Been coming here since my cousin-in-law recommended it back in 2008. I bought a new car from the dealer and even though I had the coverage for certain parts of the car, I came here first to get there honest assessment and they always came through! The dealer would cover the part, but charge an arm and leg for the labor..... Dart has been my main dude since 2008 and still continues to look at my cars exclusively. Mr. Stump is a cool dude too and is always busy trying to get his business out on media - he's an innovator for small business owners Look for $5 dollars off on oil changes and other incentives. I know Yelp has it when you check in. They guarantee their work, which is always a plus! Seriously, don't go to a dealer! Come here instead and you won't regret it. They do offer a ride home while you wait program, but depends on workload, but they come through somehow. They also provide you snack and water. Not sink water, bottled water. Coffee, sometimes pastries and some days donuts. They have a rewards program too! You an also book appointments online, but I recommend calling instead. Tell them I sent you! read more

This guys are very professional. They fixed my Diesel truck in the time they said they would repaired it. The icing on the cake was that they turned the truck to me super clean like they just detailed it. Good service, coming from another business owner. read more

Dave's Auto Service - Diesel truck - Auto Repair Near Me - Chula Vista, California

We always appreciate the fast, friendly, honest service. Our business depends on our vehicles on a daily bases. Dave's always jumps on it quick minimizing our down time. We will continue to to use Dave's and will keep referring our customers to them. Keep up the good work. Thank you! read more

Alright. I have been having issues with my spark plugs for the last year or so. I had gotten them replaced here at Dave's. There's a 20k mileage warranty that is given to their work to ensure that if anything goes wrong, they'll fix it including the labor porting will be covered. One day as I'm driving on the freeway my car's check engine light is flashing. I pull over get it towed and took it into Dave's the next morning. They checked it, and said all it needed were new spark plugs. They proceed to tell me it was going to cost me $260 (around that area) to have get it done. I mentioned that I should be covered under warranty because it's been less than 20k miles since the service for them was done. They stated that because my car burns oil quick, it voided my warranty. Funny thing about that is the last time I had my oil changed done there, I was bleeding oil all over the freeway and my engine almost seized up because one of their workers didn't tighten the screw underneath the car right enough. They told me they couldn't see me so at the time so I ended up getting an oil change somewhere else and they told me what had happened and this is why I have been losing oil so quickly was because they haven't been tightening it enough underneath the bottom. Since I have been getting my oil changes elsewhere I haven't had an issue with not having enough oil. Now back to the spark plug issue. So I mentioned my warranty and the best they could do would be to was take off a $100 dollars off the original estimate. I decided to have them do the work again and paid around $150. 2 months later, less than 5k miles in, check engine light comes on and I'm having acceleration and hesitation problems while driving on the freeway. I call in a mobile mechanic and they Found out that one of the spark plugs they installed had a crack in it. So I go over to Dave's again and they apologized and said "yeah sometimes this happens where we get spark plugs that have cracks in them." But what they don't realize is I paid $80 for a diagnosis which should have never happened if they were to inspect their parts. If they know that's been an issue in the pat they should be sure to double check that. Anyways, fast forward to now, cylinder four went off saying an ignition coil or spark plug is the issue. So I went ahead and I called a family friend of ours and he took a look and he said I'm lucky to still have my car running. All 4 spark plugs were so bad he said there is no way that they were new to begin when they installed them. I don't even wanna waste my time going in for them to fix my spark plugs that are under warranty. They put the cheapest spark plugs from auto lite and I'm paying a ton of money for them. They give me the lowest grade of spark plugs and this is what happens. Switching to NGK. I'm not giving this place 1 star because I know the owner is a good guy and I know he wouldn't put out bad work like this but clearly someone here isn't doing their job right. There are a couple good people in this place and in years past coming in here we a joy to take my car. Sometime between a year ago and now, something there has changed and I'm not staying to find out what it is. Dave I honestly think you are a good guy with integrity, but I'm just done spending my money on the same issue of spark plugs over and over again. I was a big advocate of going to this place but I can no longer be. Thanks for the previous services done to my car and my dads car that were done the right way. read more

Dave's Auto Service - Cylinders 1-3. All destroyed. No way possible these were new to begin with less than 5k miles in them. - Auto Repair Near Me - Chula Vista, California

See all

Dave's is the BEST. They took great care of our cars during the 15 years we lived in Chula Vista, then over a year after we moved away pulled up our file to send to us when we're no longer customers. Class act! read more

There are obviously tons of shops to chose from in San Diego but we all know how hard it is to find good, honest, mechanics. The staff at Dave's has been friendly and professional from the start. They take time to get to know customers and try to accommodate their schedule. Pricing is reasonable and they will give you honest opinions about work to be done. read more

Very professional people and service. Diagnosed and repaired wheel sensor very quickly and solved abs light. Clean waiting area. Would recommend. 5 stars. read more

Extremely helpful and professional people. Brought my 2002 Ford Taurus in for a diagnosis and they listed off everything that was wrong and gave more than a fair price to fix most of it. Just got it back from them and they even cleaned up the transmission pan and there's no more oil leak. I'm so glad I'm came here. You should also if you need your car worked on. read more

We drove our Audi to California and unfortunately had a light come on the vehicle. We took our car to an Audi Dealership and was told the car had numerous problems and that the struts needed to be replaced too. Since their quote came out to a little over $2,000 dollars I decided to see what another shop would charge me. I did some research and looked at reviews and decided to take my car to Dave's. I dropped my car off to get a price to fix the things we were told that needed to be done. To my surprise we were told that they looked over the car and all it needed was an oil change. EVERYONE we came into contact with at Dave's were very nice. After this experience I just had to write a review to let others know how honest and trustworthy Dave's Auto Service is. read more

I've had three separate problems repaired with my vehicle at Dave's. The result is that I have gained a sincere confidence that they have the smarts to properly diagnose problems, provide a fair & reasonable price for repair and to quickly return the vehicle to me ready to go. What more is there to say?! read more

I absolutely recommend getting your car fixed at Dave's auto service. I took my car in due to a check engine light on. From the get-go they were very honest and clear about the price. They replaced a couple of fuses and recalibrated a sensor and did not charge me extra. Very attentive and honest customer service and accesible prices. read more

Great, fast service. Gave me a heck of a deal. Will definitely be coming back for all my service on my '95 Civic from here on out. Glad to have found a good, local shop to give my business to. read more

I highly recommend Dave's, I went in with my jeep liberty that was a whirlpool of electrical problems and not only did Dave himself keep me updated about the work and issues , he did absolutely everything he could to keep the repair from being too costly. Dart and Dave both were sympathetic and understanding to my frequent check ins , their customer service really just seemed so genuine I knew my car was in good hands, they were able to make the repairs and get my car running and the cost was more than fair. I was so stoked on their service I went back and had my brakes done, and again, the pricing was fair and their service was phenomenal and fast! read more

Dave's auto shop at 111 Press Ln. Chula Vista, CA repaired my car A/C system. They were quick and easily fixed the problem. They were honest and had a fair price. The shop does not look shady. I always avoid shady shops regardless of how cheap they are. The shop is clean and the employees are very professional and friendly. I normally take my cars to the dealer but this shop will definitely be my alternative as they are honest, fair cost, good techs, and friendly. I recommend this place. read more

Dave and his crew are awesome. I recently bought an 03 WRX and wanted to change the gear oil. I had everything ready and when I got to the point of trying to get the drain plug out, I nearly pulled a muscle trying to get it lose. And trust me, I'm no weak dude (hammer curl 60lbs) but that sucker was stuck. I even tried using a monkey wrench as a last ditch effort of getting it loose and thought I might just buy a new drain plug. But I just couldn't get it loose so I gave up and decided it was time to get some help from the professionals. I found Dave's ad on craigslist for transmission work. I figured my problem was kind of a transmission problem, haha. So the next morning I was at the DMV (like 1 minute from Dave's Auto) helping my friend with change of ownership as she had just bought her first car. I decide to call Dave's Auto once the DMV opened right at 8:01am. I wasn't sure if anyone would actually pick up because the shop had just opened. But Dave himself answered and I explained to him that I just needed them to loosen the drain plug for me and I asked how much it would be. FREE! Dave just chuckled when I told him what had happened and said he wouldn't charge me anything. Wow, like what can I possibly say to express how generous of him. He told to just bring it by and hopefully it wouldnt be too long of a wait if a lift was open for me. I decided to go immediately and got there about 7 minutes after Dave's auto had opened but let me tell you I would have sworn they had been open for hours already. Plenty of of cars already being worked on, people already in the waiting room, clipboards and clipboards of cars already waiting to be worked on. The receptionist helped get me squared away with paperwork and informed me there wasn't a lift open for my car so there would be a small wait. I asked her long she thought it might be (I had abandoned my friend at the DMV) and she asked the crew and I guess they moved some things around because next thing I know they are already moving my car to get worked on. I guess they just wanted to get my car out of the way as it would be quick. My friend texts me saying she needs help so I literally run back to the DMV but I hadn't let anyone at Dave's know I was leaving. But it wasn't a problem. I got a call pretty shortly after I had left Dave's that my car was ready and there was no rush for me to come back, my car would be waiting for me when I got there. Turns out the last person who had put the drain plug in had unnecessarily used some sealant which had made the drain plug so difficult to remove. Dave's Auto was friendly, fast, and incredibly generous not charging me a single cent for their time and energy which really helps me out as a broke UCSD student. But I know where I'll be taking my baby for any future work. read more

This place easily earns five stars! The owner, Dave, took the time to review in detail, the work needing to be done...explaining why certain things would require more time and patiently answered all my (basically, dumb!) questions. He comes across as very knowledgeable, honest & sincere, and he has tons of experience in the industry. The car problems were solved, too! If you are a skeptic about car repair or not sure where to go....go here!!! They will definitely take care of you and your car! read more

The people are friendly and they service vehicles fast. Very disappointing within 2 weeks shelled out a little over $800. Scheduled an appointment advising the vehicle was dragging to start, that it was an issue with the starter. We were informed we had the wrong battery. We had them change it, less then 2 weeks later vehicle wasn't starting. Took it back now they see its the starter. I honestly feel they should have given a discount. For the inconvenience and not taking the owners first initial request. Some individuals know their vehicles. I will continue to take it to the dealer. read more

They were able to fit me in the same day I called. They changed out the side mirror on my Suburban and did a great job. Everyone I came in contact with was super friendly and professional. Would go back again for any other needed repairs! read more

Very friendly and professional service. I made a last minute inquiry and they were able to get me in and out within an hour and a half. I had an air conditioner on my BMW 330i that wasn't working. Thank you Dave for your speedy professional top notch service!! I highly recommend this shop!! read more

I wouldn't go to any other shop. They are very honest and friendly, I have been using their service for over 13 years. I highly recommend These professionals. I have never been unhappy with them. read more

The team at Daves really helped me out a bind! Great prices (very fair) and made me realize how much the 'fancy' mechanics were overcharging me!!! Thanks Jessica and Dart! read more

Had the great pleasure of having my car checked out with Dave yesterday and could see why the reviews are top notch. I had a funny noise coming from my engine seemingly that I needed a pro to look at. I left the car with Dave and his crew and they drove the car, Dave once, and one of his crew members a second time, and neither could detect an engine problem exactly but after putting it up on the rack they noticed some loose items, that may have been flapping in the wind when driving making the noise, that they simply tightened up. A good work-up and quick fix that Dave very kindly did not charge me for. He said all seemed fine otherwise but if the noise continued to have him take a closer look. So far with just some brief driving it seems that that may have cleared up the problem and if not I'll take it back to Dave's to check it out further. read more

High quality service with integrity and reasonable prices. I have the utmost trust each time I get work done that they will do only what's needed and will never up sale or try to repair something not needed. read more

I'm very happy with Dave's auto service. They made it easy to understand what was wrong and fixed the problem quick. Definetly recommend this place to anyone. read more

I would like to give a shout out to Dave and Dave Jr. My truck broke down on me 2006 F250 CCSB 6.0. I got a tow to their shop which was 2 miles away from The 5. Once I got there and my truck was offloaded I decided to check my fuse box underneath steering wheel because I was having an electrical issue and notice a fuse was blown. (I know I know I should have checked before calling for a tow truck, BUT the 5 is crazy and I broke down halfway off the shoulder and didn't want to risk my life trying to look in there with my rear end sticking out) I mentioned I needed a Fuse and Mr. Dave himself hooked me up and got me back on the road wouldnt take a dime from me just thanked me for my service to this country. Not only did they stay at the shop to wait for my arrival a half hour after closing they were extremely hospitable which is something rare here Southern California. Little things like staying late and giving me a $5 dollar fuse means a lot to people like me and makes a world of difference when choosing a shop to stick with. I will definitely recommend this trustworthy shop to any of my friends or family. My only regret is not using them sooner. :) thanks again you guys I will be seeing yall soon. God Bless read more

Great place, they communicate well and have a lot of knowledge when it comes to my Ford trucks. I will be using Dave from here on out with all my vehicles read more

Dave and Dart have restored my faith in the auto mechanic profession. It is nice to work with a team of mechanics whom are honest and personable. I was initially referred to Dave's Auto Service by a friend and have been using them ever since. I own a Ford, so I use them frequently. I never feel like I am being bamboozled or over charged when I get work done there. I appreciate that they take the time to explain the things to me, sometimes multiple times to help me understand the issue and the solution (I am kind of a pain-in-the-ass customer with a lots of questions). I also love when I get new tires or have them rotated, and the mechanics there list off several, costly repairs that I "must get immediately", then I ask for a quote, which I then take said quote to Dave's and we laugh at the list of imaginary or non-emergent issues and the price. Example: One mechanic told me I need to replace my muffler because it was old and would fall off at any moment. Since I don't know anything about cars, I was naturally concerned. Took my car to Dave's, they replace a bolt/screw free of change and sent me on my merry way. Dave's Auto Service it truly a girls best friend. Especially when that girl likes to drive her car fast and hard : ) read more

A reputable auto repair business is essential to find. I thought we had one of these when we continued taking our vehicles to Dave's Auto Service. Since Dave left the business and gave it over to the new owner, the quality of repairs has deteriorated. When I went to get my 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid headlight lamps changed out, little would I know that when my car was smog tested, problems would be shown to me that only could have happened when those lamps were changed out. This left the battery unattached from the housing and the long screw and bolt nowhere to be found. They also didn't attach another housing part necessary to remove in order to get to the light. When I took it in for a simple oil change and maintenance check, they told me I needed new windshield wiper blades. I told them that we had just replaced them the week before bringing in our car. That met with a non-response. All of these seem trivial, but I cannot in good faith trust them to do other repairs that I will need in the future when they cannot meet simple quality standards for the small stuff. Good luck on maintaining this business, guys. I know another long time customer who feels this same way. read more

Dave and Dart were truly professional and helpful. More importantly, in a time when car mechanics get a bad rap, both provided an honest assessment of my vehicle's mechanical condition along with a recommendation to NOT move forward with the work. Very refreshing. I would definitely bring my vehicle back to this shop. read more

I'm visiting from out of state for a few months. I was hesitant to get my car serviced in a unfamiliar state but I couldn't be happier that I went to Dave's. The staff were are very friendly, welcoming, and more than helpful. The two gals who work the front desk are very kind and made me feel welcomed. If I'm ever in the area again and in need of services, I WILL be back. It's rare to kind find a honest mechanic who won't rip you off. Thanks Dave's! :) read more

This place has been a blessing! If I could give them 10 stars I would. My whole experience was just amazing, never had anything like it. They work hand in hand with Operation Homefront San Diego and their support to military is just an absolute blessing. Dart is a man that cares about his customers and ensures that you are always at ease and updated on your vehicle at all times. I had an engine replacement, cooling fan assembly replacement, and vacuum pump brake replacement for my 2010 Ford Edge. My vehicle was out for about a month going through troubleshooting and waiting for the engine to arrive and the install and post testing. They were professional and communicative through the whole process. Every time we called for an update, he was glad to provide it. He would even call us with updates. I just could go forever on how amazing and professional this business is from quality of work, to customer service, to staff, to mechanics. I'm just in awe with my over all experience with them. ****HIGHLY RECOMMEND FOR ANY AUTO SERVICE NEEDED**** read more

I asked my friend who used to sell tools to Auto Mechanics in the South Bay, who he would trust to repair his car. He suggested I try Dave's Auto Service. Their prices were very reasonable... refreshing to have the labor much less than parts on the repairs, and they quickly worked me into their schedule. Their receptionist, Maria was very friendly and helpful. read more

I've been taking my vehicles to Dave for 7 years now and have been extremely happy with their service. Everyone there is really knowledgable and nice. If you want to get great customer service and auto repair along with fair pricing than this is your spot. read more

I've been using Dave's for years and am constantly impressed by the level of service and professionalism. Dave, Dart and Maria along with the other mechanics are encyclopedic in their knowledge of car repair and remember my car without having to pull the file. There is never a surprise, the pricing is very fair, my car is ready as promised or sooner and the shop is immaculate. Easy to get to and hassle free.... Exceptional auto service ... easiest 5 star review I've ever given! read more

Very honest and friendly group of people. Highly recommend their services. Used them for a few years now and now all of my family members go to them too. read more

Incredibly polite, professional and thorough. I explained the symptoms over the phone and they knew immediately what the problem was. I brought the car in, and despite their heavy work-load and warning that it might take a day, they had an estimate by day's end. Dart worked with the warranty insurance company, had the part installed the next day and when I got there the car was even cleaned inside and out. (Their detailer happened to be in today). Job well done by Dave, Dart and Jessica. I couldn't be happier with them as my go-to mechanics. Add to that, I've never seen a cleaner, more open waiting room, ever. read more

best mechanic in chula vista, he is honest ,and very reliable. you can't go wrong here."the best "!!!!!!!!!