Modern Specialists Inc

Reviews

Reviews are sorted by relevance, with the most helpful and insightful feedback listed first for easy reference.

  Corey H
4 months ago
They quoted me $3800 for a timing chain and radiator on my Audi. When I went in to pay they said "That will be $4800"! Confused, I asked to see the estimate (which was hand written). At some point the there was a "2" that was changed to a "3" which added the extra $1k on one of the line items. The change on the estimate was obvious that the number had been changed. I argued that I was told $3800 twice prior to coming in to pay.Luckily after some clever changing of numbers on their end, I ended up paying the $3800. So make sure to check your estimate and ensure that what you are quoted is what they make you pay. I did need to bring the Audi back after the service as it broke down again due to some wiring issues. They did fix that at no charge. MS also mentioned that they were in process of moving away from a handwritten proposal system to a computer generated one to keep this issue from happening again. Would have likely been 4-5 stars if I was asked to pay what I was told prior to the repair. But like I said, they new system will help with accuracy. Or it may be harder to notice a 2 being changed to a 3. Just be careful there.

  Ariana Saraha & Flight Behavior
5 months ago
They wanted $390 to do an oil change on my Sprinter! When questioned, they said even the materials had gone up in price. I happen to know that retail prices on two jugs of the right Motul oil, plus the best Hengst filter, adds up to only about $100. And the change is just about as basic as they come takes no more than half an hour.Needless to say, I now do my oil changes myself.

  Tana Hamilton
3 months ago
Worst experience with a vehicle, i've had. ! I won't say more or this would look really really bad for them. and I just need to say what I have to say so people know when they're walking in the door what they're dealing with they took a complete advantage of me after my son's death and I found it extremely disturbing.

  Gabriel DuPont
6 months ago
Been going for a long time and they always do a great job on my Audis. Fair pricing and good work.

  Jack Critchfield
a month ago
I have head the opportunity to experience other Specialist shops in the area and Modern always comes out on top.

  Darrin LeBlanc
7 years ago
I have a 2006 Audi A3 that I bought 5 Years ago and have taken to Modern Specialists ever since. They have always treated me extremely well. If you're a customer and you feel like your car mechanics have your back it provides a level of comfort that really makes owning a nice automobile that much more fun to drive. Fair pricing, excellent advice and great service. Scott, Austin, Ben and the rest of the crew are awesome.

  Rex Boge
3 years ago
I cannot recommend this business highly enough. I have been a customer over the last 4+ years and have had a significant amount of work done through them. They have always come in as the lowest bid (by far) for any of the more expensive work I have needed completed.Their employees, which I have communicated with at length on several occasions truly care about the service they provide. This is to say that there is not the same disconnect between the vehicle and it s owner as is the case in many other mechanic-type businesses. If you are ever inclined to think that small business>large business then this is the epitome of the benefits provided by small business (PLUS lower prices for the same or better quality work). As some of you may know, owning a BMW without a fat bankroll gets quite expensive quite fast... especially when going through a dealer. This is NOT a nickel and dime type of place. They provide reasonable (aka not always the most expensive or profitable) recommendations and assistance as if they were in the same position.I may not always remain a Boulder resident but I will continue to use this shop so long as the trek remains in the realm of possibility. Huge shoutout to both Tom and Ben in particular for going above and beyond.

  Sarah Lindsay
7 years ago
As a female, I feel very comfortable going to Modern Specialists. I trust them to fix my car correctly and not take advantage of the fact that I'm a woman.I have had my 2005 BMW 325xi worked on by Ben, one of the mechanics, twice now and he is always fast, efficient, and honest. He will call me to tell me what he found, how is going to fix it, if he found any other issues, and how bad those other issues are.For example the last time I brought it in because my CV Boot was cracked so he had to replace the axle. He called to give me an update (my car was going to be done hours earlier than I expected!) as well as tell me that he looked over my car and everything looked good except the oil pan gasket was leaking and should be replaced in the next 30,000 miles or so. This wasn't really surprising news since it has been leaking oil for a few months now and my fiance and I have replaced everything that could be leaking oil except the oil pan gasket.When we went in to pick up the car Scott, the owner, was there and was extremely nice. He greeted us, chatted about Ben and my car and went through the charges with me on the invoice.I will only bring my car to Modern Specialists from now on and I will probably only let Ben work on it since he has proven himself in the past! Thank you Scott and Ben!

  Philip A
2 years ago
Have been taking my 3 German autos to this business for 20 years. Scott,Tom and Ben my mechanic as well as the entire staff are all top notch. These cars are expensive to purchase and maintain so having faith that they will do the repair(s) properly and as needed is paramount. I highly recommend this shop they are professional, highly skilled, and honest.Services: Electrical repair, Steering & suspension repair, General repairs & maintenance, Auto engine diagnostic, Brakes

  Dan Candee
9 years ago
I have been bringing my BMW and Audi here for over 10 years and trust them like I do my family doctor. They value the customer experience as highly as the need to take perfect care of our cars. Thorough, trustworthy, fun and quick. Scott and his team know exactly what they are doing and never oversell - always looking to match the need appropriately. We also run German race cars and their knowledge of high performance tuning is exceptional. The BEST German car mechanic in Boulder.Thank you Scott and team!

  Maike L
5 years ago
Scott has owned this business as long as I can remember & we've been bringing our (sometimes dated) German cars here for decades. Prices are very reasonable, so there is sometimes a wait to get in. It is hard to find a mechanic to trust & I have never had trust issues with Modern Specialists. Highly recommended for German cars!

  John Pana
9 years ago
I've been a Modern Specialists customer for nearly 20 years, six wonderful Audi's. That pretty much says it all. Scott will give you the news, whether bad or good. And by working with these experienced mechanics, I know how to plan my maintenance. We don't drive Chevy's or Fords... as performance drivers, we need to understand that practical level of maintenance. If you want cheap, go elsewhere and suffer the consequences. My experience is that Modern Specialists is more thorough and better priced than my dealership, despite the coupons and marketing. Yo!!

  Sunset Rider
2 years ago
As a car person, I am often asked and used to recommend this shop to friends and colleagues, but recently there was another instance where they just didn't hold themselves to a high standard when a friend's car was repaired incorrectly according to other mechanics including the dealership, and instead of replacing it and taking responsibility the same parts were used, just installed correctly finally. Not impressed and won't be recommending anyone to this shop anymore.You can tell a truly good shop not by how reviewers are happy after an oil change or a basic repair, but how a shop treats its customers when the shop makes a mistake and how they correct it. Mistakes are okay to be made, but how you handle them is what sets you apart.Service: General repairs & maintenance

  Edward O'connor
a year ago
They ve been working on at least 5 different cars of mine over the last 30 years. Always honest, trustworthy, and reliable. Never had any issues with them. Thanks guys!Services: Transmission, Steering & suspension repair, General repairs & maintenance, Auto engine diagnosticServices: Transmission, Steering & suspension repair, General repairs & maintenance, Auto engine diagnostic

  Sarah Egan
9 years ago
I brought my car in to have an auxiliary cable installed and the whole experience was really great. Scott worked promptly to get me in touch with Ben, who would be doing the work. After setting up an appointment and dropping my car off, Scott gave me a ride back to my house since I wasn't able to get anyone to take me that morning. He called when my car was done, which was much sooner than anticipated. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to make it to the shop by the time they closed to pick it up, so Scott kindly hid my key so that I could still get it that day. Ben explained to me over the phone how the cable would work and let me know I could call him with any questions. Overall, the experience at Modern Specialists was great! They even oiled up the rear window arm for me and he told me next time I come in they can clear up my headlights! I will definitely be taking my car back to Modern Specialists and refer my friends there as well!

  Kelly O'Neil
7 years ago
I just picked my Audi up from Modern Specialists and could not be more pleased with the service I received. After a weekend of extremely cold temps and having it jumped, the battery was on its last legs. Worried that it would die on me with a full work and holiday schedule, I called Modern Specialists as my dealership is located in Denver and I work in Boulder. Austin assured me it was no problem to fit my car in that morning and have it finished same day. I dropped it off around 7:50, was checked in, and the owner, Scott, got me to work by 8! By 9:45, Austin let me know they confirmed it was a battery problem and it had been fixed. Price was on par with what I expected and checkout took all of 2 minutes. Thank you Modern Specialists for making this such an easy, quick, and stress-free experience!

  Kelli Gambee
7 years ago
I have brought my MINI in a couple of times and I love that the team here never tries to sell me on anything above what it really needs. The first time I brought it, they found a couple of tiny leaks but said that if it was their cars, they wouldn't bother with them right now because they were such a non-issue. Then, I brought it in yesterday for the tire reset button being broken and the windshield sprayer not working well. Rather than order the part ($150) and charge me a bunch of labor, they were able to just unstick it, fix the windshield sprayer and they only charged me $65. Will never take my car anywhere else!!

  Ryan Koenigsberg
7 years ago
I took my 2005 Mercedes Convert. to Modern Specialist for the first time, and they couldn't have been nicer, timely and completely thorough. Instead of the typical dealer, bend you over approach, they did a complete checkup with the oil / filter change and let me speak to the actual mechanic who did the work. He had some good suggestions, especially to use a branded 91 Octane gas, ( I thought a 91 was 91?), and they even ordered some replacement knobs, all with a smile. I will be back for sure! Budd

  DSG
6 years ago
They found approximately $2,000 worth of repairs on a used car inspection for a 2007 BMW 328XI I was looking at. I was able to get $1500 worth repairs out of the dealership and came back to Modern Specialist for the rest. The best part is the penciled me into their busy schedule to accommodate my schedule and car purchase.

  Randall S
7 months ago
I have used them for several years and they have always been helpful and don't try to charge you for extra services or parts. I had an electrical problem and they charged me less than what they could have.Services: Electrical repair, General repairs & maintenance, Oil changeServices: Electrical repair, General repairs & maintenance, Oil change

  Dr Jocelyn Brown
2 years ago
Tom and Eric have been very good to me and my car. They're fast, they're accurate in their diagnoses, easy to communicate with, and they have the cleanest restroom -- a surprising feature in an auto shop. Thanks Eric and team !Service: Electrical repairService: Electrical repair

  Ian Stinson
3 years ago
Took my car in cuz I live 100 miles away, new customer, took the recommendation from a friend. I had them charge me 600 dollars to fix my valve tronic motor. I decided to do my own valve cover gasket replacement because I was told I d have to spend 1700 dollars to fix that and a sensor. In the process of doing so I found out that I have to take out the valve tronic motor anyway. So I looked up the price on rock auto which I ve used for years to purchase and repair vehicles. The part it 70 dollars and it took me maybe 30 minutes to get to the motor. I ll let you do the math, only take it here if you feel like spending your money. Take it to a friend, have them use an OBD reader, if you have 50 dollars you can buy one online that links to your phone. Find the issue and get it fixed. Your friendly neighborhood mechanic that likes to work on cars will charge you a lot less then this.Service: Electrical repair

  Mari Ann Shake
9 years ago
I've gone to Modern Specialists for probably 30 years. I don't trust anyone in any trade -- doctor, lawyer, philosopher -- as much as I trust that these people will not rip me off. And they are absolutely great guys. Really good people.When looking for my last car I was considering a certain Volvo. I went with another German car when I realized that Modern Specialists doesn't work on Volvos. Going through finding another mechanic -- well, that would be too grueling.Now I am considering moving back to my home town in the mountains and the things I'll miss about Boulder include Chautauqua, the World Affairs Conference, McGuckin's, and Modern Specialists.

  Scott Lovewig
5 years ago
Tom is NOT trustworthy or personable....Don t believe the positive feedback.Loose clamp on power steering pump - all it was ... 3 turns of a screw driver =they quoted me $3000 for a new pump, res ect.They didn t even clean the leaking area - don t get screwed around there - they are getting rich scaring clueless clients - no stars for the modern thieves.I wouldn t even use them for a second opinion- could end up sabatoged -YouTube is more helpful than these con artist

  Budd Zuckerman
7 years ago
I am more and more impressed every time i deal with the entire team at Modern Specialists! Their prices and service are unbeatable. I stopped by with a dummy light on and one of their techs, walked out, looked at it, pulled the light assembly, said that while 2 of the bulbs are working, they look like they may be a future problem and replaced them, all in under 10 minutes. I got out my wallet and he responded " No Charge" we do that for all our repeat customers. That would have been $40.00 plus at the dealer. I swear by these guys, I just wish I would have found them sooner, like the day my car's warranty expired. Thanks Scot, Austin and the rest of the Team!Budd Zuckerman

  Greg Gauthier
4 years ago
Outstanding quality, service and value. Tom is extremely trustworthy and really understands the auto repair business. I have been bringing my German cars here for several years and will not go anywhere else.

  Cornelia Davis
10 years ago
After years of driving to Denver for service at Prestige, we switched to Modern Specialists about a year and a half ago. We have an Audi S8 which is a relatively uncommon car. Modern is knowledgeable, professional and well priced.

  Maye Cordero
5 years ago
A little disappointed. When I brought my Land Rover LR3 for a O2 sensor replacement (bc I've had the same diagnose from several sources), they recommended to change PCV valves instead, I trusted their judgement bc they are "the experts." However, 24hrs and $200 later all lights are back on and they came back with a longer To Do estimate. Issue hasn't been solved and now I have a longer list of labor and parts to worry about.

  Eric Evans
5 years ago
This shop has been around a very long time while it has had few different owners and personnel changes it has always been a very solid and consist auto repair shop. Highly recommend this shop for your car service needs. Scott the owner and Tom the Manager are respected and trustworthy car repair advisors and service cars with care.

  rick hickerson
5 years ago
Not a huge fan. Decent work but have had to take things back before. Staff doesnt seem to naturally go the extra mile to make sure your experience and satisfaction meet your needs. Will probably try another repair shop if I own another audi.