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ABS - Alternative BMW Service
Category: Automotive Auto Repair Auto Repair [Edit]
3983 Pacific BlvdSan Mateo, CA 94403
(650) 393-5502
Announcement
To help combat the tax time blues, we are re-offering our "10% discount on both parts and labor" special for all new customers. Thanks you!
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 5 pm
34 reviews for ABS - Alternative BMW Service
34 reviews in English
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Review from Mikey B.
Burlingame, CA
3/24/2012
Go here if you're looking for a shop that won't cost you an arm and leg to get your BMW serviced, especially if its out of warranty. The office manager Mike and the owner/automechanic John are the nicest guys in the world. Their service is straightforward, honest, and professional. I was told John used to work for Peter Pan BMW for 10 years prior to starting his own business.
I had a reset check engine light on my 2007 X5 that was lit up due to loose gas cap. John - the owner himself! - hooked up my car to the reader, diagnosed all the modules for me, and cleared the light. As a courtesy to a first-time customer, Mike charged me zero for it. I went to Peter Pan BMW the previous weekend for the same problem and they wanted to charge me $120 for diagnosing and fixing the problem. That's just ridiculous. I did talk the service advisor to take it down to $62 and the service manager was kind enough to take it down further to $50, but I mean I think it would've been wiser to follow the example of ABS in this case.
Anyway, great guys. The biggest two things as BMW owner are that I find someone I can trust with my car and that I know they wont overcharge me for stuff. At ABS, they give me that peace of mind. -
Review from Jeffrey R.
Redwood City, CA
2/28/2012
Talk about honoring a warranty! Wow!
ABS did a front brake job done on our 03 525i in June of 2011. Unfortunately, the new brakes starting squealing after several weeks. We brought it back in in November and ABS, at no charge, tried to rough up the pads and so forth but It also did not work. In late February of 2012, I brought the car back in and ABS installed new rotors and pads at no cost to me. I was prepared to pay for the parts, but ABS did the entire job again for free!
Word to the wise: apparently the problem was due to not breaking in the new brakes properly. You should use firm, but steady pressure with new brakes for the first 300 miles. A very light touch will lead to squealing. -
Review from Injae K.
South San Francisco, CA
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
John is the man! Just to give a little perspective, the foglight bracket for my e36 M broke and I don't have a driveway at the moment to jack my car up in to repair it. PeterPan BMW service was going to charge me $160 in labor alone for a job I could easily do myself if I had the space!!
John however, only charged me $40 and threw-in an inspection on my newly installed coilovers too. He also realligned my headlights b/c of my new ride height and the resulting projection angle.
I'm definitely going to be a regular here. -
Review from Marc Y.
San Mateo, CA
5/9/2012
These guys are great! I bought my 5 series and was worried about maintenance, but they serviced my car and fixed two major issues for a lot less than I expected. They explained that maintenance at dealerships have become a pressure sales and their job is to inform the customer and let them make the decision. Can not highly recommend enough!
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Review from Nino A.
Daly City, CA
First of all.. i want to say thank you ( Manager) mike and John (Tech) for servicing my transmission .. Great people and great service, and honest folks...this people deserve more than a 5 star!!
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Review from Jose G.
San Bruno, CA
1/14/2012
My BMW recently had a dead battery. I called Peter Pan BMW and they wanted over $500 to replace the battery because they said it takes 2+ hours to reprogram the car etc...
One call to John and he was honest in saying that it only takes about 20 minutes to reprogram. For much less than the dealer, John arranged for me to stop by after work and took care of the issue in less than 30 minutes. To top it off, he even reset my oil change light at no charge!
For those of you who think you shouldn't keep a BMW after the warranty runs out because it's hard to find a good honest technician, think again. I'll keep going back to ABS and will recommend their services to all my friends. Thanks John! -
Review from J M.
Belmont, CA
3/4/2011
After being referred by a friend I brought in my 2002 E46 today to replace my Final Stage unit (FSU). John was very friendly, trustworthy, and professional. Since I had decided to wait around due to lack of a ride, he quickly expedited my replacement in no time.
His pricing was extremely reasonable, and I would definitely bring my car back to him for service! -
Review from Herman L.
San Mateo, CA
8/25/2011
I got a "Coolant Temperature" sensor warning message on my 2001 e39 and noticed that my temp gauge was going into the red. Did a search on-line and stumbled onto ABS, and after reading through all the reviews here, I decided to give them a call. John picked up the phone and I explained my situation. He readily gave me advice on what to check before having to take my car in. Ended up my radiator had a hair-line crack in it and was leaking coolant. Despite being crazy busy, he took my car in, gave me a lift back home, and replaced my radiator and thermostat in a day.
It doesn't get any better...take your bimmer to him and rest assured it will be done correctly!!! -
Review from Michael M.
Hillsborough, CA
2/18/2011
Just bought my E36 M3 last May and this year I'm going to start putting it through its paces on tracks and autocross events. I read good things about ABS on Yelp so I brought it to John to do a rear suspension bushing refresh.
When I got there I asked for a bunch more stuff including installing aftermarket parts that I didn't have the tools to install myself, but John was happy to work on it.
My car lived most its life on the east coast so most of the suspension components were corroded. It must have been a PITA to do work that should have been relatively simple. John and his team had an "air hammer fest" and spent extra time but didn't charge me for it.
The control arm brackets I tried to install myself didn't quite fit the car so John took brackets off of another 3 series and ordered offset bushings from the E30 M3. He actually charged me $2 LESS than I would have had to spend at http://pelicanparts.com for the genuine BMW bushings.
He was courteous and professional the whole time and kept me up to date with the work on my car (it took longer than he initially quoted because I kept asking for more weird stuff to be done).
Definitely my mechanic for when I can't do the work myself. Highly recommended if you have a Bimmer or a Mini.
::EDIT:: Almost forgot. Someone (either one of John's guys or the alignment shop) took my Alpine head unit out and put it on the floor behind the passenger seat. When I got it my car to drive it home I thought that the head unit had gone missing/stolen. I asked John about it and he launched his own little investigation. He told me if we couldn't find it he'd give me one of his Alpine head units. Luckily I found mine after a quick search (it was under the seat!!) but it was nice to know he'd help me out like that. -
Review from David G.
San Francisco, CA
8/16/2011
After reading the reviews here on Yelp I took my 2006 325i in for new front brakes and to determine the reasons for a check engine light. ......
The reviews are not wrong!!!! John is the man. He fixed my brakes at well below dealer prices and diagnosed the check engine light as an isolated BMW freak-out, not indicative of any real problems. This could have cost me THOUSANDS at the dealer. He had it all done in one day.
Go Here! Be impressed! Save Money! -
Review from Mike C.
Burlingame, CA
12/21/2011
Here's to another 5 star rating! To the other BMW owners out of warranty, have no fear; You have ABS to take your car to. These guys are fast, friendly and very knowledgable. I will definitely be taking my services here from now on and recommend them to all my BMW friends. Now I don't have to worry anymore about my car. Thanks Mike, John and Brad!
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Review from Peter P.
Belmont, CA
12/26/2010
I waited until my 2nd time dropping my 550 off for work to be done. 1st time was rear brakes/rotors along with the routine maintenance and just last week was front brakes/rotors.
Both times John was professional, fixed on time (same day) and on price of the quote given. More importantly it was a hell of a lot less expensive than the dealer, i'm going to estimate 40% less. I'm out of my 4 year warranty service window (2006 car) so now it's going to be just John working on it. The good news is he gave it a clean bill of health and said it was in perfect condition.
I just recently moved into the area and it was stressful not knowing if there was going to be someone trustworthy and not dealer priced for service for my car. Glad I found ABS. Now I need to find someone to work on my Audi as well. -
Review from Kim K.
Union City, CA
2/6/2012
John at ABS is the most honest mechanic I know. He has fixed both of my cars in the past and will continue to use ABS as long as I live in the bay area. You should call ABS before you bring your BMW to another place. You'll thank me for it.
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Review from Franklin T.
San Mateo, CA
9/14/2010
Fiance's 2002 BMW 325 Ci had a check engine light on, dropped off car at 8pm, John found the problem and fixed it by 3 pm, saw invoice and realize that BMW Dealership Services is such as rip-off. We plan on going back there for future repairs.
For all Mini Cooper owners, John is thinking about specializing in Mini Cooper repairs as well, since it's engineered by BMW. Bring your Coopers to him and let's motor up this place! -
Review from AJ H.
5/4/2009
John is awesome! It is so hard to find a mechanic that is honest and does good work. As a girl it is especially difficult to find somebody you feel is not riping you off or preying on your lack of knowledge on vehicles... hey, isn't that what a mechanic is for???
This place was referred to me by a coworker and I have recommended it to to everyone else I know who owns a BMW. He is my one and only go to guy for my car. -
Review from Chris A.
San Mateo, CA
7/14/2011
you have a BMW? you want someone better then good? he is the best. seriously.
john, you are the man. -
Review from Ziv G.
Mountain View, CA
6/25/2010 14 photos
John is the best bimmer mechanic I have ever known. I just went back, to get my front breaks replaced, and the guy brushed my calipers with a tooth brush and cleaned out everything, like it was a baby. Unreal. I also asked him to look at a panel that fell off from the side entrance area, assuming he'll charge me for it, and he just snapped it back in for free.
My kids watched TV while he worked on my car, and I just don't see a reason to ever go to the dealer (I never feel like the dealers are honest). Besides, I'm pretty sure that he was a lead tech at a nearby dealer, and he has all the latest equipment anyway.
I'm totally hooked and know that I can keep my e90 for years, without paying crazy high fees for maintenance. -
Review from Nicole T.
Discovery Bay, CA
10/10/2011
After reading reviews of this place, I decided to take my bmw 325i in and man was I glad I did. John is honest, knowledgeable, and fair with his pricing and work. He is really easy to work with and doesn't try to sell you unnecessary services. I am so happy to find a mechanic that I can trust, and will never take my bmw anywhere else so long as I am in the area.
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Review from Jeff C.
San Mateo, CA
3/17/2011
No need to look elsewhere as you will receive exceptional service for your BMW at ABS. John is courteous, friendly and professional. The quality of work is top notch and prices are extremely reasonable as compared to any BMW dealership. Most importantly, John is straight forward and honest. I am so happy and lucky to have found my way to ABS! Thanks John!
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Review from Kay S.
Burlingame, CA
11/14/2008
Our daughter drives a 2000 BMW which quit on her in Berkeley. We had it towed to a shop and they replaced the fuel pump and told us the car needed about $3,000 worth of other work (including tires). We decided to pick up the car and bring it to our mechanic in San Mateo (Palm Motors - we've been going there for 20 years).
It turns out Don, who owns the shop (he's great) is leasing a stall to a guy who used to work at Peter Pan. My husband emailed him the quote from the other shop. I just picked the car up and he addressed the items that really needed addressing and the bill was just over $400 labor and parts. He fixed a $1,300 rather than replace it! He was so nice and was complaining how women are not treated very well by the automobile repair industry. -
Review from nancy n.
Colma, CA
Updated - 3/31/2011
Thanks John for a job well done. I woudn't even think about going to any other garage.
Once I had John fix my Beemer that was it.
I come down to San Mateo from the City but well worth it to a fine mechanic.
John is courteous-fun & gets the job done right.
He tries his best to accomodate your time frame-prices are right.4 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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2/3/2010
ABS- Humm-
You aren't sure? Never heard of them?
Please read on if you love your BMW!
Be sure-John… Read more »
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Review from Ryan C.
San Mateo, CA
11/28/2008
John does great work at reasonable prices. He serviced my 2000 328i on time and did a great job since he is very knowledgable with BMW's.
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Review from Rose S.
Tulsa, OK
11/2/2010
John does great work and the price is great too.
He is one good mechanic that you can trust. -
Review from Kienan H.
San Bruno, CA
1/19/2009
I came here after reading the other reviews on Yelp. At first I was a little skeptical since the actual shop itself is shared between a number of other mechanics but John did excellent work so it didn't make a difference. I came here for a 100k service and for new brake pads and rotors and it was only $500. After getting quoted for over $1k at Stevens Creek BMW and Peter Pan I decided to try somewhere other than a dealer. I was quite happy with Johns work. He was very punctual my car was ready exactly when he told me it would be. He also told me ahead of time before he did any additional work other than what we had discussed when my car was dropped off. Most shops will just tell you at the end we fixed this cause this didnt work so thats another $XXX .
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Review from Ed K.
San Mateo, CA
9/1/2010
Don't let john's lack of age or lack of Bavarian accent fool you - there is no better place to take your bimmer on the peninsula. This guy knows his stuff when it comes to bimmers and is as fair as they come.
Best part, the guys who work at the dealership bring their cars to him! -
Review from Rouz E.
San Francisco, CA
2/9/2011
John is the man! The reviews speak for themselves, but I thought I would contribute as well. Been going to him since he opened his shop on Pacific Blvd. His work is flawless. He really knows his stuff. Very reasonably priced labor. Stay away from Peter Pan if you're out of warranty. Also, the guy is extremely nice and offers me a ride to and from work since I work close by. What more can you ask for? I wouldn't take my 325 anywhere else.
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Review from Kelly W.
Redwood City, CA
4/7/2009
I have been taking my 1997 BMW 528i to John for years now.
He is a certified BMW mechanic and knows what he is doing. John has never failed me with his professional auto work, his kind and caring attitude and (most importantly for me), his honesty. As a 23 year old woman, I have been taken advantage of my other auto mechanics in the past just so they could make a buck. It is comforting to me knowing that when I give my business to John at Alternative BMW Service, I will be given respect, honesty, and reliable service for my BMW.
I would, without a doubt, recommend ABS to anyone looking to have a stress free and pleasant experience repairing their BMW. -
Review from Jim F.
San Mateo, CA
5/22/2009
Just had my Z3 serviced by John. Great job, great price, great service. Fast.
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Review from Ian A.
San Francisco, CA
1/19/2010
I wouldn't take my E39 M5 anywhere else. ABS is knowledgeable, professional and friendly. John and his staff have previously worked for BMW -- you get dealership quality and service, for a fraction of the price. They only use OEM parts and fluids. If you own a BMW, this is the place to go.
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Review from Linda G.
Belmont, CA
4/26/2011
What I love about BMW is the maintenance included program. But once my warranty expired, I felt I was paying such a high amount for service, it didn't make sense to keep the car. I was also frustrated with Peter Pan BMW so I decided to find a local BMW repair shop for an estimate. I found John based on the reviews on Yelp and I am so happy I did. He definitely puts in the extra effort to meet the needs of the customer while offering very competitive pricing. Now that I have a mechanic I trust, I will keep my old BMW since it no longer drains my bank account. Thanks John!
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Review from Jen B.
San Francisco, CA
6/21/2008
Alternative BMW is as good as it gets for expert BMW service at a fair price! John has been servicing my BMW for about 5 years now and there is no where else I'd take my car. Because John previously worked for a BMW dealership and built relationships with all of the BMW parts vendors, you're guaranteed to get the same quality materials and service at a significantly lower price. John has my complete trust, and I rely on him to accurately diagnose and service my car. I only wish more of my friends had BMWs so that I could let them all in on my secret!
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Review from Harland K.
San Francisco, CA
10/28/2009
I can not be more happy that I found ABS. John, literally, saved me well over $1000. Briefly, I own a older 3 series. It's in great shape despite its age and I want to keep it running to factory spec and keep it on the road as long as possible. I've had it serviced in San Francisco and have felt that no shop took me very seriously until it came down to paying for their unenthusiastic service yet grossly over-inflated costs. Recently I had a problem with the clutch - an expensive repair. I called 6 BMW specialty shops, described the problem, and all insisted that I needed a wholesale replacement including the flywheel. Then I spoke with John. He diagnosed the problem over the phone; the only one who could or would. The problem was not with the clutch and was a much more minor repair that saved me hundreds of dollars. John fixed my car in less then a day. Net is: completely trustworthy professional repair with no compromises on quality parts or repair expertise. Clean shop and easy access. I would highly recommend you give him your business.
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Review from James B.
Long Beach, CA
12/17/2009
At first I was little cautious about going some where other than the local dealership, but that was soon put to rest!! This guy knows BMW's...he knows his stuff. After years at Peter Pan BMW, he has started his own shop. I have taken my 740i sport BMW for a couple of service issues, and very pleased with his work. His prices are very fair, and honest. Why go to the local BMW dealerships to spend tons of money, wait in long lines...so they wash your car. I would rather save money, and get good service. I'll get my own car wash. If you are still going to the dealer and not under warranty, whats wrong with you...?
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Review from Lisa G.
San Carlos, CA
5/12/2010
I am very happy to have found John! I have a BMW z3 with 180,000 miles on it and it was time for a level 2 inspection. I found John's prices to be the most reasonable after shopping at 4 other shops. He is courteous, friendly and knowledgeable. I have another BMW which I will take to him also. He will get 100% of my business from now on. I highly recommend ABS!!!
