1000% YES Honest Knowledge and Fair pricing! I was referred to come here and I see why They took care of exactly what I needed did it quickly and without an appointment too! Car issues are gonna happen we know that I'm feel blessed to have found this shop! So Thankful to ALL the staff here from the receptionist to the guy who fixed my car!! Thank you for getting me back to my day and on the road again quickly and without beating up my pocket book! read more

EZ Automotive is the shop you've been looking for! I've been bringing my 2011 Hyundai Elantra to John and his incredible team at EZ Automotive for years, and I wouldn't trust my car with anyone else. When I was first searching for a mechanic, I combed through reviews looking for honesty, skill, and real customer care. When I found John, I immediately felt I was in the right place, and every visit since then has confirmed it. John is the kind of mechanic everyone hopes to find: honest, thorough, and patient. He always takes the time to explain what's going on in clear terms, and he works with me to prioritize the most critical repairs while being sensitive to my budget. That level of respect and transparency is rare. On my most recent visit, I thought something might be wrong with my car. The team called me in quickly, and when I couldn't make it, they even followed up a week later to remind me. They test drove my car, checked everything thoroughly, and added a fuel cleaner at no charge just to make sure things were running smoothly. Whenever something doesn't feel right, they go above and beyond to identify, diagnose, and resolve the issue. It's not just John. Tiara in the front office is always professional, kind, and makes scheduling simple. She makes you feel welcome the second you walk through the door. Together, they've created a shop where you know you're in good hands and that they genuinely care about their customers. What really stands out to me is that John and Tiara feel like family. You can tell just by talking to them that they both have strong family values, and that means a great deal to me. It says so much about the kind of people they are, and it shows in the way they treat their customers. If you want a shop that combines honesty, expertise, and genuine customer care, look no further. EZ Automotive has given me complete peace of mind about my car, and I highly recommend them to anyone who wants a mechanic they can trust for the long haul. read more

Honest, reliable, helpful, and efficient. All the things you would want from your local business. I would highly recommend this business (and have to all my friends and family). I was also referred by another friend to this business. Hopefully, I won't be back anytime soon, but if I have to go again for any repairs, I will definitely be back. Thank you!! read more

EZ Automotive is hands down the most honest and reliable mechanic I've encountered in my many years of living in Santa Barbara. From routine oil changes to unexpected engine troubles, their transparency and professionalism consistently stand out. They never upsell unnecessary work and always take the time to explain what's needed, why it matters, and how to keep your car running smoothly. The level of integrity here is rare and refreshing. It's clear they genuinely care about their customers, not just their cars. If you're looking for trustworthy, top-quality automotive service in SB, look no further than EZ Automotive! YNWA read more

John is very friendly and honest. I've been taking 3 of my Toyotas to this mechanic shop for over 5 years and I am very satisfied. Glad we can always count on John and his team. read more

He went above and beyond to make sure my truck was ready in time for my camping trip! Replacing my airbag, doing my transmission service and a bunch of other random things I needed and asked him to do! Friendly, affordable and good work! read more

Jon & his shop EZ Automotive are a real treasure to our community. Yesterday he answered my phone call at 3:15pm on a Saturday, correctly diagnosed my car's issue from 100 miles away on the phone, and got me back on the road in a few minutes. I'd give Jon & E.Z. ten stars if I could. read more

I've been coming here for years. I brought my Mercedes, later a Honda, and for the past few years a Lexus. My wife brings here MBZ too. I have never had complaints. They go above and beyond. Shout out to John Birchall, owner. read more

Jon and his team at EZ automotive are awesome. I took my 89' Toyota 4x4 truck in for misc. service work. This was my first time using them as my previous shop had closed. It can sometimes be tough to find someone knowledgeable on older Toyotas. I'm very glad I found Jon and EZ Automotive. He's very friendly and accommodating, and clearly super knowledgeable. With my older vehicle he could have easily suggested a ton of items for repair or replacement. Instead, he saved me money on things that I initially thought needed to be replaced but didn't, found and a fluid leak, and gave me suggestions and advice on easy things to fix myself. I really appreciate Jon's honesty and overall style. Overall a great experience. I'm so excited to have found a new shop for all of my vehicles. read more

John at EZ Automotive has been a literal lifesaver. While on a drive back to Los Angeles we had a problem with our C250 when the engine started misfiring on the 101 freeway. Not only did we manage to pull into his shop on the spot, he managed to fix the problem within 2 hours and it didn't cost us an arm and a leg (even though he could have raked us over the coals!). He even offered to give us a ride to where we wanted while we waited! Stellar service, fair pricing, quick turnaround, and very friendly! I wouldn't think twice about giving him a call! read more

EZ Automotive - John explaining that the ignition coil went bad likely due to an oil leak - Auto Repair Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Disheartened former customer who will never bring my vehicles here again. Unfortunately, John's easy-going nature mean only the good reviews have surfaced here on Yelp. Allow this post to be your warning. John's lack of professionalism, complete neglect for my car or my personal safety, and refusal to take full responsibility for his mistakes leave me feeling the need to share this review. John will smile and tell you he'll take great care of you in order to get your business. However, bit by bit you will notice the corners he is cutting with your car and his work. My last experience left me $2,000 in the hole. Then, after driving off his lot, ready to drive the car across the country no less, I discovered he never fixed my initial issue. I immediately brought the car back, only to have John try to weasel out of taking responsibly at every turn. Only now, after driving 3,000 miles across the country with my warning light still blinking at me, am I finally sitting down to write this review. There are a lot of good, honest mechanics in Santa Barbara. Sadly, John isn't one of them. Swipe left. read more

I was so relieved to finally find a mechanic that actually cares about his customers and their needs, and not about how much money he can bring in. He is a busy guy but will find time for you regardless. I can honestly say I have found a shop where I won't have to worry about whether I'm going to get unnecessarily jipped - and trust me I've had my fair share of unpleasant experiences in the past with other places. 10/10 recommend EZ!! read more

terrible Job they don't know what they are doing. 2002 Honda civic had leaks and was never fixed properly. All they said is that the warranty is no longer cover. read more

John took great care of my Red Jaguar and gave me some good advice. As a single woman that knows nothing about cars I felt comfortable letting him work on my car and explain things to me so I could make a decision for myself read more

While on a road trip passing through Santa Barbara my car had an issue late on a Friday afternoon. John, owner I believe, and his team were kind to squeeze me in for the help I needed to keep me on the road. Additionally, the cost of service was very reasonable and fair considering the work provided. Plus, they gave me a cup of very good fresh brewed coffee which kept me going through the remaining five hours of travel left that night. All said, I found EZ Automotive to truly live up to their name...car care made easy. Thanks John! read more

John and the Team at EZ Automotive are AMAZING! Honest, knowledgeable, and nice too. I had a belt squeal while driving through town. Went to and called 4 other shops, but non of them took me in -- make an appointment they said after looking at it. I finally went to EZ and John fixed it while diagnosing it. 10 minutes. Simple, EZ, no unnecessary drama. Just a good honest mechanic shop as it should be. Highly recommended! read more

I'm from way out of town and I had my vehicle stall inexplicably on the last leg of my journey to Goleta. Worse yet, the problem didn't trigger the check engine light, so there was no code to read. On the good advice of some locals I took the vehicle to EZ. John worked like mad to find the root of the problem and get it fixed in time for me to make it back home for work, despite a jam packed schedule, and he did it at a good price too. Cannot recommend highly enough. read more

These guys are great. I have a Honda Civic, so I don't have too many problems, but when I do John and the team diagnose the problem quickly and efficiently. Yesterday when I brought my car in I didn't have a ride back to work, and they gave me a lift! So nice. The repairs are always reasonably priced and I have never had any issue with them. I highly recommend these guys. They are tucked away on Cota, so if you are reading this you have found a gem of a repair shop. read more

After having my battery replaced, my car would not start. The person who installed the battery was at a complete loss, as was the tow truck driver. I had it towed to EZ Automotive. John was wonderful. I explained my situation on the phone and he and his team got my car in immediately. After checking the battery connectors and resetting the computer, the car was up and running. They were friendly and helpful, and incredibly, there was no charge as it was such a minor issue. I am so pleased with the team at EZ I will definitely be back with any future auto needs. read more

John went above and beyond to help me with my Prius. His expertise and service is unmatched! Great pricing, and seriously can't thank the folks at EZ Automotive enough! read more

I had a wonderful experience with John. I contacted him through Yelp and he responded quickly with a suggested drop off time. Upon arrival, he was very kind and provided a pick up and drop off so that I didn't have to wait around while he diagnosed the problem with my car. He spoke to me about my car without coming off as telling me what to do or condescending which I really appreciated. He did not try to oversell me on any maintenance and gave me helpful tips to keep my car running smoothly. He gave me additional advice specific to my Lexus and I appreciated the time he took with me and my car as I had come on a busy Friday morning. I am planning to come by for all of my car needs as I was so impressed with the business here. Thank you John for making my experience one to recommend! read more

Everyone always says that one of the first things you should do when you get to a new town is finding​ your new mechanic. Thankfully, John has gained my business and recommendation for as long as I will be in Santa Barbara. My first experience​ was wonderful when he helped me correct a fix-it ticket. He was fast, reliable and even offered a ride to my house since I had to leave my vehicle​ there! Seriously, in this day and age to find someone with that level of service is unheard of. John and the shop really changed my opinion of mechanics and car repair shops today. I took a vehicle​ that I had purchased used and had started making a noise (lucky me) and he went above and beyond to let us know what the problem was during a test drive ​and even did a whole inspection​ all within less time than it takes to get your food at a restaurant​. Hands down recommend John and the shop. He's honest, dependable and works in an incredibly ​timely​ manner. read more

If you're looking for a trustworthy and knowledgeable auto shop in Santa Barbara, you should definitely stop by EZ Automotive! It's tucked away behind Big Brand Tires and very easy to miss if you're not on the lookout, but I find that smaller places offer the best and most personal service. John, the shop owner, is absolutely wonderful! He clearly cares more about his customers and their satisfaction than turning a profit, which is sometimes hard to find in this industry, especially as a woman who has slim knowledge about cars... My passenger brake light was out, and it wasn't just the bulb considering I already tried replacing it and that didn't work (yes, at least I can replace a lightbulb). John tinkered with it for a while and was able to get it working WITHOUT buying any parts, while he assured me that next time, he would have to replace the fixture. It literally cost me nothing to get this done. I so much appreciate him fixing that brake light, the honesty he exhibited, and his professionalism from start to finish. Definitely going to take my car back here if that brake light goes out again! read more

Just bought a new to me but apparently a very used hybrid Prius. Within a few months, the check engine light went on. Called EZ Automotive and John had me come over so he could test what the light meant and unfortunately it was the hybrid battery. We went over options and I went with just getting some of the cells replace on the battery. John was able to do this quickly and had me up and back on the road within a few days. He took great care of me and my car and is a mechanic you can trust. read more

John is a such an great, honest mechanic and I wish I could give his shop 10 stars. We were on a road trip last week from San Francisco to San Diego to take our kids to Legoland when road debris punched a hole in our air conditioning condenser leaving us with no ac in 90 degree heat. After visiting/calling every shop between Buellton and Santa Barbara I found John at EZ Automotive. They were busy but he wanted to help us out and man was he a life saver. He kept me in the loop on the status, shuttled me to the hotel we had to stay in, and even brought the car to us so we could get back on the road faster. Big thanks to John and his crew for the best mechanic service ive ever encountered. read more

EZ Automotive - Auto Repair Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

John definitely deserves the high review rate. He managed to fix the two problems of my Lexus LS at reasonable price. In contrast, Lexus Santa Barbara even failed to find these problems, they simply asked me to replace battery and alternator TWICE! Thanks to John and his colleagues for their meticulousness and kindness, I saved a lot of bucks. I recommend everybody to this mechanic for car maintenance and repair. read more

Can not talk even praise about this place! John has repeatedly been there for my friends and I whenever we have quick questions about our cars. They are honest with what's critical repairs and what can wait. They are super busy, because they are so good, so make sure to call ahead! read more

Further to my earlier review of John Birchall and EZ Automotive, Santa Barbara, in 2016 - I have being going to him now for four years with three different vehicles. He has never let me down on the work or a very fair price even when major complications set in. He has just (Aug 2020) helped me get money back on a radiator replacement at a DIFFERENT repair shop when the item was arguably out of warranty. I can't say enough about him or his staff for their excellence. read more

I've been going to EZ Automotive for years now and give them my highest recommendation! I have a Toyota Prius and for several years while it was under warranty I went to the service shop at the Goleta dealer where I bought it. (It probably wasn't necessary to go there to keep the warranty intact, but that was my thinking at the time.) Once the warranty expired, I no longer felt the need to keep taking it to the Toyota dealer and I wanted to find a place closer to home in Santa Barbara. After asking my friends for recommendations and reviewing the Yelp ratings, I ended up at EZ Automotive. I couldn't be happier with the service I've received so I keep coming back to them. The owner, John, is a super nice guy and all his staff are friendly and helpful, too. They bend over backwards to take care of me. John kindly offers to ferry me someplace if my car will be in his shop for an extended period of time, and sometimes I accept his generous offer. Other times, he's able to complete the work on my car quickly while I wait, either working on the comfortable couch upstairs using their wifi or a short walk away at Caje cafe. He's been very understanding and accommodating on a couple of occasions where I need to reschedule or am running late for my appointment. But four of the most important qualities I'm looking for in my mechanic are these: are they available, trustworthy, competent, affordable? EZ Auto has these qualities in spades. They've been able to schedule my work in a reasonable amount of time, unlike some other shops I've experienced. The work they do has been perfect and reasonably priced. And they are completely trustworthy. I never feel like they're trying to pressure me into a repair or upgrade that's unnecessary (unlike another auto shop in town I used to go to that shall remain nameless.) In short, EZ Auto is awesome and I can't recommend them highly enough. I feel like I'll be a lifelong customer. read more

Love these guys. John is great and honest, he fixed a bunch of things wrong with my car and only charged me for the main reason I brought it in. I highly recommend! read more

John is so knowledgeable & honest. He gave me a quote and let me know what was urgent and what could wait a little longer, which was so helpful since I haven't been able to work during the pandemic. I can now figure in future work when budgeting. I will be taking my car here from now on. read more

Well as promised I'm updating after the repair on my daughters car. John is the BEST and truly most HONEST mechanic we have ever ran into. My daughters car was repaired and John went out of his way to help her get to and from work, he kept her updated on the progress the entire time and even gave her a break in the cost! What? Yes in this day and age there are decent people out there who can be relied upon to give great service and have incredible empathy to boot! Thank you John, I promise your shop will be the first we ever recommend. read more

I went to EZ Automotive for an oil change and was THRILLED with the service I received from John. He was friendly and conscientious. I told all my friends and co-workers to go to him. I even bought my used car from him! When it came time for my husband to replace his engine in his Toyota truck, going to John was a no-brainer. We actually said, "Thank goodness we have a great mechanic", and John was eager to take on the job. He pulled the old engine out, and asked if we could give him $2,000 up front to buy a new rebuilt engine. We totally trusted him, so we did. Though the original estimate was 2-3 weeks to complete the job, it took FOUR MONTHS for him to return the car. His story always changed. We were promised a finished car time and again. John literally said, "the engine will be here tomorrow"". Nope. Two weeks later, he told us he was "driving to LA to pick up an engine". Nope. One month, two months, three months...so many lies. We couldn't take the truck back--John had pulled out the engine and we would have to tow it in pieces. Plus, no mechanic was willing to take the job of cleaning up another mechanic's mess. Believe me, we tried. We went so far as to serve him with a letter of intent to sue, which was met with more promises and more lies--he said it would DEFINITELY be ready Friday morning--and when my husband arrived, he found the truck as it always was, engine pulled out, and empty engine compartment uncovered and exposed to the elements. When he became irate, John's wife called the cops--who arrived only to be astounded by the situation and urged John to finish the job. Finally, the truck was "finished". John billed us for labor and didn't want to return the truck until we paid! He didn't do all of the work he promised, and charged us for things we didn't want him to do. The paint and interior were trashed and the engine has been nothing but trouble since, leaking oil like a sieve and now rife with electrical problems that didn't exist before. The mechanics we have paid to fix John's work have marveled at the shoddy work: loose bolts, old hoses, and worn belts--and all are certain that John simply did a poor rebuild of our original engine. Bottom line, I am SO BUMMED that John isn't the honest man I thought he was. We believed in him, gave him our money and kept giving him the benefit of the doubt. Boy, do we feel dumb. Could be that he's a nice enough guy and good with small jobs and was in over his head with the engine replacement, so he lied over and over again to cover himself and keep our money. He must have spent our $2,000 to cover some of his other bills, because he obviously didn't use it to buy our engine the next day like he said he was going to do. Did I mention he took our money and had our truck for FOUR MONTHS? Whatever the reason, he caused our family an inexcusable amount of stress and hardship. abused our trust and taught us a valuable lesson: DON'T PAY FOR SERVICE BEFORE RENDERED. read more

Finding a good mechanic is tough; you have to be able to trust them to efficiently diagnose a problem and resolve it. When my boyfriend recently needed to get some major work done on his car, he was lucky enough to have a friend recommend EZ Automotive. He called and spoke with the owner, John, about coolant in his oil and John quickly responded with a quote much lower than anywhere else (believe me, knowing my boyfriend, he definitely did his research). John helped him thoroughly weigh his options and contacted him daily on the progress since it was lengthy. Not once did it seem like he was trying to squeeze more money out of the deal or pressure my boyfriend into a more expensive repair like some other shops do. Also, EZ Automotive waived the extra labor involved due to some unforeseen problems with a part that my boyfriend supplied to them. John and his only other mechanic, Sebastian, are great guys and perform honest work. They go above any beyond what you need and put you at ease. To sum it up: Low prices and unbeatable service. There honestly isn't much more you can ask for - all their 5 star ratings are there for a reason. They really are the best shop in town! read more

Hi folks I'm obliged to share my wonderful experience I have had with servicing my Toyota Camry hybrid with this shop . They take a considerable amount of time to diagnose the problems and schedule everything within my time convenience besides using the best and authentic parts with amazing cost consideration. It's such a personal, friendly and professional staff which gets it done efficiently . Give them a call and perhaps share a wonderful experience from a hard working mechanics. read more

I had an amazing experience with EZ automotive. Fast, Respectful and they worked with me on the pricing! I'll definitely be back with any future car problems. Thanks again! read more

John (owner) is awesome. Many towns have a shining jewel of a mechanic: honest, wise, kind, fair, hard working, and detail oriented, for SB, the jewel is this shop. Can't speak highly enough. Even Google was no match for the amount of information John had off the top of his head. No up-selling or pressure either, just a straight shooter. So thankful for this place. I'm confident relying on my car because I trust these guys. read more

I went there to check my brakes and they offer a free inspection and report. They got me engaged and I saw my old rusty rotors myself. They explained the problem and offered a fix same day. I had some time constraints so John offered me a ride if I want but they finished before my constraint. They are friendly and they offer coffee, water, wifi, and small cosy place to sit. I got another quote from another place and was a bit lower (same price range) so I guess they are not over pricing on us. I am glad to have a nice friendly mechanic in Santa Barbara. They need to put a larger sign for their workshop so that we don't miss their place when we drive to them read more

John is a true professional. He is patient, understanding and has superb customer service. He repairs what truly needs to be repaired at the time and doesn't push you towards any path. He guides you along the process, helping you understand and learn about your vehicle along the way. His prices are extremely reasonable and he runs a first class business. 100 percent recommend. read more

I called John to inquire about my car. I'm not a car expert whatsoever but when I explained what problems I was dealing with he told me to bring the car by to get diagnosed. Quality service from start to finish. Thanks EZ Automotive! read more