Brecht BMW

Brecht Overview and Historical Background

Brecht BMW opened for business April 1, 1985 as the authorized BMW retailer for North Inland San Diego County, moving to its present location in the Escondido Auto Park in June 1988. In July 2002, Brecht MINI opened as the exclusive MINI franchise for all of San Diego County. In addition to the two dealership stores, Brecht Enterprises operates a 50-service-bay Parts and Service Center and Appearance Center and Body Shop at separate locations in the vicinity. Brecht Motorsports is the racing arm of the two dealerships through which Tom and Tim Brecht race a fleet of seven vintage and new BMW and MINI Cooper models on club racing circuits throughout the United States.

Brecht BMW Showroom

Our new BMW showroom is adjacent to a big-screen TV lounge area, coffee bar, and a computer kiosk with a permanent T1 Internet connection. Stop by today! Call 760.291.2893 or email aftersales@brechtbmw.com.

Community Activities

-'HOLDING THE BALL RIGHT IS EVERYTHING' -- Jake Angel, 10, of Carlsbad, left, gets a tip on how to hold a baseball from Padres pitcher Clay Hensley before getting it signed it at a recent Saturday morning outing at Brecht BMW in Escondido. The Padres hurler signed autographs for Brecht customers and fans along with Padres catcher Josh Bard. Brecht BMW is located in the Escondido Auto Park at 1700 Auto Park Way South.

-Each Christmas season, the employees of Brecht BMW and Brecht MINI buy toys for under-privileged children and to support many programs for older youth and families throughout North San Diego County, including The Salvation Army, St. Clare's Home, and New Haven Youth & Family Services.

-Also each Christmas, the Brecht dealerships organize the Escondido Auto Dealers Association's annual Bike Giveaway that gives 100 under-privileged children new bicycles. The event was started by the dealerships' founder, the late Bill Brecht.

-The Brechts are founding members of the California Center for the Arts Escondido and regularly support this important regional cultural resource.

-Jeanelle Brecht has served in fund-raising leadership positions with the Palomar Family YMCA, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego and is a founding Board Member of both the Escondido Education Foundation and the recently formed Escondido Community Foundation of which she is the Treasurer.

-Tim Brecht is on the Board of Directors of the Escondido Chamber of Commerce.

-Jeanelle, Tom and Tim Brecht are active members of the Escondido Rotary Club through which they support the many local charities through the Club's foundation.

-Other causes the Brecht family and organization have actively supported include the San Diego Automotive Museum, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Escondido Chamber Helping Others (ECHO) Foundation, First Night Escondido and the Redwood Foundation.

Industry and Community Honors

-Brecht Enterprises received the "Partner of the Year" Award from San Diego North Economic Development Council in December 2006, having been nominated by the Escondido Chamber of Commerce.

-Brecht BMW was among 63 automobile dealerships nationwide to receive the TIME Magazine Quality Dealer Award in 2000.

-Brecht BMW is the only business in Escondido to have been honored twice as the Escondido Chamber of Commerce's Business of the Year (2002 and 2006).

-Brecht BMW was given the "10 Leadership Award" for community service by the San Diego ABC affiliate, KGTV, in 2000.

-The late Bill Brecht was named "Driver of the Year" in 1995 by the national Vintage Auto Racing Association and honored with the association's "Spirit of VARA" award in 2000.

-Tom and Tim Brecht each have won annual South Pacific Division championships in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) competition.