’t believe how fast the year went by. We are grateful that so many of our customers stuck by our side during these past months -- we couldn’t be more appreciative, and we look forward to seeing what 2021 holds for us.  If you are like the team at A+ Japanese Auto Repair, you will always improve as a car owner. We truly do love our vehicles -- imagine a day without them. Going into the New Year, we thought it would be helpful to come up with a few resolutions that will both help us be better car owners and save money in the long run:  Don’t forget about preventive maintenance! When it comes to your vehicle’s health, routine maintenance is critical. With regular appointments at A+ Japanese Auto Repair at the necessary intervals, you are not only an excellent car owner, but you are protecting one of the most important investments you will make in ... read more

Winter is coming! With winter almost here, many of us will bring out the warmer jackets and scarves as we prepare for those chilly temperatures. Many of us don’t realize that it is important to prepare our vehicles for winter too. The process is called winterizing your vehicle.  We recognize that there is so much to do during the winter months, especially during the holiday season. At A+ Japanese Auto Repair, we want you to be able to rely on your vehicle during these busy times. To make sure you can depend on your vehicle during winter, bring your vehicle to A+ Japanese Auto Repair. To make sure your vehicle is ready for winter, our technicians will examine these components, along with others:  Oil change: An oil change is a quintessential example of preventative maintenance, but you would be surprised to learn how many people forget about this service. When the weather drops, the cold will cause your oil to thicken. When your oil is too thick, it can’t lubricat ... read more

We can’t believe how fast the year is going. Soon enough, the holidays will be upon us! This year, Thanksgiving falls on November 26, which will be here before you know it. We recognize that holidays might be different this year in the wake of COVID-19.  AAA reports that there are typically 50 million drivers out on the road during Thanksgiving week on a typical year. Along with the increased number of drivers, there are often poor weather conditions, reducing visibility and road traction. The team at A+ Japanese Auto Repair doesn’t want you to worry, as we are here to help prepare you for the upcoming holiday traffic.  Schedule an appointment today at A+ Japanese Auto Repair today, and our team will thoroughly examine your vehicle. We are conveniently located at 780 Industrial Road, San Carlos, CA 94070, 650-946-1856 Not ready for service yet? Stop by for our Free Pit Stop Service. We will have our auto repair technicians in San Carlos check your under hood fl ... read more

Free Vehicle Check Up - During 2020 / 2021 Covid A+ Japanese Auto Repair in San Carlos is now offering a free, drive up, no-touch, vehicle pit stop service! What Is The Free Pit Stop Service? Our free pit stop service involves a technician performing an underhood fluid check, tire pressure inspection/reset, he will check all of your exterior lights and cleans off your underhood cowl/air intake. Video explaining The Pit Stop service. How Do I Take Advantage Of The Free Pit Stop Service? We created this free pit stop service for our clients to allow them to have their vehicles looked after between services. We recognize that vehicles may be driven less during the COVID shutdowns but that doesn't mean your vehicle should go too long without being checked out. Do I Have To Get Out Of My Vehicle?  If you are an A ... read more

What should I inspect when buying a used car? A vehicle pre-purchase inspection could save you thousands of dollars either by helping you negotiate the purchase price of a used vehicle or by avoiding the purchase altogether.  Below is a list of items that we recommend you inspect before buying a used vehicle: Inspect The Used Car On The Outside 1. Does the odometer mileage make sense for the year, make, model, and the story that comes with the vehicle? (Note: Typically vehicles are driven between 10,000-15,000 miles a year.) 2. Inspect the exterior door jams, truck jam, and hood jams for proper spacing between the panels. Especially, look at the gaps where these body panels move and pivot. If the gaps are too small, large, or don't look like the other gaps on the vehicle, there may have been some bodywork done on the vehicle. Bodywork isn't necessarily a bad thing, you just want to understand the extent of the work and confirm that the bodywork doesn't a ... read more

California is experiencing a record number of wildfires across the state, and these fires lead to a vast amount of smoke and ash. The team at A+ Japanese Auto Repair would like to thank all the firefighters working so diligently to keep our communities safe and sound. Next, we hope each one of our customers is safe and healthy during this troubling time. The influx of smoke and ash in the atmosphere can also negatively affect our vehicles, specifically your cabin air filter.  Your cabin air filter keeps particles, including dust, dirt, pollen, bacteria, and ash, from entering your cabin. The state of your cabin air filter is directly related to the quality of the air you and your passengers breathe in your cabin. A new cabin air filter will be sparkling white, but you might find the air filter blackened with ash and other debris after a relentless fire season. If your cabin air filter is filled with dirt and grime, your risk of breathing contaminated air rises significantly.  ... read more