Trusted TDI Mechanics - By State

greasemonkey

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Location
Oklahoma City, OK
TDI
Jetta 2003, Jetta 2009
For Oklahoma, Ray_G does a good job and on time. Much better value than the dealerships, and he know what he is doing.

He will get my business again.

Greasemonkey
 

MrSafety

Newbie at Heart
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Location
California... Novato... 25 Mi. N. of S.F.
TDI
2002 Jetta TDI/ALH/01M-'80 240D Mercedes/'81 Rabbit "Caddy"/'99 Lexus ES300
... this is to add a new "INDY" shop location in Novato, CA

J.E.V. AUTOMOTIVE
19L Hamilton Dr.
Novato, CA 94949
415-883-3937 (land line)
415-755-8080 (Cell PH)
Jorge Vasquez (Owner)
jVasquez3081@gmail.com
http://www.JEVautomotive.com

"George" is into Audi(s) / VW(s) / Mini Cooper(s) and
I and my 40+ year retired Mercedes mechanic are
teaching him more about diesels!

Sam
 
Last edited:

DieselOx

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2007
Location
Spokane, WA
TDI
2003 Jetta Sedan 5sp 342,000mi
Euro Union
10515 East Sprague Avenue,
Spokane Valley, WA
(509) 892-2023
eurounion509.com

Finally, a shop in Eastern Washington that I trust to work on TDI's.

Talk to Jimmy the owner. He's been fixing VW's for several decades, did some time as a trained dealer tech, disgusted with dealer shops, worked at several other VW specialty shops. I talked to him and his tech about TB procedures, and they are totally by the book, only use reputable parts, always replace everything in the belt path, use new stretch bolts, understand the proper tensioning methods. Talking to them, they have invented better techniques for removing the oil cooler, for instance, that gives me the sense they are intelligent, creative and careful in how they approach repairing VW's.

Additionally, they stock all the common VW broken parts: hood latches, all the various plastic bits and switches that break (oil cooler seals, dipstick parts, relays...). Jimmy's even got a guy in town who rebuilds door modules for $75 retail, half the dealer price. Several kinds are in stock.

They charge $80 an hour at the moment, which seems more than fair to me, given their experience.

They may not have done every repair to a diesel that can be done, but the kicker for me was they were willing to listen to me and learn how to do a fuel pump re-seal based on the procedures from the club. I printed out the threads, and spent 10 minutes going over them with the tech who'll do the work. They are not at all arrogant, and you can tell they truly love VW's and are committed to keeping them on the road.

And they have a cool show room littered with all kinds of air-cooled and water-cooled parts and cars. They have a pristine early Type 34 Karmann Ghia that's worth the trip just to look at it, as well as another Karmann Ghia and a bug eye sprite.

If there was a way, I'd nominate them for guru status, not just the Trusted Mechanic list.
 
Last edited:

loneviking

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2008
Location
Carson City, Nevada
TDI
'96 Passat wagon
You can add Oasis Auto in Redding, California. Chuck there has been working on diesel VW's and Audis for thirty years. I just found this shop when my Passat went down on a trip. A shop I normally trust and have had good luck with must have turned loose a gas mechanic on my diesel. He put gas fuel lines between the injectors, and to make the engine run he severly retarded the timing. On a trip just a couple of days out of the shop, the lines had swollen and leaked fuel all over the place. The fuel system lost it's prime and the timing was so retarded it then couldn't start. Chuck at Oasis figured it all out and got the little car running like a charm again!

Oasis Auto
2405 Athens (corner of athens and locust)
Redding, CA
530-246-1664
 

HatefulMechanic

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Location
Floyd, VA
TDI
Own? None. Fix? All.
Two things:

Protocol Automotive had some structure changes, and is now known as Joe's Garage.

418 Floyd Highway N FLoyd VA 24091 5407456045 www.joesgarageva.com


Secondly, who do I gotta message to get my screenname changed?
 

TimLeAnn'sJetta

New member
Joined
Feb 4, 2012
Location
Tennessee
TDI
2003 Jetta
First time VW owner. Just bought a 2003 Jetta, 142000. Timing belt changed at 100000. Every thinga bout it seams solid. However, I would like to have a good mechanic lined up should I need. I live in Hendersonville, TN. Any recommendation?
 

jcilforever

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Location
Southeast
TDI
2004 Jetta (SOLD), 2004 Beetle, 2003 Jetta Wagon (parts car) all manuals all for sale
In TX do not use this "trusted" mechanic Tim's German Auto

Beware,
I flew into TX last year and gave Tim's German Auto advanced notice for a pre-purchase inspection, Paid for a full inspection and even gave them a list of expected items to check. They said they checked my timing belt and it was replaced but when I got it home and had turbinewhine a respected local Guru he showed me the difference in thickness between a new belt and the one on my car I had just purchased also they missed the bet tenstioner that was jittery and making noise.
Sent pictures, emails and, invoices and they never responded.

Tim's German Auto
2632 White Settlement
Fort Worth, TX 76107
Phone: (817) 731-9494
Toll Free: (800) 257-8527
info@timsgermanauto.com
http://www.timsgermanauto.com/
VW certified mechanics
 

ymz

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 12, 2003
Location
Between Toronto & Montreal
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Wagon, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon
Is Tim's on the recommended list?

With TDI gurus MTBR297, “jetta ,97” and Alphaseinor in the vicinity, why would anyone go elsewhere?

My 2 cents...

Yuri
 

jcilforever

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Location
Southeast
TDI
2004 Jetta (SOLD), 2004 Beetle, 2003 Jetta Wagon (parts car) all manuals all for sale
Is Tim's on the recommended list?

With TDI gurus MTBR297, “jetta ,97” and Alphaseinor in the vicinity, why would anyone go elsewhere?

My 2 cents...

Yuri
When you are flying in from out of town and have a 03 wagon with manual things go fast ( are not available that often) and you need to make arrangements fast I did choose two on the list, one guy went drove it and also said the belt was good and was going to pay him the money but once I found out about all the things he missed he told me he did not want payment. Then took it by Tims and they told me the same thing. Guess sometimes things go wrong no matter how careful you are. Can't fault me because both individual and company were on the list. Still had to spend $600 out of my pocket because of someone "trusted" that did not pop the belt cover :mad: The book says the service was done with the stamp in it from Tims, but I was also noticing that at 105K the gasser cars belts are due and that was not stamped so I get Tims is not a good source for diesels:rolleyes:
 

Bennett

Active member
Joined
Mar 15, 2002
Location
New York
TDI
Jetta GLS 2000 Blue, Jetta GLS 2002 Silver
Recommendation for Todd Zeller:"Trusted TDI Mechanic"

Had intake manifold and EGR valve removed and cleaned by Todd Zeller (deezldub@gmail.com Coral Springs, Florida) who I found on the Trusted TDI Mechanics List. Very efficient, reasonable price. I would highly recommended him to other TDI owners.
Bennett
 

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
Any trusted TDI experts in San Diego??

Or nearby??
Contact Leonard Harview, TDI username Harvieux, at Wild Rose Motors in Whittier, if you need a TDI guru.

There are some decent mechanics in San Diego, but they are not TDI experts.
 

Devwin

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2010
Location
York, PA
TDI
2010 JSW
Euro
Cory Sterling
1832 Monroe Street
York, PA 17404-5430
(717)683-2222

Just did my 40k service on my 2010 TDI DSG JSW. Work done was, oil change, fuel filter, DSG service, air filter, and cabin filter. Allowed me to source my own parts and fluid. Charged $292.50 for the service. He did the measure-refill method on the DSG fluid change. He will source the parts if you don't want to.
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
wow....I charge $75 sourcing all the fluids and filters.
 

40X40

Experienced
Joined
Feb 12, 2006
Location
Kansas City area, MO
TDI
2013 Passat SEL Premium
Euro
Cory Sterling
1832 Monroe Street
York, PA 17404-5430
(717)683-2222
Just did my 40k service on my 2010 TDI DSG JSW. Work done was, oil change, fuel filter, DSG service, air filter, and cabin filter. Allowed me to source my own parts and fluid. Charged $292.50 for the service. He did the measure-refill method on the DSG fluid change. He will source the parts if you don't want to.

So, $292.50 for LABOR only?

Wow.

Bill
 

turborod

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2011
Location
SoCal
TDI
09 TDI Sport Wagon
Just got back my 09 JSW. Needed a turbo. 114k miles. Ontario VW, where I was the first to buy it, wanted $3500 bucks!!!!!
I was reffered to a SoCal back yard mechanic by one of the members here. Spoke to him and bid on it. Never showed and never called!! His name is here I believe (I'll give hime the benefit of the doubt in case his phone went out.....). I called around here in SoCal.

I found EF1 Motorsports, Inc near Long Beach on this site. 562 424 3378. Clean, nice landscaping and friendly. Spoke to Fabriozio the owner. Did the work more inexpensive by a lot than any of the other SoCal TDI guys I called. Even asked me if he could take it overnight to clean the oil out of the exhaust (of course).

I took the frozen turbo (anybody want to disect it) home as well. I can't tell you how inexpensive he was because of an agreement with him but it was at least 40% of the other mechanics or 25% of the stealership.

I highly recomend him.

Turbo
 

veedub88

New member
Joined
Aug 9, 2010
Location
Encinitas, CA
TDI
2005 Golf GLS
Euro Auto Service

Does anyone have any experience using Euro Auto Service in Escondido? I live 30 min north of San Diego and need to get my timing belt changed.
 

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
Does anyone have any experience using Euro Auto Service in Escondido? I live 30 min north of San Diego and need to get my timing belt changed.
That shop has been mentioned here before, and apparently it is highly regarded.

But it is not on the Trusted TDI Mechanics list because they do not specialize in TDIs or even Volkswagens.

Perhaps you can talk to them... ask who is their go-to TDI guy, if they have one. Ask if you can source a deluxe timing belt kit, from Dieselgeek or TDParts or Bora Parts or one of the other top vendors and then have them install it, etc.

If I still lived in SoCal, I'd take my Golf to Harvieux at Wild Rose -- but I'd provide my own TB kit for him to install. And I'd buy the kit from Dieselgeek.

Edit: just so it is clear which Escondido shop is being discussed, it is Euro Auto Service located at 157 S Andreasen Dr, just off Auto Park Way, phone (760)746-9968
 
Last edited:

Dee-Bug

Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2011
Location
Loganton,Pa
TDI
1999 Beetle TDI 5 speed
Thank You for this thread.I had a great experience!

With Dennis Marquette (Marquette Automotive Sunbury Pa). Our Beetle never ran so well and he was extremely quick with the job.Took it on a Monday and he called Tuesday saying it was done.He replaced the timing belt and all pertinent pieces. I had him change the oil and filter as well as fuel filter. He also replaced the Mass Airflow sensor as it was not up to par.He did some injector type work as well. The performance of the Bug has really been done well! I highly recommend him! And his price was very good too...
 

jtravis

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2011
Location
Scottsdale, AZ
TDI
2002 Golf
Is anybody familiar with Montz Auto Renditions in Phoenix AZ? They're highly regarded on Yelp etc., and have even received positive commentary from Car Talk on NPR. However, no review has mentioned any proficiency in TDIs . . .
 

Jamos

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2005
Location
SF Bay Area
TDI
2010 Jetta SW
Does anyone have a good recommendation for the SF Bay Area, preferably East Bay?
I know about AVS in Berkeley, but have heard mixed things about them.
Thanks!
 
Top