I was introduced to Del Mar Automotive about four years ago. Since that time, I have regularly serviced our cars (we have 4 daughters ranging in age from 18 to 25, who all drive) at Del Mar. Their... More

I was introduced to Del Mar Automotive about four years ago. Since that time, I have regularly serviced our cars (we have 4 daughters ranging in age from 18 to 25, who all drive) at Del Mar. Their work has always been extremely competent, regardless of whether the vehicle was 2 years old, or 12. Fast, quality work delivered in a very friendly manner, and at reasonable prices. This goes for both basic servicing, as well as diagnostic and major repair work. In that 4 year period of time, I have been completely satisfied with all work done, and would happily recommend Del Mar to anyone.
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I will tell you this... I have had many mechanics in the past and many good ones. I have worked on my own cars in the past and am somewhat knowlegable as to who would give you the run-around,... More

I will tell you this... I have had many mechanics in the past and many good ones. I have worked on my own cars in the past and am somewhat knowlegable as to who would give you the run-around, attempt to overcharge you, etc. Del Mar Automotive has ben the best place Ihave ever taken a car to. Bottom line is, Hutch is a nice, generous and thoughtful guy who cares a lot about his customers. I live nearby and my kids take the bus to school from next to his shop. While waiting for the kids I often see who comes and goes from the shop. Many are old and needing of trust. They ALL get it from Hutch. Whoever writes the negative reviews I've read don't sound like they really had the problems they describe. After 5 years of seeing Hutch with my aging Chrysler I can tell you he is now one of the few mechanics in Pasadena I do trust!
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I first went to Del Mar Auto four years ago when my transmission went out on my 2000 Monte Carlo. Hutch was excellent in fixing the car and because of some financial trouble I was having worked with... More

I first went to Del Mar Auto four years ago when my transmission went out on my 2000 Monte Carlo. Hutch was excellent in fixing the car and because of some financial trouble I was having worked with me on the charges. I checked around and he charged me almost 20% less than most of his competitiors. My fiance has also used Hutch on three occasions and he's been fair and honest. I recently had another electrical problem with my 2006 Dodge Charger and the first thing he asked me was about my warranty because he was looking to save me money. With Hutch's assistance I did eventually take the car to the dealer but he did a lot of leg work for me and ended up saving me some cash. I recommened hutch without hesitation if you ever have car problems.
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I came here when my car's battery had died. They were friendly and helpful, and gave me a great price on the new battery. They could have marked up the price like many shops do, but they didn't. ... More

I came here when my car's battery had died. They were friendly and helpful, and gave me a great price on the new battery. They could have marked up the price like many shops do, but they didn't. I will return there for future repair needs.
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My wife and I were told about Hutch and Del Mar Auto by a friend who takes his business trucks there. We were in need of a new radiator and the Honda dealer's price was more than my car was worth.... More

My wife and I were told about Hutch and Del Mar Auto by a friend who takes his business trucks there. We were in need of a new radiator and the Honda dealer's price was more than my car was worth. Hutch fixed my car quick and the charge was very reasonable. Since then, my wife and I have purchased three additional vehicles and Hutch and company have taken great care of them all. Del Mar Auto does great repair work for a very fair price. my wife and I both have to drive long distances for work, and if our vehicles aren't running well, we are in big trouble. We can't afford to have a less then great auto repair shop when we need one. We absolutely trust Hutch to take the best of care of our cars and to charge us a fair price. we have recommended Del Mar Automotive to all our friends, and many of them go there and are as happy as we are. An additional plus is that Del Mar Auto is a family operation, and the customer service is stellar. I often sit and wait while my oil is being changed because the people that work there are so nice. Honestly, my wife and I look forward to oil changes or minor maintenance servicing, because Hutch, Lisa and the others at Del Mar treat us like friends. We are never going to take any of our vehicles anywhere else. Why would we? We have always had great experiences with Del Mar Auto, because they deliver timely and professional repairs at a very fair price and they are genuinely nice folks too. I wish every business I patronize were as exceptional as Del Mar Automotive.
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These days its hard to find a family owned shop committed to providing their customers with respect and piece of mind. From my '87 300E mercedes to my wifes '04 Audi A4 Hutch has always taken care... More

These days its hard to find a family owned shop committed to providing their customers with respect and piece of mind. From my '87 300E mercedes to my wifes '04 Audi A4 Hutch has always taken care of my cars when other mechanics wouldnt even give me the time or day to see what my problem was. In the case of my 300E, the A/C was cutting off after the first 30 minutes or so. I first thought maybe the belt was loose or compressor was seizing but was not 100% sure as everything seemed to be in working order. I took it to Del Mar Auto and the mechanics there found the evaporator behind the dash was clogged with dirt and grime. They professionally cleaned it out to fix the problem for a total of $50 bucks. Del Mar Auto always welcomes you with a smile which i truly appreciate.
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My car was towed their and they charged me a fee just to look at it making me sign a statement for $69. They then called me up and said it would be $250 for repairs. They said the repairs didn't... More

My car was towed their and they charged me a fee just to look at it making me sign a statement for $69. They then called me up and said it would be $250 for repairs. They said the repairs didn't take and they needed to keep investigating. I towed my car the hell out of there. Don't trust Hutch he'll screw you over. There are alot of good mechanics in Pasadena - save yourself the trouble and go elsewhere!
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I recently took my car into Delmar auto and was amazed at their service. These people actually gave me a ride to work and back. The owner of the shop was incredibly nice, never pressured me into to... More

I recently took my car into Delmar auto and was amazed at their service. These people actually gave me a ride to work and back. The owner of the shop was incredibly nice, never pressured me into to doing any work. My car had a coolant leak and after calling many different radiator shops Del mar gave me the best price and took me in right away even though they were swamped. They replaced the radiator the same day. I dealt with Hutch he was so nice and explained everything to me in detail before doing the work. I was so pleased with the service I recieved, I decided to leave a review describing my experience at Delmar. When I read these other negative reviews I was shocked at how wrong they were. These people can't be talking about the same place I went! I've never met such a trustworthy mechanic! I've recommended Delmar to all my friends and family and they have never had a problem there. It's nice to know that there are still honest mechanic shops out there!
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They are extremely dishonest. I should have read these reviews before I went here. They will try to take you for every last dime if you let them. They had my vehicle for over a week -charged me... More

They are extremely dishonest. I should have read these reviews before I went here. They will try to take you for every last dime if you let them. They had my vehicle for over a week -charged me several hundred dollars for doing absolutely nothing. They told me I need to spend approximately $2,000 on additional repairs and at least another week. I took the vehicle to another nearby garage who cleaned the spark plugs and presto - problem solved. The other garage charged me $25(yes $25) when Dela Mar Automotive quoted approx $2000. (yes $2 thousand) You took the time to read this review - save yourself the grief and under NO circumstances should you go here. Hopefully dishonest garages like this won't be around Pasadena for long with sites like this that allow users to review them.
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I'm sorry that a previous poster had a bad experience at Del Mar, but it's clear that he feels he knows more about cars than the mechanic. If you're so confident about the solution and how cheap it... More

I'm sorry that a previous poster had a bad experience at Del Mar, but it's clear that he feels he knows more about cars than the mechanic. If you're so confident about the solution and how cheap it should be to fix it, why not just go buy the parts at Pep Boys and install them yourself? When you go to the doctor, do you say I already know which drugs I need, I'll give you $20 for the medicine, and $10 for your time to write the prescription ? For auto repairs, you should always ask for an estimate in advance. If the total is more than you want to pay, then take your business elsewhere. I've taken my cars to Hutch for almost 20 years and he's always been able to diagnose and fix problems. Years ago I drove a clunker halfway across the country to Los Angeles, which broke down along the way. The two mechanics I dealt with on the road couldn't fix it, but Del Mar figured it out right away (alternator and starter),. I later bought a new SUV which developed a minor but irritating rattle. I made 3 trips to the dealer, each time they told me they couldn't reproduce the problem, so I gave up. I took it to Hutch, and he figured out in a few minutes that it was a metal band around a hose with too much excess. He snipped off the excess metal band in about 15 seconds and no more rattle. I now have an older car (10+ years, 200,000 miles), so it needs work fairly often. Each visit I get a reasonable diagnosis and accurate estimate. I've *never* gotten any pressure to have work done that I didn't want. Their shop is always crowded, they don't need to scam me into doing additional unnecessary work, they're busy enough as it is. I can't say that they're the cheapest shop available, I don't comparison shop each time a problem comes up, but Hutch is most certainly competent and trustworthy. Maintaining an old car is expensive, but making payments on a new one is even more so. Everyo
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