Fisk Automotive

I do wish this could be better, and I never really leave one-​star reviews, but I have to in this case. I got a pre-​purchase inspection here in the middle of May for a 2006 Golf TDI. Great car, by the way. I was super excited about the purchase. They found a few notable things in the inspection, most notably that the turbo was «leaking heavily». I didn’t see that at all and didn’t notice it during driving, so I pushed it aside. Everything else was good, they said.
Well it wasn’t, or else this review would be over now. ;) As I was driving it home on the 101, I noticed something odd: the temperature gauge was running low, and by low I mean 80°F. I kept watching it and found that it bounced around quite a bit and got higher when I was in a lower gear or accelerating more. While I was driving, since there’s not much else to do, I called a good friend who’s a mechanic and he said it could be that the thermostat was stuck open or the gauge had some issues. When I got home, I took it to Top Shop and found that’s pretty close to what happened.
The thermostat was an «old black design» which Volkswagen replaced most of a long time ago. They were known for being stuck open, which is way better than being stuck closed of course. (My last car overheated so I watch the gauge like a hawk now.) I also found out that the temperature sensor was faulty. So I got them both replaced, which was about $ 500 with the labor, parts, and initial diagnosis. I was fine with that — it happens.
But there was one more thing. The front left control arm bushing was broken and needed to be replaced. Sadly not a quick job. That weighed in at around $ 500 as well. I was pretty disappointed in the inspection shop for missing it because it’s a pretty key thing.
Oh, and lastly, the brake fluid was contaminated. That’s a quick thing to replace and only $ 120, but really? How could they miss this on the inspection?
I left this shop feeling disheartened about buying the car, but the funny thing was it was for all the wrong reasons. None of the issues they pointed out were even present. My mechanic and I went through the turbo and didn’t find any noticeable issues. Hey, strange things happen. I thought Fisk was pretty great at first, but as the day went on I grew a bit more disappointed. And a few weeks later, I’m just surprised.

Honest. Integrity. Quality. Accommodating. I can not say enough good things about Fisk. My daughter is a student and CSUF and I am 4 hours away. When we finally found Fisk I knew my daughter’s car was in good hands. They went out of their way to make sure I knew what was going on. Explained any problems and let me know what what was necessary to fix and what could wait. And most importantly did not over charge for their services. On more than one occasion they had to clean up problems other auto repairs places created. Chantel is amazing. Her customer service deserves 10 stars.

I’ve been taking my Honda Civic here since 2005 and they’ve taken good care of me. They provide quick quality service at a good price.

Well I can’t say I have had a great experience with Fisk automotive, April 2015 I brought my truck in to address a problem with my climate control blowing hot only on one side, after a week of throwing darts at the problem I was told the dampener was bad one day the actuator motor another day and there last guess was the climate control adjustment module., They did supply me with a rental car after 3 days of there guessing game and completed repairs in 5.
At time of pick up I sat in the front seat of my truck with the manager or owner I’m not sure which he was and noticed sitting in my cup rest several screws that were apparently left off of during the reassembly of my dash components, embarrassed he called a technician over to open up the dash and reinstall these screws. After voicing my displeasure on this matter the bill was reduced to $ 1,000.
Now fast forward to November 2015 7 months later I hadn’t needed to use the heater in this California climate until then and my heater was not working with the climate control so I return to Fisk and was told after the first day there was nothing wrong by Chantal I picked up my truck and again it still didn’t work returning it the following morning. With Chantal in my front cab I showed her the problem with the climate controll she said it definitely was not working properly and that they would find the problem ASAP.
Two days later I had to call for status I was told by Chantal good news and bad news good news they found the problem which was the asporator/​temperature control, bad news was it’s located in my headliner cost would be $ 490. As I ate my lunch I looked online and found that this part is not only inexpensive at $ 26 but it said its a 10 minute process to replace it I declined the service and order the part myself.
The part of arived within a day I open up the headliner and found the wire harness to the climate control sensor was not connected I don’t know why or how but I reconnected it and the climate control is working properly. This was a $ 490 charge that I thankfully avoided. Will not be back.

I was trying to smog my Eurovan last summer and knew I was going to have trouble when the check engine light came on. I’ve had problems with this before and have been to several area mechanics over the years. Nobody was able to solve the problem. One desperate mechanic went as far as charging me $ 20 (in addition to some other Hail Mary charges) for a new gas cap in the hopes it would solve the problem.
I then went to FIsk because, to be honest, it’s clean and professional looking. Chantal went out of her way to make sure she understood my dilemma. About $ 200 later — problem solved. This after I spent HUNDREDS of dollars and drove HUNDREDS of miles resetting the computer to get it smogged. On top of that, they mentioned that the part that had been «serviced» at the last place didn’t look like anything had been done to it. When I called out that mechanic, he confessed that they «sprayed some WD-​40 on it». He wrote me a check for those charges in a hurry when I showed up at his busy office.
Anyway, thanks Fisk team. I’ve already been back with other cars and Jack doesn’t rush you out the door when you drop off your car. He and his folks make sure they listen to you and know exactly what you expect of them.

I’ve been taking our two cars to Fisk for two years now. After dealing with the dealership and a hole in the wall mechanic, I wanted a reputable mechanic to work on our cars. Since I drive by Fisk Automotive on a regular basis, I decided to stop in and see what they had to offer. Jack immediately greeted me and from the get go was as honest as they come. I explained to him what I was looking for and he answered all my questions and eased my concerns. Ever since then, our cars have been serviced with extreme professionalism. Everyone at Fisk has been a pleasure to deal with. It’s never fun to take your car in for service but since our cars are part of our daily lives, the pain is lessened knowing your car is in good hands.

My girlfriend and I were out of town (vacation) for almost two weeks. I came out to start my truck up the morning we came back and found out that the loud exhaust noise that was coming from underneath my truck were from both of my missing catalytic converters. I was very angered and frustrated and didn’t know what to do. I immediately searched for an auto repair shop that was approved by AAA and found Fisk Automotive online through excellent reviews. After a week of my truck being in their shop I was very pleased with the way the business end turned out. They were very helpful, supportive and caring to myself, the customers, needs. They kept in touch continuously throughout the process and were very informative of updated information. Jack and his team at a Fisk Automotive were outstanding!

These guys set the standard for your typical mechanic who rips people off. I’ve been working on my own car for nearly 20 years. I’m not a mechanic by any means, but I am a woman who is very familiar with car repairs. My 2006 Jeep needed brakes, rotors and possibly new calipers, I had to get a rental for the time being. I told Chantel that if they take good care of me I will be a customer for life, as I’m fiercely loyal to those that do right by me. She indicated there would be a $ 45 inspection fee but will be waived if I get a service from the shop. I get the quote and it’s $ 900 for a brake job, A BRAKE JOB! I looked online and pulled up the parts and this is what I found: $ 24/​brake pads and $ 47/​rotors. Fisk wants to charge $ 86.13/brake pads and $ 250.26 each rotor which by the way are the cheapest parts you can get. I’m a business owner and the rule of thumb is 100% increase to make a descent profit. $ 250 for each rotor it’s highway robbery. I knew I was in for something shady, so when I called I had to tell them I couldn’t afford it, but I would like to get an oil change rather than pay $ 45 for nothing. When all was said and done, they wanted to charge me $ 40 for the oil change when Chantel said it was $ 34 in addition to the $ 45 inspection fee which was supposed to be waived since I bought a service from them. I will never EVER go back to these people. They lost a customer for life, a customer who recommends every vendor I work with to family and friends as well as blast them on social media to help local business owners. It’s mechanics like this who give others a bad reputation. I finally found a mobile mechanic out of Costa Mesa who did the job well, prices are far more reasonable than anyone in the area, he’s kind, honest and works with integrity, morals and ethics, something Fisk should look into. If you want an honest mechanic call Jimmie Pratt at (714) 343‑5384 tell him Rebekah sent you.

Just got our new, pre-​owned F250 FX4 taken care of here at Fisk. She was examined head to toe — worth every penny to have your car inspected prior to purchase (they saved us a fortune on 2 other lemons). Every item that needed to be addressed was brought to our attention. We were even offered a plan to defer minor maintenance. I was surprised by the reasonable prices and elected to just have everything taken back to new. We now have a just like new, beautiful truck. Thank you Jack, Chantal, and the Fisk team!
BTW — We drive here from Orange because here, I know and trust that I won’t get ripped off.

Got my transmission flushed yesterday. Have to say very impressed with the shop. It’s very clean & to me that means a lot. Jack took the time to answer all my questions & then some. Explained the process to me. Very friendly & courteous service. Will definitely return for service. Thanks for your honesty & help. A+ top notch.

Misdiagnosis~ for PROFIT OR LACK of knowledge:
my carburetor was said to need rebuilding by the main mechanic. Turns out, from two other trusted technicians, that it only needed to be adjusted to the proper setting. My Holley brand is also said to be the most accessible carburetor to adjust! I hate to think how much money i would have uselessly spent had I listened to Fisk. Yes the shop is clean, organized & attitude as cold as a hospital basement, but who cares about that if they do not know their craft. My car is running beautifully to this day!!!

I have gone to Fisk Automotive two times and have been duly impressed with the whole operation.
The first time was several months ago with my 2005 Quest that was in «limp home» mode on the computer. They quickly and efficiently found the problem and, most importantly, fixed it right the first time with no further issues. I was also surprised at the reasonable price.
The second time was just a week or so ago. I had purchased a 2009 Honda Accord with right at 25K miles from a family member who no longer drives. Jack and his band of merry men did the regular Honda service, replace a worn center console cover and did an end to end inspection for any likely future problems. I have put over 1000 miles on it since, driving to S.F. and L.V. on business. No problems or worries. Again. above and beyond expectation service and a reasonable price.
Great people, great service, great facility!

First impression walking in «wow… The cleanest best looking auto repair shop I’ve ever come across!» No smell of dirty motor oil? No greasy black countertops? No hand made misspelled Spanglish negative signs? No dirty overweight greasy haired guy «greeting» you at the front counter? Where AM I???
I was having problems with my moms car battery I purchased from AAA a little over 6 months ago. It wouldn’t start! (Don’t you hate when that happens?) I was afraid that it may be the alternator but wanted to go one step at a time before my mom needing to dish out $ 300 to fix that. My AAA battery was still under warranty… But I no longer have AAA… So after getting the run around from AAA it was determined that I would need to go to a AAA service center that has battery service. (This is a pain in the ass)
Chantel is very sweet and tries to accommodate you the best she can. I understand being a AAA approved facility they need to go by their protocol… And this is the only reason I did not give them 5 stars… I didn’t have the battery paperwork in the car and apparently the sticker on the battery with the date wasn’t enough.
After her calling AAA… Me calling them 3 times, I finally was able to get the date of installation and other information they were asking about and had the battery tested. Thank God it was only the battery and it was replaced at no cost since the warranty was still good.
Chantel thank you for your great customer service and the good news. Maybe now I can go on with my day. I will come back when I need my regular maintenance on my car seeing that you are a very honest repair shop… A very rare find. :)

rip off report… stay away jack the owner will over charge you guaranteed!!! i took my toyota camry in for a repair and jack quoted me triple of what the mechanic down the road quoted me… stay away save your money !!

If I could give these guys negative five stars, I would. Consumers beware!
Going the extra mile for your customers goes a long way. Which is what compelled me to write this review. My car, a 2006 honda civic, recently overheated and was not drivable. I called aaa and they suggested that I take it to Fisk automotive. The next day I received a call from the main mechanic there and he told me my engine block had cracked. He then offered me three options: 1) purchase a new engine for approximately $ 9,000; 2) purchase a used engine for $ 5,000; or 3) he said, «I’m not really in the business of buying and selling cars but I’ll offer you $ 700 for it.» None of his options sounded appealing so I had it towed to Craig’s automotive in Whittier. The next day Dan at Craig’s auto called me and said he had good news; my car’s engine had been recalled and he arranged for honda to replace my cracked engine with a brand new one for FREE! Needless to say I was thrilled. That’s what an honest mechanic does; he goes the extra mile for you.
It would not have been difficult for Fisk’s automotive to check my vehicle model for any recalls. However, I suspect in my opinion that they probably did. Which is why he offered me $ 700 to purchase the car from me.
Consumers you’ve been warned, DO NOT TAKE YOUR VEHICLE HERE!!!

There I was, going about my day and grabbing some lunch for my coworkers when the worst happens — I turn my key and my car refuses to start. The battery is completely dead.
Great.
By the time I got a jump and a ride back to work to finish out my shift, it’s 7pm. Long after any mechanics are closed. My coworker suggests that we head over to Fisk, drop it off, and then give them a call in the morning. She said that they had always treated her well, so I thought, «why not»?
Surprisingly, the owner, Jack, was still there even though it was well past closing time. I was pretty shaken and annoyed by the day’s events, but he handled my jittery nature just fine and got all of the paperwork figured out. He told me that they had quite the busy day that day, but they would try to get it back to me as soon as possible.
Around 11AM the next day, Chantal called to let me know that my car was ready! She was incredibly courteous and nice. I couldn’t believe that they had gotten everything done so quickly. I popped right over and picked up my car, and now she runs like a charm.
Thank you, Fisk! I realize that you went out of your way to get my car all fixed up, and I truly appreciate it. You’ve got a customer for life!

I went to Fisk Auto because my car failed smog. Fisk was referred to me by a neighbor. I left my car there and got a call that evening. Mr. Fisk explained it would cost about 1200.00 to get my car to pass smog. I was devastated. My car isn’t even worth 1200.00.(96 Nissan Sentra) I told him no, thanks and picked up my car the next morning. My daughter told me to take it to her mechanic, so I did. It’s a bit of a drive but well worth it. The mechanic my daughter uses told me he might need to replace the 02 sensor but it turns out he didn’t even need to do that, he cleaned a few things up, let it sit and idle for a bit, took it to the smog test center and it passed. So with the money I had saved up, I had lots of work done on my car, rear brakes, radiator hoses replaced, oil leaks fixed, etc. All for way less than half of what Mr. Fisk quoted me for smog repair only.
I know you read these posts, Mr. Fisk and I would welcome a reply because I am completely confused. I don’t understand how one repair shop can want to charge 1200 for repairs to only pass a smog test when another, just as reputable as yours, did virtually no repairs and my car passed with flying colors!

My husband and I took our car to Fisk the other day. One of the employees/​owner, who is a family friend, was rude with a poor bedside manner. They told us that our grand total would be $ 2,500.00 for fixing three different things. This is way too much money! I feel that this is a total rip off and will NEVER take my vehicle back to this place. I know that it is a business, and the idea is to make money, but we aren’t stupid. We checked around and can have the same work done for much less money and done by someone who has a great bedside manner. Think twice before going to Fisk!

If you need your car fixed up and fast than look no further than Fisk Automotive!!! I was having some problems with my car doors and got totally screwed (haha tool pun) at another mechanic. I finally took my car to Fisk Automotive and they fixed it right up for a reasonable price.
So if your car is in a «wrench» (seriously this is A comedy material) head over to Fisk Auto!

Hey wanna know a secret? this morning i called this particular place to ask how much they charge for a synthetic oil change for my car. some guy answered and i think he is the owner and when i asked him how much he charges for that synthetic oil change. He said, «as much as i can. «
First of all, i dont know how they work on cars. Maybe good, maybe bad… i really dont know but the way he answered me when i asked that question. it tells you something right away. so as a Unilocaler, just letting you know my experience but its still up to you if you wanna take your car here for anything.
Oh yeah 1 star just becoz i cant leave it blank:)