I took my car here after running into the curb and getting a flat tire. Turned out there was some additional damage over just replacing the tire. The people at car tender were nice enough, but they were terrible at keeping us updated on the status of parts and repair. After finally replacing the rim and front tires, they put the car up for alignment and discovered some additional damage. At this point we were fed up and decided to get a second opinion. We went Moss Alley and got the same diagnosis, but they completed the work within three days (including getting the replacement parts) and kept in communication with us throughout the whole process. To top it off, Car Tender charged us more for the wheel alignment that they never completed than Moss Alley did to actually get the job done. read more

These guys were awesome! I brought my 535i in on friday when it was not scheduled and it was done by the morning of Monday. Not only that, they put the windshield wipers on for me! These guys are awesome if you need your BMW worked on, and they had a bunch of cool old M6's around! read more

Yesterday on one of my few days off I was driving down to Seattle for a day of fun and festivities with my girlfriend and her nine month old baby. Driving down interstate 5 I was surprised when my battery light came on and my power steering went out completely. So I took the next exit which put me in Capitol Hill. I finally found an open paid parking spot to check it out only to find I lost all power and was stranded, stranded in downtown with a 9 month old mind you. I walked the 1.3 miles to car tender and asked if I could borrow their jump box to start my Land Rover. The lot attendant was so helpful and welcoming and walked with me all the way back to my car carrying the 20lbs jump box. Unfortunately the problem wasn't so easily fixed so we limped her back to the shop and hooked it up to the battery charger. Once back at the shop they quickly diagnosed the problem and were willing to work with me to get it fixed. The service I received at this shop was unbelievable and so refreshing. It's nice to know these guys are there if I ever need them. I live in Federal Way but I would not hesitate to take my car back there if I had an issue. read more

Took my Toyota here after my car started shuttering on hills, and they did an excellent job within one day, and cleaned my VERY messy car to boot for free! Very satisfied with the work. I'll be honest, I don't know cars that well, but they explained all the problems in a way that made it easy to understand. read more

I have used Car Tender exclusively for roughly 20 years now. While you may find cheaper mechanics, you will not find ANY more capable ones. They've always been able to diagnose the most obscure problems that caused a breakdown. They've repaired BMWs and Audis for me, and they always fix it right the first time. My only complaint would be that sometimes they are so busy that it might take a few days to get the car in for service. That goes along with the quality and reputation of the services they provide. read more

Helpful, personable employees who do great work. I went in to get a tail light replaced and they did it quickly and well. I'll definitely be back for any and all future car issues. read more

This a solid mechanic shop.You will get what you pay for in a solid luxury car independent shop. If it isn't right, I know that these guys will make it right and care about their profession, service, and reputation. Sound good? It is. A pleasure bringing my old Mercedes here for several years . Thanks Car Tender. read more

Because the location is convenient, I have been there more than I would like to admit. They are very good at installing new parts and their customer service is great, but they are bad at diagnosing problems, slow and way too expensive. I have an old Mercedes. read more

I've read some of the previous posts and I have to disagree. My experiences - plural - with the great staff (John, John, Patrick, Mick - new kid from Connecticut) have been great. Unfortunately car repair like plumbing seems to have an aura of mystery and again, unfortunately, typically takes a little longer and costs a little more than we would like. I have a great Volvo, tenderly cared for my Car-Tenders. I'm not a car gal but I know when my car is making a different noise, performs differently at higher speeds, in short, I know when somethings off. I just picked up my car and am pleasantly surprised not that the complaint I came in for is now resolved, but more they identified some things I should be aware of, no charge, just advise. I would and have recommended Car-Tenders to those in my firm who love their imports and those who have American made vehicles as well. To those of you with a less than satisfactory experience, I'd say give them another chance. read more

These guys are the best! Locked my keys in the trunk (Dumb!). I walked over to the shop and was immediately put at ease by Josh. Said he would order the keys and it would be in the earliest date on a tuesday. Prior to the keys arriving, John tried to assist me in unlocking the car. Even though that attempt wasn't successful, it meant a lot to me that he even tried! I don't know what magic Josh worked, but the keys came in earlier than expected. They even walked over to where my car was parked and unlocked it for me! I can't say enough about their attention to customer service. A huge THANK YOU to all at Car Tender. read more

oh man, cannot say enough good about this place. my mini cooper's battery died and AAA said it just needed to be charged, so to take it to a shop. they recommended a specific one but when i called them they told me to take it to car tender (which i thought was a pretty good sign already). once there, everyone i talked to was so kind and helpful, and they started doing diagnostics on my car right away. when they came back and told me that the battery issues were due to, essentially, my entire power steering system being shot and that it needed to be replaced (to the tune of $1500) i was devastated- but knew they were being honest because i'd been having issues with it for a long time. however the truly amazing part was when they told me mini had issued a recall for this specific issue, and that they were going to call for me and give my VIN # to see if my car was eligible- when paolo came back and happily informed me that it was, i was so relieved and ecstatic i could've cried. they let me keep the car there overnight until the next day when it could be towed to Seattle Mini, and kept me updated throughout the day. my car has now been fixed and i'm so, so grateful. there's no doubt in my mind that I'll be back here again for any and all of my car's needs- thank you guys again so much!!! read more

I've been bringing my cars here since 2005. I enjoy doing my own routine maintenance, but if the job requires a lift, is more complex than a fan belt, or I'm just sick of scraping my knuckles, Car Tender is the only choice. Ever had a mechanic tell you he doesn't hear the noise you know is there? Other shops guess at problems, fixing one thing after another and hoping for the best. These guys diagnose correctly the first time. You may pay for an additional half hour of troubleshooting, but it's worth it not to pay to fix things that aren't broken. Certainly one of the dwindling number of shops that can be trusted to expertly repair 20th century European cars. read more

Extraordinarily helpful, friendly, timely service above and beyond call of duty. I will bring my car back.

I trust these guys alot. Everything is explained clearly, and they'll go thru what they plan to do step by step. When they realized they needed more time to investigate my problem I got a call for permission. And once they suspected my issue was going to cost me a ton of money, they made it clear that I should attempt to let my warranty cover the problem. The service rep even laid out a game plan for me to take to the dealer. I left the shop with a better understanding of what was going on with my car and what my options were. I don't think I was even charged the full amount of time they spent researching issues going on with my car. These guys will be on the top of my list if needed again. read more

Car Tender is right around the corner from my house, and they take lovely care of my '89 BMW. This is my first car, and I am not mechanically savvy by any means, so it has been a challenge for me to know how to take care of an older car. The mechanics at Car Tender always seem to go above and beyond in monitoring the health of my little car, they don't look at me like I'm stupid when I ask questions, and I don't feel like they overcharge me or "fix" things that don't need fixing. I am very very happy with the service I've gotten there. read more

This place is great. I've had my 1986 325 repaired there, and they even called a week later to see how it was doing. When I was in an accident they were very helpful with insurance, etc, and even offered to take it to the body repair shop when they were done, since I was out of town. All the employees there have been very patient, helpful, and informative. I've always dreaded car repairs, and been intimidated by the process, but I feel very comfortable with the people at Car Tender and would recommend it to anyone. read more

I moved here from california a couple years ago. I brought in my 98 bimmer 540. I am really particular about the car. It has 139m miles, but still runs strong. I brought it in for a front end alignment, set $350. They told me I needed new tie rod ends and my bill would be more like 1350, not happy. However, i have taken my car to several bimmer dealers asking them to find a front end problem, not handling good enough. Sure enough when i got the car back, it ran better than when i bought it in 2002. They are little pricy , however, they were the only ones to found the problem and fixed it. Gotta give em props! read more

Ok, so these folks make buying a Mercerdes Benz (one of the biggest mistakes of my life because it is so expensive to fix) a lot easier to reconcile with. Why? They are honest, not nearly as expensive as a dealership would be, are quick to fix it, and they are some of the nicest guys on the planet. Ask for Patrick, he is the nicest. read more

These guys treat my little '92 bmw with just as much care as all the fancy cars that go through there in a given week. The staff is super down-to-earth, and have taught me a lot about how to maintain an older car. They help me plan and budget for things that need to be done over time, so there are no surprises. I trust them completely! read more

I used Car Tender for several years, based on a recommendation. They typically underestimated the bill, and then I ended up paying more than quoted. I'm not a mechanic, and I became suspicious that I wasn't being dealt with honestly. I started looking at the bills more closely, and then on more than one occasion I found parts listed on the bill that had nothing to do with the work performed - i.e. air conditioning parts listed on a transmission job. When I brought this invoice error to the clerk's attention (Patrick, each time) he acted surprised and said "Wow, how did that get on there?" They also supposedly replaced a faulty transmission, but the "new" transmission had a characteristic thunk sound that the old one did. That was the "coup de grace" for me and I haven't been back. I think these guys (in my mind, particularly Patrick) picked up more knowledge than just fixing cars from the dealership. They also learned how to line there pockets with money from their customers who trust them. All that being said, I think that Russell seems honest and I never had a problem with the work he personally performed on my older BMW. read more

took my car (2001 vw gti) for inspection ahead of a 4000 mile trip. Peter was very professional and he honestly suggested that i did not need everything I thought was needed. car worked well for the entire trip. will recommend. read more

Don't go there! I don't think they have fully competent mechanic. They just keep replacing parts until they get lucky and of course burn a hole in your pocket! read more

I drove here because it was the closest auto shop from where my car started breaking down. Eric helped me out start to finish. He talked me through everything, told me what he thought the problem might be based on what I told him was going on and what it might cost to fix it. He called me the next business day with the diagnosis and told me step by step what they needed to fix and how much it would cost. He also suggested that they replace a couple of belts and clean my battery terminals to prevent future problems which I did have them do. I think they do a great job here! My car runs just like it did before, and they washed it! read more

Car Tender is the best shop I have ever been to. They are highly knowledgeable on a variety of makes and models but especially imports. They spend quality time researching your car's history and offer all solutions to diagnose and fix the problem. Honesty is hard to come by in this industry. Car Tender is worth every penny and more read more

Extremely detail oriented and always courteous. I will definitely be a repeat customer! I was extremely satisfied with their work!

Agree with the Mercedes review. It was like they were looking things up online....with dealer prices. Better off just going to the dealer and getting it done right for the spend. read more

Did a great job with my 02 BMW. Patiently answered questions, explained things well (weren't condescending like others). Very professional. Also found out that they are recommended by the BMW dealership when their schedule is too full. Will definitely be taking my car back there again. read more

I brought my car here. The initial customer service experience was good. After they diagnosed my car a technician came and told me about the issues they found. The way he presented the findings came across as dishonest and salesy. He seems aggressive and superficial with his diagnosis report. I decided to go elsewhere based on this. The next place I went to didn't seem to think I needed to do as much work as Car Tender suggested. I won't be back. read more

Not sure why anyone would give this shop a bad review- As a woman, looking for a shop that knows what they're doing, and takes the time to explain to you in a way that is easy for anyone to understand? That's something you value. Then on top of that, have the work be done in a perfectionist manner? Even better. I have always worked with Eric and he has been honest about the work needed and certain work I can hold off on, rather than nickle and dime me. I'm a hard to please kind of gal, and I have always been impressed with car tender and the services they've done to my BMW. This is my #1 place to go. read more

DO NOT take your car there.. It is my experience they are fully unqualified to work on Mercedes Benz cars. They do not know what they are doing and just randomly replace parts until they get it fixed charging you hourly + parts until they get lucky. They kept my 450SL for 2.5 months charging me $4000 for replacing almost all the fuel system including the distributor etc when nothing was wrong with these parts ... it was a bad set of fuel injectors. They filled the oil with fuel and ruined my engine. A terrible experience with Patrick at the front desk as well. read more

I've been a customer through my last 4 cars, from BMW to VW to Land Rover. They have always taken excellent care of my cars and of me. I've called numerous times on my way in to work and they have fit me in. They do good work and seem to be fair with what they recommend and charge. I've sent many friends there as I know that you get good service and they wont steer you wrong. read more

I take my 2001 BMW in for regular service and they are amazing. I was getting so tired of the dealership and will only go to this shop for repairs and maintenance. read more

Major thanks to Erik and David the all at Car Tender! My VW Westfalia has really needed a primary care mechanic, now it has one! They went through tip to tail, fixed this and that, and now it's (finally) a sweet ride. Also, there was a little problem that could or could not have been their fault, and they spent many many hours (not on my dime) working on that to my satisfaction. Kinda shocking to find this level of workmanship and customer care. Also put in a new transmission, and did alignment, both excellent. Having a mechanic you can talk to, and work with, who really really knows what their doing definitely makes your life better. Can't recommend Car Tender enough, and if you have a VW Westy, you need them! read more

I took my car to Car Tender to get a CV Joint replaced and it drove fine for 6 months...and then the CV joint that they put on ended up breaking again. I brought it to another shop that was much cheaper and they said the CV joint that was put on was rusted and used and in terrible condition. They also said that it was not put on correctly and was very loose. Maybe the mechanic was in a rush and did it too quickly but they still managed to charge me $750 to put one CV joint on. I do not recommend this place to anyone. Be warned. They will charge you an arm and a leg. read more

Horrible customer Service; They held my car for 3 days not letting me take it because they don't want me to take it elsewhere to fix it. The big PROBLEM is that my car started having a steering problem after THEY worked on it and changed the belts there (which cost me $1200 that I bit my tongue while paying them). When I took it back to see if it were their fault, of course they said it wasn't and that it is a "very dangerous" problem that "needs" to be fixed...for $500...so, I said that I can't afford that, so I want to take the car back, but they would not let me take it because it is "too dangerous" and that they barely were able to get the car to move because of that problem...Here's the thing, I DROVE it there...It wasn't easy, but it was possible, which is not what they're trying to convince me of...Eventually, I had to be firm and say: "You know what, I realize what the risks of taking it out of here without fixing it are, but I am willing to take the risk. Let me pay you for the work you've done so far, and not a penny more." so, now, instead of paying $120/hr to get the work done, I'm taking it to a mechanic in the International District who told me from the beginning that it's Car Tender's fault, and that will charge me $69/hr. I honestly trust this guy more than Patrick in Car Tender. read more

Very nice people, fixed my A/C and inspected the car for other issues for no extra charge. I also appreciated that they include a wash and vacuum. I will definitely be a repeat customer. read more

have had a few experiences with car tender, all of which were quite expensive, one of which led to an inadequate and overpriced fix of my Audi. Audi's are of course not cheap to repair, but when they charged me $3800 for trying to fix a fluid leak, did not fix it after all that, and the real fix cost me $150 at the dealer, I completely lost faith in them. Go here at your own, and your wallet's, risk. read more

Update: I wrote the owners a letter detailing my dissatisfaction, and John McDermott responded admirably. He asked that I come by, apologized, and said he would have handled my concerns different from the start. He also wrote me a check on the spot that left me satisfied and the matter resolved. In the future, I will inquire about what I will be charged to do anything from battery checks to oil changes to evaluating leaks, etc. I'll go elsewhere for oil changes, they really do charge $82. But I'm very pleased with the reimbursement and apology. read more

I've been taking my vehicles to Car Tender for almost 9 years. I found BMW of Seattle to be far more expensive and difficult to deal with. It was clear upon moving here from San Francisco that since I had not purchased my two BMW's from them (BMW Seattle), they had no interest in my customer satisfaction. Car Tender's owners are hands on with overseeing repairs (two of them are full time on the floor mechanics) and always available to discuss your vehicle with you and take extreme personal interest in your satisfaction. Car Tender has done a Dinan Stage 3 upgrade to my X5 and everything has worked perfectly for years. I've referred several of my clients to Car Tender and all are very satisfied. Caring for technically advanced and highly tuned cars is expensive period. Car Tender is not a discount repair shop, I feel their pricing is better than the dealerships and their expertise and care far superior. I am a customer for life. read more