Golden Stars Driving School

Fantastic experience: Thanks for the help Timothy, you made me improve a lot! I liked the way you made me look out for bikers, my turning is way better, I can control the speed a lot more, I can handle the intersection better, I like to drive on the highway more, and I can back up way better. Thank you very much Timothy you rock!

Fantastic experience: Timothy is a great instructor and great with his communicating. He was very detailed in his lessons and would let us know what needed to be worked on before the next lesson. After each lesson i could always see an improvement in her driving. My daughter passed the test on the first try. Highly recommend!

Fantastic experience: Great experience with instructor, was able to get hours done quickly

Fantastic experience: I loved the lesson and I learned a lot today with Tim. I feel much more confident at the wheel and looking forward to getting my license!

Fantastic experience: After searching for behind the wheel driving schools in my area I found Golden Stars. I called and spoke with Tim. He was very easy to schedule with, shows up on time, and did a great job teaching my boys. They both passed the DMV test with no problems. I would highly recommend him to anyone that needs behind the wheel driving instructions.

Fantastic experience: Thank you Timothy for teaching me how to drive for a month. Thank you for always giving me advices & techniques for driving and most of all, motivating & supporting me that I can do it. Thank you Ken for teaching me a few days & coming with me at DMV. I pass the behind the wheel test for the first time! I highly recommended Golden Star Driving School for driver instructors & affordable driving school. Driving with instructors are fun, both of Timothy & Ken makes my driving lesson fun.

Fantastic experience: Tim did a great job! i loved the way he taught me he really broke everything down and helped me better understand everything. I improved on my overall skills as a driver and learned about what to expect for the test to better prep myself. he taught me how to become a smart and smooth driver

Fantastic experience: The lesson is so fun! before the lesson, i was very nervous, but then Tim made me laugh, made jokes, and overall help me get over my fears. He made sure I was okay and be able to get through this lesson. He is a great teacher and overall the funniest ever! Thank you so much Tim

Fantastic experience: Very good at teaching very patient funny jokes good person chill youll get along with em very good techniques good changing lanes

Fantastic experience: Good Practice Test for real DMV (behind the wheel test) I learned a lot from Timothy, the way he does the pre test is great. Good driving tips like looking over your shoulder and driving smooth with safe distances from other drivers. Good communication.

Fantastic experience: Newly arrival to this country and never drove in the US. I was nervous to drive here, and I found Timothy on google and he is very patient and professional in helping me get used to the driving. He caters towards the driving school and feel a lot better driving around the area. He is very kind, and I believe the other google reviews are true too. No longer nervous and on my 2nd class I feel very confident!

Fantastic experience: I had a very nice time driving and a lot of it is relaxed and based on confidence level which is nice. Freeway experience was wasn’t as scary as I expected.

Fantastic experience: I meet Timothy as my instructor I was so nervous when I meet him and he is helping me out become more confident. He show me a good techniqu,e I feel like I'm ready for the DMV test. I recommend if anyone want to drive with Timothy, he is understanding of the mistakes you make and helps you understand them.

Fantastic experience: I love the way Timothy teached me today, I thought I knew how to drive well but he tought me and made me drastically better.

Fantastic experience: Thank you so much timothy for showing me the pre test it’s a amazing way to learn on the test because I thought I new how to drive but I was wrong I learned a bunch of new things and I would recommend to everyone and anyone looking for help he’s amazing

Fantastic experience: I’ve really been enjoying my driver’s training lessons with Tim at Golden Stars Driving School. Since I’ve been working with him, he has really helped establish my confidence as a driver. Tim’s expansive knowledge about driving really helps instills your confidence and ability to improve as a driver. I appreciate his commitment to his students. Along with, his constant support and encouragement to continue pursuing my goal of passing my behind the wheel exam. He’s a really great instructor and I’m so grateful to be learning from him. Update: 11/25/2024 I successfully passed my behind the wheel exam!

Fantastic experience: My sister Sophia used to go to Timothy for driving trainer and she passed the dmv test now with no error, she got her license and is now in college. Today is my first time driving behind the wheel, I was so nervous cause I don’t know what I’m doing and Timothy calmed me and helped me and eased the control of the car, helped me understand the rules, and am know a lot more confident. I really recommend Timothy anyone looking for safe driving practices.

Fantastic experience: I like the way my instructor teaches me he is very professional and calm. I learned a lot from Timothy and I started from the bottom and now I'm very confident on the free ways and such. I'm much more confident in my driving and I understand defensive driving is. I would recommend Tim to a lot of other people to learn how to drive from him.

Fantastic experience: Timothy is giving me driving lessons right now, I like the technique he is showing me with driving most of my friends take lessons from Timothy I really recommend Timothy to whoever if you wanna become a good defensive driver. I love my second lesson today I learned so much today, I learned how to practice my dmv test,feel much more confident

Fantastic experience: I have Timothy as my driving instructor and my brother also had him for his 6 hours, and he now has his license. Timothy has helped me to fix bad techniques while driving and i have learned a lot.

Fantastic experience: My brother passed his test first time with the help of Timothy. Now I’m following instructions with him and it’s going great! Highly recommend it to everyone.

Negative experience: DO NOT SIGN UP We scheduled a practice lesson and a car for the actual DMV test, and the school forgot about both! They didn’t show up for the practice test, and they also forgot about the next appointment too. They gave us the number of an instructor who never picked up the phone. This resulted in my spouse having to wait another 3 weeks to get the licensing done. This is a really unpleasant experience and we wanted to warn other customers to be more careful with their time and effort.

Fantastic experience: I recommend this driving school, because my son had such an amazing experience with his driver teacher.

Fantastic experience: I took driving lessons from Tim, and have to say he is a great teacher. I passed my driving test on my first try (Daly City). He is very communicative, provides continuous feedback, identifies your weak points, and makes you practice them so that you make progress every time. He also makes you practice on the test loop, to ensure maximum chances of passing. I liked him so much that I recommended him to my girlfriend, who also passed on her first try! I highly recommend Tim and Golden Stars Driving School – you cannot go wrong with them!

Fantastic experience: Timothy is a great driving instructor. I passed my DMV test!! I thought i just need only a little practice and i should be fine. But i was making so much mistakes, that Timothy helped me correct them!

Fantastic experience: I found Mr. Tim (as how I call him) while searching for a driver instructor for my twin girls who had their permit in 2021. Both my girls passed their behind the wheels test with flying colors, all because of the help and patience of Mr. Tim. Very recently, my youngest son, now 16 ,also had the experience of learning from Mr. Tim , also passed with flying colors.My kids said one and the same thing about Mr. Tim … “ He is very patient, knowledgeable and always want you to learn and use the best techniques not only to pass the behind the wheel test, but also to be a good driver”. I highly recommend Mr. Tim , and I would say that I did not make a mistake in going with him. He is very polite, professional and willing to go the extra mile to make sure the driver gets prepared to drive. I will surely spread the word about his wonderful service and hopefully he can bring more good drivers out there. Thank you, Mr. Tim ! I wish I had more children to prepare for the behind the wheel test and I’ll make sure that I make use of your service. …:) - Eric and Katherine

Fantastic experience: This is our third child taking drivers training and we are extremely happy with Tim as an instructor. He has shared some helpful tips with our son that has made him a more conscientious driver. He has a sense of humor that keeps our son engaged and makes the training enjoyable.

Fantastic experience: The practice driving test with Tim was very helpful and helped me remember to look over my shoulder. I also had my first lesson with him and I didn’t know anything and I learned a lot and it made me feel very confident while driving.

Fantastic experience: I like the lesson today, he was really patient and helped me with the steering. It was my first time driving and I am much more confident, he’s a really good instructor. I find it that he teaches really calmly and good.

Fantastic experience: Honestly I loved his teaching and he has helped me understand how to drive and navigate here in the US

Fantastic experience: Great driving teachers, with great dmv mock tests

Fantastic experience: He teaches new drivers very well. I liked the sessions.

Fantastic experience: I loved my lesson with Timothy today. I learned about the dnv test today. He took me on the freeway but it was busy and taught me the right way to look over my shoulder for pedestrians. He never gets mad when you make a mistake very calm. Explains everything very clearly easy for you to understand. I recommend having him to drive with to pass you driving test.

Fantastic experience: Timothy was fantastic! Two hours went by super quickly and I learned so much only for a short amount of time. Super engaging and informative, I recommend.

Fantastic experience: Today I went over the testing route and Tim gave me lots of information making me feel confident for my upcoming driving test!

Fantastic experience: Timothy is a great driving instructor! I had my second driving lesson today and I learned a lot about good technique and what will be on the driving test. I highly recommend asking for Timothy if you choose to take these lessons!

Fantastic experience: It was a very good experience. I learned a lot and my driving instructor did some practice tests with me and helped me improve so that I could have a 100% chance of passing. Edit: This is my third lesson and today he took me on the test route and we also went to the DMV. He was very good and taught me a lot.

Fantastic experience: The classes were amazing!! Tim is an amazing instructor he made me comfortable with the freeways and parallel parking.

Fantastic experience: Tim is no-nonsense and knowledgeable. He gave out great pointers for the testing route and displaying confidence for the DMV test!!

Fantastic experience: This was my first lesson and I was scared to begin but my driving instructor was very nice and helped me get over my fear we drove around and I learned alot definitely deserves 5 stars

Fantastic experience: I like Mr.Ken he is a very nice teacher. He has been teaching most of my family how to drive and because he’s a nice teacher we keep going back to him. ( He is not the one who take a lot he give you your chance to do you).

Fantastic experience: Timothy is a great instructor. He's responsive, professional and overall patient with his students. I recommend him to all my friends!

Fantastic experience: I was nervous for driving on the road for the first time but the instructor was super nice and had a great and funny humor! The instructor made it easier for me to be able to drive on the road without fear. I 100% recommend!!

Fantastic experience: Very easy to get a hold of. I had my first lesson today and was very hands on, great instruction.

Fantastic experience: Timothy is a very jovial and friendly instructor. He alleviated my fears and anxieties and helped me to be a more confident driver.

Negative experience: Unfortunately, they never respond to phone calls.

Fantastic experience: Timothy has helped both of my kids learn to drive. They both commented on his ability to provide calm instruction and loved his sense of humor as well. My son passed his test the first time at San Mateo DMV. My daughter’s test is coming up soon and she feels very confident she is prepared. I referred Timothy to another friend of mine snd both her kids had great experiences as well. I highly recommend Timothy!

Fantastic experience: tim doesn’t deserve 1 start review because he is very nice and teaching methods are very productive. i am very happy with my lesson today and learned so much.

Negative experience: He yelled at me throughout my second and third lessons and i was very uncomfortable. My parents got treated disrespectfully by him. He requested to use my parents' van for my third lesson since he did not want to use "his gas", even though we are paying for it. Also forced me to stop twice so I could contact my parents and ask them when they were going to pay so I could finish the session, Tim doesn't use the two full hours you pay for to teach you how to drive he makes you look at wrinkled DMV pictures and youtube videos you could easily watch for free on your free time. We had previously volunteered to pay. He requested an uncommon payment procedure that had never been mentioned before. He also was on his phone throughout the whole session with other clients, family, and called my parents 5+ times regarding pay and certification.

Fantastic experience: I’m so lucky to have met this instructor! Timothy has a good way of explaining key information with understandable analogies. My sister used this program and I aswell, and we are super impressed with his teaching! 100% would recommend!

Fantastic experience: Tim is a good instructor He knows how to drive smooth he teaches you skills to pass the license test and how to be safe on the road after you get your license He knows when to be serious and when to have fun

Fantastic experience: My instructor was very patient and answered any questions I had completely. He was on top of his stuff and let me know anytime I did something wrong or something right. He was also very friendly so even though I was a little nervous in the beginning, he talked me through it and I didn’t feel nervous at all driving later. I would recommend Golden Stars Driving School to any teenager who is just getting started.

Fantastic experience: Tim helped me to learn how to navigate driving in California. He is patient and gives you good guidance to be able to correct and improve yourself. He teaches in a systematic manner which helps you to build confidence and become a better driver. I would definitely recommend learning and taking lessons with Tim!

Fantastic experience: This teacher is super good

Fantastic experience: Tim is one of the best instructors with a keen eye to guide you and help you improve your driving skills. He is determined to help you pass the driving test in the minimum number of classes. Highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: I have timothy as my driving instructor and I have learned a lot about fixing habits that I had that needed to be fixed. I learned how to be a defensive driver and a safer driver with good technique

Fantastic experience: Tim was a very good instructor who left good instructions that made me a lot more confident in my driving! He was fun but also gave helpful criticisms when needed. I was able to pass my driving test on the first try!!

Fantastic experience: Excellent lesson and I passed my driving test in San Mateo DMV and score 99%! This is excellent! My coach deserved 5 star for me, for sure!

Fantastic experience: Timothy H. Sao is a nice instructor. He helped me pass the driving test. Highly recommended.

Fantastic experience: I just started my training today and the driver was very nice and I got comfortable with driving. I recommend this instructor. I was scared at first but I was chillin not killin.

Fantastic experience: I really learned a lot from the training and feel like I improved a lot. The instructor is patient and gives good, clear advice. I recommend it.

Negative experience: I have serious concerns regarding the safety of students due to the peculiar behavior of Timothy H. Sao. He informed me of a late arrival with no apology, even stating, "be patient." After arriving, he told me that I could not have a passenger accompany me, even going as far as demanding we state what law required the accommodation of my request (that I kindly made). Then, when I expressed hesitation about having the lesson, he demanded his business card back. It was not until I replied, explaining that I intended to look up his DMV license, that he became less hostile and egocentric. It is astounding that Timothy was not even capable of basic civility until he was aware of the potential of consequences.

Fantastic experience: I successfully finished behind the wheel test last month on my 1st attempt itself. I made few minor mistakes during the test but about 95% of my driving went fine. @Timothy thankyou for being there on that day.

Fantastic experience: I am a beginner and Tim is really helping me in understanding my level and teaching me the best way possible. I feel confident in driving everyday I am going to training with him. He has been tailoring me with my driving skills as he understands my level. Now I feel so much improved and gained so much confident to be on the big street. He also taught my husband and my husband passed the test in his first try. The trainer name is Timothy not Tim. I like the way he taught me and prepare me for the test right now.

Fantastic experience: Tim is a really good instructor, a funny guy that helps alleviate any fear or anxiety when it comes to driving. He gives you good feedback, criticism, and the knowledge in order to pass the driving test and be a overall good driver. Ken is also a good instructor, he helped me prepare leading up to my actual test with some final feedback and pointers. Overall, two helpful and knowledgeable instructor that helped me passed my driving test first try.

Fantastic experience: Today is very good training by Tim . I understand the concept.

Fantastic experience: Tim is a great instructor, I found him through three different friends who all recently just got their licenses. He’s very calm and try to make you comfortable by making jokes while pointing out your mistakes. I definitely recommend this place for everyone.

Fantastic experience: My instructor was super nice and made me feel very comfortable behind the wheel! Reassuring and very constructive with criticism. Definitely recommend!

Fantastic experience: He is really nice and friendly. He helped me get through the nerves of being a student driver. I really enjoyed my experience and will definitely recommend to my friends.

Negative experience: Pros: The lowest fees among all schools I enquired for in SF area Cons: Teaching technique is poor a. Timothy had a very traditional teaching approach. Too much focus on acronyms, mnemonics and less on practical ways to correct driving b. I lost confidence in driving after each lesson. He was unnecessarily rude at times c. He recommended me to not give the test and drive on my own. If he is not confident in my abilities how can he recommend me to drive on my own? I joined another school and was able to get a license very quickly

Negative experience: Not a good driver first of all told me to put money on passenger seat I got out the car to take out my permit was distracted and he has the audacity to take a 20 from the original payment and has the nerve to say that I’m doing funny stuff which is crazy when I clearly checked my bank account and had taken out right amount which is crazy I was dumbfounded but persisted to take my lesson being that the price he was charging was lower then other places, another reason he’s not good is he expects you to now some stuff when clearly we’re coming to him to learn and lastly he made some race jokes that are not acceptable whatsoever overall a terrible experience never again with this older Asian individual .

Fantastic experience: Timothy helped my 16 year old fine tune her driving skills and pass her test. Professional and good insight as to what the DMV evaluators are looking at. I highly recommend him as an instructor.

Negative experience: Not a good teacher for beginners. He expects you to know everything. Why would I want a teacher if I already knew everything. Some of his jokes are very offensive and he may not mean any harm but I didn’t feel comfortable learning with him.

Fantastic experience: Tim was an excellent instructor. I had 3 lessons with him and he implemented good habits for my driving skills each time. His test preparation was very helpful for my exam and I only had one minor error. Thank you Tim!

Fantastic experience: Tim is an excellent instructor! Both of our teenagers learned how to drive with his guidance. He took them from beginners to passing their test on the first attempt! He gave great feedback and told them the areas to focus on. On the final session he took them to the San Mateo DMV area to get familiar with the area before the test. He was easy to communicate with via phone or text.

Fantastic experience: I had my very first lesson and I was very nervous, but now I feel more comfortable driving. These driving lessons are very affordable and worth every penny. Many driving schools charge you lots of money, unlike this one. I learned a lot during my very first lesson.

Fantastic experience: Timothy is a really good teacher. He is super funny and teaches you all the rules. He makes the class interesting but also teaches with a lot of patience. He helped me overcome most of my fears as I am a first time driver. he also gave me homework which I think shows how dedicated he is to teach the right way. He is not like other teachers who maneuver the car for you. He let me take full control of the car and helped me when I needed. Thank you for such a great class. I really recommend him :)

Fantastic experience: Being new in the country, learning to drive in California is a nerve wracking experience. Tim ensured I can unlearn my old driving practices and adapt very quickly to Californian driving. I attended only 2 classes with him, including one on the test day - we had a crash course and I passed my behind the wheels test on the first attempt. Tim ensured I learnt how to drive safely, read the road signs and maneuvered the steering correctly. We actually drove with several pilot test runs with high difficulty levels like what to do - when an emergency vehicle is approaching, when a school bus comes to a halt projecting the stop sign, sharing the road with the bicyclists and amongst many others, how to make a right turn with a traffic red signal on a busy road. He was very strict on my driving methods which lead to me learning on how to drive in the new City and eventually passing on my first attempt! Kudos to Tim for his teaching methods!

Fantastic experience: I had my first behind the wheel driving lesson with Tim. Tim is an excellent instructor. He was kind, funny and very patient. I was very anxious in the beginning of my lesson, it being my first time driving on the road. By the end of the 2hr session I was lot more relaxed and confident. I would be continuing my lessons with him

Fantastic experience: Finished my first session and it was a good experience. Looking forward to taking more sessions. Tim is a good instructor.

Negative experience: I scheduled a session with instructor Tim for Saturday evening (last weekend) as my exam was on Monday (today). Since I didnot clear the previous attempts, I was very nervous and skeptical about this last attempt. I didnot have a good experience at all. The entire time he was being very rude---very very rude, making me more nervous. He directly told me that I wont clear the next attempt as well. My point here is if a student is perfect, why would they take sessions with you? Your responsibility is to help her/him, motivate, encourage. Tim you were strict and thats fine, you should be strict, you should point out my mistakes. But you should not be so rude. Also, if you think you are funny, no you are not. I felt you were mocking me. Your driving skills/techniques were good, but you dont know how to teach a student who already is very nervous. PS: I cleared the exam today :) Thanks, Jolly

Fantastic experience: Tim is a really gifted teacher. I completely agree with one of the other reviewers who called him a coach and highly skilled pedagogue. After just two hours behind the wheel with him, I already feel more confident and knowledgeable thanks to his targeted observations and guidance. He's also just a delight to be around. If you're looking for a driving instructor in the Bay Area I really couldn't recommend him more.

Fantastic experience: Very patient and a great instructor! Highly recommend Tim for new drivers nervous on the road.

Fantastic experience: Very Knowledgeable and great instructor overall. Felt very comfortable and gave me confidence with my driving and corrected my errors.

Fantastic experience: Tim is a very skilled driving instructor and just after two lessons I already feel a lot more confident. He has taught all of my siblings and they have all passed their first time!

Fantastic experience: I love Tim! Best driving instructor ever; he was funny and kind, and really put in the work to make me a more skilled and confident driver. Gave me some incredible tips and I passed on my first try!!

Fantastic experience: Timothy was excellent at making sure I felt comfortable behind the wheel. Definitely will recommend their services to family and friends!

Fantastic experience: Tim is a very good instructor. I have only taken 2 classes with him and already feel very comfortable driving on the streets.

Fantastic experience: I did my first lesson and I felt like he was a good instructor and teacher. He’s a funny guy but makes sure i learned my lesson for the day and also does his best to make sure im at my best. I think hes overall a great instructor and i would recommend him to anyone who asks for one!

Fantastic experience: Tim is not just a driving instructor. He is a coach and a highly skilled pedagogue. he takes you from zero to hero in a very short amount of time. he understands where your skills lack and he makes sure to reinforce his teachings in different driving situations. his expertise and several years of experience teaching make a very big difference. he personally gave me the confidence and the tools to feel prepared on the day of the behind the wheel exam. he even went with me on that day supported me showed me the whole process a day before so I can feel less nervous and on the day he was by my side all throughout that examination. He gave me very strategic tips that are specific to my driving style. On top of that he is such a joyful and kind person with whom you will be in constant laughter. his humor and genuine demeanor makes him a person that you can trust and make mistakes with it so you can progress fall get back on track and then definitely succeed. I am forever grateful to him for his patience time and expert teaching and I will never forget my experience with him. I went from an anxious nervous driver to a confident and knowledgeable one and that is all thanks to him. if you are looking for a great driving instructor in the bay area Tim and his team are the ones for you don’t hesitate just go for it they will take you through all the steps without you worrying.

Fantastic experience: Tim was my driving instructor. He did a great job in getting me ready for the test. Passed in my first attempt. Car is in great condition and Tim was very helpful.

Fantastic experience: Tim is a highly skilled and professional driving teacher. He always arrives on time, if not a bit earlier, he never cancels on his students and he doesnt charge a cancelation fee like many schools do. His lessons are affordable and his payment methods are flexible. If you want a teacher who will teach you how to drive, Tim will do it in a safest and most professional way. His teaching approach might be different, but he always asks for honest feedback about his teaching methods and the way he communicates with his students. Tim will provide his students with constructive criticism ONLY because he cares about them becoming professional and safe drivers. To be honest I have tried different driving schools around Bay area and Tim is the ONLY teacher who were able to get me to highway without feeling scared or panicking, but actually having fun driving. If you want to learn how to drive and be a safe neighbor to others on a road go with Tim! Thank you Tim for being so helpful and thoughtful teacher!

Fantastic experience: Tim is one of the best teachers in my life! He is calm, patient, explains everything clearly. I was afraid to drive a car. After lessons with him, I got a driver’s license!

Fantastic experience: Many people referred me to him and it was a great experience. Very nice guy. Helped me a lot

Fantastic experience: It's good. I am learning a lot and at a good pace. Tim is the best instructor out there.

Fantastic experience: Tim is the best instructor out there! You learn a lot and it is very calming and not nerve racking at all. My whole family learned with him.

Fantastic experience: My sister learned with Tim and she's a good driver now. She hasn't gotten any violations yet and I am pleased with my lessons with Tim. Always on time. Thanks Tim.

Fantastic experience: Timothy is a very good driving instructor. He trained my son for 6 hours, show him all the necessary rules he need to follow while behind the wheels. Highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: Yo tomé 2 clases con el profesor Tim, me lo presentó mi amiga Elsa. Muy correcto profesor, el me dio mucha confianza y me hizo corregir mis errores para poder dar un buen examen, y que yo puedo hacerlo con mucha concentración. Es muy bueno y muy profesional. Tks. Mr Tim.

Negative experience: Tim will waste your time, definitely think this guy should call himself golden flake driving school. Not getting any stars here. First off he cancels appointments, secondly picks and chooses how each customer pays I mean if you arrange with me a payment method stick to it don’t change it on the day of and have the customer go out of their way. Third answer your phone a simple text that your confirming. DO NOT USE THIS BUSINESS !!!!