Saab Replay

These guys have terrible customer service and no communication skills what so ever.
Do not trust them even if they say they specialize in only Sabb. They are not committed in serving people the right way. Dont trust them at all.

Driving from Salem Oregon to Texas and had some car troubles passing through Richmond. Found his shop online and called him, told me to bring it in. I told him my situation and he had the car parts preferred and put in by noon the next day! I also came in 10 min before closing the night before. The 2 guys were so very nice and actually knew what they were doing!!! VERY IMPRESSED! Love this place, would go back in a heart beat if I didn’t live so far away. They also gave us a ride to and from the Bart station while they worked on our cars!

I have to say, after reading a lot of the reviews I was a bit hesitant to bring my 2001 Saab 9 – 3 turbo here so I did it anyways, it’s a Saab and it needs Saab attention. So as soon as the tow truck dropped my car off they started to look at what could be possibly wrong with my car. After they diagnosed my car they told me what was wrong and gave me a couple of different options, since I didn’t have too much money they even lend me a part for now and split the repairs in two parts. I have to say not too many people are this friendly and would even lend you a part until you gather money to continue with the repairs. They were very professional and I had a really good experience. I’m definitely coming back to do business with them and you should too, I see a lot of negative reviews here but don’t just go by that, I say try them and you will see that all of that is BS.

Nice guys but not the best in terms of experience and skill level. They could not diagnose or resolve minor car issues which I did myself with some minor trouble shooting.
Having said that, they seem competent when it comes to straight forward and obvious repairs but any shop can do those so why go to a «specialty» shop with «special» prices?
I brought my ng900 in for two issues 1) clunking suspension and 2) low boost. They fixed neither. Their suggestion for the clunking suspension was to replace the entire front end. Well buddy, I could of thought of that too. For the low boost issue they ridiculously and erroneously surmised that a small dent in the muffler was restricting air flow. I asked them if they had hooked up the car to a tech II for a more accurate diagnosis. They looked at me like I was from mars which tells me they don’t have a tech II which is a severe shortcoming for a saab shop. I also reminded them that the low boost only occurred when the car was warmed up, which indicates an electronic issue. They insisted it was an exhaust restriction and that I should replace the exhaust. I politely declined and was charged a bill even though they fixed nothing and diagnosed even less. It seemed really amateur and tactless to charge me when they couldn’t diagnose the vehicle issues. It certainly lost them a potential loyal customer.
The turbo issue turned out to be a loose hose off the boost vac sensor and a dirty MAF. Cleaned the MAF and replaced the hose myself costing me a grand total of 10 bucks and a trip to the local parts store. Viola! full boost.

I am extremely unhappy with Saab Replay. I took my car in to get the fuel pump replaced and found that their work was very messy and they do not give you back our car the way it looked before.
When I picked up my car there was oil in the hood and white stains on the plastic right below my windshield wipers (which I have been unable to take off). I had to actually go to a car wash to get it all cleaned off.
Do not take your car here. They will only cause you more pain and they only want your money.

I really *wanted* to like this place. The staff was friendly, I loved that they were Saab specific, and I loved how close they were to my house.
But they lacked any attention to detail and did half-​hearted work.
They left my trunk in pieces, and left a few tools in there too. I brought it back to them the next day, giving them a second-​chance at putting it all back together. They still managed to leave a couple of nuts in my trunk. I ended up finding the nuts and finishing the trunk installation myself. Had they fixed it right the second time, I would have forgiven their first mistake and not written this review.
Like I said, I really *wanted* to like this place. I even washed and cleaned my Saab the morning I brought it to them… just so they didn’t have to work on something dirty. But apparently my attention to detail (washing the car) didn’t rub off on them at all.
I would advise you to find another place. While these guys seem to be the only place that is Saab-​specific, I am confident that there are other non-​specific auto-​mechanics out there that can do better work.
–Josh

This place is great! If you have a Saab, you know how hard it is to find a decent mechanic who knows how to work on it. Saab Replay specializes in Saabs. Every time that I have brought my car in, they have been able to figure out what’s wrong with it in minutes and are speedy in fixing it. They are also quite reasonable and will work with used parts when possible.
No longer hard to find a trusted mechanic.
Highly recommended!

Someone broke into my car last night so I had to get the window fixed. None of the auto glass places in the area had the window in stock, but SR did. They wanted to charge me $ 300+ for installation and glass. Which I understand, it isn’t their specialty so it would take a bit longer. Instead, I just bought the glass $ 120, and paid an auto glass shop $ 85 to install it. A little more effort, but I saved a bunch.
So, they are good for the parts, labor is a bit expensive. But it’s Saab, what can you expect. The guys were busy but friendly.

I’ve been going to Saab Replay for 4 years and finally am getting around to writing a review (sorry guys! I should have done it sooner!). I’ve taken my car in for everything from a quick diagnostic check when the check engine light comes on (they’ll do it for free when other places wanted to charge me $ 175) to more major work. They understand my budget issues and help prioritize what must be done and what would be good to do to keep my Saab running well for years to come. I appreciate their honesty, friendliness, willingness to explain stuff to a non-​car person, and the occasional pick ups from the BART station.

I am the proud owner of a simple, but much loved, SAAB 2000 9 – 5 Wagon and I certainly have seen my share of SAAB mechanics over the years, but LET THERE BE NO MISTAKE, THESE GUYS ARE THE BEST!
I have had my car into this shop many times and also occasionally taken it to some of the other SAAB shops in the East Bay, more to confirm my opinion about SAAB Replay than anything else and I keep coming back. They operate the way I need an auto shop to: If I I hear a sound, see a leek, smell a scent, feel a shake, I call them up. They usually ask me to swing by so they can see if there is a quick diagnosis they can give me. At this point I take their information and decide if I want to attempt the repair myself (the simple stuff) or if I want to make an appointment. If you are a SAAB owner then you know how much these cars need to keep them in top shape, so even if I do the simple stuff myself they still get their fair share of healthy well-​earned business from me.
Tavo and Randy, now with the help of Vernon at the front desk, have saved me thousands of dollars over the past 3 years!

Great friendly service. They always find the issue and then fix it for a good price. I cant have everything in life but at least my car runs. Thanks Guys !!

Took my mom’s Saab 900s in there for an oil change and to fix the power antenna. 450.00?!! Did I mention that they didn’t screw in the drain plug tight enough, and oil leaked all over the place over night! Randy and company have plenty of other 1 star reviews and for similar issues. The story got worse later when they said the fuel pump was going bad and the gas tank needed to be replaced, so then my poor mom who knows nothing about cars goes there to drop it off, takes time off work and is promised the car back by 4pm. Low and behold they hadn’t started yet!
I told her to forget it and cancel the work! She did. So:
This was almost a year ago and the original fuel pump is still just fine: you guys suck. Really, you do

So I brought my 05 saab in when there was something going wrong
with my clutch. They took 4 weeks to repair it. There were exec uses along the way, some legit, some not. My biggest problem was they never called and communicated anything with me. I had to call and hound them to get information on what was happening and I would be told they would call me back in an hour. They never would. At one point I was told my car would be ready and I showed up to find my car still up in the air.
They quoted me $ 1500 and then tried to charge me $ 2300. I understand that things happen, but again just CALL ME and tell me the price is going up. I got them to bring the price down but come on.
The mechanic also called me after I finally got my car, left a message that I also have a pump problem that they could not repair as the part was on back-​order. I called to ask if it was my fuel or my water pump. I have called twice and I have no return call. I kinda want to know guys…
They are nice guys who really need to learn about customer service. The 4 weeks with a car cost me $ 700 in rental fees and too many headaches.
I will never go back.

I could not be happier with the engine rebuild that Saab Replay did on my car:
1. The job was finished when they said it would be finished. It was not only fixed, but the car was cleaned and the engine steam-​cleaned.
2. The cost of doing the work came in more than $ 800.00 *under* the estimate.
3. Randy and Vernon kept me informed and educated about how they approach the challenges of rebuilding the GM-​influenced engines in Saab 9−5s from the early 2000s. They were courteous, friendly, reasonable, and patient, and they made everything clear to me.
Saab Replay’s independence was a real boon, because Randy and Vernon were able to describe the problems with these cars’ engines that are impolitic for dealer-​based repair shops to tell. Their honesty, great work, and great personalities have made me a strong endorser of Saab Replay, and I will go exclusively to them from now on. Their commitment to Saabs translates into a commitment to my continued enjoyment and use of my car.
Way to go, guys. You’re the best!

I recently moved to the area, and I was excited to have an independent Saab mechanic a couple miles away.
I’m surprised at all the positive Unilocal reviews! I gave them several tries, but unfortunately, three strikes and they’re out.
1) in May, they did a fine job fixing an oil leak on my ’91 900 SPG. However, after I called twice to verify my time of pickup and being reassured that someone would be there until 7pm or later that day, I arrived at 6:15 and found the doors locked. I called repeatedly and waited a bit before walking 3 miles home. They gave me a discount when I complained the next day and offered gracious apologies, but it was my first indication of poor communication among their staff and a generally lazy attitude towards customer service.
2) I had my car towed there a couple weeks ago to fix a detached tailpipe. They also discovered some battery issues since the car had been sitting all summer. When I called for an estimate, Vernon told me «shouldn’t be too bad, they’re at around $ 250 now.» When the work was done, the bill was over $ 450 and they had replaced the battery and another related part without keeping me informed. I am used to expensive and unexpected repairs, but I ALWAYS expect a phone call to let me know what is happening and how much it will cost, especially after I ask repeatedly for an estimate. And to top it off, the only repair that I’d authorized (the tailpipe attachment) wasn’t perfect and my exhaust now rattles while idling.
3) I took the car BACK to Saab Replay a few days later because of some really loud and obvious suspension noise. Randy, the owner, had told me that they were busy and he’d be out of town but that I should swing by and they’d at least tell me what was wrong. I left my car and a detailed note about the problem, which could be easily detected by just pushing on the hood of the car. The car was at the shop for almost a week, at first they said they couldn’t hear anything, and when I went to pick it up they said they thought it was a ball joint. I took it to another, trusted, shop a bit further away and they immediately gasped at the noise and diagnosed it as a broken control arm, gave me an exact estimate, explained the possible solutions, and asked what I wanted to do.
I think Randy knows a lot about Saabs, but he needs to talk to his staff about customer service. They made me feel as though my time isn’t valuable and they didn’t care about my business. They relied on the last-​minute help of a friend when they were understaffed, and «weren’t sure when he was coming in because he’s not a morning person.» This friend who looked at my car misdiagnosed my problem. It doesn’t help that the only staff member who seems to be consistently around and attentive isn’t a mechanic! Vernon is a really nice guy, but can’t explain or discuss what’s going on with my car, nor can he even drive stick shift to move cars around if need be.
I know last week was a rough one for them, but it was just the last straw in a series of disappointing experiences with this shop. Too bad, because now I’ll have to travel further to get my car fixed!

Unfortunately, it seems my glowing review will not stand out much amongst all these other satisfied customers, but I’ve got to give a major shout out to Randy, who took care of my 2000 9 – 3 convertible today in a major way.
The last few weeks, my car has been making odd purring noises, especially when stopped or in low gear. It would occasionally even die when I came to an abrupt full stop, like a clutch car would when you let it out too fast. The problem got so bad that I was afraid to come to a complete stop and would do everything I could to avoid it – roll through stop signs, strategically manage my speed when approaching red lights, blow past approaching pedestrians. It felt like I was in a very boring and low-​budget version of the movie Speed.
I knew I had to get the car checked out, but I was terrified that as soon as I brought it into a shop, they would find some catastrophic issue that would take weeks to repair. I had a major event at work coming up, so I couldn’t bear to give up the car until it was over. I thought if I could just make it another two weeks, I would have time to deal with any issue after that.
Then, today, at the worst possible time, my engine light came on. I decided I couldn’t wait any longer, despite the fact that I HAD to drive across the bay every day next week. I drove to Saab Replay as I was running through friends who might like me enough to loan me their cars, certain that I’d be checking my car in for a long stay.
Then I met Randy, and he put me almost immediately at ease. The guy knew his Saab engines inside and out, and he could instantly tell that one of my vacuum hoses was missing. He rooted around under the hood for a minute, and then pulled out the broken piece. God knows how long I had been driving without that thing! It seems my engine was all screwed up due to this single missing hose, which caused a chain reaction leading to all kinds of spark plug, and injection issues.
Even though Randy did not have a replacement part, he crafted a new hose system himself – better than the factory version – and had me up and running again, with no engine light, in less than an hour and at a very reasonable price.
I’m actually almost pissed off at what a great experience I had, since I might have to leave the Bay Area in the near future, so soon after finally finding a mechanic I trust with my car. I doubt I’ll find anyone as great in New York.
Obviously, I can’t recommend these guys enough. If you’ve got a Saab, get yourself to Saab Replay as soon as possible. You won’t regret it.

What a great experience! If Saab Replay was an airline, you’d be flying first class all the way.
For anyone in the East Bay there’s no reason to look or travel any further than this top notch independent outfit in West Berkeley. If you’re from further afield it’s certainly worth a journey, if only to see what the gold standard for automotive service looks like. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.
Brought my 2002 Saab 93 in with an expired & leaky water pump, immediately diagnosed. Also, I had been putting off a PCV replacement for 6 months because of sticker shock from the prior quote I’d received. I got BOTH jobs completed for not much over the dealer estimate for PCV alone. So certainly very good value.
On top of that, the service & communication with the Saab Replay team was far superior to any dealer, or any mechanic, I’ve dealt with before. Both Randy (the owner) and Tavo explained everything clearly and outlined the costs and benefits of all work they suggested. Most importantly, when the bill came it was exactly as they had agreed, no hidden charges or surprises. Front-​of-​house man Vernon was a joy to work with.
Sitting on a high stool in the front office, I chatted with Vernon as Randy, Tavo and other customers buzzed in and out. Talk flowed from cars to music to beer and beyond. The atmosphere was less like a waiting area and more like a really warm and convivial local Irish pub (in Ireland). So much so that I was a bit disappointed when it came time to leave, and, like another reviewer here, am looking forward to my next visit.

Lovely guys – so friendly, very accommodating, and although I was only there for an oil/​filter change, they were wonderful, and I will absolutely head back there if I need anything else done to the coche. I don’t think there’s a sign out front, so just look for the open garage door w/​lots of Saabs in the vicinity.

It’s been over a year since I wrote my last review of Saab Replay and I have more wonderful things to say about these guys.
I picked up my car last Friday after it went kaput on me when the tensioner gave way and the motor belt broke. When I picked up my car, not only had they fixed primary problem, Randy (A.K.A. The Raddest Mechanic in the East Bay) and crew also fixed one of my wheels, which had been mangled by a hole in the wall tire shop (avoid hole in the wall tire shops on San Pablo at all costs!), and managed to make the display screen in my dashboard totally functional.
For those of you who skim reviews, here’s the point: These guys take care of you and your car. They want you to be happy and in a safe car.
Most importantly, they’re SAAB enthusiasts, so they know Saab’s inside and out and want your car to drive its best. (Randy has even drawn me pictures of how my engine works to explain what was going on with my PVC system.)
Do yourself a favor and get out of the corporate-​dealer-​mechanic racket and visit this indie shop in Berkeley. You’ll save money and make a new friend or two.

Inconsistent service and pricing that changes within 24hours! In March I posted a very favorable review of my experience here, now i have a very different story,.
Pro: I brought my 97 Saab 900 here because I had problems with the clutch. They said that instead of completely replacing the clutch it might be possible to fix the problem by putting in a new clutch cable instead. The new clutch cable worked for about 3 months and then I started having problems with clutch again.
Con: Randy (I think he is the owner) told me it would be about $ 1,000 to replace my clutch. Because I had just spent the money on the clutch cable I asked them to check that first before I committed to buying a new clutch. When I called the next day a VERY RUDE lady (manager?) told me a new clutch was going to be $ 1600! She said she did not know what Randy was thinking when he said $ 1,000.
Upshot: I decided to shop around and called 6 Saab repair shops around the Bay Area. I found that the cost to replace a clutch for my type of car ranges from $ 1000 (at an independent Saab shop on the Peninsula) to $ 1900 at Downtown Auto. $ 1300 was the median. Saab Replay is not quite the bargain place with the good service that I thought they were.
My gut feeling is I should have gotten the clutch replaced initially and saved myself the expense and aggravation of replacing the clutch cable first thinking it would last awhile.