Santa Barbara Autowerks in
Santa Barbara (CA)

I’ve been very happy every time I’ve taken my VW here. Excellent customer service, excellent mechanics. If you are in the area (or even if you aren’t) and have a German car- strongly consider this independent ?shop!

On a long road trip thousands of miles from home we had a 5 star experience with Autowerks. We called them at 5 pm with a battery problem and were being helped the next morning at 8 am. They not only took care of the problem but did an oil change and had us back on the road with a just washed car that morning. I wish we could take them home with us. Thank you Hector. Thank you Peter.

Excellent experience here! Hector fit me in to a busy schedule day of for pads and rotors. Work was done quickly and transparently. Very much appreciate their service.

I never leave reviews but felt compelled to write about my recent experience with SB Autowerks. My email communication with Hector was very responsive and he was able to diagnose the issue with a precise estimate that was not a moving target $$... The dealership's estimate was 2x the amount! My Audi SQ5 will always be serviced with confidence at SB Autowerks - thank you again!!

Great work, communication, service & pricing. I’ve trusted Peter, Hector & Ed for over a decade with my VW Tourag. They are always efficient, cost effective and work to be sure I understand the impact of any recommendations. Appreciate y’all - thank you for all yo do!

Hector and the whole Autowerks team are amazing. Better communication than the Audi dealership, better pricing, and a lot nicer to work with…. I trust these people ?. I had a coolant leak and got a new reservoir, water pump, and a hose. So easy to schedule and get the job completed with Hector

My 20 year old daughter lives in Santa Barbara.She always gets the best service at auto werks.I really appreciate she can go to a shop and not have to worry about her being ripped off. Honest reliable efficient service every time I am grateful.

Peter assisted us while passing through SB with a faulty ABS Sensor on our MB Metris. Ordered the part and quickly turned it around and got us back on the road. We were fortunate for this part to fail in such close proximity to such an experienced mechanic. Thanks Peter and Hector.

These guys are SUPER LEGIT! Don't go anywhere else for your auto needs. Hector, Peter, and Ed took really good care of me and my 12 GTI. Had rear suspension issues with my coilovers, they got me in same day and got me and my lady back on the road.

Hector and Peter saved the day for my girlfriend and I! These guys were probably the most honest mechanics I’ve ever met! I just wished we lived in the area because Autowerks would be my new go to shop! We were driving up to Santa Barbara for a weekend getaway from Long Beach. We were about 5 miles from our destination when suddenly we heard the loudest bang underneath our car (like someone hit it with a baseball bat multiple times). Unfortunately, we drove over a car jack on the middle of the 101 freeway! The cars in front of us drove over it with ease but I guess our Audi was lower than the other cars and didn’t have the same clearance. Immediately we noticed that the car was shaking when we pushed on the gas pedal. We exited the freeway and didn’t see anything hanging and no fluids were leaking so we tried to drive again and it felt like the drive shaft was going to fall out from underneath our car. Needless to say, it did not feel safe to drive so we had it towed to a nearby Mechanic (Autowerks). It was around 1pm on a Friday, thankfully Peter agreed to squeeze us in and take a look. We went to grab some food while they investigated what was going on. I was fully expecting a diagnoses that was going to cost me an arm and leg, especially since we’re from out of town and had no other options. Most mechanics could have easily taken advantage of that, but not Peter and Hector. After having the car all afternoon, we received a call around closing time saying that they fixed the issue!!! We were completely surprised! Peter said that they found multiple impact points under the body/support braces but no damage to the engine, transmission or driveshaft. They repositioned the chassis brace, tightened everything up and the vibrations and shaking stopped! They drove it around a bit to make sure and the vibrations did not return! Our bill was only $160!!! I can’t thank Peter and Hector enough for their honesty and saving our weekend getaway! We were stressing out so badly, trying to figure out how we were going to make it back home and figure out if we needed to buy a new car or spend a bunch of money to get this one fixed. It could have been a lot worse but thanks to them we didn’t have to worry about that anymore and we were able to enjoy Santa Barbara and drive away safely with money still on our pocket! I highly recommend them to anyone in the Santa Barbara area!

I am very pleased with all the work they did on my car, and for the excellent customer service. I had a Passat 2003 and I always took it there since I bought it. Hector and his team were always very professional, they always did a full check up on my car, and they always did what was promised. I never felt disrespected like very often women do in mechanic shops. Moreover, my car was old and it was nothing like the Volvos and and BMWs they often have at their shop, but still I never felt like I was treated any different than the other customers. Last time I went there, the repairs cost exceeded the value of my car, and Hector suggested me not to do it. Still, when I went there to pick up my car, Hector gave me a detailed estimate of everything that would have to be done, patiently explained to me everything, didn't charge me anything, and still changed a headlight bulb. Unfortunately my dear Passat had to be retired, but I'll always recommend them to anyone that has a german car. Thank you for everything Hector!

Brought VW EOS that had been virtual lemon for years, despite several trips to dealer. They wanted $6k+ to fix convertible top and oil leak, which they said was between engine and transmission. Turned out had broken fuel pump module, improperly installed valve cover, improperly replaced oil filter and seeping oil plug. Top problem was fixed by a tied knot to a tether... car came back clean, beautifully running and all maintenance done. Will be first choice if import car trouble again.

Took my 2006 e90 BMW 330i that I just bought there to repair what I only thought was 1 oil leak I was told about prior to buying it. Turns out it was much more than that. Hector was very prompt and honest about what the car needed and why, and ultimately left the control in my hands about what I wanted to fix on the car. No silly games, or attempts at selling me services the car didn't need. Clearly this team takes pride in what they do, plus they are car enthusiasts(such as myself) which made me feel like I wasn't just a number in their system and rather a driver who's machine was in good hands. No more oil leaks, and will definitely be back for any other service needed down the road.

Hector and his team are invaluable! Their service is really beyond compare—always quick, transparent, and communicative about your car’s needs. They’ve been a godsend since there’s no VW dealership in Santa Barbara, and I couldn’t be more pleased with my experiences at SB Autowerks. Couldn’t recommend them more!

I was very pleased with the work that SB Autowerks performed on my Mercedes CLK 320. I had a lengthy list of repairs to be performed and asked for an estimate which was promptly given. In the course of performing the work, Hector contacted me about an oil leak that they discovered. He gave me an estimate to fix the leak and worked with me to identify an item from my original list that could be removed in order to help contain the total cost of repairs. When the work was complete, he informed me that it was determined that one of the repair items on my list was unnecessary, and that the labor hours for some items came in under the original estimate. This further helped to contain a rather large repair bill. I appreciated that.

I am so grateful to have found SB Autowerks for a variety of reasons. I just relocated back to the area and had yet to find MY mechanic. Being new to the area, I didn't have many friends to turn to for suggestions, which left me relying on reviews - and my gut. Peter and his crew came through in a serious moment of need! On a day they were slammed with work they fit me in, told me I'd have my car back the next day and actually had it ready the SAME day I dropped it off! They were efficient, FAST, gave me an honest price (and stuck to it! no 'surprise' additional costs!), and simply did overall great work on my VW GTI. I wholeheartedly recommend them and would give 6 stars if I could.

We are new to the area and was recommended to Santa Barbara Autowerks by another mechanic (that does not work on European cars). They were very fast and communicative with my car needs. We were happy with their service. I highly recommend this mechanic shop.

I recently just purchased a 2009 Audi A4, and it is already giving me problems. I am in a tough financial situation with a very low budget, so I wanted to find the best shop for me with the best prices. I did research on different shops in Santa Barbara, then finally decided to take my car into Santa Barbara Autowerks. I arrived right when they opened at 8am and I was helped right away. My check engine light came on indicating a P0299 code, I looked up this problem and it could be a variety of things, and Santa Barbara Autowerks was able to quickly get me in and diagnosed my issue. The owners of this shop are very honest, and gave me a price estimate that I could barely afford, but I need to get this work done before it leads to worse problems, so I decided I would follow through with the work, and I am sure that Santa Barbara Autowerks would do the best job ! A very HUGE thank you to Peter and Hector for working with me!

We have a Tiguan and VW bug and are very happy with the service at Santa Barbara Autowerks . The customer service is great, Hector is the best.

During the first week of August I experienced some issues with my Mecedes SLK as I was driving down from the Bay Area to Santa Barbara. Since I did not know any good mechanics in Santa Barbara, I was hesitant to take it to a random car shop. My husband did some research online and found Santa Barbara Autowerks, Inc. When I took my car over there I was helped by Hector. Santa Barbara Autowerks examined my car, explained what the problem was and gave me clear instructions on how to safely finish my trip without further damaging the engine. I did just that and it worked! Thank you Hector!

Love my Audi, always nervous to hand it over to someone I don't know. Hector and the team at SB Autowerks were highly recommended and came through for me. Super pro, very efficient, treated me and my car very well.

I called these guys with a minor emergency on Monday morning, 5 minutes after they opened. I needed an obscure $10 part for a 20 year old car, so needless to say most people would not consider me a high-priority customer. Not to mention I was 100 miles from home. Hector fielded my odd request with the utmost level of professionalism. I called him at 8:05 and the part was there from the dealer in under four hours. They also basically gave me the part at cost. Thanks Hector! As the owner of a 98 VW golf, 03 BMW 328ci, and a 2011 BMW 135i, I would take any of my cars to SB Autowerks with the utmost confidence that any work would be done with the highest degree of integrity and quality possible. These people are true professionals. They saved me from needing a tow and/or wrecking my transmission by driving with an inoperative clutch. If you have a German car, this is the spot.

I'm so happy to have found this shop. Lately I have been having a lot of issues with my VW CC, so my friend recommended them, because he have had a great experience with them. Extremely honest people, and I can't believe how fast and efficient they are. Also a pleasant surprise for me was that they have a 12month (or 12,000miles) installation warranty of the parts. My water pump had to be replaced (apparantely a verry common problem with the VW) and the car was out in a day. I would recommend them to anybody looking for a fast shop with fair prices and honest employees!

SB Autowerks is the best mechanic in SB. My husband and I have taken each of our cars to Pete and Hector for over a decade now and their work is honest, thorough and the best quality. They are one of the main reasons I was able to drive my Mustang for 12 years before selling it in perfect condition! Your car is always in great shape here and Hector and Pete make sure to keep you in the loop so you know what's happening with your vehicle and what the options are. Don't hesitate if you're considering giving them a try!

New to town, was worried about my car since it had issues driving down from out of state. I wasn’t sure if my car was ok so I emailed them to get it checked out. SB Autowerks replied right away, were super flexible- even gave me a ride to work! I learned they are very knowledgeable, factory trained and best of all, honest. I left feeling comfortable and so happy I found them in case I need help. A great experience.

Hector and crew were able to help me out unexpectly without problem. They were able to diagnose and fix the issue my VW had. Fast and honest service is what I feel I got so I am extremely happy. I can recommend SB Autowerks to all my fellow German car owners without a doubt. Go Autowerks for great service done by great humans.

Peter and his team are authentic and experts in what they do. Perfectionists puts it mildly. If you are looking to rebuild a German car and want someone with who pays attention to every detail, then I highly recommend this company.