I cannot say enough about the quality, timeliness and reasonableness of this shop. Where previously two VW service places failed to fix my gps issues the techs at Burlingame independent service delivered a great fix! I will be a loyal customer from now on. Horst Adam read more

I've now brought my car to Burlingame Independent and Imad a few times. Not only have they got the jobs done right, they have been incredibly accommodating, helping me out with some short notice repairs before a trip, everything from brakes and rotors to steering, engine and navigation. I will continue to recommend Burlingame Independent of San Mateo to my friends and colleagues. read more

Excellent work, great communication! This shop will find and fix almost anything wrong with your car and give you an honest and clear explanation of everything on top of that! Updated Aug 2025 to add: the new owner is just as awesome as the previous one! They kept my car a little longer since I had the time and he personally drove it and kept investigating to see exactly why it wasn't running perfectly smooth and eventually got to the bottom of it, and now my decade+ old VW Jetta Turbo is running even smoother than when I first got it! Amazing work! read more

The only place I take my cars. Extremely fair pricing and quality service. My mom gets her 2015 Audi Q5 serviced here and I only trust them to work on my 03 Audi A4. I'm so grateful to found them and will not go anywhere else. read more

These guys are simply the best. No question, no competition. Took my 2021 Jetta here for 40k servicing and received honest, top of the line service. Excellent communication, no price gouging, everything was worth every penny! Highly recommend and will come back whenever my car needs it! read more

I am so glad I found this place! They are always accommodating and reliable. I appreciate them always taking the time to explain a repair and why it's needed. Bonus points for never keeping my car overnight or anything! read more

A few months ago, I took my 2018 VW Atlas in for an oil change, tire rotation, and recommended 40,000 mile maintenance. Their mechanic left air in my brakes and, as I was driving to work, the brake pedal went to the floor and I was unable to stop my vehicle if it was going at speeds above 30mph! When I drove back to the shop, needless to say, I was not happy. After leaving it to flush the air from the brake line, Jim (service manager) apologized profusely and summarily fired that mechanic (who also said I needed rear brakes replaced, which Jim inspected and said was not the case, saving me $600+). Jim then gave me two free oil changes as compensation. They do excellent work, are communicative, and, as is clear from the above, have INTEGRITY! read more

Jim and Jim...no seriously, they are both named Jim;) And you get double the experience AND service. I had a total brain fart to neglect having my car checked prior to hitting the road for an epic road trip as we were leaving the next day, yikes! What is the tire pressure? Did anything need to be done? I needed the peace of mind for a thorough checkup and was really out of time, without postponing our departure. Jim and Jim, I found on Yelp, were super accommodating to get me in to see them. And while I knew that poor planning may cost me some money, I went to the appointment expecting this. However, surprised as they performed the checkup as a courtesy ;) as we gabbed about the route and beauty of Idaho. I think I've found my new go-to VW repair shop outside of the dealership! Is it weird that I'm looking forward to seeing them??? Well, I've got a good feeling and am choosing to trust my gut...stay tuned! read more

Quick, easy, and under my warrenty. Yay! Who could ask for more? Oh ya, and they are just a few blocks from my apartment so I could walk there, and they got my car done in one afternoon! Sweet. read more

Burlingame Independent - Barney, the cutest guard dog I've ever seen at a garage. - Auto Repair Near Me - San Mateo, California

I cannot say enough good things about Burlingame Independent. Jim is as honest and helpful as they come. He'll always recommend the best option for you even if it means them making less or no money from you. I took my 2018 Audi SQ5 to them for a check engine light. It's definitely much less stressful when you have them helping you. read more

This guy is by far the best in the bay area. I've taken all three families Audis over the years to his shop and They are top-notch. He never tries to sell me something I don't need. read more

I've taken my VW GTI to Burlingame Independent twice now. Once for a 60k major service, and most recently for an oil change. Prompt, honest, transparent, and polite. Can't recommend Jim and Jim (and co.) enough. Not taking my car anywhere else for services. Thank you guys!! read more

2009 VW GTI owner here. I purchased the car used at 55K miles about 6 months ago. Jim, the shop's owner, has been taking good, HONEST care of my mom's Audi A4 for years now, so I took my car there once it was purchased. I told him I would like to know the car is healthy and ready for me to drive as a GTI should. Burlingame Independent did great work then. My car has been driving fantastically since then. As is with my car, the timing chain and tensioner needed replacement at my milage, 61K now. I called Jim about the service, "Yup, I can order the parts and take it in on Tuesday." He took the car as soon as possible. I dropped it off one day, and the next morning, got a call that it was finished. The service here is QUALITY, both in terms of mechanics and customer care. When I stopped by to pick the car up, Jim and the other mechanic (if you drop his name, I'll edit it in here) chatted up my dad and me about all my VW questions. These guys are awesome, I could go on, but I'll say this. If you are in the BAY AREA, and you need a mechanic for you're AUDI or VOLKSWAGEN, BURLINGAME INDEPENDENT is your spot. Below are photos from when I dropped off my Mk5 GTI to find two twins (mine's one the left) and when I picked her up after the timing chain service. read more

Burlingame Independent - Post Timing chain service. took her for a shake down later, feels great. - Auto Repair Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Last week I had a tune up at my dealer where I spent over a $120 basically for an oil change. Today I realized that one of my headlights was out. These days on the New Beetle it is not a do it yourself fix. I called in the morning and although I misunderstood him and showed up 2 hours later than he wanted, he took care of my car, we chatted while he showed me the ins and outs of my car, and he took care of my car for next to nothing. I liked how he really took care of the car and observed how his other mechanics seemed to be very meticulous as well. Highly recommend! read more

I had my 35k maintenance for my 2015 Audi Q5 at the Audi dealership, they told me I had to replace my brakes and I had 2 cracked control arms. I got quoted a ridiculous amount so I decided to call around. Jim at Burlingame independent was transparent about the whole process, they even double checked if I really had an issue. Luckily, I had warranty which covered the high cost of the control arms replacement. At the same time, I decided to let the mechanics replace my brakes as well. Everything was finished in 1 day. I will be coming here as long as I own an Audi. Definitely recommended read more

I've known Jim for decades and he has always strived to be the best mechanic anyone can be. Many years later I worked with him while between jobs and the experience was pleasant. To see that an option of an honest, skilled and not doing it just to nickel money out of folks was such a relief. While no one is perfect, trust that Jim will treat you and your vehicle as perfectly as possible. The stigma of mechanics being crooks should be offseted by this shop. Enjoy that this dealer option exists. read more

I saw this place as I was crawling up N101 and since I was coming up on my 10K service, I decided to check 'em out. Don't let the dying Money tree plant on the counter fool you. They may not know plants but cars they do and that's what counts. Rave reviews here and I'll agree. Though my 45min job stretched to 2hrs. I'll still give 'em a big thumbs up. See you in another 5K or so! read more

The owner Jim is my husband but seriously he is the best mechanic I know ! If you have an Audi or VW this is your place to go! Furthermore, we have a new business sharing our space that does BMW and mini coopers. To top it off, this is one of our old employees from 15 years ago that has now started his own business!!!! Look him up too if you have a BMW- his name is Joel! Welcome to our expanding businesses! read more

After a few recommendations from neighbors on NextDoor, I took my old 2001 Audi A4 for service here. I'm trying to maintain my older car without overspending since it still helps me get around and is a great car to drive. Very nice, honest, and good service. It's nice to find an honest and reliable mechanic you can trust in the neighborhood. read more

These guys are knowledgeable and have competently done many repairs to my 2005 Golf. They also provide it all for a reasonable price compared to other VW mechanics in the area. read more

I had a headlight go out this morning on my way to work. Not good, since I am due for a long day today and won't be going home until dark. I did a quick pop-by since I was in the area, and they replaced the bulb in less than five minutes. Another shop canted me to drop it off for the day, with an estimate of $150 for the service. I will be back for service soon. read more

I had a headlamp out on my Touareg. I took it in to a local shell service plaza and they told me it would be an hour of labor to replace it, $120. I then called a dealer in the city and they said it was $90.. presumably 30 min of more skilled labor. I then called Burlingame and the lady at the desk told me "oh we replace bulbs for free". I had her check to make sure since Touareg Bulbs are a bit of a pain to replace. She checked and said they would. I stopped over and the owner had one of his guys stop what he was doing and spend 10 min switching my bulb out. I offered to pay something, or at least tip, but they said just to come back when I needed some kind of real service. Bravo. 5 stars to the receptionist, owner & guy who changed my light. I will be back again for pay services. read more

Dropped off my Audi here this morning to have some work done after being quoted about $800 to fix at the dealership. 2 hours later, Matt called back to say that no work needed to be done! Those weasels at the Carlsen Audi dealership exaggerated a non-problem! Not only did Independent give me an honest and fair inspection, they even replaced a cap for me! ALL FREE OF CHARGE! Am I dreaming??! What sort of heavenly auto world did I stumble into?? Trustworthy mechanics? Quick turnaround? No made up charges? I will definitely be going to these guys straight away from now on & wholeheartedly vouch for their credibility! A pure angel in a land of shiesty mechanics! read more

Trustworthy, honest and reliable. I have been taking my 99 A4 here for over five years and have been completely satisfied with this team the whole time. I've been having some SMOG issues over the past year or so and they have been great about VAG-ing the car for free any time they are available. One note - I had to replace my clutch in a hurry and decided to go with them for the repair. I did ask about aftermarket parts which they said were not available. So 2k later, I had my audi clutch working. After a bit of research I found out that there is indeed an abundance of better clutches out there and places that would charge much less for the repair. So aftermarket specialists, Burlingame Independent is not. But of course, let's make one thing clear - BI is soooooo much better than the dealer (Rector in Burlingame). I think that's obvious but if you're new to this Audi game and are looking for dealer alternatives - please do consider these guys. The dealer is a rip rip rip. So, I would still absolutely recommend Burlingame Independent. And if you are looking to save money, I would also absolutely recommend NOT getting an Audi - but that's another post. read more

Well, I've only been in here one time, but I'll pile on another 5 star review for these guys. Matt and Jim epitomize what's great about small and independently owned businesses -- especially auto mechanics. The thing about the relationship between a car owner and an auto mechanic is that there's an inherent imbalance of power and knowledge -- and both parties know it. If a mechanic tells me that I need to replace my fetzer valves with some gauze pads and some prestone (no, make that quaker state), then I have little option but to agree or walk. The problem is, when your car's busted up, the "walking" option is often just that. Literally walking. These guys are really honest business people who value the relationship with their customers over a quick buck. Thank goodness for services like Yelp that can help honest mechanics like these guys begin to differentiate themselves from the fray -- based on Yelp's "word of mouth - amplified" dynamic. I will be taking my Audi back here (hopefully not soon) unless I decide to get rid of it before it needs more major service. Bonus time: I needed to get a ride to CalTrain from their shop, and Matt thought nothing of volunteering Jim to take me there as a courtesy. Good stuff, fellas. read more

My trusty Eurovan coughed up blood all over 280 (On a gig day, no less! - I had to get towed to my destination and made it on time!) I turned to Yelp! and found Matt and Jim at Burlingame Independant. All evidence pointed toward a broken timing chain - which could have caused some serious damage that ranges in cost from arm-and-a-leg all the way to no-way-in-hell, and there was no way to know how bad it was until they tore into it (Meaning remove the engine and transmission and see what the damages are) To say me and my business were vulnerable to unscrupulous mechanics would be an understatement. I work all over Northern California as a wedding DJ, and can't afford mechanical problems. From the moment this car broke down, I began crapping money on tow-trucks and rental vehicles. I needed a quick resolution. As it turns out, the timing chain failed in rather spectacular fashion and tore things up pretty badly. Teeth were missing from the crankshaft pulley, which turned a routine rebuild into monstrously expensive option. We ruled it out. They could have sold me a remanufactured engine and all the labor to install it, but they gave me some good reasons not to. (very helpful!) After discussing with them every conceivable possibility, (Matt even researched Blue Book Values for me) I decided that I needed to cut my losses and find a buyer - They totally supported this decision despite the fact that it meant that they'd have no opportunity to make any real money off of me. Furthermore, they were remarkably cool about helping get the thing sold. Besides being knowledgeable about all things German-Automotive, Matt and Jim took the time to understand what I was up against, and therefore were able to give invaluable advice that helped me navigate a pretty tricky situation. THANK YOU JIM AND MATT! read more

This 5-start review is for everything that Jim did, but also what he did not do. I had my car towed to Burlingame Independent when my 2011 GTI started flashing an Engine Coolant System Malfunction light. A quick check showed that I had zero coolant left and I suspected some kind of leak. Jim did a few visual inspections, and said it looked like a water pump issue, which he thought should be covered under the drive train warranty. I told him that my 36k maintenance contract was already over, but he said that this was something that was in an extended warranty I should not have to pay for. He then called Boardwalk VW for me, spoke with the Service department there, confirmed that it was covered under the drive train warranty and that I would not have to pay anything out of pocket, and then made an appointment for me so that they were expecting me when I arrived. Sure, I had to call for another tow truck, but I was so grateful for Jim's honesty and dealing with Boardwalk for me. I was clearly clueless as to what was or was not covered once my 36k maintenance contract was up, and Jim could have easily just taken my job and charged me $600, but he did not. He went out of the way to make sure I didn't even have to pay him! His integrity and expertise has made me a loyal customer. read more

I was a sad panda. the jetta had just gotten its timing belt and major service done when BOOM....it died. I tried to drive it from PA back home to San Carlos and she couldn't make it. I couldn't get the car to go above 30 mph and it kept stalling and not engaging the gears. Granted this was a 01 jetta with over 170k miles on it, I was preparing myself for the worst when I had her towed to Burlingame Independent. They said it was a blown air flow sensor and it was a couple hundred bucks and I was on my way. This ran well for a couple months and then tragedy struck again... This time my car would randomly stall when slowing down at lights or stop signs. I was able to drive it in to burlingame independent and they checked out the codes. Said it was likely the CPS (crank something sensor) that was broken which would give insufficient gas and cause random stalls. Bad things usually happen in 3s but I really can't afford number 3. Please don't die Mila (my jetta's pet name). Poppa needs you too much. read more

I basically went in for an oil change and check up and was told that I need to replace two tires and the rear brakes need to be done. Went to costco for the tires and was advised that there was more tread life left Got a second opinion on the brakes and was told that they could wait also Not sure why they couldn't rotate the tires when it was on the rack To be fair I have had experience with this shop once before and was quite pleased I don't mind paying for work that is needed Hence the reason for this yelp read more

This is my third time to Burlingame Independent all have been excellent experiences. I had to go back to them on Friday because my Jetta was exhibiting an extreme loss of power. They did a free diagnostic for me on the spot. No charge and I didn't wait more than 10 minutes while they did it. They advised me not the drive the car as it was about the break down. I thought I could make it back again on the power it had but low and behold they were right and now I am calling AAA to tow it in. Should have listened to them! These guys know their business. Update: They fixed my car very quickly and threw in an oil change to help me out in a pinch. They took about 10 minutes to talk me through what was wrong with the the car, showed me the replacement parts and discussed ways to improve the longevity of the engine. Really great crew out there!! I will always go to them with my VW. No questions read more

Great place, fixed my turn signal, dead radio, lights etc, all free of charge, right there on the spot. But they only did it because I am extremely cool. I could tell that any jerk that tried to get the same service would be swiftly punched in the face. JERKS NOT WELCOME HERE! Seriously, these guys are too good for me to compare to other mechanics, dealers or anything in the same category. If they have time for you and your car, be extremely thankful that you're going to get taken such good care of. Buy em a sandwich or some high class liquor (no idea if they drink) before you go, as there's no easy way of telling if your work will be free or not (unless you are a JERK, then the cost is 5 punchings to the face and all ur money). My only regret is my own lack of sandwich and/or free Scotch to give as payment. read more

This place rocks. They are honest, reliable and they treat you like family. Three things that are hard to find in mechanics. We've been there once so far (and hopefully wont have to go back soon :) ) but if we ever have a problem its nice to know that you have a mechanic that cares about your car, wont charge you your monthly salary to fix it and will do it in a quick and professional manner. read more

Only folks I would trust with my jetta... Update (8/28/2012) - excellent service as usual. It's been 3 years since I've been a customer (or so their system says...) and I'll keep coming. I may just have to buy an Audi or VW just so I can come to them again.... read more

Although I've since traded in my Audi A4 for a new BMW Diesel, I still wanted to write a review on Burlingame Independent since they are a really good, professional repair shop. AND they did a great job of taking care of my 7 yr. old Audi A4 (all without having to sell your first born to pay for it)!! =) Before becoming a Burlingame Independent customer, I used to take my car to the Rector Porsche/Audi dealership down the road (what a $$$ rip off they are) ... note: they once charged me $250.00 to replace a $35.00 part! Ridiculous. I found Burlingame Independent & Matt after reading several reviews on Yelp about this place. I made an appointment for a tune up and never left! I not only saved money, but my car always ran perfectly until it was time for my next tune up! Check 'em out next time you're looking for a GOOD Audi or Volkswagon repair shop! I HIGHLY recommend them! =) read more

An honest mechanic is clearly not an oxymoron. At least, not if Burlingame Independent is any evidence! I called because this was the only place on Google for VW service that wasn't a dealership--I wanted to at least get a quote from a non-dealer. I called and explained my problem (2003 Jetta coolant flush & refill) and he immediately said that I should not go to him but to a radiator specialist. He gave me the number to one (after I asked him to) and said that this person may not be the best in town, just the one whose number is handy. Honest through and through! read more

Trustworthy. Absolutely NO price gouging. Friendly. Fair. Reliable. Flexible. Honest. REAL. The list goes on and on and on. . . and on! I choose to go down there from SF for the superior service! I worked directly with Matt ... I accidentally forgot my spare key when I came to swoop up my car...OOOPs!... luckily Sebastian was still there upon my arrival and came to my rescue! read more

I just moved to the bay area and desperately needed to get my headlights fixed on my Jetta. I'm probably the worst car owner on earth and I don't know how to do anything more than fill the gas tank and drive the thing. After a quick search on yelp for a place near my office, I decided to give them a try (can't argue with consistent 5 star ratings). Not only did Jim replace my headlights in minutes - he had the right bulbs handy, but he also checked my oil, which it turns out was low by 2 quarts! He topped that off as well and all of this free of charge. My car is due for an oil change and I scheduled one for next week immediately! Any work my car needs from now on, it will be getting done here! read more

These guys are AWESOME! Smart, professional, no-nonsense, timely, courteous, and they will totally give you the straight answer on exactly what needs to be fixed with your car. I recommend all women who own VWs or Audi's go to these guys - the best mechanics you can trust. read more

I am so happy that I finally found Burlingame Independent. I was tired of dealing with the VW dealers to service my 2001 Jetta. I found Burlingame Independent on Yelp and I will never go to the dealer again! I was having constant trouble with a check engine light. The dealer wanted hundreds just to diagnose the problem, but when I took it to Burlingame Independent, Matt diagnosed the problem for free and fixed it at a fraction of the cost a dealer would have charged me. My Jetta has since had numerous unrelated problems and Burlingame Independent has taken care of all of them. I have been especially impressed with their honesty. Matt seems to really care about customer service, which is unfortunately a rarity when it comes to car mechanics. I don't know anything about cars, so any mechanic has me over a barrel. They could tell me anything and I simply have to trust them. I am confident that I can completely trust Burlingame Independent and would strongly recommend them to anyone with a VW or Audi. read more

This is such a nice place. Great area nice enclosed shop. Matt has such a great personality. Truly a cut above most people that work on cars. I brought my 1996 audi avant. He serviced my car and had it back to me on time. Fixed and running well. You made a new customer for life. Thank You. read more