Can anyone comment on Exclusive Auto Service in Lakewood NJ?
I am looking at good/quality shops in this area...

***UPDATED***

Since this original post, I have been dealing with Bob Gade and Exclusive Automotive (Lakewood, NJ - vacinity of Route 9) since late January 2009. Anyone interested is welcomed to PM me for additional information,,,,

In a Nutshell:

- I had 2 Mercedes Serviced there / 3 Service Appointments (had head rebuild done on my '88 300CE 103 Engine), also had my E55 AMG (W210) serviced there (valve cover gaskets, lube/oil)
- Highly detailed, honest, effective & extremely knowledgeable
- Owner owns & drives Mercedes (has a first rate 300D 2.5 124 chassis)
- Going back with 129 & 123 Chassis work
- Plan to take any & all Mercedes there moving forward....

__________________
Kieran K
Jersey Shore
1988 300CE (for sale, AUG. 2013)
1995 SL320 (88K) - terrific car
1983 300CD
-1993 400E (sold w/74k)
-1988 560SEL (sold w/49k)
- 1995 S420 (sold w/75k)
- 2005 E320 CDI (sold)
- 2007 E350 4M (sold)
- 1984 300D, sold w/305k, CA car, zero rust & over $12k invested
- 2001 E55 AMG (sold w/81k), I really miss it.
- 1982 300CD (sold, all stripped down)

I can comment, we're the best

__________________

99 Jetta Mk3
07 Jetta Mk5
89 300E W124
10 E 350 W212
08 C300 W204
Benz's aren't mine

...Rumor has it that their head tech left and is now working at Autobahn.

Uh-oh, game on!

As a consumer the only game I am looking for here is responsiveness & most importantly - good mechanical work.

Do you guys have nothing to report on that?
Or just rumor mill?

I am genuinely interested in Feedback on the shop itself.

__________________
Kieran K
Jersey Shore
1988 300CE (for sale, AUG. 2013)
1995 SL320 (88K) - terrific car
1983 300CD
-1993 400E (sold w/74k)
-1988 560SEL (sold w/49k)
- 1995 S420 (sold w/75k)
- 2005 E320 CDI (sold)
- 2007 E350 4M (sold)
- 1984 300D, sold w/305k, CA car, zero rust & over $12k invested
- 2001 E55 AMG (sold w/81k), I really miss it.
- 1982 300CD (sold, all stripped down)

Kieran,
If you want fact, I'll give it to you. Exclusive has been my biggest competition for the last decade. They specialize in Mercedes and we do only German imports. Bob, the owner of Exclusive is very good and a top notch Mercedes Benz instructor. I have no problems or issues with them and I have spoken with Mike on a few occasions. The competition between us really isn't competition...it is more like we are two companies making a living doing the same job.
I was only making a joke to Mike, but I did recently hire their former head tech because due to the economy, we have been booked up for weeks and the extra help has made it easier to get back on track.
Dave

Now that is a highly respectable response.
Like I said, I was looking for feedback on the shop itself - nowI have some.

__________________
Kieran K
Jersey Shore
1988 300CE (for sale, AUG. 2013)
1995 SL320 (88K) - terrific car
1983 300CD
-1993 400E (sold w/74k)
-1988 560SEL (sold w/49k)
- 1995 S420 (sold w/75k)
- 2005 E320 CDI (sold)
- 2007 E350 4M (sold)
- 1984 300D, sold w/305k, CA car, zero rust & over $12k invested
- 2001 E55 AMG (sold w/81k), I really miss it.
- 1982 300CD (sold, all stripped down)

Kieran, I don't believe you've met Nick before, Nick was a lead tech for us for about 8 or 10 years. He was laid off a few months before you started using us. Now Dave has hired Nick as a tech at his shop.

Kieran, I believe you were pretty happy with the work we did on your CE, many of our customers are happy with our work. I know you weren't too happy about the breather's leaking on your E55, I can assure you that its not gonna leak this time, we purchased sealant from mercedes benz which is for this stuff. It actually should be ready by tomorrow or Friday if everything goes as planned.

Yes we are strictly Mercedes, but I also work on VW's since I'm an avid VW enthusiest.

Damn Dave, you're on all the forums aren't ya? First Vortex, now this? hahaha take care Dave. Let me know if you want some VW help.

__________________

99 Jetta Mk3
07 Jetta Mk5
89 300E W124
10 E 350 W212
08 C300 W204
Benz's aren't mine

Yeah, I've been on here for a few years. I'm also on Bimmerforums, Vortex, and a few other non-German car sites. You should swing by our shop one day. We have a few really cool projects going on. we just finished a 356 Speedster that needed some Weber repairs. I'm not much of a carburetor guy, but I can make multiple Webers sing.
Dave

Yeah Mike. And you too Dave. How dare you guys try to have a little friendly fun on this Forum. What were you guys thinking???

FWIW, I agree with the comments regarding Bob at Exclusive. I actually had him as an instructor when he was teaching at the MB Training Center in Montvale, but that was a long time ago!

Bob has taught me alot about mercedes, and cars in general, he's a great guy to work for.

Dave, I might stop by tomorrow on my lunch to see some of the projects you got going on.

__________________

99 Jetta Mk3
07 Jetta Mk5
89 300E W124
10 E 350 W212
08 C300 W204
Benz's aren't mine

We're also a Volkswagen specialist, VW's are my favorite cars to work on, I do repairs, styling, and tuning. I have a mk3 jetta which will be featured in Performance VW magazine in the coming months, heres a list of everything that was done on the car, most of the work done by myself

Engine 2.0 ABA 8v

Shaved and smoothed engine bay
Deleted Coolant tank
Deleted A/C
Deleted power steering
Deleted Heatercore
Deleted Windshield washers and tank
Deleted Rain Tray
Deleted Wipers
Deleted Fan relay
Deleted cabin filter
Relocated Coil
Relocated ECU
Relocated battery
Wire Tuck
270 Camshaft
Techtonics adjustable cam gear
Head Milled and Valves resealed
Lightweight intermediate shaft pulley
CNC aluminum crank pulley
CNC aluminum Waterpump pulley
CNC aluminum alternator pulley
Polished oil cooler
Polished intake mainfold
Chrome intake tubing
Neuspeed air filter
Techtonics 2.5in catback exhaust
Bahn Brenner aluminum fuel rail
8lb aluminum flywheel
Black Forest Industries stage 2 motor mounts
Spec stage 2 clutch
all other parts were replaced with new parts

Interior
Custom suede wraped A,B, and C pillars
Custom suede wrapped headliner
Custom suede wrapped dash pannel
Sparco suede steering wheel
Autometer A/F, Oil temp, and volt gauges fitted in HVAC controls
Corbeau A4 racing seats
Corbeau 4 point racing harnesses
European headlamp switch
Mk4 shift knob
European upper glove box
Conereo pedals
Flip out TV screen head unit

Body

Euro front textured top bumper with shaved indent in plate recess
OEM Euro Vento rear textured top bumper
OEM Euro Vento grill
OEM Euro Vento plate tub
OEM Euro radiator support
OEM Euro VR6 front spolier
OEM GLX side skirts
OEM GLX tail lights
OEM Euro textured fender flares
Shaved trunk emblem
Smoked Ecode Vento headlamps
Shaved washer nozzles on hood
OEM Euro amber turn signals

Suspension/Wheels

H&R ultra low coilovers
Polyurthene bushings

BBS RS split wheels (3pc wheels)

15x8.5 and 15x7.5 up front
Gold plated bolts
Gold/black Emblems
2.5in Kodiak lips
1.5in Kodiak lips
Custom 1/4 height Hex center caps

__________________

99 Jetta Mk3
07 Jetta Mk5
89 300E W124
10 E 350 W212
08 C300 W204
Benz's aren't mine

Pretty neat Mike....you should check out my wife's VR6 powered Pontiac Fiero. It uses the factory VW ecu and is tuned pretty well with some mods that piss off some local Porsche 996 owner that loves to race everyone on Route 9.
Dave

bring it on tuesday, I'm gonna stop by on my lunch, I wanna check that out, Nick said you're gonna be supercharging it?

__________________

99 Jetta Mk3
07 Jetta Mk5
89 300E W124
10 E 350 W212
08 C300 W204
Benz's aren't mine

Why dont both shops give their addresses?
I know exactly where autobahn is. They are up the street from Charlie Browns restaurant.

What is Exclusive's address??