Larry is awesome! I got a smog check and oil change last week, and just remembered to give feedback! Pros: quality, personalized approach Con: a little more than I expected to pay(should have bought a Yelp deal) Definitely coming back. read more

Specialized Auto is ALWAYS prompt, courteous, friendly & let's the customers know what is going on. We have been coming here for many years & will continue to use Specialized Auto as our #1 go to for car service. read more

The customer attention I received from Specialized for my 100K service was superb. Starting with scheduling my appointment by phone when I was handled cheerfully and enthusiastically by Micheal who eagerly got me in the next morning. Then as my car was being serviced Micheal gave me prompt and thoughtful updates so as to keep me abreast on what was happening. When it came time to pick up my vehicle Micheal sent a complimentary Uber to my house. Once I arrived back at the shop, I was greeted happily by Aaron who quickly got me out the door with a freshly washed car. In my opinion, it is people like Micheal and Aaron who make a difference by delivering a higher quality service! read more

I have brought my vehicles to Specialized Auto on four separate occasions. The first 2 times the work was expensive but done well. The last two times was expensive and either had to be taken to the dealership to correct their errors. 1) Our Lexus right light would intermittently go out. Specialized Auto diagnosed the problem and found that the light bulb that was put in was incorrect and they replaced it with another. It worked fine at first on short trips but on longer trips the light would still go out. Eventually, the headlight would go out on short trips as well...but we found out if you turn it off and then on again it would come back on. Talked to Specialized and they would not stand behind their work. Took the car to Lexus of Monterey and they said: Specialized put in the incorrect bulb. Thanks a lot Specialized! 2) Shortly after we brought our Lexus in we took in our Ford F-150 to get smogged. While the truck was in there I asked them to find out why the truck was running rough. They did and extensive diagnosis and I was told they had located the problem and had ordered the parts. In the mean time, I could pick up my truck and Specialized would call me when the parts came in. Specialized never did call me and/or fixed the problem. Took my truck to North Bay to have my truck fixed. Was miffed to say the least for the money I paid Specialized to diagnose the problem. This time 2 strikes you're out! read more

So, your "expert transmission repair" failed. Amco warrants their work for life. How long is your work warranties for?

My check engine light came on last week so I called specialized to see if they could take a look at it since I have taken my car there about 3 times in the past and have always been happy with the work they do and the service they provide. I called them in the morning on a Friday around eleven, and they were willing to take a look at it right away. I got the car to them at 1:30 and by 2:30 they were already calling me to notify me of the problem and the cost of repairs, plus said car would be finished around 4. They were very fast, and very efficient! They even called and funded me an uber ride home since I didn't arrange a ride for myself! All around this turned out to be a great day despite needing car work done! Thank you specialized for running a straight up car repair business that really goes the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction! read more

I was a little disappointed with Specialized. I went in for a check engine light, they ran the diagnostic in front of me and set up an appointment. Great! They went over the labor inspection costs and said what the issue could be. When dropping off my car, they noticed my windshield wipers were worn and suggested replacements. They said it would cost $30-40. Great! Later that day I got a call letting me know the exact cost and that it would be ready to pick up today too. They said the wipers would be $40 on top of the maintenance and labor cost. They also said they would wash my car. Awesome! They were closed by the time I could pick it up, but they left my key for me (again, great!). I noticed immediately that my car wasn't washed. Even the windshield was pretty dirty (perhaps they didn't test the new wipers even?). After opening the envelope with the charges, I found the wipers were also $49.95. $10-20 extra dollars is a drop in the bucket with European car maintenance, but I appreciate honesty. They did great maintenance on my car in a timely manner, but their overall delivery was not honest and complete. read more

Will never go back to this shop. I use to get my oil changes and repairs done at this shop, until they messed up my car and tried to get me to pay 1k to repair it. When I called back to ask why it was driving different than before I dropped it off they said it will be like that until I repair my car with them. Got my car fixed else where and figured out there was not anything wrong with my car to begin with just the mistakes they made on my car read more

Thanks for wonderful service and courtesy! My VW Tiguan was only serviced at Specialized three times before it "died" but I couldn't have asked for greater courtesy and consideration from everyone in the shop. read more

I had a 1pm OIL change appointment today... my car wasn't done until 3:15pm (while my husband sat & waited)! This is absolutely absurd for an oil change. It's not a walk-in service, I was scheduled with an appointment! They did discount our service $10 today but that really doesn't make up for the amount of time. I'm so dissatisfied with the customer service I have received since purchasing my vehicle from Specialized Auto. Originally when I purchased my used vehicle from them, there was a 10,000 mile discrepancy between the advertised mileage and actual mileage... when I noticed and questioned Larry about it he said the technicians had been running errands with the car... I didn't accept that answer to explain 10,000 miles (right?!) but I wanted the car so I worked a deal with Larry to comp me a 10,000 interval service (no charge)-Larry agreed. I had to wait about 2 1/2 hours for my car for that service also which is ridiculous when you have a scheduled appointment! I'm done with Specialized Auto, 3 strikes and you're out! read more

They said they had Mercedes service capable trained mechanics based on one woman. They were given the car to diagnose any problems and came up with a list of urgent repairs that indicated coolant loss but didn't include fixing the coolant problem that could destroy the engine. A few days after getting the car back and the expensive ($2900) necessary repairs done well....the neglected coolant problem ($250) disabled the car. read more

I drove up to Santa Cruz last Thursday for my wedding which was happening on Saturday. As I got into town, I noticed my truck acting weird (grinding coming from the wheels, brakes getting soft, etc.) so I pulled off the freeway. Driving down the street I knew something was really wrong and I happened to pass by Specialized Auto, so I pulled in at about 4pm. Almost immediately someone hopped in my truck and went for a drive with me and noticed exactly what I had, so I decided to leave it with them (even though my truck is a Toyota Tacoma and they advertise working with imports). I needed my truck for the wedding that weekend and our honeymoon in Big Sur afterward, so I was very anxious about the repairs and getting them done on time. They called me early the next day to let me know that I needed a new front wheel bearing, brake rotor and CV axle...I knew this was a pretty extensive repair for one day but they told me they believed they could get it done, and sure enough they did. Specialized Auto saved my bacon and allowed me to have my truck for my wedding in the Santa Cruz mountains and for our honeymoon camping trip through Big Sur afterward, I can't thank them enough for helping me out when I really needed it and doing quality work on my truck. Highly recommend them, even if you don't have a European import! read more

We took our 2003 Chevy trailblazer due to it shaking. We now know it was misfiring. They said it was the Water pump and spark plugs. They said they would replace all sparkplugs and the water pump. They charged $1,100. saying the labor and parts were high quality as to the high cost. Recently we had a misfire again. We had a different mechanic look at it and he said it was the number 2 sparkplug. We opened it up and he said only the #1 chamber spark plug was changed and all the others were old. We could tell due to the others being really dirty and dusty and the #1 was a lot more cleaner due to it being newer. The Water Pump was still the old one and had never been replaced. Nothing was wrong with the water pump they charged me for. They charged us $1,100. for changing 1 out of 6 sparkplugs. A job that costs me $80. to complete and was done within 15 minutes. I am currently in contact with the Better Business Bureau and plan on taking them to court for fraud and theft. If you go here, you will get the same. I admit I was too distracted with getting my child in a new school and it being Halloween which I informed them of, but instead of helping alleviate the stress they took advantage and ripped us off. Look at their smiles in the photos. Those are the smiles of people that got away with ripping off hundreds of their customers for uncompleted work. Don't go there! Find a mechanic you know personally if you can, or go to you tube so you can get an idea of what might be happening visually before taking your auto in to a shop. No matter what, don't risk your money on hoping they will not rip you off. All the good reviews are probably from their family and friends. I wouldn't be surprised if they get ripped off too, who knows? I wouldn't put anything past this corrupt shop. read more

-as I sit my ass down here at chipotle capitola ..... looking at my watch 310pm -this all started at 10 am, dropped my car off and I was told their driver just left and they narrated his planned route, I knew my ass was walking to pilates....... (i called for this appointment a week ahead and the girl that took my name in suggested that they can take me to AND from my pilates class on e cliff which starts at 1030 am because the earliest I get the car in the better...she did do her part since that info was on the computer when he read it) -they got done checking me in and all that crap at 1015 am. (while I anticipate the 2.2 mile walk to try to get to e cliff in a timely manner) -got to my pilates class bout 1036 am (yes, I walk hella fast) walking at times barefoot since I started getting blisters from my flipflops -after pilates I walk with bandaids on both feet (thanks to my pilates instructor) heading towards 41'st and I make a call at about noon to see what time my car will be done - I was told 12:30 to 1 pm.....my ass -2 blisters, a visit to goodwill on 41st, a pedicure, Ross and now Chipotle I called to find out if they "forgot me" to a "can I get your number I'm with a customer right now I'll call you right back" ..... 12 minutes later "You need to be picked up hu? (no shit Sherlock), stay right where you are and I'll put your number right up on the board so our driver will call you right when he gets back in" -as I sit my ass down here at chipotle capitola ....... looking at my watch 326pm =IS IT BECAUSE I HAVE A HONDA? read more

I have had more bad experiences here than good ones. I have certainly gotten reamed a couple times on prices for parts and labor, but worst is they stripped my oil plug and didn't let me know. A couple of the people are really knowledgeable but I'm afraid some don't know exactly what to do on certain cars or price things accurately. read more

This place knows their Volvos, they have a decent parts department with genuine Volvo stuff, but the past 3 times I've gotten serious work done there, I get the car back and things are broken. Example: I needed the trip odometer button replaced,, along with $1400 of other various repairs(!!!). I have to call them several times because don't feel the need to keep me updated on the status of my car. Fine, I get it, they're busy fixing it, great. But 5 days later I get my car back, right as they're closing up on Friday afternoon, and my turn signals, my speedometer, both of my odometers, and the dash illuminating bulbs are dead. So I wait til Monday morning with no turn signals and no way of knowing how fast I'm driving, to bring my car back in so they can fix these issues (on the house, naturally). I get the car back *(as they're closing up shop again) and the overdrive indicator light is broken, the anti-lock brakes aren't working, and who knows, I may find something else is also on the fritz. It's just f'ing frustrating when you spend an entire paycheck on maintaining your vehicle, only to find they've decided not to check their work. And this wasn't even the first time I've had to come back after they made repairs so they could make more repairs to their repairs!!!! My mind is spinning with all of this insanity. To end on a good note, which helps me feel better a little, the people working there are very nice, they'll help you out if you put up enough of a fuss. I like that they offer loaner cars when yours is in for a long stay, and they have a shuttle when the repairs will take a few hours or so. Just make sure you look your vehicle over, top to bottom, before driving away and they leave for the day/weekend. read more

I used to think this was a friendly auto shop until one day i witnessed a parts delivery guy and his trainee show up to drop off a forgotten part and overheard an awful response from the parts guy named (Stew) who happens to continue working at Specialized Auto. We all make mistakes no doubt about that, but when you make an honest mistake and are able to correct it without any consequences then you should be okay right? The delivery guy and his trainee had come to drop off parts and left, in and out just like that. No more than 8 minutes later they were back and i assume they forgot something. So, when the delivery guy got out of his car with part in hand, (Stew) was standing in front of the roll up door waiting even right before they got there. The delivery guy got out of his car to deliver with a smile on his face also apologizing about the mishap, Stew's first thing out of his mouth and in detail, "I hear today is your last day', Delivery guy says, "Maybe", and Stew says, "GOOD!" with a very uncomfortable tone. I tell you guys like this should not work anywhere, because that is no way or form to talk to someone Especially who is correcting a minor mistake. I hope you can vote for no more (Stew) for having POOR WORK ETHIC. Even i felt uncomfortable listening to Stew's response. Whatever you do stay away from (Stew). old guy with glasses and short almost bald hair. read more

Total fraudsters! They are the nightmare of anyone who posses a car. I took my car for an oil change which came with: filter change, check pressure test cooling system, replace cabin filter, replace spark plugs, etc. They also said that they changed my timing belt and the rear brake pads (total service cost $1700). Well, two weeks later my car started acting out (it has never had that problem before). So, I took it back to this terrible place; they wanted to charge $160 only to check it. But, of course I refused and demanded them to check it for free. They did. Three hours later they called me and told me that my car needed who knows what and that they need another $700 to fix a hose and a filter. I was very frustrated with them so, I went to pick up my car. The funny thing is that I got my car and my boyfriend's brother knows a little bit about cars. So, he decided to take a look at it and then he realized that the spark plugs were never replaced and they weren't tightly secured. That is why my car was not working properly. My boyfriend's brother fixed my car for 80 bucks. Then two months later my car started acting out again my bf's brother checked it again and realized that my car doesn't have any oil! Special autos did my oil change three months ago. How come my car has no oil at all? My friend checked if my car was leaking oil and it was not leaking oil. So, how is it that my car doesn't have any oil? They failed to change my oil. I have no words to describe how I feel. This place should be closed. Like someone else said in one of the reviews: "this place is for people with a lot of money and no brain". Now I am wondering if I may be driving around without replaced brakes pads. Totally disgusted!!! read more

UPDATE March, 2015: I just received the promised check, along with a note detailing everything that was done to my car to try to diagnose the problem. I appreciate that they followed up. I have updated my rating accordingly. UPDATE December, 2014: Someone from Specialized called me to ask if I was the one who wrote this review. He was very nice and ultimately asked me what they could do to make it right. I responded that they could return the $500 I paid them for their repeated failed diagnoses and a new battery (letting go of any hope of recovering the $1500 the fix cost me at the dealership). He agreed and promised to send me a check. That was a few months ago. I am still waiting. I guess I will go elsewhere for my tuneups as well. Original review: I have been a customer of Specialized for 15 years. For most of that time, they were fantastic (see my 2009 review), but seem to have gone way down hill. After my latest round of experiences with them, I will no longer go there for anything more complicated than a tune-up. My 2008 Volvo S80 has had occasional starting problems for the past two years or so. During that time I have had it in their shop many times for them to try to fix it. They have charged me hundreds of dollars, diagnosed it repeatedly, replaced my battery, and still were unable to fix it. At one point, they told me there was a software update that fixed it. After five phone calls to their service desk, each time being told that they would get back to me within a day to confirm it and then never doing so, I gave up and called the dealership to learn that there was no such fix. At one point, after they worked on my car--I have been in for this so many times I no longer remember what they did, but I think they "tested" my fuel pump sending unit--my gas gauge stopped working. They steadfastly denied any responsibility. Out of sheer frustration, I finally took my car to the Volvo dealer in San Jose. Guess what? The fuel pump sending unit was bad, causing both problems! That's right, Specialized not only failed to fix the initial problem, their mucking around apparently caused my gas gauge to fail. The dealer charged more, but I would have gladly paid it to have my car fixed properly in the first place. read more

My Toyota RAV 4 reached its first 100k and needed to get my suspension replaced. Specialized Auto was recommended by a few friends of mine. From the moment I spoke to Paul on the phone to the moment he handed me my keys I was treated with the utmost respect, kindness, generosity, clarity and care. He was thorough and brought me out to my car while it was up in the air to show me my old suspension and what it needed, he was kind and welcoming to my dog, he gave me a car to use while I was without mine, did thorough check up on the rest of my car and it's needs and even demonstrated excellent care and consideration in infection prevention in the midst of this COVID situation. I will absolutely be taking my car here for anything and everything and recommend them to everyone for anything AUTO! Thank you Paul! Such a gem!! read more

I went in for a smog check for my truck (which is a requirement in California for dmv registration renewal). It was done within 20 minutes and it passed, what more can you ask for. The counter help was great and I got treated like VIP =) finally posted this review read more

I've been taking my VW and Mercedes autos to Specialized for years. I liked them so much I had them service our family SUV in both their Santa Cruz and Watsonville location. Recently Rick and the team performed admirably, sleuthing out an intermittent electrical issue on our SUV. Service was excellent and they excel at the consultative approach, giving the customer the needed information, along with professional opinion, but allowing the client to determine course of action based on budget, timeline of vehicle ownership etc. Shuttle is friendly and prompt as well. Thanks to a great team! read more

Specialized rocks! The service is fantastic, and I actually trust them not to screw me over with bogus charges and un-necessary parts...they take time to explain what is causing your car problem in a way that is easy to understand. Love these guys! read more

Quality of service is usually good, BUT the price is higher. They've (MULTIPLE TIMES) carried out unauthorized work on my vehicle; They have no loyalty to their customers. I had gone to get an estimate for something, and pointed out the the employee that it was nearly broken so to be careful, what does he do? go ahead and do exactly what i just asked him not to, causing a couple hundred MORE dollars of damage. If you're looking for a Mercedes servicer; try Precision Mercedes just down the block. read more

The only Volvo dealer in the area and they are not even a dealer. Great service fair prices and expert staff. If you have a Volvo and live in Santa Cruz County this is were you want to have your car serviced. read more

I took my Mazda Miata in here after the factory radiator had a crack and started leaking. I talked with Rick in Service dept. and he quoted me several different prices for a replacement so I went with the all-brass replacement radiator. These guys are great, they were able to quote me costs right up front and there were no surprises on the final bill. They have a pretty large garage and were able to get me in immediatly. The garage is neat and organized and the mechanics know there stuff. I had called around to a few other places before coming here and Specialized was about middle of the range in different quotes. If you want good quality you have to pay for it and these guys get a 10/10 in my book! I would highly reccomend Specialized to anyone, Thanks Yelp! read more

I have had mixed experiences with Specialized during the 9 years that I drove a Volvo (just replaced my car with a Toyota yesterday). At first everything was great. Though expensive, I felt like they were worth the money. Then they made a couple of careless mistakes in reassembling my car after the repair. The first one was pretty major, but they sent me a letter explaining how the mistake would not happen again, and they even refunded the cost of the repair, which I absolutely appreciated and which was why I continued to bring my car there. The next mistake was not so major but did cause my car to stop running, fortunately my dad was able to rescue me and I decided not to return to Specialized and found another auto service in Santa Cruz that specializes in European cars. In the end, I opted for a Toyota which will hopefully ultimately save money on repairs, but to each their own! That said, I DEFINITELY enjoyed working with Rick, he was a great guy. I just decided to edit this, I originally gave 2 stars but upped it to 3 (I wish there was a 2.5 option). The good things about Specialized are the shuttle service, the friendliness of staff, and that they always have the parts they need on hand, or very nearby (some of the smaller shops or non-European specialty shops you have to wait for the part to arrive, it can take awhile). read more

Eh. We went on the recommendation of someone else, and left feeling pretty disappointed by the high prices paid for really basic work. Still on the quest for a reasonably priced, trustworthy mechanic. read more

Love this place! Quick, reliable, well priced. They provide pickup and drop off as well. Best part is that they actually explain everything to you and treat you like you understand, so you can make informed decisions. Upfront about costs and potential costs. Especially appreciate this as a woman when most shops assume you have no knowledge or intelligence around cars and decision making. I've never liked a car repair place before and these folks are great! read more

First time coming to Specialized Auto. Aaron helped me with my smog. Even got a complementary car wash and tire pressure check. Had been dropped off by my mom to pick up my car and Randy noticed her back tail light was out and fixed it for free and under 5 minutes. So thank you gentlemen! read more

I wish I had discovered these guys years ago. Super friendly, efficient, and all-around awesome. I enjoy taking my VW in for service!

While on a recent business trip I had two warning lights appear. I called as I was passing through and Rick quickly got me in, diagnosed, fixed and in my way. The team was incredibly helpful and pleasant to work with. I would highly recommend this shop for service of European vehicles! read more

110% satisfied by the outstanding quality of work and level of customer support at Specialized! Not only are they timely , informative, and fair, but they also go the extra mile providing shuttle service to/from, wash and detail vehicle before pick up, and they call a day later to make sure you're happy with the work they performed on your car. These guys/gals are a cut above. I'm very happy my family found them, and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for fair honest auto servicing! Thanks Specialized! read more

Service was very good. They stood behind a previous repair, provided a rental car for four days free of charge and followed up to make sure we were satisfied. Some of the parts were very expensive for what they actually were (VW Eurovan crankcase hose at $140). They spent time with us detailing out the repair, saving parts if requested and offered advice on vehicle longevity and what to expect for potential future repairs. You get what you pay for and Specialized, though not a budget shop, does quality work. JA read more

I have been a customer of Specialized for over 10 years. Each and every time I take my vehicle in, they do a thorough job and tell me what is needed immediately, and what can wait. They always give me options. I was apparently quoted incorrectly for a job, and they still honored the quote! Thank you Larry! I have always trusted Specialized, and will continue to take my vehicle to them for repairs and maintenance. I saved $200 this time because they gave me options (thank you Paul!). If you own a European vehicle, I highly recommend taking it to Specialized for maintenance and repairs. read more

I have been bringing my BMW 528i into specialized auto for about two years. I had 93,000 mile check up and completely forgot about it... I was going on a long road trip and was afraid that I could not go on the trip before the service. I called and Rick told me to come in and quickly looked at my car and told me everything was A-OK and that all I would need was a brake flush in the next 9000 miles. How amazing is this?? I have been getting ripped off at BMW for a few years and I'm so glad I found specialized auto. They are a small business, they are honest and do excellent work on my car. And as a woman sometimes auto garages are not honest with you.... I feel so safe with them and I'm so happy that I know my car will be taken care of in a fair manner and at an excellent price. Beyond happy with Specialized Auto! read more

I've used Specialized Auto for years to service my 1990 Volvo. They do good work but the cost of doing business is completely ludicrous. For a CPU and installation they quoted me $800. For a new turn signal arm and installation they quoted me $600. For a replacement passenger door handle several hundred more. I went elsewhere and got all of these done for less than $200. Had I gone to Specialized I would have been charged upwards of $1,800! I will not be going back and will tell everyone I know to not submit to their insane pricing. Specialized has become too big and overbloated. read more

Once again, Specialized Auto has saved my Olvo from the junkyard. It does not break often, but when it does it is something that needs their touch. This time, the 740 wagon was discharging only while I drove it - it checked out perfectly fine when towed in. All the tests were run, I had a loaner from them - and they asked if they could keep it overnight for further testing. They went in under the hood and while closely inspecting things, they noticed a slight smoky odor - which led them to a burnt voltage regulator that was only malfunctioning under a heavy load... The complete diagnosis and repair was under $200 and I am impressed with the service I received from each person I talked to there. Thanks again! ps - I had to edit to add this - my iPod was left in the car by mistake - and was still there! Awesome! (edit) oopsie - my stereo is dead. When I drove away, I tried to plug in the iPod and nada... perhaps an inline fuse went while they worked, the circuit it is wired to still works (rear wiper). taking it back to stereo installer to check fuses... (edit) The stereo installer just walked out to the car saying 'the stereo just thinks it's stolen', poked a paperclip into a hole to reset it, and all was well. Yay! 5 stars all around! read more

I was freaking out when my 22 year old Volvo's battery mysteriously stopped holding a charge. I knew that the problem wasn't going to be easy to find, so I braced myself for a mechanic giving up on the problem, or worse, ripping me off with parts I didn't need. Specialized Auto had some good reviews online, so I took a chance and took my car in. So glad I did! A week and a half later, I had my car back, completely fixed. The guy who helped me called me every few days to let me know what he was doing, and made sure that any services he performed were okay with me before he did them. He found the tiny part that was broken, and made sure my car ran for a few more months! Thanks Specialized Auto! read more

I've been taking my cars here for 15 years. 4 or 5 Volvos, a Saab, a Mercedes, A BMW, now a Cadillac. Cleanest shop, which means a lot to me; clear, honest, well-spoken service writers; knowledgeable techs; competitive prices. If there's a problem, they'll make it right. Five star all the way. read more