I have mixed, but mostly positive, opinions of this business. The staff seemed friendly, and I appreciate that they took the time to provide a thorough diagnosis of my vehicle. They confirmed that my spark plugs and wires were heavily worn by swapping the spark plug from cylinder 4 to cylinder 6, where the misfire followed the plug. That gave me confidence that the spark plug was the source of the issue. That being said, there were a few aspects of the experience that I think prospective customers should know about. First, the diagnostic fee was $180, which I felt was on the expensive side. I came in already suspecting that the issue involved the spark plugs and wires, so I wasn't expecting such an extensive diagnostic process. After discussing the repair with other mechanics, I also learned that removing and reinstalling older spark plugs can carry some risk on higher-mileage engines because aged plugs can seize or break during removal. Nothing went wrong in my case, but I would have appreciated that potential risk being explained before the diagnostic procedure was performed. Better communication would have gone a long way. I was also told, "I don't want to scare you into not driving this vehicle," while being encouraged to complete the repairs there. If there was a genuine safety concern, I appreciate hearing it, but I would have preferred a more practical conversation focused on the condition of the vehicle and my options rather than feeling pressure to make an immediate repair decision. Additionally, when I asked whether there were ways to reduce the cost, I was told the fuel system service could be postponed and completed later. That made me wish the recommendations had been presented from the beginning with a clearer distinction between what was necessary to address the misfire and what could reasonably be deferred as preventative maintenance. Ultimately, I chose to have the repairs completed elsewhere because I was able to supply my own parts and save money overall. Although Rick's labor estimate was higher ($468 compared to $200 elsewhere), the total repair cost ended up being lower because the other shop allowed me to provide my own parts. I don't believe this is a bad shop, and I think it's a friendly, family-owned business that performs thorough diagnostics. I'm simply encouraging customers to ask questions, understand the diagnostic costs and repair recommendations, and make the decision that best fits their own situation. read more

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Not okay... They charged me a diagnostic fee and told me I needed to order a part and pay a lot for labor... so in total it would cost $1130... I called another shop and they said they could do the job for $600 out the door. I had my car towed to the shop to find out the only problem was a dead battery. The new shop charged me $200 and I was on my way with my car still running perfectly a week later. I am so glad I went elsewhere. read more

A Shop With A Heart & Quality Work If you're on vacation, traveling through the Santa Maria area, a local resident with an unexpected car drivability problem, or just plain looking for an honest, down-to-earth shop that provides quality work, don't fret! There is such a shop that you can trust without hesitation! For the past three years, the repairs and services on my 2012 Ford Escape and 2012 VW Turbo S Coupe have been handled solely at Rick's Car Care, without a worry or hesitation on my part about their qualifications to do the work right the first time. Needless but necessary to state, the estimate and cost of the work to be done are reasonable, not inflated. What makes Rick's Car Care stand out above other family-owned independent automotive repair and service shops? To begin with, it is founded on old-school customer service, honesty, and quality work. Something that is becoming extinct when deep-pocket corporations purchase shops from retiring owners. However, a bright light shines on the answer to this dark auto repair and service scenario: Rick's Car Care! A family-owned independent shop owned by Erick Enright and his wife, Amanda, that remains steadfast in providing great customer service and the highest-quality repairs and services to its clientele. If you are seeking honest, friendly shops that provide quality work, I highly recommend this shop not just as a John Q. Public customer, but also as a former sole proprietor and automotive technician at a local shop. read more

Called and left a message on Sat, as was having trouble changing oil on my VW. Got a callback Monday morning early. Made appointment to bring in car that afternoon. Asked about using the oil and filter that I had already bought. They said OK. At appointment they said they'd call me (went to lunch) when complete. They actually called me. Turns out I was using the wrong access. plug to drain the oil. They COULD have charged me more, but just charged for the labor of draining and replacing the oil and installing the filter. Also did an inspection of my tires/fluids/etc at no charge. Highly recommend, and will remember this place if any other service or repair is needed. read more

They were very accommodating to my needs. They keep their prices affordable and consistent. They are not high pressure. They did the service requested in a timely manner. They sent me an update on my vehicle with all the details completed and that may be needed in the future. I feel they are honest and easy to work with as my husband was a mechanic. read more

This is one of the best, if not the best, service for your car. I trust their honesty and expertise to service my 2017 Cadillac CTS. Eric goes beyond and above. read more

My car broke down is Santa Maria during a long drive down to SoCal this week, but the wonderful team at Rick's helped keep this mishap from turning into a disaster. They got me in same day and were able to get a proper diagnosis and very reasonable quote within a few hours, and even let me borrow a loaner car free of charge for 2 days! I've seen my fair share of mechanics, and this was definitely one of my better experiences so I can't recommend Rick's enough read more

I had a service requested and the quality of their customer service was through the roof. Value of the check up is worth it.

Rick's Car Care was recommended to me, a non-native to the Central Coast area, by a local friend/coworker, and I am so grateful for Terry and the crew there who went above and beyond to help me understand the issues going on with my car. Terry was VERY responsive and helpful in explaining and helping me understand the issues I was having with my car and was more than accommodating in providing what I needed to continue my day while they were performing their inspections. One thing I'm starting to learn about the Central Coast is that many of the people I've had the pleasure of meeting and working with are just very nice, kind and helpful people, and Terry was further proof of that. Thank you, to Rick's Car Care whole team, for making this such a great experience!!! read more

They kept my sons truck for a month and then decided they didn't want to do the work they agreed to do. They also lost some of our parts. read more

From the process of booking an appointment over the phone, to the full service on my vehicle, Rick's was the best car service I have received and far better than the dealership I usually go to! I really appreciated the courtesy inspection link they send out when working on the vehicle! It's helpful to see the breakdown and feel good knowing they did indeed check everything. Very trusted crew, highly recommend! read more

Rick's is amazing. I was looking at buying a used vehicle and they were able to squeeze me in on short notice to check out concerns I had about a potential head gasket issue. They were very kind and professional and clearly explained things they were looking for and how the process of testing worked. If I lived in Santa Maria I would 100% go to them for regular vehicle service, I am impressed by their customer service and quality. read more

Great experience! friendly customer service and work is always done right the first time. Been here two times and solved my issue both times highly impressed with the experience and service. read more

I heard this place was good and reliable. Toyota wanted $150 for an oil change and tire rotation. Rick's charged a lot less and the people were very friendly. read more

Absolutely the best. Professional, reasonable, dedicated to provide excellent service. I take my two Mercedes SUVs there and will not go anywhere else. Believe me, I'm extremely picky. They never disappoint. read more

Amazing! Rick's Car Care has gone above and beyond. First off the communication with Terry is great, and he's super friendly and kept me up to date at all times. Almost $4K worth of work done at Ricks and the amount of good work they do is remarkable. They send you photos of what is wrong with your car along with a link to track it! Who else does that?! All in all, I am beyond pleased with this establishment and will definitely return with any of my car needs in the future! read more

Came in this morning with my ML 350 for tires and service. Terry is AWESOME!!! Great service, attention to detail, explained diagnostic clearly and got me in without an appointment. I'll be back for my tires tomorrow! They also offer a 10% military discount! First time here but certainly will not be my last! Thanks for being my new car care center Ricks!! read more

New to the area and needed routine maintenance on my truck. I went to Rick's Car Care based on other Yelp reviews. They fit me in their schedule, performed the mtce and advised me of items that need attention.... There was no pressure or hard sells. I'll return ..... read more

Great experience for our first time here. Convenient for local Orcutt residents, not having to drive into SM for car maintenance

I've owned the same car for about eight years now, and have run the gamut as far as car services go. For about the first six years, I was only taking my car to the local dealership, which increasingly became an expensive money pit with frustrating staff experiences. At the recommendation of a couple of friends, I started taking it to a locally-owned shop in San Luis Obipso, but the 35+ minute drive was getting inconvenient for the longer car services. So, last week I went to Rick's for the first time, and was very happily surprised. They were incredibly accommodating, very friendly, and basically the definition of a wonderful small-town car shop. Their service was quick, efficient, and they were upfront with all issues and their varying levels of seriousness. Definitely recommend Rick's to any fellow Orcutt resident! read more

I have to give credit where it is due. Took my car in for some warranty work. There was some miscommunication/misunderstanding around costs. I was understandably frustrated but was going to pay. Rick and his wife heard my frustration and came out to learn more about the situation and after a few minutes of talking it thr, he waived the the $165 charge! It really showed the type of business owner and boss he is. He just listened showed empathy and at the end of it was still chatting me up like old pals. Will definitely recommend Rick's to my friends and family! read more

Our Toyota Prius broke down on Highway 101 and we had it towed to Rick's based on AAA recommending it. Rick's was so helpful and kind. They ran diagnostics, fixed our battery and then drove the car to make sure everything else was OK. They go above and beyond. Highly recommend! read more

The beginning of this "perfect storm" of trouble started when my wife's aunt, her 3 geese, horse, dog and 3 cats were evacuated from their home during the Creek Fire. Fortunately, although the air quality is still horrible, they are now allowed to return to their home, but all the animals that were evacuated by the Red Cross were scattered to the four winds. My job was to drive the 3 1/2 hours to Madera and Fresno, gather up all the smaller animals and their crates, haul them back to Santa Maria and on one of the hottest and unhealthy air quality days of the year. So, at 9:00 am October 1, I headed off to pick them up (needed to be there by 3:00 pm by the way. THEN the battery idiot light came on and my electrical charging system want haywire with the smell of burning plastic......yes, the alternator went out. I managed to limp over to Rick's Car Care and spoke to Terry Daigle who has the same compassion for animals that I do and even though he had a full days' worth of other work that was there before me, found the alternator, had it delivered at an additional expense to them, got it into my truck and I was out of there by noon. The speed at which they diagnosed this problem, flew into action to get the needed part and getting me back on the road in record time and a reasonable expense leaves me to admire the staff that Rick and Terry have put together there. If you are unsure about your mechanic, PLEASE go see them. They are honest, reliable and will not try to upsell you on anything and they are local. Kudos to the staff and ownership of Rick's Car Care read more

Terri did exactly what I asked and picked up my car at my home and returned it to me later that day. He recommended an urgent need of new tires and a lesser urgency for another type of service. He texted me an invoice and took a check for payment. Everything was easy and predictable. Highly recommend read more

Tell you what, if you like waiting for days to schedule an appointment, be treated like a (naughty) dog or be insulted by the pricing, RICK'S is NOT for you!! Go somewhere else, you will be disappointed with the great, fast, helpful and fair treatment at Rick's Car Care. Yesterday, we needed the service indicator reset after a recent service appointment, called, spoke with Terry Daigle, the service manager and, as always, said "Sure, come on up". In and out, just such a nice guy who always makes you feel like he's known you and you've been a lifelong customer. THIS is the kind of attitude that makes us go back, again and again and, send friends. Thanks, Terry and Rick's!!! read more

My friend recommended that I go to Rick's for my car repair. I'm happy I did. They were very responsive and explained the issues in detail. They even let me use a loaner car while they were working on my car. I highly recommend Rick's Car Care. read more

Ricks Car Care is a great place to bring your vehicle for repairs or maintenance. They have great customer service and a great professional attitude. I highly recommend going to Ricks Car Care for All your car care needs. read more

Super pleased with the service I received here for a smog check. Terry, the service manager, was super professional and got me in and out quickly. He even gave me a discount since it was my first trip in. I will definitely be using them for my auto service going forward! read more

My father has been going to Ricks for repairs for years. I, foolish son that I am, did not. I have overpaid and been jerked around by so many mechanics in town that I had begun to lose hope that any honest mechanics existed. Then my dad told me, "Go to Ricks." Ever since then I have had nothing but good results. They have taken care of me and my girlfriend's car issues time and again. They always go the extra mile to make sure we are taken care of and never overcharge or insert unnecessary repairs. If I ever leave the area, I may very likely end up coming back solely so that I can continue to get repairs done here at Rick's. Seriously, if you have any issues with your car at all, go to Ricks. I can honestly recommend these guys to anyone with absolutely no fear that I will regret it. They are simply some of the best mechanics in our area, and if the only complaint that people might have is that something "takes too long" then I'll gladly take it any day of the week. read more

Just a quick update it is now September 1, 2019, and my jeep has been running smooth with no issues. I am very pleased with the service and repair Rick's car care did on my jeep two years ago. Their quality of work is outstanding! read more

A friend from church referred me to Rick's Car Care. I am so impressed with the ssrvice. The service manager Terri, was efficient, friendly, and informative. This will be my go to mechanic from now. read more

I took my husbands truck in for a shutter while driving. Turned out it needed a major tune-up. They covered everything, plugs, wires, distributor, fuel system, ect. The truck runs great, and no shutter! He even offered a ride to come and pick it up. They called the next day to make sure everything was OK and the truck was running well. Good old fashioned small town service! I will definitely be taking all of my cars to Rick's. read more

I was weary taking my vehicle to a new shop. While working around town, I spoke to a fellow 7.3L Diesel owner who spoke highly of Rick's shop. I took it in for a check engine light (glow plug relay) and he got on it in a timely manner. I was also impressed that he was happy to give me a lift home which was above and beyond in my opinion. Didn't try to sell me anything I didn't need. Very pleased with the quality of professionalism and service. read more

My truck recently got sick, after starting it ran and then it died. After checking the batteries, connections my reliable vehicle would not turnover. I contacted Ricks without hesitation they came and towed my vehicle to the shop where a diagnostic was run. To my surprised a comprehensive result of the diagnostic was sent to my cell phone. I was surprised as it included every thing going on with my truck. A short time later received a phone call from Terry the manager explaining the problem with my vehicle. It turned out the ring on the fuel filter was loose compromising the vacuum this prevented the engine from starting. I highly recommend Ricks for your vehicles needs read more

Front and rear brakes, back roters for 2013 Suburu Crosstrek = $787 .. fast service, a little pricy!

It was my first time going there, and it won't be the last one with the amazing service they have. The employees are super friendly and helpful. read more

Couldn't be happier with the service I have had at Rick's. This was my 2nd time going for routine car maintenance and the service from Terry and the crew is just exceptional! They treat you and your vehicle with respect! Highly highly recommend! read more

I would have written this sooner, but at the time I didn't know this Site existed. A few years back my classic, cherry 1977 Datsun 280Z blew it's head gasket. I took it to my regular mechanic at the 76 station across the street but it was too involved of a job for his location, so he suggested I take it over to Rick's. He assured me they were ok. Unfortunately he was wrong. Rick's had my car for almost 3 weeks, after I told them I needed it back ASAP. I had to rent a car in the meantime with the charges piling up. It was just a head gasket replacement and all I ever heard were excuses. "We don't have the part yet." "It's on back-order." "We'll call you." Etc., etc. I even came in with a parts catalog that could've had the gasket there the next day. "No, we have to use our supplier." After about two weeks I went in to check on any progress and my Z-car was filthy, the motor was half disassembled, and there was a big gouge in one of my front bumper guards where they had hit something. I finally gave up, and ended up having to buy another car. They charged me around $300 I recall for the "work" they did and for taking up space in their shop. The car was eventually towed to the local junk yard. If they couldn't fix my car for whatever reason why didn't they just admit it? Why jack me around, especially when they knew it was my daily driver, I needed it back, and I was piling up rental car charges? I would never, ever, go back there again. The right thing to do would be for them to apologize and refund me my money, but of course they won't. They'll read this, laugh about it, and go right back to ripping people like me off. My advice is to steer clear of this place at all costs! read more

Took in our older Subaru Outback. The car was right at 275k miles. Ran great but was over heating. Limped it to the shop......the guys had it all afternoon. Verdict after using the diagnostic machine...blown head gasket. Would need a complete top end....because it has so many miles the bottom would probably blow out. So recommended a engine replacement..5k minimum. Only paid 1500 for it, took it home and put it up for sale as a "mechanic" special. Shade tree mechanic bought it...$14.00 bottom radiator hose.....car running great. I guess a second opinion does not just go with doctors. Would go and ask for my monies back for the connection to the diagnostic machine....just don't care to see these folks again. read more

Great place and amazing team of people. No hassle and will be honest with you like a lot of repair shops wont. I will bring all my vehicles to these guys for anything needed, from tires to smog to full rebuilds they do it all. Appreciate good local service with honesty and integrity read more