I'm SO happy I found this place! We needed a smog-only place so here we went. I had replaced my air filter the day of the smog check, and I forgot to plug in the electronic clip when I was done. So of course the car wouldn't pass. Ron was more than helpful, explaining what needs to be done now. He walked me through his diagnosis, explaining in an easy to understand manner. I'll going back in a few days to have a new smog check once I put enough miles onto the car for the re-check. I'll post an update of how it went. read more

I've had my business van maintained there for years! Highly recommended for your automotive needs.

Honest and reliable. I have been coming here for years. Great communication about what I NEED to fix and what can wait.

The horn on my car was not functioning, we took it to the dealership, and they said that 1) they didn't have the part (what? you're the manufacturer of the car I drive... and apparently, this is a common problem), 2) they charged... a lot... and 3) they tried to sell us on irrelevant "problems" (which were also not found again 2 months later when I took it in for servicing). This place was able to do a quick assessment, even of the aforementioned fake problems from the dealership, and they said they found nothing else wrong with the car. They got us in the next day, and were able to successfully replace the horn part that was malfunctioning. However, I noticed later that the horn cover was not on completely, and when I called them to address it, they said just to pop on over, and they fixed it very quickly. Will def come back to them if I need anymore work done on the car! read more

Avoid these fraudsters at all costs. I was quoted $700 to replace my intake manifold, which was inline with what my regular repair guy had previously quoted me so I decided to give them a go. I then received a call informing me it was "much worse than they expected" once they took it out and suddenly it was going to be a $2500 repair. I decided to just accept this news as they claimed there was nothing they could undue at this point. They returned the car to me with the check engine light still on a new stutter, which they assured me would go away once I put enough miles on it to reset the service lights. I brought it back when that did not occur and they acted puzzled but quoted me another $700 fix. So at this point I took it to another shop for a second opinion where they immediately spotted a hose that had been left unplugged. They reconnected it for me free of charge and all of the new issues disappeared. read more

I had my car towed here because the reviews said that they were honest. I got there right before they closed for the day and the gentleman at the front desk was very nice. However, unlike other places I have brought my car, this one charges you an evaluation fee that does not go toward any repair. The following day I received a call from another person who told me that the problem was that my battery was dead and that I needed another one. He was not very friendly. The quoted price seemed higher than what I had seen when researching online but the man said "it comes with a five year warranty." It DID NOT come with a five year warranty. He charged me extra money for an extended warranty for a battery the name of which I have never heard of. He also told me that I had no oil and offered to "top it off," again no price quoted. When other mechanics offer to top your oil off, it is a courtesy with no charge. Not here. I was charged. To top it off (no pun intended), my "oil change required" light came on a couple of days later. If you are reading this review, I would find another shop. read more

Manager and automotive tech worked well with us to repair electronic problem as well as fixing oil plug issue. They were friendly, informative and timely. read more

I'm extremely happy to have this place in my neighborhood. It can always be scary to have car troubles. In my situation my car was stalling on me. I took it in and to my surprise the staff was very comforting and knew exactly how to handle the situation. Once they determined the issue, they presented the findings in a way I could understand. I felt I could trust their professional opinion and since then they have been my go to shop. I strongly recommend this shop. read more

I absolutely love and trust this business. My husband has a BMW M5 that is very expensive to maintain. Every time I've taken it to BMW for service they have these crazy prices. Then I met Bryan with Rancho Auto Service. He helped me with everything for my husbands car without charging crazy prices. They are very professional. Trustworthy and affordable. In fact, my husband wouldn't let anyone work on his car and now he will only go to Rancho Auto Service. On another note, the shop is very clean, comfortable, and just a fresh of breath air. There is a nice waiting area. I even met the gentlemen who did the oil change on my husbands car and he was very nice and respectful. He didn't look like your typical car mechanic with oil greased clothes :) Thanks to everyone at Rancho Auto Service. We appreciate you and all you do to keep our vehicles up and running. Especially with all the tips and education you constantly provide. Very helpful. Bunches of hugs. - Jenn :) read more

Rancho Auto Service - Auto Repair Near Me - El Cajon, California

I was referred by a friend, and I just can't say enough good about this place. Honest, reliable fast, just excellent. I know It's hard to find in the industry. Sometimes, Auto places get a bad name from others, but not this place. They are awesome. Check out Ron and the group you couldn't do better. Tony Z 2019 Mercedes read more

This place is a bunch of shady people they'll charge you for a conversation I took my truck to get smog with an appointment I walked in on time the place was as quiet as the jungle Ron took my keys and started the process Came back and handed me the paperwork advising me that my truck failed the test on one item air injection secondary air is not ready I was puzzled and then he handed me the invoice for $49.00 for nothing I paid and went home Then Monday morning as I got into my truck for work I realized that the radio preset stations were gone I figured it out why it didn't pass When the battery is disconnected it losses all history of the vehicle What a cheap shady way to get you to come back again and spend more money I took my truck elsewhere it passed with flying colors I do not recommend this facility and if you do BE AWARE I got my money back when I pointed out what the tech did he was happy to give me my money back Those people think others are stupid Stay away read more

I would not recommend this business at all. We took our van here mainly out of necessity because it was the closest shop to us and we needed to address an urgent issue. We are so sad that we did! They charged us $750 for a fix that should have been in the $300 range. They charged us double for transmission fluid, and went way above a fair rate for every service they provided. They also charged us for the diagnostic fee on top of our fixes, and when I asked for them to have that fee absorbed into the cost of our fixes, they refused. If you are looking for an honest shop, I would recommend R & L Performance Auto Services in Chula Vista. I would not recommend anyone to bring their car here. read more

This is the 2nd time I've turned to Jeremy and his crew at Rancho Auto to help me smog my 18 year old car. It was a bit of a drive from my new residence, but so worth my time. He even suggested I find their coupon online before writing me up. This place is one that I have confidence in. A suggestion would be to call for an appointment, as they can get busy. Thanks guys! read more

Rancho Auto Service - Surf the Internet for free or watch the HiDef big screen tv while you wait. - Auto Repair Near Me - El Cajon, California

They do good work, fair price and all staff courteous. I just had a minor repair done here, and see that they do all kinds of stuff, I plan to do my smog test here too. read more

always friendly and great service!! Highly recommend. I have only had a smog check and oil change done but very nice.

I called and they got me in really quick. Even stayed a little late to get my smog done instead of taking their lunch. They had great customer service. It was absolute pleasure & I enjoyed working with Joe! Definitely will recommend everyone to come in. read more

Called regarding my breaks. Got me in the very next morning. My car was ready by two. They applied my AAA auto club discount and got a great deal. My breaks work great now. They were very courteous and explained the problems with my breaks thoroughly. I will definitely be going back and would refer friends. read more

imagine you have a $1,200 dollar budget from the state to help fix your car to pass state emission standards. you have had a check engine light with mention of catalytic efficiency problems and lean conditions. Does your car have some other issues? yes, but your main concern is the Ca emission standards. Your mechanic takes a look at your CARB approved aftermarket intake and says return it to stock, on your own dollar btw. Then does nothing else to fix your engine. He asks for permission to take your car home for "diagnostic". He says he checks spark plugs, which you later find oily, because you have to check them yourselves (more on that later). He ignores your smokey engine and oil seeping out of your valve covers (but admits to noticing the smoke) and moves on to interior improvements. like fixing the gas gauge, (hence the 2 stars) which doesnt work when you first pick up your car 4 days later. You take your car home concerned as they admit to not fixing anything but your intake. You now have a passed smog certificate. But later that same day your check engine light comes back on. They report lean conditions. You have to take your car back twice and your car spends another ~2 weeks in their care but they still fail to fix issue. BTW Your $1200 budget disappears once they give you a passing smog certificate so the will to fix anything is probably gone too. In those 2 weeks he fixes the gas gauge (which was already supposed to be fixed) and fixes an annoying problem how your blinkers fail to signal inside your car. But you now have a fried headlight and your aftermarket blinker has a pulled wire you have to fix. Im currently trying fix the car myself (which is how i found oily coils and plugs). Cheers Rancho Auto but friendly people read more

Rancho Auto Service - oily coil - Auto Repair Near Me - El Cajon, California

See all

Fast and quality service. Quick smogs. Price for brakes was unusually high because they don't turn rotors only replace, making the brake job unacceptable/ read more

Got my car in here to be worked on unfortunately somebody that I will never trust again told me to go to this place so went clear across town to get some work done here, they told me three days to get it done and took close to 5 weeks when I got my car back they head effing thrashed it , I took note of the miles and I could see that somebody was taking my car home every day to drive the used it as their car because so many miles were put on. It never ever ever drove the same after that, I felt like I was picking up a piece of junk that the idiots decided to screw with. Everybody has to keep in mind that probably 80% of all mechanics screw around and lie and cheat and steal, and I hatethis place I would never go back. read more

Excellent service provided by both Jeremy and the other person who helped me at the counter! Rancho Auto Service was quick and efficient in running my SMOG check and doing an oil change. They offer coupons online and are fair with their prices. I love how honest they are with ensuring their customers know what promotions they have running and how they stay competitive with other nearby shops. They definitely have my trust as my new go-to auto service. read more

It is very important to find an automotive shop that you could trust, and that has occurred with a large sampling's of automotive repairs. Jeremy gives it to you straight, even though you don't always want to hear the prognosis of the repair. If they say it needs to be fixed, it does. We can deal with paying for repairs that are necessary. We have trust in this shop and it is comforting to know we will receive good friendly service. The lobby is very spacious and comfortable. We have had nothing but positive visits at this shop. Thank You read more

I.have been taking all my cars to this auto repair shop for years and the staff has always treated me very well.

Great service and I didn't feel like I was being scammed as can happen elsewhere. They let you know what services are needed and then charge what they quote. read more

Hi Rancho auto service is one of the best auto automotive service centers I've been to, management is terrific always fair and honest and good prices try them you'll like the results! Don G read more

I had to get my smog done so I made the appointment for 8 am on a Tuesday. I was done within 30 minutes. I've been here twice to have this done over the years and the service is excellent! Ron is very sweet and just an all around nice guy. I would definitely recommend this place and you will not be disappointed. read more

Gosh I hate to write this review. I found this place via yelp when I needed an overdue smog check. We had been traveling when our smog was due and this was the very first instance I could get the car checked. My check engine light was on so I knew there was most likely an emissions issue. I told the team member that the light was on and he said that it would fail the test without even testing it first. They did end up testing it and it failed. They gave me the print out of the issues. We have friends that fix cars. The list they gave me did not match up with what we found. Their test showed way less issues. Spark plugs. A sensor. The car ran beautifully. I have kept up with all of the maintenance as needed for the get go. This is a Christian establishment. There are Christian symbols all over the place. Even an open Bible on the coffee table. I'm a Christian. It hurts me to know that there are people out there that aren't representing the faith with integrity. I really wanted to give them my business but I cannot going forward. read more

I'm really impressed with the service I received here. First they were able to diagnose and fix an energy drain on my Prius, that had been a problem for years. 2 previous garages (including the toyota dealership!) told me I just needed a new battery, which I bought twice for no reason. Jeremy and his crew went fuse by fuse until they fixed it. I'm really impressed. They also fixed some wiring issues on my wife's car, caused by a mouse chewing through it. And they honored the warranty when it happened again less than 24 hours later. Great job guys! read more

I recently took my two Prius vehicles to Rancho Auto Service, one for 100,000 mile service, and one for an oil change, and advice on replacing my tires. Bryan at the front desk was perfectly helpful, both times. Service was quick, the waiting area was clean, spacious, comfortable, and offers free WiFi. Kinda everything you want in a great service shop. read more

Came in early on a Monday for a smog. Was in and out in about 25 minutes. The lobby is very nice and comfortable. Brian was working the front desk and he was very cheerful for it being Monday morning! Had a very good experience, this was my 2nd smog I've had done at this place and I will come back. read more

Great service! Ron was extremely helpful and explained everything. Price was fair and transparent. The waiting area was super clean and nice. Car works great! Highly recommend. read more

Went in for smog test today and never had a problem with passing smog. Waited patiently for 30 mins until the job was done. The man at the front desk told me unfortunately your smog didn't pass, I asked why and he said the sticker to your air filter doesn't meet the requirements. Paying the $52 wasn't an issue for me what was is his attitude and disrespect towards a paying customer who wanted further explanation on the problem. He didn't give any information on how to go about fixing the situation was just interested in taking my money and offering no help. Rude and disrespectful take your hard working money elsewhere plenty of places who can offer advice and help. STAY AWAY !! read more

They lied to me and told me my pads were "down to the metal". The guy was nice and all but the minute the quote went from $250 to $700, something told me to take my shit elsewhere. I took my car to Brake Depot... the price went down to $500 and they showed me the pads and they were nowhere near down to the metal. Rancho Automotive is a rip-off and I am never taking my car there again and neither should you read more

WARNING: STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS SHOP!!! This is the shop that you were warned about. Jerry is a con-artist, his mechanic is not any better. Drove car in, towed car out of shop to another shop to complete the work. Was told we need a completely new engine-- car only had a slight head gasket leak that just started. read more

So I've been meaning to write this review for awhile. Took my car hear because I had a major motor issue. I called them before hand, and let them know I had a warranty to cover the repair which they said was fine. Had to tow the car down as I wished to prevent further damage to the motor because from the sound of it I had rod knock (spun bearing on connecting rod). I towed it down, and dropped it off with their team. They said they would call me the next day with an a diagnosis. So the next day they told me that they thought it was in fact rod knock. However they didn't have enough mechanics to perform the job, and would loose out on business. So they turned me away when I was in dire need of assistance. In addition they charged me 60 bucks without even doing anything to my car, and with me having to pay for towing twice because they told me to come down for squat. Stay far away if you have any serious repairs. They seemingly only like to do oil changes, and other simple jobs to pay the bills. read more

I came here to get the brakes inspected/replaced and a synthetic oil change. Jeremy answered the phone when I called around ten and said to come on in they had an opening. The service was quoted and explained to me. All in all it took 3.5 hours. Professional kind and welcoming. I will be returning and recommend to anyone. Came here Saturday for my older (98) vw bug. It had been sitting for 6 months and was in need of tlc because of that (plus check engine light was on.) Jeremy and his team quoted me the price for a syn oil change and engine flush and said they would call with the read out from the check engine. They got all the repairs done and had me in my way the same day. I can't tell you how amazing it is to be treated like more than just a dollar sign. Thanks guys you are all amazing! read more

Needed a smog for registration purposes. Called yesterday at 3:30pm, they offered me a 4pm same day appt. WOW, didn't expect that! I wasn't available though, so asked what they had the next morning. I took the 8am appt since its when they opened & I didn't want any delays. I arrived at 8:01am to see 2 gentlemen behind the counter. I was really impressed by their waiting room area. Clean, comfy, nice furniture. Both a living room area with a large screen TV & @ round dining room table. Very "homey'. Jeremy greeted me the moment I walked in. I said I had an 8 o'clock appt. He said my name & I confirmed. Got my paperwork taken care of, I told him I had the coupon, he didn't even need to see it, just entered the $29.95 price & showed me the out the door estimate of $38.00. He said he'd get me taken care of in 20-30 mins. Literally, 10 minutes later, for a total time of 15min from signing the estimate to proceed, to walking out the door, he said I was ready to go. @ 8:19am I was on my way to work. Very impressed. Jeremy had great customer service & there was no BS. I was going to go to a slightly cheaper place in the ghetto of El Cajon, but so glad I came here. The price was an exceptional value for the service. Thanks guys! read more

I find it interesting the the "owner" of this shop is now responding to the negative reviews, some over a year later. Just as interesting is the fact that he has apparently replaced Jerry, his not so honest manager. I have seen large "under new management" banners on the shop & out on Jamacha Bl., indicating to me that the owner was quite aware at what a bad reputation Jerry had developed for this shop. The banners serve as an admission to the RSD community that this was at best a poorly run and at worst an out an out crooked business that is looking to rebuild trust. Businesses change management all the time but only find a need to publicize it when they know that the previous management was bad and had pissed off a lot of former customers. So I applaud you sir for trying to improve the management and ethical practices of your business. My only suggestion would be to keep a little closer eye on things this time around. read more

I was just reading through the reviews and was stunned when I saw the bad reviews. I had never been to this shop before, but my car needed the dreaded smog test so that I could renew my registration. Thought I would give Rancho a try. First, the manager, Jeremy was kind and informative. The waiting area is actually comfortable with large leather like sofas and a big screen TV to keep you entertained. No one likes to wait in an auto shop - but this wait was truly pleasant and comfortable. Big bonus is that there is a Starbucks in the same parking lot and you can run over and get for your favorite drink before plopping down on Rancho's big comfy couch to watch TV. The service on my car was quick, (not much time to relax on the couch) unbelievably reasonable and the guys in the shop were professional and courteous. I will be returning to Rancho when I have other service needs for my car and will gladly refer my friends to them as well. This was a surprisingly pleasant experience and I absolutely hate it when I get that smog notice from DMV. read more

Hi, i came in here for a smog check and i have and older car they charged $20 more from the internet price so it came out to be $60 and the car didn't pass. so i ask how long do i have for the free re-test they said no re-test and if you call any smog check place in san diego they all give free re-text if your car does not pass and then they said we can tell you what the problem is for $149.99 and i ask i thought the report tells you why it doesn't pass and he said yeah it does. i dont recommend. read more