A-1 Auto Care

Luis Arias

★★★★★

6 years ago

Melissa is great! She and her crew were very honest and I felt like I had great work done on my car by honest people. In fact, I know they were honest because they could have gouged me for LOTS of money, but instead, they gave me an objective assessment of what was going on along with fair prices. You can't go wrong at A-1!

Kelly Linn Newcomer

★★★★★

9 years ago

I have been a customer with A-1 auto care for the last 10 years… I would have to say by far my experience has been amazing! Jim, Sal, Kevin and Lynn ( and the other employees)far exceed my expectations and customer service and care! I am always greeted with a friendly smile and made to feel like family! I have no doubt in my mind that whenever my car is being serviced there will be no problems. I even have a reminder set up to come in and check my oil ( because I have a tendency to forget these things) I would highly recommend A1 auto care for everyone who's looking for quality service and customer satisfaction! The family at A-1 genuinely cares for each person that walks through the door!!

Chris McKinney

★★★★★

9 years ago

We've been taking our family cars to A-1 Auto Care for over six years now, and have never had one reason to regret it. They communicate well, do good work, and charge reasonable prices. I feel they are always willing to take the time not only to explain our options and what needs to be done, they also tell us how things are likely to develop in the future, and they listen to our concerns and priorities. I never get the impression that the time this takes is unimportant. I hate when I pay to have something fixed, only to find that the real problem was something else; that hasn't happened with us at A-1. Their diagnoses have proven accurate, and when they're done our mechanical issues are resolved. Cost is important to us, and I'm gratified that the people at A-1 Auto Care understand this. They help us plan out our maintenance and anticipated repair spending. Once they recommended I buy a part myself used online, and saved me quite a bit when I followed their recommendation. Another time they identified an issue with a vehicle that would not be worth fixing once it deteriorated past a certain point; that gave us a solid year to look around for a replacement vehicle. A-1 Auto Care is a mom-and-pop business. We've developed relationships with the owners, mechanics, and front office people. We trust Kevin and Jim and the rest, and feel like they take that trust seriously. You're in good hands at A-1.

Kathleen Russell

★★★★★

8 years ago

I have been taken my car to A 1 Auto for years. They have been under New ownership last few years with Kevin at the Realm and are very reliable, Trustworthy, and willing to go the extra mile to make sure that your car is safe. They take the time to explain what you need and listen to what you telling them. I always have a great feeling when I leave. Just peace of mind that what I needed was done and I wasn't charged for things I didn't need. Lynn makes you feel like family when you Call the office to make an appointment, drop off the car, waiting for my car and picking up my car. Kevin and Jimmy are very professional when talking to you about what you need and will tell you straight, "that is not necessary right now and you can wait ", or "this is something I wouldn't wait on". I am more than satisfied with the quality, dedication and service I receive every time I take my car in... Thank you A 1 Kathleen Russell

Mike Sergent

★★★★★

4 years ago

I have known Kevin for many years, including before his ownership of A-1, and he has always been known as an honest and extremely knowledgeable mechanic. He and Melissa run a spotless and efficient shop. A-1 is the only auto care business I feel I can completely trust. This week they repaired my wife's Volvo's A/C and they changed the oil and did all 4 four brakes on my RAM ecodiesel and they are both in great shape again. I strongly recommend them.

Rebecca Ripley

★★★★★

a year ago

We were visiting Carlsbad for a few days when our van started sounding really bad and dropped a bunch of oil under the engine, and we knew it needed to be serviced before we headed home. A-1 was near where we were staying so we took it in. They diagnosed the problem and let us know what it needed, and they were able to get it fixed the same day! After all was said and done, they were exactly right and the total price was very reasonable. I was nervous about being taken advantage of since we didn't have time to get other estimates and were basically at their mercy, but I really appreciated that they treated us so well and were very honest. We got home without any trouble, which I'm very glad of 😊. If we're In the area and need service again, I would definitely use A-1 again.

Georgie Schmitt

★★★★★

3 months ago

They have solved problems with my Toyota that would have been so expensive going through the dealership. Yet when they felt that the dealership could’ve solve a problem better they honestly told me so..

Eli Lockheimer

★★★★★

7 months ago

I took my Tacoma in when I was getting a weird whistling sound at certain engine speeds. They diagnosed it quickly and turns out with was a couple pulleys. That was several months ago and the sound hasn't come back. So the issue was definitely fixed right the first time. Thanks!

Mariah & Eli Lockheimer

★★★★★

7 months ago

Took our car to A1 for alignment after another shop didn't do such a great job. It's 100% fixed. Quick and easy. Trust them with all my cars

Gina Snyder

★★★★★

10 months ago

I recently had an oil change done at A-1 Auto Care, and I’m very happy with the experience. Melissa booked my appointment and was friendly, professional, and kept in touch throughout the entire process, which I really appreciated. The shop came highly recommended by a body shop I trust, and they definitely lived up to the recommendation. Overall, great service. I’ll be back!

Travis Schilling

★★★★★

8 years ago

They are an amazing service facility. Super friendly, very knowledgeable and they give you the recommendations to try and help save money. Last year my Camry didn't pass smog because of a timing issue, they got that fixed and gave me tips on how to improve the actual emissions because fixing the timing can make the emissions a little worse. I ended up passing smog with flying colors all around. I have a few Co workers who use them too and I know all of us would definitely recommend going to them.

Info - Encinitas Plumbing

★★★★★

4 years ago

Kevin and his guys have worked on my personal and work vehicles many times, and every time is just like the last...A-1 exceptional service! A-1 Auto has a great little shop right in the heart of Carlsbad Village, and is easily accessible from Coast Hwy or the I-5 freeway. Super clean shop! I've been around a little while, and gone through lots of shops and mechanics in the past. I can tell you without hesitation, I have never seen a cleaner or better maintained shop...EVER!! That's important, trust me on that one. Their attention to detail is impeccable, pricing is fair, and they stand behind their work. If your vehicle is as important to you as our service vehicles are to us, then you should check out Kevin and his family-friendly team at A-1 Auto. We're glad we did, and I'm sure you will be too.

Stewart C

★★★★☆

Edited 4 months ago

Booked car in for alignment / tire rotation. Had minor scheduling conflict where work was delayed, but owner reached out and took care of that. Heard many good things about this place, was not disappointed by how well they handled the work and the minor issue. They stood by their word. Very happy with this place. Will return.

James Valsamedis

★★★★★

2 months ago

I have been using A-1 Auto Care in Carlsbad for years. Kevin and Melissa are experts at providing diagnostic, maintenance and repair service for your vehicle at fair and reasonable rates. Highly recommended!!

Chris Hart

★★★★★

6 months ago

I took my older Toyota Tacoma here for an oil change and to figure out why the AC wasn't blowing cold. They are in a great location in the Carlsbad Village and the shop is spotless, and they provide drinks/snacks for customers. I dropped the truck off around 930am, and it was ready for pickup only a few hours later. They were able to quickly diagnose that the AC needed to be recharged and put it back to blowing cold. Overall a good price for service and I will definitely be back.

Denise Pearsall

★★★★★

4 months ago

Hands down the BEST auto repair shop in Southern California! I limped into A-1 Auto Care on a recommendation of the guy who washes my car, a-2012 Fiat 500. They replaced my rear brakes, fixed my A/C, changed the oil/filter, paired my phone to my car and much, much more. The cost was about one-half of the estimates I received at other auto shops. Their prices are very, very reasonable. Melissa in the office was very knowledgeable and called me throughout the day with status updates. I could not imagine finding an Auto Repair Shop like A-1! My car now runs like a dream. Give them a call.

Sean Levitan

★★★★★

4 months ago

A1 Auto Care was great to work with. Mellissa at the front desk was super friendly and accommodating, and the team was honest and responsive throughout. They used quality parts and did a solid job on my Toyota Forerunner. It’s nice to find a shop that feels straightforward and reliable.