Took my wife's BMW i3 in the shop last week and Steve was a great communicator when I popped in, he notified me the parts to fix her rear hatch were in while confirming the day/time we agreed the work to be done. Work was done on time and under budget. I plan to use Steve's services again. A+ thanks. read more

First-rate competent (and methodical) mechanic. No BS; pleasure to work with; highly recommended.

Could not be happier with Steve! We had a nagging issue with my X5. Not one person would fix it or even remotely come to a conclusion as the what the issue was. I took it to Steve and within about 3 hours, he had it diagnosed and fixed! Even called after hours to see how the car was running . Not the typical service you would expect these days. If you have a BMW and live in the area.. take it to Steve for your repairs and service. Dwain read more

Steve saved my ride from Mountain View to Santa Cruz today. Without any reason, I exited the first Scotts Valley exit, and leaving the freeway the motor died. I was able to let it roll up to the traffic light, a very nice person towed me with his pickup to Steve's garage, and Steve helped me right away, replacing the alternator, so I was able to continue my drive 2.5 hours later - all for a very reasonable price and with detailed information! Thank you!! read more

I have a vintage GMC Motorhome - not exactly a German vehicle - but I have used many auto services in the Santa Cruz area. It's challenging working on an old custom vehicle and I was never satisfied with the quality of work from other auto repair shops on my GMC so I took it to Steve. Steve helped me install a Holley fuel injection system including re-plumbing the tanks, and fixed some really tricky electrical issues. He also helped repair some shoddy work done by other local mechanics. The most important thing that struck me about Steve is his approach to problem solving. He goes back to the basics and ensures that the core functionality is sound. He approaches auto repair like an Engineer. Too many mechanics use "folklore" to diagnose a problem. Secondly, Steve is a continual learner. He's never installed the Holley EFI system before but he did a lot of research to figure it out. If he doesn't know how to address an issue then he thoroughly researches a topic and speaks with experts. Pretty soon he absorbs this knowledge and becomes an expert himself. Finally, Steve is extremely detail oriented. For example, when he makes an electrical connection he ensures that the join is solid and protected. He looks for the correct fastener to hold something and he ensures that the engine compartment and the chassis work is tidy and clean and free from rubbing. He explained to me that when he fixes something he wants it to stay fixed. He doesn't want to see it come back. He takes the extra time to ensure quality work. I don't hesitate to recommend Steve for maintaining or fixing your vehicle. I've worked with a lot of mechanics and Steve is definitely top notch. He's a great engineer/problem solver and does high quality work with extraordinary attention to detail. When he fixes something it stays fixed. read more

We've been bringing our cars to Steve for over 10 years, and always the best care. Takes time to talk to you about what needs fixing right away and what can wait for a while. Now that he's moved to Scotts Valley, we'll follow him over the hill! I recently had the rear brakes replaced on my 2011 Audi A3, and I'll be back when the front ones wear out too. read more

Steve is trustworthy, dependable, honest and absolutely fairly priced. I would recommend him to a friend!

Steve is enthusiastic in helping out his customers and does a great job outlining his approach and the issues at hand. Eager to make sure that I was happy with the final product. Very upfront, transparent, and knowledgable. Shows his love for the trade by sharing lots of information about your car. Found it very enlightening. read more

Steve Smith is amazing! I had the pleasure of having my cars serviced by Steve for over ten years (and in two different cities). With Steve's good work, my previous (and much loved) Toyota Tercel ran far longer than it should have. My current Toyota is in better shape than it should be for it's age and mileage - because of Steve's knowledge and care. When I bring in my car, Steve tells me what he expects to find and then tells me what he has found and what services will be needed in the future, allowing me to better plan (and budget). When I pick up the car, Steve shows me the work, including replaced parts. Women of the Scotts Valley Area - Tired of going to mechanics that assume you have never seen under your cars hood? I have been to many mechanics who assume that I know nothing about cars and tell me nonsense. I spent many hours of my childhood working on cars with my father. Steve has never spoken nonsense to me. if I ask questions, he further explains. It is a pleasure to have him talking about my car. Funny note - every time people were talking about auto mechanics in Mountain View and people were noting that they had "a great mechanic", it was ALWAYS Steve they were talking about. I was so happy to return my car to Steve's care when I moved to Scotts Valley. I brought my car in today for a much overdue service, and, as always, drove home with a car that I knew was running better than when I brought it in. I recommend Steve to anyone for any car maintenance or concerns. Great guy that knows his stuff! read more

Steve is by far the best mechanic in Scotts Valley and beyond. I'm a former mechcanic, trust him with anything, often consult with him on restorations when I have problems .He indeed works on just about anything at about half or often times less than the dealer. Steve routinely works on my Muscle cars to BMW , Mercedes , and wife's Outback and all our company trucks for many years in two locations. I've referred many friends over the years, oftentimes he's sorted problems others could not or created. A super nice fellow with a very nice attitude , keeps a whistle clean and organized shop, finishes on a timely basis every time , especially in an emergency. Rare old school competent , honest service. read more

Steve is a very competent, skilled and knowledgeable mechanic, no doubt. He knows his German cars, and does good work. My issue is not with his mechanical abilities, but rather with his business model of charging dealership prices as an independent shop. My wife's BMW 335i tossed the Accessory Belt on the way to school, and she brought it to Bavarian Motors based on friends who have had work done there in the past. Normally this is an item which I would tackle myself, but I was out of town at the time. Steve fixed the problem, and my wife paid the bill. Upon my return I looked at the bill, and wondered why we were being charged full dealer prices for the parts...especially when the parts provided were NOT BMW factory parts. Though aftermarket parts may meet or exceed manufacturer specifications, they DO NOT COST the same, nor have passed the BMW quality checks, or carry the BMW warranty. My past experience with aftermarket parts on multiple German cars has been less than stellar. I explained to him that charging the full retail for factory parts and installing aftermarket was not in my view an ethical practice. He felt that he was marking up the prices appropriately. I disagreed and pointed out that an aftermarket $24 belt should not cost $65, and that a $66 idler should not be marked up to $145.71 (which is the exact BMW list price). The lower prices are what I can find both online and locally. I worked for several years in the automotive repair business and understand that shops do need to have a markup on parts...a reasonable markup. No matter what shop is working on your car, I would advise asking them what parts are being installed, and cross-check what they are charging you for those parts. You may be surprised with the discrepancies and up-lift. To his credit, we did settle on a partial refund, but I still have a bitter taste in my mouth. I don't like being taken advantage of, nor being treated like a fool. Some people may never look at their receipts or simply accept that this is an OK practice, I personally do not. If I had wanted to pay dealership prices, I would have had the work done at the dealership...and received genuine parts. Perhaps this post will last a few days before being taken down, perhaps not. Everything noted above is based on my experience. Needless to say I will not be taking any of my vehicles to Bavarian Motors for service. read more

We have a 2009 VW Passat Wagon that is our daily drive vehicle. About 2 months ago it started having engine problems, shuddering and skipping every time we drove it. We took it to three mechanics and none of them could figure out what was going on. And one even specialized in VW's. After spending over $500 and not having the problem solved, we were referred to Steve by our regular mechanic. Steve worked his magic, stuck with the problem and was able to fix our car! Steve is extremely knowledgeable and had an idea what the problem could be even before he started his diagnostics. He asked lots of questions and communicated with us along the whole process of repairs, even texting us pictures of the gunked up part. Steve knows his stuff, that is for sure. He even called us after we had driven the car for a few days, just to be sure the problem was solved. Who does that??? Well Steve does and we really appreciate his attention to detail and his dedication. We will stick with him for future repairs and we highly recommend his services. read more

While it isn't very lucky to have your radiator hose break on Highway 17 in the mountains, luck was definitely with me when the very next exit brought me to Steve Smith's Bavarian Motors! He repaired my radiator hose then a few days later replaced my thermostat. Both jobs were done well and with a full explanation educating me on exactly what was going on. Steve is friendly, professional and very good at explaining automotive issues in a simple and clear way. I highly recommend Steve and intend to go to him for all my automotive need and would encourage anyone else to do the same! read more