Complex problem of non functioning digital emergency brake on an audi Q5 which required thinking outside the dealership mindset and turned out to be related to a blocked roof drain with water in the controller unit which burned out in the rear panel. Diagnosed in less than 2 hours and installed controller unit in less than 2 hours. State of the art clean facility way closer to Oakland than the dealership with absolutely no 'it is not possible' attitude. read more

Awesome Mechanics! Reliable, Honest, Trustworthy! I wouldnt take my classic '84 Benz stationwagon diesel to any other mechanics! Thanks Ali! You're a reliable and excellent mechanic! Always a pleasure dealing with these guys. Great service, customer help and reliable, honest performance. I'm happy to reccomend this Automobile repair service! All the best! read more

This guys knows his $#@&. I had taken my vehicle elsewhere earlier in the day and they tried to hustle me by telling me that I needed unnecessary work done without doing a full diagnostic. I was going to eat the cost but decided to call around first. I'm glad Joe was one of the few places open late on a Saturday afternoon. He figured out exactly what the problem was in a a few minutes. Every question I had, he had a very informed answer for. And he saved me a few hundred bucks compared to the other guys. Knowledgable, honest and very fair. Do yourself a favor and see Joe! read more

Have never been so overcharged for a car repair. Quoated about $300 and final bill, without another accurate estimate was $1000. Do not go here for service! read more

I'm not a car guy, but German Auto Service made the experience super transparent with trying to work with my budget, call/email updates on my vehicle, and even got me a Lyft to my place of work. Alexander was very friendly, with a follow up call from the shop and a card thanking me for my businesses. Super classy! read more

Awesome service. Fair priced, nice people too, but the car was fixed on the first try and the price was right... Good job guys. PS I am a NEW customer and although they are far away from home for a major repair they will be worth the trip. read more

Fair and honest, can't ask for more than that. They give you all the info to make the right decision . I trust these guys. They have always done right by me. read more

l had a bad experience with this business years ago after they replaced a bad battery for me. Afterwards, I kept having weird electronic issues. A few months later, I took my car to a dealership for my usual standard maintenance and asked them to check out the electronic issue. Not knowing the battery history, they stated that the battery was installed improperly. The dealership fixed it, of course, at a cost. So, I didn't go back to German Auto Service for years. One day last year, a friend (who owns a similar car) had used this business and was happy with the service. So, late last year, I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and try them again because they are conveniently located to me. After a visit for general maintenance and a big repair (lots of $$$, but understood at the time), I noticed immediate problems with several different and unassociated systems (some electronic). I took my car back in a couple of more times (within a few weeks) to fix these issues (and, of course, at more expense). Every time I had it in this shop, my car emerged with even more issues. I called them one last time and notified them of all of the issues and told them that I would not be using their service any longer because I felt that they were either incompetent or con artists trying to bleed me for as much money as possible. I laid out my rationale, including my bad experience years ago, in logically coming to my conclusion and eventually had to hang up on him as he became very argumentative and aggressive. This experience happened late last year. I am just now writing a review because am thinking that it is important to get my experience out there...and, because I am spending more time at home due to the Covid pandemic, I can no longer use the excuse that I am too busy to sit down and write this out. I hope this helps. Stay safe and healthy! read more

Walking into the shop with my towed BMW, I was impressed with the rides they were working on. Shop is to the point and very clean. I got a bit of tude from Chris when I walked in, as he was booked to the gills with appointments and really couldn't take another. He squeezed me in and said he'd give me a call in a day or two. Fast forward two days, he had it diagnosed and said it would be five bills, that good news for a Burn My Wallet. Had it done the next day. Quick and efficient. His guys know who to get it done with out doing too much, as who has too much money these days. I'll be back these guys are legit. read more

Ali is the guy you want to see if you need your German car taken care of. Brought in my husband's BMW to have it looked at and expected to be gouged but instead found a knowledgeable, friendly and HONEST mechanic. read more

tells it straight does work nobody else would do on my unicorn of a car that is not made anymore!

I had some minor repair work done to my vintage Mercedes. It was done well, on time and cost as promised! Now read this: When I went to start my car, I found that they washed or cleaned it as a courtesy! What a pleasant surprise! Thank you German Auto Service! read more

Stay as far away from this business as possible. I am trying to help a friend who has had her car there for 3 weeks. Last week I went into the shop and asked why it has been two weeks and nothing has happened with her car. I was told that the problem was they needed a key to work on the car which had been ordered and the key would arrive that week. I just called again to see why a week later nothing had happened, waited 15 minutes on hold for Ali . Ali got on the phone and told me they needed a registration which they just received and he had just placed an order for the key yesterday. I asked why I was lied to last week and he said that he had no clue. read more

These guys are a rip off especially if they think you do not know as a female I knew exactly what to expect and mind you I already came with my diagnostic print out Ali told me he can't accept my Diagnostic and had to do a new one and it cost $150 to check I'm like he must think he found a stupid female I'm like I just came from a shop who actually did it for free but normally charges $20 for it. Also told me $185 a hr but all I needed was my spark plugs changed read more

I purchased a 6 year old Maserati Granturismo in 2019. While people are generally terrified of things going wrong with Maseratis, these cars are generally pretty reliable. However, with dealerships and Maserati specialists in the Bay Area, routine services can be crazy expensive. I talked to Ali a couple times about the initial maintenance I needed to do and he seemed very knowledgeable. He did a major service at a very good price and gave me terrific feedback on the state of the car - I was very satisfied. Strangely, you can run into problems with this car if you don't drive them enough so, one summer when I didn't drive it for a couple weeks, I started smelling smoke from the engine compartment. Ali diagnosed this and, again at a very competitive cost, repaired both leaky valve cover gaskets. I wholeheartedly recommend Ali and his team there to take care of you exotic car, even if it isn't German... read more

Great shop- clean, high quality work, takes time to explain the job. You're in good hands with Tyler.

Chris and his team consistently do right by me. I have an older car ('85, 911) which for the most part troubles me infrequently...but when she decides to be naughty, well.....it is usually not an easy fix. I appreciate the effort taken by German Auto Service to resolve my issue in a timely manner and in a way that doesn't $ting too badly. Chris answers my calls, keeps me updated on how events unfold and I find that no matter how tricky the problem may be, the knowledgeable mechanics find the culprit(s). I will be moving this summer and I am already freaking out: "WHO will I trust to work on my car???" I have never experienced the level of integrity I have with Chris and his crew. It is so comforting to know that my old gal gets exactly what she needs to keep making my driving experience fun, safe and reliable. I highly recommend this business. It's where we take all 3 of our cars and I only have positive things to say. read more

I took my car here because I needed my headlights fixed. My lights had been out for a year and I knew it was going to be expensive with getting them fixed correctly because there was an electrical problem other then the head light. When I first got to this auto shop I was told that there wasn't any appointments available until the following week. However they took the time to check my car after I gave them the back story of what was going on which was really surprising due to the fact they were already busy! Fast forward they ended up taking my car in the next days stayed communicating with me at all times to what was going which was above and beyond expectations for me. Everyone here was very helpful and friendly they even had my car cleaned when I went to pick it up I could cry I am so happy for the great service I received and would recommend this spot to anybody! My lights are finally working I'm happy girl read more

German Auto Service - Auto Repair Near Me - Alameda, California

Ali was great - checked out my car and was pretty thorough. V10 Touareg with 180k miles.

My check engine light was on in my Mercedes C230 and I took it in there. This was my first visit there and I didn't have an appointment. I waited approximately 3 to 5 minutes while the previous customer was being helped. I mentioned the check engine light issue, and was asked a couple of questions about the car. The mechanic, think his name was Chris, then hooked up a super fancy machine to car and told me to sit tight for a few minutes while they checked out the problem. I walked around the store, drooled at a vintage Mercedes convertible that my wife would never approve of, and then Chris came back as the scan finished. The scan had a bunch of alerts, and I was worried. Chris pointed out my sunroof was broken, which I hadn't noticed before. He reset the car's computer and like some kind of Jedi mind trick all of the sudden everything worked on the car. The check engine light was gone, the sunroof worked, and the machine said there were no issues. [I can report after several weeks the issue never returned.] After spending all this time, Chris refused to take any payment for his work! In this day and for someone to be as knowledgeable as Chris, and perform such high quality work and not charge is something that deserves notice. I will be back there for all future work on not just this car, but all the cars we have down the road. Thank you Chris, and German Auto Service team, you are awesome! read more

This shop is dishonest. Do not do business here! I was charged $890 for a simple tune up....they charged $29 per spark plug excluding labor of $145 per hour. Always get a quote before having any work done. Trusting these guys was a big mistake. I also had them service my car when the shifter would not go into gear (72k Miles) they said they replaced the transmission when the problem was probably clutch related. Cost: $4,000 Do not do business here. read more

So in my original post I was holding back on telling people where to bring their cars to instead of German Auto Service because I was selfishly worried the place would get too busy. :) I've moved since writing the review though, so here's the link to the shop in Oakland that does quality work for a great price: http://www.yelp.com/biz/xyz-motors-oakland. read more

Have been taking my car here for several years but am becoming less impressed with their customer service. I phoned Tuesday saying that I'd like to drop the car off Wednesday for an oil change. Thursday morning when I went to pick it up - they hadn't even started on the service. All I'm asking for is a little communication... A phone call... Something... Who can be that sloppy in this economy? Have noticed a big difference lately in their efforts to make me happy and work with me on some ongoing issues with my Passat. I have a feeling it is like your computer local help desk guy. Just because your car/computer is running doesn't mean the problem is fixed... read more

Run as fast as you can AWAY from this place!! I wish I could give a better review:( because I really liked Chris, he was so friendly and appeared to geniunely want to help when I first contacted him to see if they can service my car's make and Model. After he assured me they were fully capable, I agreed to have my car inspected. The car came back with some rather costly repairs needing to be completed. I hesitated due to the amount but agreed after I was assured the car would have no other issues... In fact, it would pass the smog as needed to obtain my tags. I get a call that the car is ready and so I came back to pick it up I didn't even drive the car but 15 minutes when the check engine light came back on!! I take it right back and now they find another issue and guess who comes more out of pocket... ME:( Almost 2 weeks go by and finally I get my car back and he even had it smogged.. HOORAY!!??? NOPE, not even 24 hours later, check engine light comes back on again!! I called and Chris was on vacation (I was told) for the week, Spoke to Oskar the owner who then proceeded to tell me my car now has more issues, and they refuse to take responsibility and even had the odasity to tell me the car would not be able to pass the smog... how did YOUR company get it to pass the smog just a day before?? Hmmmmmm..??!! I should have just taken the car to Volvo, my mistake! But shame on you German auto Service for bamboozling client's into paying money on repairs that likely were not even completed. My car feels the same as when I broght it in and my check engline light is on... See you in Court!! read more

I was an hour from leaving on a drive up north for the weekend in my BMW Z3, when my check engine light came on. Nervous that it may be something serious, I dropped in to see if German Auto Service could help me out. It was 9am, people were busy working on cars and there were a few people in line. I waited a bit and then Ali came over and asked what the problem was. I explained my situation and he had one of the guys check on my light. It turned out to be nothing important! Ali assured me that the car was fine for my drive and he didn't even charge me for the time! This place is great! I was taking my car to an impersonal BMW shop in Berkeley, but this is my new place! read more

After I finished laughing at the quote I was given by the VW dealership to service my Jetta TDI, I began to search for a local mechanic that specialized in German Vehicles. German Auto Service was the first mechanic to really stand out to me. It had pretty solid reviews, and it was very close to where I work, so I figured I could not go wrong. Right off the bat , Chris' customer service over the phone was awesome, and the quote I was given was much more appropriate and I believe was very fair. Upon arriving to his shop I figured I had made a good decision just based on the quality of the cars that were also in the shop for service. Honestly, I thought my little Jetta looked a little out of place next to Audi S4's, M3's, and Land Rover's, and I am pretty sure I even saw a Maserati in the back. The shop was also very clean and organized. Just like over the phone, Chris' customer service was amazing. He came across as very professional and knowledgable. The work was done on time and the price I was given was extremely fair. Chris has got a new customer and I will recommend him to anybody that drives a European car. ****VISIT TO GERMAN AUTO SERVICE # 2**** After being extremely pleased with my first experience with Chris and his shop, it was a no brainer that I have to go back. This particular time it was for a stereo problem that I was not looking forward to paying for. However, Chris totally hooked my wife and I up, and literally cut the overall cost in half. The best part is, he did not have to. After shopping around at three different locations for both aftermarket and stock systems to replace my broken stereo I was being quoted ridiculous prices for both labor and parts. VW's price was double compared to what Chris charged me. Again, I was 100% satisfied with my experience at German Auto Service and will recommend this place to anybody. When my service plan runs out for my American Dodge Durango in 40k miles I am seriously going to ask Chris if he can work on domestic cars. Thanks Chris, Sam. read more

This shop is truly THE BEST auto shop I've dealt with and I've been to quite a few. Oskar and the team at German Auto Service came through again!! Mein Fritz is now running smoothly and not grinding metal to metal (yes, I know I waited too long to replace the brakes). Fantastic customer service along with quick, efficient and superior workmanship makes for an unbeatable combination. I cannot say enough positive things about the shop, the team and the owners. My philosophy has always been you get what you pay for, and here, I feel I always get more than I pay for. Thank you guys for always going above and beyond!! read more

I bring my car in here regularly and have always been super pleased with service. I trust what they tell me (because who the hell knows anyway ...I know nothing about cars) and they never try to up sell me and explain what they're doing very clearly. I find their prices about 20-30% cheaper than the Audi dealer. Chris and the entire team give incredible customer service. What prompted me to write was what happened today: I came in to get a brake light replaced that was out and they replaced in 5 minutes and then DIDN'T CHARGE ME. What is this, 1955? This has never happened in my lifetime ...and I'll be a lifetime customer. read more

I'm not even sure where I should begin. 5 stars doesn't seem to be a big enough rating for Ali and Rob. Our 2015 Kia Optima was brought here after it had been in an accident, and the attention to detail and level of service that was received-was above and beyond our expectations. Just to give a scope of what had to be done-our car would stall out when you would honk the horn. The dealership even turned me away not being able to remedy the problem. Another place told us it was a battery issue shorting out the horn. But-low and behold-Rob spend quite some time, and god bless everyone ears having to listen to that horn honking-he finally fixed the problem. Ali and Rob-THANK YOU! We are more than happy to finally be out of the rental car(s) and finally back in our car that we can feel comfortable driving again. Thank you for going out of your way to make sure that the problem was fixed and literally not giving up. Beyond thankful for you guys! read more

A great mechanic that specializes in Mercedes, right here in Alameda! Original manufacturer parts and a thorough cleaning included of course. I've taken my car here twice for services A and B. Each was done at a considerably lower price than the dealer estimate, and they had esoteric manufacturer parts in-house that even the dealer didn't have. Oskar is the owner, a Mercedes enthusiast. and it really shows that he cares about the quality of his business and the line. I was running REALLY late due to Bay Bridge traffic and he stayed 45 minutes after his closing time, to meet me so that I could pick up my car that day. Wow! MBZ dealers can be a little stuck up and harried (especially in the South Bay), and their service quality varies considerably (notably Oakland's). German Auto Service does the same job or better, but in a personalized, faster way and at a much lower cost. read more

Ali is amazing! After driving through flood water my underbody was completely ruined. He was able to take my car in at 8am the morning of and had my car fixed in a couple of hours even though they were already fully booked. He was incredibly nice and explained to me what I could do to make sure my vehicle was okay. He was straight forward and didn't try to sell me sh** I didn't need to make a quick buck. My car runs perfect. I have been to other shops where my car wasn't fixed and I had to bring it back again the next day. This is the shop to go to if you want it done right the first time and done thoroughly! Can't express my gratitude enough!!! read more

I am 30 years old and this is the best service I have ever deal with in my life. They are very quick and very honest. I would definitively recommend this place. Specifically Ali is very helpful. Thanks for excellent work read more

Great Service Center. Chris & His Highly Trained Staff are a pleasure to work with on any auto repair needed on my BMW ! Repairs are to book standards & efficiently done . Plus getting your car washed/ vacuumed is an added plus on its return to you. Pricing is very fair for the quality of work that they do. I would highly recommend them for any repairs needed for your german auto ! read more

Short review ;These guys are awesome mechanics, trustworthy, and go the extra mile!. Long Review: The hardest thing about moving across country for me, was actually finding a mechanic that I felt did good work, charged a fair labor rate, and that I could trust--it took a few years. About 10 months ago when my BMW hit 160K everything seemed to go wrong at once, many of these things were compounded by the fact that my previous mechanic did some really sloppy work, and misdiagnosed things, he seemed more interested in just getting the car out fast, he never scanned for codes, seemed to forget what work he was doing on the car, etc. Totally frustrated, I saw German Auto Service when I was walking one day, and decided to go here, thinking that at least if they mess up, they are only a few blocks from my house and I don't have to take a long bus ride to and from Oakland every week dealing with my car. I needed A LOT of work done and I was in a tight spot. Chris worked with me to let me know what had to be done asap, and what could wait. He didn't guilt me cuz I couldn't do all the repairs at once, and he was concerned about the car being safe to drive first and foremost...Which reminded me of my dad who is a mechanic in The Motor City. When I picked up my car, they even put a new roundel on it for free as my old one was all chipped off, and they changed my clock to the correct time--another little thing, that made it feel like home. Forward wind 6 months later and my car failed the smog ( because previous mechanic did not replace thermostat when he replaced the waterpump, ugh). This was something that we knew would come up as GAS found this when I first brought the car to them and we decided it could wait til it caused a problem, so GAS did the repair, and let me come back everyday until my computer reset and my car passed smog on their machine....My computer was having trouble resetting, and Chris assured me that I wouldn't have to go to the dealer and get a new one, that he could find me one for much less, but, then they tried updating the software, and it worked! They didn't charge me for coming to check my smog and updating my car computer, amazing. The whole staff was really nice though out this process. I just picked up my car today, from what is hopefully the last round of repairs for awhile. Chris really worked to fix these issues, and helped me decide the best path to take. My car was also detailed, and even cleaned inside--which was embarrassing as it was super messy since I just returned from a road trip before dropping it off :) There is so much more I could write about this wonderful place! read more

There is a reason that this place has so many good reviews -- let me just add to the pile. :) I recently moved from Alameda to Vallejo, and still prefer to take my wheezy old Bug here for repairs. Once you find a good mechanic that doesn't seem to be all about the profit, and seems to actually want to help out and work with you -- you keep 'em! Chris is awesomely polite -- even when you can tell he is frazzled, and being peppered with questions from an overly-anxious car owner. (Yeah, I'm talking about me, here. I'm That Person.) In my experience, he doesn't try to rush you, or get snappish. I am an hourly employee that absolutely needs her car to commute to and from work, and he does his darndest to try and get the thing out door as quick as possible. Sometimes, it seems nothing short of miraculous. I also received the breakdown on the costs of parts and labor, and wasn't just offered a vague, amorphous price without any explanation at all. Did I mention that they actually explain the problem, without talking down to you? Another point in their favor; not just Chris, but two of the mechanics I had to bum rides from to BART after dropping the car off were pleasant enough to talk to, and would offer up car advice if asked. (Yesterday it was, "If it has to be a problem, you'd rather it be 'X' than 'Y', because the parts for 'Y' make it much more expensive to fix." In any case, I'll keep coming here, until they get fed up with my worrying and kick me out. :) read more

Once again Chris and his team at German auto service have fixed my VW Passat. I have been bump starting my car for the last year, I am a mechanic and could not diagnose the problem myself. I brought it to Chris and he had it done before I was off work. If you are in Alameda , Oakland or Bay Area and looking for a great, honest thorough mechanic shop for German or any make of car, German auto is the place to take your vehicle. I wish I new Chris the day I bought my 95 Passat. VW dealers wouldn't look at my car at all. German auto accepts all cars with smiles :), kind staff experienced and quick. I smile every time I start my car now and am proud to wear a German auto lic plate cover. Special thanks to Chris, Rob, Ali, and Marco for providing the best service around. You guys are an awesome team and I'll see you next check up on my car. Much appreciated, Paul M. read more

I recently paid a visit to G.A.S. to have my sensors looked at after failing a smog test. After a quick conversation with Ali, we figured out what might be causing the issue. He had me come back a day or two later to see if everything worked, and sure enough, it did. Ali is a great person to talk to, and if my BMW has any issues in the future, he's the first person I'm going to see. I highly recommend them if your German auto needs work. read more

These guys are knowledgeable, friendly and take the time to make sure things are done right! I don't trust my car to anyone else and I send friends here when I can. read more

I've been there a couple times, recently, and service seems good to me. I have an older car, and all I want in a repair shop is to keep it running, at a reasonable price. They don't try to sell me needless repairs. They just fix what I want fixed. I've been to shops all around the Bay, as well as dealerships for warranty issues, so I'm familiar with the market. The prices at German Auto Service are fair, and the work is solid. I'll be wanting some interior work on my seats soon, and they'll hunt down a used seat, rather than sell me an expensive OEM. Good work, at a fair price. What more do you want? read more

This place went from 5 stars to 2 stars and now zero star if there is such a thing. It has been going down the hill for a long time and their customer service is none. I just called to see what was done to my car before bring it in for a major tuneup. A guy by the name of Ali or something told me he was "really busy" and "have other things to do" to look for my paperwork because I couldn't remember whether I brought it in a year ago or 2. They only keep the record for 2 years and no digital system. He said "that's why we give you a copy." We are in 2018. They still have hard paper? Ok fine. How hard is it to goto the file drawer, look under the last name, and pull the paperwork??? I mean, its not like I brought my car in million times in 2 years! When I first came here, Chris the owner was the only person who picked up the phone. He should continue to do that since it is his business and he will never tell anyone he is too busy or have other things to do. If that is their choice of language, their customer service is no where to be found. Chris has not been answering the phone for a while. Perhaps the business got sold and if not, perhaps he just doesn't care anymore because he made his money. What ever the reason, their customer service sucks and last few times we brought in the car, they didn't get it right and kept the car for way too long and I was the one who kept calling to see what the status was. They never called me like they said they would. They ordered the wrong part. Yup. Going down... read more