From a customer to part of the family! Family style shop that does repair and sales of outboards!

I got a used motor and it went bad within the 30 day warranty. Brad offered to trade it in for same brand (Johnson) and same horsepower (115) for a newer year, 1986 for a 1989. Sounded good to me. Unfortunately for me, this engine blew out while I was starting it in my drive way. It was about 3 months past the warranty, I called Brad to take a look at it to find out what was wrong and have it fixed. He took a look at it and then never got back to me. I called Elio and he told me Brad didn't want work on it and it was probably my fault it went out. WTF. That was in February. Now I got to get someone else to fix it and need to get them info on it. So I go look up serial number. Turns out this Johnson was not an 89, it was 1979. My impression of their used outboard business is this: They get the motors working, slap it on your boat, and hope it lasts past the 30 day warranty. I am super disappointed. I could say more but I am done typing. Check my profile. I never leave reviews. I felt my experience with Amber Marine was so bad I felt compelled to leave this review. They suck. I am attaching pic of my receipt and picture of serial number of motor. read more

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I Man, let me tell you about my nightmare experience at Amber Marine in Costa Mesa. I took my boat there for a simple oil change and ended up with a whole load of trouble. First off, they managed to lose a tire from my trailer, and I didn't even notice until I was about to launch the boat. Then, when we were halfway to Catalina, the engine went berserk, spraying oil everywhere and smoking like a house on fire Next thing I know, the boat started shaking like a washing machine that wasn't loaded proper all off balance I mean really really shaking., the boat starts taking on water, and BAM! A hole gets blasted right through the hull. It was a disaster waiting to happen. I couldn't hear anything it sounded like somebody blasted a shotgun right next to my ear come boomStay far away from that place, trust me, it's a total disaster zone., Costa Mesa, and let me tell you, that Bozo who owns the place is a real piece of work. He ended up charging me. He charged me $1,500 for a simple bilge pump replacement and an oil change, but thendummied it all up. When I took the boat out near Catalina, it started sinking, the bilge pump caught fire, and oil was spraying everywhere. I ended up swimming to Catalina with my daughter because the boat went down like the fast. The Coast Guard had to rescue us because of that clown mechanic's incompetence. When I went to go sit on the boat in the captain seat I went to lean back and the whole chair came on done. I thought well this is odd who took the bolts out of this captain's chair. When I started the boat it went straight to high idle I tried to put it into gear and it was making a grinding a weird smell Stay far away from that place, folks.. somebody had back into the trailer or hit it with a forklift and bent the frame on it and forgot to put one of the tires on. He's obviously not a boat mechanic that's for sure and by the looks of him he looks like somebody who just crawled out of bed and doesn't give a s*** read more

Amber Marine - Boat Repair Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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My cautions learned being dumb when dealing with 2nd-handers 1 Always verify the outboard works before buying. If it has additional features like Electric Lift/Trim, Electric start, remote controls verify every single feature. (After my dumb purchase, I found several pieces missing in the remote control and had to order them which took weeks) 2 Look out for bait and switch. I called if they had a 8hp, electric start, long (20") shaft. Upon arrival, the person there did an "ooops - it's a 25 inch shaft but try this 8hp with full remote control". My stupidity did not ask for a complete test of the outboard with remote control. 3 Their "warranty" last for exactly 30 days. Problems beyond that date are ignored by management. (Waiting for the parts, I had to get surgery which prevented me from bringing the problems to the owner within 30 days.) Three phone calls to the manager were ignored. 4 I needed the motor for my 24 foot sailboat. My previous motor had died while preparing for the slip change at Marina of Dana Point that shuffling boats around during the reconstruction. I was panicking that I couldn't manouevre the boat without an outboard so I went for what they offered Review my dumbness items 1, 2, 3 above. My sailboat had no cockpit. To use the remote control unit I would have to do serious surgery on my little boat to get it to fit and work and run the control lines through the innards of the boat. 5 Now stupid me had called Amber one morning to see if they had any Tohatsu 8hp ES since they are listed as a Tohatsu dealer -- went to voicemail. Since I needed an outboard NOW, I found an internet dealer within a few minutes with one left, at $100 less than list, free cross-country delivery. Amber replied to my phone call 8 hours later. (The website for Amber Marine was also acting in trouble testing my suspicion that maybe they are not doing well financially) 6 My dumb buyer experience cost me $2000. Rather than dumping it back on Amber Marine, I gave it to a friend for $1, brushed off my stupid history and moved on with a brand new Tohatsu 8hp with electric start. 7 ALWAYS know your seller, ALWAYS check it out. And if you go to Amber Marine, make sure you wear grubby clothes --there are some cleanliness challenges. read more

So it's been awhile since I took the time to sit down and actually write a review however, when the service is good- it's GOOD- and here I am! Being a girl who doesn't know much about motors or boats etc, etc I was a little stressed about having our boats serviced for the upcoming summer season. No idea of where to go or what the heck "There is something wrong with that one so tell 'em to fix it" even means! Thanks hunny. Sheesh. I was beside myself and just picked a shop and hoped for the best! Eek! I called Amber marine and right away I was overwhelmed by how helpful whoever I spoke to on the phone was (I'm sorry I totally Forget his name...?) he told me how much everything generally be and since one motor possibly had an issue just told me to come in right away. He praised me for starting early before the season was here which is always nice to hear ! The little things... I felt like I was safe here and maybe this wasn't so hard. Guard still up and acting like I knew all about this kinda thing I had my boys bring the boats mid afternoon and told the shop I'd be in the following morning for an estimate and word on everything. Even my boys mentioned how friendly they were when they dropped them off which is odd for them to mention! The shop also commented on how polite my boys are- again nice to hear! When I touched base the next morning I didn't call I went in and they already had everything written up for me and had diagnosed the issue with the one boat and had the repair and parts cost all ready for me to review. Nothing was overpriced whatsoever and by this time I had called a shop or three to compare pricing and was ready to throw them at them when it came up but didn't have to because Amber Marine beat them all right out the gate! The repair was extremely affordable and the time estimate was on point. I was impressed and nervous that it was all too good to be true, Lol! But to late to turn back now! Do it! And I did! So happy I did! Everything turned out amazing and it was all done on time and not for a penny more than the estimate was for! Got them home and when they hit the water I held my breathe so long I thought I might pass out! Please work. They did and they BOTH ran perfectly and everyone was happy and I could breathe again! Wooo hooo! No one at home blinked an eye at how well I handled that but that's only because they Expect it from me, lol. I decided. Well he did ask "Hunny what was the name of the shop you used again?" AMBER MARINE, AMBER MARINE. So with that I say thank you to this great business for making it easy and not trying to scam me like the car mechanic always does ! I'll write that review next week! Ugh. Great service, best prices I found and fast! One more off my list of things to do! Good stuff. read more

Great experience having my Tohatsu 9.8 repaired. They reviewed the issues and had a good idea of what was needed. The written estimate was reasonable. They finished the job 2 days early. The estimate was correct. The tech reviewed the repairs and gave me tips about the motor and things to keep an eye on. Ole, the management and, Grady, the certified tech really provided great customer service! Soild shop, friendly and on time. Great job guys, Thank you. read more

One of the Best and easy going companys I've used in a long time. I've been boating NPB my whole life.I just wish I found them sooner. Outboards are there passion and it shows in there work. Scott from the BBC. . Ask for Brad. Scott Wright. read more

After *months* -- yes, months -- of dealing with this place, I can honestly say it was one of the worst experiences I have ever had with any business. They started by saying they would install one of the used motors they sell in "about a week." "About a week" turned into several months. Their work on my boat and motor appeared entirely incompetent or sloppy, or both. And they were utterly dishonest in failing to meet repeated promises. In the end, the used motor they sold me never ran correctly. It was a piece of junk. Their installation was a failure. I had to go to this place several times, and every time something was wrong with the boat or motor and it had to return for more work. Bottom line: Do not EVER go near this place. It is one of the worst businesses I have ever dealt with. read more

If you need an outboard and don't want to buy a new one, this place has the goods. Others may dabble in used outboards, but these guys know and have a lot of outboards. If they don't have exactly what you want, they may have something close. The online inventory might not be updated, give them a call or stop by to see what they have. I am not associated with this shop in any way. Just a SoCal boater. read more

Your location Amber Marine 786 Newton Way, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 Outboard motor store Kris Norlander 637 points   3 minutes ago Will never use them again!! Purchased an overpriced used engine from them and they ended up taking 4 weeks to install the engine. I was told it would take them a week. Each call that I made to check on the status they ended up making more promises that it would be done in a couple days and that was never fulfilled. They never returned any calls in the beginning, I always had to initiate the call and very hard to get ahold of, when trying to call the office. On the last few days before pickup, I was told that the boat would be ready Thursday but I should come on Friday afternoon to give them extra time in case they have any issues. I showed up Friday afternoon and my boat was still not ready. I went to see the status of the boat and found the wires and throttle cables were all laid out on the ground with no mechanic in site. I started asking what was going on and they said they are trying to find an extension and the mechanic is out doing who knows what. I waited two hours and the mechanic finally showed up. Being annoyed at the fact that I drove two hours to get there and waited another two hours for the mechanic to finish the job I stood around on the property and watched to make sure the job was going to get done. I was then asked that I could not stand out in the back parking lot where my boat was being worked on because the mechanic has ADHD and he gets stressed when people watch him work. In there effort to get me to not stare at the mechanic they asked me to please go into the office and take care on the bill. It was approximately 5:30 by this time and the office guy (Robert) said that we have to wait until the mechanics are finished so he can get all of the hours. Robert was wanting to add more time above and beyond the time he quoted and we spent almost 45 minutes discussing/arguing what hours they were trying to charge for and parts that were never installed that also were trying to add to the bill. We insisted that we are only paying what was quoted and all these additional charges for parts and unaccounted hours are not going to be added. In the beginning the initially quoted price ($1,000) for the install was increased by 100% ($2,000) when they quoted us again. We were okay with this amount but when they wanted to added even more to the price we weren't having it. Got out of there paying an extra $180... Finally after 6 hours of hanging at their shop we pulled the boat back to Lake Arrowhead to get the boat on the water. In the process the starter went out within 15 minutes after launching it, I called them and they were not willing to provide me with even a used starter!! I had to buy a new starter for an engine I just bought and also found out later that they impeller was also never touched even though rhe water comi out of the tube showed signs of a defective impeller. After all of these repairs were done by myself, I launched the boat and was unable to keep the engine running. Called them today and they told me I'm having issues because of the altitude and if they could send a mechanic up. They wanted me to pay an additional $900 and they were going to put him in a hotel. I basically hung up on him and watched hours of YouTube and finally figured out the right settings for the carb. Finally after 12 hours of working on all the above repairs today I have the boat safe in my dock, but tomorrow is another day of working on all the forward and reverse cables because the used controls they sold me are junk and I have no neutral or reverse. These guys are some of the worst in the business and I would suggest to go somewhere else. They all need a new career choice. read more

Called Advance marine to get a Johnson outboard fixed and they said they were full and recommended Amber marine. I called Amber marine and they agreed to take it. After being there for 7 weeks they said it was just a top could and a $50 dollar fix. A couple weeks later they said no it needs a new carburetor and a couple months later I called to get some answers and they said the part doesn't exist come get it. Wasted my entire summer and if I wouldn't have called to demand some answers I would still be waiting. Wow! Could not be more disappointed! read more

They sold me a crap motor that doesn't even start. Disconnect all the previous wires such as the radio, gas gauge, fish finder and more... they took an ordinary boar that wasn't starting and made it even worse read more

Took my DT75 to Amber Marine. I was having carburetor issues. They rebuilt my carbs installed a new impeller and changed the lower end fluid. Boat ran great! Thank you guys for the great job! read more

Tony and his team were life savers! They replaced our outboard in 24 hours! In time for us to save our family vacation! They worked with urgency and we're honest and helpful. read more

Came to Amber Marine today for a Suggestion on a What Motor would be BEST for my Families Boat. I was on the Fence about this Huge Investment. And did NOT have that much time. Brad had ALL my questions answered with NO DELAY, this man knows his OUTBOARD MOTORS. He Sold me a Tohatsu Engine and Explained in detail the way I would understand. Service department kept me waiting, but I'm really glad I waited to talk to Brad and because I told him I would put this review on, he gave me a generous percentage off. Highly recommend this place!! read more

Really good shop. Brought my 9.9 back to life. I had starting issues with it and they remembered it from the last service I had from them and helped me out with it. I called them on the phone, Elio said bring it in. Within an hour I was out the door and they had shown me what I was doing wrong. Super nice and able to walk me through everything. I will keep using them for all my future engine needs. read more

Very happy with my experience here. Didn't know what to expect going in for my Yamaha 9.9hp that was not idling properly. Elio walked me thru exactly how they were going to approach the issue and helped me all along, keeping me well informed along the way. The tech seemed very knowledgeable also. Thanks Elio and team read more

this excellent place was recommended to me by maurer marine because my boat is old and it has an old 1984 suzuki 140 2 stroke engine. Tony and his co workers are just so wonderful and honest people. Not too many shops exist with honest staff anymore. This place is a must to bring your boat for repairs. They fixed the problem on my boat and they are very good. I highly recommend this place. thank you amber marine!!! read more

I've used these guys twice now for a couple of small outboards. They handle these small jobs really well and haven't tried to up sell any services like I experienced with other boat shops in the past. Straight forward communication provided by Elio who stuck to an agreed upon budget and schedule. Friendly and knowledgeable staff in the back give me confidence that I'm dealing with the right guys. read more

The staff member was friendly but knew very little about outboard motors or inflatable boats. I was surprised the gentleman helping me was unfamiliar with seam construction or materials (PVC v Hypalon). Used OB motors were pricey. New engines aren't a bad deal though, but they will charge to "set up" the motor for you at $75 - don't fall for that. There are a lot of other really great family run businesses in the immediate area that I would go to that have a better selection and know their products in and out. Again, perhaps I came on an off day and just met the wrong guy but I depend on a business like this to know their products inside & out. read more

I brought my first boat (sea ray)and didnt know anything about it. I took it to Amber Marine to get some work done to it. For all i knew it needed a simple service. I have children and I didnt want it to brake down or anything go wrong with it on the water. I was told by the people that I bought it from that it only needed a tune up. And that it hasn't ran in the past 7 to 8 years. These people are life savers. They called me when my quote was changed and if it was ok to do the necessary work. I got my boat back in a very resonable time. Prices are just right. And i had no complications with them. read more

These guys are a joke. We took our small outboard motor in looking for a simple tune up. On the phone they told us $79. We get there and they pull it out and say it's gonna be $90. We were in a rush and asked if we could get it back in a few days...."of course not, unless we expedite it for $110 an hour". I could have lived with the fee but then they opened it to find it was dirty because it had been sitting in a garage for 3 years. They all gathered around to discuss how dirty it was and then said it would be at lest 3 more weeks because it had dust in it. Literally, the next mechanic we took it to blew out the dust in a matter of seconds. All together they were rude, unprofessional and totally tried to rip us off. I would never go back and never recommend these guys to anyone!!! Save yourself the time and money- go somewhere else! read more

Danger do not take your boat to Amber marine !t the worst customer service!!!!! i made an appoint 3 weeks out and my boat sat for 3 days with a shitty master lock on my trailer no security fence and no calls on progress. the shop is a hang out not a place of business and they act as if there doing a favor uneducated country bumpkins run this place i got my boat back before they could touch it and they said or ask nothing Great web sight dont be fooled Its a swindle waiting for you read more

Minus zero rating! Do not use this establishment! Beware! Run Run Run! We have spent almost $5k, and our boat breaks down every time we get it back. It has never made it out of the 5 mph waters. We have been towed in exactly 3 times after 3 um repairs. Amber states every time, OH IT'S a new item to be fixed! A new motor is 15k we spent almost 5k and we are stranded. Yes almost 5k! Run! Run! Run! Do not use this uh company. Stranded again in the ocean! AGAIN WE HAVE SPENT ALMOST 5K AND OUR BOAT DOES NOT WORK! ?????? read more

Worst experience I've ever had. They sold me a POS used motor they never stood behind that never worked yet they tell you it has a warranty. At the end of this experience they charged me over double what I paid in problems for repairs on a motor they never took ownership on and made my problem the whole time read more

Save yourself some money and but some paddles since you'll be using them anyway. 500$ to fix a motor that only ran for 2 minutes.

I was referred to Amber Marine and I took my boat in for repairs. They are very professional from the beginning until I pickup my boat. Even though they are very busy it was a great experience. Great company. read more

Zero stars if possible, quoted 500, then 1100, the 4000 when I got the boat back. Opened the vowel, things not put back together, vacuum lines off. Get in the water throttle comes off. Place is a nightmare, do not go read more

Elio and crew went the extra mile to diagnosis and service my outboard motor. The engine had difficult issues and Amber Marine did not give up as they tried to fix the problem while exploring multiple options. I appreciated their personalized service and explanations all along the way. read more

I recently purchased a Tohatsu outboard motor from the San Diego Tohatsu dealer. They provided very little support and were incredibly difficult to deal with. I experienced starting problems with the new engine early on and decided to bring it to Amber Marine in Costa Mesa, the nearest alternative authorized service location. The manager, Elio, arranged an appointment for me to bring in the engine and looked at it immediately. They addressed the problem and repaired it in less than an hour! Also received training on operation and maintenance from their mechanic (not offered in San Diego). I am a super satisfied customer and would recommend these guys for any outboard engine problems. read more

Terrible customer service! You get better customer service online! Buyer beware of used engines! They say they have been in business for 28 years, you think they would have learned customer service by then. I'm sorry, let's see what we can do to get you going' goes a very long way! Instead, you get insulted by their uneducated staff about what "I" supposedly did? I know what I did do, I went to the wrong place!! read more

The worst customer service I've ever encountered, every employee here treated me with disrespect. I wouldn't recommend these guys to my worst enemy. Not only did the uneducated staff sell me a dead car battery they knowingly did so. They lied to me that it was a good marine battery, turned out it was a dead car battery. read more

I went with my Dad who brought in an engine to Brad that needed to be fixed. I work for him so I was responsible in finding the best mechanic! Brad was awesome!! He was very knowledgeable, helpful and took the time to explain to my Dad what needed to be done. After the work was finished, the boat ran AMAZING!! Thank you Amber Marine! Just in time for the boat parades! read more

Staff not too smart!.. they quoted us one price got there twice the price.. they charge more for credit card.. next time we'll go to kindercare for service.. preschoolers are more knowledgeable in this field then the employees. Employees could not answer basic text book questions on an outboard. Really!!! Next time we'll go to the isthmus read more

I've just been through hell and back with my boat - at no fault of Amber Marine. This is the first time I've been to here and all I have to say is that it will not be my last! They just gained a new client not only for my 13' Boston Whaler/40hp Tohatsu but also for my little inflatable with my 6hp Mercury! They ran into several technical issues with my 40hp Tohatsu and I was beginning to question the credibility and experience of the mechanics. Brad and Dan understood my concern and recognized that my time was valuable but they wanted to make sure that my outboard was fixed correctly. Once we learned that the manufacturer had provided faulty parts they continued to go out of their way to accommodate me (which was MORE than generous). In fact, Amber Marine took full responsibility for another boat motor repair shop's wrong-doing. Who does that nowadays? They said that they will be contacting the manufacture to let them know of the faulty part and explain to them how much hassle it caused their customer (me). Usually companies just say, "oh sorry" and move on to the next customer but instead Amber Marine is going out of their way to address this issue and show the part to the manufacturer so that this will not happen again. This speaks volumes and get this I didn't even mention the small stuff. Prior to the faulty part - Brad showed me where repairs were needed and explained how the repairs were directly related to my safety on the water. He also shared how my boat was in good shape and gave me a list on things to do in the future and made sure to show me the faulty parts and how it was causing my motor to not run properly. But before all this he sat down with me and went through each item and threw in a free fuel filter since that was the last thing that I needed in order to complete all my immediate repairs. This guy heard me the first time when we spoke and addressed everything that I had requested (and I didn't even have to repeat myself). These guys were true gentleman; took my key off my key chain and placed it back on my key chain once the boat was finished and had the mechanics working on my boat to ensure that things were running properly and smoothly. Who does this? NO ONE!!! They usually throw my key down on the counter and say - sign here. I have NEVER received this great of service before from an boat shop. Exceptional Service!!!! I highly recommend this place. I feel that they not only had my best interest at heart but would go the extra mile to make sure they made things right. Like I said - they have my business for life. read more

My husband and went into Amber Marine to buy a new engine. The staff was very helpful and knowledgeable. They also had the best price . Thank you Amber Marine......... read more

Anyone that would like to know.... I've spent almost 12,000.00 on a 50cc Tohatsu motor. This is with throttle and gauges replaced. Was expecting the seats to be reupholstered and I requested the rear hooks to be reinforced. But it was like talking to my kids, asking them to do something. My first visit was of the positive energy, Ken walked me through everything. He has an awesome Harley as well. He took the time to explain in detail for the novice that I am. On the second visit.... I dealt with a kid about 30 years old that after I explained to him the problem, he said he'd see if it wasn't my fault. This was only after 6+ hours of use. Brad the owner also stated the have a computer that will tell them exactly what I did with the boat. As if to say it was my fault. Upon my return a week later it's apparently bad gas. 750.00 dollars worth. These guys are arrogant and narcissistic. So you better know what your talking about. The pray on the ignorant. Twice is enough for me. And I will spread the word, like a metastatic cancer. I'm sure there are a lot of boat enthusiasts in my profession... read more

I needed a motor for my business on the hurry up and had bought from Amber Marine in the past. What I really liked was that they answered the phone at 9:00 AM when they don't open until 9:30. In short they had the new motor I wanted in stock, and had it all set and ready to go when I got there two hours later. Now here is the capper. The motor needed a small adjustment after I used it so I brought it back unannounced. I pulled up and Josh right off the bat put it in the tank, fired it up, made the adjustments needed and had me on my way in about 15 minutes! Great service! I will be back. read more

I notice the reviews swing from low to high here. Here is my honest review. I have been using Amber for years. The owner Brad is honest and helpful and will go out of his way to refer for other marine needs. The reviews about backward shop, poor customer service, and bad info I may be able to shed light on. The shop is older and has another shop across the street. Nothing fancy, its motors guys! They do tend to get busy because they offer a great warranty and do a good job. Sometimes I admit, they have been remiss in calling and updating. This is an old school shop and runs that way. The pricing is very fair. I recently needed my inflatable to go in for outboard repair and since it stays with my yacht I don't have a trailer. It's a center console. They loaned me a trailer at no charge as long as I signed a release. That's fair. This totally helped me out. I have one motor in with them now and already got my inflatable back. I got it in the water and it wasn't running properly. I called them and Jaime said he would come to me and fix. When he came it was almost dark. He is a true professional though and worked on it until it was fixed. Runs like a top now. Here is the kicker. It was not anything they did but he fixed it anyway. i felt bad and said you came after hours and this was not your issue. He said that regardless, it was mechanical and they warranty for mechanical for 30 days after returned. I was shocked and pleased. Don't expect social hour here. These guys are serious about their work. I feel bad for the guys who were not happy here, but honestly don't get it. Let me be clear, I have no connection with this shop as so many businesses write their own reviews for their benefit. I just call 'em like I see 'em as you can tell from my other reviews. There is no other place I would go for my outboards than here. If you are a serious boater then you probably already go here. If you are new, just tell them and ask them to explain things to you. If you are not happy with anything ask to speak to Brad and he will make it right. read more

These are my go to guys for all things outboard. They have good prices, many things in stock and are sharing with info and expertise which is a huge bonus and of high value as they know outboards better than almost anyone. read more