The clutch on our Vanagon started to go out when we were in the redwoods. The team was able to get us in on the same day! Throughout the process they were respectful and communicative. Big plus that they know how to work on old cars too! read more

Few years ago my Porsche broken on the way from Bay Area to Seattle. I was lucky, I was 30miles away from Craig's shop. They had me on the road within 24h, and they gave me a ride to the hotel and back. I'm like giving business to small competent businesses. So if you have a car you love, check if they're able to help you. I enjoy driving so going up for some work on my Porsche is just a wonderful adventure. This car is built to be driven on Hwy1. read more

Specialty Foreign Auto - Porsche on the road to Craig's shop - Auto Repair Near Me - McKinleyville, California

My bmw has been having a lot of issues lately. I recently got an oil change at Lube Central in town and was advised to bring my car here. My cars engine was running hot so I called and they told me to bring my car in right away and they will look at it. Jordan looked at my car for me, and he has great customer service, he's knowledgeable, very kind, and truthful. He was able to diagnose my car quickly. Im from the bay ares and was unable to drive my car back home. He drove me to the next town over and helped with possible solutions with rental suggestions, flights, and different options to proceed forward. I appreciate his honesty and willingness to help. This business isn't just about making money but about helping people and I'm truly grateful I found them. Thanks Jordan! read more

Just had another great experience at Specialty Foreign Auto! We've had an ongoing turbo issue in our Passat for a few years. Jordan was able to diagnose the problem wasn't the turbo, it was the sensor that provides info to the turbo. The final cost of the repair was only a fraction of what it would have cost to replace the turbo, (which the dealership probably would have recommended). Great shop. read more

A great foreign auto repair shop. Took the wife's Honda here for a minor electrical issue - was quoted basically the same price for the service at two of the competitors in the area. Though neither offered that it might be something minor and not nearly as expensive to fix. This solution was offered as possible along with the quoted service at the initial conversation by specialty foreign auto. The owner is fair, thorough, reliable, honest and does first quality work in a timely and professional manner. Dropped the car off in the morning before noon had a call to come and pick it up - the work was finished. It took less time than quoted and cost about half of what was quoted as well. They could have charged me for the repairs quoted and I would have never known any different. Upon pick up the owner said it was just a relay and not the component itself that had shorted out - and that the fix was not nearly as much in both time and money spent. This kind of honest and fair service makes it easy for me to give Specialty Foreign Auto my highest recommendation for any and all service related issues for your import automobile. A Solid 5 Star organization and operation. 00197 read more

Specialty Foreign Auto - Specialty Foreign Auto - Auto Repair Near Me - McKinleyville, California

Sept 12-22: Smoke was coming from our '87 Vanagon, and the engine was splashed with transmission fluid. After several phone calls, we were referred to Craig and Louise at Specialty Foreign Auto. They squeezed us into their schedule and checked fluid levels-- all was OK. The conclusion is that the transmission may have been overfilled and/or the dipstick not properly installed; in any case nothing serious or to worry about. Keep the speed down and prevent overheating the transmission. We continued on our camping vacation. There was every opportunity for an expensive emergency repair bill. Instead, we got a quick and honest assessment. Craig's knowledge of the Vanagon systems is top-notch-- few shops can handle the Vanagon's quirky design. (As an example, a few years ago at another road side shop; I had to point out that the engine was in the rear!) I highly recommend Specialty Foreign Auto read more

The folks at Specialty are super stars! I couldn't get my Prius into gear, Vern came to my home and did a diagnostic, professional and courteous. read more

They were wonderful. I needed help while on a business trip. Even though it was close to closing they checked my car out, and fixed it for me. Very friendly. I appreciated their willingness to help. I had made a few phone calls prior to, the other shops denied me as it was too close to closing time. Thank you!!! I can now finish my trip with peace of mind, and without rescheduling. read more

My first experience there was great. So the next time I had an issue I returned to them. My car was leaking coolant and I was told it was my water pump. $1400 later my car still leaks coolant at the same rate. I brought the car back in and was told that sealant sometimes takes time to fully work and the leak should stop in a day or two (!!!) I have used automotive sealers, several kinds, and knew I was being lied to. I will never bring them business again. If they had looked at my car again or attempted to address the continued leak I might have been happier, but to replace an expensive part that was NOT THE PROBLEM is highway robbery. read more

I've had good work by these folks before, just one time was disappointing. But generally good work.

Replaced the transmission in my 1985 Vanagon Camper with a rebuilt one from German Transaxle of America. Had the old one out and the new one in within two days of the parts being delivered. They were very proactive about packaging up the old transaxle core for return shipping. The labor rate was fair and the work was quality. For the jobs beyond my capabilities, I'll be coming back to Specialty Foreign Auto. Great experience. read more

I have lived from WA to AZ and many places in between so finding an excellent shop for car repairs is a blessing. I'm currently driving a Subaru Outback Impreza and the taillights stopped working. Craig put his electrical guy on the job and had it fixed for a lot less than I thought it might cost!! This is where I'm taking my business from now on. Thanks, Craig! read more

Called Thursday got an appointment for a 8:30am Monday for a oil change and blinker bulb replacement. I provided all the material, just needed the labor done. I was told they could get to it right away. Dropped the car off at 8:20am Monday and was told I would get a call as soon as they were done. 1:30pm I hadnt heard anything yet. I called and was told they were behind and they hadn't even gotten to the car yet, but I would get a call in 1.5hrs with an update. I was called at 4:19 saying the car was done. 8 hours for an oil change and blinker bulb......enough said read more

These people are amazing! After having a really bad experience at another shop I was left with my car still not being fixed and more missed appointments. I called Specialty foreign auto the day of. They were able to look at my car immediately, diagnosed it, and I picked it up within a couple hours. It's running so good now. The guy and his wife have owned the shop for 25 years. All very nice people who work there! I feel so grateful for them and won't go anywhere else now. Highly recommend! read more

I have used another German auto specialist garage in Eureka for decades. This is where l purchased my car used in 1997. My most recent oil change in Eureka and routine service cost me over $170.00. It included 2 tail light bulbs. They recently estimated that to repair the front wheel bearing and fix the brakes on my 1995 MB320E would cost over $1,000.00. The car would not fetch this amount at yard sale! I got a second opinion from Craig. He repacked the bearing and saved me over $900.00. The car runs well, and l am very pleased by his forthright honesty. You don't have to be held up in Eureka any more! I highly recommend this auto repair facility! read more

Craig and the crew are terrific. It seems that the 2005 Jetta's have an ongoing problem with the wiring. It's cheap crap. Craig has helped me out numerous times with this poor quality wiring that VW used in that model year. I can just stop by, he reprograms the computer and all is well....until the next time. Sure glad I have such a friendly, helpful shop within walking distance of my house. I use their shop for all my vehicle needs. Craig even came to my house to install a new battery. They also do all the maintenance on my 1995 F250. I very much recommend Specialty for any of your vehicle work. read more

Specialty Foreign is just what it says: Sure, you can take your Civic there, but it's a shop that specializes in keeping unusual foreign vehicles running well, and you can trust them to do that. I have two personal examples. I had an S-Type Acura that had suffered from a lot of funky DIY repairs in the past, and Specialty Foreign patched it back together and fixed what needed fixing correctly, with good parts. More importantly, when I had a weird suspension noise that *two* other mechanics and a tire-and-suspension chain admitted they couldn't figure out, Specialty Foreign found the cause and fixed it. Basically, they successfully fixed what nobody else I tried could. And, my brother had an MG. If you're familiar with those cars, you know that they're a rolling disaster area. Specialty Foreign managed to keep that thing running, up to installing a manual choke in it. If they can repair an MG, they can repair anything. They're not going to do cheap work, they're not going to use budget parts, but they're going to figure out what's wrong with your car and fix it correctly when you're driving something you really care about. read more

Just glad I found this shop! They are thorough, careful, personable - you name it. I know I can count on them to do the best by me, and that's not always easy to come by. read more

If you own an Audi or any other German car, this is your best bet for expert service in Humboldt County. They had done several good jobs for me over the last few years, and the last fix topped them all. I drive a 2002 Audi TT. A great little car, but a real challenge to work on. In November 2010 I lost the fuel pump. It is located in the bottom of the gas tank and is only accessible by taking apart the entire interior of the car and going down through the seats. This was a six hour job that these guys stayed after hours to complete. Most would have suggested that I tow the car to a dealer. You can't beat these guys. read more

I spent $678 and took my car in 4 times to have two noises fixed that only showed up after having them work on my car in the first place. The noise is now worse then when they started... They told me to bring it back when I asked for a refund for the third job they did in an attempt to fix the problem , $168, and they said "no way, bring it back in". It didn't seem worth the risk. I took it in to a different shop a few days later. Not only did they diagnose the problem, they explained why it was happening and why Specialty Foreign missed it by not taking the proper first steps when diagnosing it. Overall they didn't really listen to me when I explained the issue to begin with and then cockily told me they could fix it without ever taking the time to realize the initial diagnosis was wrong. Seems like a decent shop if you're looking for the bare minimum work ethics while paying premium prices. read more

I've been taking my cars to Specialty Foreign Auto for years. They are the absolute best. Great work, fair and honest.

Excellent reliable and efficient service at reasonable prices and they are very personable too.

Friendly mechanics, seemed to do excellent work in exactly the time and for exactly the price they quoted me.