Empower Group, Inc.

I’ve been a customer of Empower motors for over a decade now. I’ve bought several used cars from them for myself, and so have my sisters and parents. Their mechanic shop is great as well. Never had to compare their prices with others. They’re very reasonable and great service!

I was having issues with my BMW, I took it to the BWM dealership and they flat out tried to rip me off. A friend told me about Empower in Burbank. I took my car here and met James. James was honest and very straight forward. He explained what my car needed to be fixed, he advised me on things that I could get away with fixing at a later time. He was 100% trust worthy… James fixed my car, my car is been running great and I paid WAY less than what the dealer was trying to charge me. I highly recommend taking your car to James. He’s a true professional!

Andy is the most honest car dealer in California. He is knowledgeable about the cars he sells and cares about his customers. I will always do business and refer business to Empower Auto Sales. Andy goes out of his way to take care of customers and is a master mechanic.

I have taken my vehicle to Empower several times since I live in the Burbank area and have had nothing but superb experience with excellent service. James is extremely friendly, kind, professional, patient and has extensive amount of knowledge in the field. He always takes great care of my vehicle and does a phenomenal job explaining what it needs. If you are looking for an outstanding mechanic, Empower is the place to be.

What a RUDE way to run a business. James is extremely confrontational and tries to intimidate customers. I had $ 2,000 of repairs done at Empower and was treated terribly. They told me they had washed my car and when I realized hey hadn’t I asked if they could please do so. They said to come back on Wednesday when the guy is there who cleans it. I came back and waited and hour and ended up leaving because he never showed up.
Then, I came back when a service light came on several months later. James was very patronizing and told me nothing was wrong without thoroughly checking my car. I told him I had had to fill my engine with a quart of oil recently and I was worried I might have a leak. He made a big scene and my boyfriend and I left. He really upset me. Several days later, my car was completely out of oil. I had to take it to another mechanic who said I had a bad filter and I could see the oil spilling over when he opened my hood. James could have saved me the extra trip and being late to work had he just done his JOB. I called back to let him know what had happened to me and he was yelling over me and being rude as usual on the phone. In other words, don’t be fooled by this place! They seem knowledgable at first but it’s a big game. They screen calls and are very rude to customers!!! I will never do business here again.

I recently moved to LA and was in desperate need of a car — my first car! I had been looking around dealers near where I live in Burbank but somehow did not come across Empower until someone I know mentioned that it was five minutes away from where I live.
I decided to go check it out and see if there was anything for me there. I ended up buying a 2005 Nissan Altima within 24 hours! I am so so so happy with my purchase and they made the process so easy and so relaxed. It also helped that they had actually sold my car to its previous owner and had done all of its maintenance for the past four or five years.
These guys know what they are doing and they definitely know everything about the cars on their lot. I went to a few dealers in the same area where they couldn’t even tell me basic info about the cars I was looking at.
Andy is also incredibly honest and helpful. For example, when I asked for the CARFAX report, he also gave me the Kelley Blue Book breakdown of the price — something I have never heard of a used car dealership doing. He also helped set me up with an insurance plan by referring me to an insurance agency so that I could drive right after buying the car.
When I asked about the maintenance plan that they offer, Andy even told me that it would not be worth it since the cost of the plan would nearly equal half of the value of my car. So basically, instead of trying to get as much money as they could out of me, they really prioritized my needs and budget.
I could not be happier with my purchase. If you are looking to buy a car and you happen to find what you want at Empower, don’t even hesitate to go and talk to them about it. The process was transparent, simple and easy!

These guys rock. If you own a Beemer in the Valley, bring it here for anything and everything. Hell, even if you’re on the West Side or the South Bay, bring it here.
Fast, reliable, professional, friendly, and reasonable.
Don’t get reamed by another BMW dealership!
I’ve written three Unilocal reviews in my life and two of them are about this place. Stop sweating the idiot lights and ask for James.
They’ve earned their stars.

Wow were do I start…

They are spectacular in every way!!! I used to take my 1995 BMW there and Andy helped me keep it in tip top shape. A few years back I traded it in for a new 328i and it was under warranty.
One week after the warranty ran out, car had transmission problems — dealer wanted thousands… Ugh!
Andy asked me to have my car towed and he would look at it. It was actually a broken sensor — he ordered a new one and I was back on the road the next day for, wait for it… $ 300!!! Can you believe it???
They are honest and want your business. They value customers and customer service.

I have been going to Empower almost since it opened with 4 different cars. What first impressed me was Andy’s knowledge of all things BMW, he was able to hone in on the problem almost instantly and was able to give a close ball part figure off the top of his head. The second thing that impressed me was his honesty, if he found something else wrong he would alert me and explain the cost — not only of the part but also the potential cost of not fixing it and the problems that it could create down the road… or if it could be ignored until a later date if it was something not serious. He was also able to offer OEM and Non OEM parts to save you some money — but he would also advise if it was worthwhile getting the cheaper parts. Not all non OEM parts are created equally. Never a problem — my cars are always fixed promptly and professionally and within the promised estimate!

As trust worthy as you can get. My local mechanic after my Audi’s warranty ran out. My part came in cheaper than quoted and they told me! As a loyal customer, they replace my burned out light at nc. BEST!

I am a complete paranoid neurotic when it comes to taking care of my car. Andy and James are the best. And now that I’ve found them, I won’t take my 06 550i anywhere else. They are knowledgable, fair, and passionate about their work.

I needed a couple gaskets replaced on my BMW 328i convertible and was quoted over $ 1600 from the dealership. I called and spoke with Andy. I could tell by his description of what parts needed that he knew what he was doing. I did call other places and Empower was not the least in cost. But they were close and the other places didn’t sound 100% to me. So I made the appointment and brought my car in. James was the mechanic and he is one capable and nice guy. He explained what was going to be done and showed me the details. While I was there I also asked them about repainting my front bumper because of a number of scratches. The price was agreeable so I left my car. 4 days later I picked it up and it was good as new — both mechanically and aesthetically. James showed me the parts that were replaced and Andy wouldn’t let me pay without first looking over the work. I’m very happy about finding this little gem, specially since I live in Burbank. I’ve always loved German cars but stayed away from them because of the cost of ownership. Now I can get whatever car I want and not sweat it.
By the way — the cost of the repairs still came out to less than half the dealership cost.

Best Mechanics/​Service & Used Luxury Car Dealership In Town!
I have brought all of my used BMW’s to EMpower Group for mechanical services for over 9 years. Then, when my last one was on it’s last legs (it had well over 150K miles). Andy found me the BMW I was looking for at GREAT PRICE (I had already been researching the model and year that I wanted). I was thrilled. No other dealership or vehicle on-​line could compare with the price and he car-​faxed it for me to show it hadn’t been in any accidents and that it had one previous owner. I’m still happily driving that BMW today, and Andy and his team keep it in in top condition. I have recommended him to clients and friends. Andy always tells you like it is when it comes to the cost of the repair and the time it will take. EVERYONE I’ve referred (and one of my friends’ father is a retired car mechanic) is happy with EMpowers service and super reasonable prices. They are hands down, the best.

Short Version: Very happy and will/​would definitely go back and would recommend them to friends and family alike without hesitation.
Long Version:
I took my 2002 BMW Z3 in for service regarding an oil leak. The service manger, James, popped the hood and gave the engine the once over and diagnosed the problem as being two fold: A leaking valve cover gasket and leaking oil filter housing gasket. (1 point for doing this diagnosis with me present and showing me precisely where the problems were.)
When I told James that the valve cover gasket was replaced about two years ago he suggested I take it back to who ever did the work and see if they would make good on it (Another point for not insisting he do the work. PS. if you’re wondering, it was MiniCorsa that did the first valve cover gasket job. I’ll get back to this in a bit)
After James outlined where and what the leaks were I discussed with him my concerns about some clutch chatter in first gear on cold start ups. He asked me how bad it was and how bothered I was by it. I told him not much on both counts. To which he replied «I’d wait until it’s a real problem» (A 3^rd point for NOT insisting we do $ 1500 worth of clutch work.)
As James was writing up the work order he mentioned that he would look at the oil sensor — it reads viscosity, temperature and levels — and if it was bad he suggested we replace it, but when he looked up the price and saw that it was a $ 180 part he said «Forget, that’s too much… you don’t need it» (4^th point for not up selling me a second time. In case you’re wondering with a bad sensor you do not run the risk of damaging the engine. It’s just a sensor. And as long as you can pull and read a dipstick there is no real need for it. On some BMW’s a bad sensor will prevent the car from running as a safety precaution but not on a 2002 Z3.
Now, I cannot attest to their timeliness. I suspect it’s on par with most shops. In this case I was in no particular hurry and told them they could have the car for a day or two if need be.
When the work was completed James called and let me know. When I arrived to pick up my car James had the one thing my father taught me all good mechanics should have — A BOX WITH ALL THE PARTS HE TOOK OFF THE CAR AND REPLACED. The best part about this was that I had forgotten to ask for this but he did it anyway. Even better, he proceeded to show me pictures on his iphone that he took of the work being done.
Needless to say I was very impressed and very pleased.
Footnote: I was told, and showed, that the valve cover gasket that MiniCorsa put on my car was the wrong size — it wasn’t tall enough and that was the cause of the leak. FYI, this care is my weekender and as such have driven about 4k miles in the last two years, this, I suspect, is why the valve cover didn’t leak sooner. Let that be a lesson to weekend drivers.

Wednesday, 8÷14÷13, I drove to Empower in my 1997 BMW 328i. Two problems: «Brake Circuit Failure» was blinking at me from the onboard computer, and two days ago the airbag indicator lit up.
I explained the problem to James who immediately diagnosed the first problem as a faulty brake pedal switch. He showed me the part on his computer screen and gave me a price for it and installation. He offered to do the airbag reset free. The whole thing would take an hour max, he said.
How cool is that? I left the car and moseyed off to a coffee shop while the boys got to work. An hour later… finished. He explained that the airbag indicator lit up most probably because of a switch at the seat belt. «No big deal to change it out if it lights up again,» he said.
I handed him the debit card, he printed the invoice and I was on my way. Perfect. Five stars. They’re good people. Thanks James! :)

We bought our car here, several years ago, and everyone is fantastic. We still get the car serviced here because of the level and quality of service. Andy is a great guy who really knows his cars! I’m always impressed. He’s been very kind to me and my husband. The lot is always immaculate too, and the office and waiting room area isn’t like the typical greasy car place you go to. It’s very professional. I can highly recommend Empower if you want to buy a car or get yours serviced.

Last year I bought a preowned 2003 530 at a Pre-​Owned Dealer in Pasadena.
In negotiating, after having the car inspected at the shop I took by previous BMW, the dealer agreed to do my brakes as part of the deal. He sent me to Andy and Empower. I was disappointed that I couldn’t take it to my local shop, because I know they do good work too. But… wait for it…
What an amazing discovery. When you have a car that typically costs more for maintenance, you don’t want to go to a dealership and finding an independent place that does quality work and a fair price is like winning the lottery!
Andy is passionate about BMW’s. He originally bought the lot to restore his own classic BMW’s. The business grew from there. He’s knowledgable. Friday the AC was working intermittently. I described over the phone what was going on, Andy knew exactly what to do, had it done the next day within 2 hours! Jason and the rest of the staff are polite and are equally auto enthusiasts! I am happy bring my car here for service! They also offer re-​sale of previously owned cars high end cars that are in good condition.

I am from Vegas. Going to Los Angeles for them. So u know how good they are

We stopped in tonight to look at a used car we saw online, and found the lot to be small and poorly lit, and the cars somewhat jammed in. Also noticed that they were all pretty dusty, as though they hadn’t been through and cleaned them up in quite some time.
The salesman approached us and let us go for a test drive, but when my friend opened the hood he rushed over and almost seemed to want to distract him; at least that was my friend’s impression and mine. He was polite enough and answered questions as best he could, though sometimes he was a bit vague and pinning him down on specifics was hard.
We ended up, all three of us there to shop, deciding that our gut feeling was to not buy a car here. It had that «Fast Eddie’s» feel to it.