San Diego Auto Repair

In our opinion, Kearny Mesa is one of the best neighborhoods in San Diego. It isn’t the biggest, hippest, or flashiest neighborhood in San Diego. What makes Kearny Mesa so special is that it is different and filled for wonderful surprises for you to uncover at any time of the day or night. So what makes Kearny Mesa different? Read on to find out. The Food Eating in Kearny Mesa is just different than eating in other parts of the city. While you won’t get maitre d’s and craft cocktails like you can in Downtown or La Jolla, what you do get in Kearny Mesa is some of the best and most diverse food in San Diego that’s equally good for dinner or on your lunch break. Some of the most-loved restaurants in the city call Kearny Mesa home. Lolita’s holds its spot on the hotly contested list of the best Mexican food in San Diego argument year after year. ... read more

We’re lucky here at Convoy Auto Repair. Not only do we operate in one of the most beautiful cities on Earth, but we also are located in one of the best areas to eat in all of San Diego. The restaurants in Kearny Mesa rival those downtown! Convoy Street, in particular, is home to the largest collection of Asian restaurants in San Diego. This means that no matter where you turn you’re bound to find a unique place to eat from a different culture (Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, and much more). That’s why we created this helpful guide to the 6 most unique spots to eat on Convoy Street. Tajima 4681 Convoy Street There is one reason to go to Tajima, and it’s their crazy delicious ramen. While every neighborhood in San Diego may have a ramen shop now, thanks to its recent rise in popularity, Tajima is the original (and still the best) place to get a hot bowl of fresh, springy noodle ... read more

Say you’re driving down the freeway and you start hearing a weird sound coming from the engine. You really don’t want to drop everything that you’re doing and beeline straight to your favorite auto repair experts in San Diego. Many people are hesitant to trust themselves and their Googling skills before they head to their nearest mechanic, but your mechanic actually wants you to Google your car’s problems! You could save you time and money, and can give the mechanic a good initial idea about the problem. It Saves You Time While Googling your car’s problems can’t tell you exactly what’s wrong with your car, it can save you lots of time when you get to the mechanic. Often, it can help you narrow down the problem so that when you do get to the mechanic you have a general idea of what the problem is and what part of the car it’s located. While you should never assume that you’ve found the exact cause of your car’s ... read more

Technology has transformed the way we live--from how we work, to how we listen to music--and car repair is no exception. The influence of technology in the auto and auto repair industries have made the process car repair much different than it was even five years ago. Today, you’re much more likely to see your mechanic reach for their tablet first--before their toolbox. Here are the 5 ways that tech is changing car repair. Diagnostics Gone Digital The biggest way that the auto repair industry has been influenced by tech is through the ability of computers to do advanced diagnostic work. By hooking up the diagnostic software to your car, mechanics can cut down the time to run a full inspection of your car from 8 hours to under an hour. The diagnostic software can test each area of the car independently so that the issue can be specified quickly and accurately. So when you see your mechanic reaching for their computer or tablet as soon as you bring your car in with trouble, they ... read more

You’re cruising down the freeway one afternoon, and a dashboard light blinks on. What do you do? Dashboard lights are designed to keep you informed about what’s going on inside your car and any problems that might arise. But with so many different types of dashboard lights and symbols that don’t necessarily mean what you would think, it’s hard to understand what each one means. That’s why we’ve created this panic-free guide to understanding your dashboard lights. Urgent Dashboard Lights These dashboard lights are the ones you really need to watch for. They will typically be red and indicate potentially serious problems, safety issues, or important reminders (such as seatbelt not fastened or door ajar). When you see one of these dashboard lights, don’t take any chances, stop your car immediately, and find an authorized repair shop. These include: Brake Warning Indicators - If your parking brake is off and you see this light, t ... read more

If you happen to be looking to buy or sell a car in the San Diego area, you are in luck as there are many professional and reputable dealerships in the city. Here are some of the best places to buy and sell cars in San Diego. And if you’re on the lookout for a good mechanic in Kearny Mesa to take care of your new vehicle, get in touch with Convoy Auto Repair! Pacific Honda Pacific Honda is located on Convoy Street in San Diego, right down the street from Convoy Auto Repair. This dealership is well known for their excellent customer service and favorable trade-in values. They are one of the most highly rated dealerships in the city based on their Google Reviews, with over 300 reviews averaging 4.5/5 stars. They offer a wide selection of vehicles: not only Honda cars but also pre-owned models by BMW, Acura, Cadillac, Dodge, Chrysler, Chevy and more ... read more

When your mechanic calls you and gives an estimate for repairs, how do you know if it’s fair? Most people aren’t as technically proficient as a mechanic or automobile engineer are, so it’s tough to understand what all the items in the estimate actually are and why they’re necessary. We aim to make the mechanic estimate a little less mysterious and more transparent so you’ll be to get your car fixed without worrying about being ripped off. Read on and start understanding mechanic estimates today. What’s In an Estimate? While the exact contents from an estimate vary from shop to ship, generally, the auto mechanic estimate can be dissected into six main parts: Customer/Vehicle Information, Parts, Labor, Miscellaneous Charges, Flat Fees, and Summary of Charges. Make sure that all of these sections are accounted for in the estimate and are itemized to ensure there won’t be any hidden costs Now, it’s time to break down what each of these parts ... read more

As soon as you buy a car it starts to depreciate, but there are several steps that you can take to lower its depreciation as much as possible. Taking care of your car, ensuring that cosmetic defects are fixed quickly, and keeping regular maintenance will ensure that you get the most money when it comes time to sell it. ​ Keep the mileage down as much as possible The more long trips that you take with your car, the greater the wear on it and the shorter its life will be. You won’t want to drive it much more than 15,000 miles per year. When traveling long distances, try to use other methods of transportation instead of driving if you are trying to protect your car’s value, or rent a car. Also keep in mind that the lower your odometer reading is when you sell your car the more you’ll get for it. Keep the interior and exterior clean Simply keeping the interior of your car clean will go a long way in maintaining its resale value. It’s one of the major differenc ... read more

We’ve all heard horror stories about botched repairs or high charges at both dealerships and independent repair shops. But how do you decide where to repair your vehicle? The truth of the matter is that either option can be good depending on the quality of the shop and its reputation, and either option can be bad if the shop or the dealership has a bad reputation. You have to do your research on the independent shop or dealership that you are interested in and also consider pricing and repair time. Here are the pros and cons of repairing your vehicle at independent shops vs. dealerships: Cost Matters One main thing to consider is that an independent repair shop will often cost less than a dealership. Dealerships almost always tack on a premium with their repair services because they have more overhead costs and other costs. Or, they simply are looking to make a higher profit and know that the ... read more

What Makes a Good Used Car? Buying a good used car takes a bit of research and preparation, but you can definitely find a good deal on a used vehicle and save quite a bit of money compared to buying a new one. No matter what used car you buy, you’ll still have to perform your due diligence to ensure that you buy a good used car and avoid the lemons. Here’s what makes a good used car. Test drive the car Test driving the car on the highway and in the city will help you catch any unreported problems. If you can test drive it on more than one occasion it’s even better. You’ll also get to feel what it’s like to drive the car which is important if it turns out that you don’t like how it drives. Try to take the car up an incline and drive it at least 65 mph to ensure that it properly on the highway and in steep conditions. Get the maintenance record Most responsible car owners will have a maintenance record of their vehicle. Ask the owner to show when oil ... read more