Granny's has always been reliable for us! We've had multiple Mercedes cars over the years and have always taken them here if we ever ran into problems. They specialize in both Mercedes and BMW and at a fair price. They are efficient and the staff are kind. Friendly faces and they do great work! We started going there when it was Granny running it, and now his son Carter is carrying the torch with the same level of quality and detail. read more

I brought my 2018 BMW 530E in for a long overdue service to Granny's garage in Santa Barbara. (I brought it to Granny's because they had very good reviews.)They told me to bring it in at 8 AM Monday and drop it off. They communicated with me all day regarding their findings. They did a superior job and they were fair. I would highly recommend this business. read more

Granny's Garage - BMW 530E - Auto Repair Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Carter and his crew of mechanics are the best in town if you are looking for excellent quality service for your BMW or Mercedes. At BMW I was quoted for almost $450 on my V12 E31 850i for basic maintenance, with Carter it wasn't even half that. Currently I am in the process of restoring the vehicle and Granny's garage has taken very good care of everything that has come up with the vehicle. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for honest, fair and quality work. read more

Granny's Garage - 1991 BMW E31 850i - Auto Repair Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

In the past year, I've taken my 2017 X3 there for an oil change and a leaky sunroof. I think pricing is fair. Last week, I drove over something and took out a jack pad. I texted a pic of the damage to Carter and was able to come in and get it fixed asap. Always responsive and professional! read more

Carter has always taken care of my E36 and E46 when needed. Great customer service and value. They're usually busy (part of being one of the best shops) so make sure you book an appointment in advance! read more

This is the single best place of any kind in Santa Barbara: so gracious, so efficient, so human, so kind. Most Mercedes dealerships are impossibly snooty, expensive and standoffish; I have had some of the worst service of my life in them. This team is exactly the opposite: tremendously helpful, always courteous, going out of their way to help every customer and to offer speedy, not exorbitant and expert service. It's a real and rare joy to run into a company such as this, with a warm young man at the counter, a dog in the yard and patient service even over the phone. Sometimes they've been known even to take a customer's car to a Mercedes dealership because the customer is so scared of going there. This is the ultimate; you'll never get service such as this! read more

I trusted Kurt, Karen, Carter the first time I met them. Honest Work here. Both my Uncles & my Grandfather were mechanics and I know a good shop when I see it. Even though I can turn a wrench, no doubt these guys can do it better and will be truthful about parts & labor costs. Deep down I know they joyride my '88 M3 Ferris Bueller Style its ok though because they are road-testing it and testing the frame for stress-fractures. Note: I am getting sick of looking at that busted E31 8-Series in the lot! Drop in an S62 and call it a day! read more

Carter , Kurt's son is running the business now. He and his team are excellent in keeping my 24 year old classic BMW M Roadster in tip top shape for many years. Courteous ,knowledgable ,trustworthy and honest with very reasonable pricing. If you really want personal service, go to Granny's.. you will be happy you did. MARKO H. read more

I've had my 2004 X5 for almost five years now, nearing 200,000 miles, and it is still going strong thanks to Carter and the team at Granny's! Pricing is always fair and transparent and I trust that my car is running better than I left it every time I stop by. read more

Owner and staff are Honest, reliable and knows BMW's. Great office manager, and also reasonable.

Another shout out to Granny's Garage, my mechanics for as long as I live in #SantaBarbara. I've had my share of horror stories to report about 'car mechanics and women customers' and why I dig Granny's as much I do. They're dependable, honest and reasonable. You can also drop in to ask "Why is this light on?" and within minutes, Kurt or one of his employees will resolve the issue. That's a neighborhood business kind of 'good feel' I so appreciate. Thanks Granny's Garage and Happy Thanksgiving to all! Marla read more

They are the best. Honest and trustworthy They keep you informed about the repair cost and amount of time needed. read more

I've been meaning to write this review for quite some time now, but have not had a moment to spare on my desktop to fully express the service at Granny's Garage. I'm a 20 year old college student with not that much expendable income, but a passion for my BMW E30 and (now) E46 323i. I will say I love wrenching on my own cars but there are just some things that are just above my pay-grade and experience; and that's where Kurt and his team comes in. He is honest, experienced, and overall a great guy to do business with. He will go that extra mile, and it comes natural to him to do so. For instance: - Key broke off in ignition (so I drove the car to him), once he fished the key out of the tumbler he drives me in HIS own car to his preferred locksmith saving me $$$.$$ in fees from a corrupt locksmith I had spoken to!! Really, our interactions are professional, but I really feel like I have gotten to know the guy -- those are the relationships businesses should have with customers! Just stop by, ask for Kurt - you won't be disappointed! read more

Granny's Garage - I know when I take my late model BMW E30 318i to Kurt, I'm in good hands! - Auto Repair Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

I forgot to leave a review of this place I highly recommend! I brought my 328i here with a shirt that was making my car go crazy and they found it and fix it, fixed my trunk and a few more issues that short I had messed up and ever since then I've yet to have any more problems with anything! They know what they are doing here very chill gents. Highly recommend any future problems with my car I can trust them read more

I had a loud squealing sound start Monday afternoon under the hood of my BMW X5 so I looked up BMW auto repairs on Yelp and Granny's garage popped up with many 5 star ratings. I called Tuesday morning and they told me to bring the car in and they would get on it. An hour after I dropped it off they called and told me the water pump went out and let me know what the cost would be and I gave them the go ahead. I had my car back early Wednesday morning. I really appreciated them getting right on it even though I had not done business with them before. They now have a customer for life. Thank you Granny's Alan. read more

I have been going to Granny's Garage for the last 14 years. Kurt and his wife Karen are really great. Recently I decided to sell my BMW Z3 Coupe, a great car! There was an ABS light on so I took it to Granny's. Kurt diagnosed the problem and proceeded to make the repairs. Unfortunately during the repairs there was a problem with a part that malfunctioned and caused some additional repairs. Even though the part was brand new the manufacturer didn't cover the cost. Kurt made additional repairs, at no cost to me, and stuck with it until I got my car back. I know he took a big loss on the deal. Kurt only charged me for the original repair and honestly I think he repaired some stuff I never expected. I'm selling my current BMW, but when I get my next one I will only trust it to Granny's. read more

Kurt has cared for our BMW's for 20+ years, a 5 series sedan, then an X5. He is GREAT!! They are fair, fast, honest and very pleasant to work with. He goes the extra distance every time and really understands how to treat customers so they become long term clients. We cannot overstate how comforting it has been to have a mechanic we trust and one who will often help with little things at no cost. They run a great operation and absolutely deserve the 5 star rating. read more

The absolute go-to BMW shop in Santa Barbara. When i got my BMW 6 years ago i spent a while trying different shops around Santa Barbara until a friend recommended Granny's. I usually do my own minor repairs on my car, but when I have something that is too much of a headache our out of my skill range, i bring it to Granny's. This is by far the most reliable, honest, speedy, and reasonably priced BMW shop in town. Kurt is a very friendly and easy going guy. He takes the time to explain exactly whats going on and shows you the old parts to give you an idea of what happened. This is the mechanic that you've been searching for. read more

I had an issue with the AC/Heat in my recently-purchased used BMW 325i Sport Wagon. Having never owned a BMW before, I was concerned about finding an honest mechanic. Thanks to YELP, I found Kurt at Granny's Garage. Before going to Granny's, I did a lot of research as to what might be the problem, and the dealer that I called told me that the cost of repair would likely be nearly two thousand dollars. I was tentative about going to a new mechanic, but when I got there EVERYONE made me feel right at home. Within two minutes Kurt identified the problem and offered the least-expensive repair. The repair bill was completely in line with the estimated repair cost (a fraction of what the dealer quoted me), and the service was done timely the same day. Knowing that I just bought the car, the team also was kind enough to do a full evaluation of the car (at no extra cost) to be sure there were no impending problems. Fortunately, there were none! Imagine that: a car mechanic that is friendly, performs as promised, and doesn't try to trump up repairs that really don't need to be made. The professional and friendly service, the knowledge of the vehicle type, and the timeliness and cost all lead me to conclude that this is an excellent shop, where I will be returning for years for the care and maintenance of my cars. I could not give this business too high of a recommendation. It's the best. read more

Granny's Garage - Auto Repair Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

After thousands and thousands of miles I finally broke the throttle plate in my 1974 2002tii fuel pump.  Even though I worked on this car for many years my body was not up to the task, so I took the car to Granny's auto repair.  I talked to the original owner and he told me about the many 2002's he once owned, so I felt comfortable leaving my car with him.  I told him what the problem was, gave him the part, how to fix it, and who rebuilds these pumps.  Unfortunately, he was going into semi-retirement, and I did not realize so was my car.My car sat in the shop for over a month.  They ended up taking the pump off and sending it to Wes at Ingram Enterprises inc Fuel Injection Specialists.  The Wes called me and told me he fixed my pump with the he gave me.  The shop called and I went to pick my car up.  I know what the pump rebuilder charged them. So figured they would  charge me for a few of hours to remove and install - so about $500 to $750 - it was $1,600.  I was thinking all they needed to do was remove four bolts on the intake manifold to have easy access to the pump.  So, I had sticker shock.  The son explained that they removed and replaced my high-performance spark plugs because the engine was running rough.I paid the son of the original owner.  He went out to get my car.  I realize this is an auto repair shop, but the car was filthy and the tires were noticeably low.  He started the tii it ran rough.  He said the gas must have gone bad.  He left the door open so I could go in a drive away.  And there on the passenger front seat was the upper stabilization bar which they took off and did not replace.  I asked and they did replace the stabilization bar. I immediately went to a gas station to clean the windows, put in gas, and put air in the tires.As I drove down the freeway, I realized the throttle would not open up more than 3,000 rpms when the car can easily do 6,000 plus.  Fortunately, I could limp the car home and I was feeling much better so I could diagnose the problems.  They had incorrectly adjusted the linkage.  And as the car had an erratic idle I set to adjusting the idle.  In the process I felt this air on my arm; I looked over at the intake manifold.  I could clearly see a huge gap in the intake gasket. They broke the intake gasket and didn't replace with a new one. After purchasing a Victor Reinz complete gasket set $110.00. I reinstalled the gasket, and started the car.  The car purred.  The cap to my window washer reservoir was missing also. I noticed it because I had finally found a original new window washer Reservoir. I told the shop how to fix the pump with the provided part.  They choose to send it to where I told them it was rebuilt Ingram Enterprises.  They did reinstall the pump correctly.  But by not replacing the used intake gaskets they created the rough idle.  I am not sure why they adjusted the linkage, incorrectly.  I am not sure why they took the stabilization bar off. Or why they charged me for a warmup regulator. Which wasn't replaced.  I do know removing and replacing high-performance spark plugs for $20 stock spark plugs did not solve the problem they created by NOT installing new gaskets.  I do know what the pump rebuilder charged them.  I know it took me, an old man 2 hours to diagnose the new problems and fix them. read more

If you are looking for a fair price and an honest mechanic that does quality work and has great customer service, Granny's is for you!!! I have been taking my various BMW's to Kurt for almost 20 years now and have never been disappointed. Everyone in his shop does an excellent job. Karen in the front office is wonderful and always a delight to talk with. They are a class act!!! This is a great team that really takes care of you, regardless of what you or your car need. Try them, you'll be glad you did!!! read more

Kurt and his wife were incredibly helpful and wonderfully attentive. As far as BMW specialists go, they helped me with my smog check and were just all around fantastic. Especially as a non-native to Santa Barbara, I would 10/10 go back again. read more

Granny came highly recommended. I have an older Mercedes vehicle that needed some work, I asked him to go through it and let me know what needed to be done. He changed the oil and did a couple of other things. He didn't have a list for anything else that needed to be done. A few months later it over heated while on the freeway. I got it into Granny a couple days later. He 'fixed' it and I took it home, it overheated on the freeway on the way home. I got it back to him a week later (he didn't have room for it the next day) He fixed it, and I took it home.... it over heated on the freeway. I told him what happened and he had me bring it back. He had it for awhile, he fixed it and when I came to get it the mirror was broken. I knew at this point that it was over, as an extra bonus, it overheated on the way home again.... I took it to a new Mechanic, he fixed it first try. Drives great now. I am sure some people love Granny, he seems nice enough, but I will never go back and will advise anyone with an older vehicle to go to someone else. read more

I love to review a place like Granny's because I prefer to write positive reviews rather than negative ones! I have been a customer of Granny's for almost 20 years and have never, I repeat NEVER been disappointed!!! They always get my car in promptly when I need work, they stick to the qoute that they give me and I haven't ever had to take the car back for additional work! It seems so rare these days to find people in the service industry that take pride in their work. I have had the opportunity to refer Granny's to several friends and I think that they are all still loyal customers as well. read more

I've owned over 15 BMW's in my lifetime and am an avid BMW enthusiast. I used to take my cars to other shops but once I took one to Granny's I never went anywhere else. The entire staff is very nice and very easy to work with not to mention Kurt and the guys are the best BMW mechanics in town. They don't ever try and get you to replace something that doesn't have to be replaced and always want to try the cheapest solution first. I recommend them to everyone that has a BMW or Mercedes, best shop in town hands down. read more

Serviced my BMW & Mercedes for over 10 years. Never had a complaint. The owner Kurt is kind, thoughtful, and a good problem solver.

On our way back to San Diego, my BMW '03 started to shake while idle and the exhaust got really loud. Brought it into Kurt and he put my car up right away and did an inspection on it. We were worried we wouldn't make it to SD, but he said we were safe, gave us the part name we would need to fix it when we got back, and he did ALL of this for free. Overall great service! read more

I had a faulty passenger seat sensor that caused the airbag light to go on all the time. Rather than replace the sensor at considerable expense, Kurt suggested I purchase an inexpensive bypass device from eBay (less than $15) and he installed it for a few bucks. it worked like a charm, saved me a bundle, and the passenger airbags are fully functional. read more

I have recently moved away from Santa Barbara and boy do I miss Kurt at Granny's! I am actually preparing to drive my vehicle 300 miles down to Santa Barbara from San Francisco for Kurt's excellent service. He has helped me with my 1999 BMW 540 countless times over the past five years, always striking the right balance between economy and maintenance of my car. You can spend more money for perfectionist car repairs, but when you're driving an older BMW you need to know someone who will work with you to weigh the repair options at every turn. Kurt has spent an hour searching for a coolant leak on my car without billing me, and has advised me on my own repair jobs several times. For example, when I couldn't identify the cause of a tick in my engine, Kurt correctly identified a spark plug noise saving me a lot of time and money looking for a hydraulic lifter problem. Thanks again, Kurt, in this age of disposable cars we need more mechanics like you that make it possible to keep an older car on the road! read more

This is the BEST BMW shop I have ever been to. Some of the reasons it is THE BEST: -Kurt is extremely knowledgable. He is second-to-none in his knowledge of BMWs -You are absolutely treated like family. I moved out of Santa Barbara a few months ago to the Midwest. A mechanic in the Midwest recommended a repair that I didn't trust. I called Kurt to get his opinion on wether or not to move forward with the repair. He remembered my car and talked me through my options. He had NO WAY of making any money on this, but simply because I was his customer in the past, he gave me is opinion, which I consider to be gospel on BMWs. He also talked me through what he would charge for such a repair so I would have a baseline. (BTW: Kurt's price for the repair in SANTA BARBARA was $150+ cheaper than what I was quoted by a shop in Cincinnati, Ohio). THAT IS CUSTOMER SERVICE. -Kurt is so knowledgable and efficient with his work that his prices are more than fair (see example above where his price in CALIFORNIA was cheaper than what I was quoted in the Midwest). -You will always feel very taken care of while knowing that Kurt cares as much about your car as you do. I cannot recommend Kurt and his work highly enough. read more

Incredibly friendly and knowledgeable people, Kurt, Karen and their staff. Fixed a wheel squeak on my 2005 CLK. A year later it started again. Took it back in and they stood behind their work and took care of it at no charge. I would recommend them to anyone!!! read more

Can't say enough good things about Kurt and crew. My wife and I have been taking both of our cars to them for years and have enjoyed the most professional and courteous service imaginable. read more

The Granny's Garage team is outstanding! I have been completely impressed with their attention to detail and going above and beyond to get the issue fixed. I have taken my car there several times for different issues, and they always get things done quickly with a smile and fair price! Would highly recommend to anybody with a BMW, you won't be disappointed with Kurt, Karen and everyone on staff at Granny's!! read more

"Granny" has been my mechanic for over 10 years. If you own a BMW or Mercedes, this is your spot! He is extremely knowledgeable, fair, and a genuinely wonderful person. I have called him from road trips, down the block, and out of state. He has helped me purchase my last three automobiles. It's like having a mechanic in the family! Kurt and Karen--- thank you for the years of wonderful service! read more

Doesn't stand behing their work. Three weeks after a radiator hose replacement to a relatively new radiator, (4 years, 41,000miles) the same connection to radiator broke, causing a roadside breakdown. Radiator had to be replaced at considerable expense because of possible damage, done during installation of the new hose. Cracking or breaking of connection during installation sited as cause, due to conditions of break and low age and mileage on radiator. Granny's did not stand behind their three month warranty of service, despite significant evidence, indicating possible damage at time of repair. read more

Great, honest and talented mechanic and staff. Kurt always fully explains your vehicles needs, is practical and never tries to upsell unnecessary services. Our cars are always fixed right the first time and no surprises on the bill. Kurt and his team get you in and out on time and I recommend them without reservation. They are also friendly and respectful and have helped my aging father out several times with emergencies. read more

Granny's rocks. Kurt is easy to work with and they do great work. From my 76' 2002 to my 760i, he handles it all. Not to mention the POS 11' 550i he is currently working on a quarterly basis. Thanks Kurt, Karen and team, appreciate all the help. read more

By far the most reasonably-priced independent BMW mechanic I have used in Santa Barbara.

When I first got my BMW and needed a AAA tow at one point, I was going to have them take me somewhere else. The AAA towing guy basically told me that Granny's was the place to go, and HE WAS RIGHT!!! I never wanted to go anywhere else after that. They are not cheap, but Kurt is very honest and has been working on BMWs for many years, and really knows his stuff. Honesty and aptitude in a mechanic are the two most important things, and he has both. And he is a nice guy, as is the woman who works in the office and the guys that Kurt has working for him. I did not have a lot of problems with my car because it was in such new condition, but he was really, really great; they all were. Five stars for the best BMW place in Santa Barbara (to be honest, I never went anywhere else!!) read more

I found Granny's to be fair and reasonable. Good professional work. I don't see them not standing behind their work. They are not that type of place. It's nice to have them as an alternative to the dealer. read more