I had such a great experience with Lake Forest Auto Repair Shop. Earlier this week, I called to ask for a quote to replace the left rear wheel bearing on my car after hearing a strange humming sound coming from the back. The price Steve gave me for the part and labor seemed very reasonable, especially since I had previously received a quote elsewhere that was nearly four times higher. Before replacing anything, I wanted to make sure the wheel bearing was actually the problem. Steve was able to book me an appointment that same week and kindly explained that they could inspect the car first to confirm whether the replacement was necessary. He let me know the inspection would take around two hours, which helped me know exactly what to expect. I arrived shortly after 8 a.m. and dropped my car off with Chuck, who was just as kind, humble and helpful. He got me set up with a small amount of paperwork and told me the inspection would likely take an hour or two. About two hours later, I received a call with an update and returned to the shop. What really stood out to me was that Chuck personally showed me the issue. He demonstrated how the left rear wheel was making a humming sound compared with the right wheel, which was quiet. Rather than simply telling me something needed to be replaced, both Chuck and Steve took the time to help me understand what was happening. They were also able to replace the wheel bearing that same day, which was absolutely amazing. I was told the repair would take about another hour and a half, and it was actually completed a little sooner. Afterward, Steve showed me the old wheel bearing and even had me try turning it so I could feel the problem myself. It was definitely greasy, but I really appreciated the experience! As a woman who does not know much about car parts, it can sometimes feel intimidating taking a car into a repair shop. Chuck and Steve made me feel comfortable, respected and informed throughout the entire process. There was no pressure, and they were transparent about the diagnosis, timing and cost. I am extremely grateful for their honesty, kindness and excellent service. I would absolutely recommend Lake Forest Auto Repair Shop to anyone looking for trustworthy and knowledgeable mechanics. read more

I have been doing business with this mechanic for over 30 years and I can recommend them with no reservations. They are honest, thorough, and reasonably priced. read more

I took my car to the dealer for a check up and oil change. They said I needed front and rear brakes as well. I took my car to these guys for a 2nd opinion, they said I only needed front brakes, plus did an oil change and full service check, at a fair price. Saved me $ and gave me peace of mind. I'll be back! read more

I gave Lake Forest auto repair 5 stars because the customer service was the best I've seen at any auto repair shop. I was stranded with three children when my car broke down, when I got to Lake Forest auto repair they were able to give me an estimate within a half hour. They gave me a small loan car so I could take my children to a park and wait. They were done with the repair in about two hours. The repair was reasonably priced. It's been a month now and my car is running great. Lake Forest auto repair gave this mommy a very happy day! read more

If you need a good honest mechanic this is the place to go. I went in there and told them I needed rear brakes because someone had told me that. They took my wheel off and said you don't need brakes you have plenty of meat on these breaks. So then I told them well I think I need a new pump for my windshield wiper, they looked at that and said no it was only a fuse. Any other mechanic would have fixed the brakes and charged me and charged me for the pump. I highly recommend these guys because they're honest, and great people. read more

I will say the mechanic who mostly worked on my car was awesome, however the owner was not pleasant to work with, ZERO BEDSIDE MANNER or customer service friendly. Originally, owner, Steve Costes, told me it would take an hour to an hour and a half and cost $105 plus parts, $27. I timed how long my car was in the air and my car took an hour and 20 minutes at the most, yet I was charged for 2 hours equalling $210 in labor plus parts. All I was in there to do was to take two stripped Lugnuts off of my wheel so I could remove the tire to do my own brakes. When it was taking a little longer to put the tire back on the car I simply asked the friendly mechanic what the problem was since I could see them working their butts off to fix whatever the problem was but there was zero communication so I was curious to know what was going on with my car. Steve, the owner overheard what he thought sounded like complaining apparently and told me to wait outside if I was asking what the hold up was...(tone & words I never said). Luckily, they were able to accommodate me that day and I am now in a car that is safe again so I didn't question the $240 payment, too excited to get out of there. Now, that I don't feel threatened I was able to look at the invoice and realize I was overcharged. Thus the rude customer service, lack of communication, quick to misconstrue my words he incorrectly overheard from the next room oand over paying regardless of work completed is the reason for my 2 star review. read more

Lake Forest Auto Repair - Auto Repair Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Francisco and his team are always very helpful and honest with the car repairs, I get my car service on a timely manner at a reasonable price, been going there for couple of years and now recommending my friends as well!! read more

I have a 2010 Lexus RX350. I had a phone stuck in the center cup holder and so I couldn't open the cup holder lid. It sounds simple but it is much more complicated than that. I took it to Lake Forest Auto Repair and the gentlemen was very professional and kind and polite!! He could easily say that he needs to take the whole center console off and then charge me for the labor but he didn't. He got it out after 40 mins and didn't charge me a cent. He also clean the interior afterwards. Very impressed with his integrity and professionalism. Will definitely take my car there from now on. Completely trustworthy and that is the best that you can ask for for a mechanic for your car! Absolutely blown away by then right now. read more

Lake Forest Auto Repair - Auto Repair Near Me - Lake Forest, California

If you want your car in good hands and to have piece of mind that everything is going to be taken care of then go see Steve. He did much needed maintenance on my Toyota 4Runner and I will definitely be going back to see him when it's time again. Thank you Steve !!! read more

This place is always here for me. The staff is friendly and Francisco always goes the extra mile for me. He also fully explains to me the problem, the solution, and even alternatives. The work is good, fast, and fairly priced. I hate leaving my car somewhere else but I feel comfortable leaving it here. I've recommended this place to friends and recommend it to you. Este taller Mechanico es muy bueno con buena gente y precios muy bajos. Francisco es una persona muy amable y te explica todo lo que tienes que saber de tu auto. read more

I took my car for 10 years to Goodyear and finally realized I was paying an average of $200 every time I got my oil changed (on each car) because they always proposed aggressive, preventive maintenance. My wife guilted me into finding another solution for car maintenance. Steve, the owner, is a former neighbor so I decided to try Lake Forest Auto Repair even though he wasn't within walking distance of my house (like Goodyear). That has been 18 months and I have saved at least $100/month because Steve takes care of what needs servicing, not what "might" need it. His work is good and his prices fair. You have to call to make an appointment for an oil change and they are closed on weekends. That is not a hardship in light of saving at least $1000/year. read more

I have been taking my Toyotas to Lake Forest Auto Repair for 30 years now. I have never been disappointed in their service, honesty, prices and reliability. You can trust Steve and Chuck and everyone to provide you with superior expertise and customer service. The quality of service I received in 1983 is the same service and care I get now in 2014. An exceptional business. I am so grateful for them!! read more

Best auto mechanic around. Seriously. Honest, fair priced and actually cares about you and your car. He is an expert on Toyota's and Lexus but will work on other cars as well. I could make this review more loquacious, but nope. I just wanted to get to the point. Bring your car here and it's in good hands. read more

Just got an oil change and rear brakes. They are so efficient and helpful. I had an appointment so didn't have to wait. The price was good. Steve is awesome. All around A+ read more

I have been coming here for the last 10 years and it's the best service I've ever experienced. They are always so honest and FAST! Recommend this place 100%! read more

Steve was AMAZING! Extremely helpful and took great care of what my car needed. He even went out of his way to educate me on what he was doing step by step & made sure I clearly understood what was going on in detail. He was also very honest with what needed fixing which is very much appreciated considering , that can be hard to come across now a days and may I just mention the entertainment I received while I had my service was super cool. Thanks so much Steve you're the best....Personality + Hospitality = STEVE read more

Great price. Did what they needed to do and nothing more. Steve was friendly and informative. Will be coming back in the future for car repairs. read more

I moved to LA for a couple years and still drove all the way to Lake Forest Auto Repair to have Steve handle my auto repair needs. He is honest, forthright, kind, and he has a customer for life. I recommend him to everyone that asks who to take their car to. He just made my old 2006 Scion Xb run like new and purr like a kitten. He actually calls customers to make sure the job was to their satisfaction. He calls back ASAP when you're waiting for an estimate. He's even dropped me at work when I had no ride - because he's decent and helpful. I've been coming here for years and I will be in mourning if he ever retires. read more

Steve is great I trust him with my trucks and cars. The mechanics there are professionals. I especially like that I can speak to the owner anytime. Steve is never too busy to help customers. I know that the prices are always fair and the company backs up their work. I am very happy with the customer service and mechanics. I like that I can bring a Dodge, Chevy or a foreign car and get it repaired. Steve never talked down to because I am a woman. Steve explained the issue and repaired my car. I highly recommend this shop for anyone who needs a honest mechanic. read more

My entire family has been going to Steve since I was little! Now that I have my own car I only go to him!! Such a good mechanic!! So friendly and reasonable prices!! Thank you Steve! read more

Honest, capable, skilled and efficient. We are big fans at my house!

I just left this place. I drove from San Diego and my car starting overheating. I called so many auto shops in the area and couldn't get anyone to help me. I called Lake Forest Auto and got helped by Steve. He told me to stop by and he would take a look at my car. I went and he helped me right away checked a few things, added some thing/oil/water to my engine, I don't know shit about cars obviously, and advised me to see a mechanic as soon as I get back home. He assured me that my car would get me home after he did what he did. He spent about 30 mins and said I didn't have to pay him anything. My car was able to get me home without the radiator light coming back on. I know without his help I wouldn't have been able to get home at all. Steve was kind,caring and honest. Thank you so much for your help and care. You made my day a lot better. read more

Fair and honest, what else can you ask for? Steve, Lon, and Chuck are the repairmen and always give you a fair deal. I deal w/ Lon and he gives you a breakdown for every repair. Gotta fix this, that can wait, and ahh, don't worry about it you'll only be waiting your money. I trust these guys! read more

Excellent and fair. I concur with all the previous reviewer has spoken. I was fortunate to find this shop several years ago after giving up on large retail chain down the street that could not get it right. This shop has a steady flow of loyal customers and so you will need to make appt and dropoff for the day. If you are cheap or have a junker and don't care about vehicle then go elsewhere. If you want it done right at reasonable price then this is the place. read more

Finally found an honest auto repair service! These guys are great! Highly recommend them!

They will do good work and it's unlikely you'll ever be in the position I'm writing about there, but that said, don't leave them a vehicle to sell or salvage for you. I was very disappointed with that experience, especially how it played out. I had taken my vehicles there for 25-30 years. They past 10 years were rough; the cars/trucks I had were rough. I was glad they were willing to work on them. The problem occurred when one of my vehicles died altogether, nearly a year ago, and I called and asked if I could leave it there and if they could and/or were willing to resell it. They said yes, and I offered the split the price of whatever they got 50/50. 4-5 weeks passed and I didn't hear anything. I called a couple times and left messages; didn't hear back. Finally went in, and after a very awkward inquiry, he asked me if I had any credits with them (which they don't even offer as far as I know), and then he reluctantly wrote me a $100 check. It's very hard to believe that they only got $200. It was uncool. read more

Well.. I haven't been yelping that long but I have been going to LFA Since 2003!!... Until today it never dawned on me to write a review for them. We my wife and I and two sons all have Toyotas..Steve and his men have always been there for us. From basic tune-ups to a couple mufflers that were stolen off my sons truck when he lived in Los Angeles. And One major repair. They always have been honest and fair. If you read their very first review that person pretty much sums up their business and it hasn't changed any since 2003 good service fair price ,etc. Not sure I should be writing this review, because now more people are just going to find out about them.Oh well. Rock on LFA! read more

These mechanics are fantastic; they are honest, reliable, and affordable. We'll use this auto shop for all of our auto needs moving forward.

I had a very disappointing experience with this business. I called to get a quote for a service but the owner could not give me an accurate quote. I said it will help me to decide where I get my service. He asked if I was looking for the cheapest quote..I said" I am but..." The owner did not let me finish my sentence but hung up on me. I felt he was eager to hang up the phone. YMMV. read more

Been coming here for 15 years. Steve and crew are the best and keep our cars running like tops. I will never take my Toyota anywhere else.

I always love going here to get my car fixed. After having to deal with the dealership for a while I got fed up and brought my car here. I have been bringing my car here for years and I have to say the service is amazing and they are super helpful. Would not take my car anywhere else. read more

I've used Lake Forest Auto Repair for the past eight years. Unlike the dealerships they don't appear to have a quota they need to make off of every customer. You get honest and non-condescending feedback on the problems, the potential solutions and cost. You also get to deal directly with the mechanics, not with some middle management layer whose principal job is to run offense and convince you that they know better than you do. Finally, when they fix something it stays that way. read more

This shop ripped me off and it was dangerous. I brought my van in for a safety check as I was taking a long road trip. They charged me $79 and told me the brakes were fine for three months and everything checked out. After the 2,000 mile trip, I brought my van to firestone and the brakes were so shot that I need new drums and two new front tires which were bald. How could a company be so negligent? Never again. Guess they only care about Toyotas. read more

I wrote at a really bad review on these guys. I'm back tracking a little for now. They are trying to find out what happened and really working with me. Sorry for bad review and I will keep you updated. read more

The Owner Steve has been repairing and servicing all makes, years and model vehicles for over 30 years in South County OC, and at the Same location for about 25 years. Which means he's going to be there next time...'HE', Steve, is going to there next time. Steve, the Owner actually does the work on the vehicles that come into the shop. This is auto repair and maintenance business, not a minute lube location, you'll need an appointment here. You can get anything done from a LOF to a complete engine or transmission replacement or over hall. Steve will take care of ALL your needs. Steve and the gentlemen that work for him do it professionally, follow the all manufacturers specifications, (protecting your warrenty), and complete it competently the first time. You are not 'sold up', you are not told that you need things done to your vehicle that you don't and Steve does the work for a very fair price. This is not Pep Boys or Walmart Auto, this is not a Jiffy Lube or a Discount Tire and Brake type of establishment. If you want your vehicle(s), cared for and repaired properly and competently by actual trained professional Auto Mechanics, (not your neighbors' kid that failed the auto tech class at OCC and is trying to pass his GED for fifth consecutive time or his parents will kick him out of their house, but working at Pepe's Auto in Santa Ana), well Steve and his Auto Techs and Mechanics will do it for you, you have found home. NO it's not cheap, it's a fair price for services and work rendered. They do the work you requested or what is actually needed and approved for, by you, FIRST. You will not show up to pick up your vehicle and be told, by the afternoon guy, 'Oh!, the guy you spoke to leaves at noon'...and 'Oh by the way we found X & X & X and we HAD to fix it because it's 'illegal' if we don't.,sorry, so the new cost is now...' This does not and will not happen here. These guys are HONEST and stand behind their work. Steve would prefer to charge a fair price for good service completed by TRAINED Auto Mechanics over the period you own your vehicle(s), than screw you one time and you never return... oh and tell everyone what horrible service you had and how you got screwed. You'll need an appointment here, this is not a drop in, drop off, done in 10 minutes kind of place. You'll drop off your vehicle, get a written estimate that you agree to and sign for, your vehicle will be correctly repaired, the first time, and you will pay a fair price for it, (which you knew up front, prior to work commencing), and than you'll become a loyal customer like me. The DEAL here is excellent honest service at a fair price and workmanship that is backed by years of experienced auto mechanics at the same location, under the same ownership that has been there for decades! read more

Honest, highly trained, will not suggest work that doesn;t need to be done just to pad the bill.

Steve and his crew are always accommodating. Prices are very very reasonable. My cars are in the road for years. I will never go anywhere else. read more

Awesome, honest and fairly priced service! I had a check engine and other dash light on my car the other day and called LFAR to see if I could drive without damaging the engine. Steve (owner) said to bring the car by when it was convenient and he'd pull the error codes quickly to diagnose. I went straight there, he diagnosed and found the problem within the first few minutes and offered to complete the repair on the spot. Small waiting area if you have to wait, and a rental car office just next door if you need to get around. If your car is out of warranty, you wo't regret going to LFAR. read more

All I can say is they are AWESOME mechanics. They worked on my Toyota Rav and fixed the knocking sound under the hood. I will continue to have them service my baby! read more

Not surprised to see so many 5 stars. Steve and his team are excellent!! Steve runs an honest business. I will be passing out his business cards to all my friends and I am a customer for life. read more