FAQs

At Autohaus Import Service, we welcome clients to visit anytime we are open! However, if we know we are expecting you we can usually take care of your needs faster. If you have an automotive emergency, by all means bring your vehicle to us immediately! We have several alternative transportation options to keep you rolling.

At Autohaus, we NEVER make repairs until our clients have approved an estimate. We can quote a few maintenance items quickly over the phone, but most of the time when you call we will ask to see the vehicle prior to making an estimate. Why? Because that way we can make sure you actually need that specific repair. As your dealership alternative, often we are able to save clients thousands of dollars on repair quotes given by other shops, parts store, OR the Internet. Our professional, experienced technicians’ opinion allow us to provide an estimate we feel will best serve our clients overall needs.

Autohaus Import Service provides a nationwide 3 year/36,000 mile warranty on most mechanical repairs. If the parts we install fail during that period, we cover parts and labor. It’s that simple. For our client’s peace of mind, all 3 year/36,000 mile warranties come with complimentary nationwide roadside assistance. **Please contact us for details/exclusions.

Most of our parts are OEM (made by the original supplies to the manufacturer). Often we use genuine parts from local dealerships. There are times we use domestically sourced parts of the highest quality. As your dealership alternative, Autohaus Imports extends most warranties to 3 year/36,000 mile, while others only provide a 12 month/12,000 mile warranty. Because we choose to do this for our clients, it wouldn’t be smart for us to cut corners and use inferior parts, would it?

No. Autohaus Import Service is a full service automotive repair shop. We understand the lure of cheap Internet parts, but our experience has taught us that entirely too many poor (and expensive) outcomes occur in situations where we install a client provided part. At Autohaus, we have established our business to provide peace of mind for our clients with high quality parts and personalized relationships. Your repair is much more to us than just parts and labor.

No. The “free code scan” provided by well-intentioned stores and shops are most often performed with generic equipment. This means they use the same equipment to test a Chevy F-150, or Dodge Charger, as they use to test your luxury import. And, all too often the person interpreting this incomplete data is under trained, and perhaps unfamiliar with the complexity of systems in your car that may be effecting their reading. This, many times, ends badly for your wallet.

No. Although dealership employees may want you to think that is the case, your maintenance work can be performed at Autohaus Import Service. We use OEM or OES parts and advise clients to adhere to the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule so your manufacturer’s warranty will stay intact. You may be told otherwise, but by law, your manufacturer’s warranty cannot be invalidated by having your maintenance performed at Autohaus.

Vehicle specific information is available in your Owner’s Manual. Generally speaking, if that warning light is flashing, you may be risking serious damage by continuing to operate the vehicle. We recommend pulling the car off the road, as soon as it is safe to do so. (Do NOT put yourself in danger of being hit by passing traffic!) Call us, or yours roadside assistance agency, and have the vehicle towed to Autohaus.

If the dash light is NOT flashing, and the vehicle performance is not compromised, it is generally safe to keep driving a short distance, until you can call Autohaus and schedule a visit. We advise, however, that you don’t delay too long. In our experience, what might have been a simple fix can snowball into a major repair if the warning light is ignored. Remember, when that warning light comes on, your car is trying to tell you it needs some attention!

I could write a book on this subject! The answers range from a qualified yes, to maybe, to a resounding NO! “Caveat Emptor”, or buyer beware, are the words to heed in this area. There are some great warranty companies with excellent policies that perform admirably. On the other end of the spectrum are the companies that bury so many exclusions in “the fine print”, it is all but impossible to get a claim paid.

Of course, the time to find out exactly what you are buying is before you sign the contract. We at Autohaus Import Service are happy to give advice on this matter. Simply give us a call, provide us with a copy of the contract for analysis, and we will discuss it with you to be sure it fits your needs and expectations.We provide this service to the public for free, because we believe an informed consumer is an empowered consumer. And, at Autohaus, we believe an informed/empowered consumer is a “good thing”!

Call Autohaus Import Service. Our friendly, helpful staff will keep you rolling! We provide shuttle services if you simply need a ride to work, or home.

We have a small fleet of complimentary loaner cars, and if a loaner is not available we have several rental cars onsite from a local car rental company for our clients use while their vehicle is in our shop. We handle the paperwork which means you are back on the road FAST!

Our specialty is European and Japanese luxury cars, but….here’s our “secret”…many of our clients love the specialized care and relationship based services we provide so much, they insist that we service and maintain ALL the cars they own. At Autohaus Import Service we understand that we can’t be all things to all people, but our decades of experience gives us good insight into general automotive repair. Our organization exists to serve our clients, and be their “one stop automotive repair solution”. If we aren’t able to help you, most likely we know someone who can, and if we give them our recommendation, we know they will provide the same trusted, caring service we do.

At Autohaus Import Service, our ability to work with clients and assist them in the prioritization of their repairs and maintenance is something we pride ourselves on. We always recommend safety items first, since your personal safety is our highest concern. After that come items that protect your vehicles “safety” against damages that could shorten the life of your car. Certain items may be placed on a “Watch List”, if the need for the repair is not immediate. We will keep you informed on each visit so you can plan ahead. After all, it’s your car, your decision. Autohaus never engages in high pressure sales tactics, just straight talk with your ultimate satisfaction in mind!

Cash, checks, all major credit or debit cards. We also offer 6 months same-as-cash credit line through Synchrony Bank (formerly GE Capital), with approved credit. Synchrony offers a quick decision by telephone, usually within 15 minutes or less. Call us at 919.881.0364 if you would like more information on this program.

There are several reasons you should choose Autohaus Import Service to have all your services performed. First, most of today’s luxury import segments use very specific coolants and lubricants. Most oil change specialty shops, or big box franchise repair shops use generic, “one size fits all” fluids to boost profits. This is usually not in the best interest of your vehicle. At Autohaus, we stock manufacturer approved products to protect your investment!

If your car has mileage based service intervals, be aware that any shop who has “30K-60K-90K” service prices posted on a menu board at the counter is also using a “one size fits’ all” strategy that could be omitting one or more important items required by your vehicle manufacturer. Or maybe even worse, performing unnecessary work.

At Autohaus Import Service, we always begin your service with a printout of factory recommendations for your specific make and model. If we think something on that list might be excessive, we will let you know. For example, BMW recommends replacing all 4 oxygen sensors at 100,000 miles, to the tune of approximately $2000.00. We advise waiting until one fails, then replacing the single failed sensor. Yes they will all eventually fail, but we see oxygen sensors that last 150,000 miles or more all the time. Why incur the expense, if it isn’t necessary? Our experience saves you $$!

If your vehicle uses conventional motor oil, we think that the quality of today’s lubricants make a 5,000 mile interval acceptable. Personally, our shop vehicles using conventional oil are serviced every 3,000 miles. It’s cheap insurance to protect your engine.

If your vehicle requires synthetic motor oil, we advise a 7,500 mile interval, even though the manufacturer may recommend intervals in excess of 15,000 miles. At Autohaus, we may not be smart enough to challenge chemical engineers with advanced degrees who make these recommendations, but we are smart enough to know why an engine designed to perform for 300,000 mile or more has an interval sludge related failure at less than half of that mileage! We see it too frequently in our shop, but work with our clients to keep this from being your experience.

Whatever interval you choose, remember that WE advise, then YOU decide!