DRIVE AutoCare (Hwy 101 Solana Beach)

In a time where customer service has gone away completely. Most of the time when I need help or customer service from an establishment, I get caught up in a voice mail tree or funneled to an email where I never get a response.

Here is my experience at Drive…I needed some substantial work done (suspension, valve cover gaskets, steering rack) to a 06 explorer that was going to be utilized by my son at college in northwest Idaho. I needed it done so that I would have peace of mind being so far away and inclement weather up there.

The truck came back and had a small intermittent misfire, nothing crazy, but I did not want to send it up to Idaho and have to worry about it. I spoke with Jose, he advised to bring it in and they would go back over what they had done. Jose and his team could not find the issue and since it was very intermittent they had a hard time replicating the misfire.

I sent an email to Mike, the president and owner explaining my situation. To be honest, I did not really expect a response or reply (see first paragraph) within 10 minutes of me hitting send, Mike called me. He advised me that he would go to the shop my explorer was at (he has three shops) and help diagnose the problem. I was pleasantly surprised.

About an hour later Mike called again and advised that he was driving the Explorer and was having a hard time replicating the misfire. He asked if I could drive with him to see if I could show him. He came by and we drove for 20-30 minutes and could not replicate the issue.

Mike advised that he was going to do a fuel injector cleaning to see if that would clear it up for me. He assured me that they were going to make sure the car was good no matter what.

After the Fuel Injector cleaning, I drove away and have not had any misfires and feel confident in sending the car away for my son.

This customer service Mike provided me was above and beyond and I’d say a big reason why he’s been in business for 43+ years. I’m grateful for Mike, Jose and the rest of the crew at Drive. Highly recommended.

The engine light came on & needing to get this resolved sooner rather than later & hopefully @ a location close to home so I didn’t have to drive far. My neighbor referred me to Drive Autocare & they did not disappoint. It was easy to schedule the appt, they had a shuttle to take me home & pick up. Jose called later in the day, gave me all the details & approx when the car would be ready. Everything went as planned & I would definitely recommend them! The staff was very nice & helpful and the shop was very clean. I couldn’t have asked for more! Thank you!

I was visiting the area after a long cross country drive! Jose’ and crew took care of my truck with fluid flushes, oil change, tire rotation and full check up on all ends! I appreciate the very fair cost for the very efficient work! Definitely worth it! Thank you all!

Great service and reasonable prices. Appreciated the free ride service. Easy and efficient scheduling. Definitely recommend! Thank you!! :)

Awesome experience. Worked on finding AC leak. Could find no leak, re-filled Freon. No charge. What more can I ask?!

I brought my vehicle in for a service and they found numerous issues with my vehicle but it was a quick turn around , professional and gave the repairs a two year warranty .

I have been going to Drive for several years and have always found them to be knowledgeable, professional and thorough. They are not the cheapest, but you do get what you pay for.

TRUSTWORTHY: that’s been my experience with DriveAutoCare. Last week four warning lights lit up the dash on my 2020 Subaru. I’ve taken it Drive AutoCare for regular maintenance since it was new, and they’ve always done a great job, so I called to see when I could bring it in. Brian told me to come on it that day. Although they were booked, the technician would see what’s going on with the warning codes. When I came back for my car that afternoon, Brian told me the engine coolant bypass valve was likely the problem. THEN he told me that while Drive AutoCare could fix it, the repair would be completely covered by my warranty, and Subaru would fix it at no charge. ‘Wow, that’s great!’ I said. ‘How much do I owe you for your time and evaluation?’ ‘No charge’, he said. ‘We didn’t do any work on it, we just figured out what the issue was, so you’d know it was safe to drive. It’s all covered by your warranty, so there’s no charge.’ If you are looking for an honest auto repair service, you’ll find it at Drive AutoCare in Solana Beach.

I have a Land Rover and for many years the dealer and foreign shops took advantage of the brand. I couldn't understand why other shops would charge over $600 for an oil change.
Once I found Drive 101, they use the same factory recommended oil and use all the factory specifications and I find the prices to be very reasonable.
It has now been over 5 years and I trust Drive 101 for all my repairs, services and questions with my Land Rover. I couldn't be more happy to find a local shop I can patronize. They always communicate with me on the progress of the service and when to expect the completion of the work.
The Service mgr and the ASC Certified technicians always have the best attitude and skills to solve any issue I have with my vehicle. I will continue to take my vehicles to Drive 101 for all my service and repairs.

I had a great experience with Drive. Brian was very helpful and kind, Laura was delightful, and the whole staff seemed great. I went in because I had a headlight out, and they were able to squeeze me in and do a thorough road trip inspection as I was just visiting San Diego. I felt much safer getting back on the road as a result. Brian also took the time to help me figure out why the battery in my key fob wasn’t working and gave me a spare battery in case it kept having issues. I used to work in an auto shop so I’m very particular about who I go to, this shop is the best of the best.

I was referred to drive auto by discount tire after they broke two of my studs trying to rotate my tires. Drive was able to get me in the next day and fix my car within a few hours. As a girl going into a mechanics shop can be intimidating but they were all very nice and accommodating. Did not try to up sell me on anything, just fixed what was needed. Would recommend and go to them again!

This week I was fortunate enough to experience the exceptional service provided by their manager Jose. From the moment I walked in, Jose set the tone for a positive experience with his professionalism and friendly demeanor. He is incredibly knowledgeable because he was able to provide me with thorough explanations on what was wrong with my car and it truly made a difference compared to other mechanics I have visited. I left feeling well taken care of and look forward to returning for my maintenance.

Seems like a really clean shop. It has friendly, knowledgeable mechanics. I do all my maintenance there. I recommend them.

Great service and price! Highly recommend I brought my Macan in for an oil change and hitch saved me hundreds of dollars compared to Porsche and other competitors. My car was finished quickly and was offered a ride to and from while getting the works done. Very professional company and I will definitely be back! .

Great customer service! Highly recommend and will be a returning customer.

My car was having trouble starting so I brought it in to be inspected. They had my car for several hours until they figured out the problem, and ended up giving me a referral to a place that could fix it for cheap. They didn’t charge me for the inspection and I’m super appreciative of how awesome they were. Will be coming back in the future!

Drive AutoCare has given me kind assistance in the past and so I was glad to come back for an oil change. ~$85 for the service, kind treatment, and checked my tires and brakes. Bryan is very nice and makes me feel taken care of.

I have an 2015 Acura RDX and I noticed a little rattle every time I started it. Took it down to DRIVE in Solana Beach where they took my car in and did a complete check up and issued me a list of potential issues with my ride. Starting from the most important, to the least. I tell you, there's something about having the utmost confidence in your mechanic to provide you with the best service and give you all the information you need to keep yourself moving. Highly recommend DRIVE for "ALL" your automotive needs. Won't go anywhere else.

I have been going to Drive for almost 20 years. I have owned several different brands of cars and they have maintained them all for my husband and I. Brian is the best. He is always so friendly and helpful as well as their mechanics. I recommend Drive to all my family and friends.

Great job. They did exactly what I needed done.