Mission Viejo Transmission & Auto Repair — Attraction in Mission Viejo

I own a customized vehicle to handle pre-running for desert racing so it’s not your average vehicle. It has a built up rear end, trans, and suspension, roll cage etc. during my last outing we broke an axle. I called around and unfortunately due to being in the peak of off road race season my normal shops couldn’t get to it right away. Doing some research I found great reviews for this shop. I shoot them a call, I stated what I had and explained I was under a time crunch so do they feel they could do it and have it back to me in 2 weeks for my next desert trip. He assured me he could and had a guy on staff that specializes in high performance stuff.....Great I was relieved they were local And it’s only a broken axle simple repair for any shop.

I bring my vehicle in on a trailer and they had no problem with the vehicle and assured me this was not big deal and they would have it taken care of ASAP. Which was a huge relief as I was catching a plane for a business trip that day and I didn’t have the time to get it handled. Once again I was assured they would get right on it and I was in good hands. I leave feeling comfortable they run a clean shop have a lot of vehicles in there and give the impression they really know what they are doing...... I was wrong they were not capable of efficiently working on this type of vehicle and I’m guessing they got in over their head taking on a job like this. 👎

My vehicle sat in the parking lot for over a week without even being looked at. Unfortunately I was out of town so it wasn’t like I could go and pick it up and take it elsewhere. they finally let me know they have my truck on the rack and tell me it’s $500 to inspect it and they will apply towards the repairs. I agree... more time goes by and I realize we aren’t making the trip and I cancel it. They call me with some pricing and I agree to it thinking it’s going to be completed right away....... after 6 weeks of wrong parts being ordered and issues resulting in not working on my vehicle, me calling daily and sometimes multiple times a day......they FINALLY get my truck done and at this point I’m just happy to have it done and back in my possession.

Here’s the kicker....they give me a price and I agree to it. Never once tried to grind or question them. I made it very clear what I expected of them in regards to my planned trips and since they said they could meet that deadline I had no issue paying their price...the deadline was over shot by 3x. But it wasn’t like I could just come and pick up my unassembled vehicle so I was stuck.

After missing every trip I had planned I still paid the amount we agreed upon......I’m a man of my word and held up my end of the agreement. I’m handed a 2 page receipt that has absolutely NO break down of work done, breakdown of price, parts used NOTHING. The most detail in the entire 2 pages is them releasing themselves of any liability since it’s a custom vehicle and stating there is no warranty since the truck is used off road. I never expected them to warranty it. What I did expect was a break down of work done, parts used and pricing considering I paid them $2300.

I guess the most insulting part is after all of this there was no effort to make anything right, no apology for the delays, missed trips and screw ups, nothing, they took my money, made sure I signed their waiver and sent me on my way. I wish they would’ve just been upfront in regards to their capabilities and ability to meet the timeline I was...

Mission Viejo Transmission stands out as a singular business to my wife, kids, mother and I. It feels like a throwback to an imagined better time. We have taken all our cars (Lexus, Honda, Mercedes) to be serviced and repaired by Kevin Hurley and his staff for the last decade. I originally transferred my business to MV Trans on the recommendation of friends due to the rising cost of the dealership repair facilities. As the person responsible for car maintenance for my extended family, I was thrilled to discover that MVT could work on ANYTHING I threw at them for lower prices than competitors. One stop shopping has made my life far less complicated and stressful. More importantly, this business operates at the highest level of integrity. All of my friends who I have recommended to switch have shared stories of how MV Transmission did higher quality work for substantially less than their previous mechanics; furthermore, they can be counted on never doing unnecessary or uneconomical work while keeping safety a priority. This scrupulous honesty starts from the top down. Kevin Hurley is a gem. You will know it when you meet him or google him. His word is gold and he treats customers like beloved family members. Over the years, he has lent me his own car as well as his daughter’s car to use as a loaner. Kevin has taken his valuable time to help my elderly mother find a safe car to drive with her arthritis. He remembers names and verbal promises for years. Not normal. Also not normal is the manner women are treated at MVT. My wife, mother & daughter have all expressed elation at the comfort & trust engendered by their treatment from Kevin & his staff. No customer is condescended to or bamboozled because of their lack of automotive expertise. One feels like a partner making shared decisions when given available repair options- just the way it should be. We have dealt almost exclusively with Ryan & Charles at the front desk. They are both high IQ, wickedly funny, eerily knowledgable & extremely competent individuals more concerned with safety than sales. Stand in line & you will know what I mean. You will often hear them offering automotive solutions that save the customer money that MVT could have pocketed by doing unneeded work. Any business would love to have these guys because their approach creates lifelong customers & trust rather than a quick buck. Try them & you will agree that Mission Viejo Transmission is exemplary. This seems impossible, but they actually can make...

After my previous review, Kevin (the owner) contacted me almost immediately, and he actually went through the trouble of figuring out what happened and refunding me for my frustration. He did call/text me way too many times, but - in the end, he followed through EXACTLY as he had promised. I would keep my guard up, ladies, and get in touch with Kevin if any problems arise.

My previous (1-star) review: WOMEN BEWARE: Go ANYWHERE else!! This shop will lure you in with their events for women and super clean ladies' room...before they TOTALLY rip you off. A fairly useless AAA tow truck driver recommended this place. My car had broken down along the road and I was pretty much at his mercy. 1st: I was told that the fuel pump my car needed was "factory only" (i.e. $$$), and waited days for it to be delivered. I know now: not only IS an after market part available; it would have been $100-250 cheaper. 2nd: They replaced my rear brakes; as I was driving home, I noticed that my brake pedal was working less and less effectively. By the time I got to my neighborhood, I was going no more than 20mph, and still having to stomp the pedal all the way to the floor for it to work. The next morning, I drove/crawled to the local tire shop & asked them to check out the brakes. When MV Transmission had changed my rear brakes, they left air in the brake line. Smart. I had to pay the second shop to fix it ($100). 3rd: They had my car for 48 hours ($$cost of lost business); at NO point during that time did I receive a phone call from them. If I wanted to know anything, I had to call them. 4th: I was venting to a client of mine who lives not far from the shop. When I mentioned the name, she says, "No way!" and tells me her own horror story. Basically, her car leaked oil after a basic oil change, and they told her "it's normal/residual from the oil change, it'll go away eventually'. A second, ethical shop fixed the real problem: MV Transmission had forgotten to put the gasket back on her car....