How It All Started
Back in 2012, I was working at one of those big dealership service centers in downtown Vancouver. Don't get me wrong - learned a ton there - but something just didn't sit right with me. Too many corners cut, too much rushing through jobs, and customers getting charged an arm and a leg for stuff that didn't need doing.
My dad had this old '98 BMW E39 that he babied like crazy. Taught me everything about respecting these machines, understanding what makes 'em tick. One weekend I'm under that Bimmer fixing a cooling system issue the dealership quoted him $2,800 for. Cost me about $400 in parts and an afternoon. That's when it hit me - there's gotta be a better way.
Started Lumareth Spire in a small bay off East Hastings. Just me, my toolbox, and a promise to treat every car like it was my own. Word spread pretty quick when people realized they could get dealership-quality work without the dealership BS pricing.
Now we've got this beautiful shop on Burrard with a team of techs who actually give a damn. We're not trying to be the biggest - just the best at what we do. European cars, luxury vehicles... these aren't just jobs to us, they're what we geek out about over coffee every morning.
Marcus Chen
Founder & Lead Technician
Our Journey
2012 - The Beginning
Opened our first single-bay shop. Just me and a dream to do honest work on European vehicles. Mostly Audis and BMWs at first.
2015 - Growing the Team
Hired our first two techs - Sarah and Dmitri. Both certified and shared the same philosophy about quality work. Expanded to three bays.
2018 - Recognition
Won Vancouver Magazine's "Best Independent Auto Shop" award. Our Yelp reviews were through the roof, and the waiting list was getting crazy long.
2020 - Moving to Burrard
Found this gorgeous spot on Burrard Street. Six full bays, proper equipment, and finally enough space to do things right. Pandemic was rough, but our clients stuck with us.
2022 - Tech Upgrade
Invested in state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment. The new cars are basically computers on wheels, so we made sure we could handle anything thrown at us.
2025 - Today
Team of eight certified techs, handling everything from classic Porsches to the latest electric luxury vehicles. Still the same mission - honest work, fair prices, no BS.
