I've been going here for 7 years. Frank is the absolute best. He does not BS you or try to up sell you. He just does good work, day in and day out. He's old school. He is an honest mechanic....which sounds like a made-up phrase, but it isn't with Frank. read more

Oscar is rude and doesn't give a crap about the neighbors. He parks crappy shop cars on the street for weeks and weeks, ILLEGALLY. When asked to move them, he says no, call parking enforcement. F him. SD municipal code 86.23(e): It is unlawful for any person whose business involves the repair, servicing of vehicles or vehicle components to store, stand, or park any vehicle on any public street after that person has accepted custody of the vehicle from the customer. read more

Polite guys fixed the car very quickly and I was able to leave the same day. The only thing is that they asked me too many questions about the car, which I couldn't answer. read more

Abusive! The mechanic told me it would be 20 minutes to put a serpentine belt on. It was an hour and 20 mins by time they finished. I asked if there was a problem, no why? He asked. I said because you told me 20mins and it was an hour and 20. He gave me a horrid look, then shrugged and said we got busy. When I calmly and politely told the owner Frank, he said well delays happen. I said sure, I just didn't appreciate being treated like that when all I did was mention what happened. He sarcastically replied..oh ill just fire him then. I replied..now you're being rude when I'm not, and he said well you look like you're getting a little upset over nothing. I had to inconvenience a client because of this..I had to call them back and re schedule a job. I said to Frank, im not getting upset, im not raising my voice, or cursing, or talking with an attitude or anything, and I don't appreciate this when im just trying to give constructive feedback. He just continued to be sarcastic so I said you mechanics suck. He yelled at me that I was crazy and should start taking pills. I won't be back..these guys are abusive to women and seem to have no respect for people's time. read more

I've heard great things about this shop and about Frank. I finally had a reason to bring my car in and forever will bring my car here for anything I need repaired. Frank is very reasonable and honest. Highly recommend! read more

Frank was so incredibly helpful in my time of need! I have a car that typically doesn't come in manual, and my clutch gave out. I am new in the area, and hadn't found a mechanic yet, but a friend of mine recommended Sunset Cliffs -- and I am so happy they did! Even though it took a bit longer because my car is unique, it was ready within the proper time frame, and his pricing is extremely fair. My car feels better than new, and I am so grateful Frank was able to squeeze me in. I have found my new mechanic, and would certainly recommend his work. read more

Really great place! Needed work done to the car. Mostly brake stuff. Was nervous about going alone because I've been screwed over at a few places before. But I saw the reviews for this place and checked it out. It was also not too far from home so if I needed to leave the car, I could walk. Really small shop on a corner off sunset cliffs. A little cluttered but it works for them. I came, told them the problem, he looked at the car right away and told me what needed to be done and gave me a quote. It was about what I was expecting which didn't make it hurt any less. I said ok and was on my way. He called about an hour later and said he looked at the car a little more and said turns out, less work needed to be done and it'll save me a $100+ and he'll call me when he's done. Wow! Anyone else would kept with the original pricing. I've been to places that have done that. Very honest and cool dude. Picked up my car first thing the next morning and it drives like a dream. Thanks guys! read more

They were super helpful on troubleshooting my car issues and not pushy when it came to making a decision about getting it fixed.

The place is awesome!!! When I have a car emergency Frank will accommodate. He does fast work and is fair!! as a female I really appreciate his fair and honest work ethic. Once you try this place you won't want to go anywhere else. read more

Oscar and Frank are so genuine and super helpful! They truly care about their customers. Thanks for everything !

Awesome place. I was in O.B. with a rental car, and I scrapped a low curb, and the wheel lining shield came loose. I didn't have the rental car insurance and I was sure they were going to charge me my $500 deductible. Even though it was right after the holidays and they were busy Frank got me in, and had it reinstalled for the unbelievable price of $20. You guys are my superheros!!! If I lived within a hundred miles of San Diego Sunset Cliffs Automotive would be by repair shop forever. Thanks guys. Old fashioned service with a great attitude. read more

Frank was so helpful and efficient! I used to live not far from the shop but moved out of the area several months ago. I was back to visit old friends when my check engine light came on and my temp gauge dropped to "C". Frank had me come in at 7 the next morning, and before 1 he called me to pick it up! The charge was so reasonable and service so fast I left a $20 tip...... what a great shop - and I made the trip home with no problem. YAY Sunset Cliffs Automotive! read more

THIS PLACE IS TERRIBLE. DO NOT TAKE YOUR CAR HERE. I brought my 1995 VW Jetta here and was having some oil leak problems. The mechanic made me replace a fan and some other things - $400! I needed my car as I am a student and have a job. So I picked it up and after $400 he still wanted me to bring my car back. Then I drove my car and it was still leaking oil and making noise! Brought it back and he wanted me to pay more & leave it. I said no.... he had NO IDEA what the problem was. It ran fine for awhile and then it started leaking oil so I was taking my car into a great place that I finally found and my ENGINE BLEW! THIS GUY DOES NOT KNOW WHAT HE'S DOING. read more

I had to write this new review because I feel bad about leaving such a low score, but what happened happened. So I will write this one to bring it up a bit. If you go to Sunset Cliffs Automotive and are helped by Frank and he does the work for you, you will without a doubt be incredibly happy and satisfied. He is very quick, knows his stuff, is 100% honest, and you will get a good price on the work done. I will definitely continue to be a customer of these guys and just hope that my car doesn't get lost in the shuffle again. If it wasn't for my girlfriend having such great experiences every time she has taken her car there they might have lost me as a customer. I'm glad they didn't. read more

I brought my VW GTI in here and Frank helped work on my car problems. He was up front and honest and worked hard to solve the problems quickly and efficiently. At one point he worked with me to call VW to see if one item was on recall and it was so I saved money by taking it to VW. I highly recommend Sunset Cliffs Automative! read more

Wow!!! Was I glad to find this place and just around the corner from where I lived. I have a '95 Geo Prism, which is essentially a Toyota Corolla. My check engine light had been on for close to a year and the brake light had just come on. I'm new to CA so needed to get the check engine issue taken care of for my Smog check. I usually go to the car talk site for mechanic reviews but couldn't find any in OB so, once again, thank you yelpers for helpin' me out!!! Frank found the problem (oxygen sensor) and repaired it with no issue. I had actually had this problem looked at in AZ before moving and his diagnosis and estimate was right on with what I had been told previously. The brake light ended up being due to low brake fluid so he filled up my brake fluid at no charge. A side note that I had gotten my oil changed at Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes (beware!!!) about a week before the brake fluid light came on. The people there had told me my back brakes were 70% gone. I had actually told Frank this before he looked at my car. He could have easily cheated me but he told me that my brakes had a lot of life left. I have my suspicions that some dubious deeds were done to my car at Econo during what should have been an innocent oil change. I am quite grateful to have found an honest, reasonable and timely mechanic in Frank at Sunset Cliffs. read more

Always bring my car in to new places with a bit of trepidation... but look no further. Frank is the man. Straight forward, honest, reasonable. Had a few lights on my dashboard and Frank had me drop my car off late at night (I work evenings) so I didn't have to wake up early and bring it in. Called me in the afternoon to let me know what work should be done, and had it finished and ready for pick up in 45 minutes. Found my new forever mechanic. 10/10 would return! read more

Frank is the best! I've been taking my car to him for the past few years, and I wish I had found him sooner. I trust him to do a great job, and he's always honest and up front about what's going on before he does any work. I find it easy for some shops to take advantage of individuals without knowledge of what's going on under the hood (especially women), I've had personal experience with them before finding Frank. I stumbled upon him after being told I needed a $2500-$4000 transmission exploration and repair. I went to Frank for a second opinion, and it turned out to be a spark plug issue that was cheap to fix. He's been my go to mechanic ever since. I suggest calling ahead to schedule an appt, he's never been booked more than a few days out. read more

I live in El Cajon yet take my car to OB for repairs, why? Because Frank is awesome! I have an older car that I bought used, so I always have things popping up. So I can't and won't blame Sunset Cliffs if I have a POS car. I'm just grateful that everytime something happens, Frank is always helpful and fair in his pricing. He finds time to see me on short notice and gives me a realistic idea of what to expect price and time wise. There's a coffee joint in the parking lot if you're just getting an oil change and an awesome German restaurant next door if you just need to kill an hour or so while he adjusts your brakes. read more

Why I love Yelp: I can find honest veterinarians, dentists, mechanics and more!! Unreal. :] Needed some routine service done and thought we needed brakes too, so we went here since it's just down the street from us and the reviews were great. You always expect to pay a grip load on repairs but they quoted me just over a $100 for a few things. Wow! When I asked to check the brakes because we were told by the Toyota dealer they were almost done with, Tom on the other hand said they were in awesome shape. Honest mechanics do indeed exist! read more

For the past 5 years ive been a little unsure of who to bring my car to when it needed work. Like most people, it's difficult for me to be able to trust that a shop isn't just swindling me out of money. I got my car smogged the other day and it failed. I had been hearing a lot about Frank and Sunset Cliffs Automotive and it just so happens that it was right down the road from where my car was smogged so I went in and spoke with Frank. He was up front, down to earth, and honest with me. Assured me that what I needed fixed is usually really inexpensive and he'd inspect the car free of charge to really determine the problem and call me before doing the work and charging me. He did just that, let me know the problem, the cost, and even that he would be able to finish it faster than he previously thought. Frank was transparent with me the whole time and I feel confident that he'd be the kind of guy I could trust with any car troubles I have. I'll be back. Thanks Frank. read more

I love Sunset Cliffs Automotive. I have had my Toyota 4Runner, My BMW and my Ford Diesel Van all worked on here and I have always been stoked on the service and cost. Like another Yelper commentes, I too have been charged less than initial estimate on several repairs. Frank is a great guy and totally honest. They do the best to turn cars around quickly and are very responsive. Reason for 4 star They are currently repairing my transimission on my BMW and will update when I get it back. if Im stoked. 5th star coming up. read more

I love this place! The guys are always friendly, willing to educate me on whatever topic I'm asking, give me options, diagnose for free even if they have to reproduce the problem by housing it overnight. My car is actually still under warranty and I could get repairs and replacements for free if I take it to the dealership. But I still opt to take it here out of convenience of the easy in and out! read more

Sometimes takes a bit to fix, but worth the wait. You can trust these guys. Only 2 of them so have patience read more

Frank & Tom are great and honest. My husband and I have been going to them for everything --small fixes-big problems even oil changes. So happy to have a reliable mechanic in SD! read more

Awesome service and great pricing. Frank and Oscar are super honest, hard working and to the point. I have recommended friends and family to this shop because I can trust not only their advice, but pricing as well. Thank you guys! read more

I am reposting my husband's google review in hopes to help others steer clear of this place: I have had several instances with sunset cliffs auto. I try to support local business. However, I cannot keep my tongue about this. The first vehicle I brought them, a 1999 Honda accord, was left for a couple days to have a thermostat replaced. Upon picking up my vehicle, I noticed an odor and pulled over. There were dirty rags and ash'd cigarette butts in my cup holder. I returned to SCA and confronted Frank about the matter. I didn't cause a scene, I calmly asked why it was there. He blamed the homeless in the area for breaking in and using it to sleep. There were no signs of a forced entry, only reasoning that the vehicle was left open over night. My check engine light stayed on for three more days. I was told "drive it to reset everything and you will be good." After 200 miles or so, I brought the vehicle back as nothing had changed. Following on, it had turned out that they had had broken an internal sensor. They replaced it for free, so I kept the hard feelings at bay. Fast forward 3 months. I have a 2002 Silverado that I bring in for an axle repair. The vehicle had just hit over 100k. I asked for a full vehicle inspection and a few other repairs such as a misfire and a check engine light. After $1100 worth of maintenance, I was given my vehicle back. The next day, the check engine light turned back on. I bring the vehicle back. Another bad O2 sensor. They replaced it, but I decided this was the last time I would use this mechanic as I expect to have the job done right the first time. Yesterday, roughly three weeks after having the vehicle returned to me, I was driving onto the 163S when my truck died. High RPM's, little to no speed. Turns out, no transmission maintenance was done when I asked for the 100k inspect. I distinctly remember asking Frank, "so I can take these keys and drive across the country, correct?" and he responded with "yes." I am now out 3000 dollars worth of repairs and SCA denies any liability for the matter. They said they replaced the filter and everything was fine, so their hands are clean of the matter. The mechanic I am currently using said the fluid hadn't been touched and the transmission was neglected. It saddens me to write a bad review on a local business, but I hope that this saves another from the debt and hardship I have gone through. Edit: when my husband called to discuss the blown transmission with the business, Frank claimed absolutely no responsibility and when my husband continued to question why such a major issue was missed on a full inspection - and with the engine light on multiple times - frank started yelling and cursing over the phone and ultimately just hung up on him!! A simple "I'm so sorry this happened" would have gone a long way but instead he was unprofessional, aggressive and unapologetic! We will actively be telling people never to go here for any services based on multiple experiences. read more

Honestly, I cannot Thank Frank and his crew enough at Sunset Cliff's Automotive. 1. You won't find a more sincere and knowledgeable guy than Frank, the owner. 2. When you pick someone to work on your brakes, you are entrusting the lives of your friends and family, who ride in your car. I trust Frank that much to allow him to take care of my Brakes, plus everything else in my personal cars, and my Grandson's Car. 3. You cannot run a business without making a profit, that is reality. However, Frank is extremely fair with his pricing, plus you leave there knowing your car is repaired. Sunset Cliff's Automotive is the best place to bring your vehicles. I won't ever consider another place. Thank you Frank and crew. read more

I'm not a big fan of auto mechanics, but when I find a good one I'll be sure to let everyone know about it. This was my first time dealing with Sunset Cliffs Automotive, and I had an excellent experience. I'll definately be going back to Tom in the future. Thanks for the repair. read more

The alternator in my Chevrolet Avalanche went out last night, and never came back home. I was able to drop the vehicle off at their lot last night, leave my keys and a description of the problem in the drop box and get a friendly call in the morning confirming to diagnosis and a plan to have it fixed the same day! Thank you Sunset Cliffs Automotive! You really saved me on Christmas week. read more

Today, I took my my car in to get serviced over at sunset cliffs automotive. Things were going just fine - I was quoted at a relatively low price, and I was able to get it within a few hours of dropping it off. Sweet! However, when I showed up to pick it up (at noon), my car wasn't in the lot, and I was told they were testing out my new fancy brakes. Cool, whatever - I'm glad they're taking time to test their work, and I assumed it was a quick spin around the block. Then, later on in the payment process, I was told that their employee actually took my car to go get lunch for themselves and would be back in ten minutes. Uhhhh, okay - I'll try to be cool here with somebody that I don't know taking my car to go get a burrito (wtf), because i live in OB and it's a sunny Friday and life is pretty good and I'll practice keeping my cool at this moment in time. I waited for fifteen minutes while the owner called his employee multiple times, with no answer. At this point, I'm getting pissed off and panicked - whoever has it could crash my car, somebody could take off and never come back with my car, they could hit something or someone while they're driving my car, somebody is using my gas I paid for, whoever has it might not be insured - ultimately, somebody I don't know has my freaking car and now nobody knows where they are or what they're doing with it. Not. Cool. The best part? When their employee showed up and got out my car, they left keys to another whip in my console. I half hope those keys were to another customer's car, because if they were for their own car, I'd be even more angry about the entire situation - because, you know, drive your own car to get yourself food or use your own two legs to walk in the sunshine for your lunch. While I understand people make mistakes, this is a pretty freaking big one. It's absolutely not okay to utilize a customers car for your own benefit, without the customers permission. read more

Well, I accidentally grazed a palm tree trying to get out of a tight parallel parking spot on Sunset Cliffs. There went my side view mirror. I couldn't drive far since the mirror was dangling off my car and quickly googled car places near me. Frank was so helpful and had it fixed for me when I was out of town. He found the best prices and knew the right people to call so I didn't have to go to the dealer. Thankful to have someone knowledgeable right down the street from me! read more

Great shop with expertise. Installed a new clutch on a Ford Focus SVT, not their fault the clutch kit I provided had a faulty slave cylinder and a 1 year life. Labor costs doubled because my car was on their lift in need for another slave cylinder install. So again not their fault of the faulty third party parts, but that's just life, sometimes the consumer loses. read more

Frank was a reference from a local friend and I will always be loyal to this garage. A little bit of human decency and respect go a long way. The prices are fair and honest and the mechanics work hard for your benefit. This garage has been open for decades and has the workmanship to stand behind that kind of consistency and longevity. Keep it up boys! read more

I don't live in OB anymore, but when I need work done on my car I go out of my way to take it to Frank at Sunset Cliffs Automotive. Why? Because these guys are the most honest, efficient and cheap mechanics I have ever met in my life. There's one particular anecdote that sums up why I love this place: I had to get a front axle replaced on my car. When I took it in, they quoted me 300 bucks for parts and labor. When I picked it up (the same day), they only charged me 250 (it didn't take them as long as they thought it would, and they found a better deal on parts). That is the first time I've ever been charged a price that was less than the estimate, and it made me a customer for life. These guys are the best. read more

Tommy is the best! Every time I go in he is fair, honest, and fast. I recommend his services to anyone in San Diego - it's worth the drive if you don't live in OB - if you do, you're crazy to go anywhere else! read more

I just got a battery replaced and it honestly took no more than 10 minutes. And it is POURING rain, so the speed was especially awesome.

This place is awesome. I am a girl who does not like to spend money on my car, I run it until it is barely working then I take it in to get fixed. First time at Sunset I got the timing belt changed, this last time I got new brakes. The owner Frank is always there, he is nice and doesn't bull#$it you, he charges you the cheapest price he can (I hunted around and looked up labor and parts avg prices, love google- he was right on) and he is super fast. I got my car back the SAME day for the brakes, for the timing belt it was next day service. Always good price, always fast.... and was recommended to me by a friend so I think they have a good rep read more

I've been taking my trucks and vans here for years. I own a business that requires my vans to be operational. If I don't have them I don't work. Frank gets it done right and on time the 1st time. I won't go anywhere else. read more

After two years of trying to get my 88 Corvette to pass smog, Frank and his team got the job done. And for less than 1/2 what the dealer wanted to charge (which also would have been the wrong part to replace & thus a total waste of money). Frank thoroughly researched my car's history and what could be fixed. He has always been fair & honest with me on any of my three vehicles I've taken to him. But this was over the top. Thank you!!! I'd recommend Sunset Cliffs to everyone!! read more