I took my 370Z convertible to Bernie's to fix the convertible roof that had stopped working. I was very impressed that he immediately identified the issue, especially given that this is not a common vehicle. I was pleased to leave the car with someone so experienced.  The repair was completed within a day for a fair price. The roof now functions perfectly. I also appreciate that all the seals were replaced precisely, as there are no drafts while driving at speed. Bernie's offers a great service for convertible tops. I would happily recommend them to others. Graham read more

I had a great experience with Bernie's. Jim and Val took excellent care of replacing the soft top on my 350Z. From start to finish, their customer service was outstanding. Not only did they do honest, high-quality work, but they also took the time to explain details specific to my car. They answered questions I'd had for years and offered helpful guidance on the break-in period, maintenance tips, and what to look out for going forward. Considering the quality of the top and the meticulous labor involved to make it look this good, I can't recommend them enough. This mom-and-pop shop truly delivered. It's everything a small business should be--honest, knowledgeable, and fairly priced for the care and craftsmanship they provide. If you're having issues with your top, this dynamic duo is the answer. read more

Bernie's Auto Upholstery - Soft-top for an '04 Nissan 350z - Auto Upholstery Near Me - Santee, California

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Honest, professional and absolutely the nicest people you will ever meet! They ordered me a new rear window for my 1996 Z3 and put it in for a very very reasonable price! He even adjusted my window which was sticking a little for free. Such a thoughtful caring individual! read more

I hate to do this as they have great reviews but I called and talked to the owner explaining the issue with my lexus sc430. Explaining that the car needed reset with special computer that I took the car two 3 mechanics. Fuses were ok. Etc. He asked me to bring the car. Drove 40 minutes there and an hour later the guy showed up. Meanwhile, a mechanic checked on it. He gave valid reasons why the hardtop was not working but stated they do not have the computer to reset and did not want to do it manually as "they do not work often on these cars" and the equipment is quite expensive. For some reason he had the brilliant idea to open the bolt in the upper in side of the hardtop. (You do this if you are reseting/opening the hardtop manually) and used an allen to move/adjust the bolt, WHY??? The problem was a window that has a play on it and interrupts the sensor to open the hardtop. The Owner came and told me the same things... I left and the car bell would not stop (as if the car's door is open) and the open/close button was blinking. It was like Christmas inside the car without mention how annoying the beeping is. I came back and asked what did he do, he asked "it was like that righ?" i am like for 25 minutes you were presing the button, no, it was not like that and the bell does not stop. They guy went inside and again "adjust" the bolt. I told him to be careful bc if you do not what you are doing you can damage the car. So I asked Him to be careful. Response "I know, I just did this" and played again with the bolt. The guy came out of the car and walked inconspicuously to the back of the shop and the owner just bla bla on same things he said before. Zero responsibility to at least try to watch a video on how to manipulate the bolt to fix it (the mechanic was checking Google to see reasons the hartop , I am assuming that is why he decided to make that move) but again, left and ducked himself to work on another car... Guys, YOU ARE THE EXPERTS!! in convertibles, if you do not have the equipment and do not know how to, PLEASE be honest but most importantly do not touch it or try to do something, especially when you provided valid reasons why the top is not working (passenger window not working properly) I am very upset because now my new car battery is dying and again, it's like having Christmas inside my car. I am trying to sell the car so now I have to this new issue to deal with... and i di not know if the bolt is damaged, lame! If anyone knows any good mechanic to reallt know how to work on lexus convertibles, please Let me know. read more

Excellent work on a very difficult problem. Convertible top repairing is not easily found. read more

The most honest and trustworthy company that I have encountered in an awhile...took my "Tweety" there to get convertible top repaired , because it wasn't going up or down read more

Bernie's Auto Upholstery - Awesome job - Auto Upholstery Near Me - Santee, California

1991 Mustang convertible top motor died. They took care of me right away, reasonably priced, really knowledgeable and works great now! Thank you! read more

Bernie's Auto Upholstery - Auto Upholstery Near Me - Santee, California

This is the go to place if you've got a convertible that needs some help with its soft top. Do you get the service and quality that you want the expert advice is priceless. read more

Awesome experience with Bernie's. Soft top replacement on my 350z. Done in a day, and only scheduled the visit a couple days before! They are fast. The top looks great and operates perfectly. Note to you Nissan 350z convertible owners out there -- there's a motor that goes back in the open/close mechanism, and Jim and Val know how to fix it! I wasted time doing that part myself, but these guys know more than just upholstery. Worth the drive to their location. read more

If you need a new soft top, Bernie's is the way to go. Jim has been very communicative and welcoming throughout the whole process. He's focused on quality, longevity, and honesty, which I really appreciate. He and Val have even gone above and beyond noticing and replacing small parts, cleaning water gutters, etc. etc. that I'm sure some other shops would overlook. They chose their suppliers thoughtfully and does the work thoroughly and meticulously. I would highly recommend and trust Jim and Val to replace your soft top or any other upholstery work, hell even mechanical work. read more

Bernie's Auto Upholstery - Before - Auto Upholstery Near Me - Santee, California

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If you have a convertible top this is your place. Absolute wizards with huge experience on anything with a droptop. Figured out immediately what was wrong with my 350 Z top not lowering and fixed it reasonably and quickly. When I was there, I saw him working on everything from Porsches, mini coopers, Mercedes and mustangs. Jim is truly a car guy and Shares his knowledge widely and is totally down to earth... I've dealt with a lot of mechanics and Car repair places and this is the most impressive one ever. read more

I get it, how can an Auto upholstery place earn five stars? Knowledge is how. I'm sure Jim and his staff have forgotten more than most shops know. I took my daughter Cooper in for a convertible top issue. Jim diagnosed the problem and actually had the part, (because he's a Cooper expert. ) read more

The glass back window in my 2008 BMW 128i convertible was starting to delaminate from the top and making a lot of noise hitting the metal adjacent to the window on this model. Based on all the positive reviews here on Yelp, I received what I thought was a very reasonable quote for the job from Bernie's Auto Upholstery and brought it in the next day. By the following day he had completely removed, cleaned off the old glue, and re-glued the window back in place. Now it's like brand new. The car has never driven quieter with the top up before. I can't say enough good things about my experience. Price was very reasonable, work was done on time, and results are perfect. read more

Exceptional customer service by Jim! He's a car guy who cares so much about the quality of their work and customer service. I really appreciate his recommendation on the Euro fabric. Val did a great job replacing the headliner on my Z4 hardtop. This guy is a pro! Very satisfied customer!!! I could tell by the amount of cars they had and their customer service, that I would walk away very pleased. Thank you, Jim and Val. read more

Bernie's Auto Upholstery - Convertibles at Bernie's. Great work replacing the headliner in my hardtop. - Auto Upholstery Near Me - Santee, California

- Quality service - Friendly service - Price conscious - Expert knowledge - Professionalism Jim was really easy to work with, and I had a good time chatting with him while he was busy working on various tasks. He was able to replace the rear seat back for my vehicle as expected, all completed on the same day. Friendly personality and very interesting person to converse with. I would recommend him to anyone who is looking to for upholstery service, convertible top service, etc. He also knows a thing or two about traveling. Jim, thanks for your info on Japan! read more

One day turnaround on removal & installation. Excellent customer service & craftsmanship! read more

Bernie's Auto Upholstery - Auto Upholstery Near Me - Santee, California

Oh my God!!! I called Jim at 9:30 in the morning, just recently, from another shop that "no showed" on me after they set the appointment! Jim quickly gave me a quote over the phone and said I could bring it over right away even though he was 40 miles away from me!! What was so impressing to me, was the fact that Jim knew more about my truck than I did, and he explained certain unrelated flawed items on my truck and how to cure them. His shop bays where organized professionally and his team were working on higher end vehicles there. Jim immediately began to dismantle my truck just as soon as I got there and assured me that it would be ready the next day! When I dropped the truck off, I knew and felt good that I had made the right choice of leaving it at the right place!! You, like me, probably have had feelings of doubt or uncertainty about leaving your prized possessions at an unknown or "first time" locations, but that wasn't the case here! Not an inkling of buyer's remorse here! He went beyond my expectations by sending me pics of my dismantled headliner to show me the areas of the affected areas of water damage and the pic's of those areas after resolving them. I wish ALL auto repair shops could put in the effort and work ethic that Jim provides here!! I will most definitely recommend family, friends, co-workers & everyone in need of his services here to Berine's. Thank you Jim, for a job well done!! read more

I called Bernie's auto upholstery today because I have a scratch on my leather seat in my truck. The guy who answered was very friendly, and we went back-and-forth with questions and answers to determine if they could do the repair or not. I appreciate his honesty so much! He didn't even try to BS me and get me to come in there and take my money. He told me what he thought I needed done, then he gave me a referral to who could do the work. I just really appreciated this so much that I had to write this review. If I do ever need any kind of upholstery repair, this is the first place I will call. I recommend you do the same. read more

Had a great experience at Bernie's. Jim was able to promptly diagnose the issue with my convertible top (the hydraulics) and an issue with a window actuator. The soft top is once again functional and the window issue has been resolved! Jim and Val are very experienced and gifted specialists. I would highly recommend their shop to anyone needing repairs to their soft tops! read more

Getting my convertible top replaced with all new hardware not finished yet but so far I'm very pleased with the attentiveness and service from Bernie read more

First time customer but will be back for sure. Jim answered his phone right away and ended up telling me to come right in. My 2011 Mini Cooper had a broken cable on the convertible I was 5 hours into attempting the repair and realized I needed parts. After calling 5 dealerships I was told I needed to buy the whole cassette which would be 2500$ and 1400$ of labor to install. Jim and Val had the miscellaneous part I needed and knocked it out in no time. They took the time to go the extra mile and make sure other things with the car worked properly and taught me a few things as well. Great to see good companies still exist. Thanks for saving me THOUSANDS! read more

Bernie's Auto Upholstery - 2011 Mini Cooper Convertible - Auto Upholstery Near Me - Santee, California

Received excellent advice today from Jim beyond just convertible issues! Over 10 years ago he glued the loose glass back window into the canvas top of my Audi TT Roadster and it still holds and looks perfect. This time I had an issue with supposedly the convertible motor (according to another mechanic in Sam Diego). Turns out it is a leak in the hydraulic system, the motor is fine. Just pointing this out to emphasize what a difference real expertise makes! Jim also made some other valuable recommendations as there seems to be something wrong with my new battery. Sibylle H. read more

These guys were really good. I had a rear window on my convertible top. They replaced it quickly and it came out. Perfect thank you

Great business! It took a little while to get an appointment with them due to COVID, but I got it. They did a fantastic job. I LOVE my new maroon top on my MR2 Spyder. Makes my car look brand new (minus the dents caused by a-holes.) I highly recommend getting your convertible top done here. They were quick and professional. I would absolutely go back in the future. read more

Bernie's Auto Upholstery - My new top! (ignore the dents) - Auto Upholstery Near Me - Santee, California

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I recently had my Chevy Tahoe headliner replaced at Bernie's Auto Upholstery in Santee, and it was a great experience!! I want to recommend Jim & crew for an outstanding replacement job, they actually did a better job of coverage than the factory did!! The price was good, good materials, Excellent Quality of craftsmanship and service! A friend at Toyota told me Jim has had a great reputation going back decades. Good guy, great job!! I'm really glad that I went and did business at Bernie's...Jim's The Man! read more

Another Mustang for the books! Jim did a more than phenomenal job on my convertible top. Back in 2018, the top flew open on the highway because I didn't lock it down properly. Frame was bent. I unhooked the hydraulic lines and loosened a few bolts and closed the roof and thought "No more convertible.." I thought it was going to cost me thousands to fix. I never wanted to get a quote. Then a few weeks ago, the back window started going out. I'm sure that's the reason why most people get their mustang tops fixed because they tend to go out often due to the crappy water based adhesive. I thought, it's time to fix this roof. I came to Bernie's, got a quote for $1700 to replace the frame, and the roof itself.. the whole 9 yards. Jim got it done in a day and also put fresh adhesive on the passenger door panel vinyl that was peeling off. Getting in the car and watching the top go down for the first time in 3 years, gave me an overwhelming feeling of joy, and it's all because of Jim. I was laughing on the way home just thinking about how happy I was with the work that was done. Jim stayed after hours with me giving me tips on cheap and efficient ways to improve the cosmetics on my mustang. He referred me to websites, good junkyards, paints, leather and vinyl care. He could've easily handed over the keys and said the work is done like some other places would. Don't even bother finding out which places will and will not screw you over.. because this is THE place. Jim you're the bomb. Attached are before and after photos read more

Bernie's Auto Upholstery - After photo. By the way, this is a used top. It appears grayish and scuffed but the cleaning method he showed me works very well. - Auto Upholstery Near Me - Santee, California

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I have a 2005 BMW 330 ci soft top convertible and most shops are unable to provide specialized service for this car and luckily Jim has excellent knowledge in this car. Helped fix the clogged drains in the roof after it rained and my car flooded- texted me with pictures and updates throughout. Recently the convertible top would not close, and since I couldn't drive on the freeway Jim called me (while on vacation) and walked through the steps with me on how to manually close the roof. Excellent service read more

We have a 2007 Audi A4 Cabriolet where the rear glass window became fully detached from the canvas top. We took it in to Bernie's Auto Upholstery to see if it could be re-attached. After examining it thoroughly (it was clear to me that he had a great deal of expertise in this area), Bernie said he could do it for what I thought was a very reasonable price. We left the car over night and picked it up today. The workmanship was incredible - it looked like new. Also, Bernie is such a personable guy - I really enjoyed meeting him. I would highly recommend him to anyone who has similar issues with their car, and I wouldn't hesitate to use his service again in the future. read more

Bernie's Auto Upholstery is awesome. The owner Jim and his assistant Val do outstanding work. My wife brought her 2002 MR2 Spyder convertible to have the top replaced. Overtime the car top has became cracked and faded. So we needed a new one. Agreeing on a fair price with Jim. My wife and I waited a few days for a new MR2 convertible top to come in. When the top arrived at the shop. The work was done overnight. The car was ready the next day. Making the car look brand new. Jim the owner guarantees all his jobs and if anything goes wrong. He will make it right. They are fair, friendly and do amazing work. Support local business especially the good ones. Bernie's Auto Upholstery Repair again is awesome. read more

I brought my Mercedes convertible in for inspection because my top was not going all the way down. Val and Jim carefully inspected my vehicle and determined the cause of this malfunction. Jim proposed a plan to fix this problem without having to completely replace my top, which would cost at least $1200+. Jim and Val are very knowledgeable, reliable, friendly, and their prices are fair. I highly recommend their services for your convertible. read more

Bernie's Auto replaced the top on our 2009 Volkswagen Beetle. Great service! The top looks beautiful. And I really appreciated Jim's honest approach to doing business. Highly recommend Bernie's for those needing a convertible top replaced. read more

My 2001 Mustang GT was in dire need of replacing the rear window assembly (The first 3 photos). The original one that came with the car was falling apart and leaking. It has been raining the last couple days so I was scrambling to seal the leaks myself. I would wake up in the mornings just hoping that the interior wasn't flooded. After my attempts to seal the leaks failed, I got a price quote from Jim, the owner, on Wednesday early evening. He laid out how much it would cost for a new window and a good used one. I opted for the good used one that he had in his shop. I dropped off the car on Thursday around 1:30 pm and it was ready by Friday before the weekend. I can't be happier with how fast they got my car back to me while upholding such a high quality job. Jim and Val do amazing work and I can't thank them enough! read more

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Had a really great experience last time I had my car at Bernie's....Jim and his coworkers do excellent work. I had a need again so Jim was the first person I thought of. I reached out to him via phone and he told me to come up the following day...I brought my car up and Jim took care of my car that night...I was able to pick up my car the next day. Again Jim took care of me....his work and attention to detail is phenomenal. Jim earned my trust by doing exactly what he said he would the first time I met him..I went in this time 100% confident he would once again take great care of me and he did just that. It's hard to find someone who cares as much as Jim and his team...he will go above and beyond for you...best work you can find anywhere. My convertible is back in business as good as new. Awesome shop and crew. Read the reviews people....this is the only place to go! Top notch workmanship. The man truly cares about every job. read more

Jim did a fantastic job changing the roof of my 2001 Miata, he was very honest and was meticulous with his service. The roof it's self is very high quality and looks great. We looked around at few places and Bernie's came up tops. Jim, the owner, really cares about his customers and getting the best results. I can see now why he has so many good reviews, I highly recommend his services! read more

Bernie's Auto Upholstery - Auto Upholstery Near Me - Santee, California

Bernie was very professional and finished the work in a timely matter.He took care of my baby 2002 CLK the transformation of a new too is incredible looks a new car!!! Art B read more

Bernie's Auto Upholstery - 2002 CLK - Auto Upholstery Near Me - Santee, California

Bernie's has been doing what they do a long time, because they're great at it. They did a terrific fix on the leather driver seat of my Hyundai for a nice price and were a pleasure to work with. I first talked with Jimmy, who truly adheres to his "treat customers like you'd want to be treated" creed. He let me send photos of the seat tear so I could get a ballpark estimate without driving all the way over. He gave me a good idea of the price, what would need to be done and how long it would take. When I called back to bring it in Jimmy was on a well-deserved vacay so I worked with Val who picked right up on my car job. He gave me helpful directions to the shop and was super fast and kind when I met him. He even let me leave my car there a day or two extra while I was out of town. They were able to repair my seat tear without having to replace the fabric so it was nearly a third of the quoted price! Yippee! Val gave me a great recommendation before I left of using leather conditioner on it to ensure the same kind of tear doesn't happen again. Fast, Fair, Good Quality Work and honestly, just some super rad dudes! I don't know what more you could be hoping for. read more

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Bernie was a pleasure to work with. He resolved the issue with my sunroof at a very reasonable price. His customer service is one that other companies would benefit from copying. read more

I got my 2002 Toyota Solara Convertible top replaced. The customer service and quality of work is AMAZING!!! These guys really know what they are doing! My #1 go to place for now on! read more

Bernie's Auto Upholstery - Auto Upholstery Near Me - Santee, California

Jim is amazing. He does fast, efficient, beautiful work for a very reasonable price with great communication. Not only that though, he is deeply knowledgeable about your car and provides all kinds of helpful tips and tricks. My 2000 BMW M Roadster looks better than new and my only regret is that, with the high quality of Jim's work, it will be years before I get to chat with him again. Note: The pictures on his linked web page are hugely helpful in finding his location. read more

Bernie's Auto Upholstery - New convertible top - Auto Upholstery Near Me - Santee, California

Jim was super nice - honestly one of the best customer service experiences I've had in a while. He was super responsive and informative. Easy drop off and pick-up, done in a day. New top looks great (I have a 2001 Mustang). Thanks Jim! read more