I wish I could 10 stars for service and break down of what is going on with my car! Hutch was awesome and explained and showed me what was going on with my car. Fair prices and great customer service. I wish I taken my car to him in the first place, definitely recommend this spot to everyone hands down! Stop by if you dont believe me. read more

I came in yesterday as soon as I realized my registration was about to expire and I needed an urgent smog check. I came to Del Mar Auto and Radiator while they were on their lunch break and they were so kind to take me in! They were careful in light of Covid-19 and I felt safe! I would highly recommend and I'll be back. read more

10/10 would recommend and call to make an appointment as they do get busy. Found this auto shop by chance driving by, and stopped by to get an opinion on a noise my car was making. Hutch drove the car to hear the noise, gave an opinion on it, and said not to worry. It's not easy to find an honest mechanic much less coincidently find one, will definitely be returning with our family cars! read more

Had such a great experience at Del Mar auto today. I went in to get my air in tires right as they were closing. The team was so nice to let me come in and quickly got my tires' pressure back to normal at no additional cost. They are truly a great neighborhood auto repair that cares about customers and doing a good job rather than raking in as much money as possible! read more

I have been going to Del Mar Auto for over 30 years and think they are the best. They take wonderful care of our cars and family.

Just got my oil changed here for the first time and just found my new local, go-to auto care place. They've been in business in Pasadena since the '80s for a reason. Great work, guys. Keep it up! read more

I came in for an oil change and opted for the free inspection they offered. Everyone was incredibly friendly and were able to accommodate me quickly despite not having an appointment. Overall they did great work and quick job on the oil change and brake pad change that I needed. Would definitely come back and recommend this shop for those who need work on their vehicle. read more

At first impression Hutch (owner) seems smart and charming, even honest. That might even be your experience with him if you have a new car with little work ever needed, maybe some oil changes. But he is a mechanic after all and should be able to actually fix cars. He gave us bad advice after not being able to fix a Toyota then when we got another car he was unable to fix that one either but charged us as if he did. Twice we drove off from his shop breaking down. He never wants to give refunds so he says he'll fix it but will put you off at the back of the list after other customers. Weeks will go by as he has your car. His treatment was disgusting, taking advantage, attempting to make deals geared for him to somehow benefit from your losses. Never go to this charmer!! Stay clear! read more

I found my new auto repair shop today. Good, honest, friendly and helpful. It's a hard to find all of these things in an auto repair shop but these guys have it. read more

My go to shop in the San Gabriel Valley now for my civic and Odyssey. Hutch and the team do an excellent job and have serviced my cars through some serious issues at a reasonable price. Trustworthy and fair. read more

I spent over an hour trying to replace the light bulbs in my headlights myself. After finally admitting YouTube failed me, I searched for an independent auto repair close by. Luckily I came here and they fixed both in under 10 minutes. read more

Charged me $85 just to look at the car. Then quoted a fairly outrageous amount of money for the repair. I took it to another mechanic who looked at it for free and quoted a repair cost of less than 1/2 of what I was quoted previously. the car was repaired and functions beautifully. read more

I'm quite confused with this place considering the fact that the owner, Hutch seams very approachable, friendly and comes up with quite competitive labour prices. I usually have my own parts since I own BMW & Lexus cars, so saving some $$$ for parts and labour is good. For the Lexus I had my own 4 Struts to install and his labour price was great, made an appointment and then I waited there for the job to be done. The elder mechanic got the job and then I observed that he was NOT familiar at all how to install the spring on the new strut, so I had to waste more than 30 minutes looking at him unsuccessfully working on it while Hutch was a few feet away talking to some Bosh sales people. The painful part was that the mechanic was NOT asking for help or directions how to do it. After the sales people left, Hutch observed him and took over the job, finally completing the installation. A few weeks after I went back to change the Power Steering Rack, the Lower Control Arms & have the front Brake Rotors resurfaced, but this time I left the car there for the whole day (the price was great but I paid almost $1,000 in cash). After picking up the car and bringing it right away to have the mandatory Wheel Alignment at a Firestone shop a few blocks away, I realized that they did NOT install the Brake Rotors correctly (they were swapped from left to right and you can tell since they were the slotted kind) and also the whole Skid Plate Shield located under the engine and transmission was missing. After Alignment I went back and I got lucky to find him still in the shop, so I left the car there till the next day that was Saturday...ruined plans!!! I got the car and after inspection (a few days after) I realized that the Skid Plate Shield was installed improperly since sine retainers were missing and different bolts were used to barely keep it in place. I'm quite disappointed and I would be very careful considering this shop since Quality Control is NOT their forte since screwing up on "minor" things is nonsense for professionals. read more

In short, I would not recommend this shop for any major repairs. Pay the extra 25%-35% and take your vehicle to a specialist. For minor maintenance work, they may be good. They are nice people to deal with, reasonably priced, and pretty quick. I personally can't trust them for small repairs though. Once burned... The long story: As Radu M. mentioned in his review, this place is quite perplexing. I tried them out by taking my pickup to them for some minor maintenance work (brake system flush and replacing my serpentine belt), which they seemed to do a good job on. Plus, they have so many good reviews on Yelp! So, I decided to go with them for my front end suspension/steering rebuild, and things went south! First, they forgot to put the rubber spring isolators for my coil springs in, so they had to remove them and put them back in. Then, they did not grease the greasable ball joints and tie rod ends which they installed (as pointed out by the alignment/tire shop which I took it to for a alignment), so I had to take it back in. All this made me loose a lot of time from work, not to mention the inconvenience of having to take the bus to work because my truck was out of service. Having picked it up (for the last time, I promised my self) from the shop, I noticed that my ABS light was on. I took it back to them, and they said it looks like a wire was pinched for one of the ABS sensors. I was so sick of dealing with this that I decided not to take it to them for repairing this issue, but rather take it to the dealer and pay big money to replace the entire sensor, including the wiring loom. Fast forward 6 months, and my steering starts to make a clunking sound. I took it to a local shop for a quick inspection, and they pointed out to me that one of the shock absorber bolts was so loose that it could be moved by hand. They also showed me how the control arm bushings which Del Mar Auto pressed in were only half in, which made it flex excessively and also movable by hand. This was a major safety hazard! I am so glad it gave me a warning by clunking instead of just coming off while i was driving at 70MPH down the freeway! So now, I am having to get the control arm removed and new bushings pressed in by another shop just 6 months after I had this done by Del Mar Auto. Overall, I am very disappointed and would not go back here again. read more

I have been taking my cars to Hutch for many years and have never been disappointed. I now live 30-miles away and still bring my cars to him for anything from an oil change to that weird noise coming from the engine. He's an honest mechanic at a fair price. He'll tell you what you need to do to keep your car going and let you know of things that should be done for upkeep. He's not going to gouge you or take advantage of you. He's one of the few good ones. read more

I stopped in to the Del Mar Auto shop earlier in the week with very flat tires on my bike. The owner was super generous with his time and filled them air. I'm a new cycler, so I am still working out how to do this. He didn't charge me anything either. So you should all come to the friendliest garage in Pasadena! Thank you! read more

They are nice, but expensive!! They charged me $42,43 to remove and replace a passanger front head light bulb. From this 42,43, just $15,99 cost the little light. read more

Hutch always amazes me, i am currently fiddling w 2 car repairs on two different cars n a motorcycle issue... Wether a repair advice or a referral... He always scores the point... Not here to brag him up...just tell it the way that it is...hutch n his crew r the best... read more

I was in the Pasadena area getting my dog groomed, when I noticed a grinding noise coming from my tires. After searching Yelp! and visiting a few other places, I took my car to Hutch. After going out on a test drive, Hutch thought my brakes were ok, but he still put the car up on the rack to get a closer look. After getting my wheels off, it turned out I needed new pads and rotors. Hutch put two guys on my car and had me in and out. The guys worked really fast and did an excellent job. He also gave me an excellent price for the work, and was way cheaper than several other places I had taken my car too that day. I also appreciate the fact that he didn't try to pull one over on me because I'm a woman. All in all, it was a great experience and I'll be taking my vehicle back there when I need future work. read more

This review is pretty overdue, but better late than never! I've been going to Hutch for about 3-4 years now. I usually just go for regular oil changes and maintenance, but I've run into a lot of car trouble this past year, and Hutch has really been clutch (haha). I was side-swiped in a car accident and my bumper took some paint damage and was slightly popped out of place on the left. Took it in to Hutch and thought I was going to need the bumper replaced. He took some paint thinner to wipe off the paint from the other car, and just manually popped the bumper back into place and sent me on my way with my car looking basically new again. He's an honest mechanic and doesn't try to sell you on a bunch of things you don't really need. He's also really knowledgeable and helpful! I've called him a bunch of times when I was unsure if I needed to bring the car in, and his advice was usually spot on. read more

Simply put... I was quoted nearly $700 for a job, for which I said, "no thanks!" I ended up buying the parts for $175 and did the job in one weekend. Nice guy and does make you feel welcome, but he was hoping to make a killing off me. read more

This place is so close to PCC, I had just gotten to school when I realized my trunk was broken. Unable to leave my trunk open in a crowded parking lot, I tried driving home. My trunk kept flying open, so I pulled over LUCKILY in front of Del Mar Auto. I drove in and this really nice mechanic Hutch came out and took one look and he fixed it. It took him less than 2 minutes to repair the bottom latch of my trunk, and he did it free of charge. I was so impressed, that I asked him about some work that my usual mechanic had suggested. I was pleased to get a much lower quote, and information about the cost and differences between parts. Thank you so much Del Mar Auto, especially you Hutch! :-) read more

Quick and responsive staff, friendly and accommodating customer service, and reasonable rates to boot! Hutch and his crew were pros throughout the entire process and were able to get me exactly what I was looking for (brakes+rotors, smog check, battery replacement) with a quick turnaround. Highly recommend these guys for your automotive needs! read more

Informative, helpful, and trustworthy. Gave me an honest quote while not beating around the bush. Great and fast service. Highly recommended! My new regular place now! read more

Took my car here after noticing some parts dragging from underneath the car. Turns out there was some major issues that required filing an insurance claim. Hutch worked with the insurance company and got everything all squared away and made the process extremely easy. The work was done quickly and looks great. Make sure you go visit this place and you'll get great service and be extremely satisfied with the work done. read more

I came to Hutch due to searching for a place to repair my car in Pasadena. I saw all the great reviews and tried it out. My boyfriend and I will not go anywhere else now. Hutch is friendly, explains everything to me in terms I can understand and has great pricing. When something breaks on your car, it can be stressful, but I am thankful to have a place nearby I can go where I don't feel ripped off, the work is done timely and the staff is very friendly. I would definitely recommend them to anyone in the area. read more

I'm going to keep this simple because, as Diana mentioned already - others have provided in depth reviews on the types of services performed. What I will speak to is the fact that I moved, and still bring my car to Hutch and Del Mar. It's a pain in the ass to do this, seriously. But I like road trips with my son, and want to know my car isn't going to leave me stranded and is safe, and Hutch makes sure I have that piece of mind. Plus he gives good advice...what advice? Me: I want a new car. Hutch: Why do you want a new car? So you can get a girl? This car is great, you own this car, it'll go 500K miles and can't get repo'd. Why you want a new car? Me: Good point. Go to Del Mar. Good mechanics are hard to find. read more

I love Del Mar Auto! Great service with amazing consideration to their customers' needs. I have difficulty getting to their shop due to my work hours and yet they would still give me my much needed oil change with such a decent price. Hutch is awesome and sends out coupons in your mail for a better deal! I would definitely be coming back here for my car's needs. read more

After seeing me sitting, crying next to my car after an attempt to fix a skid plate left me with a full gas tank almost broken off my car, my friendly neighbor suggested walking the car down the street to Hutch and his team at the shop...so I did, and I'm glad I did...he not only took care of the major problem (i had caused due to my own stupidity), but also took care of some other minor things I needed to have taken care of...the initial quote kind of sticker shocked me, but the actual price was around half of the quote, which felt a little on the pricey side but still reasonable...all I can say is I'll go back when I need service on my car (which will probably be soon as my oil is due for a change in a little bit)... Quick, friendly, fair...three things you want to have when most repair shops care more about getting every last dollar out of you and not about you coming back as a customer...It's hard to find a shop that is friendly, fair, and willing to work within your needs, and this is one that does all 3...All in all a very positive experience :) read more

Hutch is the man!!!!! This guy will take care of you like no other mechanic out there. He is sincere and really cares. And will not rip you off. Great easy going staff. Well worth the wait! read more

A SMALL TOWN FEELING IN A BIG CITY! Ever since we moved to Pasadena two years ago we've been bringing our cars to DELMAR AUTO. I picked the shop initially because it was literally two blocks from my home and I could easily drop my car off and walk home. After experiencing the hands on, personal and professional service that Hutch provides, I cannot imagine taking my car to anyone else and would gladly drive miles to have him service my cars. Before I brought my Celica GT to Hutch, my previous mechanic in West LA told that I should probably just sell the vehicle as the transmission fluid had somehow ruined my car. This seemed strange to me since I have always maintained my car and changed fluids as the manufacturer suggested. Needless to say, when Hutch looked at the car, he told me my car was fine, just needed a trans flush, and that this type of car would last well over 150k more miles. In retrospect, he was correct. The car runs better now than it has ever run. I have found Hutch to always be honest and straight up; he only repaired what really needed to be repaired and quite often has done work that he did not even charged me for. I cannot say enough about this business and the skills of Hutch, the owner. I only wish more businesses were run like this. Los Angeles can be a pretty lonely town and very impersonal, Hutch makes you feel like you're in a small town where everybody really does know your name. read more

Hutch repaired my daughters car after the radiator gave out. Thank goodness the car is back on the road and running good as new!! The service was professional, honest and the price was fair market value. Thanks Lisa and Hutch I have found a mechanic I can trust!! read more

This was my first time bringing my car to Hutch. I needed to have my front brakes replaced. I had the oem pads from the dealer already but I just needed to have a shop install them for me. Hutch and his sister Lisa were both very nice. In addition to getting my pads installed, I had also asked for my front rotors to resurfaced. The shop had to send out my rotors to be resurfaced elsewhere because they couldn't do them in-house, mine were too big. Sending the rotors out took a little bit of extra time. In the mean time Hutch came over to tell me why the process was taking so long. I appreciated that he let me know what the hold up was. Once the rotors arrived back in the shop the brakes were installed in minutes. Hutch felt bad that the whole process had taken so long. But it was fine with me because it wasn't even his fault that my truck uses those larger sized rotors. All in all I was in and out in around an hour, that's a lot faster than the local stealership. Hutch is the man! I've found myself a new shop. Thanks! read more

I went here on the recommendation of a coworker. I had let my car maintenance slip a bit, so I needed quite a few things done. I thought that I needed my timing belt routinely replaced so I asked them to do it. Hutch had me double check my maintenance records and I found that it was replaced two years ago. Then, Hutch told me that there was no need to replace a timing belt that is two years old, and saved me hundreds of dollars. The work was done in one day, and I'm very happy with the service. read more

I stopped by before heading to class. After greeting Lisa, she advised that it would be better if I came back in 30min-1hr as it was their lunch hour (interesting). I told them I had to be in class and asked if I could leave my car there to be worked on while I was at school. Lisa complies and asked me what I needed. I told her about the 3 service lights on in my car (oil, tire pressure, gas) and asked to get those sorted out here. Her reply was "yeah if your gas light is on it means you need to add more gas." The way she spoke made it seem like she thought I was a new driver, which is rude to say because: 1. She told me to come back after their lunch as if customers coming in from 12:00-1:00 should be turned away 2. Her tone in her reply came out suggesting I wouldn't know what the gas light being on means 3. She assumed I am a new driver based on my appearance??? I should've known bad things were coming from here. She told me I could leave my car for the next 2 hours. Oil change would take anywhere from 1-2 hours anyway, so I went to school expecting everything to be done when I got back. After calling their phone number after a full 2 hours and 30 minutes, Lisa said they were still working on the oil change, and haven't started on tires or gas. She invited me to sit with them and wait for it to be done. I declined. She quoted the price for a full synthetic oil change to be $65 and additional charge for labor. Not even adding in tire check and gas and it was already an absurd price. I asked if she could match price to a competitor (during the holidays, Purrfect Auto Services offers $39.99 for a full synthetic oil change, original price $49.99), and she denied the price match, then insisted that the other auto shops probably charged $39.99 because it was a semi-synthetic. I had to show her their offered prices from my phone before she believed me. She defended her statements saying that this is the price they charge for a full synthetic oil change. I told her I no longer want the tire check nor a fill up. Only the synthetic oil change, as it was the only thing they had worked on at that point. I returned to find my car window left completely open in the sun, and paid for the service (2 stars because she offered to lower the price). I drove home and ended up having to kill a few bugs that came in through the open window. Would not recommend for oil changes. Won't be returning to try my luck with their other services. Instead, go to Purrfect Auto Services during holidays for good deals and good customer service. read more

I needed to have a car looked at that I was thinking of purchasing by an independent mechanic. Found these guys on Yelp and and was very happy I went to them. Really nice people who inspired trust. They checked the car out and gave me reliable feedback helping me decide. read more

Read the reviews and I think you'll get a good picture of Del Mar Auto. This family run shop does good work at fair prices. You definitely feel like they are small business that wants to do honest and quality work. I got an oil-change and four new tires for a very good price and the work was done on time as promised (one day). I'll be going back and updating my experience with their work and follow-up service. I think they're worth trying out if you're looking for auto car in the Pasadena area. read more

I don't need to go in depth with my review since the previous yelpers already did the job. I've been coming here for the past few years for my radiator. Hutch is awesome and he doesn't BS you! Trust him. This place is your one stop shop. He'll work on anything! read more

My family has been going to this place for over 15 years. They do things the mom & pop way. We've gone here for bulb replacement, fender falling off, and other things that they don't have to do, but they do it out of the goodness of their heart. They'll assess things fair, and let you know the best possible way to approach a certain repair. they won't tell you to replace your radiator if your belt went bad. We started going there when Joe the dad ran it, now it's his son Hutch that's in charge of the place and the service is all the same. I recently got into an accident and wrecked the car. I took it to Del Mar auto until the insurance company can assess things. I went in the next day just to let them know that my car's there. They told me not to worry, they'll handle things and let the Insurance adjuster know. That's out of their way, but they'll do it just out of good faith. Service like this is hard to find ya'll. He's on the know of people selling cars because people regularly ask them if anybody's selling a car. they normally get asked for advice on buying used cars. My dad sold his hunk-a-junk to a del mar customer. we were just gonna scrap it, but he found someone. doesn't matter if they make profit on it, it's only normal. If your car's about to explode and feel like you can't trust anybody, why not give this place a try. bounce if you feel like it's not the place for you, but a try is worth it. read more

I have to admit that I am the absolute worst at following the basic car maintenance rules. Let alone plan or call ahead so as to not get squeezed in every time. Del Mar Auto not only has been able to change my oil service last minute more than once, they actually changed my breaks within less than an hour before closing! (of course I decided to take care of this the day before my road trip to Mammoth!) Thanks Del Mar Auto and Hutch, for my services and for putting up with my demands! read more