Our ultra reliable 2013 Sonata Hybrid started overheating and I had to find a local service company for the first time in Rancho Bernardo. There were three auto repair companies right next door to my office in RB but after reviewing Yelp, I discovered that there was a much much better one a few miles away. Trusting Yelp, I immediately headed over to Ricks RB Auto because his reviews were not only much much better but the praise to the quality of work gave me a very high comfort level. I was not disappointed. Driving into his shop is not that impressive being part of a shell station but the staff were efficient and friendly even though they were closing. They wasted no time diagnosing the issue. It was a leak in the cooling system in the rear section of the engine. Rick made me comfortable that he'll take care of it ASAP. The very next day the car was ready and Rick mentioned he ran into some issues. It turned out that it wasn't just a hose but a special water pump attached to the hybrid system that was cracked into two! Turned out this is a $900 part because Hyundai sells it as part of a larger piece that connects to the manifold, so he went to another source and found a refurbished part for just $200! Saving me $700. He not only saved me a huge amount of money had I taken it elsewhere but made several important recommendations on belt replacement as the car was aging. I told him he is going to be the only company to look after this car from now on! Well believe it or not, the car overheated again a few days later and off it went back to Rick. He assured me they will take care of it and boy did they. It turned out to be another hose failure in a different part of the engine. He not only replaced it and the coolant but charged me absolutely nothing!!! Even though the problem was brand new. I'm sold and I will highly recommend Rick to my friends and to anyone else in San Diego. It's so rare to see such service anywhere. read more

Rick's RB Auto - The best in town. Efficient, knowledgeable, and priced right. You can't go wrong here. - Auto Repair Near Me - Escondido, California

I give Ricks RB 3.5 as we went thru many trial and errors to find why my brakes were squeaking. He did refund me from my initial pay in changing brake pads. Then he actually was willing to replace rotors without charge. It was after we had a couple confrontations regarding the initial service. However Rick offered and he kept his word, he replaced rotors for free. The problem is there is still a squil. The vehicle brakes safely but the squil drives me crazy. I just surprise after so much effort it still there. Not necessarily their expertise or not. Brakes were taking care of and more as it was my original request. read more

Rick's RB Auto - Auto Repair Near Me - Escondido, California

Very Satisfied with the work done on my wife's car and my Truck, if I could can trust mechanics it would be Rick's RB Auto Repair any time good trustworthy and of reliable service EXCEPCIONAL!!! Highly recommended read more

Rick's Rb Auto did an amazing job on my vehicle this past week , I'm always a bit nervous taking in my vehicle anywhere but man can I say that these guys took care of me and were so helpful and honest , to acknowledging me on what's being repaired and why to showing me photos of the process . First time customer and definitely will be back and I can't forget to mention I love that's it's operated by father and son Thank you Rick see you soon !! read more

What goes around comes around. Rick is passive aggressive. Had to get my credit union to reverse a big charge for work I decided not to do. Kept promising a refund that never came. read more

Brought my vehicle in for tuneup and full synthetic oil change. Serpentine belt replaced. Power Steering service. Brake fluid exchange. Four(4) hours labor. Picked up vehicle with $921.89 bill incl. tax. BE ADVISED - $145.00/hr. labor charge. read more

I've been here a few times for auto repair, and it's been generally a good experience. I may be an engineer, but working on cars just doesn't interest me at all! I don't have much experience with other shops in the area, but the rates never seemed unreasonable. The most important thing about Rick's to me is that they have reasonable weekend hours and work quickly. Both a radiator and suspension repair were completed within a few hours. I hate being without my car, so this was super appreciated. The second aspect is I appreciated was their transparancy. They texted picture/video clip to my phone demonstrating the problem and were willing to show me the problem with the old leaking radiator. No unreasonable upsell attempts were made... They did offer to do more than was strictly needed, but it didn't feel like they were fishing for work and so I agreed. If you're not comfortable, I'm confident I could have said "no" and that would have been the end of it. They offered free transport too/from their shop which was useful since friends/family were out of town. Not having to pay for a Lyft/Uber is appreciated. Rick was polite and got my info squared away quickly. I'll be going back for future work... Though hopefully that's not for a long time. Auto work is expensive, but I doubt you'll get a terrible deal here . read more

I have a 14 year history of great service from Rick's Auto Repair. He saves folks money on expensive auto repairs and backs their work up with warranties. They installed a rebuilt transmission last year in my Murano and when it had a small axle leak this week, fixed it in one day. Rick refused any money, saying it was under warranty. He's located at the Shell gas station on the corner of Pomerado and Rancho Bernardo. Sometimes he takes unfair heat from folks who think he also owns the gasoline business at this site. Not true because it is a separate business. read more

Rick gives awesome personal service fast and patient. Recommended. I stopped by for engine light and he checked me immediately and fixed me up read more

Car was immovable, I called a few mechanics and got no response. Rick answered right away, said go ahead and tow the car in and he will check it out. Needed a lot of work done and rick was fair and honest about everything. Got updates every day on my car, including texts and photos. He even threw in a oil change, new battery and head light for free with the repairs. Would recommend rick to anyone in the area. read more

Woke up to a flat tire and I needed to get to work. Ricks RB auto took the tire off fixed the valve stem mall in less than 10 minutes. You guys totally saved me that day. only charged me 35 bucks too. Would give 10/5 stars if I could. Thanks again Ricks RB auto. read more

I had my bmw fixed thru Rick's auto repair less than a year ago - the problem was overheating and smoking. He assured me that they had checked it out and $1900 repairs later, the car broke down with the same symptoms of smoking again. My point is if they had done a thorough job of repair, the car should not have a problem within a few months. However the owner called me and offered to cover it in the warranty program if their work needed a revision. He called and said the problem has been fixed. So they really stood behind the auto shop's work. I appreciated that. read more

Unfortunately, I had a really disappointing experience from November- February. The coolant was leaking from my car (rats chewed through the hose) and it was midday on a Saturday and Ricks was the only place open nearby, so we went there. He was very pleasant and explained what happened well, repaired the car in 3 hours with a temporary hose until a proper Honda piece could be ordered in. He mentioned he would order the proper hose and to give it some time, so I followed up about two weeks later and he told me it was back ordered and that he would reach out and let me know when it comes in and he will put it on free of charge. About a month later I call and again, still backordered and that he'd reach out. A month after that I call again, same thing. End of February I reach out again and get told that the part is still back ordered/maybe not being made anymore and that he's "wasted too much time working on this" and told me that if I find the part myself he will put it on. The conversation was very dismissive as though he did not care anymore. I reach out to Honda Poway and ask about the part and whether it's available. They tell me the part is 100% available and can arrive in a few days. It appears that Rick did not even bother to reach out to the nearest Honda dealership, had he, he would know it's not back ordered. What this tells me is that he did not spend much time at all on finding this $17 part, I assume because it isn't worth his time since he promised to put it on for free, so I suppose if there was no financial gain then it wasn't worth keeping a customer. I went to Honda, ordered the part and had it put on at Honda a week later, incredibly simple. I won't get into pricing and whether what I paid was a fair price or not, but Ricks cost compared to Honda was more, but he was open Saturday so I will take that into account. Knowing that there is a mechanic nearby that's open weekends was a relief, but after this experience I will wait for the weekday and go elsewhere because not following up, keeping the customer waiting for 2+ months, misleading them about a part that is clearly easily available, and then telling them he's done working on this because he's worked too hard looking for a part that took me a total of 5 minutes to order is NOT okay. Even offering to put it on for free if I find it wasn't ok for me, you assured me and made me trust the process only to change your mind. Very disappointed to write this review, but it was very upsetting. I sent and email to Ricks and attached this review in hopes that he would respond, but I haven't heard back in a few days. I didn't want to write this review, but here we are. read more

Rick is relaxed, honest, and direct. He's also a very busy guy with lots if repeat customers so he doesn't need to cut corners. If you're a fan of fair prices and honest dealings this is the place you've been looking for. My husband and I had driven from Berkeley to San Diego for a wedding and the required maintenance light came on. It was 9am Saturday morning and we needed to get to the wedding by 2. Freaked out, broke, and far from home thank god we found Ricks. Turned out we were due for our 30,000 mile service. He patiently explained it all to me with zero pressure. When I told him about our situation he promised to get it done in 2 hours and offered me a ride to and from our hotel. Plus he discounted our quote because we had done a recent oil change at a different location. To top it all off it's a family business with his very courteous son Rick jr. working the counter along side his dad. There aren't enough businesses like Rick's out there nowadays. Do us all a favor and support this one. read more

Rick's RB Auto - Rick's RB Auto Care - Auto Repair Near Me - Escondido, California

Brought in my Toyota Corolla here after Toyota gave me a bible of so called recommended or necessary repairs" Rick and his son inspected my corolla and advised me of what Was necessary, what was not and what could wait. Definitely loved their professional and friendly service. No wonder these guys are always busy yet take care of their customers in a fair amount of time. Thanks Ricks ! read more

I have been handling the maintenance on my 65 Mustang GT myself for years, which explains why i trashed the block! I refused to take it to a local shop as none mentioned experience working with classic cars. As i drive home past Rick's i saw him parking his Camaro one day, and heard that amazing engine. I figured if Rick's classic cars are that sweet, i could trust them with my baby. The guys at Rick's quickly diagnosed the problem (low oil pressure hosed the block) and talked me through all the options. As the tired old 289 was barely pumping out 200 horses we decided to replace it with a crate 302. The guys helped me determine every part that would be needed for the swap and did an amazing job getting the new motor installed. What really sets them apart is the fact that every day when i dropped by with a million questions they talked me through each, and helped me choose a combination of other upgrades, such as a sport shifter, gauge cluster, carburetor, exhaust and tail lights. I am sure they were annoyed with me, yet always took the time to talk out my concerns and help me finish building my dram car. I am still breaking in the motor, and every time i hear a squeek or rattle, or see a guage flutter, i swing by and the guys talk me down off the ledge. These guys LOVE cars, and they treated my car like it was their own. That is why i will be a customer for life. read more

Rick's RB Auto - Motor installed, accessories next! - Auto Repair Near Me - Escondido, California

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Rick is always so nice and knowledgeable! My family and I have been going to him for over 10 years and he always so helpful, kind, and gives great prices. I highly highly recommend going to him if you have any car troubles! read more

Dropped my car off today at Rick's RB Auto for an oil change. First time there, but it won't e my last. Called Rick yesterday and he said I could drop it off today. Went over to RBS&T and played a few games of pickleball. Car was ready in no time. Rock was very friendly and professional. I would highly recommend him. read more

I taken a few cars here and Rick's has taken great care of me. They are the only trustworthy shop in the area (that I know of) that is open on Saturday. read more

Rick and his team were great like always. Promised the time and price for a repair and it was spot on. Really appreciate the great service from a local shop. read more

Who knew? This guy has really got it going in a random gas station in Poway. Super nice guy super quick work and great pricing. If you live in this area I would highly recommend him. read more

This is the only place I take my car for all levels of maintenance. Rick is fair and honest. I'm an aircraft mechanic, but i know auto maintenance; I just don't have the space or tools to do a lot of the heavier stuff. Anyway, when they diagnose something, I'm willing to trust their word. Sometimes, it doesn't work out, because a single code can mean various points of failure, it becomes a trial and error thing, but it's no different than any other mechanic, even myself. They're always busy, and it's a small place, but it's not too bad. Update: originally, I gave it 4 stars because of space and that doesn't matter. They get to you in a timely manner, compared to any dealership. It's the only place I'll take my car for repairs. If they can't do it, they'll take care of you. read more

I had my 1999 Lexus LS400 serviced here the other day. Rick's work was excellent. I am impressed by 26 MPG on highway drive.

When I went to get a routine smog check at Rick's for my 2008 Toyota Prius hybrid even though they found nothing wrong their software said I needed to go to a smog referee at a community college in Chula Vista. They also found nothing wrong. Rick charged me $59.99 for the failed smog inspection . I went then to Secor's in RB which is a STAR station and my car passed there. I was disappointed that Rick's station did not tell me of the need for a STAR s I just found out it wasn't Rick's fault since DMV didn't specify the need for a STAR inspection and Rick said he would reimburse me for the failed inspection at his place. I feel I have been treated read more

Forgot to say thank you on my way out today figured I'd drop a review. My family and I have been coming here to service our cars for years and definitely much prefer trusting Rick's over going to the dealership as much as we possibly can. Thank you to Rick Sr. & Jr. & the team for helping keep our cars running well :) read more

One of my brake light was not turning on and I called Rick's to see if I could get it replaced during lunch. I called and told them the problem and asked if it was a quick in-n-out job. The person said that I would need to drop the car off for 2-3 hours for a diagnostic job that would cost me $150 which would be rolled over to my repair depending on the issue. I am not very handy with cars but I've had a few auto repairs and this one didn't seem like that big of an issue so I said no thanks. Later, my buddy who was more handy with cars checked my bulb for me and replaced it in 2 mins. I obviously don't expect everyone to have a handy friend and I understand there might have been other potential issues, but I feel like the honest thing would be to tell me that it could be a job that takes 5 mins or something that could take longer. read more

I think I may have found north county's best mechanic!! Took my 08' Mercedes to Rick after getting a $1,200 quote from the dealer and a $950 quote from Firestone for new breaks and rotors. Rick's price? $860!!! Rick is conscientious about his work and he is honest. Honest about what he can and can't do, and honest when he'll be able to give you the best price and service or when he can't. After dropping my car off for the best price in town, Rick gives me a ride back home! You don't get that from Mercedes or Firestone! The car was done before the promised time and the work was done right!!! I will be back! read more

I took my car in about a year ago and I was told that I had in a drain pan leak. I had a second opinion and it was only that the gasket was not screwed on tight enough. I just want others to know that they charged me for an inspection and nothing was wrong with my car. They also said that the battery was bad and its still working fine a year later. Get a second opinion. read more

I've been bringing my cars here since I could drive one. Rick and the family at Rick's shop have been exactly that - family. They've taken such good care of all my cars and have always been honest and fair with labor costs. Ricks shop has been an integral part of the Rancho Bernardo community and I look forward to bringing my car here for years to come! read more

i always am a little skeptical when i see less than 15 reviews and all 5's but nonetheless i needed my car fixed and i showed up at the shop this week. My gas tank was being screwy where every time I got gas the lever would click before the tank was full.. One dealer prior to Rick claimed that it would cost 600 bucks to fix. Rick came in and fixed it for less than half that and told me how to take better care of my car in the future. I would come here for ANY of my car problems read more

Ricks shop Brought life back into my 97 Camry XLE ! Had a major tune up they cleaned up MAF sensor throttle body fuel filter plugs wires and some other miscellaneous work done there. Finally mechanics that actually do a through fast job, they removed the back manifold to get to the back plugs of the car on my V6 Camry .Rick provided pictures to show what was done and how dirty the components were .This place puts my past mechanic i have had to shame. After all its a matter of trust and i have had some bad luck with other mechanics in the past, there fore i usually don't trust that easy .Heck Rick even saves the old parts to show you, even provided a picture of the part box for guys like me . I am glad i gave this place a shot i have passed by it for years finally i gave in and glad i did. My old Camry is all i have for transportation, it feels stable once again like it was back in the day. Thanks Rick and crew. read more

Rick's RB Auto - Auto Repair Near Me - Escondido, California

We all know how hard it is to find an HONEST and good mechanic. Hands down Rick's RB auto Center comes through. Needed some brakes and rotors switched out and i came in an hour before close and he had it done in no time. Rick is a straight shooter and tells you how it is and doesn't take you for a ride. Great work, great people. Highly recommended mechanic. read more

I needed a smog check and a headlamp replaced. I had never been here before but it is just a couple of blocks from my house and convenient. I went in and found out that I needed additional repairs . . . Bummer, but Rick and his crew were honest and was able to break down the repairs (and fees) in terms that I understood. Rick even offered to drive me to and from work so I wouldn't have to take any time off! Now that is service. When I went to pick up my car, they explained to me exactly what they replaced/repaired under the hood, etc. They are very friendly, knowledgeable, and respectful and I didn't feel like I was being fleeced because I am a woman. I have no qualms about referring others here or encouraging my fellow Yelpers to check out Rick's RB Auto Center out. They even have coupons in the neighborhood flyers! read more

I have been bringing my 2 cars to Rick since 2008 (when he was still in RB). He's been honest and straightforward since the beginning and clearly values my business and recommendations. He takes care of me and my cars have done well. When I had a cracked manifold, he searched online for a much cheaper, aftermarket price and saved me several hundred bucks. He's told me when repairs can wait, etc. He and his guys know what they're doing. read more

I enjoy saving money and hate spending unnecessary expenses on my car, unfortunately this lead me to many crappy shops around San Diego. After countless trips to bad mechanic shops, I ended up at Westwood Shell thanks to my best friend and some good reviews from happy customers. Every time I go for any repairs I am greeted with a handshake and a smile by Ricks. Also the waiting period is usually short and I've never waited longer than 30 minutes to get my car looked at thanks to the number of mechanics employed. The quality of the repairs is outstanding. All the crappy repairs I've had on my car took a toll and were fixed properly in this shop. They always explain to me the problems and how they can repair them in layman terms, it really is helpful since I am not too car shabby. The time it takes for repairs is surprisingly quick. Every time I go for an oil change it's nice and quick. As far as the prices, they are reasonable, and I've never been cheated out of my money. To top it off after any repairs I always get a free car wash, which is a really nice incentive. I drive a Lancer Evolution and the only gas I use is premium by shell. If you are complaining about the gas prices then go to Arco and get some shitty gas. read more

I was getting ready drive to Colorado and wanted to get my Sequioa checked out but only had a few hours. I talked to Rick and he said come down. He knocked out the neccessary repairs in a couple of hours. I asked a lot of questions and he had plenty of patience and answered the questions thoroughly. I was hesitant not going to the dealer but after my experience I'm glad I came here instead. read more

Rick TOTALLY came through for me. hands down, the most honest mechanic I've ever been too! he did everything he could to help me out. My jeep had more problems than I thought and he gave me the best prices on all my parts and service work, even hooked it up with a free oil change!! highly, HIGHLY recommend him. I ended up having to keep my car at his shop overnight, and he gave me one of his loan cars , didn't even charge me for it. He really did an outstanding job on my jeep, Im super grateful i found him! read more

We have been living in RB for 2.5 years now and really enjoy this community. Within the first couple months of living here my truck had an issue with it's breaks, so I asked our neighbor if he had anyone he would recommend, he sent me to see Rick's RB. Right from the start I had a good feeling about this place, it was busy when I walked in, but well managed and organized. Rick approached me within 5 minutes to ask how he could help. Once my vehicles issue was diagnosed, he gave me a price and estimated time of completion. Not only did he complete the job quicker than stated, the final bill was lower than what he originally quoted! Rick and his team have since replaced my driveshaft with the same professionalism and courtesy. I will definitely recommend Rick's RB to anyone who ask's for a trust worthy mechanic shop. read more

I have finally found my trusted mechanic! This place has a family business feel with great, friendly customer service. They fit me into a tight busy schedule on a Friday to help out with a unique problem - a dead animal somewhere in my car. Not only did they find it in 2 minutes and remove it, they also got the cabin filter ordered and installed quickly. Just excellent care all around! Every customer seemed like a regular and happy to be there. This was my first time here and I'll happily drive 20 minutes each way when I want to get my car serviced. read more

Rick kindly fixed a burned out break light in my Mercedes SUV. He was courteous and very helpful. I save $$ by not having to go to the dealer. The best part is he's a friendly guy. He recommended a place to eat (Chicken Charlie's) while the repair was being done. Quick and Friendly! read more