Knowledgeable and professional staff, reasonable prices and fast service. I had to get my spark plugs gapped, as the shop that installed them didn't gap them at all apparently. I had to convince the associate on the phone to take my car in the first place, but once I rolled the car in the shop, everything went very smoothly. Dave let me know what the spark plug gap was at the time, and let me know he'd be able to bring it to within tolerance. Jerky acceleration no more! The guys at Phraedus definitely know what they're doing. read more

I have a 2013 335i x-Drive. The exhaust was having an issue as I hit a major pothole in SF and knocked it loose, so I took it into Phaedrus and they were able to diagnose and fix the issue immediately! Gigi in the service department was extremely nice and when I let he know I was trying to leave town quickly for an extended trip, they took care of me as soon as they could. Great techs, great staff, great service. I strongly recommend trying them out. read more

I was recommended this place by the great guys at Glass Plus to see if they could figure out why my 2007 BMW 328 hardtop convertible wasn't working. I had called different places off and on over the last year+, and no one seemed to be able to do the job. I had to wait almost two weeks to get an opening at Phaedrus to take a look, but definitely worth the wait. The garage was spotless when I came in. I left my car with Gigi in the morning, and by that afternoon, they had figured out the problem and fixed it! They probably charge slightly more per hour than others, but it's well worth it, and I wouldn't hesitate to use them in the future. Another reviewer said it best, that even though they may charge more per hour, they're very efficient with time, and you'll probably pay about the same somewhere else overall, who may charge less per hour, but charge you more hours. You might even be paying less if you consider that you'll be less likely to bring the car back in if it wasn't fixed properly. I have a feeling if I had brought my car into the dealership, I would've wound up paying multiples of what my bill came out to be. I'd rather pay good BMW mechanics now, who I have confidence in, and save myself the aggravation of inferior work or headache later. They're obviously experts with BMW's. They have flexible hours, and I was able to pick up my car late in the day since they're open till 9 pm. Nice people. I love my car again. read more

These people are totally incompetent, stay away from them like the plague. They have absolutely no idea what they're doing. Kept my 5 series for two and a half days for a simple oil change, the first oil change on the car by the way. Every warning light came on in the car afterwards. To make matters worse, the overweight buffoons had absolutely no idea what was going on with the car after multiple follow up checks which they happily charged me for. Good luck to the reviewers who claim they got good service here, I did not. These people are rogues. read more

Phaedrus meets all my requirements and more in a car repair place. They can - They do great work - They stand by their work - the one time I had an issue, they took care of it right away. They also took responsibility for the problem. - Take me at the last min - They are open late (until 9:00) and open on Saturdays - They are nice. I keep going back. Nuff said. read more

I've been taking my M3 to Phaedrus for several years - here's one of the reasons why: the other day my "check engine" light came on, and the car was having trouble idling, so I brought the car in to Phaedrus, and was ready to throw more money down the drain, right? It turns out that I didn't put my oil cap back on properly (knucklehead), and when they found the problem, the guys at Phaedrus fixed the problem, called me within 10 minutes and charged me $0. Nice guys... read more

It was bound to happen. Pay for the extended warranty, which runs out due to years and not miles, and less than six months later engine is blown. Having been to all the local BMW dealers for service, and having been disappointed by each, had car taken to two different places both highly recommended on Yelp! I chose Phaedrus because they didn't treat me like a moron. Dale & John explained to me the issues, and when I asked questions they didn't just shrug their shoulders and say to trust them. They really tried hard to answer. Engine was replaced, but car was not running right, which I, not they, attributed to just being out of the shop, and eventually died. However, after having car towed in it was discovered was a part that was not replaced causing issues. Dale called me, told me what the issue was and, before I could say boo, told me that the costs were on them. That was definitely a pleasant surprise. Hey mistakes happen. It's how you fix them that matters and makes a difference between a headache and a return customer. I'll be back & I'd recommend them. read more

these gents are good. took my 535is for a valve adjustment , of-course they did a perfect job with the valves but also they secured and replaced quite a few nuts and bolts required here and there. this is more than professional ( its personal) and i like it. they also explain how stuff works, very genuinely. not only dale or john every person there is good. also i like those quite dogs lying around. read more

Great place to bring your bimmer in the city especially if you live in Marina or North Beach. I took my m3 and 540i there for all scheduled maintenance and some not so. They are not the cheap but definitely more so then BMW SF, they do great work and far more convenient since they are right across the street from Lombardi Sports. read more

After 4 years of taking my girlfriend's BMW 325 to BMW of San Francisco, I finally realized what an overpriced pain that was, and took the car to Phaedrus. Cool and very clean shop with interesting vintage cars, nice people to speak with, and they intelligently explain everything. We needed a new belt tensioner and BMW of SF quoted us $800. I stopped by Phaedrus and their quote was $500 AND they explained I should have it done right away because it could damage the engine if it went out while driving, which of course BMW of SF said nothing about. They got the work done in one afternoon and it came in at only $350! This place has all the benefits of a small shop. You can talk to one person at the service counter and they are every knowledgeable mechanics themselves, not just salesmen like at BMW of SF. read more

Highly knowledgable staff! I had an issue with my BMW that several mechanics were unable to diagnose. I was referred to Phaedrus by a friend, and they were able to figure out and solve the issue. It was a bit on the expensive side, but I guess you get what you pay for. I would recommend them to any BMW owner. read more

I have been going to Phaedrus since 1986. The biggest reason I have stayed there is that I can trust them. When I tell them that I hear a funny noise, or think it's time for something to be replaced (like the clutch), they give me a straight answer - yes, no, or not now with an explanation of the true story. Whatever the issue, they keep my cars running extremely reliably. My current ride is a 1990 325is with 170K+ miles, that starts first time every time. I have also referred numbers of friends and acquaintances to Phaedrus over the years, and all of them have had great experiences with Phaedrus, and became regular customers themselves. read more

Have used Phaedrus for four different vehicles, three fairly new and one "vintage", since 1997. - excellent at identifying the issues - honest - reliable and on time and stand behind their work (I've only had one minor re-do) - one of the owners passed away a couple years ago. He had the best customer-facing approach so that's been a loss - open late and Saturdays. - prices are about 25pc less than dealership but more than most other places. Not for those who are price sensitive but if you want quality and reliability and don't care about dealership 'concierge' type service (free coffee, shuttles, people calling you 'sir') it's excellent value read more

I also LOVE the service at Phaedrus!! I feel like they are so honest and trust worthy which is sometimes hard to find with car service shops. I have been there 3 times and have really felt they took care of my issues in a expeditious, honest, fair manner, Recently my car broke down in the East Bay and I was really disappointed I could not have just taken it to Phaedrus. My plan is to take my car back to Dale and happily pay a fee (if needed) for inspection just to make sure the work was done right at the other service company . I would not take my car anywhere else!Thanks Phaedrus!! read more

I recently purchased a used BMW from one of Phaedrus' regular customers. With the owner's permission, I was able to coordinate a conference call with John (yep, pleasant, professional and knowledgeable) and my own local independent garage GM here in the Seattle area (Brian at Southlake European) to discuss the service history and needs of this vehicle. The synergy was very good and I came away from our discussion with a high degree of confidence in the vehicle's condition. We all agreed that a full-blown pre-purchase inspection was not necessary because of recent vehicle service and inspection, but that a simple safety check and oil change would suit my purposes. Even though the shop was very busy that day, John was able to work the vehicle into his schedule and I was able to consummate the sale and be on my merry way before 5. read more

I recently took my 2003 BMW for an oil service (more than just an oil change) and the Phaedrus team was professional and thorough in explaining the details of what my car needed. They gave me a rough estimate when I dropped my car and said they'd call with any "surprises". They completed the service on schedule and explained a couple small things I needed to "watch" for. The day after my service I had a small issue with my smog check (at a location off 19th Ave), so I called Phaedrus and spoke to John, the service manager. He was very helpful/ knowledgable in explaining certaing things to look out for/ during a smog check...like making sure the guys doing the job trun off the DSC. Anyway, I am very very impressed with the level of customer service from the entire team- both on the phone and in person- and feel comfortable taking my car there for service. Oh, and did I mention the place was spotless! I will definately go back. read more

These guys know BMWs, and that includes when to suggest an upgrade from factory specs. For example: the 1996 318ti has really weak window lifts. I've owned the car for over ten years and have replaced the passenger side lifts twice (at another shop). The third time it broke, I took the car to Phaedrus and they informed me that they have a kit that they've designed to fix the factory weakness. I wish I had brought the car to them the first time. Treat your car to the detail shop downstairs as well. read more

I have been using John and Dale since 1999 with my 328CI. With 140,000 miles I hve never taken my car anywhere else. Picing is very fair, car always ready as promised and the workmanship spot on. A few years ago I had the opportunity to take my car on a race track for the day at Thunderhill in northern california. They had a checklist sheet just for racing. They fixed up to race performance, and I had one of the best days of my life on the race track.The car performed like a top!!! They are honest and just great guys. read more

If you want to be cheap, don't go to Phaedrus. If you want someone who does good job on your BMW, go to Phaedrus. These guys have been working on my M3 for years and I have no complaints at all. I went to Phaedrus when my car was still under warranty after hearing good things about them from a co-worker. I tested to see if they are honest by telling them I wanted to have certain things done and they told me they would only do part of the list and to go back to the dealer to get the rest done which were still under warranty. Have been back to them ever since for inspection 1 & 2 and whatever that I don't have the knowledge or time/space to do. Yes they are a bit expensive but to me their work worths every penny. read more

My Mini is used commercially, driven over 35,000 mile per year, for the past 6 years. Gigi, Dale, John, Dave....they are always so accommodating and professional. My Mini needs to perform every day, and when it doesn't, Phaedrus is there with great service and a quick turnaround. They will lend me a loaner car if my Mini is in the shop for more than 24 hours, and I don't ever ask for this...it's always offered. Great people, well run professional operation, bottom line. They rock. read more

I don't know the name of the guy who worked here. I was treated very poorly. I won't be coming back.

I have a 1997 BMW that had a bad key switch. Meanwhile we knew the secondary air pump might have a problem, the check engine light was on and we knew it leaks oil (all old cars leak oil). I live on the peninsula, work in the east bay, but based on yelp review and referral from the person who maintains my other German car I took the car here. I went in, told them above. The next day, the front desk lady gave me a long list of what's wrong with the car. I was told I need to replace the secondary air pump, check valve, and gave me a total estimate of $505 for that. They also told me the car has a massive oil leak and gave me an estimate of $750. I spoke to the technician about it, he was telling me that the massive oil leak has to do with some rubber seal, something to do with the oil filter housing. The seal costs $5 but it is the amount of labor involved to fix that. ok.. I decided to only fix the key switch which they charged 4 hours of labor and $250 parts - Total $700. (Afterwards one of my co-worker heard of it and his son is a BMW technician and he gasped how much they charged). Anyways back to the story. I told them not to fix the secondary air pump nor the oil leak. Just do the key switch. Then the next day, I got a call from them, telling me that alternatively they can gave me an used secondary air pump, a new check valve which will cost about $400 total. At first, I was interested in the money saving. I thought about it and called them back, asking them where does the used secondary air pump come from? They hesitantly said that, it's from a 1998 wrecked BMW... Ok.. that doesn't sound like good for me. For $400 I would have no warranty, and would not know if the used one will break the next day I'm out of the shop. I also figured, well, a new one is only $100 more, this does make installing a new one seem reasonable. So I called back, telling them to install the new air pump and I confirmed the $505 price. The next day, I got another call. I was told that, over the new year, BMW raised price on the parts, now for air pump work total would be $750. What? I immediately feel I was being played with a game.. I told them just change the key switch that's all. A couple days later the car was ready and I went in to pick it up. I looked at my bill and saw something unexpected - there was a diagnostic charge which I roughly remember is around $100-$150? I told them, nobody mentioned to me that there would be a diagnostic charge. After talking to the owner, they removed the charge. ok. This all happened back in January this year. Then I knew I would not go back. Even though I was not happy with my experience with them, especially in the "honest" department that so many yelp reviewers wrote about. I didn't want to leave anything here. But why now? The oil leak still bothers me. The leak does seem bad and with my very limited knowledge about cars I know it's bad for the engine. A month later I got a recommendation from a friend and took the car to a local car shop. Next day he called me and asked me, when was the last time the car had an oil change? I said I don't remember it's been a while but the car wasn't driven much either. He said, the reason he asked was that usually when the car gets oil change, the car gets a new oil filter, new oil, and the rubber seal at the bottom of the oil filter housing gets changed too - because it's rubber, it doesn't last - It's all part of a standard oil change. He said the one that's in my car is really really old and in bad condition and that's what's causing the massive oil leak. All he has to do is to perform a standard oil change and that should take care of the problem and the price is $120 for BMW synthetic oil. Wow! The oil leak stopped after the oil change. Talking about "honesty" with Phaedrus? ok. I still did not want to say anything on yelp. Two weeks ago I conducted smog check and it failed with two error code. I sent the error code to a friend who's resourceful with online self-help and told me that, it's still the secondary air pump area. ok.. I guess you really can't avoid a problem. He advised me to take the car to a technician and have that thoroughly checked. Maybe it's only the valve that is bad. So I took the car to the same local guy who fixed the oil leak. The next day, He called and said that the valve is bad, the secondary air pump is working! I just need to replace the valve. parts +labor $300. If I had went with Phaedrus, to fix everything I would have paid $1485. What I paid for the same results without them? $453 Now you know why now this review. As professionals, charging diagnostic fees, whey would have removed a good part if I had let them. Honest or else, this is my story. read more

Let me preface this review by saying I rarely write a review, however I found my experience here to be excellent and thought it deserved another excellent review. I am. A female that recently moved to SF from NY and would be the first to admit I don't know much about cars at all. This is why I was a little hesitant to go outside of a dealership, but I have not had positive experiences with Bay area BMW dealers so I thought I would explore other options. The gentlemen at Phaedrus immediately impressed me with their honesty and helpfulness and even fixed a little issue I was having for free! I have since returned and really appreciated their flexible hours and honest, kind attitudes. I would definitely recommend them to others. read more

They will add products that are not necessary and screw you on price every chance they get. The work may be great but paying an extra thousand dollars for it isn't. continue looking, and save your money. read more

Moved back to L.A. after few years ago but I still take my occasionally driven SF 135-car to Phaedrus. Car was serviced last Fall and purred like a kitten as soon as I drove out of the garage. Noticeably better than when I dropped it off. A month later, when I needed to send 2 years of odometer readings to my insurer to prove how rarely the car is driven, Phaedrus scanned and emailed ALL 4 years' worth of service records How's that for customer service? - they're the best! read more

I returned from vacation to find my passenger window smashed in (love you too, San Francisco). I'd walked past Phaedrus a bunch of times, so my first thought was to take it there (I also wanted it inside since I only have street parking). They have long hours, and took it without question. They did a diagnostic to make sure it was only the glass, and not any of the mechanical components. I ended up taking it somewhere else to get the glass replacement done, but they charged me a very reasonable fee for diagnostics and two days storage. If I needed any actual BMW work done, Phaedrus will be my first stop. They dropped a star just because the glass estimate was so much more ($300) than what another shop actually charged me. read more

Used them twice. First, several years ago, my BMW3 was making intermitten noise. They talked me into changing belts. Misdiagnosis. Went to another mechanic and change PCV valve. Problem was fixed. Second time, several months ago, went in to replace passenger airbag sensor. Sensor works ok, but couple of months later, I discovered my front bumper has a deep gouge. I know for a fact the gouge was not there before. Since I am the only one that drove my car, no one else could have caused the gouge. What made me so sure that they damaged my car and could not have been some hit and run driver was that they used silver touch-up paint on the gouge to hide it. Since I did not noticed it until two months later, I didn't bother to go after them because they would undoubtedly deny responsibility. read more

I've been bringing my car here for over 10 years and these guys are the ONLY ones I trust. They have reasonable prices, quick turnaround times, and late hours. The staff is super helpful and professional. I'd gladly recommend them to anyone. read more

Asked about an oil change for my BMW over the phone and the rude guy quoted me way more than what the stealership charges...wtf?! I asked why they charge more than the dealership and the guy was giving me attitude and saying I was rude to ask. Don't get ripped off by this place! Rude customer service and over charges customers! read more

The phaedrus team is awesome. They were open from 7am to 9am making it really easy and convenient for me to drop off and pick up my car without rushing. Every staff member I spoke with was very knowledgeable and was able to answer/trouble shoot any question I had. Dropping my car off was really easy - drove right into their large warehouse style garage, walked up to the counter (walking by some awesome classic bmws), confirmed what needed to be done and I was on my way. I should add that they were kind enough to ask me whether I had work and how they should contact me as to not inconvenience me. Within a couple hours, I got a call about what work needed to be done and a quote. They (very respectfully and reasonably) let me know my options based on cost and their recommendation without pushing any unnecessary extra hours of labor costs for them. They finished the work fast and when I went to pick up my car, they gave me a detailed breakdown of everything they did. I've experienced shops trying to rush me out after they take my money but the staff took the time to ensure I knew how everything worked and why they did what they did through diagrams and an under the hood inspection with me there to watch. The cost for taking a car into the shop is always going to be expensive no matter where you go but taking it here gave me piece of mind knowing I would receive a professional job and wouldn't have to come back for another issue. Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with their service and professionalism and I would highly recommend this shop to every BMW owner. read more

Can't speak too highly of this place. It's about the only repair place I've visited where I feel they _really_ know the ins and outs of the cars they are repairing. They are also very thorough at taking details of symptoms, and have sometimes called me during the day for clarifications and/or additional information as to the nature of a problem. They are not cheap, but they are both cheaper than BMW dealers and, imo, well worth the cost. I'm an extremely satisfied customer, which is something I can't say about many - if any - other repair places I've visited. read more

Relatively quick service. However, the final cost for charged for brake service was twice what was quoted. It seems dishonest to me. It's reasonable to charge more for good service, but at least be straighforward about it. read more

if you have a bmw, this is the place to go...hands down. they are impeccably nice and attentive and work hard to get you back into your car very quickly. they did a fantastic job on my tune up ...besides leaving a screw driver in the back seat?!!! read more

First time going to an Independent BMW shop, and I'm quite impressed. First off the facility looks great and professional. Secondly John was helpful when it came to register my new battery I installed recently. AFTER a mishap with a certain individual on the forums who offers coding on newer bmws ripped me off. Anyways John and everyone got my battery properly coded and registered so quick and at a reasonable price of 120 bucks vs the dealer who quoted me 250. A+ service highly recommended for any bmw that needs service. read more

Took my 2009 M3 here several times. Great service. Seemed trust worthy. Like the available car wash service so I can kill 2 birds with 1 stone... read more

I've had a few oil changes and brake services here. Phaedrus is cheaper than the BMW dealership but isn't the cheapest independent repair shop in SF, however they are really professional and knowledgeable. Their shop is clean and they take pride in their work. They service a lot of BMWs each day, so you need to book ahead but they get it in and out on time as promised. read more

I stumbled across Phaedrus while walking around my new neighborhood one weekend (this was just after I'd moved here from the East Coast.) At the time, I didn't need any work done and my 330Ci was still under warranty, so I filed it away as something useful to know. Fast-forward about 2 weeks. I found myself in a dreadful bind because of a flat tire and the key to my wheel locks was lost during the car's cross-country transport. BMW SF were completely unhelpful, claiming that they had no master key (mine were OEM BMW wheel locks), that they'd have to drill out the lock and likely ruin the wheel, and that they could "fit you in sometime next Friday" (it was a Tuesday.) On top of everything else, they said they would charge me $500 for their trouble--not including new tire and possible new wheel. I was at a loss until I remembered Phaedrus and gave them a call. They told me to bring the car around and let them take a look, so I dropped it off and hoped for the best. John called me back half and hour later to tell me that they had a master key that unlocked the wheel and all I'd need to do was pay for a new tire. Total cost? About $250 including the labor--the tire accounted for most of that (Michelin PS2s). I had road hazard insurance for the tire and Phaedrus handled the paperwork so all I had to do was wait for my check in the mail! As long as I live in San Francisco, no one else will touch my BMWs. In fact, I won't even let anyone but Phaedrus wash my car. The price for a wash is $45, which sounds expensive but you get so much for your money. The average time that they spend on a wash is ONE HOUR. This includes extreme attention to the brake dust that accumulates in on the wheels and the grime that builds up in the nook and crannies of your interior. Compare this to the $12 for 3 minute specials you get at most washes and it's a screaming deal. Most of the time, they put in 1.5 hours on my car because I have two-piece wheels, which are a royal pain to clean. Phaedrus may a tad expensive, but they are not overpriced. And unlike many in the automotive business, they're not out to get you. These guys are true BMW guys and I'd give them 50 stars if I could. read more

Phaedrus BMW replaced my front brake rotors and pads for almost $400 LESS than BMWSF quoted me. And, Phaedrus did it overnight. Dropped my car off at 6pm, and picked it up at 7:30 AM the next day. They have a night crew - Brilliant! The quality of work is great so far, and they are light years ahead of BMWSF. It's a no-brainer to go back there for all future maintenance. read more

Wow, what a difference from the SF BMW dealership service department!! So after a typically horrifying customer service experience at the SF BMW dealership, I decided to take my car somewhere independent & chose Phaedrus based on its yelp reviews. Talk about well deserved -- this place was great & has my business from now on. The highlights: *they knew what to do/what to look for/and didn't upsell anything *I got my car detailed while I was there & it now looks brand new *they *fixed* my side mirror issue that the dealership couldn't figure out (in short - I could never really see out of the side mirrors well, asked the dealer if something was wrong, was told "no, you must be too tall" (seriously?) & phaedrus fixed it without my even mentioning that it was an issue (I believed the "tall" line, what can I say)) *their hours are unbelievably convenient -- they stay open late during the week & let me leave my car there for a couple of nights for my convenience (not theirs) *great location -- easy to find & get into *nice people I will never take my car anywhere else. read more

Needed a BMW specialist as my guy at the gas station wouldn't work on it. These guys are professional, honest and thourough. I had problem with error codes indicating a lack of air to the exhaust system and was fearful that it would be a massive repair job. Turned out to be something very minor, and once they found the problem, they fixed it for a little over $200. They also pointed out another problem with the heat/AC system but recommended not fixing it because it was not something I could live with. In other words, they saved me $500+ by recommending NOT making the repair. Think a dealership would do that? 5 stars for these guys. It was my first visit and I will be back. (not too soon I hope!) read more