Brad’s Foreign and Domestic
Servicing North County San Diego Since 1984
A Message From The Owner
Hello, my name is Mathew Cooper, Encinitas native and proud owner of Brad’s Foreign and Domestic since 1990.
I often find myself thinking about when Encinitas was just a laid-back, little beach town, there was no shortage of undeveloped canyons and poinsettia fields. A postcard-worthy city, comfortably planted on the California coast, a place I am honored to have always called home. By age 14, I was fixing my first motorcycles and off-roading in areas that are now filled with homes and businesses (Village Park, Ocean Crest / Mckinnon, Elfin Forest). After taking my first auto shop class at San Deguito High I was dedicated to turning my passion for fixing cars into a career. I began working as a technician at Brad’s Foreign Car in 1986, five years later I was thrilled with the opportunity to become the new owner. Like everything else in Encinitas, Brad’s was destined to grow in order to continue accommodating our customers. We expanded from a small, 2 bay shop with a focus on foreign cars, to boasting 11 bays and full-service repair or both foreign and domestic vehicles – resulting in our name change to Brad’s Foreign and Domestic!
It is with great pleasure that I continue serving the members of my community, building relationships with fellow locals as well as those who have recently joined our fantastic city. We make it a priority to collaborate with local organizations to participate in making north county great.
The Technicians
Lucas St. John
Lucas has been part of the Brad’s Family since 1991, making him our most seasoned tech. He is an ASE-certified auto technician and specializes in air & water-cooled vehicles.
Steve Harmel
Steve has been part of the Brad’s family since 2015. He is an ASE Certified Master Technician who has been in the industry for over 30 years. He specializes in European, Asian and domestic vehicles.
Dan Dowlearn
Dan started with Brad’s in 2008 and has recently returned June 2023. He is an ASE-certified master technician for over 30 years and a certified smog technician for over 20 years. Dan specializes in all vehicles.
Dave Bentley
Dave is the newest addition to Brad’s Foreign and Domestic, starting in 2025. He enjoys the outdoors and likes to go fishing. Dave has been in the industry for over 40 years, he specializes in Land Rover, Bentley, Porsche, and exotic vehicles.
Office Staff
Lauri Tsujimura
Lauri has been a member of Brad’s Foreign and Domestic’s team for over 20 years. She is an ASE-certified service consultant and manager of our establishment.
Luis Perez
Luis can’t escape the automotive industry. He started as an automotive technician, went on to make custom wheels, and now he is the newest member of our office team. Luis could be seen helping in the office, doing light-duty services, or studying to become a smog inspector.
Torque
Facility manager in charge of pest control and public relations. Born feral in our parking lot in 2015, he doesn’t always have the best approach, but he is a definite bonus to our team.
Wrench
Assistant facility manager. Rescued from Imperial Valley in 2022. He’s a real “fire cracker”, please watch for him when you pull in.
Jetta
Jetta is our part-time office greeter here at Brad’s. She enjoys getting lots of attention from people who come to visit her.