I found Smittys service here on Yelp. I find a lot of places I use here on Yelp. I am baffled at some of these reviews. I went to Smittys unsure of what to expect. great service? Salesmen not mechanics? Proceed with caution was on my mind. WELL. I found that the man I spoke with Jeff was certified as a master technician and a saw several other guys wearing the master technician patch on there shirts. the facility looked old but was clean. Im told it has been open in San Diego since the 40s as a family business started by the grandfather of the current owner. Anyway, my daughters car needed help,My deceased husband was a mechanic i know a bit about this stuff. it wouldn't start. We had it towed in to have it looked at. Jeff called and told us they had out vehicle running again and that there were several major problems with the vehicle that would leave us stranded if we don't fix them. RED FLAG ALERT!!! He told us what was wrong and what it was going to take to make the car safe to drive. then recommended we don't fix any of them. he suggested we think economically in these hard times and just use the money to buy a newer better car instead of putting it into this one. He gave me a few suggestions as to how tot find a good used car and offered to look it over for free before we bought one. He also suggested a new car with all the deals out there and good financing rates being offered. We talked about it for a while and he gave me a phone number for the Toyota store in Escondido where he knew some people. We left Smitty's with a bill for 44.50 and a business card for Jeff with his cell phone # on the back. This morning we went to Toyota and were looking at a Yaris. they gave us a price and I called Jeff as he told me he could help us save money should we buy a new Toyota. about ten minutes after he hung up the manager came out and shook my hand and sold me that Yaris for 100$ over cost. We saved another 1275 dollars. So to anyone who says the guys at Smittys are not mechanics and are salesman, you obviously didn't talk to these guys. Jeff was VERY knowledgeable in all aspects of the automotive industry. He was honest and didn't try to sell us anything except some good advise, sent us in the right direction and then on his day off pulled strings that saved us a lot of money. Audri has a new Yaris now, she will be safe to drive to school without having to worry about breakdowns. Thank you Jeff for all you have done to help us, Smittys is definitely a place I would recommend to anyone who is looking for honest service without the worries of being ripped off. Lola read more

Hang tight, this is no ordinary review. If your service was delayed on December 26, 2023 well that's because Smitty's amazing team was aiding in a little rescue mission. So you'll have to forgive us. In the pictures below is little 5 months old Blue Blue and she decided to take a little adventure through San Diego. She snuck into the car from El Cajon, got down in La Mesa and decided she would hitch a ride with someone else. Luckily the next ride she chose was broken down. However, do no be afraid as her mission did not stop there, the car was towed to Smitty's in the afternoon where she soundly cuddled up on top of the engine. Thankfully, this momma is smart, especially knowing that blue blue is a little brat that loves scaring me every now and then with some mischief. I had an AirTag that after hours of searching pinged at Smitty's, I drove there thinking she is for sure scorched and I had lost my little baby. I walked into the receptions area where I found Britney, I explained the situation and when I say she was genuinely concerned and gathered up the team, Mike the owner was there, and Christian was the designated search party. And the other employees all picked a direction to search. We tracked her down inside the car that was towed and found her sitting oh so very calmly. Everyone cheered and were so excited for the rescue. You can find the footage on their Facebook if you'd like to watch a little Christmas miracle. All this goes to say, this business is extremely generous, Mike has picked a truly superb team of employees that not only will take care of your automotive needs but also anything under the sun you bring onto them out of the kindness of their heart. I might not be able to get my car needs at Smitty's with a Tesla, but rest assured I will always recommend them to all my family and friends and hopefully any of you that are reading this review. If I were to pick a place, I would choose Smitty's caring team, as their character PROVED that they would go above and beyond in any situation, always deliver, and take each "mission" or project extremely seriously, carefully and with care. Mike, Britney, Christian, I cannot thank you enough. Blue was a rescue and you rescued her again, we are so very grateful. read more

I've taken 3 Ford Explorers, 1 Lexus LS400, 1 Infiniti Q45 and 1 Nissan Stanza and even 1 1985 Ford Tempo I hate to admit, to Smitty's over the last 10yrs or so. I have referred the shop to everyone who has ever asked me for a good mechanic and know of at least 3 people who have had work done per my referral. (1 Chevy Avalanche, the same Lexus (after I sold it) and 1 Toyota 4Runner. These guys are amazing. My first experience was with the Stanza. I had taken it to the transmission place across the street and was quoted $1200 (way more than the car was worth) Mike suggested, based on the condition and overall value of the car, that I go with an alternative repair. I don't know the details but he was upfront about it not being a permanent fix but rather a "band-aid" that would probably last about 9mons and cost me $60 dollars. True to his projection, it lasted me exactly 9mons and I took it back and repeated this "bandaging". I got another 8months out of it before Mike told me he didn't feel comfortable doing it again for safety reasons. Ultimately I got just short of another year and a half out of my vehicle for a total of $120. Which was much more inline with the level of repair that car deserved based on its condition and value. In return he got a lifelong customer. He could have easily ripped me off but was honest, upfront and the consummate professional. The only thing I could say about this place that is less than positive is that I have noticed that it's lost a bit of that ma' and pa' charm/quality since expanding. Much the way any business does after having an extremely successful growth spurt. (If anyone ate at Phill's BBQ when they were a hole in the wall in Mission Hills, they will know what I mean) read more

Good morning, I've been coming to Smitty's since 1993. At that time, Mike Majors was very involved with estimates, very polite and a hands on approach to every loyal customer. Through the years Mike Major's has been in and out of Smitty's Service auto repair shop. His asst's have come and gone. Then Mike Majors would be back to this shop to get it back to normal with the high quality that Mike Majors would insist on for quality work. About two weeks ago I brought my Toyota, Camry, Solar a in for an oil change.and I expected the same quality service that I had received over the years! Only when I got the car back from Smitty's service the same quality care hadn't been done at all. On my way back from Claremont (San Diego), the cooling system burn hot. I was concern and called Smitty's service the next day. A gentleman called Beto, took the call. He said to bring it in the following morning and he would take a look at my car. Beto worked my car into the work day and relied on one of his top staff members. Then I was told that the engine needed to be dropped and a list of replaced and repairs: engine water pump, engine coolant thermostat,seals included, engine coolant thermostat housing, engine oil pump gasket, antifreeze, engine oil, oil filter. I was given an estimate of $1,100.00 for the full repairs. I was very concern. Today, I went to a local auto repair garage in my neighborhood. They did a full inspection of the engine and all parts that Smitty's Service Asst's manger had advised me to fix. They flushed the radiator, said all else is good! Well, after 25yrs of Smitty's service, it's time to move on! Richard Pace read more

I was refered to Smittys Service by my neighbor Don. I moved here from the east coast and needed a place I could trust to work on my new BMW. I went in for an oil change, I walked down the street for breakfast and was back to pick it up an hour and fourty minutes later. The car was still parked and had not been worked on. Alissa behind the counter told me someone would get on it right away and I could wait. An hour later I see my car in the air and am still waiting. It turns out they didnt have the proper oil filter for a newer car. I was now late for work. They finally finish my car and I leave a little dissappointed having just spent almost three hours to get an oil change with an appointment I waited a week to get. While waiting I hear the shop mechanics joking about he's GAY this and FAG that. IM GAY AND PROUD OF IT. Dont be haters guys. it just shows your mentality or lack of it.! Happy to get out of there Im driving down the highway heading into downtown San Diego when all of a sudden my car starts smoking. I pull over and the oil is coming out the bottom and spraying on the motor. I had my car towed to BMW who found the oil filter top housing was incorrectly installed and had started leaking. I was told I was lucky I had noticed right away because I could have blown up the motor if I had driven too much farther. A simple oil change costed me over 450$ by the time I was able to drive my car. AND costed me a day off of work because I just couldnt seem to get there due to a rash of car problems. Ill never go to Smittys again. and I dont recommend you do either. stick to the professionals. read more

As a yelp user I feel that I need to pay yelp back and other fellow yelp users by writing a review. I researched mechanics in my area and read several awesome reviews about Smitty's. I brought my car there three time and never once did I have a good experience. Yes, as other reviews state the mechanics and the Owner are very friendly but that is it. They are NOT knowledgeable and every-time you bring your car there for one thing another thing ends up breaking. I have had them look at my car a few times for them to tell me it is 100% OK and then I bring it elsewhere and there is something wrong with it. They can not be trusted and there work is not satisfactory. If you want to bring your car there for an oil change, great, but I would not trust them to do ANYTHING else on my car or yours. You have to continuously call them to ask what is wrong with your car or if your car is ready. I would recommend bringing your car to another mechanic. Also, I would like to add that last time I was in Smitty's I asked to see the car checklist and everything was checked off that it was com pleated and it clearly wasn't. They did not put air in my tires and there wasn't any windshield wiper fluid. Neither one of these items are huge but it goes to show you their lack of attention to detail. I specifically asked them if they topped off the fluids and checked the air pressure and I was told yes on both items and neither item was complete. read more

I wish I could give this place negative stars or at least none at all!!! I went in there to have my car looked at because it was making funny noises, they charged me $89.87 to tell me they didnt hear any noises. the rude lady behind the counter had them recheck it when I asked about the noise that was still there. they then told me it was a pulley squeeking and that it would be an additional $273.00 dollars. I left my car again to be fixed, when I picked it up at the end of the day they took my money and pulled my car around....and it was still squeeking. They refused to refund any money and offered to fix it., but I needed my car to get home and to work. AND couldnt afford to pay them to guess anymore. I went to the dealership and they sold me a new belt. they said the rubber was glazed and getting hard. the noise was gone. so for 350 plus dollars I was treated poorly by some office girl who sold me a bunch of crap I didnt need and was kind of rude when I asked about a noise I had just paid to have fixed. Ill have to sue them to get my money back , small claims court. DONT go to Smitty's Service. you might be ripped off, and if they dont fix it you will still be charged for their shitty mistakes. TOTAL RIPPOFF ESTABLISHMENT. I talked to my friend next door and she told me a horror story of her own from her trip there in Febuary. I wish I had asked her before I went there. THIS PLACE IS BAD NEWS!!! read more

What can I say that other Yelpers haven't already covered? Smitty's Service is "the" place to take your car if you want honesty, not just service. Mike, the owner, is super nice and does not try to sell you on anything you don't need. He's been taking care of my wife and I for years. I know Rick and the team of mechanics has been with him forever but our last visit there were new guys up front. The shop seems to be growing lately and I was a little worried about how this may affect our car. Mike Anders (yes there are two of them) and the other two seem to be carrying the torch in the fine tradition established by Smitty himself back in 1945. The service advisors were friendly and went out of their way to describe the condition of our car and gave a prioritized list of what it needs to get it back in shape. It turned out that my brake rotors were out-of-round, they explained that it was not a safety issue and that I can get by for another year or so. I recently lost my job and another year will buy me enough time to get my feet back on the ground. I just had another excellent experience and I want my friends to know. I love the people at Smitty's - and I recommend them to everyone! read more

I recently moved to San Diego from Texas, I am attending law school downtown at Cal Western school of law. Three days after arriving my car decides to leave me stranded...I was frantic as I needed it to get everywhere. Where do I go...Who do I trust. A nice couple pulled over and offered me a ride and recommended Smitty's Service on Adams ave. They said they had been going there for years and were happy so I sent my car there. The guys at Smittys were VERY helpful, Jeff and Angell spent a lot of time laughing and joking around while helping me get my car fixed. That really made some of the worry easier to deal with. They were busy but Jeff took the time to explain my cars problem and repair to me, and took the time to explain it again to my dad in Texas. Dad says Im supposed to go to Smittys if I ever have a problem in the future, he was impressed with the knowlegable answers and the outstanding price I was given, My dad was a race car driver and owns several car dealerships. He is a hard man when it comes to cars. THANK YOU SMITTY'S...you guys are not only great but fun to be around, and cute. Michelle. read more