Wanted to update this review brought in kind of a jalopy Boxster. Derrick is a fantastic service advisor. Their techs are super talented too. Vehicle came back transformed definitely breathed new life into it. Drives so much better. They make common sense recommendations and understand the assignment. Charlies has earned my business long-term. They're always super friendly and their staff is extremely knowledgeable. Thanks guys really appreciate your team! read more

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I just facilitated an inspection with the shop for one of my customers that selling their Car. The new Buyer paid for an inspection. This shop did the inspection. They were very rude to my 25-year-old receptionist with two kids were very rude.. then they proceeded to tell the customer that they're overpaying for the car by the way this car is priced at 95% of the market meaning it's the second best price in the country for what it is. This shop doesn't even sell cars. They would have no real clue what it's worth. we have over 200+ cars with over 70 cars in the same genre. Been doing this for 15 years. If anybody knows right now, the market is up in the first place on Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini. I just never had a shop be so rude and proceed to go beyond their job into another job that they have no clue what they're talking about. I would strongly recommend going somewhere that's more courteous with people. I wish I would've recorded how he was talking to this gal. read more

I don't recommend this business. I went in with an estimate for repairs. After I paid and picked up my car. I went back because my car was not running right. They refused to fix my car. I am still waiting to hear back from my credit card company. However had to take my car somewhere else. The mechanics told me Charlie's Auto had done an unprofessional job and had silicone everywhere in the engine. read more

I am finally posting a review since my Infiniti G37 has been serviced by Charlie's for the last seven months for different issues one after the other. These guys are incredible! They worked on my brakes many times during a span of five months until the problem was solved and they were no longer squealing. They did not give up! Derrick is extremely personable and patient! He always responded quickly to my calls and made sure my car was serviced in a timely manner. Nico is great and runs a tight operation. I highly recommend Charlie's and will keep going back. Derrick is definitely the man of the hour in my book!! read more

Great. They do a great job and when its time to pitch a car, they'll let you know, rather than drag it on and cost you more money.

After a year of dealing with an surging idle, my car is running so nicely now. Thanks!

Most reliable auto shop in town! Derrick and the rest of the staff are amazing! Thanks again! See you guys soon

Great service and very professional. They get the job done correctly and in very reasonable time. Would highly recommend!

I have been using Charlie's Foreign Car for 40 years. They are very good at what they do and charge fairly. I drive from Phoenix to San Diego to keep using them the last 5 years. None better. read more

Been taking my cars here - foreign and domestic - for 7 years now. No complaints. Great service advisors that tell you what you need to fix, what you should fix, and what you can wait to fix. Competitive pricing and WAY cheaper and faster than the dealer - and they can do warranty work as well. Tom and the crew up front do a great job explaining all the ins and out of car maintenance - and if you aren't interested in that, just know they will do the work right on your car. Don't let just anyone mess with your automobile - take it to Charlie's where years of experience matter. read more

We purchased a used car for our daughter with 21k miles and asked Niko if he could inspect it. He offered us a free inspection. When I arrived Sean greeted us and happily helped. The car was overall in great shape but Sean did discover there was a bolt missing. The cause of the noise we were hearing. He placed a new bolt on free of charge and two hours later we were on our way home. During our pass time I was very impressed on the waiting room. We were offered Starbucks coffee, chips and soda. They even had a iPhone charger in the waiting room. Thank you Niko and Sean for giving me peace of mind on our teenagers new car. read more

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Nico and Derek are really great. I highly recommend asking for them when you go to Charlie's. I initially contacted them for a transmission dice diagnostic and when I went in, I explained my situation and instead of immediately charging me for the diagnostic Nico went for a ride with me to ensure that that was what I needed for my car. We ultimately landed on just doing the transmission flush And Service , but before doing that, they spent a good 30 minutes, looking at records in my car which I had purchased used to make sure that I had not previously been service so that I didn't do work that had already been done and waste my money which I really appreciate it. They spend a lot of time with me a lot of care and extremely helpful and answering all of my questions which as a customer goes a very long way. They also gave me updates throughout the day and a very detailed report on their findings in my car. I called while my car was there and asked them to look up a separate issue in my car which they did no questions asked and they did not charge me for. They ended up keeping my car an extra day to look at another issue with my car and told me their honest opinion on whether they think that I should get that fixed now or hold off on it which I really appreciate it because not all mechanics are honest. I can't recommend this shop enough. They are honest, genuine, and extremely caring and take care of your car as if it's their own. read more

Horrible experience. Do not recommend. Long story short but after $1500 and having my car twice for a total of 4 days and 6 Uber trips back and forth they never fixed the issue or even diagnosed it correctly. After wasting my time there I took my car to a shop on autoport mall off of Miramar road called the brake shop and tune. They had it fixed in a few hours for less than $500. read more

I've been looking for a good reliable mechanic in North County and Charlies is absolutely the place you don't need to look any further at all! Good honest people that truly take care of you and your car and make it feel brand new again! Friendly staff, skilled mechanics and just an overall great experience every single time. Vincent is the guy I normally go to at the counter he's absolutely amazing and super helpful and Jayson is the BMW master working away in the back and always helping me out. Incredible people, amazing work and amazing place. Thanks Charlies Foreign for always having me covered. read more

Charlie's Foreign Car - My beautiful car after being serviced - Auto Repair Near Me - Encinitas, California

My wife is a travel nurse and was working down at Rady's Children's Hospital in San Diego. Her car broke down one evening and the tow truck driver (I would give him 5 stars as well but I do not have his info) brought her to Charlie's. They took amazing care of her! After dropping the car off at Charlie's the driver gave her a free ride all the way back to El Cajon as a courtesy. After repairing the car in a timely (and fair priced) manner they went out of their way to drop the car off at the Hospital (an hour trip one way) for my wife so she didn't have to worry about anything. THANK YOU for everything you did for us, we are greatful and needed a "faith in humanity restored" moment! Please pass my thanks on to the driver!! read more

I sent them the speedometer from my 1988 Porsche 911 cabriolet. They had the best price and Niko was very informative giving me a detailed description with pictures of the repair he made. Heck he even called me when I questioned something via a text chain. Older Porsche speedometers have little plastic gears that fail. You could replace it yourself but I'm not that mechanically inclined so I shipped it to them. It's working great now. Thanks again Niko but hopefully I won't be needing to through this again. read more

Awesome service! I needed my tires road-pressure balanced (long story but I had been to 4 other shops and no one could get it right). They got me in the same day that I called and the 4runner now drives perfectly! Good prices and great customer service. I'll definitely go back, but hopefully not for a while. Ha. read more

Excellent customer service, trustworthy, highly knowledgeable, thorough quality work. I was driving to Encinitas from LA to look at a BMW, and based on stellar Yelp reviews, called Charlie's Foreign Car to schedule a pre-purchase inspection. From the moment Derrick answered the phone and helped me, I knew these guys are legit. Derrick made me feel comfortable and confident. While waiting at the shop, we met multiple clients, all with gorgeous sweet rides, who have been trusting Niko and team for more than 30 years. Once the PPI was completed, all the guys who worked on the car reviewed and explained their findings, and were very transparent and concise with their analysis. There was no beating-around-the-bush. Despite LA to SD traffic, I'd bring all of my cars here regularly. read more

I moved back to San Diego from Seattle months back, and my poor 2005 Lexus got a bit thrashed in Seattle's weather & needed some work. I spoke with Todd there, and he was able to help me with every single thing that needed to be done with my car---they even gave me a loaner car to drive while they worked on my car---super helpful and a GREAT perk. They are friendly there and never tried to upsell me on anything that wasn't needed---super important to me as a woman/person who doesn't know much about cars. I just want to put in my key and drive, lol! Todd was very honest and took care of everything I needed. The oil change was very reasonably priced. I needed brakes and also a new back tail light, which Todd found the same exact light outside of the dealership that saved me money (everything on Lexus is $$$ to replace). I appreciate that, as I don't have the time to search for parts and other places to get a deal. This is my new, one-stop shop & so happy I found it! Thanks for the great customer service, Todd! I will be back for my car needs! I highly recommend this place. read more

My wife has a 2003 Eurovan MV that she loves as if it were one of our children. Fortunately, she met Sean at Charlie's who has taken such great care of her, our family and our van. Every time we've had an issue, Sean has been there at the drop of a hat to make it convenient for my wife and our family (this van is our primary people mover) to get into the shop, get the van serviced (at a fair price) and get it back to us quickly. When owning a "vintage" van, it's great to know that you've got guys like Sean and Charlie's Foreign Car on your side. read more

Charlie's Foreign Car - Auto Repair Near Me - Encinitas, California

Drove from LA to get the speedometer repaired on my 911. I was told it would be ready by the end of the day but they got it done in a little over an hour! I was home by lunch time. Great experience. read more

This is a reliable auto repair shop to fix your car at reasonable price, no BS! The people there are always very friendly and knowledgeable. I have 3 European cars in which the factory warranties expired. I have had them regularly serviced at Charlie's for years. One of my Audi had some issues as a result of an overdose of engine oil, my son tried to get it fixed somewhere and spent quite a lot but the problem persisted. I brought to Charlie's and they immediately spotted the problem and got it fixed once and for all. They never up sell. If something does not need to be fixed immediately, they will let you know when it needs to be fixed and give you quote for consideration. I highly recommend this place! read more

Do NOT take high end luxury or performance vehicles and classics to Charlie's Foreign Car!! They are not trained on the proper procedures and don't own the correct tooling. They only use air compressor tools that strip and over-torque bolts, then charge the customers for their mistakes! They claim to have knowledgeable mechanics, but are incapable of preforming difficult repairs. Take your expensive cars elsewhere!!! Dealerships are the safest option. Charlie's Foreign Car has no issue taking a job they cannot complete correctly and are not familiar with how to do so. They will claim to know what they're doing, but the end product will prove them wrong. I brought in my 2005 Mercedes E55 AMG with a damaged 3rd gear. After talking with the sales rep, I was persuaded that the transmission could not be repaired easily, and that a replacement was the only choice. Later research/findings disproves this statement, which would have saved me a lot of money. 3rd gear could have been repaired for a fraction of the cost. A transmission replacement is not a small task, especially for a German performance car. Charlie's Foreign Car had zero hesitation assuring me this was something their techs could perform, and was very adamant about me NOT going to the Mercedes-Benz dealership. I agreed, and told them I wanted the car to be completely free of problems, and to check/repair any other issues found. The part cost to replace the transmission was $3,800 and roughly $2,800 in labor costs, for a total repair of $7,000 (they replaced a belt, and some exhaust brackets). After a much longer repair time than initially quoted, I received my vehicle back. I took it on a test drive, and everything appeared to be fine. After babying the new transmission for its break-in period, I decided to give it some gas. When under full engine load, the transmission would skip gears, miss gears, or fall out of gear. After consulting forms and talking with Mercedes experts, I learned that the new transmission was programmed incorrectly by Charlie's Foreign Car. Incorrectly being a modest term, abhorrently programmed my car's transmission would be a better term. This shop completely winged the install, the configuration and programming setup, and broke another mechanical part on my car in the process. I also had SMOG due for the vehicle right after this transmission repair. SMOG would NOT pass for this vehicle for some reason, even though it passed 2 years prior. The gentleman doing my SMOG test pointed out a large crack in my exhaust manifold, which caused the engine to run richer than normal. When my car was in the air, you could clearly and visibly see a bolt that was extremely over-torqued at the base of the crack. This bolt was shiny on every surface, and almost smooth around the edges, that's how stripped it was. Almost every bolt on the underside of my car had an air gun used on it, not the proper and correct torque wrench that Mercedes techs use. The SMOG's gentleman's analysis, and very visibly obvious, was this crack was caused by the repair done most recent to my car. The exhaust manifold had to be removed to replace the transmission. The crack was so severe, it could NOT be welded or repaired. An entire exhaust manifold replacement was required, resulting in another $1,200 loss for the part. This shop is mediocre at best for what it charges for nominal car repairs. Charlie's Foreign Car is NOT qualified or certified in any way, shape, or form, to perform significant and difficult repairs to expensive and well engineered vehicles. The large majority of their business deals with the easiest and most back repairs of the Volkswagen group of cars. 0/5 stars will never waste my time with a non-dealership car shop again. Fundamental lack of knowledge and despicable business practices. read more

Reasonable costs. Honest guys. Everyone knows the dealers over charge but on two occasions the dealer wanted me to do work the Charlie's told me I didn't need. On the flip side they sometimes recommend more frequent service intervals. They explained why (range rover) has ridiculously long service intervals and why that isn't smart. They've earned my trust. They even said if it's leased follow dealer recommendation. But if you're keeping the car don't wait too long for oil change etc. read more

The most honest and reliable mechanics i've ever come across. I will never go anywhere else. read more

professional and reasonable. felt confident in the work. Will use them again for service!

I come to Charlie's because it is a family ran business and they always manage to take care of me. I've never had an issue with there service, and they are always quick to get my car in and out. Definitely a reputable company that won't leave you hanging read more

I purchased an older Porsche from the dealership side of Charlie's Foreign Car, sight unseen. The price was more than fair and Niko really went above and beyond to make the transaction go through as smoothly as possible. Through phone conversations, texts and emails, I felt quite comfortable with buying the car without seeing it in person because Niko was very honest and thorough when answering my questions. The fact that he runs this shop with a good reputation also put me at ease. When I got the Porsche, it was exactly as Niko described it, if not better. I even had the car inspected by my local mechanic after purchasing it and no issues could be found. I wouldn't hesitate to deal with Niko and the business that he runs. My Porsche is gorgeous and drives like a dream! I'm a happy customer 100%. Thank you, Niko! read more

Purchased a truly amazing car from Nikko. The transaction was flawless. Car was better than described. I bought it on the internet and was blown away when I drove out to see the car. Nikko is a very trustworthy business man THANK YOU read more

This place is great. I went in to get a normal service on my Mercedes and not only did they have it back to me promptly, they called me and told me about issues with my tires that I was completely unaware of and no other service provider had mentioned. Derrick went above and beyond and even coached me through what to say to the tire place I had bought the tires from so I could resolve the issue. If you're looking for a place that treats their customers right and does it at a fair price, look no further. I can't recommend this place enough. read more

They treated me with respect and tried to help the best they could in my situation. My car had engine issues helped to make it a positive THANK YOU read more

Fantastic service . Very prompt . I was a morning walk in. They had no availability for days however because I was able to leave the car for the day they squeezed it in and got it done by the end of day . Thank you !! read more

LISTEN. If you take your car to any other independent mechanic, you are making a huge mistake. Charlie's is hands down the best automotive shop I have ever been to in my entire life. I have been building and restoring BMW and Porsches for a number of years now. But sometimes, there are jobs that I don't want to do. Sometimes there are jobs that I just don't know how to do. And sometimes, the wife's newer daily driver has an issue and i'm completely lost. Recently, the wife's 2004 Volkwagen Touareg was having some issues with the radiator fan coming on after the car was turned off - ultimately killing the battery. I messaged Charlie's on yelp, and within 30 minutes Niko (the owner) had responded. I told him what I thought it was, and he gave his input and told me to bring it down in the morning. I sent my wife down with the car in the morning. Within 5 minutes she was out the door with a free loaner Jetta. It wasn't some shitty Jetta from 1998, it was a 2014 and it looked brand new. For free. Charlie's called me within a few hours and had already diagnosed my car, gave me my potential options, and what it would cost/their recommendations. Their prices were beyond fair considering the amount of work that had to be done. Note - all of this happened on a Friday. Most shops don't even work weekends, but somehow my big job was finished and fixed Monday afternoon. I could go on and on, but I can promise you this. For any car repair and maintenance from here on out, whether it be my cars now or cars in the future, I will 100% be taking them to Charlie's. You should do the same! read more

Charlie's Foreign Car - Proudly maintained by Charlie's. Only the best. - Auto Repair Near Me - Encinitas, California

I wish I could give this place 10 stars. So helpful and professional. Would recommend them to anyone. The person who worked with me, Sean went above and beyond. read more

A great place to get you car worked on. Very fair on price, great on service and communication. It is nice to have a place you trust to do what's needed, when you need it! read more

Been going to Charlies for years and have experienced nothing but professionalism. Tom and Sean are always friendly and knowledgeable at the front desk. Their mechanics are good at diagnosing what the problem is and coming up with the best option to fix it! read more

This operation is a class act. They are professional and responsible. I had self diagnosed the work my truck needed and asked for a quote over the phone. Upon arrival and drop off of my vehicle they insisted that they do an inspection and later contact me to provide me with a quote and receive authorization to do the work. Although unnecessary from my perspective I appreciated that they wanted to do it correctly and honestly. The work was quickly and accurately completed for the originally quoted price and I left a happy first time patron. Charlie's has earned my future business. read more

Super appreciative of Sean and his team for always taking care of us. I really appreciate the straight up feedback on what's wrong, what needs to happen and what my options are. From new Japanese cars to old European cars, Sean goes above and beyond to search for parts that are not always easy to source - and that's usually in a time of desperate need to get back on the road. We were referred to Sean and his team years ago for being thorough, delivering solid mechanical work, always fair and honest, and we have in turn referred many of our family friends to Charlie's as well. Thank you for being 'there' when we need you!! read more

My Audi odometer read 94,500 and finally needed new Brake Pads, and Front Rotors. Service Advisor Vincent Ceballos was able to give me a quote that beat the Audi Dealers, gave me a great loaner car, and had my Audi completed on time. Also, kudos to the tech that completed the work.I have have find a new home for car. read more

Something was seriously wrong with my car and I needed serious help. Honestly, I was skeptical because I already had a bad taste in my mouth from prior auto shops promising something they weren't able to follow through on. However, unlike other establishments, this place is legit. They don't sugar coat things or make it seem like there's a bigger issue! Nor do they mess your car up leaving it with more problems like other establishments do. They do exactly what it is that you're expecting and they do it out of respect and care. Don't speak car? Don't worry about it! Someone will assist you just like they did for me. Niko helped me understand the diagnosis and what needed to be treated in order to have a safe smooth ride that is not only safe but drivable! The staff here is very helpful, courteous and professional. If they don't know something, they don't assume or tell you a BS story, they will have someone of that expertise explain it to you thoroughly. So, on about my car problems..... I came in because not only am I a new driver but I'm also not so quaint to driving. It's something new, scary yet exciting! Lol. Originally, I thought all I needed was an alignment. Why? Well,... because I run into things such as cement and metal sheet boards on freeways! Haha. Well, come to find out, my arm and nut needed to be replaced too. So instead of replacing just one or two bushings, Sean went ahead and replaced all 4 bushings which also included the arm and nut for $400. Also, because my car wasn't drivable, they let me borrow one of their cars for the time being. Talk about reasonable! If you go anywhere else, you'd end up spending more not only for labor but other expenses or supposable "findings" they find during their thorough investigation and leave you with bigger problems and empty pockets. In all honesties, this was by far the best service I've received from any auto shop and I highly recommend them. Thanks so much to Niko, Sean and staff for helping me and my car! I don't hope to see you soon but if I do, I know I'll be in the best care. read more