About Business
Conveniently located in Vista, CA, Cox Auto Service has established a strong presence in the Car Repair market. They have specialized expertise in Auto repair shop, Car repair and maintenance service, Smog inspection station, making them a top-choice Car Repair specialist in Carlsbad. Backed by 73 satisfied customers, they currently hold a prestigious 4.1/5 star status on our platform. They take pride in serving the diverse needs of Vista, CA residents, offering personalized Car Repair solutions that make a difference. Whether it's a routine check or a complex Car Repair task, Cox Auto Service is the go-to destination for quality and service in Vista, CA.
Google Reviews
Alex Pavlenko
★
☆☆☆☆
7 years ago
This is the worst place iv ever took my car. They charged me $1,100 to fix my brakes and the check engine light. When i pick up my car it still had the check engine light on and the brake pedal is still sinking in. When i take it back they accused me of removing some kind of hose like its my fault the check engine light is on. Then they tell me to fix the brakes they need a extra $350 when i already paid them $800 and that didn't fix the problem. They are so unknowledgeable that they fix what isn't broken and charge you. My brake pedal still sinks in and they will not reimburse me my money.
Tom Savich
★★★★★
Edited 9 years ago
I cant say enough about them, My Dad sent me there, I'm 19 so I'm just glad I listened ..you know how it is at 19 years old..Thanks dad.... Cox is AWESOME!!! Thanks Alex for not just helping me but my Dad as well!!My dads health isn't good thank you for Helping Him!!!! He just brought him in a car that was all he could afford , I never seen my dad cry but Alex helped him. Thank you for not just being the best mechanic but a great human being!!
—TPK
★
☆☆☆☆
9 years ago
A month after an oil and filter change at Cox, I checked my oil; it was OVERFULL. It was the weekend, so I planned to go back and have them check it on Monday. But by Monday oil had dripped on my drive. I called Cox, they said bring it over. Yes, they said, it was "overfull.” But no explanation how that could happen. I asked if they could determine if the source of the leak was either the drain plug or the oil filter. The counter man says no, it's not our fault, it's probably your front seal, and "it looks like it's been leaking a long time." This is a car I've owned and driven since 1997— a car I've put more than a 100,000 miles on and has NEVER leaked a drop of oil— until this overfilling by Cox. Overfilling a crankcase can cause serious engine damage— and my owner's manual says just that. Often it's a seal that gives out first. (Too much oil in the crankcase causes air to be churned into the oil in the form of foam, and air DOES NOT lubricate.) But "Alex" refused to take any responsibility for anything, despite the counterman already admitting they had overfilled the car with oil. He accused me of knowing the car had a leak, and "wanting something for nothing" — assuming he meant me wanting them to fix a leaking seal they now claimed had existed for months— oh and no explanation as to why they never bothered to mention a supposedly obvious oil leak when they changed my oil— as if I would let them touch my car again after making such a stupid and inexcusable mistake. I informed Alex my mechanic would find the source of the leak, and if it was a front seal, I would be taking them to small claims court to make them pay for the repair. My mechanic removed and changed the oil (once oil is foamed, the air does not leave willingly) and performed a dye test which confirmed the front seal is in fact leaking. It's a minimum $600+ job on my car, which must come out of my pocket; at least until I can prove that Cox's irresponsible "workmanship" is responsible for my leak. So a word of advice. People in the oil change business who can't count to five quarts of oil and stop there, are incompetent. DO NOT trust these people with your car.
Nova Man
★
☆☆☆☆
11 years ago
I took my car here for several years and I thought they were honest. Then I took it in for some work and they told me to come and look at something. They showed me where fluid was pouring out of the radiator. There had been no leak under my car before I came in there. The hole mysteriously appeared when they had the car in the shop. I never took my car back there again and I would never recommend them for anything.
Carlos Herrera
★★★★★
6 years ago
I keep coming back to Cox Service for the last 12 years because of great service and affordable prices. Alex, the owner, is a great guy. Always takes care of our car repairs on time. Highly recommended!
Z Tokhi
★★★★★
13 years ago
I have been taking my cars to alex for all major and minor issues for over 6 years now. Excellent service, honest quotes, efficient and timely workmanship. I am very pleased with the way they explain exactly what is wrong and what needs to be done. I go out of my way to recommend these guys to anyone that needs their car serviced.
B Gala
★★★★★
2 years ago
Alex and his team at Cox Auto Service have been taking care of my old Mercedes and Lincoln Continental for the past twenty years. I rely on their tender loving care of my cars to keep the cars running.
Shoaib Gailani
★★★★★
9 years ago
I got an estimate for my 2005 Passat from the Volkswagen dealership for my transmission and it was too expensive. So I called around town to save money. Cox Auto Service did the same job for less than Half the price. They are very Affordable and Fast. I recommend all my family and friends to bring their cars here. absolutely a life saver.. Thank you Alex......
Lucia Herlinda
★★★★★
12 years ago
I have been very impressed with Alex and his staff's excellent customer service, quality work repair and very reasonable prices. Recently, Cox Auto Service repaired my car and replaced a bumper. My car looks and runs like new. The Honda dealer had quoted me a price more than double of what I ended up paying at Cox Auto Service. So I saved a large amount of $ with Cox Auto Service and received prompt service. I highly recommend Cox Auto Service for auto service/repairs and smog services. Their staff is friendly, informative and trustworthy. Thank you Alex!
Peter O
★★★★★
8 years ago
Wow just amazing. Great work and attention to detail. I've been struggling with three different shops trying to get my car aligned properly. So far I've spent over $700 in alignments, camber kits, etc. I was ready to pull the trigger on spending $2500 on a new front end and even considering getting rid of it. Just by sheer chance I ended up here. They have a state of the art alignment machine, but more importantly they have a crew that actually felt the concern I had and was able to reproduce the problem right away. The dealership and other shops told me I was crazy. These guys immediately acknowledged the issue after doing a test drive with me and went right to work. I've been fighting with this problem for two months now. It's now solved. It just needed to be adjusted correctly. No one else I tried before took the time to actually get the numbers just right for the alignment. These guys did. I am still having trouble believing it because it's been so long, but my car now drives straight and the steering feel is now perfect. I must say also the crew at Cox is an incredibly sincere, straight shooting, honest group. I really like these guys.
Ankita Mylatore
★★★★★
9 years ago
Alex and his team helped figure out what was going on with my car. I had a strange leak coming from under the seat. They tested out everything it could be, found the issues, and went above-and-beyond what I expected. Alex also brought me back to take a look at my car to make sure I understood what was going on. I asked another car repair shop, and they were so busy I wouldn't have been able to get in until next week, and they quoted about $150 more than I paid at Cox Auto Service. I highly recommend them, top notch service!
Lorraine Cornish
★★★★★
6 years ago
I made a quick trip to this area to see family and ran into car repair needs which had to be addressed before I drove back home. The owner graciously got all the work done in time for me to head home in order to meet other obligations. My son recommended Cox Auto Service highly and he was right - their excellence and expertise were wonderful. And so I'm going this business five stars which they richly deserve!
Jennifer Mora
★★★★★
6 years ago
We bought a used 2015 Nissan Altima for my 16year old. We knew it needed some work done so we took to Alex for oil change. He inspected the whole car and did not try up selling me on anything the vehicle did not need. He did show me how disgustingly dirty the air filters were so he replaced. He explained how bad the break pads were and we did notice they were making a bad sound. So we had those replaced as well. We left the car overnight and picked up the next day. Alex was great and sweet to my daughter, explaining what he was done to her car and why. His pricing is very reasonable and I will be going back to take my other vehicle for repair as well.
1Hung2Lo MoFo
★
☆☆☆☆
a year ago
Possibly the worse auto service in all of vista! Very dishonest, had automotive bureau and investigate and ruled in my favor. I think Alex is the most shady person to deal with while Bob has to follow his lead. I highly recommend going elsewhere and avoiding this place altogether. Please DO NOT trust the shill reviews
Amanda Sicard
★★★★★
9 years ago
I stopped in on a whim last week needing my rear brakes replaced and an oil change. They fixed my car immediately and charged an extremely fair price. This was the first time I didn't feel taken advantage of when dealing with my car. I will go here ANYTIME my car now needs servicing. Update: Again, Alex and team get 5 stars. I noticed my car shaking this week when braking and called Alex Friday to see about bringing in my car Saturday. He fixed it right away. I honestly will never take my car anywhere else. He explains what is going on, he had me ride in the car so he could tell me what was happening, and always keeps me informed and updated. Dealing with car issues can be a bit overwhelming but Cox Auto has definitely been top notch and puts my mind at ease.
Jazzy Luciano
★
☆☆☆☆
7 months ago
I went in and asked about a service. When I did the manager or employee got heated, and angry, told me I didnt know what I was talking about. He then raised his voice. I had to leave because it scared me.
Brian Niaz
★★★★★
5 years ago
When I came into town my Lexus ES350 was having major transmission issues, and it was on the verge of a complete blow out. I didn't know any local mechanics, so I did a google search for local area mechanics, and I came across Cox Auto. Alex and Bob treated me with the utmost respect, and they were very honest about the charges to fix the transmission issue. Thanks to the guys at Cox Auto, I was able to get a fair deal on a new transmission installation on my ES350. This place is great and honest, and they always take care of their customers' needs. I will definitely be back for any of my service needs!
Francisco Neto
★
☆☆☆☆
8 years ago
It is a bad place to take your car, they will over charge you. Their service is sucks, they say the oil change is 19,95 and they will charge 37.00. If you do not agree to pay they will change the oil but they not change the oil filter. Because I did not agree to pay 37,00, I have to call the cops to get my car back.
Barrett LaChapelle
★
☆☆☆☆
7 months ago
Had this guy do a smog check. He performed check on 7/28/25 and car passes. He writes the date of 2/28/25 and states the 2 is a 7 and he will not fix. There are 3 examples of a 2 in his date. It matters because the car is being sold and when they see the dates that do not match they think something is wrong with paperwork. I will provide picture. Incompetence in black and white.
Pamela Goncalves
★★★★★
11 months ago
I have BMW and they fixed all the coolant leaking , I got a oleo change and brake fixed , the service was quickly them expecting . Alex the owner was very knowledgeable,Thank you finally I find my mechanic shop for all my car needs .
