James M.
Los Angeles, CA
5/23/2013
I customized my motorcycle and ended up hacking up the seat, so I needed it reshaped and reupholstered.
Pedro quoted me less than half the amount that a nearby upholsterer wanted. I work nearby so I was able to drop off my bike in the morning and pick it up in the evening, which was great.
These guys did an incredible job, very professional and pretty much flawless. The only hitch was that it took about an hour longer than anticipated, but they worked in the evening until 730PM to get it done so I didn’t have to come back. I think they probably underestimated the amount of work that would be involved, but I was so impressed that I ended up paying more than they had asked (seemed wrong not to, it was so cheap and such good work).
The seat they did for me kind of outshines the rest of my DIY custom motorcycle now.
Highly recommended, especially when compared to my experience at another nearby upholstery shop.
Robert S.
Arcadia, CA
4/28/2015
I Googled for days looking for a shop that could remove the headliner in my 2007 Mercedes GL450, so that a replacement sunroof track could be installed. I called first to inquire if they could in fact do this, and then drove out and met with Mark one morning to go over what needed to be done. Mark was very confident that he would be able to do the work in part of a day, and so we set a day in the following week. On that day, I arrived a little after 8am, and Mark greeted me. This is no small job, and one that very few shops want to take on. Mark was eager to do this work, and made me feel very comfortable that he would be able to do a good job, and actually at a very reasonable cost, just under my budget. He finished by about 3 PM, and everything worked perfect, looked perfect and just had me thrilled. I would trust this wonderful shop to do any interior work on any car. Don’t be fooled by its small size – it’s in a crowded auto park, but crowded for good reason! They just do fantastic work. -Sincerely, Robert from Arcadia, CA.
Candi G.
Los Angeles, CA
4/19/2013
Just went in for a consultation on a leather tear in my seat. I popped in since they had time to take a look at it. They gave me a range of options to consider. I decided to have them patch it until I could decide what I would do for the long haul (I love my car to pieces so I’m not worried about resale value). I thought I was gonna walk out with an unsightly patch and had already planned to put a sweet Hello Kitty cover over the seat.
Well, let me tell you, they exceeded my expectations and the patch looks so decent that I don’t need a cover. Although I might have to do it anyway. But definitely not because of the appearance of the seat – it looks really great to be a patch that they actually installed in minutes! I can definitely recommend these guys.
Dick T.
Los Angeles, CA
6/2/2010
Rudy’s is a small shop, but they can produce quality work. It was recommended I see Mark at Rudy’s shop to stitch the custom seat for my 1929 Model A hot rod. He did a great job and I couldn’t be happier.
Friendly people –I’ll be recommending Pedro & Mark to my friends.
Chuck K.
West Hollywood, CA
11/3/2013
I was referred to them by my carwash. The upholstery was ripped. I had bought one of those kits for $30 to repair but it sounded too involved. I stopped by Rudy’s and he patched it in 10 minutes…. only charged $10 ( I expected a lot more). So for me, it was a great experience. It was a very congested parking lot with lots of mechanic shops so I could see where someone might get a dent or scratch. But for no longer than I was there, it was perfect. I would definitely go back.
Sean B.
WOODLAND HLS, CA
11/21/2012
My convertible’s top was tattered and scary looking…like the flag on a pirate ship–totally shredded. It was an embarrassing eyesore. Valet parking always made me cringe. On the freeway, I couldn’t hear my radio over the flapping of the fabric. Worst of all, the interior of the car was starting to smell funky as a result of mildew…because I simply couldn’t keep the rain out. I needed to replace the entire top.
My decision to finally replace the top started when Jose at JL Auto Services (see my review below) introduced me to Walter, who’s on the family-run team at Rudy’s Custom Tops.
I live in the West San Fernando Valley (Woodland Hills). Driving my Toyota MR2 Spyder (my baby!) ~all~ the way down to Hollywood for a new top seemed like a drag…especially since I didn’t know the quality of Rudy’s. But after being introduced to Walter, Walter in turn gave me Pedro’s contact info. Pedro runs the shop…and since I figured a friend of Jose’s wouldn’t steer me wrong, I gave him a call. Their shop, indeed, gave me a ~very~ low-priced quote…and so I drove down to Hollywood to let them check it out the damage.
The shop for Rudy’s Custom Tops looks very modest, which might make you think it isn’t an A-class shop. But you’d be wrong… It’s in a busy strip mall containing many auto shops near the corner of Gower and Santa Monica. (A prime location for business, I suspect.) In any case, Pedro greeted me, took a look at the car, and said he needed a day. I said I’d bring the car back in a couple weeks.
Weeks became months. I was very worried about getting it done right, and, in spite of the low quote, I was still reluctant to drop the cash needed for a new one. I contemplated taking the car to the dealer, but they wanted significantly more money. The top that was on the car…well, I think it began to fall apart because the dealer hadn’t installed it right.
So I waited and waited. But, when I finally called back half a year later, Pedro totally remembered the car. He ordered a new top in anticipation of my arrival…pronto. I drove down. He said, again, he needed a day. I arrived in the afternoon, and decided to leave the car, and their top installation guy–Mark–drove me all the way back home to Woodland Hills for a couple bucks. He picked me up in my car the following afternoon–exactly 24 hours later–and I couldn’t believe my eyes. The car looks soooooo much better! Practically like new. Just that fact alone made me instantly super glad to have spent the cash.
It was done in the nick of time, too, because it rained the following day. I had been skeptical about things like: did they connect the defroster on the rear window? …will it leak? Et-cetera, et-cetera. But the top is awesome…and was installed expertly. I had enough time in the car chatting with Mark to tell: the guy takes his work very seriously and has a lot of pride in what he does. All he does is tops. He gave me some good advice on how to prolong the life of the top. But most of all, it was plainly evident he really cared about the quality of his work.
I have no idea why I waited so long. I should have had a new top installed by these guys months ago. Now I love having the valet salivate over my nice car, and feel zero embarrassment when getting into the car at a restaurant or hotel or special event or whatever. Plus: I can actually enjoy my tunes and hear people on the bluetooth while I’m driving.
I can’t recommend Rudy’s Custom Tops highly enough. The service was simply over-the-top awesome. They’re sweet as pie, totally honest, and they know what they’re doing. If your top is beat up…don’t wait. Don’t take it to the dealer, or some other random shop. If you want the work of a craftsman, someone who does only tops and has been doing it for years (like Mark), take your car to Rudy’s. You won’t regret it.
Thanks to Walter, Pedro, Mark, and the team at Rudy’s! You guys are awesome! (And thanks to Jose for the referral!)
Joshua G.
Glendale, Los Angeles,
11/23/2013
Some toilet bowl cleaner leaked on my rear seat and ate through the leather and into the foam. Worked with Pedro here. He was polite, professional and on top of things. Gotta section of rear seat and foam underneath replaced for 200 bucks. The work is fantastic and completely indistinguishable from the rest of the seat. Also they ordered the leather for me ahead of time, called when it was in and took out the seat so I could use the car while they were working. Brought seat in in the morning and had it back in the car by afternoon the next day.
Dan S.
Los Angeles, CA
12/18/2012
I needed some hand-stitching for an undone seam on a seat and some gluing of fabric elsewhere. While relatively minor, the work was quality craftsmanship at a most reasonable price. They take pride in their work, are careful, and are pleasant as well. The location is crowded with a number of other auto repair shops on site, but don’t let that put you off.