Reviews

Do a great job!! Very reasonable. Definitely recommend.

Honest, friendly, reliable and less expensive than the dealer. I highly recommend.

We've been coming here for years, and 100% recommend it for anyone looking for great quality service, honest assessment of where the car is at in the process (and what needs to happen), and just knowing they'll do a great job. It's appreciated to have this quality service, and recommend it to anyone else.

Got my new tires aligned on my Beetle. Excellent experience .. easy,timely, fairly priced, great service. Could not have wanted anything better. Will definitely use their service again and again.

Nice, and honest people. Fair price. I'll go back

Fred and his mechanic do fantastic work. This time they found and fixed a nearly impossible problem very grateful

Honest and trustworthy, I'll never take my Toyota truck or any car for that matter anywhere else.

Bill Smith is the place to go. Best prices west of the 5 and great service. I know I can trust their recommendation. After being advised I needed 4K in repairs from another place Bill Smith gave me an estimate for $500 for the only critical repair and the car has been great for two years since. I will use these guys as long as I’m in the area.

THESE GUYS ARE THE REAL DEAL ! After getting good work done here on my wife's car recently I booked my car in for an oil change yesterday. When Laurie said I could have the 9am slot and get my car back within an hour I thought she was pulling my leg. I was used to dropping my Nissan 350Z off at the dealer at 8am and waiting, waiting and waiting until about 1pm to get it back. I dropped my car off here just before 9am. Fred met me in the car park and took the keys. I reminded him I wanted synthetic oil and left to walk down the street to get a latte at a coffee shop down the street. Laurie phoned me at 9.45am to say the my car was ready. I was charged under $40 for 5 quarts off synthetic oil and an oil filter. UNBELIEVABLE BUT TRUE. These folk are super friendly, honest as heck and they won't rob you blind......And we've been back recently to have a new sun visor installed on my wife's Versa. Fred ordered the sun visor in for us and installed it for free. We just paid the cost of the visor. Fantastic !

This is as honest of an automotive service as you will ever find. I have been going to Laura and Fred for years and I have recommended this mom and pop business to all of my family members. There were plenty of instances where I brought in my car to request that a particular service or replacement be done, but only to have Fred stop me and educate me on what is truly indicated. It would have been easier for him to simply do the service and then charge me for it. I have had numerous experiences like this throughout the years with Fred and Laura. It really gives you peace of mind to work with an honest and professional business like this.

These guys are the bomb. I had my car towed in today with electrical problems and they fixed it up and no time and guess what no charge a freebie you can't beat that for customer service

Fred and Lori are the best. They have worked on my familys cars for years. You know they are going to tell it like it is, like "Lauren you just blew up your Engine" true story :( we don't do this kind of work but this is what you should do....
They are honest and fair , I never get that feeling I get from the dealership, overpriced, underpaid repairmen.
I will always have my car serviced at Bill Smith, I highly recommend them.
Unless of course you blow up your engine he he
Lauren Taylor

If you want an honest trustworthy mechanic bring your car to Bill Smith Automotive. I will never take my car anywhere else!

This is the most honest auto repair shop I have ever used, and I am OLD. Fred and the team are efficient, candid and very knowledgeable about all vehicles. If they dont think a repair is worth doing, they say so. How many shops can you say that about. I have sent many friends there and all of us are thrilled to do business with this shop. GREAT, reliable and honest business people. Worth going out of your way to get to.

I've been keeping my older cars maintained for over twenty years, and have never found a mechanic as trustworthy, reasonable, and responsive as Bill Smith Automotive. I live in La Mesa, but bring my cars to their shop! Very thankful to do business with such a skilled, honest, and friendly team.

These guys are the KINDEST! So honest too - if you don't have a mechanic you trust, try them out! They checked my engine out and since there wasn't anything wrong with it they didn't charge! They're still taking they're time to diagnose, so it's extrememly kind of them to not charge for that visit! I highly recommend using this shop!

They took my car within two hours of me calling after my check engine light came on, and they had the parts to fix the issues with my vehicle and return it same day. Amazing service from caring professionals.

Bill Smith Automotive is awesome. Super honest and fair- they are the first repair company in San Diego that I can trust. I will be taking my car here for years to come.

Very fast and good price. Oil change on 2002 Audi A4 for $65.

Fred, Lori and everyone that works here is so amazing. My car wouldn't start and I messaged them through this Yelp page and received such a prompt response. I had to leave my car at work overnight and have it towed in the morning and I called them first thing in the morning about having them take a look at what was going on. From the very first customer interaction, Fred and Lori were so helpful, warm and friendly. They helped me figure out how to get my car to their place (I ended up not needing towing, just a start) and then Fred helped diagnose what was going on with my car.
I've been having a really rough month, and I feel that fate killed my battery just so that I could come to this place. Lori was so sweet and you can tell that they care about everyone that comes through here. I'm forever a customer and I will be coming to them for all of my car needs.

This is the only place where I get my wheels fixed!

Quick and great service. My boss and some co workers come here and Fred is the best!

I am so very grateful for Fred! He is absolutely amazing - decades of experience and as genuinely honest as they come. He truly empathizes with his customers and does right by them. I would enthusiastically recommend him to those closest to me in a heartbeat. I cannot even express the relief I am feeling and the peace of mind he has given me about my car. If you were to compose a list of the things you'd want in your ideal car service professional, I believe you'd be describing Fred perfectly.

Absolutely the best and most honest car service in North County. Fred, Lori, Jim, and the rest of the working professionals provide top-notch service. I take both my vehicles there and have done so for years.

I have been taking my cars (VW Passat and now Audi A4) to Bill Smith for years. Fred and Lori are absolutely fantastic and have always taken great care of me, and my mother who also brings her cars here. They are always very transparent, whether it's about the issue, the time it will take to fix it or the cost.... which is always significantly less than the dealership.

Fred has been fixing my cars for 20 years!

They are very friendly honest people, I always take my car to them for oil change, one time the check engine light was on and they took it off for me for free because it was only a minor problem. They work very fast and trouble shoot very accurately, my car hasn't had any major problems yet. I'd definitely take my car in for oil change and any kind of maintenance. I highly recommend this place.

Trustworthy, friendly, helpful! Honest prices.

Great service. Honest. Happy customer for many years!

Just saved $1000 following their advice. Another shop wanted to do some very expensive work on my 2005 awd sienna that Fred suggested be put off on "wait and see if it's really a problem". This is the most honest shop ever.

I've been a loyal customer of Bill's auto shop for 2-3 years now. Honest people and fair pricing, what could be better? Fred and Lori (or Laurie?) are wonderful, I never felt they were trying to upsell me on services. If you're in the area and in need of an auto shop, I highly recommend this place.

Why didn't I go to this place when we moved here 4 years ago?! Within 1 week, I brought both cars in for oil changes and electrical issues. Everything was done in a timely manner and for half the price of the Shop I used in Carmel Valley. My cars are never going anywhere else but this place from now on!

I took my Ford Edge to Ford and they told me I needed all my belts repaired. They quoted me $1500 and told me that I shouldn't drive my car. Took it to Fred and he said everything was great. I didn't need any belts replaced. Just an Oxygen Sensor. My car is good to go. Honest shop and Honest guy. I will be taking my car to him from now on.

We booked my wife's Nissan Versa in here for a major mileage service a few days ago.We have been very happy with all the work performed on both our vehicles since we found this reliable auto workshop a couple of years ago.We know that Fred the head mechanic will do a great job every time and Laurie in the front office keeps it real with a friendly smile.

Just moved across the country and decided to try This place out as my 2013 Mercedes needed an oil change desperately. I'm am really picky about where I bring my car to be serviced. I love his place ! My car was done in perfect time and they were all very nice and answered all of my questions. The woman at the front ( her name escapes me) was very kind. I'm am definitely bringing my baby here for future maintenance.

As a single woman with the "oh no, I have to go to an auto mechanic and I don't speak their language!" concerns ... I was quickly put at ease when I met Fred. I did not pass a smog test on my 2008 Chrysler Sebring ... I brought the car to him and it was taken care of promptly and at an affordable price. Just recently I needed a new gas cap (cracked seal) .. Fred ordered it, called me when it arrived, and fixed it. He and Lori, who works in the office, are the best! I will always bring my car to them ... I am a very happy customer!

I went for a smog check and my car failed! I contacted Fred and Lori at Bill Smith and told them my situation. Great service! I brought my car in so Fred could look at the engine part that was broken. He ordered the part and a few days later I dropped off my car for the repair ... I also needed an oil change ... so he added that to the service. My car is not fixed ... no surprises ... fair price ... I couldn't be happier and I highly recommend this service ... especially if you are a single woman like me that gets frustrated with car problems!!

We are so fortunate to have Bill Smith Automotive near home because we trust Fred the mechanical guru completely with auto repairs on both our Nissans.My wife's Versa was making a weird sound in the engine bay so we booked it in and sure enough Fred sorted it out no problem.Turns out the car was almost out of oil....our Versa doesn't have an oil pressure gauge or even a low oil warning light.An oil change and the old bus was going as good as new ...well almost.We wouldn't take our cars anywhere else but here.

Trustworthy and great prices! Can't tell you how many times they waived the labor fees. Thanks Fred and staff!

We are so fortunate to have Bill Smith Automotive near home because we trust Fred the mechanical guru completely with auto repairs on both our Nissans.My wife's Versa was making a weird sound so we booked it in and sure enough Fred sorted it out no problem.An oil change and the old bus was going as good as new ...well almost. We wouldn't take our cars anywhere else but here.

I cannot say enough nice things about Bill Smith Automotive. They are nice, kind, honest, professional and extremely knowledgeable. One would think they might be overpriced due to their Solana Beach location, but this is not the case. They are very reasonable and honest. I am a very pleased customer.

Thank you!!

We are from out of town and they were so nice and able to fix our car so fast to get back to our vacation. 100% recommend!!

My daughter and I have been bringing our cars here for many years. They are an excellent group- knowledgeable, quick, priced well, honest and friendly. I trust them. The only way we will leave them is if we leave North County and that's not happening.

Quick, Friendly, Reasonably Priced!

Only went to get a battery check but they were extremely friendly and they were close and when I called the lady up front was friendly and they remembered who I was since I called ahead of time. We did need a new battery and they said they did not have it but they could get it within 12 hours. They also suggested that it was a abit expensive and that we should check out costco for a cheaper battery. It was a great place and very friendly.

Called this morning to make an appointment for an oil change, they said to come by at 1pm and it would take about 45 minutes, came by at 1pm and everyone was pleasant and on time and I was out of there in 30 minutes for $30. Easy and pleasant experience, will definitely be coming back!

I have been bringing both our family's vehicles here for the last 5+ years and have worked mainly with Fred. These guys are honest and ethical. If your car needs something, they'll tell you. If it doesn't and it can wait, they'll tell you. We have been 100% happy with their work and service. I've also brought my newer vehicles here that are still under the manufacturer's warranty vs. having the dealer service. I've saved myself a TON of $$$ by doing this. For example, Bill Smith Auto charged me well less than 1/2 of what the dealer was going to charge me for a brake service. The only thing I didn't get was a loaner car, but for less than 1/2 the cost, who cares!?! Fred and Team at Bill Smith Automotive ... YOU ROCK!!!

Needed brakes. Bad, real bad. Was thinking about clipping one of those $89 coupons and sitting in some dingy place for hours having them tell me the coupon didn't apply and the job would really be much more. In the best decision I've made in a long time, pulled into Bill Smith. Super friendly. They had work going on, but some parts on another job weren't going to show up for a couple hours, so they took my car in, hustled and got me a brake job and oil change right away. No drama, no fuss. I thought i needed front and back, nope, just front. Price was fair, people super nice. Plus they are right in front of the Coaster station in case you need to go north or south and walking distance to all of Solana if you want to have a cool beach day and grub while your car gets fixed. Win win win.

I had my truck towed to Bill's earlier this week and while they told me they were backed up and would not be able to look at it until the end of the week, they referred me to another auto repair shop (Keith's Automotive, Encinitas) which did a fantastic job.

I greatly appreciated Bill's being honest with me and sending me to reputable auto repair shop that was able to fix my truck that afternoon.

Loved them! I recommend Bill Smith Auto to everybody!! Great Job

Best repair shop ever. Very fair prices. Very honest personnel. $100 - plus jobs at the dealer done by Fred for $30. They've done all service to my Honda over past few years, and never, ever sought a so-called up-charge. They do what is necessary rather than trying to meet a dealer's service sales target.

But don;t just take my word for it: If you look on the wall to the left of the entrance you will see a Rotary International citation for business ethics that was awarded to Bill Smith Automotive Car Care.

THESE GUYS ARE THE REAL DEAL!!!After getting good work done here on my wife's car recently I booked my car in for an oil change yesterday.When Laurie said I could have the 9am slot and get my car back within an hour I thought she was pulling my leg.I was used to dropping my Nissan 350Z off at the dealer at 8am and waiting, waiting and waiting until about 1pm to get it back.I dropped my car off here at 8.59am,Fred met me in the car park and took the keys.I reminded him I wanted synthetic oil and left to walk down the street to get a latte at Lofty Coffee.Laurie phoned me at 9.45am to say the my car was ready.I was charged under $40 for 5 quarts off synthetic oil and an oil filter.UNBELIEVABLE BUT TRUE.These folk are super friendly,honest as heck and they won't rob you blind......And we've been back recently to have a new sun visor installed on my wife's Versa.Fred ordered the sun visor in for us and installed it for free.We just paid the cost of the visor.
Fantastic!

Love coming here as a women and not feeling like I'm getting taken advantage of. Have been coming here for all my needs and will continue to as long as I live in SD.

Great fast service! Owner is very kind and makes you feel welcomed! Definitely recommend coming here!

This place is the best! From friendly Laurie at the front desk to capable Fred working on your car it's always a good experience. Plus I love how convenient their location is..I can walk from my house! A huge plus! Took my car in today to have the battery checked. Dropped it off just before 3 pm, by 3:15 Fred called me to tell me my car needed a new battery and what the cost would be, and by 3:40 Laurie called to tell me it was all ready! I had my car back in under an hour from when I dropped it off and the total price came out to be even a few dollars less than I was quoted! I'm a busy mom of toddler twins so I really appreciate when things are taken care of quickly and make my life easier! Plus I just feel like they are always very honest and genuine at Bill Smith. Thank you so much guys! I'll be coming back again and again!

Just wanted to say thanks to Fred and crew - had an issue with my back window on my 4-runner getting stuck in open position - took it to them and they took care of me toot sweet.

Thanks again all. - Cindy

I have nothing but the highest praise for Fred, the owner of Bill Smith Auto Repair. Our alternator went out yesterday night when we were driving on the 5 freeway from San Diego to Solana Beach in the rain. One by one, different warning lights started popping up and then disappearing on my message center, and by the time we got off the freeway 3 blocks from our timeshare, the car started shuddering as if it were about to stall and the headlights and console lights went out completely. Thankfully, we made it into the parking lot where we were staying, and as I was backing into a space, the car gave a final shake and died completely, 3 feet out into the driveway. I immediately got online and googled reviews and found Bill Smith Automotive nearby. I messaged the business at about 4:30 in the morning, and at 7:15, Fred called me and told me to have the car towed in. He told me that there was no need for me to come in with the tow truck and that he'd call ASAP with an estimate as soon as he checked it out. He called within an hour, and said the alternator needed to be replaced, and the cost would be approx. $435. They called again within 3 hours and told me the cost was just $419, and the car was ready to be picked up. I am so impressed with the speed, efficiency, honesty and great prices of this facility, and even more impressed after meeting Fred and the very nice woman who runs the front office. Not sure where the iffy reviews come from, because we had nothing but the best service possible.

Fred and Lori are awesome. Fred handles the auto maintenance, and Lori runs the front office. I was referred to them by a co-worker who's known them and had their vehicles serviced by Fred and his guys for decades. What I like most about them is that they're trustworthy, not to mention that they're down to earth and easy to work with. There have been times when I've taken my car in to make sure the maintenance is up to date, and when I go to pick it up, I'm told that nothing was needed, and....no charge. When does that happen? Appointments are easy to make, and you can even drop your car off the night before and put your keys in a drop box. I can't say enough good about Fred, his mechanics, and of course, sweet Lori in the front office.

Fred and Lori are awesome. Fred handles the auto maintenance, and Lori runs the front office. I was referred to them by a co-worker who's known them and had their vehicles serviced by Fred and his guys for decades. What I like most about them is that they're trustworthy, not to mention that they're down to earth and easy to work with. There have been times when I've taken my car in to make sure the maintenance is up to date, and when I go to pick it up, I'm told that nothing was needed, and....no charge. When does that happen? Appointments are easy to make, and you can even drop your car off the night before and put your keys in a drop box. I can't say enough good about Fred, his mechanics, and of course, sweet Lori in the front office.

Bottom line is these guys are super honest and do great work. I have an older car and taken it in to Bill Smith many times, they are always great. Couldn't be more stoked on them.

My 'older' car needed a light-bulb replaced in the left front turn signal. Bill Smith Auto has many in stock; said to bring the car in to check the size needed. Two minutes later the bulb was replaced, the car was ready to go and the cost was $3. My last day at the dealer's service department was when my warranty ran out. Thank you, Bill Smith Auto.

These guys are THE BEST. They work on our BMW and our Lexus. Fair pricing, super helpful, and super friendly. I would highly recommend them!

Great people, great service! What more can you ask for?

Trustworthy and wonderful. I have been taking my cars here for years. Its a little more expensive than other places, but they do GREAT work. Thanks Fred!
:)

THESE GUYS ARE THE REAL DEAL!!!After getting good work done here on my wife's car recently I booked my car in for an oil change yesterday.When Laurie said I could have the 9am slot and get my car back within an hour I thought she was pulling my leg.I was used to dropping my Nissan 350Z off at the dealer at 8am and waiting,waiting and waiting until about 1pm to get it back.I dropped my car off here at 8.59am,Fred met me in the car park and took the keys.I reminded him I wanted synthetic oil and left to walk down the street to get a latte at Lofty Coffee.Laurie phoned me at 9.45am to say the my car was ready.I was charged under $40 for 5 quarts off synthetic oil and an oil filter.UNBELIEVABLE BUT TRUE.These folk are super friendly,honest as heck and they won't rob you blind.

As I recently moved to San Diego I had to rely on word of mouth from my colleagues who all gave Bill Smith's their wholeheartedly recommendation.

My car had issues starting when engine is hot and I also requested an oil change. They had my car for 2 days where they tried to recreate the problem (naturally this didn't happen!) and I was very impressed they did not charge me for the diagnosing hours, just the oil change which was very reasonable.

Will definitely take my car back here in the future and would recommend this to friends and family.

What a sweet and generous shop! Knowledgable an happy to just help and educate. They helped me before I could even get in the front door! They have my business because we just need reliable car people to trust with our repairs.

The last of the good guys.
They won't do work I asked for, assuming I needed new brakes. Nope, I didn't just had brake dust on them that made them sound bad. Who does that? Anyone else would have taken my money and laughed. I took my truck in to have the transmission fluid changed because the buy at an oil change place said I needed it changed, Fred at Bill Smith just shook his head and smiled, told me to come back in another 35k miles and he'll look at it. They don't do 1 hour jobs, they are not turning cars by the hour, they are doing repairs right in normal time. Expect to leave your car, but you won't get taken like most shops.

I recently had Bill Smith (Fred in particular) repair an ongoing issue with my car. It had been idling/running rough and losing power under a normal load. It was a complicated fix with the intake manifold and spark plug issues. The happy news is the check engine light has remained off after 500 miles and the truck has never run better in years. The time and expense was well worth it. Thanks for resolving the problem! This car must last me a few more miles!
Thanks again, Catherine Grawin

i stopped by to have air put in my tires and they were fast friendly and professional, cant say enough about this place!!! i would give bill ten stars if i could!!! never using another shop again, i found my guys! :)
thank you!!!!

I've been coming to Bill Smith for over a decade and before that my parents were regulars for at least 20 years.  The staff is awesome and the mechanic is very trustworthy and reliable.  I send all my friends and coworkers here.  Never had a problem.

These folks are great.  I called in them in the morning to see the cost of fixing my mud flap on my Kia as it came unhinged.  They said they would do it for FREE!!!!!!!!!!!  Can you believe it.  No one does anything for free.  Customer focused and great to deal with.

FIVE STARS PLUS.  Will be back for future needs.  

THANKS GUYS.

My wife and I recently moved to Solana Beach and both our cars were in need of a scheduled service.We had grown tired of corporate service centers like Nissan and Sears where the personal contact with a mechanic didn't exist.We found this business on Yelp and I popped in a while back and spoke to Laurie at the front desk to get a feel for the place.We booked my wife's car in last Friday for a major service and after dropping it in at 8am we received a call about 3pm that the job was completed.They stuck to the price they quoted us and the car is running better than ever.This is a very efficient business run by honest folks who won't rip you off.We'll be back with our other car soon.

I have been looking for an honest mechanic that can work on my mustang for awhile not and think I have found it!! Bill smith automotive charged half of what the stealership wanted for my 100 mile service and they did not attempt to upsell me on needless repairs. The shop is on the smaller side and located in Solana Beach on N cedros ave. I would highly recommend this shop to my friends and family and will definitely utilize them in the future for my service needs. thank you Bill Smith automotive and keep up the good work!!

We were in town as tourist and the blinker on our minivan went out. We found Bill Smith automotive and took the van into get a replacement bulb put in. I had called in on my way to their shop and they met me in the parking lot prepared to replace the bulb immediately. It took them about 2 1/2 minutes to change the bulb! They only charged four dollars and when I went into pay with a credit card they said it would cost them more to run the card then four dollars. I was going to run and get cash but they said "don't worry about it, consider it a gift buy your wife a cup of coffee."  They were so great I might commute from Nevada to have them do my automotive repair!

We finally found a great mechanic we can trust.  They saved us from the repairs that the dealership said we must do!  The dealership was just trying to rip us off and Bill Smith Automotive saved us.  Get a second opinion from Bill Smith Auto before you authorize any dealer repair.

After seeing the great reviews, I decided to make an appointment for my car. My family and I are going on a road trip and naturally my brakes started squeaking a few days ago. I called and spoke to a very nice lady who was able to get me in immediately. Took my car in at 8:30AM. Fred called my husband around 10AM to notify him that everything looked fine. The tire pressure was low so he filled my tires. All of this was done free of charge. I would highly recommend Bill Smith Automotive to all of my family and friends. Such an honest business and very satisfied with the whole experience.

Thanks Yelpers.
Yesterday I made an appointment to get my 4Runner's oil changed here, and signed up for the sole available slot today and was given an estimate that was priced well.

As soon as I pulled up to the door, I was greeted at my vehicle and told it would take 30-45 minutes.   Exactly 32 minutes I received a call on my cell phone telling me it was ready, and the price was dead on with the estimate I had received the day prior.

Everyone there was very friendly and professional.

The best

Great service, reasonably prices depending on type of car and service. Fred is very knowledgeable and goes out of his limb to get your car fixed. No hidden prices,  straight forward and honest.

Danno from Revolution Bikes referred me to Fred. Fred worked on my Brakes. You can tell this is an honest Nd reliable business, they have been in business since 1972.
Very pleased with the service and will definitely go back.

Amazing customer service!! I had my brakes repaired there approx one year ago and they already started to grind...went to have them checked and replaced at a minimal charge even though I had driven 20,000 miles in the past year. It's difficult to find an honest mechanic and I have to say Bill Smith's is one of the best.

I have been taking my cars to Bill Smith Automotive for over 20 years. Fair pricing, great service and FRED is the BEST!

Amazing customer service!! I had my brakes repaired there approx one year ago and they already started to grind...went to have them checked and replaced at a minimal charge even though I had...

I stumbled across Bill Smith automotive on Yelp when I was looking for a dependable mechanic for car maintenance. The shop was fairly close to home and work so I decided to give them a shot.

It's a small business across the street from the Solana Beach train station. Laurie works the phones and front desk area while Fred manages the garage. Both are friendly, approachable and knowledgable.

In comparison to dealer and many other auto shops, their prices are drastically lower. The thing I've found over time is that they do thorough work and don't try to up sell work to raise their bottom line. I've had work done at other places and have been told that they suggest other repairs due to wear and tear. I then brought the same car here and Fred's reply is, that it's not necessary.

Honest, reliable and dependable. That's all I ask here and that's all that you'll get. I appreciate that from an auto shop and have been bringing our family vehicles here ever since. The only thing is you may want to call a day or so in advance for an appointment. Although I've been pretty lucky getting my cars serviced walking in, there are days they can't take more cars since they get busy.

A worth while shop for all your automotive needs.

Keep on Yelp'n?

My vehicle sounded like a train rolling through! FRED couldn't have been any more of a help. he waved me over and told me to pop the hood. filled it with power steering fluid and didn't ask nor want a penny, it was as quiet as ever and while maintaining a smile he said that will do for now and come back in if its leaking. NOW THATS SERVICE!

My female friend had been using Bill Smith for 26 years and so I tried them out. I had a complicated repair that several shops said they wouldn't attempt to address. Bill Smith took care of the problem. They were honest, efficient and professional. As a woman, I am always concerned that I will be ripped off at auto repair shops. I don't feel that way with Bill Smith. Not the least expensive, but I will pay for a peace of mind, honesty and integrity.

Awesome service! My car wouldn't start and i was about to have it towed to the shop. The receptionist said "Fred can drop by and see if he can save you the tow." I live fairly close to the shop, but this was a great offer. Fred came by and got the car started and saved me the tow and a ton of money!

Great place, could not recommend them highly enough. Thank you!

The quality of the work is excellent. Prices are very fair, and both Fred and Laurie will help you arrange for getting the work done, so as to inconvenience you as little as possible. I have used Bill Smith Audo for more than 15 years, and ALWAYS been 100% satisfied.

If you want fair and honest service this is the place to take your car! The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. More importantly, they are honest and don't try to sell you things or services you don't need. Fred, the mechanic, remembers you and your car. I won't take my car anywhere else!!

We have relied exclusively on Fred at Bill Smith Auto for almost 20 years for all of our cars. He is extremely honest and trustworthy and his prices are fair. His depth and breadth of experience along with his integrity make him invaluable to our whole family. Thankfully he has reassured us he has no foreseeable plans for retirement. Laurie, who works in his office, has always been very cordial and helped us with scheduling our appointments. I would highly recommend Bill Smith Auto to everyone!

I've been taking my personal and business vehicles to Bill Smith's Automotive for several years now and I can't recommend them enough!  Fred and Mike always go beyond the expected in service and are extremely fair in pricing for services. They don't try to sell you service that you don't absolutely need and in this economy, that goes a long way. I travel all the way from Vista to bring my cars to them because I wouldn't take my vehicles anywhere else.  Give them a try and you'll come back for more.

I searched Yelp for reviews for car shops close to my office and came across Bill Smith Automotive Car Service. Fred is the one who helped me and is honest to god one of the most friendly and trustworthy mechanics.  Unfortunately my car, a Honda S2000, is too low for them to work on with their older car lift, but in the future I will not hesitate to bring my other cars to him.  I feel confident and comfortable leaving my babies with him and know that he will take good care and do what work that needs to be done and not rip me off.

I highly suggest you check the shop out and don't be scared that it is in a typically high-income affluent area where there are boutique shops that have outrageous prices.

Some chicks are super savvy and mechanically inclined. I am not such a lady, I get super nervous about auto repair and when booking service for my car. I have been ripped off before! Auto shops always call me honey or sweetie or lil lady...true, but grr!  I can't even change a tire. When I was supposed to learn for Driver's Ed my mom showed me how it's done: one hand on the hood of the car, pop out that hip, and wave for the nearest helpful gentlemen! It's worked so far but then I needed brakes done and anxiety set in!

Luckily the BF responded to my damsel in distress mode and researched automotive shops in our area for me. He found Bill Smith on yelp and made me an appointment. (thanks honey! )

I drove my car in and Fred was my mechanic. No condescension from him, he was respectful and to the point. Even when I couldn't find the bolt lock thingy for my wheels (yeah, I said "thingy"...I told you I don't f-ing know anything about this sorta stuff!) He didn't bat an eye. Fred has worked for the company for as long as I've been alive and even gave me a ride back to my house. I really like to do business with family owned companies. Friendly and honest, they made me feel super comfortable!

I felt confident in the quote I was given, and the BF said it was fairly priced and reasonable. This is the place I'll be bringing my vehicle from now on-trustworthy and reliable! Fast service too!

I parked my car on the train station across street during night and weekend, go through bill smith automotive everyday. Decided to do an oil change at this place since it's really close and has a good yelp review. It's my first time feel auto store people is that nice, no matter a dealer or a mechanic store, dealer always give you a fake smile. The price is very very fair, and my hybrid needs 2w20, not all auto store has it, but they have it! It's a good place, i will bring my car to do other service in future.

I came in on referral from my roommate, she said he was an honest mechanic! I thought that was an oxy moron. Well, I went in because my breaks were squeaking and knew I'd had them for a couple of years and should probably at least have some parts replaced. He checked it out and told me they probably had another year on them or so! Wow! Refreshing! So I'll gladly go back there. And the oil change I ended up getting was much cheaper than jiffy lube too! Great place!

If I could tell everyone in North County about Fred at Bill Smith Automotive, I would.  My '04 Explorer had been sitting in my driveway for 3 years without being driven.  I assumed it was going to take a lot of time and money to get it running again.  Luckily, I found Fred through Angie's List (which is a much more reliable way to look up businesses due to the rating system...  look into it if you haven't already.)  He called me every step of the way to tell me what needed to be done. It took less than two days and it did not cost me an arm and a leg. I drove from Carlsbad, California to Seattle, Washington the day after I picked it up from the shop and that thing drove like a champ!!!  I really believe Bill Smith Automotive so be an honest, informative and straight forward business that will not rip you off.

They've been there for almost 40 years, so they must be doing something right.  When to them for the first time yesterday - they performed the work quickly and at a reasonable price, and went for a drive with me in my car so they could be sure they knew what 'noise' I was talking about.  They also recommended I wait to perform additional work (?!) even though they could have gotten money to fix something that they said didn't need to be fixed.  Very honest.  Will be a regular with them from now on.

This place is the best! I took my car in today for some minor work. This is the only shop I would consider. Mike & Fred are extremely knowledgeable & professional. I drive from San Diego to take my car in. They're very fast & fairly priced. Lori in the office is always pleasant. I highly recommend Bill Smith Automotive!

I've been bringing my cars into Bill Smith for decades.  Fred and his team have always serviced my family's vehicles with excellence.  At one point he saved a car that might have been destined for the junk heap due to a poor job of replacing the oil pan at a Jiffy Lube and the fact that the car was almost 20 years old.  Fred does work for my employee's cars as well.  He always treats them fairly and does a great job on their cars as well.  We are lucky to have him in our neighborhood.

Id recently purchased a 2005 mustang, these guys inspected the brakes and possible exhaust / muffler leaks that I was concerned about. Turns out I just had a squeak from one of the rear brake linings, these guys didn't gouge me $$  for new brakes when I didn't need them they tested the brakes and exhaust made sure I was safe ....and didn't charge me a cent !!  Every dollar counts at the moment so I really appreciate what they did, when these brakes do need replacing I'll be going to the "Honest Mechanics"  Bill Smith Automotive : ) !!

Went in thinking I had transmission trouble walked out with new spark plugs below dealership price: problem solved! Great experience! Wrote this review a year later after I was sure they got it right!

All I can say is that it is great to have a local auto repair place that I can trust to always give great service and offer great prices.  Lori and Fred are a pleasure to work with.  I've been going there for years and have always been pleased.   This may sound like a review from a friend of theirs, but it isn't--I don't even know their last names.  Nor have I met the mysterious "Bill Smith"...

They installed some struts I had bought at a dealership, which the dealership said would solve a squeaking problem coming from my front suspension. The squeaking continued, which meant that the dealership misdiagnosed the problem. I took it back to Bill Smith and Fred lubricated all the bushings at no cost since they weren't sure exactly where the noise was coming from. When I went to pick up the car they said no charge! They were happy to do me a favor since I had paid them to put the struts on. Talk about customer service! A good friend has been going to them for years which is how I found out about them. Thanks to Fred and the entire Bill Smith team!

They installed some struts I had bought at a dealership, which the dealership said would solve a squeaking problem coming from my front suspension. The...

I alway hated bring my car to the mechanics, I usually had no idea what in the hell they were talking about and felt like I was getting ripped off. That is until I found Bill Smith's ... I totally and completely trust these guys. Honest and helpful, plus knowledgeable mechancis and friendly service. I have referred numerous people here and will continue doing so.