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Route 66 Auto Repair in Upland works on the cars, vans and pickups that real people depend on: the commuter sedan on the 210, the family minivan, the high-mileage gig car, the unit in a company fleet, the diesel that tows, the hybrid past its warranty and the classic that comes out for cruise night. The rules do not change by driver. Our ASE-certified technicians find the cause first, and you get a written estimate before any work starts. What changes is how we plan the visit around your schedule, your budget and the job the vehicle has to do.
Which drivers does Route 66 Auto Repair plan around?
A car is rarely just a car. For one person it is the only way to reach a hospital shift in Pomona. For another it is the income. For a third it is a 1960s coupe that took ten years to find. Each of those owners asks us different questions at the counter, so we wrote a page for each one. Pick the one that sounds like you.
- Daily commuters: drop the car before work, get a call with the problem and the price, pick it up on the way home.
- Families with several vehicles: one shop keeping records for the minivan, the commuter car and the teen's first car, with repairs spread across the year.
- Rideshare drivers and delivery drivers: high-mileage maintenance planned around shifts, because a parked car earns nothing.
- Fleet managers and commercial vehicle owners: unit numbers on invoices, A/B/C maintenance intervals and priority when the board allows.
- Diesel truck owners: hard starts, smoke and power loss tested before any injector or turbo is quoted.
- Hybrid owners: brakes, cooling, AC and routine service, with an honest intake talk about what we can take on.
- Classic car owners and U-Haul renters who need their own vehicle checked.
What matters most for your kind of driving?
The same brake job means different things to different owners. A commuter wants it done in one day. A fleet manager wants the unit number on the invoice. A classic owner wants to know where the parts come from. This table sums up what we hear most and where each conversation usually starts.
| Your situation | What usually matters most | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| You commute on the I-10 or the 210 and cannot lose a workday | Drop-off before 8 AM, a call before work begins, pickup by 5 PM | Call the day before and ask about the after-hours key drop |
| You manage two or three family cars on one budget | A list that separates safety items from things that can wait | Bring the car due soonest and ask us to note the others |
| You drive for an app or deliver packages | Short downtime and wear parts that last on high mileage | Call before you drive over so we can check today's board |
| You run work vans or trucks for a business | Unit numbers, scheduled intervals and clean paperwork | Send one unit first and set up its A/B/C schedule |
| You own a diesel pickup that tows | Testing before parts, and a truck that is ready for the grade | Describe the symptom and the load when you call |
| You own a hybrid out of warranty | A shop that tells you up front what it can and cannot do | Tell us it is a hybrid at intake |
| You drive a classic or a much older car | Care, honest parts timelines and a conversation first | Call and talk the car through before you bring it in |
| You are buying a used car | A clear buy-or-walk answer backed by documentation | Book the Deluxe pre-purchase inspection |
| You rented a U-Haul trailer or dolly | A correct hookup and a tow vehicle that is up to the trip | Ask for the free hookup check at pickup |
What stays the same no matter what you drive?
Nobody gets a special set of rules, good or bad. The diagnostic fee is stated at the counter before any testing begins, and it applies to the approved related repair. The estimate is written, it lists parts and labor line by line, and each line is marked either as a safety or strand risk now or as something you can schedule. If a job grows once a part comes off, we stop, call you and ask again. Phone quotes are ranges until a technician has seen the vehicle.
Proof comes with the paperwork. When a failed part is the point of the repair, we photograph it or keep it so you can see it. If a job needs two technicians, we tell you before the clock starts. Anything you decline stays on the repair order, so you and anyone who drives the car later can see it. Warranty coverage depends on the part and the repair, and it is written on your invoice.
Our shop sits at Foothill Blvd and Central Ave, on Historic Route 66, one block east of In-N-Out Burger. We have been in business for 35+ years, we are an AAA Approved Auto Repair (opens in a new tab) facility, and we are also a U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer. Hours are Monday to Friday 8 AM to 5 PM and Saturday 8 AM to 2 PM, closed Sunday.
Buying a used car? Start with the Deluxe inspection
Used-car buyers are their own audience, and the worry is always the same: what is the seller not telling me? We offer one pre-purchase inspection, the Deluxe, and it is the only tier we sell. It comes with a printed checklist, underbody photos of the frame, leaks, shrouds and boots, a full-module scan, a road test, a second sign-off by another technician or writer, and a written buy-or-walk letter. If any of those boxes is empty, it was not a Deluxe inspection.
It has limits, and we say so in writing. An inspection cannot promise that nothing will fail next month, and it cannot see inside sealed components. Read the full scope on the pre-purchase vehicle inspection page, then call with the seller's schedule so we can find a slot.
Our process from the first call to pickup
Step 1: Call and describe the vehicle
Tell the service writer what you drive, what it is doing and how you use it. Commuting, towing, delivery routes and long storage all change what we look for.
Step 2: Choose wait or drop-off
We decide together at intake whether waiting makes sense. Early drop-off and the after-hours key drop are there for anyone who cannot sit in the lobby.
Step 3: Test before quoting
The fee is stated before testing starts. The technician confirms the cause with measurements, a scan or a road test instead of guessing with parts.
Step 4: Written estimate with labels
You get parts, labor and timing in writing, with every line marked need-now or need-later. Nothing starts until you approve it.
Step 5: Repair, check and road test
The work is done to spec, checked by the shop and road-tested. If the job grows, we stop and call before going further.
Step 6: Pickup and records
We walk you through the invoice, show old parts where they matter and leave declined items on the record for next time.
What's included on every visit
Included on the work order
- 01A stated diagnostic fee before testing, applied to approved related repair
- 02A written estimate with parts, labor and a need-now or need-later label on each line
- 03A call before any added work, and again if the job grows
- 04Photos or the old parts when the failed part is the point
- 05Repair to spec, a shop quality check and a road test
- 06Declined items kept on the repair order
- 07Warranty terms written on the invoice for that part and repair
- 08Unit numbers on invoices for fleet and business vehicles
How do we sort need-now from need-later?
The label is about risk, not about how much the line costs. A cheap part can be urgent and an expensive one can wait. We explain the reasoning for every line so you can plan across one car or ten.
Need now: call
- Brakes at or below minimum thickness, grinding metal or a soft pedal
- Coolant leaks or a temperature gauge that climbs in traffic
- Tires with cords showing, sidewall bulges or a slow leak that keeps coming back
- A flashing check engine light or a diesel that drops into reduced power
Need later: book
- Seeping gaskets that are not dripping onto hot parts
- Filters and fluids that are close to their interval but not past it
- Worn wiper blades, cloudy headlights and minor trim items
- Suspension parts showing early wear that we can recheck at the next visit
How pricing and timing work for every kind of driver
We do not post flat prices for these audiences, because a commuter sedan and a work truck with the same symptom can need very different parts and labor. The price depends on the vehicle, the cause the technician confirms and the parts available that day. Your written estimate shows each step, and a phone quote stays a range until the vehicle is here. AAA members save 10% on parts and labor, up to $75, when they show the card at the time of service. We take cards and cash.
Timing follows the board, meaning the schedule the shop can really hold. Same-day work happens when the board allows, so call before you drive over. If a part is delayed or a job runs long, we text you instead of letting the promised time quietly slip. Fleet units get priority when the board allows, and we accept tow-ins. The pricing page explains the fee rule and the estimate process in more detail.
Aftercare: what happens after you drive away?
Drive normally and pay attention for the first few days. New brake pads need gentle stops to bed in, fresh fluids can settle, and a repaired cooling system should hold its temperature on the next hot afternoon. If something feels different from what we described at pickup, call us.
If a repair comes back, it goes to the front of the line, and the root cause is written on the repair order. The need-later items on your invoice are your plan for the next visit. Families and fleet managers often bring that list back and schedule the lines one at a time as the budget allows.
Who we help
Each page explains the symptoms, how we test, what the work order includes and what to ask before you approve.
Frequently asked questions
Do you work on fleet and work vehicles?
Yes. Fleet and business vehicles get unit numbers on every invoice, A/B/C preventive maintenance intervals set per unit with you, and priority scheduling when the board allows. Payment is by card or cash when the unit is picked up. Call with the year, model and body style and we will tell you whether it fits our lift.
Can you keep a high-mileage rideshare car on the road?
That is most of what gig drivers ask us for. We focus on the parts that wear fastest on high mileage: oil, brakes, tires, cooling and suspension. Your estimate separates what needs doing this week from what can wait for a slower day, so the car spends as little time parked as possible.
Do you service hybrids?
Many hybrid jobs are ordinary work: brakes, cooling, AC, oil service and suspension. Tell us it is a hybrid at intake and we will explain what we can take on for your specific vehicle. We do not work on the high-voltage battery itself, and we say so before any testing starts.
Do you work on classic cars?
Often, yes, but every classic is different. Call first and we will tell you honestly if it is a fit, based on the car, the job and how easily parts can be found. If it is not a fit, you will hear that on the phone instead of after the car has been sitting here.
Can you inspect my vehicle before I tow a rental trailer?
Yes, as a regular paid inspection of brakes, tires, cooling and transmission. That is separate from the Free Towing Inspection, which is a free hookup check of the trailer or dolly connection to your vehicle at pickup. The paid inspection comes with a written estimate like any other visit.
Do families or fleets get different prices?
No. Everyone gets the same process: the stated diagnostic fee, a written estimate with need-now and need-later labels, and a call before extra work. AAA members save 10% on parts and labor, up to $75, with the card at the time of service.
Can I drop my car off before you open?
Yes. Use the after-hours key drop and leave a note with your name, phone number and the symptom. The service writer calls you once a technician has looked at the car and before any work begins.
Which pre-purchase inspection should I choose?
There is only one: the Deluxe pre-purchase inspection. It includes a printed checklist, underbody photos, a full-module scan, a road test, a second sign-off and a written buy-or-walk letter. It cannot predict future failures or see inside sealed components, and we state that plainly.