About Business
Top Shop Automotive is a leading Car Repair specialist serving the Santa Barbara, CA, Santa Barbara area. They provide a wide variety of solutions, including Auto repair shop, Auto air conditioning service, Auto tune up service, and other Car Repair tasks. Boasting a solid 4.2/5 rating from 123 verified reviews, their reputation precedes them. As a locally-owned business in Santa Barbara, CA, they are deeply committed to providing honest and reliable Car Repair support to their neighbors. If you are in need of Car Repair assistance, we invite you to reach out to them today or visit their location in Santa Barbara, CA.
Google Reviews
I
★★★★
☆
a month ago
This is one of the best auto shops in town if not the BEST. The whole team here as a great "can do" attitude. Always very welcoming and approachable. Anytime I take my car here I know it's going to be taken care of and I know if there is anything off, wrong, or a miss that they will find it and let me know. Most places will just fix what you tell them the problem is, not here. They will fix what your issue is and investigate the vehicle to make sure there are no other issues going on and if there are they will let you know before fixing it to make sure you want them to fix it or not. My only complaint and the reason for 4 stars instead of 5, is the location. The parking and ease of getting in and out of there, is not ideal. But for the service they provide, it's a minor inconvenience.
Francisco Moreno
★★★★★
8 months ago
Great customer service. I had called on Wednesday to get some coil overs installed on my Lexus RcF and the service advisor made me feel confident in the work they do explained everything to me. So after calling different shops and getting different quotes I decided to go with Top Shop Automotive because on how confident they sounded on the work they do and answered all the question I had. The service technician was super friendly gave me a full inspection on my car and the installation went great. No issues whatsoever, my car is level on both sides and even told me to go back in a couple thousand miles after the springs settle to get a free adjustment on the height if I want to go lower which was great. Their service is a little bit pricey but you get what you pay for , quality work and great communication . Overall great experience with Top shop automotive and would recommend to anyone. Ali is great person really enjoyed the communication he gave me.
Robert Bernstein
★★★★★
3 years ago
Top Shop owner Willie saved us at the start of a holiday weekend. Smoke streaming out from under the hood of our 1996 Corolla Wagon. Willie spotted the almost invisible crack in the radiator. It was noon on Friday of Memorial Day weekend. I have no idea how he did it, but he got a replacement radiator up from LA and had it installed by 5PM. He had one of his guys drive it 30 miles round trip out to Refugio State Beach to be sure it was working with no leaks. We were totally random people off the street, yet Willie took care of us as if we were long time customers or friends. I am very grateful and definitely recommend Top Shop!
Mike Hodes
★
☆☆☆☆
11 months ago
They look really nice and professional from the outside however the first problem was they forgot who I was after booking an appointment with them and put my email in wrong. Then when it came time to fix they charged like 200 to fix a bad fuse and said that was the only problem. Then when the fuse blew again and I confronted that wasn’t the problem they didn’t offer a refund wanted to charge more for not fixing it the first time. I took it somewhere else. They aren’t scammy mechanics just overpriced and bad plenty of others in the area that’ll do better
Rebecca Cox
★★★
☆☆
Edited 10 months ago
Mixed service. We went one time 8 months ago and it was great. They could’ve totally upsold me because the roadside mechanic didn’t run a test right, but they re-ran the test at the shop and gave me a modified plan that cost way less. Additionally, they took the time to give me a multi-stage plan so if one thing worked I didn’t need to come back, but if the issue returned we’d try a different, more expensive route. We went another time more recently with a different issue and they had our car for multiple weeks and were horrible at updating us and returning calls leaving us without a car and without information. We still had issues after this and they continued to fail to update us or have our car ready for us by the agreed upon day - leaving us without a car for days yet again.
Patrick Egan
★★★★★
Edited a year ago
Brought my Subaru Forrester in tor service and Top Shop was the best. Jerry at the front desk makes the whole checkin process smooth and professional and more importantly they want to know you and your plans for your car. I’ve been to a lot of repair shops and this was the first time I have had my car fixed for less than the estimate. Great people, fair prices and really good service.
D.C. Noye
★★
☆☆☆
a year ago
Willie is great, but I just don't feel like I've gotten the best service. For diagnostics, they said the wiper switch was bad. So after replacing it, I tested the old with a multimeter and it was good and the root cause ended up being something else completely. Which is fine. But the attitude I received when I informed them was just uncalled for. Another time they forget to put the bolt back in for the alternator and the only reason it was caught is because I went back after a quick drive on Hollister popped the hood and noticed it. Willie said this is not safe to drive come back tomorrow. This could've been a very serious accident and I just don't have any trust in taking any vehicle there anymore.
Jho Doe
★
☆☆☆☆
10 months ago
Anthony is terrible at customer service. The "policy" to have your can in for a quote is absurd. There's plenty of other shops that would give an honest estimate over the phone. Like I have all day to drive to every shop? Cmon I thought this was Top Shop Anthony
Nadine Elliott
★★★★★
10 years ago
I was very impressed about their exceptional customer service. The front desk staff was very friendly and professional. It is never nice to bring your car into the shop as you dont know how long it will take or how much it will cost you. So it is very nice to feel like you can trust the people there taking good care of you and being on "your team". This is how I felt. My car was there for 3 days and the mechanics tried their best to find out what was wrong with it, and eventually fixed it. I was happy. Their mechanics were also very friendly! I would highly recommend this place!
Jacob Brucato
★★★★★
3 years ago
They didn't just fix my car, they also restored my faith in humanity. The people who run this place are the most polite, honest, and kind mechanics I have ever encountered. The body shop they referred me to was equally great as well. They've even recommended that I go on YouTube and DIY my headlight since it was an easy fix and not worth the wait list. Everyone here just exudes positive energy and I love it.
Hayley
★★★★★
3 years ago
I went to Top Shop to change the transmission fluid in my Volvo S60. The helpful employees explained everything they planned to do before giving me a quote. My transmission service came out to around $400 which is very reasonable. The service also came with a free bumper-to-bumper inspection. There is no shuttle or loaner car service available, but there are rental car discounts. I ended up taking an Uber after dropping my car off for service. Still, the price is reasonable and the quality of the service is excellent, which makes this minor inconvenience well worth it.
Heaven Quintana
★★★★★
5 years ago
I love this place! I had issues with my 98 Subaru 2 years ago I took it here and I've been going here since then! They're very professional, welcoming and patient. They always answer all my questions and don't mind when I need to take a little time for a decision. I'll be moving away soon and I will miss having this trustworthy place to bring my car in. I highly recommend coming here!
tara hoffmann
★★★★★
2 years ago
Sounds like the place to go if you own a Volkswagen and live in SB! Wiley was very kind, and after much discussion, and since he was way booked out, I had it towed back to Santa Maria. But I will keep his number and grateful to Frank, who took me to see him!
Martin Lilly
★★★★★
11 months ago
Excellent crew. Did their best to accommodate us on short notice. Good communication and they seem to love what they do!
Jan Gold
★
☆☆☆☆
8 years ago
I just moved to SB and looking for a new mechanic. I was given a referral to Willy at Top Shop. It was time for an oil change and front brakes replaced. I asked what they would charge for those services (without and with routers if needed). The girl would not answer my question, became combative, asking how I knew the brakes needed replacing, and did I bring paperwork from my previous mechanic regarding the brakes. She wanted me to do a full diagnostic on the car. I asked to talk to Willy and was told he was not there. They said he was doing public relations whatever that means. The conversation ended abruptly when the receptionist called her manager over. I expected the manager to ask how she might help but instead without any questions, identified herself as the manager and pointed to a sign above the receptionist. You have to wonder how frequent does it have to be an issue, that Top Shop found it necessary to procure and post a sign above their receptionist that reads "Be polite or Leave" (or some variation on that). I was asked to leave for asking how much they charge for a specific service! Further research revealed that the shop is NO LONGER OWNED by Willy but by a corporation based in OC who have a hard sell policy. Read well into the Yelp reviews!
Cj Claassen
★★★★★
Edited 5 years ago
Their are wonderful and listen to what you have to say about your car. I have a mazda rx7. 1987 and there was no problem about them trying to fix it call all over SLO and Santa Maria no one would work on it Top Shop is working on it. GREAT
Michelle K
★★★★★
12 years ago
I recently moved to SB; did Internet research and found Top Shop had great reviews. Made an appointment and the customer service people and owners could not have been more gracious. I had a slow leak in my tire and they referred me to another shop - where I also had excellent customer service. I will definitely go to Top Shop and Ian's tire service and auto repair again.
Beth Eisele
★★★★★
10 years ago
Being the daughter of a family business (even though I am now 3000 away from them), it is very rare that you truly find that "at home" feeling no matter what the product. I have to say, I don't know a lot about cars and I probably speak for many women and to take your car in for maintenance or repair can be intimidating. I ALWAYS know my car is in great and honest hands. Willie and his staff look, evaluate and let you know all the options. They love what they do and it shows!! Thanks Top Shop
Jefferson Baker
★★★★★
10 years ago
When I arrive in the morning, I am always greeted warmly by the staff who either help me immediately or direct me to some coffee or candy to keep me occupied while they finish with someone else. They groom me to be a long term customer by prioritizing which of my car issues need immediate attention and which can wait for a subsequent visit, so I never feel pressured into doing something immediately unless it is a safety issue. The only drawbacks are that parking is somewhat limited and that they are so popular that you generally cannot just walk in to have your car worked on, but have to make an appointment a day or two in advance. But these are good problems to have!
Jianpeng Liu
★
☆☆☆☆
8 years ago
Avoid this shop if you can! It is extremely overcharged. I would give a zero star or negative star if I could. They charged me more than 750 dollars for changing a fuse (ant it took 2 days), and they have changed the oil without asking for my permission. They also asked for a few hundred dollars for changing a cover of the tail light! The people in that shop are crafty and very low efficient. It is true that they always smile to customers and behave like they are nice people, but on the other hand they always overcharge the customers and keep the customers waiting. So please avoid this shop!
