Star Motors

I took my wife’s 2007 Yukon XL Denali there last year for repairs. I forget what exactly what it was, but it was not major. $ 3,000.00 dollars later, we left. I was very suspicious, however, whats done is done. Last November we took it there again, because there was a noise when my wife was turning left. They took a look at it and here is what they said needed to be done. New ball joints, new boots, new struts, new springs and shocks, and an alignment. Another $ 3,000.00. I said no way. Well, last week, we too it to Allen Cadillac/​GMC where we bought it. We left it there all day, and they called back and said we only needed a new belt. The noise was from the new tires rubbing on the rubber part of the fender. I told them what Star Motors told us, and they just shook their heads. Star Motors needs to be called out on this one, because this is theft. I will NEVER go to Star Motors again. These people are criminals.

Went down to check out the new Fiat 500e they have been advertising, unfortunately the ad they run is not very clear, and they are aware of it, and refuse to correct it. The ad says $ 69 per month lease with $ 999 down. Talked to the salesman who came out to greet me, he tells me it is actually aprox $ 5000 down, as they count a government rebate as part of your down payment, in addition to «drive off» fees. When asked why they run the ad that way, the dealer said they had problems with the way the management advertises, and that this is an ongoing issue. I would not have wasted my time coming down had the ad been clearer.

I’ve been to Star Motors a number of times. It is very frustrating when something goes wrong with your car. How refreshing it is to get such good customer service from these professionals. They are very helpful and are terrific at what they do. It’s also true it is difficult to find a mechanic or garage that you can put your trust in. Look no further, honest and caring is how I would describe these folks. I have been in business myself for over 25 years and I have referred my friends and family here.

We have taken our BMW there for several years and they do good work, although a little on the slow side. The only gripe I have is that they do not have a sign on any wall stating what their hourly rate is. So you really don’t know what they are charging you per hour.
So, I suggest that after your get an estimate for a repair, then ask them how many hours it takes for them to do the repair, then convert that to dollars/​hour. Get an estimate from at least one other shop so you have an idea whether or not their charge is reasonable.
Most reputable auto repair shops post their hourly rate on the wall in the waiting room.
Having said all that, we have been generally satisfied with their work over the years. Very courteous and thorough.

Well, this is my last and final review. A partial refund finally made its way into my credit card account.
Chris, people not only applaud a company on the service it provides, clients also look at the value of the staff there.
I believe that I was treated badly. As soon as your company had my signature on the dotted line, you had no interest whatsoever in putting right a problem that was partially yours. Russ and Dominique answer to you, yet you did not advise them that calling me to apologize was the right thing to do. And it was! You won’t see me again; and I really hope that no one asks me to recommend Star Motors.

Another great experience at Star Motors. Tire pressure gauge light was showing on the dashboard and a walk around the car did suggest I had an issue with the rear passenger tire. Took it in and was out in an hour. They patched the nail hole that was causing the havoc and didn’t charge me! Love their service and the spirit of caring that pervades the place. Thank you Chris, Dominique and Russ — you know you’ll be seeing me regularly for the checkups that keep my car running smoothly!

Absolutely the best the service anywhere! Wish I’d found them years ago! I signed up for their preferred plan. Took my car in for a problem with the navigation system. They fixed it, washed my car and didn’t charge me! Unbelievable. These are ethical and competent folks who actually honor their agreements!

These guys really know there stuff. I take both my BMW and my Mercedes here for service. They are knowledgable, never had to go back a second time (unlike the dealership) and they flat out will tell you whats wrong, how to fix it and what to do to stop it from happening again.

I have been going to Star Motors for over eight years because of their honesty and integrity. The staff is always friendly and helpful. Just recently I took my Mercedes in for a major service and was noticing a smell a few weeks after the repair. I took it back in and it was repaired, the problem being a manufacturing fault. Star fixed it free of charged and apologized for the inconvenience. You don’t get that kind of service any more. I always refer them when I know someone is looking for automotive service and everyone who has used them agrees. Star is the best! Thanks Chris and staff.

Checked with three shops for timing belt service and Star Motors was the best value by far. The work was done on time with no add on surprises.

First the facts: 2006 BMW 750i. 90k miles. Good to Excellent condition. Previously ONLY serviced at Peter Pan BMW in San Francisco. Recently moved — needed a new place to service/​repair vehicle. Unfortunately there are limited options in San Clemente/​Dana Point/​San Juan Capistrano.
The conclusion: My personal assessment is that Star Motors appears to be an inch deep and a mile wide with their knowledge of servicing BMWs and anything more than routine service will confuse them and cost you additional time (i.e. headaches) and possibly money. I would recommend you choosing a dealership service for anything beyond a routine oil change/​vehicle inspection and a local oil change shop for your routine 3,000 mile service that will charge you less than $ 139 that they charge. They are heavy on customer service, which is a plus, but light on vehicle knowledge, as described below.
The experience: I took my BMW to repair my right tail light which I thought had gone out and needed replacing. I also had a quick ticking right turn signal which also needed to be diagnosed. I had two full days to work with (I was heading out of town and needed car) and they assured me the repairs could be completed in time. I will save you all of the details between drop-​off and pick up and simply highlight the main issues. They replaced my rear brakelight but realized after the installation it was not the light but «something else» which they couldn’t figure out. Recall this is a BMW, not the Space Shuttle Challenger. In the meantime instead of working to diagnose the rear tail light they spent their time on diagnosing an oil leak, a cam shaft light signal fault, «you should replace» your Brakes/​Roters, and two other items. This is not to say these additional items didn’t need addressing but these were not why I brought my car in. It’s as if you went to the Doctor for a sore knee and instead of diagnosing your knee you ended up getting a pregnancy test and an eye exam.
On the morning of Day 3 (recall I only had 2 days), I absolutely needed my car by 8am, as they agreed to, but my car was out on a test drive. It finally came back at 9:30am, pulled up front with a nice wash! BUT… You know that very distinguishable BMW interior smell that we all know and love so much — the smell of BMW leather that only a BMW owner would know? Completely gone and now replaced with what smelled like a heavy odor of gasoline, motor oil, and greasy rag. In addition, now I had a new fault light on which I didn’t have when I dropped off the vehicle. The best part of it all, the tail light that I needed fixed, still wasn’t fixed but I had an invoice for $ 880 for repairs on an oil leak. Awesome. And by awesome, I mean completely NOT awesome.
Certainly, as you can imagine, the staff was apologetic. But apologies don’t fix problems only solutions do and the solution was to get me a rental car and fix what I had asked them to fix in the first place. A rear tail light and fast ticking turn signal.
Let’s fast forward to an additional 4 days (7 total days now if you’re following along) of Star Motors trying to diagnose the problem. They managed to diagnose the problem but that required them to call BMW Service (recall my last point about utilizing a BMW dealership service center for these types of repairs).
So in the end, brake lights and turn signals were the result of a faulty piece of equipment and not the lamps themselves, all diagnosed by a BMW Service center, repaired by Star Motors, 7 days later, with an interior that smelled like what I imagine a tool delivery truck smells like.
Star Motors does have great customer service (and to their credit they did rent me a car and discount my oil change) But so does Chipotle, Nordstroms, and my local Albertsons. But I don’t buy ties from Chipotle, burritos from Nordstroms, and car repairs from Albertsons. I go to them for what they specialize in and I’m afraid Star Motors is lacking a singular focused expertise.

The team at Star Motors is very honest and reputable. I hesitated to go anywhere outside of the dealership for my BMW and was so pleasantly surprised with the service, friendliness and honesty I received from the entire team. It’s so refreshing to have a automotive business that treats customers like they would treat their own family members. You guys rock!

Crevier BMW quoted me $ 4,500 to fix my faulty convertible top mech. STAR fixed it for slightly over $ 1,000 AND performed many maintenance items on my 2005 325 Ci. The total bill with brand new tires too was over $ 1000 cheaper! Rich, Vicki, Dominique, Emma, and all the staff are very professional and personable.

This place is local and I wanted to like them but they are worse than any MB dealer in terms of price and service. I was litteraly robbed by this place that didn’t do what they said for the price they said in the time they said. $ 350 for a 5 min repair with a $.50 part. Extra charges for things that where suppose to be included in a service etc. Bottom line is I do not TRUST them. I have a MB a BMW and a Bentley and they will never touch any of them again

Gush,…really,… I am gushing on this place.
Let me set the story for you.
I bought my BMW from Irvine BMW. Yes,.I know,…my bad. I will not repeat that mistake again.
My car a simple little 330 ci convert had problems.
They fixed it,… They not only fixed it but they also worked with my outside warranty service (which I bought from IRVINE BMW but IRVINE BMW refused to work/​bill or cooperate with the extended warranty they sold me) and did an amazing job.
You see, I hated getting my oil change at BMW because they never honored my appointment schedules and provided less than adequate work or service PLUS they gouge you ‚… Almost to death,… I can’t even begin to guess how many times I left screaming to my self,.swearing like a sailor on my drive home from that place,.
But not STAR MOTORS. Holy amazeb@llz they rock. For those that drive fun, zippy cars,…you know when the idle is off or shifting is whack or acceleration issues,…
Star Motors addressed EEEEEEEVERYTHING and the car left — their shop,…driving better than it has in a very long time,… Instead of screaming out of anger,. I was screaming with joy,.with the top down zipping around with the ocean air whipping through my hair,… Really,… It was FUN.
Service was great, end product was great,…GREG and The front desk sweetheart which now her name completely slips my mind– I am sooooo sorry,…
I love this place!!! GO BUY THEIR CAR CLUB MEMBERSHIP! It’s freekn’ AWESOME!
Love this place,…Gush,.gush.
Ooh,… This place does all the cars,…MBZ, BMW, JAG,…and more,… We take our 265,000 mile Infiniti there to have it looked at too,… — yes,…a 96 Infiniti with over ½ million miles.
Love u guys!

My headlamp went out so I went to an auto supply store to buy the bulb but since its a BMW the guy in the service dept. didn’t know how to install it so he suggested I find a place what works on BMW’S. The following day I drove around Dana Point b/​c I knew a few places; one was closed and the other two places were busy and wouldn’t even bother taking a look. My daughter did a Google Search and STAR came up so I called and a man named Greg told me to come down. When I arrived a man greeted me, took the bulb and drove my car out back so I went in and relaxed in the lobby. BTW, what a comfortable and inviting lobby; the nicest of ANY repair shop I’ve ever been to! About a ½ hour later they returned the car completely WASHED and didn’t charge me — WOW! The man who greeted me was the OWNER and he was so friendly, personable, and genuine. Before I left they took me on a tour of the back service area and I was impressed w. the very clean 10 bay garage! I walked away with such a positive feeling. It made my week! I’ve been telling EVERYBODY and posted STAR Motors all over my Facebook page b/​c THIS is the essence of GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE! I’ll be going back without a doubt as will my husband and friends! Kudo’s to STAR you ARE the STAR of San Juan Capistrano!

Trust, honesty, dependability and quality… these are the first words that come to mind when I reflect on my experience with Star Motors. Chris presented me with options on how to maximize the results of a very complex automobile repair. He asked me what my goals were regarding the use of my beloved Jeep, about my budget and my timeline. His questions allowed me to analyze the situation from several angles and come to a reasonable conclusion.
I was treated with respect and patience while constant communication was facilitated by the Star Motors team, which increased my confidence in the service on my vehicle. In fact, I received two follow up calls from Star Motors after the job was completed. It’s the first time anyone in the automotive service industry has called me to make sure I was satisfied! What a breath of fresh air!
I feel safe and secure in my automobile and owe a huge thanks to Star Motors. You count on them for professionalism and customer service above and beyond all expectations.

Worst repair experience I have ever had. I took my S500 Mercedes to Star Motors for a Service B in July 2012. After they performed the service they called me to let me know I needed a valve cover gasket, a rear main seal, brake fluid renewal, power steering fluid flush, fuel induction service, front and rear brakes with rotors. Because I have a warranty I asked them to contact the insurance company to get approval for covered repairs. They had my car for 5 days and were unable to get a call back from the insurance company. During that time no one called me. I had to call myself personally every day to find out the status of my car repair. During that time I made a phone call to another car repair facility to check on the price quotes they had given me for some of the work. Star Motors had quoted me $ 670 for the front and $ 650 for the back brakes including rotors. The other facility I called was shocked at this quote. They quoted me $ 388 for the rear and $ 358 for the front brakes and told me to bring the car in to check the brakes. When I took my car to the other facility they were able to contact my warranty insurance company on the first call and get approval for repair of the valve cover gasket and the rear main seal. They checked the brakes and told me my car did not need either front or rear brakes. I am a single woman and need to be able to trust my car repair facility is telling me the truth of what my car needs in the way of repairs. Unfortunately, Star Motors failed on this accout and I will never take my car there again.

I can’t give enough praise to the team over at Star Motors. I’m new to southern CA and was feeling quite down after visiting a few auto places full of dishonest, up-​selling mechanics. Dee Ann & Greg at Star were a breath of fresh air! They’ve got a BMW mechanic who does the MOST comprehensive service; they’re honest about what your car needs and what it does not. They took the time, TWICE, to sit with me and go over things that had been previously repaired on my car. They were so patience and made me feel so comfortable and gave me a GREAT deal on my service – the best I’ve found.
All my BMW needed was an oil change, but they also provided me with a comprehensive check of everything under the hood, and cleaned and detailed the car. And on top of all of that, they have the BEST rates that I’ve been able to find anywhere!
I can’t say enough about them. Their customer service is unmatched. They are honest, trustworthy, helpful and so kind. They have my business for life – I will never get my car serviced, repaired, or looked at elsewhere.

These guys are crook. DO NOT trust them. They will ripped you off. I brought my car in there for one thing and came out with a crazy list later which I just took my Porsche 997 into the dealership to do a full maintenance already. Chris is the owner there and he’ll rip you off every way he could! Be careful!!!