I called several places to service our Mercedes GLE350, and John was super accommodating, knowledgeable and ready to help. We needed a new battery and he pre-ordered it and was ready the day of service. Between the battery and service, John saved me about a thousand or more bucks had I gone to the dealer. It's a small, unassuming local shop tucked away in a corner. I'll be taking our car here for regular service from now on. read more

Came back for a second time after a great first experience. John is a straight shooter and made sure I was only paying for what I needed. Looking forward to getting my car serviced there again. read more

Great Experience! I had an amazing experience with this mechanic. They took the time to explain everything in detail, which I really appreciated. The repairs were done incredibly fast, and my car now feels smooth and drives like new. You can tell they're trustworthy and truly care about their work. Efficient, honest, and great customer service from start to finish. On top of that pricing was very fair ! Great quality of work! Highly recommend Thank you John !! read more

My dad got his car looked at here after dealership told him it would 18k to fix and it turns out that it didn't need to be fixed at all just some loose things that needed tightening. Honest people and will tell you what's actually wrong with your car, 5/5 absolutely recommended read more

Ben is a skilled, honest mechanic. He addressed all of the concerns that I had with my car and thoroughly explained which repairs he recommended urgently and which ones could be left for further down the road. He didn't try to sell me on any extra services, and his rates are much more reasonable than the dealership and are competitive with other independent auto shops. He was ready to take in my car at the appointment time that we had arranged, and performed the work quickly. I will definitely bring my car back to Ben next time I need a mechanic. Thank you Ben! read more

Ben is a cool and honest dude! He took care of my macan s oil change at a reasonable price and had it ready before lunch. I'll be back for sure. read more

Ben is great. Super knowledgeable, friendly and reliable. I take my 2008 C300 and 2017 GLS 550 to him for service and would 100% recommend!

Ben is a great guy! He was very professional, responsive, and helpful when he assessed a torn CV boot on my vehicle. He is very honest and gave me an accurate assessment of the repair, while allowing me to view the tear in the CV boot physically with my own eyes in his shop... I would highly recommend Ben for professional and expert service! read more

Awesome fair and honest shop. So glad I finally stopped in. Owner operated car enthusiast, extremely knowledgeable and friendly, very clean shop. Would 100% recommend. read more

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Honesty, expertise, speed, professionalism, and friendliness. Words that come to mind when I think of this place. Ben has been keeping my high maintenance BMW happy for the past 8 years and I can't recommend him enough. read more

I've been going to German's auto repair for 25 years for maintenance for my BMWs 325i's and X5's. The owner/manager, Ben Helmke has been one of the best professional people I have ever met. He offers sound advice on maintenance issues and never changes his quotes on prices. My last visit was for a 100k service on my 2013 BMW X5 and I couldn't be more pleased as I'm going to keep the car as it's running condition is perfect. I keep my BMW's for years as Ben keeps them running like new. I can't speak more highly of Ben and his professional business practices. John M. Wilson 858-565-4788 read more

I've been fearful to go out and attempt to find a mechanic to work on my Uncle's BMW, that I now own. I had a very good Honda mechanic and asked for a recommendation, which led me to Ben. His ad says he's reasonable and it's true. I went in and he diagnosed the reason my engine light was on and later when I brought it in, he knocked it out....and the engine light, in no time. I would suggest going and just meeting him, he'll give you his opinion as to the repairs and he's just a nice guy....you'll know what I mean. read more

We've been bringing our Mercedes to Bernd for several years now. Originally, we switched our C230K from another Shop on Miramar after several disappointing experiences there. Bernd was always honest and fair with us as the car reached 250k ODO. Every car has its day, and a failing transmission signaled time for a change. It was replaced with a GLK350, which has been great. Bernd keeps it running in top shape for us. His service is always timely, efficient and fairly priced. Highly recommended! read more

Review based on a couple visits. First one I had a weird issue with my Audi that two previous mechanics and I could not fix. He inspected my car and honestly told me that it was a vacuum leak (which all of us had deduced as well) but he couldn't find it to fix it. He didn't charge me and was honest which is very important to me. So, I bit the bullet and took it to the dealer who diagnosed it as a hidden turbo check valve only because they had a service bulletin telling them it needed to be replaced with the PCV valve every time. (After forcing me to buy an Audi PCV to replace the brand new aftermarket part before they would check anything else). $1500 later for $100 in parts problem finally solved. After getting it back from Audi it was dropping a quart of oil a week with no smoke. So, I took it back and they told me the vacuum pump was leaking. Would not replace it even though the problem never existed until I took it there. So I took it back and a couple days later the car was leaking fresh gas under the hood. Very strong smell I could not not find. I called Ben and he got it in the next day and had it all fixed the same day for a reasonable price compared to the dealer. Would definitely recommend to friends or family. read more

My husband and I recently purchased a 2011 Mercedes GLK350 from Mercedes Benz Escondido. The car had low mileage and appeared in good condition but we still needed a professional opinion to help us make our final decision before buying this car. Ben Helmke (owner) was referred to us the best in San Diego. He's owned his shop for more than 25 years and specializes in German made cars. Local auto gurus call him the best of the best and now we know why. Ben was thorough and reviewed all details of the car inside and out and gave us an honest opinion. Happy to report we will be working with Ben for years to come! read more

I did oil change at some other local shop.and i found out oil was leaking. So i went back to the shop. But they said oil change was nothing problem. And they suggest to do check up for oil leak. Cost me $190!! So i decided to bring my audi Q5 to ben's shop. He found out the issue right a way. It was oil drain o ring..he told me to go back to the shop. But i don't wana them to touch my car again!! i decided to do at ben's shop and he fixed ver well. He is the best mechanic i ever seen!!! Highly recommend!!! Honest guy! Reasonable price!!! Definitely i will go back again!! Thanks ben!!! read more

All my cars have been BMWs since the 90's. I have been coming to the German Autowerkstatt off and on for over 20 years depending on currency of my BMW's maintenance/warranty program. Bernd is the only person I trust outside of the BMW dealership. He has conducted multiple types of work on my BMWs from oil changes to replacing a drive shaft. Meister mechanic, totally honest, friendly and delivered on time with fair prices. Having lived in Germany for 10 years as well as travel over the years, it is great to occasionally chat a little about things German including food, cars and motorcycles. Has my highest recommendation. read more

Last week started to have cold-start problem relating to battery in 2010 M-B E350. Easter morning, car was incapable of cranking. This morning took advantage of FREE jump start from M-B Roadside Assistance and the technician confirmed battery was indeed bad (would not charge even after car was run in place for a long time) Ben took my car in right away and he said the battery in there was not the correct sized battery for the car. Last M-B Roadside Assistance in 2012, they put in a smaller battery. Ben said this battery had to work harder as it was insufficient in capacity. Very good information. Anyway, I was on the road in a jiffy and satisfied to know the "right" battery was installed. read more

One star for their nice website and 5 star ratings. I needed over $8,000 work on my done on my Mercedes and sent an email from their website. I requested a call back for basic questions since I have never had to find a Mercedes mechanic before. I work graveyard shifts and usually sleep all day but was willing to talk to them for an appointment. No one ever wrote or called me back. I tried to contact them at least three times in a two week period. I gave my business to another shop that wanted my business. I get it, it's always best to call during business hours or just stop by, but why have a website with a contact section if you're not even going to look at it? read more

Ben is a great guy and offers superb quality at very fair prices. I trust him more than most of the dealers in SD. Will be bringing my Mercedes here from now on. read more

Ben was a sincere honest straightforward technician and his rates and labor are competitive for quality work. Grateful for finding him on yelp and I could not agree with his other clients's reviews. He even flushed my windshield wiper tubes that carry the fluid. I thought they broke but he told me they were just clogged and showed me how to unclog after he did at no additional cost. I'll be bringing back my c240 2003 to Ben for any repairs and scheduled maintenance Lord willing. read more

We have trusted and relied on Ben for over 30 years! He has worked on all of our cars ( BMW, Audi, Volvo and Mercedes) and continues to do so. He has always been extremely honest and fair. Highly recommend!! read more

Highly unethical! Ben, the owner, bought a mercedes off one of his customers and put it up for sale on craigslist. I responded. In fact, I came all the way from LA to meet him in Oceanside to see it b/c I really wanted a red C230 with low mileage. When I found out he owns German Autowerk I laughed b/c I had already scheduled a pre-sale inspection from the German Autowerk in Oceanside. Ben didn't find it so funny. In fact, w/ in 5 minutes of the test drive, after I told Ben I wanted to have the mercedes inspected at the other German Autowerk, he told me he didn't "feel like" selling me the car after I was cool with the whole "I vill not budge on za price at all." He used the sale price to be listed on the title as his excuse why he didn't want to sell (this affects taxes at the DMV), but I know the real reason. We hadn't even agreed on a listed sale price on the title before he conveniently wanted to end the test drive. I was literally in the process of mulling over yet another one of his my-way-or-zee-highway demands when he told me he had another buyer in San Diego and he was going to sell to him instead. Somehow I drove back to the train station for yet another 2 hour train ride and resisted the urge to punch him in his smug, arrogant face. I called the Oceanside mechanic and apologized for not showing up to have the car inspected. The oceanside mechanice told me he, himself, doesn't sell cars b/c it's crossing the line b/c there are a lot of things that can be altered with professional equipment, COUGH, COUGH, the mileage. Bottom line, if he treats a potential customer looking to give him the full asking price this way, guess what's happening to you? Oh, and his reason for selling the car, and I'm quoting Ben, "I want to make money off of this." Sorry, "I want to make money off of zis." read more

My family has been taking our cars (BMW and Mercedes) to Ben at German Autowerkstatt (Auto Works) for nearly fifteen years now and we trust him so much that we ONLY buy German cars now, knowing that we can believe what Ben says. He is always fair and honest with prices, and as a woman, it is nice to know that the mechanic is treating me with respect. I have recommended Ben's shop to people for years and they all agree that it is a rarity to find such a great place to take your car without the worry that you are being taking advantage of. read more

My father has been servicing his Mercedes w/ Ben for years and years, and now I'm a patron. Ben is fantastic! He'll get you in the shop w/in a few days of calling, his prices are VERY reasonable (his oil changes are $50 less than a chain oil change place; his 40k tune-up was several hundred less than the dealership quoted), and he's straight-forward and honest. Recently my headlight went out, and with an owners' manual instructing me to take it to the dealership for bulb replacement, I called Ben first. He offered to change the bulb for no charge! I went with an oil change since I was going in for the bulb, and I was out the door in less than an hour. Super service and prices, I cannot recommend German Autowerkstatt enough! read more

I am very picky and trusting someone to work on my car is difficult for me. German Autowerkstatt is a great no-nonsense shop. Bernd doesn't try to sell you something you don't need and he uses quality parts. I took in a dealer-purchased filter because I wanted to make sure that I put good parts in my car and Bernd shows me the exact same MANN filter he uses for less than half what I paid for the dealer part! I think what makes Autowerkstatt unique is that Bernd does ALL the work himself. I have found good independent shops in the past where I have grown to trust the owner, only to be dissapointed later when he hires someone and they do lower-standard work. Here, you have a master mechanic doing it all, not a dealership trainee that you are paying $125/hour to learn on the job. You get to talk directly to person doing the work and for a serious old-school-manual-gearbox-only-driving car guy, that is a rare treat. I highly recommend German Autowerkstatt. If they are not the right fit, Bernd will tell you himself! read more

I have been taking my Mercedes Benz C300 to Bernard for going on a year. You pay for what you get. Its a amazing service and not like other mechanics Bernard is very honest and informative about how your car is doing. I don't plan on going anywhere else for the services in my car. I highly suggest you bring your car here. Very friendly and Bernard also lets you know of things you should watch out for soon or if theres anything thats worrisome. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Thank you Bernard! read more

I have had the pleasure of knowing Ben for 10+ years, and I would not take my vehicle any where else! Ben has a strong technical knowledge of German cars, and he provides OUTSTANDING customer service for very reasonable rates. Ben always lays out the problem in details and the possible solutions, describing in great detail the consequences of each option. Ben exhibits a very high level of technical competency, professionalism and Customer Service. I would recommend him strongly for work on your BMW, Mercedes, Audi, or Mini vehicles. read more

I have been taking my BMW(s) to Ben for eight years, and couldn't recommend him more highly. He is skilled, honest, tells you what needs to be done now vs. what can wait, and completes labor at a fair price. Most recently, my 328i needed a new radiator; he discovered my car had a unique engine in which the repair may have qualified under an extended warranty. So, I took it to the dealer and sure enough, it was covered under the warranty - saving me $900! I appreciate taking my vehicle to a technician with such high integrity; I highly recommend German Autowerkstatt to anyone with a german auto. read more

Awesome! Brought my Jetta in to have some work done. Ben was awesome, super afforable and i am a fan! read more

Only place I trust my MB!!! Bernd is so knowledgeable and trustworthy!!! Been bringing my car here for 10+ years!!!

New to San Diego and needed an oil change for my 335. Glad I found this place, it was the fastest oil change I ever had. Highly recommended. read more

Ben does great work for a good price. Bringing your Audi / BMW here is recommended.

If you care about your Bmw, this is the place to get service. Schedule ahead - and you won't be disappointed-- I love when people are passionate about their craft! read more

Ben is the most talented and customer focused mechanic I've met. He just completed an expensive repair needed to pass my smog test but had helped me to put it off for some time when I was strapped for cash. He's done several things like this over the 10 years I've used him that didn't immediately make work for him. His work has always been excellent, no revisits to fix flaws. He's special!!! read more

Ben is the best! His service is friendly, professional, and honest. No upselling or pressure for additional services. He does an amazing job, I will never take my BMW anywhere else again! read more

Moved to SD a few months ago. Called around to several MB repair shops. By the luck of the Gods, I came across German Autowerkstatt. Called to see how long wait would be to replace my low beam headlights and parking light that just went out. Bernd the owner told me to come in later in the day and he'd replace in a few minutes. Service is awesome and he has my business. Other shops want $70 to replace plus cost of bulbs. GA completed work for a ridiculous low fee! I've had Mercedes all of my life and there is only one other shop in Phoenix that is this good for after warranty maintenance and repairs. Thank you a million B for great service and just being a good man. SB read more

Truly a fantastic experience. Bernd ("Ben") is so professional, quick, and fair in his pricing! What a rare mix of traits! We saw him for two years while we were stationed in San Diego (military family), and thoroughly enjoyed every visit and opportunity for a small chat. He kept our 2004 325i in tip-top shape and went well above and beyond to help prepare us for a long road trip to our next duty station. We really appreciated his approach and we will miss German Autowerkstatt tremendously. HIGHLY recommend this great neighborhood service station! read more

WOW, best auto mechanic I have ever used. As the CEO for San Diego Sedan, LLC, we have used Bernd for over 7 years. His skill with BMW's (as is our case) is tremendous. Professional, Courtenous, Reasonable and Honest. I honestly cant say that about any other mechanic I know. If there were 6 stars I would give them to this guy. THANKS YOU BERND read more

Owner is always friendly. Work is top notch I feel very comfortable that nothing is ever done I don't need. Fast turn around easy call to get in. Thank you! read more