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 / Transmission service

Transmission service

Most shift complaints are not a failed transmission, and the wrong fluid can create a complaint that did not exist.

Close view of a technician's hands working on a mechanical assembly
Diagnosed before anything is opened up

The fluid matters more than the brand

Modern automatics are specified down to a particular fluid. We use the one the manufacturer calls for. “Universal” fluid is cheaper for the shop and a risk to your transmission.

Fluid specPer manufacturer
Road testIncluded
DiagnosisBefore replacement
Transmission service
Fluid specPer manufacturer
Road testIncluded
DiagnosisBefore replacement

Diagnosis before replacement

Harsh shifts, flare, and slipping can come from fluid condition, a solenoid, a sensor or the valve body long before the unit itself. Codes and live data during a road test separate them.

When it is bigger than us

If a unit needs to come out and be rebuilt, we will say so, and we will tell you what that costs against the value of the car rather than starting the job and finding out.

Diagnosed before anything is opened

A slipping transmission is not automatically a rebuild. Fluid condition, level and the shift complaint itself get checked first, because the cheap answer is worth ruling out before the expensive one. If it does need internal work you get the figure in writing before the case is opened, not after.

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.