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 / Tires & alignment

Tires & alignment

Tread is measured in 32nds of an inch, and the number where a tire stops being legal is not the number where it stops being safe in the rain.

TreadThree points per tire
AlignmentPrinted before and after
BalancingOn the machine
Tires & alignment
TreadThree points per tire
AlignmentPrinted before and after
BalancingOn the machine

Measured at three points

Inner, center and outer on every tire, because the difference between them is the story. Even wear is a maintenance conversation; uneven wear is an alignment or suspension conversation.

Balancing and rotation

Balanced on the machine and rotated on your manufacturer's pattern and interval. Vibration that changes with speed is balance; vibration that changes with braking usually is not.

Alignment

Four wheel where the vehicle supports it, to the factory specification, with the sheet in your hand at the end.

Mounted, balanced and printed

Tread depth is measured in thirty-seconds and written on your paperwork, so the next visit has something to compare against. Alignment is printed before and after, not described — you see what it was and what it became.

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

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Other services

Everything else we do.