Elite AutoCare

The staff was super friendly and very helpful. If you have a European car, I definitely suggest taking it here if you’d like to get it thoroughly inspected. After running a diagnostic, they told me everything that needed work. Although it is a bit on the pricier side, the excellent service and knowledge makes up for it.

I’ve been taking my 2007 GTI to Elite for a little over a year now and I will continue to. The team at Elite is very thorough. They have alway been up front about the work that needs to be done vs the work that should be done and the costs associated with all options.
Now that my wife’s Tiguan is beyond the factory maintenance timeframe I will be taking her car to Elite.

Great customer service. Professional and straightforward. The cost of my repairs were very expensive, but I was glad to get my car running after being stranded by BMW Seattle. Joe is a good guy and he treated me better than the repair advisor at the dealership.

Great customer service. from promptly returned phone calls to clearly explaining what was wrong and what the cost would be for repairs. All work was done in a timely fashion. Thanks Joe

BUYER BEWARE! This shop claims to be European car specialists, but they are either incompetent or crooks. If you take your car there, you better know enough about your car to call their bluff when they tell you a repair is necessary. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say Joe was helpful and informative, just like some of the positive reviews on this site. Knowing what I know now, I’d say he’s just a well-​practiced con man.
Another long, unfavorable review of Elite Auto Care here. Long story short, they quoted me 5.9 hours and $ 1,100 for a repair that is easily done in 2 hours by someone with basic skills who has never performed it before. They either lied about why it would take so long or had no idea what they were talking about. My strong suspicion is that they were lying because incompetence of this magnitude just isn’t believable.
I took our 2007 BMW X5 to Elite Auto Care on 12/​15/​2014 for an oil change and to clear the service engine light. Joe, the service advisor, called me to tell me that the wiring sleeve to the transmission was leaking and should be replaced along with the automatic transmission fluid and transmission pan/​filter. The price for this? $ 1,100. Joe said they’d done a number of these and depending on how much «trouble» the repair gives them, they might have to keep the car overnight. He said if left unrepaired that the transmission fluid could «wick» up the wiring and into the car’s computer, causing it to require replacement. Scary, right? (Also completely unbelievable. Try Googling «automatic transmission fluid in computer.» You won’t find anything.) I declined the repair and did some research. The leaking sleeve is an extremely common problem in BMWs and Mercedes that use the ZF transmission. Their are many people who perform this repair themselves. If you can change your car’s oil, you can do this repair. The price Elite quoted was at the high end of what a dealership would charge. Some BMW dealerships do this repair including parts for $ 600-​$ 700…but that wasn’t the most disturbing thing about their repair proposal.
When I picked up the car, I asked Joe why they charge so much for the repair. He said that it was because the exhaust system had to be removed to get to the transmission pan. He said, «The book says its a 5.9 hour job.» At the time, I didn’t know any better and just thought that the repairs I had seen referenced online were not specific to the X5. I continued to research and continued to suspect that what Joe had told me was untrue. All it took to confirm my suspicions was 5 minutes to pull off the small underbody panel that covers the transmission and it was quite obvious that removing the exhaust system was completely unnecessary. All bolts holding the transmission pan onto the transmission housing were completely accessible (see attached picture). I ordered the parts and did the repair myself in two hours. I found BMW techs online who said they could do it in about 45 minutes.
I later called Joe to confront him about his claims. Instead of «the book» showing that it was such a long job, now he claimed ignorance and said it was his technician who told him that it was so long and complicated. He didn’t have anything to say for himself except, «Thanks for the information.» To his credit, he did wish me a Merry Christmas, but in that PO’d «I’m hanging up on you» tone that you’d expect. Merry Christmas to you too, Joe, and have a happy new year trying to rip people off. Hopefully a few less now.
I wish people like this who feel it’s necessary to lie and steal to make a living would do us all a favor and just find a new profession.

Horrible Experience. Paid for a diagnostic service which was not performed. Denied at first that the service wasn’t performed, then admitted that it wasn’t necessary because they already knew what the problem was. Took the car to another mechanic who did the test and performed the work, and said that the problem Elite wanted to fix was incorrect and would have been diagnosed had they done the test. The manager/​owner was not only defensive, but abusive and threatening. I was truly shocked, but probably would have let it pass if not for the fact that when i contacted the corporate headquarters, they not only did not return my call, but a chat attendant routed me to the abusive manager after i had already explained the situation.
I have had better experiences when Elite was in their previous location on Market Street – but this was the pits.

Asked for an expedite service which they provided but did a terrible job. They didn’t replace the oil cap properly on my car causing me to spill oil all over my driveway. no refund was offered and no discounts for future business. This place is nothing but elite.
Find a different European auto shop.

I highly recommend Elite Autocare. Their price is reasonable, amazing customer service, and timely. I have had a breakdown when my VW Jetta broke down and the guys there truly took care of my car even though I was a little kuku. I truly appreciate them for their understanding and my Jetta doesn’t go anywhere else ever since I found them about 3 years ago.

*Disclaimer* Long and detailed review — read the summary if you’re in a hurry. Read everything else if you’re looking for a long term relationship with your mechanic.
Summary:
These guys are friendly and generally knowledgeable about Euro cars. They don’t stock parts, so be prepared to get involved in minutiae of their parts supply chain. They may have good technicians, but realistically, you can’t expect them to be experts in specifics of your make/​model/​year. Oh, and be prepared to pay if anyone even touches your car. By design, the operation is not a once-​and-​done. It’s like crack — you’ll have to go back for your regular fixes, and pay for each visit. My visits left a lot to be desired in terms of completion of tasks.
Details:
I had brought in my BMW X3 for brake replacement, and have been visiting them fairly frequently since then. My experience through this process was less then spectacular due to the following reasons:
1. I brought in my car for a brake replacement. I was informed about other services (std.inspection, detailed service for 120K) that could be performed that nearly doubled my expected expenses.
2. After being hit with a massive bill (I was expecting 1.2K instead of the 2.4K), I received my car the same day, and it wasn’t detailed «because they had a busy day», and my chief complaints were not addressed. To be fair, they did call me and tell me about the estimated costs. Either way, you don’t want unexpected increase in expenses, and worse, you don’t want to come back to a car that hasn’t been cleaned up (esp. if it’s advertised as a benefit)
My chief complaints when I took the car in were:
— Grinding noise from wheels at lower speed
–Sun roof seems stuck
— Wiper fluid leaks
When my car was returned, NONE of these were addressed. I was asked to test-​drive the car to verify the noise was gone. I was asked to take the car to another shop to get the sunroof fixed, and I was told I should «monitor» the wiper fluid. When I returned explaining the wiper fluid drain, I was told it could be because I may not be using it correctly, which could cause the drain. Seriously? Is this what you tell your customers?
3. I had to return just a few days later because my front headlamp stopped working — probably a coincidence. When I brought my car in, they attended to me quickly, and told me it was a blown bulb. I was charged for this part and labor for this replacement even though the labor was not a qualified technician. I had no estimates of the cost or know what to expect when given another bill.
I was told to feel good because it was cheaper than the several hundreds I could have been charged for labor. That’s supposed to make me feel good? Fine.
When this lamp was flickering again, I called in. I was told there would be a call back confirming the time, but this request was somehow «misplaced» (note that there’s a warranty that needs to be respected here)
When I called again, I was told I could come in as early as 8am on a day that week, which I did. It turns out my request was never recorded and I was scheduled to come in at noon. I was told this would be an hour’s worth of work, but was later told it would depend on when some part arrives. I waited for over 3 hours, and had to then write off my entire day for this. I didn’t receive my vehicle on time, and I was told several times that they were not able to determine what the problem is. two different parts were replaced, and I was repeatedly told about the cost of these parts, and how I should be grateful to them. (Note that these parts had to be replaced due to faulty installation)
At the end of this, the problem still existed, and I was told they cannot replace the module which may have been shorted due to an incorrect installation done at their shop previously. «We can’t keep replacing parts because something we did isn’t working. It’s a $ 500 part».
The final straw was when I was told that the complaint about the headlamp was wrong! The «lamp isn’t flickering»…And I’m now supposed to think this is all my fault?
At the very least, I want people to be aware of the ridiculous runarounds I’ve had to go through after having spent over $ 2700 for services at this location.
Bottom line: My car is in no shape or form better (actually, it’s now worse with a busted headlamp for unknown reasons) than it was when I took it in.

Only been there once to get my power steering pump replaced on my BMW. Very positive experience. Everyone was nice, straight forward, and took the time to answer my questions. They also handled the service company very well, that’s the first time I didn’t have to deal with them not wanting to pay. Very professional. And they washed and cleaned my car too. It was perfect and gleaming when I got it back. I will definitely be going back, and fully recommend Elite!

Had a thermostat replaced on my 2008 VW Jetta GLI and had a good experience. I’m going to start coming here from now on until otherwise. Joe was very helpful, detailed, and kept the bill as quoted even though the mechanic, Andrew, stayed past his shift to help me make sure that my car was running perfectly before letting me take it away. He wouldn’t be done with the car until he heard that fan come on and so we waited until so. These guys seem genuinely interested in fixing cars and are very determined in doing so.

Elite Autocare is a great place to bring your car. Their prices are reasonable, they’re extraordinarily accommodating, and the service is spectacular. Joe in particular was amazing; he spent over an hour discussing issues with my car, things I need to fix, things I DID NOT need to fix, and things to look out for. He was always willing to explain anything that I did not understand and came off as a very up-​front and helpful guy. They need to give him a raise!
There were a couple times that I had some issues with my car after I got it back, but they took it back and worked at it until it was truly fixed, at no extra charge. I would definitely recommend them to any of my friends in the Seattle area.
The reason why I gave them ⁴⁄₅ stars instead of a perfect 5 is because I’ve had to go back a couple of times to get things replaced/​looked at again (faulty new wipers, sensor lights, etc) but again, they were courteous and understanding and fixed everything free of charge.
I have a 2002 Mercedes C-​Class.

I have a 1991 Mercedes 300XL that needed some transmission work done baaaaad! These guys fixed it up good & fast! My car is running so smooth now… I am really happy! Small personable place, clean, the guys were nice & I felt they were honest. Thanks Elite!

I had had it up to here (hand really high above my head) with auto mechanic’s lack of professionalism. So much so, that I swore to do all my own repairs for years. One day, I realized my late 80’s Benz’s radiator was leaking profusely. I didn’t have the time to fix it myself, so with Elite being the closest foreign shop to my house, I took it in at 3:30pm hoping they could make a quick repair. They told me it would be ready by noon the next day, but low and behold, I get a call at 5:30 the same day. It was ready! I thought the saying «under-​promise, over-​deliver» was unheard of in the auto service industry! The price was fair, the shop was clean and orderly, and most importantly, the professionalism was there. Thanks Elite. I’ll be back next time I’m in a bind I can’t get myself out of.

These guys are great! They fixed the mess that Campbell Nelson left us with. It took over a month for our Eurovan transmission repair, but it was worth it! (Tyler wan’t satisified with the shifting and kept the van until it was perfect.) They kept their original quote even though they worked overtime on the project. We highly recommend them.

I drove out of my way for service here due to the great reviews I read on Unilocal.My experience was very different than the others before me. I scheduled an appointment for a switch to be replaced and then called back the next day to reschedule. When I arrived to have the part replaced they informed me that they sent the part back because «it was sitting around for a while.» I reminded them that I was there for an appointment which they had on the books and that I still needed the part. Their response was «well we don’t have it anymore.»
I can’t comment on the quality of their work but my experience with their customer service was terrible. In addition to not having the part and no constructive suggestions, the person I was dealing with (the owner he informed me) literally stood up and puffed his chest out when he appeared to become frustrated. Defiantly not the type of group I’d feel comfortable trusting with my car in the future.

***SEE UPDATE BELOW***
I have an Audi S4 that has been giving me some problems lately (B5 owners… you feel my pain). After taking it to University Audi a few times (mmmm…doughnuts) I was looking for someone I could trust. I found them right under my nose in Ballard.
Tyler and his crew (what is singular for crew… I think there is only one other guy), are great. He regularly takes the time to chat with me at length about my car and what might be happening. He is very thorough. His rates are very competitive. And he seems to really want to save me money, crazy I know. These guys know Euro cars front to back, side to side. I would not hesitate to take my car back there. If I end up keeping my Audi *fingers crossed*, Tyler will be it’s doctor for the rest of it’s natural life.
***EDIT***
OK so today I brought my car in today because there was a pretty nasty «thunk thunk thunk thunk thunk» coming from the front end. I thought it might be the subframe mounts and asked Ken (Tyler is no longer at elite by the way… he works at Eastside European, Elites sister store) to check all the bolts and make sure everything was tight.
I get a call a few hours later saying that everything is tight and they cant figure out what it is. He suggests a special high tech (and expensive) microphone test to determine the location of the noise. I reluctantly agree and a few hours later he calls and says they cant figure it out but think it might be the axle. He says for $ 447 it *might* fix the problem.
At this point I am already $ 250 in and thinking…“um no I can do this myself”. So I call Schucks down the street and they have a re-​manufactured OEM axle in stock for $ 50! Now I can do this job in 1.5−2 hours easy so I figure I will just do it myself and save $ 400 (minus the money it cost me to figure out what I already suspected).
I pay my $ 250 and head to Schucks. In the lot at Schucks I think to myself… this sounds like aluminum thunk thunk thunking… my wheel is aluminum… hmmmmmm. So I pop the lug nut cover and discover 3 bolts are almost out and the other 2 are hanging by a few threads. I tighten it up and drive away… NO SOUND. Yup my wheel was about to fall off.
I called Ken immediately and asked why his mechanic 1) never took my wheel off, which in my humble opinion needs to be done to really inspect the control arms and suspension and 2) why they did not start with the most absolute basic of all the drivetrain nuts (lug) when I asked them to check the nuts.
The excuse involved «seeing the forest through the trees». An unacceptable excuse.
I got my money back but I’m sorry Tyler… it’s just not the same without you there. If you were doing the work I would consider coming back but I think that I will go elsewhere now… This was a HUGE miss that could have cost me upwards of $ 800 had I not checked it out. And it could have cost me or someone else their lives had my wheel fallen off while I was driving.
If I had agreed to let you guys fix the axle you would have pulled the wheel, replaced the axle put the wheel back on (tightly) and said «yay we were right». And I would have been $ 800 poorer. Luckily this only cost me A LOT of stress about money (to me and my wife), and $ 50 for an oil leak diagnosis, which seriously should have been thrown in for free… seriously. For real though.
I cant gamble on that again Tyler, sorry buddy. Really you are a good guy and I wish you all the luck in the world. I hope you get things tightened up at Elite (pun intended). If I lived on the eastside I may consider going to Eastside Euro… But I think I will be heading down to Wilson Brothers or to Precision Motor Works.

Everything about this experience was first-​rate from the first phone call to the roll-​out.
My 1988 Merceds 560 SEL is getting a bit cranky in small ways and it’s sunroof had decided to stop functioning. I took it into Elite and, from looking about, thought it was the cable. Of course, it turned out not to be, but rather a $ 22 part that took about three hours to put in.
When one of their suppliers failed to come through with the part, a loner was rapidly forthcoming from them with no hassles or hesitation.
Part came in a was put in and everything came in under estimate. One more item was the AC which had been fading. The Elite mechanic recharged the system and still it didn’t quite work so there was no charge for that in parts or labor.
A day later, just in time for the 103 degree heat, the air-​conditioning kicked in and carried me through the heat wave without a hitch.
I was so impressed I had to go back to the shop and pay them for the repair.
I’d use this shop again in a heartbeat. Far superior to Cartenders and far fairer in their charges and their methods.
A find.
PS Lots of very high ticket cars in their shop so you know that they’re good. Plus, super-​clean shop.

I wanted to put new springs on my Mazda 3 so I called Elite based on the reviews on Unilocal.Tyler the owner made the decision easy. He was very helpful on the phone which was important because I don’t know too much about this stuff.
When I dropped off my car for the service the cars in the garage getting worked on where a nice audi and a Porsche Cayanne. That was reassuring to me somehow.
I had no problems with this place and would recommend them to anyone. They focus on German cars it appears but also work on others as well. I am glad I didn’t make a bad decision using Elite.

I concur with other reviews.
Elite Auto Care is definitely honest and trustworthy. They’re super nice, from the moment you first call them on the phone. Mechanics take their time, and everyone obviously loves what they do here. Especially compared to the dealership, the service is so much more hands-​on and personable, and the bill at the end is much more reasonable.
Elite Auto Care feels like a newer company still with its young, fresh, and clean feel… not yet jaded by the perils of auto repair industry. ;)
I highly recommend this business for your German/​European auto repair needs. I was happy they were able to fix my car on the same day, too.