523Rods

Felipe is a lifesaver! I was visiting my son in Berkeley when my '86 Vanagon Weekender's transmission started failing. I just had the transmission rebuilt in San Diego before my trip to Berkeley. My shop warranty was in San Diego, but the van was stuck in Berkeley. Felipe knew my mechanic in San Diego (small world) and they worked out a plan to send a newly rebuilt transmission from San Diego to Felipe. Felipe and his team did an awesome job installing the new transmission and repairing some other issues that I was having with the van. The van now drives better than ever. Felipe squeezed me into his schedule and I was able to pick up the van just minutes before closing on a Friday afternoon. My drive back home was happily uneventful. I found a new friend and reliable mechanic in the Bay Area. 523Rods really came through for me.

Felipe and Co are the best! Felipe took my call and scheduled me even though he was busy at an airport. Their schedule was full but he moved some things around to fit me in because I was leaving the area soon. That's dedication! They were clear, kind, and made the process of fixing up my 1973 VW Beetle beyond simple. They worked through all my special requests with both patience and grace. I truly felt taken care of. Plus, their new space in Richmond looks amazing! It was an all around terrific experience--I wish I could give them more than 5 stars.

I had my 1983 Vanagon towed to Felipe's shop, suspecting an issue with the starter. 523Rods knew I was traveling full-time in the van, and was able to 1) diagnose the problem in under an hour, 2) get me back on the road with a new starter + ignition switch within 24 hours. I felt like the crew truly understands Vanagons, and was very impressed with their ability to fix it quickly. Felipe also has a long history with vans himself, and you can tell the shop deeply cares about what they do. Will definitely be bringing my Vanagon back to 523Rods if in need of repairs while in the Bay.