I couldn't be happier with their service. When I brought my car in, John immediately elevated it and showed me the leaks underneath. My old mechanic never did that. This shows trust and transparency to your customers. In addition, they even let me borrow a vehicle free of charge (excluding gas) until I was ready to pick my car back up. The cost of the labor and parts needed seemed balanced too. read more

They paint cars and allow the spray to drift into the nearby properties as well as the adjacent Federal building while employees travel on the walking path. The spray paint is toxic and unbearable. A formal complaint has been submitted to the city and they have been warned to cease until they can properly filter the toxins. They intentionally allow the chemicals to blow from their building. They have chosen not to comply with business requirements to protect the community and environment. This has been occurring for almost 15 years. Shame on them. read more

Don't come here unless you want to be scammed. Came here for a simple oil change. Ended up having to pay $350. All they did was retread the hole and add a new drain plug. It took them 10-15 minutes to do so. They asked me how much money I have in the bank before giving me the quotes. I'm like that's an odd question. Are you genuinely worried about if I can afford this type of work or are you just scheming a dollar amount you feel okay taking from me? After what unfolded, it was the latter. They first tried charging me $750 to replace the oil pan. The owner will pose as being your friend looking out for you, and giving you the best price. But looks can be deceiving. They will try to scam you. Just look at all the recent reviews and type in "scam" in the search bar for the reviews on here. I opted to just pay $350 for resizing the hole and adding a new drain plug. I thought this was a fair deal as I don't have to replace my whole oil pan. As you can see, none of their labor exceeds $300 an hour. And most of the labor per hour is less than $200 an hour. This job was less than 15 minutes. My car was parked outside the garage already fixed. They were just making me wait longer so it seems like they were fixing it longer. I tried pleading with the owner to see if I can at least get half back. That's $175 for less than 30 minutes of work. Told him I had been coming here for the last 8 years and that this was so unfair and it feels bad. All he said was "a deals a deal." That's not a deal. That's fraud and dishonest work. I just replied with "sorry this happened and thank you for fixing my car." I knew at that point, I was not getting any money back. The paper trail doesn't lie! Check out my pictures down below.. it is what it is. If this review helps other people from a malicious hoax. Then at least, my mistake on my part will not go to waste. Huge learning lesson. Double check with other auto shops or even the cops if it feels like you're being scammed. Trust your intuition if it feels off. Please do not support a business like this one. As citizens of this community, we don't want to waste/spend our hard earned money on a business that will cheat us. Let's spend our money elsewhere that will be fair and look out for our best interest! read more

Save Auto - Labor per hour - Auto Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

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Over charge and tell you something needs fixing and it really don't. Don't put your car back together right, leave bolts and parts loose.

The shop owner was very knowledgeable and easy to work with, and the pricing was very reasonable. The final cost ended up being slightly higher than I originally expected, but that was because he took the time during maintenance to point out a loose screw, something that could have turned into a much more expensive issue down the line. I really appreciated being informed and given the choice to address it or not. If you come here, you can expect excellent service, attention to detail, and honest communication. Highly recommended. read more

Save Auto - Auto Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

Scam artists at their finest. They will over charge, make up things to fix, charge a ridiculous amount and then try an lower it to seem like they are helping. I would not trust them with your property. Horrible business practices. read more

SCAM! Overcharge you while you are not looking. Terrible, unethical people. Run away from these crooks. Charge over 100$ for a smog, not a oil service but a smog. read more

Don't go, it is a scam, misdiagnosed issue, and charged $1500.00, and did not fix the issue, avoid this place!!!!!

I guess I should be realistic with myself and reconsider my last review. It's very unpredictable as to the service people get here. A friend has had major work done and never a problem. I, on the other hand, brought my vehicle there for a clutch job. When I picked it up, I asked if they did a test drive and they said yes. However, I barely made it home as the clutch failed and it was a different gear than when I brought it in. They made it right, but it was a hassle and I could've had an accident. They obviously did no test drive. Fast forward three years later and I asked them for an estimate for a repair I had priced at about 3 places. Got a fast estimate for $50, but I knew that the part alone was $200. This is what has happened repeatedly; I'm quoted a low price and once I get in there, the actual cost is 4 times more. Be careful. read more

05/31/25 Total scam. Stay away. My wife brought in our 2015 Corolla for an oil change. Upsold front and rear brake lining change. My mistake for taking the car anywhere else. Never again. read more

3 week update: I got my car back after some back and forth and an eventual massive repair. Perhaps CVT fluid drained instead of Diff, destroying the transmission? Either way, I drove into issues that required a lot of work at their expense. Johnny took care of this and followed up repeatedly. I have my fingers crossed but so far the drive has been solid. I have driven for about 100 miles. It's unfortunate a routine fluid change triggered parts replacement. I will update again. 48 hours later: I'm driving on the 15 freeway and suddenly my front brakes lock up. I have to accelerate through it but it's rough and shaky. If there was any car nearby, I could've caused a massive accident with my sudden stopping. Had to dangerously maneuver across 4 lanes to an emergency shoulder. Heart rate was definitely up. I could smell the strong smell of burning from the front of the car. I knew it must've been the newly installed brake pads and/shocks. I'm still very angry about this. Avoided death, waited for tow truck and ruined a day. I'll be curious to see how they handle my rage Monday. To be continued. read more

Save Auto - Me getting towed because my brakes were not properly installed. - Auto Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

Good price, good service, my number one place for smog check. They also have a buddy shop on Arrow drive for STAR certified checks

We have been coming to Save Auto for years. The owner, Vinny, and his crew really know how to hustle! They are thorough in their diagnosis, and give the best rate possible. We trust Vinny. We've been in some tough spots with our vehicles in the past, but Vinny always comes through and gives us great pricing. Save Auto is the place to go for straightforward auto repair! read more

This place over charged for everything and make unnecessary repairs. Made you feel obligated to fix things you don't need.

BE WARNED..this place is a Ripoff the Guy at the front desk will lie telling you that you need work and parts you DON'T need.. just save yourself the hassle and go to your local dealer we saved almost $1500 from what save auto was trying to charge us..Save auto more like "SCAM AUTO" read more

It is covid and the person on the desk doesn't wear mask. Minus 2 stars. Minus 2 stars as well because i just freshly cleaned my car and when i disinfected my car with white cloth, the leather is black as well as the steering wheel after smog test. Most probably because the mechanic was dirty. He said it was my turn to pay, and i waited 10 mins for him while he was called by another customer to check his car that is already serviced / "finished" but he was asking why there is flashing inside his car. The guy in front who was taking payments said i will look into it again while holding my credit card on his hands. (Rolls eyes). I just find it unprofessional to not wear mask as a desk person and to say the car is done even if it is not. For me to wait for another 10 mins in front of the desk while my credit card is in his hands and went straight to the guy's car to park it on their garage. Bye! read more

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Don't Use this business, they will rip you off! Went in for an oil change using a coupon, on one of our cars. While there the mechanic put a hole in one of the cv boots with a screwdriver on purpose so he could upcharge us with other repairs. On another car the crooked service writer had the mechanic take out our good name brand, working car battery and replace it with a cheaper brand battery which fails to hold a charge. We had taken the car in for a bigger repair and he wanted to make it seem like he was giving us a battery, free of charge. Yeah, it was free of charge alright, but not in a good way - it doesn't hold a charge! They took advantage of a senior, a disabled blind man and a young 16 yr old driver. Nice going guys! May your Buddha give you the Bad Luck you deserve!! This so-called business is dishonest!! Close them Down!! Don't use them!!! read more

My parents had a 2004 Toyota Camry which failed a Smog Check many times. We ended up buying new parts before finally passing the Smog Check. And because of that, we spent $4000 of car repairs and guess what? The car continued to have more problems until it finally broke down permanently. Thanks Save Auto, my parents will never drive again! Thank you for your quality and service, my parents will never get our money back! Can't trust people with cost with repairs like that read more

Vinny and the crew always does an awesome job. Been with this shop for over 5 years. They are honest and will beat any price. They even do paint and body work. But my favorite attribute is they always have things done when promised. Typically 50% less cost than going to a dealer. read more

Whenever it's more work than I want (or know how) to do, I bring my vehicle to Save Auto. They have the least expensive oil changes and were able to fabricate new exhaust pipes. Not a perfect score because it is definitely not the cleanest auto repair shop I've been to. read more

Horrible customer service, extremely rude, and overpriced. When I came pick up my car, the inside was so dirty, they left dirt all over my seats, dashboard and doors. read more

Horrible Horrible Horrible , the worse auto shop forever !!! And Here is what they do to hack your money . they start with really low cost at beginning, such as a $100 bucks , just telling you , you will just need to replace the battery then it will be fine. Then , just about last minutes in end of the day , they says , there is another part need to get replace. " what would you do with it ?" WEll , DO IT !!!. because you have no choice . so " the price will get added up , more more more and more . $ 1400 added for the sensor ( you know what , if you go to other place it will only cost you a few of hundreds ). "OK ......FINE . NEXT day , they call back says there is another part need to get replace .$2700!!!!!!! I don't mind to pay for any reasonable cost , but their honesty. we finally made decision to let them know , we will go somewhere else . GREAT !!! they abandon the vehicle off the street !!! what a great job!! what great a excellent servers~ read more

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Great service for great prices. They usually have availability and accept walk ins. I've brought a couple cars here for routine service such as oil changes, alignment and AC recharging. They did good quality work pretty quickly. When speaking to you they are sometimes short and straight to the point, don't confuse that with being rude. They are mechanics not sales or communication experts! English is not their first language so don't listen to the ignorant yelpers on here who are leaving negative reviews for someone not having the same communication skills as them. If you want perfect customer service and to be pampered then you should go to a dealership and pay their prices! read more

Very honest and friendly staff, and seemingly quick service. I went in for a smog check at 7:30am in the morning (when they open). I cast a blind eye to the three guard dogs behind the fence upon rolling up (FYI, street parking only) because I'm not quite a fan behind the idea of them especially at auto shops. I'll let it slide though because they were cute and fat, albeit very 'guardy' indeed. Anyways, slightly irked because they didn't quite 'open' right at 7:30am and I had to wait until ~7:40am until I was helped. Usually, I'm not bothered by this but I had places to be, namely work! They did get my car in right away and it was ready within 10 minutes. Cool. I flashed the coupon for their special $20 smog check deal, but the guy waved it off. Unfortunately, I didn't have cash on me, and I couldn't check out until Vinny came in who seemed to be the only guy who could use the credit card machine. I was already late for work, but I kept my cool and thanked Vinny when he finally did come in and ring me up. Interestingly, I was charged $22 instead of $20 perhaps because I had used credit? In any case, it's still pretty cheap and they were very fast and reliable. Plus, they are open pretty early. Just remember to have cash on hand in case Vinny isn't in! read more

Save Auto - Cozy waiting room with plush and comfy seats. Tv, fan and free water in the fridge too - Auto Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great service for reasonable prices. I've brought a couple cars here for routine service such as motor & transmission oil changes, and brakes. They did good quality work pretty quickly. Downside is you can't speak with the mechanic or view your car on the bay to have a better understanding of problems. Vinnie, owner, is short and straight to the point kind of guy. Many think he is rude but it's more of a cultural and language thing. I wouldn't worry about it too much. read more

Fast and cheap. They do good work and make honest living. Also if they need to order a part for your car they can typically get it same day. Sometimes even 15 minutes. read more

I walked in to get a smog check and John rudely threw my registration paper back at me saying "not a STAR smog place, go somewhere else". My mistake for not seeing I needed to go to a STAR station. But dude could be nicer about it. What a trash person. read more

Had a radiator hose changed on 2014 Ford Escape charged $1550 . This is 2 to 3 times what cost should be. They doubled price of parts and padded time it should take to repair. Would not recommend this auto repair shop. read more

The Asian guy at the front desk is very rude and I believe he's a racist. I'm African American, I talked to him on the phone several times before I went to his shop. When I got there he looked at weird and said "I only take cash". I'm the type of person that don't really Cary cash. I always use my debit card. It's the same as cash. So I said "I only have my card" and then he said "go and get cash". He said it with attitude. So I just left and never went back. I took my car to another as uto repair shop and got it fixed. He missed out on $150.00 today and he lost a customer. read more

Never come get your car fixed here they are rude and they will scam you I know from several reliable resources that they do this they are the worse auto body ever don't waste your money here they are scammers read more

I felt that this business is a little dishonest. There were times that they would charge more for no reason. There were many repairs that seemed unreasonable and would recommend repairs when are not needed like new brakes. Don't fall for it. Get a second opinion. They will try to give a good deal but it's really. read more

Not much to look at and a little tricky to find, but low prices, friendly staff, and reliable service. I always come here for my smog tests. In and out in 30 mins for under $26. No coupon needed. My only constructive criticism is the way they told me my car needed new tires and new shocks: "This car hasn't had much maintenance, has it?" read more

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This is a great little shop. It may not look like a top-of-the-line shop from the outside, but it offers great service. The managers, Vinny and John, really know their stuff! They are honest with their estimates and take care of all the repair details. Thier prices are very competitive and they offer free user cars if things take longer than expected to repair. I would recommend them to anyone! read more

I'm highly disappointed with the poor service at this place. Vinny appears to be a nice and friendly guy but clueless about finding the problem with my car. We brought our car for service repair because we heard a noise upon acceleration. No engine lights are on just this weird noise on low acceleration. He ran a check on the car and came back with almost $5000 worth of repairs. None of the repairs even addressed the issue at hand. He mentioned he drove it around and didn't hear anything. We came back to pick up our car but he insisted we at least do the front tires and alignment for $400. Our priority was to fix the noise problem. We then asked him to take the car for a test drive with us to see if he could experience the noise problem. After a few circles around the parking lot he was just saying stuff from the top of his head, guessing all types things that could be the problem. He convinced us that the car needed a tune up and it should fix the problem. We agreed to do the two front tires w/alignment and full tune up $750. After, we got home we asked what does the tune up include. He mentioned spark plugs, coils, oil change, oil filter and air filter. The car had an oil change about a 1.5 months ago. It didn't need an oil change but he mentioned work had already been started when we only just dropped it off 30 min ago. He said the front tires are done just 30 minutes after we dropped the car and said work had been started for the tune up. I find that hard to believe bc he told me the car will be ready 4 hours. Five hours later we pick up our car and after we got home I was highly disappointed to see my driver's side floor mat had oil stains from the mechanic shoes. Also, my air gauge light was on. I notified Vinny of the issues. He quickly said bring it back" I will clean it" tomorrow. This man thinks I have time to drive back there. It's a huge inconvenience and highly unprofessional. The place needs to invest in paper floor mats to protect customer's car from oil stains. I'm deeply dissatisfied with the poor service from this place. I felt like I was at the dentist with the typical upselling of services (treatments) you don't need. I don't recommend this place and will not got back there. Take your car to an honest place. This place will upsell you and clueless about the car problem....just relying on the diagnostic machine. Smooth operator....and quick to give you a price but without the details...he is very general. Be sure to ask a lot of questions on what exactly is being done. Don't get suckered into unnecessary repairs! After all that, my car is still having the problem. He did not fix it. read more

I was thinking of giving this shop a 5-star rating for the cheapest price of oil change in town. Until I found out that they did not replace the oil filter for the engine oil change service. What is just happening here? I called the shop owner this morning and complained to him about it. He seemed no surprise. He told me to bring it back and he will replaced it for me. Like I have time for this. Unbelievable. I called the shop owner again to tell him that I am not taking my car back to the shop and I expected him not to charge my credit card. He said no. He has to. I will contact my credit card company to dispute this transaction. Stay tune. My credit card company has credited my $ back to my account. No more Save Auto for me. Adieu. read more

Save Auto - Auto Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

I would not recommend taking your car to this place.I confirmed with them three times the price My wife brings the car in they try to charge her an extra hundred bucks hoping to get away with it. I confirmed with him three times no upsell's correct this is the price out the door? I get it in there they start on it and say you need this now. I gave them every opportunity to mention it. scandalous predatory company stay away from them read more

They are dishonest and over charged me for a part they broke on purpose to get as much money as they could. The part was very inexpensive they changed way more the labor took 30 minutes to plug in a switch a charged 500.00. I'm am getting an attorney and getting the BB and consumer affairs involved. I spent over 10.000 in 3 years with them . I recommend you find a different shop. They are scam artists and very dishonest and they are the worst of the worst. read more

It's best that you stay away from this place. They must do some good based on the reviews I've read here. However, I had the same experience as most of the one star people had. I took my vehicle in, and came back with more repair work needed. Things that were working stopped after an oil change. Just be careful with this one. read more

Avoid. Unreliable repair work. Poor quality parts used. Had my A/C fixed here FIVE TIMES. No kidding. FIVE TIMES. And, it just broke again. Read the one-star reviews. read more

Avoid this auto shop at all cost!!!! We got our engine rebuilt and less than a week of driving it and now it's not working anymore. Brought the car back and now they're saying it's something else and it would require me to pay more money. No thank you! I'll take my business somewhere else read more