I've been a customer for years and can only say great things about them. Knowledgable and helpful. They have worked on all of our cars and we are car people. They just worked on my 2018 Porsche 911 GTS4 and our 14 year old 350 MBZ. Highly recommend.lll read more

THe guys at Santa Monica Brake and can fix anything. And they do it quickly. Thank-you George Sr. and George Jr and your whole crew are great. Highly recommend going there for car fixes! read more

George helped me in a pinch and was communicative, efficient, and my car left in fantastic quality.

I had a light go on in my car that I needed to have looked at right away and found Santa Monica brake through Yelp. I pulled in and George helped me right away. Luckily it was an easy fix but I really appreciated how kind he was to stop and help me. Would definitely go back to these guys when I need car service again. read more

Very trustworthy mechanics! Used them nay times on multiple vehicles and every time its done right.

As many others have written, this place is a total price-gouging ripoff. Read your estimates carefully people, their pricing is outrageous. It did not used to be like this years ago and is riding on the wave of goodwill from its early days. They attract mainly a crowd that knows nothing about cars and thinks this is a low cost service alternative to the dealer which it is not. read more

I was referred to Santa Monica Brake by a long-term resident of Santa monica. I asked him "what is the best place I can take my car to get fixed?" He did not delay in his answer at all, "Santa Monica Brake!" they were unbelievable! My car was fixed in record time, for an issue which two mechanics refused to even look at! My air-conditioning motor! I have no idea why? But George did not bat a eye; He suggested I go grab some donuts! Instead I walked 2 miles home, and lost some weight. About 30 minutes later I received a call from his son I believe, who explained the issue and said it would be ready at five. Normally repairs of this nature are expensive! I have a Mazda Miata, they are specialized, and weigh nothing. I've found mechanics are the Loath to work on them. Not Santa Monica Brake! It was repaired before five, costing less for the part than expected and the cost of labor was fair and honest!! They have earned my business for life! God Bless you guys!!! read more

I love this place. Always honest, efficient, and fair. I trust them completely. I also get great advice on keeping my old vehicle on the road. read more

Through the years of going to Santa Monica Brake, I applaud the professionalism of the Georges, father and son. They are are extremely competent, honest, trustworthy, and fair. I trust them implicitly and explicitly. When I take my vehicle to them, I know the car is in "good hands. Thank you for presense and expertise read more

My first time ever to the shop. I am impressed with their honesty. I inquired about a service for my vehicle and the gentleman was upfront and honest letting me know it was not necessary. He could've easily told me that it was and made a quick buck off me. Integrity - is exceedingly rare to find. I will come back for any future needs. read more

Been going here for years! So nice so honest I Always get taken care of ! I totally recommend! read more

What a great experience. George, George and the team are honest, thorough and diligent. I took my car there after being insanely over-quoted by other local establishments and I thank my lucky stars! They quickly solved the issue, charged honest pricing and saw me on my way. I will be back! Thank you. read more

Cesar and his boss Jorge (George?) were amazing, fast, and super helpful! I spoke to Cesar on the phone and he patiently answered all my questions. I had many cause I feel like it's really easy to be taken advantaged of but he were super transparent and the pricing was more than reasonable. He told me more about what was going on with my car than any other mechanic has, which I really appreciated. All in all, I'm definitely coming here for anything else my car needs. read more

I absolutely LOVE Santa Monica brake!! George and his son are AMAZING, sweet and honest. This is coming from a woman. I'm not intimidated walking in. I know my car and I will be taken care of. I woke up with a flat tire, confused and sad. Santa Monica Brake always does my oil (my mom's also) so immediately thought GEORGE ! His son greeted me and saw how lost I was. He COULD have turned me away because tires are not their specialty. George's son looked at me and said "don't worry your baby's (my car) gonna be okay" my heart melted. read more

I'm a 30 yr client and have recommended many more to this establishment. I've always been pleased with the work and the prices have always been fair and honest. Recently the son has been slowly but surely taking over and boy have things changed. It's become one of "THOSE" shops. The kind you see on tv with secret cameras. I stopped in because I would step on the gas of my 2002 Toyota 4RUNNER (147k/mi) and nothing would happen, so I stopped bye when it wasnt doing it but was in the area. Jr. looked under the hood and squeezed my radiator hose and said it felt soft and should probably be replaced. I said okay. Its not presenting a problem, but okay. Then he said, might as well replace the bottom hose too. Fine. Preventative I guess. Figured it couldn't cost much...Later that day he calls and says the plastic spout broke off because the car is old and the radiator is falling apart and now he has find and replace the radiator and get this......$800 later. No leaks; no overheating, no problems.... I now have an $800 repair bill for work I didnt go there for and didnt need. I happen to know quite a bit about cars from working on them in my youth. When I get the car back home, the first thing I do is lift the hood to view my new$800 radiator and what do I see?.....the hose clamp is not the original clip that was on there, which was a pressure clip. Theres an O-Ring hose clamp. It's obvious, to me, he didnt take into account that the spout is plastic, not metal , and yes 20 yrs old. He most likely used a power wrench with a socket and clamped too fast and hard HE broke the spout off and I paid for it. It wasnt falling apart before I got there. Then one day I was in the area and the gas pedal was doing the no go thing that I originally went in for, so I stopped and said to Junior, hey it's doing it right now. He opens the hood and with his hand manually revs the engine and tells me it's the "throttle body" and it needs to be replaced. He says he can feel the butterfly is stuck and oxygen isnt getting into the fuel mixture. It will cost $650+ 1 hr labor which will be a total of ......ready?......$905! Really? 1 hr labor is $300?! I said I'll think about it. I get home and I think......wait a minute....an old fashion carburetor has a butterfly but this has electronic fuel injection, so I'm not sure if it even has a butterfly. Plus, its Toyota. They run forever. Little things like that just dont go wrong. Plus after the $800 radiator experience, I dont trust him. So I try to remove the cover on the throttle body and spray some carburetor cleaner or WD40 to free up whatever it is that's stuck. I cant get all 4 screws off. Only two. So, as long as I'm under there, I spray some WD40 on the spring and cable and that fixed it. I stopped by the shop the other day to try and talk to George senior about my displeasure with recent events but he was busy. As I was leaving, George Jr. asked me if I replaced the throttle body and I said no, I sprayed WD40 on the spring and cable and it's fine now. He said nothing. Oh yah....I also have a Fiat Abarth. I took it in for an oil & filter change in Jan '22 and it was $114. No racing oil; just off brand synthetic (only 4 qts of 5-40) and a tiny little filter. In Aug '22 (6 months later) Junior charged me $157. A $43 increase for the same service I had done 6 months earlier. I mentioned it to George senior and he said....yah everything is going up. Yes; that's true but not that much. So, I see he condones what his son is doing or just doesn't care anymore. Anyway; I'm done with Santa Monica Brake. Sad. I'm disappointed. You'd think after 30 years and being a source of referrals, would get me loyalty. Also, George and George Jr. are really nice guys. Sad read more

Love this place. Needed a door lock repair and they were up front with what they could and couldn't do. They looked at it and didn't charge me too find out what they problem was. I am very happy with how fast they got to my car, even though they were very busy. read more

George is the bomb!! Honest and decent pricing. He tells you exactly what it is and fixes your car in acceptable time frame. Highly recommend this business!!! read more

My family has been going here for many years. It is family owned and operated. George and his team are honest and reliable which is rare in the industry. I highly recommend santa Monica brake and will continue to bring our family vehicles here!!! read more

This is a great car service place. Joe Jr. and Joe Sr. and their team are amazIng. My catalytic converter was stolen and at first they said it was a wait for 2 months but they found one for my Prius at Marina Del Rey Toyota and I had my car back in 2 days. I highly recommend Santa Monica Brake. read more

George is the best! He's fast, honest, fair, does good work and is very affordable. Highly highly recommended.

Very reliable service: a must have mechanic! George and his crew are the best ones in town read more

My go to mechanic. The price is always right and the work is always good! Have never had to go back for the same issue twice.

Honest, fair and fast. George (the son) was thorough and professional. They finished my car as stated and did a terrific job. Additionally, they referred my older cars to another mechanic in Santa Monica. I know I will be back again when my my "newest" car needs servicing. Highly recommend. read more

I drove from Austin. Texas and brakes started crunching. I called and was able to take it in for repair first thing the next morning. George, the owner, is very straightforward/no-nonsense and honest. Repair was completed on time and for a fair price. Would recommend Santa Monica Brake Service to everyone. read more

George is always excellent and helpful, he knows his stuff and is just as good with bargain builds as he is with high end perfection

A True rarity! A mechanic shop that it truly honest and does exceptional work as well. I am responsible for 7 different vehicles Fords, Hondas, Toyotas BMW's and Chevys, even the toughest job of pulling the motor on a Ford Explorer and replacing all the timing chains and gears at a reasonable price. They stand behind their work. I can't say enough about how knowledgeable and good they really are. I am still looking for something they are unable to work on. A definite find of a reliable automotive mechanic ! George and his crew are ACE's. read more

My family and I were referred to Santa Monica Brake by a neighbor friend and have been taking our cars (two Lexus's and a BMW) to SM Brake for the last year to two years now. We find George junior and senior to be friendly, honest, and competent. A year to two years ago, the symbols for low tire pressure and airbag problems kept coming on in my 2006 BMW. Worried about the grave and scary implications of a faulty airbag, I initially went straight to the BMW dealership. To make a long story short, my experience at Santa Monica BMW was terrible (just poor and dishonest service, and they tried to charge me upwards of $700, which I contested). I ended up taking my car to Santa Monica brake after. George junior took such great care of me and my car. He fixed my car in a timely fashion and his charges were very reasonable I feel. No symbols have come on since! :) read more

Friendly and very experienced staff. I grew up on a mechanic workshop and love to do repairs on my cars. Whenever I don't have the right tools or time this is my go-to-place. Great location near downtown Santa Monica too. read more

Santa Monica Brake - They've taken good care of my Jeep several times. - Auto Repair Near Me - Santa Monica, California

What a great experience ! Finally an honest person and place . A place that really cares about the customer and their car! Thanks George . I will tell everyone about it! read more

Just go here. Professional service and good, fair and honest people. Getting my car serviced usually seems to be an exceptionally unpleasant outing where questionable people offer to change everything from my blinker fluid to my muffler bearings. I needed a number of things done on my car (100,000 mile tune up for a Nissan Xterra) and went to Santa Monica Brake for the first time. I knew what needed to be done. George, the manager, quoted me the same list of repair items that I had expected. He didn't try to up-sell me or do any unnecessary work. Very professional. Also, given that my bill was quite large, he threw in the oil change for free. I would strongly recommend Santa Monica Brake for pretty much all auto service needs. I'll be going back, but hopefully it will be a while... read more

Classic, contemporary, tune-up or serious over-haul- this is where you need to go! George is amazing and my auto angel. He always gives me the best deal possible, squeezes me in for emergencies and is straight up. I won't go any where else and I've referred several friends to Santa Monica Brake that have never felt more take care of. If you're looking for a trustworthy "car guy", George is your man and his son Junior will take care of you too! read more

I can't give a review on the service since nothing was worked on, but because the owner was so honest two different times in, I had to post a positive review. My car was having problems starting and he checked everything, but couldn't find any problems. I still expected to be charged for the time they spent on it, but he just handed me the keys and said no charge. Turns out it was a bad fuse that I was surprised they missed, but the fact he didn't nail me for something else was refreshing. I feel like I can trust George the next time I have a problem. read more

George and his crew are the bomb. We've been going there for years and years, and he never has been anything but the best straight up mechanic you could imagine--including his carside manner. George never upsells. He never lies. He fixes things right, or he fixes them again at his cost. His rates are fair, but I know I'd pay more for less if I went almost anywhere else. Once he talked me out of putting a lot of money into a midlife crisis fantasy car, he urged me to think of my future family needs and nixed the salacious Beemer idea. "Yooo neeeeed tooo buy a meeneevan, Demetrios..." In his LA local accent he sounded just like Edward James Olmos. And then he made arrangements without my knowledge for me to purchase from a Dr. from Sta. Monica a minivan-type car that I still drive today. Sneaky, but he saved me a lot of money, helped me avoid frivolous spending just because I will never be 32 again. Thanks, George. Can't say enough good things about you and your business. PS: Around my house, about three times a week you will surely hear, "Yooo neeeed tooo buy a meeneevan..." I don't know exactly why, but the phrase has stuck. Cheers. read more

talk to george. he is probably the most fair mechanic in all of the los angeles area. i have been going there for years now because i stopped by originally for a small part for my bmw. he didn't charge me. i started to come back here after my warranty for my car ended at the bmw dealership- he was nearly half the cost of what bmw sm would charge. i now go in for tune ups, air filters, oil changes, battery replacements, and anything else. i have recommended george here at santa monica brake to a few other friends, who received the same treatment. listen, i have a very particular way of doing business and work with only people i trust when it comes to my car. go no further, he is the best person. if he can't do it, he will tell you up front. he will give you great pricing. he can get busy so don't be upset or rush. give yourself plenty of time to drop off the car, speak to him, and be on with your day. read more

Our entire family has been going to George for years. He is skilled, honest, fair and helpful. I had an old truck that needed repairs frequently (not due to George's abilities) because it was just old. He would be truthful about what needed to be fixed and what could wait. Now I have a new car and I don't go there often but my new girl will be seeing George when she is under the weather. Hi Oliver! lol read more

I went to check this place out as I liked the recommendations and public support. The price quoted to get the front brakes done on my 2003 Tacoma was "about $235". The dealer cost is $249. and they use genuine Toyota parts. While I respect that this place does solid work for people so do dealerships at these price points. read more

Terrible experience. Went in for squeaking noises in my van. Was told I needed new brakes. Spent $1400. Left and the same noises were there. Went back, twice. Was told they sprayed wd40 everywhere. Squeaking stopped. Clearly wasn't the brakes. Now, my brakes are making horrible noises. Noises that didn't exist before the brake job. Now what? Go back and spend more money? Their explanation was it's an old car. Funny they didn't say that before the brake job. Find a different place. read more

If you want your car fixed properly; and in a timely fashion, you have to go here! 2 days to fix a problem another garage "The Big Q" took only 2 months to release it back broken. I have been here twice; and all my neighbors do too. The only reason not used this last time..my stupidity. They have so many clients..it is worth the wait. I am a local..38 years;and you will never find a more reliable group of mechanics! Kudos to the owner..George and crew!!//Many thanks.../Janet read more

George is a true Honest Mechanic and a rare breed indeed! This place gets 5 stars because I trust them completely 100% when they tell me what is wrong with my car. They have saved me money when other mechanics tried to scam me. They have done the same maintenance the dealership would do on my vehicle for much less and the work is top notch. I refer everyone I know to these guys. So far had them work on my Toyota, a friends Audi, and my cousins BMW. It is no fluke that they have only 5 star reviews! read more

3 months ago, my 2006 ford f-350 started blowing white smoke out of the exhaust pipe. I immediately drove my truck to Santa Monica Brake. $300 later, George replaces my coolant tank and refills my coolant, which had almost been on empty. A few days later, I'm blowing white smoke out of the exhaust again. I drive it back and George tells me he'll need the truck for a day. He calls me hours later with horrible news. "Your head gasket blew". He quotes me $6,000 to do the job, but he can't start until the following Monday. When I return on Monday, George has paperwork he wants me to sign. It's an estimate for $6,000, with the work being described as "valve job". This is a huge red flag to me. Why on earth would my estimate for $6,000 have two words describing the work? "Valve job"??? My instinct along with the vibe I was getting from George told me I was about to be ripped off, so I said never mind and took my truck to the ford dealer. The FORD DEALER, which everyone knows charges top dollar, diagnosed my truck with a busted egr cooler and oil cooler. There was absolutely nothing wrong with my motor or head gasket. $2000 later, ($4000 less than what George wanted to steal from me), my truck has been running like new for over 3 months now. I would never return to Santa Monica Brake. I'm very lucky I took my truck elsewhere. read more