I hope they enjoyed the money they got out of me in the 3 visits that I went. Communication was poor, service took too long. I might as well have gone to the dealership for the price. read more

I had a pretty opposite experience to the good ones highlighted here. My experience takes place ~2004-2005 I'm told 2001 VW Beetle. It's 12 degrees out, I'm driving, the heat goes out and shortly the car shows that it's overheating. The car was in the shop at IAM for 9 days, they replaced a fan they said was warped, and were about to remove most of the engine to get to a sensor. I had just talked to a co-worker about it and he said what I described was the water pump. Another co-worker came over hearing this and also said it was the water pump. I call them up and say "everyone I talk to says it's the water pump, why don't you check that". 2 hours later I'm told that my water pump was bad. I got charged (if I remember correctly) over $1000 for fans that were slightly warped, labor, water pump, etc. They replaced the water pump with the inferior VW one with the plastic impeller. It dies 1 year 3 months later. I really don't feel like listing out the list of what all I feel was done wrong to my car, perhaps IAM's a better place now. Perhaps years of learning how to work on a Beetle have jaded me. I think they might be closer to normal pricing for high-end cars, such as the wankle engine listed below, but I paid IAM a lot over a couple of years for a car that was probably worth roughly that, and i had to keep taking it back. I left and went to another shop in 2005, my car bills halved and my time between repairs extended greatly, although that could be that everything that was going to break broke and was replaced. I don't hate them, just not going back. They were nice people as I remember. read more

In my experience Import Auto Maintenance is the best auto repair shop in the city. The staff is friendly and helpful, the mechanics are extremely knowledgeable and they offer a 2 year guarantee on their repairs, first year free second year half price. I have not seen similar faith in repairs at other repair shops. Because of the high level of service and the guarantee the prices at IAM are higher than you will find at other shops in town. Personally I am willing to pay a premium for service that I trust, especially when it comes to my automobile. I have also had them be very honest with me when they find something that could be repaired, but does not need to be taken care of right away. They will only fix something that you ask them to and will not pressure you into services you do not want or need. When I had a repair run long on one occasion they also provided me with a complementary rental car. Good deal. The location is fairly convenient and they offer shuttle service to most of the downtown area. Also free coffee and a ton of magazines while you wait. Overall, If you need some serious service on your car and are looking for a new shop that you can trust, give IAM a try. read more

I would like to thank Sam and the staff at Import Auto Maintenance for fitting my 1995 Honda Passport into their schedule early Friday morning. Anyone can relate to the complete feeling of dread when you walk out to your car to start your Friday and the car won't turnover. Nothing but fear that you won't have a car for the day or weekend since most garages will already be booked. I immediately knew it was the starter that needed to be replaced. I'd moved to the city but not had a chance to find a mechanic to take over servicing my car. So, I quickly looked up on Yelp to see who I was close too and found AIM. I called and Sam answered to tell me to bring it in now. I was able to get it started by beating on the starter. Then I drove straight to AIM for their help. I did not tell them I was in a hurry to get it back. And it got done around 1PM that Friday for me to make my appointments only slightly late. Thanks again AIM! You'll be seeing me again soon with some elective upgrades soon. read more

IAM has worked on my cars for 8 years and counting. The work they've done has never failed, and they've never misdiagnosed a problem. They don't use scare tactics and they're straight with you about what needs fixing and what can wait. They'll also recommend other shops who can do certain kinds of work for a better price, and if you're out of town they'll also give recommendations for good garages in other Mid-TN cities. They're not the cheapest garage in town, but I'm all right with that. read more

On the recommendation of a friend, I took my girlfriends Jetta to Import Auto Maintenance. Overall it suffers from the complaints I have with most auto service centers. Its not open on Weekends, Labor costs are high, and communication is often limited. However, I felt my experience to be a good one. Several minor things needed to be repaired, and I was happy that they use OEM only parts. This has the unfortunate effect of increasing the cost, but the quality of the used parts are quite satisfying. As I stated, I felt that I had to initiate communication with them one too many times to find out what was going on but the work was completed to my complete satisfaction. I would very likely return here again if additional work needed to be done on the Jetta, but I certainly wish they had weekend hours and were slightly more communicative when it came to the status of the vehicle. Yelpers note: The 20% discount for first time customers is only for ONE item on your repair, not the entire bill. read more

****Follow-up post***** - did receive call from the owner who was most apologetic and he stated that this was a very embarrassing mistake and the largest one made since they'd been in business. *****Original review****** We've been going to IAM since moving here a year-and-a-half ago and thought that they were great but......... At the end of August 2011, one week before a trip, I took my car in for an oil change, tire rotation, alignment, and pre-trip inspection. The next day, I was called and told that new front rotors and brakes were needed to which I gave them the okay to do. The third day, I got a call informing me that they were having difficulty aligning the tires and that the car needed a new steering rack and tie rods. It was at this point that I called our trusted mechanic in our hometown, one of my husband's oldest friends. It was decided that we'd wait for him to take a look at the rack and rods because this is all adding up to well over $2000. Mind you, we're talking about a 2001 Outback so we're obviously not "loaded". Picked up the car and paid in total over $1000. The first leg of our trip was the first time that we'd driven the car on the interstate since getting it back. We noticed a new noise and feel in the front end but continued on, thinking it might be the new brakes settling in. The next day, the noise and feel were getting worse. Because we happened to be in our hometown, we called the trusted mechanic who came in on a Saturday to take a look. The lug nuts were not tightened on the wheels! After taking care of that, he put the car on the lift to take a look at the rack and rods. It was at this point that it was noted the brakes HAD NOT been worked on and the rack and rods didn't appear to need replacement. I notified IAM via email (because it was on a weekend) about the discoveries and asked that we please receive a call to address the problems. The call was received the following Tuesday and they admitted that the brake had not been done. Their "solution" was to refund HALF of the brake work and finish the job. I had a week to think over this and decided that I had lost ALL confidence in them. Upon returning from our trip, I went in to request a refund of ALL ($791+/-) the brake money to which they complied. All that was said was, "Sorry 'bout that" as I walked out the read more

DO NOT EVER GO HERE. They charged over $600 to replace a thermostat. This was so I could pass emissions. Then the engine light went on again which means I will have to do something else to pass emissions again. My car started making noises after their fix as well. read more

I cannot express how lucky I was referred to IAM in 1992. I have had all of my Hondas, Toyotas, and one Scion maintained by these guys, and have always been impress by their SERVICE. My recent visit was with a 98 Tacoma which had a pinion bearing problem. They not only covered the parts and labor with their 2 year 24K mile warranty, but also let me use one of their loaner cars during the down time. These people know the meaning of SERVICE and standing behind their warranty. read more

I recommend this shop. I found about them from Yelp and read the reviews. I been unsatisfied taking my car to several places and decided to give this place a try. My diagnostic light was on and showing a camshaft problem. I took my car for an emission test which failed. The location is conveniently close to work and appreciated the drop off and pick up from work. Having only one car they took no time fixing the issue and my emission passed. They have found a kept satisfied customer and will be back for my oil changes and future needs. read more

I drive a Mazda RX-8 and had a ridiculous time finding a legit mechanic in Nashville when I first moved here. A little background on my car situation: the Mazda RX-8 has a rotary engine. No other car on the market has this...all the others have pistons (you know, a V6, V8, etc.). I knew about this powerful engine when I bought it, but I did not know how high maintenance this vehicle was known to be. So, after only having it for about 4 months I flooded the engine. This is something that was completely my fault and could have been avoided if the dealership would have informed me of the proper shut down procedure. So unfortunately, I was in need of a mechanic. I called the Mazda dealership and they said this was not an uncommon problem and that knew exactly how to fix it. The bad news was that this "little" fix came with a $2,000 price tag. Sheyeah right! Back to square one. I called a few tow companies and asked for a recommendation. They gave me the names of three places. I called all three and only one would even agree to look at my car! Apparently you have to be specially certified to work on this rotary engine. Amazingly, Import Auto Maintenance had a mechanic who was an RX-8 enthusiast and was the man for the job! So, I had the car towed there, they fixed it in a few quick days and IAM became the ONLY place I would let touch my beautiful, temperamental, hot mess of a sexy ride. This includes oil changes. Another great experience I had at IAM... It was time for new brakes. I was expecting the worst since I know how expensive repairs for my car tend to be. I had the technicians at IAM take a look and yep, $700+ for new front brakes. Yowza! After talking to Lori, the fantastic service manager (and fellow motorcycle mama), she referred me to a nearby shop that she knew would be able to do the brakes for a fraction of the cost. She said that it was IAM's policy to only use name brand parts, but that I could get by on less expensive ones if I took the car elsewhere. I felt guilty at first for taking my car to another shop. However, I was comfortable since Lori assured me that this shop did good work and could also save me a few dollars. I took my car there and they had me in and out in just a couple hours and for right under $300! I truly appreciate Lori's advice. The fact that she was willing to suggest another business to fit my budget showed me that she really valued me as a customer and had my best interests at heart. I continue to take my car to IAM for routine maintenance and do not plan on going anywhere else. Pros: The staff (manager, service manager and mechanic) remembers me by name every time I visit or call, very convenient location on the corner of Broadway and West End Avenue, they only use the BEST top of the line parts, they are knowledgeable about specialty cars and offer complete diagnostics, they offer a two-year warrantee on all parts and labor, they send coupons to all customers via email for %-off and discounted oil changes, they send email and mail reminders of when it is time for your next service. Also, I just received a text message from them the other day that told me they are rolling out a new text message service reminder program (great for a girl on the go, like me!) Cons: They do use the highest quality, name brand parts (this ensures quality but sometimes may const more as they do not cut corners on cheap parts), not the most inexpensive mechanic, but in this world you truly do get what you pay for!! I'd rather pay a little bit extra for the piece of mind I get here! UPDATE: I received a $25 gift card in the mail from IAM as a Christmas /holiday gift! Talk about customer appreciation!!! read more

Very knowledgeable, kind, accommodating. Trust your car to people who know what they're doing!

This place is great! We have been taking our cars to IAM for at least 10-12 years, and have NEVER been disappointed! While we may have owned a car that had a recurring problem now and then, these folks have a two-year warranty on their work and they honor that commitment. They don't try and up-sell you on work you don't need, and they are upfront and honest about what you really need to do. Prices are fair and they will do whatever they can to accommodate your schedule. Wouldn't think about going anyplace else! read more

I went to their website and it said to fill in their online form for a free estimate. So I did. I explained that there was a problem with a few things on my car and I wanted to get an estimate. I soon received an email back from them, that said I needed to pay $70 for an evaluation. I wondered about the free estimate but didn't ask about it until I brought the car into the shop. The guy told me that the evaluation was going to cost $100. So we've gone from free to $70, to $100 without anyone even looking at the car. I asked about the free estimate and he said " You want it fixed, don't you?", which I don't really know what he meant by that. But I didn't ask about the free estimate again. Later on, I return for my car and he tells me that it was $100 to fix. I ask him what the problem was and he tells me that he had to clean the fuse connector with a wire brush. Now I know why he didn't want to do the free estimate... if he told me all I needed to do was clean the fuse contact point, I could have done it myself easily, for about 30 seconds, and he would have been out $100. I was extremely upset and will never take my car there again. But two things kept me from giving this place a 1 star rating: the secretary was very nice, and the driver was also very nice. But the older guy who took my case seemed to be all about the money. read more

I was able to drop my car off for an oil change, etc. and have a nice cup of coffee. The staff was super friendly, they even offered to shuttle me to work! They called me a few hours later with some recommendations, letting me know how much each charge would be, without any pressure and even applied a first-time customer discount to my bill! Upon picking up my vehicle and waiting a very short bit for my invoice, one of the employees made me a double espresso, fantastic! They made me feel more like a friend than a customer. I would definitely recommend them to anyone! read more

IAM isn't the cheapest or the fastest but they do top-notch work, are friendly, dependable, and they warrantee their work. They don't sell you on repairs you don't need. read more

I purchased a 1988 Porsche 924S last year. Previous owner did some work on it, and by all accounts it is a great car. However, I know next to nothing about Porsches and never dreamed I would own one. Two months ago, just when it was getting pretty cold, it started doing some strange things which I attributed to being a 30 year old car, and I had not yet driven it in cold weather. I had an opportunity to take it into Import Auto Maintenance and boy, was I glad I did. They were able to diagnose several issues which I would have paid dearly for had they not found them. Honest, relaxed, no hard sell. Warrantied work AND a follow up call on the work done to make sure I was HAPPY with the repairs. These guys KNOW so much about so many cars. I don't know how they walk around with all that knowledge in their heads! They obviously view automobiles (especially European cars) as works of art and technology. With all the new computerized cars around, it's comforting to know that there are people out there that still appreciate a car that loves and needs to be driven by a driver! Not a computer. It's also a huge factor for me that I have found a place that I can take my beloved Porsche to a shop that will care for her like I care for her. I can't say enough good things about this shop. Their work ethic, their care for their work, their extreme knowledge on so many vehicles. Honest, hard working, faithful people. I'm so glad I have such a wonderful place to take the car of my dreams to be tenderly cared for. read more

Keeping up with an aging import can feel like cutting a lawn with nail scissors. I am so glad I found IAM. The service is top-notch. Lori always calls the day after I bring the car in with an assessment of the damage and an estimate. She patiently explains all this stuff to a non-car person like me. I've even left the car there after hours and in the morning they just call me up and I can explain-- so convenient and easy. Of course IAM is not as cheap as a chain store, but imports are not as cheap as other cars to begin with. I love supporting a local, family-owned business that's really getting it right. read more

They have had a few good reviews on citysearch. They did have a lot of cars waiting when I came in so it took a long time to get diagnosed. Diagnostic cost was not included in service. The service price was high because they insist on OEM parts. Though others find that they finished early or on time, my service was a day late because they ordered the wrong part (!?!?). They did offer me a rental car, and finally relented to pay for it at my request. They seem knowledgeable about import cars, however, and others have found them trustworthy and straight-forward. read more

Recommended by a friend and their service was absolutely outstanding! We're on our way out of town and they fit us in and fixed the issue within one day. Reasonably priced and delightful service including a text when our car was ready! read more

Never used the service yet but I did accidentally rate them poorly by mistake. My review was for a different company and once they noticed my intenet they were very nice about the mishap until I fixed my error. Good luck Sam, Sorry. read more

I went in with high hopes since the staff was friendly and they specialized in foreign vehicles. Unfortunately it quickly went down hill. They told me they could do a repair on my car and it would cost around $175. I then get another call saying they didn't feel comfortable doing the repair and I will need to just replace the part and it will cost $550. That made me believe they didn't know how to do the repair and instead of telling me that so that I could take it somewhere that does, they just tell me I have to replace the whole part. I decided to take my car somewhere else to get a second option. It cost me $60 to pick up my car even though they never did anything to it except put it in the air and that was after complaining that it was going to cost $75 to pick it up. I ended up taking it to another mechanic and was surprised to learn that is was a very simple fix that required a small plastic part and cost me a total of $45. It cost me more to have IAM just look at my car than it did to have another place completely fix it! I am still in shock of the whole situation and how they tried to take advantage of me. read more

Knowledgeable, clear communication, with convenient shuttle service from the shop to my office and back.

These people are price gougers. I went in for what I thought was an electrical issue, my headlight kept burning out when I tried to replace it. Apparently there was no issue at all, so they charges me $80 just to change out a headlight. Then they tried to convince me to let them change my oil and clean my air filter for $225 and change my wiper blades for $75 which is INSANE pricing on both. To add insult to injury they added a $3 hazardous materials fee for changing my headlight??? When I asked about it, the guy just mumbled about oil and walked away. It's only $3, I know, but it's the principle. Places like this are the reason I dread ever needing work on my car. So hard to find an honest import vehicle business. read more

From day one they treated me like family. They've fixed whatever is wrong and it stays fixed in my cars. They know what they're doing. It's very clean and comfortable to wait for your car - but they also have a shuttle to take you home. I feel like they are very fair with me financially. When something isn't worth repairing or they can't know for sure what the problem is they don't even encourage me to spend money. I really adore everyone there. read more

I have to say, my most recent experience at IAM was very poor. I've always heard such great things, so I began bringing my car in for regular maintenance, oil changes, etc. The price was no better than the dealership, but the location is convenient, and they offer a shuttle service. However, once I actually needed a repair, it all went down hill. Firstly, I knew the problem was with my brakes. They dismantled my brakes to see WHAT the problem was, but the technician told me the noise actually may be related to my tires? What? I was not about to let them do $700 worth of brake work that was not necessary. I told them nevermind, and to please change my oil, and that's it. I was charged over $250 dollars to change my oil, take my brakes apart, and then put them back together. Luckily my husband can do some mechanic work, so he was able to determine I needed pads and rotars, which he purchased and replaced himself. And to top it off, they did not even put the lugnuts back on my tires! I had to go back and get them and put them back on myself. I was very disappointed. I could not believe how much money I wasted at this place. If all you need is an oil change on your European car, and you work in the downtown or mid-town areas, then I guess this is an option. But, I personally cannot recommend getting any repair work done here. read more

I don't mind paying for quality, but IAM overcharges. They wanted to charge me $110 for a part that costs $40 (same brand). That's a $70 markup price! read more

Honest, integrity and great communicators. I worked with Lori at IAM over the course of 5 days as they sought to diagnose/recreate the braking problem my daughter was having with her hand me down 1999 BMW 528i. They were able to identify the problem and make only the repairs necessary to get the car working again. Most importantly, Lori/IAM always put the safety of my daughter first with a genuine concern. The amazing thing was they worked with me and I'm 2,000 miles away in San Francisco. My highest recommendation goes to the team at IAM. read more

I have used IAM in the past and was always very satisfied. My latest experience was so bad I had to have my vehicle towed somewhere else to fix it. I work in the auto industry and have had many different BMWs, so I have seen a lot of what can happen to them but my 2006 325i was a bit outside my technical ability to repair. I knew it was likely the thermostat or water pump that caused the overheating. I had my vehicle towed there a Sunday afternoon after overheating. I left my keys at the drop box and filled out the paperwork explaining what had happened and what I suspected was wrong. I expected some sort of call shortly after they opened Monday to tell me they received my car alright and just to check in with me. I received no call and had to call later that morning to know they had started inspecting it. They later called me back to tell me they expected the water pump (which I had told them I thought it was) and needed to do a $100 diagnosis to tell them exactly what it was. I explained that I really thought it was the water pump. I was told that they really should do the diagnosis because they thought it was a control module for the water pump which would be less expensive to replace. I reluctantly agreed to this. After hours later of not getting a call back I called and heard an all too familiar "I was just about to call you", and was told it was the water pump just as I expected. I was a bit upset since I had expected that and just wasted $100 to tell me what I knew. I explained this to the service writer and could not get a reasonable answer. I was told I needed to not only replace the water pump but also the thermostat and do an extra pressure test. I asked if the thermostat had been bench tested and was informed it was a mechanical unit different than the old units you could test in hot water. I then asked why I needed to replace it since it was not likely to be damaged from overheating like the older model thermostats. I was simply told it just needed it and the service writer could not explain to me at all why. I was then informed the fan was on its way out as well. I was then told it would be over $2,000 to repair all this. I was taken aback a bit at the total and had to look at my finances to see what to do. In that time I researched prices for the parts and found that they were being marked up over 100% from what I could purchase them for at the dealership. I understand companies need to make money and profit is key but over 100% markup? Is that not a bit over the top? I even asked if any concessions could be made since I paid for the diagnosis or if I could purchase the parts and pay to have them installed? The attitude of the service writer changed and became very rude. I was rushed off the phone and basically hung up on saying they would get back to me. Of course hours went by and I did not hear back. In the mean time I called the dealership and found they would do all the same work for $600 less and offer a free loaner car! When I got around to calling IAM back I was told of course they would not install parts I bring in and I asked if they could match the dealership price at all to keep my business there. I was told once again they would get back to me. The day finished and I waited a few hours the next morning for them to open and get back to me on the price. No call back, so I called cashed out my bill of $109 for me to be told what I already knew and had a tow truck bring my car to the dealership to get the work done. The dealership honored their price they quoted and got the work done in the same day and called me every time something had progressed that day. I was also informed that the fan was perfectly fine and did the pressure test for free. When I picked up my car I noticed my inside drivers door and area near my seat belt was filthy. I asked the dealership and was informed it had come in like that and their techs used gloves to prevent such things. I was informed it was likely from the previous repair shop. Just icing on the cake. In summation I went from someone who raved about your service to someone who will recommend against it and just send people to the dealership. read more

Decided to try IAM rather than visiting the dealer as I usually do since I had a rather extensive list of items requiring service and wanted to save where I could. Placed a call for a quote on a Thursday before noon in anticipation of being able to share a vehicle with my husband the following Monday and Tuesday, the days I was targeting for service. I was promised a call back later in the afternoon - didn't receive it. Called back in the morning (Friday) and was told I'd receive the quote that day. Called at 4:30 PM because I'd heard nothing and again was promised something later that day. MONDAY afternoon I again called IAM and was told that the person providing the quote had a death in the family. I was sorry to hear that but still was looking for a quote. Following a timely call back, I was provided a quote that was 22% more than the dealer's quote! After mentioning this to IAM, I was told that they have heard that they are in fact higher than the dealership but that they pride themselves on service. Now THAT's funny! read more

Daughter moved to Nashville from Knoxville recently. Car sprung a radiator hose leak. She had it towed to IAM. They quoted repair for hoses, thermostat, belts, and tensioners for $1675. She txted back asking for quote to repair leaking hose. They replied with a 2nd quote for $764 for all hoses. Daughter again asked for repair quote just for leaking hose. They then replied with a quote for $603 for one hose. Daughter asked them to top off coolant tank so she could just drive car to her apartment 2 miles away. They then called and stated that there was no way to fill coolant tank since hose was 'completely separated'. Verbally lower quote to $383. Daughter had car towed to her apartment. IAM invoiced $65 for their efforts. I picked up new hose in Knoxville ($70) drove to Nashville. Replaced hose in about 10 mins. No sign of any separation of hose. Just had a pin size hole. Car passed test drive and is working fine now. read more