I've been coming to Sam Lee's for a long time, and I'm happy to say that the great service and trust I've come to appreciate haven't changed. Sadly, Harry has retired, but he has left the reins in the very capable hands of John, who is proving to be a worthy successor! If you visit Sam Lee's, keep in mind that you may notice an accent or a very different feel from the polished experience of a large corporate shop. But honestly, that's part of what makes this place special. What matters is the quality of the work, honesty, fairness, and trustworthiness of the people behind the business. I've never felt like they were trying to upsell me, take advantage of me, or simply make a quick dollar. Recently, my family's truck had a strange issue while driving through the Grapevine. Thankfully, it only happened once and could never be replicated, but because safety comes first, we brought it to Sam Lee's. John personally took the time to hook up the truck, check it thoroughly, drive it around, and spend two full days trying to diagnose the issue. In the end, he couldn't find anything wrong and while that might sound like "nothing happened," to us, his time, effort, and expertise meant everything. We left knowing the truck had been properly checked rather than simply being handed a bill for unnecessary repairs. We also had the oil changed since it was nearly due. I'm always happy to support a local business that genuinely cares about its customers and community rather than treating hardworking people like an opportunity to make a quick buck. One small thing to understand is that the staff is busy and wears a lot of hats to keep things running. You may occasionally need to call and follow up, but I'd much rather have a hardworking team taking their time to do things right than a huge company rushing through customers where all they see are dollar signs instead of the person in front of them. Thank you again to John and the entire team at Sam Lee's! Your honesty, hard work, and commitment to taking care of people and their vehicles are exactly why I'll continue supporting this business. Keep up the great work! read more

I have been going to sam lee for years. They are fair and always tell it to me like it is. Thier prices are more reasonable that most places. And the owner/manager is always very nice. They also do work rather quickly and do quality work. For the service work and value I would def recommend them over other places. read more

They did a great job fixing my car quickly and at a reasonable price. However, I don't appreciate constantly being sexualized while I'm there. John is a creepy older asian man who kept commenting on how good/pretty I look, asking me about how many babies I've had, how lucky my boyfriend is, and FORCED me into a hug. To say I was uncomfortable is putting it lightly. John also didn't listen to anything I had to say as to what was wrong with my car. He kept interrupting me and telling me I told him the wrong thing because he wouldn't let me finish! I'm having my guy come take care of car repairs from now on because I would not step foot here again. ' 2 stars only because service was very fast and I didn't have to be without my car like other auto shops said I would. read more

I had a belt replaced and AC fixed on my Hyundai. This is my second time here, always friendly and reliable. I called in the afternoon and they got my car in early the next morning and done quick! Only place I'll go! Highly recommend. read more

Unfortunately after years of service I'm finding out the hard way the guy who runs this place hasn't a clue about fixing my vehicle or any other vehicle from the looks of his lot. I've spent at least $150-$300 for each visit over the last few years & when I pick it up it's only for a short time before I have to take it back for the same issue. No receipts. No warranties. No communication This last time was unacceptable. Dropped it off in the morning, never heard back so I called at 4 PM and he said "you come now we closing." I had to grab a ride with Lyft both ways costing me $21. I literally live 3 miles from his shop. Anyways I show up and he says "nothings wrong you just needed coolant". I said No that's not true I just filled it 2 days ago and it's overheating within a few minutes of driving. He didn't care. If he asked me to pay for that I would have left laughing Has he or his crew fixed my car before? Yes but like I said before the problem keeps coming back read more

I came to Sam with a click noise on my chrysler pacifica. The dealer diagnosed as a lower control arms. I replaced the lower control arms and the clocking noise still there. went to a local suspension which diagnosed as rack and pinion. i purchased the rack and pinion for installation at Sam's auto. Turns out the issue with a wheel bearing hub assembly which Sam diagnosed and repair. Sam was the only one who correctly diagnosed my problem and was the only one that repaired it correctly. if you need your car repair correctly i would highly recommend Sam. Thanks again for your great quality works. read more

I Love this place. I was referred by someone close to me and they've been taking care of me in a very timely manner. Best prices you'll see hands down for service done. These mechs know their stuff. The crew is very meticulous is diagnosing the issue and if you don't need something he will let you know. read more

Great service . This is a true mechanic shop . These guys will not rip you off . Honest repair shop.

Sam Lee. Awesome. Can't say enough He can figure out even the hardest problem. His rates are more than competitive they're very very reasonable. The shop is super busy. You may have to book in advance. It's swamped. read more

Been using these guys for years. They have always been reliable and trustworthy. Absolutely the best.

I visited Sam Lee's about a month ago as I had thought my check engine light was on. Someone had recommend this shop to me because the owner is a honest and reliable person, which proved to be true. I brought my car in a little bit before they opened (on accident) but the owner was willing to take a look nevertheless. He spent some time looking at my car and ultimately told me that my check engine light was, in fact, not on and I mistaken it for my tire light. Yes I felt very silly, but he was very kind about it and recommended that I take it to a tire specific shop. He was also kind enough to not charge me for his time. Although he didn't do any repairs on my car, he demonstrated honesty which I really appreciated. If my (real) check engine light comes on or if I ever need repairs, I plan to bring my car here. read more

We took our Toyota Camry 2-yrs ago. They charged $200.00 for a tune-up. We took it to another mechanic. On 10/15/22, they said the the spark-plugs, the distributor cap & rotor needed replaced. We had them replace these parts. On 06/24/22, John from Sam Lee Auto replaced the ignition-switch & alternator. They charged us $411.00. On 10/15/22 the other mechanic we took it to told us the ignition-switch & the wiring for the ignition needed replaced. We had them replace these parts as well. Feel free to "take your chances" like we did getting our auto work done at Sam Lee Auto. Hope they don't do the bad work on your vehicle too! read more

john the owner is the most honest mechanic in town ,fell comfortable because you are in good hands.

Super honest repair shop! As a girl that doesn't know anything about cars, I am always worried about mechanics overcharging me. My car break was making alarming grinding noises so I brought it in. They took care of my car within an hour, and gave me an unbelievable price. This was over half a year ago, and the repair has held up perfectly ~This shop was a bit of a drive for me, but I come here exclusively. This is the shop I tell my friends to bring their cars to! 11/10 :) :) read more

A very honest mechanic. The owner operator John is very accommodating. My SUV will not start, and I thought that I will need it towed. Since my old mechanic retired, I don't know where to take it. I remembered that someone gave me his shop name. It was Labor Day, I called he answered the phone and told me that shop is close. And said that he will open and meet me once car gets towed. That alone convinced me that he is customer oriented. Luckily I was able to jump start the vehicle. The following day I called AAA for a battery service and they replaced it with a new one. After 24 hours, new battery died and suv will not start. I was able to jumpstart it again and drive it to his shop, the vehicle was at his shop for diagnostic. He checked all the fuses, alternator and unable to find the root cause of the problem. And he started the suv without a problem. Make it short, he called me to picked up the suv. I asked for the bill, and he told me there wasn't a repair made so the diagnostic was free of charge. I was impressed and thankful read more

Recent work on my cars and Harry continues to assure great quality service and works! I realized I've been working with Harry over 30 years he had a smog shop at one time in Mission Hills; he's honest and straight forward. I I trust him on my family cars. The waiting room is non show but the work is what I want. Thank you. read more

Excellent. I brought one of my trucks to Sam Lee's auto repair after great referrals from our close friends. I am easily excited to now have a mechanic. John, at Sam Lee's took care of me immediately. I was still filling out initial customer paperwork as 3 mechanics were already under the hood of my truck. Less than 24 hrs later and at a quarter of the cost I was prepared for, my truck is breathing fire and running excellent as it had for years. I noticed all makes and models in Sam Lee's yard being worked on, Audi, Tahoes, diesel, and my tacoma is running incredible. Sam Less and John who took care of us, will now be our mechanic for all of our vehicles as well as they made it so easy, for me to recommend to anyone in our community as well as friends and family.. John, and the Sam Lee's auto team, you guys keep up the great work !!! Thank you read more

I took my buddys 2014 Toyota Tacoma here for some front end repairs, ball joints control arms etc.. John, the main man there, was awesome through the whole process and got straight to the point. Quick and easy....Great mechanics and great quality work along with quality parts. I also know someone who takes all their vehicles there for complete service before they sell them at their dealership since they know Sam Lees is a great business. I highly recommend going here if you want honest and high quality work done to your vehicle. read more

Mr. Lee and his team offer superb customer service. There are no hidden surprises. They will diagnose and explain the automotive problem you have, then give you the cost of repairs, parts, and labor. Mr. Lee is a long time San Diego resident and offers expert service. I highly recommend his shop for your automotive repair issues. read more

Great work at a great price! This place is definitely a "don't judge a book by its cover" I solely came here because of their reviews and I'm happy I did! Sam lee auto repair help fix my Toyota 4Runner! They're literally half of what the dealership quoted me! Harry and his staff are friendly and helpful! read more

Sam Lee's Auto Repair - Auto Repair Near Me - San Diego, California

Sam Lee's Auto Repair is hands down the kindest, fastest, most affordable and reliable service I have found in San Diego. Some 5rated places were unprofessional compared to his understanding and expertise. There's a reason people have been going to his place since before they were on EC Blvd. He will always guarantee his work, even if you have to bring your own parts. Naturally he isn't responsible for the parts themselves if you bring your own, but he will never hassle you about it and will do what he can to make your car purr like a . Thank you Sam Lee's!! read more

I called this place due to all the 5 star reviews - should have read all the way through to the 1, 2 and 3 star reviews. I can't talk about the 5 star service everyone speaks off. I can, however, speak to the 1, 2 and 3 star reviews regarding "rudeness" and "brushoffs" - and poor customer service. Over the phone this man said there was no charge for a "computerized diagnostic" - thought it was too good to be true and reiterated "not a code reader scan but computerized?" - he confirmed. I drove my car to his place, walked into the office and he said it would be a few minutes (while he fumbled with some papers). He finally came out and proceeded to scan car with a "code reader" (hmm, no surprise there). He told me it was reading a crankshaft position sensor. He tried starting my car and it wouldn't crank. He brought the battery booster over and tried but nothing. He said he would disconnect battery to see if it would erase the codes - went looking for a #10 wrench and was gone forever. Came back, disconnected, waited and tried battery again - nothing. He left and I waited in car - about an hour later (and a few silent prayers), I tried and, by the grace of God, the car started. I went into his office to let him know and he said "OK" without even lifting his head. There was no "try this", "do that" - nothing! Only rude and indifferent attitude. Very happy for all those 5 star customers, but I align with the 1, 2 and 3 star people who got all but customer service from this person. Two stars because he offered the scan for free - but then so does AutoZone and O'Reiley's. I left with the feeling that this man had absolutely no clue what to do with my car. read more

My former mechanic recommended SamLee when he closed his shop I'm 2006 and I've been going here ever since. Harry has given us excellent service at an amazing price for years. I've recommended SamLee to all my family and friends and they love the place. One example was Honda dealer wanted $2500 to tell me valve #1was broken and that idid not include repairs or parts. Harry hooked up the handheld code scanner and told me the same thing for free and he would repair it for $900. You don't read more

I have been coming here for years!!! He never over charges and the work is always completely in a timely manner!!

Dear Sam Lee's, Thank you for doing such a great job with my oil change! Only 28.00 really? Awesome! Thank you for not stressing me the way that EZ LOOB does when they change my oil with weird car issues that NO ONE has ever heard before: " uhhhmmmm ma'am... errr.. your schnektizoid needs more of this pink fluid other wise it is gonna turn brown and the world as we know it ....will come to an end!!! OH and for another 100.00 we can use the Blasto 6000 to clean ur engine." Okay I have an old car ... Honda Civic runs great so I was nervous about going here. I basically asked the guy to do a once over on my car and to check all of my fluids. No weird "mysterious" charges, no weird issues... nothing. My car is fine and it runs great. When I need my hoses changed, you can bet that I will be back here. (Thank you to the Yelpers who reviewed this place.) read more

Harry is my new go to guy for auto repairs. He gives great customer service and gets the job done at a fair price without any issues. I've taken my 99 Jeep Grand Cherokee in for the usual Jeep problems ( rear main seal, lower oil leak, valve cover gasket leak) and he exceeded my expectations. Work was all done by end of business day and he called me once completed so I had time to get to the shop to pay and pick up my vehicle. Honest shops are hard to come by these days and Sam Lee is one of them. read more

Trustworthy! Very reasonable price for decent work. Always have good experience with them. New customers just have to be patient. They are very busy. They are straight forward, but not rude. read more

I needed to replace my car's transmission control module. Once I was able to locate the part from a dealer, the shop ordered it, and I had my car back the next day. I would definitely come back for future repairs. I appreciate their no nonsense approach and honesty. read more

We have been bringing both of our vehicles here for over 5 years now. They always give exceptional service. Trustworthy mechanics. I usually take my car to the dealership for oil changes, if they recommend my car needs something done I drive it to Sam Lee's to get the work done. read more

Sam has been priced well for years. Straight forward and honest. 4/5 stars because sometimes he wont accept your car if he is too busy

Great service. Great pricing. Knew the vehicle. Fixed everything properly. We recommend him highly.

Best Mechanic In San Diego you'll never see 5 stars on a mechanic post. My family has been going here ever since we found him. A little over ten years now read more

Called around and they gave me thee best price. Was very honest and upfront and explained why it cost what it did.

I've had Sam Lee's help with cars for about fifteen years now. Last summer they replaced the engine on my ten year old car. It runs like a dream now! I am always impressed by how quickly they get things done, how reasonable the cost is, and how good the quality of the work is. A++ read more

My mom and I have been coming to this shop for years! Henry was always there but the new person said Henry has retired. I went in because the coolant was bubbling and going about 60 miles an hour max. They replaced the thermostat and back wheel rotators for 400+ dollars. They said it was fixed but the next day my car only went 20 miles an hour max. I told them that my car was not fixed. They then told me it was the catalitic converter and it would be 2,000 dollars to get it fixed... I drove a 2004 nissan sentra at the time. They told me that they could just weld a part for 100 dollars to make it drivable but told me it wouldn't pass a smog test. I decided to accept that offer. 2 weeks later, I started having problems again with the car and I went to another mechanic. The new mechanic said they took the WHOLE CATALITIC CONVERTER OUT!! I was not informed that they were going to take the whole thing out at Sam Lee! I'm very disappointed! I miss Henry and how honest and transparent he was. My mom and I will not be coming here again. read more

It's not the same anymore. I was going to this guys for 35 years. Now prices are up200%, people are super rude and waiting time is hours just to change oil, even if they are not busy. I paid for an oil and filter change and 4 hours later I figured out they are taking better-paid jobs and letting me wait. I just took my key and left. They never changed the oil and filter nor did they refund my money. So sad... that was a great business once... read more

My family and I have been going to Sam Lee's auto repair for at least 20 years now. Harry, the man you will deal with, is one of the nicest guys on earth. No matter what our problem is he takes the car in and has it back to us usually that day. Rarely have we ever had to leave it overnight. The building is old and, to be truthful, looks pretty worn down but that does not represent, at all, the quality and workmanship you will get here. They do just about everything and if they can't do it they will simply tell you that. But if you want honesty, amazing prices, and excellent service then you cannot beat this little neighborhood shop. I worked for a large Government office and everybody in our office took their car to Harry. I hope he is always there because he is a godsend. To give an example, I drive a 2010 Infiniti G 37. I needed new brakes according to the dealership. They told me they had a special sale going on and could my breaks for $460. I took the car to Harry and he did the job for $138. That was a few years ago and I am still driving the same car with the same brakes. Unbelievable ( But then again the infinity dealership I went has nothing but crooks working there - in my humble opinion).... read more

These guys are still awesome. Works like this:. Call first to make sure Harry is there. Harry runs the place. If he's not there one of the mechanics will be at the desk. Great mechanics, but no managerial skills whatever. Go early, plan on waiting a half day or leaving your car and you can most likely get it back by 5 pm. If you know what's wrong with it you can bring your own parts. Fast, honest, inexpensive. read more

I have been going to Sam Lee's auto repair for many many years I am a single woman who needs trust my auto repair man Harry is wonderful. I always get the service I plan on and they take care of me totally read more

Trying to figure out what's wrong with your car and who can fix it seems to be the most stressful thing second to going to the DMV. The shadiest of the shady come out of the woods and try to sell you the moon when it comes to car repair. With Sam Lee's, THAT WORRY GOES OUT THE DOOR! He is the most honest mechanic I've met. He has always diagnosed my car issues for free and offers very honest repair prices. There's been several times I have taken my truck to Big O Tires in Scripps Ranch (see my review) and they completely overcharged and screwed me over, trying to charge me for things that weren't even wrong. I would then take that quote to Sam Lee's who would review the quote, then run diagnostics on my truck, just to let me know only 2 of the 10 things need to be fixed! Sam Lee has saved me and my wife thousands of dollars and for that I'm truly grateful. I fully trust him with my vehicles and will be a forever customer. Having a mechanic you trust and who won't quote you for things that don't need to be fixed is priceless. read more