Hai’s Auto Repair

Came here to get my bf’s car looked at for an oil leak a couple of months ago and read the reviews with little to no knowledge of cars. The only person there that serviced me was an older Asian gentleman who told he would have to take everything apart and that it would be costly around 5 grand. Decided he didn’t want to work that much on a car which was fine with me because I knew his quote was ridiculous.

We have only known this mechanic for a month, but have had a very good experience so far.
After having a car towed there following a breakdown, they replaced the radiator (which was clogged, the cause of the breakdown) and took care of two other little things that we had been meaning to get around to, all very reasonably priced. Brian (one of the owners, I think? He was who we spoke to most of the time) took the time to explain everything very clearly, and was very helpful when I had a couple of follow-​up questions on the phone. About a week after the radiator replacement, it was clear that something wasn’t quite right with the radiator, so Brian had me take it in and he fixed what turned out to be a very slightly leaky hose free of charge.
My biggest endorsement was that, when we took the car back to have the radiator hose fixed, we also asked them to see if the timing belt needed to be replaced — the car was used and we were not sure if all of the maintenance had been done on schedule. They charged us a very reasonable labor cost ($ 45) to open up the engine a bit and look, and informed us that the belt did NOT need to be replaced and looked like it had been replaced about 10,000 miles ago. Seeing as it can be pretty subjective and hard to tell if a timing belt is new or not, their honesty here definitely made a big impression!

OK you decide, i dont want to do this but i just read several 1 star reviews and couple that with my experience today. I also called the dealership and found out it was $ 99 at the honda dealer with manufacturer trans fluid. She changed my fluid and supposedly flushed more through and gave a deal of $ 150.
she also assured me that she did me a favor of cleaning my engine compartment after the trans fluid or ‘dust’ was accidentally sprayed out, some got outside the car on the front bumper and grill. it was cleaned up well inside and out
to be clear she quoted me prices for a different service than she did because she was certain yet mistaken about what i needed and what she could do, turns out my tranny has no gasket or filter to change. basically they were winging it and acting like they knew exactly what to do. I am sure the dealer would have known exactly and turns out for only $ 99 with their proper fluid. her fluid was synthetic and may be fine but she even said it was not the right one because her guy used a different one than she told him to use. GREAT right? not. this morning when i tried to clarify how they would do it she got defensive and said that she will do good flush and that i dont need to talk to others she knows what to do.
but wait. there’s more…
I noticed another problem when i got back and was wiping down my car like i regularly do because i park under a bird filled tree at work often…
I could see some scuffs scratches and cracked paint on the area of my plate and on an angle of the bumper, as if the car bumper was smooshed and popped back out. I just returned to the shop to discuss the problem I discovered after I left to see what she would say and how she would act. She got very defensive saying how she tried to help me. how i probably didnt see it before, no there are clearly some new scratches and the cracked paint patterns are not something I saw before. She threatened to not service my car again and lots of iffy comments, she stormed off once and the one guy tried to clean it up better but only some of the mess buffed off, pretty sure the scratches were from today at least and never the less she was not so polite about the whole thing. I have been referred by friends and used them years ago for successful brake work and i refer them people often, after today I dont feel that i will. i know i got ripped on the service and i am quite sure i got new scratches and suspicious that my bumper was smashed some. I went to address this and was not treated as i would hope. so there you go.
ps no paper product or soap in ridiculous restroom. my hands were dirty with car stuff and was kinda left to myself to wash and no towels to dry in the shop sink either.

I’ve been taking my cars to Hai’s for over ten years and have always been very happy with the quality of work. They are extremely honest and are by far cheaper than any other shop I have visited. I have recommend this shop to several friends and they are very pleased with the service and price. I will continue to take my cars there as long as I live in San Diego. Although they mainly work on Asian and American cars they have done excellent work on my BMW and Mercedes.
Jon de Kerguelen

A few years ago a long time friend highly recommended Hai’s Auto Repair when I needed work on my car. My first experience with them was excellent and since that time I have taken several cars to them, and have always been pleased with their work. They are friendly, honest, and knowledgeable (especially since my knowledge of cars is limited)! They will explain what needs to be done and the cost of repairs before you commit to their service.
It is truly a family owned (and run) business as several members of the Hai family work there. They certainly take pride in their work, and as a result they have been highly successful for many years. I have referred them to my friends and they too have been pleased with their professionalism, and the reasonable cost of their repair work. I would highly recommend them to anyone who is looking for honest, competent mechanics.

Great service! Came in for a smog check, told me it would be 30 mins and it only took 15 mins! Amazing! I’ll be back!

Came here because Guardian uses this place to install interlock devices. At first everything seemed, they were polite and were ready to get started. I am the owner of the vehicle, however, I am not the reason an interlock needs to be installed. I was shocked that they didn’t have me signed a release prior to working on my vehicle. In fact, all contracts were discussed after installation. After we had everything installed, the contract terms changed from the verbal terms. We ended up having it uninstalled because we will not be doing business for them. After they uninstalled it the car kept turning off. The lady came out and tried telling us there was a problem with the wiring and my car could shut down. There were no problems with my car prior to bringing it to this shady place. NEVER GO HERE!

Wow!!! I’m impressed. I’m brand new to Hai’s, today was my first visit. I have an old Jeep Wrangler (17+ years) and my tail & dashboard light began to malfunction. I called around and was quoted «diagnostic fees» that were just outrageous. I found Hai’s here on Unilocal.I read the reviews some, glowing & some not. I called anyway. The young man I spoke to knew his stuff. He practically diagnosed the problem on the phone. I brought my car in. The women behind the counter was impressive. She knew so much about my car. I dropped the car off and by mid-​day they had my car repaired and ready for pick up. This is a small family owned business run by mom, dad & son. They were courteous, honest, extremely professional, friendly, and thorough. The son took the time to explain the problem and even asked if I had any questions. He walked through the bill with me to make sure everything was as I was quoted originally. His mom even followed me out to the car to ensure everything was working properly & that I was satisfied. In all my years of dealing with mechanics Lord knows, I’ve dealt with many from the east coast to the west coast. Hai’s Auto Repair 2 is by far one of the best in customer service & repair. Ladies you can trust them. :) I’m so happy I found Hai’s.

Worst oil change experience ever. I called ahead and was told my service would take about an hour because they were busy. No problem. After two and a half hours I’m told they don’t have the right oil filter for my car. Here’s an idea, make sure you have all of the required parts to do the job before draining the old oil. Upon discovering they didn’t have the filter they ordered one from a supply store less than a mile away. It took over an hour to arrive. Why someone from this shop didn’t just go pick it up is a question they refused to answer. Avoid this place at all costs.

I love Hai’s so so much! It is family owned and the son is so awesome. The mom is also awesome and she knows her stuff!
My car is Nissan and they are a Japanese family so they do a fantastic job on my Japanese car. The thing I like most about them is they actually show you everything that is wrong, literally show you, explain how it needs to be fixed and they will show you online where they are ordering the parts from and how much they cost. As a girl who always feels like car places are trying to rip me off, I really appreciate them actually showing me everything and being very straight forward.
When I first moved to San Diego I needed a lot of work done to my car, I went to a place my friend recommended and got quoted $ 900! Thinking that was a bit much I got a second opinion from Hai’s and they quoted me $ 450 and that was for all 4 tires instead of just two! So I paid around $ 450 to get more done to my car than a place that quoted me $ 900!
They are definitely fair, they are first come first serve, but they typically get things done very fast. I will go to Hai’s for how ever long I live in San Diego.
I also love them because they have a guarantee on everything. For example, my AC went out and they had to replace the whole thing, which wasn’t cheap, but typical for AC problems. They fixed it and a few weeks later it went out again so I took it back. Turns out something completely unrelated happened but they fixed it for free anyways since it affected my AC. And they did it right away. I just love Hai’s, go to them! If they fix something and it messes up again they will fix it right away for free.
If you have a problem understanding the mom, just ask for the son! I forget his name, which is terrible of me because I have met him so many times, but he is so cool.

I recently took my vehicle, a 2012 Chevy avao to this mechanic. I spoke with Brian the entire time. I asked that he find out why my air-​conditioning was blowing warm air. I had already taken my vehicle to another mechanic who quoted me what I thought was an astronomical price of $ 750 for an air compressor, the kit that it comes with, and Labor costs.
I came here for a second opinion. Brian called back the next day to tell me that my compressor was bad and that I did need to buy a replacement compressor kit. He quoted me $ 800 to replace the compressor. I told him I was not interested in paying that much to have that part fixed.
When I went to pick up my car I arrived to find a $ 170 bill for a diagnosis that someone else gave me for free. I asked why Brian went ahead and filled the Freon if it was not getting cold, he had no logical answer. I paid the $ 175 for the diagnosis someone else had already given me for free.
In my opinion these people have got to keep their rates high and get all they can out of every customer. They have quite a few workers and are located in a higher rent area in Hillcrest. If you’re looking for honesty and a good fair price, go elsewhere.

This is the best repair shop in town. They are good, honest, fast and reasonable! For over 10 years they keep my truck running perfectly. I got a $ 6000.00 quote from the dealer to do a head gasket and a few other things, these guys did it for $ 2200.00. Dealer quote for $ 3500.00 for ABS problem, these guys did it for $ 1100.00. Small, family business, been here for years. If you need auto repair, give these guys a chance, you won’t be disappointed.

I took my car here for some services, and was planning on getting my body work (from an accident) done at another shop when Angie offered to do it there. It was much more convenient than where I was going to take it (right around the corner from my house!), and I had spoken to a few other patrons in the waiting area that had been coming here for years… One gentleman told me that he had been coming here for years, and he could never beat the price or the quality of work… and what stood out, «they stand by their work» — I was sold! Angie & other gentleman behind the counter (Brian?) took GREAT care of me, followed up with my insurance company on my behalf, and kept me in the loop. I think I have found a new place to take my car permanently! I would HIGHLY recommend this shop for smog, oil change and body work (all which I have gotten here thus far… next are BREAKS!).

Good ol mom n pop shop, jr works here too! I brought a few cars here for smog, brake job that i didn’t feel like doing, and more smog! Fair price ! Good customer service from my experience. Look for coupons and check in specials!

Came here directly coming from the DMV finding out that i needed a smog check. Called them to see if they were busy (they weren’t) and drove right by. The visit took max 30 minutes just because someone else beat me. They were quick and professional. Very thorough too with instructions for the DMV. Price for the smog was $ 29.95 for the check and $ 8.95 for the certification. Definitely would recommend.

Angie Rocks ! Very trustworthy and reliable. I moved away from that area and I still take my car there.

Came in to get a smog check, the visit took about 15 – 20 minutes tops. The service was impeccable, Brian was of great service and answered all my questions. I would recommend them for car services. I also got $ 5 off for checking in on Unilocal so that was a great bonus. The price is average for a smog check and there was no up selling which I appreciate.

Great service, they will always give you your money’s worth and never try to cheat you. I know absolutely nothing about cars but Angie broke everything down to me and told me what she will be doing, why and even broke down the cost of everything. I

Had to get a smog check and drop off at the DMV. Smog check was really quick (15−20mins) and really inexpensive. $ 29.95 for the check and $ 8.95 for the certification. Would recommend.

I went in on a Friday afternoon for a brake fluid exchange and they were able to take me in quickly. Within the hour, I was all ready to go! They are quick and explained what I needed done with my car very clearly!
Thank you for changing my brake fluid oil so quick!