San Francisco European Auto Repair

My husband and I take our cars into Giovanni every time we need it. I've been going to Giovanni faithfully for over 5 years! He holds the rare qualities that are hard to find in mechanics: honest, friendly, reliable, and economical. It's also a one-stop shop because he does both body and mechanical work. I sincerely know that when I leave my car there, I'm in good hands because he will work with me according to my priorities and budgetary needs. It's almost like trusting my car with my own father. I also think that Giovanni is a VERY hard worker! I have recommended a number of friends to him and would tell anyone to go to him at any time!

I've been a long time AAA member and when I got into my accident I assumed I'd be in good hands. Before being in an accident and opening a claim I've never heard of what body shops call steering before. I was referred to International Sport Motors by a work associate so I decided to give it a shot. When I opened my claim with AAA and told them where I wanted to take my car they told me to take it to one of their shops and told me if I took it to ISM the work would not be guaranteed?...I was confused because the person I know who recommended ISM to methought very highly of this shop. I decided to give ISM a call directly as I spoke with the owner Giovanni. He explained to me that insurance companies sometimes steer the insured to shops in contract with them because those shops work for less and use aftermarket parts to keep the cost of repairs down. After doing some research of my own I found that Giovanni was telling the truth. I was surprised and kind of annoyed as to how hard my insurance company pushed to have me go elsewhere. I did end up doing the repairs at ISM and I have no regrets. There were no corners cut and my car looks brand new. Giovanni said it best: Insurance repair shops work to please their insurance companies, our repair shop works to please our customers.

I have been going here for three years, and I have to say, service this time out seemed a little lacking. I at first gave three stars, and am upping it to four based on past service. Most times I go in, Giovanni is there with a hearty hello. When I pick my car up, it's always the same. There has always been a personal connection with the mechanic that I haven't found elsewhere. This time out, I only got to talk to the receptionist, and there seemed to be a certain disconnect between me, my car, and my mechanic. OK, I have a Fiat Spider, not the most reliable car in the world. Lately, it had had trouble starting (i.e. it wouldn't start), and the roadside repair guy said it was likely the fuel pump, as he had to hit it with a rubber mallet while I cranked the engine to get it to fire up. OK, if I had been able to explain this to Giovanni, I have every confidence that he'd know exactly what was wrong. Instead, I had to rely on his receptionist to pass this info along. Now, I decided not to tell her all this, primarily because she said I'd be getting a phone call that day from Giovanni, so I thought I'd be able to tell him then. Well, by 5PM and no phone call, I called them and was told it'd be ready the next day. This, I have to say, is par for the course. I'm told I'll get a call and I don't get one. I understand running a business is time consuming and you can't get to everything, but...On previous visits, I have had to return a day or two later to re-fix something they've fixed (slipped gaskets, convertible top). The convertible top was minor, but the slipped gasket could have caught the car on fire, so that's pretty major. He's always great about taking the car back in and making it right, it's just that there have been a couple of times where it wasn't quite right the first time, and so it makes me a little skittish about taking it in. But as we all know, finding a mechanic you can trust isn't easy, and I trust Giovanni to make it right. I also know what to expect now, and so trying out a new mechanic scares me more.Giovanni and I have been through a lot with this car, and he has been the mechanic on it for ten years longer than I've owned it, so he knows this car. Honestly, he's the friendliest guy and I hate to write a bad review, but I guess I'd had enough little things go wrong that shouldn't have, that it added up to this.Should a bad review of a place you go to regularly be directed at the shop owner first before going on Yelp? Absolutely. I actually feel a little guilty about writing this now, and will give Giovanni a call tomorrow to talk about it.

These people, Giovanni in particular, have changed my whole idea of car repair and body shop services. I was in an accident in the fall and the tow truck driver took me to ISM. Giovanni conducts business with great personal integrity. I was so heartened by this. He quickly became my knight in shining armor as AAA wanted me to buy a low end radiator. Giovanni helped me know where I could save money and where I should go for the higher end. Thanks to Giovanni, it was as if the accident had never happened by the time he got through!

As recommended by the folks at Phaedrus, Giovanni's work on my M3 was flawless and much less than I expected. It was ready when promised and he even took time to walk me through some other options for making the car look better. There's no place I'd rather go.

After several horrible experiences with the big dealer shops (both body and service), I decided to give the smaller shops a try. Today I brought my car back from ISM and I am absolutely pleased with my four new Michelin PS2 tires. I previously called the dealer to get a quote for these tires and it was $1,500. I then decided to shop around; Tirerack.com quoted me $1,380 and Costco quoted me $1,460. So I decided to give Giovanni (ISM owner) a call and without any negotiation, he quoted me $1,359. I had previously had body work done twice at ISM and was pleased both times (the paint job was great, the people were absolutely friendly and professional, delivery was on time etc). With great past experiences and now unbeatable price for the tires, so I took my car back and sure enough, I am very satisfied with my decision. oh ya, did I say Sabrina is great. People here are passionate about their job and care about their customers (at least that's how I feel). good job!

Unfortunately I came to meet the folks at ISM because my car was smashed in a parking lot. Fortunately they were honest, kind, and demonstrated the kind of professionalism that anyone would hope for in an auto body mechanic. My car looks so wonderful and there were no issues or problems with ISM's work. I think the world of Giovanni and his amazing staff (Sabrina in the office is really awesome). They were MOST helpful and I couldn't of asked for a better experience out of this bad situation. I am ALWAYS going back there even if I move far away.THANKS ISM!!!

Go there, tell your friends and anyone you know to go there. My car was scratched and the seat switch came off. I met Giovanni and told him of the costly estimates I received from the dealer and other shops. He looked at it and said, I can fix the switch and I will buff out and touch up the scratch as a COURTESY. The scratch is gone, the switch is fixed and I paid a fraction of the cost (rare for a European car). Giovanni is an honest , no nonsense man. He will tell you what you need and, more importantly, what you don't need.

When my car hit a hand truck someone had let roll into the street on 19th avenue, it sustained severe damage to the front end and undercarriage.Giovanni, the owner of ISM was so helpful. He patiently explained exactly what needed to be repaired, how long it would take, and made all the arrangements with my insurance company. The bodywork was done so well I couldn't even see where the damage was. I really appreciate his cautious attitude in deciding to replace rather than repair my gas tank. Giovanni kept in the loop at all times and even followed up with me after I had my car back just to see if everything was OK. I highly recommend this place. In my humble opinion, Giovanni is an honest man who keeps his word.

The Best auto repair experience I've had. Giovanni and his team turned a stressful car accident into a stress less situation by working directly with my insurance company, keeping me informed and accommodating my busy schedule. Thank you.