Auto Repair Shops and Mobile Mechanics in Santa Cruz, CA

We list 76 in Santa Cruz, CA. That covers mobile mechanics, workshops, diesel and heavy duty specialists, body shops and tire shops. Every one has its own page with the phone number, what they work on and the reviews we have found.

AA Star Smog Check ( Ocean and Soquel ) currently holds the highest rating in Santa Cruz at 5.0 stars from 1,030 reviews. AA Star Smog Check ( Ocean and Soquel ), Cen Cal Automotive, AE Motorsports are the top three by rating among businesses with a real review history behind them. We rank on the ratings themselves and nobody can pay to appear there.

Yes. 2 of the businesses we list in Santa Cruz will travel to you rather than making you bring the car in. That covers most servicing, brakes, batteries, diagnostics and plenty of repairs that do not need a lift.

Independent shops in California usually bill $120 to $175 an hour for labor. The national range is $95 to $140. Dealers charge more. Most quotes are the book time for the job times that rate, plus parts, so ask the shop how many hours it is billing you for.

Gas, hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles from 1976 and newer, and diesel vehicles from 1998 and newer, need a smog check every two years when the DMV renewal notice asks for one. Gas and hybrid vehicles 8 model years old or newer pay a smog abatement fee instead, and electric vehicles are exempt. A smog check is also needed when most vehicles are sold and when a vehicle from another state is first registered in California.

Yes. 8 of the businesses we list in Santa Cruz show Sunday hours, including AA Star Smog Check ( Ocean and Soquel ), Lloyd's Tire & Auto Care and Wheel Works. Call first, because Sunday hours are often short and some only take emergencies.

Look at the review count as well as the stars, because five stars from four people tells you very little. None of the 76 listings in Santa Cruz has been claimed yet, so call to confirm hours and what the shop works on. Auto shops must be registered with the Bureau of Automotive Repair, must give an estimate, and cannot start work until the customer approves it. Customers can get replaced parts back if they ask before approving the repairs, and the shop must give a final itemized invoice. Get the quote in writing before any work starts.

Usually not. 2 of the businesses in Santa Cruz come to you, and with no building to pay for, they often charge a bit less than a shop. What they cannot do in a driveway is work that needs a lift or a press, so heavy jobs still go to a shop.

Yes. PPI Auto, our sister company, inspects used cars in Santa Cruz for $225 on most cars, pickups and SUVs. The inspector comes to the car, runs a 122 point check and sends the report the same day. Call 951-267-8500 to book.

In California anyone paid to diagnose or repair cars must be registered with the Bureau of Automotive Repair as an Automotive Repair Dealer, and the number starts with ARD. You can look any shop up by name or number on the state's license search at search.dca.ca.gov. 43 of the 76 listings in Santa Cruz show a BAR number on their MechanicRank page, linked to that lookup. If a shop will not give you its ARD number, take the car somewhere that will.

70 of the 76 listings in Santa Cruz show a photo or logo. They come from the owner, from the business's own website, or from our own jobs for Supercanic locations. We never put a stock or AI photo on someone else's business. Owners can claim their listing free and add their own.

We call, text and email the businesses we list to confirm their details, and listings whose numbers turn out to be dead come off the directory. Nobody can pay to rank higher.

Because we work with these mechanics, not just list them. Besides checking listings, we run free study guides and certification exams for mechanics, publish repair cost guides by state, and give shops software to send written quotes and invoices. 2 of the Santa Cruz listings come to you, 76 carry a rating with the review count beside it, and the order on this page follows the published rules on our How We Rank page.