I recently took my car in to get serviced as well as get a smog certification (which always makes me hold my breath given the age of the car). If you're looking for an honest, highly skilled mechanic, S & M Automotive is outstanding and checks so many boxes! I come down from Ventura to see "Shady", and his name couldn't be more ironic, because there's nothing shady about him or his work. He's been maintaining my 2005 Lexus SC430 and has saved me a boatload of money on repairs and maintenance over the years. He's respectful, friendly, and clearly takes pride in getting things right. My most recent service made the car run like it did when it was new. The engine is humming smoothly again, something I've honestly NEVER experienced after a repair or routine maintenance anywhere else and I've owned this car since 2007. And while the name S & M Automotive might make some people do a double take (hahaha), the only thing painful here is realizing how unnecessary other repair bills can be once you find a mechanic this good and dependable. If you want honest, skilled automotive service, S & M Automotive is absolutely trustworthy and dependable. read more

These folks were super helpful! I was 50 miles from home and my car was overheating. Worse yet, the end of the business day was quickly approaching. Despite that, the folks at S&M took the time to do a quick assessment of my car and advise me what the likely problems were. That really helped me assess my options. I could not be more appreciative and, if I lived in the area, I definitely would give them an opportunity to be my regular mechanic. read more

Quality customer service. Look no further if you're looking for a shop to take care of your basic auto needs and help guide you along the way. Ill be bringing back my other vehicles here. read more

Straight shooter, fair price, job looks good, ac works perfect on my 2006 Ridgeline, would definitely go to shady's shop.

Shady did a great job with my vehicle! I had a literal dead rat behind my car radio, and he got it out. It wasn't the fastest, and it wasn't the cheapest, but he gave me regular updates and realistic expectations. I appreciated the shop's quick communication and thoroughness. read more

Professional, friendly, and fair establishment. This is my go-to mechanic. I am so glad I found him/them. Highly recommend!

I have been there once, but plan to bring my car back. He does great service and so glad to find this place. Great service, reasonable pricing, and friendly staff. read more

Took my car in for what I suspected was a starter. Shady took care of that and offered to look for other things that may need attention. After a few other minor things, my car runs like new. All at a reasonable price. Very chill person and easy to work with. Recommend 100% read more

Shady has been my mechanic for the past few years. His shop is in Camarillo and I live in Port Hueneme but it is worth the inconvenience. He is very skilled, knowledgeable and honest. I have a Toyota and he is the best in this local area. He is very busy so you have to be flexible with his schedule. He always does his best to fit you in as soon as possible. He really cares about his customers. read more

Trustworthy, fair, prompt, thorough and a job well done. I have been going to S&M for a couple years now, and have had two of my vehicles serviced there, and each time, the guys have solved the service requested, and pointed out what else could be done, while also suggesting what is a priority. I will be bringing my vehicles here moving forward. read more

Quick, easy multipoint inspection and oil change. Great price & honesty from workers! Appreciate the help!

After taking my car to the dealer for service for 10 yrs, I decided that was long enough. Shady was recommended to me by a friend. Later I found out my son takes his car to S & M. The prices are reasonable and if you don't need something done, he'll be honest and let you know. Glad I made the change. read more

Since moving to Camarillo, I've brought both my car and my wife's car here several times. Finding a trustworthy mechanic is like finding a good doctor or dentist--it's not easy. I asked around town and checked with the local auto parts store, and S&M was one of the top recommendations, along with another shop. My experience with Shady has been great. I understand mechanics sometimes worry about people looking for cheap shortcuts or "friend deals," but all I expect is fair pricing and quality work--and that's exactly what I've gotten here. I plan to keep coming back... hopefully not too often though! Nothing personal--I'd just prefer my cars not break down that much! read more

I've been there several times over the past 6 years. He is as honest as they come, he found a problem that the dealer gave up on my Silverado. wouldn't go anywhere else. read more

I had a great experience with S & M Auto Center. I was very cautious about finding a mechanic to fix my car after being quoted $1800 by another mechanic to repair the air conditioning on my 2004 Pontiac Vibe. I initially bought all the parts to do the job myself but soon realized it would take too much time. I wanted to find someone who could do the work at a reasonable and fair cost. Shady at S & M Auto Center proved to be the honest and fair mechanic I was looking for. He diagnosed my air conditioning issue by evacuating and recharging the system, confirming that the compressor needed replacement. He allowed me to use the parts I had bought and did not charge for the second recharge after replacing the compressor, as I had already paid for it once. In addition to fixing my air conditioning, Shady also repaired my control arms and brakes. My car now brakes smoother than ever. When the brakes I had purchased turned out to be warped and did not work properly, Shady replaced them with a new set free of charge, even though he was not responsible for the faulty brakes I had bought. In my experience, Shady is very honest and always offers discounts where he can, providing very competitive pricing and a fair deal without expecting a good review in return. I highly recommend this mechanic! read more

I haven't had my car serviced here yet, but I had a major issue with one of my cars and they were extremely accommmodating and allowed me to store my vehicle there for over two weeks. I don't know anyone else that would do this for a non paying customer, let alone an actual customer. They were a class act all around and I will be taking my vehicle here for any future maintenance. Thank you again gentleman for your help! read more

I highly recommend! Owner, Shady and his staff are top notch. They are very knowledgeable, kind, honest and very reasonably priced. Excellent mechanic read more

Shady is the most honest owner of a mechanics shop anywhere on Southern California. When it comes to my car I won't let anyone work on them except shady. Infinity quoted me 3600 to replace a relay . Shady 300. It was done quickly . Runs perfect ! Don't waste your time going anywhere else unless you want to pay more for less work. Hyundai wanted $219.00 to diagnose problem Shady no charge . And solved the problem!! read more

I see why this place has such high ratings! Fast response, high quality service, and very affordable. I will bring my car back here if I need anything and will be recommending friends and family too. Shady was wonderful to work with. Thanks so much S&M! read more

It's so refreshing to find a local honest auto repair shop. I've been going to the same mechanic in Saticoy (his honesty is worth the drive) for over 25 years. That mechanic is working through an injury and is out of commission, hence my search for an honest mechanic closer to home. Based on the 5 star reviews here, I chose S & M. I brought my car in for brake inspection and replacement, along with cabin air and regular air filter replacement. Imagine my shock when they called me about an hour later to say my brakes are in great shape for another 10-15,000 miles and they cleaned but didn't need to replace any of my air filters. When I picked up my car, there was no charge for their services. I am so impressed with Shady and his team's honesty. I definitely will be returning. read more

I highly recommend this place! I came here for a slow power steering fluid leak. After a quick inspection the owner/technician, advised me the cost of repair vs. the possibility of the issue being problematic due to using refurbished a power steering pump, replacement was not the way to go. I'm sorry, what? An honest mechanic? He suggested using fluid w/ stop leak from now on to help slow it down. I hope this review helps someone on their quest to find a trustworthy mechanic read more

I yelped S&M on Saturday and he told me to call him Monday morning, which I did to set up an appointment and he had no availability whatsoever to do oil change. I would have to leave the car there all day to do an oil change takes only one hour to change oil. Why would I have to leave the car all day? Obviously he is busy. I would not highly recommend this place. read more

All the praise that's written about this place is well deserved. The brake rotors that I needed were scheduled to arrive on a very busy day for me. But they were able to schedule my return so that it fit perfectly into the window of time I had available. A few days later, my MIL light came on. I called and was told to come right in. They immediately figured out that it was a non-emergency situation. But what I was most impressed with was how quickly they jumped at trying to help me. I left thinking "Man, these guys are just really nice!" and super happy that I found a "good one". read more

yes i am sure about leaving this review. NO! I did not make a mistake. I met you and two other employees. I have uber receipts that i went there. you did not do a good job in and i stand by it! read more

Dealership advised I needed front brakes snd gave me a high quote! Shady squeezed me in and did it for 300.00 less! I feel confident that Shady has what a lot of those in the auto industry don't-integrity! I cannot say enough about how nice it is to have someone you trust & don't feel taken advantage of! Thank you! On a side note- as a female it is hard to find places that don't take advantage of you when it comes to anything car related. read more

This truck was being a pain in the ass. Ole girl was tired and she was replaced with a new car so I think she was jealous and stubborn and didn't feel like passing smog. Took the truck here and it took a couple of times but Shady and his peeps got her taken care of and in the road! She will have to adjust to the new addition and keep truckin on along. He communicated and listened well and when the stress of smog got to us, he got the truck handled like a boss. Go now if you want a trustworthy mechanic who handles bizzzzn read more

I'm updating my review from 3 years ago because S&M Auto Center earns 5 stars from me throughout the year. First, both of our cars are maintained excellently, efficiently and for a fair price. I know exactly who to ask when any car-related question comes up -- Shady at S&M. But when someone operates so ethically and honestly as S&M, it's also a relief to check with Shady for his recommendations in other arenas. Since we moved to Camarillo in 2019, Shady has provided quality referrals and guidance. Not only did S&M get my unequivocal recommendation years ago, they earn it over and over again. read more

Have been taking both mine and my wife's car there for years now, and her car is a "special needs" type car. They have always been helpful, friendly and willing to take on the repair work, from oil changes on up. The owner and his crew are extremely knowledgeable and easy to work with. Would recommend them to anyone. read more

Literally only shop I'll ever go to if they provide the service. Not only did Shady and his team go above and beyond, they actually listened. Which multiple places were unable to find nothing at all with my vehicle, they found everything and took the time to listen to my bad version of what was happening. Never have I felt heard and actually fully safe with advice until now. Realistic pricing and fulfilled all service requests. read more

Excellent service and very honest...most trusted mechanic in the area! Been going to him for years read more

Very honest and reliable. Will always recommend Shady to everyone. I've taken every car I've ever owned here and have never been disappointed in the service read more

Wow! New in town, called around several shops when my 2013 CRV would start, but the engine wouldn't run. Priced out 3 shops then called Shady back to ask to recommend a tow truck. He then asked me a few questions and we figured out that it was my key fob (I had taken it apart to change the battery and hadn't finished). Could have easily made a quick buck, but did such an honest thing. Customer for life here. (All he asked for was a cup of coffee, I won't forget to bring one!) read more

I'm so glad I found an honest mechanic after moving to Ventura county. Shady is not shady. He explains everything in simple terms. S & M Auto Center is not as painful as it sounds. Hopefully I will be bringing my Lexus cars here for years to come. read more

Shady is very helpful, honest and communicative. Saves us money and time through keeping us on a maintenance schedule. He also checks out cars we are thinking of buying and gives us honest reviews. read more

Excellent knowledgeable trustworthy service. Very timely in making repairs and notifying when finished. Highly recommend this business! read more

Shady did an awesome job replacing my 12v battery on my Prius C in a timely manner. He was very flexible and called me to notify me when the repair was completed. Shady and the staff are very knowledgeable, professional and very honest, which I really appreciate and which is, unfortunately, hard to find in an auto shop/mechanic nowadays. I will definitely be bringing my car for future service and I 100% recommend this auto center. Thank you! :) read more

High integrity, honest and fair priced mechanic shop, you cant do much better than that. I keep coming back here to service my cars.

Honest and fixes your vehicle right at a fiat price. Was 40% less than the dealership to replace my a/c compressor and it worked better than it ever had! This is an auto shop you can trust! read more

Shady is the most honest mechanic I've ever dealt with and my dad used to own car lots and I've dealt with many. He's not only honest but very responsive and helpful and accommodating and fair, and a very nice person to deal with. I recommend him 100% to everyone I know read more

WOW! This is by far the BEST repair shop I've ever stepped foot in. I'd give them 10 stars if I could! As a woman, auto repair shops can be a little overwhelming because I simply don't understand the full extent of what's happening and there's a fear of being ripped off or taken advantage of that comes along with that, so I typically prefer not to go alone. With that being said, my fiancé was working and I had to go by myself. The moment I stepped into this shop, I was comfortable. I had called ahead to let Shady know I had routed the tow truck to his shop as the shop we were previously going to had been closed and I had no other options. He originally told me this may be a problem because he wasn't going to be open the next two days so I may be waiting a long time. This was fine, I had no other options and understood. When I arrived, the tow truck still hadn't arrived yet so Shady and I small talked, they have a BEAUTIFUL chameleon in the office that became the focus of our conversation. Shady was just a really nice, down to earth guy who was really easy to get along with. He was straight forward and honest and I trusted him almost immediately. He took great care of me. He figured out the problem quickly, got the parts needed and repaired my completely un-drivable car in 3 hours. I was amazed!!! He really went out of his way and made me a priority because he knew I had a child and relied heavily on my vehicle. His empathy for my situation really showed. His work was amazing, my car runs good as new! And to top it allllll off, he charged me an incredible, honest and fair price. He's just amazing. My family and I will not be using any shops other than S&M. The service and the most importantly the mechanic themselves just don't get better than this! read more