Best of Santa Barbara® 2022
By Leslie Dinaberg
See all of the winners in our “Best of Santa Barbara® 2022” cover here.
Auto Repair
Precision Auto Body & Painting
Family-owned and -operated since 1987, Precision Auto Body & Painting has a lot of voters singing their praises. “They have the best customer service, and their work is unmatched for great body work every time,” wrote one Best Of voter. Another reader said, “Unfortunately, I have had to make use of their services for repairs/replacements. They are always professional and efficient and make the process painless. The repairs are always completed by or before the date given, and the vehicle always looks great when returned.”
Runner-Up: Muñoz’s Auto Repair
Car Rental
Enterprise Rent-a-Car
With locations at the Santa Barbara Airport, downtown, and in Goleta, Enterprise Rent-a-Car is a practical and conventional place for renting a car in town. A household name for frequent travelers, road-trippers, and people with a car in the shop, Enterprise is a recognized worldwide leader in the car rental industry, as well as Indy readers’ top pick for car rentals.
Runner-Up: Avis / Budget
Car Wash/Detailing
Educated Car Wash
A consistent winner for best car wash, the family-owned and -operated Educated Car Wash is well-known for its great service, low gas prices, and handy location on upper State Street. The 100 percent hand car wash also offers waxing and auto detailing packages, as well as clay bar treatments to remove contaminants from the surface of your car’s paint.
Runner-Up: Prestige Hand Car Wash
New Car Dealership
Santa Barbara Auto Group
With seven premium brands — Acura, Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche — in one convenient location, Best New Car Dealership winner Santa Barbara Auto Group is a great spot to work with experienced sales staff to find your next new car. They also have a nice inventory of “pre-owned” and “certified pre-owned” luxury vehicles to choose from.
Runner-Up: Toyota of Santa Barbara
Place to Get Tires
Costco
“Quick, easy, and affordable with good follow-up for tire balancing and rotation,” wrote one reader. “I called a number of places for tire prices, and Costco was the best,” wrote another. “Very inexpensive compared to other shops,” was yet another reader singing the praises of Costco as a place for tires. With high-quality and good-value selections and the friendly level of service we’ve come to depend on from Goleta’s favorite big-box retailer, it’s no wonder Costco is our readers’ top choice.
Runner-Up: Big Brand Tire & Service
Quick Oil Change
Ian’s Tire & Auto Repair
“Most of all, I enjoy the people,” says Ian’s Tire & Auto Repair owner Eric Miller. His other favorite things? “I enjoy building relationships and trust with customers and employees and seeing new challenges and figuring out how best to navigate them. And also seeing how tires and automotive technology constantly improve.”
Runner-Up: Jiffy Lube
Used Car Dealership
Toyota of Santa Barbara
One of the particular challenges of the last few years has been the shortage of vehicles available, explains Toyota of Santa Barbara manager Benny Madrigal. Winning Best Used Car Dealership is particularly meaningful because, “It was very difficult to get cars. We went out of our way. I mean, we went to places we never would have been to buy cars so we can have cars for our customers.” He adds, “I just want to say thank you so much. We are really proud of the prize, and we are looking forward to continuing our loyalty and our five-star service to our used-car customers.”
Runner-Up: Santa Barbara Auto Group
Santa Barbara Auto Group | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom