A Nightmare Experience!
I try to be fair even with negative reviews, but my experience with Bernardo was so disappointing that I feel compelled to warn others--especially those with higher-end, exotic, or collector vehicles.
I initially contacted Bernardo through Yelp after relocating to the SGV following a wildfire. I was looking for a local shop to reupholster smaller leather pieces from my Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Porsches--parts that had shrunk, dried with age, or needed custom work. I saw photos on his Yelp page of similar cars, which led me to believe he had experience with exotics. Looking back, I now suspect those photos may not have been his actual work--just random pictures.
I started with a small dashboard piece from a Ferrari. Communication was great at first--Bernardo was responsive and confident, quoted a very fair price, and promised a three-day turnaround. I've previously sent parts to Germany for leather work, so I had a general idea of pricing. When I visited the shop, it was cluttered and dusty, but I've worked with small family-run businesses before that delivered excellent work, so I didn't judge based on appearance.
He showed me different leather options and explained that European hides were more expensive due to their finer texture. Since this particular piece wasn't prominently visible in the car and I wasn't yet sure of his craftsmanship, I opted for the more affordable American Napa leather, which still looked decent.
First Attempt:
The work took about a week, which was fine. When I picked up the part, I immediately noticed a dent and wrinkling along the edges--issues that weren't present in the original piece even after 16 years. Bernardo blamed the glue drying process and assured me it would improve with time. The stitching also came out pink instead of red, but he insisted the OEM red had faded over time. I wasn't thrilled, but I accepted it as a 7/10 job--mediocre but passable for the price, and barely noticeable from five feet away. He told me he'd happily redo it if I wasn't satisfied.
Second Attempt:
After a few days, the blemishes hadn't improved, even after drying in the sun. When Bernardo followed up about other work, I gave him honest feedback and asked if he could redo the piece, because while I can look past the dent and the pink stitching, the excessive wrinkles facing the driver on the dash is hard to overlook. He gladly agreed, and I appreciated that at the time. I like giving businesses second chances--as long as they're trying. Everyone makes mistakes.
That's when the nightmare began.
Weeks passed with excuses, delays, and outright lies. I made multiple trips to the shop after he began ghosting me, only to find the part untouched, half-done, or not even started--despite his texts claiming it was "ready." Eventually, he stopped responding to calls and messages entirely. On one visit, I found the original piece and two failed attempts sitting there--clear evidence that no real progress had been made in over two months. He even texted me a picture of the 1st failed attempt as his 2nd attempt
Every interaction felt like an exercise in evasion. One day, he claimed he was missing red stitching; the next, he said he broke his phone and missed all yelp messages. His coworkers or Mom would pretend not to speak English or claim he wasn't around. When I finally caught him in person, he showed me a vague, half-finished piece and promised it would be done "tomorrow." That day never came, despite multiple confirmations. He shamelessly made me drive down there for nothing--repeatedly. Through it all, I remained patient, polite, and fair.
The Bottom Line:
This simple job turned into a two-month ordeal filled with dishonesty, poor craftsmanship, and zero accountability. Bernardo couldn't even match stitching color correctly. Rather than admit he underestimated the complexity of the job, he chose to lie, dodge responsibility, and waste my time. It's laughable that he literally hides from me at the shop--like a mouse!
This family business, passed down from the late Mr. Gomez Sr., is heading toward ruin under his son's management.
This situation could have been resolved in so many better ways:
-He could have simply declined the job like other shops did.
-He could have admitted he couldn't improve it and returned the part.
-He could have offered a refund.
-Or even completed a second 7/10 job and called it his best effort.
But instead, he chose the path that rightfully earned him this review, over just a few hundred dollars
He may do fine with everyday vehicles, but if you care about quality, attention to detail, real customer service, or integrity--especially for higher-end or collector cars--do yourself a favor and go elsewhere.