I've been taking my vehicles to Johnny's Auto for years, and now my daughter does too. Johnny has always been honest, fair, and helpful, which is hard to find these days. He takes the time to explain repairs, never pressures you into unnecessary work, and stands behind what he does. It's a shop you can trust, and I highly recommend Johnny's Auto to anyone looking for reliable service. Extremely great value for services rendered. read more

I have taken my car to Johnny for a number of different issues over the years, and he is always spot-on with his diagnosis and repairs. Every single time, he knows exactly what's wrong and fixes it right the first time. His knowledge and expertise give me complete confidence in the work he does. Johnny takes the time to explain what's happening with my car, answers all my questions, and never tries to upsell me on anything unnecessary. He is honest, reliable, and upfront about pricing, which gives me total peace of mind. The quality of his work is outstanding -- my car runs better than ever! It's rare to find a mechanic you can truly trust, but Johnny is exactly that. If you're looking for someone who knows cars inside and out, does the job right the first time, and treats you with respect, Johnny is the one. I wouldn't take my car anywhere else! read more

So here is the deal, car maintenance freaks me out and I know next to nothing about cars. The moment I realized I might have an issue, I immediately drove it to a mechanic over the weekend since Johnny's Auto was closed which turned out to be a huge waste of time and mistake on my part. Next day, I called Johnny and took my Audi in. Within a week, Johnny fixed everything (including my passenger side mirror that I broke) and reassured me that all the issues were fine. Prior to Johnny, I would drive 2 hours to visit my mechanic that I used for 10+ years, johnny is my local go to guy! PLEASE do not make the idiotic mistake I did and visit elsewhere on the weekend, it is worth the wait and you will not be disappointed! THANK YOU once again Johnny for the excellent service. I appreciate you!!! read more

I took my Ford Ranger in for a steering problem. Johnny answered my phone call personally and took care of me and my questions. He was way cheaper than the dealer and gave me an honest deal. read more

Referred to Johnny by a friend and he did not disappoint! Such a great experience, Johnny was personable, fast, and did a phenomenal job. I will definitely be going back for any other work my car needs! read more

Johnny's been my mechanic since I moved down here. He's a great guy to work with and understands good quality service. Always quality first. Thanks for all you do! read more

Originally left a review from 2010 from when I still lived in the area (left in 2018) and just thought I'd leave an update after making a visit last month. It's been years and I don't hesitate to give Johnny a call if I needed to bring in one of my cars for service when I'm in the area. Why do I keep coming back? When making appointments, I'm always able to within a business day or two, his quotes have always matched my expectations for the parts and labor, and he has has always carried a friendly and professional demeanor when I drop by. Highly recommended. read more

Johnny has been looking after my vehicles for many years. He can fix anything. He is, friendly, fair and above all, he is honest!

Fast, friendly and affordable service! I truly can't recommend this place more! A belt on my car snapped and the car started smoking. Luckily I was on 5 min away from Johnny's. I got there at 2:30 PM and he said he could get the part same day and have my car back to me before the end of day at 5:30. He finished the job in under 2 hours and I was driving home before 4:30! Johnny is friendly and honest and charges reasonable prices. Will definitely keep going back! read more

Honest, affordable, and reliable. I went to Johnny's after dealer quoted me more t hasn't $1500 for several items and said my brakes which I was most concerned about didn't need repair . When Johnny rechecked everything he found that the brakes were an immediate need. He also gave me a breakdown on estimated cost of other items that was about half of what the dealer quoted plus gave me an estimated time frame of when they would be needed. Last but not least he has a great compassionate personality for what everyday people are dealing with financially. I will be a permanent customer. read more

I was desperately in need of a new auto mechanic when I saw the many positive Yelp comments about Johnny's Auto Center. Although I thought the comments were too good to be true, I brought my car to him and was amazed at how the comments were not positive enough. Johnny really cares about his clients and provides excellent service at a great price. He is reliable, trustworthy, extremely honest about his work, will not perform any work that is not required, a pleasure to work with, and just an all-around nice guy. I went to Johnny expecting to need a lot of repairs followed up by a large bill. Johnny assessed my car situation and only performed what was truly required. Needless to say, the price was a very pleasant surprise. Johnny's Auto Center is a rare find and he has cemented his place as my car repair center. read more

Johnny is hands-down amazing!! I have gone to him for a few years now and so has my family, and he has given us by far the best service every time. Johnny is so honest and will tell you exactly what you need/don't need for your car, which is reassuring for someone like me who is not super "car-savvy". Any time I have called to get my car in, Johnny has always been able to get me in next or same day. The service is fast, high quality, and very reasonable as far as pricing goes. I truly would recommend Johnny's Auto to anyone looking for a reliable go-to location for any car servicing needs because I can guarantee that you are in good hands! read more

Took my car in for an oil change and filter cap replacement. Johnny got the job done quicker than expected. I will definitely will be returning to his shop if i need more work. Super friendly also! read more

Quality work, honest and reasonable rates. Highly recommended. Never will take our vehicles anywhere else.

I have had great experiences with Johnny's Auto Center! Johnny, the owner, answers the phone promptly and returns missed calls within a very reasonable amount of time. When checking symptoms, he is very thorough, a great listener, and does not jump to conclusions when making a diagnosis. He tells me the truth about what is wrong, gives me options, and lets me make my decision without any pressure. I am very grateful for this business! read more

10/10 the best !!! Heater hose went out on my 2007 GMC Yukon XL and was gushing coolant. Johnny replaced the heater hose and. Coolant for under $300. Great prices and honest work, five stars !! read more

Johnny's Auto Center - Auto Repair Near Me - San Marcos, California

I needed to pass smog and my engine light was on. I didn't have a trustable mechanic and have had some issues with others in the past. A guy from Jiffy lube recommend him to me and I was very pleased. He found the issue upon first attempt and fixed it. I then went to smog and passed. Johnny has a very personable and honest demeanor. read more

Amazing service and very professional. Took my car in same day and got everything fixed very quickly.

Great prices and great service. My go-to for any car issues my family has and Johnny always takes care of us

Johnny is the best! Great customer service & very trustworthy. He happened to be by his shop on a day it was closed and helped me with my car troubles. Very grateful for him & his willingness to help! read more

Johnny is the man! Looking for a mechanic that isn't going to rip a single mom who knows zilch about cars. When I found him it was like talking to one of my brothers. He keeps it real with me and makes it easier to give up my sat mornings. He even moved furniture so I could plug in my phone while laying on the couch and watching shows. If I was wearing my jammies pants I would of been at home on my sat. He always follows through on his word, and lets me know a estimate so I can save before I fix. Finally, I found my personal mechanic! read more

Johnny was incredible to work with! He was highly professional, friendly and we could tell he ran his shop with integrity. I needed a very quick repair of an alternator on my Aviator and he not only did it on time, he did it at reasonable cost, despite it being on a Saturday morning and they were busy. He fit me in and took wonderful care of my vehicle! He even called to let me know my fluids were low, something he was not even asked to look at, but which they took the initiative to inspect and kindly offered me the option to take care of as well. I could not ask for me from my automotive repair experience and I cannot recommend his shop highly enough! read more

Johnny is fair and will always give you good advice regarding auto repair. Service there is top notch!

Most Honest and trustworthy mechanic in San Diego. I drive all the way up from ocean beach to have him work on my cars. Can't go wrong with this place. Highly recommend. Johnny with break everything down, give you options, and pick the best for you. read more

Excellent brake service! I was happy with the price and quick service. He also did something remarkably over and above. I had accidentally taken my car keys home with me. Yes, I know this was a stupid mistake. I live 2 miles away, and Johnny came to my home to pick up the keys! Now that's exceptional service! Thank you Johnny, you have a customer for life. read more

Big thank's to Johnny's Auto Center. I had an emergency on my truck and they took care of it right away to get me back on the road. Every time I go there..it's awesome service, great work, honest staff and good prices. Check them out and you won't be disappointed. Great Job guys!!!! read more

New resident of Escondido area. Johnny came highly recommended by a family friend who has been going to Johnny for 10-years. Professional, thorough & communicative with updates during repairs and explanation at pick-up. Johnny is very nice & honest. We will keep in touch for any future needs read more

Only mechanic I will ever trust to take care of my vehicles! Johnny is honest and strait forward, and has the best deals in town!

I went to Jiffy Lube for an oil change and after the oil change, my car wouldn't start. I had no idea what to do. I went to Johnny to ask what was wrong with my car. Johnny looked at my car and helped me. He recommended a couple options and explained to me what could be happening. I could tell he truly cared about me and my car instead of making money. Instead of dropping my fuel pump to replace it, he said to try putting in more gas as my gas gauge might be broken. He gave me a gas can and helped me refuel my car. My car started!! He was right that my gas gauge was broken and that it can be fixed but it'll be expensive. He gave me a temporary solution that is working. He didn't charge me anything for helping and even gave his number if I have any questions! He is amazing and the only person I will go back to for my car. read more

I have been going to Johnny's auto for about a year now. I use to drive up from downtown just to come to this particular mechanic because of the amazing service and knowledge I receive here. Johnny is always friendly and you can tell he genuinely cares about what's best for the customer. His prices are also more than reasonable. read more

Especially for female auto owners, you will not find a mechanic more honest, friendly, helpful than Johnny Ha. He has helped me so many countless times! Just the most recent my engine light went on and I had no appointment but I just drove over there and she took my car and the next day it was fixed. There is no one in this world that I would allow to touch my car but Johnny. And on top of everything he is very reasonable. He will never talk to you in to repair that your car doesn't need. read more

I wish I could give this place 6 stars! I'm not the most well versed in all things automobile, but they made me feel super comfortable! I went in to get my breaks checked and they replaced my break pads super fast :) and they even popped the dent in my bumper! I will definitely be back if I ever have any car troubles in the future, thank you guys!!! read more

Not a customer myself of this shop but experienced a pretty bad situation. Let me start off by saying that if one of the mechanics(did catch his name) where to talk to me and my friend at first, then my friend would have gladly paid anything they wanted as long as the car got fixed. Unfortunately, that was not what happend. The guy up front was having his worst day of his lfe and took it out on us. If there are ever two phases that should not be said by a business owner they would be: "I knew you where not gonna wanna pay, YOUR PEOPLE NEVER WANT TO" and "Based on the car that you brought in, looks like you need the money more then us". The problem is that my friend was getting charged 80 dollars for diagnostics PLUS $200- for further diagnostics because they didnt know exactly what was going on(This did not make sense to us at first so that is why my friend got confused, but then the mechanica made sense of it but was already to late). The guy up front, maybe Johnny himself, was in no mood to explain and the the "argue" path instead. This is not how a business should be ran. I am sure the mechanic does a great job but the guy up front needs to leave his problems at home. FYI- My friend is black(YOUR PEOPLE NEVER WANT TO PAY" and he brought in a Jeep(BASED ON THE CAR YOU BROUGHT IN). read more

Hello! I need my oil changed... today! Can you help me? Oh yes they can! These guys are fantastic. Not only did I get a quick oil change for under $30 but also, he told me I had an oil leak... something that my former mechanic at the dealership never told me, and probably should have. Luckily my car was still under warrantee, and he suggested I call them up and get it taken care of immediately. He took me under my car and showed me the oil spill, and informed me about what I needed to do to make sure my car dealership didn't try to scam me out of the warrantee repair. His honesty, and passion for what he does really shines. I will bring my car back here every time! Give them a call. You may be disappointed if you don't! read more

I found Johnny's Auto Center on Yelp, a little over a year ago. I'm far from being a mechanic, but I do know ballpark figures for labor and parts which I think is most important when "talking shop". Like most people, I'm very leery when it comes to finding a mechanic, because let's face it, who hasn't been ripped off at some point during their car ownership? The first time I brought my '05 Taurus to Johnny's, I asked them to inspect everything because I was going to be driving across country. Johnny did a complete overhaul from brakes, shocks, struts, diagnostics, topped off fluids, and changed my oil. He recommended a few things that would be beneficial in the long run, but said those things weren't a diehard need at the moment. I was very comfortable with him and his approach because I never felt pressured or pushed into anything nor did he take it upon himself to fix something (without permission) and charge me for it afterward. Needless to say, I left his garage a very satisfied customer and extremely impressed with his knowledge, his politeness towards me as well as the rest of his customers, and the very reasonable cost of his services. ** When the mechanics were finished working on my vehicle, they drove it around to the front of the office (THEY DID NOT PARK IT IN A SPACE), faced it so I could easily enter my car and had the driver's side door open for me. **This has been my experience with them and I've never encountered this type of treatment from any business, let alone a mechanic! LOL P.S. I moved to the Bay area last week and I stopped in for a "check-up" beforehand. Steven was working that morning and he is very personable and respectful too. He assisted me with troubleshooting my car horn issues and my rotors needed some work. Once my car was done, Steven told me if I had any questions, concerns, or problems with my car, regardless of the fact I was leaving the area, to call him or Johnny about it so I wouldn't be ripped off by a mechanic up here! Now THAT'S a reputable, admirable, honorable trait, not only in a person, but in a business! read more

My family was in a bind and we needed our AC and an electrical problem in our Subaru fixed a day before our trip to Yosemite. Johnny sprung into action and repaired our car lickity-split, and we'll be driving to Yosemite through105+ degree Central Valley heat in awesome AC-cooled comfort. The cost of the repairs was very reasonable too. We've relied on Johnny in the past, and we'll certainly be doing so again in the future. Johnny is the most reputable, affordable and efficient mechanic that I have ever done business with. Highly recommended. read more

For me the entire concept of having my car serviced or repaired is daunting. I'm not mechanically inclined, have no interest in such things, and I'm generally fearful of any discussion of these topics. I've used Johnny's about 4-5 times since discovering his shop on YELP and each time I feel as though I've been treated MORE than fairly. This week my wife went to Johnny's for service on her car and rather than rip us off, make us wait, or botch the job he suggested that we go to a specialist (Jaguar) for our particular tire situation. They're stand up guys and that's all I ask for. Will keep using them. read more

I took my car in about two weeks ago for my 53,000 mile service on my 2008 Nissan Versa SL stick shift. My girlfriend and her parents had nothing but good things to say, but I was skeptical walking in... ... And my skepticism left me when I got my car back! They were very attentive with me from start to finish, calling me on my cell phone to update me of any changes they felt were necessary. They explained what each change could possibly mean, they kept the prices reasonable. Most importantly of all, they were not trying to upsell me ridiculous fixes that I didn't need. I even asked them to keep the expenses under a certain limit and they did just that! A synthetic oil change wasn't even close to $50 for my car! (Then again I drive a little hatchback, but I've been to car service shops that charge stupidly high sums of money, over $100 just for a synthetic oil change) Johnny and his techs made sure to go through every single one of the bullet points listed in the owner's/service manual for my car, in addition to a few things I wanted them to personally look at that weren't listed on the official checklist. They finished with my car service within 5 hours, on a busy weekday, which I thought was super cool and it worked out for me :) Reasonably priced, quality, REALTIME service. This place deserves 10 out of 5 stars haha. Johnny has a repeat customer now so long as I live in San Diego :) read more

Johnny has serviced our entire family's cars for the past 5 years and never disappointed us. He is honest and more importantly knows how to fix it right. You will leave feeling confident that your car won't break down, or have something else pop up that wasn't there before like a lot of mechanics are known for...... He has treated us like family - and goes out of his way to satisy his customers, plus his prices are excellent. I can't say enough good things about Johnny and his nephew Steven. Superior mechanics and truly good people!! read more

Johnny is so honest and I would trust him implicitly. He has fixed my son's car several times, efficiently and cost effectively. Once we thought we needed a muffler and he sent us to a guy who welded ours for $10. I'm not saying all reapairs are cheap, he just won't do anything you don't need. You can trust him! read more