Pasadena Audi and Volkswagen Repair

I started going to this place before it became popular. I really liked the service, honesty and pricing. Definitely a 5-star business on Yelp. I recently visited Fares and was very disappointed. Now that he has become popular, it's harder to get an appointment. That's not the reason why I'm writing. There are three main reasons why I'm writing. First reason; their inability to correctly diagnose an issue. Cost me over $1,200. Issue not fixed. Their response was, "Well, at least we found something else." That "something else" really didn't need to be done. They thought it might have been related to the issue of concern. Second issue; pricing. Do you really think he's cheaper than the dealer? Think again. Compare his prices to the dealer. He is at and even above dealer pricing. He charges the same amount for parts as the dealer. This can be verified as dealer prices are readily available on internet sites. In the past, he charged less than dealer part prices for OEM parts. His labor is about the same as the dealers. I can site an example where Fares is charging $200 MORE than the dealer for a particular repair and $300 MORE for the same repair at a reputable independent that services Audis. Third issue; are you really getting what you're paying for? Failed to do a simple tire inflation. Repair order said pressures were low, returned to spec 38 lbs. I checked all tires and none were inflated. He used to provide car washes. That's all gone. I don't blame him for taking advantage of his success but he could eventually become a victim of it. If you want to pay the same price or even less with dealer coupons and get your car washed AND get a free loaner car, go to the nearest Audi dealer. Buyer beware. Seriously compare his prices to that of dealers. His place was once a place where Audi enthusiasts could go for honest, fast and inexpensive service. I believe he now caters to unsuspecting Audi owners. I would not recommend Fares' Independent Audi.

I could go on and on, but I'll try to keep this short. This place rocks! I was having problems with a local VW dealership, lost confidence, and looked up this place on Yelp. Everyone was right! Jennifer was great. They worked us in, actually tested the parts they thought might be the problem before charging me to replace them, and then when they realized that the problem was related to a couple of parts that would still be under warranty, advised me to take it back to another dealer for the repair rather than have them bill us for around $2,500. It gets better. After spending hours of time diagnosing the problems with my car and advising me to get it fixed for free at a dealer instead, she tells me there is no charge for their time. Wha-wha-what?!? I might have to go out and buy another VW just so I have a reason to bring her more of my business. Thank you VERY much for your courtesy and professionalism. BTW, she was right about what was wrong with my car. The problem was misdiagnosed twice by the local VW dealership.

Really impressed with overall experience. First off I strolled in here on a Saturday morning thinking I could get my car looked at immediately but apparently I wasn't the only one thinking that, so after discussing appointments with the receptionist who was also very nice and helpful we realized the next opening wasn't for another 3 weeks.... Whoa. So I make my appointment and she has one of the mechanic discuss the issues with me, after a few minutes she returns and tells me there was a cancellation for Monday morning so I jump on it. Meanwhile the mechanic was very informative and honest and I know that because I already knew what the problem was I just hadn't found someone I was willing to trust with my baby. Anyways I felt good about leaving her there and when I returned the SAME DAY he had replaced a bulb for my headlight at no charge and smogged my vehicle, total damage under $300. The best thing was genuinely nice people.

I wish I could give more than 5 Stars! What a wonderful experience I had today with Fares and crew. I recently bought a 93 VW Fox Wolfsburg. Wanted to find a good place to get a full check on all systems. Went to Yelp and found this place. I live almost 2 hours away (with traffic) from the shop, but the Yelp reviews were so insane I had to try this place out. Yes, I will drive hours for the right fit! I called and made an appointment, which is the way to go if possible. Showed up on time and they got my Fox in on time. The full check takes a few hours and I think is rated at $175 or so, and at the end of the inspection Fares gives a print-out of things that need to be fixed right away, things that can wait a bit and then the prices for parts and labor ... I went down the street to a diner for a couple of hours, and went back to hang out in waiting room. At about the 3 hour mark, Fares came and introduced himself to me and said it was time to talk about my car. I expected a long list (it is, after all, a Fox!). However, he said everything looks really good, and he did not really have anything to recommend to fix. He was almost as shocked as I was! So we talked for a bit (nice pleasant guy), and since I had a long drive ahead of me I needed to get going. I took out my wallet and prepared to settle the bill (the $175 or so). Except he told me there is no charge. What? Are you freakin' kidding me???? He explained that since they did not find anything wrong, nor did they fix anything, that he did not feel right charging me anything. What??? Are you freakin' kidding me??? That was WAY beyond customer service..... I told him he needed to charge me something, anything. He refused. Needless to say, I will be taking my Fox back when something needs to be done with it. It will be a pleasure to drive all the way there and back to give Fares and crew my business.

Time to update...I won't get into the details of my last few visits but all I can say is that I have had an extremely positive experience each time I visit Fares for service on my 2003 A4. I can not stress enough how glad and thankful I am that I found this shop a few years back (thanks to Yelp). Fares is not only an outstanding technician and businessman, he is a stand-up guy who truly cares about what he does, and really does want people to be happy. I can tell how proud he is of his work. I will never trust anyone else with my A4, and if you live in the area (or even if you don't), I strongly suggest trusting Fares with your car, you will not be disappointed. A+++++ as always!

I was blown away by the exceptional courtesy, professionalism, and honesty shown by both Fares and Jennifer. All the reviews I have read prior to bringing my Audi to the shop were dead on accurate. If you love your Audi, this is the place to bring for repairs and service. I had brought my Audi in twice for rough idling, and both times Fares and Jennifer did not charge me a dime! They took the time to run a lengthy diagnostic, which turned out to be normal. Jennifer even took the time to go over every single diagnostic test with me toward the end. Even though I had wished they could have found something, I was relieved that my engine and every thing else is working just fine. Its quite obvious that these people love what they do, and not after your $$, like some mechanics I've encountered in the past.

my new VW mechanic! they did great work, and repaired my car the same day i brought it in, without having to go back and forth! Highly recommend!

I started going to Independent Audi a couple years ago when another Audi shop couldnt figure out what was wrong with my car. Fares and his team quickly got it fixed and I have gone back many times. They are completely honest and do great work. Customer service is great. If you have an Audi or VW, this is the place to take it.

This small shop is a pleasure to deal with. They are kind, genuine, professional, cureous, and honest. They estimated $40 for an ash tray problem that the dealer est $400 (requiring radio to be pulled out), and ended up doing it for free !

Update long overdue. 45K, 55K, recently completed 65K service on my A4. Brake light, couple sensors along the way, brake pads, new battery, all part of the Audi and European car experience if you ask me. Loving the drive, dealing with and tolerating the maintenance. Fares and his crew continue to do great work, quickly, and at reasonable prices. I completely trust the person, and his work, and have referred several other Audi owners to bring their cars here. They all come back saying the same thing. Good people, prompt service, fair prices, and a business worthy of trusting your car to. Audi & VW owners, please look no further than this place to service your car needs.