Reviews of European Specialty Automotive (Car Wash)

Ben Wall

I've purchased two vehicles here in the past few years, including service for both of them, and each time it has been a pleasure. Everyone working here is friendly, honest and well educated. They will go out of their way to meet your needs. I recommend European Specialty to anyone who owns/is looking to own a european car. They will treat you right every time.

Alex

Buying a car from this dealership is the best car purchasing experience I have ever had. I seriously can't praise this dealership enough. I made the trip out from the lower mainland to take home a really rare find, and it was totally worth it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat! They had prepared the car for my arrival in the shop, cleaned and dry so I could do a full inspection on my own. They weren't pushy, they were honest, and they were overall just really helpful. They have some real gems on offer, and for reasonable prices. Thank you Caleb and the team for a great experience.

Carter Brock Metanczuk

Needed a part for my friends e90 I was working on and no one was able to get it for me. They got me it the next day for cheaper than other places were asking. Very good service and super friendly!

Joseph Lovett

Wow. They had my car for over two weeks to fix my BMW convertible top. I was amazed that they ran NO DIAGNOSTUCS BEFORE STARTING THE WORK. They never called to give progress status so I called them. They said it's working perfect!. I drive there and paid them over $700 get my keys and test the top. Red lights start flashing, the tops motors churning away and it doesn't stop running.! 12 times they saw this issue and didn't even note it ? I said it's the same issue I brought it in for and the response was OH. WE DIDN'T KNOW? A good shop would have a diagnostics tool -NO? In the end I had to take it to the dealer because these people are NOT BMW Specialists and need to invest in proper diagnostics tools and hire proper BMW MECHANICS. Very unprofessional and immature business. BUYER BEWARE!

Carly Waring

Had the most wonderful experience today!! We just got on the road to head on our Honeymoon when our BMW started rattling. Brought it in here, they kindly snuck us in, and had it fixed and back to us in time for our hotel check-in. So grateful for this service!!

Sean Reid

European vehicles are expensive to fix regardless of where you go. Nice to find a place that has experience with them and can accurately quote and understand the work necessary to complete the job.

Bob Kamerbeek

Great professional and friendly service. No nonsense approach, straight forward with the client. Saved me a lot of money! Highly recommended!

Zach Smith

Great service, very professional and knowledgeable. Provide way more value than OEM shops. Highly recommend for any European vehicle

D -

One day I'll win the lotto and be down.

Ken Murray

Go here if you live in Nanaimo and own a Europe car. Don't question it. Just go here.

B Siegle

Fast, friendly, and honest.

Artur Gryz

I drove down from the interior because I heard this shop was one of the best around and was not disappointed. My S6 V10 had a very mysterious code that was diagnosed quickly and accurately by the team @ European Specialty. Service manager Tom was great to deal with. He was very professional. While my vehicle was there, he sent me several detailed email updates including thorough explanations of what needed to be done and why. I've owned Audi's since 2004. My experience has been locating a reasonably priced, trustworthy shop which works on German vehicles and takes pride in their work a tough task to find. Even though I had to add the cost of the ferry, I'm definitely taking my car there again when it requires work done.

Dale Dearing

Specialized automotive company: great service, great people, very helpful and friendly. Lovely, new, purpose-built building! With European Specialty Automotive I was able to get the vehicle I wanted(a low-mileage, fully-optioned Mazda CX-3 GT AWD) in excellent condition for an unbeatable price, WITHOUT leaving the island ????. With Caleb, the purchase & paperwork, ICBC insurance process, plates transfer, transferring my tired old trade in, all and more were very quick, easy, professional, accurate. First class company: highly recommended!

Peter Pimentel

Getting my vehicle repaired and serviced by the folks at European Specialty has been such a positive experience I can't imagine taking my M-B anywhere else. They communicate like true professionals and lay out options and recommendations for you so you can feel confident in your decisions. Highly recommended! Thanks again, Caleb!

Jason Perry

Very knowledgeable, courteous and gets everything done in a timely fashion.

Candice Wylds

Very honest and professional. Thank you Tom!

Chris MacDonald

I always enjoy great service from the guys at European! Thanks for rockin!!

Martin Lehner

Absolutely top notch service ! This is likely the BEST independent shop I've been to for a European car. Service was quick, efficient and I had the car back much earlier than initially promised. Will definitely be returning for all future mechanical needs, and can easily recommend to anyone looking for a quality, professional shop.

Mikey

Amazing customer service and the guys in the office for service, best darn service guys ever....thanks guys ????

Aramyth Pierce

We used European specialty for any work done on my BMW X5. We dealt mostly with Tom who was always polite and helpful and got us in whenever needed. If you have an import car you need to go here, no nonsense as they are an honest business. I will miss having such a trustworthy mechanic when I move.

Derek Nickel

Excellent service, great used car selection. The only reasonable place in Nanaimo to work on Porsche, Mercedes, Audi and BMW.

Jackie Pallard

Excellent and patient service! Thanks Caleb!

D W.

Had some work done on one of my vehicles. Work was done to perfection and in a timely fashion. Clear communication throughout the whole process. Additionally, I noted their strict adherence to Covid guidelines, including masks and sanitization stations. I felt very safe there.

Virginpacific

I looked at a Merceds E500 in August. Was in a hurry and had to leave. I called Caleb next day and asked if he could hold the car for a week since I was from out of town. He said yes. I did not expect that I came a week later and Caleb picked me up at the Hotel next morning. While test driving Caleb was very informative about the vehicle. After arriving at his showroom he brought out all documentation and was all up front with documentations what had been repaired and what should be repaired in the next few months. I found Caleb to be very honest and upfront front with everything. After making a deal he even let me use the car to get insurance on it before I had paid for the vehicle. For those who have never bought a car from this company and Caleb should definitely do so. And for those who have bought from him should continue to support him. He have set a new standard and raised the bar in car sales and service. Very hard to find service and honesty anywhere like this that Caleb and European Specialty provide. Thank you Caleb. I will be back.

david levine

I actually haven't used them yet, I called in to see if they could service Autos that I was hoping to import as I am an expatriate moving back to Canada once again. I know better than to buy a car without a proper mechanic to service it. Reception was awesome and they got back to me right away in the states. The head mechanic that I spoke with was very knowledgeable, and the reception I received when I called in was impeccable. Total communication and sincerity all the way through my discovery. I am confident, bringing my Porsche home to Canada. .

D J

I didn't give them a try after going in for an estimate

Robert Wheeler

You guys are top notch, recently we have taken 2 of our vehicles to ESA. Your staff was courteous to my wife and made her feel appreciated and by no means tried to pull the she's a girl here comes the money attitude. I myself am very mechaniclly inclined and could do a lot of the work myself but, honesty and integrity go along way. You guys have customers for life, I'd recommend ESA to anybody who's looking for a fair and honesty company

Richard Gadoury Comox Valley Real Estate

Fantastic customer service.

Donald Paget

Great talking to rep

Dave McCann

Been here a couple times after consistently poor service at BMW dealership. Friendly, fair prices, quick booking times and good communication. Only slight was the consistency with mask wearing. I unfortunately didn't feel safe. Otherwise great!

Ross Thompson

Tom is the man. He'll get you sorted, without having to part with your first born. First class service.

Lucas Pallard

Great people and great cars. They simply don't sell junk; few cars have over 100k on them. Caleb is a great salesperson and was never pushy with us, and our visits to their shop so far have been positive as well. Would recommend them to anyone looking for a nice car at a good price, with customer service that goes above and beyond.

Nat Almond

Squeezed me in with short notice and installed a Malone Tune for my car very quickly! Great Service and an awesome staff!

Melinda Brom

I had the pleasure of working with Caleb and team to purchase a Mercedes E400 Sedan. From the condition of the car to the professionalism of the service and sales departments - the service and support extended by European Specialty is a rarity today. This was my first experience with European Specialty and it’s no surprise that they are as respected as they are in the Sales and Service of fine automobiles and earn and deserve the highest ratings. Thanks Caleb!

Jon Makowski

An absolute pleasure dealing with Caleb at European Specialty. Very professional in handling all the business over email and phone as I was from out of town and very understanding when stuff came up on my end. It's very clear he runs this dealership for the love of the cars and I highly recommend it to anyone in the market.

Sophia Pope

Highly recommend these guys for any mechanic needs. I had my 2009 Mini Cooper towed in last minute and they took me in right when I called, I had my car back in 3 days and on the road after a labour intensive job. I really liked how the mechanic had shown me the old gasket. Once I got the Mini back I was very impressed with the effort and workmanship, they went above and beyond to meet my needs of needing the car last minute. Highly recommend European Specialty Automotive I will be back!! ;)

Jeff Wagner

Caleb and staff were EXCELLENT in assisting me on the purchase of a luxury sports car they had on the lot as a surprise gift for my wife on our anniversary. The car itself was a limited edition Porsche, and everything he promised it would be (I'm writing this almost 3 months later) turned out to be accurate! They have a niche business with specialty vehicles, and frankly I'm surprised (and grateful) we have this in Nanaimo. Highly recommended. Thanks Caleb, she loves the car!

Paul “Paolo” White

Just moved back to Nanaimo, but I used European Specialty Automotive at their old facility. The new facility is amazing. They worked on my old Porsche, and it's an absolute thumbs up from me. I believe I dealt with Caleb and Tom. Everything was explained, costs itemised and I couldn't be happier. I am now back in Nanaimo, and looking to get re-acquainted. I have also heard from several people in the car game here that European is their default for getting quality work done.

Viraat BK Thammanna

Dealer for pre-owned European automobiles. Also services European cars and SUVs. Very clean facility. When I took my car for diagnosing, their mechanical inspection and scan report was not precise. No good follow-up post diagnose, I had to go there to check what's next.

Frank Hewlin

Very helpful sales staff

Matthew Lettington

very knowledgeable staff. If you're European import is 5 days old 30 years old they have the fix

Debbie Huang

I was helping my daughter find a used Volkswagen car. Since it was going to be her first car, she was very nervous. The car she was interested had some CV joints problems. After seeing great reviews for European Specialty Automotive online, I decided to give them a call and asked a rough quote for the repair. The guy answered the call, his name I believe is Dayton. He was very patient with me. After understood my concerns he gave me some good advice, and suggested a pre-purchase inspection. He even phoned me back later after he checked the price to give me a rough quote for the repair. My daughter ended up not buying the car with the CV joints problem. I gave my daughter European Specialty's information and suggested that she should consider their service later when her car needs service. It was a very good experience I received from European Specialty Automotive. Highly recommended.

Mike Wilson

Fantastic shop! These guys were able to solve my problem with amazing service. Tom was incredibly helpful!

Theo L Le Roux

Buying an older pre-owned car is always a stressful experience. I recently bought an older Mercedes from European Specialty Automotive. Dealing with Caleb was easy and straightforward. Unfortunately the car broke down on our first longer trip with it. We immediately contacted Caleb and took the car back. There was a rather big problem with the engine and some parts had to be ordered over the holidays. All the problems were fixed to our satisfaction at no extra cost. Communication with Caleb and Tom was excellent. I recommend this team without reservation if you are in the market for a pre-owned vehicle as they removed a lot of the stress out of the process and gave us confidence in our purchase. I will certainly have the car serviced at ESA. Thank you Caleb and Tom and team for excellent service.

Mr. T (MR.T)

Really professional, really patient, and the prize is fair enough. Thanks George!

Shamus K.

Caleb runs a solid business here at European Specialty, needed my oil changed in a hurry and they had no problem fitting me in. Also had my water pump go in my E90 and they had it fixed and I was on my way in no time! If you care about your car and you want to have the reassurance that trained and knowledgeable people are working on it I highly suggest bringing it here! 5 stars all day long.

Roger Leeman

I have a 2015 BMW X5. Have been disappointed (understatement) with the service received from local BMW dealer. Decided to try European Specialty Auto. What a difference - Tom was a pleasure do deal with and very knowledgeable. Service was outstanding and cost was more than reasonable. They literally saved me thousands of dollars.

Frank Giesbrecht

First class service and people.

Emily Hwang

Always does a great job and delivers as quoted and promised and love the reports they send afterwards.

REX COOK

Ordered a part for my car,was there on time,cheaper then the dealer, and same part. Say what!!

Kyle Shepherd (intothevoid85)

I purchased a vehicle from here. They were very professional. The owner went out of his way to come in on his day off to sell me a car. He was very honest and was very easy going. I would highly recommend this Autoshop/Dealer!

Alan Boden

My 2004 BMW 530i was suffering from a persistent engine misfire and intermittent electrical faults of the trunk open warning light coming on whenever it wanted and the alarm going off randomly when set. It wasn't nice to drive the car nor could I park it securely overnight or downtown with the alarm unset. They traced the misfire to a faulty MAF sensor, recently changed by another garage, and the electrical problems were cured when they discovered the electrical harness in the trunk had its insulation worn through due to the opening and closing of the trunk. The previous shop had changed the trunk sensor which didn't fix the issue. They also cured a mysterious "clunking" sound from my steering column which turned out to be a misaligned bushing. Overall they did a great job and I would be happy to take my car back to them in the future.

Simmers Onwheels

Purchased an older 911 last year. Really felt I was given all the information required to the purchase, extremely open and honest transaction. I would absolutely purchase another car from this dealer.

Graeme Arkell

What really impresses me about European Specialty is how they treat me like family. Through conversations with Caleb and Tom, I feel that they genuinely care about me as a person. It is reassuring to know that whenever my car needs repairs, I can take it to two friends who I trust.

Bruce Robb

A great experience buying our Mercedes SLK! Caleb held the vehicle for us until we could find time to get over to the island and did not even ask for a deposit. Car was exactly as advertised. Whole process was seamless. Would recommend European Specialty to anyone!

Darren Malcolm

Recently purchased a 2008 BMW 335xi from Caleb, had a minor issue shortly after taking possession of the car. Contacted Caleb, he said bring the car down and had it fixed at no charge on New Years Eve. I HIGHLY recommend anyone who is looking for a used higher end vehicle to visit European Specialty Automotive and talk with Caleb.

Kylie Ferguson

Fantastic Service when my Land Rover had some wheel issues on a camping trip! I live out of town and they had it fixed fast and were very transparent about what was needed. Chris was fantastic to deal with and I wouldn't hesitate to bring my vehicle to them again! Thank you again for a great service experience!

Sally Hamel

I have taken my car here 5 times with the same issue over the past 2 months and it is still not fixed!

Thomas Brooks

I haven't bought any cars from ESA yet. I sometimes visit their pre-owned inventory listing website to see what they have. Occasionally I have inquired about a listing that interested me, by phone/email, and have received quality responses from a sales rep. There are very few independent European car dealerships in western Canada that sell quality cars. IMHO, ESA gives its customer the best attention.

Walter Check

Just moved to Nanaimo. Own a volvo and checked the web for service near to where we bought. European Spececialty Auto came up, read some of the reviews which were very positive. Had them diagnose a problem. They gave me an estimate. They got my needed part and installed it on time. Met the owner and have to say it was a very professional experience. Staff pleasant and knowledgeable. Will definately go back.

Ian Mitchell

Great people to deal with , fixed by BMW very quickly and very reasonable fees , will definitely be going back for more help when I need it , 5 stars from me

Joe Godard

I bought a 2003 Porsche Boxster and before I purchased it, Caleb gave me very sound advise on what to look for. After I purchased it I needed work done and went directly to Caleb and Tom for service. They were fast and friendly and looked after me very well. Thanks guys, I'll see you for my next service needs. Joe

Anthony Foote

Having been a customer of European Specialty Automotive for a couple of years, I decided that the time had come to trade up to a newer car. The process was extremely smooth and Caleb was an absolute pleasure to deal with. The advice that he gave me was solid and extremely helpful. Rest assured that I will continue to be a loyal customer and will definitely be purchasing my next car at European Specialty Automotive when the time comes.

Chris Miller

Great place for parts and service. Purchased tires here; the pricing was very fair and the service was good! I highly recommend these guys if you have a European vehicle. They are a great source for parts too!

Les Cherwinski

Great service

Roland Barlocher

Car service for European cars

Tamara Kelloway

I would like to express to you how pleased I am with my recent purchase with European Specialty Automotive On March 27 2017 I came to European Specialty to test drive a 2011 Mercedes Benz GLK 350. When I arrived Caleb promptly greeted me and proceeded to take me through one of the most pleasant and informative car buying experiences. Going beyond the extra mile to ensure my piece of mind and satisfaction, made it a pleasure dealing with European Specialty. Caleb took the time to go through every measure to ensure that his service delivery was impeccable from start to conclusion. Exceeding the customer satisfaction by providing extras into my vehicle without additional cost was much appreciated. I have no doubt that I will once again return to European Specialty Automotive when I am ready to upgrade. Thank you, for providing me with such a positive customer experience. It was a pleasure doing business at European Specialty Automotive and I hope that the relationship I have developed with your company will be a longstanding one.

Seamus Moloney

Amazing staff, amazing quality of work, cannot say enough good things. 10/10 would recommend.

Ethan Kremer

Very quick, through know what they are talking about. Got my Jag in worried about the heater core, turns out it was some other small thing. Super happy

Paul Doutaz

Outstanding customer service - highly recommended

Dylan Wilson

Very good customer service. I needed a part and everybody else said 6-8 weeks but they had it for me the next day. Dropped my car off for maintenance and every time I have been very impressed they are very quick and know what they are doing.

Douglas Barrowman

Worst experiance I have ever had. Their work left my car pouring oil out of the engine. Stay away.

zvonko sejdic

Great service honest prices friendly staff

jason woods

My friend brought his Porsche in for a rear window regulator for the convertible top. The vehicle was Givin back to him with the window miss aligned so the top would not seal and a huge chip in the paint right beside the window they were working on. They pushed on the convertible top to try and align the window that they did not install correctly and the roof never worked again. He tried to work with the company because it is an older car but they accepted no responsibility and told him to go somewhere else. Absolutely apalling customer service. He brought it in for a 2000$ repair and was giving his car back in way worse shape than when it was brought in. If you value your car do not trust there sloppy company to do your work. If the job was done right the first time and the window was aligned properly and the wind screen was put back like it was when the vehicle was dropped off this all would have been avoided. Very poor quality of work especially for high end vehicles.