What is AUTODOC?
AUTODOC is Europe’s largest online shop for automotive parts and vehicle accessories. We help both DIY or IIFM car owners and professional mechanics find and order the right parts for their vehicles quickly and affordably.
What makes us different? We offer original equipment quality parts, renowned brands at different price levels and affordable aftermarket alternatives, giving you the flexibility to choose what fits your budget and needs. Our prices are competitive and we regularly run special offers to help you save even more on vehicle maintenance and repairs.
Shopping with us is straightforward. Simply enter your vehicle registration number or select your car, motorbike or van from our database, and we’ll show you exactly which parts fit your specific model. Each product page includes detailed technical specifications and fitting information to help you make informed decisions.
Our customer service team is here to support you with any technical questions, compatibility concerns or installation advice. We also offer a straightforward returns policy to give you peace of mind when ordering. Whether you’re tackling a simple brake pad replacement or a more complex repair, we’re committed to making sure you get the right parts at the right price.
What is AUTODOC’s vision?
Our vision is to build Europe’s leading tech ecosystem for the automotive aftermarket – connecting people, brands and markets through innovation, trust, and smart digital solutions.
We are committed to a viable, resource-efficient future for the European automotive aftermarket through the use of modern technology, trusted partnerships and responsible decisions. At AUTODOC, environmental protection, sustainability and governance go hand in hand.
We make mobility easy, transparent, sustainable and affordable. We help our customers solve problems with their vehicles quickly and affordably by providing clear and user-friendly apps and websites that offer a high degree of transparency when comparing products, prices and choosing services. If they still have any questions, our customer support, available in 23 languages, is on hand to provide personal assistance.
Driven by innovation, powered by technology and connected through a growing ecosystem, we are building a trusted platform that brings people, brands and markets together to create seamless experiences and support enduring mobility. We help to keep cars, motorcycles and trucks – whether electric, ICE or hybrid – on the road in a simple, sustainable and affordable way by making access to parts and repair solutions easier and more transparent. By empowering individuals and professionals alike, we promote longer vehicle lifespans and smarter use of resources.
When was AUTODOC founded?
AUTODOC was founded in 2008 in Berlin, Germany, by three young and enthusiastic entrepreneurs. The company started as a small online retailer for automotive parts and has since grown into one of Europe’s leading E-Commerce platforms for car, motorcycle and commercial vehicle parts.
The expansion timeline shows impressive growth. In the first few years, AUTODOC focused on establishing itself in the German market, operating from a small office in Berlin-Weißensee. By 2010, the company had moved to larger premises in Berlin-Lichtenberg to accommodate its growing operations.
AUTODOC began expanding internationally in 2011, starting with Austria and Switzerland. The following year, 2012, marked significant growth as the company launched operations in the UK, France, Italy and Spain, establishing itself as a pan-European retailer.
In 2015, the company officially rebranded to AUTODOC GmbH. Financial milestones followed quickly: annual revenue exceeded €100 million in 2016, then surpassed €250 million in 2017. In 2018, AUTODOC expanded its product range to include commercial vehicle parts, thereby broadening its market reach.
A major achievement came in 2021 when the company’s annual revenue exceeded €1 billion for the first time. By 2025, AUTODOC had reached over €1.8 billion in sales and employed more than 5,500 people across 13 European locations.
Today, AUTODOC operates in 27 European countries and has served over 30 million customers cumulatively since its foundation. The company’s growth from a Berlin startup to Europe’s leading automotive parts retailer demonstrates the success of its digital-first approach to the automotive aftermarket.
Who founded the company?
AUTODOC was founded in 2008 by three young entrepreneurs: Alexej Erdle, Max Wegner and Vitalij Kungel. Together, they built an online automotive parts business that transformed how Europeans buy car parts.
Alexej Erdle, who served as CEO until 2021, brought automotive industry expertise and a deep understanding of spare parts and customer needs. His roots in the automotive sector ensured AUTODOC could offer the right products and accurate technical information.
Max Wegner, the company’s Chief Business Development Officer until 2021, provided the digital vision and IT expertise. As the visionary of the group, he developed the online marketing strategy and technical infrastructure that powered AUTODOC’s e-commerce platform.
Vitalij Kungel served as Chief Financial Officer until 2021, bringing business economics expertise and financial management skills. As the numbers expert, he maintained oversight of the company’s financial health and strategic growth.
The three founders worked together seamlessly, each contributing essential expertise: automotive knowledge, digital innovation and financial acumen. This combination allowed them to challenge the traditional automotive aftermarket and create a transparent, accessible online platform for vehicle parts. In 2021, all three transitioned to the Supervisory Board as the company evolved into Autodoc SE.
How did the idea for founding the company come about?
The success story began in 2008 when one of the founders, Vitalij Kungel, realised that he had to pay high prices at garages for even minor repairs.
These massive price differences – markups of over 1000% – sparked what Vitalij later called his “lightbulb moment.” He realised that car owners were paying extremely high prices at workshops and traditional retailers for spare parts that were available much cheaper through wholesale channels. The problem wasn’t just about small spare parts; it represented a systemic issue across the entire automotive aftermarket.
Kungel brought the idea to his friends and associates, Erdle and Wegner. The three already shared a strong personal and professional rapport in Berlin, which allowed them to quickly combine their talents – Erdle’s automotive expertise, Wegner’s digital strategy, and Kungel’s operational focus – to turn a single observation into a business.
The three founders recognised an opportunity to disrupt this traditional model. They saw that the internet could provide transparency and direct access to affordable spare parts, cutting out the excessive markups charged by workshops and brick-and-mortar retailers. Their vision was simple: create an online platform where customers could buy high-quality car parts at fair prices, with up to 70% savings compared to workshop rates.
The business concept was straightforward – use e-commerce to connect customers directly with spare parts suppliers, offering transparent pricing and detailed product information. This would empower car owners to make informed decisions about their vehicle maintenance without paying inflated workshop prices.
Fittingly, the very first product AUTODOC sold was a lightbulb, priced at just one euro.
How was the company founded?
The three founders launched AUTODOC as a self-funded startup, taking a bootstrapped approach to building their online business. Operating from a small office in Berlin-Weißensee, they built their first e-commerce website, pkwteile.de, and launched it in 2008 without any external investors or venture capital funding.
Their strategy was simple but effective: create an online platform that connected customers directly with affordable car parts, cutting out the expensive middlemen. They handled everything themselves in those early days – from website development to customer service to logistics.
The business model proved successful almost immediately. Within weeks of launching, they had generated their first €50,000 in sales. This early success validated their approach and gave them confidence to expand.
To grow their customer base, the founders created multiple branded websites, each targeting different customer segments while operating on the same backend system. This multi-brand strategy allowed them to test different marketing approaches and reach wider audiences without rebuilding their infrastructure.
By keeping costs low, reinvesting profits and maintaining complete ownership, the founders retained control while scaling rapidly. Their pragmatic entrepreneurial approach meant they could grow on their own terms without the pressure of external investors, allowing them to build a sustainable foundation for long-term success.
What does AUTODOC offer today?
AUTODOC offers over 7.8 million automotive products from approximately 2,700 brand manufacturers, covering spare parts and accessories for 176 car brands, 154 motorcycle brands and 23 truck brands across 27 European countries.
Our product range includes everything vehicle owners and mechanics need for maintenance and repairs: brake components, filters, engine parts, batteries, timing belts, spark plugs, tyres, suspension parts, clutch kits, exhaust systems, oils, fluids and consumables. We stock both parts from original equipment manufacturers and high-quality aftermarket alternatives at competitive prices.
Beyond parts, AUTODOC provides valuable services and tools to support our customers. AUTODOC CLUB is a free platform offering over 21,400 PDF repair manuals and more than 4,000 video tutorials, helping customers track service history, manage maintenance schedules and learn how to perform repairs themselves.
We also offer AUTODOC PLUS, a loyalty programme with exclusive discounts, premium features at reduced prices and priority status for orders. For professional mechanics and workshops, AUTODOC PRO provides trade pricing and services tailored specifically for professionals, with availability expanding across European markets.
We offer three private label brands: RIDEX and STARK for quality parts at excellent value and trustworthiness, and goCORE, developed specifically for professional workshops and designed to deliver reliable quality at competitive prices.
All products are backed by detailed technical specifications, compatibility checks and multilingual customer support available in 23 languages. Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast or a professional mechanic, AUTODOC provides the parts, knowledge and support needed to keep vehicles running smoothly.
How many warehouses does AUTODOC have?
AUTODOC operates 7 warehouses across 4 main logistics locations in Europe, enabling fast delivery to customers across all 27 European countries. Our distribution network includes facilities in Berlin (Germany), Szczecin (Poland), Cheb (Czech Republic) and Ghent (Belgium), covering approximately 140,000 square metres of warehouse space.
Our Berlin warehouse in Germany serves as AUTODOC’s headquarters and original distribution centre. Since our founding in 2008, this facility has been central to our European operations, processing orders for customers across the continent.
Szczecin, Poland, is our largest logistics hub and key to our distribution network. Poland hosts four of our seven warehouses at this single strategic location, making it essential for efficient order fulfilment and fast shipping across Europe. The Szczecin facilities handle a significant portion of our daily order volume.
Opened in 2023, our Cheb warehouse in the Czech Republic serves as a strategic hub to accelerate delivery times throughout Central and Eastern Europe. This facility utilises advanced automation specifically designed to streamline the complexities of auto parts logistics, strengthening our ability to ship automotive parts quickly to customers in the region.
Ghent, Belgium, is our newest warehouse, opened in March 2025. This modern 15,000-square-metre distribution centre supports our AUTODOC PRO B2B business, serving professional customers in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and southern Germany with faster delivery and better service.
This strategic warehouse network allows us to process more than 50,000 orders per day and deliver automotive products efficiently throughout Europe, ensuring fast delivery regardless of location.
