Hatem Automotive

I am thrilled we found Tom Hatem Automotive! They are professional, knowledgeable and ever so patient with me and all my questions. They have provided excellent service on my car at reasonable prices and in a very timely manner. The entire staff is so friendly! Won't be taking my BMW anywhere else!

Hatem Automotive has worked on my MINI and my daughter's BMW. I recommend them and feel they are very trustworthy.

Fantastic service. Honest folks. Genuine advice. Glad to have found a great BMW specialty shop.

I just had my car fixed, and I just want to say Excellent Service. I'm very skeptical of mechanics trying to tell me about work my car needs, but these guys explained everything in earth language. They told me what could wait and what needed done now. Did you know they have special wrenches that are digital that beep when your lug nuts are perfectly tight? These guys are professionals!

Awesome shop. Especially if you have a BMW. They are enthusiasts themselves and I will never take my bimmers anywhere else again. Forget the dealership.

What a great team - they've got the experience to diagnosis, always ready with advice, and just nice guys! Great communication, quality work, and honest pricing. From my daily drivers to race cars, they've helped me with my Porsche, Audi, and BMWs for 10+ years.

The Hadem family has always been good people and respected friend of the Speakman family. Took my BMW for a window repair and was in and out very quickly. Clean, organized, and honest are words I'd use to describe this company.

Tom Hatem is the only place I will bring my BMW for service. Their prices are lower compared to going to the BMW dealership service centers in the area and they do good work. I've found they always listen to the problem described with the car and they genuinely want to help fix the problem (vs. trying to sell you things you don't need.) They've also been helpful when it comes to prioritizing what has to be fixed now vs. what can wait until later and Aaron is super friendly! These guys are great!

Tom helped me with my BMW IP Spec race car. It would not start when I bought it and he helped get it going and track down some gremlins. Tom is honest and trust worthy.

Hatem's has been around for a long time, which is in itself a recommendation. But in addition, I'd like to say that they are fair and honest, and go the extra mile for you. I have had my 2012 Mercedes in for regular service appointments several times, and everything went well. Last Monday, my car died. Tried to jump it; no go. Towed it to Hatem's.

After two days of diagnostics, it turned out to be something that had to be fixed by a Mercedes dealer. When I called to arrange to have my car towed to Crown, I asked them to send me the bill for their time, only to be told that they would not be charging me. I told them that was ridiculous, that they had spent time and diagnostic services on my car, so I owed them something. Nope. This is a place you can trust, and as long as I have a foreign car, I will take it to Hatem Automotive.

Tom and his team took care of my 2013 Mini Countryman which started having problems very shortly after it was out of warranty. They took the time to explain how they calculate the time to fix each issue, sent quotes via email with detailed estimates, had me call mini to make sure this was not part of a recall prior to them repairing it themselves, and guided me in the whole process.

They were very honest about the time it was taking to make the repair, and even though it was lengthy due to some unforeseen issues in obtaining parts, I feel that it was done by the right people.

I have taken three cars here over the last 8 or so years and have always felt they've done a great job resolving a wide range of issues from preventative maintenance to track day preparation. In my dealings they have always been fair, honest, diligent and they have followed through with what they have said they'd do. That goes a long way with me and I highly recommend them.

I've had two routine things done at Hatem over the past year and have always had a good experience. While they're definitely not cheap, I have found them to be quick and straightforward with what needs to be done to the car and why. The reason I am writing this review is because of the following incident. My BMW's coolant light had been going on/off for a week or two, so I called Hatem.

They said it could be one of two things, but to just stop by whenever and they would peak at it quickly in the parking lot. I showed up right when they opened at 7:30am (which I'm sure all business owners love). I soon found out that the coolant had been a little low, but nothing serious. They topped the coolant off quickly and the light was off.

It was great because I was in and out in 10 minutes. The best part however, was that they didn't charge me. It wasn't a big deal, and they didn't try to make it one or take advantage of me. That's the great thing about most local businesses, they're flexible and friendly. Wouldn't go to a different garage after that experience!

So I had to replace my battery myself just to get my car running. I learned that the battery needs to be relearned to the computer system in order to clear off the service lights. Hattem told me that they had the proper equipment to do the relearning and quoted me 30min labor or $56. They finally call me stating that they weren't able to clear the codes and that further diagnostics would need to be done. This after charging me for a full hour of service $115. Bottom line is, I bit the bullet and took it to the dealership were it was fixed without haggle.

Dishonest and deceitful. Blagois recommended that I take my 335d to Hatem for an alignment, calling it the best quality (at a big price) in town for my particular car. I called and scheduled the appointment a week ahead of time, and arranged for my wife to follow me to the shop on the morning of the alignment. The service writer, a bearded gentleman likely in his mid-60s, asked when I would like to have the car done.

I asked if it was possible by 1pm, and I was told that would not be a problem, plenty of time to include the oil change and DEF top-off. At 12:30, I receive a call informing me that they're just getting around to it, and I'm due for a brake fluid flush and am close on the rear brakes. I okayed the brake fluid, said no to brakes, and asked when it would be done. "As quickly as possible." At 3:00 I called and asked for a status update, as I had already canceled an appointment and was nearing doing so for another.

He said I could come in now, they weren't far from wrapping up. When I arrive, the car is not done, but this was expected. I paid my invoice and waited at the counter. While waiting, a separate gentleman comes out of the back and tells my service writer that "the fluid has finally arrived." My mouth dropped as I listened to the service writer hush this other man and quietly explain that he "got it taken care of." I intruded on the conversation explaining that I felt rude for eavesdropping, but what fluid was he speaking about?

The service writer said it was nothing. So I opened my $600 invoice and said, "It looks like I paid full price here, and it sounds like you're cutting me short on something and being dishonest about it. This is very disheartening, and I'll tell you right now that I'll never come back here again." He then explained that it was "just the diesel exhaust fluid, and he knew that I was already running late." I said that I appreciated his sudden concern with my timeline, but one of two things should happen; either I'm not charged for a service not rendered, or the situation is explained to me and I'm asked to swing back by for the DEF later.

Either way, you sure as heck don't lie to me about it, and let me leave none the wiser. I waited for them to pull my car back in and fill the fluid, and told them they would never have me as a customer again. Even if I didn't catch this at the shop, it would have been a short time before my car informed me that limp mode was impending.

I believe this is the best German car mechanic in the city and I wouldn't take my BMW wagon anywhere else, but they don't come cheap. Amazing (like they are) and less expensive (like they are not) would have yielded 5 stars. But, hey, good German car work always seems to come at a premium. The good: My '99 is still running like a top, thanks to regular service at Hatem Automotive. I have no excuse to buy a new car. The bad: My '99 is still running like a top, thanks to regular service at Hatem Automotive. I have no excuse to buy a new car.

The Hatem family has always done a superb job of taking care of my family's cars over the last 20+ years. They have always clearly explained what needs to be done and what I can expect to have to be done in the near future. Their technicians are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about German cars and do all they can to have my car in top condition.

I feel Tom Hatem always does what is best for the customer. I have never heard anyone there speak poorly about dealers or competition which impressed me with their professionalism. There is always a mix of cars there; classic to current, well-worn and loved, to top end $100,000+ cars. Many in the race community use Hatem for their tuning and this gives me comfort knowing that they have the tools and expertise to get the most out of my car.

Even when I just take my car in for an oil change, they inspect things and give me the heads up on what else to take care of soon. There is no other car repair place that I trust as much as Tom and Pat Hatem and their team. So much so, that my two most recent car purchases were German brands so that I knew Hatem would be able to take care of them.

My two children drive BMWs that are serviced by Hatem. I have also bought parts over the counter from them and often at considerable savings over the dealer that offers with a car club discount. Hatem should advertise they are a great place to get parts too!

Ah. The joys of German car ownership. The driving exhilaration. The refined comfort. The cool Bavarian styling. The repair bills that dwarf the national debt of Paraguay. My Krautwagon needed new tires. The cheapest route was to order the tires on line, and have them shipped to an installer. The tires for my car (rears anyway) are 19/295 (that's technical tire speak for 'freaking huge').

They can be difficult to get on/off, and stories of less than skilled installers damaging peoples rims are not uncommon. Hatem's shop was at the top of the installers list on the tire vendors website. They had good reviews, so I had them shipped there. It was a good experience. I also had them change the oil, and it was done correctly and for a fair price.

When they were doing the work, they spotted a problem that needed repair (a bad water pump), and gave me an estimate to repair the issue that was on target. I did confirm what they reported with my own eyes. I will take my car to Hatem again. Please note that they only work on German cars.

Tom and his guys really know there stuff. Pros: Incredibly intelligent, comprehensive and trustworthy. These guys will level with about what your car needs and will work with you on alternatives. Prices are right in between most dealerships and national chains. Willing to work on custom cars and track vehicles. Willing to install custom parts and do custom work. Cons: Because they are so thorough repairs can take a bit longer then chain stores but not nearly as long as most dealerships.