Del Mar Automotive in
Corona del Mar (CA)

I originally came in before the holidays for an issue with my AC temperature control. I left feeling unsure about the diagnosis and the recommended repairs, which seemed excessive compared to the actual issue. I later had the problem fixed elsewhere for much less, based on a less extreme diagnosis. Since then, the shop reached out, took the time to address my concerns, and worked with me to better explain their original findings. They also gave me a refund for the hassle. My initial experience caused some confusion, but I do appreciate the effort they made to correct it.

I have taken my suburban to Del Mar automotive a number of times. They are very honest and efficient can’t say enough good things about them.

I needed a taillight fixed last minute right before the holidays, and Del Mar Automotive completely saved the day for me. They squeezed me in just before shutting down for the holiday break and had everything handled super quickly. Easy, efficient, and genuinely kind. I’ll definitely be coming back. I’m stoked to have a go-to local shop like this!

I have always had an great experience here. They got me in right away and had the work done quickly. Everyone was really nice, welcoming, and professional. Super easy process and great service. I’d definitely come back and recommend them to others.

Such a quality, honest team. I trust them implicitly. The best auto repair team in San Diego. My only wish is that I would have found them a decade ago!

I've used several automotive repair shops here in San Diego, but I've settled on Del Mar Automotive, going forward. They work quickly, provide updates on their progress, complete the work in the time promised and are very experienced. Most importantly, I trust them and they provide sound advice.

Cool shop. Great friendly service. Went in for an alignment as my car had a slight pull to the right. My car now drives absolutely straight was also finished ahead of time. Been at this shop in the past. It's hard to go wrong with Del Mar Automotive.

Del Mar Automotive is the most reliable, friendly, honest, and helpful place to bring your car or SUV for top notch service. Todd, Chris, Josh, and Rob are all great guys who do an excellent job fixing the cars/SUVs and helping with all of your automotive questions. They are all very knowledgeable about various makes and models of cars so they can assist in almost all of your car care needs. Plus, they all have a great sense of humor and are fun to chat with when I come to visit. I have been coming here for almost 30 years now since I was 16 years old and I cannot believe I will be 46 this year! ;-) I have brought my Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota 4Runner, Mercedes ML320 SUV, and Mercedes E-class they helped with for all 235,000+ miles. I would not take my cars anywhere else for car service, unless Todd, Chris, Josh, or Rob cannot help me.

I have been taking my cars to Del Mar Automotive for 30 years! I ALWAYS get awesome service with a smile. These guys have kept my 2004 Camry with 129,500 miles on the road and I would never go anyplace else. Plus, they always have great chocolate and sometimes pastries to nibble on while my oil is being changed. :-)

These guys are the best. They are honest about what your car actually needs and don’t try to sell you something it doesn’t need. They are prompt and professional. I work on my own motorcycles, but I trust my car to Del Mar auto.

Ever since I found Del Mar Automotive, I have never taken one of the many cars I've owned over the last 20 years to anyone else. Quality work at fair prices. These guys pride themselves on good honest service.

Excellent Service My brakes were in need of replacement. My mechanic Dave had moved to this shop and although it’s a bit more of a drive I followed. What a pleasant surprise from the last place. I got an appointment within 2 days first thing in the morning. The repairs were gone quickly and I was on my way home within less than two hours. Dave is the best! Todd is welcoming and pleasant. I never felt rushed or that I was just another customer. If you need to wait as I did. There is a picnic table in the back by the river. The view is beautiful and perfect as my office for a little while. My car is perfect and the price was very reasonable. Give them a try I think you will be very happy you did!

Del Mar auto service has been around since 1992 in a beautiful location on the lagoon, next to the Del Mar fairgrounds and Del Mar horse track. Del Mar auto service did work on my Mercedes Benz. Going off road and off grid, I blew out radiator, fuel pump and brakes and few other minor things that needed attention. The Mercedes Benz dealership wanted to charge me a lot of money. Upon the recommendation of a friend, I had the big heavy Mercedes Benz SUV towed from Mercedes-Benz dealership to Del Mar auto service. You would think Del Mar auto service being in such a beautiful location, that it would be super expensive to have service and work done on your vehicle. Such is NOT the case with Del Mar auto service! Todd, the owner of Del Mar auto service, is a sweet handsome gentleman who looks you in the eye when shakes your hand and he has a great energy. Todd not only saved me 1000’s of dollars, but put in all warrantied OEM parts, and when one of them didn’t work, he took full responsibility and paid for all the replacement parts and labor out of his own pocket. He even changed the oil and filled up the gas tank for me and he has way better cookies, (not sure if he has doggie treats or not) in his waiting room than Mercedes Benz dealership does, not to mention you can walk next door for great food and beer at viewpoint brewing company if you are only a short time visitor for routine maintenance to Del Mar auto service. Let’s just say, the service great and the location is beautiful and less expensive than any dealership in San Diego county. You can always tell a good mechanic when you see that you could probably eat off the floor of the garage. I am pretty sure that Del Mar auto service could probably fix almost any vehicle, even your broken down RV if needed. At the end of the day, when it comes to mechanics working on your car, you have to know who you can trust with your life, bc that is what you are doing when something goes wrong with your vehicle. Especially driving the way I do! Not only do I trust Todd and del mar auto service, but I feel safe. Thank you! Just ask for Todd.

Del Mar Automotive...the best place to go if you want honest straightforward and affordable recommendations. I trust Todd and all the guys with my car. I am so thankful for their comprehensive inspections and more thankful that the shop is local. Del Mar loves Del Mar Automotive.

My car broke down on the freeway and I needed a mechanic to tow it to. That is how I found Del Mar Automotive Service Center, they were able to get my car running within two days. They recommended a list of repairs but I explained this car was purposefully running until it died and they understood. I have had trouble arguing with mechanics in the past about what services I would like to perform or not. No problem here, these guys listened and understood my reasoning. Shortly thereafter I bought a newer used car, and took it to DMASC for maintenance. Again they were great, took care of everything quickly, and checked in with me before doing extra services. Price was reasonable especially considering how fast they are. The people there are friendly and respectful, and communicate clearly about timing and any details related to the service. Definitely my new regular mechanic!

Avoid. Had my car towed here and they were randomly closed on a weekday. Didn’t get a diagnosis for days, was charged over $100 for it, and told I would need a very expensive repair. I don’t think they really even looked. When I told them I would tow it elsewhere they told me I had less than 2 hours to get it out of there after they sat on it for the better part of a week. Other shop fixed it in a day for hundreds less and its been running fine since. Slow. Surly. Overpriced.

Our family has been going to Todd @ Del Mar Auto for over 20+ years. He has serviced our old Bronco, Ford Truck 350, Ford truck 150, & a Porsche Cayenne. We recently returned from a short trip in the F-150 and had experienced the engine light appearing on the dash. As soon as we arrived back to San Diego, we called Todd and he got us right in. Todd and staff diagnosed the problem & repaired it all in a very timely manner. If you want excellence, stop wasting your time with other auto shops. These guys are the very best.

Brought my buggy in for a "trip check", and as always Al and Todd made sure that everything was in great shape, and they checked it all out in less than an hour, as promised. Del Mar Auto is the only place I'd take my vehicles because I know the service will be first rate, the prices reasonable and I feel respected and valued. Updated as of 4.27.18: Del Mar Automotive continues to be my most trusted and favored local business. The Phillips run an excellent shop with integrity, kindness and expertise. I am so grateful to be the recipient of such fine service and excellent automotive care. Thanks! UPDATED REVIEW 5.29.20 100% satisfaction EVERY TIME Del Mar Automotive is a family run and operated business that has earned my respect and trust for the last 20 years. They are dependable, earnest and skilled. I recommend this business to everyone and my friends are grateful. Thank you ! Recommended UPDATE: 8/19/2021 Efficient, Honest and Professional Having some concerns about my 2009 Yaris battery, I called Todd. Within a day he got back to me and scheduled an appointment to test the battery and if needed, replace it. I was quoted a price to replace the battery, but a couple hours after dropping my car off, Todd called to tell me that the battery tested just fine, so I did not need the service. The integrity of this local automotive shop keeps me coming back, and recommending Del Mar Automotive to everyone I know. Thank you Todd, Chris, Joshua and everyone else who keeps me safe and on the road! UPDATE 2//25/22 New brakes in no time flat! Once more, Del Mar Automotive took excellent care to replace my brakes quickly and reasonably. This shop wins my business and referrals over and over again. Thank you Joshua, Todd and Chris for keeping my car in tip-top shape, and always providing reliable, friendly service! 7/7/22 Thank you! Though I have moved, it is worth the hour drive to have my car serviced by reliable, honest , supremely capable folks!

Trustworthy mechanics that give you options maintaining your vehicle. From imports to classics, their work is impeccable, they have a warranty, keep my cars clean, not sure if they still have a shuttle, good customer service, and are just likeable people. Great place, I wouldn't hesitate bringing any of my vehicles to them.

I had an oil change but have also used them to replace a headlight assembly. Todd was extremely kind as were all his employees. It's not often that you find the owner of a business right there to greet customers. I took a nice walk while waiting. I went to Dennys but there is a healthier option by walking a cute little path directly to the beach. I can't remember ever feeling like I could trust an automotive shop until now. I am so glad I found Del Mar Automotive!

The staff at Del Mar Auto have once again Represented themselves professional honest and prompt. Although the issue with my vehicle could not be fixed, they spent a significant amount of time diagnosing and confirming the issues while keeping me updated all along. I appreciate everyone there and will always continue to put my trust and faith in their skills knowledge and abilities. Thanks to all the staff

My BMW had a mystery coolant leak and Todd and Chris were very accommodating to get me in quickly and take a look. Repairs were made quickly and pricing was really reasonable - no BS, really straightforward, and a very friendly crew. I plan to make them my regular maintenance place after moving back to the area. 10/10.

The garage is great. Reasonably priced, timely, friendly, and professional. Twice I have had issues that either could not be diagnoses or were very expensive to repair at dealerships. Both times, Del Mar Automotive diagnosed the problem within minutes, had the car ready within 2 hrs and was half the price quoted from the dealership. I highly recommend them.

I appreciate the reliable and honest service delivered by Del Mar Automotive. I used to have my Toyota serviced by the dealer but quickly realized by truck always “needed” additional repairs. Todd is extremely trustworthy and I can count on him to tell me exactly what needs to be done. And the price of repairs is always reasonable. Thanks Todd!!

I've been a car driver for nearly forty years, and I don't know if I've ever had a better experience than I had with Todd and his crew. I'd been told that the Porsche I'd just bought might need anywhere from $2,500 to $5,000 worth of suspension work by the guy who sold it to me. No problem, because we'd taken that into consideration in the purchase price. But then Todd gave it a thorough inspection and said that it wouldn't require anything close to that much work. Saved me a bundle! But then they took it to the next level with my other car, which I was about to sell. I'd just had it detailed, and it appeared as though the detail guys banged up some sensors because the airbag lights were on and the windows and side mirrors weren't working properly. Any other dealer or mechanic would likely have taken the car apart, costing me a couple grand (not to mention me probably having to take the detail shop to small claims court...amidst COVID, no less). But Todd fiddled with the programming codes...and voila! All better. I never write reviews this long, but I can safely say that even though I live nearly two hours away, I will make the drive down any time my car needs service. It's a small price to pay for the peace of mind, honesty, and top-notch service these guys offer.

I know VERY little about cars. But, I drive my & other children around. So, I need to have a mechanic I can TRUST, with my supremely precious passengers. I have faith in Del Mar Automotive taking very good care of my van. And they do so while keeping my wallet in mind, letting me know what the costs will be BEFORE moving forward - no invoice shock thankyouverymuch. The folks that work here have always been very friendly & kind and they back their work up, making them a place I can confidently recommend without hesitation.

We have been bringing our cars to Del Mar Automotive for at least 20 years. They are very aware of keeping repairs affordable and recommending what needs to be done now and what can be put off for a later date. I brought in a used car I wanted to buy to be checked out, and was relieved to hear that it would be a valuable and safe vehicle to drive. When it was time to trade that car in, I asked their opinion on the replacement vehicle, which I did purchase with their recommendation. My daughter had her car towed there a few years ago and the tow truck driver volunteered that Del Mar Automotive is an honest repair shop. I especially appreciate the waiting area outside in the shade overlooking the lagoon. Who thought getting your oil changed could be enjoyable.