First here is my disclaimer: I WAS NOT COMPENSATED IN ANY WAY TO WRITE THIS BLOG. I WAS NOT PAID, DID NOT RECEIVE FREE OR EVEN A DISCOUNTED SERVICE. I PAY EXACTLY WHAT YOU WOULD PAY IF YOU TOOK YOUR VEHICLE THERE. Sometimes you just want to brag about a business becuase they do a great job...and in the case of an auto mechanic, it is rare to find good work that is also HONEST. I have been a customer of Midland Auto down in Poway for over 20 years. Ben (the owner) got me through over 200,000 miles on a PT Cruiser, 100,000 miles on my Kia Soul, and now he looks after my 2022 Toyota Tacoma Truck. If you need serious work, it's worth going to Midland Auto. Today I'm writing for what may seem like a small deal, but to me its a deal that saved me literally hundreds of dollars, just by taking my vehicles to an honest, caring mechanic. I have been pulling my hair out looking for my backup keys to my Tacoma. If I lost my primary key it could cost me as much as $500 to replace it due to the anti-theft device in the key. I got service at Midland Auto several months ago and I made the mistake of leaving the backup key behind and using the primary key on me to drive home. Months later, as I deduced where that "lost" key might be, I thought I'd call Ben at Midland Auto. He had saved the key, not knowing that I mistakenly left it behind. He could have tossed it after a few weeks but he kept it. I now have that key back and I am very grateful. Thank you Ben from Midland Auto! read more

Midland Auto Repair Center - My lost keys...saved by Ben! - Auto Repair Near Me - Poway, California

We were looking for a new mechanic and Ben was recommended. I left a voicemail with my number and he called me back the same day. I was able to book an appointment within a couple days. There was no upselling and no pressure. We got a brake job, oil change and alignment. Everything was done within a few hours and the whole process was extremely smooth. The price compared to dealership was close to 50% less. We have already booked an appointment for our other vehicle! Thanks to Ben! read more

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Ben is the owner and I have found my place to service my daughters car, 2015 Sentra and mine, a 2014 Toyota Highlander, and maybe our Tesla, although, thankfully it doesn't need many parts like the other two cars do! I was in a pinch for my daughter's car, where our neighbor had a diagnostic tool to connect to the car to troubleshoot our engine light that came on last night. Our daughter is a teacher and she doesn't have the time to do what I did today for her car! I'm retired and have more time, although, today was not fun! I spoke with Ben on the phone, bought the OEM part at Nissan come to find out, the light came off, Ben didn't get the same code as our neighbor received and really didn't get anything. He instead provided me with a Nissan service post on the code we did get and it recommended having the car reprogrammed but has to be by the dealer and have the throttle valve cleaned. He was unable to perform this, but I know where I'm going for the cars in the future! He's been in business over 10 years in Poway and has a 5.0 rating on Google I saw. Decided tonight to check out Yelp, mind you I'm doing this after the fact, but wholeheartedly agree with the other consumers!! I highly recommend if you need service for your vehicle, you will be given the truth on the car! Face it, dealer advisors are on commission, so they fluff the invoice with other things you may not need! I used to be in sales and I have personally spoken with former service managers so I'm well aware how dealers work! I valued Ben's honesty and this is going to earn him a future new customer and I will refer his business to others!! Thank you so much Ben!! Hoping the dealer doesn't try to fluff my invoice! Leslie read more

I have been going to Midland Auto for nearly 20 years. I have never trusted anyone more with my car than Ben. From major repairs, to the bare minimum to keep an older car on the road, Ben will ALWAYS do right by you! I even went to him to ask what I should buy next, and I bought what he suggested. There is no one better, and more honest, and affordable than Midland Auto. Whether your car is new, old, or CLASSIC (including old hot rods) there is NO better place to go. read more

Poway Toyota is just not great. And they don't work well with women. :-( These guys were easy and fast and very communicative. They didn't give the detailed paperwork Toyota did, but they didn't get my interior dirty like Poway Toyota did. They got me in and out quickly and I trust their work. I was very pleased. read more

Recently had our 1965 Thunderbird serviced (the fuel sprung a leak just forward of driver side door). I heard from some of our car club member of Ben & his shop. Dropped the car off, also asked Ben while the car was up on the rack, to look for leaks. Ben installed a new stainless steel fuel line, rear main seal, & oil pan gasket. The work was outstanding & professional! This is the only place I plan on taking my antique cars if they need service that I can not perform. THANKS BEN & YOUR ASSISTANT! read more

Back in the day, a long, long time ago, families could always trust their friendly neighborhood mechanic. Here was a person you felt great confidence in to actually repair whatever was wrong with your car, and you knew they would do it efficiently, quickly and very cost effectively. Believe it or not, such places still exist. And Midland Auto Repair Center is *the* place to take your car for any problems you might have. Time and time again I somehow felt it necessary to take my car(s) over the years to other facilities, but I always come back to Midland Auto. They are absolutely amazing! Last summer, my daughter was in an accident on I-15. Luckily she was unhurt, but the car was totally out of commission. It had to be towed home; we were able to get it started long enough to take it to Midas. When they were done "looking at it", they called and said the estimate alone was $2,400!! Since I didn't have that kind of money to pay right then, I told them I would pick up the car and bring it back. By the time I got there, they decided they better tell me the car wouldn't start. Apparently, when they were looking and poking around they did *something* so the car wasn't even able to be driven at all. After getting the car towed back home, I called Midland Auto Repair. They said "Sure, have it towed over". Within a couple of hours, they had an estimate for me ... $700!!!! That's right, just $700 ... a full $1,700 *less* than Midas! Heaven only knows what Midas was planning on doing that would make it cost that much. The car has been running fantastic since then!! Then, last week, the car needed new brakes. Take it to Midas first??? Not on your life. Midland Auto was my first, and only, choice. And since my daughter needed the car the next day for her out-of-town job, they had the work completed in plenty of time to be picked up that day. I cannot say enough good things about Midland Auto Repair. (Yeah, I keep repeating their name ... I want to ingrain it in your memory!!) Not only is their workmanship excellent, their personnel are friendly, professional and lots of fun. I highly, HIGHLY recommend you make the extra effort to try Midland Auto Repair the next time you need something done on your car. I guarantee you will be pleased. read more

A good honest mechanic! Ben has always given me the best service throughout the years. I just had him change both my fule filters in my Ford f250 truck. The Ford dealership estimated more than twice the labor time. It only took him a half an hour and only charged me for that rather than 1 and 1/2 hours of labor. read more

Thanks to the smog shop next door's recommendation, I too "finally found an auto repair shop that we TRUST and are happy to recommend to all of our friends". Brought in two high mileage Fords (small car and suv) and we're given fair and honest quotes on the repairs. Labor is a touch higher than others but totally worth it as parts are priced with no markup and at comparable prices to internet sites. You can even bring your own parts if you want to order online and wait a few days. What's special about this place though is Ben and crew go beyond the work quoted on each job and exceeded my expectations dramatically. They will fix minor things they spot during a job, repair vac hoses and check for system leaks and do it for free. They seem like they honestly want you driving away in a reliable vehicle or they wont be happy. Found my new long term mechanic, and so have my friends and family. read more

There needs to be a way to give this place, to give Ben the owner, more than five stars. We have taken our cars here for years. Consistently good work, consistently honest. Not kidding - while Ben is the owner operator, cannot recommend the place more highly. read more

Great service, honest business practices and more than fair pricing. Ben takes the time to explain what he checked, the results and doesn't try to talk you into anything you don't need. So happy to have found a talented and trustworthy mechanic who makes you comfortable about taking your car in without fear or worry! read more

5 stars all the way. I just moved to this area from La Jolla last month and found that my turn signals weren't working. I initially took the car to Midas thinking it was a simple problem, maybe something with the battery which was due for a change. Midas said it's a busted turn signal switch that they can order and quoted $400. I said okay but then proceeded to play games with them for THREE WEEKS. They didn't order the part, none of their guys were communicating, no return calls, etc. In the middle of all that I needed a new battery and did some real research and brought the car in here for a replacement. A week later I became so fed up with Midas' nonsense that I brought the car back here to get the signals worked on. Ben correctly diagnosed the problem as a busted hazard switch, not the turn signal switch as Midas said. The signals and the hazards share a circuit, so when the hazards went out, the turn signals did as well. They were able to bypass the hazards altogether and temporarily restore power to the signals while waiting the week for the new hazard switch to come in. Just got everything fixed up today and all works well. In total they probably worked on the car for 1-2 hours and it cost $150 to fix vs. the 3 weeks and $400 from Midas. Ben and Tyler, you saved me a lot of frustration and run a great shop here. Really glad I discovered this place. Keep up the good work. read more

After getting price gouged by Aamco, I almost had to ask twice when Ben quoted me what he did to fix my truck. Going to Midland Auto feels more like taking your car to your mechanic uncle than going to a service center where you are charged for every minute of their time. My Dad has taken 5 different cars over the last 10 years to Midland Auto, and he swears by them; I do too now! I live all the way down in Santee, and will gladly make the drive to make sure Ben and his compadre are the only ones touching my truck. These guys are freakin awesome. read more

So honest and fair! Excellent work and didn't even want to charge me. Fantastic. Highly recommend.

This auto repair place is GREAT! The owner and mechanics go over and beyond to find the problem with my car and the 'check engine' light. They found it, and were able to repair/replace what the issue was. Ben Carr, the owner and one of his mechanics took their time, listened to me as I rambled about my car issues and both of them are honest, professional, upbeat and enthusiastic to locate the issue and fix my car to my satisfaction! They are GREAT and I will take my current car and any future cars here to be fixed. I can't say enough about what a great experience it was. Thanks again Ben and crew! Thanks for picking me up at the office to pick up my car just another reason why you guys are great! Debbie read more

I've been coming here since they were at their old location (about 20 years). I drive extensively and have been to garages all over the country. The reason I keep coming back is because Ben is simply the best. It's unusual to find someone in ANY business that is exceptional at their job, can run a successful operation, and can communicate at a high level. Ben is not only an amazing tradesman, he's a tremendous person. I can't say enough good things about him and his shop. read more

This facility is a rip off, had a bad experience at this shop, would not recommend to anyone who cares about their vehicle. Would not go to, even to use the restroom read more

Finally found an auto repair shop that we TRUST and are happy to recommend to all of our friends. We've brought all of our families cars (Honda & Toyota's) in for one thing or another and we are always relieved when the estimate comes in and we're given fair, honest quotes on the repairs. Ben & crew know cars and show pride in the work they do. Highly recommend the guys at Midland Auto! read more

Found this shop through a friend of mine and has been my mechanics now for over 5 years. Last of the honest neighborhood shops. Always fair and speedy and can handle any job from an oil change to swapping out a blown 383 stroker motor. Ben is always there rain or shine w/ a smile on his face. Please try them out and tell him Mike D sent you. read more

Jeeps back in commission. Had a bad cam position sensor. Originally thought it was my lifters. Midland Automotive in Poway (Ben) did a great job fixing my Jeep. Very honest mechanic that will save you money and not rack up charges for things you don't need. I recommend Midland Automotive for service to your jeep as he knows them inside and out or any other vehicle you own. read more

Last week I stopped at Midland Auto Repair Center to ask a question, thinking that I would get a quick answer and leave. Ben suggested that he put the car up and look at the problem. He pointed out the problem and a suggested a solution. I scheduled an appointment, he did promptly, and saved me from spending twice the amount estimated by the another garage. Ben knows his craft, goes the extra mile, and is pleasant in his dealings. read more

I have been doing business here for years and have recommended many family and friends. If you want an honest and talented auto shop then look no further. Ben and his crew take the time to do it the right way and stand behind their work. read more

Trust Integrity Knowledge Three things that come to mind when I think of Midland Auto. Ben is the best around. His is the only place I go to and recommend. Know that when I take a car in that I'm dealing with as someone who's knowledgeable & honest. Like the fact that he always gets the job done and done right. I always get my old parts back (so I can see what was wrong or what the wear was). His diagnosis & repair is always spot on. He also has taken great care of many friends and family members. I think it's great the way he deals with some customers that are older. Ben never over-sells/over-work a customer-just shows them respect and does great work at a fair price. Wish there were more people and businesses like this. read more

Never an up-sell. I love this place. They take great care of my vehicle for a reasonable price. They also get work done in a timely manner. I can't recommend them enough. read more

I have been going to Midland since well back into the 1990's and had great experience with my vehicle repair and maintenance, especially since Ben became the owner. I have a number of older cars and have counted on them to do everything from an engine replacement to oil changes; also to perform the scheduled maintenance on my newer cars. They stand behind their work and are always friendly, explain my options so I can understand them and make informed decisions. If you are looking for a repair shop you can rely on I recommend stopping in and trying them out. read more

We had a window switch replaced with these guys and then a few days later we moved down to Encanto and the power window stopped working again. After several days of trying to figure out what was wrong with the window we decided to just take it someplace locally. Once again we were told it was the switch. After calling Midland they were super cool with the situation and told us that to save us the hassle of driving up to Poway they would reimburse us the money we spent with them on the switch if we mailed them the defective part. We are very happy with the service we got with Midland and their desire to make the problem right. They did solid work and though no fault of their own the part ended up being defective. read more

We love Midland Auto. They take care of everything from regular maintenance, to big repairs, to recommendations for used cars for our teen drivers. There is no comparison between Midland Auto and bigger shops and dealers. We are glad to have a competent mechanic in our neck of the woods! read more

I brought my '55 chevy to these guys based on the recommendation of a friend. They performed beyond my expectations. Ben and Tim were professional and did great work at a very reasonable price. They kept me informed regarding progress and didn't nickel and dime me to death. Midland Auto will most definitely be getting my business in the future! read more

Called after an hour and a half to ask them to tell me if estimate was what they said or if other things were wrong. Was told they would call me back as someone was out test driving a car. After sitting for another hour at a starbucks a half a mile walk down the road, I call them back for the 2nd time to ask when my car will be ready only to find out they hadn't even started. No one even called me after I called the 1st time. Called day before and they said it would take about an hour and a half. Made appt for this morning and told them I'd be waiting at a coffee shop. You would think someone would call me back at least to tell me they haven't even started. Could've taken a job this morning as I am a substitute teacher. Now I have to pick up my son at school and wasted a whole morning. No car fixed, no work this morning. So disappointed! read more

I had some auto repair problems, asked around and Midland Auto was highly recommended as the place to go. So glad, Ben and the guys just fix the problem and are very reasonable. I'll keep coming back to Midland Auto. read more