I had previous experiences at other auto repair places where it would take them multiple days just to give me a diagnosis of what needed to be done to my car. Never had that issue here. These guys are always readily available to fix my car. Ray and Todd are super nice and are always a pleasure to speak to. Their services are slightly more expensive than my last guy depending on the job, but the quality of work and the timeliness totally makes the extra $50-100 worth it. There was one time I had a flat and they patched it within 30 minutes of me arriving and it was $40 total. Yeah that's not a typo, 40 dollars total. That was probably the most epic car repair experience I've ever had and is totally contrary to my last statement LOL. I just got lucky that time!!! I feel very fortunate to live so close to reliable and knowledgeable car guys. Big thank you to Gretchen's, you guys always come in clutch. read more

Quick and near University , got a bolt in my tire and they helped me out close to their closing time. Bit pricy for a student charge me 45$ for a simple plug read more

The customer service started good but ended poorly. You might have a better experience but I was brushed off when I asked about the estimated completion time on an oil change. I'd look elsewhere if you want to be treated well. read more

I'm extremely disappointed with my experience with Gretchen's Automotive. This is happened on Wednesday 11/26/25 the day before Thanksgiving. I brought in a flat tire off the car and clearly asked if they were able patch my tire, I was told they could do that. Was told it would be a few hours, so I dropped off the tire and left. When I got home after picking up the tire, I realized they had put a plug it the instead of a patch. They charged me $30 for a plug which is a quick, cheap temporary fix, not what I requested or expected. When I called to inquire what was done and why they didn't patch it as requested, the explanation was "the city won't let us have a tire changer". Ok, so when I asked for a patch, I should have been turned away or told they were only able to plug my tire, not patch it. The guy who took in my tire in and who I talked to on the phone after arriving home said in his mind a patch and a plug are the same thing. Now I am stuck with a plug in my tire until Friday after the holiday to take the tire to another shop who can fix it correctly. If a shop doesn't know the difference between patching a tire and plugging a tire, makes me question the rest of their automotive knowledge. I feel they are careless at best and dishonest at worst. I won't be returning, and I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone looking for honest, professional service. read more

Gretchen's Automotive - They charged me $30 for a cheap temporary plug instead of patching the tire like I requested. - Auto Repair Near Me - Long Beach, California

Decent timely work. Fair prices, but I feel like whatever gets fixed breaks down shortly after again needing to revisit the shop again.

Do not go here they are a rip off. They charged me almost $5,000 for work and the noise is still there and my car isn't much worth than $5,000. There's no value no quality and the owner you would think after spending that much money he could at least have said thank you for your business but instead ignored me as I was there to pick up my car. Don't go here if you know what's good for you. A lawsuit in the making for what I am told and that's what I'm going to do! Elder abuse as well because taking advantage of an elderly person is against the law. Shame on you! And here I thought you were good people. What a laugh. read more

Based on many good reviews, I brought my car in because it was stuttering on start up and also needed an oil change. They diagnosed that I needed a new battery which was fine, however they charged me $174 to change the battery, in addition to the cost of the battery. This was about a month ago. Yesterday, my car wouldn't start, and I had to call AAA who checked the battery and said it was defective. I'll give Gretchen's the benefit of the doubt that maybe they couldn't have known this, but when I saw the AAA guy change the battery in under 10 minutes, I don't see how Gretchen's justifies charging nearly $200. In addition, the AAA guy pointed out that my coolant was super low, and my invoice from Gretchen's said that all fluid levels were checked. I will not be returning here. read more

Love this place! Friendly , good pricing and timely work. I have been bringing my last 3 cars here. They even came and got my car and brought it back when they were done! Tod is amazing. Always happy to recommend him and his shop. read more

I will never go to another Auto shop again! These guys are skilled, friendly, fair and patient. Todd, the owner is amazing as is his entire crew. It gives me a sense of peace knowing I can pull in and get help when I need it and I can trust that they know what they're doing and are being honest! The only Auto shop to go to in Long Beach is Gretchen's! I have a Jeep Wrangler and it's starting to act up and I know I can go to them for help. And as a woman that is especially valuable! read more

I've been taking my cars here for 15 years. Awesome place Honest and do great work. Thank You

I've had great service from Gretchen's, so far. They will even give a ride home if needed. I won't bring my care anywhere else.

They charge $200/hr for labor leading them to charge us 2.5x the average cost for the same repair elsewhere (I can imagine they're extremely motivated to finish each job in a timely manner with that hourly). Our labor bill was $1115 while our parts bill was $1050. Not to mention only a week later our car had the same issue we brought it in for and they attempted to charge us more for the same repair they had completed the week before. And they lost our contact information twice and we had to initiate communication. read more

I don't know what to think of this place ! I first called to see if I can get 150 hour service on my boat he said he couldn't (which was fine ) then he called back and said he could , not sure exactly what changed his mind in a matter of seconds . We communicated that I was leaving Wednesday which is today around 5 or 6 . I came dropped off my boat the night prior , I called Wednesday morning to make sure everything was okay , he was mad because I dropped off the boat in the lot , the same lot he told me to drop it off in . He told me he couldn't find the keys but the keys were in the front as soon as you open the boat door . He kind of didn't know how to respond to that . He was mad because he came at 7 and I called him at 8:30 to make sure everything was alright , then he told me he couldn't do it again and be done by today 5 or 6 because he wasted 1 hour and a half of his whole day lol. Wait , there's more ! He calls me back saying he can do it again lol . At this point I'm fine I'm willing to pay and everything no problem , I told this man on the phone at 8:45 to please let me know what the price will be so my wife can go pay him and I can pickup after work when I get off . He says okay ! I called him at 4 for an update he said he was doing the bill , I said okay . He called back and said it was 1600 , and oh they decided to put a battery in because mine was dead , he never called me to see if that was okay I never got a heads up or anything nor did I ever tell him to do whatever he wants to my boat . Once again I told him okay no problem I asked him what time he will be there until he said around 5 let me remind you it says they close at 6 , but whatever his business I get it . This man left I'm currently here on my boat and can't take it because it's locked , if money was the issue I would've electronically paid him , he never communicated with me that he was leaving . This place is a joke so bad ! I'm still currently here I know he sees me on his camera but he chooses not to come or speak on the camera . Worst thing I've ever encountered . A little communication would've been helpful , just a little bit . read more

I honestly have no clue about cars and came in a couple months ago because they gave me the cheapest estimate. I ended up needing a battery replacement, new O2 sensor, and cleaning of the throttle body (whatever that means). The entire process was really smooth and when I picked up my car a couple hours later, a gentleman pointed a few things under my hood that I should know about. Did I know what that meant? No. But did I appreciate the gesture? Yes! I came in again today for an oil change. Again, they were the cheapest estimate and I knew that they were reliable. Everything was good and they even checked my tires, breaks, and everything! Everyone that I talked to was really kind as well! Coming from someone who knows nothing about cars and is super intimidated to go into auto shops, I highly recommend this place!! read more

Called to see if they do smog check and they don't. I asked where he takes his vehicle and told me about a place is Los Al. Just a quick no BS phone call was nice as most places these days just say they can do the work when they can't read more

Highly recommend this place! Great people and honest! I tried them for the first time last week and the staff were friendly, the location was super clean and they did a great job for a reasonable amount of pay. Give them a try as you won't be disappointed. read more

Good Day Todd, Thanks for your response. This project is for a boat. Have you ever installed 8-D deep Cycle Battery's on a trawler before? The normal is a low of $350-and a high of $500 per battery. The normal labor cost is $130-$150.00 per hour yet you only allow yourself 2 hours for the job. So basically your labor cost is $750.00 per hour. Thanks again but no thank you. read more

Tends to be a hit or miss shop. I've stopped by multiple times for small repairs, never had an issue. I called about swapping the tire on my spare wheel (I had both the wheel and replacement tire ready) and I was informed it would be no issue. Upon arrival, as I talked to the gentleman at the front desk he seemed offended/ angry at my request, and told me they don't do tires and to go to a tire shop. I understand if they are busy or really don't have the tool I was told they did. But I did not appreciate the negative tone used. read more

This is the neighborhood automotive repair business, that everyone uses. I have used them often on over the years, and they've earned my trust. They are fast and prices are fair. Plus they tell you what you really need, and don't press you on things not essential like other shops. Here's why I'll stay a customer. Recently, I had a blockage in the discharge hose from AC. Instead of dripping under the car it was dripping onto the front floor mats. The process to clear the blockage was simple, so they just did it and charged me nothing. It pays to be a regular customer! read more

I started using Gretchen's automotive Mechanics approximately six months ago. I am so glad I switched to them. They are honest, and do good work in a timely fashion. I will continue using them. read more

Upon moving to Long Beach three years ago I found myself without "my local auto mechanic".. It is a rare find. When I met Todd, I explained the service I needed and would he be able to give me a ride to work. At the time he had a car to lend. I was blown away by his hospitality. Also, the price he quoted me for my transmission fluid ended up being less. They do good work, they charge a fair price, and they could be your reliable neighborhood mechanic! read more

My sis & BIL have been going here for years. A big "THANK YOU" to Gretchen's for flushing my windshield water tank and saving me money. The Audi dealer told me I'd need to replace it & it would cost $$$$. I appreciate the straight forward honest estimate & work done by Gretchen.. same day service! I'll refer & I'll be back read more

We have gone to Gretchen's in the past. They have always been friendly and helpful. They just took care of my daughters car for a quick fix and charged us $0. The dealer was going to charge us $200 just to tell us what was wrong. So glad to have a shop in the neighborhood you can trust! read more

Highly recommend this place. There are so many reasons I appreciate this local businesss: 1. The employees are honest and take pride in their work. We've always been happy with their repairs/work. 2. They donate services to support the local schools. 3. Their customer service cannot be beat. I was there today and got a free bouquet of flowers just because. read more

Good honest quick service. Went through and repaired my old truck In about a day. Thanks again!

I have been going to Gretchen's for many years. I have never been disappointed in the work and Todds pricing is very fair. He's honest and will not rip you off. His shop is clean and friendly. read more

The absolute worst automotive shop I have been to and I've been to plenty. Todd gIves me an estimate of $175 to replace my alternator. Ray starts to work on the job. Half way through the job they put in the wrong alternator and now have to take it out and put in the correct alternator. After approximately 4 hours they decide to charge me for not only their mistake of putting in the wrong alternator but the time doing it. Half the time they were not even around my vehicle. They were taking lunch breaks in the back. Therefore they charged me an extra $200 dollars. That's not even the worst of the problem! The major problems are when I had major issues driving home. When I stopped, I noticed the radiator fluid was spewing all over the place and now an oil leakage. I never once had a single leak or problem in my vehicle other than the alternator. I called them and Todd, the owner, tells me to come on down and for an extra $75 dollars he can tape up the lines. This is after they cut them. So not only does he want to charge me more for what they destroyed; he wants to half ass repair what he destroyed. I called and explained that he made my vehicle un drivable and would need someone to come up or tow it in. Of course, I was screamed at and have witness recordings to verThis is not only swindling money but getting away with vandalism and having the customer pay for it. These people are definitely criminals. Looks like they have had multiple problems. I'm putting together a class action suit. I will also be protesting outside their place of business. Message me if you want to be part of it. As of 2021, I am still in the same situation. Todd has not helped at all. He left me out to dry. I had to sell my vehicle not only because of the repairs that he messed up but my entire electrical system was shot. I called him daily but he still refused to fix it. I'm actually shocked that a mechanic can stay in business with this stuff going on. He crumpled up my receipt right in front of me and would not give it back to me. What kind of business is this after I spent over 400 dollars for labor on him despite the alternator for a simple replacement? read more

if you want to have your boat taken care of - don't bring it here...they don't know boats at all. You have to wait a few months to find out that they cant fix your boat because they are not qualified. Worst place ever read more

I have been to Gretchen's before and had a great experience. Bought a used car for my son. Needed a new regulator in the driver's side window. Called and they said they could do the work. Dropped the car off the next morning and was told I would get a call. When I didn't hear I called them. Said the mechanic was at lunch at 4 and that he would call back and that they were "slammed". Next day I called and the owner said he had called twice the day before. I checked my call log and had no missed calls. Price was fair. Picked up the car and was told the panel never snaps back on right once it is pulled off so now I have a big gap. Had to return a few minutes later to have the check engine light reset. Common after working on anything electrical but overlooked. Door panel was filthy and covered in grease and the window and the mat were in the same shape. read more

Awesome customer service Clean, fast and easy to get to Dishonest pricing Gave gentleman two opportunities to come clean on the amount of time it takes to remove and replace an upper radiator hose, top off coolant and oil and pressurize cooling system to check for leaks (tasks that literally require removing two Phillips screws and tossing a funnel and liquids into easily accessible reservoirs). He passed on both opportunities to honestly report the time requirement, for which I paid the $140 for one hour of labor. A novice backyard mechanic can complete these tasks in thirty minutes, maximum, and if my schedule allowed, I would have. I don't enjoy doing business with folks who try to take advantage of the lack of knowledge their customers have about the services they provide. Again, great customer service and a really good feel all around, but the lying sucks for the end user. read more

Beyond rude. I told the rude guy with long hair working the front what was going on with my truck he said that it was "definitely the front brakes" then when I told him the noise it was making in the rear and exactly how to duplicate it he said "okay then that's your suspension". I asked him for a ballpark price and told him that I was a single mom and I needed the repairs done but I just needed to get a quote so that I could have an idea as to how much I should save in order to get the repairs done. He said "Oh. Well then we are gonna have to charge you $150 an hour to diagnose it just in case you don't get the work done here because it's going to take a long time to diagnose this. I mean, how am I going to get a guy under the car when the noise it's making happens as you're pulling into a driveway? That's gonna take a while." I really thought we were past the days of ripping off females at the auto shop. Guess that practice is still alive and well at Gretchen's! The low rating is no surprise. read more

Always fair and honest, great place and people! I took my old Jeep there for years and always recommend them to friends in the area. I'm even willing to drive from Huntington Beach for the service...quality, honesty, and fair pricing are worth the time. read more

Got to the shop to use my vouchers $25 for $50 and the owner said that yelp hasn't been paying and it would be on me to get a refund. He continued to say that my oil change is not where he makes his money and he is not worried about his star rating on yelp because his clientele is already established. So rude!! read more

Upon moving to Long Beach three years ago I found myself without "my local auto mechanic".. It is a rare find. When I met Tom, explain the service I needed and would he be able to give me a ride to work. At the time he had a car to lend. I was blown away by his hospitality. Also, the price he quoted me for my transmission fluid ended up being less. They do good work, they charge a fair price, and they could be your reliable neighborhood mechanic! read more

Terrible service. I would never come here again, even to change a blinker light. Price gouging and took them twice to fix a problem.

These guys are my hero's! Went to my car tonight to run to grocery store and car wouldn't start. They came over to my house, diagnosed it, jumped it and took it back to their shop to change the battery. They then delivered my car back and brought me flowers!!! Will never use anyone else, as a single mom this service was amazing and above and beyond my expectations!! read more

$75 to change out a blown out tire with my spare is price gouging! They did NOT fill my spare with air. It only had 14 lbs of air in it after I paid and was ready to drive off. The owners son acted snooty when I requested He inflate my spare tire to the proper level so my vehicle was safe to drive. He thought he was real cute by smarting off to me after he was a distance from me. This place is pricey, that turns out poor quality workmanship, with management that chooses not to earn my business. read more

Stay away from Gretchen's. Don't let the flowers, wine or Gretchen's gifts or the car wash after the service fool you. I was fooled for a while. There nice at first, but after a while the flowers, the wine and car wash stop coming and the worst part the service also is shady. Plus once you have been there a couple times they stop listening, and cop an attitude. My last tune up, they informed me to come back for a battery and cable connections to the battery. I asked them, should I be concern and come back the following Monday? The mechanic stated no, next week or the following would be ok. At that time, I left and felt comfortable with their feedback; after all they are the experts. My tune up was on a Saturday and on Tuesday leaving work, my truck will not start up. I picked up my hood and noticed all the cables to battery and my battery were in real bad shape. I called AAA, so I can get assistance. AAA arrives, the technician looks at the battery and cables and states this is real bad, I can clean it and see if we can start it, but once you leave you can't stop till you get to your destination, because it might not start up again. Bottom line glad that AAA could help out, they changed my battery and cables and I was on my way safe. Zette read more

For the love of all that is holy do not go here. I actually planned on writing a review back last fall when I had the work done, but decided to calm down and wait. I just picked up my car for regular maintenance elsewhere and found that my cat converter was damaged, basically cracked in half. The mechanic said it was probably done when I got my valve replaced (which he knew without me mentioning). So rewind to last fall. Check engine light comes on with a misfire code. I take it into Gretchen's. The exhaust valve has blown needs to be replaced for 1400 or so dollars. Car ran like crap after but was told it was just adjusting, went back for an oil change and valve adjustment. After this car would blow smoke when I first started (filling my apartment's 5 car garage). I took it back. Ends up the o ring in the cylinder is worn...now it will cost 800 to fix that...I begrudgingly pay because I don't have the time, or energy to figure things out and see if its a blown head gasket and they are just trying to make me pay way more for the work. But I ask them to save all parts...Which was forgotten at the time of pick up. Vow to just never return and deal with the fact that my poor choice to go there will now cause me some substantial credit card debt. So after spending 2200 dollars I have found out that there was damage to my vehicle due to their crappy job. The people who work here seem to be very nice, and the free bottle of wine and pick up service is great, but i can pay much less than 3000 grand (which is now my final cost after I get this cat replaced) for such things. read more

I've been going here regularly for about 12 years. I've always had a good experience. They have always been upfront with me about the costs involved and it's always seem fair to me. I did inquire about a dashboard replacement and it was quite expensive. The person at the service desk actually tried to talk me out of it because of the cost. I'm probably going to have it done anyway, but I appreciate the honesty on the cost involved. read more