A short in my electrical system drained my battery and stranded me in north county at rush hour. Fortunately, USAA recommended nearby DRIVE auto care for service. Brian leads the team and is awesome- clear, fair & in communication the whole way thru. Key drop for after hours drop off made it easy since towing process took 3 hours start to finish. To be honest, DRIVE finished a day sooner than I expected so I have my car for the weekend. I couldn't be happier with the result and service. It's obvious why they've been around since 1980 with the same owner!! Highly recommend! Thank you, Brian & DRIVE auto care for making a difficult situation much better. read more

The best VIP service at incredibly reasonable prices. So convenient they have a caring driver while your car is being serviced too. So grateful as they exceeded all my expectations! read more

Years of 5-star service from Drive is what I have had, and now finally, this review. Like most of you reading this, I have a BMW, in fact I have had many. The last 3 have all been serviced by Drive in SB. Best decision ever. This review is prompted from Drive, and especially Brian for going not beyond, but WAY beyond. Let me say that if you go to Drive, you will get fairly priced (not expensive, not cheap, fair and affordable!) service. You will get the best customer service experience you have ever had, and I can promise you, IF by some chance something isn't what you want, they WILL work to resolve it. There is never a need to put a negative review for them, I know for a fact, they will go to the end of the earth to resolve anything, they are on your side. Case in point, my 2013 needed valve cover gasket, new radiator and other things. 3K of repairs. But I have a purchased warranty. So in all cases your mechanic has to call them and get the repairs approved. They approved the radiator but not the 2K for the valve stuff. Brian called me to notify me about this.. Remember he was on the phone with them for quite some time, on hold, then the adjuster, etc.. So I called, same answer. Urghh!!! Brian suggested another way to approach it and offered to try. Guess what, another 1K towards the repairs. That is the kind of thing Drive will do for you. I go there for every single thing for my BMW. I have never ever been anything but 100% satisfied. I never have to worry, or stress. What more can you say. read more

Drive AutoCare - Thanks for saving me $1,800! - Auto Repair Near Me - Solana Beach, California

We loved this place & their honesty. We saw a leak while driving to AZ to CA and noticed a leak, we were worried seeing as we'd have to drive back from CA. We made an appt first thing for the morning and they came out and checked, and basically told us we had nothing to worry about! We were grateful they didn't just take our money, and helped us anyway! read more

I love Drive AutoCare and always take my car there for any problems. The people are fantastic, so trustworthy and so kind, and I always feel like my car is in wonderful hands. Thank you for taking care of me over the years. I appreciate you guys! read more

Excellent experience at Drive AutoCare! Jose was very great. Used Liqui Moly as suggested (instead of Mobil 1) for my 2018 Porsche Cayenne. The final cost was cheaper than the original estimate. Appreciate the honesty! read more

Professional, customer oriented... They now have all my future business! Happy to make the switch read more

Brian and Drive Auto will go above and beyond not only for your vehicle but also for you. He is professional, kind, and his team does excellent work. They're always accommodating when I need something quickly, even if that means recommending another mechanic. I feel really lucky these guys are in my neighborhood because they feel like a true neighborhood business. Highly recommend! read more

Drive is awesome! I took my car in for basic service. They were courteous and very professional. They serviced my car in just a couple of hours. The best part was, they didn't try to upsell me. They let me know that everything was great with the car. The price for the service was very reasonable. I highly recommend drive! read more

The air conditioning for our 2003 Honda Pilot was not working. They did some tests, and did not find a leak, but observed that the coolant was low. The added coolant fixed the problem and the repair was not expensive--another place wanted to charge us more than $900 to fix a leaky hose--when there was no such leak. They are efficient, fair, and honest. read more

I don't know where to begin! Handling anything car related gives me so much anxiety! I had to coach myself into calling about my car issue and Art was super nice which helped me relax. I went in yesterday and Troy and Miguel were super nice and helpful Art saved the day and helped me with my car I feel a lot more calm about car troubles in the future knowing people like them exist. Kindness goes a long way! Thank you read more

TRUSTWORTHY: that's been my experience with Drive. Last week four warning lights lit up the dash on my 2020 Subaru. I've taken it Drive AutoCare for regular maintenance since it was new, and they've always done a great job, so I called to see when I could bring it in. Brian told me to come on it that day. Although they were booked, the technician would see what's going on with the warning codes. When I came back for my car that afternoon, Brian told me the engine coolant bypass valve as likely the problem. THEN he told me that while Drive AutoCare could fix it, the repair would be completely covered by my warranty, and Subaru would fix it at no charge. 'Wow, that's great!' I said. 'How much do I owe you for your time and evaluation?' 'No charge', he said. 'We didn't do any work on it, we just figured out what the issue was, so you'd know it was safe to drive. It's all covered by your warranty, so there's no charge.' If you are looking for an honest auto repair service, you'll find it at Drive AutoCare in Solana Beach. read more

These guys are terrific. I brought my car in for a smog check and was in and out within 20 minutes. The service was friendly and efficient and the price was super reasonable. I'll be back! read more

I don't have to explain my self, but Excellent Excellent and honest place. Brian and Lauren awesome.

This place trumps my Porsche dealership. They are honest, flexible and fairly priced. It's a tough thing to find a trustworthy mechanic and this place puts me at ease because I know I'm being taken care of. They even offer a shuttle if you live in the area. I had a time constraint and they were able to get my car worked on just in time. I value their respect for the customers time. Thank you for such a great experience and will continue bringing our other cars here. read more

Thank you drive auto. I have a hard time trusting auto car places but I felt a sense of calm and trustworthiness with them. Brian the manager was very helpful and didn't make feel like I was asking dumb questions. read more

I love supporting our beloved local businesses! Drive has excellent customer service (everyone working there is friendly and welcoming), and they changed my oil super quickly (approximately 45 minutes). Scheduling an appointment was a breeze (I was able to get one the morning after I called). I won't go anywhere else for my oil changes because the experience is so great here! read more

These folks are top notch. Easy to see why they have two locations within walking distance of each other. Super friendly to work with. Very professional. Extremely competent. They even go far enough to coordinate payments with my fleet vehicle company, which I am confident adds an additional layer of work to their process. Definitely commend. read more

DO NOT go here! If I could give zero stars I would. Long time residents of the neighborhood and recently decided to try this place after our normal mechanic wasn't available because of quarantine. AC went out in my husband's truck and took in for a "recharge." They called back and said it was going to be $1,275 to fix AC and added another $2,500 for other things that "needed to be fixed" totaling $3,800. We opted not to get any service done but they still charged $140 for service they didn't do (original AC estimate was $179). Long story short- took our truck elsewhere and AC was done for less than 1/3 of the cost. The $1125 worth of brake work did not need to be done- nor did the $1250 for power steering. I was provided pictures of my brake shoes that had 70% left and my brake line was NOT leaking as I was told by DRIVE. These guys clearly don't run an honest business and are looking to prey upon anyone that is foolish enough to get bilked. Pretty much like a dentist charging for a root canal when you just need to floss. Unbelievable. DO NOT go here unless you want to be taken advantage of. read more

I brought my truck here to get my brakes checked out. The service was fantastic and the work was great. They were great with communication before they started any work on my truck. They were also fast. Thanks again! read more

My 13 year old Mini Cooper S has received the best of care and runs like a dream, I've been surprised at how smooth she feels, so much so that I hate to sell it. Brian the manager has a wonderful trustworthy nature and much more reasonable pricing structure than other quality shops around. I am greatly appreciative of the detail oriented attention, genuine respectful nature & friendliness. I wish all businesses operated like this. Thank you! read more

Great Excellent, friendly service. I dropped my car off for routine service first thing in the morning and I was on my way again before 10am. Brian took the time to carefully explain the dash warning I was getting after fixing it and the bill was very reasonable. We have taken our cars to DRIVE before and have always been very pleased. We've found them to be honest and professional. read more

Can't say enough wonderful things! The team got me in last minute, late afternoon, for a flat tire and delivered by keys by days end. Miguel was kind and efficient. Made a really inconvenient life moment, easier. Seriously, thank you Drive! read more

DRIVE AutoCare on the 101 in Solana Beach is trustworthy and honest. I'm so glad I found them! Way less busy than DRIVE on Cedros as well. Can't thank them enough! read more

Drive is number 1 in my book. I send everyone here. They are courteous professional quick responsive with excellent value. They have saved me (and my car) numerous times. I'd come here even if I wasn't a local. read more

Objecitvely, these guys are probably just middling, more inept than shady. My 3 experiences with them, however, have been a travesty. I took a couple years of auto shop in high school, so I know enough to know when I'm getting had. I would suggest you avoid these douchebags at all costs. But that's just me. read more

I took my older car in here for a "clicking noise". All expert repair work was done quickly and below the quoted price.. When I received my bill, they gladly gave me my AAA discount. Honest diagnosis, quick work, and no BS billing; you can't ask for any more than that. California Import Auto earns my business...again read more

Every time I bring my 4 Runner into California Import Auto in Solana beach they go above and beyond the call of duty. The last time I brought it in, they actually researched Options for me!! AAA recommended them to me..and now I send anyone that needs an honest mechanic. Their shuttle service made all the difference in the world to me. I was able to leave my car and get shuttled back to work so I would not miss my day with my car in the shop. read more

This place is awful. They incorrectly diagnosed my car and stated it needed a new transmission and would be about $5,000. I picked up my car and took it to another place and it turns out it wasn't the transmission. I felt like I was screwed over at this place. I told them not to touch the car, yet they went ahead and did an oil change and charged me $50.00. That's ridiculous. It's really sad that this place has gone down hill over the years. My family were loyal customers since 2000, not anymore. I will never go back or recommend this place. Fast forward to two years later and thousands of miles on the exact same car. It is still running great and has not had a new transmission put in. In fact, I recently relocated to North Carolina and the car made it just fine. Not bad for a car that you told me needed a new transmission. read more

These guys are super reliable, easy online appointments can be made (gets confirmed by email) and what's more, they're quick and precise. Each appointment I've made has taken about an hour (which I kill at the coffee shop around the corner) The pricing is reasonable and I really feel like they keep me informed-letting me know what to expect at my next maintenance appointment: Which is awesome so I can prepare in advance for how much time and money it might cost me. I cannot afford downtime with my job, so I really appreciate them talking me through whats going on with my vehicle and trying to anticipate its needs. I should note, I don't drive a BMW anymore.... I downgraded to a Lexus.... then downgraded to a Prius: Damn you gas prices! But I take it here for he friendly local feel and it's such an easy vehicle- they of course handle it with ease. My boyfriend found this place first, they handled his appointment so perfectly and at a reasonable price that he passed on the find to me: Word of mouth at it's best! He used to work in a place like this years ago, and can fix and drive pretty much anything-just doesn't have the time nowadays so a thumbs up from him is serious business. Local business guys in the car business, highly recommended. read more

Great service! Very trustworthy guys here doing a great job. Highly recommend them to anyone who needs help with their vehicle.

These guys were a dream. I've taken my 2002 M3 to them for an oil change and a burned out convertible motor - and both times, they went out of their way to give me a great price. I was expecting more than a grand for the convertible top - without labor even - but walked away for way less than that. These guys are nice guys, nothing shady about their business, and I've verified all their work myself. Good stuff. Way cheaper than the dealer. read more

I'm a girl in the car scene in SoCal, and I needed a great shop in my area to go to and was referred to Cal Import Auto. I started coming here 4 or 5 years ago and wouldn't go anywhere else! The people here are so nice, and saw things that needed to be done before having the inconvenience of having something break a month down the road. I'm all about preventative maintenance to ensure that there are no surprises with my car. They have done everything from the twice a year oil changes, to my power steering rack, to my 60K mile service and I've never had a bad experience. The last shop I went to over looked things that needed to be done that I didn't know needed to be done until they went bad. I'm glad the guys at Cal import know what they are looking for and let me know whats going on with my car. I dont need to look to go anywhere else, these guys and gals are awesome! read more

Drive Autocare came highly recommended by not only residents of the North County Coastal region of San Diego, but also my father, who has had quite a bit of work done on his 1998 BMW. I was told that the shop was thorough, honest, fair, and did quality work at a fraction of dealer costs. My own experience has been nothing short of phenomenal. I recently purchased a 2011 Subaru Outback from a well-known dealership in San Diego. The car was a one-owner vehicle, regularly maintained at this dealership. I paid cash for the car, and was assured that the dealership would not sell me a car with 103,000 miles on it should they not be able to stand behind its mechanical soundness. Of course, they lied. They left me with a lemon, refusing to compensate me or own up to their false advertising. Five thousand miles and three months after purchasing the car, the cooling system failed. I was left stranded on my way to surfing, and had the car towed to Drive Auto. I was told that the thermostat was crusted open, and the radiator was full of gunk. Drive Auto replaced the entire cooling system as well as replaced the timing belt. Assuming everything was well, I drove home, only to have the car overheat AGAIN that evening. Drive Auto told me to return the car to the shop, standing behind their work and assuring me they would make things right. They completely took apart the engine, diagnosing the problem as two blown head gaskets and a warped small block. The engine was completely toast, and needed to be replaced. Drive Auto completely rebuilt the engine of my car at a phenomenal price, and threw in a 2-year warranty on all of the work and parts involved. It was a big decision as to whether or not to repair the car or let it go, and the shop's manager, Brian, was extremely patient and knowledgeable when it came to my barrage of questions and concerns. The car now runs like a dream. I was treated with professionalism, kindness, and honesty. I don't believe I'll ever take my Subaru anywhere else...certainly not back to the dealership. I can't recommend Drive Auto enough! Support this local, longstanding business. You won't regret your choice. read more

My BMW Z3 was not running well and the "service engine soon" light was on. I took it to a smog place and was told it needed almost $1,500.00 in repairs. With that kind of bill at stake, I wanted another opinion. Friends recommended California Import Auto. I drove the car there around 9:30. Received a call about 11 am stating the car was okay and only needed spark plugs and a new oil cap which ran me about $400.00, saving over a grand! The work was done the same day. If you need work done on your car, I highly recommend California Import Auto! read more

DO NOT GO TO THIS SHOP. This is definitely not what I would call professionalism or consideration. I brought my car in mid-day on a Thurs. for brake work and I was told by the guy working the office he'd call me in an hour to tell me what needed to be done. After an hour, no call and my car was still in the same spot on the street as I had left it. I get it, too busy with previously delivered cars. So, I told them I would come back another time and was told that early morning was best. After the weekend, I bring my car in Monday morning at the exact time they open. Again, told by the office guy that I would get a call in an hour. This time, I keep busy in the neighborhood for TWO HOURS. Again, no phone call at all and my car is still parked in the same spot on the street I left it. I'm a working professional and even I know that an expected phone call should be made even if it's to say, "Sorry, we haven't gotten to your car yet." I feel at this point that my trust is broken and even if the shop calls with an offer to make good, I could never take my car in ever again. I can never recommend this shop to anyone and only hope that they make a much better effort in the future for ALL potential customers. read more

I needed an oil change and tried a local shop that I've done business with for two decades. They were busy, so I called Drive AutoCare because I've used them before and they are very responsive and managed to accommodate my service needs very well. Brian Smith, was a top notch manager. Facility is nice, clean professional and not sterile. The manager had his small friendly dog in the office who greeted me. I've met Mitt Mittelman the owner at another location. He is a first class guy. His team has their act together. Job well done. They may be my new go to place. read more

I went in for an oil change (calling kind of last minute). Beside that, I had a larger problem (warning beeps saying "fasten seat belts" going off continually while the seat belt was fastened). I planned to take to car the following week when I could get an appointment at the dealership. In the meantime, Brian not only did the oil change, but topped off my fluids, etc. reset the car's computer ended - that ended up fixing the warning signal problem. I've taken my husband's car into the other location - both are great and I would highly recommend Drive to anyone in need of car care. Kim K read more

Very pleased with the quick & honest service. I will probably come back here for regular oil changes.

After the repair on my car ended up being something silly (which they easily could have been dishonest about), I am certain that I can trust the people at Drive. I was putting it off, worrying about the expense and hassle... I'm so, so glad I brought my car here. It really made my day and was such a relief. Brian is an absolute angel. Thank you guys!! You've got yourself a lifelong customer. read more