Customer Reviews for Underground Autowerks

“Brought my Mercedes in for an inspection & they brought a few items to my attention & also replaced the hydraulic pump for the convertible. Excellent work.”

“5 stars!”

“5 stars!”

“I friend recommended this place to me after I mentioned needing some work done on my son's SUV and I'm so glad to have finally found a solid auto repair shop!

I was really in need of finding an honest and fair shop, because unfortunately that is a bit hard to come across these days. I had taken my cars to other places in the past but I most always left feeling that I had overpaid and possibly for repairs that weren't quite necessary.

My experience with the owner Tim and his crew proved to be spectacular!

The SUV I took in had one major problem that was identified right away by Tim and he quickly got me in. I left the SUV with him and a couple of hours later he called me to discuss other findings and give me some options.

I work in the Kearny Mesa area so I was able to come down a take a look with him. In a nutshell, there were other things that needed attention and instead of Tim just pressuring me to spend more money, he took the time to break down, the actual severity of the other repairs and sort of gave me a plan of action that I could follow when I could afford to spend money on them.

That's just something special that you don't find in many auto repair shops and it blew me away.

Since then, he takes care of all my vehicles and I when the work is done, I never leave with a bad taste in my mouth. Instead, I leave feeling confident that I've been taken great care of and my problems have been solved.

A big thanks to Tim and the crew at Underground Autowerks!”

“I took in my 2019 Audi R8 v10 spyder and my 2019 Mercedes S65 and they took really good care of me and my cars. What a great shop. I’m very happy”

“Stopped by this shop while on a small getaway due to my car having a issue that it was shaking. Tim helped me out and informed me that my car was low on oil and needed an oil change. I was relived that it was such a small fix because I had to drive back to LA the next day. Tim I want to thank you for being honest because you could have told me it was something much bigger and I would’ve believed you. I was gone within 30 minutes. Definitely stop by this place if you need any work sone”

“Got a few performance upgrades for my BMW. Great work, on time, everything feels great on the car now. THANKS!”

“Amazing experience from start to finish! Tim listened to my concerns, gave an honest diagnosis and took the time to explain everything in great detail. This was the third shop I brought my car to for the same issue and Underground came in about $600 less than the other quotes I had received. This will be the only shop I deal with moving forward. A true 5 star establishment.”

“These guys took care of me at a really reasonable rate. Felt like they really cared and wanted to get me back up and running, not just get me back out the door. Will definitely be back if I need any further work.”

“I can always count on these guys to be upfront and provide a great service at a fair price. I will never take my car anywhere else!”

“I've taken all of my cars to Underground Autowerks for years. They're the BEST!! They treat me like family and have never steered me wrong. I trust them 100% with my cars, which is why I always refer everyone I know to them. Recommend them all the way!”

“An honest mechanic is like an honest lawyer - VERY rare. The guys at Underground Autowerks have always been exceptionally upright with me, and have always done everything they can to get the job done professionally and at minimal cost. I have been going to this mechanic for years and have recommended all of my friends and family members to them. Without exception, their experience has been the same. The job always gets done flawlessly the first time, and I have never had a single bad experience with them. A+++++”

“Tim was more than educated in the art of Mercedes! More than Fair on PRICING! We will definitely be dropping by again.”

“5 stars!”

“5 stars!”

“5 stars!”

“Excelent atention.”

“Perfect service brought my Audi TT and Tim helped me clear out the check engine light which had issues with the break hoses and made sure the car was good to drive 10/10 service”

“Look no further for an honest, reliable master mechanic. I have a GLK350. Tim was recommended by a buddy of mine in the industry and I could not be happier with Tim and his shop. I highly recommend.”

“I really had such a positive experience with this company. They were not only extremely easy to work with, but also very professional. I've had some negative experiences at car shops, yet this one was very positive due to the help and assistance of the team!”

“Sorry Yelp. I wrote the below review for Google first, but then decided that Tim and his team were so awesome I had to post it on here as well.

--------

Very rarely do I leave a google or a yelp review. I only do when I feel compelled to and feel that my words may be able to help people by directing them to the right person. It's a win win for the next business and future customers but I'm a busy guy so I usually don't leave a review.

Unless the service blows me away.

Tim is a god damn magician. I was having a hard time passing smog for god knows what how many months. My check engine light on my 2000 prelude was not on at all, but every place, whether mechanic or smog repair, could not find out what was causing the car to trigger OBD2 not ready. Whenever my car was hooked up to a computer it would say that the drive cycle wasn't complete. Drove me freaking insane! No one could figure it out.

Unlike everyone else, Tim took the time to really try to figure out the root of the problem. Turned out my o2 valve was stupid dirty (he showed me before and after pictures) and after he cleaned it the car was able to pass smog. Trust me it's hard to find an honest mechanic, and event harder during COVID!

Dude Tim you saved my life. I love my lude and thanks for saving me man. You are the best - If it wasn't for you I might have had to sell the car since I couldn't pass STAR smog. Customer for life!”

“I was very impressed by the professionalism of this company as well their punctuality. They were very fair with their pricing and took their time to explain what was wrong with my car. I've taken my cats to many shops and this was by far the best experience I've had so far.”

“Very easy to work with, no hassle, up-front and efficient. Friendly interactions and very professional. (Mercedes 300)”

“Had an emergency engine light come on, funny sound under the body of my 2012 C250 sport. Got the engine light code read, and it said something to do with cam sensor. Took my vehicle to Tim and he knew what the issue was right away! He replaced my camshaft adjusters and thermostat for a very reasonable price, on New Year's Eve, in 24 hours. He then gave me a few pointers on the next couple days and asked me to come in a week later so he could check my fluids and make sure I was good to go. Tim seems like a very knowledgeable person, especially in the Mercedes Benz realm. I highly recommend him for any of your German vehicle needs!!”

“I have had the unique experience to visit both the San Diego and National City Underground Autowerks (hereinafter UA). I am impressed with the owner's (Tim) professionalism, analytical/problem solving skills and time management. I have visited UA a number of times to resolve problems on two of my Mercedes. My sense is that San Diego and National City is/are very lucky to have the level of quality management Tim (owner) brings to auto repair. Speaking for myself, I will be a customer for life! Note: Tim keeps the National City facility open primarily to not have his south bay customers travel the distance to San Diego when repairs are needed. Thank you Tim. I welcome any questions as to my comments.”

“Tim has been great...he was recommended to us by another -local- European Car Mechanic. We bought our Mercedes GL450 for a great, low price...and immediately discovered why! The pneumatic shocks and the pump were shot. Tim replaced everything and the car drives like new! We have other problems to work through and Tim will work with us to do so over time. My wife and I will now be bringing her new -used- car (also bought at a great price) for needed work.”

“I have a 2002 Mercedes ML320 that I take to a regular mechanic next door to my office that I have used for years.
My car has about 235k miles on it and has been relatively maintenance free except for the usual stuff.
Having been an owner of a few BMW's in the past, I'm increasingly wary that a big repair job might come sooner than later so I've been thinking about selling my car before that something "bad" happens.
Over the last 6 months or so my car started making a clacking sound when I would accelerate or decelerate that was starting to get more and more pronounced. My regular mechanic said that it looked like it was a problem with the bearings in my control arm which is something he couldn't work on. He referred me to a shop in Pacific Beach that they trust (Dual Tone) and they determined that it was an issue with the transfer case. Since they were an alignment shop they couldn't help and suggested I try a place in El Cajon called Pro Gear.
Once I learned that the transfer case was the issue I circled back to my regular mechanic to see if he could help and they couldn't do that either because they don't do drive train work. He was kind enough again to offer a referral to another shop they trust (Mr Trans) in the Clairemont area. When I got to Mr Trans I was really impressed with the knowledge and professionalism they exuded and was struck by how credible they were by the companies that use them for their drive train issues. They also do a ton of work on Mercedes Benz's which was comforting.
Once they had a look at it they also diagnosed that the issue was stemming from the transfer case and that they couldn't pinpoint if it was the front or rear even when using a stethoscope to listen to it. They basically said my only options were to replace it, which was cost prohibitive (about $5600), or they could take it apart and reassemble it to diagnose the problem, but that it would cost more to repair it once they knew for sure what the problem was.
The friend I originally bought the car from uses a Mercedes mechanic in Chula Vista called Southbay Autohaus, or something like that, and they confirmed what the guys at Mr Tran's said. Similar prices too.
So I'm sitting here with a car I can't sell because nobody would buy a car with that noise especially if they knew how expensive the pending repair was going to be.
I let a week go by and figured I had nothing to lose by trying one last place so I Googled ProGear. I couldn't find one in the East County but there was one in San Diego so I gave them a shot. When I called they basically said the same thing again, and that they could only do the replacement option because they don't do servicing jobs on transfer cases. Again, I got a referral to another shop called Underground Autowerks and was told to speak to Tim who had previously been a Mercedes mechanic for 15 years.
Why not? I called Tim and described all of the above and I could tell he was shaking his head in disagreement at what I had been told. He told me to bring the car in and he could do a diagnosis in 1 1/2 hours. I told him I would bring the car in sometime the following week and he said fine.
I decided I would take a chance and see if he could fit me in the same day since it was almost lunch time. I called him back and he said no problem.
When I got their he took the keys, told me where to go for some great Korean food nearby and said he would call me in an hour or so.
I sat down to eat and Tim called within 20 minutes and told me the problem wasn't the transfer case and that he could fix the problem for $250 parts and labor out the door. I asked if he could guarantee the sound wouldn't come back and he said yes. I told him to fix it and call me when the work was done. 20 minutes later he calls and said that he was done and the sound was gone.
The problem wasn't the transfer case but instead the torsions bar (that apparently connect to the transfer case). They had to be serviced, lubed and that was it.
I was blown away at a number of things:
1. He knew exactly what the problem was immediately.
2. He was honest and didn't try to up-sell me on anything else like dealerships always do. In fact my washer fluid light had been on for about a week and he topped that off for me no charge.
3. His price to fix the car was great, not to mention how much I saved by not spending it on misdiagnosis's elsewhere.
4. He was really knowledgeable about European cars in general. In fact, he told me how the V12 I used to have in my 850 BMW was used in the much higher-end Phantom Ghost. The guy is like the Encyclopedia Britannica of European car history and repair.
I don't begrudge any of the other shops I went too for the incorrect diagnosis's, but they just didn't know what Tim knew.
Tim hit it out of the park with his expertise. I give him my highest recommendation.”

“Tim is a great guy and he runs a great Workshop very clean and very professional they specialize in BMW Mercedes Etc but the prices are very reasonable probably half of what you would pay for at the dealer very honest and to the point very helpful I'm glad I have found your business I just wish more people had the integrity and honesty such as yours thank you”

“With so many repair shops being dishonest with corrupt upselling practices. I was so pleased with the way this shop took care of my Mercedes S500. They have two locations and I went to there National City location. They were straight up with me and they never tried to offer me service I didn't need! They worked quickly to get me back on the road and I really appreciate that a lot. The owner Tim was easy to talk to and the thing that impressed me the most was that he actually cared about making sure my car gets back on the road! Thank you Underground Autowerks.”

“Amazing service. Tim is so knowledeable.. he always tries to help you and do so with great reduced cost. Thank you. I will reco.mend you to all my friends... ken”

“Sometimes an auto repair shop can be intimidating. The service was great! Everyone is professional and made it as quick and painless as can be expected. Tim was honest and did not try to up sell me on anything I didn't need. I highly recommend Underground. Thanks Tim!”

“Tim went above and beyond my expectations. He explains with great detail what is wrong with your car and happily shows you in the shop what caused your issues. His work is a reflection of his 20+ years of experience in automotive but his care about his customers exceeds what most can learn in a life time. He is fair and above all, aims to give you the best service possible.

I visited several shops and Underground Autowerks is the only place that aims to save you money and does not upsell anything. My experience with Tim is nothing less than a solid 6 stars. To summarize my experience with him, I called the shop and requested a quote. He jotted down all relevant information regarding the car and would call back. In our second talk, he went out of his way to acquire a unique part I needed, had it shipped from Orange Country and managed to quote me at a little more than half the price of two other shops. He also explained with great detail how my issue arose (something no other shop did) and I happily set up an appointment.

The thing about Underground Autowerks is that it didn't feel like a typical shop where you drop your car off, bend over and take a good one then pay whatever they want before you can say please be gentle. At Underground Autowerks, Tim will ensure you understand all options before proceeding and would aim to give you the best price and best service. Considering he saved me ~1200$, I have no plans of going anywhere else.”

“5 stars!”

“Tim hands down great VW mechanic. Took my 2014 GLI for a DSG service and spark plugs. Better pricing than any other shop or dealership. Finished the job at the estimated time. Definitely recommend Tim for any European car work.”

“5 stars!”

“The owner of the shop was extremely helpful and friendly”

“I have been taking my VWs to Tim at Underground Autowerks for years! His passion for cars is evident and his work ethic is spot on! After my factory warrantee expired, I shopped around a bit and found this shop. Not only was it far less expensive, the work put in was done by a professional that cares about the work that is done.”

“Tim has worked wonders on my car. If there's a problem with your vehicle, Tim will find a solution.”

“Awesome place truly honest staff that doesn't try to rip you off they're there to help..”

“5 stars!”

“5 stars!”

“Service was awesome
Got car back same day
Could not have asked for anything else but excellent service
FREE DYNASTIC.......
GREAT DEALS
LOW PRICES”

“5 stars!”

“5 stars!”

“5 stars!”

“5 stars!”

“I have used Underground Autowerks for more than 4 years. Tim is a highly skilled and efficient owner and mechanic. He has maintained and repaired two different BMW's for us. His work is first class quality and he always saves me big bucks. He actually repaired one electrical problem the old school way because the replacement part from BMW was going to cost $1800. He charged me 300 for the whole thing. Nice. The cars are always ready when promised. A real bonus is he is open Saturdays. His mentor Wolfgang from Optimum Performance would be proud.
I highly recommend Tim and Underground Autowerks. Very surprising to see the one star comment. Just has not been my experience.

*UPDATED REVIEW*

Well had a new issue with our Bmw. Transmission problem. Once again Tim at Underground Autowerks step up. He repaired our car by working through the night and had it ready for pickup when the shop opened the next morning. Just amazing service.”

“I brought in my 2014 Mercedes which was leaking coolant. Immediately Tim was able to pin point the issue and was able to get the issue resolved. Tim and his staff were polite and nothing but professional. I am most appreciative of Tim's honest and how he did not try and inflate the price if I had gone to the dealership. I highly recommend Tim's shop at the National City location, as I'm sure the shop as I'm sure the shop in San Diego is nothing shy of being proficient and professional. Tim I look forward to working with you in the future!”

“Brought my TDI in after the turbo went out. Extremely professional and courteous experience from the staff. Tim could not have been more helpful or considerate of our time and situation.

Went back for a timing belt change a couple weeks later after shopping around a bit. His price was by far the lowest and he never tried to sell me on anything or talk over my head about what he was doing.

He's got all of our business from now on.”

“My car suddenly stop starting. After several attempts by AAA on jumping the battery it was suspected that maybe it was the starter. Eventually i had it towed to Underground Autowerks after diligently searching for a reasonable but dependable service. I saw the great reviews and just desperate to have my car repaired. Tim called back and gave an honest estimate on the necessary repair on a Friday afternoon ordered parts and got the car ready by Saturday afternoon. Overall very pleased with the work performed. My car runs like a new car.”

“Tim went above and beyond my expectations. He explains with great detail what is wrong with your car and happily shows you in the shop what caused your issues. His work is a reflection of his 20+ years of experience in automotive but his care about his customers exceeds what most can learn in a life time. He is fair and above all, aims to give you the best service possible.

I visited several shops and Underground Autowerks is the only place that aims to save you money and does not upsell anything. My experience with Tim is nothing less than a solid 6 stars. To summarize my experience with him, I called the shop and requested a quote. He jotted down all relevant information regarding the car and would call back. In our second talk, he went out of his way to acquire a unique part I needed, had it shipped from Orange Country and managed to quote me at a little more than half the price of two other shops. He also explained with great detail how my issue arose (something no other shop did) and I happily set up an appointment.

The thing about Underground Autowerks is that it didn't feel like a typical shop where you drop your car off, bend over and take a good one then pay whatever they want before you can say please be gentle. At Underground Autowerks, Tim will ensure you understand all options before proceeding and would aim to give you the best price and best service. Considering he saved me ~1200$, I have no plans of going anywhere else.”

“I took my car to the Kearny Mesa location for a complete 90K service. Excellent, fast, honest and friendly. I would recommend them to all my friends - and I have.
Tim is a great mechanic. - Thanks”

“Awesome shop! This is where I take my BMWs and VW for any issues that can be very complicated. Prices are very reasonable, all issues about the car are brought up front and they are provide an outstanding service. Thanks, Tim!”

“We took my girlfriend's VW Beetle to Tim at Underground Autowerks in National City after taking it to two other places. He diagnosed and fixed a complicated electrical problem right away for a very fair price. Now we call him the Volkswagen whisperer.
Thanks Tim for a job well done!”

“I waited 2 months before writing this review to see if their work help up.

I purchased a used pick-up and wanted to know what I was getting. These guys were kind enough to see me pretty much right away. They worked the vehicle over and gave me a comprehensive assessment after about 45 minutes.

Two months later, I am extremely pleased that nothing new, weird, or disappointing has come up. They pretty much nailed every little item that I should expect.

At the time, I offered them a tip for their quick and excellent service which they declined - saying it is just how they do business. I figure that if they aren't going to take $$ form me then, the chances that they would try to screw me on service is pretty much zero. I would definitely recommend their services.”

“This place was awesome!! Had a diagnostic test done and they were honest and up front about the issues on my newly purchased Mercedes. I was able to take the car back to the dealer and use the diagnostic test to help resolve my issues. Thank you for the great service and report!!”

“These guys were great! I had a dead battery on my VW Tiguan on a Saturday and these guys were able to do a 60K inspection and a battery change all without appointment. I got some good tips too about my car and how it compared to other vehicles in its class. So glad i found a mechanic for my VW that is so much cheaper than the dealer!”

“The techs there are the best. They can solve pretty much any problem that is going on with vehicle. If you want honest and reliable work done on your car, bring it here.”

“I recently had my vehicle here for brake service and was quite impressed. 1st off the employees were kind and friendly. I was given an honest estimate and was not forced in to purchasing anything. The service was performed in a timely manner and the price was far more competitive than the dealership. I would recommend Underground Auotwerks to friend/family.”