Bob Bowen’s Auto Service

This was my first visit and I am super impressed. I worked with Jay who was very attentive and went above and beyond the level of service I expected. I came in for a quick oil change and got just that I was in and out in under 30 minutes (no appointment). They even checked and adjusted my tire pressure which I didn’t even realize was low. Thanks again I WILL see you soon!

My husband and I have trusted Bob Bowens with both our vehicles and the service is amazing and the staff is very professional and helpful. They help you understand what needs to get done what can wait especially if you are on a budget. I highly recommend this place to my family and friends in the San Diego area.

I drove here on a Saturday morning around 10:30am in June of this year to see about getting an oil change done. I saw their big banners on the side of the building stating: Walk– ins welcome, No waiting, Oil change, Open Saturday’s, Yes we can.
When I walked in the front lobby I saw two men in the office talking with each other for about 2 – 3 minutes before I got help. I was approached by a man with a mean face and a bad attitude. He rudely asked me what was it that I wanted. I asked him about an oil change. Then he said: «I can’t do that now, come back another time or call for an appointment!»
He was very rude and unkind with the way he talked to me and to not help me was sort of a shock. This was the first time coming here and the last. I don’t know why he didn’t want to help me. He just walked off and left me standing there kind of stunned.
This place does not do as those big banners on the building state.
1.) Walk-​ins welcome. (I didn’t feel welcome by the way he treated me)
2.) No waiting. (that’s bull! I had to wait for the two auto techs to finish their long 3 minute talk first.)
3.) Oil change. (they didn’t want to do an oil change for me for unknown reasons.)
4.) Open Saturday’s. (well, I came on Saturday at 10:30 am.)
5.)Yes we can. (well obviously they can’t)
That’s my first experience coming here that I thought I share with you. I hope that you don’t have a bad experience like I did.

This is the only shop I have ever been to where the cost of the evaluation was not included in the overall price. He claimed that every other shop was inflating their prices and that no one works for free. My overall bill was 1150 for a catalytic converter and 2 hoses. 260 was just diagnosis… 900 for that work is still overpriced and he literally said no one works for free and walked away… go there get scammed.

I had a flat nearby and had no prior intention of stopping in. I am mostly glad I did since I was treated well and they did a very fast job. I do feel thier prices were fairly higher than competitors so make sure to shop around if you can.

After reading the reviews here I thought that this would be an honest local shop for us to take our vehicles to. Well, honest is not what this shop is. My wife took her Lexus there for a simple oil change and was told that she needed to replace the struts and that these were supposed to be done at 60k miles. But that’s not true and struts should last much longer than 60k. Additionally the tech made this recommendation without even testing the car out and without my wife even saying anything at all about the car driving irregularly. The service manager tried to take advantage of us.
The time before that I took my Wrangler in for a simple oil change and the tech tried to sell me an air filter for $ 60. But the air filter on a Wrangler is right out in the open and is a 10 minute job that anyone can easily do.
I would recommend the shop for simple oil changes but I would get a second opinion on any work that they recommend. I certainly wouldn’t trust them any more than I do a place like Jiffy Lube.

I brought my truck in for a smog check as a walk-​in customer. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. Personal thanks to Suzie, the receptionist, Gary, Jay and Bill (service members). I was assisted with shuttle service to my home. They explained everything to me. I had a great experience. I will be back! Thanks!!!

On June 11, 2014 my Geo Prizm broke down. I tried starting it while on side of road, thinking it could be timing belt (interference motor) I had it towed to Bob Bowen Auto Service (BBAS). I called the next day and spoke to Gary. He said it was fixed, it was the starter & the battery. I told him there was no way that was the problem because they were both functioning properly after the car stalled. Gary said he would check. He called me to pickup the car on June 12, the next day it stalled again with the same symptoms. (The vehicle started and drove 50 feet three times, but would not continue running.) they then replaced the distributor. the car continued to hesitate. When looking the motor over I noticed my hood seal was halfway torn off and dangling, the radiator reservoir was melted to my exhaust manifold, spark plug wire unseated, and air box hose were torn. I called Gary complaining of the damage and he said if it’s any consultation the mechanic no longer worked at Bob Bowen. How does that benefit me??? BBAS replaced the reservoir, wires, plugs and Gary promised to locate a used air box hose. 6 weeks later I called Gary saying he couldn’t locate one but would install it if I could find one (found one within 2 hours on Ebay). Sent letter to BBAS asking for refund of $ 900.00 of $ 1,125.00 spent. They offered to fix air box hose only. My wife talked to owner, Rob and arranged for me to call him the next day @ 2:00pm. I called & left a message with no return call from owner. I filed a complaint with Bureau of Automotive Repair who investigated and recommended BBAS pay approx. $ 650.00 for the repairs done by the other shop. BBAS offered $ 200.00.
Bob Bowen Auto told the investigator that the starter was stuck, that they took a hammer to the side of it (funny Gary never mentioned this to me or it wasn’t noted on my receipt. This company and it’s employee Gary is dishonest and with no integrity!
Their mechanics do subpar work, DO NOT patronize this repair shop! we work too hard for our money to throw it away needlessly. I had been using BBAS since 2005 and I have since noticed other subpar work they have done on my car. (had ignition switch replaced column housing broken glued together, 2009 timing belt replaced (replaced again in 2015 by another auto shop– this shop found the thermostat was improperly placed, #1 cylinder seat not installed correctly (oil leaking #1 cylinder) & motor mount bolt head broken and covered with a dollup of grease. Again, I cannot reiterate enough, STEER CLEAR OF BOB BOWEN AUTO REPAIR! My car has since logged over 7,000 worry free miles since changing repair shops!

A few months ago, I brought my vehicle here when I was having issues with the engine control unit/​car computer. Jay West assisted me through the process; I was impressed at how quickly the vehicle was diagnosed, and corrected. I especially appreciated how Jay was very thorough; he explained everything so I was well aware of what needed to be done, broke down pricing, and also arranged a courtesy shuttle so that I didn’t have to sit around and wait. Since then, this place has been my go-​to auto shop. I have gone back to have my cooling system repaired, my oil changed, and most recently, my tires replaced. Each time has been just as great and satisfactory as my first visit.

I have been coming to Bob Bowen’s Auto Service since the end of last year when Daniel, the only mechanic I knew was honest and trustworthy, started working here.
Once I brought my car in I felt comfortable, not just with Daniel but with the other staff there. They always do a thorough check of my car everytime it is in for an oil change or any other service I have had done.
Here I feel like I’m getting the help needed and no up selling crap which mechanics like to do.
They only recommend the stuff that is actually needed and can show you why. Come here and you won’t be disappointed!

Good service & Good Prices + overnight drop off available!

Excellent service and trust worthy advice. I am a first time customer — learned of them from Angie’s list. Roman was a pleasure to work with and he explained everything to me in words I could comprehend about my vehicle’s needs.
Definitely will come back here.

UPDATE: well, it’s been 3 weeks since Bob Bowen fixed my car and there is one major concern and one major inconvenience to report. Like others on here, I thought I had found a quality auto shop. But, this place is questionable.
ONE MAJOR CONCERN
After Gary had someone fix my drive shaft, right after I drove off the Bob Bowen property, I noticed the suspension was 10x louder/​squeaky. Whatever the mechanic did, he did something to my suspension so it would squeak every time I started driving (after a red light or stop sign). It never did that before Bob Bowen’s mechanic worked on my car.
ONE MAJOR INCONVENIENCE:
I gave Gary 3 weeks to email me the list of repairs my BMW needed. The front office receptionist (Suzie) heard him promise me he’d email me the prices to repair each item. 10 days later, I called and she was surprised he hadn’t emailed me yet. So, she placed another reminder on his desk and 3 weeks later, still no response from Gary.
Others on here have stated that Bob Bowen doesn’t follow through. This has also been my experience. Although I think they did a good job of fixing my drive shaft (no issues to report), there are other major issues that compel me to warn the Unilocal community. For example, I had my car towed to Bob Bowen on Wed night (April 15). On Friday, Gary told me if I wasn’t going to pay for the repairs then he couldn’t hold my car for me until Monday (I was at Disneyland with my family). I told him the adjuster needed to see the car first to approve/​deny the repairs). Since I didn’t know what my insurance would or would not cover, I wasn’t going to commit to paying for whatever charges Gary found (without the adjuster verifying those repairs). He made it sound like my car would be towed by Friday night. Soon after, my insurance adjuster called me and said he would talk to Gary (because he wasn’t able to see him yet) and not to worry that Gary wouldn’t have my BMW towed. I didn’t know if my car would still be there over the weekend (the adjuster said he might not get to see Gary until Monday). Luckily the adjuster did see Gary on Saturday, the adjuster told me that the issue was the drive shaft so I told Gary I would pay for that repair.
Bob Bowen’s policies aren’t the most family friendly. Gary has a quick temper (he was short with me) and didn’t care that I was in Disneyland. He wanted my BMW out. His attitude quickly changed when the adjuster came to see him and I agreed to pay.
Since Gary didn’t email me the list of repairs needed, I went to the BMW dealership and paid them to fix the bearings in my rear wheels ($ 1,000). If Gary would’ve emailed me the list, Bob Bowen would’ve made $ 1,000 from me yesterday and more with the list that needs to be repaired. BMW printed me a list of repairs needed with the prices the day they inspected it. If you VALUE customer service, do not go to Bob Bowen.
I still need a less expensive option for my BMW. Can anyone recommend a quality mechanic (that follows through and is family friendly?) for my BMW repairs? I have a long list… thank you!

I referred a friend of mine TO BOB BOWENS cause I had previously went there for oil change. PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS WARNING THEY DID WORK ON HER CAR AND NOW IT RUNS WORSE THEN BEFORE SHE TOOK IT THERE AND I MEAN REAL BAD. she took it back and they said nothing was wrong and if she wanted them to figure it out she would have to pay for a diagnosis. this place is shady all they care about is MONEY. BEWARE. SHE told them she was not paying for another diagnosis and took it to another repair shop that confirmed BOB BOWENS had not only gave her a bad fuel pump but also failed to tell her that her starter was bad. STAY AWAY IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR CAR.

My oil change was quick and efficient. All the staff were very courteous and helpful. I will be happy to recommend them to friends,

I just moved to California, and having to go through the process of registering and smogging my vehicle was hard enough! I had a check engine light on my 07 VW jetta, and after talking to Daniel on the phone, I was sold on the attitude he had to my needs and my situation. He was very courteous and very professional, and gave me the advice I needed to make sure my vehicle passed smog check, as well as advice on the repairs to diagnose my check engine light. The work was done in a matter of hours, and after leaving there with my car, it ran like new! I would recommend this place to anyone, and will be taking all of my vehicles there from now on. I never felt like any suggestions for repair were unnecessary. Everyone there was friendly and professional! I highly recommend it.

I was traveling to Arizona when I had car problems. Gary talked to me and then the tech spent the next day working on the problem. They were understanding of my situation and very kind and respectful.
The situation was not completely clear and I was only a small fee. I am pleased with the service and support.

Today, I decided to try Bob Bowen’s for the first time based on the recommendation of a friend; I suspected that I had a brake or some type of wheel issue due to squeaking I began to hear a few days ago.
Upon my arrival, I was promptly greeted by the friendly assistant store manager, Jay, and shortly after, my vehicle pulled into the garage for inspection. I was later told that the squeaking was caused by the front brake pads being worn down. Besides explaining this to me, I really appreciated how Jay and the mechanic showed me the front and back brake pads so that I had a visual as well as a comparison of just how low the pads were (I had the back pads replaced a few months ago so they were in great condition). I had the front pads replaced and was back on the road in very little time.
A good, trustworthy repair shop can be hard to find. I felt completely satisfied with the work performed on my vehicle as well as with the customer service I experienced here — the latter is especially important to me (this could make or brake — I mean break ;-) future interactions for me). Everyone here that I spoke with seemed so genuinely kind.
Thank you again to the staff at Bob Bowen’s! I highly recommend your shop and services to anyone.

All I wanted was an oil change and he wouldn’t give it to me!
I let the man who took my information and keys know that there was a temporary drain plug in the oil pan (Jiffy Lube lost the original, but that’s for another review) and that the replacement I bought from the dealer was in the car by the stick shift. I was assured that it was no problem for them to install it and the car would be ready in an hour.
Fast forward an hour, I get a call that the threads on the oil pan where the drain plug goes are stripped and that they can’t do the oil change.
Okay nothing they can do about it right? Maybe… if it wasn’t a lie. When I returned to pick up my vehicle I asked if they had replaced the oil they had lost when they removed the plug. I was informed that they hadn’t taken out the plug because it was a temporary and that’s against their policy. Against their policy? That’s an interesting policy from a business who’s building is topped with a giant banner, visible from the freeway and surrounding community, which boasts in 3 foot high, bold, yellow letters «YES WE CAN». That may be a reference to their political affiliations because it certainly does not reflect their work ethic.
I asked how they knew that the threads are stripped if they didn’t take the plug out. The response was, «I assume it’s stripped because it’s a temporary plug.»
I asked why they didn’t tell me they couldn’t work on it in the first place. The response was that the person who checked me in must not have known it was a temporary plug. Of course he did and I explained that. The response, «Oh. Well he’s not here. He’s on his lunch break.»
Great that solves everything.
Frustrated, I walked out to my car to leave only to find the windows down and the doors unlocked. That’s not a problem if we’re talking about a gated lot, but it’s definitely an issue when your next door neighbor is the 70^th street trolley stop.
I’ve changed the oil myself before the original plug was lost and after when it was a temporary. One is no more difficult than the other. The only reason I can imagine for refusing to even ATTEMPT to see if it’s possible to do the job, is that they don’t want to do the job.
Very well. If you don’t want my business, in the future I will happily give it to someone who does, along with my wife’s truck, and my daughter’s car and my in-​laws (who feel bad about recommending you) vehicles, and anyone else who happens to ask about a good place to have work done.
For the record, I did the oil change myself and put in the new dealer plug with no issue. It took less than 15 minutes and only cost me 3 bucks more than having it done by a «professional».

My first oil change experience at Bob Bowen’s was not good at all. I Unilocaled about it here. In response, the owner, Rob Rowsell, offered me a $ 100 credit to come back and re-​review his auto shop. So here we go.
Called a couple days ahead to make an appointment for an oil change on my girlfriend’s car. Then when the time came…
«I’m here for my 3 o’clock appointment.»
«Uh… who did you speak with?» asked the woman as she scanned her computer screen. It seemed as if they were not expecting us. Had my appointment not been recorded… again?
«Robert,» I replied confidently standing in an empty waiting room. Robert had promised earlier on the phone to handle my case personally and even spoke of my earlier Unilocal review as «the elephant in the room» :P
Hearing his name, Robert turned to greet me, likely recalling our phone conversation and a separate conversation he admitted having with Rob Rowsell. Robert told us, since we were waiting, he’d start on the car right away.
Shortly after, there is a moment of suspense when Robert appears and asks, «Who worked on your car last?» We didn’t know. He continues, «Well you should give them their wrench back.» Someone had left their wrench under her hood! We had a good laugh!
Robert then appears again to invite us into the shop so he can show me the broken rubber on the front engine mount. I really like this kind of treatment. Thanks Robert! I asked him for a quote on the fix, and he got back to me with ~$ 140 (~$ 50 for the aftermarket part, the rest labor; I’ve since found the part for $ 25 at a local chain auto parts store). He even offered to stay late to do the job. He also recommended to replace 3 fluids. He repeated his recommendations at least 3 times, but was careful to not be pushy.
As we were leaving, just like last time, I had to ask for a copy of the quoted price. It seems it isn’t standard procedure here to send price quotes home with customers :(
We were in and out in 30 mins (vs the 2-​hour experience of my first oil change)
Because on Unilocal,«only the rating for your most recent review counts,» this 2-​star rating is an average of both my visits.