Auto Teknika

Benj Paterson

★★★★★

2 years ago

I recently bought a used Mercedes SUV from a private party. I took my vehicle to Auto Teknika to get it checked over to make sure everything was working ok. The mechanic spent over an hour checking all the systems (brakes, transmission, engine, electrical, suspension, etc.) They even took it for a drive and tested the handling and performance. They found a few minor things and gave me an estimate to repair these items, and provided this in a typed format listing all their findings. ALL FOR ONLY $110!! They are honest, hard working, and incredibly friendly. Hilary is THE BEST and so helpful. A true angel. This is a GREAT business and I would highly recommend them to anyone!

Eric V

★★★★★

Edited a year ago

Very positive experience. Haven't used this shop in ages and went there for an oil change/brake pad replacement. They did the work as asked (no upsell) and in a subsequent visit replaced a headlight assembly. I expressed some concern over a small body gap (near the light) and they scheduled the car back in quickly and now the bumper/gap is better than ever. The service writer and tech were great about taking the time to talk the issue/strategy/remedy through, which is appreciated. New (8/2024): Used them again. Exceptional service. Hilary and the team were extremely knowledgeable - no "upsell" or anything like that. So happy to be back with a shop I can trust!

Christopher Songer

★★★★★

2 years ago

New to the area with an old but beloved BMW that was misbehaving, these folks could have treated me unfairly, or they could have been incompetent. Instead they were outstanding and completely fair. They got the car running great. They were easy to work with. They recommended some great fixes. They did exactly what they said they were going to do in the timeframes they committed to. Cannot recommend highly enough. They are in the top tier of car shops that I have been to over the years. Charlottesville and the surrounding area is lucky to have them.

McKinley Anders

★★★★★

2 years ago

Took my GTI here after noticing a noise coming from one of my wheels. The communication I received was very professional, detailed, and thorough - they really pride themselves in letting you know exactly what the problem is, what steps they recommend to fix it, and how much that will cost. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about European automobiles, I had a great time chatting with Hilary about our GTIs. I will definitely be coming back for any future servicing!

Brett Toimil

★★★★★

7 years ago

This shop was excellent. They diagnosed and performed the needed maintenance on my BMW transmission for a much more reasonable price than the local dealership. They were honest and very knowledgable with the explanation of the repair. The estimate was accurate and they completed my repair ahead of schedule. They also worked with me so I could drop off and pick up my car outside of their regular business hours. I would take my BMW there again and recommend them highly. Thank you Adrian.

Hayden Stearns

★★★★★

5 months ago

Everyone is very knowledgeable, oem service for a good price. I had an emergency question and they were able to give me their recommendation even out of business hours.

C “Shack” S

★★★★★

2 years ago

I recently took my car to Auto Teknika for wiring and short circuit repair and had a fantastic experience. What sets this car service apart is their unique approach to customer service. They took the time to show me all my options for repair and were great at communication throughout the entire process. Additionally, they were incredibly fast, very well versed and trained on my car specifications and completed the repair in no time at all. Overall, I highly recommend Auto Teknika for anyone in need of car repairs. Thanks for the exceptional service!

Sydney Carver

★★★★★

3 years ago

I took my BMW 335d to Auto Teknika on a recommendation from a friend. Every other shop that I tried to take it to treated me terrible and tried to over charge for the problem or tell me I needed a new motor when all it needed was a belt. This was the only shop that treated me like an actual person and not a woman who knew nothing about cars. They kept in great touch with detailed emails about what was going on with the car and what it needed, never worked on anything with out my say so, and they were very kind and respectful. Their prices are very fair for the services and I will never take my car anywhere else and they are the only reason I would get another BMW again because I know a great place to fix them! i

Debora Rohloff

★★★★★

a year ago

The service was outstanding. Hillary does such a fantastic job of working with you, helping you understand any issues and working together to determine a plan of action. She was caring, honest, and open and transparent, as I have an older Audi that is ready to retire. She is a competitive advantage with her superior customer service that creates trust. Thank you everyone behind the scenes as well, that I did not get to interact with as much. I appreciate and respect what you do.

Angela

★★★★★

a year ago

Excellent mechanics and reasonably priced for repairs! Will always use them for my Volkswagen , Mini Cooper, BMW repairs. Customer service experience is top notch too!

Adam MacKenzie

★★☆☆☆

a year ago

I called to schedule a look at my vehicle, the initial phone call was good but unfortunately Auto Teknika has open-ended diagnostic fees that could balloon quickly. The customer service rep via email was rude when I asked about a 3rd party diagnostic but still having their team do the repairs - I had no idea this wasn't an option. I'll be taking my business elsewhere as they recommended.

dedeman1

★★★★★

10 months ago

I recently had a great experience with Auto Teknika. I took my car there because the A/C wasn't functioning correctly. It turned out to be a slow refrigerant leak. They diagnosed and repaired the problem within a few hours and my car was ready for pickup the next day. Hilary (service rep) is quick and easy to communicate with and they didn't try to oversell me on repairs. I'll definitely be returning here in the future. Auto Teknika's service and pricing information is very straightfoward.

D Merlin Lopez

★★★★★

11 months ago

After the local Audi dealership tried to rip me off with their lazy diagnostic practices and inflating the actual needs for repair, telling me I had to replace the entire timing chain system and all the control arms on the suspension for $8k because the oil light came on, I decided to get a second opinion. Local mechanics recommended Auto Teknica saying he's a wizard, though a bit particular about things. I loved how clear the expectations were from the start. The communications from the office and with him by phone and email were excellent. He did his own evaluation and ended up replacing a much smaller subset of parts and it was very clear he took his time to assess the true needs and find a much more appropriate and effective solution. For only $1400 he took care of me. I will never go back to the dealership. They aren't the local Audi experts. Wayne is.

Jon McKay

★★★★★

10 months ago

I perform most of my own mechanical work but occasionally there will be a job that I would rather just not tackle. One of those jobs is replacing the timing belt of a transverse mounted engine on a front wheel drive platform. I had planned on hiring Auto Teknika to replace the timing belt and water pump on a VW Passat. Before I could schedule that work, the TDI engine began leaking coolant. That changed the schedule, and I had the car towed to Auto Teknika on a Monday morning. I did not have an appointment, but they diagnosed the failure of the oil filter housing very quickly. Apparently that plastic component which handles both oil and coolant is prone to failure. They were upfront and completely honest about the cost and time to perform the work. By their estimate it would be the following week before they could finish the job. I felt that was entirely reasonable. Much to my surprise and pleasure, all the work was finished on Friday morning (less than 5 days for major work with no appointment). I picked the car up about midday on Friday. The work was outstanding. New timing belt, new water pump, new oil filter housing. Everything was clean, no leaks, the car ran perfectly. I could not be happier with the quality of the work. They provided a written record of the parts installed and the work performed. A lot of the communication was via e-mail (my preferred method of doing business) but some was also in person. Professional competence is a rare quality these days. I did not get to meet the technicians but clearly, they are skilled and knowledgeable. I did interact with Hilary, and she was completely honest and straightforward in all of her dealings with me. THIS IS HOW YOU RUN A BUSINESS! I highly recommend Auto Teknika.

Stephen Delli Priscoli

★★★★★

Edited a year ago

**Second Experience w. Auto Teknika*** I am so grateful to the this shop, and to Hilary, Geordi, and all the techs here. This week, they completed a very complicated diagnostic, engine swap, and clutch replacement on my 95k mile Mk7 GTI. My car is heavily modified, and most of the work I had done myself at home on jack stands. When my engine started randomly shutting down, I knew something bad was happening. My worst case scenario was confirmed when I had my car towed to the shop, and had them run a detailed diagnosis on the car. They found that a spark plug electrode had shot out into the cylinder, and caused irreparable damage to my engine. They suggested a full engine swap from a donor GTI was the best course of action. I sourced the engine from a reputable salvage yard that specialized in VW and Audis (Branif Auto) in Miami, FL. The donor engine had 59k miles on it, carboned cleaned, and had a new timing chain put in place. When the engine arrived, they installed it, and recommended a new clutch (my stock one was toast given the heavy load I had put it through). I had already had one in mind, and figured this was as good of a time as any to pull the trigger on a performance clutch. They installed all these pieces, ran numerous tests, and released the vehicle to me earlier this week. I now have a totally new car, and cannot be happier. I have my baby back. Given the stressful nature of such an involved process on a vehicle I love so much, they were extremely supportive and communicative through the whole ordeal. They knew how much I love this car, and they put the same level of care into the work they did to it. Not one step of the process involved unnecessary upsells. All pricing was completely fair, and within the budget we set at the beginning. These guys can handle complex and unique jobs. They will make the process as stress-free as possible. They are capable, honest, hard working techs who simply love cars and working on them. If I could give Auto Teknika 6 stars, I would. Stephen.

Elizabeth Rankin

★★★★★

6 months ago

I am ALMOST hesitant to write a review, because I am afraid everyone will know how great this place is, and it will start being so busy we can't make an appointment:) We wanted to find a place to take our foreign car without paying the prices of a dealership and a colleague recommended Auto Teknika, and they have been excellent. Here's why- they are subject matter experts in their field, and we can trust them. My spouse and I took my car in because the brake lights came on and they inspected it for us and told us honestly that our brakes pads actually had about 5,000 miles life left in them. They would be happy to replace them now- yet we still had use and value in that product. Wow! A mechanic and repair shop that was not focused on just getting our money- yet had the integrity to tell us the truth about the repairs our car actually needed (or did not need). Yes- we have been happy with our prior service here (routine maintenance has been great) and it is safe to say we will be returning. Thanks for your honesty, Auto Teknika.

Peter Buur

★★★★★

a month ago

We took our old 2008 BMW to Auto Teknika twice and received excellent service both times. Hilary is a great communicator - friendly, detailed, and knowledgeable. The first time they diagnosed and repaired an issue related to the purge valve which fixed the rough starting issues and the pricing was very reasonable. The second time the repairs diagnosed/needed were extensive and we ultimately decided not to pursue fixing the vehicle. The shop was very understanding and made every effort to keep the price low for us. Overall, highly recommend for repairs on Euro cars.