Advantec Auto Repair
Category: Body Shops [Edit]
Neighborhood: University Heights2828 Adams Ave
(at Utah St)
San Diego, CA 92116 (619) 248-9519
44 reviews
Neighborhood: La Jolla
"Hi Larry! Hi Richard! Sorry folks. Larry and Richard are yelp readers so I had to get my shout out to them first. So Service - they gave…" read more »
29 Reviews for Advantec Auto Repair
I went to Advantec based on reviews here on yelp. I do a lot of research before I make any major purchases or trust anyone with my health, automobiles, etc. and today it paid off. The staff at Advantec was very helpful and friendly. They assisted me the moment I entered the shop and were very straightforward. When it came to deciding about a major repair, they let me know exactly what needed to be done vs. what could wait to be fixed. The shop was clean and the service was exceptional. I would definitely recommend Advantac and will be going back in the future.
Advantec is dependable and trustworthy. I know that Sean and his staff will treat me well take care of my car. I have been taking my cars to Advantec for over 15 years and have always been able to trust Sean and his advice. I know that if something needs to be fixed, it will be done quickly and efficently. I never worry about wasting money on unnecessary repairs. Advantec is everything i want in a mechanic. I reccommend Advantec to everyone.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/18/2007
I have been taking my cars to Advantec Auto Repair for more than 10 years. Sean and his staff are… Read more »
Sean and Advantec are everything Yelpers said he would be and more. I brought him my dumpy 11 year old Toyota with a host of problems, he gave me a very reasonable quote, and then turned around a car looking better and driving better than the day I bought it for almost half of what he had quoted me. And he gave me a ride home when I dropped off my car so I wouldn't have to take the bus. This place deserves more than five stars.
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I took my car here for the 60,000 mile tune up. They did all the work in about 3 hours. My brake pads needed to be replaced, and they showed me how my brake pad looked (while it was still on the car...so they didn't b.s. me and just pick any old crappy break bad) and what a normal brake pad looked like so I knew they needed to be changed.
The service here is excellent. As everyone else mention Sean seems to be a very trustworthy person. Unlike most repair places, they have a 1 year warranty on all the work they do.
The only reason I gave 4 stars is that it is a little more expensive than the jiffy lube places, but that's probably because they do a better job. Also, they claim to offer higher quality parts.
I found out about Advantec Auto from yelp. The owner, Sean, is a really cool, easy to talk to guy. He always hooks me up with a great deal on repairs / tires, etc. on my BMW and is just so honest. I go here all the time now, which is perfect as it's right in my neighborhood. Sean is always very accomodating and he fixes stuff fast. Do you know how good it actually feels to leave your car with someone that you really trust? That's how it feels when you go here...
Thanks yet agin to my fellow yelpers for an awesome recommendation. I thought I had found the answer to my car repair dreams in another shop, but alas, I was mistaken. I was having some serious squeaking issues, which I thought was from my breaks but I had just had them done at another place. I decided I should have a second opinon so I went in to see Sean.
Right off the bat I was put at ease with his friendly demeanor. He is very knowledgable yet he wants to give everyone a good deal. He gave my roommates and I a great recommendation for breakfast (thanks!), and sent us on our way so he could look at my car.
He had some bad news. The breaks were glazed improperly or something like that (obviously listening is one of my strong points) and he said in order to get rid of the sound I would have to replace them, which he didn't recommend. I really liked him and I will not be taking my car anywhere else.
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I found Advantec through several positive Yelp recommendations and I'm here to echo the sentiment: If you go anywhere but here you are a FOOL.
I got quotes for the same work from other places on Yelp, and their prices were more than $1500 more than Sean charged me. I have no idea how he makes his money, but I know that he loves what he does and genuinely cares about the work he does. I would have wondered if he did the work himself, but he was happy to show me a big box of used, worn out parts that I'm sure were mine. There are only two other gentlemen working in the shop, so I'm sure Sean himself did some of the work.
I dropped my vehicle off at the end of the business day on a Wednesday and I picked it up on Friday, midday. I hadn't expected to have my car back until at LEAST Monday. The parts that were replaced on my car were quality OEM parts, not shoddily manufactured cheaper parts. I was really impressed. Awesome, awesome, awesome.
I will definitely be taking my vehicles there to be serviced from now on.
Sean (owner) is great! He only did what I asked, and did not try to push other things on me. He EVEN gave me a ride home, since my car was going to be in the shop all day!
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ADVANTEC is the only place to take your car!!!! Took my car in for a tune up and it is the first time I did not feel I was ripped off for extra stuff that I did not need (ie,,,E-Z lube) Only charged $30.
The shop is only 1/2 block from where I live, but since they are kinda new, I hesitated taking it there until I read the reviews in YELP.
Sean is the greatest...telling me things I did not need too! Will highly
recommend to everyone.
I found Advantec from Yelp and since it got good reviews and it was close to my home, I wanted to give it a try. My gf's car was making clickity noises from the engine for a few weeks and she was concerned. So I called them up at 7 am on Saturday and was surprised to find someone pick up on 1 ring. I asked them if they are open, and the guy on the phone (Sean) told me yes, until noon or so.
I drove there with her in my car while she drove hers and got there about 9 am. Sean let us drive the car right into the shop and started working on the car for us right away. He was able to diagnose the problem right away. The engine oil was really low and the engine wasn't getting ANY oil for the last few hundred miles... NOT GOOD. He said it'll be $30 for an oil change and we'll know in a day or so if it's too late or not. My gf had thought that the little sticker they give you at oil changes meant that's when you got the oil change, not when you SHOULD get an oil change. So she thought she had 1000 more miles before her 3000 miles are up. She had gone 5000 miles on her older model (2003?) Hyundai and it had eaten up considerable amount of oil.
She was upset at herself but luckily after about 10 minuites of driving around, the noises got better and almost died out so it looks like the car was saved in time before the engine block got overheated and got cracked or too damaged. This is a warning to all of you, check your engine oil often, especially older model car owners.
I saw that actually, my car was at 3000 miles too so I got an oil change too. The total including everything (tax, trash fee, etc.) was $60 for 2 oil changes which was very reasonable price but what I thought was a good bargain was that you felt like you got trustworthy assessment from a knowledgeable mechanic. As others have described, Sean explains what is going on with your car and I think he enjoys sharing his knowledge with customers so he answered a bunch of my questions about cars while I was there. I plan on getting my regular car work done there.
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I found Advantec on yelp and got my oil change there. I was going to take my car into this other place I usually go to but they were busy the whole week, so when I called Advantec, they could look at my car the next day. I met Sean, the owner, who's really cool and takes the time to get to know you. My oil change only cost $25 and I got new windshield wipers for only $5 each. I'm definitely going to continue taking my car into Adventec in the future.
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I also found Advantec through Yelp. Sean checked out two cars for me and advised me before making the expensive decision not to buy a used Volkswagan Passat. Instead I ended up buying a used Honda Accord, and after getting it tuned up at Advantec it has been running and braking smoothly. Sean takes the time to explain the issues with your car and makes recommendations while trying to save you money.
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I found Advantec through the good reviews on Yelp and couldn't be happier. I have finally found a great trustworthy and honest place to go. The owner is very nice, up front, not expensive, and most importantly I feel like I can trust them! Other people I have referred feel the same way. I know now I don't need to keep moving around from mechanic to mechanic.
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Went to Advantec after reding the reviews on Yelp! Sean was everything the reviews said he would be and then some. Got my truck's brakes & rotors replaced in less than two hours. I hung out at Midas for twice that ammount of time a couple years ago for the same service.
Excellent pricing and service - plus he is a Ford trained mechanic... Works for me and my F-150!!!
Thanks Yelp for helping me find Sean and his shop!
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As all of you, I too found Advantec here from fellow yelpers and from a recommendation from a friend who had went to him. I have had my share of shady mechanics but this guy is legit. Hes honest and not gonna try to swindle you or overcharge you and being a woman this is a difficult thing to come by. Definitely not switching mechanics!
Allow me to suggest that you not drive your car into the ground. If you are, let's say, taking a trip to L.A. and every time you brake there is a CRUNCH CRUNCH SWEEEEEAK sound, you should visit a mechanic. You should not continue to drive your car for a month. In particular, waiting until every drive is accompanied by painful metal on metal screeching is unnecessary and foolish. Also, do not compensate for that screeching by turning up the volume on your stereo.
I hope you take my advice. I understand if you don't. In either case, take your car to Advantec Auto Repair. Sean and his guys are great. They know what's wrong with your car and they fix it for very reasonable prices. It's an auto shop you can feel comfortable in, which is saying something. The next time my car needs some work, I'm going straight to Advantec...assuming I can drive it there.
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Sean is among the dying breed of honest mechanics. That's usually a punch line to a joke about oxymorons...He steared me away from buying a couple of beater cars, then sold me a nice minivan. I'm stoked on my car and Sean continues to take care of me - with good humor and grace.
I like this guy - bring him your business, you won't be sorry.
Although it was only one day ago (I'm reserving full and complete judgment until I can drive the car around fully), I would say this place has to be the best place to take your car. Sean, the owner, is very up-front and tells you exactly what is wrong with your car, then fixes it.
He called me mid-day to ask if I wanted to replace something else on my car, which he voluntarily told me was not necessary but would help. I know some mechanics would say it was necessary and then overcharge for the new parts. I double-checked his part costs, and his were cheaper than what I found at a couple of online parts dealers.
But the most impressive thing was that I dropped the car off at 8am and he had the new strut brought to the shop and installed in my car by 4pm that day.
This place does great work quickly and for relatively cheap. A definate recommendation
As someone who doesn't know squat about cars, thank goodness for Yelp and ADVANTEC auto repair. My husband's car was recently idling all funky on surface streets and we were both hesitant in shelling out loads of money we didn't have on an dishonest auto repair shop. So I did a quick search on Yelp and saw the wonderful 5 star average for ADVANTEC.
After reading the glowing reviews on honesty, promptness and overall great customer service, he took his car into the shop the next day without an appointment and Sean was able to fix the issue in 4 hours - including ordering the needed parts, replacing them, even showing my husband, who isn't very car-savvy either, a thing or two about his vehicle that he didn't know about. When Sean asked where we had heard about him, my husband told him about the positive reviews we read on Yelp and the shop owner grinned with pride stating he wasn't in the business of "ripping people off". Sean did not pressure him into any unnecessary maintenance, but was helpful in stating what issues may arise in the next few months and was able to provide an estimate on what they would cost at his shop. The car is now running beautifully. We definitely found our new neighborhood mechanic thanks to Yelp.
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Sean (who I think is the owner) is a really cool guy. I've been burned by dealerships and shady people before and it's really nice to actually trust the mechanic. Because of that I've started to do some of my own minor repairs (and I know nothing about cars).
At Advantec, I talked to Sean for about 10 minutes and there's something just 'trustable' about him. The repairs all seeme justified and saved me the hassle of following (and possibly failing) some DIY.
Another awesome thing was I ran into a few people who raved about Sean's business. One was a customer was a regular who's done business since the store opened and currently lives in La Mesa. Can't beat that.
Sean is quick, thorough and straightforward.
He explained what my potential problems were and offered to fix the most important & cheap problems first. He actually doesn't want his customers to get ripped off by paying for expensive & unnecessary services!
Even more, without me asking & free of charge, he checked my tires & filled them up. He also gave me an assessment of necessary future repairs & estimates with NO pressure to do those repairs immediately or even with him.
I will be taking my car only here.
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This is my first Yelp review. Today I took my car to Advantec based soley on the reviews. I too am someone who doesn't know much about cars, I just knew mine needed some service. Sean was great. My car is running great and I still have money left in my wallet! If you don't know much about cars and don't want to get ripped off, I highly recommend Sean and Advantec Auto Repair.
I first took my car to Midas and found out they didn't do my brakes correct. My wife told me about Advactec Auto Repair. I called to see if they can take a look at my brakes and the owner Sean Dang told me to come on by. When I got off work and got here, they wanted to take a test drive to know what noise i was talking about. They heard my brakes grinding really bad and loud. They said I need new brake pad and told them I just got new brake pads. I told them that Midas did by brakes a week ago. They looked over my brakes and said that my are poor quality brakes and that they glazed them. To take it back and have them fix it. Advantec was very helpful on everything and now my wife and I will bring our car's here from now on.
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I was in town from San Francisco and my maintenance light went from orange to red. I was afraid of taking my Honda CR-V into someone who would rip me off, so I figured I'd yelp it and see what I could find. I was impressed with the reviews of this place's honesty and integrity.
I was not disappointed. He told me my maintenance light was no big deal instead of trying to find something that needed to be fixed to get money out of me. However, he gave me some free advice: immediately noticed that my car was due for a timing belt replacement, he gave me a fair estimate of the cost, a great and friendly explanation of why one would need this repair, and said that I could safely drive back to San Francisco but should get it done relatively soon. Nothing in it for him.
I liked him so much relative to other repair places that I am getting it repaired there, even if I have to stick around for another day or so.
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I needed new brake pads, and I called this place based on the excellent yelp.com reviews. I wasn't disappointed! The owner, Sean, is friendly and knowledgeable, and never once made me feel like an idiot about my lack of car knowledge (as a lot of mechanics tend to do to me.)
I brought my car in at 8am, Sean himself looked it over and advised that while I definitely needed new front brake pads, he also recommended replacing one of the rotors, but told me that if I'm on a budget that it could probably go for awhile as is. And I definitely appreciate that kind of honesty. Also I got to watch all the work done to my car, and there was never any doubt in my mind that something was done improperly or worse, not done at all. And then I was back on the road in about an hour.
Pricing is reasonable, service is excellent and quick, an honest mechanic... why wouldn't you bring your car here? I know I'll keep bringing my car here.
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I was driving all the way to PB to go to Big O Tires on Garnet and then they started over charging me after their great manager moved back to Louisiana. So that left me trying to find another auto mechanic, and we all know how hard that is!
I took a drive down Adams avenue knowing there were several places there to check out. Most of them looked either seedy, unkempt or both and so I didn't go with them. However, Advantec Auto stood out because it was freshly painted and had an inviting feel.
Let me just say, I don't give this review lightly: This auto mechanic is the best I have ever had! For example, he warns me of future problems but is honest enough to tell me when they should be fixed rather than trying to force me into it, knowing more about cars than I do. He does things for me like donating a car seat to my wife and me for our new born daughter; I'm just blown away!
Most importantly, Shaun does great work and I would highly recommend him to anyone. And like the previous poster, I know my way around op systems and source code so I'm in the same boat and Shaun does not ever take advantage of that. This guy deserves all the success in the world and I'm telling all my friends about him. I even signed up on Yelp because of him!
Nuff said. I'm actually taking my other car in today for an oil change so I better go.
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If you're the type that knows their way around an operating system or source code (that would be me) but knows nothing about what makes cars continue to work properly (hey, that's me again!), then you'll be good to know that Advantec is THE place to take your car when you need any kind of checkup or repair.
Why? Honesty. And that seems to be something really hard to come by in the world of automotive repairs, especially if you aren't 100% up on the subject. I've taken my car there twice for menial things. First time was for new brake pads, which was as inexpensive and painless as it gets. Plus he was done in a half hour, on a Friday afternoon, with no appointment set. Second time, my car was idling pretty funky so I swung on by and he noticed a hose had a hole in it. Did I have to drop the car off and wait around? Nope! He replaced the hose right there on the curb side. Did I have to shell out for this kind of service? Nope. He did this for me gratis.
He's in the neighborhood, he's honest, hard working and this is why my car will go no place else for any kind of service.
Support the honest, neighborhood guy and give those big, dishonest, snake oil peddlers a kick to the jimmy, why don't ya?
Quality. I'm glad I found this place. I mean, it's not hard, it's the closest place to my house, but I'm, glad I found it AND it worked out great.
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I relly like this place. Been going there for a long time and wont go anywhere else.
Sean (and Advanctec) is exactly the place I've been looking for. He is honest and does not pressure you and only does what needs to be done. How many times have you taken your car to the other mechanics out there because it's idling rough and they come back with a litany of stuff that needs to be done? Sean is the opposite of that. I took my car to him for a second opining and he saved me over $600. Sean is my new mechanic for life. I will bring all three of my cars to him and I will tell everyone I know about him.
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