Joel did an excellent job finding and fixing the oil leaks in my R55 clubman. At first I thought it was my oil filter assembly. Joel was able to diagnose and pinpoint exactly where the oil leak was; rear main seal and inspection plugs. I'd say I'm extremely mechanically inclined and super picky with work done to my cars. Joel was able to drop the tranny and get to the seal and plugs in the same day...amazing. Not only that, he did the tranny flush while he was at it, all in the same day. I've had the car back for a week now and have been using it pretty regularly. NOT A SINGLE DROP OF OIL has dripped on my driveway, I kid you not. Super happy and satisfied with Joel's work at German Auto Service. I wouldn't trust my minis to anyone else! read more

I've known Joel for a few years through local Mini Cooper clubs. He has always been a great resource for Mini maintenance and repair info, and everyone I know who has taken their car to Joel has raved about his service, quality, and his exceptionally reasonable pricing. Today, I learned firsthand how much that community trust has been earned and is well-deserved. I took my '20 Countryman JCW to Joel's shop to replace a broken engine mount and to replace the 5-year-old battery. I have a routine maintenance contract with Mini that does not cover repairs or battery replacement. I choked at their price quote, so I turned to GAS. Joel walked me through what he was doing, showed me the damage to the mount, repaired it, and replaced the battery with efficiency, skill, and professionalism. The bill, when done, was a fraction of what the dealer quoted. I highly recommend Joel at German Auto Service for your Mini, BMW, VW, or Audi service. His shop is small, but well-equipped. He can't do tires or wheel alignments there, but he does most other repair and maintenance work. The shop is in a fantastic location within walking distance to the Lawrence Caltrain station, and nearby shops and cafes, including Starbucks, if you want to pay too much for over-roasted coffee. Call Joel to make an appointment for service. Your car and your wallet will be happy you did. read more

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This is best place in the world to have your car repaired. Honest, compotent and always ready on time. One of my cars was beyond repair and Joel was very honest about that and the excessive repair costs. Try him out - you won't be sorry - he's worked on both our Mini Cooper S and BMW X5 - always perfection read more

I have found my new go-to mechanic. My first interaction with Joel was for a relatively niche service on a 2019 VW GTI: the VAQ limited front slip differential fluid exchange. I specifically requested he (1) exchange the fluid, (2) remove the pump + clean the screen/filter, and (3) use VCDS to run a pump relearn process. He completed all of this in a timely manner, used the proper fluid + replacement plugs + o-rings, sent me pictures documenting the process, and was more cost effective than quotes from other shops. He even topped off my engine oil. On top of all this, he's a very friendly person and was gracious enough to spend time answering all of my other maintenance-related questions. I highly recommend GAS and absolutely will be coming back. Thank you, Joel. read more

I I have a Mini that was sorely in need of work. By sheer coincidence, I popped into German Auto Service and met with the owner, Joel. It was immediately clear that he was the right guy to help. i scheduled time with him to inspect my car. Afterwards, he patiently went over his findings, answered all my questions, and made recommendations on repairs. I really appreciated the professional and friendly discussion, never feeling at all being pushed into getting servicing. Long story short, Joel eventually replaced my surpercharger and water pump, along with some additional repairs that took advantage of the access afforded by the front end being exposed. Afterwards, my mini felt like new despite it being 20 years young! I am extremely happy and confident to recommend Joel and GAS for your auto repair. I think you'll have a great experience and get excellent service! read more

German Auto Service - Eaton Super Charger Rebuild - Auto Repair Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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Honest and trustworthy. I wouldn't trust my Mini with anyone else. Won't break the bank either.

Phenomenal service! Joel Flink at German Auto Service is thorough, knowledgeable, honest, educational, patient with my and my husband's questions, and he provides excellent value (reasonable prices!). I brought Joel a 2013 MINI Cooper S a day after purchasing it from a private party. Yes, I did the buying process backwards! I was so scared that I may have bought some unknown problems. Joel checked the car end to end and top to bottom, gave me context on some disclosed issues, explained other potential issues, and taught me how to prevent them and what to look for. Now I know exactly what my car is and I have huge peace of mind in my purchase. I also have a 2011 MINI. I will be bringing both cars to German Auto Service for all maintenance and repairs. I live in Santa Cruz and my experience with Joel makes the drive worth it! read more

German Auto Service - Joel Flink inspector a MINI Cooper S on a lift - Auto Repair Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

Fast, knowledgeable, great service! Easy to make appointment and clear explanations of work.

I'm writing this review after coming to Joel's shop a few times even back when it was in San Mateo. Joel is one of the most honest, dependable, and down to earth mechanics I've had the pleasure to meet. His diagnoses are always on point and his recommendations are always fair. You can tell the shop specializes in Mini's but I've had a good experience with my 2003 BMW 325Ci. I've had things like an oil change, brakes pads and rotors changed, and a vacuum leak diagnosed and resolved. Additionally, I was able to get quick help with a snapped bolt extraction. All maintenance holding up strong and priced fairly. read more

Joel has been working on my F30 335i with M performance package for about 3 years since he was in San Mateo. He recently helped me change the valve cover gasket along with oil change (ROWE) and other smaller items at his new shop in Sunnyvale. Nice and clean shop! Joel is a seasoned mechanical that I can trust with reasonable pricing. I'm recommending Joel to my friends who own beamers! read more

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joel has worked on my mini since mile one, bot at mini of stevens creek and at his own shops. he is knowledgeable, no bs, reasonable, and he always answers me quickly and keeps me informed. 100k miles later and i could not be happier with the service he's given me and my car. i will continue to take bloo to joel until the wheels fall off. read more

Speedy service which isn't remarkable until you find out that it's a one man shop. so happy to find a shop that specializes in Mini Coopers that isn't a dealership. excellent Customer Service skills and no BS. The only downfall is that the shop is not close to me. That's ok because Joel is definitely a trustworthy good perso. read more

I know, you go to a auto repair shop and expect to get screwed and taken advantage of. This shop is honest and trustworthy. Was more than happy with my choice to get my car fixed here and I WILL be returning for further repairs. Why look elsewhere when you found the best. read more

Joel is thorough and professional. Brought my BMW I3 for a routine maintenance service (brake fluid, 12v battery, cabin air filter). Car was ready as scheduled, connected to a charger. Excellent communication, solid alternative to the stealership. Giving five stars because six stars are not available as an option. read more

Amazing experience with Joel Flick. Took the time and explained what the process was going to be. Needed belt and pulley and lower control arm bushings replaced. While he was working on the car he sent follow up text and pics. When I picked up the car, Joel had time to explain what he observed during his inspection and his recommendations moving forward and how to maintain this car. I will be taking my R56 here for all future mods and maintenance. Thanks again Joel. read more

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Joel has been a godsend when it comes to servicing my F56 Mini. Everything you could ask for in a mechanic: - Knowledgeable - Reasonable pricing - Quality part selection - Great communication You know it's a good sign when you can trust your mechanic and they send you photos and progress updates as they work through your car. read more

I am happy to be writing this review for German Auto service specifically for my experience with Joel. Overall it was a A+ experience I brought a vehicle for a pre purchase inspection. Joel was welcoming, professional and quite thorough with the inspection. He found some repairs that the vehicle needed. I was then able to make a educated decision to purchase the vehicle. I gave Joel the thumbs up to do the repairs which were done that same day. I was very pleased with his communication and his knowledge of BMW vehicles. Thank you Joel for a quick and pleasant experience. I will definitely be returning for any future maintenance or repairs. read more

German Auto Service - Auto Repair Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

6 Stars if I could. Joel is amazing! Great pricing, awesome repairs and even better service. Communicated with me throughout the whole process. My MINI(s) will always go to German Auto Service(GAS)! Thank you again GAS for your auto services! read more

German Auto Service - Car repairs - Auto Repair Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

I've gone here twice and specifically worked with Joel for my Mini Countryman. He's very responsive and communicative. I hit him up for a brake light bulb change and I was in and out in less than 10 mins. He also checked my oil without me asking. I've had a great experience and will be returning again! read more

After getting a crazy estimate of $800 to change my brake fluid and cabin air fluid at the dealer, Joel did it for far less than half that. The shop is clean, Joel did the work in a couple of hours, and also rotated my tires for free as a first time customer. It's a blessing to find someone knowledgeable, reasonable, fast, and honest! read more

Need to give a HUGE shout out to Joel Flick who owns German Auto Service in San Mateo. He did a pre purchase inspection for me the other day that was way beyond reasonable in terms of cost, and incredibly thorough. Still undecided about the car, but I would take my current MINI to him without the slightest hesitation. Joel, thanks again. Super grateful! read more

Joel is rad! Super reasonable prices and friendly knowledgeable service. What more can I say? This is the auto shop you're looking for.

We've known Joel for quite some time, and my Dad and I brought an E46 to get it checked out before buying it from a dealer, and we couldn't feel more confident to have Joel help us out. He thoroughly checked the car, treating the inspection like it was him trying to make the decision to buy the car or not. He is extreemly friendly and helped ease our uneasiness about bringing a Beemer into the family. He's a BMW, Mini Cooper specialist, and he'll be more than happy to tackle your problems. He's the grand master of mechanics. read more

This review is for our Mini JCW and Mini Countryman.. Both were having issues a week apart. We brought the Mini Countryman to German Auto Service due a leaking coolant, an oil change, water pump pulley and belt replacement. He fixed it within 2 hours. But there is some good and bad news. Bad news is, that the Thermostat housing for the coolant needs to be replaced and it would cost $500 to fix it. Good news is he called MINI dealership to check if it still under warranty and it still was. We brought it to the dealership a few days later it was replaced. Thanks Joel you helped us save $500. Also, he rotated all 4 tires for free.. As for the Mini JCW, we were driving on the freeway a week prior and felt/heard that the engine was shaking and noticed that the check engine light was on. Brought it also to the dealership and had to be quoted $$$$$ to replace the whole engine. Due to some recommendation and also 5 Star reviews on Yelp, I brought it to German Autos Service. Joel thoroughly inspected the car's problem and text messaged me every detail of what needs to be done and also sent me a video of what he needs to repair. It took 3 weeks to get it back to top quality, runs like brand new because of Joel's mastery. He saved us a lot of money because the engine does not have to be replaced. Joel is transparent, honest and a hardworking mechanic. He is a master of his craft! read more

Joel was super nice and responsive. Took my 2019 F56 Mini Cooper here for an oil change after buying it as a CPO 5k miles ago. Joel rotated my tires and replaced a missing valve cap with no extra charge. The only recommended extra maintenance was a cabin air filter. Will definitely come back! read more

Joel is an absolute STAR. He is personable, professional, and incredibly knowledgeable. He works efficiently, and makes the entire experience of getting your car repaired feel "breezy". Excellent customer service. Above and beyond what I've experienced anywhere. A neighborhood gem ... you will be so thankful you took your car to Joel at German Auto Service! read more

Took my 2017 Mini JCW the first time in to get brake fluid changed and steel brake lines installed. Joel had it done at a great rate and the brakes don't fade like they used to. Took it again for a new clutch/flywheel install along with an LSD and clutch delay valve delete. Car drives like a dream and I could not be happier. Joel does a great job with communicating and offers excellent service. Great independent shop to bring your Mini, if not the best! read more

Joel Flick, Master Tech, is the man. Knows everything worth knowing about these cars. Friendly, affable, communicative-keeps you in the loop at all times. This shop is a real Bay Area Primary Resource. Guaranteed work at reasonable rates. Put GAS in your network of support!! read more

This is the place to go for MINI service. I've been here multiple times for repairs and maintenance on my R53 MINI and Joel has been very accommodating and reasonably priced. He was able to get my MINI track day prepped and was able to repair the front end after an overzealous drive on Page Mill. I will be taking my MINI from now on and I would recommend anyone with a MINI to go here also. read more

Can here after multiple recommendations from Mini owners and Joel was as good as advertised. He is very knowledgeable and makes everything very easy to understand. He used to work at a Mini dealership and how he works on all Minis and BMWs. Glad I found a trusted independent shop. read more

Joel at GAS is the best! Great customer service, amazing pricing (vs. the dealership), and exceptional work quality. I really appreciated the heads up during the entire repair process as I needed to get my engine mount replaced. I will ONLY be coming here from now on! read more

If you have a Mini I would 100% recommend bringing it here. I had heard many good things and decided to give it a shot when my axle broke. I had it at a different shop and they said that the part that I brought would not be usable. So I brought it here to Joel and he was super knowledgeable when I spoke to him on the phone. He had a quick turnaround and was able to get my part installed without a problem. He is always happy to help and I will definitely continue to bring my Mini to him! read more

Joel at German Auto Service took excellent car of my beloved MINI. He knows and understands the relationship that MINI owners have with their cars and his attention detail is unparalleled when it comes to sorting out any issues and ensuring that these cars are in top shape when they leave his garage. When I was ready to find a new home for my MINI, I handed it over to Joel for a thorough inspection to know that it was ready for a new home. He was honest about what needed to be fix and what would be a "nice to have". Very reasonable rates and an honest mechanic. Don't take your German cars anywhere else! :) read more

Brought my Mini Cooper S Clubman R55 in today to get serviced. Needed new control arm bushings, wheel alignment and a coolant flush. Joel took care of all of these items and in addition, discovered that my 3rd brake light was faulty. Joel provided top notch service. His rates beat the dealership. His communication skills were outstanding. I definitely will be going back to him when my Mini needs service. read more

Excellent, honest and fair service. Joel is a great mechanic and a very nice guy. He's knows his cars and stands behind his work. Highly recommend for BMW and Mini repairs and service. read more

Joel is a MINI guru and just the guy I want working on my German cars -- he's a factory-trained tech, MINI and BMW owner, enthusiast and MINI Cooper club leader. He works on both my MINIs and BMWs. Joel is very thorough, prompt, reasonable....and what I appreciate most of all, honest. I never feel like I'm being "sold" or "upsold" any unneeded services. He focuses on what the car needs most immediately and highlights any other findings that can wait until next time or should just be monitored. I highly recommend Joel and appreciate his knowledge and great customer service. read more

I had just recently bought a new vehicle and wanted to take it in for a routine check up. Joel was very accommodating and the service was fairly quick. read more