Integrity Automotive Services’ David Pang Puts Quality First

Integrity Automotive Services owner David Pang prides himself on being a car diagnostic wizard, solving any mystery other mechanics can't.

“I take on jobs that other shops either can't handle or can't find the solution,” Pang said. “I will find the solution.”

Pang, a former Muni driver, opened his shop on Geary Boulevard in 2017. After a rent increase in 2022, Pang bought the former Auto 280 garage on Ingleside's Ocean Avenue. After some improvements, he opened his doors for business in February 2023.

While Pang offers wheel alignments and sensor repairs, what the shop has come to be known for is conducting smog checks and repairing issues for failed smogs and diagnosing hard-to-find issues, like figuring out why a warning light is still on despite replacing several parts.

“I'm not the most expensive shop,” Pang said. “I'm not the cheapest either. I'm very competitive. I don't offer value. If they're looking for a cheap repair, something value, I don't have it. I offer quality.”

His shop is equipped to make replacement car keys and remotes and is a part of Costco’s Auto Program. He demands quality from himself — he uses a body-worn camera to monitor transactions — and others — he's a critic of the Ocean Avenue Community Benefit District on Nextdoor.

The Ingleside Light caught up with Pang to learn more about his business.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How did you get involved in the automotive field?

It started as a hobby when I turned 16. That was 30 years ago. I got my license. My dad bought my first car. We went to Home Depot. He bought me a mechanic's multiple piece tool set, and from there it just took off. Before I knew it, my first job in the shop was when I was legally allowed to work, at 18, and I've been doing it for the last 28 years.

What does a typical shift look like for you?

Some days are slower than others, but no matter how slow it can get, there's always going to be smog checks every day. Somebody needs one. I generally tend to take on the bigger jobs. The other two neighboring shops, Faxon Garage and Best Auto, know me. We have a relationship outside of here, and I knew them from back in the day. They told me already that their guys can't handle the stuff that I do, so if they come across a customer who needs something big or something that they don't know how to do, they send them my work, like emissions diagnostics.

Do you have any automotive industry secrets that people should know?

Be honest. You don't need to upsell at all. My secret? Give customers options. You have to know how to talk to customers in layman's terms. Not in mechanical terms. They have to envision it. If not, other shops may not allow you to see it. Not only do I have the ability to translate all this into layman's terms so that you understand what it is, instead of telling you what it would be in my mechanical term world, then I will also show you so you have a visual, you can see it. After I show them, they see it. I tell them you have three options, depending on everybody's finances. One, repair it. Two, sell the car if you can't afford it. Or three, park the vehicle.

What is one piece of advice you have for someone who wants to get into the automotive industry?

One thing is that it's never easy. There's no such thing. Somebody tells me, “Oh, that's easy.” Then why do you need me? Do it yourself. If you're trying to get into the business, I would tell them good luck because in San Francisco, you're not going to be able to. The city is not granting these types of business licenses for this type of business. In order to have a repair shop in the city, you have to find an existing one to buy that's been grandfathered; they are not issuing these licenses.