Finding an honest mechanic is like striking gold, but Dave at Five Star Automotive? Pure platinum. From the moment you walk in, you get good vibes--no upselling, no shady tactics, just straight-up transparency. He takes the time to explain what actually needs fixing (and what doesn't!), which is a rare find in the auto repair world. Not only is his pricing beyond fair, but you also leave feeling confident you weren't bamboozled--a common fear when dealing with car repairs. A small note--Dave runs a more traditional, no-frills shop (no fancy waiting area or WiFi), but he more than makes up for it with excellent communication every step of the way. And most importantly? He delivers exactly what he promises. I'll definitely be bringing my other cars here. Solid work, Dave! read more

I asked my friend if she had a mechanic that she trusted and could recommend for my 2015 Honda Accord Sport. She said she and her family have been using Five Star Automotive for years and recommended that I call Dave to see if he could diagnose and repair my car. She said he would take good care of me. I called Dave, and he was able to fit me in. When I arrived he was very professional and said he would give me a call once he and his team diagnosed the problem. He found the problem and gave me some options on using OEM parts or a different manufacturer's part. He said both were good, but he wanted to save me money. The car was repaired that same day. I had a very positive experience with Dave and Five Star Automotive. He is personable, very honest, did not try to upsell me, did not tell me I had imaginary issues with my car (like the dealership has done to me many times in the past), and completely trustworthy. I have to thank my friend when I see her next. I told my husband that we have just found our new mechanic! I highly recommend using Five Start Automotive and giving Dave a call if you are in search of an honest and great mechanic to take care of your car. read more

Everything good service . Honest prices. Friendly service . Dave is very experienced and knowledgeable

My good experiences with Dave regarding my 2008 Mazda MX5/Miata has resulted my my having him take care of my 2011 Chrysler 300. While I had been using a dealership (and they were fine), when you have a car that old and with 132,000 miles, going to a dealership, where their focus is on newer cars, makes less and less sense. Dave does great work at a good rate. read more

Great job done. Customer service was first class all the way. Dave came to my office and personally picked up my car. Sanitized it before and after drop off. He inspected the car and informed me of the work and the quotes before the work started and then completed the work with my approval. No complaints so far. It was the best way to get work done on my car. Thanks Dave! read more

Buyer Beware-Dishonest Mechanic-I had Five Star Automotive change an oil and transmission pan on a car that I purchased as a new car years earlier. I was charged a lot of money for this work, but the work was never completed! I just happen to take my car to another mechanic for something else and gave him a review of what work had been performed. I had the receipts from all the previous work with me. I was then informed by the new mechanic that the original oil and transmission pans from purchase were still on the car. That the seals had not been broken on the original pans. The seals would not have been in place if the both the pans had been changed. The new mechanic had a conversation with Five Star letting them know he was aware of their dishonesty and cheating their customers! read more

Wonderful service my car was ready in one day. I highly recommend Tony he really takes care of his customers.

The difference between a competent mechanic and a great mechanic is found when something goes wrong. Dave performed a service that involved loosening and TIGHTENING the tensioner bolt. Less than 4 days later that bolt broke leaving my wife stranded in NV. She was advised by two mechanics to have the car towed back to the mechanic that performed the work, as the only reasonable explanation was that he over TIGHTENED and stressed the bolt. Dave is refusing to reimburse us for the towing cost and expects us to believe that something must have bounced up from the road causing the bolt that he just worked on to break. We are out almost $2,000 and if we wish to recoup we will have to use up more precious time with small claims court. read more

Saved me a bunch of money taking my car here compared with the service department of a Honda Dealership. Five star service. If you are looking for great mechanical automotive work on your car from an honest small business at great prices bring your car here. Worth every penny. read more

Five Star Automotive - Auto Repair Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Went in for advice, and got much more than I expected. Wasn't good news, but I was prepared for the outcome. Dave is straight forward, and pulls no punches. His knowledge and demeanor are very evident in his words and deeds, and he is very kind and courteous. Will definitely be my mechanic! read more

Dave is now the only person allowed to touch my car. A little backgroud, I've recently been wanting a new car, because I hate mine and I want something newer. I don't want the car payment though so I'm trying to fall back into love with my car. DAVE MADE THAT HAPPEN. I recently had my dad change my brakes for me (big mistake) I hit some pot holes and bumps and had to slam on my brakes and they went faulty. I took my car to Dave since this is where my boyfriend gets his BMW fixed. I let him know that a few months ago I had an oil change from Amir down the road at Neighborhood Car Care and Amir told me I had a leak in my power steering valve and also my valve cover gasket needed to be replaced as I was having an oil spill that was pooling up around my spark plugs, Amir told me that the total would be about $600-$700 for both repairs. I ignored the issue as I thought I'd be getting a new car. Anyways...after only a few hours in the shop Dave called me and let me know that my brakes were fine but that my dad has used cheap pads and that is probably what caused the issue. He said I didn't have a leak in my power steering valve!! Amir estimated about $380 for that repair and it didn't even need to be done!!!! He did let me know however that the valve cover gasket needed to be replaced to stop the oil leak. I cautiously asked how much this would be he said max $150. WHAT?! Amir was going to charge me nearly $350 for that! My car is working perfectly now. Runs smoothly and I no longer want a new car. Just want to preserve what I have and for that I will always go back to Dave. Thank you!! read more

I've been taking my Acura TSX to Dave for years now, and I've never met a better, friendlier, or more honest mechanic. Dave generally cares about his customers and does everything he can to both take good care of your car and SAVE YOU MONEY! I have always received honest feedback from Dave about what needs to be done, and more importantly, what DOESN'T. On numerous occasions, Dave has told me not to bother getting certain work done, or to wait until my next service so that I will save money. AND when this happens he doesn't charge me anything for the diagnosis. Because I know that he will be straight with me about what my car needs and will not try to nickle and dime me or talk me into unneeded work, I have come to trust him when he does say I need something done. It is very easy to make an appointment, and the work always gets done quickly. Dave gives a very accurate estimate of the cost and how long the job will take, and he always calls me if something unexpected comes up so that I can decide if I want to have him go ahead and do whatever extra work needs to be done or not. Besides being an awesome mechanic, Dave is just a great guy. When I have had services that take a long time, he has driven me down to Starbucks so that I could work while waiting for my car. He is very personable and great to talk to. Obviously, I highly recommend Dave and Five Star Auto. You will never feel pressured or taken advantage of, and your car will thank you! :) read more

This is a very positive review of Five Star Automotive! We were once caught in the hapless gyre of auto repair shops and dealership service depts, never quite trusting their diagnoses or repair work, and always left asking ourselves, "Are there any trustworthy mechanics we'd dare to call our own?!" Until one day around six years ago, family of ours living in South County recommended Dave at Five Star, and after taking both our cars at the time for myriad repairs, we haven't looked back since. We can rely on Dave to tell us what work needs to be done right now (or else what will really likely happen if not), and what can be held off and for how long. Dave is even willing to share his vast experience on what kinds of cars hold up better than others, and how much repairs will typically run you based on year, make, model, etc. We can always count on Dave to do excellent, honest work. Now we wouldn't trust anyone else! Thank you Dave!! KofaSing KoodGarma www.pagone.com read more

Dave is a straight shooter & extremely honest. Good to know there are mechanics out there who are out to help their customers and get them the best service possible or do what's needed. read more

We have been customers of Dave's for over 17 years. He is the most honest mechanic. Dave is always upfront about what repairs are absolutely necessary and what can wait. We appreciate his integrity, his friendliness and his excellent work. Dave is the best! read more

When it comes to a car mechanic - an honest and competent car mechanic is worth his/her weight in gold... Dave is just that, as honest as they come, and never an issue with the performance/reliability of the work he's performed. I've been getting my car serviced by Dave for years - and I give my highest recommendation read more

I would like to thank Dave for being an excellent mechanic. He seems to be all-knowing when it comes to mechanical problems. This however, is not what defines his excellence. It is not only his ability to identify the problems, but it is to fix them. Not only that. But does an outstanding job and repairing with quality. Dave does not try and oversell you or lie to you about the best possible route to getting you back on the road. My vehicle, a 2000 Honda Accord, had a valve break when I was on a road trip back from my grandmother's house. I immediately called Dave to see what he thought it could be after describing the way the my car was acting up and he was honest about not having enough information. I had to end up leaving my car at a train station and tow it to Dave's shop. He isn't open on the weekends he has a family of his own to take care of), so I left the key in an envelope and dropped it off at the shop. When Dave got back on Monday he took no time messing around trying to do a simple oil change or check the minor things. He went all the way down into the motor and opened up the pistons to look at the parts. He noticed half of a valve had broke off and welded itself to the wrong side due to the intense heat. He took a few pictures and sent them to me to look at. Dave had suggested to replace the entire block along with everything in it. Not only that, but he called over another colleague of his to confirm that it would be better to simply replace rather than fixing what is there. Once the decision was made it took him less than a mere week to replace the entire motor and seals!! As for where the new motor came from, he made some phone calls and found a sweet deal on one that only has 40,000 miles on it with a great warranty. There are few mechanics as skilled and welcoming as Dave. If there is anything you need done in your vehicle, old or new, whether it be an oil change or replacing half your engine he is the man to go to. -Garrett Russell read more

I've gone to Five Star for 7 years, Dave always explains what needs to be done, lets me know if a repair is urgent or something that can wait for a few months. He is faithful to his customers and I never worry about getting ripped off or taken advantage of. read more

My family has been taking their cars to Dave for years. I never write reviews but when it comes to finding an honest mechanic, it is important people know where to find one. I don't refer people in case things don't work out but I will tell them who I use. I would refer people to Dave at Five Star. When it comes to finding someone good to work on your car it is harder than trying to find a good dentist. read more

Dave at Five Star has been our family mechanic (3 cars) for over 5 years, and unless forced, I don't ever plan to go anywhere else! Dave is an honest mechanic - maybe one of the last ones in OC. He will give you the list of what needs fixing, estimated costs, and prioritize and recommend by importance - driving safety being first. Dave is reliable and friendly. He is articulate and patient in explaining how something should work and why it needs repair. Pricing is always less than dealer pricing. Dave is committed to high service and repair standards. As a prior reviewer said - a great guy and wonderful mechanic. Highly recommend you consider Five Star if you are in south OC. read more

First off, I am always considerate when I'm the customer & mistakes happen - we are only human & no one is perfect.I am a college student who works 50+ hours a week to support myself while completing college - I depend on my car heavely. HERES WHAT HAPPENED: I dropped my Honda off at this place on 2/14/12 to have the timing belts & water pump replaced on the following day, 2/15/12. While in the shop Dave called me to tell me that there were about 3-5 other things "wrong" with my car, including: axel boots, front breaks/ rotors, my wind shield wipers (haha), & he emphasized that I had a "major" oil leak coming from my cam shaft & that the seals would need to be redone but for a charge of around $500 (for just the seals to be replaced). I told Dave to just replace the timing belts, water pump &the axel boots (as he insisted that it was extremely imperative that have the axel boots replaced, so I felt compelled to do so). My total bill came out to $834.52 - which is a lot of money for me. [These repairs were under a 12 month warranty.] I picked up my car from Dave that afternoon 2/15/12, I drove it home that night & went to sleep. The following morning, my car started to make this weird "clunk" noise when the engine would turn over; so, I took it to a close family friend from church, named Robert, that Saturday, 2/18/12 - a lic. honda mechanic ( for 35 years). Robert said that he couldn't see any visible causes for this noise to be occurring - but that I should take it back to Dave's shop for inspection. Robert fixed my cam seals for $60 (Dave wanted to charge me $500), I watched the entire process, as well as my boyfriend - we were present at the time my cam seals were repaired & monitored the entire process. (Robert said that the seals were not that bad even) Due to lack of money & a chaotic work/school schedule, I did not get around to taking it back to Dave's shop right away. This past Friday, 3/02/12 - my honda died while on my way to work (after paying almost $1000 worth of repairs just 2 weeks prior!) I called my AAA towing & had them tow it to the closest Auto place (AAA only covers towing within 7 miles, I wasn't near Dave's shop). I had it towed to a GREAT shop in Costa Mesa, the guys there were super sympathetic to my needs. After they looked at my car, they called & advised that Dave's shop had not put all of the correct bolts back into place on the timing belt cover - ONE OF THE BOLTS FROM THE TIMING BELT COVER WAS LODGED IN THE GEARS OF MY ENGINE AND HAD CAUSED MY ENGINE TO CEASE!They called me to come down & take pictures of the bolt stuck b/c they were so horrified. I called Dave &calmly explained my situation - right off the bat, he tried to get out of any work on his part. He asked if I could use MY INSURANCE to pay for the car to be towed from Costa Mesa shop to his! I said no, I needed him to step up to the plate. Dave said he'd call in a "favor" from a "friend" to tow my car. Well,my car got to Dave's shop at 12pm on Monday 3/05/12 - after being told it'd be taken care of by 9AM. Immediately, Dave called me to say "I NOTICED SOMEONE REPLACED YOUR CAM SEALS - THEREFORE THE WARRANTY MAY NOT BE HONORED. BUT I WILL LOOK AND SEE." Rude - not sympathetic at all. 5 hours later, he calls me back to yell at me, "THIS IS NOT OUR DOING AND THEREFORE WE WILL NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY, IT WAS YOUR FRIENDS FAULT THAT REPLACED YOUR CAM SEALS - WE DID NOT DO THIS, WE DIDN'T TOUCH THIS BOLT. SO WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO WITH YOUR CAR? DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING? THIS IS NOT OUR FAULT - SO YOU ARE RESPONISBLE FOR THE $150 TOWING FEE AS WELL!! I WILL NOT PAY IT!" At this point, I was astonished with the lack of respect - I told him I would call him the following morning (Tuesday, 3/06/12) to inform him what I was going to do with my car. I called Dave yesterday 3/06/12 at 8am & left him a voicemail letting him know I was going to have AAA tow it to the nearest honda dealership for further inspection (i told my family about what happened & they wanted to chip in to help me get my car get away from this guy) I CALLED DAVE 3 TIMES BEFORE 9am - NO CALL BACK EVER! I got a ride to Dave's shop to meet AAA @ 11AM, 3/06. Dave had my car w/ the hood open, & my engine completely torn apart. I told him I needed my car put back together b/c I was going to have it towed, he YELLED at me ,"WELL I AM BUSY HERE AND YOU WILL NEED TO GIVE ME A MINUTE TO HAVE THIS PUT BACK - IF I DIDN'T ANSWER YOU CALLS, OBVIOULY I AM BUSY! AND YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE TOWING FEE, ARE YOU AWARE? THAT IS $150!" I told him OK - just get my car put together so I could get on with it. Dave RUSHED to throw my engine back together & after 20 min - he THREW the towing invoice at me and said "TAKE THIS I DONT EVEN WANT YOUR MONEY!" I turned & left- TODAY, my car's at Honda - they said Dave used wrong parts, some are missing & I MIGHT NEED NEW ENGINE! I'm out $1g+ I WAS VERBALLY ABUSED & HAVE NO CAR - NEVER GO HERE!! read more

Dave is the best! He has taken care of all the cars in my family for many years, he is dependable, honest, cheerful, friendly...just a really great guy and a wonderful mechanic. read more

Dave is excellent, honest and does great work with competitive prices. He has done significant work on many of my vehicles from minor to major - (transmission replacement) weird electrical stuff - phantom works then does not - sorting that out. I have used him for EPA sensor work, brakes, steering box replacement, transmission replacement (factory warranted as well), tuneups, oil / misc leak detection & correction, etc etc. He is fast and communicates well and helps to weigh out costs vs turn around time if you need the vehicle, etc. I highly recommend dave for your service needs! I have been using Dave for 6+ years now and recommended his work to friends and all have been pleased. read more

I recommend Dave to anyone who needs a mechanic. He is honest and won't fix something that doesn't need fixing. He is friendly and does great work at reasonable cost. He will do it right!!! He is definietly five star! read more