Rey Frey's Auto is hands down the mechanic you hope to find but rarely do. He has worked on our cars many times over the years, and every single experience has been solid. Rey is honest, straightforward, and doesn't beat around the bush. He tells you exactly what's going on, what needs to be fixed, and what can wait -- no upselling, no scare tactics, just real advice. That kind of transparency is hard to find in auto repair, and it's the reason we keep going back. The work is reliable, fairly priced, and done right the first time. If you're looking for someone you can actually trust with your vehicle, Rey is your guy. Highly recommend. read more

No crank. Electrical system dead with new battery. Had truck towed in and repaired the same day. Ray and Teresa are the owners and greet you at the counter. Always honest and friendly. Car wash is a bonus. Will always remain a loyal customer! Highly recommend. read more

Many years ago I took my car into Ray Frey Auto Center, little did I know then that it would be a dream come true. For years I had my fair share of experiences of being charged for services my car didn't need. Unfortunately I feel this occurred from being a female customer. During that time I wanted to find a good mechanic who I could trust, who was honest, did great work, was fair and reliable. I've received all of that and more because Ray is a nice person and has a great team. I bought my current car, a 2016 Toyota Avalon and before I purchased it I told the dealership that there was no way I was buying this car until my mechanic (Ray Fray) inspected and signed off on it. Ray's team said it was a great car and I bought it. I was in there yesterday because my A/C was acting up. Ray discovered what the problem was and fixed it. He shared some great news with me that 6/18/2026 was their 20 year anniversary and I congratulated him. Today I was reminded that it's been 15 or more years ago that I walked into his shop to experience my dream come true. Thank you Ray and your entire team for providing me and many others with great service. Your business is a true asset to the community. I hope many more people walk into your door and discover their forever mechanic. read more

I called Ray Frey to support a small business that my family has gone to for years and highly recommended. I had a quick question on pricing/if he even performs the service and before allowing me to even finish my sentence he rudely stated "I'm actually not taking a new customers" and hung up. In this economy, as a small business, what do you mean you aren't taking new customers? And even if that's true, there's a billion nicer ways to say it. I'll make sure to never come here again and let my friends and family know as well. read more

They changed our brake light bulb, gave our car a wash, and vacuumed the interior and it came out to $24. Amazing. Super friendly, accommodating, and honest. 10/10 read more

Great service and honest! I've been going here w my Lexus sc430 for ten years! They even wash the car before you pick it up!

Everyone was extremely kind, very polite, not rude. They were very generous and letting me know how much how much the AC recharger is going to be probably the most affordable place I found in all of San Diego. Would 100% recommend for any and all future car issues. Really great service and they offer military discount. read more

Ray Frey Auto Center - Affordable and straight to the point. - Auto Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

Called Ray Frey because my vehicle didn't pass it's smog check because there was a gas leak. So of course I took it to Ray's shop. Turned out it was only a loose hose going to the carburetor which they fixed. And they also help me by changing the bulbs in my headlights and fixed some wiring problems with the brake lights. They were fast, honest, dependable, and trustworthy. I can't say enough about great they are. So if you're looking for a dependable honest repair shop, you should give Ray Freys a call. read more

Thank you to the team at Ray Frey! First time visit because of all the compellingly stellar reviews. So glad I finally found a time they were less busy. CVT transmission service for 2015 Subaru Forester has my car driving much better already. Very reasonable cost and more importantly, honest. An unexpected bonus, my car was even washed and vacuumed! Came without cash, but next time will definitely bring a bit for the car wash tip jar. Call ahead as they can get too busy to take more jobs. read more

I've been burned a lot by mechanics. But not this time. I give Ray Frey Auto center a solid 6 out of 5! Excellent service. The shop goes way out of their way to leave a good impression, including cleaning the car which was filthy. I thought I was gonna have to spend several thousand and I ended up paying about 500 bucks parts and labor. Super honest to a fault. I've had really bad experiences in San Diego with mechanics. He was highly recommended by a friend that had a lot of cars in his family, and the reviews are accurate. The hype is real. I'm coming back with my next car. And I've already recommended him to another friend. read more

Did an amazing job on my oil change for my 07 Camry! The carwasher young man with curly hair did an amazing job on being polite when handing my keys over. Ray Frey is the place to go. read more

Amazing quality of service! I got all of my service done for a great price, and they were very accommodating when I said I needed the service done that day. It's so refreshing to get great service for a good price and feel taken care of! (unlike other shops that try to drain every penny they can out of you). Highly recommend Ray Frey Auto Center! read more

Quick and quality service and no time wasted. Very honest and transparent pricing. They definitely exceeded my expectation for a mechanic. That car wash is a nice touch! read more

My wife and I have been taking our vehicles to Ray for years. Ray does good, efficient work and is 100% trustworthy, which is the most important quality in a mechanic. You can trust Ray to give it to you straight, explain every issue in detail, and never ever push you to do work that your car doesn't need. read more

If your looking for an honest repair shop thats going to treat you right, look no further than Ray Frey Automotive. The entire team is always ready to tackle whatever my car can throw at them. I've had them do regular maintenance, all the way up to major engine work! They always knock it out of the park! And...they wash your car for free at the completion of repairs. Who does that? The customer service is so refreshing, it takes all the stress of automotive repair away. Your definitely in good hands with this team. Thank you Ray for always taking such good care of me & my vehicles! I will never go anywhere else!!!! read more

This was my first visit to this establishment. I had previously taken my car to another repair shop that told me I needed almost $6000 worth of repairs. At the suggestion of a friend, I went to Ray Frey for a second opinion. After inspecting my car, Ray's staff provided a much more reasonable assessment of the work I needed and the prices for the work they did do was also much more reasonable. When I picked up my car, the owner, Ray, took the time to talk with and get to know me. As a recent widow, it was so nice to work with someone I feel I can trust. I will definitely go back and highly recommend them. read more

Excellent service. Great work. Wonderful customer service. Honest. Honest. Honest. Engine light could have been a nightmare, but they solved the problem quickly and at a good price. Been a customer for over 12 years. I drove over 75 miles to get work done. read more

I've been using Ray for several years now only to maintain my work van, but do my oil changes. I usually drop my car the night before and it's done midday the next day. I do recommend Ray. I feel like he is honest and efficient, and he will do his best to get certified or new parts for your car or truck, which will get delivered pretty quickly. read more

I conveniently work right behind the building so I figured I would give Ray auto center a try, also considering they had a bunch of good reviews. Quick Quality service and incredibly fair price.my new brakes work great. He also informed me about other issues I should fix so I will be back. Feels great to have found a trusted mechanic near me. Thank you guys! +++they even wash your car for every service! Pretty sure the guy vacuum my front carpets too! read more

super rude and unprofessional customer service I have enough goin on I don't need a grown man talking down to me while I'm trying to provide information for a quote read more

I've been bringing my cars here for almost 20 years. This place makes you feel like family and they treat every car like it belongs to their own loved ones. They are very honest, affordable, and efficient. They are quick and even include a car wash. Great family business and a blessing to the people of San Diego!! read more

Terrific company with reliable, trustworthy people who are professional, knowledgeable and honest. We've been bringing our cars here for years and are always very happy with the level of service provided. read more

Ray and his team provide excellent service, reasonable prices and peace of mind when our cars need repairs. We are longtime customers (over 10 years) and would not go anywhere else. Our cars have had some complicated problems but they always find a way to fix them at a price we can afford. It's reassuring having a mechanic we can trust, who only recommends service/repairs that are needed, and goes out of his way to satisfy his customers. read more

I was referred to Rat Frey auto center by Jim Auto Upholstery for some cosmetic work that I needed done for my oldie but goodie van. When I got there, Ray himself, came out to check the van and assess the work to be done. He made some calls for parts and gave me an estimate for me to think it over. Normally, I always get another quote from some other places to compare but I could tell Ray was the type of guy who s reliable and reasonable. Sometimes, you just gotta trust your guts. Ray and his team are a great bunch. So, I dropped off the van to be worked on. As soon as the van was done, I got a prompt call from them. You can see the results on the photos. It s a fairly simple but tedious job. I got great communication from these guys. The office is managed by his wife. And they are on it. So give these guys a try. I paid by check to help them avoid those heavy credit card transactions fees that are assessed by the banks. Someone made me realize how expensive those fees get to be for small and medium size businesses. read more

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I highly recommend this repair shop. Their customer service is outstanding. They are reliable, honest and operate with high integrity. Ray always takes the time to answer any questions I might have and he is always honest. He also provides me with several repair options if available. I am completely impressed with their professionalism and communication. Look no more this is your one stop shop for all your car needs. read more

Today, I took my car to Holmberg Automotive for a smog check, and it was convenient because I went to 24 Hour Fitness. After the gym, I went to Holmberg Automotive to check up on my car. They said it didn't pass, and it needed a PCV hose($106 + tax). Labor would have been $79.50. Something wasn't right I should have followed my gut instinct, and just take it to Rey Frey Automotive. I took it to Rey's, and they performed a smog check. It passed, and I didn't need a PCV hose. Altogether, Rey saved me $193. Rey, you're a treasure to the community! Beware of who you take your car to. read more

Ray Frey and his crew are great! They are very straight forward with their costs and clearly have many repeating/loyal customers. All the staff made me feel comfortable and were all very friendly. Plus they even gave my car a free wash! I'm glad I brought my car in and will be bringing my car in the future. read more

I was having trouble with my Air Conditioner in my car just blowing hot air for WEEKS, with it being close to summer time it was essential to get it fixed! Thankfully the great people here at Ray Frey took care of my car in record time and saved me lots of time and money. They got the job done in an hour!! I was quoted at another place that was gonna charge me 10x the amount of what it was to fix it here! HIGHLY recommend this place to anyone that needs a car check up for anything read more

The owner was great. He identified all my issues and gave me a quote. He changed my oil and maintenance my car within a few hours. Services were excellent. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

The work I requested was performed to my satisfaction. The customer service needs TONS of improvement. I didn't need the jokes about my car or my finances. I called a day in advance to confirm procedure on dropping my car off after hours... apparently communication is not their strong suit as I was chastised for "just dumping your vehicle off in my lot", when I had left my information with the owners wife the previous day. I would think at least a note would get passed along regarding my phone call... but no. I won't be returning to this shop nor would I recommend it. read more

I moved to San Diego a couple years ago and was dreading searching for a mechanic, especially cause I didn't really know anyone that could give me good recommendations. Found Ray's shop through the online reviews and gave it a shot because it's close to where I live. Happy to say my mechanic search ended very quickly! I come here every time for my routine maintenance and just recently had another issue with my vehicle that needed to get checked out. Ray and his team are very honest and professional, never making up bs or recommending you get something serviced that doesn't need to be. When you do need something, the prices are always very fair and competitive. The car wash is always a nice touch, too! This is the only place I'll be bringing my car to as long as I live in San Diego, and I'll be recommending Ray Frey to everyone when they ask where they should take their vehicle! read more

Honest. Reliable. Trustworthy. Reasonable. Family oriented. Quick turnaround. Who knew these words went together when it came to a mechanic? Ray Frey is a honest hard working family man. He worked on my car and my mom's car fixing breaks, an oil leak, air conditioning system, and alignment issues. Him and his staff were great at communication at every step of the process, providing an accurate estimate, giving us a honest opinion of what a necessary repair v a nice to have repair and getting us up and running on the road safely. Let's be real, nobody likes spending money on auto repairs, but Ray and his staff made it that more painless. Theresa in the office was a delight. Seriously a ray of sunshine. Pun very much intended :) read more

Ray and his team have always gone above and beyond. They do great job of diagnosing issues and provide you with the most appropriate options / course of actions. They understand the economics of maintaining a car affordably. read more

5 stars easy, but they deserve 10! I've been coming here for at least 5 years and the crew at Ray Frey has got to be the most honest and genuine shop in town. They offer pretty much every service that you would need for your car except putting on new tires, but they will gladly rotate and balance your current ones. They will also let you know if you need new tires and recommend tire shops in San Diego. QUICK STORY: One of the amazing things about Ray Frey Auto is they will recommend a competing business if they can't help you. This has happened maybe twice since I've been coming to Ray Frey and one of the few times this came up was when I had three burnt out reverse lights. They couldn't the part for my car the same day or by the next business day; so Ray personally called around San Diego and found another shop that could help me out that day oooorrrrr I could wait an extra couple of days to get my lights fixed through Ray Frey. (The other shop would have charged me the same price BTW) I chose to ride dirty and get them fixed at Ray Frey. You can't find that level of customer service anywhere nowadays. SIDE STORY: I'm moving to Vegas in a few days and Ray even offered to find me a trustworthy mechanic in the Henderson area where my new apartment is located. Booyah! Great place and trustworthy; plus they wash your car after they have serviced it... for FREE! P.S. - The owner Ray is usually hanging out behind the counter and if you've been in there more than twice he will most likely remember you or something about or your last visit. read more

Ray Frey Auto Center - My baby after an oil change and car wash. Courtesy of Ray Frey. - Auto Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

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This auto center came highly recommend to me, and I know why! Honest, trustworthy and excellent customer service!!! I have been there twice now and I will never go anywhere else!!!! read more

I took my Toyota Avalon to a mechanic in Chula Vista after my VSC light came on and shook my car out of control. The Mechanic told me he could fix the problem for $500 and I agreed, I didn't have much of a choice. I picked up my car the next day and paid the guy $500 and started heading home and as soon as I got on the 5 freeway the VSC light came back on and the car started shaking out of control again! WTH! So I called the Mechanic and he told me to bring the car back and he would fix it real quick. I drove back and the mechanic pulled out a coil or something and switched it out and said I was good to go! 10 minutes later Im driving down interstate 5 and that dam VSC LIGHT came on again and started shaking the car around, SMH! I went back one more time and the same thing happened again, OMG! So instead of taking my Toyota Avalon back to that moron of a mechanic I drove it all the way home to Clairemont. My mom has a friend who owns a pest control company and he highly recommended Ray Fray Auto Repair and that he would be able to fix it right the first time and sure enough he did and for a way better price! Thanks Ray Fray Auto, you guys Rock! read more

Spark plug replacement. $200 cheaper than dealer. Added complimentary car wash. They were upfront about cost and time frame. Able to complete same day without appointment. read more

Ray Frey Auto Center is by FAR the BEST auto shop in San Diego county. They diagnose your car quickly and give you a fair shake on any repair job. Ray and his experienced staff have seen it all and know exactly what to do. Best of all They also use only the best factory and/or OEM quality parts and stand by their work so you'll never have to come back for the same job twice. We are lucky to have an honest hard working dude like Ray Frey and his staff serving San Diego county for nearly 4 decades. I'm never taking my car to another mechanic ever again, and if you're smart you won't either. read more

I found Ray Frey Auto Center thru Yelp when I was looking for a Star certified smog check center. They had some great reviews, were family owned and were very close to my home. I really like patronizing family owned businesses. So I took my Jeep Wrangler to them to have smog it. After not passing first time, Ray personally explained to me what happened and what could fix it so it would pass. This is awesome customer service. You can hardly find this kind attention from the owner of a business any more. After following Rays instructions we were able to get my Jeep to pass smog. The whole experience was great. Probably the best experience I've had at an Auto Repair Center. I enjoy their quality service so much so that I am consider taking my Jeep back for them to look at my suspension issues. In closing, I would recommend to anyone to take your vehicle there. This is exactly the kind of family run business we need more of. read more

I went to Ray Frey's because a longtime customer recommended their 100 point inspection. I didn't have any issues with my Nissan Frontier but on this person's recommendation, I decided it couldn't hurt to be proactive. I dropped the truck off as soon as they opened and was told it wouldn't take very long. A few hours later I got a call that everything seemed fine but they wanted to replace my spark plugs and a gasket. I gave them the go ahead and was told it would be ready by the early afternoon. Turns out it wasn't ready until they were getting ready to close. Not a big deal. I had the day off and didn't mind waiting. A little over a week later my Service Engine Soon light came on. I went back to the shop and was speaking to Bob, the mechanic who worked on it the last time I brought it in. He told me I had a bad coil. When I asked Bob why it hadn't shown up on the original 100 point inspection, Ray interrupted, "Well, was it giving you problems when you brought it in last time?" I replied, "Well, no, but I thought that was why I paid for an inspection." Ray said, "Well there you go! Parts are good one day and the next day they're not. One day they're working and the next day, they're not. I see it all the time with Jap cars." I have a lot of respect for other people's knowledge and readily defer to other people's expertise even when it's heavily laden with unnecessary condescension. And I certainly understand that car parts wear down and need to be replaced. But ... "Jap cars"?!? Really? Who talks like that? And since a large percentage of the cars this shop works on were undoubtedly produced by Japanese companies, what sense does it make to denigrate both the cars and the people who make them ... to say nothing of the Japanese-American customers who undoubtedly make up at least some of his customer base? When I went to pick up my truck several hours later, Ray admitted this whole episode didn't reflect well on the shop and told me he would be paying for the labor on the coil job. I appreciated that and thanked him. Two weeks later my Service Engine Soon light came on again. When I took it to my regular mechanic he told me I needed to replace the catalytic converter. Despite being out over $1000 to Ray Frey plus another $1000 to my other mechanic, I'm not (necessarily) complaining about the actual service on the vehicle. I'll give Ray Frey and his mechanics the benefit of the doubt. They certainly have a lot of satisfied customers and have obviously earned their reputation with a steady clientele to prove it. Again, just to be completely fair, I fully accept it is within the realm of possibility that none of these mechanical problems were related AND it was just dumb luck they all happened around the same time AND that even a 100 point inspection wouldn't turn up any problems until they manifested themselves a couple weeks later. But hearing a repair shop owner so readily denigrate an entire nation of people and the cars they produce is unacceptable. This is 2021, not 1943. read more