Since moving to San Diego last year, I have been searching for a reliable auto service company to take my Hondas to locally, and Western Auto Service is hands down the go to place. At the beginning of the year my Honda Civic was experiencing electrical issues and I needed a quick, reliable fix due to having to commute more than an hour daily for work. I saw the positive reviews for Western Auto and gave them a call as soon as they opened. I spoke with Andy and he was very knowledgeable and was kind enough to get me in the same day for a diagnostic check. The quote was fair and I was initially told that the car would be done by Monday since a part needed to be ordered. I was surprised to hear from Andy the following day that the car was done, before the weekend! Had an awesome experience here. Fair prices, good work, and great customer service. I will definitely be coming back again for any future maintenance etc. read more

Andy worked on my dad's cars and now he works on my Honda element. I have never trusted someone with my car so much. He is always honest and super fair with pricing. I will be going to his shop until the day he retires. read more

Brought my car in again after noticing something wrong with my engine. Andy diagnosed the issue and let me know how much the repairs would cost. I've had a lot of car troubles in the past year so I was dreading having to shell out more than I needed to, but Andy was really great at reassuring me with what fixes were actually urgently necessary versus something I could put off for a bit. I really appreciate his ethics in not pushing me to go through with a service especially since I'm not too familiar with cars in general. Similarly, when I picked up my car, Andy took the time to really hear out some of my concerns with navigating the car buying process and gave me some solid advice. His patience and willingness to help me out even after the shop was closed meant a lot! I'll definitely be back for any future maintenances and I highly recommend Western Auto--I'm confident you'll be in good hands if you take your car here! read more

7/24 update - still a regular, still happy, Andy is still the best. I have taken him my Element, Forester, Rogue, and Prius. I drive all the way from Vegas to get my cars serviced here. I won't go anywhere else! read more

I discovered Western Auto Service back in the mid-90's when Andy's father used to run the place. Just about 30 years ago! I've had 4 different Hondas since then and I've never used another shop. When Andy took over, I was happy to see him carrying on the family tradition of honest and excellent service. I've referred many friends to this shop over the years and every one of them was quite happy with the service they received. One friend had an electrical problem that 2 other shops could not fix correctly. Andy was able to diagnose and properly fix the problem. My buddy was so relieved to finally find a shop that knew what they were doing. Andy is a genuine nice guy and a pleasure to deal with. And he's always willing to give advice and guidance on any car issues. I'm taking my 13-year-old Honda Accord in today to get my starter replaced. It's right on the edge of failing and I don't want to get stranded one day! In closing, obviously this place is Highly Recommended!! read more

I've been going too Andy for a little over three years now and I have not one compliant except for the that I have to take off work to get my car serviced. Andy provides clear explanation on what's needed and the cost. My car is serviced in a timely manner. Andy and his team are respectful and they don't waste your time. read more

Great service! Quick battery change. They only work on Japanese cars so it's great for me! And close to home. Friendly manager shout out to him i forgot his name but all Around everyone there is cool. Def will be back for future services read more

I had a great experience with Marco and the team at Western Auto. My car had been rear ended and they were able to get me in for service quickly and at a very reasonable price. The bumper repair looks like new. I recommend them to anyone that is in need of body or paint work for their car. read more

The owner was responsive. The crew finished the project on time and the price was right.

Full synthetic oil change including filter and services for a 2012 Honda Civic costs $116 Ouchhhhh!!!!!!!! I called around to some other places, cause ya hindsight is 20/20 and they were quoting me $80-90 Andy the manager/owner is nice, friendly and informative but damn.. I feel like I hellaaaaa overpaid. I trusted all the Yelp review about "fair pricing". I would rather coordinate my car maintenance with my visits back to OC and pay my usual $40 oil changes at my old car shop. read more

Took my 2019 Lexus UX F-Sport in today for my 40k miles maintenance minor service and I'm so glad I did! Reached out to them on Yelp and was able to get a quote and an appointment quickly thereafter. Andy was incredibly thorough and walked me through all the services my car needed and answered all my questions (I don't know much about cars so trust me, I had a lot of questions). I really appreciated how transparent he was about services that I needed / didn't need and didn't try to upsell me on unnecessary services like some other places would've. Pricing was reasonable as well. Overall I'm very happy with the experience and will be coming back for my next maintenance - highly recommend! read more

Andy and the Western Auto team were great. I was looking to upgrade the suspension, wheels, and tires on my 2004 Lexus GX470. Andy helped me pick the right options and the guys did a thorough job. I was so happy with the end result and I will gladly go to them again. read more

Western Auto Service - First off-roading trip with my new suspension, wheels, and tires. - Auto Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

I took my car here for my 30,000 miles scheduled maintenance of my Honda Civic. I was quoted over the phone what I believe to be a fair and reasonable price. Maintenance was quick and at the end I paid exactly what I was quoted! They didn't try to upsell me any "additional" services. I was very happy with my experience and will most likely be back for other maintenance needs! read more

Greetings to all, I hope everyone is well and taking care of themselves. This will be a lengthy and sincere review, so please bear with me. I cannot in good conscience recommend this shop to anyone. My experience there was extremely negative and I would advise against going there. YOU BE THE JUDGE I have very limited knowledge about car repairs and don't know what to do when my car has an issue. After doing some research and reading reviews, I came across WESTERN AUTO SERVICE INC, which specializes in Honda/Acura repairs. The owner, ANDY, seemed confident and explained the repair process thoroughly. Unfortunately, my experience with Western was extremely negative as I paid them $2000 but my car issues were not resolved. Here is a list of what happened and my overall impression of ANDY's work, so you can make an informed decision for your next car repair. Personally, I am now stuck and unable to use my car due to ANDY's poor job and change in attitude after I paid for the repairs. I want to make it clear that before I began repairing the car, I paid ANDY the agreed amount of 130 to 180 dollars for his inspections, with the understanding that this money would go towards any necessary repairs. He provided a list of recommended repairs which we went over together, and he was very kind and patient in explaining them to me. Cabin Air Filter Replacement Brake Fluid Exchange: due to time and mileage Brake Job - Front (Replace Pads and Rotors): due to low pad and rotor had deep groove Front wheel alignment Shock Absorber Rear Engine Air Filter Replacement Brake Job - Rare (Replace pads and drums) After the initial repair, I retrieved my car and quickly noticed some loose cables. To keep it brief, while my car was in the shop, there were difficulties with starting it and ANDY and his team had to do some troubleshooting. This involved messing with my dash cameras, which resulted in a cable hanging loose under the steering wheel that kept hitting my legs while I drove. They didn't bother to properly put back everything they took out. Thankfully, Best Buy had installed my dash cameras and fixed the issue for free, but this was a clear indication of incompetence. After picking up my car from Andy, I noticed a loud cranking noise every time I parked and took off. This was something I had never experienced before. Additionally, the new brakes he installed were not performing well; the car would slip and shift when braking. When I brought these issues to his attention, he brushed me off and made excuses. Even though there was a loud sound coming from my car while driving, he ignored it. Unfortunately, I had already paid him by this point. The brake repairs were completed in either mid or late August, but as of December 21st, my car is still experiencing the same problems. I feel like Andy did not do a thorough job with the brakes or any other repairs listed for my car. Next on the list of problems was either the battery or starter. I explained to Andy how my car would not start properly, and he mentioned having a similar issue when he had it at his shop before. I couldn't tell if this guy was actually fixing the car or just trying to scam people, but he insisted it was the battery. Since I have no knowledge about cars, I asked if he had checked anything else, but he kept rambling on about technical car stuff that went over my head. In the end, I ended up replacing the battery, but the starting issue still remained unresolved. I gave Andy a call and immediately he recommended replacing the starter. I asked if it was okay for me to purchase the starter from NAPA and bring it with me for him to install, and he agreed. So, I followed through with that plan, picked up my car, but unfortunately the starting issue persisted. I waited a few days before calling Andy again, but this time his attitude had completely changed. He started blaming me for everything and his tone became hostile. He adamantly refused to admit that he had ever suggested replacing the starter. When I confronted him about it, he asked "Who told you to replace it?" and when I said it was him, he flat out denied it. Here is the Video of my car after battery and starter replacemnt: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DM5e93P6Q6E https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fijivt_yrBM https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YSTfa8FFwsw At this juncture, I am at a loss for what to do next. He was supposed to be the expert car mechanic who would thoroughly diagnose and propose necessary repairs. However, in my situation, that did not occur, and now I am left with a malfunctioning car after spending $2000 with no clear resolution in sight. The last time I talked to him, he still had a negative attitude and was not very helpful. The customer service was lacking, so I decided to put the issue on hold for now. I will need to find a car mechanic who can properly troubleshoot my car and give me recommendations for repairs. That my honest review of WESTERN AUTO SERVICE INC in univerty read more

I was looking for a mechanic who specializes in Hondas and Acuras. I was tired of going to the dealership and feeling ripped off, especially as a woman. I did some research on Yelp. I found Western Auto and called and Andy answered the phone right away. What a nice man and super helpful. He gave me the price for the repair, we scheduled the service and I had the work done yesterday. I had a great experience! It is easy to find the shop and easy to pull in when you get there. The shop is clean. The work was done promptly. Andy is just as nice in person as on the phone and very knowledgeable about cars. I highly recommend this business!! read more

I had thought I had left Andy a 5-star review already, but I guess I somehow overlooked giving him a glowing review. So now that I've been there a few times, I can tell the story of how Western Auto Service is the only place I'll bring my Acura TSX now. A few months back, my power steering went out, and thanks to Yelp I found Western Auto Service. The verdict was the worst... I needed a new power steering column. The part alone from Acura was $1,100. Andy was able to find a recommended replacement for around $800, plus $400 or so in labor. After talking extensively, I decided to gamble on a $400 part I found locally, and he and his team installed it the next day. Andy definitely recommended against the part, but I'm happy to say they made due with the part and months later, my car is driving great. Then my check engine light came on, and it led me to the code P2647 - "Rocker Arm Actuator System is Stuck Open." Andy recommended getting an early oil change as my last oil change may had been the wrong type of oil. I did so, and it helped, but the code would intermittent come up, though the car was driveable. I finally needed to bring my car in for new rear brakes, and figured I'd bite the bullet and get this code taken care of. Andy recommended getting a new rocker arm, which only ran me around $150 for parts & labor. A few days later and I'm again stoked that the new part seemed to fix the problem. Back brakes are awesome, it feels like I'm driving a new car. I had told Andy to go ahead and replace the front brakes if he thought it was necessary. He said I still had a bit of life left in them and didn't do the repair. This alone speaks volumes for the great service at Western Auto. They are not there to rip you off, they're an honest shop. The fact that he didn't just do the job anyway to make money proves that Andy is in it for the long haul. When it's time to get my front brakes (and rotors) done, I 100% know where I'm going. Doubt I'll be seeing the inside of the Acura service department anytime soon. Thanks Andy for all you've done and for being so flexible and helpful in explaining all of my options to me. I'm definitely recommending your shop to everyone I meet. Make sure you don't get too busy to fit me in next time! read more

Western Auto Service - Auto Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

We've been taking our 2005 Honda Civic to Andy since 2012 after a terrible experience at Precision Auto Tune. He is AMAZING. Prices are always affordable. He gives great advice. The work is on point. You can always trust that he's looking out for the best interest of the vehicle and not trying to get more money out of you like some places. This week we almost purchased another Honda just because we feel like having a trustworthy mechanic is priceless. We ended up getting a new Subaru with a platinum extended warranty. We plan on selling the Civic and letting the new owner know where to get the best service out there. We give Andy 5 out of 5 stars in every measurable way. read more

This is the auto shop that offered me the cheapest price after looking around to install aftermarket fog lights. They have clean lounge with TV to keep you entertained while waiting. Will definitely come back here Update: came back here for an underbody check after running into a part of a bumper in the frwy. I came with no appointment and they have serviced my car in an hour or two despite of a busy day... Andy was very informative with the whole process... Thanks Andy! read more

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I had a great experience here to get regular maintenance on my Hyundai Ioniq. I wanted something cheaper than the dealership. They quoted me ahead of time and stayed to that price -- I really appreciated the transparency! read more

Andy & his crew provide the best customer service and most honest, thorough, highest-quality mechanic services in San Diego. My husband & I drive from Encinitas to have our Toyota Camry (2005) & Subaru Outback (2014) handled by Western Auto because we know we can trust Andy to give us the best solution to problems that arise, while also proactively taking steps to keep our vehicles in the best possible health. Their prices are more than fair and we are certain that we've saved a ton of money by consistently bringing our cars here. His attention to detail, willingness to research & source creative solutions, many years of experience, & obvious passion for his industry make me gladly give Andy the highest recommendation. You won't regret working with these awesome folks. read more

I have been going to this place for many years now. I will not trust my Prius to anyone else. I use to go to the dealer but they kept telling me I needed repairs that weren't due yet. This place is a rare find with very knowledgeable & excellent staff. They are honest & competitive in price. I have never had to take the car back right after repair because their service is thorough & impeccable. I will not go anywhere else! read more

Andy is a very nice and easy to talk to. He is also very knowledgeable and is a straight up guy. The prices were fair, the work got done in a timely manner. I will definitely be returning to Western auto for future maintenance and would recommend my family and friends to come here as well. read more

Always get the best service. Prices are fair. Andy is very informative and explains well.

Incredible trustworthy honest shop. Recommended! Andy the owner is excellent to deal with!

I LOVE this place! I've been taking my car here for years. Andy is incredibly personable, honest and always gives me a fair price. A couple months ago I moved 20 miles east and I still bring my car back to Western Auto. :) Recently I had an issue with my Civic and brought it to a dealer (the parts I needed could only be accessed through the dealer) and I called Andy to get his advice. He took the time to hear me out on the phone and gave me the kind of advice I would expect a family member to give, so I wouldn't be taken advantage of. Just the best service! read more

If you're looking for an all around great mechanic and service, this is the place. Andy and his team and time and time again given me peace of mind when it comes to anything with my vehicles. I'm always kept informed and never once has felt taken advantage of. If I could give Andy 10 stars I would. God forbid the day I ever have to move out of San Diego because I wouldn't know what to do without this quality of work. read more

Andy got me taken care of for a fraction of what Honda was trying to charge me and provided great timely service. Will be coming here for all future car related issues and maintenance. read more

Andy is truly the man. Brought my car in for an oil change and also to figure out what potentially might be causing a no start every now and then. He was honest, and willing to take a great deal of time to explain how he came to his conclusions, and even advised that I should ask carmax, where I bought the car and warranty from whether or not the repair is covered first. Not to mention I took the car to two other shops before, and Andy and his guys were the only ones that could get it to act up. When he told me spark was good, that he used a scan tool, etc, all I could think is hallelujah a shop that actually checks things. The other shop I brought it to before tried to sell me on a bunch of nonsense that I didn't actually need, for an engine I don't even have. Tldr, I would bring my car here over the dealership any day. I definitely have another review to write after this, but that's a whole other story, thanks for your professionalism guys. read more

Was looking for Honda mechanics on Yelp and was lucky enough to find this place. Called the shop and spoke to the owner Andy to schedule an appointment. Brought in my 08 Honda Fit that was leaking a good amount of oil. He very professional and transparent during the entire process, from diagnostics to repair. He very honest with his work and took the time to go into detail about everything. Pricing seemed very fair. I trust Andy and his team and wouldn't hesitate to bring back my cars here in the future. read more

This place has earned my trust and I will now be using this place and recommending them to everyone who needs work done. I found them by the good reviews that I came across here and now here I am adding to it! Andy is honest and straightforward giving proper expectations. There is some additional work that was not pressing at the moment but will get done here once I reach another mileage milestone. Andy gave the option to do it now or later instead of trying to coerce me like other places will. They also corrected a piss poor job of work done to the odometer by another shop in Kearny Mesa. Don't hesitate to take your car in here! read more

We have been taking our cars to Andy and his team of mechanic heroes for nearly 10 years now. They've always been friendly and always know exactly what to do to fix our vehicles. Great service. read more

I have taken my old Honda Civic here for a general tune-up (paid a very reasonable price especially compared to dealerships) before selling it. The owner is honest, straightforward and pleasant. My best experience has been taking a 2010 Lexus Rx450h because the heater wasn't working. Quoted almost $3,000 for a part that costs maybe $80 (mostly labor cost) by the dealership. Western Auto Service was able to fix it for $800 by jerry-rigging the broken piece since I am not keeping the car for much longer. Owner was even very frank that he wasn't sure the repair would last. Two years later, heater still works great! Love this place and feel like I am given an honest quote and assessment. read more

Andy and the team seem to know exactly what they were doing and they were honest throughout the process. I applaud their hard work and making things happen without a bunch of fluffy distractions. read more

Finally decided to get my valves adjusted on my honda prelude. I recently did the timing belt but my brother didn't have the time. I emailed Andy for a quote and it was a good price. I made an appointment for a Saturday since that was the only i can take it in. He told me he couldn't guarantee it would be done since it was a short day and the car needs to be cold to do. I dropped off the car and went to the near Starbucks a mile away. The car was some faster than I thought roughly 2 hours. Everything seems pretty good. Car seems to be driving better and sounding better. (Unless it's in my head) Overall it was a good experience and I would go back. He also gave me a quote on other problems with my car. The only bad thing was I told him to put back the spark plug wires covers I had off since he would put it back on again but he did not. I guess I have to do it my lazy self! read more

I went into Western Auto in search of a shop to help me fix a taillight that wasn't working since my mechanic couldn't get to me for another week. Although I'd never been there or met him, Andy was friendly, helpful and apologetic that he was much too busy and shorthanded to give me prompt service. However, he referred me to Deluxe Auto body shop (Fix Auto in Normal Heights) where Chris Nguyen, who also had never met me, graciously solved my problem FOR FREE. Thanks to Andy's graciousness and referral my problem was fixed. read more

I had an excellent experience here. Unfortunately I had to replace my transmission on my 2017 Nissan Rogue with 84,000 miles on it with my dollar. Andy, the service advisor went above and beyond to ensure that I knew my options and first informed me to contact Nissan to see if they would cover the cost under warranty. He also checked to see if there was any type of recall in existence but unfortunately for me after speaking with Nissan I wasn't covered. Western Auto's price on a new transmission and labor cost was fair compared to the dealer. I appreciate their feedback, experience and concern. Don't hesitate to ask questions they have experience and make you feel comfortable. Thank you very much for your help gentleman. read more

I trust Andy and his team. I've been going to Western Auto for almost 5 years for oil changes, tune ups, and inspections. If you don't have auto repair knowledge or you are femme identifying (and don't want to be treated like you're stupid), go to Andy. Andy performed the inspection of my 2005 Scion TC when I put it up for sale in 2018. It was Andy's inspection that helped me sell for a fair price. Another reason I appreciate Andy is his moral and ethical stance. He has experience working at big dealships and left that work culture because he didn't want to continue in the unethical practices of dealerships that are the norm - scaring folks into getting new equipment or services to make commission off them because the customers don't have car repair knowledge. Andy always communicates your options, the prices, and the short and long term consequences of the various options. He is throrough in his explanations and cares about his customers. Make an appointment, especially if you have schedule constraints, he does get booked, so an appointment it's the easiest way to ensure fast service the day you bring your car in. I will always be Andy's loyal customer because of how he treats his staff and customers. read more

I highly recommend coming here for servicing your car. Their professionalism and value is unbeatable. I came here once so far and will be coming back as soon as I need to. read more

I recently came here to have my car serviced and the amount needed to be done was quite a bit and I wouldn't trust any other shop with the job. Andy is never pushy when it comes to recommending services and makes you aware what exactly is being done to the car all while keeping you up to date in the case that you may have to leave your car with them over night. I have been coming to this shop for years now, spanning multiple cars -- Andy and his crew are still out here doing amazing work at very competitive prices and their level of work is above and beyond all others, in my humble opinion. Regarding COVID-19, all employees were wearing masks and they even have a plastic guard in place at the counter to keep you safe. read more

Have been coming here for years. Before Andy I dealt w Vince. Had many cars worked here. I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Western Auto Service beats every competitor customer service wise and price wise by a mile. I wish my honda accord didnt visit Andy so much (but that's a long a story). Andy is so approachable and really breaks it down to you. Nothing to hide take you to your vehicle and physically show you whats going on. I love his honestly. He gave me a list of what had to do to my car and suggested what jobs were urgent and what jobs could possibly wait. I appreciate that so much because I was able to come back and do each job when I had the funds. This last job Andy saved me a lot. And what I mean by a lot is close to 500.00. PEOPLE trust these reviews you will not be dissapointed and you will save and receive A+ quality work. Thanks Andy, I hope not to see you for awhile lol!!!! read more