JAMES AUTO & TRUCK SVC

I highly recommend this shop to anyone who wants an HONEST, quality, dependable mechanic.

I purchased an old Dodge Conversion Camper Van, 1989. The steering was a little lax and I took it to a "well known" business in San Leandro and was told it needed an entire new steering system with heavy duty parts at the cost of $3500. I asked if it needed everything done at once and was told, yes.  I told them I was going to get some other estimates.  Thank God I found an HONEST mechanic.  He was referred by a friend of a friend and I thought it couldn't be any worse than the first estimate.  I didn't tell them I had taken it elsewhere because I wanted an unbiased opinion.  I called and got an appointment the next day.  I dropped it off the evening before and Wally took a quick look and told me he needed to check it out thoroughly.  The next day, he personally called me and explained the details to me.  It was finished when he called me, with only a minimum labor charge.I was expecting to hear it was going to cost around 2000 dollars.  I asked, so "what are the damages" and was told $50.  I WAS SHOCKED.  It only needed a steering gear box adjustment.  It did NOT need all new parts: ball joints, idler arms, new steering gear box or a drag link. 
This shop gets all my business in the future.
The hourly labor charge is 100 dollars here compared to 115 at the "other shop"  

I am so impressed with Wally's honesty and integrity that I took the old van back and had new shocks put on, even though he told me I could probably do without them.  I camp in remote locations on forest service roads and wanted the security of having new shocks.