Richard @ San Gabriel Automotive

Richard of San Gabriel Automotive in San Gabriel at 900 East Las Tunas Drive at the southeast corner of Las Tunas and Charlotte.  Call him at 626-287-5708.

Richard has been here at this site for at least 15 years.  I know.  I knew the previous owners, who were a young, blond Christian family.  Richard knew the previous owners.  He may have even worked with them.  But when Richard took over operations 15 years ago, little did we know that San Gabriel residents were getting one of the finest mechanics and businessmen in the area.  I owned a 1986 red Toyota truck that rarely needed maintenance, but when it did I brought it to Richard.  Richard was reliable.  When he told you that he was going to fix something, he fixed it.  You drove away from his garage satisfied and happy that your vehicle was running better.  You got what you paid for.  I've been to the automotive centers at dealers where I've often driven away in regret after paying way too much money.  I drove that 1986 pick-up into the ground.  It had a total of 275,000 miles on it before the engine went kaput.  It was Richard who suggested that I purchase an engine from overseas and simply install a renovated engine.  I decided against it.  I decided to buy a new car.  In 2000, I bought a 4-door, 1998 burgundy Ford Contour, which I liked.  It had power, which I liked.  I read reviews.  Driver and Power compared the Contour to the midsized and mid-class Honda Accords.  Honda had a great reputation for durability.  Comparing Contours to Hondas was a stretch, but one never knew.  So I went to a dealer and bought the car.  I drove it home.  In fact, I drove it directly to the Northwood's Inn to have dinner with Pam to share my excitement.  Little did I realize that American cars, particularly Fords, have terrible engines.  When the engine runs, Fords have power.  When the engine runs, the car is comfortable.  I had one problem after another with that car's engine.  I took the car to Richard each time.  Richard shook his head at me, saying "Michael, you've got too many problems with that car.  No good.  Taurus is better."  He was right.  When I first got that Contour I drove it up to Portland, Oregon to visit an old friend there, and then into Washington and into Vancouver, Canada to meet up with a friend from Garfield.

Driving one evening with my friend, Steve, on  the 210 Freeway in Duarte, I was going too fast to avoid a tire sitting on the freeway.  I ran over the tire.  There was a scrape, a thud, and a grind.  I was able to drive the car off the freeway to the Mobile Station at Huntington and Mt. Olive in Duarte.  I called AAA from there.  He hitched my car up, drove my friend home in Duarte, and then drove and my damaged Contour back to San Gabriel.  I am lucky to have Richard right across the street from me.  I was able to leave the car in Richard's parking lot overnight.  After inspecting the damages, Richard found that one of the air-conditioner fans cracked and needed to be replaced.  I couldn't afford it, so I went without.  In 2006, I took a drive up to San Luis Obispo to pick up a framed print for my mom that catherine arranged.  We walked around the town and then went to lie down in the local park.  There was some kind of a festival.  It was fun to watch people.  Evening was coming on so I set out for home, but not before I stopped to pick up a chicken burrito at Baja Fresh.  From there I began my trek south on Highway 101.  The fog clung to the earth like along the craggy highlands of Scotland.  Mysterious.  As I exited the fog, I found myself passing through Goleta, north of Santa Barbara.  I was 2 miles out when my engine seized.  I pulled over and ran to a call box to call for help.  An AAA Club tow-driver arrived.  He gave me options for leaving me somewhere in Santa Barbara overnight.  And then he finally asked me how much money I had.  I asked him how much he would charge me to drive me all the way home tonight.  He said $300.  I said fine, so he drove me home.  I slept most of the way.  About 90 minutes later, after 1am, he pulled up in front of my apartment building.  I ran across the street to the Union Bank, extracted $300 in cash, ran back,  paid him, and thanked him.  The next morning Richard looked at my car and said that the rings needed replacing.  Fine.  Do you see how that car was nickel and diming me to death?