I don't really do reviews but I'm really happy with the work Dat has done on my aging Passat wagon. He did me a solid with diagnosing and quickly fixing some issues after the engine light turned on. Solid, experienced mechanic. Will be back. read more

Great experience working with Dat at German Car Service. Communication was excellent throughout. Dat got my car back into shape after over a year of sitting idle. Runs great now. read more

Hooked me up with a quick diagnosis and a great price on replacing my valve cover and valve cover gasket. Dat has been my guy for a while now, he knows what he's doing and will get you looking right at the right price! read more

German Car Service - Auto Repair Near Me - Oakland, California

The only place I take my car to get fixed! Great service and always does a great job, very good value!

My wife's 2020 Audi Q5 had a coolant leak come on out of no where. We rely on our cars everyday to get the kids around and to get to work. It was important to get it done quick without a huge price tag. Dat at German Car Service went above and beyond. Fixed what was wrong and nothing more, had her back on the road in two days! Highly recommended expert. I have been to all the german shops around the area over the years with all of my Audis and this was the best experience. Look no further, give them a call for all of your German car needs. read more

I saw some negative reviews and felt the need to chime in with a positive. I used this service and had no issue whatsoever. I called for an appointment - got texted with a couple days and times. A little back and forth with what was needed to be done. I dropped the car off at the scheduled time and it was done quickly and correctly. Prices were on par with any decent shop. No gouging or bait and switch; just good work done right. Some people do not understand that yes some shops are a ripoff. But they really do not understand that as cars age a whole host of things will eventually break down if you are not on top of the maintenance schedule. You cannot neglect a car for years and have everything fixed at a low cost. Hell you cannot even diagnose all the issues cheaply if you do that. That is not a ripoff - its how repairs work. I talked to Dat, the owner, for a while and he is a straight shooter. He will make money without ripping people off. He has no incentive to trash his reputation. When I picked up my vehicle he told me what I should look into down the road. This helps me budget for eventualities. Example - I knew I was due for a brake job. He confirmed it. So from one happy customer - don't believe all you read. read more

These guys have worked on 2 of my cars over a number of years. They are professional, quick, and fairly priced. But here's the best thing about them: Its easy to be good when everything goes right. It's when there's an issue, or a challenge that can be difficult, The guys at German Car Service on Broadway will always make it all good. Also, they are excellent at diagnosing and solving difficult and unusual problems. They have an "instinct" for figuring out the problem and then solving it. My 1960 VW bus is a quirky vehicle and was in an accident. They took it on, and figured out exactly what was needed, then did it. read more

I have been going to Dat for many years. He has been a life saver on many occasions. He's done amazing work on my BMW 740iL, 528i wagon and e36 M3. I first went to him after visiting multiple BMW mechanics that couldn't figure out what was happening with the car. After leaving my car with him for a day, he came back to me with a short list of possible issues. After another day, the car was up and running flawlessly. I wish I found him sooner. He's honest and budget conscious - He always takes the time to explain what's happening and walks you through the necessary repairs and doesn't try to upsell you on things that aren't necessary. I highly recommend him if you're in need of a qualified, honest Euro mechanic! read more

This person is dishonest and untrustworthy. He sprayed an unknown white substance under my car and left the brake caliper loose, which is incredibly dangerous. Don't be fooled by the positive reviews - they're from people who have fallen victim to his actions. Save yourself the trouble and go somewhere else. read more

They serviced a 1984 Volkswagen Rabbit for me. They were able to fix several oil and coolant leaks and seal the back hatch where rain water was intruding. I brought it back one time to go over some of the hatch seals again after the rains showed there was still a small leak and they took care of that no charge. They were quick and the prices were fair. They do charge diagnostic fees. Overall I was very happy with the service and will come back for any future issues read more

Dat is very experienced and helped me resolve my issue with tail light. Will come again!

Excellent service!! I have been taking both my 2016 Mazda & my 2001 Ford camper van for several years and could not be happier as a customer. Dat and his team are the best!! read more

I have 3 cars that Dat takes care of for me. I've used him for several years. He is very responsive to my concerns, honest, and most importantly, skilled. The place doesn't look fancy, but is a gem for quality car service. read more

Dat and the team at German car service are the best! Not only have they provided excellent service to us, Dat takes time to answer my questions. When a faulty sensor went off in my car, he took the time to double check everything was in order on a late Friday afternoon even though I didn't have an appointment. He sent pictures of the process and really went the extra mile to make sure I knew that my car was safe, free of charge. read more

Dat with German Car Service 5300 Broadway, Oakland is the Best! He is honest and reliable. I have referred him to my friends and will continue to do so. He works on all cars and I couldn't be happier to know a wonderful car mechanic. Thank you Dat!! read more

I needed my timing belt changed on my 2013 Volkswagen Jetta, Dat Ngo gave me a very reasonable estimate and was able to to do the job at the estimate he said. During the process, he also ran a diagnostic that showed my intake manifold had failed. This would have been another $1,000 of service to add onto my timing belt service. Dat looked up my warranty with Volkswagen and told me that I could take it there and get it replaced for free. I really appreciated his honesty every step of the way. I highly recommend him for anyone. read more

I have been taking my cars to Dat for several years. I can Dat is an excellent mechanic and has always been able to find and repair even the most complex issues (as one of my cars was having a problem with the turbo). Dat is honest and has saved me money on several occasions, both on parts and labor. Most other places I have been have tried to up sale me on unnecessary parts--not with Dat. He will up front about prices, and will straight forward about what to expect. I would recommend him for any type of make or model. He specializes in German makes but I have had work on other brands to because I trust him. Day always does a great job, and gives all cars the attention they deserve. He takes care like he is the owner. I will continue to bring all of cars to him, and hope he is in business a long time! It takes a time to find an honest, and knowledgeable mechanic and Dat is it! read more

I brought my VW here for some repairs. An older man greeted me, had me write down my information, and said, "We'll have a look at it." About an hour later, I received a text message from Dat saying, "There is a $150 Diag to Diag the issue." I'm not opposed to diagnostic fees, if waived when the actual repairs are done. And $150 seems to be in range for this market. But only disclosing the fee after dropping off the car with them starts to look like inappropriate business practice, especially after saying, "We'll have a look at it." This killed any trust I had in them, and I returned to pick up my car. I'm not calling Dat's actions dishonest, but the most charitable interpretation I have is that German Car Service is not all together as a business. Though, to Dat's credit, he didn't argue with me after I laid out my line of thought, and he quickly got my car down off the lift. I am very sorry things went down this way. I feel like there were plenty of opportunities for them to fix my bad feelings about the service. I waited almost 2 hours between replying with my concern and picking up my car, but they never saw my messages. And they never offered to waive the fee if repairs were done with them. read more

Dat was nice and relatively professional when I met him. I explained the problem to him regarding the part that had come off our mini cooper and brought it in. He was not sure he could handle it, but did his best. Unfortunately his best was not good enough. Mini coopers are difficult cars to work on in the States, but that doesn't excuse shoddy work and a $300+ charge. He probably should have declined the job. read more

German Car Service - Auto Repair Near Me - Oakland, California

Dat, German Auto Service business owner is a very experienced mechanic with great sensibilities. I appreciate Dat's methodical care over the years working on my BMW 325i, Mercedes C280 Sport, Mercedes E500 4Matic, and cars of several of my friends and my colleagues at Oakland Tech HS. Dat has even fixed work I've had done elsewhere and taken care to explain to me how other mechanics cut corners. As a High School teacher I believe in keeping well engineered and well built cars running on the road longer to save money and be considerate of what it takes our planet to produce new cars. With 12 dealership years and 7 years experience in a German specialist shop Dat's combination of expertise and exceptional prices make him the unbeatable German car specialist in the East Bay / Oakland/ Berkeley area. Thank you Dat! read more

Dat Ngo is a master auto diagnostician and mechanic. His work (along with the mechanics he supervises) is of the highest quality. Not only does he actually find the root problem every time, but he is able to fix it even when he has to create parts no longer available (I have old cars). He works on any make and model, and from all years (my oldest is a 1985 Toyota). Because he has been able to solve problems on some of my jalopies, that no other mechanic or shop could figure out, I find that his prices are very reasonable. If you want the best, you have to pay for it. If you have a car you love, then you want it treated and fixed right, and this is the place to do it. Absolutely 5-STAR! read more

German Car Service - 1985 Toyota MR2 - Auto Repair Near Me - Oakland, California

Shortly after Christmas our mini cooper apparently had a short after one of the atmospheric rivers, with the sun roof opening enough to get the car very wet. Multiple things were shorted, including unable to use the sunroof. Our regular mechanic was off during Xmas vacation, we were desperate to get the sunroof closed and out of the rain, so we looked around and saw this facility. The owner told us this was a big job to dry out, over $2000, plus $300 for the sunroof. He took a long time getting to the car, which we didn't like as we were worried about mildew. Eventually he did, and dried it (we later found out that he did a poor job), and then tried to find the short. After several weeks and replacing one of the modules he still hadn't found it problem, so we took it and brought it to our regular mechanic. We were charged $2800, really exorbitant as nothing was fixed and when our regular mechanic got into things the car wasn't really dried adequately, but we just wanted to get the car out of there so paid the money. Also we were recommended to change the brake fluid at German Car Service, but it had just been changed about a month before, one of the things that made us not trust this place. Our mechanic later told us that the module that was replaced was used, and actually didn't seem to work as well as the original (which I still had). read more

I took my car to Dat at German Car Service last week. I had a problem with my alarm going off all the time. I thought it was the key, so I went to BMW and got a new key. It was very expensive, and it didn't fix the problem. I had been to German Car Service before and Dat had worked on my car, so I decided to go to him as I knew he would be able find out what was wrong. He is a very reliable person, upfront, and a good communicator. He told me that he would diagnose the problem and let me know what was wrong. You do have to pay a diagnostic fee, and I think it varies with the job. He knew exactly what the problem was and replaced the alarm switch. He set me up with Uber to and from the shop, which I really appreciated as it is too far for me to walk and I didn't have a ride. Once the job was done, he texted me 3 days in a row to make sure that the alarm wasn't going off and that the fix was working. I don't know of any other mechanic that has ever done that. He is highly skilled, did the job in a timely manner, and his work is excellent.. As far as cost, he is not inexpensive, but I am sure that it is less than a dealership would charge, and you are getting high quality work done with great care and follow-up. I highly recommend Dat and German Car Service for your car repairs. read more

Really like the service I get here. Dat is always keeping me in the loop on my car (MKVI Golf). I'm always pleasantly surprised how quick the work goes, because unfortunately I've had some bad experiences in other shops. And having this place so close is very convenient. read more

I am a grad-student/young professional who recently purchased a VW golf. I have experienced kind, honest, and exemplary work German automotive care from the owner, Dat, and his knowledgeable mechanical technicians. No good German auto repair shop is cheap, as German engines are more intricate and labor intensive to work on. However, Dat gives a very honest and economical quotes for comparable work, compared to dealerships and other high volume big name garages. I would not bring my German car anywhere else for maintenance! Thank you Dat and crew!!!! read more

10 year old Audi Q7 was experience a loud whistling sound upon acceleration. Brought it into German Car Service with same day diagnosis and estimate. Found an economic fix, and they were able to give the car back to me within another day. Very reliable and accurate service and well priced. Highly recommend for any German cars. read more

On 3/3/2021, it was confirmed that an internal engine valve was broken and Dat recommended an engine valve job/service to replace the broken valve. Because the engine valves were covered with my maxcare warranty plan, I was not expecting additional costs. The labor and hours are consistent with what it would take to replace the engine valves, however Dat claims another 10-15 hours, which will be my out-of-pocket costs, and I agreed to the extra costs. To be more exact, it took 4 weeks to finish. There were multiple phone calls and texts made to provide updates to my car, as I heavily depended on my car to commute to work. On 4/1, the car still wasn't ready and that was when Dat transferred the car over to his other shop to finish it. On 4/2, Dat confirms that the car was ready for pick up. On 6/21, I took my car to another shop and they denied me service because of the previous poor quality workmanship; I had missing pieces/poor quality installation, and my engine is upright. The current shop mechanic that was inspecting my car had noted varying differences in how the engine was bolted back together; he continues on to show me the previous service that was done; the engine had bolts that were either too long or too short. The long bolts stuck out halfway which means that at a certain point, it either hit something internal, i.e. my intercooler bolt was too long and did not get a flush bolt installation, meaning that it could have the potential to have been drilled into the intercooler itself and can cause damage to the intercooler. The short bolt on the other side of my intercooler looked to be too short and was stripped in the process as the current shop mechanic wanted to verify if the correct bolts were used. After failing to pull it out, he noted that the threads must've been stripped and is unable to pull back out. On a component that extends from the intercooler and connects elsewhere, the current shop mechanic noted that the bolts were brand new and was questionable about what could've happened to the original bolts. The concern here is that the new bolts did not indicate whether or not it was spec'd out to be used as engine bolts and can be seen as defective as time goes on. Because of this instance, there is a potential damage to this component if it fails because the bolts may not have to proper material spec and torque to hold it down. Nearby the timing belt, there is a bolt that was used that just didn't seem to be like it belonged there. The bolt head itself somewhat resembled a wavy round design. Again, this bolt is questionable to be used as I don't know what the specs and torque requirement for this is, and if at a future date this bolt fails, it was because the precision and quality was not there to replace these bolts based on spec requirements. It was also brought to my attention that there are several missing bolts from the undercarriage of my engine. As it was lifted for us to be able to check the missing bolts, the current shop mechanic noted that there were missing bolts that held my transmission together. If that being the case, I was at risk for driving without any knowledge that the quality installation was not present at the time of dismantling my engine and re-building it and dropping it back into the engine bay. Knowing that I was missing a bolt on my transmission was a risk to me, clueless that I was potentially driving on a loose transmission for 2 months after the car was returned to me. The current shop mechanic then went on to point my driving/steering axles and that it was leaking fluid. If and when they took the engine out, there needed to be a precise and slow lowering of the engine so as not to damage other components. I wasn't sure on how to stop the fluids from leaking and this was a potential damage when my car was being worked on. As we lowered the car back down, he made a quick note on the whereabouts of my intake valve cover and that it was missing. I hadn't noticed that my valve cover was missing but I was sure that when I replaced the air filter, I had to remove my valve cover. Seeing that it was missing shows the quality of work that was being performed as they put everything back together. The current shop mechanic also point me back to the intercooler where the cover was loose. Both sides typically are held down with some sort of angle closure, bracket, etc. But in this instance, my cover was outright loose, meaning that I've been driving with a loose cover all this time and had the potential have gotten caught in something, dropped throughout the engine bay, and can be validated as a potential damage to my car and my well being. The most noticeable feature that lacked the quality of work was the service of my belts. The current shop mechanic went on to point out the dangers of this as he noted that the belt was eating into the belt cover and exposed a metal component. read more

Dat is very conscientious, honest and talented. For a reasonable price, he gets the job done including the customer in the decision process and offering mandatory vs optional work. He tries his best to keep the price of parts under control as well. It may be a little challenging to time things but it's well worth the effort given the quality of the work for the price. He nurtured my 20 year-old inherited 1998 Mercedes into humming order. It's been purring fine for over a year since he attended to some chronic issues resultant from under-use. read more

Took my car in for routine service - they said belts, filters needed to be replaced, took it in 10,000 miles later, they said the same thing (belt supposed to last 60,000 miles) this place is a scam. read more

David and his team are the most trustworthy car mechanics you will ever meet. They have been my saviors the last 4 years here in LA as I have had many issues with my Beetle Volkswagon... David once walked over blocks away to my car (mind you, on a VERY hot summer day) that didn't quite make it to the shop when my engine over heated. He was able to cool the engine down well enough to drive us over to the shop, where he then fixed my coolant. Another time, when my new water pump wasn't functioning properly, David and his team fixed it at no extra cost - I am so grateful to have found such honest, good people in LA. Look no further if you are looking for a car service/mechanic. read more

I've been ripped off by Dat (owner) not once, but twice, and I really regret going to this shop. Dat changes his diagnostic fee repeatedly - when I'd called to make an appointment he mentioned $80, which then suddenly changed to $150 when I arrived, and then somehow changed to a figure near $300 after he'd looked over my vehicle (BMW 328i). He will have all kinds of excuses for making these arbitrary price changes... I'd told him exactly what was wrong with the vehicle and the work that was needed (one spark plug replacement), however he repeatedly insisted I needed to replace all of them and refused to release my vehicle unless I was willing to pay him for some type of work in the $400-500 range. The first time I'd gone to his shop I'd had similar work done so I assumed that he'd be charging the same amount (in the $150 range) however he claimed that there was suddenly no record of that previous transaction. Another time I'd gone to his shop, I was charged a $150 diagnostic fee for what ended up being an issue with a bent tire rims that he claimed he'd be able to replace - needless to say, several calls to his shop later, he couldn't come up with replacements and I had to go to the dealership and spend close to $1K on top of his diagnostic fee. This is my fault for giving this shop another chance but never again, buyer beware! read more

Excellent service - Dat was referred to me by a family friend who has extensive experience with German cars, and during the past two years helped with a number of significant projects including the major 107k-mile service which Porsche recommends on the 987 models. Good communication, fair pricing, transparent description of what was done. Won't have the fancy snazz of a dealership's mech bay, but the expertise and customer service is definitely there. Highly recommended. read more

I dropped my car off in the morning to replace a trunk latch. They were very nice and efficient. Already had the part in stock. Got my car back that same evening. Would return again if my car has any issues in the future. read more

I needed a headlight changed on a 2007 Volkswagen. Despite the small size of his shop, Dat already had a replacement on hand. He was able to see me immediately and changed the light bulb for the cost of the replacement part (e.g. no labor fee). I was very happy with his promptness, courtesy, and price. read more

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It was my first time coming to German Car Service. I chose it because of the positive Yelp reviews. However, I was very disappointed with my experience. I felt totally taken advantage of, lack of communication, and the price continued to change throughout the consult process. I spent over $135 on the initial consultation and then they wanted to charge me $1200 for minor repairs. I was able to find a mechanic down the road who charged me half the price for all of the repairs! I will not be returning to German Car Service. read more

Just a quick thank you note to this mechanic (didn't get his name). My mother and I were just at the gas station where his shop is, and having the hardest time filling her tires with air and checking the air level due to the wonky hose at the gas station. We saw the guy there working and asked for his help, and he had us pull our car into his shop and checked and filled up all the tires, free of charge. This was at 9pm in a Sunday night when he wasn't even open. He definitely did a good deed so just wanted to give a shout out! read more

Excellent car repair for German made cars (including Minis). Dat was able to do all the repairs that the dealer recommended for $1000 less than they recommended. Very clean and very professional. Highly recommended. read more

I had an amazing experience with Dat! He was upfront about the cost of proposed repairs/service, thorough and did very clean work. More over, he followed up after I had pick up the car to make sure I felt like everything was running smoothly. He is a genuine professional who does quality work. He has most definitely earned my respect and continued business! read more

I received great service at this little shop. I stopped in without an appointment for my Audi's check engine light and they kindly let me drop the car off. This was super awesome, as I just moved to Oakland and I didn't want to drive to my usual shop in SF. They promptly texted me about the issues, and I feel gave me a great price without forcing any unnecessary repairs. The communication was excellent and the repairs were made quickly. They even washed the car for me! I will definitely go back here for future Audi needs. read more

Great experience all around! I had a rear tire blow-out on my BMW 328i along Hwy 24 and rolled my car down Broadway to find Dat working late. He did a quick assessment, gave me a quote and even arranged for an Uber ride to get me home. The car needed new tires, front brakes and some other items. The car was ready on time and Dat kept me informed of the status and price of all repairs. The price came in below what I expected and I am very happy with the quality of the work. Thanks Dat! read more