This is an excellent automotive shop! I have been going to Hutch for years. It's hard to find an honest mechanic, so I was super excited to come across this shop. The estimates are fair and always accurate. They never try to over sell services, on the contrary he will encourage me to wait on unnecessary repairs which I appreciate. Would highly recommend! I should give credit to two former co-workers who recommended Hutch ;). Thanks Steph and Gloria! read more

Best auto mechanic in Southern California! He has been working on our family's cars since 1986. My mother has since moved 40 miles away from Pasadena but when she needs a car repair, she'll drive the 40 to Del Mar Radiator to have them do the work. I no longer live in Southern California but when I lived down there, they always did a fantastic job and have the lowest labor rates. Many mechanics will tell you to repair more than what you need done. This place will tell you what's most important and what's not as important to repair if you are in a financial crunch. That really helped me out a lot when I was a struggling college student. Tom N. From what I remember about Hutch, he wouldn't try to stiff you out of your truck. He is an honest man and was simply telling you what your options were with your truck. I've been told the same thing when I had my old beat up 1976 Mercury Cougar. Only difference was that he didn't know anyone who wanted it. Not everyone has luck with selling an old vehicle and it sounds like he was just trying to help you out in case you didn't know of anyone who would buy it. He is a mechanic and could easily get a used truck from someone else. read more

My late aunt used to take her car to Del Mar Auto. She was the person who recommended them to me. Almost ten years later, I am still a customer :) Now my mom, brother, and cousins go there too because I brag about them so much. Del Mar Auto is a family owned business, they are very knowledgeable, and some of the most helpful professionals that I know. When I first started coming there (2003), I owned a used '98 Plymouth/Dodge Neon which had about 55,000 miles on it. Although I am very responsible when it comes to the care of my cars, I credit Hutch (the owner) and his team for keeping it running past 270,000 miles! I owned the car for almost 8 years, and only had one major issue with it (again, I credit Del Mar Auto for this). If I ever had an issue with my car, they would work on it until it was fixed. If for whatever reason they could NOT fix the problem (rare case), then there was no charge. Mostly, I would bring in my car for an oil / filter change, tire rotation, and fluid top off. What I also love about them is that they would check out EVERYTHING on my car. If they saw a potential problem, they would notify me. Unlike other places, they wouldn't pressure me to get it fixed right away if I didn't have to. Sometimes I would have their administrative assistant, Lisa, note it on my receipt and she would also remind me upon my next visit. I have a new car now and I bring it to them, because I want it to go past 270,000 miles too, lol. Plus, I don't know of any other place where I can get my oil changed, filter changed, tires rotated, fluid top off, and a full car inspection for just $30. In conclusion, I'll just say they provide great customer service, good prices, and awesome mechanics. Go Hutch! read more

I've been going to Hutch for years. Hands down the best mechanic I've ever had. Everyone is super friendly. They're always quick to get my truck back to me. Plus he's the only mechanic I've ever gone to where the cost of the work ended up being less than what he quoted me. No surprise tacked on charges. He always straight with you about what need to be done. He'll even tell if something is necessary or not. Definitely go here to have your car worked. You won't regret it. read more

You're looking for a place for an oil change or repair, and this is your place! 5/5 stars above and beyond service. Would recommend to everyone in a heartbeat! I'll be back! read more

I was looking to buy a car and took it in to Del Mar Auto to get looked at before I bought it. And these guys were amazing! So honest and kind and knew what they're were doing! I am so glad I got their help. I would recommend these guys to anyone in the area. Thanks so much! read more

I found my new auto shop here. I needed to get my brakes checked out and Lisa was able to get my car in the morning of. The staff were very friendly, responsive, and answered any questions I had. They were able to get me back onto the road very quickly and I have not had any issues with my brakes since they were replaced. I will be bringing my car back here for any other maintenance needs. read more

Hutch is honest and they will figure out what's wrong with your car. I'm cheap so I will call around to dealers and other shops to get comparison quotes before making any decision on price. I have to say I've always ended up going to DelMar Auto. Their cost is a lot more fair, great personal service and guaranteed to fix your issues. Looking at the place, it's not a classy place but the people working there are nothing but classy and fiendly people. I'm happy everyone agrees with the 5 Star Rating. read more

YOU WILL NOT FIND A BETTER PLACE THAN DEL MAR AUTO!! My family has been going to Hutch for over a decade, maybe closer to two, and will NEVER go anywhere else! Time and time again, he has been nothing but upfront, honest and sometimes, even under budget! He also looks over the rest of the car just to make sure everything I'm not checking is still up to par. I always feel safer driving my car after I leave Hutch's. Plus, his sister, Lisa answers the phone and helps out at the desk, and she's really nice and helpful. read more

I hate Hutch but I love him as well. He is so cool that he treats you like a friend. You never find a mechanic like him elsewhere. He knows what he is doing, and he is not one of them who trying to make you go broke. Being responsible, he details everything you need you fix and it is absolutely your choice to get it done or not. Absolutely recommended. read more

Extremely professional, fast, and helpful. We came in just to get some transmission fluid, but once they found out we were driving long distance they checked over the whole car, fixed a leak in the transmission pan, and topped up all the fluids, free of charge. We'll definitely be going back for any future repairs. read more

This is the best auto body shop I've ever been a customer at! They manage to have a small-town feel in the middle of Pasadena. The service is extremely prompt, and goes above and beyond. The first time I went, I needed a light replaced. When I came to pick it up, they had also fixed the gas cover that had been bent out of shape for months. It is always a pleasure to drop off or pick up, because the owners and employees make you feel like a neighbor, not just a customer. read more

Highly recommend this place!!! Hutch was a great help in finding where my oil leak was coming from!!! Family owned and a great vibe and completely honest and reasonable prices! Definitely coming back here for all my car needs. Thank you Del Mar Auto!! read more

This is a long overdue review. I've been going to Hutch for oil changes and other services for about a year now. He's friendly and transparent about the services. He will tell you exactly which repair you urgently need and which repair can wait. Hutch does a great job of managing my car's condition. I think I can squeeze 15 years out of my car with his advice (I'm currently finishing up year number 11). read more

HUTCH is the best!!! He is a very hardworking and honest man. He showed me what roaders look like, what brake pads look like. He showed me what worn brake pads look like. I had a great experience, and I highly recommend this automotive shop!!! I was told that I need front brakes as well as back brakes, he told and showed me that I only needed back (rear) brakes. read more

Del Mar Auto is the best auto repair shop I've been to! I have had a lot of car issues and have been to many different shops but Del Mar is by far the best. They are very knowledgeable and really try to make your experience as painless and affordable as possible. They truly care about their customers. read more

I drive by Del Mar Auto everyday and when it was time for an oil check I decided to support a local business and give them a try! I could not have been more pleased! Along with my oil check, Hutch gave my car a "check up" (like any good auto mechanic should) and let me know of a few things that needed some attention. One of the things being my break pads...changed those SO fast! Thank you Hutch and Del Mar Auto for your speedy service and great attitudes! Give them a try! You won't be disappointed! read more

I've been taking my vehicles to Hutch and Lisa for over a decade. Finding a competent, honest and reasonable mechanic makes life easier. They treat me like family, and my last car went over 310,000 miles,all since I began going to Del Mar Auto read more

I can always tell a good, honest mechanic by the way he explains and shows things. My first time there went in for an oil change and he had a look at everything, figured he was going to try selling me and more maintenance. Being a mechanic hobbyist I don't get taken very often by those type of people. Luckily for me I knew there was some work that needed to be done, he showed me what the problems were and what they did and how they would affect the car. I even learned a few tricks. Good guy, may be slightly more expensive at times but not by much maybe 2-3% more, but honest is sometimes worth that. For a basic oil change I learned a lot more about what tune ups I need to do on my car. read more

Quick, friendly, competent and professional service. Before doing any repairs, Hutch gave me an honest assessment of my car, what needed to be fixed, and laid out a few options at different price points to go about the repair. Car got fixed on the day itself. I returned for a broken fuse, which he replaced for free. As a student on a low budget, I can definitely recommend this place. read more

What a great place! I had a hunch my oil was a bit low, so I swerved in their handy driveway. A young mechanic came out immediately to offer assistance. I told him I only needed to check my oil, didn't want to be a bother. I had no kleenex to wipe the stick with, so he stepped in (wiping the stick with his fingers!) and we found out my car was BONE DRY! Yikes! Everyone I spoke to was so friendly. I didn't have time to get an oil change then and there (although it was a pretty good deal) and my 2 year old son was in the car, so I asked if I could buy a couple quarts and be on my way. Another very friendly guy poured it in for me. I really appreciate how they were all so helpful and attentive, even though I wasn't a big sale. They could have charged a fortune for the oil, but really helped a busy mama out, and that's so rare these days. If I lived near here, I would take my car here. Absolutely. read more

DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE I took my car here after it gave out on me. It had never given me any problems before and I was recommended to this place. So I called and asked how much to get an estimate, they told me and I had my car towed there. HUTCH then proceeded to completely screw me over. I am a college student without much money and a young woman on my own without family here. I honestly feel like he could sense that and ran with it. I called to find out what happened with my car and he told me they would have to do some more digging. I said ok. When I called back to find out, he told me it would be $1200 to fix and it was on it's last leg. That was way too high - actually more than what the car was worth - so I said I would just pay the amount for the diagnosis and be on my way. He then proceeds to tell me that he will not "put my car back together" because that would be extra labor so my car is going to be all in pieces. I was in shock. I had never heard of such a thing. I proceeded to argue with him and let him know that was unheard of for an estimate. I needed to receive my car back in the same condition that I received it in. He wouldn't listen and unfortunately I was helpless because I couldn't force him to do it and he told me if he does put it back together he would charge me hundreds more for the labor. Just ridiculous. To add insult to injury when I go get my car with a huge hole under the hood where the parts should be, he then questions me on what I am going to do with it and offers to buy it from me for like $600.00. Solidifying that he is in fact a sleaze ball. At the end of it all, I get my car back, and low and behold it was fixable for several hundred dollars and drives just fine. read more

We moved to the immediate area in October and I noticed this place while driving near my house. I was a bit nervous -- the exterior does not impart much confidence -- but I just needed a quick problem solved one day and stopped in. Incredible. I know relatively little about cars, so I cannot personally vouch for everything Hutch tells me as accurate. But here are some of my experiences there... - Went in for an oil change. It had not yet been 3k miles but it was a car we don't drive long distances and it had been 4-6 months, so we figured we might as well get it changed to help the car last a few more years. Hutch told us to go away and come back in another 1k miles. Here I was, ready to pay for service, and he advised against his own immediate financial interests and told me that we were unnecesarily worried and should just come back in a couple months. - Went in to ask about a bent/scratched fender on our minivan. Figured we'd need to either replace it for big money or just live with the problem. Hutch walked through a third scenario, where for a relative pittance (less than 100 bucks) he would take the bumper off and try to remold/buff it and then put it back on. Perfect middle ground. In general, Hutch is as helpful as can be and the place is not at all pushy/etc. Even if/when we move from the immediate vicinity, as long as we are in the general Pasadena area, I'll make a point to bring my car here. read more

I had a great experience at this shop. Met with the nice lady working the front desk. She was very helpful and friendly. Prices are very good. Awesome service! They even gave me some pastries to eat. :) read more

So I've been putting off getting my car fixed for a while. Before this, I would only go to the dealership for oil changes, that's where they told me (after I had to pay $125 for diagnostic) that my RIGHT STRUT was leaking and my exhaust gasket needed replacement. Now just for the RIGHT STRUT, they wanted to charge me over $700, so for both sides it would have been like 1400-1500...RIDICULOUS. So I finally just decided I needed to just get the work done...so I found them on Yelp and like their reviews. I called first because I wanted to purchase OEM parts from the dealership and just pay labor, so I talked to HUTCH...and he was SO INFORMATIVE and PATIENT, with all my questions. So I took it in for a much needed OIL CHANGE also, and he said because I was doing an oil change he wouldn't charge me for the diagnostic ($65) which I thought was awesome!!! So he let me know that my exhaust gasket was fine, so I asked what the engine noise was that was so loud....he said he would drive it around and let me know. He called me back shortly after and told me that my MOTOR MOUNT was cracked and my ENGINE WAS LEANING TO THE RIGHT AND BASICALLY HANGING LOOSELY...ahhhh, that needed fixing right away. So all in all I got an oil change, transmission flush and oil change, motor mount replaced and BOTH STRUTS replaced. I asked about how much it would cost to replace my in-cabin filter and replace the guard under the car (it fell off a few months ago) HE WAS SO NICE AND SAID NO COST, HE WOULD DO IT FOR ME FOR FREE. That would have cost be over $100 at the dealership easily, so that was so kind of him. They even picked me up from home to take me to the shop. Overall a GREAT EXPERIENCE...HUTCH AND HIS SIS ARE AWESOME AS WELL AS THE STAFF... P.S. MY CAR RUNS LIKE NEW!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Hutch is the best. You can't go wrong at Del Mar Auto. Great service and student/teacher discounts, too. Ask about this months specials.

Outstanding service. Before I took my GL there, I called to find out how much brake pads would be. They transferred me to hush, he gave me the prices of both front and rear pads over the phone. The moment I got there, you let me know the brake rear brake pads were fine. Honest hard working business owner. Great service. Not what you'd expect from a typical auto repair place. Keep up the good work. read more

I've been going to Hutch since 2013 and he's always been excellent no matter the work: oil changes, new tires, routine maintenance, etc. Recommended him to a friend that needed a new transmission and that friend was also happy with the work! read more

Very happy with my first experience. I'm not quite the bargain girl when it comes to cars. honestly cause I have no idea what I'm dealing with as long as the job gets done. Being a full time college kid I left my car for an oil and AC filter change and came back after class to pick it up. The total came out to about 125.00. Now I don't know if it's a good deal or not but I'm really happy with their service. Would I recommend? Yea! Definitely yes. read more

Have taken my car to Hutch for years and my friend has also used him. We both feel that he is the best mechanic we have ever had. He is very honest and tries his best to save money for his customers. Also I love Lisa, his sister as she is very patient and kind. They are wonderful. read more

Hutch and Lisa are great, they provide excellent customer service, treat you like family, and my car is in tip top shape! Highly recommend their shop. Got an oil flush and my car sounds new again. read more

I cannot say enough nice things about the folks at Del Mar Auto. They are extremely accommodating, do excellent work, explain everything and all for an affordable price. They have been my go to garage ever since Hutch rescued me on a Saturday when my battery pooped out. I've been a satisfied customer ever since. Highly recommended. read more

This is the only place I trust to take care of my car. They are SUPER NICE and the prices are great! I walk by them almost everyday to get to school and they always wave and say hello, and they even did a tire repair for me on the house once! Sometimes, if you walk by around noon, you can see them sitting together having lunch like a family; I'd take my car to a nice, hard working family over a big dog auto shop any day! Well done, Del Mar Auto and Radiator! read more

Wouldn't trust my car with anyone else . Hutch is honest an fair an treats you as if you where family.

I've been getting work on my truck at this place for over 10 years as it still runs great. It's a great family atmosphere and work is always done in a timely manner and the prices here are better than any other shop around. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to get some auto repairs. read more

Honest, fair, friendly and quick - the best qualities for a place you take your car to. Expect great service and your car to be taken care of at Del Mar auto! Everywhere else I've been always seems to try to take advantage by offering what you don't need at a higher cost. Del Mar auto has your car and you in their best interest - highly recommend! read more

Super fast, fair price and great job. As others have said, Hutch is the man. read more

A very pleasant experience here. I could have driven to a Jiffy Lube for my oil change but I wanted to give them a chance since they are within walking distance of my house! So I gave them a shot. Cheaper than any chain store that I've ever been to with a personal touch on top of it all! Plus they can do all my repairs I need desperately done to my car. What's not to love? The owner has been in business since before I was even alive at the same location...win. The owner spoke with me personally and was very hands in. I highly recommend them for all your automotive needs!!! Don't hesitate and give them a shot too...be pleasantly surprised for yourself!!! read more

i've been going to this auto shop for 2 years and i will continue going no matter where i live in los angeles. hutch and his staff are honest and hard working and do not BS around with what needs or doesn't need to be done with my truck. i had some shoddy work done to my truck which is what initially brought me to del mar auto. hutch gave me straight up advice, and walked me through all of my options. all the work they've done is very reasonably priced and quality of work has been fantastic. now i go there for everything. in the end, i trust these guys and that's really all you can ask for when it comes to an auto shop. read more

This is an awesome place to go to if you ever have car problems. The service is excellent. They are very nice and understanding and their prices are reasonable, as well. They did a great job with my car and it was out in no time! I have already recommended this place to friends and I would recommend it to anyone who needs their car fixed. read more