Joe at Classic Coach Works delivered the kind of service that is almost impossible to find--especially in the middle of Monterey Car Week. My Lamborghini developed a problem at the worst possible time, and Joe immediately stepped in and handled the repair with the urgency, precision, and composure of a professional racing team. It was genuinely like a pit stop: fast, efficient, expertly executed, and without unnecessary delays or excuses. Having competed as a race driver and international rallies, I know what real mechanical competence under pressure looks like. Joe has it. He is knowledgeable, resourceful, meticulous, and completely focused on solving the problem correctly while respecting both the automobile and the owner's time. Joe did not simply repair my Lamborghini--he saved my Car Week. Classic Coach Works has earned my highest possible recommendation. Five stars, without hesitation. read more

I had an 8:00 AM appointment with Classic Coachworks for my vehicle. I arrived on time, but the shop was not yet open, so I drove around a few times waiting. I briefly stopped in the small parking area next to the shop with my door open specifically to show I was not parking there permanently and intended to move immediately. There was even a police vehicle parked there at the time. I waved to Joe through the window, and he waved back. I then returned to my car to move it and continue looping until I could bring the car in properly. As I was pulling out, Joe suddenly came outside yelling that my appointment was cancelled because I had stopped in that parking area. He told me to "go somewhere else" and refused service on the spot. What disappointed me most was not the cancellation itself, but the way it was handled. I know Joe personally and expected at least a respectful conversation instead of being shouted at publicly. I understand businesses have rules regarding parking and access, especially around specialty vehicles. But professionalism and communication matter. Customers should not feel humiliated over a misunderstanding that lasted only moments and was already being corrected. Thankfully, I went to another shop afterward and received excellent service and respectful treatment. My advice to others: understand that this shop appears to operate entirely based on the owner's personal discretion and mood at the moment. Your experience may depend heavily on that. read more

JOE IS HANDS DOWN THE BEST MECHANIC IN THE AREA! He has always taken exceptional care of my vehicles and provided exceptional customer service. I highly recommend bringing your vehicle to Classic Coachworks read more

As I passed by Classic Coachworks, I stopped when I saw such beautiful cars but unfortunately was greeted very harshly by an employee there. I had stepped perhaps one foot into the shop when I started to say to him what lovely cars he has there. He interrupted me, and told me that yes, they're cars and I was not allowed into the shop. He basically kicked me out without even letting me ask any questions I had. It was frankly very rude especially as a young woman to be treated like that. I advised his that it might serve him better to treat people with a more kindness and patience and he replied with the notion that I might damage the cars if I came in. He treated me as though I knew nothing at all and proceeded to lecture me about how expensive they were. I was at the DOOR. Not even under the roof! His so called 'boundaries' seem to only apply to people not giving him any money. It really seemed that was all he cared about unfortunately. What if I was to bring in my own car?? Obviously I never will now. EDIT: Just found that that was Joe, the OWNER. What kind of owner treats people this way?? Sickening. read more

I've brought my car to Classic Coachworks twice now for two completely different issues, several months apart. Each time, the service has been consistently outstanding--friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. It's clear they take pride in their work and truly care about their customers. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for quality auto repair in Monterey! read more

I'm so glad we found Classic Coachworks. When stranded in Monterey, the local dealership said that Classic Coachworks was THE BEST. From beginning to end, the service was amazing here. We were kindly greeted by the wonderful office manager. When Joe started working on our car, he stayed with it till the end. I think he worked on our car much longer than he probably anticipated. He was extremely patient and didn't overcharge us. We will never forget how honest and kind Joe and his staff were! Thanks so much, Joe! read more

My 89 RHD, diesel Land Cruiser was having start up issues. Called multiple shops around town and thought I had to get it worked on 2-3 hours away. Local shop suggested Classic Coachworks and I'm so glad I found Joe and his team. Originally, I thought it was a fuel pump issue but Joe was able to diagnose it as an electrical issue. Keep in mind, my truck is an 1989 JDM right hand drive, diesel Land Cruiser and barely anyone in the area knows how to work on these things. Joe was able to bring my vehicle in on short notice and kept me updated on what was going on. This is a great shop and will be taking my truck here from now on. If you have a Land Cruiser, this is the place to take it. read more

I got stranded in Monterey with a bad bearing on the 3rd gear shaft in a '72 BMW with a non-standard five speed gearbox. Joe said 'no problem' so in it went. Great service and very reasonable cost. I took a '67 Healey in later and he totally rebuilt the front end and all the brakes. Similar great service! I have seen everything from classic British and Porsche customer cars up to and including a couple of Ferrari's. Highly recommended. read more

I called Joe about a car I was interested in buying, which was a 2014 Range Rover Autobiography. It was a nice car and a dream car for me but Joe was completely honest about the future maintenance costs that the car would need. With his input, I did not buy the car. When I do find my next dream car and buy it, I will maintain the car with Joe. He runs his shop extraordinarily professional. read more

Joe is a busy man, yet he takes the time to explain all that's needed. He keeps the cost of owning exotics to a reasonable level. A great shop! Gary read more

The owner/operator, Joe Beale, is a seriously experienced mechanic, and is *the* man to repair your foreign car. I took in my late-model Porsche 911, that was throwing up spurious warning messages. Porsche vehicles have a complex, multi-layer computerized monitoring system, derived from the systems they've used with their racing cars. And, consequently, warning-message issues are common. I took the car to Porsche of Monterey (from where I purchased it) three times ($$$), and they failed to correct the issues each time, replacing parts unnecessarily, and, or course, charging substantial fees along the way. The PofM service department head, suggested that I might just ignore these warning flags and lights, given that they couldn't seem to fix the problem. It seems that he thinks he's working as the head of service for Yugos. So, frustrated, I was on the hunt for an independent auto repair shop on the Peninsula, run by someone who had the depth of experience with Porsche, such that they could successfully find the problem, and repair whatever was needed. Joe's that person. He logically tracked down the issue, and fixed it the first time. He's very methodical about how he goes about sussing out the issue. As he says, he doesn't just throw parts at a car, and hope to get lucky... As true professional, he validates the source of the problem, *before* any repairs or adjustments are done. Highly recommended! read more

Our Bimmer wouldn't start after picking up coffee at Captain + Stokesr at around 2pm the day before Thanksgiving. We were 70+ miles from home. Having seen Classic Coachworks as we were pulling in, we asked if they might be able to help. Joe was awesome despite the fact that he was super busy - diagnosed the problem as a bum starter and he ordered the part right away. The part arrived a bit later and we were able to drive back home the same evening. He pointed out the carbon buildup in the intake that I will be bringing the car back to have him fix. We might stay the night that time around but for squeezing us in at the last minute and getting us home without any further issues, thanks Joe! read more

Okay so I bought a 1991 Infiniti Q45 from Wisconsin. A very low mileage car and clean for its age. My wife and I flew out and drove it back 2000 trouble free miles. Once we reached home I wanted to have the car tuned up and given the once over. I asked som co workers and they suggested Classic Coachworks. I also asked a local convertible top/ interior restorer in Monterey they also suggested Classic Coachworks. So after a few weeks I noticed my Q was running rough. So I took it in and spoke with John the manager. I told him the story behind the car and asked if he could repair the sunroof that was non operational, and time the car up. I explained that I was not in a hurry. A few days later I got a call from JOHN saying he wanted to go over the car with me, so I went down for a chat. He'd already repaired the sunroof and went over a few things that needed attention. Firs was the rats nest that was in the air box, battery post needing cleaning and spark plugs. While John, my wife and where under the car I noticed a snake skin stuck near the exhaust, JOHN stated he'd remove it for free! A few days my car was repaired all of the issues attended and working perfectly. Not to mention that John was super friendly, knowledgeable and prompt. Yes he removed the snake skin and gave it to me. I'll post pictures. While my car isn't new it was Japanese Luxury in 1991 and JOHN treated as such and the price was reasonable. read more

still one of the best... from jeeps to audis to many many classic cars... Joe and his staff are amazing! He seems expensive until you compare him with dealers and just charges for actual hours of work. Can't appreciate him or recommend him more highly! read more

There are fewer and fewer classic car repair shops these days. Take that a step further, even fewer who are honest, care about the quality of their work, and their shops' reputation. Joe, the owner of Classic Coachwork's, and his team go above and beyond. I work at a car dealership, and know cars. I spent hours upon hours into trying to get my custom Ford's braking system working. When I took my car to Joe and Dylan, I knew they would ONLY let it leave if it was done right. If you want to cut corners and hack stuff together, this isn't a good place for you. Joe and Dylan got my car to stop safely, and found a few other issues that were safety items. My car's road worthy and I have confidence knowing my vehicle was repaired correctly, the first time around. The bottom line is if you're looking for passionate mechanics; who love what they do, then this is where you should take your car. I appreciate all of the hard work and time Joe and Dylan spent on my car. read more

Joe and his team are wonderful. Joe is justifiably known as the foreign car guru in our area.He makes sense of my crazy (but beautiful) Italian car. You can expect experts that know what needs to be done. read more

A rare auto shop. No gouging and extra costs. Friendly and upfront and honest about what I needed. I saved $4000 by getting a second opinion here. I'll never take my car anywhere else. Best shop in the area. read more

THE BEST of the BEST ! Joseph and his team are the most knowledge in the industry. My husband and I have a great number of collector cars and can say without questions he's one of the VERY BEST! read more

Joe and his team took great care of me and my little fiat. They had my car diagnosed and fixed with same day pick up and He kept the old parts to show me what was wrong with them. I'll definitely be back read more

Work always on time and perfect and if the auto firm o longer makes the part he does

The best mechanic in town, period. Joe and his team are honest, proficient, friendly, and prompt. They take excellent care of the vehicles they service, which is why you see Ferrari's and Land Rovers being worked on there. People who love cars take them to Joe. He also works on all kinds of newer cars as well. Don't be afraid. He's a straight shooter read more

Terrible service. Argumentative. Quoted me several thousand dollars cost (part not including labor) on a $100 part. Indifferent attitude to customers as if he didn't need them. Avoid. read more

I brought my vehicle in to Joe, the owner of Classic Coachworks twice in as many months for the same problem. If you are reading this review and contemplating a shop like this you might have a foreign classic like I do. There just aren't a lot of options for quality trusted work in the immediate area . After thousands spent here, my vehicle is in worse condition. Also while my vehicle was there it was used by him (and his dog) as his personal car without my consent. I found dog hair all over the car afterward. (see another review here that states the same experience) I'm bringing the vehicle to another shop 45 miles away to complete the service he could not. read more

There are two places in Monterey that claim to be experts at classic or antique auto restorations - and Classic Coachworks is definitely the good one. It is the exact opposite of the one at the other end of town, and that's a good thing. Joe at Classic Coachworks *listens* to his customers, is a good communicator, will explain in detail any problem or extra fix that he recommends and why, and will patiently answer all of your questions. Joe is clearly passionate about classic cars, and even more importantly, he performs quality work. My 1971 Austin Mini now runs better than I ever thought possible, and the price was reasonable, and definitely worth it. Classic Coachworks: highly recommended! read more

I just had my first experience with Joe and his team. It was not my first experience with a shop that specializes in handling collector cars (Jaguar E-type in my case). The service I received was first rate. The work was done with great competence and attention to detail. Joe kept me informed about the progress and status of the repairs and I thought the cost was very reasonable for what was performed. Finding a good shop to attend to one's preferred car is a true blessing, so I recommend Joe and his team. Cliff Simms read more

I bought a new exotic car (Maserati) and needed to find someone who I could trust to inspect the car and knew how to maintenance a sports car like this. After the inspection John reviewed the items that needed attention with me to give this car a clean bill of health. The work they did was exceptional and the car runs and feels like new! They also detailed the car inside and out, the paint is now vibrant which makes the car look awesome. After the great work they did I completely trust their work and will continue to do business with them. John was great to work with and made sure not only that he took care of my car needs but that I was happy with the overall experience. Highly recommend this shop to anyone! read more

Best Auto Repair, Restoration, Service's without compromise. Joe Beal Owner You are the best! Without a doubt! Roxanne Galster Monterey. Ca. 93940 read more

I needed serious rewiring on a 71 Land Rover Series IIa that had been pieced together over the years (as Series trucks can do)... Joe and his crew did a great job on a monumental task of wire tracking and replacement - from updated fuse array to switches. This was done and more (electronic ignition, updated fuel pump, and sundry odds and ends) prior to and during Car Week here in Monterey - and this shop gets busy then! I knew I was in the right place when I visited the shop unannounced as I'm prone to do - and I saw a restored 66 SIIa inside being serviced - sold! The attention to detail was exceptional - the truck was washed and cleaned, and when I arrived to pick it up, Joe had it on the lift, handed me a flashlight, and he walked me through every little thing that they worked on, and pointed out areas that might need attention moving forward. If details and service matter for your classic - then this is the place! read more

To be fair this review is for their customer service and not the mechanics workmanship because we are not sure about that yet. Wow-rude!!! Horrible customer service with an incredibly nasty attitude! Never experienced anything like it before...they've had the car for over a month a give an excuse each time we call. Is there an end in sight here? They should have NEVER accepted the car if they had to many car repairs at the time!! This is crazy-it is costing us more $$ in rental car than the actual repair! Not acceptable. read more

I was traveling in the area and needed mechanical work ASAP on my Range Rover. The Land Rover dealer referred me here since they had no availability. Fabulous service!!!! Highly recommended. read more

Excellent customer service! Joe knows his stuff and they have a quick turnaround. Their pricing is reasonable... I have nothing for them but praise and high recommendation. Thank you classic coach works!! read more

Joe is amazing! Trustworthy mechanics are hard to find. (Even harder when dealing with imported classics) This shop really is that one in a million. Can't thank them enough for the quality work they did on my wife's car. My wife's Mercedes had a reoccurring starter malfunction. After replacing the starter multiple times, racking up large bills with the same problem was still occurring every couple months. Tired of frustration converstations with other mechanics who couldnt seem to wrap their head around the issue and wanted to do all sorts of unessary work including wanting to drop the tranny for a diagnosis, We finally gave up. Parked the car in storage. Then we found Joe! He let us know pretty quickly the factory that makes the starter for our model had been sending out some faulty parts. Thinking this was the most likely cause, he was able to find a different starter that worked with our Benz. We haven't had a single issue with our starter since they installed that one almost 2 yrs ago. Classic Coachworks has done other repairs to our Mercedes since then. I'm confident few others would have been able to do the work they did in the short time it took him. Especially given the rarity of my wife's car. Where other shops can't find parts at all Joe has your car fixed and back to you in a matter of days. His knowledge of automobiles & auto part manufacturers combined with the fact that he's a stand up guy who really seems to love his work makes for one excellent mechanic! We recently moved to Tahoe but will still bring our car to Joe's shop in Monterey. We would rather make the drive to get honest, quality work then waste money at another shop that pretends to know what they are doing. read more

This shop and its owner Joe are perfect! Excellent detail oriented work and experienced mechanics. It may not be the least expensive shop in town but when you compare apples to apples the value is there. Joe's annual customer appreciation event is not to be missed!!! read more

I wrote a review (see below) years ago when the previous owner did terrible work on my car. Since then Joe (the new owner) has contacted me and I have seen good reviews coming from this shop. Being this shop has a new owner I am sure this shop has made a turn around for the good. I attended Joe's recent open house and he seems to be doing great work. I would try him out myself, but for the past few years I located another very good mechanic who does great work on my jaguar for now. Thanks Joe for contacting me, and good luck with your new shop. I am thrilled for you and I am even more thrilled that John is no longer in business. (Old Review)Don't take your car to this Shop! I have a 1968 XKE which I have owned for 35 years. John Olsen from Classic Coachworks had my car for over a year and everything he did to my car had to be re-done. I was told the work would be around 8 to 10K and when I picked up the car the bill was 16K. I wouldn't have minded paying the monies if he would have done the work correctly. Everything he did was poor workmanship and had to be re-done only three years later by a qualified jaguar Mechanic I found in Arizona. Stay away from this shop! In all the years of owning British built cars from MGA's to Triumphs to Jaguars I have never had this kind of expensive poor quality workmanship by any shop. When I tried to discuss the problems with my car with John and the fact that I was having to have everything he did redone all John could say was " It is hard to get good mechanics". John comes across as friendly and qualified but don't be fooled. My Jaguar now runs great thanks to Greg and Mike in Arizona. Classic Coachworks should not be in business. If I could give zero stars I would. read more

Joseph is amazing; he has an encyclopedic knowledge of automotive mechanics and is also a really nice, down to earth guy. His level of customer engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty is unprecedented. Highly recommend this garage for any automotive repair needs. read more

Stick to classic " coach's " and not modern cars. How anyone pays their ridiculous repair estimates is beyond me. I checked with my local dealer and they are charging retail + possibly another 20% on top.... So i can walk into my local dealership parts counter and buy the parts for less. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT. read more

"I engaged with Classic Coachworks/ European Car Service to restore my Alfa Romeo. In an age when so many companies don't seem to care about customer service, I can attest the staff at Classic Coachworks does everything they claim they do, with a smile. I am extremely pleased with the quality of restoration and service that was provided. Not only would I hire John again, but I enthusiastically recommend Classic Coachworks to others! read more

Classic Coachworks has been around for over 20 years with a great reputation. Do not be fooled by any negative comments, John and his staff are the best and give you the best quality service. If you want a true professional who knows what they are doing with classic cars, this is the spot read more

Just after our recent purchase of a 1967 Mercedes 250SL, and as first time clients, Joe, the owner, had graciously spent his time first in discussing the details of what should be repaired that were vital to the safe operation of our classic car. As a few of the other comments have indicated, Joe only concentrates on what truly has to be repaired and nothing extra which is unnecessary. His policy as such displays only honesty and professionalism. A must go place for your classic car. read more

I am fairly new to the Monterey area and own a newer Audi Q7. I received damage to the driver's side mirror was still functional however the shell was cracked and wobbly, fearing the worst. I took my car to CC after getting an estimate from the Audi dealership that was ASTRONOMICAL! Asked around and was sent to John, he and his staff was very pleasant, respectful and very professional dealing with me. He gave me an estimate told me what he would do, how long it would take to complete the work and everything was done as he said it would be. Cost me less than 1/3 of what the Audi dealership gave me an estimate for the work. When I went to pick up my car it was clean and ready to go! They are truly professionals that still deliver good customer service with a great attitude. read more