Just moved to SoCal after living for a long time near some life-long VW specialists (who sadly retired), so I have been adrift, relying mostly on the local Midas, Speedy, etc. I searched for a shop with people who specialize in VWs because (a) VW doesn't make my car anymore (so replacement parts can be difficult); (b) it's a fairly intricate little machine; and (c) I have been badly burned at dealers in the past, so I'm not going there. Online research led me to Pacific German. I wanted a pre-road trip checkup, and because they offer a '16-point inspection' with any oil change or similar service, I called them. The oil wasn't really due yet but it was close enough so I discussed this with Shawn, and agreed to bring in my car for an oil change and that inspection deal. As my car had over 59K miles on it, he convinced me to do the 60K mile service, which is usually around $300. I was told to expect the work to take 2-3 hours. After 5 hours, I received a text (NOTE that they are 100% paperless, so you should be somewhat tech-savvy to make the online appointment and be prepared to receive information in text, but he later printed it there, as a courtesy) listing the inspection results and suggested repairs totaling almost $4,000. I began having instant flashbacks of the horror I experienced at the dealer's. Shawn helped me work through it. He took time to explain the serious issues they found and even offered to show me everything on my car. I decided to let these guys fix everything they could before I went on my road trip. They immediately went to work and managed to get almost everything done, several guys working overtime until almost 8pm so that I didn't have to delay my trip (I had to leave early the following morning) -- no small feat, because as I understand it, most of the engine had to be taken apart. Shawn also worked with me to bring down the price as much as possible, explaining that they value their relationships with their clients and want to ensure return business. He said that satisfied customers are very important to him, and I believe that. There were even a few things that were 'thrown in' that they didn't have to do. MY CAR HAS NEVER RUN BETTER. I felt 100% confident on my long trip through the desert, and was very glad I had it all done there. I'm thinking 'mission accomplished' because I feel like I found decent, locally available, highly-qualified specialists. I always say, 'Trust is the new currency' and I definitely trust them to do what's best for my car. I also say, 'you get what you pay for' and you know, specialized auto mechanics don't come cheap. So if you go, be sure to ask (A) WHEN THEY EXPECT TO START WORKING ON YOUR CAR, (B) HOW LONG THEY EXPECT IT TO TAKE, and (C) EXACTLY HOW MUCH THEY CHARGE FOR LABOR PER HOUR (good advice no matter where you go). This really is an incomparable and excellent service establishment. They also provide a 2-year warranty on parts and labor, which is both rare and appreciated.
Tina, thank you so much for the stellar review! We greatly appreciate you taking the time to write about your experience, and we're so glad that we were able to get everything done in time for your trip. We're looking forward to servicing your Eos again in the future!
- Pacific German