Louie was amazing, he really helped us out as a last min car issue! Thank you so much! I would def recommend him! read more

I highly recommend Car Connection. Professional and Great Service. The Palomino Family read more

100% recommend. Louis is fair, patient and determined to figure out and solve the issue. He's really trustworthy and knowledgeable. When other mechanics can't resolve the mechanical issues, he can. I won't take my car anywhere else now. read more

TEN YEARS LATER UPDATE! I cannot give a stronger vote of confidence to The Car Connection. They have serviced my 2004 Toyota Corolla since the car was brand new. They have helped this car last FOREVER. Oil changes, brakes, tune ups and all the required maintenance has been performed by the trusted Car Connection mechanics. This damn car has outlasted all of my family members and neighbors cars. Over the last 10-15 years, I have endlessly heard the following: "Duuuuude, are you still driving that Corolla?" "I can't believe that old ass car is still driving!" "How long are you gonna keep that damn Corolla?" "Don't you want to get something new?" This car was paid off so many years ago, I forgot what it's like to even have a car payment. No shame in my game. I'm good with no car payment. For the last 18 years, this car has sipped gasoline up and down the California coast, to Las Vegas and all over the unpaved roads of Baja California, México. All the automatic windows work. One failed, but Louie fixed it. A/C blows ice cold. Always has. When the battery died, Louie would replace it. Brakes get squeaky, Louie would replace them. Still a very smooth ride after all these years. Original engine. Original transmission. The digital odometer broke and froze at 299,999 miles many years ago. Since the odometer froze, we estimated the car has a total of at least 450,000 miles. No joke. This car is still mechanically sound. Took it to Toyota for an see the airbag light on the dash was related to an airbag recall. The official Toyota comprehensive inspection revealed, aside from the airbag issue, no red flags. LOLOLOL. The moral of the story is this. Get yourself an honest, reliable mechanic. Stick with them. Take their advice when they make repair recommendations. Don't save a nickel today to only end up paying a dollar tomorrow. Even for a Corolla, I got an unreal amount of use out of my vehicle. Its very important to give credit when it's due. The Car Connection is legendary in San Diego for providing the best possible guidance for maintaining your vehicle. The next time your car needs service or has issues... you know where to go. read more

Car Connection - Kids in the trunk of a Toyota Corolla with 450,000 miles on it. And she is still rolling!! - Auto Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

Excellent customer service, even for miner things they give it their full attention. Great to have them in our community, will definitely recommend. read more

Louie is a legend. Honest, direct, and never afraid to call it how it is. And he seemingly knows everything about cars, from vintage hot rods to modern hybrids. He's helped me chase out shorts in a 45+ year old dash wiring harness, identified and fixed a problem with the variable valve timing in my wife's modern Honda, and converted my vintage Jeep to modern fuel injection/electronic ignition. Louie hearkens from the days when mechanics knew how to fix stuff--not just look at a computer for an error code and sell you a bolt on part to "solve" a problem. I'd give six stars if I could. read more

Car Connection - Very, very clean install. I didn't ask for all of those relays and fuses, but Louie took it on himself to go above and beyond. - Auto Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

Had my car fixed here a few times . Very honest reliable man. ( louie).. priceable.. and trustworthy... I will not change my mechanic for nobody else read more

I was referred to Louie and he's a man of his word. Despite his busy schedule he was able to fit me in, change my oil and transmission oil.

Louie is one of the most honest and trustworthy mechanics around! I brought my Subaru STI for a valve gaskets change on morning and by the end of the day my car was ready, and at the price he had told me before. He also told me some other minor issues that needed to be addressed. Great work, and way cheaper than the other mechanics around the same area. I would recommend these guys over again! 5 stars read more

Louie snr. is by far the best mechanic in town hands down and a honest one no b.s. included. You will have peace of mind knowing your vehicles in great hands as he gets the job done right. Your vehicle and wallet will thank you later believe that! read more

First, the address is incorrect: the true address is 1904 Pueblo Street. (which is where the Yelp arrow is pointing.) This shop was recommended to me by some friends (several, in fact) and since it is only a couple of miles from where I live, it is very conveniently located. It looks like a greasy car shop (as it should, IMO). The guys who work there look like they are all about cars too, lots of tattoos, greasy finger nails, and lots of cars in/ around the building. Something that I noticed was that there are LOTS of old (circa 1960) cars. It turns out the the boss man is really into restoring older cars. (Sweet.) Anywhoo, on to the service. My check engine light came on my hybrid, I called and Louie (boss man) was very friendly and said "bring it down, let me scan the code." he was also honest and said I can do some* things on hybrids, some thing MUST be done my the dealership, I will let you know after I run the computer scan. I really appreciated his honesty. They scanned and did the 3 minute fix free of charge. All the while very very very nice to me and explained exactly what they were doing. I took my Toyota Corolla down because it was making a "funny noise." Again, I got greeted with amazing nice (dirty) guys. They were really great about letting me drop the car off Monday so they could work on it Tuesday. Because of my work schedule, they let it stay an extra day before I picked it up. Again, boss man called to tell me what they found and what had to be done. He explained what all the things did, how important they are, what will happen if I don't get it fixed, etc. Knowing NOTHING about cars, I did not feel like I was getting ripped off, taken advantage of, or that they were over charging me. read more

I have know Luis and Louie for a few years now. They have taken very good care of both my late model cars and my old cars. I brought them my 1952 Chevrolet project. The motor was one that I picked up from a different shop. POS anchor. The guys at Car Connection went WAY over and above the call of duty to help me with the project. They love what they do and it shows in the quality that they show. They have rebuilt 2 Chevy inline 6s for me. Excellent work both times. I'd recommend these guys to anyone. Go there. No BS, Quality work and they care about you. - Joe read more

These guys are sooo awesome. Truck broke down 150 miles from home on the way to work. Had it towed to Car Connection after Yelping car repair. What a godsend. Absolutely the fairest, most honest shop I've ever encountered. First thing they did was give me a ride to my job site and gave me constant updates during the day. They scoured San Diego looking for hard to find parts and completed the repairs in one day at a price that was more than fair. Can't say enough about Louie Ontiveros and his awesome crew at Car Connection. Thanks guys for turning a bad situation into an almost pleasurable experience. My truck was restored as well as my faith in mechanics and humanity in general. Make Car Connection you "go to" repair shop. You will not regret it. Thanks again guys. read more

Car Connection deserves 10 stars! I brought my car here a couple of days ago because the AC in my 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee was not functioning as well as it used to... AC was cold however, when I put the fan up high the air pressure was very low! I am always guarded when I have to go to a mechanic for an issue about my vehicle... (I'm sure many females can relate!) However, when I was greeted by Louie (dad) I had a sense of ease and immediately knew I wasn't going to be taken advantage ! I waited while they inspected my car and approximately 25 minutes later, Louie (son) greeted me in the waiting area and told me my AC had been fixed. He mentioned a piece of rubber had fallen from the unit and when they put it back on, my fan was fully functioning! I asked him how much I owed and he said I didn't owe them anything! So if you are looking for a good mechanic, look no further.... I wish I had found out about this place a long time ago! Car Connection: I am extremely grateful for your help with my AC!!! I am also grateful that I have finally found an auto repair shop I can use for any future repairs! Thank you! read more

We were recommended to Car Connection by a friend who also has a civic. We had strange noises coming from our engine and thought maybe it was a timing belt issue. After talking to Louie and explaining the noise he recommended not driving it if possible because it could cause a worse problem with the engine if it was the timing belt. After getting the car to him he found out it was actually our AC compressor that needed to be fixed (or replaced maybe?), that would have been a $1400 fix. Our AC has been out for 6 months and we didn't care to get it fixed. After talking to him he took another look and basically found a way to bypass the compressor. The car was done quick, and it ended up being only $130. Much, much better. He was honest and found the best way to fix the issue for us, not pressuring us to come back to get the AC fixed but making sure we knew the system is still there if we do decide to get it fixed someday. So grateful for his hard work and honesty! Bring your car to Louie! read more

BRING YOUR CAR HERE. I'm shocked there aren't more reviews for this place. It's extremely difficult to feel like you can trust a mechanic to be honest. Louie has been a man of integrity the whole time I've been coming to him. I have never been so impressed with a mechanic. I trust both the expertise and that the work being done is actually needed. They are very timely and professional and most importantly care about the customers. You walk away knowing you've been taken care of. That's what everyone should feel confident in when leaving a mechanic. Please come here - you have finally found the mechanic you've been looking for. read more

Wow! I brought Louie my 86 year old Ford (1935) puzzle. He found all the gremlins I have been dealing with for years and let me know how each of them needed to be addressed. Without question or any hesitation I asked him to fix them all. The car has been to many mechanics over the years and never really sorted. Louie made the car run better than I have ever been able to before. He is genuine, honest, sincere and above all else, fair. I wish I found him years ago. He is a great man and a fantastic mechanic. Car Connection is now my family's mechanic/repair shop of choice. I could not be happier. read more

Took a used Miata in for a pre-purchase inspection. Excellent service and suggestions. Great mechanic and very personable. Affordable prices too. Highly recommend going here for service on all vehicles. read more

The number one factor for anyone choosing a mechanic is trust and these guys are 100% trustworthy. I brought my 2007 chevy avalanche in after buying it last week for a bumper to bumper inspection. Everything was explained to me in detail that I could understand. What had to be fixed, what should be fixed and what could wait. Excellent work, professional, and competitive prices. I will go back again and again for all my automotive needs. read more

Summary: Solid, Honest Mechanics The Bad: A little bit confusing to find (their address is on commericial but you have to enter via the alley behind and walk through the working area to get to the office). The Good: Had a great experience Did the repair for less than the ballpark figure they quoted me Explained another issue they encountered with no pressure to get it fixed through them All friendly. The lunch they were cooking smelled amazing. read more

Attention All Readers ! This Shop is one of heart ,tolerance,and patience with customers and I've never taken my car to any other shop . Some may disagree yet the Family of techs analyze in 360° gathering different views from each other to make certain maintenance is A1! On your vehicle .May price not hinder your sight at what's Quality care for your vehicle ,a vessel replacing your feet to provide comfort for your journey and for any who believe the Negative words of those who bash don't listen to the lies ! God Bless read more

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I'm super glad I discovered Car Connection. I've been taking my vehicle here for the past year is so and have had a great experience each time. Louie is easy to work with, and gets the job done at a really reasonable price. read more

Worst shop in San Diego. They screwed up my air bags and I had to spend $3500 to fix then at a REAL shop. The car was wired wrong by them. That was a $1500 fix at a REAL shop. My hood was burnt when a stray spark flew off during welding. Was taken to a paint shop recommend by them and that shop mismatched the paint. So that had to be fixed by a real paint shop. Not to mention my fender skirts were taken for paint by car connection and I never saw them again. And till this day there has been no sufficient explanation as to there where abouts. I have spent more money getting fixed what they screwed up. Oh and tools that they left in my engine bay, I found when I got home. This shop is a joke. If you want poor work and to flush your money away. Then this place is for you. If not go some where else. Your wallet will thank you read more

OUTSTANDING!! It is run by a father & son team who are both top mechanics. I had several problems with my Toyota solara and they fixed them to perfection. This is the place to go to get ur car fixed RIGHT! read more

Car connection did a REALLY good job on my car. My BMW had an annoying rattling sound coming out of the exhaust and they fixed it for a great price and the customer service was excellent. I would highly recommend car connection for anyone who needs work on their car. Little Louie is the owner and is a gem. He was so friendly and made me feel like I was being taken care of. Take your car here if you have any car problems at all. read more

They are really good! I met the father. he was frank, to the point, honest, and direct. and with me being from the East Coast i found this very welcoming! i had problems with my HID lights i had install at a cheap shop. This place took about 4 hours to find the right parts and fix them. I have a new car so their quality of work was excellent and appreciated... . They are expensive, but the quality of work is very well worth it! read more

Good people down at this spot. I Just dropped in and these guys treated me like family. Great service and they made my day with good humor and vibes. They even repaired some small things for me just cuz. read more

These guys were great! I came in at a very desperate time and was very surprised at what all went down... My (old) car was hurting, BAD! Enough was enough, so I decided to take it into this shop. Every single person I came into contact with was great. Very approachable, and honest about what was needing to go down. I had to leave my car for a few hours (I work in the area) for them to look it over. I was weary about it, but left it. I needed to know what was going on... I called a couple of hours later to check up on my car, and the person I spoke with was COMPLETELY honest about my car. What it needed to live, and all the options available. I decided on just getting the car home and replacing it, which I did let the guys know. Not only did they give me so much as far as information and options, they didn't charge me ONE CENT for the diagnostics they did on the car! If that isn't honest, I don't want to know what is! Golden rule at work! I plan on bringing my wife's car to this shop for any tune-ups and work needed in the future. With everything these guys did to help me with my car, they have a customer for life. read more

I'm not much of a reviewer. In fact I signed up for a Yelp account just so I could give a review of this wonderful business. They worked within my budget and needs to get my car running after it wouldn't start. My car is old, and falling apart, but I don't have the money to refurbish the whole beauty. They were able to get my car up and running again so I can roll down the road for at least a few more miles. Thanks to the Louie's! read more

So sweet. Reliable and honest. Haven't taken my car anywhere else since I discovered them. Highly recommend them!

The Car Connection provided the BEST car service I have ever had. These guys are the most HONEST, trustworthy guys in the industry!!! I brought my car to them to get a 2nd qoute on my AC when Henry's Radiator told me I needed a whole new system for $1000. The Car Connection could have easily lied and just confirmed that the previous quote was accurate to try to get my business but they did the right thing and told me I just need to re-charge the AC for around $100. Now my AC works perfectly and I am happy to give them all the business I can! Seriously, they give honest quotes and follow up with great work. You don't find guys like this very often in this industry! read more

I love this place. I love the people who work here. They give the best service and have great knowledge about vehicles. They are also able to do things that the dealership won't do. You won't be disappointed. read more

Excellent customer service and work! My son's car had issues and they handled it in one day! Dropped it off in the morning and was done before the end of the day.They also let me pay long distance- I live in Nevada and was stressing over him having his car to be able to get to work. Ryan explained everything that needed to be fixed and helped him get a free exchange on a battery that he had been sold from someone else that had a bad cell. These guys go ABOVE and BEYOND any shop I have dealt with in a very long time. As a San Diego native, I am so glad this quality of service still exists there. Thank you so much! read more

I have plenty of motorcycles over the years I've always been chasing café racer I bought a project bike off somebody I knew and didn't really have a place to help me keep building it but I was referred to car connection by a good friend so I went in to have a consultation with Louie and he blew my mind with his knowledge and how respectful I will forever be a client to this mechanic shop/awesome custom workshop they really took care of me. read more

Car Connection - Auto Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

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Blew a spark plug on my 2001 Corvette. Usually hard to find someone to do this properly without it blowing again in a few months. They finish the job in a few hours. And I have not had any issues with it since. These guys are great. Honest efficient and affordable. read more

Ok, so you're on here searching for a good, honest mechanic to help you out with problems with your vehicle. STOP LOOKING, you've found them!!! Car Connection is great and their service has compelled me to write this review for others that were in my situation. I am in the US Navy and recently moved out here to San Diego. After an 8 month deployment, I arrived back home to find my car had not done well just sitting for that long period of time and had developed numerous issues. Although I am somewhat mechanically inclined I was not completely sure of everything that was wrong and needed fixing. I needed a trustworthy, honest mechanic to take a look and diagnose what needed to be done. Not being from the area, I was wary of dishonest mechanics just trying to make a buck and trying to charge me for unnecessary work. After reading their reviews, I decided to give Car Connection a try. I won't take my car anywhere else now. The owner, Big Louie, his son, Little Louie and the rest of the guys are awesome. They are experienced, knowledgeable technicians who know how to work on seemingly any car you could bring in there. I've seen everything there from my regular old Pontiac Grand Am to a high-end Masseratti and everything in between. There are lots of "old schools" in the shop so if that's your thing this is the perfect place. Big Lou quickly diagnosed and fixed my problems and even though there were setbacks, the guys worked through them and got my car running back in tip-top shape in a short amount of time. More importantly, these guys are honest and trustworthy. Big Lou explains everything prior to starting any work and also in situations such as mine lets you know how confident he is that the work being done will fix the problem. I observed him with another female customer tell her that he wasn't sure if a certain procedure would fix her problem and if it were him he wouldn't do it without further troubleshooting. You don't see that type of integrity everyday. Many shops would have just done that procedure and charged her for it even if it didn't ultimately fix the issue she was having. Bottomline, Car Connection is a great mechanic shop ran by experienced, knowledgable mechanics who are honest and trustworthy. They all have a very pleasant demeanor and make you feel welcome and comfortable with leaving your vehicle in their hands. I would recommend them to anyone. Oh yeah, they give a military discount as well. read more

This is the spot to go to for sure! Definitely the only place I will be taking my car from now on. Extremely trustworthy, professional, and friendly. They will take good care of you, no doubt about it! read more

They have worked on my 92 Mitsubishi pick-up twice,I cannot say enough about this place.Integrity.fair pricing,and a commitment to service.I will never go anywhere else!Thanks guys read more

I called with an error message showing on a 2004 Corvette and Louie absolutely talked me through the problem on the phone, having never met me before. His suggestions were right on the money and got my car going again with a safety pin and some patience! Highly recommended for general knowledge and willingness to take the time to help. read more

I recently bought a 57 Chevy truck that had developed a severe oil leak by the valve cover/manifold. I was in the process of looking and asking friends that I ride Harleys with if they knew any good reputable shops. Like my bikes, I am very particular with who works on them and the quality of work they do. When I find a shop I like I stick with them. My boy Curtis who just brought his 53 Chevy Bel Air to Car Connection to do some diagnosis and ultimately get some work done raved about this shop. He said the quality of work and the price could not be beat. The next day, I called right when they opened and spoke to Big Louie who told me to bring my truck down now and he would look at it. With in two hours, he fixed the oil leak, properly adjusted my distributor, readjusted my timing and dialed in my carburetor. The truck runs great! Needless to say, this is where I will be bring my truck from now on. These guys know cars!! They are knowledgeable and there prices are very competitive. They are straight shooters no BS. I would recommend this shop to anyone read more