Tom’s Foreign Autohouse

Back in November 2013, I bought a 1952 MGTD Replica on E-​Bay. Talk about a pig in a poke, it was delivered to Toms’. a sad sight to behold, wouldn’t start, no brakes, upholstery a mess, paint faded and chipped, wiring that looked like spaghetti, I could go on, but you get the picture. Tom’s Team admitted one sick car and went into immediate surgery to save this beast and pump life back into it. Needless to say, after it came out of surgery, it looked like it was brand new sitting on the dealer’s showroom floor. New two-​tone paint, upholstery, wiring, gauges, battery, carpeting, tires, shocks, rust removal, steering wheel, chrome, alternator, and probably another million things that made it perfect. Since the rebirth, Toms’ is the only place I allow to touch Rosebud.
Thank you Tom, Kristina and the whole Tom’s Team.
Bill Bastian

Shop is fantastic, really the best (maybe the only) alternative to a dealer. My Mercedes was just out of warranty and the transmission really was giving fits and wasn’t a simple bolt on solution. Tom and his team went the extra mile to get her back on the road and stick to his original bid. It is hard to find a reputable, knowledgeable and reasonably priced auto repair today. I should know, I was a European mechanic (ASE certified) for many years in the 90’s and have been in the auto industry one way or another ever since. I have owned Porsche’s, BMW and Mercedes and wouldn’t dream of going to another shop.

As a recent transplant to Murrieta/​Temecula, I was desperate to find a reputable shop with specific expertise and passion for repairing vintage Porsches. The recent damage sustained by the left inner CV joint completely disconnecting from the transaxle while at speed, was significant and required both skill and TLC. After «interviewing» multiple shops I dismissed all but one, Tom’s Foreign Autohouse. The others had different priorities; $$$ and quick turnover, or no time for repairs less than $ 100k restoration, or complete lack of expertise/​knowledge working on a classic 50 yr old Porsche. Tom took the time to share with me his personal backgound, experiences, and passion for these old cars. Yes, his shop is busy with return customers, but he made special accommodation for me and my car within just a few days. Both Tom and Kevin are Porsche specialists who are meticulous about their work and go the extra mile to correctly resolve & sort out underlying root-​causes to the obvious problems.
Thank you both for your great work and TLC on my baby! I will gladly bring her back to Tom’s in the future.
Sincerely,
Dan R.

My daughters seat belt reciever broke… like of all the dumb things to break. Called mercedes in murrieta, had to make an appointment, …waited till the special day… since it was three days from when i called… they couldnt squeeze me in any sooner… arrived on time, waited 30 minutes to be told they have to order the part. They didn’t call back, car sat since I won’t let her drive without her seat belt on. Called tom… had the part the next day, fixed and for half of what mercedes was going to charge.
Nice, honest, easy to deal with… car will never go to the dealership again.

My experience with Tom’s Foreign Autohouse was great! I live in San Diego but was up in Temecula when my car broke down. Kristina was incredibly friendly and helpful, even finding a rental car and getting them to stay open for me as I delt with getting my car to the shop. Tom explained the problem clearly and was able to get it fixed quickly. I am glad they were there in Temecula when I needed them but I wish they were located down San Diego so I wouldn’t have the go so far the next time I want to go back.

Wow, honest mechanics do exist. Highly recommend Toms for your foreign car service. Better service and more affordable the Fletcher Jones Mercedes in Temecula. And they don’t try to replace parts that don’t need to be replaced like the Dealership tried to do.

The owner is very friendly and always remembers us. When they make the repairs, they always show us the old parts so I feel like I can trust the shop. He makes recommendations but is never pushy. Just a good atmosphere.

Throw out bearing was starting to make noise a couple months back… so naturally I bought an upgraded clutch, LTW flywheel, SS kit, and a whole slew of drivetrain parts for TFA to install. It took a few days as it was cold/​flu season, but no sweat a good job is worth waiting for. Impressions upon getting the car back — Wow, what a difference! My M3 is partying like it’s 1999… because it is a 99.
Time to put a tape in the cassette deck and press the «hi-​fi» button, it’s gonna be a good day.

In case you’re concerned by a couple negative reviews, I highly recommend you check out TFA for yourself, even before you need maintenance or repair service. You will see right away why the rest of their reviews have high ratings. Here is my experience:
My sister highly recommended her good friend’s husband, Tom, to look at my 2007 Toyota Sienna van when another auto shop advised (partially based on the uneven wear on its tires) that my van needed its struts replaced to the tune of $ 1000+. Tom and Kevin, who performed a pre-​purchase inspection on it, told and showed me that the struts were fine. The problem with the uneven wear on the tires had to do with the age and condition of the tires (which I had already planned on replacing immediately).
Great news… not only about the struts, but that Tom and his crew are honest, knowledgeable, and exceptionally personable and helpful. Tom is a hands-​on owner and co-worker…leading by example, and his crew hold the same standard. Tom and his wife, Kristina, are a great complement to one another lending to the overall integrity, efficiency, and strong work ethic of their business. The customers I talked with and listened to confirmed it all…
Side note: Tom called ahead to Barney’s Tire and Wheel, a local, highly reputable tire shop, to order tires he had personally used to outfit his wife’s car, and arranged for them to be put on my car that day! Thank you, Tom, Kristina, Kevin, Wyatt (for the high octane coffee and cheerful service in the early a.m.) and TFA!

Toms–
I just want to thank you and your team for your continued business. We are here at hoehn/​Audi motors greatly appreciate it. All of you are very professional and awesome to work with and that is hard to find these days. This is just a small token to let you know how we feel.
Thanks again, Tracey
Hoehn/​Audi Motors

My car broke down in Temecula and a family friend recommended a repair shop, who referred me to Tom’s. Tom personally assessed my cars needs and gave me a solid explanation for what happened, why it happened and how much it would cost to repair. Tom’s wife went out of her way to find me a rental car and make sure I was satisfied. GREAT SERVICE. I will be back.

I have been taking my vehicles Mercedes and Chevrolet to Tom’s for the last 10 years and will keep coming back Tom and his crew of Mechanics are professional and trustworthy not to mention always gets the job done right the first time and always on time!
Stop wasting your time with the others and take your vehicles to Tom’s Foreign Autohouse.
David F. Barragan

Took our VW there to replace fuel line, fuel pump and clean and coat gas tank, hmmm something not done properly, car caught on fire in garage while sleeping! I would think before going here!

Tom and his staff were great! Always professional, personable — a true pleasure to do business with.
They respect their customers, value your time, and have exceeded my expectations on every level.
I took my car to them to diagnose a minor electrical issue in the COMAND unit of my 07 E63 AMG, and also replaced my front brake pads and rotors with aftermarket performance components I supplied. Totally satisfied with the results — no issues whatsoever…
Tom and his staff are trustworthy, their pricing is fair, and they have deliver on time and as promised, in my experience with them.
Thanks Again!

My family has used Tom’s for years. Great, timely service, very fair on pricing, always has the car ready when they say it will be. Tom’s is that elusive honest mechanic you always hope you will find! A plus

I was having some problems with my 911 and took it to the dealer and several other shops in the SD area. When a friend told me about Tom’s in Temecula. The guys was a strait shooter, got my car running like brand new and back on the road. My Porsche and my wifes MD only goes to his shop now.

I just wanted to give an update after my experience at toms. Took my vehicle to another shop after being thrown out of toms and was not only treated excellent, I also was charged 270.00 less than I would’ve paid at toms. I guess I owe a thank you to tom, you saved me a bundle. :)

I’ve been to several German Car «Specialist» over the past 14 yrs that I have owned my 740IL and none have been more trustworthy and knowledgeable than Tom’s Foreign Autohouse. Tom and his staff at TFA, are the best in the biz… bar none!

I have used this establishment for years, first for my Volvos and now my BMW. I have found them to be very honest, reliable, and thorough with their work. They always are less than the dealership. I appreciate having a place I can trust to work on my car.

Addition to my previous post…
A few weeks ago I brought my car in because my iDrive told me that my brake fluid flush service was due. As always, far cheaper than going to the BMW dealership and they got me scheduled for the next day. I dropped it off and came back, and it still only took a couple hours (would have been done sooner if I waited). Additionally, they even have the computer to reset the iDrive indicator and reset for the correct number of miles.
A week ago, my windshield got hit by a rock and required replacement. Insurance handled that through the dealership (for OEM parts). Once that was taken care of, I realized that the rear-​view mirror was not snapped-​on (half-​assed work by the installers) and wasn’t something I was willing to mess with due to the various sensors that are contained in this device. I was in Temecula also, so I called Tom’s and they said to just stop by. Sure enough, within a couple minutes one of their techs knew what it was and snapped it back into place. My windsheild & rear-​view mirror was good as new. Though tedious, they didn’t even charge me. And so once again, I continue to look forward to future business with them.
I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter who you work with at this establishment because they are all great and knowledgeable. New brakes will be needed within the next year… they can count on my business! I can’t say how often I recommend Tom’s to other local BMW drivers.