I first took my car to Empower 10 years ago where I met James. I then had a 3 series BMW. When my car was totaled I bought my next car fun them also. I have never taken my car anywhere else, James at Empower has done an excellent job offer the years. We've now become good friends. I can rely on him to fix my car, I sometimes call and stop by for questions, he's always helped me with anything I needed. Now I live near Northridge but I still take my car there when I need something done. read more

I had recently purchased an older model BMW and needed an honest, knowledgeable and professional BMW shop to take a good look at it and offer recommendations. Needless to say, it was right in my back yard. Empower is the best. James is professional, trustworthy and took the time to explain parts and function of my vehicle. His knowledge of my car and his overall enthusiasm for it was refreshing. Pricing for all the quality work he did was definitely fair as he worked with me by presenting options. I feel lucky to have found Empower. read more

James from Empower Group have been servicing our BMW cars for more than 10 years now and we couldn't be more happy. It is so hard now a days to find a reliable much less honest shop and we are really glad when we were introduced to James way back when we were still getting our cars serviced at the BMW dealership. James is the only mechanic who we trust to services our cars and through out these years have also become a dear friend. Anyone out there who are looking for an honest, knowledgeable and trustworthy mechanic, please give James and his shop a try and I guarantee you will not be disappointed.... :) read more

First of all if you are looking for an HONEST mechanic for your BMW or any car for that matter, this is your place. The man there is James! He takes care of what is needed, doesn't take short cuts, and went the extra mile for me. I have an 09 - 535 twin turbo that had a misfire and was back on the road running perfect on a few hours. At that time he told me about an oil leak problem that these cars have, suggested that we fix it, but was sensitive to guiding me through keeping an eye on it until I can pay for the repair. I'm going in soon. Point is, I felt comfortable knowing what was really going on with my car and that a plan was given to me for repair coming up in June. I don't need to go anywhere else, even with my GMC Denali for details as I know that I have someone that I can trust to take care of this part of life that can sometimes be very inconvenient. James is your man read more

James and his technician are the best. They got my car back to normal. I'm happy. Truly honest, he shows you everything as he does the work;shows you your old parts, just very down to earth, respectful, and good old fashion, straight to the point honesty. Rare. Much appreciated! read more

Andy was a pleasure to work with. He went out of his way to advise me on my 13 year old BMW and saved me hundreds.

This place deserves more stars! I have taken my BMW 328i to Empower for the past 4 years, James is not only nice but a very knowledgeable mechanic, he will help you find a solution to your car problems. If you are looking for a reliable and honest mechanic do not hesitate and go to Empower!! read more

I live in Toluca Woods, I have been a loyal customer for over 10 years. During that time Andy met or exceeded my expectations consistently with expert mechanical and electrical service, many times on the spot and I'm driving within minutes! More than once he has gone the extra mile, replacing damaged or missing front wheel well and under bumper body parts that protect sensitive engine components from the elements due to my bad stantion collision parks saving me many, many $100's over the years. Andy is a true Professional and takes greats pride in his work. I rely on Andy and Empower you can too. read more

I recently brought my BMW M5 to Empower for some codes unknown to me. Ask for James, he is a great local German car specialist who will treat you right. He took the time to show me on the car the particular issues and went online to find the parts so i know i was getting them at the correct price. Then I had a couple other small items that had been bothering me. He fixed them for me at no cost. Anytime I need to bring my car in, it'll definitely be to James. read more

I was shopping for a car and my friend turned me on to Empower. He had purchased two BMW's there. After just minutes of looking in the lot I found my dream car a BMW X3. I soon discovered that when I went for service I had found the most honest mechanic I ever had. James is not capable of being dishonest. He tells you what needs to be done and if it can be fixed or needs replacement. He now works on my friend's Mercedes after she was so impressed with the worked he did for me. Her dealer was charging twice what James charges for the same repair. Everybody from the tire people to the body shop he sent me too rave about how well he is liked by all of his customers. Easy to see why. Love this guy! read more

Was referred to this place by a friend last year and I'll never go anywhere else. Amazing customer service and wonderful work. Once they even charged me less than what was originally quoted because the labor took less time than they had thought!!! When does that ever happen?! They are very ethical and their prices are very reasonable (believe me, I shopped around). I STRONGLY suggest that you call them and find out for yourself how great they are. - NG read more

Short Version: Very happy and will/would definitely go back and would recommend them to friends and family alike without hesitation. Long Version: I took my 2002 BMW Z3 in for service regarding an oil leak. The service manger, James, popped the hood and gave the engine the once over and diagnosed the problem as being two fold: A leaking valve cover gasket and leaking oil filter housing gasket. (1 point for doing this diagnosis with me present and showing me precisely where the problems were.) When I told James that the valve cover gasket was replaced about two years ago he suggested I take it back to who ever did the work and see if they would make good on it ( Another point for not insisting he do the work. PS. if you're wondering, it was MiniCorsa that did the first valve cover gasket job. I'll get back to this in a bit) After James outlined where and what the leaks were I discussed with him my concerns about some clutch chatter in first gear on cold start ups. He asked me how bad it was and how bothered I was by it. I told him not much on both counts. To which he replied "I'd wait until it's a real problem" (A 3rd point for NOT insisting we do $1500 worth of clutch work.) As James was writing up the work order he mentioned that he would look at the oil sensor - it reads viscosity, temperature and levels - and if it was bad he suggested we replace it, but when he looked up the price and saw that it was a $180 part he said "Forget, that's too much... you don't need it" (4th point for not up selling me a second time. In case you're wondering with a bad sensor you do not run the risk of damaging the engine. It's just a sensor. And as long as you can pull and read a dipstick there is no real need for it. On some BMW's a bad sensor will prevent the car from running as a safety precaution but not on a 2002 Z3. Now, I cannot attest to their timeliness. I suspect it's on par with most shops. In this case I was in no particular hurry and told them they could have the car for a day or two if need be. When the work was completed James called and let me know. When I arrived to pick up my car James had the one thing my father taught me all good mechanics should have - A BOX WITH ALL THE PARTS HE TOOK OFF THE CAR AND REPLACED. The best part about this was that I had forgotten to ask for this but he did it anyway. Even better, he proceeded to show me pictures on his iphone that he took of the work being done. Needless to say I was very impressed and very pleased. Footnote: I was told, and showed, that the valve cover gasket that MiniCorsa put on my car was the wrong size - it wasn't tall enough and that was the cause of the leak. FYI, this care is my weekender and as such have driven about 4k miles in the last two years, this, I suspect, is why the valve cover didn't leak sooner. Let that be a lesson to weekend drivers. read more

I only take my BMWs to Empower! I've been a customer for over 14 years. I've owned two BMW's and James, Andy, and the mechanics at Empower have kept each one in top shape for me. I have recommended them to all of my friends who have BMW's or cars with German motors. One of my friend's literally was wondering how she was going to afford the repairs on her BMW after she took it to local dealership. I told her to bring it to Empower: they were HALF the price of the dealer for the repairs on her car. They are consistently professional & fair. I work crazy long hours and James and the team at Empower are super accommodating. Highly recommend! read more

Great and extremely competent guys working here. Rather provide you with good honest service so you come back, instead of making a quick buck! Sustainable business! Had them make a pre purchase inspection of an X3 today. They found some serious problems, so since dealer wouldn't budge, I dodged a bullet! Thanks for the friendly service - I will be back. read more

I've been w/ Empower for 2 years now. I"ve had problems with my Audi (no surprise.. it's an Audi) for almost 4 years. Andy is honest and knows his stuff. He will research and get good prices for you. That's what makes me coming back. He and his staff are efficient and do a good job. Will stick with this place for a looonnng time. read more

James is the best mechanic I've ever found. Empower is a trustworthy business that does an awesome job. Fantastic.

My friend from Connecticut found the perfect Audi A6 in Andy's inventory so I visited Empower to do an inspection and test drive. Andy was courteous, professional, honest and resourceful throughout the whole process. I will be bringing my BMW 5 series there for service. I am a big fan of Andy and they way he conducts business. read more

I never write reviews but this place is a find! Andy is knowledgeable, forthright and quite frankly as a woman with an aging Porsche...I will never go anywhere else! Got my 2002 Boxster running like a 2011 and all for a thousand dollars...pheeeeeeeew! Andy is a god!!! ha ha read more

I've been a customer of Empower motors for over a decade now. I've bought several used cars from them for myself, and so have my sisters and parents. Their mechanic shop is great as well. Never had to compare their prices with others. They're very reasonable and great service! read more

We bought our car here, several years ago, and everyone is fantastic. We still get the car serviced here because of the level and quality of service. Andy is a great guy who really knows his cars! I'm always impressed. He's been very kind to me and my husband. The lot is always immaculate too, and the office and waiting room area isn't like the typical greasy car place you go to. It's very professional. I can highly recommend Empower if you want to buy a car or get yours serviced. read more

I have taken my vehicle to Empower several times since I live in the Burbank area and have had nothing but superb experience with excellent service . James is extremely friendly , kind, professional, patient and has extensive amount of knowledge in the field. He always takes great care of my vehicle and does a phenomenal job explaining what it needs . If you are looking for an outstanding mechanic, Empower is the place to be. read more

thanks Empower they did an excellent job in my BMW 328i, they treat you as a very kind family, thanks Mr James now you have a new customer 100% I recommend it. read more

I've been taking my BMW to Empower for a year now. James is honest, transparent, and very polite. Their prices are great too. Don't get ripped off at the dealership. Go to Empower. read more

As trust worthy as you can get. My local mechanic after my Audi's warranty ran out. My part came in cheaper than quoted and they told me! As a loyal customer, they replace my burned out light at nc. BEST! read more

What a RUDE way to run a business. James is extremely confrontational and tries to intimidate customers. I had $2,000 of repairs done at Empower and was treated terribly. They told me they had washed my car and when I realized hey hadn't I asked if they could please do so. They said to come back on Wednesday when the guy is there who cleans it. I came back and waited and hour and ended up leaving because he never showed up. Then, I came back when a service light came on several months later. James was very patronizing and told me nothing was wrong without thoroughly checking my car. I told him I had had to fill my engine with a quart of oil recently and I was worried I might have a leak. He made a big scene and my boyfriend and I left. He really upset me. Several days later, my car was completely out of oil. I had to take it to another mechanic who said I had a bad filter and I could see the oil spilling over when he opened my hood. James could have saved me the extra trip and being late to work had he just done his JOB. I called back to let him know what had happened to me and he was yelling over me and being rude as usual on the phone. In other words, don't be fooled by this place! They seem knowledgable at first but it's a big game. They screen calls and are very rude to customers!!!! I will never do business here again. read more

I have been going to Empower almost since it opened with 4 different cars. What first impressed me was Andy's knowledge of all things BMW, he was able to hone in on the problem almost instantly and was able to give a close ball part figure off the top of his head. The second thing that impressed me was his honesty, if he found something else wrong he would alert me and explain the cost - not only of the part but also the potential cost of not fixing it and the problems that it could create down the road...or if it could be ignored until a later date if it was something not serious. He was also able to offer OEM and Non OEM parts to save you some money - but he would also advise if it was worthwhile getting the cheaper parts. Not all non OEM parts are created equally. Never a problem - my cars are always fixed promptly and professionally and within the promised estimate!! read more

I was having issues with my BMW, I took it to the BWM dealership and they flat out tried to rip me off. A friend told me about Empower in Burbank. I took my car here and met James. James was honest and very straight forward. He explained what my car needed to be fixed, he advised me on things that I could get away with fixing at a later time. He was 100% trust worthy... James fixed my car, my car is been running great and I paid WAY less than what the dealer was trying to charge me. I highly recommend taking your car to James. He's a true professional! read more

I have been coming here for the past 6 years to have maintenance and repairs done to my E90. James is always friendly and honest in explaining and showing what type of work needed to be done. He will listen to your concerns and work with you. read more

Went to Empire Bmw after purchasing my first car from a smaller BMW dealership. Needed to have car looked over to insure that i made a sound investment. Spoke with James regarding my concerns, he was very knowledgeable and knew his stuff. He made me feel at ease with having purchased a used luxury vehicle without knowing the full truth. Our chance meeting has now made him our household name and extended family. read more

This is the best BMW repair shop in the Valley. They've been taking care of my 3-series for 8 years and it purrs like a kitten. They fix whatever needs fixing & don't recommend unnecessary work. Super honest. read more

Some neighbors on my NextDoor app recommended EMPOWER to me. James was great to work with and delivered excellent service on a number of electronic and mechanical issues on my BMW 330Ci. After sitting in my garage for the majority of the past 3 years I needed to get this car road worthy again. Stereo and electronic bugs as well as some undiscovered under-carriage issues. James took time to run everything down and figure it out, keep me updated on what was happening and even found replacements for parts I didn't know where missing as a result of other mechanics doing sloppy work on my car. I'm very appreciative and their pricing was more than reasonable for the time and effort put in. No dealer would ever come close. I'm very satisfied and happy to recommend them to any other beemer owners out there. read more

James and his team are Rockstars. Trustworthy, knowledgeable, fair priced, accommodating and quick! Empower stands behind work. He has diagnosed issues with my Audi that Audi Service either couldn't figure out and/or misdiagnosed. Empower I trust. Your German vehicle couldn't be in better hands of Empower! read more

OMG I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE James and Empower all together! I have a 1991 BMW 318 and was told that the engine had a cracked cylinder head and that it would be too problematic and expensive to repair. So my car sat for 3 years because I didn't want to get sell it and I really wanted to get it repaired, if it was even possible. Then, luckily, I discovered Empower and James and took my car there. James did an amazing job fixing my baby! My Blue runs great and the engine sounds and runs like it should. I am sooooo happy and so very thankful for finding you James. I love you and Blue loves you! read more

Mpower BMW team and James are probably the most friendly and trustworthy car repair and services technicians in LA. Their rates are very competitive and their assessment is very accurate. They avoid unnecessary expensive repairs if your car does not need those. I have been going to MPower since 2010 for all kinds of services for my 328i and I bought another used 528i only because I knew that i had MPower BMW to support me whenever i need any help. read more

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PLACE! The service is nothing short of Amazing and you don't have to spend as much money as you would at a BMW center. James and Andy have always taken care of me and are one of the best mechanics around. SO trusting and they get the job done right away! Being a customer of theirs for about four years, I encourage people to check this place out. You won't be disappointed. read more

I have been to several BMW independent shops in Burbank and found Empower stands above the rest. James brings with him his years of experience as a Chief Mechanic with BMW. However, what separates Empower - his business is built on honesty and integrity. He puts the customer first and explains the critical requirements and allows you to decide the course of action. This is how long term business relationships work. And, James just being an all-around nice person takes away the pain of getting your car repaired. read more

My son's car was totaled while parked and we needed to get a replacement. Sometimes I am leery of smaller lots, but we saw a great Lexus on the internet located at the Empower lot. Andy was the most courteous, professional, and pleasant auto professional I have run across. He was incredibly honest and helped us during the purchase process. His primary focus was to make sure we were satisfied with the car and the deal. I could not offer a higher recommendation! The negative reviews here are silly. Empower is first-rate and reputable, and Andy is great. read more

Writing my 2nd review for Empower. Andy and his staff are awesome. They resolved an issue I had with a simple clean. They could have pushed a new part and labor down my throat and taken advantage of me but with the integrity I am used to getting from them, they suggested I hold off instead of spending $$$$ I didn't have. Cheers to Andy and his staff. 2 years and going and with no intention of going anywhere else. - Sacha read more

Two years ago I traded in an X5 for a new X5 at Empower. I was impressed at the outset when Andy put the computer analysis on my car and we both looked at its conclusion. There were not major issues but I was impressed by the transparency of the process. The X5 that I got has run like a champ since. I feel comfortable knowing that he analyzed any car before he bought it and sold it to me. He wasn't buying a surprise and therefore would not be selling me a surprise. Since that time I haven't had much opportunity to service my vehicle here, as I live over an hour away, but he has serviced me. That is on multiple occasions I have called with a concern. Andy's advice has not only been right on the money but directed me to other people to address the problem more conveniently, first, recommending that I come to him only if I was dissatisfied. Now Andy is a smart guy. He probably knows that by putting people like the customer, first that we will have a long timer relationship that includes me putting him first. Well, he's darn right about that. read more

I needed a couple gaskets replaced on my BMW 328i convertible and was quoted over $1600 from the dealership. I called and spoke with Andy. I could tell by his description of what parts needed that he knew what he was doing. I did call other places and Empower was not the least in cost. But they were close and the other places didn't sound 100% to me. So I made the appointment and brought my car in. James was the mechanic and he is one capable and nice guy. He explained what was going to be done and showed me the details. While I was there I also asked them about repainting my front bumper because of a number of scratches. The price was agreeable so I left my car. 4 days later I picked it up and it was good as new - both mechanically and aesthetically. James showed me the parts that were replaced and Andy wouldn't let me pay without first looking over the work. I'm very happy about finding this little gem, specially since I live in Burbank. I've always loved German cars but stayed away from them because of the cost of ownership. Now I can get whatever car I want and not sweat it. By the way - the cost of the repairs still came out to less than half the dealership cost. read more