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Location
1505 5th Street
Hours
Mon-Thu 7AM-5PM
Closed 12PM-1PM for lunch , and Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Phone
(530)758-7388
Contact
[email protected]
Website
http://www.uiadavis.com/

University Imports Automotive is an independent auto repair shop, specializing especially in Volkswagen, Volvo, and Subaru and claims "dealer quality at reasonable prices." They are also a licensed smog check station and are ASE certified.

University Imports Automotive Glass Is the auto glass section of the University Imports Automotive. This includes replacing windshields, tempered glass, side mirrors and back windows. They can also repair windshield chips.

They have a list of rental cars on their website.

What was your experience at University Imports?

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2006-01-01 21:45:43   Karan, the owner is *the best* Knowledgable, helpful and polite. The best auto repair place I've ever used. —GrumpyoldGeek

2006-03-17 19:05:34   i've had plenty of bad luck with my car over the past 3 years but Karan has been consistantly awesome. definitely the best around. —AdamGerber

2006-04-05 11:39:06   I came out to CA a year and a half ago with a 2001 New Beetle that had a number of issues. Karan has always been incredibly helpful, willing to see me on short notice and always giving me options rather than trying to push me into spending more money. If I manage to keep this thing running for another three years, it'll be largely thanks to University Imports. —NancyWallace

2006-05-16 08:40:58   I've taken my 96 VW Golf here for several repairs. I never really shopped around for the best prices, so I can't comment on how competitive University Imports' are, but everyone who works here is very helpful and polite. Unlike many auto repair shops (especially ones that specialize in imports) you won't leave here with a bad taste in your mouth. They give you recommendations, but will not try to strong arm you into paying for a repair that doesn't absolutely need to be carried out. I definitely recomment this place, especially for Davis VW drivers. —AdamSchneider

2006-06-08 12:20:06   I've been going here for three years and can't say enough nice things about Karan or the business. The repairs are always less than what the factory approved shops quote me as. —DaveCar

2006-09-17 11:29:20   These guys are honest and great - they are familiar with VW Eurovan Campers. —KeithPieper

2006-11-06 11:28:31   This place is great! I had a lot of work done on my old Lexus ES 250, then a quick repair on my Mercedes ML320 and I was so impressed that I encouraged my mom to bring her VERY OLD Mercedes up from Fremont. Karan did a fantastic job. He is professional, knowledgeable and HONEST! —MarkValente

2007-03-21 13:17:03   I created this account just to compliment Karan and University Imports. This is a great place to take your car. I just replaced my timing belt and Karan was very helpful in getting me the correct engine mount bolts that needed to be replaced. I will recommend University Imports to friends. —DustinJohnson

2007-07-29 13:56:49   Karan is the only reason my car is still running. He's knows VWs (and other imports) inside out. Don't worry if he seems rushed, he'll take the time to explain if you want and he's very conscientious. My impression is he's pricier than other places, but it's worth it, especially since you won't be conned into unnecessary repairs. —rachelss

2007-10-23 19:55:24   I found this place through the Davis wiki after having unexpected car problems and was very pleased with my experience. Karan is the reason. He took the time to explain what was wrong, how he could fix it, and what my options were if I couldn't. I chose to make the repairs he suggested and then price compared with my old dealership. Karan's price was 46% less than my dealer and his explanation was much clearer as well. I especially liked how he gave me an upcoming maintenance plan (I need new tires and maybe a battery) and how he understood that it helps to know so you can budget for these expenses. As far as timing, he told me when he was going to call and then he called at that time. He told me when he was going to be done with the repair and the car was ready at that time. This may seem simple but this was a rare experience compared to other services I've had. —Terence

2008-04-30 12:56:53   I've been going to Karan for at least 5 years now and I can't say enough good things about him and his business! Always friendly and always takes him time to explain things. He is the very best business owner and mechanic in town without a doubt! —marabella

2008-05-27 22:58:18   Karan, the owner, is one of the nicest, most accommodating mechanics I've ever had the pleasure of working with. He's totally honest, and he's really really great about telling you what you need to fix *now* to get your car running, and what you can wait on (but might need to fix eventually). He'll do the necessary repairs, then have you bring the car back in 2 weeks for a free recheck to make sure that the problem is fixed (it always has been 100% for me). He explains everything in terms I understand, and I'm a mechanical dunce. He's kept my '99 VW Beetle running like a charm for the last 3 years after multiple mechanical and electrical issues. I can't say enough good things about this place. I won't take my car anywhere else. —JoannaHeiple

2008-12-23 10:40:57   This place was fast, efficient, and congenial. The big PLUS is that the place is completely solar powered when the sun is out. They even produce enough solar power to give back some to the city. If you must drive a car (and many of us need to), this is a great place to have work done and know that you are not harming the environment. —jsg718

2009-02-18 14:10:00   I have used this shop for several years. In a way, I only wish I had MORE need to use it (car has been running great) because when I have done so it has always been a great experience. They are very trustworthy & honest - this shop won't try to "take you" for anything. They are busy enough without having to cheat $$$ out of customers. If you have a VW and/or are not familiar with the shops in town, you can only go right with Univ Imports. —Dora5

2009-04-30 04:10:35   I drive 150 miles to have Karan work on my 99 Cabrio He's the best —JonFreitas

2009-05-12 11:03:54   It is a true rarity to find a mechanic as honest and compassionate as Karan. I recently brought my car into Karin with transmission issues (which turned out to be a larger deal than the car was worth) and have never felt more taken care of and less swindled by an auto mechanic in my life. Karan explained everything that was wrong with my car, called other auto shops that had worked on my car to figure out what might be wrong (instead of doing the diagnostic and charging me for it), then when it was clear that the car had met its maker, gave me pointers on buying a new one and offered to let me borrow one of the cars in their fleet while I looked. I was truly blown away by Karan and his devotion to customer service and making his business as reputable and upstanding as possible. When I expressed my utter appreciation at the way he does business he said, "I'm not here to sell customers things they don't need or trick them into fixing more than they need to." An auto mechanic with a heart...such a relief.

I couldn't recommend this auto shop more. —lawstudent722

2009-06-12 14:39:37   I'll never go anywhere else in Davis except for UIA when I need an auto repair. I unexpectedly arrived needing a small repair on my VW Golf (smog related) and the employees here were nice and knowledgeable. My car was fixed and ready to go by the end of that day. Car passed the smog test, leaving a highly pleased customer. I highly recommend this place! 10/10. —strawberry

2009-10-18 18:39:35   Awesome place! I had no idea (nor do would I like to even attempt) how to change my transmission fluid, the man at the front desk (didn't catch his name, but he appeared to be the manager of some sort) not only accepted my already bought transmission fluid, but did the whole change for me for a good quote! Definitely will be returning here for my automotive needs! —BeanMarine

2009-11-01 14:10:37   This place is the best! I had them change the oil and rotate the tires on my Rabbit a couple of weeks ago. Shortly thereafter, I noticed oil was leaking from my car. I took it back one morning without an appointment, and they quickly diagnosed the problem as a cracked O-ring where the filter sits in the housing. Even though it was not their fault and apparently the seal hardly ever cracks, they replaced it for me at no charge in 15 minutes. I also like how Karan always shows you what's wrong and explains it to you thoroughly. —NotSure

2009-11-18 14:08:07   This is one shady place in Davis, I took my car here and they told me that I needed a $900 repair when, after getting a second opinion, was completely wrong. The part they wanted me to repair was actually not broken at all and my car was fixed with $250 at a Goodyear...btw, the second opinion told me that they get this all the time and that they would simply "wash off the bottom of the car" to make it look like they fixed some big part. Bottom line, they tried to screw me, don't take your car here! —Chuckdeduck

This claim by Chuckdeduck smells foul. I have been taking my cars to Karan for over 10 years and have only received excellent service. Note that Chuckdeduck has no profile or user information. He accuses Karan of serious fraud, but does not have the courage to make his name or the details of his claim available. Also note there is no corresponding remark on the Goodyear page, where Chuckdeduck supposedly went after Karan attempted to cheat him.

This kind of vague and destructive remark should be ignored, unless it can be backed up.

By the way, on several occasions, I have brought back a car to Karan after a repair and he has made adjustments or done additional work at no extra charge. In my experience, Karan is always willing to make something right, if a customer is unsatisfied. It does not seem like Chuckdeduck gave Karan that opportunity—that is if he really actually did ever bring a car into University Imports, which I tend to doubt. Perhaps this defamatory remark is fraud itself? —MichaelPlotkin

"Chuckdeduck" is simply not believable. University Imports has a well-deserved reputation for excellent, honest service. Until this person registers and adopts a real username and provides concrete documentation of this experience, I would urge Wiki readers to treat the comment as completely bogus. DonShor

2010-05-21 14:50:06   I'm moving out of the area this summer and the thing I'll miss most about Davis besides the bike paths is Karan's shop. I've taken two cars to him for repairs and maintenance, and have never been less that completely pleased with the service. He explains things clearly, and on several occasions has told me I didn't need some routine maintenance done at that particular time, which I'm sure many other garages would not do if they knew you were willing to pay for it. He's the best! —NotSure

2011-01-04 10:09:28   I have only taken my Volvo to University Imports since I moved here, due to this shop being a Volvo-friendly place (as stated above) and the great comments here on the wiki. My two cents: Karan has always been helpful, explaining what he/the shop did and why and providing options if any are available. Great customer service! The work is great too; my car always runs like a champ after a visit. —AlisonBree

2011-01-09 18:01:43   Wow, the unusual negative review from "Chuckdeduck above" was copied word for word from one about Davis Auto Works, dated 2009-07-06 15:42:15 and signed by —Millerzz. Seems like some competitor (Goodyear, who chuckdeduck implicitly recommends?) trying to sabotage DavisWiki. This should be illegal as libel or slander.

—DavidDauphine

2011-01-25 14:01:40   This is by far the best place to bring a car for repair, i have a 2000 beatle now, and it is where i bring my car, the fact is University imports does such a great job, i am rarely there, and that tells it all. Jamie —JamesMorton

2011-05-11 16:22:45   This is probably the worst place you could ever take your car to in davis. Karan is very impolite and he overcharges like crazy. He charges $150 dollars just to look at you engine while other places do it for free. He had my car fixed and when i went to pick it up he tried to rip me off and charge me $1100. When i simply asked him in a very polite tone by the way, where the charges were specifically coming from, he arrogantly claimed he was a very busy man and said that if i kept arguing with him about the price he would raise it.(again i only asked him where the charges were coming from which places should tell you anyway i didnt even ask him to lower the price) Then i said sorry i was just asking i didnt know it was such a big deal. At that point he went on a rampage claiming that he's sick of me because he's very busy and i call him all the time when hes not expecting phone calls even though i only called him once just to give him the ok to fix the car. He then said he doesnt want to deal with my shit and that i should just give him the money and get out of his office. If this wasnt bad enough, before this incident, karan had called me to tell me the car was ready but right when he called he said someone was on his other line and asked me to hold. I said ok but then i looked at the clock and i had been holding for 15 minutes. I hung up and called back and he rudely claimed he would talk to me when he wasnt busy which made me wonder why HE CALLED ME at that given time if he was busy. Overall karan is a jerk who yells at 16 year olds who pay him out of their own pocket with cash they got from working long hours after he already had the audacity to rip them off. I payed him because he had already fixed my car but I AM BEGGING YOU ALL to at least go check out other places too before you have him fix your car, my car was driving when i took it to him but it was making a strange noise however karan said my radiator was cut in half. Im wondering how i could drive a car 2 miles over to him or even start the engine for that matter after the car had been sitting in the hot sun for 2 hours if my radiator was cut in half. —persianman

I had never felt a need to comment about the review of others but the 16 year old Persianman said things that are not true. Most people that know me or have dealt with me consider me a patient person. This is the reason I have waited a few months to comment on the Persianman hoping he will realize his mistake and apologize. I think now that his pride has kept him away. His father did come to my shop and apologize but the Persianman did not. He did bring in his badly damaged vehicle to my shop one afternoon and demand that I quickly bang his car straight so he could go home and park it before his father gets home. The hood was pushed back 2 feet and the radiator and air conditioner condenser were crunched under it. I took one look and told him that this was not possible as the car was totaled. He then went to my workmen and secretly asked them to do the same and they reported this to me and that is when I called his father and told him what had happened. This is the beginning of my experience with this Persianman. From this point forward I refused to deal with him instead dealth with his father. His father made him pay for all or part what he had damaged and this is the reason for his harsh comments. -Karan —Karank

Even if these people are decent mechanics, they have no communication skills. Currently, my car is locked up in there lot for the weekend. I brought it in on Friday and they were going to call me when it was done. They failed to call, and didn't answer on Friday when I called (during business hours) to check on it. I am without a car for the weekend, when I'm supposed to be on-call for emergencies. Their inability to communicate is a HUGE problem. If you don't use your car, then feel free to bring it to this shop. If you actually need to use your vehicle, then I'd take it somewhere else.

2011-07-18 11:32:44   Excellent service. Excellent mechanic. I recommend this place to anyone who needs their car problems fixed in Davis. I was having engine problems with my 1995 Toyota Camry where it would overheat on any long drives. After finding this place off Davis wiki I called and scheduled an appointment immediately for Friday morning. Karan said he would have it done by the end of the day so I waited for his call. I did not receive a call that day so I emailed him after hours. I was concerned because he told me he was leaving for a week long vacation, and I needed my car back for the weekend. He emailed me later on saying he left me a message and that the car was ready. It turned out he called the wrong number so he came in on Saturday morning at 5AM before he left for his vacation so I could get my car back. He explained the problems he found with my engine and charged me $100 for running an engine test. I liked how he helped me weigh out the cost of repairs and selling the car. He was very professional and honest with me. Definitely recommended. —JonYee

2011-08-16 11:08:20   As a 12 year resident of Davis, I've been to at least 6 different repair shops and have found that I like University Imports the best. I feel that I've found an honest shop(there are more I'm sure)and someone who understands customer service. As a father, I was impressed when Karank actually took time to explain simple car maintenance to my 18 year daughter, before she headed off to college. Hat's off to Karank for his ethical business practices and great customer service. I'm told that I'm not the only fan in Davis too! Keep up the good work. —RLee

2011-12-07 17:20:19   I recommend University Imports in Davis to all. Karan and his crew were able to identify and fix a hard-to-find "heating core leakage" problem on my quirky Saab. He identified another related problem and gave me advice on whether it was urgent or worth the expense. I had taken my Toyota to Karan before but found that few mechanics like to work on Saabs. When I called Karan, he said he works on Saabs "because he likes a challenge". I now refer family and friends to Karan. —MyrnaEpstein

2011-12-23 15:40:06   Chuckededuck below is just plain wrong..and had he returned w/ his concern to UIA, Karan would have double/triple checked, and, if he found that his original advice was incorrect, he would have made sure that chucky's experience was good. No way would Karan "take" anyone like that. No way. I've gone to him for years and he is the only mechanic I trust because I always know EXACTLY what's wrong, what my options are, and how much it will cost IN ADVANCE. Always. If there is a fan club, I would like to join. —KristiKraemer

2011-12-23 17:05:54   I'll agree with every comment on here about the superb work of University Imports and Karan. My husband and I have been taking our Subaru to University Imports for several years now, and Karan is absolutely patient. I certainly have come in flustered about various things before but Karan has a very calming presence. They've done great work!! —ActionFigureBarbie

2012-06-24 20:33:49   Karan tried to help me avoid putting real money into an old Mitsubishi Wagon I loved. He said I can fix anything but it's not worth it. If only I had listened to him, the car was past it's prime and if I listened I'd have saved thousands of dollars. He even tried to steer me into buying a customer's Honda CRV for a great price.

He put a used transmission in my Mitsubishi, and when it had trouble a few months later, he replaced for free, without even charging me shipping charges. I was living in Gold River at the time, my girl friend in Davis, and I always drove to Davis for his great work, fair prices, and exceptional customer service.

Now I got a car with a warranty so I use the dealer as they find warranty dollars to fix things. They are trying hard to keep my business, but when I had a broken mirror the dealer wanted about $400 to replace the whole unit, where Karan replaced just the broken part for about $50.

When it's non warranty work I bring him my Prius ignoring the dire warnings that only Toyota specially trained hybrid experts could understand it. Karan understands it.

My girlfriend has been using Karan for over a decade for both her car and her mothers. He told her when a repair on her mother's car just wasn't justified for the age of her Mazda. Here he is, advising away large jobs for the good of his customers. Amazing.

Ignore the few bad comments, they are written by kids without any guts to identify themselves.

You can't go wrong dealing with Karan. —BobComarow

2012-07-30 14:53:31   Karan has done everything for my cars. The last time I bought a car, I called Karan first to be sure that it was a model that he would service. I agree with every positive review on this page and disagree with every negative one. After one routine service, I noticed that my wife's beat up old windshield wipers were replaced with new ones. Karan never mentioned it and he didn't charge me. —GordonCaulkins

2012-10-16 17:16:57   I have used University Imports for auto glass repair and dings for a while now, no complaints. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that he has rental cars for super reasonable prices - and I needed to use one in a pinch recently. Thanks Karan! —PeriSiepman

2013-06-12 15:41:27   What a rip off!! This guy Karan would charge me AT LEAST $300 per visit. Then after a few months something else goes out. It's like they do something so you have to bring it back ever few months. It's ridiculous! I was having some work done and I already knew it was going to be a few hundred dollars but I had a nail in my tire. I asked him if he could patch it. He said sure don't worry. I get the bill and he charged me $30 dollars just to plug it!!! Which would have cost $8-10 max anywhere else!!! What a HUGE rip off. All the people giving this place good review spends about $1000 a year for his courteous smile!! I'm glad you have the extra money to waste but I don't! —RealTruth

2014-08-15 15:46:30   This place has high prices. Oil change was 160$ instead of 30$ and the quote for transmission oil change was 350$ (eventually it cost me 160$ in Woodland). Not quite sure what is the reason for the high pricing but I did feel ripped off. Service was good so I could only recommend to be aware of the final bill. —orsperling

2015-03-02 09:48:36   Can they fix your car? Probably. Will they do it with a smile? Hell no Will they charge way more than any other mechanic? You bet! I ended up going to the dealership and saving money. Which is silly because the dealership is usually the most expensive place. Also Karan is an asshole who thinks he's always right (even when proved otherwise) —Zorninator

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