Thao Auto Repair Auto repair & auto body · San Diego
Service desk(619) 640-4606 Book a slot
Bring this in Oil change $45 · full synthetic $60

Bring this in

Oil change

Conventional$45up to 5 qt
Full synthetic$60up to 5 qt

Plus sales tax and any disposal fee, itemized on your invoice. Not an out-the-door price.

  • New filter, every time
  • Multi-point inspection on the lift
  • Tire pressures set, tread measured
  • Fluids topped to the correct spec
Expires 12.31.26 Thao’s Auto Repair
(619) 640-4606 Call

Expires December 31, 2026. One vehicle per visit. Most cars and light trucks.

Quarts beyond five, diesel engines, and European engines that require a specific manufacturer approval are priced separately — the extra cost may be substantial. We tell you before we start, never after. Some engines must have full synthetic; if yours is one we will say so rather than put the wrong oil in it.

You get a written estimate and you authorize it before any work is done. If the job changes, you get a revised figure to approve.

Home / Services / Brakes

Brakes

Brakes are the easiest place in this trade to sell work that is not needed yet, because almost nobody asks for the measurement.

A technician's gloved hands refitting a brake disc and hub with the caliper removed
Measured against the discard spec, not guessed at

We measure, and we show you

Pad material is measured in millimeters and rotors are measured against the discard thickness cast into the part. Both numbers go on your estimate next to the spec they are being judged by. If they are still in spec, we say so and charge you nothing for looking.

MeasuredAgainst discard spec
Shown to youBoth numbers
FluidBy DOT grade
Brakes
MeasuredAgainst discard spec
Shown to youBoth numbers
FluidBy DOT grade

What we replace and why

Pads and rotors together when the rotor is below spec or has run hot. Pads alone when the rotor still measures and cleans up. Calipers only when one is dragging, leaking or seized — we test before condemning one.

Fluid is part of the system

Brake fluid absorbs water, and water boils. We check the fluid by its condition and the interval in your manufacturer's schedule, using the DOT grade the vehicle calls for.

You get the measurement, not an opinion

Brakes are the easiest place in this trade to sell work that is not needed yet. Pad material is measured in millimeters and rotors against the discard thickness cast into the part itself. Both numbers go on your estimate next to the spec they are judged by, so you can see how much life is left. If they are still in spec we say so and charge you nothing for looking.

Thao Auto Repair is on El Cajon Blvd in North Park, San Diego, and has been family run for over forty years — started by Le’s father and run by Le ever since. Most of the cars that come through are from the neighborhoods around the shop: North Park, University Heights, Normal Heights, South Park, Hillcrest and City Heights. All makes, domestic, Asian and European. Repair, auto body and a full machine shop are on the one site, which is why a job needing two of the three never leaves the building.

Book a slot

Tell us the symptom. We will tell you the next opening.

The chat narrows the symptom down with you so the call is short and the desk knows what to pull before you arrive. It will not diagnose your car in a chat window, and it does not book for you — the last step is a phone call, to a person.

Call (619) 640-4606

Where we are

3400 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92104

Mon–Fri · 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM

Get directions

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Other services

Everything else we do.