In a way, I was hesitant about writing a review b/c I want this place to myself! But I have been taking my cars and my kid's cars here for years, starting shortly after the auto repair shop that is walking distance from my house sold and the service went downhill. That means I could walk across the the street or drive 15 minutes to Phantastic Auto Repair and I choose to drive; Peter takes care of my Ford F150, my Toyota 4Runner, my son's Mazdas and Subarus and every time, does an amazing job for a reasonable price. It is not super convenient for me, but the benefit of having an honest, competent guy far outweighs the cost of time and hassle to drive my car there. BTW, my kids bring their cars from downtown SD b/c you can 100% trust Phantastic Auto Repair!!! read more

Peter is amazing and is a honest mechanic who actually cares about you and your car. He has even told us that certain parts or items we may had thought were breaking down or needing repair, he told us we could go a little longer if we needed before replacing or repairing. He is fair in his pricing and we have taken ALL of our vehicles to him in the past 8 years we have lived in Santee. Keep this man in business because the work they do is top notch and they only do what is necessary. read more

Owner is great, waited til the last minute to receive my car from the tow truck . Called Me early the next day with diagnosis and he has fair prices and good recommendation read more

I have gone to Peter for 26 years! He is a good, honest mechanic. I appreciate all that he has done for me.

Love love love this shop! Peter is amazing and very reasonable. I've been to several other places for repairs , but this place beats them all. This time it was my battery and alternator. Peter is fast and an excellent mechanic. I totally trust him. read more

Great service and reasonable, highly recommend Peter was very knowledgeable and helpful.

The brakes on my wife's van were starting to squeal. Called Peter, He offered an appointment the next morning. When I gave Peter my keys. He said he would inspect and give me a call. About an hour later, he called to let me know that I needed front and rear brakes. He quoted parts and labor, his price was far less than other quotes I had received. I gave him the OK to do the work. About three hours later he called me to let me know my vehicle is ready. He also said while driving the van the change oil came on so he changed the oil as well. He went above and beyond making sure the van was ready for my wife and kids. read more

Peter is an excellent dude and his staff is amazing. Wait times are very short and I have had no problems with my car since buying it back in 2017. His prices are great, everything the car has needed he has provided, he is quick and to the point. Highly recommend if you wanted a trusted mechanic! read more

These guys are wonderful. They gladly offered to check my vehicle's brake codes for me even though they don't even work on Toyotas. Seriously, they were so kind. I would highly recommend anyone who is looking for a mechanic they can trust call them. read more

Took our 2004 4Runner to Phantastic after a failed smog test and after driving for a few weeks and couldn't clear catalytic monitor. Our vehicle has over 200k miles but no check engine light. Peter immediately identified that the front cat converters needed to be replaced. Also recommended to not worry about rear cat converters. I was stressing and needed to pass smog within a week because registration renewal was due. Peter is honest, affordable, and went above and beyond in the services he provided. Phantastic Auto has earned a new loyal customer. Thanks, Peter! read more

I went to see Peter after all the rave reviews I read. He truly knows his stuff. He knew almost immediately what the problem was & he was spot on. He also gave me an estimate & the total came in a bit less than his estimate. So besides being a super great mechanic, he's also honest. Go see Peter, you won't be disappointed. Thank you, Peter & crew. read more

This is my "Go to Mechanic" here in Santee. I've lived here in Santee going on forty years and have experienced them all and know this guy to be the most knowledgeable and more importantly a very honest person. You'll never go wrong with this company. read more

I'll start this of by saying that I chose Phantastic in large because of the Yelp rating and large number of positive reviews. In short, everything that was offered up in prior review turned out to be absolutely true. The longer story, the novel length version for those who are looking for a bit more substance to their review, here you go.... I had needed for a quite a while to get some much needed service on my 2013 Ford Escape. There were quite a few small problems with the vehicle, and my greatest fear was the multitude of issues with the vehicle but just as importantly the cost that it was going to require to get that delayed maintenance done. Much like those who spend too much time on WebMD, I had self diagnosed some of the issues that had gone awry with my trusty Ford Escape, and Peter was very clear about what the problems were and weren't. That was greatly appreciated as had he gone along with my own diagnosis of the issues I could have spent 6 grand easily. I was left very impressed with his brutal honesty about cost and how to fix so many of the problems. Beyond that, he uses OEM parts where needed but doesn't have the tremendous markup that you commonly see at dealer service departments. That leads to consistency in cost and giving the customer a product and service you can trust. Just as importantly they installed the parts and did all the super subtle things to ensure the car is running well when you get the keys. The vehicle runs as well as the first day I bought it nearly 10 years ago. I was left with a super positive experience and that is saying a lot when you have to drop a pretty penny to fix your vehicle. I would most wholeheartedly recommend Phantastic Auto for auto repair big or small. He'll treat you well and you'll leave with a happy vehicle and feel good about the experience. read more

My car had damaged belts that Peter replaced in a short amount of time. He was very efficient, honest, and informative. I'm happy to have a reliable mechanic for future work. read more

Great service and fair prices! Peter and his team took care of both of me and my husband's car. He's very knowledgeable and honest as well. If you need a new reliable mechanic, we definitely recommend Peter's shop. read more

Expert service and reasonable prices. What more could you ask for? Give Peter a call and you will be grateful.

Great place to get your vehicles repaired. Peter and his team are honest and have integrity. I'm picky as hell when it comes to my vehicles! I highly recommend Phantastic Auto! read more

New to San Diego and have had trouble finding a reliable place to take my jeep. Heard about this place from a concerned passerby when they noticed I was having trouble with my bucket of rust lol. Peter is very honest and straightforward. These guys care and know exactly what they're doing. He'll go out of his way to make things easier for you and your situation and does a stellar job for a very fair price. 100% will be back next time I can't fix it myself! read more

Peter has worked on several cars for me. He always takes care of me like I was his own family. Labor and parts prices are way lower than other shops. He is honest and only does service that is needed. I highly recommend this company. Love them ! read more

I love Peter. He is a great mechanic and so kind and honest. Doesn't over charge you. I took my Rav4 into him for it 60000 mi tune up and he quoted me a certain amount and when I went to pick it up it was less. I have NEVER known a mechanic to be so honest. The others would have kept the money! Thanks Peter read more

Peter has been our family's mechanic for years now. He is trustworthy and has great communication on what needs to do to fix our vehicles. What I like about him the most is that he is down to earth and knows fixes can be expensive. I believe his prices are competitive with most mechanics out there. read more

I could not ask for more out of a mechanic. Peter is great. He has worked with me many times to diagnose a strange sound coming from my truck, often not charging me anything. Although he could have just started changing out parts and running up the bill, he first sent me to a transmission shop and differential shop to ensure we are on the right track. Peter has been honest, trustworthy and fair. The work he has done has been great and his prices are competitive. I will continue to take all my cars and trucks to him for service. read more

Peter is so helpful, straightforward, and very honest. I feel completely comfortable taking my vehicles to his business and trust his expertise. You can not go wrong hiring him! read more

I havce 4 cars and Peter does all the work on the cars. He is very good at diagnosing strange symptoms. Much better than most. Fair prices and does not add stuff not needed! read more

Phantastic Auto Repair - www.juliancabins.com - Auto Repair Near Me - Santee, California

I took my 2009 Toyota into this place and in a matter of seconds he diagnosed the problem! He made repairs in record time for all that he did! Put in 6 coil packs and replaced both front & back brakes. Actually he performed 100,000 mile service his price was $300 under quoted price! I am totally impressed! Thanks Pete you & your team are too be commended on great work! I considered not sharing this great find but it's not fair to him & his workers! read more

Still the best and most honest guys! My friend in Santee with her car. My friend had a car issue and I recommended them to her but they don't work on land rovers but they were still able to diagnosed the problem and recommended what needed to be fixed free of charge! Her car would stall when it was on but it was a computer chip issue that had to be fixed with the dealership. read more

Great shop, Peter is awesome, fair, and most importantly he's honest. I highly recommend trying this place out first, before you go to any chain auto repair shop. I'll be taking all my families cars here for service, from now on. Thank you! read more

Peter is seriously amazing! He kept my 20 year-old Lexus running like new and was always honest about what fixes were urgent and what could be put off a while. He also managed to search through junkyards and auction sites to find parts that were no longer in production, often at a discount. And, when my car was finally totaled by a texting driver, he sent over every invoice from our years of repairs to ensure I'd get a fair payout from the insurance company. Go to Peter, especially if you have an older vehicle. I won't trust any other mechanic with my cars! read more

We've been taking our cars to Peter for 25 years. He is honest and does an amazing job every single time. We had one time 15 years ago where we thought the estimate might be high - but took the car for a second opinion and we were wrong. Way wrong. Peter was right and his estimate was more than fair. This is the place to go if you want an honest mechanic you can trust that will never rip you off or sell you any repairs you don't need. He also always gives us a heads up of repairs that might be needed soon or things we can do on our own to prevent expensive repairs. We will never take our cars anywhere else. Thank you Peter for many years of good honest maintenance and repairs on our vehicles. We appreciate it so much. read more

Trust Peter and his guys with all my families vehicles. Worked with him when he was Master Mechanic with Toyota and still does same great work. Daughter said she needed her brakes done and i sent her to Peter. He sent her away because she still had 50% life left....who does that?? Thank you Peter read more

I am really really impressed by Peter. We needed a mechanic and I put out a request on my next door app. His name kept coming up so I thought I'd give him a try. He did an excellent job replacing my brakes. I knew there was something big going on as well and my warranty was up. Turns out I had a crack in my catalytic converter. Peter urged us to call the dealer because he believed it was a factory issue. He was right and they did cover it. He's very honest. He ll be our mechanic forever. Tom and Debbie P read more

My car almost overheated due to my water pump needing to be replaced. I needed to get it fixed fast and fair price locally as my car was no longer reliable transportation. I called a few auto repair shops but Phantastic Auto Repair was my best pick. They got my vehicle in within a short timeframe and we're honest and charged me a fair price. Peter was awesome and made me feel like I could trust him without being overcharged. I have already recommended him to my friends as the go to Auto repair read more

Peter was honest and efficient when it came to my car. It was in for a oil change and a power steering belt replacement. He had the men and equipment to handle anything really but over great service. The location is away from busy auto shops so your really having a one experience considering the location. Great guy and very old fashioned thanks again Pete. -Peter Meno read more

Came here for an oil change and asked them to check a couple other small things. Two days after the service where they found nothing wrong with the car and completed the oil change without issue, my check engine light comes on. Later that day, the engine begins shuddering and trying to shut down as I'm driving through town. Took it to a different shop to get checked out, and they found that the plastic engine cover had been moved and replaced incorrectly, causing it to rub against some wires in my engine and messing up the electrical system. The other shop was able to repair the damage. But I won't be back here again. read more

When I say in the 26 years of my existence that this is the best auto repair experience I have ever had, it was. This shop looks like a hole in the wall but don't let it fool you, these cats know exactly what they are looking at and they knocked my repair out of the park. Came in with a busted cooling gripe and they immediately diagnosed on the spot, told me what it is and what it was. Next thing I know I'm on the phone with my warranty claim department and Peter handled it like the absolute professional he is, they ordered the parts on the spot and sent me on my way. John cleaned my engine block and installed the new pump the same evening and my car was back in my hands in less than 24 hours. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A TURN AROUND SO QUICK. Do not look anywhere else, these cats have the juice and you should send your business here IMMEDIATELY. I will continue to support and be a customer to this awesome group of maintainers. Very well done. read more

No forms of paperwork when you drop your vehicle off but that doesn't mean anything! They quoted me a fair price and completed the work on time! Work done on my vehicle was amazing! It's the best that my car has run since buying it new! read more

I went to these guys for some help and they advised me on my issue and let me know where to go to get it taken care of without charging a dime (even when I asked them if I could compensate them for the time they spent looking at my car). They seemed like very honest folks and I will return when I have issues down the road. Hopefully they will be able to repair those themselves rather than pointing me to another party, but I really appreciated their help and honesty! read more

Replaced my water pump super fast and cheap and they used the original part. They were awesome and really nice!

I wrote a review on yelp earlier but now it's gone so I just have to write another one. This shop is by far the best and most knowledgeable shop I have ever visited. I've had car problems for the entire time I've had my car and this is the first time I feel like it was properly fixed. The guys who work here, especially Peter, are honest and experts at what they do. They fixed my car in a timely manner and even though it's old, it runs like new. I highly recommend this place. I hope yelp doesn't delete this again because everyone should know how great this place is. GO GO GO HERE. DITCH YOUR OTHER MECHANIC AND GO TO HIM. HE'LL NEVER RIP YOU OFF AND ALWAYS KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT TO DO. THANKS AGAIN TO PETER!! read more

This auto repair shop is indeed fantastic. The place is small and located right behind 76 gas station off Mast Blvd and Park Center Drive on Santee. Peter is a very honest mechanic and know his stuff. They are not as expensive like pep boys, express or other big auto repair shops. I had them replace the brake rotor on my Corolla since the car would shake when I applied brake. They did a very good job and since then I have been taking mu car there dor oil change and if I have any questions or worry about my car. Peter has given me multiple free consultations and he even fixed my bumper that were falling off. I can honestly recommend this shop to anyone around this area. read more