I honestly can't say enough good things about North County Independent. If you own a German car, you know the struggle of finding a mechanic who doesn't just treat you like a walking paycheck. I've been burned by the dealership "service advisors" way too many times, so finding Eric and Scott was a total game-changer. I first came in because I was having a weird electrical issue that the dealer quoted me an insane amount to "diagnose." Eric squeezed me in last minute, and you could tell immediately that these guys have been doing this forever (I think they have something like 30 years of experience between them). They found the actual problem, fixed it for a fraction of the dealer price, and didn't try to upsell me on a bunch of stuff I didn't need. I have been back multiple times for a variety of different issues. They are genuine and honest and you can tell they really care about their customers and helping them, they truly go above and beyond. It's the only place I trust with my car now. If you're in Encinitas or anywhere in North County and need a solid Audi or VW specialist who is going to shoot you straight, do yourself a favor and check them out! read more

Completely unprofessional the way they do business. Don't bother going when they 'open' even if you have an appointment booked or you may end up waiting around for 30-45mins until someone decides to show up. This happened to me twice so not a fluke. Paid many thousands for some fixes and had to go back multiple times since the check engine light kept coming on. Finally took my car to a real specialist and they informed me whoever worked on my car last (North County) did an extremely sloppy and problematic job. North county is very expensive and in my estimation not worth the 'work' they say they do. read more

Always go to Escondido even though there is one closer to us. Service is always good, loaners readily available.

Had an unexpected emergency with my VW Jetta in LA and needed it towed back to San Diego - looked this shop up, had amazing reviews and specialized in VW's so I had it towed here. First met Eric who was very kind and genuine and offered to take a look, it ended up needing 4 new fuel injectors. After several back and forth's of when I could pick the car up I drove it off, however it still had the original problem after paying $2k for repairs. Brought it back, was told by Scott I would need to sort other transportation for the weekend so I got myself from Oceanside (where I stayed to await the repair of my car) to SD in Friday traffic only to get called 30 mins on a Friday before the shop closed that my car was ready when I was in San Diego. Drove back the same day to pick it up but the car was still having the same issue. Scott seemed understanding and let me know they would give me a good price on a fuel pump (even though they were not sure that would fix it and I had already spent $2k) and he would call me in 24 hours to set up an appt - 3 weeks later, still hadn't received that call so I took my VW to my home mechanic and paid to get the problem fixed once and for all after they properly diagnosed it. If you are looking for clear and concise customer service this isn't the place. read more

Totally stoked to have found these guys. I have a VW GTI that needed a window regulator. Called Monday (of a holiday week) and my car was in on Tuesday and out Wednesday. When I called on Monday I asked for a price. Parts+labor. They got the gig because the price was right, and Eric said, "I'll get this done before the holiday" and he did. So far so good NCI read more

So I went back this time with another car. This is going to be a long one..... The story of this particular car I'll summarize. Went two 4 different mechanics. Never able to figure out the issues. Actually ended up making the car worse every time it switched mechanics. The car in question is a heavily modified Audi B5 S4. The car underwent a new engine, turbos, you name it. It got it. It sat for years without anyone able to figure anything out and just BS'ing. Finally the day came where we took it in to north county independent. It was at the shop no more then one month and we get a call. "Cars running great and good to go!" It was a little hard to believe after the car has been through so many people unable to figure it out on why this car never ran right. Went to pick it up and sure enough. The car runs great! Every experience I've had with this place has been nothing but professional. The mechanic "Scotty" REALLY knows his shit. He's seen it all with these cars and it shows. Really cool person as well. You feel at home at this shop and it's atmosphere is inviting. Do I recommend you take your car here? YES. I can not only guarantee they will take good care of you. I can say that they will be fair and professional ( unlike many other mechanics ) THANKS AGAIN GUYS! and we will always use you for our European automotive needs. read more

I really want to like these guys and for the most part I do. But the typical complaint about any mechanic is lack of trust. Because they are experts and you're not, you always hope you're getting a straight and honest answer or estimate, right? I took my car here for repairs and they completed a handful, including an oil change. Great. Everything seemed fine. However, in the days following, I noticed a slow and steady drip of oil soiling my garage and driveway. I took the car back and was told that it was leaking from my drain plug and it was likely leaking from a prior oil change many months ago, telling me that the oil change technician probably stripped the oil pan threads. Clearly that was not the case because I would've noticed the drip many months ago. They went on to explain that they couldn't possibly be responsible since they typically remove oil through the dipstick tube and don't even touch the drain plug. Interesting, but now I'm puzzled because the leak happened immediately after they repaired it. Anyway, when I picked up the car later that day, the other guy told me that they DID in fact remove my oil via the oil pan and DID remove and replace the drain plug and that is when the leak started. So the leak DID happen in their care. He went on to describe the weak Audi oil pan and told me that I needed a new oil pan at the cost of over $800. So what am I to believe? One guy told me that they pulled the oil through the dipstick tube when the other guy later admitted they didn't. They blamed a prior mechanic and said my car was leaking from a long prior oil change when it obviously wasn't. So I finally decided to take matters into my own hands: I bought wheel ramps and got under my own car, drained the oil, and inspected the pan threads and the drain plug. Confirmed stripped. As much as I wanted to like these guys and work with them in the future, I'm not confident that I'll get the true story. read more

I def wouldn't recommend. check engine light was on took it in after a rough time getting an appt, I drove it 30-40 miles same check engine light same code.. thousands spent for nothing. Please Look elsewhere save your time/ money. read more

Very rude and subpar service. The prices are great compared to Vw dealer. I lost money dealing with this company do yourself a favor go anywhere else. read more

I have been taking my car here for years and it's always been a pleasure to work with Scott and Eric. They have my Q5 running great and it's always less than if I took it into the dealer for repairs. I will keep going here as long as I have my Audi. :) read more

My 2006 Audi A4 2.0T Sedan 4D started leaking oil around 125,000 miles. Wanting to find the right place to fix it, I visited four independent shops that work on Audis. I chose North County Independent Audi & VW because of their cost-saving process: Rather than replace valve cover gasket AND oil housing AND this AND that all at once, they focused on the most obvious source first (i.e., valve cover gasket), to see if that solved the problem. When it didn't, they next replaced the oil housing. I like their methodical approach to diagnosing and repairing. Plus, they take time to explain the details, answer your questions, and suggest alternatives. Bottom line: If you want a relaxed experience with expert, friendly mechanics who get the job done at a reasonable price, try North County Independent Audi & VW. read more

North County Independent Audi & VW - Auto Repair Near Me - Encinitas, California

I took my 2013 Audi TT here for a routine oil and filter. I had a perfect experience. I made appointment and when I got there I was expected and greeted. I went for a walk and when I returned the car was finished. It was a great experience! I highly recommend! I will be back! read more

Solid repair shop with good prices and the owner, Scott, who really knows the ins and outs of these cars. I always feel comfortable taking my car here because they do the job right or don't stop until it is done. North County Audi (both Scott and Eric) have gone above and beyond helping me in situations where I'm stranded up here in north county (for work) and need to drive 75 miles home. These guys have stayed late, stayed on a weekend one time, answered my questions thoroughly all to get my car back on the road. I own a 2006 Audi A3 with a 2.0T. Needless to say if you own an Audi you need to have a good mechanic on hand because something WILL definitely break at some point. And I recommend these guys as my go to Indy shop. read more

First time I took my Audi there, great service. 2nd time, they tried to tell me I have a plastic oil pan and the drain plug was stripped out and hence needed to replace it to stop the leaking - at a cost of $900! Whoa! My Son owns a ASE certified repair shop, but it's 600 miles away, however I decided to take the drive and get a 2nd opinion. Basically, NCI tried to rip me off. I don't have a plastic oil pan, really no car does but they tried to pull a fast one. It was the wrong oil plug installed. He simple put the right one in and viola' problem solved. Cost me 20 hours of driving and $60. Warning to women-- don't take your car there! read more

Really VERY RUDE boss/owner!! Leave bad review that he discriminated me and called me scammer Beacuse I am Deaf use relay service to make a call and oppression me... wow. Thanks read more

North County Independent VW & Audi told me that my water pump is leaking coolant and needs to be replaced, ( around a $1200 repair ). I went to another VW and Audi expert in Miramar who showed me that nothing was leaking and had to be replaced, saving me around $1200. This shop is also heavily disorganized and lacks good service; especially from the owner. read more

All five star reviews - pretty tough to believe right? Well believe it. Scotty and Eric are the real deal. They absolutely know what they're doing and are not bullshit artists. VW's and Audis have their quirks and these guys know them inside and out. We are a multiple VW family and wouldn't take our vehicles anywhere else for service. read more

These guys are incredible, I'm someone who treats my car like the queen she is so naturally I don't trust just anyone when it comes to repairs/services. I took my car in for a service and couldn't be happier! Anyone with a 2012 Audi Q5 knows how much they guzzle oil, I was manually checking the oil the day prior and the little oil tube cap took flight with a gust of wind and fell underneath my engine. My bad eyesight and sausage fingers were no good at locating it, I was devastated. Scott came to the rescue, found my tube cap and didn't even charge me for it! These guys truly go above and beyond! read more

I needed an oil change and I no longer wanted to go to San Diego. So I decided to try a new mechanic for my Audi A4 that was closer to home. I chose North Coast Independent Audi VW Specialists is in Encinitas because of their Yelp reviews. I dropped my car off and I walked over to TJ Maxx to pass the time. When I returned to the mechanic shop, I realized that I had left my iPad on the bench outside of TJ Maxx. So Eric or Scotty ( I can't remember which one-they are both super handsome but young enough to be my sons:)) drove me back to TJ Maxx to retrieve my iPad. Luckily someone had found it and turned it in to the store. My Audi is also running better than before. I think I have found my new Audi guys!! read more

These guys are amazing! They have let me come by on a moment's notice to assist me with sometimes simple requests and at times not so simple. They do ace repairs. I completely trust these guys with my 2013 Audi A5 Quattro Turbo Coupe. read more

I was extremely happy and relieved to have found a trustworthy and reliable mechanic for my VW. Just 2 months ago I was overcharged service and parts by a specialty mechanic and was apprehensive to try a another unknown specialist. My friend helped me find this place. I was quoted a fair price for a transmission flush and oil change. I even got my car back sooner than expected. Very knowledgeable and efficient, no pressure recommendations for my next visit too. I'm grateful to have found this place and will continue to bring my car here and I'm definitely recommending to anyone I see with a VW or Audi. Thank you so much! See you guys for my next service! read more

I've brought my A7 here multiple times, the first being because the dealer couldn't get me in quickly enough. And what can I say? Cheaper, faster repairs. Sure, you don't get the free car wash or cookies that you would at the dealership. But in exchange, you get a great conversation with intelligent, honest mechanics who seem to really love their job. They've earned my business and I won't be taking my Audi anywhere else! read more

First time customer here after local Audi dealer quoted me $890 to replace my rear brakes on my Q5. Came here and they did it for $480...thanks for saving me a ton of money! read more

Absolutely fantastic service! Eric and Scott are great guys, very friendly and down to earth, knowledgeable and extremely competent! Their pricing is fair, they delivered on time and I really enjoyed talking with them about our shared passion - VW's! read more

North County Independent Audi & VW - 91 Vanagon - Auto Repair Near Me - Encinitas, California

My husband and I have been taking our cars (Audi A4 and VW Jetta) over there for any repair/service for over a year now. These guys are seriously so honest and trustworthy. We don't take our cars to dealerships anymore because they have overcharged us. We live in Orange County and drive down to Encinitas to take our cars there because of the great customer service and we don't trust anyone else with our cars! Thank you North County Independent! read more

Eric and Scotty are the best VAG techs I've ever worked with. They know Audi's and VW's like the back of their hands and do amazing work. I willingly drive 30 minutes across town to get my service done with them, and my car needs service all the time. Very trustworthy guys I can't recommend them more. read more

Brought my Passat in hoping it only needed brake pads...but my husband warned me it might need rotors. Can't say enough about Eric and his professionalism. He fit me in on short notice, was honest and fair and did a great job. Really refreshing to find local guys who are not only knowledgeable in their profession, but genuinely nice business guys. If you need Audi or VW work visit their shop. You won't be disappointed. 5 stars all around! read more

Eric and Scotty do a really solid job at much better-than-dealership prices and their work is as good as any dealership I've seen. They are fair and will tell you what should and should not be done. I told them I wanted to drive my Audi to 200k miles and they have kept me going at very reasonable prices. I highly recommend them. read more

Small but great service. I do not own a VW but a friend does and they go above and beyond to take care of him. They will drop you off and pick you up if you need them to. Their Manager Steve is awesome A really honest, and great guy and will make sure you get what you are looking for. read more

I've been to plenty of places with great Yelp reviews only to be unimpressed. That's not the case here. Eric & Scott who answer the phone are the same guys you see when you arrive and the same guys who diagnose and work on the cars. Start to finish, same guys. SOO much better and reassuring than a costly dealership with a Service Writer who hasn't a clue! These guys are far more concerned about getting it RIGHT than about the COST! Casual, not a lot of formality, just great honest work at fair prices. I have proof! What a delight after the rude overpriced service from the dealer on Encinitas Blvd! read more

I was in need of a VW mechanic and through my research I came across N. County Independent Audi/VW Specialists. After reading all of the positive reviews I gave them a call. I spoke with Eric who was extremely helpful, professional, and a pleasure to talk to. I knew I found the right place! They went above and beyond in handling the repairs amd explained things clearly. I would highly recommend this shop and will be a return customer when needed. Thank you Eric and Scotty! read more

Eric met me at 4:15pm in the pouring rain and diagnosed my daughers car for free! They reset my check engine light caused by an operator error (16 year old driver.) Great guys! Give them a chance! Jeff read more

I found this location online and am VERY HAPPY that I went here, and will be returning very soon!! These guys are thorough and work very fast with a great price, and keep you updated the whole way. I dropped off my little sister's Cabrio to get some work done and they called me to confirm the issue and let me know an estimate before beginning work. The next day, the car was done! I like their honesty and they're not one of those small shops that try and gouge you and upsell everything, they pretty much "this is the problem, and this is the cost". I HIGHLY suggest this place for all your VW and Audi needs. read more

Highy recommended vw and Audi service! These guys are honest and trustworthy. I will be returning to them for all of my future repairs! read more

Honest - Dependable - Fantastic Service!!!! Visiting from out of town on my annual vacation visit to Southern CA and our VW Beetle broke down. Eric and Scott got it running right with a fair and honest estimate of what needed repair. I totally appreciated their response and how well they responded to our needs. I would unquestionably bring my car back again and cannot say enough positive things about their service. Would rate this higher if I could. You will be treated respectfully and will bring my car back to them for any service needed when i come to visit. read more

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of working with North County Independent Audi and VW. I enjoyed the prompt service I received. I felt like I was working with a family member they where honest and upfront about the service needs of my car and gave me options as far as the priority of the repairs. This is a great place to take your car and very reasonably priced versus the prices you find at the dealership. Thanks Guys P.S. Thanks for fixing my headlight so quickly read more

These guys are the best, PERIOD! I too wish I could give them more then 5 stars, that's the kind of shop this is. I take both, my 2008 Passat Wagon and my daughters 2005.5 Jetta to Eric and Scotty. Not only are they super friendly guys but they know VW's very well. I have everything from simple oil changes to valve de-carboning and timing belts changes. Don't waste your time taking your VW or Audi anywhere else, this is the place. Thanks Eric and Scotty read more

First time guest and will be returning. Cool guys with sense of humor, adorable dog, great customer service. Win.

I took my 2016 Audi S3 in for an oil change hoping to save some money, and the serviceman was courteous. He told me that the 10,000-mile oil change on the car was only for Audi to sell more new cars, and warned me to bring it back after 5,000 miles. I was told they feel this way because of blown O rings being attributed to the 10,000-mile oil change interval. The receipt said, "Full synthetic oil", and not the specification that my S3 required. I became suspicious about the oil used because of a mileage drop of 5 to 6 MPG following the oil change and eventually, because of yelp, Eric offered me a free oil change to Audi's preferred brand. I requested that he send me the manufacturer's information for the oil used, and it did turn out that the oil used was on the Volkswagen spec list after all, and after all, on the next operation cycle on the next day the mileage had jumped back up to its normal level. I apologize for being concerned and posting a negative review, but I did what I could to try to improve communication. My concern would have been avoided if they had listed the manufacturer and product name on the receipt so that I could verify that it was the correct oil type. Prices are very low at this shop and they deserve comparison with the larger shops around the area. read more

Best in the business! Took my 01 Audi in for a diagnostic and they went above and beyond the usual to make sure my car was running at its peak. The most HONEST and TRUSTWORTHY mechanics I've ever met! HIGHLY recommend them to anyone with a Audi/VW of any year to check them out for any repair/oil change/parts/feedback. Thanks a TON Eric and Scotty you guys are a blessing. -N8 read more