SoCal Mechanic Needed

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

MH_Stevens

MH_Stevens

10 Year 15 Year 20 Year
Joined
May 24, 2005
Threads
165
Messages
795
Location
Crescent City, California
Need highly recommended and competent 100 Series mechanic in Oceanside area of southern California to work on electrical problem with transmission and center diff actuator testing.

Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Fallbrook area.

Thanks
 
SD Trux gets a lot of good reviews around here.
 
x2. SD Trux. They did a pre-purchase inspection for me and a small list of work before I drove my newly purchased cruiser cross country. Good guys and seem to really know their stuff. Fair prices.
 
SD Trux as well. They help keep my 97 tacoma with 260,000 miles running great. They also did a PPI for the '01 LX i just purchased.
 
Behr at Sport Utility Motorcars in Miramar. Mechanical engineering degree, honest to a fault, and a perfectionist by nature. 858.453.6234
 
The Truck Shop - They just installed my ARB locker and re-geared to 4.88. They are located on Miramar Rd.
 
I too have heard a lot of good things about SD Trux and The Truck Stop, but they are both down here in SD, not very close to you in Bonsall.
Oceanside Transmission was great to me years ago when I had tranny issues on my CTD while living in Oceanside.
In Fallbrook there's Village European Auto (owner/mechanic Greg Burcham does a ton of Toyota) which I highly recommend. I grew up in Fallbrook and he serviced my Toyota trucks for many years.
Caledonian Auto in San Marcos is also a great shop.
 
If SD Trux is recommended as good compared to the dealership and Truck Stop is half their prices then Truck Stop must be suspiciously cheap. Maybe SD Trux is expensive? Elaborate please.
 
MH_Stevens said:
If SD Trux is recommended as good compared to the dealership and Truck Stop is half their prices then Truck Stop must be suspiciously cheap. Maybe SD Trux is expensive? Elaborate please.
Click to expand...

I don't know dealer prices to compare since I won't bother with them after PB toyota tried to charge me $72 for a part that some supporting vendors here on mud like Sam Lowe charge less than $30 for.

John at SD Trux made it clear he didn't like working on modified 100's and thought they shouldnt be modified. He charged me about the same as I would expect from the dealer for a 30k service. He won't let you use parts you source even if they are nib oem. In fact, the last local member I talked to that tried was yelled at and told if he ever tried that again he would never work on his car again. He does good work. I just don't care for his attitude and his prices aren't worth going back for.

I was sent to the Truck Shop by Total Chaos after having issues getting a proper alignment from Firestone a couple years ago. They are the only shop I let work on my truck when I don't do it myself. They have zero issues with bringing your own parts. Since I use Beno to source all my parts, this saves me a ton over my local Dealer. Or the prices ANY shop charges when you source through them. The guys at the truck shop understand modified trucks very well. Everyone I have recommended them to has never complained.

Perhaps Sandiegocruiser above can remember and share some of the price comparisons he did before deciding to stick with the Truck Shop...it was enough to solidify my choice in never going back...

And others are encouraged to do they same or use which ever makes you warm and fuzzy. You will get good work done at either...
 
After seeing some of the rigs and trophy trucks that have work done on them by the truck shop (built 200 series, 400hp tundras etc) and talking to how pleased these owners were with the work, I was sold. At any given time, you will meet some interesting people sitting in the lounge while work is being done. I meet a guy who dropped 50K into a mild tundra build used for a Baja 1000 chase truck. Another guy was doing a frame off restro on his 40 series. Go talk to James at the Truck Shop and decide for yourself. I'm happy with my arb install and regear to 4.88. Believe it or not they do this type of work all the time!
 
SanDiegoCruiser said:
After seeing some of the rigs and trophy trucks that have work done on them by the truck shop (built 200 series, 400hp tundras etc) and talking to how pleased these owners were with the work, I was sold. At any given time, you will meet some interesting people sitting in the lounge while work is being done. I meet a guy who dropped 50K into a mild tundra build used for a Baja 1000 chase truck. Another guy was doing a frame off restro on his 40 series. Go talk to James at the Truck Shop and decide for yourself. I'm happy with my arb install and regear to 4.88. Believe it or not they do this type of work all the time!
Click to expand...

Got a contact number for them. Maybe I will have them install my ARB'd 4.88 3rd members.
 
mattafact said:
Don't forget Yotamasters. They do really good gear work.
Click to expand...


I tried to use Yotamasters for my 100k PM and they kept saying that they were too busy to even schedule an appointment. Told me they would call me in a week, they never called. I called them again and they asked me to call in two weeks, I did and they still wouldn't even make an appointment. I went with a local I really trust and won't be calling them (YM) ever again.

YMMV
 
Ask for James.
 
Did somebody say cheaper? I'll try'm out. I need some work done anyway. I can report back what they charged. I guess I'll have to walk over to Goldfingers while I wait :bounce::bounce2::cheers:
 
Thanks. My 100 is now with James at Truck Shop. I'll let you have a review when job done.
 
Thanks to you all. Truck back from The Truck Shop and I'm pleased with the service. Friendly, efficient and fair pricing. My transmission problem found and fixed for $300 and a set of 4 Blisteines for $400 and installed for $90.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom