I was out of town and got my lower control arms and my rear shocks replaced at another auto shop. Came back to San Marcos within a few days and was hearing a very loud noise. I called SoCal Auto and brought in my car. Chris immediately took a look at it and fixed it. He corrected the other shops mistake super quick and was a huge help. Definitely going to take my car back to SoCal Auto for whatever maintenance I will need ! read more

Was leaking some type of fluid so I gave them a call yesterday 3Pm. Spoke to the owner Chris who was very nice and told me bring the Murano right over so he could take a look. Upon arriving, they got me right in and found the problem in no time at all. Thanks to Chris and his staff my Murano is back in action. I will definitely be going back to SoCal Auto repair in the future to have my Murano serviced. Thank you again for the fantastic service. Mike Bernard read more

Didn't have a chance to drop by but customer service over the phone was outstanding with the supervisor! I called for an estimate and got a complete walk through of steps to take with my car that was having problems. I wanted to take it to his shop but had warranty at another and he suggested I take it there first with realistic estimates what it'd cost with him. My shop with the warranty is a good 50 miles away so tow is quite an expense but he gave me options when I was in a bind and needed some figuring out. Unbelievable customer service and first impressions were everything. Next time I need work done I know where I'm going! read more

Rock Stars. I took my "classic" 1991 Isuzu Trooper SUV to Chris, on recommendation from a neighbor, after another mechanic had made a mess of installing some front end parts (ball joints, CV axle boot, etc.). Chris and his mechanics worked through a nightmare of old parts, bad parts, improperly designed and installed parts, and did as perfect a job as mechanically and humanly possible, getting the old girl ship shape (desert ready) again. They're rock stars of the auto repair world, that's what they are. And through it all they were open and honest and communicated what was going on. Amazing. We should have a "Mechanic Of The Year Award" or something! read more

Wow, THIS is the place! I had been wanting to find a new mechanic for a while, and found SoCal Auto here on Yelp. I had a few "mysterious" issues with my Toyota Tundra, and Chris figured them all out in a flash! They all turned out to be various wires that were chewed by rodents. Everything was fixed, including Chris going the extra mile to make them more rodent proof. My truck was ready in less than 24 hours. Chris is honest, very professional and fast! SoCal Auto is a very clean and well-kept shop. On diagnosing the issues, Chris both texted and emailed me the photos, following up by calling me to make sure that I had seen them. It was a pleasure doing business with him! We will definitely be taking all of our cars there! No wonder there were 85 five star reviews (which is why I decided to give SoCal Auto a try)! read more

Chris and his team at SoCal Auto are excellent. They are very thorough, honest and accommodating. I send everyone I know there. I know my cars are in great hands and that my kids are riding in safe cars all the time. Waiting room is super comfortable, with TV and coffee available, makes it easy for me to work from there while my car is being tended to. read more

Best auto repair experience ever. Chris is a stand-up guy, who I'm stoked to do business with, and he's up to date on technology, which makes the whole car care process smoother and easier. Quick and easy to discuss my needs and coordinate the appointment via the Yelp phone app's messaging service! After feeling nervous about the first oil change on a brand-new VW (the dealership emphasized using a very particular oil to make the car last as long as possible), I chose to go to SoCal Auto because Chris could get the proper oil very quickly, accommodated my desired appointment time, and offered a very reasonable price! Also, the great Yelp reputation made me feel confident about trying the shop out. I highly recommend SoCal Auto! Going there for everything from here on out. read more

Amazing!!!! We brought my husband's 2005 Ford Ranger here after being recommended by a couple of friends. Chris is above and beyond honest and you can tell he takes pride in his work. We are extremely happy with our experience here at SoCal Auto and will definitely be bringing our car here from now on! read more

Knowledgeable, fast, and price-conscious. Best service I've had in years. I will be back for sure! Fixed my coolant issue quickly the same day. Love the shop dog! read more

Called SoCal auto for a pre-purchase inspection and Chris got me in the next business day. Great customer service, communication, and attention to detail. I'll definitely be back for any future service. read more

I found Christ through yelp! He has has been a great help! Great and smooth communication and trust worthy! He did my oil and sparks plugs. He could of done all my breaks also because there was something wrong with them and I would have no idea but he didn't. He saw there was a dent on one of the plates for my breaks and got it out! Great Service read more

TL;DR: customer service that goes above and beyond (they may be able to pick up/drop off your car for service), well managed schedule, extremely clear and thorough verbal and written description of services and pricing, coffee/hot chocolate cart in the waiting area :) I originally came here for a routine oil change since the location was close to my new workplace. When I went to check out, Chris offered me the 1st time oil change discount without me bringing it up. Impressive! The next time, he changed my oil and recommended wiper blades, air filters and axle boots. I received a text saying I had a new email from the shop, and the email contained photos and details of recommended sevice. I appreciated the transparency. My retired mechanic uncle was able to give me a second opinion from Norcal and verified the need was legit. Chris was gracious enough to provide full details on how long I could safely wait, once I said I'd prefer to have my uncle take care of the axle boots due to cost. He even recommended another fix I could have my uncle look into. About a week later, he squeezed me in the last few hours before the shop closed on Friday before Christmas when my radiator hose burst while I was driving. He said the shop would be closed for the following week but that they could see what thet could do if I had any follow up emergencies. Later, when I got rear ended, Chris gave my car a quick check to make sure there was no damage that I didn't pick up on. He gave me time first thing when it happened and showed me that everything checked out when he had it on the lift. Coming to SoCal Auto is one of the best, if not the best, customer service experience I have across the business I regularly visit. They make what is typically unpleasant (dealing with the unexpected and spending money), as painless as possible. To echo what others have said, they take time to explain your vehicles needs, your options and any other details. I plan to keep coming here even if my work location changes, despite it being a bit of a drive from where I live. Thanks SoCal Auto! read more

I was recommended by my mom to come here and I'm so glad I did! We're both very happy with our services and I personally love how they explain to me what and how they're doing things with my car. They told me I needed a new air filter and I'm pretty sure most people rip you off on that, but they pulled out the air filter and showed me. So that was great. My moms car had a loose screw in the door so it would creek when opened and they told my mom they would fix it for free. We both live in Oceanside so it's about a half an hour of a drive for us (I guess I kinda go through traffic a lot of the time) but it's worth it. I look forward to coming back! read more

I was emailing shops to install my leaf kit on my truck and Chris was the first to respond and had the best price. Super friendly and honest guy and was able to help me out. They did a great job on my truck and I couldn't be happier. Will definitely be going back to SoCal Auto for all my future vehicle work. read more

Highly recommend. Super honest, solid work. Wife had car at the Honda dealer in Escondido and they said she needed some brake work. Needed front rotors machined and needed new rear brakes. Report said rear breaks were 3-5mm. Took it to SoCal auto and they agreed with the front rotors but the rear pads were at 8mm. Nothing needed at all. They even brought me out to the work area to see the gauge against the pads They did the front rotor work and I was on my way. Might just be our new go to mechanic. read more

I just needed an oil change, and the process was relatively painless compared to some of my past experiences elsewhere. Like everyone else at some point or another, I've been snaked and ripped off before when it comes to servicing my car. Subsequently, I'm always a little on edge when trying out a new place. Chris was very prompt and professional, responding to my public Facebook post and reaching out to me. When I got there, I felt welcomed as if I had been a regular there forever. He didn't push any services on me that I didn't need; even went out of his way to clean my engine and check for leaks. He pointed out a couple of minor ones to me, but also noted they weren't disastrous. Regardless, it's good to know for future reference. I couldn't believe the price either, only $25 since I was a new customer. We ended things cordially as he pointed out minor services I might need for next time, which I noted. Don't hesitate to come here, from my experience finding mechanics of this level of quality and honesty are very hard to come by these days. read more

This is the only place my family and I trust to take care of our cars. Chris is very genuine and super helpful and he won't charge for diagnosis like a lot of other places do. Thanks so much Chris for always helping me and the fam! read more

Socal auto was recommended by a friend. My friend was right in saying best shop ever. Honest, friendy and competitive price. I will be bringing all my cars here. read more

Stopped by today because my brakes were making a weird noise in the mornings. Not only did they check my brakes to make sure everything was good but their customer service was amazing ! I left with a bit more knowledge and chris helped me understand why the car was doing what it was doing. Also received a great quote for my oild changes . I think I finally found a great mechanic that I will be going to from now on. read more

Great service. Got my oil changed in 35 mins and for a 20% discount for my first visit. I'll be back. Sorry thought I hit the stars!!!! read more

Can't say enough positive about our experience just now at SoCal Auto. I had just left the dealer after being quoted $580 for a 30,000 mile service as well as needing to leave the car there for 4 hours. Chris and Devon at SoCal Auto were incredible. Took the car in immediately. Were honest and efficient and provided many tips in regards to future service. All that and left in far under an hour and far far far under the dealers quote. We will be bringing our other two cars here as well. Thank you Chris and Devon! read more

Today, Wednesday January 29, 2020, I had the pleasure of meeting Chris (via telephone) and Chris DID NOT disappoint (he lived up to the 5 star positive feedback - very professional, patient, respectful and knowledgeable). After telephone introductions, I made an appointment for my wife to bring her 2011 Nissan Altima to SoCal Auto to perform a vehicle inspection (same day appointment : ). Chris and his team performed the vehicle inspection and provided the 2011 Nissan Altima with a "clean bill of health" (with only a recommendation for a new tire). Chris' initial reaction after the vehicle inspection was..."is this the same car your husband mentioned on the phone today?" (see background with Nissan Dealership below). Integrity can now be added to the list of characteristics and attributes referenced above to describe Chris and his team at SoCal Auto. Christmas came early in 2020 - my wife and I were gifted with a "new home" for vehicle repairs and maintenance. If you ever have any doubts about necessary vehicle repairs (or if you want to test the market for a quality auto repair shop), please give Chris a call at (760) 889-4884 or head down to SoCal Auto San Marcos. AND...SoCal Auto is female friendly (without any concern of being taken advantage of or disrespected). The Nissan Dealership, earlier in the week, generated a repair list (of over a dozen items with total repair costs of $9,000). My wife and I immediately pushed back on Nissan Dealership's "wish list" and called out the disingenuous and dishonest sales tactics (truly bad actors). STOP PAYING MORE THAN YOU HAVE TO WITH BOGUS REPAIR LISTS - CHAT WITH CHRIS AT SOCAL AUTO. read more

I was looking for an auto repair shop on Yelp and I came across SoCal Auto (which has 5 stars to brag a little and now I know why), and Chris gave me an amazing experience. He is down to earth and gave me a quote on the spot with no hassle or "upsell." Chris just gave me the diagnosis of my check engine light, took my car in, had to order me some parts and still had my car done within hours. Hands down the best car repair experience I've ever had and I will continue to get my car maintenanced at his shop. You're the best Chris! Thank you read more

I love this shop!! Very fair prices and super honest!! They are quick, efficient, and friendly Chris is awesome! Highly recommended.

Started taking my car here 3 years ago honestly brought it here for the first time because it was super close to my job at the time. So glad I found this place, not only are the prices great but most important the work is amazing. Chris is honest and doesn't try to squeeze money out of you like other places. I no longer work close by but I am still taking my car here and will continue to! read more

The brakes in our Honda Civic were making a horrible noise. My husband is the one who drives that car to work, so we needed to get it fixed quickly. I contacted Chris via messenger, since I first learned about SoCal through a Facebook page. He replied to me very promptly and told me I could stop by in the morning. I have three children and it is not always easy to take the car into a shop. Chris went above and beyond to make fixing the car a lot easier for us. The car was done in less time than he had initially promised. Thank you SoCal Auto for the great customer service! read more

Chris always takes the time to explain things thoroughly and always honest! I've taken a few cars to me and he never charges for a diagnosis which allows me to save some money if it's an easy fix, only auto mechanic I recommend. read more

This is an unsolicited review and I chose this shop based on proximity to my work. That said, I will be back for future services because the price was great as was the work. The folks are friendly and straight forward. Thank you read more

I was referred to Chris from several coworkers. Definitely one of the best referrals I've received! Chris is a complete professional and will tell you what's absolutely necessary to get done and what can wait. When I worked in the area, he even picked up my car and brought back to me by the end of the day! What other mechanic does that?! I'm really bummed I don't work in north county anymore but I recommend him to anyone in need of servicing/repairs! read more

Great service, Super friendly, realistic reasonable prices. Needed wheel two studs replaced and had zero issues. Highly recomended. They also do oil changes. No up selling or gimmicks. read more

SolCal Auto is great!! Very professional, knowledgeable and honest. Definitely recommend this place.My 2015 Passat runs better than ever!! Thank u guys! read more

Chris is awesome, I called in the morning about getting an oil change appt and he was able to squeeze me in within the hour. Done in 20mins and on my way. read more

Stellar service from Chris and his team!!! I needed a part installed and SoCal Auto took me in immediately with no appointment and had me out of there in 15 minutes. To take your car anywhere else would just be foolish. In SoCal Auto we trust!!! Thanks again!!! read more

With 280,000 plus miles on my car, I am amazed it's still running strong and Chris is exactly the mechanic that can keep it going. Chris goes the extra mile when it comes to service and takes the time to explain what should or should not be done to my Escape. I trust Chris because he has proven he can be trusted. After-all, my Wife, Parents, Family, Friends, Clients, Dog all travel in my car. It's important to me that they are all in a safe vehicle. I have never been overcharged and I am always comfortable with the workmanship Chris does. If you don't need to have work completed, Chris will explain why and not just blow you off because he doesn't have the time. When my car needs service, I go to Chris at SoCal Auto and actually look forward to seeing him... I can't say I have ever made that claim for a mechanic...ever. Everyone on my family goes to Chris as well as many friends that I can refer him too (and I refer him to everybody). Chris will always be my go to mechanic with no exceptions! read more

Chris is an amazing mechanic who knows what he's doing! He's able to get the job done quickly and efficiently, is very nice, and has great prices. I highly recommend this mechanic shop! read more

These guys are humble and super down to earth!! I highly recommend this shop.. I got a used car and it wasn't idling well and kept misfiring. I called and talked to the owner he said to bring it in right away.. I was in and out of there within in an hour and on the road.. I will forever be taking my cars to so cal auto. read more

I needed an oil change so I went on Yelp/FB in search of places with really good reviews. I found SoCal Auto and called them first thing in the morning. They were very helpful in answering my questions and I scheduled a time to bring my car in. The service was excellent from start to finish. If you are looking for a reliable and honest mechanic I would highly recommend coming here. I will definitely be back! read more

I'm so happy my coworkers recommended Chris for my auto work! He conveniently picked up my car from work (you mean I don't have to spend my weekend waiting all day on my car?!) and in detail showed me what needed attention. His prices are fair and quality is excellent. So glad I have found someone I can trust! read more

I've found my go-to car care place! Thank you, Chris, for getting me in and out and back on the road. I love that I've finally found a friendly, helpful, and honest mechanic I can trust with my car. No more wondering if I'm going to be taken advantage of when it's time for an oil change- I'm bringing any car I own here, and recommending SoCal Auto to everyone I know! read more

Today I had the privilege to meet Chris (the owner). He was very easy going and fixed my car in under ten minutes! He was also very polite and professional - I will definitely refer him to my friends/family in the future. read more