I was having ignition and idle issues on my my euro spec e24 back in 2007. At the time I had just updated the spark plug wires updated with aftermarket performance wires, brand new platinum plugs, adjustable fuel regulator, and everything else that my mechanic in Torrance could think of. But with no luck and the problem still unresolved I decided to look around closer to my home in O.C. and I came across Ronin Autowerks searching via google. I called Matt and explained the situation and left the e24 on a Saturday. Come Monday, Matt informed me that my previous mechanic installed the wrong spark plug wires and the distributor cap was already bad. Matt gave me a very reasonable quote and picked the car up Monday afternoon. It took Matt a few hours what my former mechanic couldn't figure out for almost 4 months. I've been a loyal client since then. Matt takes care of my e30, e24, e39, and e46 exclusively. And the best thing about Ronin Autowerks is that they're not just mechanics, but they are true BMW enthusiasts and they are always willing to answer my endless questions. Thanks for the excellent service!!!

Several years ago I was looking to have dual 40s installed on my 1970 E10. I called the BMW specialty shop in Fullerton [the one by the bad strip club], and they said they wouldn't do the job. Didn't even want to talk about it.

So I started calling different head shots, machine shops and finally found a machine shop that was in my area. I called... found out mid-call that they were closing, but the guy that was moving in was there and he might do the work. So I said put him on... That's how I met Matt.

Five years later, Matt now cares for my 99 E46, 70 E10, and 74 E9... my family's cars and several friends and colleagues. There is a reason for this.... reading above you can see the reason. Matt cares about what he is doing, enjoys the work and has a comprehensive knowledge of mechanical theory and application.

It's very impressive when your mechanic is able to talk to you about how and why your car is having issues and if you want to know more, he can help you understand even if you don't know where your hood latch is located.

Matt and his team work on newer vehicles as well as the classics, and personally embraces the BMW community as he owns a beautiful M6 as well as an E10 track car in the works.

I have to say in response to Steve's comment; I have been there for those types of conversations. Usually, it's an aftermarket part that has been advertised to do one thing, and Matt will point out that "yes it can do that, but...” and sometimes it's not welcome news. But from my point of view, it's better to know up front from your mechanic that when you install that component, you are pushing the car past its design limits, and yes... you may damage the car when installed.

That said, I sometime wonder if the pricing offered was due to the manner in which the quote was requested. I know I price my services higher for individuals that I don't see as a good fit for my practice; perhaps that philosophy applies across all professions.

Called a few well known shops recommended on several forums and Ronin was one of them. Just happen to call them last and what a joke it was. Got a quote for more then double of what other places are charging. Then goes and tells me that the other places don't know what they are doing hence the cheaper quote. Just a FYI but these other shops actually have been around for a long time and do some club racing. Not to mention the first time I called Ronin for some other job and never got a call back even though I called 3 times. Will NOT recommend or use them period.

From various forums, I found many BMW specific indy service shops in So Cal, but only visited a few based on geographic convenience to me. Among those I visited (btw, all I felt were at a minimum technically competent based on forum references), I selected Ronin Autowerks in Fullerton, CA to replace the front control arm bushings in my e46 (and hopefully for other future services). Key reasons I selected Ronin include the following (I won't mention expected items such as "they were nice", blah, blah):

- Matt, the owner, actually double checked my claim of bad bushings by grabbing the front wheel/tire, and pulling on it to see the play in the control arm/suspension. The other shops didn't do this (and this is not a knock on the other shops because, as a customer, I asked for quotes), but Matt taking this extra step was a sign of his experience and thoroughness to me.

- When I asked for a quote for the service, it was precise. What do I mean? I mean, one unnamed shop actually told me one price off the top of his head, no breakdown between parts and labor even after I asked. Can you believe that BS? I asked because I suggested I could bring in the part but he seemed disinterested. Another shop (owner there was very nice btw) quoted me a price with a breakdown, but he didn't even look up the parts price (maybe he does tons of control arm bushings on e46's?). Matt was precise... labor rate, time charged, parts price (after he looked it up to be sure), and very reasonable. Such a simple thing that others failed at... strangely, I found that stealerships actually do this quite well.

- Just a personal preference -- Matt has other techs working with him too (Josh and another person whose name I didn't catch). I liked the fact that there's more than one tech so that your car won't be stuck there forever, and having helping hands is great for diagnosis too (see below on noise diagnosis).

After making an appt, the replacement took place with no surprises, so everything worked out great.

Now that I had fresh bushings, I was able to get new tires the next day to replace my noisy, worn tires, and an alignment. Now that the car was up to (maintenance) snuff... a new noise became apparent -- I thought it might've been a bad rear wheel bearing (just a guess), but then, I'm not qualified to identify specific noises.

So I brought it back to Ronin for diagnosis and also asked for a quote on doing a rear wheel bearing (which is not an inexpensive fix). Again, Matt had to be convinced it was a rear wheel bearing before scheduling this work. We not only did a ride along in my car, Matt also put the car up on the rack and he and the guys checked the axles, diff, wheels, tires, etc. with the car fired up driving in gear and neutral, all with me observing. After a good amount of thorough checking, they uncovered a bent/untrue rear wheel, and so suggested not to spend money on replacing what appeared to be fine wheel bearings.

After this experience, I know I'll be going back to Ronin for future services.

Sorry for my long post, but I wanted to share this detail and how pleased I am to find a really good tech. I've seen many posts/reviews where people just say "go to xyz, he'll take care of you", so wanted to shed some light as to how Ronin operates so that folks can factor that in when deciding on a good tech for their BMW.

Matt and his team at Ronin are top notch! honest, quality minded! I would refer with confidence, anyone needing auto repiar to go there.

Having someone explain to my what "needs" to be done and what can wait is a nice surprise. I have total trust in this shop since they tell you the truth and they care about their customers. You get to meet and talk to the owner, Matt Rose. This place is owner operated and a cost saving alternative to the dealership. I'm glad I found this place. Thank you, I hope this helps!

The service engine soon light was on in my 2001 Z3 with 63K+ miles. Matt explained it was a vent hose from the oil dip stick to the oil separator (I appreciated the explanation even if it was over my head) - he replaced the hose at the same time he did the service. He must have saved me at least $350 over my local BMW shop on just this one trip. - And he has wireless access which all made this my first pleasant visit to have my car serviced. I will be back!