Long overdue review. Alvin is top notch and knows how to make BMWs better than factory! From day 1, he was present, genuine, communicative knowledgeable and 100% knows his work inside and out. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! read more

3RA Motorwerks - 2017 440i 4 door surprise - Auto Repair Near Me - San Marcos, California

I had installed a set of coilovers on my BMW 328 by someone but it was done incorrectly. While driving the car, the rear suspension was making a ton of noise. I'm new to the coilovers so I wasn't sure if that was normal or not. I talked to the guy who did the installation and said that it was normal. He added that after a couple of days, the coilovers should settle and the noise will go away. The next day, I called 3RA and asked about the noise. I originally talked to Bobby, who said that there shouldn't be much noise but he couldn't really tell without seeing the car. To make sure, he handed the phone to Alvin, one of the owners of the shop, for me to talk to. Alvin said the same thing. He said that I could take it to the shop and he'd be willing to take a test drive just to hear the noise first hand. I got to the shop and talked to Alvin. He was with another customer but he acknowledged that I was there and told me that he'd test drive the car as soon as he was done helping his current customer. We went on a test drive and Alvin said right away that the sound wasn't normal. When we got back to the shop, he was willing to take a closer look at why it was making so much noise. The car was taken inside of the shop and up on the lift. They took off a couple of the tires and noticed that the install was done incorrectly. Basically, the parts that was initially installed was the wrong part. I ended up purchasing a new set of coilovers from Alvin and they got it all ordered, installed, measured and test driven in a couple of days. Conner even gave me a ride home because he overheard me talking about getting an Uber. Conner, by the way, is a certified BMW technician. I found out while being driven home so that made me feel better about leaving my car at 3RA. After it was fixed, I test drove the car and it ran perfectly; no noise, not too stiff and the coil over measures were perfect. Alvin and his team did all of the assessment without charging me for their time. When they officially started working on my car, Alvin gave me periodic updates so I knew when my car would be done. I have nothing but great things to say about this shop. Alvin was super helpful, Conner and Bobby represent that shop as if it was their own... I'm really fortunate that I came to these guys when I did. Great work boys!! read more

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Alvin is the man. He installed everything on my 335i, port injection, downpipes, all the electronics from Fuel-it in AZ. He even changed out my PI controller when Dave from Fuel - it in Illinois sold me the wrong one. Alvin is very annal in his work. Great job with the walnut blasting. Highly recommend! read more

These guys are now called San Marcos Auto Repair- yes they have changed their name. They are specialized in European cars, but can tackle all kinds of makes. - European cars are nevertheless one of the most difficult cars to work on... I went in for an AC tuneup, and I do have to say my experience was very pleasant. Alvin was extremely friendly and helpful. He quoted me a fair price, as I have been shopping around; and gave me constant updates while my car was in for service. There waiting lounge is pleasant, equipped with pleasant letter sofas and many magazines to read. Overall my experience could've not been greater. read more

Got my AC Recharged here. In and out in about 45 minutes. Doing business now it seems as San Marcos Auto Service as well. Hard to miss across from the Smart and Final. Even if they do specialize in BMW's they didn't have any issue taking my Mazda. Will probably send some business their way. read more

Had a great experience here. I have a 2014 Impreza and my GF has a 94 BMW 530i and we got 1 oil change each. I was going to get a high milage synthetic bled for the BMW but they recommend that I go full synthetic and I'm glad I listened. The car idles smoother than it has since we got it. When the service was completed I spoke with a tech(possibly the owner) and asked him about what kind of service I should be doing on my Impreza and he gave me a list of different services that are recommend by Subaru for the amount of miles I have. He then was kind enough to print out individual quotes for each service so I can choose which ones I want to get done. I had a great experience here and will recommend them to my friends and family. Finding a good, trustworthy shop is hard to do around here and I'm happy I was able to finally find one. The prices are great compared to a lot of shops (especially the dealerships) around too. read more

You can't find a more honest and trustworthy person in Alvin. He's been taking care of my 435i since I bought it. Very patient and knowledgeable about BMWs. I've recommend so many of my friends to him and some including myself will drive 40 minutes to get to the shop from San Diego. The shop is clean and very easy to get too. Plenty of parking and I'm alway greeted when I enter the shop. It's great when they know you by name. Standard service or aftermarket work I would not trust anyone else. read more

3RA Motorwerks - Auto Repair Near Me - San Marcos, California

I really needed new brakes plus an oil service on my CRV Honda. I didn't want to drive to dealership and have to get a ride home with the quarantine in place ,so I made an appointment at 3RA based on YELP reviews! I was told it would take an hour and 1/2. The work was done sooner and.. efficiently including a test drive to make sure the brakes were fine....reasonably priced, too. Also , I wanted to wait outside on the grassy area and used my beach chair so I could sit away from others who came. Will go there again! read more

These guys are awesome! They fixed my brakes today and it's the smoothest my car has run for a while. They were honest and didn't try to scam me they even showed me why I needed the brakes replaced. Highly recommend. read more

These guys did a great job installing lowering springs on my new Honda Civic Sport. Great service and reasonable prices. Alvin was easy to work with and was able to get me in within a couple of days. Would definitely recommend them! read more

3RA Motorwerks - Auto Repair Near Me - San Marcos, California

Great experience. I had a Groupon for brake pads and drove up from San Diego - worth the drive. Professional, on time, and there was no pressure to upsell other things. The only think keeping my review short of a 5 star has nothing to do with the service they provided - but the mechanics were smoking in the work shop and it wafted into the waiting area. I was there at 8 AM and it wasn't what I was looking for with my morning coffee. I get it though, it's a place to get your car fixed, not a salon. Highly recommend! read more

Fast service, they gave me a realistic time frame and stuck to it. Unlike many other places I've been to that say 1 hour but take 3-4 hours... Excellent customer service, great energy in this place. I went in for brake pad replacements, my previous ones were squeaky. Now I don't hear a thing. They replaced them with ceramic pads now I'm good to go! read more

I just moved town and was looking for a new mechanic! I'm a loyal customer and I think I've found my guy, Alvin knows exactly what he's doing and he's an expert at it. I went in to get my lights replaced on my 328i 2009 and he got me in and out within 5-10 minutes! Quick, quality, and honest service is what I value the most out of a mechanic. He didn't try to sell me anything I didn't need and that's something rare in the Auto repair industry. I am excited to continue doing business with him!! read more

Great service! Friendly staff. Will definitely go back in the future! Very happy with the service.

I got my brakes serviced here. I never felt like they were trying to take advantage of me, being a girl that's important. I recommend getting your car serviced here. read more

I must admit that when it comes to auto repairs and maintenance I am at a loss. It can be completely intimidating. So, when I was told I needed to have my rear brake pads and rotors replaced, I was immediately dismayed. Alvin was extremely patient and explained every detail to my understanding. He assured me of the quality of products that would be used on my Volvo. And, he offered me peace of mind that if I had any issues upon completion to just come back in. My experience was beyond exceptional. I would strongly recommend for your European car service. read more

These guys are so awesome. My brakes started grinding so I brought my car in to 3RA after talking to Alvin on the phone. They got me in same-day and gave me an amazing deal on front brake pads and new rotors. I will definitely be back and I will definitely recommend San Marcos Automotive (3RA Motorwerks) to my friends and family. Thank you Alvin and Richie!! read more

Came across this auto repair shop when I was lost and asking for directions to a smog only place. As they giving me directions, Richie the mechanic, noticed a foul fuel odor, vaporizing off my engine bay. Turns out, my fuel injector gasket cracked and was leaking fuel!! They gave me a reasonable price and fixed it with in an hour, talking about pro's and a life savior. Also, I had time to go pass smog with flying colors, knocking two birds with one stone. Will definitely bring my girl friend BMW for repairs too! read more

This place is awesome ran by super honest guys! Took my car in for brakes yesterday I scheduled an appointment and only waited 40 minutes. I asked if I needed roasted and he said no but if it starts squeaking bring it back and so far no squeaking. I'm impressed he could have said yes which is what I think most shops do. As an added plus, my front end used to scrape on my driveway and over speed bumps but that's gone as well. I'm assuming he just reattached something he noticed was loose. I'm really impressed! read more

I just want to give huge shoutout to Alvin and everyone who works here, I highly recommend coming in. I haven't had the best experience with previous shops so I felt hesitant to come in but Alvin was so nice and took great care of me and my car! He even gave me a ride back home once because I had no ride. My 2009 Mini Cooper had a few issues so I had to come back a couple times but it was all worth it in the end, they definitely want the best for your car and will not try to misguide you in anyway possible! Thank you guys I won't go any where else read more

These guys are the beezneez!!! They are so sweet, patient and fair! Not only do they provide great customer service, they are like family! I know that if we need anything at all, Alvin and Rich are always there providing the most honest advise and work there is! I got a total tune up on my Mazda and my car purrs like a kitten! My bf had trouble with his mustang and they cleared out his throttle body and its never been smoother! The best auto shop in town! It give me such relief to have found someone we can trust! Thank you again for all your awesome work! read more

Hello to everybody who are looking for a awesome place like 3RA Motorwerks in San Marcos. I have been several times to get service for my cars and I really would like to let know know that Alvin who is the owner of the shop along with his employee Bobby provided me the excellent customer services. The both are very professional and have knowledge about cars specially in BMW. They do a quality job and provide quick service with very reasonable prices. Alvin is very honest and he really saved me thousands of dollar in the past. I have been to a few other shops in the past and none has provided exceptional customer service like this place. This is definitely my go to continue to go on and very highly recommend you to visit there and give them a chance and at the end I want to appreciate again on your very satisfaction customer service. God bless you all. read more

Found this place via research online and it turned out to be a TREASURE. Affordable prices, excellent customer service, and trustworthy work. If you own a BMW, Mercedes, or any other car, I highly recommend coming here! Alvin is very professional and knows what he his doing, he does not try to give you the run-around and he is one of the few mechanics you can trust. Came here for an oil change, brake fluid flush, and maintenance check, and it turned out to be a whole lot cheaper than ANY other place in San Diego. 5 STARS! read more

Alvin and his team are not only professionals but they make it easy and have the best prices around. I would recommend to anybody looking for a good mechanic around the San Marcos Area. I'm coming back to get my genesis lowered. 10/10 service ! read more

This place is a life saver! Photographed an event on Twin Oaks Blvd and shortly after leaving, my check engine light came on and my BMW start shaking. Yelped an auto shop and this came up. Managed to get the car to the shop. Alvin was able to check out the car and found a defective ignition coil and fixed it within an hour. He explained the problem and even showed me what the ignition coil does for a car. Very informative and he made sure I understood the problem and solutions. Excellent service. read more

I've been to a couple mechanics and these guys who work here completely outshine anyone I've gone to. I expected Normal work to be done and a job to be done to my standards. Man was I wrong !!! These guys went above and beyond what I was expecting and with my experiences with 3RAM I will never go to another mechanic shop. Alvin and Richie are extremely knowledgeable sometimes it's hard to follow along but they know how to take care of their customers and they make you feel welcomed also they got Netflix in the waiting area so you kinda don't wanna leave lol. read more

I like to do most of my own vehicle maintenance, but as bmw, like most European manufacturers, don't release service or repair manuals, it makes it much more difficult for weekend mechanics. So when my oil pan gasket started leaking(apparently there was an inner and outer- go figure) and the dealer priced out something that seemed astronomical to me, I looked around. I happened to find Richie by chance at San Marcos Auto Service who is ASE certified and was previously a mechanic for many years at a BMW dealer also, I decided to give him a try as he was very knowledgeable and he didn't try to oversell anything. I had an idea as to the work it would take and what it would entail, and he was very forthcoming. I've had many experiences where mechanics will exaggerate the work or the degree of damage, only to pull the part myself and find out it was nothing like they said. Particularly when it comes to brakes as I think they prey on fear. But I digress, the point is that Richie is honest and upfront and charges a fair wage. He deserves that, it's hard work, and I am glad to support an honest mechanic who is hard working and does a great job. He did a fantastic job with my bmw. I couldn't be more pleased, and he saved me a ton of money. I was going to also flush my brake fluid and flush my coolant, but one person flushing brakes, for those of you that have done it, is time consuming, especially for a novice mechanic like myself! So when I found out how much he charges for those services, I had him add those on also as it was a no brainer. My wife ended up picking up the car from him and thought he was so kind and also immediately got the sense that he was sincere. She commented that as a woman, she doesn't usually get treated that way by mechanics, which is a sad statement but unfortunately all too frequent. So her endorsement solidified my intent to bring my bmw to Richie from now on. Bottom line, do yourself and your pocketbook a big favor, and give his shop a try. BMW or not. read more