GOING OUT OF BUISNESS? I took my 2013 Ford Fusion to Ruffners Transmission on 03/08/2021 for a diagnoses after a lovely, reassuring conversation with claimed owner Adrian V Soto (Soto Enterprises DBA Ruffners Transmission Company) and although the transaction was far from seamless and I was mislead regarding the timeframe multiple times, we ended the transaction 03/22/2022 on a good note. I called several days later with concern of an issue, the vehicle drove a little rough and a bit shaky, I was told that it was an engine rebuild so it's not going to RUN perfectly smoothly. Adrian: "it should adjust to your driving" Diagnoses Fee: $135 Transmission Rebuild: $4,015.12 Programming Fee: $236.16 Total: $4,386.16 On 12/19/2022 we took the vehicle in again from a leak, we were told the Transmission Seal and Axle Shift need work. I let my husband handle the transaction however being that the repair was likely cased caused by the transmission and shouldn't the seal have been replaced during rebuild I did not agree to the charges! I don't know much about cars! We paid $564.20 So far, for a total $4,815.48 that Soto Enterprise DBA Runffner Transmission has charge to maintenance my vehicle to refuses to honor the warranty provided stating: "I am in $200K plus debt why should I care about your issue" "Im closing down anyway" "I was going to help you out but im not anymore" My frustration was warranted based on the situation that Ruffners put me in both financially and emotionally! read more

I've been saving making this review because I wanted to be sure everything was squared away with my truck before reviewing this business. I found Adrian through offerup when looking for a new transmission for my truck, he let me know that they had units available and had the ability to build the trans depending on my power goals. I wanted a stock rebuild just to get the truck going again. I towed my truck to the shop and within about a week it was all squared away, it felt brand new and I had no complaints for about 1000 miles. Unfortunately the truck suddenly wouldn't go into reverse, a freak accident cause a piece to break inside the trans (this was not their fault) I hit up Adrian to let him know my issue and he immediately got me into the shop despite them being fully booked. I received my truck again today and it feels like a brand new truck again. I normally don't take any of my vehicles to shops because I work on my cars myself, I have been for almost 10+ years. But due to my current living situation I don't have any place to do big jobs like a trans swap. From one mechanic to the general public, I trust Adrian and his workers to get the job done! Highly recommend this place. read more

Ruffner Transmission - Auto Repair Near Me - Oceanside, California

I needed a transmission flush, and stopped in after work one night just before closing. the owner wanted to test drive my car first, and took off like a bat outta hell down the street and around the corner, returning a few minutes later to convince me that my transmission was shot, drums blown and needed to be replaced. He quoted me $6k and six weeks lead time for a refurbished transmission. I went to AAMCO the next day and the nice man flushed out my transmission for $120 saying its good as new, and it is. wow Ruffner, that's pretty evil of you to try to dupe me for $6k and lie about my drums being blown. you need to be honest if you don't know what you're talking about. I dress nicely and I'm kind, but I knew you were full of it and wish I'd never even let you touch my car. read more

I had a small conversation about getting a quote from this location. My responses were very detail but Hai responses were short and kinda demeaning. Horrid way to treat your customer. Why would you ever respond with "lol" Edit: I got a personal message after posting this review. Still doesn't treat me like a customer and he had to put a sarcastic bit at the end. Screenshots say it all. read more

Ruffner Transmission - Auto Repair Near Me - Oceanside, California

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1997 GMC Yukon CV Axle replacement I needed this done in a hurry Adrian at Ruffner Transmission was very helpful in assisting with the urgency spun the vehicle back to me no less 1hr 1/2 solid work I've gotten down checked etc. Yukon is a much safer ride. Do not attempt either. Overall truck is great. Note: Every bit of communication was directly from the app. In person nothing changed great service clean shop runs a tight ship. He honored the appointment and price. If this gives you piece of mind I'm glad I could help it was worth the drive from San Marcos. read more

Save your money and go somewhere else. If I would of had read all the yelp reviews and HIS responses first, I would not have taken my car there. He "changed" my brakes and routers. A month later, my brakes were making noises again and I took it back to get it checked. He convinced me that it was due to low miles driven and a film, blah blah blah.... I drove my car for several miles, at least 50 one way, for a few weeks as he suggested and the noise never went away. Took my car to another place as I preferred to not deal with him again. Now, I no longer have a break noise, not thanks to him. read more

Great local auto shop with great deals! Owner is a great guy and genuinely cares about people and supporting local! Great community of regular customers that come get work done all the time! 5/5 read more

Adrian was very knowledgable, polite, and professional! You would think these big shops would be desperate to hire him. He explained everything in detail, he even listened when I said I was particular about my truck putting in a paper mat to keep it clean. He did everything he could to make me comfortable with the work to be performed and I would definitely visit him again! Thanks Adrian!! read more

Ruffner Transmission - A picture of my transmission pan to show he removed and replaced the fluid. - Auto Repair Near Me - Oceanside, California

I took my car to Adrian who opened his shop in the old Midas off of Mission. I just wanted an oil change since I was way overdue. After completing the oil change, Adrian said I needed some work done. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford more than the oil change. He gave me a bunch of suggestions of things to fix if/when I came back. The next day my car was leaking like crazy. I put in some coolant and went to work. I should have listened to Adrian because my car overheated and broke down 2 blocks away from work. I had the car towed to Adrian and he fixed my radiator and replaced all of my hoses. My car is running well now thanks to him. I really wish that I had just gotten everything done in the first place. I will definitely listen to him from now on. Thank you! read more

Biggest rip off ever! I bought it thinking they would honor their grupon and when i called to set up an appointment they said that the grupon wont apply to my TSI transmission and i have to pay the 250$ for the full service. When i tried to bargain and say that i will pay for the transmission service but not the diagnostics and inspection they wouldnt return my grupon purchase So next time you post some coupon be specific on the type of service! For what type of transmission! read more

Using their mobile app on Yelp obviously their feedback was simplly "ok" I even screenshotted it for you guys, jackass. Rude, obnoxious gave me all the info no price no recommendation on what to look for if nothing pointless useless should be shut down obviously they don't know what they're doing. read more

Ruffner Transmission - Auto Repair Near Me - Oceanside, California

Quick! Fast! Friendly! Inexpensive! "Brand new" transmission in less than a day. He knows his shit. And I believe he's honest. Check his website for a coupon. Although he did sort of forget to attach some sort of tube onto something else which made the car die on my drive home... but he tows for free if you spend more than $1,000 on services. So he came to pick me up and fixed the problem. read more

If you think there's no such thing as an honest mechanic, think again. My car was giving a bunch of codes that needed to be fixed. Adrian could've taken advantage and sold me all of those services, but he told me that he felt like they were false readings and that it was an electrical problem. What's more is he spent hours with my car and didn't charge me a dime! He said I had paid him enough the last time. He also helped me decide that it was time to sell my car rather than keep putting $ into it. When I go to this shop I feel like talking to my brother or uncle and the ladies at the front always greet you with a smile. This is a friendly and professional place to have any work done and they wont take advantage of you. I would highly recommend to anyone. read more

Amazing job on brakes and running boards for my truck. These guys are honest and very professional. They have done a few easy fixes without any charge. This is the place to go for quality work and fast turn around for return of vehicle. Jermaine T. read more

I took my car to him for shifting harshly. He plugged a scanner for a few seconds and said there is no data here. Then he drove it for one block, then he suggested that my car needs a valve body. He said it would be about $1300(parts and labor). After he went to his office he changed the price to $1565 (parts &labor). I said ok. he did not give me a detailed invoice. He took a $300 deposit and called me the next day and said the part is here. I took my car in, then a few hours later he called that he can not find the part and it would be about $2000(parts&labor), he has to get from the dealer. I suggested, I will pick up the part and bring it in and he can install it while I am there. He was very vague and did not want me in the shop. I had suggested the same thing on day one, but he evaded his way out of it and said the car will be there all day. He did not fix the car. He kept changing the story. He did not want me to buy the part or to be around when he installs it. He gave me a hard time to return my deposit. when i went to pick up my car, he was not there and his worker played dumb. It took 3 days to get my deposit back. I leave it to the reader to deduce what happened and how dishonest is this shop. read more

If you ever find yourself in the unfortunate need for transmission repair, this is the place to go. Adrian is a super nice guy and very professional. I needed extensive repairs on my 1976 Scout and he and his team knocked it out of the park. I received routine updates with pictures every step of the way. Extremely happy with the service and I highly recommend them. read more

Never go to a shop that makes you pay up front before the work is preformed. Gives you the run around, buys parts without consulting with you, and doesn't return old parts. Adrian already has been to small claims and is in the hole. Has another one coming! BBB read more

I went here because I was unsatisfied with another company that specializes in tires. That company didn't include the filter with the transmission fluid change. And they charged me way more. Ruffner charged me less and included it in the service. Couldn't be any happier! Service was fast and the guys there were very friendly. Will definitely come back here again in a few years for the same service. Thank you Ruffner Transmission! read more

2.5 actually. Good transmission rebuild due to cross country transport completely jacking my reverse gear. Not sure why Ruffler needed to wield my exhaust back into place when only the engine cradle had to be dropped. Came back with a dead battery (had to buy new) and new rubbing on rear rotor which was odd. Offered to replace trunk lock which was nice but chipped the paint. Won't return and found more of a specialist, which was my mistake not going to in the first place. Also final cost was $1200 over original estimate. Good times. read more

I was driving on I-15 and my Audi overheated. My sister had a "good" experience with Adrian at Ruffner transmission and she suggested (against the advice of the AAA tow truck driver) to have it towed to him at Ruffner Transmission. Once there Adrian told me that the head gasket was bad and I needed a rebuilt engine. He told me it would be $5,000. I gave hin a check for $2,500 to start the work. I told a mechanic friend about this. He and I went to see Adrian. When my mechanic friend asked Adrian about the tests he conducted to conclude the head gasket and rebuild repair, Adrian did not have the answers to qualify his diagnosis. He had removed the air cleaner and drained the oil. When asked how he could "further diagnosis" the engine problem with no oil in the car, he could not answer. I asked for my money back and told Adrian that I was removing my vehicle. He told me that he had the check in his office and would return it to me. He lied and had already deposited the check. My friend told me to get the car to an Audi mechanic. It was towed to Audi Auto House Munich for diagnosis. The mechanic told me that I had a punctured water hose and it would cost $500 for the repairs as the hose was difficult to get to. He also asked why the oil had been removed? I called on the phone and spoke with Adrian and he declined to return my money even after I told him to keep $200 for removing the air cleaner and draining the oil. Adrian is a first class SHISTER. DO NOT GO TO THIS ESTABLISHMENT...you'll be sorry. UPDATE: I picked my car up at audi auto haus munich and the repairs were $600. Two heater hoses, reinstalling the air induction and radiator reservior and of course oil (oil that Adrian had drained). I highly recommend this Audi mechanic. After returning to Ruffner Transmission and showing the car and repair receipt to Adrian, he returned the balance totaling $2,300 minus $200. It cost me $200 to be potentially cheated out of thousands! read more

If I could give them a negative star I would. You hear about crooked mechanics all the time but I have never dealt with one. I had taken my car to firestone and they let me know that I had internal transmission problems. However, Firestone does not service your car for internal transmission problems. So I had my car towed to Ruffner transmission. Mistake number one!! I spoke to Adrian (who was nice over the phone) and told him what Firestone stated. He told me that he would run a free diagnostic test on my car. I had AAA tow my car around 615 my car arrived to them at 645ish(the shop closes at 7).Not even 5 minutes later Adrian calls me and says it will be 2500. I immediately told him umm no thank you and I would have my car picked up the next day. I called him around 11 because he sent a bill to my email stating I owed him 110. I told him that he told me the diagnostic test was FREE. He then stated only if I did the work. I told him he never told me that. He then said oh well don't worry about the invoice he had sent, I replied ok! He asked me what did I want to do with the car and I said I was going to have it picked up what do you mean? He said I want to help you, I could find a used transmission. I told him that he said that he could yesterday but since he hadn't said anything on the phone I thought it was a no go. He told me that he found one for 1300 and it would cost 400 for labor. I told him I needed to think about it. He said I needed to let him know before Monday as it was Saturday afternoon. I asked him more than once if it was ok my car was still there after he offered the used transmission. He stated yes so I didn't stress about picking my car up. So he was ok with me leaving my car there til Monday. 2 hours later I receive a phone call from my mother saying Adrian had left a message on the house phone saying he was going to charge me 25 a day for storage. By this time I am irritated and fed up cause I am now at work. I call him and ask what are these charges he is talking about. He says oh that was this morning before I spoke with you. Then he proceeds to say well are you going to let me work on your car? I reminded him that I told him I needed to think about it. He replies well this is a lot of drama why don't you get your car right now. I was beyond annoyed because he knew I was at work and I had wanted to have my car picked up earlier and he came with a used transmission idea that was cheaper. He changed his whole tone and said don't wait til Monday to tell me you aren't going to let me work on the car. So then I told him someone would come and get the key from him and he could park my car on the street. He said they closed at 3 and I said ok. We got off the phone around 225pm my friend arrived at the shop at 245. She calls me to tell me the shop was CLOSED. I called the shop no one answers. I then proceed to call his cellphone. He answers and states that he closed the shop early to get a haircut! Wtf??i asked him who does that?? Especially since he made a fuss about the shop closing at 3! He said that my friend could wait 30 minutes for him to return and I told him that we would not be waiting and he hangs up in my face. 3 minutes later he calls back and says he is on his way. When he gets to the shop he has major attitude. And starts being rude to my friend. I would never recommend his shop to anyone not even an enemy! Like who does stuff like that.Plus he drained all my transmission fluid out of my car when I didn't ask him too! #hesafraud #stayAWAYfromAdrian #hecloseshishoptogethaircuts #hedrainedallmyfluidwhenididntaskhimtoo read more

Great place and great value! I shopped around for a fully complete tranny redo and not only was Ruffner Transmissions the least amount of money, but they also dis extra work like adding gears to allow it to work better with my heavy wheels and tires I have on the truck. I had 175k miles when I took it in for the repair and after a month now, the truck still drives like new. The owner gave me a few free services so he can keep an eye on everything. Glad I found this place and highly recommend it! read more

Brought my car to Adrian a couple years ago. Transmission broke after a day of using the car. He kept blaming the problem on the cars computer that it needed to be reset. Well isn't that why I paid you??? HONESTLY I DON'T THINK HE KNOWS WHAT HES DOING.... anyways took him to court and turns out this guys is broke...lives in San ysidro and has nothing to his name. I wonder how he keeps his business going lol. He owes me 3200 with accruing interest everyday. DON'T TAKE YOU CAR HERE...YOU WILL REGRET IT! read more

I have a big 2000 Dodge diesel 2500 4X4 with almost 130,000 miles on it. A month ago the automatic transmission started to slip as I was going up a hill. Nooooooo! I drive large vehicles for a living so I went to my work's mechanics' shop to get some professional input. They were unanimous that Ruffner Transmision was the place to go. They had many horror stories from other places from over the years. "Adrian knows his stuff", was the word. So I went. He checked out the truck, explained what was wrong (front band broken) and gave me options. Because I load a camper, he recommended that I beef up the transmission. He showed me the kit and the upgraded torque converter. The price, though steep for my budget, was $1000 less than Aamco or Rapid, and he gave me a three-year warranty, unlimited miles within that timeframe. I agreed, and he did the work in 2 days. I visited twice while it was underway and he showed me all the old parts and what he was doing. He was always accomodating. He gave me a box of the old parts that I wanted to have my mechanic buddy look at. I have waited a month to write this review while I tested my transmission. So far it has been flawless. I will update it in the future if there is a problem. In summary, I highly recommend Adrian at Ruffner Transmissions, especially if you have a diesel. read more

I am a local business owner and I have had Adrian work on my personal ford 7.3 transmission and a couple of our larger delivery box trucks here. Adrian has always been professional and more than accommodating (even storing broken vehicles for a couple of days)! We have started doing our routine maintenance on our vehicles here now and couldn't be happier, the prices are right in line for professional service at a reliable shop. Give him a try and you wont be sorry :) read more

I've sent women to Adrian and he always came through at minimal cost. They felt comfortable around him. He's taken great care of my friend's Honda Odyssey and F-150. Wish I would have had my clutch done by him. I couldn't recommend him more. He doesn't farm out work either to my knowledge preferring to do it himself so he knows it's done right. When I went in he was waiting on a part for a Mercedes Embassy car complete with bulletproof glass. The man's good. read more

He had the best prices and warrantee I could find by far! And he towed my car for no charge. Turned out that the parts I needed were on national back order, but he still got it done in a week. Look no further if you're having car troubles. This guy is legit. read more

Amazing work on my transmission! They know their stuff well. Really quick in and out. Amazing price! Adrian worked on my car and also helped my girlfriend to find a good car. I totally recommend this place. Thank you again read more

Recently I decided to restore a 1975 Chevy K5 Blazer. One of the items high on my list was to replace the old 3 speed with an overdrive 700R4 transmission. This is something that will not just bolt up, it requires moving the engine forward or the drivetrain aft a few inches. The folks at Ruffner Transmission had no problem with this complex custom installation and since I was adding an overdrive I could now change my gear ratios and add posi, which they did a great job of installing and testing. I now have a truck that is much faster off the line and is getting greater MPG on the highway thanks to the excellent custom work done by Ruffner Transmission! read more

Thank you so much for taking such good care of my car. She runs like a dream now, and so happy that I can bring her back to you for regular maintenance. I appreciate the honesty and the great service. you rock! read more

This man good my transmission in my clutch and I never got my old parts as I requested the guy doesn't even have a license to operate. According to the BBB. My cars clutch went out two years ago I don't know what junkie put in the car but it's not drivable right now. I will never go back to this man read more

Very cool guy definitely knows what he is talking about . went in with one question and definitely got my answer . worth my time would go back if i have any more transmission problems . read more

We are Maurice and Christina Malone and we needed help desperately. We have a 2004 Saturn Vue that had lost its transmission on my wifes way to work. I called alot of transmission shops that wanted outrages prices with and didnt seem to really care about our financial situation. I found Ruffner Transmission on the internet. I went to meet at his shop in person. I told him my wife wouldnt make it till 45 minutes past his closing time and he stayed open and waited on my wife to deliver the car. It stalled several times but barely made it.. He went throught the process of explaining exactly what parts he would be replacing and if anything else he would notify us first. He rebuilt it in a timely manner and gave us a 3 year warranty and he actually worked with us because it was an emergency situation. He didnt upsell or replace parts that we didnt need ., We would definetely advise everyone to go to him for transmission work. also while talking to him he explained that he does all automotive repair not only transmissions. He is the real deal and honest. Let his shop be your first and only shop. His name is ADRIAN and he is someone you can trust. Thanks again Adrian read more

Adrian, owner, serviced my car right. He told me it'd take about an hour. Knowing how car places are, we expected it to take 2-3 hours. Well I'll be darned... he called in about an hour just like he said. Plus he showed me the work that he did, and was upfront and honest with me. I'll be taking my car here from now on for anything transmission! read more

Adrian, did a great job on my Silverado truck transmission rebuild. Very reliable service and provided accurate cost estimate. I had a small issue come up after transmission was rebuilt but I called Adrian and he fixed right away. Transmission is still running great for over a 2 years now. read more

I left my beloved '99 Yukon with Adrian after the tranny started slipping. When I got it back at the promised time and at the promised price, the truck ran better than ever. Adrian is honest, prompt, and very knowledgeable. This is the kind of business I grew up, and it's the way it should be: a real tradesman who takes obvious pride in his work -- not some huge, corporate "service factory". The clincher for me was that he told me to bring it back so he could check it out, keep me on the road, and happy with his work. Highly recommended! read more

I would recommend Ruffner transmission to anyone!! Adrian knows his stuff,he has the quality and integrity to back up his workmanship. He has taken care of my family's car needs and is affordable.From brakes to engine to transmission,he knows it. read more

You are rolling the dice bringing your car to this mechanic. I came here expecting a quick replacement for a worn out clutch (based on other mostly positive reviews on this site). What I got was a botched job (created a major vibration that he only fixed when I insisted it wasn't there beforehand) and a broken cruise control (which he couldn't fix and is going to cost me another $500 to repair), plus several cups worth of almonds that he left scattered on the floor of my car. Update: Adrian says that the almonds he spilled all over my floor belonged to me, not to him. (See his comments below.) I'm not sure why he thinks this would have been acceptable, even if it were true. My advice to anyone considering this shop is to understand that you are taking a risk with your car by bringing it here. I would suggest going to a more reputable shop instead. read more

If you need your Transmission repaired without having to worry about having to come back, except for maintenance. Adrian is your transmission expert & specialist. Without exception he keeps you informed and is honest and very reasonably price and exceeds your expectations. My Mercedes transmission runs flawless! like new. read more

as good as it gets is right... if you want a local mechanic you can trust, a real straight shooter who tells it like it is and has reasonable rates - Adrian is your man! I've used him for over 4yrs now for wife's car and mine + both have heavy miles and he keeps making them run like new. Thanks Adrian! read more