Excellent! Excellent repair work on my car, starting with customer service / booking appointment, followed by prompt, professional, top quality car repair service, and finishing with great, competitive prices and check-out. Highly recomand this great team of car pros! read more

Stay far far away. This shop will take advantage of you on the basis that you have an expensive European vehicle and therefore you must have money. A customer brought her 2000 Volkswagen Beetle back to me after spending nearly $600 at Import Automotive and leaving with no repairs done and no answers as to what was wrong with her vehicle in the first place. The vehicle was suddenly having trouble starting and she had it towed to the nearest shop out of desperation and due to lack of better knowledge. That shop unfortunately happened to be Import Automotive. She informed the owner of the shop that she had recently purchased the vehicle and knew little about it. She let him know the car was having trouble starting out of the blue, but that the battery was brand new (installed by my shop a few weeks prior) - so she thought it must be an alternator issue. The shop owner gave her a whole song and dance about how the vehicle is old and tired (it has 109,000 easy miles and had no prior issues, no leaks or rattles, the car was in fantastic shape to be daily driven - we had just inspected the vehicle fully prior to her purchasing it) and that it was at risk of thousands of dollars in repairs and that she should quote "make it go away". She agreed to have them inspect the vehicle regardless. The shop returned the vehicle a few days later, having done nothing but glanced it over. They claimed the car had an electrical draw pulling power from the battery - but did no repairs to alleviate the draw, nor provided any diagnostic information pointing to where the draw would be coming from. They did, however, charge her over $200 for an Interstate battery, claiming her new battery was dead, and was the actual culprit. She had also requested they check the lug nut torque, which they gladly did, and gladly charged her $120 for alone. Yikes! After charging over $100 to check lug nuts and over $200 to replace the battery, they presented her with a bill. The grand total came to over $570, $350~ for the aforementioned services, and the rest for a diagnostic, supposedly. The car resumed having trouble starting a few days later. I had some time to personally inspect the vehicle this time, and came out to see what was going on. Turns out the positive battery terminal had wiggled itself loose, causing a poor connection to the battery and causing the vehicle not to start. Import Automotive failed to diagnose quite possibly the most simple issue on any vehicle - a loose battery connection. To top things off, our two month old Costco-marked Interstate battery was still installed in the car - they didn't even replace the battery, just saw it had a new battery and knew the customer knew little about cars and jumped at the opportunity to steal someone's money. The customer has filed a complaint with the Bureau of Automotive Affairs in response to Import Automotive's shameful dishonesty, and is looking into filing a lawsuit against the owner as well. Stay far far away. This is one of the grimiest, most dishonest, most shameful operations I've ever seen. They give a horrible name to repair shops everywhere. Do yourself a favor and find another shop with better reviews, even if it's a little further away. read more

I work across from this place and didn't know they existed. I brought mine 2005 Mercedes E320 on the wimp and just wanted to get some information. Samantha was so helpful and were able to take my car in on the same day. I got it back around 4 o'clock in the afternoon and was very happy with a few recommendations recommended to work on for the future. Will definitely come back next week to get my wife GLC300 service B work on read more

Needed a quote for labor to have rear bushings replaced on my BMW X5 and I had already purchased the parts at a great price elsewhere. They refused to do the work unless they purchased the part and passed the cost on me. I didn't need a warranty on parts (got that when I purchased parts elsewhere), just labor. I hate these shops that demand you purchase parts at inflated rates from them. Beware of this place read more

Kim took care of meafter my car left me stranded in Yucaipa on the 10 east going up the hill . Not only did he take care of my problem. He also fixed issues that had nothing related to the actual reason it was brought in. He added power steering He got my shifter to shift smoothly. And he adjust my steering wheel . All for free of charge . He described that he doesn't really work on domestic cars (1998 Pontiac Firebird Formula) But he was determined to help me out and he did I give Kim and Import Automotive a 5/5 Good job guys thanks ! read more

Serviced my 2004 Mini Cooper S here. Import Automotive replaced bushings on front end. Prior to that sounded like a box of rocks under the front end. read more

We took my daughter's Mini Cooper for an emergency repair. They were super helpful and provided excellent advice. The explanation of what needed to be done was super clear. They made us feel like we had been long time customers. I will definitely bring my car back to them. They provide great customer service Thank you read more

My car wouldn't start, and AAA roadside told me that both the battery and alternator likely needed to be replaced. I called around and was always automatically quoted for alternator replacement. I appreciated that this was the one business that recommended that I get the issue worked up instead of jumping to a costly alternator repair. I took my car here, and ultimately after additional tests, only the battery needed to be replaced. Thanks for your help! read more

Great place with knowledgeable Techs!! I will highly recommend this place for your automotive needs!!

Where to start? AAA picked my car up on 10/7/2018 and dropped it off at Import. The next day I received a call from Kim telling me to call him, because he "wanted to run something by me". Rather than call, I went in and Kim pitched to me the idea of leaving the insurance out of it, because my "rates would go up, It's only $900 to fix the car and everyone has a little front end body damage these days, and the insurance companies are so difficult". I heard Kim out and declined his offer. I told him to let the insurance handle it. I haven't had a claim in over 10 years, they can pay a little something. Besides, I'm not ok with "a little body damage"! Fix my car!!!! Now the games start. Import Auto say on my car until 10/18/2017 and the. Contacted me to tell me they could t do they work and that the car needs taken to another shop, BUT please let Geico know that they have initial inspection and storage fees! Hahaha. WHAT!?!? I arrived home Friday night and because they're closed weekends, I picked the car up Monday. The car was delivered to a REAL shop where I signed a limited POA and they are handleing everything. Body damage, outsourcing repairs, all of it! I nearly forgot! When I picked my car up from Import Automotive there was a nice 6" scratch on the passenger side door. That's great! Needless to say, I do not recommend this business. They do not know what they are doing. They do not know how to deal with insurance companies and they will find every way possible to rip you off. I have filed a lawsuit against this company (Kim, you guys should be getting served within the next few days) as well as complaints with AAA and Geico. This company should not be allowed to operate. They are the reason all of us independents have a bad rap. It's the shops like this that ruin it for the rest of us. BEWARE AND STAY AWAY read more

Import Automotive - Auto Repair Near Me - Loma Linda, California

Import Automotive on Redlands Boulevard in Loma Linda is the premiere customer service provider in any field, industry, or business. Every time I call, Kim provides me with patient, detailed, comprehensive, and understandable explanations of the inner workings of my Passat TDI SE. Whenever I head over to the shop for repair or consultation regarding an automotive issue, he diagnoses it, resolves the problem efficiently, and his work is always performed with an upbeat attitude and forward- looking advice. There is no better auto shop in the State of California. read more

My gf brought in her car which was making slightly funny noises and when it got back to her after spending $450, it was worse!! The new belt they put in sounds annoying. She brings it back in so they could fix the horrible job they did, and they were going to make her pay for it! Ridiculous. Add Import Automotive to the list of auto repair scams. read more

I am so impressed by this business! They do a great job with regular maintenance, as well as a difficult fix I had on my jeep. When my daughter was leaving for college (to another state), I took her car in and said "make sure it's safe for the trip". I trust them, they are professional and honest. read more

Took my Mercedes here and Kim and team was awesome! Had me in and out in no time , definitely would recommend everyone too him !

I have to agree with the previous write-up. Poor customer service, got the run around for my car. I waited 3 days for my car to get fixed and all I got was one diagnostic test that took one hour. They made no apologies and did not even try to fix my car. The manager did not return any of my calls and just ho-hummed my car problems. I even filed a complaint against the Bureau of Consumer Affairs. I recommend you never go there, never. Did I mention to never go there? read more

Took my BMW E46 here to get my external temperature sensor replaced a while back. They took me for a ride for just over $1k to fix that and an oil leak. The external temperature sensor never was fixed right, person discharging my car fed me some BS about how "the car is very complicated" and how it's gonna cost me an arm and a leg to take it to a specialist to get the dash reprogrammed because something or rather was messed up. Look, I checked all the forums, etc, this is a pretty common repair, these cars have these sensors on the low drivers side bumper, they get torn out from curbs and road debris a lot apparently and it seemed an easy enough fix for someone with the time to do it, I take my car to a shop because I don't have the time to do it myself, a shop is supposed to be a convenience not an inconvenience. And indy shops are supposed to provide more affordable service than their corporate counterparts. The price for this repair was just increasing and increasing and I knew they were just blowing smoke at me so I took the car back with the faulty, not fixed external temperature sensor. It wasnt a car damaging problem so I put off fixing it. I need to get a smog check to register my car now so instead of chancing it with another indy that might do the same as this place I took my car to the dealership to get fixed. Repair adviser comes to me in the lobby and says that whomever worked on my car before wired my external temperature sensor to my horn of all things. So I guess, thanks for taking my money and doing a piss poor job and trying to shrug off your incompetence, Import Auto. oh yeah, the dealership is charging me $150 to do it right. Import Automotive really is The Worst. The kind of place that makes indy shops look bad. Avoid this place like the plague read more

Kim Palmer was a pleasure and so helpful. This business had been referred to me by several friends, so thankful they did. I have now found an amazing and honest and trustworthy place to bring my car to be worked on. They even washed it before I picked it up. Thank you all @ Import Automotive for making this experience such a pleasurable one. I shall be sure to pass on my experience with family and friends for excellent and honest mechanic work. Karen Kellingsworth read more

I think a good car mechanic might just be about as hard as finding the right person to marry. While I'm not dedicating my life to this place, it has definitely won over my service due to the trust they foster and their prices. After having a bad experience with the wife's VW at a dealership repair, we were suggested to check out this place for a second opinion. In the end they saved us from having to do a couple of repairs the dealership had suggested as well being cheaper on the primary repair job. Since then, I've taken my Subaru in for a major tuneup and regular oil changes and have always been happy with their customer service, in particular their willingness to explain fully what needs to be repaired and whether it truly needs to be repaired at that moment. While their prices may not be the lowest around (which I don't truly know) they are still competitive and their quality customer service more than justifies any increase in price there may be. Only negative I could say is that they are not open on Saturdays, which can make multiday repairs problematic, but I suppose even some mechanics deserve a regular weekend. read more

My wife had power loss in her '05 Volvo S40 on her way out of So-Cal. She limped her car to Kim and the guys at Import Automotive. He gave my wife (and the dog) a ride back to her parents. After a couple of days they finally found the problem that caused 7 error codes - a worn wire in the main harness under the transmission. They took great care of her and her car. We recommend these guys highly! read more

I realized I needed my VW serviced desperately, so I found Import automotive on Yelp. Despite the two poor reviews (there's always going to be "that guy") I called and spoke with Kim. He was so helpful and professional and told me if I could bring my car in ASAP they could service it and I'd have it back by the end of the day even though I needed a long list of things done (40k mile service). SOLD! The location was easy to find, the office was clean and organized. Kim was so funny and helpful. He even pulled some strings and got my wipers replaced even though they didn't have any on hand when I dropped my car off. I felt they were very honest and not trying to rip me off, just trying to make sure I was taken care of and happy. I just moved to the Redlands area and I am NEVER taking my car anywhere else but Import Automotive. I felt so welcomed and the staff there is so trustworthy! I'm so happy I found them! read more

I couldn't be happier with Import Automotive! Mike and Kim were professional, friendly and knowledgeable. They diagnosed the problem, worked with the company that held my warranty and fixed my car.... no hassle and a great outcome! Thanks for outstanding service, guys! I'll be using you for my automotive needs from now on! read more

Great experience. My Mercedes was towed in and I was out quickly. Kim was a big help.

Take a look at the recent reports for this service shop. I would have to agree now that I have experienced this myself...here we go...Short Version ---DO NOT TAKE YOUR CARE HERE. Long Version: I took my 2007 Mercedes E350 with just over 110K miles on it to them for diagnosis. I informed Kim that i had recently purchased the car and did not know the history on it so i would not too much help in regards to the service history of the unit. I explained the symptoms of the vehicle that i had concern with: 1) Car fails to turn on electrical components when the key is turned on. Explained the remedy I currently do in order to get the electrical system operating (pushing and holding the "unlock: button on the key fob - which gets the car running as it should). Explained that i felt that this could be a result as to the ignition switch or possible the key fob itself not having the ability to communicate with the sensor of some sort) 2) The radiator fan is making a loud excessive noise I get a quote of $107 for diagnostics and leave the facility (note: this was my fault for not asking if the $107 would be applied to the job performed-- it is not -- this is on top of whatever else that they determine that the car may or may not need) I get a call that they are unable to diagnose the true issue as they are unable to get the electrical issue figured out, therefore, cannot prepare an actual determination as to what could be causing the issue. They say while the car is there that i should get an oil change ($100 synthetic - fair price) and that the issue with the 2nd problem that i have is related to a fan belt...$198 for the parts and labor for that. Thinking that this belt was related to my 2nd issue noted above i agreed to the service work. They send a porter to pick me up "Richard". Very nice guy, but a little "spacey" to be honest. We literally almost rear-ended a car on the freeway on our way back to the shop because he was looking at a car and was not paying attention to the road in front of him. If i didn't yell to "STOP" at the top of my lungs we would have collided with that car for sure. Richard's response was ---"You should not have said "wow what a nice Subaru" or I would have never of looked...MMMMm yea, My fault pal. I do not think so. So I get to the shop to pick up my car and Kim provides me with the diagnosis of what the cars CPU sent out when they hooked up the scanner.. now note: with the electrical issue not being figured out how could this diagnosis be correct as the computer is cycling through several different random codes. Turns out that the diagnosis fee of $107 (as noted before) was not deducted from the price of the services performed and my total bill came out to just under $500. Now mind you, i acknowledge that It was my fault for not asking if the fee would be applied to services performed. So I bite my tongue and leave the shop. Upon my arrival at my house i turn the vehicle off and i hear that LOUD noise emitting from under the hood at the radiator fan (See item 2). At this point i am pissed! I call Kim immediately and explain the situation and he stats that they replaced a drive belt (serpentine belt) and not the fan belt. I asked him how he thought the replacement of that part would fix the fan noise issue. He stated that the car needed that and that is what he thought the issue was. So mind you, the replacement of this belt is extremely easy. I am a novice when it comes to auto repair and even I could replace this part in under 20 minutes. So this is what i was charged the $198 for i asked? Kim stated it was one of the several issues that your car needs so either way it needed to get done so just bring the car back and we will take care of the other issue. WHAT??? do they think I would ever do business with them again??!!! If you read this far, please understand that it took a lot to write this, as i hope that future "potential" customers will take note. I highly advise that you take your business elsewhere and avoid the frustration, headaches, and related aggravation from dealing with this shop. read more

I previously left a great review a few years ago, but felt the need to change it. This place has changed a lot. The last time I took my vehicle to them, they were going to charge me about $700 dollars for 2 tires and a $48 valve. I told them what the problem was when I brought the car in. They ran a diagnostic to verify that I was correct, but the bill was still going to be too high even with the diagnostic. I understand and respect that they have a staff to pay and a shop to pay for, but $700 for 2 basic tires and a $48 valve? When I went to pay and pick up the vehicle, they adjusted the bill and made it more reasonable. But my problem is the attitude that I had to deal with. The attitude was loaded with arrogance and abrasiveness. Why do I have to ask, or almost demand, to be treated fairly? They already had me as a customer. All they had to do was treat me right to keep me. The next problem -- they replaced a radiator in one of our cars. When they put the fan back in and hooked it back up, they bent the ground tab in the connector. The fan worked for a while, then quit working recently. The vehicle started to overheat. Another shop is fixing this problem. So far, the other shop has treated us fairly without us having to ask for or demand it. I do not know what happened with Import Auto, but things have changed. Their attitude and the quality of their work have changed for the worse. read more

I have been taking my car here for a couple of years now and I cannot day enough good things. I am not one that knows a lot about cars and every time I have gone in I have never felt hosed or taken advantage of. I got over $900 worth of work done and when I left my car felt a thousand times better. I feel so much better about my wife and child driving in it. The repairs were clean, on time, and worth every penny. Kim at the front desk is extremely helpful and he will put you at ease for everything you need. It's so hard and rare to find a good mechanic and shop and this is a great one. read more

STAY AWAY from this place! Again, STAY FAR AWAY - THIS IS A VERY VERY BAD PLACE (in my experience and opinion)! Please read entire review for all the dirty details, but long story short - they charged me approximately $300 to replace a HOSE! The hose was accessible via opening hood and removing one simple air vent. That's probably all you need to know, but feel free to read full review below. FULL REVIEW: 2007 BMW 328i overheated. Called AAA for tow. AAA suggested Import Automotive as a "AAA Approved Auto Repair facility". Arrived at Import Automotive on a Friday at around 1PM. Took about 15 minutes for someone to enter the office area and assist me. The individual who assisted me appeared to be one of the mechanics (based upon the clothing). I told him AAA had referred me. He was pleasant, listened to what happened (going up mountains - hose burst sending fluid onto windshield and onto the hood of car - and then car overheated), and gave me diagnostic estimate of around $100 - to diagnose and run a block test to make sure no major damage to engine. He said someone would call me by end of day. No one called me that day. Monday morning, I get a call at around 10am, it sounded like the same person. He proceeded to tell me that BEFORE they could even perform the block test, they had to replace a hose, and that the cost and labor on that alone would be around $300. Now, don't get me wrong - I didn't say - "uh, duh, ok..." No, I said - "WHAT???, how could it possibly cost that much to replace a hose?" The man went into a pretty long explanation as to how complicated the "repair" was, how difficult it was to get to the hose, and that that is just what it costs, etc. etc. Feeling helpless, and feeling like - ok, maybe the hose broke, the fluid drained, and that's why it overheated - maybe that's the extent of the repair - I guess I could be back up and running after this - and I should trust these guys - they are a "AAA Approved Auto Repair facility"... So with reluctance, I authorized the repair. He said he would call me after the repair. No one called me back that day. Tuesday morning, I get a call at around 8:15am, from a different person. He proceeded to tell me that they had replaced the hose - and now they were able to diagnose that the water pump was bad, and that they needed to replace the water pump and thermostat and take care of a belt that was loose. Estimate - around $2000 additional. Here is where I just STOPPED EVERYTHING. I told him - I would need to think about it and decide what I wanted to do before authorizing any further repairs. Wednesday. I drive down to Import Automotive, pay $437.89 (this was for the approximate $100 for the diagnosis and block test, and of course the $300+ to replace the HOSE). I then towed the car away from Import Automotive $437.89 poorer. I strongly suggest staying very far away from Import Automotive. My personal feelings are similar to other reviewers here on Yelp. For example, Matthew M. received a similar explanation ("the car is very complicated") as a reason for the high cost of repairs. Another example, David M. noted that often a diagnosis charge is applied to the repairs. Certainly in my case - I feel that would have been appropriate. Dave B. wasn't quite as critical (giving them 3 stars), but noted "expensive evaluation" costs. He also made the same point that David M. did - that "shops" will often waive or apply evaluation/diagnosis charges or apply them to the repairs costs. In closing, I intend to file a formal complaint with AAA and the BAR (State of California, Bureau of Automotive Repair) regarding the $300 Hose replacement repair charge. read more

Similar to some other 'real' reviews here, AAA 'recommended' import automotive and I listened to them (first mistake), I should've insisted on my initial request to take it to a place I know and have done business in past. A whole day goes by and I'm told that the initial diagnosis of $120 isn't enough and they need to do more 'deep looking' into the car to find out if the error code is actually what it is (fuel pump module, replacement) and that the 2nd diagnosis will cost more and then I will get an 'estimate' of the repair. I decided I've wasted $120 but to save myself from more loss and asked AAA to tow it somewhere else, I'll gladly pay more to some other honest business.. read reviews before taking your car to these guys.. read more

I called to ask if they did a used car inspection and Kim answered and spoke very rudely to me. He seemed frustrated by the questions I was asking and had an aggressive tone that made me feel stupid for asking such questions. I Will never call again let alone bring my car here! I will not give my money to rude people. read more

This is all you need to know: Import charged $187 for a diagnosis on my 2000 S500 Mercedes. No parts, no service, but $187 for diagnosis only, then said they would charge me only $350 for a new battery. Specialized Mercedes in Riverside charged $124 for another diagnosis, applied it to repairs, and $288 for a better battery (Bosch) than Import was going to give me. You decide where you want to take your Mercedes or any other vehicle for that matter. read more

I'm on the fence on how to write this review. I brought a car here that had several issues for evaluation. The evaluation was very expensive (more than a dealer would have charged) and it was wrong or excessive in a lot of areas and ultimately wouldn't fix everything for the high price quoted. I was also told that any repairs would be in addition to the eval fee (most shops waive it if you have the work done there...at least the ones I've been to). I wound up taking the car to a specialist that was able to repair the car for far less and more completely (in other words they fixed everything). I've had another car worked on here and they did good work but it was a touch expensive. read more

I've had bad feelings toward this place ever since i had them do a brake job on my 2003 Volvo S60. They said they had to replaced the pads and the rotors. When we picked the car up at the very first stop light the brake pedal went to the floor and the car barely stopped. We turned right around and brought it back. The next time we picked it up the brakes felt better but still not right so we brought it back again. They kept trying to convince us that that was normal and we were doing something wrong but they would agree to look at it again. The last time we picked it up it felt even better but still not like new brakes. So when I got it home my neighbor (who is a religious shade tree mechanic) and I pulled the wheels off and gravity bled the brakes. After doing that they worked a whole lot better so I left it at that. I'll never take my car back to them. That was two years ago and every time I get in that car I'm reminded of that company and will never forgive them. I gave them 3 chances and they still never made it right. Today i'm having the rotors on that car replaced the pads are still 75% good but the rotors are warped. The people replacing them said they had to be the original rotors and then they walked me through their process and showed me all the original parts and exactly how they were warped. If you choose to go there be aware ask for all your old parts back. I felt I got screwed don't let it happen to you. read more

My car stalled and I called AAA, receiving their recommendation for Import Automotive. After being towed there and explaining the situation, I left the car and received the diagnosis later that the carburetor was faulty. I did tell I.A. about having it rebuilt recently, which must have prompted them to take the easy way out. After being told that their mechanic labored over two hours extensively, they said to take it back to whoever rebuilt it. After paying for another tow - I.A. failed to get it running - I checked it over myself and discovered it was a bad fuel filter. This was after I asked the service manager at Import Automotive if their mechanic checked the fuel filter, to which he said he could pretty much guarantee that they did. A bad result from poor workmanship and worse oversight. read more

I know other folks have had bad experiences, but we've been going to Kim at Import Automotive for eight years and have had no problems -- the service is usually pretty good and although I'm not a car expert, I feel like he takes good care of our cars. read more

Kim is a very honest mechanic and all around good guy. After my engine failed he recommended I junk the car since the repairs would be more than the car is worth and he even offered to find someone to take it off my hands. Even though I ended up finding my own buyer, he let my car sit in his lot for a week and didn't charge me a dime. Life saver. read more

Import Auto has worked on all my rides from a Dodge, Nissan, Toyota, Porsche and now a Honda Element. These guys are very good, more than fair and above all trustworthy. No other shop for me. read more

My daughter was at LLUMC hospital when we had car trouble. Not only did Kim not know me from Adam, but he rushed us in on the spot ( knowing we were from out of town). Within an hour, we were back on the road. He was AMAZING! I disagree with the negative rating.... Besides... I ignore every posting that takes longer than an hour to read..... read more

Vic's tire shop is my go to place for all my stretch tire mounting and camber worn tire flipping needs.

There is a review here that I cannot just let slide by. I guess some people are lawsuit crazy If they do not get something for free they complain or threaten to sue. I guess they should go to Toyota of San Bernardino which had an accident while my car was suppose to be getting a new battery. They admitted the accident and then still refused to fix it. I have been taking my cars to Import Auto for several years and have never been ripped off. I do NOT WORK or OWN this business but if it were to go out of business I would be stuck finding a new mechanic whom I would have to guess is good. Import Auto is not cheap (I do wish they would lower their prices) but if you want cheap go to Sleezy's Auto nearby. They also may recommend service prior to what your owner's manual recommends but you are not forced to go by their recommendations. It seems some people want to send really small claims to their insurance because it somehow gets some of their premiums returned. This could misguided, since getting $400 now is not such a good deal if in the next two years your future premiums go up $600. read more

I've frequented Import Auto since the mid 80's. I buy and operate used cars. Import Auto has kept my cars running with no side of the road experiences for the past thirty years . Reasonable prices and excellent customer service. Why not five stars? Have you ever been in the customer service lounge at Mercedes of Beverley Hills? read more

Stopped by here the other day to get my tires changed and the workers were so nice and will tell you how it is! This is the first time I genuinely felt like I could trust these guys and just met them! Other places would rip off girls like me and jack up the prices. Jr. was very helpful. I will keep going here for any tire problems. Cheap prices too~ I was shocked. read more