I cannot recommend Gwin Auto Repair enough! Austin, Jeff and the entire team are truly the BEST. I have been bringing my car here for almost 6 years and I always know it is in safe and trustworthy hands. Every time I run into an issue with my car, they are the first people I call. They take the time to clearly explain what is going on, answer all my questions and offer different options instead of pressuring me into unnecessary repairs. That level of honesty and transparency is hard to find. What I appreciate most is that they genuinely prioritize your safety while also looking for solutions that won't burn a hole in your pocket. There have been several times when Valvoline or Discount Tire recommended replacing parts that could have cost me thousands of dollars, but the team at Gwin took the time to look at the actual issue and find a safe way to keep my car running without unnecessary replacements. That really showed me that they care more about their customers than making a quick profit. They are always respectful, warm, accommodating and welcoming. I have never felt like "just another customer." They truly treat you like family. After almost 6 years, I can confidently say that Gwin Auto Repair is reliable, honest and genuinely cares about the people they serve. If you are looking for a mechanic you can trust, I highly recommend them! And honestly, they go above and beyond in the little ways too -- they might even go out of their way to drop you home so you can save a little money on an Uber. That kind of thoughtfulness says a lot about the people they are. read more

On Friday, March 6th around 10am, a battery warning light appeared. By 4:30pm, the van wouldn't start anymore and multiple warning lights came on. The power was still on though. I could still charge my phone, so I called AAA to tow the van to Gwin body shop. The next morning (Saturday, March 7th), Austin and his team quickly diagnosed the problem (vvt solenoid leaked oil and that destroyed the alternator). They had everything repaired within about five hours. As the only parent in town with two kids, I was incredibly relieved and grateful for their efficiency and help. The entire experience was smooth and pleasant. Austin and his team are professional, dependable, and truly care about their customers. Austin told me to bring my van back to check if there is any other leaks in addition to vvt solenoid. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for professional reliable auto service read more

G Win Auto Repair - Auto Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

I had my coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, and transmission fluid changed at Gwin Auto Repair, and I was very impressed with the entire experience. The prices were very competitive, and the service exceeded my expectations. Jeff, the store manager, along with the lady at the front desk, were both friendly, professional, and made me feel welcome from the moment I walked in. Best of all, there was no wait time, and the entire service was completed in about an hour. Before returning my car, the technicians even used an air blower to clean the engine compartment. It was an unexpected touch that made the engine bay look clean and well cared for. It's refreshing to find an auto repair shop that offers fair pricing, quality workmanship, and excellent customer service. I highly recommend Gwin Auto Repair and will definitely return for future maintenance. read more

My service with Austin and every other member at G Win has been excellent! I have always gotten fair prices, had my problems explained to me, and have been given my options/recommendation for the best course of action. I have always been wary of auto shops because I don't know much about cars and am afraid of being taken advantage of, but at G Win I have never felt that worry. My car always runs great after a visit at their autoshop. read more

I have been using G Win Auto Repair for 15+ years. They are very knowledgeable, have fair prices and are honest. I can highly recommend G Win Auto Repair for any car service from a simple oil change to difficult work on the engine. read more

Great people here, they treat you like family and really care about you! Can not recommend Austin and this shop enough. He was very generous with his efforts and saved my car quickly while I was in a hard situation. Come here they will take care of you, very trustworthy people will be coming back! read more

Prices on the website are outdated by nearly a decade and about 40% lower than what they actually charge, which feels like false advertising. The manager is unprofessional and rude, and they try to upsell unnecessary replacements instead of making simple repairs. Very dishonest and misleading--I do not recommend this shop. read more

Nice guys, good service! Cheapest smog check in town. Always busy so a very popular spot, but they try to do their best to fit you in always ! I've never had any other service done, except smog check, but I highly recommend them read more

G Win is No longer a place I'd recommend to anyone!! I've been using G Win's service on and off for the past almost 30 years. After the owner change (the original founder Mr. Du retired a few years ago) they've become dishonest. I purchased a new battery in early 2023. Within 3 months my RX330 already had problem starting up. They checked on the battery and declared the "brand new" Interstate battery was bad and claimed Interstate will give a me new replacement under warranty. So they installed a "new" replacement Interstate battery for my car. But after just a little more than 1 year, I'm having start up problem again. I measured the battery voltage, it's on the low side. Obviously they kept giving me lemon batteries (cheating on a loyal old customer like me)... I will Not go back to G Win for service again... read more

I highly recommend Gwin Auto Repair for anyone's car needs. If you're looking for a reliable and trustworthy auto shop with a team that genuinely cares about their customers and quality of work, these are your guys. Thanks again to Austin, especially, who really helped me out tremendously. As well as to the rest of the team for their exceptional service. I can't thank them enough. I had purchased a car that ended up needing an engine replacement. The warranty company was battling against me and prolonging the replacement. Austin fought on my behalf from day one and he made it happen for me. Thank you Austin and Gwin Auto! read more

TLTR: G Win is not as good as it used to be. They have increased prices and started using cheaper parts. Don't waste your time or money here. My family has been coming to this shop since 2010. The previous owner was straight forward and very honest about what needs to be done on each maintenance. Unfortunately, with the new management and employees, this shop is no longer trust worth. Today, I stopped by for 50k maintenance for my 2018 Corolla iM. Because I didn't have an appointment for this morning, I was told to wait in the lobby. I was confused as why there isn't a queue line and the front desk didn't tell me how long of a wait it would be. In just 30 minutes, it was my turn. We did the usual run down of what needed to be done and signed the paper. This is also a weird part where customers are asked to signed the service agreement before anything is written down. The maintenance turned out to be just about $200 with tax. It is suspicious that they started changing coolant every 5k maintenance and switched to using Valvoline synthetic instead of Mobil 1 full synthetic oil. I had a weird gut feeling that I was over charged and thinking they might not even did what was written down. As a result, I checked to see if they actually change the engine filter. It was nice to see they put in a new one (after market) but it was the wrong size forcefully fitted. It is a shame seeing a shop sealing from their loyal Asian American customers. read more

G Win Auto Repair - All these calculations are done after I signed the paper - Auto Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

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I have nothing but good things to say about this place. They are genuine, honest mechanics who have helped me through my car troubles. I go there for anything. General maintenance and more specific car problems. They know what they're doing and are willing to help, especially if you don't know much about cars!! I highly recommend this place to anyone, even just for an oil change. Prices are fair. Services are quick and fast. They also take appointments and stick to them! Thank you G win!! read more

Gwin Auto repair was recommended to me by a friend and I've liked it so much I only go there now. I would trust Austin with my car any day! He is super easy to reach, texted him one morning when my car didn't start and he called me back within minutes. He has made my car looked brand new after two accidents this year, and is simply a great human with a very positive attitude. Fair pricing, honest work, I really wouldn't go anywhere else. read more

Have been going to GWin for years but they've changed ownership year or two ago and I've been very disappointed with a recent experience. My car developed an oil leak after two months of getting an oil change at GWin. As it was under dealer warranty, I took the car to the dealer and had to pay $175 evaluation fee for them t investigate. They found it was due to a loose drain plug. The cause was GWin mechanic did not tighten the plug to the right spec and it came loose. Dropped in to GWin to let them know what had happened and did not get any admission of fault. I am just very disappointed in their response and expect them to at least acknowledge the fact that they did not tighten do the job properly. read more

I trust Austin and his team. I have been coming to this place for years, prior to Austin (Chin Pin) was also great. I bring all my cars here. I recommend them because of price and honesty. Give them a try... read more

Price: 5 Quality: 4.5 Service: 4 Great mechanic at an affordable rate. Been going here for years and they always have fast service and affordable prices. They use generic parts to save money, but you can alway ask them to use genuine parts. Also help if you speak Chinese as their English is dependent on the mechanic you are working with. read more

I wasn't sure where to take my F150 and a good friend recommended G Win Auto Repair. They had great service from the start. Austin took the time to discuss my concerns (rough idle, low power, and lots of other things!). He recommended a few maintenance services and I said okay. When he was done, he told me that my truck did not need as much as he thought so it he didn't do those services which saved me money. Wow, now that's great service! The cost for the services they did was a really good value as well. That alone deserves a 5+ star review... but it got even better. Austin called me the next day to check in with me to see how my truck was running. The only place I will be taking my truck in the future is G Win Auto Repair! Thanks!! read more

Tl;Dr He has proved himself through his 25 years in business and his thousands of lifetime cutomers. This place is efficient and does a great job on my mercedes. They will call you if they don't think something needs to be fixed or find a different problem, before fixing so leave your phone number! S E R V I C E It would be nice if they spoke slower though bc their accent is quite strong. So sometimes its hard to understand them. The boss is Taiwanese and the manager is Vietnamese. I can see how people can interpret the boss as rude because he doesnt smile. But from what I saw, it seemed like to be efficient and focused, he needed to spend his energy on the job, rather than giving fake smiles and spending time chit chatting w you when he could be using that time, fixing your car. (Btw if you want someone to smile at you, pay that premium and go to the dealership). Do you want him to be your friend or do you want him to fix your car in a timely manner? Remember..This is a mechanic shop. Not a restaurant. * * * While I was waiting for my car to get serviced, I learned quite a few things from chatting with other customers.. 1. The prices have never increased here! The boss takes the hit, rather than making the customers pay more. This shows loyalty and care for customers. 2. The boss has also never needed to place ads bc of his thousands of lifetime customers! * * * * * *******  To those who think that..  P R I C E "Prices aren't reasonable":  My friend works on my car and honestly, the prices this place charges are more than reasonable. If you want it cheaper, do the job yourself. I read other reviews complaining about oil change prices... don't blame the fact that you can't read, on him! It's a common problem w car shops that people complain about prices.. go compare the same job at a dealership or nearby shops! They will charge more, take more of your time and not guarantee a good job. This place will do you justice, just as it has done for me. "He tries to tack on extra charges to make more money":  I've been told that he has more business than he can handle. I imagine that he spends all his brain power trying to fix cars and doing his job correctly, the first time around. I'm sure he wants your trust and your lifetime business, not just to earn a few extra hundred dollars now. If any business tries to lie to you, customers will know and it'll show. This business seems to continually be booming. W A I T This place is extremely busy. I never saw the boss stop moving, picking up calls, or doing something. He was always on the move. He is succinct and has very high standards. I saw it through his interactions w his employees and he has great employees which he holds to the same standards. "I can walk in":  Dont waste your time. Dont waste his. Plan ahead. Make appointments. All the employees are always extremely busy when I come in to the shop. You'll read in all my reviews that I hate when my time is being wasted. read more

Twice in the last 8 years I've broken down in San Diego on a weekend (I live in Lake Elsinore). Both times G Win Auto was able to quickly get me back on the road (on a Saturday no less!) with quality work at a reasonable price. Can not recommend enough! 5 Stars! I wish I lived locally, so I could give them all my car maintenance business. read more

I had to get my full engine replaced, and they did an amazing job for my Honda Civic 2016. Austin was very helpful in finding the new engine and even changing some worn out parts that would have cost a lot of money in labor otherwise. I also appreciate the honesty they have to conduct their business. High quality work!! Thank you! read more

My favorite for smog check, they are quick, great service and kind- price is good and they also do break inspection, electrical service, repairs, etc read more

I have been going to this place for all my car services for 23 years. The price has now jacked up DOUBLE within the past two years, after the new owner Austin took over the shop from the previous owner Chi-Pin. The explanation about the now high cost is due to the inflation and material costs. Yes, it's understandable but double the price from $150 to $340 within two years for a routine mileage maintenance is simply ridiculous. Without the lower pricing, this place doesn't have anything worth of going anymore. Very sad, but it is time to move on! read more

No hassle/No frills type of place. Went to get a smog check. They were fast and efficient. Total came out to $28.24 for the inspection and a certificate. Can't beat that. read more

These guys are super honest and have great prices. Best experience I have ever had with auto repair, do yourself a favor and give them a call! read more

G-Win has done several repairs to my 2002 Lexus, and perfect 5-star each time. They replaced the main oil seals last year - and that saved my car. And recently this month, they replaced the front brake rotors and pads, and machined the rear rotors plus new rear pads. Most of all, I find them easy and straight-forward to work with. Not only is their technical service excellent, but their customer service is excellent as well. So much so, that I've given them their own ring tone on my phone: the intro to Top Gear. Thanks G-Win! -Dave read more

An actual honest (and low-cost!) repair shop in San Diego. I've gone to G Win for oil changes, air conditioner repair, brake pad repair, tire rotation and smog check. Each time they have been honest and extremely well-priced (less than half the cost of going to the dealership). The staff at the front desk are really personable and friendly. I think there has been a change in ownership in the past year or two, so you can probably disregard earlier reviews about bad staff. The experience is pretty basic. There is no way to make an appointment online, and no courtesy car or fancy waiting room. But it's worthwhile because the prices are low and the service is just as good as it would be at a more expensive repair shop. They fix a lot of cars per day, with a low margin on each one, so it's not like more boutique shops where your car is basically responsible for the whole day's profit margin. Another big benefit: they also don't try to "upsell" you like the other places. The only time G Win has told me to get additional service, it's when they found something in the engine about to break. 4 times out of 5, you'll be out of the door without them recommending other services. This is a welcome change from the other repair shops. (I'm looking at you, Jiffy Lube) read more

I brought my car here one early morning. Waited for long hours for a job promised to be done for 2 hours. I decided to go to my appointment and when I called them after lunch, they said it's okey to pick up my car at 5:30pm. Went there by 5 and it was not done! The mechanic was about to close the shop and my car was behind several cars. I insisted to take my car with me that night! It was such a disappointment! read more

Great service, fast, affordable, understanding. Been going here for years for my oil change have never had any problems. I got both an oil change and smog check took about an hour, I work right next door. Give them a call and make an appointment support these guys! Will be coming back. read more

I'm a cynic when it comes to things I don't know...and I don't know cars. I have a 95 Mercedes 320E and I love it. I moved to Del Mar two months ago after driving the car from Naples Florida. I brought it in to G Win for an oil change and for a couple odd knick knacks that needed repair, the seat belt and a few fuses. These guys are the real deal. They are considerate and it starts with their process. All my issues were dealt with in a timely fashion and the prices were more then fair for what was done. I don't need any other car guys but these gentlemen at G Win auto repair. What a relief! read more

They are clean and efficient but more polite to my dog than me. They have sold me service I did not necessarily need. I think they treat caucasians like me differently than their Asian clientele. read more

Very unprofessional place! They get my car key and let me wait ~1 hour for oil change, and then came back told me they can NOT help me today.... I would like to give them 0 star if I can....... read more

I'm totally disappointed with their service. I've been there for a couple time. Firstly, I saw the rate 4 stars by Yelp and they offer a great deal $12.99 for oil changing. They worked on my car quickly and I was so impressed. Then I just noticed that they didn't give me a sticker which inform me the mileage number I should change motor oil next time. The second time I went there for oil changing again and I told them about the mileage sticker that they might have forgotten for the first service. They said it's ok and they would complete it this time, but they didn't do it again. Moreover, after 2 weeks I got their oil changing service, my car got worse. The engine had a weird noise while I was driving. I took my car to a reliable mechanic. The result was no oil and completely dry. The mechanic mentioned that it seemed I've never change oil for a long time, even I just did it 2 weeks ago at G win. ( I never drove long distance, just short commute for home to school 3 days a week) I was so shocked that I had been driving with this risky situation. Thanks god that nothing had happened to me. It was so terrible that those guys have done their sloppy job for my car. Don't go there ! Even it's so cheap, it 's not worth it read more

Bad experiences with G Win 1. Cheap oil change but you get what you pay and even worse Last time they forgot to tight the skid plate for my car after oil change at $12.99+tax and it got loosen and scratching on the ground which is quite dangerous on high way. When I asked them to fix my patchy skid plate they just tied with some nylon cable ties and showed they did a favor for me to fix it (Express Tire made such a mistake as well earlier but they replaced a new skid plate for me). 2. Fixed the same problem twice They fixed my water tanks by replacing it twice with a year so I got charged twice. They just explained that I'm not lucky at the tank meaning the tank quality is not good. Now there's some water leakage again after about 1 year. 3. Fix one problem and introduced another They fixed the engine oil gasket leakage by replacing the gaskets and what I get is 1) the oil burn smell even after 1.5 years; 2) the engine somehow consume the engine oil obviously faster - I have to refill some engine oil like one bottle b/w oil changes for 1k miles this never happened before their fix. They just explained this is because the car is old. 4. Bad attitude and wasting your time I went for my appointment of 4:30pm for oil change but 10 minutes late than schedule due to traffic. I called on the way to the shop and they said it's okay to be there before 5pm. When I arrived I finished the paperwork and started waiting but at about 5:55pm they told me the worker somehow didn't do the work and asked me to come back next day. What a waste! 5. The employee skill set is low They changed the front brakes for me but (like the other review shows) they didn't set the brake fluid pressure right so the brakes were always engages and the car won't run fast. When I asked them to check they told me this is normal and you just need to keep driving. Yes, after driving for a while the friction grounded the brakes down and the car runs okay. read more

Based on Yelp reviews, I decided to take my car to G. Win when my check engine light went on, instead of my usual place, PB Foreign and Domestic Car Repair because it was closer. Although the diagnostic test was reasonably priced at $35, despite the lack of many other cars in line in front of me, they still took two hours to perform the test. This test consists of (1) plugging in a diagnostic machine into the car (2) reading the diagnostic code off of the diagnostic machine. It really takes all of two minutes, max. Upon finally doing the test, they called me and gave me an incomprehensible explanation of what was wrong with my car (a pair of sensors had failed?) and told me that it would cost $470 to replace both of them. I had to ask them multiple times to explain what exactly was wrong with my car because I wasn't about to pay $470 for a service I didn't understand. This isn't for lack of trying to understand what was being said to me...there is a significant language barrier at this auto shop. The mechanic would neither slow down nor clearly explain to me what was exactly wrong with my car (except that I needed to replace these parts because both of them were malfunctioning), and when I asked for a clearer explanation as to why I needed to replace them, he became extremely aggravated with me. I ended up taking my car to my regular shop because I could not believe that two sensors (that was about all I got out of the conversation) would fail at exactly the same time. It turns out that they were my front oxygen sensors. They both had failed, yes, but at PB Foreign and Domestic I paid $260 (parts and labor) for getting BOTH replaced ($470 at G. Win), received a clear explanation as to what was wrong with my car, and had my car back in three hours, versus the 6 hours I was quoted at G. Win. Luckily the mechanic at G. Win was honest enough not to replace the parts without asking for my consent first, but that is about the only positive thing I have to say about this place. I am still incredulous at how much they bullied me and tried to cheat me at this shop. read more

I have a friend who is a San Diego Native and their family has been coming here for years, so I trust her recommendation. Now I get my oil change done here routinely, they have competitive pricing (less than $15). Try to book an appointment, otherwise, It can take anywhere from 1/2 hour to 1 hour, they get pretty busy. read more

I took a luxury car in for an oil change because its close, and yelpers say its good. 1 word: --SHADY-- 1.)They wouldnt quote me a price on an oil change, and then it was $20 higher than their estimate.(for an oil change?!) 2.)They had a guy already putting in regualr oil, and then tried to make me pay for synthetic which was a lot more. He told me I had to sign a waiver not holding him responsible if I chose regular oil. I asked why the first guy who wrote me up didnt say it needed synthetic, or the guy changing the oil didnt automatically put synthetic in. I didnt care, but wanted to know why these guys didnt have their story consistent. They were all talking sh*t in Korean to each other about it, but he had no answer for me. We have 4 vehicles--they said they dont make money off of oil changes...so no price break. If you are gonna screw people, at least have everyone in on the scam. I went next door to Jananese Auto Tech. The initial cost is a little more, but they are professional, quick, and at least speak English, and treat you like a customer, and not a jerk-off. read more

It's hard to find an honest auto repair shop, extremely hard. You can show up at this place to get an alignment, the next thing is all your spark plugs are replaced and they do a 100K maintenance on you POS car. Even if their are on the Better Business Bureau, they still screw you over. Well, NOT AT THIS PLACE. G Win Auto Repair is the most honest, reliable, and timely repair/maintenance place i've ever been to. If you are looking for a honest place to tell you exactly what's broken and what you need to you fix, this is it. I was introduced to this place for a simple oil change back in 1993 when I first started college. A man then Mr. Du owns the shop, he is courteous and to the point, if he can't do it, he'll let you know, if he finds other problems, real problems that is, he will let you know. I've tried other auto repair place to fix the break, suspension, smog checks, maintenance... again and again, I kept getting screwed somewhere else an I go back to this same place. When it comes to fixing your car and get the problem taken care of once and for all, go to G Win Auto Repair. The price is moderate, but you pay for their honest service and that's hard to come by. read more

Took my car in to get an oil change and to get brake pads and rotors put on. I brought my own rotors and pads. Apparently, this doesn't sit well with the guys at G Win. They charged me $50 to put the brakes on but constantly reminded me "NO WARRANTY!!" and made me sign something that said "NO WARRANTY AT ALL". Well, this is probably why - They didn't bleed my brake fluid when they put my brakes on. My brakes are spongy and almost go to the floor ( a typical sign of air in the brake line). They obviously wanted to remind me no warranty because they didn't want to do all the work. Then, with the oil change, I didn't get the customary fluid top-off and tire pressure check/fill-up. This place is cheap (probably cheapest around) but I definitely feel like some corners were cut. read more

Why do you go to a car shop? Is it for the free donuts? The coffee? The free wi-fi? The cable television that your significant other will never let you watch? No, you go to get your car *repaired*. This is what G Win Auto Repair is about. It's a no-frills auto shop with no amenities but they get the job done. And they get it done cheaply and honestly. I pay 1/3rd at G Win for what I pay at a Honda dealership (grrrr... see my other review on being ripped off at a Honda dealership). No, there isn't any high-class service, but I'm getting my oil changed, not going to a Michelin restaurant. The guy at the desk is pretty honest -- I've seen him turn away customers because they don't need service. If you know what you need, it's pretty straightforward and quick. If you don't know what you need, get ready for a healthy dose of skepticism by the guy at the front counter. Which is refreshing compared to being told tall tales by other auto mechanics. A perfect *cheap* (did I say cheap) place to get your oil changed, a tune-up, or if your engine check light is on. P.S. If you really need a donut and a coffee, walk down the street to get some. The $ you save by coming here will more than make up for it. And if you're going to stick around rather than dropping your car off, bring a book to prevent boredom. read more

Pros: Cheap Cons: Bad customer service, tend to lie. Hard to communicate with those guys. Especially by phone, almost impossible to understand them. When you go there, they don't smile, don't try to be polite. They just look at you as you are a complete idiot. They are lying all the time. Once i asked to change oil and asked about synthetic one. After they changed it they told me to come back to change it again in 3.000 miles. WTF?! It's suppose to be 5-7 I told them, and the guy at the counter said: "yeah, but we don't know, we don't give warranty" and BS like it. Recently i got check engine warning. So, I went there, they did computer check and found out that my catalytic converter need to be changed. Ok! How much? $1600! WTF?!?! Why is this so expensive? When the cost of the converter is only $300. And He answered me that we don't work with not original parts. I told him that it's not his F+ing business, and the converter is certified in California. But he refused to do anything! Sorry! Bye bye a@sholes! read more