I do most my own work. After replacing fuel injection components on my Touareg TDI Diesel I needed to do a ECU adaption that my scanner doesn't support. Foreign Aide has ODIS which is the VW factory scan tool and they were able to do the adaption I needed at a reasonable price. Having this tool is a big deal. I could never afford it, The tool is expensive, and the yearly software licensing is thousand of $. Most shops do not have it. Foreign Aid is now my goto place for service procedure I can't do myself!! read more

UPDATE: Within 24 hours, Foreign Aide contacted me and apologized for this experience. They graciously offered to make good on the oil change at no charge. I'm so glad they called because I was 5 minutes from going to Jiffy Lube. Anyway they took my car in immediately and fixed everything that I'd asked for yesterday at no charge. They reaffirmed my belief and experience that this is a most outstanding business. Not only will I continue doing business with them but I will definitely recommend them to every VW owner I know! Today I mourn the death of a very old and trusted friend. I've been going to Foreign Aide for years to have my VW maintenanced. I made an appointment again this year. The appointment for normal maintenance (and maybe other repairs that might be needed). I asked specifically several times to be sure that all fluids were addressed. "Yes", they said. Well, I got home and reviewed my bill and the accompanying 12 page print out showing a lot of check marks and numerous photos of my car. You'd think it was being entered for a beauty pageant. No maintenance was done... No oil was changed, nothing ... just a fancy booklet showing the computer print out and a lot of pictures of my car. I am truly sad to see that my dear friend is now defunct but I'll certainly be looking for a decent mechanic who is willing to do the work needed to keep my car on the road. read more

Amazing honesty and customer service. Had an issue with my VW and freaked out because ABQ doesn't have many import specialists. I found them by driving by, that's luck my friend! Spoke with them to get an appointment to get my car get looked at. It was one week before they could get it in (other places I was a month out). I explained my error code and asked honestly if I could continue to drive with the light on. He gave me his "if it were my daughter" speech, which immediately made me feel better! If I need service again, This would be my go to. read more

There is new management here and they try to help everyone. They save you money and have smart mechanics. Way to purchase a business and turn it around !!!!! read more

Great people there now that the previous owners are gone! The owner Todd Harris is experienced and working on air cold and water cool VW's also Audi, BMW, mini Cooper and multiple other vehicles. They also have the ability to get you great parts at a good price! read more

Foreign Aide is an amazing resource in Albuquerque for VW parts. Whenever I have gone there, they have been extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Friends from Taos pay to have their '78 Westy towed to Foreign Aide whenever it needs expert help. read more

Well, to be honest, I have been "That Guy" that takes my VW's to the dealer shop historically. However, after several really bad visits to the dealer not be named in the north end of Albuquerque for my four (seriously 4!) VW's I looked up Foreign Aide. After meeting with Jacqueline at the counter and her World Class customer service and communication I was convinced that their service was genuine. I now take all my VW's to Foreign Aide without any hesitation. When it's not exactly "perfect", Foreign Aide has ALWAYS made it right, ALWAYS. This is one mechanic shop that has earned my trust and confidence based on experience, not on advertising or talk. Foreign Aide calls me and does not wait for me to wonder what is happening and having to call them. They call me!! Foreign Aide delivers simply Just good performance time and time again. I'm more than happy as a customer based on their performance, service, communication and value. read more

They saved me big time in ABQ! Amazing people who are trustworthy and here to help you. Thank you all!

My aunt took a VW bug here to get the oil changed and have the brakes checked. Two days later, her tire falls off and when they removed the hubcap there are no lug nuts at all. So when she took the vehicle back they said they didn't take the tire off and checked the brakes from outside. Heres the thing, if the lug nuts were installed and magically came off , why werent they in the hubcap (couldnt go anywhere else). This is her daily driver, so if there were no lug nuts prior to this, she would have experienced the tire falling off a lonnnng time ago. And no one has touched the tire recently. They charged her for a brake inspection, which to do adequately, would involve taking the tire off. These people not only put her life in danger, but then lied about it after the fact, which is why im posting this. read more

We were passing through and had an issue with our VW Passat. They were quick to help us get the problem resolved. The price was unmatched as well. Our whole experience was great; this shop deals in integrity, honesty, and great work. I definitely recommend them to anyone who needs work on their foreign car! read more

They don't service Eurovans due to parts issues, and lack of knowledgeable people to repair them. Pretty blunt.

I received exceptional service at Foreign Aide. They repaired my Fiat 500 and were knowledgeable, prompt, professional and kind with very fair prices. Highly recommend. read more

Foreign Aid is the worst business we have ever worked with. They blew up our VW engine blamed it on us. You make the call, we dropped off our 1957 showroom condition VW with them, They worked on our dual carb motor. we drove it out of the shop and it was firing on only two cylinders- we returned the car to find out it was blown. We paid for a new engine, single carb 1735 and after "16" yes 16 visits we just gave up with this company. Please do not consider Foreign Aid for any work other than an oil change or vw parts with an incredible mark up. On their behalf maybe they used to be a reputable company, not any more. Our time and costs exceed 15,000.00 read more

First off, Alex in your shop needs a promotion. EXCELLENT customer service and and all-around friendly guy to talk air-cooled stuff with. This shop gets high marks from me for their flexibility. My 71 Super Beetle died on me on the highway in Alamogordo. I had done some repairs with them before (partially unrelated to what caused my SB to die) and they squeezed me in for a diagnosis that weekend (even though their service department is closed). I towed it up to Albuquerque and they diagnosed, fixed, and had me on the road the same day with my 71 Super running like a top. They also waived labor costs. That, to me, shows a lot of taking ownership to fix the issue. I'm very appreciative of that. read more

These guys are the reason my old VW's can stay on the road. I have been buying parts from them for years, and when I can't fix it, or something requires a special tool I don't have, they have always helped me out at a reasonable price. I prefer shopping locally and prefer giving my money to an independent business. I have found their prices to be inline with what online parts cost if you include the shipping / prime membership. I have had a few engines and transmissions built by them over the years for different vehicles, and they've always run really well. Five stars, highly recommend. read more

I will never ever go back to this horrible business. I made an appointment for my son's Jetta for a Friday. I dropped the vehicle off at 8:00 that morning for a misfire. No call from them Friday. When you make an appointment you assume they will diagnose the vehicle and let you know that day. I didn't hear back from them till Tuesday at 4:30 in the afternoon. Paul won't return phone calls. Finally was able to pick up the car on Wednesday at 5:00. Sucks hard. read more

I have an old project Golf III (1998) and I have been there occasionally. Paul and his team are great. I purchased the car via their mechanical check, no major problem with engine/tranny/breaking system so far. (consider it's a 20yo car and has been stayed in garage for probably months, mechanically it's pretty sounding.). And they gave me tons opinions and they are very easy going with my "can you help me with some DIY hint" attitude. maintenance did at Foreign Aid Parts: mechanical check; AC refill and flush; crankshaft sensor replacement; airbag light debug and reset. I feel pretty comfortable with the price. No complain at all. I have some mechanical background and work on cars intensively as an advanced amateur. read more

Dishonest and disrespectful of customer time. They make an "appointment" and then when you show up, there isn't an open bay and you have to wait hours just for the "appointment" to start. read more

LOVE THESE GUYS! I have brought my 2005 VW Beetle to them for about 6 years. They have always been honest and do an excellent job. My car is getting old and I've decided I'll stick with a VW replacement so that I will continue to have a mechanic I can trust. read more

Coming from Buffalo, NY and having no choice but to bring my 2009 Jetta in for service, I was worried about being taken advantage of since I had no other options. The prices were a little more expensive than a couple other places, but the attention that the give their customers is second to none. They also use quality parts, and not the cheap ones, so if you value your car, I'm sure you're used to that any way. Paul always took the time to answer my questions and was real with me about my car. That by itself is something you rarely see anymore. The people here are honest and stand by their work. By the amount of VW's in there lot, I knew mine was in good hands. I had been there 3 times this summer and was more than satisfied each time. read more

Unfortunately the blinkers on my car decided to stop working -- no warning; they just decided to stop working. Someone at an auto parts store suggested I try Foreign Aide, and I really appreciate the recommendation. The staff at Foreign Aide went above and beyond! Even though I just stopped in without an appointment, they were kind enough to look at my car given the fact that I was traveling through town and preferred not to be driving without blinkers. They kept me informed of the work as it progressed, and even suggested a great little restaurant down the street where I could go have some lunch while I waited. The prices were very reasonable, and I was very impressed with their service. If I lived in Albuquerque, I'd definitely be using Foreign Aide for all my car repairs. read more

If you really care for your vintage Volkswagen, this is not the place! I purchased a used vehicle from them with a rebuilt engine and transaxle thinking they were the experts as well as having confidence of a long-lasting vintage Volkswagen and parts started falling apart from the start. I understand this happens to vintage vehicles, but some of it was not from the parts, but the mechanics. First day, brought the vehicle home, the carb leaked fuel everywhere. That was after the battery died at the gas station as it was on fumes. Alternator went out in the first 4 months. It was sold with a 6-month warranty, but all they said that was warrantied was the block. Sketchy warranty as it is printed on the receipt, but it does not state that it would have been just "the block". The accelerator cable broke leaving my son in the middle of an intersection. I got it towed home went to install a new one. It would not go in as it should. The tube had been crushed and the worst part is I found out they had it just stuck thru the tin with not grommets. It frayed on the tin, that is why it broke. The tube it went thru was short by almost 3 feet and it was just hanging in the air, over the transaxle. The work they do is just thrown together. No attention to detail. Very shoddy work at best. Now lying in dirt I have to try to fix what they knew was wrong with it in the first place. So again, it is up to you, but if you truly love your Volkswagen and want it to be quality work then find a mechanic with a true love for vintage Volkswagens that care about their work. This is not that place. What should have thrown me off in the first visit to this establishment is the showroom. Looks more like a trash dump. Papers all over the counter, stuff stacked here and there. If you cannot take the time to keep the showroom organized that shows you the attention to detail on the work done! read more

this place is the worst I've ever went to, I wemy based off ratings. Spent $1300 for a check engine light diagnostics, check engine light came back five times, and they never called me once for an update I called them, and I checked the things they said were repaired which look factory, as in not replaced, which I paid for, now I'm looking at another repair shop which I have pictures of why I paid for and was supposedly done; and wasnt, I will NEVER say to go here, not only that, they will see to The BBU and a lawyer read more

My mother-in-law takes her 2008 VW Passat here and they have done a couple of repairs. Their prices are reasonable and their service is excellent. If you're looking for an honest mechanic to work on your VW, look no further. read more

Very meh, 2.5 stars. Some stuff is okay, some prices are okay, but much of what they sell is priced about double what you'd pay online, sometimes more, so you have to watch it and check prices before buying anything. I have managed to get deals on a few things, and it's nice to be able to get parts locally, but the pricing is often inexplicably gougeful; caveat emptor!! A couple of the staff know a bit about VW's, others know less than nothing but opine and hold forth regardless, and I'd take anything you hear at this shop with a very large grain of salt, maybe a whole pillar... double-check any advice given at FA online at the samba.com... Apparently if you see 210 oil temps on your acvw uphill in the New Mexico summer, you need an external oil cooler. (Lol!) And they'll tell you not to run synthetic, maybe because they're just old, so old... LOL!! If you know nothing about acvw, they might be more helpful than going it alone, or not, depending on your individual stupidity quotient... but if you actually know anything, you'll chuckle at their "sage" advice. How anybody can be that ignorant after decades in the business is a mystery to me. I guess you don't really need to know anything in order to recommend new parts purchases to unsuspecting muppets... Alex the owner apparently thinks he's an engine builder or something, but he's actually a 30-year+ veteran engine-bolter-togetherer who doesn't check any clearances, doesn't measure or gauge bearings, doesn't set ring gaps, doesn't clock rings, and installs P&C sets straight out of the box without disassembling, cleaning, measuring, nothing- just slaps em on. Alex says that balancing the rotating assembly is unnecessary because "I've put lots of motors together, and none of them vibrated!" Alex feels that porting heads is unnecessary, and recommends box-stock EMPI China heads on all his motors... He offers a 12 month, 12kmi warranty on his motors, and I bet most of them will go about that far. He is pretty cheap, and you might even get what you paid for if the stars align. The thing is, thirty years ago, you could just slap together parts like that and have it work. Today, you need to measure everything, trust nothing. Trust Alex to build your motor, at your peril! And start saving for your next one! Anyway, Foreign Aide is still there, and if you need VW parts and/or service in ABQ, you'll probably end up there eventually. Good luck when you do. My advice is to invest in tools and your own shop. Or, pay FA a visit. Say hi for me if you do, and good luck, seriously. You'll need it! read more

These guys treated me right. The cost of repair was a little high (as it always is with modern cars) but much cheaper than the dealership. They are professional and nice here and I highly recommend them for all eras of Wolkswagens. read more

They have a ton of new-old-stock for old VW's posted on Samba at good prices and Jonathan has amazing customer service skills. What else do you need to know? Cheers read more

We've never had a mechanic shop that was so conscientious and fair in their dealing with us. You can count on Paul and everyone else there to go above and beyond in helping to keep your car running safely and at a good price. Since we found them, we take our VW nowhere else. read more

Don't ever take your car here. We were loyal costumers for years. then we heard grinding in the transmission. Had to get several opinions. Took it to the VW dealer, and turns out foreign aide put the wrong part in and caused dirt and rocks to get into our transmission. we had to get a brand new transmission, $7000. I would not recommend them. They were also very patronising. read more

We've taken several of our cars to Foreign Aid and have received knowledgeable service at reasonable prices. The staff is great and we really like patronizing a locally owned business. I would highly recommend Foreign Aid to anyone! read more

Paul and his crew not only listen to what may be wrong, they test the car and help figure out the problems. My TT runs great and was well taken care of while it stayed over night. It will definitely return here when I need help!\ read more

Had them do a check on my Vanagon before a cross-country trip - they said it had low compression & needed new engine. Replaced engine & the compression ended up the same but with the rebuilt engine requiring oil be added on a regular basis (when the old engine didn't burn or drip at all). Also had them recharge & check the A/C. They recharged it & then literally scratched a line on my dash & told me to not turn the knob past the "line" so it wouldn't freeze up. Didn't really want my dash vandalized when I went in. My vote is it was a complete RIP-OFF on both counts. Would not go there again. read more

I have been going to fine and friendly folks for at least 10 years now. They almost always have the most obscure parts I can imagine, and if they don't, they will have it within 24 hours. I have also used their service for major jobs like replacing my clutch/bearing/flywheel. Other big jobs, too. Their prices are great, their knowledge will blow you away, and they are funny, too! So if you love your volksie, go see these guys, you will not be disappointed! read more

Foreign Aide is as good as it gets, in my opinion! They are one of the best car repair shops I've used in the last 45 years. The front-line staff techs are highly skilled and go the extra mile to get work done not just on time, but ahead of schedule. The manager, Paul, is an expert; he test drove my car, researched things carefully, and let me know what I needed and didn't need! He's extremely personable, goes out of his way to ensure that the customer is more than pleased with the work and the experience. The owners are also very pleasant and willing to answer questions, ensure you have a ride if needed, etc. I recommend them unequivocally, without reservation. They're top notch in my book! read more

If you want to pay full retail, go to the dealer. At least the mechanics there have a clue. Avoid these people like the plague.

Took my 1998 VW Jetta to see if they could reset the adaption. I was told if it wouldn't hold that I would need a throttle body which would cost 339.90 for a rebuilt one plus 127.50 for labor. The car ran great before I took it in it. The initial problem was that it wouldn't pass the emissions test. Once the mechanic had tried to reset the adaption it wouldn't hold. This car ran like a champ before I took it into have it checked. I hadn't driven that car for ten minutes before it started stalling. I took the car back to Foreign Aid and told the female at the counter that the car started stalling and the idle probably needed to be set a little higher. She said the they couldn't do that because they didn't have the diagnostic equipment to do that. I left angry. It kept getting worse, I went back and the person that I spoke to said that it needed the particular part, along with he didn't know what to tell me. That car ran great before they tried to rip me off for more money. read more