Send additional recommendations to info@vanagon.com.

Index

The List
(Alphabetically ordered by state, then city)

Eurasian Auto 2931 4th Ave. South Birmingham, AL 1.205.251.9263	Good on air-cooled vw's, doesn't like to work on water-cooled Vanagon engines.
Sunshine Rae's 175 E. Van Horn Rd. Fairbanks, AK 99701 1.907.452.8913	Tim Slager writes: They worked on my Volvo last year. Great prices and service. A vanagon in distress showed up while I was there. They, too, loved the service. The guy running the place was an aeronautical engineer. Smart, friendly, helpful. Can't say enough. I wish his shop was in my town.
BB's Project VW 281 VW Bug Blvd. Clarkdale, AZ 86324 +1 (928) 634-8146	I have owned 7 VWs over the years (I have two '69 Buses) and have had only one(!) mechanic for twenty years: Bruce Brimhall of BB's Project VW. He is near Prescott, Flagstaff, Cottonwood, and Sedona, about 100 miles north of Phoenix. He has won several Firsts and Seconds in various categories at the Bug Runs as well as for his Gearloose Ghia dragster. If you have owned as many VWs I have, you know the rarity of a good mechanic. Bruce is not only that, he is a great mechanic. Bruce is still the best in the West after 30 years of only repairing air-cooled VWs! Jim Bergstrom
Little Germany 5235 E. Speedway Blvd. Tucson, Az 8571 1.520.881.3273	"The Vanagon Engine Connection", specializing in water-cooled engine rebuilds. All 1.9 & 2.1 rebuilt longblocks are $1,599.00 with a rebuildable core exchange.
Autometrics 1340 San Pablo Ave. Berkeley, CA 94702 1.510.524.3881	Roy writes: John is a great mechanic, and they're reasonably priced.
Griffin Motorwerks 1485 San Pablo Ave. Berkeley, CA 94702 1.510.524.7447 1.510.524.4946 fax	Dave Bayer writes: I have found Griffin Motorwerks on San Pablo in Berkeley to be knowledgable. He is pretty honest (told me straight up how much he was making on the parts) and has helped me through the first head gasket replacement. I don't know if you goes by book time, and is an "interesting" fellow but they have done good work...
Karma Karmix 1453 4th Street Berkeley, CA 94710-1335 1.510.558.0111	Steven X. Schwenk writes: Steve is pretty knowledgable and has integrity...VW guru.
Precision Peoples    Auto Repair 1346 San Pablo Ave. Berkeley, CA 94702 1.510.524.1911 1.510.524.5121 fax	Martin Jara writes: My mechanic is very good. He's worked on my Miata, Subaru and Westfalia and I've been pleased. Ken's very helpful and friendly, and knows a ton about VW's.
Sierra German Auto 2035 N. Sierra Hwy. Bishop, CA 93514 1.760.873.8923	John Cunningham writes: Tim Miller is an expert, honest, mechanic steeped in the vageries of German autos. Very dependable prompt service at fair prices.
Bela's Foreign Car Repair 2525 N. San Fernando Blvd. Burbank, CA 91504 +1 818.842.9464	Suzanne Hackett writes: Bela's a little like having John Belushi working on your car, but he is good, cheap, but hard to get an appointment with.
Canoga Auto Service 6933 Canoga Avenue Canoga Park, CA 91303 +1 818.883.0345	Suzanne Hackett writes: Frank is a German car specialist and really is good (he insists on always using original factory parts). He's also fun, honest, and courteous.
Maxed Performance 7281 Autopark Drive Huntington Beach, CA 92648 +1 714.848.1730	Ben Alesna writes: "Super service and integrity run by Max and his son-in-law. He did my new engine for my 83½ Westfalia at 90,000 and it's running like a charm at 208,000. He has had a couple of custom bugs featured on the cover of VW Magazine."
Fred's Garage 416 "D" Street Redwood City, CA 94063 +1 650.368.5343	Ron Lussier writes: Probably one of the best Volkswagen repair shops in the San Francisco bay area. One customer writes "They are all German trained mechanics and work on nothing but VW's and Audi's They treat you like a human being and are scrupulously honest."
South Bay Body Shop 417 "D" Stree Redwood City, CA 94063 +1 (650) 368-0513	Ron Lussier writes: Right next door to Fred's, this shop does first-class work.
Stephan's Auto Haus 3940 Attawa Ave Sacramento, CA 95822 +1 (916) 456-3040	Justin Perkins writes: Stephan specializes in Syncro Vanagons, but works on all varieties of vehicles. He replaced the transmission in my Syncro, not to mention a million other things for me (getting the A/C working was a big one). He is a great shop owner, excited to meet people into Syncros and always the most straight up honest, reliable, trustworthy mechanic.
Valley Wagonworks 193 Mill Street San Rafael, CA 94901 +1 415.457.5628 +1 415.457.0967 fax contact@wagonworks.com	"Intimately acquainted with VW Vans since 1959" Coby Smolens from Valley Wagonworks is a frequent contributor to the Vanagon mailing list.
Glenn's Garage 5833 Winfield Blvd. San Jose, CA 95123 +1 408.225.6385	Sam Musleh writes: Glenn, of Glenn's Garage, has no employees so he cannot handle too many vehicles at once. He doesn't advertise either so he will not usually have many vehicles ahead of you when you come in. As a matter of fact, he had the garage's one car bay open and he was waiting for me when I came in. It's nice to see a shop that respects a prearranged appointment! Anyway, to make a long story short, Glenn repaired the various things wrong with my van and found that several problems the VW dealer diagnosed were items that either were not what was wrong or they simply didn't need fixing yet. His estimate was $900, two thirds of what VW wanted for the same repairs. Minus the unnecessary repairs that didn't get done, his final price came in at less than $650. My van has run very well since then and I will always bring it back to Glenn's Garage for further repairs. .
Sonnen Motors San Rafael, CA 94901 1.800.766.6361 1.415.460.4100 1.415.456.2206 fax info@sonnen.com	Steven X. Schwenk writes: Sonnen VW over in Marin is good... expensive and a pain to drive over the bridge...but they have always done excellent work and know Vanagons... Their facility is brand new, immaculate and well equipped.
Fast German Auto 2911 S. Oak St. Santa Ana, CA 92707 1.714.979.2971 1.888.211.3334 1.714.979.2974 fax
RIMCO (Riddle Machine Co.) 520 E. Dyer Rd. Santa Ana, CA 92707 1.714.549.0357 1.800.331.4775	Mail order VW machine shop, highly recommended by Bob Hoover. Casework, heads, linebores, casesavers, balancing, etc. They still do a tremendous amount of VW work, so they have the setups and know what they are doing. When your machinist comments, "Gee, haven't had to do a VW engine in a coupla years...", think RIMCO.
Cory Motors 429 E. Montecito Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 1.805.965.4581	Brent Christensen writes: "Mike Cory is the owner and prinicpal mechanic. He is definitely one of the most honest, knowledegable, and trustworthy mechanics I have ever been to. He works on a LOT of Vanagons and is even very familiar with Syncros. His prices are very reasonable, and he is very easy to talk to - he will even explain procedures to you as he works on the car, and doesn't mind being watched while he works. I would give Cory Motors the highest rating possible for honesty, reliability, knowledge, and quality of work."
H & R Motors 511 E. Richardson Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 1.805.965.6757	Chris Radcliffe writes (29 jan 2002): "I had a great experience with H&R Motors today (Seth Hatfield). One CV replaced, both sides fully cleaned and re-packed. Great folks to deal with, knowledgeable, fair pricing. Seth's setup seems similar to Fred's in Redwood City: well established, faithful following, funky setting. Just like all our favorite places, I'm sure. Visit Seth at H&R if you ever need help, or are considering a Subaru conversion. He's stoked on those and has done a number of them."
New Dimensions 2240 De La Cruz Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 1.408.980.1691	Recommended by Lance Maurer.
German Car Service 2202 Olympic Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90404 +1 310.829.1477	Ben Alesna writes: "Bruno Heidenwag is the owner/mechanic, who still has the heavy Deutch accent after being here 40 years. The the highest level of integrity and great work. Super clean shop, that was once written up as one of the best foreign car repair shops in LA Magazine. Still drives an '82 Westfalia, even though he is well beyond the point of having to."
T-N-T Automotive 3303 East 19th Street Signal Hill, CA 90804 1.562.439.6720	"Tom is the owner and sole mechanic. I've tended to do most of my own work when I could over the years and have only taken things to him that I didn't know how to fix or that were a bigger job than I wanted to hassle with. He's knows his stuff and has never told me something was wrong that wasn't -- I've tested this because usually I knew what was wrong and didn't want to do it myself out of the size of the job. That and every time I always could honestly say that I wouldn't have charged less than he did. He's a good guy." Erik Rhodes
German Motors 2750 Lake Forest Road Tahoe City, CA 96145 +1 530.583.6220	A VW "authorized service" shop and experts on Vanagons (especialy of the syncro variety) as well as Audis. Their labor rate is more reasonable than in the Bay Area. Ari Ollikainen writes: George [Ritchey] seems to REALLY care about his customers' vehicles... We spent a bunch of $$ putting my wife's '91 Carat right while vacationing at Tahoe, last year... a good thing we had two vehicles! (Located in the Lake Forest subdivision a few miles east of Tahoe City, very close to the municipal campground and beach at Lake Forest as well as a county park.)
A&B Import Auto 1943 East Lincoln Avenue Fort Collins, CO 80524 +1 (970) 221-4700 +1 (970) 221-3735 fax	"They specialize in european autos and have provided me with years of quality, friendly and affordable service on both my 86 syncro GL and most recently on the 91 syncro westy I traded for. Before purchasing the 91 westy I had it checked out by two shops in Seattle (one VW dealer and one independent shop). Upon bringing the new westy back to the rockies I took it into A&B for an altitude adjustment and they found several things that both shops in Seattle had missed. They are thorough and efficient. Their VW specialist is Charles, he works on both air and watercooled VWs is intimately familiar with syncros and has years of experience working at the local VW dealership." Michael Boswell
Frey's Foreign Cars 2550 49th Street Boulder, CO 80301 +1 (303) 440-0725	Jamie Balliett writes: Mark loves and hates Vanagons. A pure spirit, he'll tell you what's wrong, what they did wrong when they made it, and why it will go wrong again in the future. He gives it straight and doesn't monkey around. After you get past the direct and at times, brutal, reality, you'll see how sharp and focused Mark is. He is VERY knowledgeable and even though his shop is not called "VW this" or "vw that", this is his specialty. Mark prefers to work on a step by step basis and teach you as much as he can. He's a gem in the rough and worth the call.
Jay's Bugg House 2625 East Platte Avenue Colorado Springs, CO 80903 +1 (719) 520.1888
Bristol Motor Works 237 East Main Street, Bristol, CT 06010 1.860.585.9383	"Dennis, the owner, works on German made autos only, and owns a 1981 Vanagon himself. It was a pleasure dealing with such a craftsman, and I was happy to pay his bill, though it certainly wasn't small." Jesse Gallagher
Fischer's Automobile Repair 3428 Old Capitol Trail Wilmington, DE 19808-6124 +1 302.999.8700	Karl Ploessl writes: Horst Fischer is the owner of this repair place (he is of German origin :-)). He works on VW and Audis. He worked on my '81 VW vanagon westy a few times and I was happy with his work. I talked to a couple which had their Eurovan fixed and they seemed to be pleased too. There are quite a few busses, vanagons and eurovans in the yard and in the back all type of VWs from beetles to rabbits, busses... (all orderly aligned :-)
Rick's VW Repair 1724 Snug Harbor Pl. Sarasota , FL 34234 +1 941.365.6684	"Rick was factory trained in the 60's and has worked on VWs since. He is highly recommended by most in the Sarasota area. He works on all the air cooled and water cooled up to 1990. He came highly recommended to me when I first moved here 5 years ago, and I've not used any other mechanic since. He also has his own supply of used parts and deals in new parts as well." Eileen Marshall
Beaver Automotive 631 Washburn road Melbourne, Florida +1 407.259.4771	VW AIR/ WATER cooled parts & service specializing in new & used parts; rebuilt engines; buy junk vw's parts 10%-50% off list;open monday thru saturday 8-5:30 "This guy is extremely reasonable.....if he thinks you can do it yourself, he'll send you home with the knowledge....an admirable trait in the vw family" Todd Diciurcio
Aristocrat Volkswagen 4175 Highway 17/92 Sanford, FL 32773 1.407.321.2277	"Aristocrat Volkswagen has been been fixing my 89' Westfalia since it was new. I know that dealers knowledge and reputations are sometimes questionable but this is not the case with Aristocrat. Two of the mechanics have Westfalias and I know them very well. Everyone at Aristocrat has been there for a while and they are very fair and honest. Everytime I go to Aristocrat they are working on some Westys and/or Vanagons. They also have one of the largest Volkswagen junkyards in FL with hundreds of VWs and 10,000 sq. ft of parts." Jeff Layton
Allan's Auto 211 W. 40th Garden City, ID 83714 +1 (208) 345-3421	I just returned from a 5,000 mile roadtrip through the Northwest. My steering stabilizer bar broke on my 1969 Van and I found a wonderful group of guys who did great repairs. Mike Allan and Shawn at Allan's Auto work on anything VW and have fair prices, quick service, and great attitudes. They found a used bar off one of the many parts vehicles they have in their yard and found me a used driver's seat as well. They have access to old parts in the surrounding area's vehicle yards. Celeste Bergstrom
University Imports 218 E 8th St. Moscow, ID 83843 +1 (208) 882-1348	Randy has been working on my VWs for 20 years. He is honest, fair, and won't try to fix things by throwing new parts at it. Once he had replaced an axle boot on my '83 Westy, and it broke down in Seattle the next week. I had to pay a local dealer to fix it. When I got back to Moscow, I talked to him about it. He called the dealer who did the work, and wrote me a check for the cost of the repairs on the spot. He doesn't do electronics or transmissions. Mike Finkbiner
Mr. Wong 6100 S. Blackstone Chicago, IL 60637 +1 (773) 241-6044	I've had Mr. Wong help me out with both an '84 vanagon and a '93 eurovan. He'll work on anything, but vw's are definitely his strong point. He's by far the most knowledgeable mechanic regarding the vw vans I've come across, and consistantly does great work at really amazing prices. Examples: changing front cv boots and brake pads on eurovan for under $250, putting timing belt back on eurovan for $70 (VW wanted $300, claiming they needed to drop the engine). Another time, my friends old BMW was totally toast on the side of the road. Instead of telling the guy to have it towed (for at least $75), he took what he needed to where the car was, and fixed it right there for a very reasonable price. Wesley Alden Pegden
Import Service 1822 Lehigh Avenue Glenview, IL 60025 1.847.724.4336 1.847.724.8003 fax	Pete (the owner) has done extensive work on my '90 to my satisfaction. He services a few Vanagons and earlier busses, and does a lot of other German and other import service. He does not do air conditioning work, however. Fair prices, and does not mind you bringing your own parts for him to install. Ed Morrell
Paulli's Imports 111 Phelps Avenue, Rockford, IL 61108 1.815.398.9598	They have a very good rep with air cooled and water cooled VWs. Dave Ohlemacher
Phillips Automotive 310 North Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61107 +1 815.395.6500 +1 815.231.7147 fax	"I've had excellent service fro Phillips Automotive in Rockford." Duane
Ritchey's Imported    Car Service 1612 Lincoln Way West South Bend, IN 1.219.287.9121	Scott Johnson writes: Anything I feel reluctant about goes to these guys. I think they would prefer to work on British cars, but seem to know the VW's. They are a bit pricey, but competent.
Jerry's Bug Works Keosauqua, IA 1.319.293.9113
Jerry's Bug Shoppe 4290 NW 2nd Ave. Des Moines, IA 1.515.282.7940	Just south of I35/I80 on 2nd Ave.
Westport Road    Automotive Louisville, KY 1.502.426.6266	David Clark writes: Most honest mechanic I've ever come across. Specializes in VWs.
Auto Centro Inc. 7406 Westmore Road, Rockville, MD 20850 1.301.340.2444	"I've found Autocentro (near Rockville Metro) very knowledgeable about Vanagons, and they have check ratings for quality of work and low prices from Washington Consumers Checkbook. Great diagnosticians, and also good at saving money, advising against unnecessary work. I think they are the best in the DC area, and they are on the Baltimore side. It's a father-son operation, the father was VW trained back in the aircooled days, and the son is of the watercooled generation. Together they are great. After servicing my 90 Syncro Westie for a few years, I bought a 83 9pax sunroof GL. The first thing the father said when he saw it - I didn't mention the year- was" It's a very early waterboxer. Those are the ones you have to lift the front end 14 inches before you bleed them." These guys know these cars, though they tend to work on upmarket stuff, Audi Quattros and Porsches. They are very busy, and have made a conscious decision to not expand the service department beyond the level they feel they can maintain quality control. Typically a "first visit" will be three weeks away. Once you are an established customer -they maintain three cars for me- they have better flexibility." Tom Forhan
VW Joe Severna Park, MD 1.410.544.1483 vwjoe@compuserve.com	A VW mechanic/technician/specialist with 25 years experience. Joe Langlois has serviced Vanagons since they came out, and currently owns a 1990 White Vanagon.
Leins Auto 65 Bow St. Somerville, MA 02143 1.617.623.9000	The brothers have themselves been Vanagon drivers for years. Recommended by James H. McCarthy.
Foreign Car Services 1104 Portage Rd. Kalamazoo, MI 1.616.342.6994	"The shop does a range of German cars, lots of nice Porsches, and BMWs in the lot, but they know VWs too. Not cheap, but appear to be very competent."
Spring Valley Motors 735 Mill St. Kalamazoo, MI 49001 1.616.381.6070	"It's a really good shop."
Autohaus 4411 Delemere Royal Oak, MI 48073 1.248.649.3636 1.248.649.7805 fax gdro@kode.net	Specializes in VW, Audi, BMW, & Porsche. They've had the same mechanic for some 30 years...
Gene's Repair, Inc. 100 Industrial Drive P.O. Box 10 Eagle Lake, MN 56024 +1 (507) 257-3312	"Located about 5 miles east of Mankato in Southern Minnesota. I think at one time he only worked on VW, but moved into other imports as need increased. If you go there let him know you heard about him from the vanagon list and tell them Dale, the guy who had his '84 Westy overhauled with one of Boston Bob's engines, I'm sure he will be pleased to know that a good word has been passed along about him." Dale Hartman
Good Carma 2319 1/2 Jackson St NE Minneapolis, MN 55418-3617 +1 (612) 781-3446	Recommended by Michael Howes: Call?he guys at Good Carma?or honest reliable work on your VW/Audi. Good Carma?as years of experience with Eurovans, Vanagons, and Microbuses. Customer satisfaction in key. "What comes around, goes around."
Volkswagen Man 718 East Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55414-1126 +1 (612) 331-3245	"They specialize in VW's (air and water cooled), are honest, conscientious and reasonably priced. I have found them to be more knowledgable than the dealer in many cases." Kevin Mulligan
Ron's Foreign Auto Repair Co. Road #540 Benton, MO 63736 +1 (573) 545-3614	Located about 4 miles off Interstate 55, between Cape Girardeau and Sikeston, MO, or about 2 hours south of St. Louis. He knows VW's, appears to be honest, and hourly rate is very reasonable.
Cordel Foreign Motors Inc 8616 L Street Ralston, NE 68127-1624 +1 (402) 592-2288	Recommended by Robyn Rudisill: I found them to be honest, timely and quite friendly. They did a great job on my 91 Westy Syncro.
Bart's Auto 1725 E 2nd Reno, NV 89502 1.702.329.4349
J & J VW Vans 260 Telegraph Road Reno, NV 89502 1.775.323.4943	"They're true-blue VW lovers, and specialize in Syncros. They also do very nice work and I have to say that they have a good eye for Westies. They tend to only buy vans free of rust and fix them up before sale, and from the looks of their own Syncros, they know how to take good care of them." Robert Stratton
Wicklund's Foreign Auto 240 North State St. Concord, NH 03301 1.603.224.2102 1.800.287.2102	Bob is a crusty devil who has been maintaining our Gon for years. According to Bob, his record time for getting an engine out of a VW is six minutes -- "on the ground", as he put it. Last time we were there, he had four Gons on the lot and another on the lift! Bob works on aircooled and watercooled engines, and does the head gaskets on watercooleds routinely. He doesn't do major engine work like rebuilds, but will do just about everything else. dsantan
Volks-Tech 426 High Street Burlington, NJ 08016 1.609.387.3031	"They are super nice and really know their stuff." Ann Rowley (1 complaint)
Van-Again 2001 Lakeshore Dr. Millville, NJ 08332 +1 609.327.0027 +1 609.327.2242 fax VanAgain1@aol.com
Terry LaCasse VW 902 Central Nassau Rd. Hoags Corners East Nassau, NY 12062 +1.518.766.5654	He has been working on VW's since the 60's and knows his way around a Vanagon. He has several on the lot for sale. Theses are really beautiful machines and hardly have any rust on them for being in the salt belt. Jason M. Yasment
Kaddo Auto Sale 15th & Hutton Streets Troy, NY 12180 +1 518.266.1454	Mike Kaddo has been working on VW's for over 20 years. He is one of the nicest mechanics that you will ever meet. He is never to busy to answer your question or lend a helping hand with your VW. He works on both air and water cooled VW's. He has done work on my 80 westy as well as my 99 jetta, and my roommates 69 Notch Back. He is a true VW lover. Levin Harris
Triple G Automotive 1600 West Morehead St. Charlotte, NC 28208 +1 704.333.0058	Vicki Derrer writes: Owned by Steve Gorth and his brother Bobby. They specialize in VW and Porsches. They're the only people I have found around here (other than the dreaded dealers) who will work on Wasserboxers. Steve has done great work on my 85 Westfalia: leaking coolant, my AC, replaced fuel lines in engine compartment, and other miscellaneous stuff. He understands "used" and "rebuilt" and can solder and rewire when a replacment can't be found. He is honest, resourceful, efficient, and reasonably priced.
Metric Motors 2718 S. Saunders St. Raleigh, NC 27603 1.919.828.9774	David A. Higginbotham writes: Jerry specializes in Porsche and BMW, there is always at least one restoration in progress in his shop at all times. He will work on VW's and Japanese vehicles as well. He rebuilt the engine in our 82 westfalia two years ago and the only time I have had a problem, a 'breather hose'? came off (it would not idle), I called him from the road and he told me what to do over the phone. He has a very dry sense of humor, is reasonably priced, his shop is in an industrial area of town.
Transporter Werkes 518 South West Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 +1 919.834.2800	Bobink3@aol.com writes: Sean Frasier of Transporter Werkes is incredible. We have replaced just about everything on our '86 Westfalia, including the engine, and he has been wonderful. He is located near the Amtrak station on West Ave.
Village Motorwerks 2120 Clark Avenue Raleigh, NC 27605 1.919.832.0899	David A. Higginbotham writes: Greg specializes in European automobile's. His daily driver is an 81 westfalia, same color as mine, we bumped into each other in the grocery store parking lot and swapped bio's. I have never had him do any work on my vehicle but there are always several vans and older busses and various European vehicles in front of his shop. He is easy to talk to and eager to talk VW, I have not idea of his prices, his shop is part of an older urban upscale shopping complex.
FAST (Foreign Auto Service     Technicians Inc.) 2786 Agua Fria Santa Fe, NM 87501 +1 505.471.0326	"My '86 Westy decided to act up 100 miles east of Santa Fe. The long and the short of it is I found a wonderful shop to help me out. "The owners name is Jim and his manager of 18 years is Jeb. Jeb is the man, I don't think I have met a more energetic or knowledgeable tech. These guys new I was stuck and did every thing they could to help me out, including letting me camp in their parking lot. They attack the problem by discussing the possibilities with me, and then trying the cheapest routes first. I was allowed to work with the tech 'Raul' who was responsible for my Westy, and he was very informative. "If you live near Santa Fe, or find yourself stuck in the area give them a call, you will be pleasantly surprised." Peter Noto I would like to second Peter Noto's recommendation. I started using FAST about 14 years ago for a '77 VW bus which they kept going until my son took it to auto shop. Since 1994, I've continued to use their services for a '87 Vanagon with excellent results. Jim and Jeb are the kind of guys who are truly enthusiastic about car repair, not merely extremely competent (as are also the techs they employ.) John A. deVries II
Community Volkswagen 404 Holtzman Ave. Columbus, OH 1.800.339.0119	"Specializes in Vans. Good alternative if Motorkars is too booked up." Steven Shane
Motorkars 1020 King Ave. Columbus, OH 1.614.297.1811	Been in business for over 20 years. Works only on Volkswagons and Audis. Complete rebuilds, repairs, and maintenance. Up to date on all technical aspects, fair prices, excellent reputation. Four bays, four certified technicians. I have and will continue to recommend them to anyone looking for quality work done right the first time. Done business with them for 18 years. Stark Hughes
Streetsboro Foreign Auto 9796 St. Rt. 14 Streetsboro, OH 44240 1.330.626.2456	A good shop in the Northeastern Ohio area. The owner Elmar Kruza is an expert with vanagons has has a reputation of being fair and prompt.
Hug-a-bug Eugene, OR 1.541.484.9162	Recommended by Ted Robinson: "I have used Hug-a-bug here for over four years. My 1985 Westfallia runs great, and they always return it to ready to run, no problems down the road. The are also known as Thramer Brothers, I believe. Great brothers who love VWs."
Hans' Foreign Auto Service 7045 N.E. Glisan Portland, OR 97213 +1 (503) 254.5859	Recommended by Katie Crabtree: Hans has been our family's mechanic for over 10 years now. My parents each own a Vanagon and I bought my Vanagon from Hans. Hans is a Volkswagen factory trained mechanic and trained the mechanics at Riviera Motors, what was the premier Volkswagen dealership in Oregon (back in the 70's and 80's). He knows everything Volkswagen, and is a Vanagon fanatic himself. He is one of the most honest, kind people I know and he takes good care of all of his customers. (June 2003)
Heckmann & Thiemann Motors 2327 SE Powell Blvd Portland, OR 97202-2144 +1 (503) 233-4809	They are the best place in Portland for VW Vanagon work. anonymous
M & M Automotive 21135 SW TV Hwy. Aloha, OR 97006 1.503.642.1622	Peggy Day writes: Nick is very knowledgeable, and VW's are all that they fix. (July 2002)
Obie's Import &         Domestic Repair 1114 Southwest Frazer Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 1.541.276.2061	Recommended by Jim Arnott: "Obie is one of the good guys. His shop is THE factory authorized repair facility in NE Oregon. He has always done more than right by me. Knows them all. From 36 horse to VR E-vans. Has the parts contacts (if he doesn't have it on the shelf) and if you are on a serious budget, he'll tell you how to do it. Can't say enough good about him and his shop."
Wagon Works 388 W. 133th Ave Eugene, OR 97401 1.541.345.6414	Greg Baskin writes: One of the two Scotts at Wagon Works is a Vanagon Master. It's a pleasure to work with these straight-shooting guys in a very small shop. I always drive away with confidence. Also, if you want to know the name of a Vanagon specialty shop in Eugene to *avoid*, drop me a note! (July 2002)
Lehman's Auto Rt. 100 Bechtelsville, PA 18074 1.610.367.7045	Recommended by Ron Salmon of The Bus Depot: The proprietor, Tim Snyder, is quite possibly the best Volkswagen mechanic I've ever known, and he knows wasserboxers very well. He is honest and, while not cheap, is reasonably priced for the quality of work he does.
Wagenwerks, Inc. 1002 E. Willow Grove Ave. Wyndmoor, PA 19038 1.215.836.2506 vwhoward@wagenwerks.com	The owner writes: My name is Howard Pitkow and I own and operate Wagenwerks, Inc. in PA. I have been repairing Volkswagens for over 25 years and recently have had as many as 8 Vanagons at my shop in one day.
Carolina Bug Shop, Too 1633 H. Remount Rd. N. Charleston, SC +1 (803) 747-6001
Autohouse of Switzerland 3402 San Jacinto at Francis Houston, TX +1 (713) 523-2363	Excellent work and not as expensive as the dealers.
Kaferhaus Seabrook, TX +1 (281) 474-2553	Located near the corner of Hwy 146 and Nasa Road 1 in Seabrook. Very good work at a fair (much better than dealer) price. Have been doing VW since early 70's.
Tim's German Auto 2632 White Settlement Road Ft. Worth, TX 76107 +1 (800) 257-8527	Matthew G Callah writes: A VERY GOOD shop in TX is: They are the only one I will let work on my '89 (July, 2002)
Contract Auto Repair 4004 South West Temple Murray, UT 84107 1.801.266.1214	Charles Kondo writes: I have a 1991 Westfalia that has required standard repair/replace (e.g., head gaskets, brakes) and custom work (e.g., hooking up a 2nd battery, custom S&S header kit). Contract Auto Repair has done an excellent job on all projects and at very reasonable prices. I recommend them very highly.
Craig's VW Repair 96 Elm Court Colchester, VT 05446-1785 +1 (802) 951-5977	Jamie Balliett writes: Craig is one of the most honest and caring people I've met. He's a real problem solver and not out to just ring up the bill. I just moved to Colorado and it was so sad to move from such a detail oriented and knowledgeable mechanic. The last time I saw him, he handed me his card and said, "Call me if you need help, on whatever, whenever." He meant it. On a road trip? Call him up a few days ahead and stop by.
Virginia Beach VW 4880 Haygood Rd Virginia Beach, VA 23455 +1 (757) 499-4040	Scott Johnson writes: I have had excellent service, advice, and support from VBVW for 5 years.
Schaffner Motors Inc. 21705 Highway 99 Lynnwood WA 98036 1.425.778.6900 1.425.774.4265 fax	"In my thirty-five years of VW ownership, I consider the service provided by Rudi Schaffner / Schaffner Motors to be the best. I can recommend with full confidence their expert mechanical work and meticulous restoration, as well as their exceptional customer service." M.J. Iverson, Seattle, WA
German Engine Service 621 State Avenue Olympia, WA 98501 360-956-3897 psyborg@olywa.net	Lonecia Coffman writes: "The owner, Bill Bourg, has been enjoying and working on VW's for over twenty years and he still has customers from when he started out working in his garage. As a matter of fact, my VW and I patronized his shop prior to my going to work for him. We do full service repairs on all VW's and other German vehicles."
BugAid 14045 Midvale Ave. North Seattle, WA 98133 +1 (206) 365-1494 bugaid@rainer.net	Saytay writes: "Brad really knows what he is doing, but sometimes gets backed up."
Louis Foreign Auto 7301 Roosevelt Way NE Seattle, WA 98115 +1 (206) 524-3366 louisvwaudi@hotmail.com	Recommended by Scott Semyan & Todd Greenwood.
Don's Volkswagen Garage 821 Washington Ave. Huntington, WV +1 (304) 529-2890	Ray Nimmo writes: "[...] specializes in older VW's, especially air-cooled but they have a substantial number of waterdrippers as well. I first began using their services about 12 years ago. The sole-proprietor Glenn is HONEST, HONEST, HONEST!!! Prices are quite reasonable as well."
Westside Automotive Ltd. Edmonton, Alberta Canada +1 (403) 489-8021	"They specialise in VW's and have fixed my Syncro Westie and assorted Rabbits and Sciroccos I have owned. There are very good and knowledgeable. Anyone travelling up to the Yukon via the Mackenzie highway will need to pass closely to Edmonton. If you have any problems give these guys a call. Tell them you heard about them on the internet." Tony Schiebel
The Bug Shop 11965-95th Ave Delta, BC Canada +1 (604) 589-2236	Open M-F 9:00-17:30. Labour Rate: ~CA$49.00 / hour.
German Motor Car 2723A Murray Port Moody, BC Canada +1 (604) 936-3999	Open M-F 7:30-17:00, Sa 9:00-15:00. Labour Rate: ~CA$56.00 / hour. "I have been bringing my van to this place for a number of years and have nothing but high praise for these guys. Their estimates are routinely way below quotes I have received at other garages." Chris Briar
Adria Import Car Service Ltd. 794 Broadway East Vancouver, BC +1 (604) 872-8512	Recommended by Roy: They restored my 1985 Westy. Did a fabulous job. They are a little pricey, but do excellent work.
Blenheim Imports 2075 W. 12th Vancouver, BC Canada +1 (604) 738-0910	Open M-F 7:30-17:30, Sa 7:30-15:00.
Beetle Auto Service 629 David St. Victoria, BC Canada +1 (250) 382-1815	N2K writes "I have used this repair facility for many years. The place has I estimate 10 mechanics who specialize in VWs, Audi, Porsche, and diesels. It is a family-run operation, for many decades. I feel this is the best service department on the island, great value and honest."
E. K. Import Auto Service Ltd. 1043 Springfield Road Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R2G 3T2 +1 (204) 663-8886 +1 (204) 669-3508 fax	Recommended by Roy: "Frank Koesters (the owner) is as enthusiastic about VWs as the rest of us. He and his staff have been taking good care of my '87 Westfalia since 1994. Honest, reliable, knowledgeable, experienced... E.K. knows VWs!"
Frank Houle Rockland, Ontario Canada +1 (613) 446-4656	Larry Johnson writes "I met this guy at Bug/Van events in Kingston and Toronto. I was impressed by his enthusiasm and knowledge. He has restored a prize winning T2 Bus."
Lorne Park Car Centre Mississauge, Ontario Canada +1 (905) 823+8787	Ron Mighton writes that this is "a good shop with excellent VW mechanics who know Westfalias".
S.G. Spécialiste VW 215 Ave Laval Laval, Quebec H7N 3V8 Canada +1 (450) 669-1516	Normand Gagnon writes: I go to this repair shop just north of Montréal, he's very good.
Garage Euro Technique      de l'Auto Inc. 1094 St-Marc Sherbrooke, Quebec Canada +1 (819) 564-1176	serge proteau writes: They know all about bus, vanagon, syncro and westy. rates Cdn$38 / hour. They are located about 50km from the Vermont border.

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last modified April 10, 2007