Dope owner, efficiency integrity and reliability all describe this business. You won't regret coming here because it's never been a problem. Honestly one of the best places to service a vehicle in SB read more

I have been going to David at Classic Design on 129 N Milpas Street for over 25 years now. He is the most honest straightforward mechanic I've ever met. He's been helping me, my family and friends with the same level of respect, kindness and expertise for over two decades. He never overcharges or oversells you. He's happy to help however much you need and the value of service matches his or prices as well. Tell him Adrienne sent you. He's busy a lot so you might wanna stop by if you can't get ahold of him via phone but he'll give you the right info and when he and his guys can fit you in! read more

Best mechanic in town. Period. David has been doing this for 30 plus years & It shows. Most reliable & honest mechanic. read more

Classic Design - Body Shops Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Definitely the best for quality, service, and price! They know what they're doing, and they do it so well!

My pre-purchase inspection experience here was really disappointing. I didn't receive a detailed report & my follow ups went unanswered, so I paid for one at another shop that turned up multiple missed issues. Classic quoted $150 for the inspection, and I clarified that I (not the private seller driving it in) was the paying client and discussed the level of detail needed since I expected to be driving long distances alone. After inspection, I was assured by phone that the car checked out except for a minor leak. When I asked how to pay and confirmed $150 quote, I was told $100 would be fine. This was a little confusing but I paid and awaited report. Despite multiple follow ups, I did not receive the detailed written report as expected - only an invoice with 2 high level notes - so I had the car inspected elsewhere. That report was the level of detail I originally expected and also turned up 5 issues Classic missed. I contacted Classic to discuss, but it's been a month and I've not heard back. read more

See all

Awesome - I highly recommend this place!! David is such a great guy - so fair and helpful, and very knowledgeable about German cars. And he won't overcharge you. The air suspension on my 2018 BMW X5 malfunctioned while we were visiting SB from the Bay Area for the week and David was able to quickly diagnose & re-route the wiring (which a previous mechanic had screwed up) to correct the issue and get us back on the road the same day...and at no charge! My wife & I were so happy! So honest and fair - I will definitely be taking my car back here! I just wish we lived closer. David is simply amazing. read more

I felt crushed when the rear bumper cover of my car was damaged, I couldn't even fathom how it would be fixed and assumed a costly bumper cover replacement was in order. Luckily I discovered David at Classic Design, who did a truly top notch job repairing my cracked bumper cover and repainting it. He really cares about his work and honestly, my bumper looks even better now than when I first bought the car. I feel quite fortunate to have found this shop and I highly recommend anyone in the SB and Goleta area who needs body work to come here! read more

Classic Design - Before - Body Shops Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Got my car towed here one night when it died. David replaced the starter and battery (both definitely needed replacing and he didn't try to upsell me on any unnecessary work). He gave me a better price than my other tow truck options, and had my car ready to go by mid day. Very happy to have found a good local mechanic! read more

I bring all my cars here! Been using them for years. Trustworthy and very accommodating.

Wouldn't go anywhere else. Amazing service and super fast. Grateful to have auto shops like this in my town! Always ready to lend a helping hand!! Will be coming back here even tho it's 20 mins from my house! read more

Restored my headlights! Quick, slick and a great price. Super easy and nice guys. Highly recommend!

David the honest professional mechanic in European and other company Is the manager of classic design in Santa Barbara For consultation and fixing cars read more

My name is Margaret- I have been taking care of a very sick cat and two very sock people. I was on my way to get a prescription and my car broke down. I had a friend tell me a mechanic but nobody felt confident about where I should go. The AAA checked my car and the hybrid system had a warning light on. I looked it up and I was looking at $1500-3000 for a new hybrid battery. The AAA driver suggested I take it to David at this shop. I was nervous and agreed to drop it off. The next morning my cat has a stroke and I really needed my car. Friends didn't want to drive me around because of Covid-19. I called at 10:30am and they were still trying to figure it out. Around 12:30pm I got a call, my dash sensors were out and I had previously been shown that I had a 1/2 a tank of gas. David said we put some gas in it and you are good to go- no charge. I was crying with relief. If he had been dishonest he could have charged me a lot or he could have charged me at least for labor and gas. When I arrived I just gave him all the cash I had on me. I will be talk my car back here. I have never met someone more kind or honest. Know you are in good hands if you take your vehicle here. Amazing. read more

Dave is the most honest and fair mechanic I have ever met and I won't go anywhere else as long as I live in Santa Barbara. Dave and all the other staff at Classic Design really know what they are doing and they get the job done right every time! If you're in need of a mechanic, don't look go anywhere else, I promise you won't be disappointed. read more

There are endless choices among shops out there, but for me there is only one that can do the job right! What makes this shop different from any other is simple - David is the reason I keep on coming back! He is very professional, reliable, honest about the assessments, extremely knowledgeable in both mechanics/bodywork and absolutely fair when it comes down to pricing. He went above and beyond to help me out with both of my cars, giving me a deal that could not be beaten! Unlike other mechanics that wanted to overcharge me for some bogus repairs, he told me exactly what was and wasn't wrong with the cars and gave me a real price without any surprises. Thank you David for being an honest mechanic and a descent person! PS: If you ever want to thank him, David loves his double cappuccinos and fresh pomegranates! - Peace SB read more

The first time i pulled up at Classic Design, I was warmly greeted by David and his dog Smokey. David was very helpful in assisting me with my problem on 2004 Mercedes C240. Superior service, and very knowledgeable. I will definitely bring my Mercedes back here- thanks David!! read more

Took him a vent cowl from my 64 Malibu that got a couple of chips in it around thanksgiving of 2016. He kept saying he would fix it. Long story short, he lost the paint code and when I got the part back, nothing was done when I picked it up today and there was dirty oil on portions of it. He seems to have a group of friends that he takes care of. He's a nice guy. Guess I didn't make the A list. read more

The guys at classic design were very helpful at getting me and my family back on the road saving me a huge headache and financial stress when I stopped into the shop to check the pressure in my tires he also checked all my fluids including my oil which was almost empty saving my motor free of charge also the kids love the shop dog smokey I haven't gone anywhere else for Car issues Highly recommend Classic Design for a great honest mechanic just ask for Dave read more

Classic Design did a tremendous job on all areas damaged on my 2011 Nissan Titan. In fact, my whole family has been going to him for years and David always over-delivers. David gives fair prices and delivers exceptional results. There's no shortage of attention to detail. My car looked very fresh with no sign of repair as if I drove off the new car lot. I'm also usually overly meticulous and critical of others' work so it's usually a disappointment when I look over any kind of work - not the case here. There are flashier auto body centers with a cutting edge look, but I'm not so sure they produce the same kind of results as Classic does AND you have to pay more for them. David won't break your bank account and he has been very ethical in his dealings and communication. These people have the auto repair craft mastered and you will be pleased. read more

David is a funny and charismatic guy who has your best interest in mind and will not over charge you. I took my truck to him and he thoroughly explained what was wrong and fixed it that same day. 10/10 would recommend read more

#1 mechanic! Always the best experience. David is very polite and knowledgeable. I understand nothing about cars that is why having such a trustworthy mechanic is very important. I highly recommend the Clasic Design shop to everyone. read more

Finding a new mechanic is like finding a good doctor. You know you will be well taken care of. BMW maintenance cost is rather high. The smallest bill we had paid so far was $1,500. That was just for routine check up, not for a major problem. When my car started having problems with the convertible opening and closing mechanism, I was scared to take it to our old mechanic, because I knew that it would be very expensive. That's when I started looking for a new mechanic, just to see what's out there and get an estimate of how much it would cost. David at Classic Design was the only one who had only 5-star reviews, and there is a reason for that - he is honest, polite, and even though he fixed additional few minor things on my car, he still charged me what he had quoted me. Moreover, David offered to drive me home after I dropped off the car, so I didn't have to take a cab. Not many mechanics would take that extra step in assisting their clients. Now that I've found Classic Design, I know that it won't cost me an arm and a leg to have a routine check up on my car. read more

David is wonderfully honest and having since moved to LA I still try to get back to him to fix my car. There have even been times that I call in to the shop and tell him my "symptoms" and he will give me an range of possibilities so that when I go to a mechanic in LA I know what to expect and can go in with a little knowledge so as not to be taken advantage of. I highly recommend Classic Design and suggest that you ask for David. read more

They also do mechanic work! I drive my car here from LA to have them work on it. I save hundreds. So far they have replaced a thermostat, fixed my a/c, replaced control arm bushings, replaced breaks/rotors on my 2002 325CI. All the work has been great. You will not be disappointed. Take your car here if you don't have hundreds to blow at Santa Barbara Auto Group. read more

David is the best kept secret in town where skilled and dedicated owner works on the cars himself! My whole family been his loyal customers for years and I drove here all the way from San Jose to see what the fuss is all about and address all my automotive needs. Car restoration has become my newly found hobby, but nobody knows cars like David. He is truly The Car Guru when it comes to any complex repairs and perfectly done body work at amazing prices! Real down to earth guy and exceptional master. Thanks for everything man! read more

My husband and I traveled to Santa Barbara last Friday evening in hopes of getting an early start to our little getaway. We were staying at a friends vacation home up in the hills and being overly excited to get there I passed up our turn and had to make a quick U-turn...well I shifted the car into reverse and the car did not respond so I then shifted to park and turned the car off hoping to reset the car. Long story short, our car is now stuck. We could not turn on the ignition because the car thought we were in drive mode. Did I mention we were literally one minute away from our destination? So we got AAA to come out and help my husband try and figure out the issue. My husband noticed the cable to the gears was basically disconnected. So the gentlemen from AAA suggested we take our car to his friends shop down the road. We really had no choice to try and see if they could fix it because it was already 7:00pm and the Ford dealership was closing or had just closed. As soon as we pulled up we were greeted by the owner. He asked what was wrong and right away he and a couple other guys dropped what they were working on and popped open the hood of the car to check it out. There were about 3 or 4 guys helping us out trying to fix this little piece we needed to basically get the gears to work. This piece was smaller than a penny! They worked hard and after about an hour they were able to make the part themselves and it was a permanent fix and mind you it was already about 8:30-9:00pm! We had no clue what the cost was going to be but had been told by the AAA gentleman that this shop will not charge an arm and a leg, they are affordable and professional. We were just thankful they were able to help us after hours, I'm assuming their shop had to have closed by now for the day. They really saved our trip! I can't thank them enough! read more

Good shop. Good mechanic. David is reasonable, thorough and straightforward. Dealt with my car right away, laid out the options with cost consciousness in mind and was very accommodating. Looking for no fuss no muss? I highly recommend Classic Designs. read more

Few years ago I've inherited x type jaguar convertible 1968 from my father that needed some work on the driver side fender and a new coat of red paint to replace that hideous and faded golden color. I've been going to David for all my car repairs for years and he did an amazing job with this beauty that I now proudly ride! Thank you David for performing miracles with all my cars and giving your 110% of dedication to completing the jobs right. I don't know what I would do without you, so please keep up with the great work because you are my number one guy for a job! Don't leave to "Alaska" and I'll keep on bribing you with pomegranates !!! ;)))) Thank you for sharing that sweet pomegranate story and always being so down to earth. -Mary J. (Santa Barbara) read more

The guys here are truly rare. By far the most trustworthy you'll find. I've been to multiple repairs shops in Santa Barbara trying to diagnose a the source of a small EVAP leak so that my car would pass a smog and none of them compare to the service I received here. After being ripped off by another repair shop who charged me a $160 diagnosis fee (without diagnosing the source of the leak, and telling me I should proceed with a $500 experimental repair), I came to Classic Design after a recommendation from a friend. Classic Design took a look at my car for FREE and within an hour told me my car didn't need any repairs, and that it looked as if someone else disconnected one of my EVAP hoses. After reconnecting the hose, again for FREE, they let me come back multiple times to check if my EVAP system had reset and even personally took me to the right smog provider (my car was registered out of state so I needed a specific smog provider) once it was ready. At the end of it all, they wouldn't even let me tip them for all of their help. Best experience I've had! read more

If I could give David 10 out of 5 stars, I would. My wife scraped rear passenger door on her 2015 Mazda CX-5. I've always had less than great experiences with auto repair shops and body shops in particular. My friend Daniella (who also left a review here) mentioned how happy she was with her experience at Classic Design, so I went straight there. David gave me a great rate, by my estimate it was less than half of what most shops would charge. A day later, I received a call to pick it up. The scrape was repaired, paint (3 stage pearl!) was matched perfectly. There was however something that most people would not notice: Mazda has designed the CX5 doors with a prominent line on the bottom of the door. The scrape was few inches below that line, but it pulled the metal above the line ever so slightly, creating a ding that was only visible at certain angles. It was hard to see on a white car, and I failed to mention it when I dropped off the car. Therefore, it wasn't repaired along with the scrape. I decided that the repair was good enough for the price, so I paid and picked up the car. But being the person that I am, it bothered me a lot. I ended up going back to David that day and asked him to redo it. I realized that it was partly my fault the imperfection was missed, so I offered to pay extra. He had me come back in a week (the paint had to dry). A day later I went to pick it up, and it was perfect! He ended up having to paint the door again after repairing the ding, which is very labor-intensive. When I asked him what I owed him for the additional work, he said nothing! Only after I insisted he agreed to take a very small additional payment. After years of feeling ripped off at auto shops, for the first time I felt that I paid too little(!) for the exceptional work done on my car! Fellow yelpers, please treat David fairly - do not let him undercharge you. read more

Great mechanics, very knowledgeable, wonderful customer service, and a great value. I bring all my vehicles there!

David is the kind of business owner you hardly run into these days any more. Completely genuine, honest, friendly, and caring. I was having trouble with my cars control arm and my neighbor who is basically a full auto mechanic on the side said David is who he goes to when there's something he can't fix and that they are good friends. David took a look, and confirmed one arm was totally shot and the other was on its way out. He told me exactly what he would charge for labor and time, the cost of the parts, and where he buys them. His costs were very reasonable. Said the decision was completely up to me, he never once pressured me. I'm on a super tight budget so I had to tell him I had to wait on the repair for now. He was totally easy going about it all when I picked the car up and didn't even charge for the check out. Because of this experience this is where I'll be going for all my future repair needs. read more

David did a fast, professional, and courteous job replacing the stock exhaust T-Pipe on my Porsche Cayman S with an aftermarket X-Pipe NHP system. He made time for me on a Saturday with short notice and had the job done in no time and at very reasonable price. He knows his cars and I would definitely recommend his services. read more

5 stars PLUS. Everyone in our family has been taking their cars for service to David for years. We each own different car makes and models and David takes good care of them all. If honesty is the best policy, David is that best policy. He tells the truth - just as it is. Experience high quality customer service for yourself next time your car needs a fix! And the price is always unbeatable! Oh, and for animal lovers, Smokey the German Shepherd will be happy to retrieve the ball and play! If angels were mechanics, this car shop is the paradise! read more

This is a great garage/body shop!! David is honest, fair, and gives the best deals in town. My front end on my BMW 330i was badly banged up. When Classic Design was finished with repairing it it looked brand new! I was so impressed with the work. The cost to me was exceedingly fair and I will continue to return to Classic Design to do business with David. I cannot say enough about how great he runs his business! read more

Classic Design is an excellent auto body repair shop! David and his team provided wonderful service repairing my vehicle after a small accident. I highly recommend Classic Design to anyone who needs body work or repairs done on their car! read more