In a world full of dishonest car mechanics, it's refreshing to come across a place that prides itself in honesty and exceptional work. Paola and team did a fantastic job of doing a new vehicle inspection after some warning lights popped up. Their professional diagnostic proved that the vehicle had many issues that the dealership had not disclosed. The inspection was comprehensive, thorough, and explanation of it all was incredibly down-to-earth. Will gladly use hem for any future service needs! read more

Another great experience with these guys. They are extremely knowledgeable and courteous. Diagnosed an issue with my wife's G550 and quickly performed the repairs. Their new location is easy to get to from Seattle. read more

Beware...... This place cannot be trusted. I took my 03 Range Rover here because it had a small leak in the cooling system that I had been monitoring for a couple of weeks. They told me the water pump needed replacing and we should do the thermostat and belts at the same time for a cost of $1,500.00. I called to the dealer to check their pricing and was quoted the same price. When I called Car Tender back they offered to give me a 15% discount on the price. I decided to shop further and pick up my car, they told me it was very dangerous to drive the car off their lot as it was "leaking coolant faster than they could put it in", a direct quote from John, and recommend I have it towed. I knew this was a lie, unless they had done something to my car, so I drove it 3 blocks to my home. They charged me $135 for the diagnosis - 1 hour of labor. They were going to call me back with a re-quote and never did. I ended up having the work done by a great specialist shop for $680 with factory BMW parts, it's a 14 mile drive North but well worth it - the car made it fine with the slight leak. I am VERY happy to find a mechanic I can trust. read more

Car Tender and their staff are great! I have lived within a mile of the place my entire life. Can't believe I just found this gem of a place. When I called to get my Prius serviced I got in within a week and was able to make an appointment at the perfect time for me. I was called to p/u at the exact time Paolo told me and was happy to hear I did not need any extras this time. An exceptional, honest, friendly business that does great work. It is a far cry from the dealership I went to for many years that told me numerous times I needed services that were not necessary( like when I bought a new set of tires from Goodyear and had my car serviced the next day and they told me I needed my tires rotated!). Paolo even kept me from locking myself out of my house by reminding me to take the rest of my keys with me. I will continue to give them my business and I highly recommend them to anyone who wants to support a small business that has been in Seattle for a very long time and work with a great staff! read more

They are honest and through with their work. I would recommend them for car repair. My wary dogs do appreciate the treats, though they don't often show it. Thanks y'all for the patience with their barking! read more

I trust Car Tender - I tried a couple of other repair services in Seattle and had bad experiences, they either couldn't accurately diagnose the issues with my car or tried to sell me a long list of expensive and unnecessary repairs. I've been going to Car Tenders for the last 7 years and they have always been honest, knowledgeable and efficient. I highly recommend them. read more

Just engaged these guys for the first time, to fix a 5 year old mercedes benz i just bought recently. What a great experience. I bought the car about 3 months ago, so (predictably) it needed a repair last week. And it sounded like it needed serious repair (bad sounds and movement coming from the front wheel assembly). I dropped in on a Monday; but they were too busy to see me until later in the week. So i made an appointment for first thing in the day, later in the week, and came back at the agreed time. When i dropped the car off early in the day (at our appointment time) they told me theyd get to the car later in the day (which I found a little offputting). Ive now learned why they are so busy. Its because people like dealing with them. Or...at least i did. A lot. Turns out my major repair was a minor problem, and i dealt directly with the owner (which seemed like standard practice to me. Nothing special about my interactions, i dont think). I highly recommend getting to know these guys if you have a european car (which can be a horrible experience, when broken). Very pleasant experience all the way around. While im not rooting for my European car to break (it will, im sure), when it does it's nice to know thwt i know where to take it. read more

Thieves! Liars! I took my car in to have a leak under the passenger side dash get fixed and they told me it was a leak in the door seal but it wasn't! The leak is still there! They wasted two weeks of my time and charged me an arm and a leg for something that probably didn't even need to get fixed! Then he tried to tell me to be careful and not break the new seal around the door as if I did so on purpose the first time and to add insult to injury he recommended that I leave newspapers in there from time to time to absorb the moisture AS IF that is going to stop the gushing leak that is still there every time it rains! And guess what! WE LIVE IN SEATTLE! Useless robbers and thieves! read more

They went above and beyond for me yesterday when I had a flat tire! I drove there thinking it was something completely different. I was so embarrassed that I didn't notice it at first. They changed my flat in under an hour and had me on my way for free. My family always uses them and now we will be following them up to Shoreline because they run a great business. read more

Recently came into a used BMW and took it to Car Tender for some repairs that had been neglected by the previous owner. I have been more than happy with their customer service, their repair and parts pricing and their promptness in fixing the car. They have been up front about the things that should be prioritized, as well as tips and workarounds to keep from having to throw money at the car. It's a nice car, my relationship with Car Tender has given me peace of mind and increased my satisfaction with owning this vehicle. read more

So, I am new to the luxury german automobile lifestyle (my previous car was a 1993 Geo Prizm that finally became just too embarassing to drive), so I wasn't accustomed to the price tag at my local dealer for routine maintenance. After the first year's maintenance was done at Phil Smart and I found myself wondering if I could afford to maintain my car, I decided to look for alternatives for the second year's maintenance. Car Tender was great! Friendly service representative, good service and about 1/2 the price as at the dealer. I'll be going back every year! read more

I've been taking my 1997 BMW 328is to Car Tender since 2004. Before Car Tender I was always leery of mechanics because I've had many treat me as an idiot, over charged and talked down to me (as a woman). Car Tender has NEVER done any of that to me and always takes the time to discuss any issues or concerns I might have with my car. I've always been highly pleased with the service and quality provided by Car Tender and want to recommend them with 5 stars. If you want honest, reliable service, trust these guys with your vehicles. For those negative commenters I ask, have you ever seen any of the guys standing around or their lot empty? There is NO way that a mechanic would stay in business (and such high demand) if they aren't as consistently good as these guys. People trust their classics to these guys to repair so I think my 1997 is in more than capable hands! read more

I worked with John here, he was amazing! They got me in for servicing within a day, told me what would be best/most cost effective for what I needed, and even wash and vacuum your car! They'll text you photos if any issues and and are very responsive to any calls/questions. I know they didn't cheat me because I told them that I was told I needed new brakes (forgetting I got them) and they assured me my brakes were new and it was unneeded so they're not one of those places that try and get as much work as possible. All in all, great experience! read more

I should have consulted Yelp before bringing our car to Car Tender! We also did not have a positive experience with Patrick. From the get-go, he was not very kind & spoke to me in a rather demeaning manner. Patrick failed to communicate additional charges/fees associated with the work done on our car. When we went to pick it up, the final bill had over $300 of charges that he never once mentioned to us in conversation over the course of the time that our car was in the shop. He also did not do a complete inspection of the car, although he said that he did, which was very evident when we picked the car up. I should add that I completed the survey sent to us by Car Tender & I sent back a negative review. I was immediately called by John, who was very concerned by our review & tried his best to remedy the situation. I don't think we'll be going back to Car Tender again, but we really appreciated that John cared enough to follow up with us. read more

Incredible customer service! Kindly helped me refill my engine coolant with day-of notice and fixed a few other problems without me asking! Thank you again! read more

I brought my X3 in because of a rattle, which I later found out was a common issue with the sunroof. They charged me a diagnostic fee on top of the other services, said they couldn't hear the problem, then I got in the car and drove down some bumpy roads with them and pointed it out. It was obvious. They quoted me a price to fix it, and I decided it was too much. I took my car home unwashed and wondering what I paid hundreds of dollars for. read more

Very surprised to see the negative reviews. I went there two days ago to get a headlight bulb changed. The guys helping me had me stay there because we figured it would be a quick change and it ended up not being the case as I was there watching. They offered to give me a ride to wherever I needed to go as I had to leave my car there. A few hours later, Patrick explained to me the issue very thoroughly and charged me a very fair price. Also, when I picked up my car, they had done an awesome courtesy wash. I recommend this place hands down. read more

Talk about a bi-polar set of reviews - Car Tender - you either love it or hate it. I fall in the former category. I believe it depends entirely upon what you expect from a car repair shop. Car Tender is exceptionally professional, and they can fix anything. Customer support is superb and the mechanics are among the best in the city. They know how to diagnose, create alternatives and implement what they propose. I was referred to Car Tender by several exceptionally savvy car owners. Are they inexpensive? Absolutely not, however you get value for your dollar, but there needs to be a reason for it. My vintage Mercedes is a Car Tender car where it is loved and pampered, also significantly less expensive than MB Seattle, where the vintage MB would be very rare - at most one per month. On the other hand, my in warranty Toyota Camry goes to the dealership - less expensive and just fine as fixing the Camry, right now, is pure vanilla - they probably see twenty of my make and model per week. So, rather than slamming a rare, well-run independent business like Car Tender for not being all things to all people - use Yelp and determine the type of repair shop that is appropriate for your vehicle and personal financial circumstances. read more

(Apparently Car Tender convinced Yelp to remove my previous review so here goes again. Is this too real for you Yelp? Don't remove it again unless I GET A FULL REFUND). Here is my experience with Car Tender and I hope it helps you decide to take your car somewhere else. 1. My cherished 450SL did not run well. I took it to Car Tender and specifically told them the fuel injectors had recently been replaced. 2. They kept my car for well over 2 FULL MONTHS randomly replacing fuel system parts until they finally realized the fuel injectors were bad. They charged me over $800 just to diagnose the issue. 3. Each week Patrick would call and make up excuses but the bill kept growing and growing as he made up excuse after excuse each week. I felt trapped. 4. Once they said the fuel injectors were the problem they replaced them and the bill was almost $4000.00. Certainly I did not need ALL the other parts replaced as there was no way for them to know if they were good or not since the fuel injectors were not functioning correctly. PROBLEM: They did not change the oil AFTER they corrected the problem and my engine oil was full of gasoline. They did charge me for an oil change though... When I picked up the car they said "This car needs to be driven... put some miles on it" and every mile I drove after that damaged the motor. I did not discover this until I took the car to a different repair shop. I called and all Patrick did was blame the car not their work. I want ALL MY MONEY BACK PATRICK. Patrick why did you not change the oil once you corrected the problem? Why? You ruined my families cherished possession. DO NOT TAKE YOUR CAR THERE!!!! read more

I have lived in Capitol Hill for 15 years and heard bad references so I never took my Range Rover there and always used Lamorna Garage. I had a simple differential leak and wanted to give them a shot since they are so close. After non getting a call back and then following up, I was told it would take two months to get in because only 1 of their mechanics could do this type of work. When I said anyone in their shop could fix a leaky seal, she got all agitated and then hung up on me. Guess I'll try them again in 2033. read more

Long term customers and I am very surprised with the negative feedback on here. I have found no one in Seattle that compares to their quality. You get what you pay for and since I care about my car, I choose to take it to Car Tender. They're focused on long term relationships and I cannot express how many times they have really helped me out whether I am in Seattle or having car issues on the road. Whether or not they will make any money from me on a certain event I am having, they have always done their best to make sure I am taken care of. If I am out of Seattle, they make sure that I am provided with the same type of service, quality and knowledge which you are blessed with as a Car Tender customer. Talk to Josh or Patrick, they're the best. If you are looking for a top notch quality shop, I hope you ignore some of the negative feedback below and trust the advice of a long term customer. You may find cheaper, but I doubt you will find better. Thank you Car Tender for all these years of great service! read more

clever name. dude fixed my car on the spot in under 5 min and taught me how to fix the problem were it to occur again. he refused payment and ask that i tell others. *ahem* "CAR TENDER IS AWESOME, THEY HELPED ME FOR FREE, I DOUBT HE CAN HELP YOU FOR FREE, BUT THEY KNOW WHATS UP, THEY ARE NICE AND WILL BE NICE TO YOU." there, my karma is right again read more

Over the seven years of my life with my BMW530xi, I have rightly trusted its service to Car Tender, upon recommendation from another long-time customer. My recent service demanded a rather difficult and time-consuming repair. The service was completed to as-new condition and came in below estimated cost. Car Tender is highly competent, efficient and professional. Don't hesitate when your car needs service! read more

If you are looking for above average attention to detail, professionalism, and quality, then Car Tender is the shop for you. I have worked with Car Tender on numerous occasions for tires installs and vehicle alignments. I have to say that the entire team is more than committed to giving their clients a stress-free service experience. read more

I truly wanted to like this shop and gave them a few "second chances". We took our two BMWs and our Mercedes here and there have been problems with every visit. In our most recent visit, after arriving with an appointment, the car wasn't even looked at until it had been in the shop for two days. They were not able to diagnose the main problem that I asked them to look at before working on anything else. (Strictly BMW very quickly diagnosed the same problem the next week.) On another visit, Car Tender told me I needed $5,000 in suspension work that both Tru-Line and BMW Bellevue say aren't needed. The shop is run with a condescending attitude. Please don't take your car here unless you want to spend a lot of money on poor quality work. read more

This place charges $145 an hour just to look at your car. Too much in my opinion. The people that work here are nice, and they called me to tell me everything they were going to do to my car, before charging...which was cool. I walked away paying too much for just having my car looked at, with no work performed. Was quoted over $2000 to get my car fixed. I went home and did it myself for $267. Win! read more

BEWARE BEWARE BEWARE! This guys charged me 500$, did NOT fix my car. Gave me the car broken claiming it was fixed. Then I brought the car back and they asked me for another 700$!!!!!!! Patrick was very rude to me and my girlfriend. He was extremely disrespectful, specially to my girlfriend. They only care about money. I WOULD NEVER CHOOSE THIS BUSINESS FOR A REPAIR!! I brought the car to another mechanic and he charged my 1/2 of the price. 1/2!!!! BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL!!!! read more

EXTREMELY OVERPRICED. Do not take your car here. We generally go to Strictly BMW (awesome by the way). I decided to try Car Tender because I live in Seattle and did not want to brave the bridge to go to SB in Bellevue. I learned my lesson. This place wanted to charge us $600 for a job that SB did for $200. Unfortunately they charge a ridiculous amount of money for "diagnostics" before they even get around to fixing the car. We paid the diagnostic (unfortunately) money and then took the car to SB to be fixed. They wanted to charge us $300 for topping off the coolant and diagnosing the problem (a job that entails plugging the car into a computer and should take 30 mins max). When I complained, it took the better part of an hour for the front desk guy to explain my bill (which wasn't very complicated) and he basically talked in circles for an hour. STAY AWAY! read more

Ladies ... Beware!!! This place tried charging me double what toyota . After the fact, they said they would match the price of toyota but Obviously not going back. read more

Great service- unlike other shops I've been to who rush you out the door, these guys will take as much time as you need to explain whats going on with your vehicle and what they are doing. Wes has worked on two of my vehicles and I've been impressed with how helpful and thorough he has been each time. Expensive hourly rate, but you get what you pay for here. read more

Dont go here! They claim to be "Mini Specialists" (see website), yet they take 2 days to do a "diagnostic"!!?? The service advisor "couldn't find the problem", although they claim to know everything about Mini's (made by BMW). The part needed was only $130...yet the labor/diagnostics ran the bill up to $1100 and I got my car 2 weeks later. Go to Tony Tomoko on Capitol Hil instead...he does honest and great work. read more

When my regular mechanic did not have the software to handle my transfer case repair needs, he sent me to Car Tenders. I have had an excellent experience with them from start to finish. Good people, excellent follow through, fair pricing. I recommend them highly. read more

Took my car to the nearest shop, Car Tender, for an oil change. They quoted me a price of $100. WTF. I know it's not jiffy lube, but damn. Needless to say I declined. So, I can't speak to their work, but it's no neighborhood auto repair. Luxury European type cars are what this place is about. read more

This review is extremely belated, but this place was AWESOME! My '98 Jeep Cherokee overheated around Nov 2014. They diagnosed the problem within a few minutes: it needed a new water pump. They didn't overcharge me, and they fixed it same day. Not only were they friendly and professional, they even sent me a Christmas card thanking me for my patronage. Their service is quick and they go the extra mile of washing your vehicle, vacuuming the inside, and driving it out to you. It reminds me of a time when there was car SERVICE, not just "there I fixed it." If you ever need car repair in the downtown Seattle area, I highly recommend them! read more

This is the second time I've brought my car into Car Tender. Each time I have been blown away by how honest and friendly the shop has been. Particularly Eric in service, he went out of his way to explain what I needed and how it was going to be done. My car now purrs thanks to you~ I'll be back (hopefully later that sooner!) read more

If you want your BMW or Mercedes repaired by some truly good mechanics that know what they're working on, these are the guys to bring it to. They are good at what they do. Two of the three owners were the foremen at BMW Seattle a long time ago, when the dealer was independently owned. They have seen and dealt with many car issues. That's a big plus. They can make good educated guesses after looking at some things under the hood as to where a problem may be for complex issues. As cars become more and more controlled by electronics, a mechanic that understands the mechanics and the electronics of the car is gold. They're expensive. If you have something simple like an oil change, spark plug replacement, or coolant flush, learn to do it yourself. It's easy, and you'll save a lot of money which can roll back into a repair you'll truly need these guys to work on. The mark of a good mechanic is one that minimizes any come backs for issues related to the original breakdown. Mitigating their high labor rate is their experience and their ethics. These guys are honest, and tell it like it is. Use them when you have a real repair you need to have done on your car. This is how you'll get value for your car repair dollar. read more

BEWARE-- PARTS WERE MARKED UP 116% ABOVE RETAIL!!! I am not one to write negative reviews and it is unfortunate that I have been forced to do so after being a loyal customer for over three years. The first time I went to Car Tender I had a sudden vacuum leak that made my BMW 330I run unbelievably bad. Since Car Tender was the closest place to home, I took it there because I was really in a jam. They quickly diagnosed the issue, replaced parts and I was very happy. I've taken the car there probably 6-8 times since and have been happy with the quality of work, but did think prices were a little on the high side. Yesterday, I took my Mercedes E550 in to have brake work done and typically I do my own brake work, but my friend who has a lift is out of town for another month and my brake pad light had been on for a couple weeks and didn't want to risk waiting. Since I had planned to do the work myself, I had already ordered parts for the front (which they installed), but found out that I also needed to have the rear brakes done as well, so I agreed. The job was done well and I am happy with the quality as always with Car Tender. However, I was charged $200.80 for Zimmerman brand rear discs and $92.95 for Textar brake pads. These parts RETAIL for $96 and $40.50, respectively. I say retail because I am sure Car Tender gets a substantial discount due to their volume. So, I was charged $293.75 for parts that should cost $136.50-- that's a 116% markup ABOVE RETAIL!!! That's $157.25 in a blatant overcharge (for just the rear brakes), I know it costs money to run a shop, but that should be more than covered by their $124/hr labor rate and 1.25 hours per wheel charge that a decent mechanic can do in an hour, but that is typical among shops, including the dealership. I decided to stop by another shop that specializes in import cars and got a detailed estimate and found out that I was charged significantly more for labor as well, which means I paid $584.19 (44%) more than I would have paid at another shop that has been in business over 25 years. If price is not a consideration factor, then I would have no reservation in recommending Car Tender. read more

I've always gotten great service here. Recently I brought my car in because it was undrivable. They were booked out for two weeks, but still squeezed me in and got me back on the road in 24 hours with the car washed. The work they have done has always been reliable. read more

When I moved to Seattle a few years ago, a friend recommended Car Tender when I needed my car to be checked out. I've since had to go back for routine work, and have received amazing service each and every time. I know nothing about cars, but the guys there carefully explain everything they're saying, and what I need to have done now vs later, and what I should expect to pay. While I was at work one day my car needed some TLC, I had my buddy (big car guy) take my car there to have it looked at. The fact that he was equally as impressed with their work and he knows what he's talking about confirmed that they really do a great, honest job. I've since recommended many friends to have their cars taken care of by Car Tender, and I haven't heard any complaints from them. read more

I took my car here after running into the curb and getting a flat tire. Turned out there was some additional damage over just replacing the tire. The people at car tender were nice enough, but they were terrible at keeping us updated on the status of parts and repair. After finally replacing the rim and front tires, they put the car up for alignment and discovered some additional damage. At this point we were fed up and decided to get a second opinion. We went Moss Alley and got the same diagnosis, but they completed the work within three days (including getting the replacement parts) and kept in communication with us throughout the whole process. To top it off, Car Tender charged us more for the wheel alignment that they never completed than Moss Alley did to actually get the job done. read more