I love this place. My car is due for an oil change soon and I'm ready to trek back up North. What does that say about German Auto Sport? I'm not sure what all the bad reviews are about. Upon purchasing your BMW, you pretty much know (or should know) you are going to spend money on it. No big deal if you know how to manage your finances douche. Stop trying to be hood rich. Besides, if you think these guys are expensive take your Bimmer (Yeah that's the car, Beamer =bike. You can thank me for the etymology lesson later.) to the dealership. My bimmer Wolfgang is at 176xxx and still runs like a champ. And yes I'm still rocking the license plate cover in SoCal. BTW: Happy Belated Birthday Chris! read more

German Auto Sport - My pegasus Wolfgang and his doctor, Chris. :) - Auto Repair Near Me - Berkeley, California

The GAS team is top notch. I brought in my e28 for subframe bushings and some diagnostic work. They were diligent and kept me updated throughout the process. Finished quicker than expected and even dropped off my car at the alignment shop when they were done! I try to do as much as I can on my own but it's good to have a shop I can rely on when I get in over my head. Huge thanks to Yar, Alex, Chris, and Ben! read more

German Auto Sport - Auto Repair Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm sitting to take the California Bar next week and decided to run my car to make sure it worked about a week before the exam. Guess what? It didn't. Commence freakout. I called every mechanic in the area and they either didn't work on BMWs or didn't offer the (incorrectly diagnosed) service I was asking for. Chris was the only person who asked for more information and helped me figure out what was actually wrong with my car. They took it in same-day and had it fixed up by 5 PM. When I went in, I talked to Alex who was the kindest, most helpful person and made the whole process so smooth. They have a great team dedicated to customer service and I'll surely come back. read more

They diagnosed my check engine light for free. It wasn't urgent and I was able to continue my road trip with a little piece of mind. Thanks!

Don't waste tour money and take your Mini Cooper in here. They sin't seem to like working on them. I told them I had a coolant problem in July. They said it was the coolant cap. charged me $200 and never replaced it. Coolant was still leaking they replaced a radiator. $1,200 Coolant was still leaking. The biggest issue I have with this place is they didn't care about finding the leak and fixing the problem. No customer service. A good mechanic trouble shoots and asks you questions and knows the cars they work on. These guys don't know their way around a mini cooper and don't care so don't waste your money!! read more

Chris and Yar at German Auto Sport are a rare breed of down to earth,humble, and most importantly knowledgeable folks. They know what they are doing. I recently took one of our cars here after getting a referral to come here from another very knowledgeable BMW person. They get the work done as promised it does take a little longer than a dealer but I feel like they are actually doing all of the work and running all of the test etc. No short cuts and just initialing it was all done. Their shop is clean and tidy. In my opinion that speak about their work too. I would definitely go that if you have the budget as it's definitely a little pricey but you will leave feeling confident about the work you got done. Also, they warranty their work? Say what? 3 year or 36,000 miles. I appreciate folks that stand behind their work and own it. Round of applause. read more

German Auto Sport - Auto Repair Near Me - Berkeley, California

German AutoSport is the only shop I'll take my Classic Bmw.Chris communicated with me about other issues found with the vehicle.I appreciate the knowledge of everyone at German Autosport! read more

Incredible integrity, kindness, and helpfulness on every level. We had our Audi 2013 Allroad towed to German Auto Sport after an abrupt coolant leak, on the same day as the breakdown occurred, even though they were already booked for the day. They quickly diagnosed the problem, and gave us an estimate for repair -- and (amazingly!) also did additional research for us, on their hunch that the broken water pump may be covered by an obscure Audi extended warranty on that specific part for our model year -- a warranty which other shops, and even the Audi dealer, had no idea about. So instead of taking our money, they very generously provided the facts we needed to pursue a covered repair at Audi. All the while, everyone at the shop was kind, intelligent, knowledgeable, communicative, and just wonderful. I'm amazed at this shop. They've got a new fan. read more

The crew at G.A.S has been nothing but outstanding with the repairs of my BMW 850ci! I would recommend them to anyone that is passionate about their BMW! Cant's say enough good things about my experience, simply outstanding and this is coming from an avid D.I.Yer. read more

Great establishment with straight forward answers. Chris and his team helped me with everything I needed for my BMW. Will definitely be back for any other services. Do not hesitate to contact them. Also while waiting you get to look at some really nice rides! . Thank you again German Auto Sport! read more

Thanks for fixing my car in a timely manner and reimbursing the Uber ride back, though I didn't appreciate getting the keys back to see the body is "shitty." Kind of rude and unprofessional, and not exactly what I want to see after draining my bank account to fix this car. read more

German Auto Sport - The body of my car is "shitty" apparently. - Auto Repair Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is my new favorite auto shop that I will continue to bring my 2007 Porsche Cayman. I recently had trouble with my oil separator and they were more than happy to help me replace it. I was traveling to San Francisco when I noticed white smoke coming out from my exhaust so I pulled over and started to google nearby auto shops. This was the nearest and most highly rated one so I called them to ask if I could have my vehicle towed there. They normally close at 6pm but there were more than happy to wait a little longer while I had my car towed to their shop from the highway. When I arrived, they were helpful in getting my vehicle into the shop and getting me all setup and ready to get on my way. They are very responsive with their emails and were quick to send me a estimate on the genuine Porsche parts that were needed to fix my vehicle. I was in need of my vehicle for the weekend and normally they are closed on Saturdays, but they took time out of their weekend to come in so I could retrieve my car. The service is excellent and top quality! They know what they're doing and talking about. I recommend this place to everyone with a foreign vehicle or to anyone that likes quality customer service and mechanics that are passionate about their job. They are going to be receiving my business from now on. read more

German Auto Sport - Absolutely best place to bring your foreign car! - Auto Repair Near Me - Berkeley, California

Came in 5 minutes before closing to see if they could help with coolant for my Mercedes. They could not but were attentive, friendly and suggested another garage which could help. If I ever switch to the dark side and buy a BMW, I'll definitely be back. read more

Great group of guys! My 2012 328i was brought to their shop to do a diagnostic to figure out the fuel supply issue that would come up from time to time. I read a lot of reviews and online forums about similar issues that other bmw owners experience. My biggest hesitation about repairing the problem was going to someone who had in depth knowledge of the car and issues. The next was the ability to access the issue and repair with minimum cost. My last, was the issue becoming a reoccurring issue once it was "fixed" and left the shop. I am sure for other people things are concerns when it comes to racking up expenditures into the thousands. No one wants to feel taken advantage of and I can definitely say my worries hit the door with these guys. They were able to give an abundance of information on the issues at hand along with others things they notice out of professional courtesy. Even better, they have three year warranty policy for the work they do. They make you feel like apart of their small family by taking care of your car like it was one of their own. They are very friendly and extremely professional! I have recommended them to a few people I know already and would have no problem doing so again. Great job!!! read more

As a Mercedes owner its always great to find an independent shop that will repair your car for a fair price. Dick at Allied Body and Frame pointed me in the right direction. Chris at German auto was able to locate the problem, order the parts and have me back on the road in a few hours. Thanks again Chris and your team. read more

I started my relationship with GAS when they only worked on BMW and MINI about eight years ago. I've received no better service with my 1988 e30 than I get from Chris, Yar, and the rest of the team at GAS. Suffice to say that I live near Monterey and when possible I make the trek to Berkeley (113 miles) for any preventative maintenance and repairs from this group of pros. They are straight shooters, thorough, and masters of their craft. I don't make a fuss about cost because good work ain't cheap and cheap work ain't good. That said, their pricing is fair and reasonable but more importantly the quality of work is A-1. I can't wait to introduce my Audi A3 to the crew. read more

Chris Yar, and the crew are amazing. They recently started printing up really detailed reports on repairs and inspections performed. I don't mind driving from SF and BARTing to/fro in order to get my car serviced. read more

Dropped my car off in the evening and they call my in the morning to tell me my sunroof spontaneously opened in the middle of the night and rain got in my car - REAL STORY is The were negligent and didn't bother checking, probably not only my car but all cars that night to make sure they were closed up. I know this because I was worried about this since I often drive with my sunroof open and checked in the middle of the night and it looked wide open to me. Then they were going to charge me to diagnose it and clean it for their negligence!! When I told them, I was going to have to take them to small claims the owner called me a "f_____ idtiot" and flipped me off. Sounds a little barbaric but this is the true nature of the owner I guess. Just BEWARE when you go here that you might very well have a similar experience. The fact in the matter is you run a poor business and your social skills and customer relation skills are worse. Why do you edit out what you really said like screaming at the top of your lungs over your associate in the background "it's not a F_____ hard decision, he either did or didn't" that's the extent of your customer support skills... read more

This review is not from someone who had work done here, but simply to say I was essentially walked through a repair that I was going to have the BMW dealer do for me. I called in with an issue and told it was pretty straight forward. 5 stars to a shop that did something most shops wouldn't do. Thanks! read more

Hey Chris and Yar, you guys are a "10" in my book. Five stars each when it came to fixing my Mercedes. When other shops couldn't find the problem and you knew what it was in just a few minutes. Just a one day repair and I'm back on the road again. Fantastic job guys, fast and affordable...I couldn't ask for more. read more

German Auto Sport - Brakes problems... - Auto Repair Near Me - Berkeley, California

Absolutley amazing! INTEGRITY! Took my 09 Mini S to the dealer for a faulty startup. Their service guys were great, their diagnosis was $2600.00 for a High pressure fuel pump replacement. I do my homework find German Auto Sports friendly fast and smart! They suggest I let them diagnosis the car again. I agree. They methodically go through the steps of troubleshooting and find a leaky hose that caused the problem for less than $400.00 bucks! Yars is the man! HAPPY FRIDAY read more

You guys rule. Thanks for honoring the price I was quoted and taking the extra time to bs with me and look over my E53 in detail. Well worth finding the cause of my self leveling suspension woes and the tech also found a loose clamp on my CV boot plus the trans temp sensor (which I plan to address with the upcoming 120K fluid change). I'll probably be back for that and definitely any bigger jobs. Also I appreciate scanning for error codes, clearing and re-scanning as well that was very helpful. read more

German Auto Sport - Auto Repair Near Me - Berkeley, California

I've been taking my cars to German Auto for years. Chris and his staff are a very knowledgable, easy going, no-nonsense group of people. You can tell they all take a lot of pride in the work that they do. 5 big stars! read more

Chris and the techs at German Auto Sport are flat out awesome! I cannot praise them enough. I've been bringing my cars to Chris (the owner) for the past 5+ years. Recently I brought in a new to me used '02 525i for Chris and his team to get a break down of future preventative maintenance on my car. I was given a breakdown on what jobs should be tackled first all while Chris took the time to give me an in depth explanation of how each part/job affected the functionality of the car. There was quite a bit to say the least, but Chris was nothing but fantastic. When going in to detail about the jobs to come he was straight forward with his candor which reassured me so that even with the upcoming maintenance needed that I didn't really freak out. Having a shop that will fix your car properly and one that can ease your concerns at the same time is a shop worth going to. German Auto Shop is my goto shop to get my car worked on. read more

If you have an older BMW, and Chris is your buddy, then GREAT. But if things get difficult and Chris gets frustrated, you might have a different experience. Just ask yourself one question: have you ever been in Chris's shop, and his phone rings, and he looks at the caller ID and says "I don't want to talk to this asshole?" That was probably me calling. Some time, it could be you. The headlights on my 2004 325ci were loose, because of a broken bracket inside the sealed headlamp units. Otherwise, they worked fine. Just jiggly. I asked Chris to look out for some used headlights that would work for my car. He found some, and I took my car to him. He did spend a lot of time, money, and effort trying to get the replacement headlights to work. But he was unable to get the brights to work, he would not accept my calls, and when we did speak he was unpleasant. He even accused me of buying the headlights off the internet and convincing him they would work! In the end, since he could not get the replacement headlights working, I asked him to put my original headlights back in and refund my $800 and we'd call it even. He put my original headlights in and now my brights don't work with my original headlights either. My car is actually worse off than it was before I took it in. Chris made a lot of promises about refunds and helping me get it fixed by a dealer, but I ended up having to call the Bureau of Automotive Repair to get him to give me any money back. read more

The 5 star reviews for this place are very misleading. If you're a new customer the regulars get preferential treatment. A lot of the cars being worked on here are older which probably indicates their specialization but newer vehicle's might fare better at a dealership where the diagnostic equipment, techs and software are more up to date. It's a little more expensive but at least you get a diagnosis and estimated time of completion that you don't get here. How the owner Chris gets any work done at this place is beyond my comprehension. He's constantly interrupted by regulars who want their little issues fixed right there on the spot. Coming here was a big disappointment and waste of time. This place is a hole in the wall and doesn't have the latest diagnostic equipment. Chris had to call the BMW dealership to find out how to diagnose my vehicle. That was my cue to go to the dealership. Someone at this place did manage to sneak a license plate frame on my vehicle with the shop's name on it but I immediately threw it in the trash where it belonged. Lastly, if your experience has been less than ideal here and post an" honest" review the owner will send you a request to take down your comments. I've received two requests to date with the most recent in French. It began with "Hey Doucheb.." This is the owner calling his customers names. You be the judge. (p.s. "do the car world a favor Chris and close your shop") read more

Yup the 5 Star ratings are indeed misleading. I brought in my e60 545i for a replacement of the HID headlights. First red flag, when they went to look at the lights Gary and the Tech both said they couldn't see the problem. If you are shop specializing in BMW repair you should know that when the headlight(s) turn purple or pinkish color the bulb will go out within the next few days if you're lucky. So after I pointed out the obvious they went to town talking about in order to get the headlight assembly out they had to remove the front bumper, Red Flag #2! Come on playa. These dudes estimated 400 to change my headlight and that only includes 100 for the bulb (which is accurate unless you get them on eBay like I just did). The headlight assembly is held in by two bolts and when removed the fixture can be removed from the housing and the bulbs (headlight and Angel Eyes) can be changed. Don't believe me? Google it. So why try to get a brotha for 300 in labor for a 15 minute job? I can not stress this enough that you should Google or YouTube whatever problem you are having and educate yourself before dealing with a shady company like this one. My advice is to find another Indy or bite the bullet and go to a dealership rather than do business here. Found another Indy to do the job for $56 labor plus part and was still less than half what these guys told me they charged. BAD BAD BAD!!!!!!! read more

From my 528 to my 330xi the only place I service my BMW for guaranteed quality maintenance and repair at a reasonable price is with Chris and his crew! Thanks again for the care and attention on my latest purchase! read more

German Auto Sport - Thanks again for the care and attention on my latest purchase! - Auto Repair Near Me - Berkeley, California

I have recently went to this shop for Pre Purchase Mini cooper inspection. And had a terrible time. I heard about them from the seller of the mini cooper. And since most of the maintenance work has done in this shop, I thought it may be a good idea to go here. I called them up one day in advance and they told me that they will charge $115, but next day when I went there Owner (Chris) told me that they will charge $175 because they need to do compression test. That's wrong on their part, and they should have informed me about the same earlier. This car has a "Air bag warning alarm" issue, and seller told me that you can asked them to reset that alarm because they have been doing that from last two times and Seller also showed me the documents of this shop where it was stated that air bag replacement is not required. So I asked Chris to reset the alarm but this time he started saying that , you required to replace the air bag and I felt completely surprised. So I asked Chris that why don't you talk to the seller in my presence since she is anyway your client. I was again surprised when Chris was not ready to talk to the seller. I told him that if he is busy I will wait for another one hour and still he was giving many other excuses. Later I told the seller about the same and she tried calling him for the whole day but they never responded. Overall, I really didn't like the way Shop owner was talking about this particular client and the way he has handled this entire situation. I will never go again here, and will surely warn other people to be careful before going here. read more

I would NOT bring any newer BMWs to Chris. I'm sure he's good with older BMWs, but with BMW's all-inclusive service package these days and complexity of electronics in newer models, Chris simply does not have the experience to fix newer BMWs, and I will never again let him learn on mine. Here's my experience of over-promising and under-delivering- after my 04 BMW did not start (and no, it wasn't the battery), this is the first place I called. He assured me his diagnosis equipment could figure out the issue. I got my car towed to his shop by 11 AM that Monday. Long story short, Friday he told me to get the car towed to the dealership. Each day in between was an assurance he''d actually take a look at the car and figure it out, and call tomorrow. When calls didn't come by 5pm the next day, I'd call, only to be met with an annoyed answer how Chris is busy and doesn't have time, but will send me an email, or call at a certain time, which never came. Lastly, they messed around with the car to the point it was much worse off then before I brought it in. Drained my battery completely, unplugged modules and never plugged them back, left trim pieces on my windshield. Somewhere in the process, a big gouge appeared in my bumper, which I am 99.9% certain was not there before, as I inspected it directly off the tow truck. Asking Chris about this, he was insulting and inexplicably defensive, considering there are several other people working for him that may have accidentally done the damage. The problem was complex, but after reversing Chris's damage, the dealership was thorough and figured out the problem. For simple maintenance, it makes sense to use this shop. For more complex problem solving, I'd highly recommend avoiding this shop. read more

Gary, the guy at the front desk, is VERY dishonest, and by the voice mail that he just left me, quacky, foul-mouthed, talking about raping me like a silver hair/back gorilla, very foolish young man. I've had several verbal agreements with him that mean nothing. Get EVERYTHING in writing. His mechanics seem to know what they're doing, but the business is run by deceitful, illegal, scamming tactics, doing work that you said, "do not do anything until you call me", and then the work is done and he expects a payment. He promised me a vehicle inspection, and never turned on the engine, he says, because he didn't have a working battery in the car, before installing a part that I didn't ask him to install, a part he said he'd contact me after he found it. He is not fit to represent any company that cares about integrity or its image. I'll be speaking to him in person about the voice mail message and the lie behind his fury. Maybe he has mental problems and honestly doesn't know what he CLEARLY said and agreed to, but threatening, cursing, and lying are not people friendly tactics. Go somewhere else. read more

All of the Yelp reviews are true. Chris is the man to see for all of your BMW needs. He worked on my car probably over a year ago but I still remember a lot of the small details about the kickass service to this day. Attention to detail: Chris stopped to lay out some plastic floor covers before getting into the car. I actually saw a moment of fear flash across his eyes when he opened the car door and realized that he didn't have any footwear protection ready. This was a big deal for me because the last shop I used for body work left oil stains on the floor covers. Managing customer expectations: After discussing the problem and taking a brief road test, he ran me through all of the possible causes and gave estimates for parts and labor. He told me that they would call with the exact course of action after taking a look inside. Following through on promises: His wife called me two hours later with the full report and a final repair estimate. I agreed to the work and they told me that I could pick up the car at the end of the day. They offered to pick me up after work (Chris dropped me off at the Bart station in the morning), but I had already found a Transbay bus route that stopped close to the shop. Full work explanation: I showed up at the shop at the end of the day and Chris walked me through the work performed, showed me the parts he replaced, and updated me on another problem that he noticed. The problem wasn't huge and he didn't try to scare me into ordering more work. It felt more like a friendly "no pressure, but I can take care of that if you want" heads-up. I decided not to do the work because the problem wasn't serious. Incredible self-restraint: I noticed that Chris had a fresh slice of pizza sitting behind the counter getting cold the entire time he was talking to me about my car. I felt guilty for keeping him away from his dinner and I wouldn't have been mad if he ate during our talk, but he was so into talking about BMWs that he didn't even acknowledge the delicious smelling pizza SITTING MERE INCHES AWAY FROM US. I haven't had any problems with my car since last year, but I'm definitely going back to German Auto Sport if anything comes up in the future. read more

Very nice guys! Very welcoming and great service. They did not try to overcharge me or press for more fees. They seemed honest, and were open to answering any questions. They knew a lot about my 1992 E30. And they are willing to buy you an Uber to and from the shop. read more

Came in asking for help to get a license plate taken off.Very nice gentleman by the name Yar helped me with no problem, great customer service very nice people. read more

German Auto Sport - Auto Repair Near Me - Berkeley, California

fellow yelpers: STOP GIVING THESE GUYS FIVE STARS!! c'mon, think about it: every five star rating they get, another person is going to bring in their bimmer. that means another person gets to bask in the glory that is chris & his amazing crew - the friendliest & most honest mechanics to ever turn a wrench in the bay area. and that means another car in front of yours - really, do you want EVERYBODY knowing how friggen great this place is?? do you *really* want to share chris with every tom, dick & harry on yelp? I think not! how long have we searched for an honest, friendly & affordable place to work on our beloved cars? and now you're just going to tell everyone about it?? STOP THE MADNESS!!! keep it a secret fer chrissakes!! ok, who's with me? read more

So far, so good.... I was devastated when the previous owners of the shop (European Motors) divorced and closed the business. Dan was an amazing human being, fun, honest, and a great mechanic! Roger Ramirez from Berkeley Auto Service (another awesome shop!) had recommended I go there when I bought a Mercedes and switched off VW. With Dan closing European Motoros, I didn't know where to turn for my current BMW! ANYWAYS, I found my BMW in "limp mode" fearing the worst that I would need a new transmission right at Christmas time. That's just about the time when a dishonest shop would steal your money and make you replace something that didn't need replacing! I didn't know where to go, so I thought I'd just give them a chance.... Well, they took my car, identified several problems--none of them a 5K transmission job--and proceeded to get my car driveable, prioritizing repairs and NOT taking me to the cleaners! In fact, my car noticeably drove better when I left! Today, I had trouble with my smog check. No problem. Gary runs around doing several diagnostics proving their was nothing wrong, calling the dude at the smog, and BAM...all problems solved. I offered to pay Gary and the shop for his time, but nope, no money accepted...then I proceeded to pass my smog. Gary helped me immediately. Maybe I got some lucky timing there, but still. I felt taken care of for sure. I heard some reviewers bitching that Chris and his mechanics "favored" regulars. I'll tell you what: I can't think of ANY business that doesn't respect, love and appreciate regulars who bring in business and keep a business alive. Not sure why that would be a black mark. So far: 1) They had an opportunity to take me to the cleaners and didn't, not even close! (Honest) 2) Identified and prioritized repairs so I can budget them out. (Honest) 3) Helped me when I was in a bind today. (Decent) Not bad, I'd say! So far so good! read more

Outstanding! The people at German Auto Sport went out of there way to resolve the problems with my 2013 Boxster. Their professional skills are terrific; never had so much satisfaction with the service of my car over the years. And, their customer service is absolutely off the charts! I interacted with several people at GAS and each one was courteous, apologized for even the briefest of holds and thanked me for my business. I recommend them with the highest rating possible. read more

Can't fully give you much of a thorough review because I never had to even take my car here---- yes, the mechanic was that good. His name's Chris and I called in after my car failed the smog test. My car is over 20 years old and it has had a history of failing smog tests, so I've spent lots of money in the past repairing whatever it needed to pass. Of all 3 mechanics I called that day, he was the friendliest and most knowledgeable. Thankfully, I called him because he gave me the best advice. He said because my car was so old, I had to drive it around for half an hour before getting the smog test to ensure that it is properly heated for the test. I did just that and in the re-test, I PASSED! I was so happy and grateful for that small, yet helpful piece of advice. It saved me so much money from having it diagnosed and repaired. ***Thank you, Chris!!! (if you happen to randomly read this review)*** He told me to stop by and give him a high-five, but I settled on this positive review instead, so that more people can see that he knows what he's talking about. read more

Chris provides high quality service and is passionate about German cars. Highly recommended. -Klaus read more

Best experience I've ever had with a shop. Honestly I'd be hesitant to call it a shop though, considering how nice everyone was and the way I was treated it felt more like I brought my car over to a friends house and had them tinker with it. As far as BMW knowledge goes, you're not going to find a better place. The people hear actually drive them and know what makes them tick. Anything I will ever have done on my car.. be it something I want done.. or something I need to have done.. There is no other place I'd consider taking my car. read more