Fitzgeralds Auto Care Center

My first-​time visit was motivated by their ad on KOCI, and also because they are a smog testing station/​approved Star repair facility (able to fix and certify cars with smog system issues like mine). My ancient (1987) Volvo wagon was reported to the DMV as a Gross Polluter, and I could not get new license tags until it passed the CA smog inspection.
As the staff figured out, the car ran horribly rich, and had multiple problems. These could only get resolved in a linear progression, and my car was there for 1.5 weeks.
It took a lot of their time to find and replace each failed component, and Pat kept me current with their progress and the costs — there were no surprises. Besides the free oil change, their mechanics performed a very thorough inspection of the car. I learned that it was also due for front pads (before they ate up the rotors), which I can do easily.
When the car finally passed the smog inspection, I was pleasantly shocked at the final invoice. I was only charged for the repairs the car needed, and the total was considerably less that what I expected. Now it’s good to go for another 275K miles!
Huge thanks go out to Dan and Pat, and their competent staff. I am so pleased with their efforts on my behalf, and I unconditionally recommend them.

Truly grateful that these guys are around. They have sense of humor, knowledge of cars and are trustworthy. As a 28 yr old female, it’s nice to have a place that I can take my car to and know I won’t be taken advantage of. Thanks Pat and Dan, you guys are the real deal!

I’ve been to Fitzgeralds about 5 times now, Every time I come here I know they will be honest and VERY fair with costs. I trust them 100% I would refer them to my friends and family 100%. Not only are they fair and honest but super sweet and caring (they’d never admit it)
Thank you for all you do for this Mom on a budget

Nice shop and good customer service. Haven’t always had the best experiences with them price wise, but they know what they’re doing.

My Nissan decided to break down on a Sunday not too far from the shop. AAA referred me there. I left the car in the front lot over night and went back Monday AM when they opened. The shop really impressed me and I authorized them to fix it while I went to work. Within hours they called me with the problem and a recommendation for repair. The car was done before five that day. I could not get there until seven to pick it up but they were there late and got me checked out. I believe the price was very fair and I feel confident that the mechanics here are on top of their game. I also learned They rent cars if needed

So I found out about this place through a referral – South Coast Auto Clinic. I’ve taken three cars there and had always treated me well even turning me away at times because they felt that repair wasn’t necessary. Pretty honest for a mechanic if they turn away an easy $ 200 if you ask me. So when they recommended that I take my Prius here, I thought, okay I’ll definitely check it out. If they’re good with you, that should be enough for me.
Well, I’m not going to question anyone’s character as I could be wrong but I will share why I’m giving only 3 stars. I called them and told them that I had my car looked at without repair by a dealership and they gave me a quote. And since dealerships often overcharge – in this case it was roughly around $ 600 – I wanted to see what they would quote me. I gave them the check engine reading that a dealership gave me and quoted me around 400 via email.
«For us to do this repair it would cost roughly $ 400 that should cover any incidentals and tax.»
I thought, all right not bad since it’s still lower than Longo Toyota’s $ 125 diagnose fee plus 500 for repair where the diagnosis gets subtracted if I opt to repair making it about $ 550. I take it to Fitzgerald’s and sign a piece of paper authorizing a diagnosis for about 100. I get a call back and I am told that it will be 400 and some change additional to the diagnosis. I mention that I was sent an email estimating 400 and was explained that the 100 is for the payment of the mechanic that did the diagnosis and shops that include the diagnosis fee with repair isn’t an honest route. I thought, so it’s going to be $ 500? He then asked if I was a AAA member and to my luck I was which subtracted $ 50. And in my reluctance, since I was already stuck with paying a $ 100 for the diagnosis regardless of opting in or out of repair, it was wise for me to say yes to this $ 400 charge. Lastly, after it was repaired, I was told that coolant was added which I didn’t authorize so another $ 20 was added! All in all I paid 475 and some change because of the discount but it really was 525.
Quite different from 400 – «For us to do this repair it would cost roughly $ 400 that should cover any incidentals and tax.»
Once again, I’m not here to question the integrity of this shop as I’m sure they try to be honest but I do have to share my experience as a cautionary tale. I am aware that online reviews can have a lasting effect but just like they have to make sure they’re paid for their services, I too am watchful of my resources.
In conclusion, I do have some piece of mind as AAA does guarantee the work for 24 months/​24k miles hence the 3 stars as opposed to 1 or 2 stars. But I do feel baited and switched. Whatever the intention, this is my experience.
On a positive note, they are the only shop I’ve come across in Orange County that hasn’t shied away from my Prius. I often get turned away to a dealership because of the complexities of the car.

With their recommendation, my car was towed into Fitzgeralds by an AAA Auto Club towing service. They replaced the battery and found I actually needed a whole new engine. I was able to locate one with only 34,000 miles on it, through AA Action Automotive — my regular service agency. Not only did Dan understand, he helped PUSH MY CAR out of the gate so that the towing company could come back to tow the car from Costa Mesa to Lake Forest. Dan and Patrick treated me like family, making sure I had the best treatment. I have recommended Fitzgeralds to my friends at AA Action Automotive and will continue to send them new business.

I’m so happy I found Fitzgeralds Auto Care! I was referred to them from AAA to replace a bad battery still under warranty and just observing them interact with their customers impressed me. When my car needed service I decided to give them a try. I appreciate their honesty, and thier prices and value. I feel that I will from now on take my car to them and hope to have a long lasting relationship with them. I’ve always had to go to the dealer or other large auto retailer to have my car serviced and never felt comfortable. This was the first time I walked away feeling good about having my car serviced!

I think the guys were very nice but there was neglect ion to state exactly how much everything would cost. The guy at the counter did tell me it would cost money to look at the car but I don’t think it should cost $ 160 just to take a look at it. In fact I knew what the problem was and told him that I needed a new starter — and when he said it was $ 160 I thought he was adding the labor to do the starter. At the end of the day I payed $ 160 for him just to take a look at the starter then he said it would cost an additional $ 380 to replace the starter — that’s $ 540 total… I ended up telling him I didn’t want it fixed — payed $ 160 for nothing and took it to a different shop which didn’t charge me to take a look and only charged me $ 250 to replace the starter — that’s a $ 300 difference. I will never go back to fitzgeralds — they were kind and friendly as people but not with their prices for the service. This is definitely a place to go if you have the money to pay for the high quality repairs they provide.

I went there for about 17 years – I only left b/​c I moved away.
So honest!!!
Patrick has been a great addition. The huge new sign is great for helping 1^st time customers find the place.
All the best, guys – thank u!

Well it sure is true, all the great things other reviewers are saying about the great service Dan and Pat provide. They were friendly, thorough and knowledgeable. What a great find (by my husband on Unilocal). We took my GLK to Fitzgeralds for a service. They were speedy, very reasonable, and Jeff the technician must’ve also washed or wiped down my car because it looked great when we picked it up. I didn’t expect ALL that great service from our local auto shop. We will continue going back, and will tell our friends to go as well. Thank you guys! We previously did not have such great experiences with our auto care so truly we feel thankful to now have a trustworthy place to go.

I can’t say enough to explain how happy I am to have found this shop. I bought a car recently that is a real p.o.s. I also have a VERY busy life style. The guys at Fitzgerald’s have worked with me and kept me on the road. They are very reasonably priced and do everything they can to help you.

I am so impressed with Fitzgeralds. I’ve been ripped off for years in getting my car fixed. This is the first time I can say I trust this shop. Their reputation is golden, and there is a reason for it. You can trust that they are going to do the best job they can at a fair price. You might get another shop to quote you a lower price, but trust me when I tell you that it will cost you more in the long run. They have to pay the bills just like you do, so they are going to charge you a fair price. But when the job is done you won’t have to worry about shoddy workmanship or crappy parts. I’d rather pay a little bit more and get what I pay for than go cheep and pay even more in the end. This shop is professional all the way. They know about all kinds of cars, old, new, exotic, and domestic. They are friendly and will bend over backwards to satisfy their customers. How could anyone ask for more?

these guys are the best. I took my older Honda here in its final years and received great service and suggestions as to what needed fixing asap and what could wait. I actually found them one Saturday when my Honda decided to overheat, they were the only open mechanic I could find that would answer the phone and the owner stayed open until my towed car came in. When it came time to say goodbye to my Honda (of 10 years!) they were helpful in providing suggestions for selling and offered to buy it for parts. I ended up selling it to Carmax yet appreciated the non-​shady advice that most women at auto-​body shops don’t receive. My mom was impressed enough to have major service on her Lexus performed here, and it is now the official mechanic of the family, taking care of my fiancé’s Nissan and brother’s Scion as well! Although i have a dealer warranty for my new car, it is easier to take it here so will begin having my oil changed and regular service done here. We feel like the quotes and suggestions received from Dan and Pat are reasonable and honest. We’ve never had an issue with our cars since taking them to Fitzgeralds! Very flexible in booking as well, with early AM appointments which is great.

Called for pricing on auto shocks tried to upsell me on everything the most expensive shocks and mounts I didn’t need and a front end alignment told them that year car doesn’t need an alignment when replacing shocks but tried to sell me anyway. Bottom line was the highest priced quote out there. Wanted 880.00 for the job got it done for 440.00 be sure you check around for pricing before you let them do the work. Really 880.00 for front shocks what a rip off.

You do end up paying a little bit more for labor, but that’s because they do everything to perfection. Dan and Pat are so friendly and genuinely care about their customers. They never pressure you into doing anything, and they always give you an estimate and have you approve repairs first. I refuse to take my car anywhere else.

Dan and his team (Pat, Jeff, and Tim) are always the best! The get the job and go above and beyond when they can, and they did!

I love Fitzgeralds! I’ve been coming here with my mom since I was little and always remembered how friendly Dan and his guys are. I’ve been driving a few years now and they always take care of my car. I never feel like I’m getting offered what I don’t need and I feel like they’re really Iooking out for the best.
Thank you Dan, Pat, and the guys! You rock!

Great guys, great service, great mechanic’s. Pat and Dan have the knowledge base that gave my 1990 Toyota land cruiser with 240k miles, a nice new idle and a steady ride :). I have been looking for a smart shop to trouble shoot and take quality care of my rig and I think I found it. It was pretty refreshing after getting my wallet hammered by some real bozos. Price is a bit high but you get what you pay for, oh and their AAA certified so their work is guaranteed for 2 years — not bad.

Fitzgerald’s Auto Care Center has friendly customer service, and performed a very thorough inspection of my car. I came here for an oil change on a Saturday morning. They performed the oil change and then also recommended a few items that I should consider for future repairs. They did not try to up-​sell me or pressure me into anything unnecessary.
They are located in an area that is not very desirable or convenient to walk around in. I was hoping to grab a bite to eat while I waited the hour for my car to be complete; unfortunately there was nothing that was within walking distance open that early.
The Oil change was around $ 46, and although they do not offer coupons, they do have occasional promotions. I would suggest they invest in a TV for the waiting area, or maybe a better variety of magazines. Coffee or a vending machine would be a nice touch as well, especially since you are kind of trapped there.