Between San Diego and Santa Barbara, there's no one better for vintage Volkswagen repair

Reliable and prompt service. I totally rely on Cory for all my service needs for my Toyota Highlander.

First time customer, and was very pleased with their service. I will return for any automotive repair or service needed for my Toyota Highlander. read more

Cory Motors is very thorough and they will only recommend repairs on what is required. The repaired my 1978 Super Beetle Convertible and brought it back to a safe operating condition. They completed repairs on engine rebuild, rebuilt CV joints on rear axles, replaced front and rear suspension, replaced front and rear brakes, replaced catalytic converter and muffler, and repaired gas pedal and throttle cable. These guys are VW experts and they are busy so be patient. read more

I've been taking my cars to Cory Motors for 25 years and they always let me know what's important for right now and what will be coming up but can wait. Have never pushed me on anything. Over that time, only once was there a minor problem and they apologized and fixed it right away. Always solid work and kind people. read more

The best service for vintage VW's. We felt confident taking our 1972 bus to them. Always scary for a woman to take a car to a repair shop. But we were treated right. Quality service and friendly staff. Highly recommend them! read more

I took my Toyota Tacoma to Cory Motors for routine service and asked them to have the it smogged. I didn't receive either a written or verbal estimate and Cory said he would call me with an estimate. When I finally got a call Corey said that they had already done a number of things in order to get it to pass smog, including replacing the neutral safety switch and that the bill was up to almost $1000. I was not given the opportunity to approve or decline the work. What's worse is that before they did the work the check engine light would come on intermittently and stay on about 10% of the time - since they did the work, the check engine light stays on all the time. I went back and discussed this with Cory and he said that they would work on it if I agreed to pay them their hourly rate for however long it took to resolve the problem. In short they did work which I never authorized and which made my car significantly worse and refused to take any responsibility. read more

I've been taking my 1990 Volkswagen Westfalia to Cory motors for many years. They've done a great job keeping my car humming. They pay attention to details and are always clear about what needs attention and what can wait. I always leave there with the confidence that I have been well taken care of. read more

The guys at Cory Motors are the best! My '90 Vanagon has over 230,000 miles on the original engine and is still running strong!

I was referred by GoWesty and the website VanCafe. Mike was my contact and after my car got towed to them and I saw all the VW's and Vanagons, I felt really good and confident. Mike explained everything to me. Talked to me directly and didn't try to rush me when I was asking questions. Their prices are fair and they work with you. Even though they are 200 miles from me, I will be taking my '87 Vanagon to them. I thanked Mike when I was getting ready to leave and he said 'we love these cars' and it shows. They love what they do. Bottom line - they care and that means the world to me. Ladies - GO! You'll be save from leecherous mechanics here. read more

Cory Motors - Auto Repair Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I've been coming here for years. Always solid work done by good people, I highly recommended!

Update: The van was towed back in so that Cory Motors could correct the leak from valve cover. They also got the smog check completed (I installed a new Cat and connected the sender lead to the new O2 sensor). All in all the objective was met. read more

I would NEVER recommend these guys, especially now that is AJ is gone. I brought my 2002 Eurovan in because it was sticking periodically in 3rd gear. After 2 over years of many costly repairs the problem still exists. For over 2 years I was dealing with AJ and Cory (Cory said he just orders parts, not a mechanic) and AJ was always very positive he could eventually fix the problem and tried various fixes, which didn't work, but I appreciated his positive friendly attitude and always felt confident he was trying his best and would eventually "crack the code". A couple days I called Cory Motors to bring in van again because it's still sticking in 3rd gear and the other owner, Mike, answered the phone. He said AJ is no longer there and he doesn't want to work on my van. I was shocked to hear that after spending many thousands to fix my transmission (to no avail) and especially since AJ was so positive he could eventually fix it. When I told him AJ had a final idea (clock spring?) how to fix it he told me AJ doesn't work there anymore and he doesn't care what AJ told me. He then put his account manager on phone and she was rude and said nobody wants to work on your van and said that I declined service. That was incorrect! The only service I ever declined was for tie rods, brakes, etc that are completely unrelated to transmissions, as getting the transmission fixed was my ultimate and primary goal. I am shocked and dismayed how Mike acted towards me after AJ left and refused to fix my van, especially after I paid all my repair bills immediately without question, was very friendly and happy and brought them cookies and homemade jam...I've never been treated so poorly and disrespectfully, especially by a company I paid many thousands to and my problem still exists.. read more

Dishonest. Beware. They are very popular for their work on Vanagons, but they are not trustworthy. I brought our prized new Westy in for a bit of a tune up and a repair because she had just stopped running. It was in great cosmetic shape but clearly needed a bit of mechanic love. I had dropped her off and came back a couple of days later to pick her up. As I walked in, I saw the mechanic who had worked on her and told me that it was just out of gas. He said they added gas and she started right up. He said she was actually running well. When I went inside to get the keys their service writer told me that they needed to do a few things to it (for a sizable amount of money) I questioned him as to how this could be the case as the mechanic who claimed to work on the vehicle said they only added gas and that it was running great and needed no other work. The service writer told me he was mistaken...odd. And then the mechanic happened to walk into the shop. And I asked the two of them to sort things out and tell me what's what. Quickly it became obvious that someone was dishonest, and I believe it was the service writer. Most likely paid on commission. When I called them on it, they both started to yell at ME!!! Wait, it gets worse. So I drove away having decided to not return. But as I drove around I noticed that she still wasn't driving well. Running very rich. So I took it to Dana at Der Volks Werks (sadly now closed) who told me that the timing was off and the work that supposedly was done, had not been done. Furthermore he found that the fuel pump was leaking and clearly had been for some time. But there was something about the service writer that seemed familiar to me but I couldn't place it and then it hit me! He worked at a shop on Milpas Street some years ago. I had loved using that shop (before he was there). They focused on older Jeeps and I had one. They did great work but when he came on board, the prices seemed to have gone through the roof and I remember him being dishonest. He would tell me things and I knew he was lying. I stopped going there because I just couldn't handle having to deal with that guy. Well, this is the same guy. I hope that Cory motors catches on, or perhaps he has already. If I find out he's gone, then I would be happy to edit this review but I cannot recommend them at this point. The positive reviews might be because of good work and reliable repairs but they might also be by people who have not yet caught on yet. Either way, I don't go to him anymore and cannot in good faith recommend them to anyone. If you go, just be very careful. read more

It is so hard to find an auto repair shop that I like!!! My wife drives a Prius and we were sick and tired of the dealerships! Both Goleta and Ventura. They were inconvenient and SO expensive. So glad we found Cory Motors!!! They are friendly and their work is absolutley top notch! I am sure that some people wouldn't consider them to be inexpensive but compared to the dealer, the prices are a breath of fresh air! I have recommended them to several of my friends and everyone who has gone has been 100% satisfied! read more

When I moved to Santa Barbara I needed to find a good auto shop and Cory Motors came highly recommended. I've been taking my cars there for years and I'm really glad I choose them. One of the things I like most about them is that they didn't charge me a penny when they couldn't stop the strange rattle in my dashboard. Even after they took the entire thing apart. Now that is great service and one of the many reasons I trust them completely. read more

All of the guys at Cory Motors are the best. When I first took my 1994 VW Jetta into them a longggg time ago for something, I remember they told me that some things needed fixing and others could wait a bit. I thought to myself, Wow, these guys are honest! I have taken my car to them ever since. I am always overjoyed to go see and play with them and have complete confidence in the way they tend to both me and my old Jetta (that still runs like new by the way thanks to them!). Mike is always telling me I should never sell it! When you go there you never feel pressured or sold...you're in it together, making the best decisions possible for your car. Oh, the bikes on the walls are great too! Thanks Gentlemen. I appreciate each and every one of you. read more

I can't believe I never got around to reviewing Cory Motors until now. Let me put it this way - if you have a Vanagon or VW Bus - DO NOT LET ANYONE ELSE TOUCH IT! Mike and AJ know Vanagons (and VWs) inside and out, and they know all the kinks and quirks common to these vehicles (especially Syncros). The shop has become very popular over the years because they do great work (and have added Toyotas and Volvos), so it can be tough to get an appointment without waiting a week or more. Bottom line, Mike is one of those rare shop owners that uses his experience and intelligence to actually DIAGNOSE problems instead of just swapping out parts until a problem is fixed. He is truly honest, intelligent, and scrupulous in his business dealings. So much so, that they have "carte blanche" with me - I tell them "do whatever it needs". Imagine having that sort of confidence in your mechanic. I've been coming here for many years, and have referred many other VW and Vanagon owners, all of whom have had great praise for the work. I don't understand the negative reviews listed here, as I can only assume they are the result of some sort of misunderstanding. read more

After being totally disgusted with the Santa Barbara Toyota dealership, I decided it was time to try someone else. Finding a new mechanic is always scary, but I heard good things about Cory Motors, and after checking them out on Yelp and Google reviews, took my Toyota Corolla into them. They are super friendly, the shop is clean and most importantly, they are HONEST. I really trust these guys. They do great work, but what I really liked was that they told me the work that would need to be done in the future, how much it would cost and most importantly, how long I could wait to get the work done! After I sold my Corolla, I was in the market for a Tacoma and before I went to look at any car, I called AJ and ran the year, miles, etc by him. Every time I called him, he really took the time to talk to me, which meant a lot because if you've been in the shop, you know how busy they are and how the phone rings seemingly off the hook-- a good sign, if you ask me. These guys are top-notch, I highly recommend them. read more

I've owned 2 cars since I've been going to Corey Motors and they always take the best care of them. The best thing about These guys is that I trust them. Good work at a fair price. Mike and AJ always make me feel welcome. read more

I brought my 2003 Golf TDI in at 8:30 to have several repairs made. By 10 the issues were diagnosed and by 3:30 my car was ready to be picked up! It was done with friendly service and a fair price. I have never experienced this in all the years and the variety of places I have taken my car for service. read more

So picture this, you're driving from the Bay down to SB for Memorial Day weekend and 40 minutes away your front axle cracks in Santa Ynez creating a nightmare for you and your family. After a call to your insurance, you manage to get your car towed (see separate review for Smitty's Towing) and have to quickly find a garage that will repair your car, therein enter Cory Motors. Cory's (yes, it's the owner's actual name :D) shop was the second one we called, 30 minutes before closing, recommended to us by the first shop we called who told us that they were at full capacity. Cory was super nice and while he didn't make any promises about being able to have the car repaired over the weekend, he was extremely accommodating and agreed to inspect our car to figure out what needed repairing and give us an estimate first thing next morning. On top of all his professionalism, the tow company was able to drop off the car after hours and leave it securely at Cory Motors. We braced ourselves for the cost to be significant and for the time required to repair the car to cause us at least several more nights stay. I'm not sure how but we must've paid it forward in another life, because in this one something amazing happened--as agreed Cory phoned us the next morning after determining that it was the axle and he could complete the repairs as good as new by closing that day at noon!! Not only that, but his estimate was completely reasonable and non-astronomical, and in fact, was less than the dang amount that I'd paid to have the axle replaced 6 months prior (definitely got my money back for that nonsense)! The irony of an out of town car emergency repair being the most positive and reasonable repair we've experienced is not lost on us. If it weren't for the 300 mile distance between our home and Cory Motors we we not hesitate to continue to service our car with them. That said, once you find a good mechanic, a 300 mile drive might not actually be too far... Do yourself a favor and go to Cory's if you happen to be in need of a good mechanic and live in the area. read more

Spoke with Mike at Cory Motors today and he was apologetic and took the time to speak with me regarding the following. He was very professional and courteous and promised to look in to it immediately. That being said: Took my vintage car in for a gas leak in Jan 2015 and mentioned to them I had some brake chatter. They fixed the leak quickly and told me I needed a complete front brake replacement on each side (shoes, cylinders, hoses) and needed 2 new cylinders in the back. The estimate was just short of $1,000.00. I took the car back to the mechanic who replaced the entire brake system in 2011 and he was shocked at the diagnosis. We put the car up on the hoist and removed each wheel to inspect the brakes. Every brake was in perfect working order, no cracks in the shoes, no leaks in the cylinders and the hoses were in perfect condition. He adjusted the brakes and tightened the steering mechanism for free. The car now brakes as it should with no chatter. I've spoken to Mike about how unhappy I am so I will leave it to the facts. ALWAYS ask questions and ask the mechanics to show you the problems they are saying exist. I was very lucky to have avoided this $1,000 charge for nothing and am thankful my original mechanic stood so proudly behind his work. read more

My first visit to Cory motors was perfectly adequate, it was the second visit that I decided I will not go back. I brought my car in for a routine minor service (oil change, tire rotation), they called me a couple hours later to say I needed my oil filter replaced, my air filter and some other things. Knowing little to nothing about cars I did not know that when your oil is changed they should always replace the oil filter. (in short- this should be included). When on the phone I said to hold off on the extra things that the employee said I needed. When I went to pick up my car I found to my dismay that they had done the extra things that I had not authorized! They took off the charge of the extra labor which was nice, but my bill was still 3 times what I had been originally quoted. read more

THIS IS A DISHONEST SHOP. Do not trust any other review on here. These are customers that don't actually understand or know the scam artists that work at this shop. I brought my wife to this shop after years of trusting the work they did on my personal vehicle - she had 3 check engine light codes, all of which we confirmed with another mechanic and brought to Cory Motors for their "quality" and "expertise." Unfortunately, after a $900.00 repair, the codes (the EXACT SAME CODES) came on just a week later. We got ripped off. Never again. read more

Simply the best, hands down. While I do most simple car maintenance myself, I take big jobs to Mike at Cory because he's always been honest, fair, and accommodating. Since I run biodiesel, whenever something goes wrong its hard to tell what truly caused it, but Mike's always been able to pinpoint the true culprits. He and his crew do quality work in a timely manner and are never put off to answer questions about what's going to be done, what was done, and why. Everyone's very friendly and its a clean, efficient shop. Seriously can't recommend them enough. read more

Our 1987 westy broke down and needed a water pump. Cory motors was honest, clean and reliable. Even though I live in palm springs 4 hours away, I am coming here from now on for all my repair and maintenance work! read more

I was looking for a local mechanic to take my '02 Jetta to and decided on Cory Motors based on many online reviews and their convenient location to my office. Every time I've taken my car in for service they have been extremely nice and professional and always get the work done on time. Mike and AJ are great about telling you exactly what sort of work your vehicle will need down the line so that you can plan the more major expenses, but they never use any pressure tactics. Their pricing is reasonable and my experience has been consistently great every time. I would highly recommend Cory Motors to anyone with a Volkswagen who wants quality work and great service. read more

I have an older truck which I take to Cory Motors when I have problems. Every time I am in and out quickly and the cost is always reasonable. They are far from my house but it is always worth it to get the truck to them. A few times I have been lazy and took it to the dealer which is right by my house and have been hosed by huge repair costs. Now I only take it to these guys. read more

Many, many thanks to Herb for saving my VW TDI! Complete integrity and stellar service! This is my new favorite trusted shop. read more

I brought my 4Runner in to this shop because it was making rattling noises. Although though they were busy, they squeezed me in for a diagnostic to at least be sure it was road safe...turns out it wasn't. AJ and Mike explained what the problems were, what needed to be fixed immediately and what could wait. They were great about answering all my questions and addressing all of my concerns. They even worked past closing time on Friday, just so I could have my car back in time for the weekend! It is always nerve-wracking to go to a new mechanic for the first time but I ended up picking a good shop. I trust these guys to do a good job without selling me on repairs that I don't need. I would definitely bring my car here again in the future. read more

They were very thorough, but ask for the bottom line total and make sure they are clear what work you've authorized. They will do work you didn't authorized and of course charge you for it. Even though my car needed an oil change, I was very unhappy that an oil change and air filter came to an additional $129. Addendum: The issue was resolved. read more

I would have been better off going to the vw dealer! Both repairs (front brakes and motor mount) were not fixed right the first time. Expensive, in-correct repairs that have required extensive time in repeat visits. While customer service is friendly, I expected the problems to be accurately fixed during the initial 2-day appt. And scheduling is extremely difficult with appts. taking 1-2 weeks to secure. read more

Don't use these "mechanics". Cory motors boasts they are booking two weeks in advance, this does not make them a reliable or honest business. They quoted one price over the phone for a Prius battery, then tried to charge me $100 more. I paid $152. For an oil change including fluid fills, and they "forgot" to fill window washer. I had to go back. I was told they had a Prius battery in shop, but when I got there, they didn't. I had to go back. They charged me $34 for "diagnosing" that I needed a battery when I had told them I needed this battery. Conflicting information from people working there about whether or not they keep these batteries on hand. read more

I have a 2004 VW Beetle and needed to find a place to have it serviced after SB Volkswagon closed up shop. A friend recommended Cory Motors. I had the pleasure of speaking to Mike when I called and he set up my appointment and greeted me when I arrived. Everyone in teh shop was friendly and welcoming. I got to witness interactions with other customers some of whom were obviously long time clients. I picked up my car at the end of the day it's running better than ever. Thanks Cory Motors. I'm very satisfied with the work. It's nice to have a place where I feel so confident about the service!! read more

Excellent shop with superior service, honest advice, and perfect work. At 110000 miles, my 2007 Passat Waggon has never run this smoothly after Cory Motors gave it a make-over! read more

I am in the process of filing a Small Claims complaint against CM. The A/C unit in my VW Eurovan wasn't working. They said the component that wasn't working was NOT the compressor, which I had replaced about 18 months prior. It was some other external valve (?). Because they are not certified to do "Freon" work themselves (which they did not inform me of) they subcontracted it to another shop. That shop somehow blew out the compressor while refilling the system with coolant. AJ informed me that it would cost me another $680 to replace it (more than the cost of the original repair). I took it to another VW specialist and the bottomline is that it is costing me more than $3,000 to replace the entire A/C system that was damaged or destroyed in a chain-reaction by their hamfisted poor service. Don't let the "Nice Guy" facade fool you! read more

Poor workmanship and customer relations. Will never come here again. I have never done a review but after being wronged by these guys I was compelled to write one. I was selling my car and buyer took it to these guys to assess. When I got the car back, the semi new alternator belt was torn apart. They said the tranny oil needed servicing, when in fact I had done it a couple weeks before. I called AJ, and he gave me every excuse in the book, did not even offer to check out the car. I made an official complaint with the California department of consumer affairs. www.dca.ca.gov under Cory Motors License No. 146960 read more

Great service, knowledgeable, helpful, honest.

Our Westfalia was making a funny whistling noise and we didn't want to hit the highway south without getting it checked out. So we "camped" overnight and arrived at Corey Motors way ahead of opening. Mike greeted us with a friendly smile and said he'd take a look at the engine. Thankfully it was just a loose bolt on the intake manifold. He gave it a look and a touch and knew right away what it was vHe tightened a nut and sent us on our merry way! Thank you Mike! You saved us! read more