Jack’s Muffler Service

If you are in North Park and you want a place you can trust, here it is.
This is the kinda auto shop I love. They did a great job for me & the price was very reasonable. I will definitely go here again next time I need a mechanic! It aint no frilly have a latte and watch the big screen while you get an oil change BS. This is a good ol fashion grease monkey operation. Good people who do a good job.

This is premature — because my appointment is Monday with Jack’s Muffler. I called an auto body center to get a referral that I have used 3 or 4 times over 20 years! They were thorough, honest, and respectful. I haven’t had problems with my car much mechanically so I don’t have a mechanic that I’ve really trusted. However, due to the rain I got caught in a large dip in the road and have ‘water damage’. The car was running fine prior to this event. Jack’s Muffler was referred to me by this auto-​body place; I will post my experience once it’s done.

I would have given them 4 stars because the oil change with my groupon was very very fast and efficient, but there were a couple things that changed my opinion.
1) Customer Service– I arrived early for my oil change and the office man (Tony?) made a few phone phone calls while I sat inches away from him waiting for his attention. He then asked me a few questions while still on the phone and went on with his business without telling me our exchange was done. I sat there waiting for 20 mins for the rest of his questions when I could have gone home.
When I got in my car after my oil change my steering wheel and door handle were covered in oil. Then the mechanic basically threw a dirty towel at me to wipe it down myself.
2) The run around– They tried to convince me I need a new air filter when I know 100% that I do not need a new air filter. They tried to tell me you need to replace your air filter every other oil change — - which is literally ridiculous.
3) Maintenance Light– The mechanic failed to reset my maintenance light. I got halfway home and it turned back on. I had to go back. It took the office manager (tony I think) and the mechanic longer to figure out how to reset my maintenance light than it took them to change the oil. When the mechanic got frustrated he literally said, «I’ll let him (office manager) figure it out I have more important things to get to.» False on that buddy had you done your job well this wouldn’t be a problem.
I would recommend going somewhere more efficient with better customer service skills. The groupon was a good deal, but there are probably better places with great groupon deals in SD to get your oil changed. It seems like other people are much more happy with bigger service issues– maybe Jack’s is better for this purpose.

My muffler detached a few days after what I thought was a harmless lovetap from another car at a stoplight. I took my car to Jack’s this morning, and the same afternoon I’m back in possession of my (quiet) car, all for a very reasonable price. Service was also extremely friendly and professional. Apparently they do more than just mufflers; I will go back for any auto repairs I need.

Great Place.
I looked them up because they were close.
They were local and independent (see below for why that’s important)
They gave me a great quote and could get me in right away.
Couple hours later I have a new muffler and they came in UNDER quote.
That’s the point here. I came for a muffler at a great price. I got a muffler … at a great price. They didn’t push me for brakes and a tune-​up and flowers and life insurance.
They did their job and did it well
I can’t praise a car place enough when they do a professional and timely repair at a good price.
Need a Muffler? Here’s your place
—- Short Digression and Contrast—
or «Why local and independent is a good thing»
A word about «Lifetime Warranty» places. 5 years ago I went to a «Name Brand» muffler shop. They were expensive — nearly twice what indie shops were — but they had a lifetime warranty. 3 years later I was back. Turns out the warranty only covered parts. I paid the (pricey) labor and wrote it off as a fluke. That muffler failed 2 years later. Great racket they got there.
—end—

I have a 59 Ford F-​100 truck. Like a noob while changing my oil I emptied the trany fluid instead. Jacks not only took my truck last min, but worked on it after hours on a Monday and called me to ask if I wanted to come in late and grab it or wait till the morning. I will it only trust this place with my pride and joy (restored classic truck) but also my new infinity coupe. Highly recommend.

This place was a NIGHTMARE & the worst experience of my life. My car was stolen from their business parking lot and the owner’s behavior/​actions (Tony) only made everything worse.
My car was towed to their shop as it was the closest one. Tony called me stating my car was ready for pick-​up but I couldn’t make it to his shop before they closed so he told me he will leave my car in his safe parking lot where clients have other cars parked. He told me he will also leave my car key under my mat on the driver’s side so it’s not visible.
I went to his shop a few hours later to pick up my car but it was not anywhere on his parking lot. I called him the next morning & asked him where my car was. He said he had no idea & that he left my key in the car’s ignition parked in his lot. Then he changed his story & said he left the car key under the mat & that the car was parked in his lot.
I told him he is responsible for my car & that if he stole it he needs to return it asap. He told me it was basically my problem as he’s not liable for any cars on his lot. He was very rude & unapologetic. I told him I was going to call the cops which I did, reported it as stolen on his parking lot. Then he called it in as well & changed his story again & said he parked my car on the street, not on his lot. I asked if the very least he could do was refund my repair fee due to the fact that my car was stolen on his lot. He flat out said no & that maybe I was the one who took my car. Yes, he actually had the audacity to blame me. Disgusting & shameless.
A few hours after I filed the stolen car report, I called him to get his full name for legal purposes. Then he proceeds to tell me that magically my car has been returned to his business lot & that a homless man was playing a prank & stole my car. YES, you read that right, Tony actually told me that story. I find it near impossible for a homeless man to just happen to know that my key is inside the car on that particular day & steal it from his lot, then magically return it hours later. And this «homeless man» is nowhere to be found.
He was still rude & unapologetic, even when I went to pick up my stolen car that magically reappeared. I cancelled the stolen car report but it doesn’t take away what happened. I felt very violated & taken advantage of. I cannot stress enough to think twice before getting any work done on your car here. The word ‘shady’ doesn’t even come close.
I have filed complaints with the Bureau of Automotive Repair & the BBB.

I went to a Jack Muffler Auto for an oil change this weekend and he was wonderful! He was able to get me in last minute because I was in dire need of an oil change! Super nice guy, reasonable prices, and he was very quick with the job! Great place. Thank you!

There’s wasn’t anything special about this visit. Actually cost me more than my usual oil change spot. At least now I know & what I know is that I’m sticking to what I know. Here’s the pricing from the Groupon: $ 25 for 5w30 REGULAR oil, not synthetic or synthetic blend. The blend cost me an extra $ 10 & the full synthetic I think he said was an extra $ 25 but would last longer. Tony wasn’t pushy on his sales pitch or anything. He even told me he wasn’t a salesman so whatever I decided was okay with him. He even did a courtesy check cause my check engine light was on. When it came time to tell me about it though, he didn’t really know what to say except that it was about the transmission. Wait, aren’t you a mechanic? That’s suppose to know these things? Hmm. Well he recommended a place so I guess thanks for that? Also, the «maintenance req» light was STILL on after he changed the oil. He said he «forgot» & didn’t know how to do it. He looked it up… quick fix, but I’d expect better from a mechanic. After all’s said and done, the service was okay, definitely experienced better, but I won’t be returning. Sorry to say.

My dad is a mechanic. He’s in N.Y. and I’m in Cali. See the problem?
Tony and Israel are as close to my dad fixing my car as I could ever wish for while on the Golden Coast. Honest and reliable.

I took my car here with a Bureau of automotive repair/​CAR letter to get my car fixed.
I did this after doing much research and checking around as my last mechanic has grown complacent and their job and was doing terrible work!
I dropped my car off on a Wednesday for emissions repairs. I did not hear from them again until I initiated contact the following Tuesday!
I was told that he had been working on my car all week. Mind you, in the meantime I have not been presented with a estimate.
CAR would cover most if not all the cost.
Upon being told that my car was ready, mind you this is a full 7 days after I dropped off. I went in and was promptly handed a 700 dollar bill!
He told me that the Bureau of automotive repair assistance program was a pain in his ass and he would not accepted it! This, after we met and I left him the letter and he said that he WOULD accept it!
I told him from the jump that I live on a very limited income and I’m very sick and only have a couple years left to live.
I was adamant in telling him that I just needed the car to work for another 2 years.
I had jumped through all the hoops that the Bureau of automotive repair presented.
He refused to take the letter and went from 700 to 400 which I paid.
Upon getting into my vehicle I immediately knew something was wrong.
I made an appointment with the Bureau of automotive repair for a inspection.
Turns out that Tony, at jacks mufflers, did not do half of the work that they said they did!
So the California Bureau of automotive repair mediated.
He was to return half of the money that I paid! and accept the letter.
Problem is the work that was supposed to be done on my car was never done and the letter cannot be reissued.
Had Tony done what he was supposed to do, I would have had over 900 dollars worth of legit work.
The letter cannot be reissued and I was demanded by the Bureau of automotive repair to return the letter to Tony at jacks mufflers.
I totally got the raw end of the deal.
Do not go here! They are slow and they are dishonest!
If you need any additional information simply go to the California Bureau of automotive repair website and look up their rating! they have been revoked of their «STAR» rating.
Avoid this place like the plague do not give them your money and go to Mission Hills auto! this Tony guy is a total complete scumbag!
He did return some of my money but my car is still messed up!
DO NOT WASTE YOU TIME OR MONEY HERE!

WHAT A RELIEF! I took my car in for an oil change and got just that! They had detected that there had been a transmission leak, but after thoroughly checking it out for me at no additional charge, I was told that everything was fine — the leak had been recently repaired — It’s such a relief to not only get good service but to know your not getting hustled! My oil change was even $ 30 cheaper than the chain automotive shops that specialize in oil changes. Ahem. I definitely recommend, and suggest, supporting this local gem! Thanks Tony!

Great service! Nice guys! Willing to work with you and help you get back on the road safely. Great neighborhood car shop

Fast, thorough, & most importantly, HONEST!!! I’m always so weary about taking my car into a shop. I wonder if they’re going to rip me off/​take advantage. But these guys are legit! They gave me a really good deal and did a fantastic job! I was also pleased with the friendly customer service! I would def take my car back there! :)

Fastest smog ever !!! I’ve been going to the same place to get our cars smogged for years. Last time I had my 2003 GMC Envoy smogged, I was there the usual hour or so and although the car passed I was warned that I probably wouldn’t pass the next time and would probably need a repair done in order to pass. So this time I decided to try Jack’s Muffler because of they’re No pass– No pay policy. I drove in with no appt, Tony said he could do the smog if I could wait 5 minutes. After 5 mins, he asked me to pull my car into the bay. I was in and out in less than 30 minutes and passed the smog test no problem. They have totally earned my business.

I had an oil change and inspection done here. This is a small shop that can be a little hard to get into, but the staff were very friendly, trustworthy, and helpful, unlike many of the auto shops I’ve been to.
I have had bad luck with cars so I’ve been to a lot of different auto shops, providing varying levels of satisfaction. Most places I will never, ever take my car to again (Big-​O, I’m talking about you especially). There are some I might visit again, but I would get a second opinion on anything they said, or I would only go if it was extremely convenient. That being said, I am planning to go to Jack’s again of my next service, regardless of the convenience, because I had a good experience opposite to what I have been through at most auto shops.

Hear about this place from a friend and I was amazed and surprised!!!
The diagnostic was right on spot (my car was over hitting)
The place I go before told me that I have problems with some hoses…
Day after I found this great place Tony and Israel did a great job and save me some money!!!
I will highly recommend to everyone cgi come and check this professional place!
I will come again for my smog check in May:)
Jessi Shidranski

I went in to the shop based on its good reviews and proximity to my place. While its location isn’t the easiest to access, Tony (the manager), Vee (If I heard her name right) and their employee Carlos were great to me.
I took in my car to get a customized hanger for my exhaust that was swaying/​moving too much and causing rattling/​pinging. Carlos worked with me and let me see his ideas to make something work. I was a bit worried that the solution caused the exhaust hang a bit too low but trusted their expertise.
I was disappointed to learn a few days later that I was scraping in places I shouldn’t, like my driveway, even though my car isn’t lowered in any significant way. What made me still happy with my experience though was that Vee fit me in quickly, and she, Carlos and Tony never made me feel like a nuisance. I wasn’t charged for my second visit and my first visit was very reasonably price (actually a couple bucks cheaper than he quoted).
I’m only giving them 4 stars because it would have been nice to have the exhaust better situated the first time, but I’d be happy to go back because exhaust work can be tricky.

I have taken my car here for my last three oil changes/“40-point safety inspections”. Each time I have been charged a completely different amount for the same service. Not just a few dollars difference, but $ 15 more for the exact same oil change a few months later.
I got sick of dealing with the changing price, and decided to take my car somewhere else this time. Come to find out that there is only .5 mm left on my rear brake pads and basically nothing left on the front. I was told that I should have been prompted to change them several inspections ago — so much for that «40-​point safety inspection» at Jack’s.

Honest man! I will definitely come back again.
I came to Jack’s muffler 2 years ago because of the positive Unilocal reviews and since I lived close in North Park. I thought I had a serious problem with my loud muffler and he was so honest to tell me the rattling was from the pipe being loose (something like that… some mechanic terminology). Anyway, he had his employee secure it with a torch and saved me hundreds of dollars, charging me $ 20!
Jack, if you’re reading this, thank you!!!
I just remembered to write a review because I saw he is offering a groupon deal!