Great service! Brought my car in for oil change and 75k mile check. Expected the typical find of several things that needed special attention. Not a one! Good to see an honest evaluation from a auto service business for a change! Will be my regular go-to provider.

Got my smog today, very convenient and clear with price and safety for covid being followed 👍🏼😷If you need any car repairs this place is convenient they’re reasonable and A+ plus service, It’s like going to your best friend have them for your car repair but they know what they’re doing and they remembered me from my last car. Sadly I have not had to use them because I bought a new Honda years ago but I drive by and wave still the same and recommend anyone with car repairs to go here for a quick oil change or smog check .And if you have to wait a bit right in the heart of Hillcrest so you can walk to multiple options for food and shopping.

Quan was amazingly helpful throughout the process of making an appointment to finalizing my bill. The service I received was professional, courtesy and quick. Thank you Hillcrest Smog

Rude and disgusting odor left in my car. Crooked and tried to fleece me. Stay away

Called in the morning and they were able to take my van in the same day. Very honest and good rates. The owner was very clear. They fixed my issue and was able to pickup later that day. Will be my go-to auto repair shop in future!

For ALL auto repairs, go here. 5 stars from 99.9% of their customers. My family has gone here for years. And if they cant fix it, theyll refer you to a trusted homie - I cannot say enough and would give 10 stars if I could!

Great neighborhood service. So honest.

Fantastic service! Always super kind, efficient, and helpful!

Words cant possibly convey how much I love Hillcrest Smog n Auto. Quan & crew are beyond amazing.After having worked in the Automotive service industry for over 11 years & having taken on another profession. Theyre the only shop Id recommend to friends & family alike. The vast majority of folks out there have little to no understanding of how vehicles work along with what real honesty & value is.Recently I made a grave mistake of having my car serviced at another repair shop (which Ill leave unnamed, but after seeing the service reviews it is clear on where the fault lies) due to a sudden breakdown. I thought because of the closeness of the shop used & time of day from when Hillcrest Smog & Auto closes to go ahead with the repair. I was contacted before the end of the day by the repair shop, they had informed me my Ford Focus ZXW wagon had a alternator failure. I gave them the authorization to move forward with the repair.When the vehicle was picked up the following day the battery charging light remained on the dash. When I questioned the repair shop owner he told me the battery was likely heavily drained & that he hadnt bothered recharging it & when the vehicle was driven the light would go off & come back on. I told him prior to breakdown that never occurred. I was essentially told it should be fine & not worry about. As he ran a charging system test & the charging voltage was 13.1 to 13.5. Which in all honesty is normal for a charging system. The only issue showing out of sorts was a low battery according to them. With enough driving the battery will fully charge & the light should go off.After taking the car to a auto parts store and having them run their system check it showed that the alternator had a faulty regulator.Instead of taking the car back to the repair shop in which I had it repaired. I took it immediately to Hillcrest Smog and Auto repair letting them know what had been done. I gave the go ahead to put in a new alternator if needed after they ran their diagnosis. While living within the area I decided to walk home being it was only a short distance away, I was contacted by Hillcrest Smog Auto while on the walk within 30 minutes from having dropped the vehicle off. They had informed me that they had found loose connections made on the wiring for the installation of the new alternator. That they had gone ahead and assured that all the wiring was properly secured. That they had also performed a road test saying that the light was off and that the system was operating correctly. I was told I owed them only a minimal amount for the diagnosis and for the time spent to secure the wiring. It seemed as if all was fine on their end & to monitor the vehicle going forward. They told me not hesitate to come back if any problem should arise. Ive driven the vehicle for several weeks now since the proper repairs being made with no faults.Ive now come to decision if my car is to break down in the driveway of ANY OTHER repair shop Ill tow it out & have it taken to HSA forever & always.Ive had everything from basic service, smog & general repairs performed here over the years. With anything in life once you recognize quality within something, you tend to always want the same. Id recommend that if you want quality, truthfulness & true integrity bring your vehicle here you wont be disappointed.

These guys are awesome, very well run business. Ive had many mechanical services performed on multiple vehicles and they have always done great work at fair prices. In addition, theyve always been very communicative and honest. I highly recommend.

Wonderful, personal experience..I will only come here

Very honest and respectable business. I was thoroughly impressed by the timing, price, and professionalism that this shop gave me regarding my auto repair. We will come back here for all of our cars needs. Thank you!

What you need for a fair price. Place has charm

Driving in, this place looks like it was lifted off Route 66 and dropped into hippest of hip Hillcrest. Apparently, the owners ran out of paint in 1953 and just allowed the exhaust fumes and carbon dust to form a protective coating. Even the office feels like a step backward, into a time before shiny plastic countertops and service writers in neatly pressed uniforms. And that is the key difference. The owner, in mom jeans, is friendly and welcoming. The service is personal to her.I left our old jalopy there for brake surgery and an oil change, expecting a full day of mooning about before the vehicle was declared healthy. I had barely settled down to my chai latte and Dirk Gently novel at the local bean grinders before I got the call to come back - we were good to go.The bill was much lower than I expected, which gave me a happy spring in the step. Now the car runs like a dream, the pocket was spared, and I left with a good feeling about humankind, even though there are still smudges of orange fake-tan smeared across Washington.Go there.

Very friendly and professional! I will be going here in the future for all my auto needs! Definitely recommend!

Efficient, and perfect price...where others are charging $100 for basic test.

Guess I needed to get snogged by a Star station. They took my car right when I got there though. Nice and professional as well.

Im so glad I found this repair shop. I was going to be over charged by another shop for a simple timing belt kit with water pump for an 09 Hyundai Santa Fe To the tune of $1300. Instead, I bought an AISIN* timing belt kit online and asked this shop if they would do the install. They happily agreed to take on the job and only charged $410. They do great work and make sure the job is done right. Will definitely be coming back again.*AISIN makes great timing belt kits by the way. My t-kit with water pump was just $252 plus shipping

I have had my car smogged here several times, as well as misc car repairs. I appreciate the good, quick work, as well as the straight forward staff. I feel they do great work for a good price and return for future work.

Excellent service above and beyond. Have been using them 25+years. Steve

Honest owner. Very reliable

Very friendly staff, great job on my truck

These guys are absolutely amazing. Fantastic communication with what was wrong with my car for a very reasonable price. Cannot recommend enough.

Very friendly and quick with the smog checks.

Ive gone 3 times. Fast and convenient.

Great customer service! I’ve been taking my Honda here for over a decade as well as my previous car and I’ve had nothing but the best from this shop!

Excellent service and great prices

Im so glad to have this business close by! My car needed a lot of work and they were able to do it fast and they didnt jack up prices even though they knew I needed the work done and could have tried to take advantage of that.

Fantastic people, quick, reliable service. Google has it wrong - they close at 4pm. Love this place!!

I was referred by a friend and was extremely pleased with the service I received. They were fast and cost effective. I didnt feel ripped off and was treated very respectfully.

Professional, friendly, and prompt service.

Do yourself a favor. Save your time and money. DONT go to this place.

This place is the most ethical and efficient place to have work done to your car. I have been to many car repair shops and they beat all of them hands done for service, transparency and efficiency. I highly recommend them!

Good, honest service, we are new to San Diego and glad to have found someone we trust. Weve been there twice and will continue to return.However, their no public restrooms sign apparently applies to paying customers, including 7 month pregnant ones. At seven months pregnant, I was told that the coffee shop, two blocks away, had a restroom I could use. Aside from the surprise of being sent hiking, I also wondered if said coffee shop knows their restroom is being offered to the public like that.

The only mechanic I trust. The staff are always super friendly and I never leave feeling like I got taken advantage of for my naivety about cars. I had a quote from a mechanic near my home for $500 of surprise repairs. Took my car here to double check and they said (in my own words) that the part above the part the other mechanic wanted to replace had a leak that we would just need to monitor to see how bad it was. They topped off my fluids for $5.00. It ended up not being something that needed to be replaced and they saved me $495.00.

My husband and I have gone to Henry and Kwan since 2000 through 4 cars (Acura, Toyota Camry, lexus rx350 and another acura). They are the most honest, reliable and the most customer oriented service station around. They never overcharge, always give good recommendations on what you could do but could wait on.In the last 10 years I moved to north county and will still drive down for my annual services.Recently after several years of absence from going to kwan and henry, I needed to have my CV boot replaced and a 100k service which sears had quoted me a high price when they discovered the issues during an oil change. It was holidays and Kwan so kindly offered to drop off and pick up my car since I couldnt make it due to our travel schedule!! Now THATS customer service.I would recommend Hillcrest smog and repair wo hesitation!

Great service! Fantastic people!

Super quick and convenient and friendly. Live pets

This has been the only place I will take my Toyota for repairs(6+yrs) and they always let me know before fixing, price and time it will take! they will not cheat you! or do things that do not need to be done! I am always more than happy with their work!! Its good to know sometimes they are busy and cannot stop what they are doing, because they are taking care of whats in front of them.Excellent work always!

I drive all the way from la jolla to get smog tests.I love this place they do smog tests so fast and have such affordable prices. I have been coming to here for years to get my smog tests. Ive even had some mechanic work done here and the deals was hundreds cheaper than the car dealership.

Had smog check. Fast and professional.

Ive been going to Hillcrest Smog for years, and can confirm that they are as good as their reviews. Honest, reasonably priced, and accommodating-what more could you ask for in a local mechanic? Over the years, theyve swapped out just about every component in our car-brake pads and rotors, batteries, wheelbearings, etc. They only do what is required, and are excellent at communicating what needs to be done and providing options.

I believe that the owner and staff here will do the best thing for me and my transportation. Im so thankful to have found a spot where I am not always second guessing the mechanic, worrying about getting the run around, or judgement for only known how to change a flat. Thank you so much guys! I have had my AC fixed, a couple of break changes and I always get my oil done here. They keep my Pathfinder happy.

Great service! Honest and reliable

Great customer service. Very honest.

This is will likely be my go to auto shop from here on out. Went there twice so far and the service was great with reasonable prices. These guys are a hardworking bunch and know their stuff.

Only auto shop I go to for repairs because of the honesty & the integrity that operates in this place

My wife and I have been coming here for years with multiple vehicles. Great service, great prices, and super convenient. I definitely recommend them. Especially if you are not mechanically savvy (I am), so its reassuring knowing they are honest and wont hassle you into other useless vehicle maintenance.

The word honest is the highest praise I can give. Knowledgeable, helpful, affordable, fast service, friendly. Best neighborhood business in Hillcrest and Mission Hills.

Entire team is fast, friendly & efficient. If you want smog check done right, this is the place!

Had a great experience with my smog check, so I returned to get my squeaky brakes repaired. Was informed that I still have 80% brake pads remaining. I could replace the pads which could possibly fix the issue, or do a cleaning/lubrication/adjustment which would be significantly cheaper. I opted for the latter, however this did not rectify the problem. When I returned, I asked that the $45 cleaning/lubrication/adjustment fee be applied toward the parts and labor of changing the brake pads (and subsequently the rotors as well). The manager and his assistant were extremely rude and unwilling to make any deals after I already spent $45 on a problem that was not fixed.I went down the street to Mission Hills automotive who said my brake pads were completely fine - I simply needed a resurfacing of the rotors. My brakes sound great and saved $150 that Hillcrest Smog and & Auto tried to swindle out of me.Not reliable. Do not own up to work. Poor repair recommendation.

Good service. Trust them completely

I cannot speak highly enough about Hillcrest Smog Test and Auto Repair. The proprietor is honest, efficient and their prices are beyond reasonable. This is by far the least stressful car-based interaction you will ever have. They are the best!!!!

I’ve been a client for many years. Very reliable, excellent costumer service, fast and good prices. Highly recommended.

Great service. Im a first time car owner and they were really nice and helpful when I took my car there, not taking advantage of me. Thank you!

Long time customer here. FANTASTIC Employees who actually want to help you out. You can trust these guys, they wont let you down.

Always had good experiences, they do good work, and they are honest. Obviously take good care of their customers!

Best, most honest, hardworking auto repair shop in town!

Wont take my car any other place. Trustworthy and personable. Saved me lots of money. Very knowledgeable.

Mechanic has no clue what he’s doing. Went to do a smog check and he claimed vehicle was moded because “I’ve never seen anything like this so it must be modded”Car is completely stock, had the paperwork to prove it but was completely ignored.Unbelievable and rude

Over priced but experienced little wait.

Incredible service with personal connections. Best repair experience I have ever had

My family has always come here for mechanical work. Very nice and reasonable people. I wouldnt take my vehicle anywhere else.

Extremely friendly and helpful. We are new to California regulations on registering a vehicle, and the woman helping us was very patient and explained what we needed to do to have a successful appt with the DMV. We will definitely continue to utilize this shops expertise when it comes to our vehicles.

Good, fast and friendly service. Ive been there for a smog test. Its right across the DMV so its very convenient. Really nothing to complain. If youre not sure about your car able to pass the smog test, ask a mechanic first. When your engine light is on there is a big chance something serious is broken. Dont blame the testers for that.BUT dont go there if your car is older than 1993 or not equipped with ODB2 (do some research before). They just dont know how to deal with them. Thats not about cheating its more about the right way to test them due to lag of modern technology. So if you own a older car thats newer than 1975 go to the one at Barnett Ave. Other than that its okay.

Smart, knowledgeable, very fast, efficient, well-run, helpful, good hours and polite management and staff: certainly one of the best garages I have ever used. Bravo! Highly recommended

Speedy songs Im in and out in about 15 minutes and bit pretty consistent Ive been there on 4 other occasions

Went in for a smog test and when I left I couldnt turn my steering wheel. I turned around and told them the problem, they said smog checks dont mess with steering but they fixed it and I think they must have just turned my power steering off because it took them 2 seconds to fix and my car was fine after. Im always hesitant about going to car repair shops because Im a girl and I feel like mechanics are always trying to scam me. I wont go here again for anything because I do not like when people mess up my car.

I have been a patron here on and off for the past 5 years. I used to bring my Kia here and a few other cars for simple repairs. Quan is simply the best with her hospitality. She is very straightforward and honest in her approach. You feel good leaving there.The work stands for itself. Ive never had to return to fox an issue that was already repaired by them.My most recent trip in was bc I am now driving a different car and for some reason was having issue with tire pressure and also resetting the system.I just simply asked if they could do it. I had no problem waiting or paying. They stopped and adjusted the issue...gave me the data I needed and wouldnt charge me bc it was a courtesy. I was very gracious tipped the mechanic about 8 bucks for the few minutes and drove off knowing I will return again.Good job guys!

Quick and Easy. Got my car smog checked today and I was in and out in 20 minutes. Super friendly people and more than reasonable prices.

My car is now over 10 years old, so the inevitable car problems have begun. When my car had a problem last year I made multiple calls to various auto shops, and I ultimately went to Hillcrest Smog & Repair because their quote was best. Im so glad I did! A few months later, I took my car into midas for an oil change and they actually wanted to know who did my head gasket work because it was the best they had ever seen! So needless to say when I had another big problem this year, I didnt hesitate to bring my car back to Hillcrest Smog & Repair. I really appreciate Quan and the rest of the team there!

Called here today and spoke to the manager regarding bringing in a Ferrari for smog testing...she says the dont smog high end cars. Why? What a missed business opportunity! Smog requirements are exactly the same!

These people are excellent. I never feel like I have over paid. They are very good mechanics

Great work at great prices! ive been going here for years. never a problem!

Polite and quick.Update from 2020 - still polite and quick. Never try to up-sell.

Amazing service year after year. I won’t go anywhere else!

Have taken my two cars there repeatedly when the smog check is due. They are fast but also take the smog check seriously.

The lady who runs this place is very helpful and professional. You can walk to nearby shops while you wait.

Always good service

Love this place... good fast cheap ....

Do not go here. They failed my wifes car. And 20 minutes later my wife went to a different smog placed her car passed with flying colors

Very satisfied. I will return when I have an issue with my car.

Quick,reasonable, great sercice

Best in city! SAMMY CIAO

Best mechanic in town!!

$40 and out the door in 20 mins for a smog check - cannot be beat!

Great small business for smog tests, I take all my cars there.

Poor customer service

Very efficient and professional.

Support local

Fair and upfront pricing

Very pleasant to

Honest, good prices

Honest!!! Great service!!!!