I called German Import Auto to ask for a simple quote on some mechanical work, and the experience immediately raised red flags. The person who answered the phone told me they don't give quotes over the phone. That alone is baffling. Nearly every reputable repair shop can at least provide a rough estimate based on the description of the work. Even if it's not exact, a ballpark figure gives customers some sense of what they're walking into. even an hourly rate in work is reasonable, or price on parts Refusing to provide even a basic estimate makes it feel like the pricing is completely arbitrary. If a shop can't explain what something might cost before you bring the car in, it gives the impression that the price will just be decided on the spot depending on the customer. That's not a great way to build trust with people who are already cautious about auto repair bills. What makes it more frustrating is that this wasn't some complicated or unusual job. I wasn't asking for a full diagnostic breakdown or anything unrealistic. I simply wanted a general idea of the cost so I could compare it with other local shops before committing to bringing the vehicle in. Instead, the response was basically "bring it in and we'll see." That approach puts all the risk on the customer. You take time out of your day to drive there, leave the car, and only then find out whether the price is reasonable or wildly inflated. Shops that operate this way make it difficult for customers to make informed decisions. Transparency is one of the most important parts of running a trustworthy mechanic shop. Clear communication about pricing, even if it's just an estimate, shows respect for the customer's time and budget. Being told that they simply don't give quotes over the phone comes across as evasive and unprofessional. Based on that interaction alone, I chose to take my business elsewhere to a shop that was willing to discuss pricing upfront. If you value transparency and straightforward communication when dealing with auto repairs, you may want to consider other options before calling this place. read more

2018 BMW M4 F82 owner Will does an amazing job and will repair your car like his own. The car started having issues at 70k miles with an engine valve leak issues. He does the repairs at an honest price which is substantially less than the dealer quoted prices. Will also will do major maintenance in steps so you can feel the difference each time - such as the double clutch fluids (which the dealers will not bother touching). After coming here for 2 years, the car is running like new at 95k miles. Will also talks shop and will give you an understanding for what is actually going on in any car versus speculating on online forums / reddit. read more

German Imports Auto - 2018 F82 M4 CLEAN and running smoooth - Auto Repair Near Me - San Gabriel, California

Great place for your European classic car needs. Will is very knowledgeable. He works with me to keep my classic W109 original and trouble free. Exactly the way I like it. read more

If you have an European car (or any imports whatsoever), this shop will be your go-to in Southern California. The owner/ main tech at German Imports Auto, Will, is an absolute no bs, down to Earth guy. I recently had to service my VW GTI's dual clutch transmission, at first Will couldn't give me an exact quote over the phone like some comments suggested, however, he gave me a ballpark figure and I trusted my guts (as he was recommended by other GTI owners in the LA region). I went to him for service, he did my fluid flush twice, changed the filter, and the final invoice was right within the ballpark. The transmission felt amazing again as I could feel no more hesitance in shifting. Will serviced my car like his own, didn't cheap out, and invoiced me less than what a famous shop in Riverside quoted me. read more

Will Chu is a no nonsense quality mechanic who will tell you straight up what's needed. An honest mechanic is rare today but that is the truth! I take my 2010 BMW 328ic here and he makes sure it runs like new! I've recommended so many people his way because he's the real deal. Thanks Will God bless! read more

German Imports Auto - Car - Auto Repair Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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This is for service in 12/03/24: Amazing paint job with reasonable price! I had a car that was scratched from the front bumper and had really deep scratches. Luckily the bumper didn't need a replacement which would have been a lot more expensive. Will is very fair on pricing and will only charge you the amount he paid for to get the parts, so you're really only paying for labor. read more

German Imports Auto - After photo. Good as new! - Auto Repair Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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Highly recommend Will for the service. My Audi car has transmission malfunction issue. And I had it repaired from another body shop, but I came back broken again. Then my neighbor recommended him for the repair. I took my car to him, he looked it for me for free two times without any charges and recommended me to send it Audi for diagnostic. And it turned out it's under extended warranty program and I got my transmission replaced for free. Will really think on behave of a customer. And he is fair and very knowledgeable. Def he is my go to guy for repair now. read more

2025 Update: Will continues to be my trusted mechanic who has taken care of my VW for years. Under his care, my 2012 Tiguan is running great and has lasted more than 125k miles! Will and his shop are thorough, trustworthy, and he maintains my car at an excellent price. He's also efficient and fast and considerate. I feel so blessed to have a relationship with such a great mechanic! read more

Been coming to Will for a few years now. The man does quality work at a fair price. Much better than what I was paying at Rusnak in Arcadia. Thanks! read more

Will's shop is the only place my husband and I trust our cars to be taken in for maintenance and fixes. We haven't felt scammed or cheated and Will gives us his honest diagnostics and service each time. We have moved away from the area and still take our cars here bc his prices are still fair and honest compared to others. He's communicative and gets it done in a timely manner. I'd recommend my friends and family here anytime. read more

Couldn't have had a better experience with William. I came in last minute with a minor issue and he fixed it immediately for no charge. Even though he spent a lot more time than I could've asked for. Highly recommend bringing your car here! read more

German imports is the BEST. The crew is very polite and total pros, couldn't be happier with the work did on my Cayenne

How to know if your car guy is a good guy: The first time I dropped my car off here (5 years ago), I was giving Will my keys and was about to take off, but then he stopped me and asked me why am I not asking him about a cost estimate... lol he lectured me! And told me I should always ask when I'm going somewhere for a service or else who knows what people will charge me! And that's when I knew Will was a great guy lol. Not only that, but his service is top notch, always the best. He is super professional, super knowledgeable, super efficient, and his prices are great and fair especially for the quality of work that him and his team do. I come here for regular checks, oil changes, repair fixes, and just got my smog check done by him too. And every time when it comes time to pay, he walks me through and explains exactly what the charges are and for what they covered. I always leave here feeling great with my happy and healthy car. If you're looking for a trustworthy person and place to take your car, definitely give Will a call! read more

My BMW 530i 2006 had electrical problems..warning alerts were lighting up and the Bluetooth was not working as well. I took it to my mechanic which I was with for years but he couldn't figure out the problem. My mechanic told me to call a BMW specialist. That's when I called German Imports and talked to William. Thanks to William! He figured out the problem which was the IBS cable had to be replaced. William was nice enough to have me take it to my mechanic since I was with him for years. When it was replaced everything was fixed no warning lights! Also, the Bluetooth was working..I might of spent way more if I took it to the dealer..Thank you William! read more

Had a great first time experience with Will. My BMW needed a few things fixed after its annual service and his prices were over 30% less than what my dealership quoted me. Glad to have found a reliable and reasonably priced auto shop in the area and will definitely be coming back! read more

Will did a great job painting my bumper and offered a very fair price. Color match is spot on, great quality work and honest. read more

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TLDR: Owner/Manager, Will, has built a reputation for being honest and charges a very competitive price. I came here based on a recommendation from my wife's friend who is really into cars and knows his stuff when it comes to cars. He said he chooses to come here because Will is honest and charges a good price. I already had another shop I was going to in the area for my BMW which I had no problems with, except they are a little high on price (but still way better than the dealership), but decided to give German Imports Auto a shot. I came 2 separate times for 2 separate issues; one for a coolant leak and second time for a rear differential problem. I can say I have no complaints so far and my car is running fine. The pricing was very competitive based on my research. Will lives up to his reputation! I'll continue coming here and update my review if anything changes. read more

Will and his team have always treated our cars with the best care. My family and I have trusted him since our first encounter with him. My Jetta was being quoted to get fixed for 2k in the dealership and we luckily found him he gave us his honest opinion of what he thought might be the actual problem, asked if we wanted to see if that's it and thankfully that was the issue saving us alot of money. Every time we go in he tells us what we are being charged for and explains everything throughly. He doesn't only do German we bring our Hondas to him as well! he's a great person and definitely recommend him to everyone . He also has some cool cars in his shop so it's nice seeing these exotic cars when we go in lol read more

Came here for a pre-purchase inspection for an Audi. Will was knowledgeable, honest, and fair.

Took my 2010 BMW 328i Convertible for annual oil change and the service light was on suggesting brake fluid change. Will Chu came highly recommended by my neighbors who swear by him. Like all mechanics I was apprehensive. This guy is honest and knows how to fix cars!!! If you are looking for a GREAT mechanic that's HONEST, he's your guy! Rare to find a skilled mechanic that's doesn't charge you dealer prices! read more

German Imports Auto - Auto Repair Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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Have been taking my BMW E39 to Will for over 3 years. Quick and responsive, Will always give you an honest assessment and helps you find the most suitable solution way forward. He tries his best to save you money but also provide the best part and service that will serve you in the long run, which is tough to do with European autos. Even though he's slammed, he's always completed the service in good time. I will keep coming back. read more

German Imports Auto - BMW - Auto Repair Near Me - San Gabriel, California

After a horrible experience with Audi dealership I decided to trust yelp and give German Imports a try. My first service was 2 years ago for a 50k service. The owner name is Will and I couldn't have imagined a more honest and humble man. Great service at half the dealership price and no upselling. I will I could bring my can in more for services but recently retired salesman I don't drive much. This brings me to my 2024 visit because of a dead battery. Will charged overnight and didn't charge me. Took battery home installed myself and my key fobs didn't work properly. Took car in same day and he re-programed both fobs for me for a fraction of the price dealer would have charged. You don't find mechanics like this anymore. All i could say is your in good hands with German Auto. Super highly recommend PS.. now help me find my granddaughter a good firrst car read more

Will is the best. Period. I've been taking my car to him for service, repair, and upgrade for three years. Changed my headlight, repair broken window glass, change tires, and all maintenance. If he got the parts, most works can be done in a day or two. Should anything happen after service, he will take care of everything for me and never walk away. I took my car to him for a giant maintenance last week. My car needs a huge amount of maintenance and he took care of everything, change all oil and fix the broken parts at a pretty decent reasonable price. My car is like new after he repaired it. He's also a man that give you great suggestions that works every time. Will and his team is 100% reliable, a huge money saver, and craft everything with responsibility. read more

I called German Imports Auto regarding a transmission issue I was having after a DIY transmission fluid change. Will took several minutes on the phone as I described the symptoms which led me to solving the problem. Prior to the call I could have been sold on a trans rebuild and probably would have had to accept it. (The car wasn't responding to the shifter at all and would not move.) Will's FREE help over the phone got me back on the road even though I had NO history of doing business with him previously! In gratitude, I stopped by to give him a $20 for spending a few minutes on the phone and helping solve my problem, but Will wouldn't take it. It's been a LONG time since I've run across such a helpful and honest repair shop! Let's just say, my SL500 will be in this shop any and every time there's a problem I can't tackle! Thanks again Will! Regards, Brian Guthrie read more

Will and his team are awesome. Friend recommended Will to me. I've had a door lock actuator replaced after another place wanted to charge me double of what Will charged me. Not only that Will knocked It out for me in 3hrs time. Also had issues with axle boots being torn. Dealer ship wanted to charge me 6k to get those replaced. Will knocked it out for me at a fraction of the cost. I won't go to any other place. Hands down the most honest and affordable mechanic. read more

Recently relocated to this area and my Mercedes engine light came on and my brakes were acting up. Luckily found Will who is honest, considerate, extremely knowledgeable and did great work. He also knew I needed the car to pick up my granddaughter from school and he finished in time. My go to from now on. read more

Fast and skillful work as always, Will and his mechanics have done many professional works on me and my friend's vehicles, while showing great passion. Here is my go-to choice for anything auto. read more

German Imports Auto - Auto Repair Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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Had a friend recommended me this place as I was looking for a shop to color match and install the sti wing on my wrx. Will said he would do me right and that's exactly what happened. The paint match came out spot on and the install is great and sturdy doesn't move when I drive and all done at a reasonable price. I'm happy and satisfied that I came to get it professionally done here and thanks to my buddy for the recommendation. read more

German Imports Auto - Auto Repair Near Me - San Gabriel, California

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Great place of business.Great work. Quality genuine parts. Definitely recommend this place of business.

What can I say Will is nothing short of AMAZING. He's honest to the core, you will not regret bringing your car to him. He actually cares about his clients and not just trying to take your money. read more

I came to the shop at 8 in the morning, because the warning light indicates I need to add 1 qt oil to the car. Will was fast and efficient, and I was in/out in 5 minutes! And to my surprise he didn't even charge me a penny. What a great customer service! Highly recommended! read more

Will and his team are by far the best guys around. I took my ML350 Bluetec to a lot of different mechanics and he's the only one that knows what he's doing and was able to fix the problem, the real problem. Initially, I wasn't sure if I was going to keep this car or trade it in. After I brought it in, Will explained thoroughly what needed to be fixed, what needed to be replaced along the way, and a general idea of how much longer I could keep the car for. Other mechanics might have "fixed" the problem but ignored the others that didn't light up my dashboard and were borderline major issues which I would've had to bring back for an additional labor charge- He took care of it in one go and was very fair with his prices. I found that he got the car back to me driving better than when first got it! I will be bringing my other cars to Will for sure. read more

As a loyal customer I continue to be impressed with Will's professionalism and honesty. He is thorough with his explanations and findings. He shows me the parts and breaks down costs. I recently had to take my car to a body shop that my insurance referred me to. They did a horrible job and as a result the electrical settings in my were malfunctioning. I took it to Will and he resolved the problem right away. He even took care of another body shop issue without hesitation. Don't hesitate to take your car here. You won't be disappointed! read more

Took my Audi to the dealer for an oil change and they found oil leaking into the coolant. They quoted me $2,200 for the repair. Therefore, I decided to shop around and get a second opinion. Came on Yelp to find this place, and I'm sure glad that I did! Will is the owner of the shop and he's the best. He's up front, knowledgable, honest, and was able to diagnose the issue right away. He found out what the actual problem was, and fixed it the same day for a fraction of what the dealer quoted! I'm so relieved to find this place cuz I could have paid much more at the dealer for a misdiagnosis to the problem, and have to cough up another big sum to fix the real problem. I will be back for my future services! read more

I took my car to Will to check my tire pressure. He easily fixed it. I only trust this auto shop for my car and service. This is my 2nd Mercedes and I only trust will about my cars. My car also stalled and i took it to Will and he fixed it the next day. Car is now back to normal. He is amazing and he knows a lot about cars too not only german but other makes too. I'll have my husband take his jeep here as well.. our go to auto shop read more

German Imports Auto - Auto Repair Near Me - San Gabriel, California

This is an excellent full service auto repair shop. I have been having my Mini Cooper serviced here for over 3 years. Perfect work every time. Completely honest and upfront information has been given to me each time about cost and timing of repairs. Work is always done on time and cost estimates have always been accurate. No surprises. This is the best mechanic shop I have ever worked with. Highly recommend. read more

Like everyone before me, I can say that this place has excellent service. Will legit cares for his customers and you can tell. I had called for a quote on some repairs as I was being charged a large amount at the dealer. He quickly told me to take the car to him so he could take a look and that if I decided to proceed, he would charge way less than the dealer... which he kept his word. My car was ready same day, a lot earlier than I thought as well. He showed me the parts that were replaced and went over everything in detail. What really topped it off is that he called me the next day to follow up. No one does that anymore! I was in shock! I will definitely be bringing my 325ci back for service or anything else related to the car. Would most definitely recommend! read more

I searched Yelp and tried this mechanic because they have real good reviews. I had a wore out struts and shocks. Asked Will estimate but he wanted to check first. In about 30 minutes he told me that I have a bad suspension, rear break pads, engine mounts, and some oil leaking. His estimate is about $1,600 and said struts and shocks are ok. I went to another mechanic and he said everything looks ok but the struts and shocks. I fixed struts and shocks. Since then I am driving about a month now and everything is good. Simply unbelievable and I have no idea how he got such good reviews. read more

These guy are amazing. I have a Mercedes E350 and I don't let anyone else perform any service on this car. In fact when I dropped it off with Will and his team for a tuneup, it feels like it got a new engine! Thank you Will and your team! read more

Probably the best custom service I've received at any business, period. Don't let the name fool you, I brought my non-German Subaru for servicing when it wouldn't pass the smog check. Will quickly helped diagnose the issue and even spent the time to get my car to go through the drive cycles required to get one of my sensors ready. Although the sensor was still not ready, he gave me a plan of action and the confidence to do what's needed to get it ready. He did all this without charging me a dime, even though I offered to pay! Of course, once I passed my smog check, I brought in my car again for an oil change. The service was quick, easy, and reliable. Will and his team are mechanics I trust and their prices are great. I will be taking my car here for as long as I live in Southern California, and have already told a couple friends about this gem. Once you have a conversation with Will, you'll immediately know he's a trustworthy mechanic who's in the business out of passion. This is who you want working on your car! read more