My car collector friend recommended Nate Smith's Optimal Auto Care, and I'm glad I took his advice. I brought in a 2007 BMW Z4 Coupe that had a stubborn issue. It always pulled to the right. Multiple shops including a dealership had tried to fix the issue, but Nate Smith's Optimal Auto Care was the one that finally solved the puzzle. Rather than throwing parts at the problem, they were able align the car taking into account of all the variables that could make a car pull to the right. In this case, it turned out to be tire pull, uneven cross camber and toe. The car now drives perfectly straight. I was a mechanical engineer by training, and I could not be happier with the result. Thank you Nate, Antonio, Jeremy, and Chris. -- Gary Liu read more

We have been taking our BMWs to Nate Smith's for 25 years. Service is impeccable. Prices are fair. We would not go anywhere else!

I can always trust Optimal Auto for my automotive needs. I've been taking my car there for over 17 years and trust them to be fair reliable and honest. A special thanks to Rigo for helping me with my car. read more

Nate's shop has always gave me quality repairs. Their technicians are experience. They're fair. They are good at explaining the problems with your vehicle. They're upfront and honest and I would recommend them to anybody that needs a quality auto repair spot. read more

I no longer trust Nate Smith and his team. I brought my BMW convertible in to repair the hydraulics on the convertible roof which was leaking. This is a known issue on my car and he proposed fixing it with the industry standard solution for which he gave me a quote, and a time it would take to repair, to which I agreed. After about a week Nate called me and asked me to buy a couple parts online and bring them to him. I thought this was weird, why would I need to do this? But, Nate insisted. A week after I brought him the part the roof was operational. However, he decided not to complete the repair with the industry standard solution, but instead just replaced the broken part. This isn't what was agreed to, but at least the top went up and down during the test. Additionally, the car was very dirty with tons of leaves in the passenger and trunk area. A few months later Spring had arrived and I wanted to use the convertible top. After using it for the second time the convertible top stopped working. I brought it to Nate and asked them to fix it as the repair has a 1 year warranty. They held the car for 1 day then called me and said that because I brought them parts, which they called me and asked me to buy them, that they would only agree to investigate the cause of the problem by taking off the roof if I agreed to pay $3k in the event that the problem wasn't "their fault". Well who's fault could it then be? Nate said that the fault would be the parts I brought him, these are the exact parts he gave me the part number to buy and where to buy it from. Also, Nate would be the judge regarding what the issue with the top was. What a bait and switch. Also his prices are significantly higher than other BMW & Euro shops in the area. Don't let the cute dog make you think they are trustworthy. read more

Replaced an air intake manifold on my VW GTI here. They misdiagnosed the problems with car to start with and left the camshaft positioning sensor unplugged and tucked away so the check engine light stayed on for another 2 weeks after the manifold replacement. Honest mistake? Maybe. read more

I was very worried about a code that came on my new BMW and I sent an online request for an appt. They called me soon after and suggested that I come right over. Then this great guy, Rigo?, did a check with the diagnostic equip out in the parking lot and talked to me about the results. He helped me make an appt so that I could bring the car in and have it followed up. I was delighted to get help so quickly. Plus they're friendly and respectful. read more

There are few auto shops I truly trust, but Nate Smith's Auto I do completely. They always solve my car troubles, and they explain their process and any charges that are necessary to complete the job. They are fair and they care about their customers as people. I'm grateful to have them as my car mechanics! read more

I was exceptionally pleased with the care, service, consideration, knowledge and professionalism of this shop and everyone I had the pleasure to meet and correspond with. My problem was solved and I will most certainly bring my BMW Z3 back for any issues I have in the future. I do highly recommend taking your car to this shop. read more

My 1973 BMW 2002Tii needed some work I didn't want to attack. Nate's team were exceptionally knowledgeable in that model car and I recommend them to anyone needing classic car work. There were many euro cars at the shop. I was very pleased with the speed they were able to look into the issues and resolve them quickly. It was a great drive home when they were done. Thank you (Nate and Rigo)! read more

My mom was evacuated from her home in the San Lorenzo Valley due to the fire, and on top of that her car didn't start when she got to the hotel. We had it towed to Nate's and he was able to assess the car the next morning, was super communicative, and then was able to do additional work that my Mom's car was needing. He called me several times throughout the two days and helped take care of all of the needs we had. I greatly appreciate his professionalism and the way he made it a painless experience during a very hard time for our family. Thank you Nate and team! read more

Read the review by Scott and can only assume Nate Smith's was having an off day. Nate and his group have been taking care of my two Mini Coopers for the past 5 years and have always been great. They have done some extensive work on them as my teenage son blew up one of the engines along with the transmission. Ben Francis Tarsitano, DDS, MD read more

I am so very happy to have found this place! Excellent service, diagnosed a leak that Jiffy Lube told me I had. Turns out Jiffy was the cause of it. I was kept up to date by Catherine as to what was going on. They also repaired a couple other problems as well. And for the service I received the bill was incredibly low. And the office dogs are sweethearts too. read more

A great repair shop in Santa Cruz. I have a unique vehicle that some shops won't work on. These guys were willing to help me out. They did a fantastic job, completed the work in the time frame they said and my vehicle is much better as a result. I appreciate the work you have done and I will return again. I recommend this shop to my fellow VW friends. read more

After writing a glowing review many years ago, I thought I'd chime in again since it's been a while. Simply put, the owners, Nate and Meg, are the best! They are warm and friendly, honest, completely trustworthy, very skillful, don't perform unnecessary jobs, solve complicated problems, and have experience and knowledge is beyond anyone else that I'm aware of. I've been a BMW customer of theirs for over 2 decades, and for the last 3 years have also been taking my wife's Lexus into them for all necessary repairs and maintenance. Their staff and business operation are superb! read more

Was on a road-trip in the Santa Cruz area when I ran into some unexpected, awful car trouble with my Audi TT which led me to Nate Smith's. Rigo, Blake & team went above and beyond to take care of my auto emergency & get me back on the road as soon as possible. I was very nervous to take my car to a new shop, but this turned out to be one of the best experiences I have ever had with a mechanic. If I lived in the Santa Cruz area, this would 100% be my go-to shop which I would be loyal to for my Audi/any European vehicle. Excellent communication, intelligence, honesty and fair labor/part prices made for my extremely trustworthy customer experience. I highly recommend this shop. Would give more stars if possible. Thanks again! read more

11 days to finish my car, for a day's worth of work. They said a tech was out....so I guess if one guy calls in sick, that's you're problem. The parking lot is also a chaotic mess, and I noticed a scratch about a foot long the day after I finally brought it home (can't prove it happened there though). Also, didn't appreciate how the owners were doing paperwork and talking to staff, while I was waiting to pickup my car (the guy that was there to check me out was on the phone for about 10 minutes). But I did love being sniffed by the owner's dog before it went on a rabid barking rage. read more

We took our BMW here to fix a problem another mechanic did not do correctly. Great service and honest business. I'll definitely use them from now on read more

I had a recall from BMW took my car to Monterrey BMW completed the recall replacements and they suggested 2 repairs and 1 maintenance I needed in the amount of $2500. Went to Nate's and the quote for the same services were $800. Love working with local repair shop expertise and with honest pricing. The very next week I had an issue with seat belt and returned...problem fixed within 20 minutes of dropping off car. I can't say enough about the quality of service and friendliness. Loyal customer for life. read more

Yet again, exceptional service! The whole team is honest, upstanding, and performs great work. They have a keen eye for issues that could arise in the future and will advise you on things that should be addressed, and things that should wait. I really appreciate their honesty and attentiveness. read more

My girlfriend took her car in to have an 02 sensor replaced bank 1 sensor 2 this 02 sensor is very hard to get to have to lift car way in the air to do the work and gave her a good price $400 but then he said he also recommended we also do bank 1 sensor 1 witch would cost $883 at the time we did not know this 02 sensor is at the top of the engine only takes 2 hours to replace plus the part which cost $300 price was high but we did not know at the time so we had the work done cost about$1300 we picked up her car the next week we drove to Oregon on a trip all of a sudden the check engine light came on was a scary thing to happen it was Friday and all the auto shops were closed so we drove into a Parts store we were going to buy a scanner so we could find out what was wrong with the car but they said they could check it for us for free the Code that came up was the 02 sensor they replaced bank 1 senor 2 i could not believe that this was happening we went on with are trip when we got back we called and talked to Ringo told us if we wanted the car checked out would have to Pay $95 i told him you just fixed are car for this problem he told us we did not get the diagnostic done when we brought the car in i told Ring one 02 sensor replaced but Ringo recommended we also do that other 02 sensor bank 1 sensor 1 how did he recommend that other 02 sensor be replaced in the first place so we had to pay to be told that the car now needs a computer reprogram and would cost $300 more we said maybe it did not need that other 02 sensor he sold us was an extra $883 we just needed that reprogram this SHOP is a rip off they only want to make money from people they do not care about taking care of us or you we already contacted the B,A,R this is a state run program witch helps people with shops that rip off customers now are car is still BROKEN and does not run good like i said do not take your car into this shop. they only want money read more

Cant really review since car sat there and didn't get service. I called in was told to tow car in they would hook up to diagnostic computer. Wasn't told until I got there they are booked until end of July. Manager didn't seem to care let alone kind of talked down about my car (year and mileage not extremely high under 150K). Towed to another shop. Car is running fine now. Just sucks it sat for a week at your shop for nothing really. I should have taken it some where else from the start and my time wouldn't have been wasted. read more

I have been bringing my car to Nate for years. Their technicians are highly skilled everyone down there is very knowledgeable and experienced. They always come through with any repair I throw at them whether it's something simple like a service or a highly intensive diagnostic problem .I highly recommend this business to anybody looking for a dependable fair priced auto repair . read more

I'm a BMW enthusiast; all I've ever owned since I bought my first car have been bimmers (excepting a 1971 triumph spitfire for fun). I brought my car by for an estimate, and was given friendly service, but quoted a LUDICROUS price for the job I needed done. I drive a 97 M3 and do a lot of my own work on minor things (tune ups, oil changes, etc.). This particular repair requires jacking or lifting the car and replacing the torn air duct panel cover. (Stupid wheel stops ripped it off) The whole thing would have taken an hour of labor tops, and the part itself at wholesale cost is probably about $60. I could buy the part myself online for $90ish. SO. Maybe the quality of work is excellent, BUT. Ouch. Gouge much? I want to know why I was being quoted nearly $400 for the same job that cost me about $120 in Los Angeles. I also asked for an upgrade replacement option (metal housing instead of plastic), and the salesperson never got back to me despite two calls. No good. read more

Last week I dropped my car off at Optimal Auto for a Service/Inspection 2 (major service and inspection) on my 2002 325i. Everything went pretty smoothly and I was informed of maintenance that needed to be done in the future etc. When I got back to my car I noticed my "Service Engine Soon" light was still on which is weird because they told me over the phone that all of the codes have been cleared. The owner Nate hooked it up to a computer and checked/cleared the codes again, the "Service Engine Soon" light was now off and he let me know that his mechanic must have forgot to clear the codes before giving me the keys. Nate told me it must have been the oil level sensor that tripped the warning light and that if it comes on again to call them. The next day, my wife starts the car in the morning and the light comes on again. My wife speaks to Nate and lets him know that the light is back on and he says it must be the oil level sensor. Nate also let's her know that if we bring it in and get this sensor replaced and it does not fix the issue that he would put our old one back in and not charge us for the part/labor... Today I brought the car back in to have the sensor Nate said would fix the problem replaced. I also let them know to check the wiper blades and to call me if they need to be replaced and also to let me know when the car was done. I never got a call from the shop by the end of the day so I called them to make sure my car was done before I headed over to the shop to pick up the car. They said everything was all done and that they replaced the wiper lades. When I get there to pick up the car they said everything was all good and I was ready to go. When I got back to my car and started it, I immediately noticed the "Service Engine Soon" light was still on. Unfortunately I had to make another appointment to resolve the issue. After speaking with Nate, he he informed me that they replaced the wrong sensor and that would explain why the light came back on. Thankfully Nate made things right for me after spending $300 on a mistake they made. He refunded my money for the wrong sensor that was replaced and Nate was very apologetic for the inconvenience. This morning I brought the car back to have the correct sensor replaced. I got a call from Nate letting me know that after replacing the sensor the "Service Engine Soon" light was finally off and my car was ready to pick up. When I picked the car up, I checked to make sure the light was off (and it was). Happy to see the problem finally resolved. Although we had some trouble with the woman who works there over the phone, overall, Nate resolved our issues and made things right. read more

The whole team at Nate Smith Optimal Auto is first class. When you : request service, they actually write down all of your requests, and everything is very organized on their computer for future reference. They are the only shop that I trust to bring my Volkswagen Eurovan. The service is polite and prompt, and the technicians are very knowledgeable. It is nice to have a masterful family run business. They are not the cheapest job out there but you don't want cheap work done on your car. Considering the quality of work done, it is actually a very high value. Highly recommended! read more

I'd give more stars if possible... As an owner of an Audi S7 recently out of warranty we were very concerned when some serious codes came on referring to the turbos. Rigo is such a solid guy and the techs were very thorough with in depth diagnosis and they found a hose problem. Not many shops in my experience are as thorough and honest dealing with customers as Nate Smith's optimal auto. Very honest and trustworthy, we will trust them with all our Auto Care in the future! read more

Nate's shop is fantastic. We showed up minutes before they were closing and were personally helped by Nate in a professional and friendly manner. He went above and beyond what we've experienced at other Auto Care establishments. He saved us money on a repair that our Mini Cooper S required. We have definitely found the shop that will exclusively service our Mini Cooper! Thanks Nate!! read more

My family has been long-time loyal customer's of Optimal, and we have taken my old BMW there for minor repairs for the last several years. Recently I had a pretty bad oil leak, and when I brought it in, they found that it was a result of a mistake they'd made when they were replacing a head gasket a while back. Since it happened during a repair that they did, with a part that was still under warranty, they brought my car in and fixed it for free. Great customer service, this definitely ensured that I will continue to bring my Beemer here! read more

I've taken my BMW to these guys a number of times now and I trust them. A few times now, I have taken my car in for what I thought was a more costly repair, but they informed me it was actually far simpler and less expensive than I feared (they could have just gone with my suggestion and performed a more costly repair). One time, a repair they performed broke again after two weeks. They made the problem right again for me and didn't charge me extra. read more

Optimal Auto has serviced my BMW for over 30 years and are quick to diagnose the problem and fix it perfectly....they're always spot on. Great people and service. They have kept my car in top notch shape all these years. They're the best!!! read more

I will not take my car anywhere else! I have taken my 2003 Mini Cooper with high mileage there a number of time and the service has been honest and cost effective (Mini's like BMW's are not cheap to work on, generally parts.) This time I had an error code that even after repairing the part, it still showed up. Nate and team spent a fair amount of hours trying to figure it out. They did not want to replace a computer that didn't need to be. Based on Nate's experience in the market, he personally dug deeper into his resource pool and found a way to fix it. Then, the best part, and the part that NO OTHER SHOP in the country would do, he didn't charge me for the labor hours they spent trying to figure it out. I was happy to pay, but they said, they should have had this knowledge and they had learned how to deal with the same thing in the future, so they didn't charge me! Wow, other shops would have never done this. Now, I want to buy my next vehicle with Optimal's help, then bring my cars to Nate Smith forevermore. Thank you, Nate and Team!!! read more

I would be so much younger now if Nate and Meg had been taking care of my BMW during the sixteen years that I've had it. I would have slept better knowing that they were educated to know that my car takes 5.2 quarts of oil, instead of the 7 quarts a 'reputable' BMW specialist insisted on 'force feeding' my Bimmer. I also wouldn't have had to stress about my check engine light going on after leaving my car at their shop, the way it did several times when leaving reputable shops because those shops forgot to reconnect this or that as part of the repair protocol. My car wouldn't have gushed oil for days after an oil filter housing repair, the way it recently did thanks to yet another reputable, friendly German car shop taking a shortcut and using silicone, instead of following manufacturer instructions. With my car in Meg and Nate's hands, I can be at peace knowing that some hanger-on would not be allowed into their shop to 'clean' my car - without my authorization - with a spray bottle and a rag, and then seal in the residual dirt with liquid wax. I would not have to deal with my radio 'coincidentally' no longer working right after another reputable place serviced my car. And my sunroof which I loved using every day for 10 months of each of the 16 years, would still be working, instead of broken from leaving my car at another 'reputable,' friendly repair shop. They're all nice. Who cares. Nice doesn't mean that they know what they're doing. Nice doesn't mean that they won't cheat you. Nice doesn't mean that they are passionate about their work. Nice doesn't mean that they received years of absolutely essential technical training. I've clawed (not literally) my face and pulled out so much of my hair, literally, over the years dealing with mechanics who call themselves, BMW specialists, that I was seriously thinking of doing away with my car, dumping it at a wrecking yard, whatever, and buying a new one. But, I can't do that. I've become too attached to Meg and Nate....and Gordy. Gordy's their pup who sometimes throws me a ball when we meet. And though he tosses it to me with his mouth - he hasn't learned to use his paws yet - it's never a curved ball. Don't get me wrong. I'm not just keeping my car so I can visit these passionately dedicated auto-scholars from time to time. I'm keeping my car because I feel like I did 16 years ago: Totally carefree and safe driving it. It's like falling in love with my car, all over again. Like I did when I first saw it. Thank you, Meg and Nate, and your entire refreshingly adept crew. read more

Honestly super satisfied about everything and the customer service, "Blake" which is the person up front when you enter is super nice and explains well everything. I didn't put that extra star as it took them a week to do the whole process meanwhile it was more of a 1-3 day job. But honestly overall great fix and service, would go back there again but in about a month I know I will be getting a new leased car as my car is too old to spend fixes on and I'd rather sell it as is now. read more

You do a great job keeping our old VW Eurovan (200,000+ miles) in top condition. We can confidently head out on long road trips knowing that we will make it home without any major problems. read more

I am from out of town with a busted expansion tank in my 2000 528i. I called first thing in the morning and was able to get my car by noon at a reasonable cost. Nate was very helpful and knowledgeable. I wished that I lived closer to Santa Cruz and could go back to him on a regular basis. read more

Performance That Lasts A Lifetime -- I am confident leaving my vehicle with Nate Smith. The entire staff is experienced and obvious experts. Overall, I'm a DIY guy and happy to work on my own car. Knowing the level of care, precision, and attention to detail they put into their work, I will continue to bring my car and recommend others to do the same. I truly appreciate my experience at Nate Smith's Optimal Auto Care. My Experience(s) in more detail: Profile and Oil Pan Gaskets: As this work would have taken me most of my precious weekend, NSOAC was able to repair my car for a very reasonable cost, warrantied and punctually. Head Gasket (And everything included in the top end): I had recently purchased a vehicle that blew a head gasket months into my ownership. The work was more severe than I had thought (warped head). With Nate's team and expertise, they helped me find all the parts I needed, were very fair with their labor cost, and helped me get my car back on the road--even better than it was before I got the car. Again, I was very impressed and thankful for their expertise and knowledge. I highly recommend taking your precious vehicle to the experts who are best in the county. --Tmswell read more

Being from out-of-town, I was nervous about taking my Bug to a mechanic I did not know. However, the reviews on Yelp were great, so I thought I would give them a try. Despite being booked up, the staff made time to diagnose my Bug. I was confident with the diagnosis and work performed on my car. Should the need arise when I am in the area, I will definitely return to Nate's! Excellent, fast, friendly service! Great value! Thank you! read more

If you love your genuine car, you will really dig the genuine care you receive when you go to Nates optimal, his crew kicks ass in office or in garage, always friendly and super knowledgable. Nate is rad, I showed up at his shop today (not the first time) on my way to work, he helped me out when all of his mechanics were busy, and helped me drive off the lot with a safe car (330ci 2001)calling it a favor, long story short, huge loss of coolant, red temp gauge, needed to be refilled,bled and a hose reconnected properly. I have had serious work done in the past, always on dot. I always feel safe leaving the shop. I first learned of Nate's shop when I was a kid due to my dad taking his BMW E24, (635csi 87') here for all work needed. Highly recommended! I wouldn't go anywhere else, so take my word and find out for yourself!!! Special thanks to Nate and his crew!! read more

My 2014 Mini Cooper had a check engine light. Every time I would put in gas, my mini would hesitate to turn on then start up on the second try. It was also idling at 2rpm in park or neutral. The staff at Nate Smith's Optimal Auto Shop quickly diagnosed it and fixed it in less than 2 days. Thank you so much! It was my first time here and I'll definitely be back in the future if my mini has issues. read more