MechanicRank lists 58 auto repair businesses in Santa Monica, CA. 3 are mobile mechanics who come to your home or work and 38 run auto repair shops you can drive to. The best rated with a real review history is Santa Monica Autoworks, at 5.0 stars from 118 reviews. Every listing shows the phone number, hours and reviews. Or send one free quote request and a local mechanic calls you back.
Our own locations, shops that claimed their listing, and the highest rated businesses within 10 miles. Top rated means 4.6 stars or more on 20+ reviews. How we rank.
Tell us what the car is doing. A local mechanic calls you back, most requests get a call back the same day. No fee, no obligation.
Ranked by how many drivers have reviewed them on Google. Every shop here holds 4 stars or better.
Picked by what drivers actually write. Each count is the number of Google reviews that raise the topic. Every shop listed holds 4.5 stars or better.
Ranked by the rating and review count on each listing, not by who pays us. Nobody pays us.
The best reviewed business in Santa Monica right now is Santa Monica Autoworks, at 5.0 stars across 118 reviews. Every shop above clears 4.3 stars with at least 15 reviews behind it, which is the point where a rating starts meaning something. Plenty of shops hold five stars on four reviews. That is not the same thing.
Of the 58 businesses listed in Santa Monica, there are 3 that will come to you, 38 with a workshop you drive to, 7 body and collision shops and 5 tire shops. None has been claimed by its owner yet, so the hours and phone numbers come from public records. An unclaimed listing is not a worse business. It just means we built the record and nobody has corrected it yet.
Santa Monica is very fortunate to have a shop like Morris available to the community
I will never take my Mercedes to the dealership again after the excellent experiences I’ve had with Joy Automotive. …
I had yearly maintenance today on my car and have to say they did an excellent job...Very friendly family owned business.
I'm 2,000 miles from my daughter, so I had to find someone else I could trust with her car repairs. Rey and the crew did a wonderful job for us. I'm grateful for their efforts in every regard. The car is running well.
Lucky enough to call this shop my neighborhood go to spot. Their service is always fast and efficient and they do a great job.
Very quick and efficient Smog Check. Would come back again for another! Lexus made the whole process easy and seamless.
58 pinned locations · open the full MechanicRank map →
58 independent businesses in our directory.
Real photos from the mechanics themselves or their own websites. No stock photos.
From each shop's posted Google hours. Call ahead, since hours change on holidays.
Independent shops in California usually charge $120 to $175 an hour for labor, which is above the national average. A quote is the book time for the job times that rate, plus parts. At California rates, a brake rotor replacement runs about $220 to $650 and a coolant flush runs about $110 to $255 for a midsize car.
Of the 55 Santa Monica listings that post their hours, 34 open on Saturday and 7 on Sunday. 14 open before 8 AM on weekdays, which helps if you need to drop the car off before work.
52 businesses in Santa Monica have at least 15 reviews, enough for a rating to mean something, and 44 of those hold 4.5 stars or better. Half of them have 77 or more reviews. A shop with a long history and a 4.6 is a safer call than a perfect 5.0 from a handful of people.
For work a general shop may turn away, Santa Monica has 7 body and collision shops, 5 tire shops, 3 smog and emissions stations and 2 heavy duty and fleet shops. Call ahead with the year, make and model so you do not waste a trip.
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. Details are on the California Bureau of Automotive Repair site. 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. Read the rule.
The average commute in Santa Monica is 25 minutes each way, and 47% of workers drive there alone.
Sources, checked October 13, 2026
Buying a used car in Santa Monica? PPI Auto, our sister company, sends an inspector to the car for $225 on most cars, pickups and SUVs. That is a 122 point check with a full scan and a road test, and the report comes back the same day. Dealer lot, private seller or auction, it works the same.
There are 88 car lots within 8 miles of Santa Monica, and 74 of them sell used. PPI Auto grades 37 of them A to F from their reviews, and 5 get an F. See the Los Angeles dealer grades before you go look at a car.
Parts of California require an emissions test. Ask the seller for the last test report, and if the check engine light is on, walk away until someone has read the code.
We list 58 in Santa Monica, 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.
Santa Monica Autoworks currently holds the highest rating in Santa Monica at 5.0 stars from 118 reviews. Santa Monica Autoworks, Arista Collision Center Inc., Pacific Shoreline Auto Glass 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. 3 of the businesses we list in Santa Monica 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. 7 of the businesses we list in Santa Monica show Sunday hours, including Pacific Shoreline Auto Glass, Ston Auto Studio and Santa Monica On-Site Truck Repair. 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 58 listings in Santa Monica 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. 3 of the businesses in Santa Monica 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 Monica 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. 35 of the 58 listings in Santa Monica 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.
47 of the 58 listings in Santa Monica 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. 3 of the Santa Monica listings come to you, 57 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.
Most mobile mechanics in Santa Monica price by the job, not the hour. Independent shop labor in California runs about $120 to $175 an hour, and mobile prices usually land in the same range for the same repair. Some add a trip fee and some fold it in. Ask for one total price, trip included, before they drive out. Our repair cost guides show typical parts and labor for each job.
Yes. Typical independent shop labor in California is about $120 to $175 an hour, so $100 is below the normal range. Dealers often charge more. What matters most is the total. Ask how many hours the job is quoted at and compare that with a second shop.
By rating and review count together, the strongest mobile mechanics in the Santa Monica area right now are Lets Go Mobile Oil Car Service (5.0 stars, 98 reviews), Mobile Mechanic Auto Experts (4.9 stars, 166 reviews) and A-Spec Mobile Mechanics (5.0 stars, 37 reviews). We weigh stars against how many reviews back them, so a perfect score on a few reviews does not win.
Some work needs a shop. Transmission swaps, engine rebuilds, alignments and anything that needs a lift go to a garage. Bad weather can push back a driveway job, and you need a safe, legal place to park where the mechanic can work. Many mobile mechanics also run a shop, or will tell you up front when a job needs one.
Get a written estimate that lists parts and labor. Call two or three shops with the same estimate and ask each for a total price. Ask what warranty comes with the parts and the work. Read recent reviews, not just the star score. A shop that explains the problem clearly and shows you the old part is a good sign.
This page lists 58 auto repair businesses in Santa Monica, CA. We built it from business details and ratings from each Google Business Profile, owner claims and uploads, license numbers from owners and the state license board, California repair and inspection rules from the state agency and Census and NOAA figures for the local car ownership section. We call, text and email the businesses to keep it right, and take listings down when a number goes dead.
Why trust it: no business pays to be listed or to rank, the order follows our published rules, and every count on this page is counted from the listings below. 47 show a photo or logo, 35 show a license number (35 checked against California's BAR) and 0 have been confirmed by the owner.
12 nearby cities within 10 miles, biggest first. Mobile mechanics often cross city lines, so a shop one town over may come to you.
Los Angeles, CATop rated: Tony's Motor Service 5.0★
Inglewood, CATop rated: Pronto wheel repair 5.0★
Culver City, CATop rated: Ara Mobile Welding Service 5.0★
Venice, CATop rated: Venice Auto Services 5.0★
West Hollywood, CATop rated: LA Masters of West Hollywood 5.0★
Manhattan Beach, CATop rated: Big Joe's Dent Removal 4.9★
Beverly Hills, CATop rated: HADD Customs, LLC 4.8★
Marina Del Rey, CATop rated: Villa Marina Auto Care 4.8★
El Segundo, CATop rated: Pittstop El Segundo 4.8★
Playa Del Rey, CATop rated: Playa West Automotive 4.0★
Westchester, CATop rated: Loyola Marina Auto Care 4.6★
Lennox, CATop rated: Marcelos Shop Inc 4.9★Typical independent shop prices at California labor rates, parts and labor, for a midsize car. Each guide shows the price for your vehicle and what to ask before you pay. See all 91 repair cost guides.
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Mobile Mechanics 
Auto Repair Shops 
Heavy Duty & Fleet 
Body & Collision 
Tire Shops 
Smog & Emissions 
Specialty Services 
