Juan was great at giving me a full understanding of what my Subaru was in need of, what was urgent, and all the particulars. Good decisions were made and I am road trip ready, with full confidence. I felt it was a respectful and honest service and I give Juan at Rick's the highest of recommendations. Thank you! read more

Rick's has changed hands and I had no doubt the Rick and Shelley would find the perfect new operator/owner. Juan is indeed holding up the stellar reputation that Rick and Shelly cultivated. Integrity, honest expert advice and work. Really happy to be able to take my Subaru to Juan and have full confidence in the outcome. Highly recommended. read more

I had a fantastic experience with Rick's auto shop. I was in a real pickle on Wednesday night, I had a nail in my tire and work the next morning at 8am. The owner Juan decided to help me after 5 o'clock when the shop closes, out of the kindness of his heart. I didn't need to call out of work the next day and the fix was very affordable. I could not recommend them enough. read more

Having been a Rick's customer for many years, I wondered how new management would compare. Juan & the crew have proven to be diligent & more than helpful with my 2001 Subaru. A pleasure to deal with...& my dog loves them! read more

465k happy miles on my 2003 Subaru Baja. Thanks to Juan, the new owner, I'm looking forward to a lot more happy miles. My Baja just got a new engine, axles, drive line and a lift kit. I'm ridding pretty. Thanks Juan and the great crew at Rick's Auto Shop. read more

Came in for my 120K service and to fix the A/C. Everything was fixed and I also decided to get the rear brakes done as Juan mentioned they would need to be done soon. Car drive well they had it done when they said they would read more

Have been taking my car to Rick's for years, Juan is the head guy now and he is amazing! Fair and knowledgeable.

They really know Subarus and frequently do short services without billing or even accepting a tip.

Great service and quick!! Emergency repair fitted in with ease. Definitely staying with Rick!

They get a lot of business so they must be good, but they are selective on what they work on. If your Subaru is 20 years or older, has more than 200,000 miles, and aftermarket parts, consider yourself lucky if they work on your car. Last Monday they didn't want to change a coolant sensor on my car, I don't know if its laziness or lack of troubleshooting skills on older Subarus or probably they rather work on newer cars. They did however clear the check engine light which is a good thing. Yesterday afternoon I ran out of gas and couldn't start the car after putting a couple gallons of gas in it. I phoned Rick's Auto Shop, told the person on the phone who I was and that my car there last Monday and described what was going on with the car. They said go ahead bring it in, just don't block any entrances and we're busy and we won't be able to work on it until Wednesday which was fine with me. When I arrived in the tow truck Juan told me, " We're not working on that car" and to get it out of there. In fact he was kind of rude, you can ask my tow truck driver. Original owner Rick would never treat people like that. I'm not trying to send out any negative energy but because of their incompetence, I mean lack of communication between the office and the shop, I'm out $130 for a vehicle tow. Don't worry Juan, I'll never take my Subarus to your shop and I'll be sure to tell all my friends and family with Subarus to stay the heck away from Rick's Auto Shop. read more

Simply amazing! Rick is fair, honest, and so knowledgeable. He's truly the best--he figured out the problem with my Subaru when nobody else could. Highly recommended! read more

I had an issue with my car that I thought might be big, but when I pulled up, he said it was really easy. Just took a few screws and fixed it for me on the spot! I spoke with the man who just recently took over the shop. We will be returning here for all of our service in the future! Thank you so much! read more

I had an electrical issue with my electronic brake system, one of those gremlins that was going to be hard to find... If I'd gone to Subaru, they probably would have said an expensive wire harness replacement was needed, but--for $150 diagnostic and good under-carriage search--Rick found the faulty connection that was a simple and easy fix. He even aired the tires on the car I had borrowed while mine was in the shop. Great service. Honorable repairs. Fairly priced. Thanks, Rick & Shelly! read more

Super friendly staff, employees are honest people and did not try to overcharge or scam me

Rick's is the best! My 2010 Outback is at that age where it's needing more frequent repairs. Rick is my go-to guy if I'm not able to do something myself. Very honest people that know what they're doing. I've been ripped off by my mechanics before, so I've always been paranoid about where I bring my car. Rick's is the only place I feel comfortable bringing it. Shelly in the front office is absolutely amazing and always very helpful and accommodating! Prices here are always fair too. If you own a Subaru in Santa Cruz, Rick's is the place to go! read more

Rick's auto is the best !! He's been I business a long time. Honest and dependable!!!

I have a Subaru powered VW. I needed a competent Subaru mechanic. Not easy to find a shop willing to work on such a vehicle. There just happened to be an amazing Subaru shop in my neighborhood. They are family owned and operated, friendly, down to earth and over all good people They took care of me and fixed my issue! I highly recommend this shop to anyone with a Subaru or Subaru powered vehicle. The owner still wrenches and has been working on Subaru's since the early 80's! Lots of experience and knowledge. I will be back again when I have a need! read more

Rick's Auto Shop - Thank you for working on my Subaru powered VW! - Auto Repair Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I posted on Facebook who's the best Subaru mechanic and down his name came up by a number of people I've have to say I've had nothing but good experiences read more

I had some great advice about a car I was gonna buy. I I suppose there are a few good people willing to be of service with no cash exchange

I'm super pleased to find Rick's shop for all my Subaru's maintenance. They are skilled and Shelly has direct communication to let you know exactly what they found and what they've done. read more

Great local shop, knowledgeable about Subarus, honest, decent rates! I have been to this shop a couple times based on their good reviews and knowledge about my type of vehicle and was not disappointed. Shelley and Rick were friendly and professional and told me exactly what I was getting into. I will be returning. read more

Rick is a great machanic we use him for repairs and normal oil changes and tune ups. Our Subaru Forester runs great thanks to Rick's.

Rick's is the BEST!!! always reliable Shellys very friendly at the desk and they fix our car right let us know when it does not need to be fixed or even doing some things free but always excellent and super honest we love Rick and Shellie read more

I was on vacation in Santa Cruz and had a weird problem with my Subaru Forrester. Rick's squeezed me in and a technician fixed the problem in less than 5 minutes. I was so impressed with their kindness and professionalism. I live hours away, but am tempted to make Rick's my regular Subaru mechanic! read more

They were great. Shelley was a pleasure to work with and it was much cheaper than I feared to fix my problem. Will definitely be back if I need to get another repair. read more

Amazing shop and awesome prices, I was very happy with the work they did on my Subaru Outback. They replaced water pump and timing belt for an awesome price! Highly recommend bringing your car here. read more

This company and its team go the extra mile. They are honest, fair, responsive and kind to work with. I can't imagine going anywhere else! Thanks for taking such great care of my 15-year old Legacy baby! read more

These guys are honest and very friendly. It takes a while to get an appointment but it's worth it. They specialize in Subaru but also do other cars. read more

Friendly, experienced, fair price and fast Took my Forester in for a front engine noise, fast and accurate diagnosis for the noise and the check engine light a separate issue. I can recommend this shop without hesitation. read more

Simply good, HONEST, reliable, quick & rea$onably priced service :) My car: 2006 Subaru Outback 135K miles. I've been there 2 times in just 2 months. 1st time for a blown rear shock. Shelly informed me that the KYB's had a lifetime warranty and that I could get my money back for the parts!!! All I paid for was the labor and I'd gone to 8 other places for quotes- not one of them told me that. Did I mention it was done in just a few hours? Yesterday my car overheated in Mt.View. I called them and they said they could diagnose it the same day. Shelly called me 2 hours after I dropped it off to tell me it was a fan motor that was broken. Also had them replace the CV boot and check an intermittent rear tail light I asked about. -Got my car back in perfect working condition today at 11:00am! Shelly, Brandon and Rick treat you with respect. They do what they say they will do. Pay Cash & they give you a 10% discount-they have saved me hundreds of $$$ on just 2 visits. My next car will be a Subaru because I don't want to ever go to another mechanic :) It's the way all business should be run! -Nicole G. Santa Cruz Mountains, CA read more

I was told by the dealership that my Subaru would never run again. The tow driver said, "Take it to Rick's." They are miracle workers there, all of them. Shelly is an angel and Rick is a wizard. They solved the problem with integrity and went the extra mile for me and my family. Fair prices too! I will never take my Subie anywhere else ever again. read more

Best auto service ever! My 2010 Subaru was literally limping by the time I took it in to Rick's shop for a major overhaul, and now I feel like I have a brand new car. Everyone at the shop is engaging, knowledgeable, and very efficient. read more

I only take my Subaru to Rick after dealing with the Subaru dealership. They are honest and the work is superb! Thank you Rick and Shelly for keeping my car safe and sound. read more

I have been coming to ricks auto shop for almost ten years. When I first moved to Santa Cruz for college, many different people I didn't know saw me driving a Subaru and approached me to ask if I had heard of the "Subaru guru" in town. After the second or third person I asked for the contact information and they have been my mechanic ever since. From the first phone call to make an appt, to the cost of repairs, everything was extremely professional. After college I moved to San Francisco for two years, I still commuted back to them here in Santa Cruz because the service, honesty and overall operation is that good. Being in college without parents to help me navigate car issues, I cannot say enough good things about these mechanics and the honest work they do. Never making up issues or overcharging, just quality work. It made me feel so good to have that kind of trust for a mechanic. Go to these people! They are the best!! read more

I've had Rick as my mechanic for years. He and Brandon are extremely knowledgeable and highly skilled Subaru mechanics. And Shelly is the absolute kindest administrator ever. read more

I have a 2003 Outback Wagon & have been going to Rick's Auto Shop for years. Recently I had the timing belt & head gasket replaced; routine, but major repairs, and I'm very pleased with their quick return. Always pleased with their honesty, and craftsmanship, I know I can depend on them to take care of my cars needs without being overcharged, as well as, not have things done that aren't necessary. Rick recently fixed an issue AT NO CHARGE where as others would have hit me up for a minimum of an hour labor. Friendly, honest & reliable, Rick & Shelley treat you as a customer with respect & always with a friendly smile. If you own a Subaru, Rick's Auto is your one-stop repair shop. You won't be disappointed. read more

I can't believe in all his years doing business in this same location, with a very deep well of loyal customers who love his approach and his skills, that Rick has no Yelp reviews. He is by-far the go-to independent Subaru expert here in Santa Cruz, and I swear, the nicest man you're going to find in the auto repair arena. read more

Being in business for 25 years doesn't mean they won't hire an inexperienced mechanic and cover for him when he makes a mistake that endangers motorists. Brought my Forrester there to replace a transmission and 25 miles out of the shop the clutch dropped. An obvious initial diagnosis that didn't happen. read more

If you have a Subaru, definitely take it to Rick's! The receptionist Shelley is super-nice and helpful. They explained issues with my car, prevented me from spending unnecessary money, and were helpful diagnosing maintenance issues. Fair, honest, nice local mechanic for Outbacks, Legacy, Forester, whatever Subaru you have... read more

Ive had a few Subaru's and have taking them all to Ricks. These guys know their stuff and do dealership quality (if not better) work. If you have a Subaru that needs some love, take it here, they'll take care of you. read more