Best mechanic spot In Santa Cruz. Prices slightly higher than cheapo mechanics in town--- but you get the quality and service worth well more than price. I'm so grateful my friend told me about this spot. I have an old Toyota - and it's still running strong with 200k miles. My 3 year with this mechanic and I Have zero complaints and only compliments. read more

I had an electrical problem on my 2002 Toyota Highlander this week: could not set the temperature on the climate control unit and the blower fan speed controller stopped working. I looked up the cost online for a replacement controller unit and found it was over $1200 just for parts, so I was a bit concerned. Asked the Engine Room folks to check my problem and advise on a solution. Their technician Jason took off the trim and pulled out the whole unit to work on it, finding that the control knob shaft nuts were both not tight and allowing internal control parts to twist, breaking flex connectors inside the unit. These were carefully soldered back in place and everything is now working perfectly again. The bill was VERY reasonable ($271) and I'm certainly happy. Jason told me that he'd never seen this kind of failure before and was most happy to learn! All I can say is thanks. read more

The Engine Room is the place to go! Jason was amazing, I went in for a mirror replacement and ended up needing an oil change & new battery. They did everything promptly and it was quality work, for an AMAZING price! So so satisfied, thank you! read more

Greg's apprentice installed a water pump that leaked. Greg refused to fix it and told me that "It takes 1000 miles to seat itself" Really Greg? Toyota of Santa Cruz fixed the issue: A defective gasket. If anyone wants to see Greg's written evaluation about water pumps needing to be run "1000 miles" before they stop leaking please DM me. read more

Greg has a tremendous reputation among Morgan owners. He's one of the best mechanics for these cars on the West Coast. Only issue is getting an appointment! read more

I went into the engine room asking about some services and for some advice about an engine I am currently building. They graciously helped me out and gave me advice and guidance. Very friendly people here and I will recommend to others. read more

This place was recommended as good with imports so we took our 94 Delica in for an oil change looking for a local mechanic capable of working on the thing. We won't go back. The oil filter was wrong, poorly installed, leaked and the sticker shock lasted months. Greg was indignant that the van took as much oil as it did and was a bit haughty to cover his lack of knowledge of the vehicle, that and the exorbitant charge left us feeling fleeced. read more

I was on a trip to Santa Cruz from San Jose a couple of weeks ago in my 2005 Scion TC when my alternator unexpectedly blew on me. A friendly local guy recommended Greg Solow's and I am forever grateful that he did. I had to be back in San Jose within the same night and the guy that helped me, Jason, provided the best customer service anyone can eve ask for during a situation like this. Admittedly, I don't know anything about cars, but I do know that replacing the alternator takes quite some time. Jason managed to have it ready within approximately 2 hours for a reasonable price. Fast forward a few weeks later and I've had no problems ever since. I would highly recommend their service to anyone. read more

I had them trying to find a hesitation problem, the mechanics were close but needed more time and money so I stopped. My problem was with Greg. He gave me a quote for 1 1/2 hours of labor for X amount of dollars. I agreed and SIGNED. I came back the next day and he wanted $50 more than the estimate because HE had to do some extra diagnosis. He demanded I pay and I told him he would get the original estimate or nothing and I would see him in court and I was calling the Bureau of Automotive Repair. He shut up and left the room. The polite lady behind the counter said to "never mind him" and that I could pay the original estimate. i thanked her and went on my way. I should have reported him to make sure he doesn't do this to anyone else. Take it to Fidelity Auto if you need your car fixed by honest people. read more

Greg Solow is my go-to-guy for anything that ails me about my car. He greets me with all the right questions to get to the heart of the matter easily and smartly. Greg has a well-trained team making for a speedy and satisfactory turn-around time. I always feel well taken care of and my car does too. I highly recommend you go-to-Greg at The Engine Room to keep your car driving like a dream. read more

Thank you very much I really appreciate for repair my car and be honest no my car with the running for a long time I recommend this shop in Santa Cruz they're the best number one %100 satisfies I recommend Come and check the engine room they are very honest people Greg solow's god bless your family and employees thanks Jayson keep the hard work And definitely I will be back (: read more

I have been taking my cars to to Greg for about 15 years. everyone is very knowledgeable, honest and goes above and beyond to keep my cars in great shape. It feels like going to the best auto-doctor. greg and the crew are very personable, caring and friendly. I know next to nothing about cars so important to me to have complete trust in my servicers and I do. read more

I had a bad experience with Greg. I brought in my car for a leaking coolant tube, which he quoted as costing between $50-$100 on the phone. After looking at the car, he determined that it would be between $150-$200. Then, after working on the car, one of the techs broke a piece of an unrelated system OFF THE CAR! Greg Solow was rude when I politely confronted him on this issue, and was unwilling to make any compromise. At this point, I couldn't take my car anywhere else, since it had critical damage to the engine. After shelling out an excess of $500 for the parts and labor for extra damage caused by the techs, I got my car back. read more

I used to take my Lexus in to them and my Acura before. The last time I went there was when I had my car towed when it stopped running on the freeway. Next day he diagnosed the problem: out of gas! Nevertheless, Greg insisted I pay him more than $100 for the "diagnostic work" Now I go to Micks automotive with never a problelm read more

I have been going to this place for over a decade and have no complaints. The mechanics are friendly and knowledgeable and do good work. I never feel like they are trying to get more money out of me or do unnecessary work; on the contrary, I usually get good advice on what will need to be done on my car in the future and come away knowing whether I can wait until the next service, which allows me to plan ahead. I would highly recommend this shop for honest work. A class organization all the way around. read more

I had my Honda Civic 2007 serviced at the Engine Room, everything went well. The repair was done accurately, the price was fair. 5 Stars for quality of work, no messes, no fusses. read more

I have been a customer of the Engine Room for many years and know that they have the integrity to stand behind their work. I trust that my vehicles will be properly serviced and then returned with any advice on what future problems might be. It is nice to know that we have quality and professionalism in the auto repair business in Santa Cruz. Greg makes sure you are happy. His longevity in business is outstanding due to his attitude and service. I drive a ways for service because the Engine Room is worth it. read more

I always get great service for my car. The people are friendly and helpful and they have kept my car running well for years.

Greg is very knowledgable and competent and an expert on Morgan sports cars. As well as British sports cars, he takes care of all modern cars Japanese German etc. He is very fair and honest in addition to being competent and thoughtful. I have been customer for decades and he has done expert engine rebuilds on several collector cars I own that have been both trouble free, reliable and perform like new. He's the best! read more

Did great work on my 1970 Lotus Europa, despite it being a customized abomination with little fidelity to the original. Greg would always cringe at my defiled classic when I drove up, but Pat would always grin and jump to the challenge, a true enthusiast. They always did great work for a fair price, and are one of the few garages around that I completely trust. By far, the best place to take anything on four wheels (even decades old mutations) in SC county. read more

I spent over $5500 with this outfit and I needed to have the car towed away to stop the bleeding and get someone who could actually fix my car. The proprietor does not work on your car if you are expecting his "expertise" He sits in the bullpen and is on the phone handling all the incoming calls. His mechanics need to ask him for directions and as you can imagine things get hectic . They focus on the quick turn money making jobs and other stuff takes a backseat. They charged me to do "test drives" twice to check the work of his mechanics. Outrageous! I also was charged over 15 hours of labor to mate the transmission to the engine. I checked with other shops and this is an 8 hour job maximum. In the end he insulted me and my father verbally and had me pay my final bill with CASH after 1/2 of the bill had already been paid in full months earlier. I would avoid this shop at all cost as they talk a big game but deliver little. I have been taking cars to independent mechanics for over 30 years and this is by far my worst experience ever! read more

I'm updating after giving a 'second chance' to this business, and then using them for years as my primary car care specialists. This business is nothing but professional and is competitively priced, thorough, honest, and excellent mechanics. I had been taking my car to either 'cheaper' mechanics (to save money) or the dealer (to have good work done) and then realized that the Engine Room does much better work than the dealer (and, of course, the 'cheaper' mechanics). The cars (Subaru, Honda) come home feeling as new as they can, running smoothly, feeling 'tight' on the road, etc. The technicians are very professional in their approach, asking thorough questions about service record and making sure to be proactive so the car doesn't suffer. My cars haven't broken down unexpectedly after their care. They are prompt in their return of the car, which comes out cleaned and ready to go. After 25 years of testing various auto shops in Santa Cruz, I can say that I've found the best. read more

Years of experience and the knowledge that comes with that are very evident at Greg's shop. Not only does he fix your car, he takes good care of it during repairs. I am a long-time customer at the Engine Room - Greg knows what he is doing and does what is needed to get my car on the road and keep it there. I also appreciate the way Greg explains the work recommended so I feel confident of the outcome. I can't imagine taking my car to any other shop. read more

Horrible. Simply horrible. I have a lifted IFS truck, and made very clear to them that I know the ramifications of this. I have replaced many CV boots over the years as a result of the lift. I did not have the time to replace this time and so called a few places to see who could do it. I talked to the tech here and he was very eager to help and was knowledgeable enough to understand the nuances of a lifted IFS. We discussed options for a longer-lasting CV boot (mind you, we were both very clear about the fact that the boot WOULD NOT LAST). 'Nuff said. Well, 4 months later the suggested boot failed. I had been replacing failed boots with Toyota stock and none had lasted less than a year (generous guesstimate). I called the Engine Room with the intention of finding a different boot solution (in other words, to give them more money even though their boot suggestion was an utter failure). Greg Solow immediately went to the extreme defensive, skipping right over the fact that I wanted to discuss a new solution. I made the mistake of asking if the boot manufacturer offered any warranty, he interpreted this as an attempt to either get my money back, or a suggestion that the installation was faulty is the best I can figure because he became combative. I attempted again to discuss _solutions_ and he would have none of it, telling me the failed boot is Toyota-certified (questionable, but I have not confirmed yet) and his installation is correct -- again totally ignoring his customer. At that point I told him it was time to find another servicer as his hostile attitude was not productive. He made no attempt to understand this, nor to retain me as a customer. I gave one star ONLY because it is the lowest, and the original tech was at least willing to discuss possible solutions. read more

We've been taking our cars to Greg for over ten years. Old cars, new cars, junkers: he has fixed them all up beautifully. He gives us an honest assessment and estimate before working on our cars, then follows through professionally and completely. He has a wealth of experience, and his mechanics are certified to the highest standards. Most importantly, he has integrity; we trust Greg. The work is always done thoroughly and well; on the rare occasions when a problem is not fully resolved, we know that we can bring the car back and have it worked on until it is. Greg stands by his work, and he doesn't charge extra for any additional work that needs to be done to get it right. His motto is "Get it done right at the Engine Room." And he delivers on that promise. read more

Greg Solow and Crew know their stuff, are honest, and are very pleasant to work with when your car doesn't work. They are Problem-Solvers. Very Smart. No Grease Monkeys these guys. None better to keep my Acura purring like a kitten. read more

I've been bringing my cars to Greg Solow for 15 years... each and every time they go above and beyond the call of duty. They find what's wrong and fix it. They explain it in ways I can understand. Most important, they keep the cars running smoothly. read more

I first went to The Engine Room because I heard they specialized in Japanese cars and English cars. It seemed a strange mix in one shop, but I needed to break the "dealer habit" with my Lexus and also needed someone with some knowledge about older British sports cars. I was impressed with Greg's (the owner) thoroughness when we discussed what I thought my needs were. He actually took the time to explain what he thought we should do in terms that even I could understand. Frankly, he wanted to do somewhat more that I thought necessary (especially with my Morgan) but I agreed because his explanations simply made too much sense. The good news: my cars have never performed so well. The difference especially with my Morgan was remarkable. The bad news: it took 2 days longer than anticipated. Was it worth it? Without a doubt. He actually found a potential problem in my Lexus that could have turned into a major issue if it had not been corrected. How nice it is to have a mechanic that you can have confidence in and one that charges realistic prices. read more

I just had my Prius serviced at the Engine Room. As a single, older woman, it's really important to me that I spend my money where I get the most value. Getting the most value means not just good quality work to me but the trust that I'm being advised how best to take care of my car and what needs to be done to extend the life of my car. Living on Social Security Income means every penny I spend needs to be spent carefully. I was surprised at how comfortable I felt paying for the work at the Engine Room. I realized that spending money on having my car worked on is only scary when I don't trust the people or their advice. I'm grateful to have found the Engine Room. No stress around my car care is a gift! read more

I found a great Mechanic! As a women who doesn't know much about cars I feel I hit the jackpot in finding this place. I have taken my car here for the past 2 years and thought I should Yelp about it! The owner and his crew did great work on my car, explained things to me throughout the process and didn't pressure me to do more on my car than it needs. I was treated very repesctfully and I feel I walked away with a better understanding of my car, how it works and what I need to focus on in terms of maintenence. Thanks to Greg, Patrick and Jason for great service. Go to the Engine Room for trustworthy mechanics. Easy location too- downtown SC! read more

Wow, these guys are still in business? Years ago had a really bad experience. Good mechanic but super dishonest owner Greg Solow did unnecessary work I never approved, overcharged for everything, really bad. Maybe he's gotten a conscience since then. If so great, but buyer beware! read more

I had my car's engine rebuilt at the Engine Room. When it was finished I took it on a trip down south. After only 1200 miles the car over heated. With the car parked his Forman and I fixed the car so I could drive it home. He then charged me another $9,000. I payed my bill and we'll still need to have it repaired. At a cost to be determined currently the number four cylinder needs to be repaired. Mr. Solow had my car for almost two years and has still not repaired the car. So in 1200 miles i had to pay to have the engine rebuilt twice. Paid over $500 for inspections of lt. side suspensions, $20 to tighten a bolt, and also I was charged $90 for a test drive. Check his work, billing and make sure to get all parts returned and a signed warranty! read more

In addition to years of dedicated attention to the general health and well being of my trusty Matrix, Greg is a considerate and excellent problem solver. Today he and Jason helped me isolate the possible causes of a persistent problem with internal carpet moisture, and gave me tips on what to look for under what conditions, so we can resolve it asap. read more

The Engine Room recently checked out my car and did NOT repair it, which is great because it turned out no repair would have been necessary! I took it in there having been told by mechanics at Toyota of Santa Cruz that my 2005 Prius had a water-pump leak so bad it should be replaced "as soon as possible", but their estimate for replacing it was way high... so after calling a few other places and getting lower estimates, I took it in to Greg Solow. The Engine Room folks tested the water pump out and found no evidence of a recent or current leak, only a faint old stain that Greg said could have been there for years or from when the car was new and the pump just breaking in. So... thanks guys for not doing an unnecessary repair! I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because I haven't needed actual repairs on this car yet so it's hard to rate more fully. I'll be bringing it back though when something really does go wrong. read more

I would not recommend Greg for working on a classic car. I had similar bad experiences with his attitude and efficiency running up a high bill without really fixing my problems. Twice he was not available after showing up for a scheduled appointment. I cannot go into the details of the problems it was very technical, it would be too long to write. In general he ran up a large bill but did not solve all my problems. After close to 4k and keeping my car for a month I had to take it to another shop and spend another 3k to repair some of HIS fixes and really solve my problem. After trying to review my problems with him I decided to bite the bullet and not take it back to him to fix his mistakes. He was argumentative and unaccommodating. Everybody makes mistakes and I am willing to work with them. My real problem is his attitude, he is never wrong. I don't know how he is with other customers but to me he acts like he is doing me a favor to take your money and all he cares about is taking it. read more