Randy’s Foreign Car Clinic

I drive a 1991 VW Vanagon Carat, 350,000 original miles. Before that, drove a 1971 VW bus, sold with 259,000 miles on it. So I’ve dealt with a lot of VW mechanics in a number of states in the U.S. I make it a priority to find the best VW mechanic in town; ideally, a shop where they only work on VWs, and, since I drive my busses for years, I like VW shops with a lot of older bugs and busses in the yard.
Randy’s has been my go to shop in San Diego for 20+ years. They’ve pretty much done it all: rebuilt engine, numerous brake jobs, CV joints, window motors, door locks, starter, on and on. Randy, the owner, and Chris, the shop manager, are seasoned pros, and a number of the mechanics have been there the 20 years I’ve been a customer – where does that happen in this day and age?
Randy and Chris are straight up, no BS guys. They know VWs, and they’ll always tell you what should be done, what could be done (if you want it), and what is not worth your time or money to do – unless you insist. They also do a good job of tracking down hard to get parts – in the case of a 25 year old VW Vanagon – and they’ve also found me reconditioned or third party parts when available to save money.
I read a few comments here about the prices being high. I don’t really have a sense of that. I suppose, like anything, if I wanted to drive all over San Diego (or hit TJ) and get bids I might be able to beat the price; however, I’ll take quality, consistent performance and service, and good, trustworthy people over cheap any day.
These are the only guys who have worked on my ’91 in last 20 years, 350,000 miles, and it runs like stream water, baby.

A great place! After getting some work done on my 1987 Westfalia, i noticed something about the repair that wasn’t correct. I took my van back and showed the issue to Chris. Long story short they fix the minor mistake and replace some adjacent components that caused the error to begin with. All of this was done in a very professional manner with integrity and honesty that was above and beyond what you would expect from an auto mechanic. I highly recommend this place and will be a loyal customer for years to come.

Randy did the inspection on my 85 weekender I purchased in 2007. He did some minor work for me then (sloppy shifter) and some other stuff. I also took it to him when I broke one of the stud on my alternator, fixed that too. He also took some of his own time when I had the inspection done to show me the ins and outs of the vans and some of their shortcomings. He showed me pitted heads, the problem with the 3 – 4 shifter, stuff like that. The recently pressed in my front bearings, upper control arm bushings, and lower ball joints. All their work is really good. They’re not cheap, but they don’t cut corners either. They do it right.

I drive a classic VW Beetle and I love the service I get here. It can get a little pricey but the money is well worth it. These guys are legit and they know their stuff and you’ll get some good, quick service. Best VW mechanics in San Diego.

This place is great for classic VW fixes. I bought a 67 fastback and took it into the shop to get some general maintenance that the prior owner didn’t take care of and I also had Randy’s install an oil cooler. Car runs great now. May a bit pricey compared to others, but you get what you pay for. These guys are top notch.

Ok… So if you have an old classic beetle sitting around and the engine doesn’t run, or hardley running…
Take it to Randy’s! The guys, Randy and Chris are awsome! they do know what there talking about! and the mechanics in the shop, they sure know how to take care of your car!
Randy and Chris do not beat around the bush… they tell you straight up and honestly! something that is rare in the world of mechanics!
If you are looking to keep your volkswagen running, and are willing to listen to what Randy and Chris have to say…
Take it to Randy’s! you will be happy and you will have no regrets!
I know when I take my baby in, she is always going to come back running like she did 42 years ago and even better!
Thanks you guys! YOU ROCK!!!

I’ve driven a lot of cars that have needed a lot of work over the years. Randy and his crew (Chris is awesome) are by far my favorite. I always trust what they tell me. They always come to me with a list of the stuff that needs to be done and don’t try to push me into unnecessary things. They will always be my go to guys, whether they like it or not. Plus, being around there makes me want to get an old VW or something because thats their specialty.
These guys are great, check them out!

I wonder why they kept my German wheel cylinders and when I asked for them when I came to get my bus, maybe it was my out of state plates. They said they threw them away. What a crock. I went through their dumpster to no avail. German parts are scarce now, and I couldv’e rebuilt them.
This was many years ago, but I never forgot it and I never went back, and neither did my friends. Robbing original parts is never cool.

Brought my 69 VW bus in bc I needed a new clutch. When I got home, I realized that I couldn’t go from reverse to the 1^st gear, I’d have to go to 3^rd or 4^th before going to 1^st (a pain when you’re trying to parallel park!). In addition to this problem they overlooked, they also mentioned I would need a new engine soon (I was expecting that). They quoted me $ 6,500! They also quoted me $ 400 to repair a muffler. The employees seemed nice enough and were happy to explain anything to me– but the prices are ridiculous! I’m getting my engine rebuilt at another shop for $ 1,500.

took my beloved ’82 Westfalia Vanagon in here last week for a general inspection and to get a bracket on my exhaust re– welded. Chris and Randy did a great job of fixing what i asked to be fixed and also replacing a couple worn bushings to help my van shift and drive smoothly and easily. The options and pro’s/con’s to each job were discussed in depth and honestly with me before i was allowed to choose what work was to be performed.
The bottom line is these guys love their VW’s and foreign cars, and they work on them and treat them as if they were their own! Fantastic work, great service, and a price that I would find very hard to beat. If you care about your vehicle as i do mine, this is the place to take it.

Randy got on the phone with me and explained to me what factors could be wrong with my car. He was professional and took the time to see what was the problem. The shop is clean and professional and the service is on point. The service all the old cars at this shop.

My 2000 Cabrio had a check engine light glaring at me for years. I have a scanner (I do basic maintenance myself) and knew the code, but 3 mechanics back in NJ couldn’t figure out what was triggering it. The car ran fine, and we could clear the code long enough to pass inspection. (When the check engine light finally burned out, I could ignore it more easily.)
When I moved to CA, I had to get the car smogged, which meant finding a place that really knew its OBDC from a hole in the dash, and that was Randy’s. Chris immediately knew the problem from the description, fixed it on time, was true to his quote, and made recommendations about other issues that will need to be dealt with in the future (Zero sales pressure!) Oh, and the car passed inspection with flying colors.
I’m a big fan.

If you have a vintage car, maybe they’re just great, but if you have a modern car with a modern electrical system, I didn’t get much help. They replaced my battery in my Jetta twice until they gave me the equivalent of the doctor saying «well, you say you feel terrible but I can’t find anything wrong with you.» I took my car to another foreign car specialist and they found my electrical problem in less than an hour.

I called just to get some advice on whether to buy a specific VW van and he gave me the best advice about each model and the good and bad. He was extremely helpful and very knowledgable. I’m getting my van next week and I’m sure my first stop will be Randy’s.

We love Randy’s! We’ve been taking our ’91 BMW and ’01 Jetta here for a year or so, and have always been pleased. Chris is happy to work with us on our budget, and give us honest (I think!) options about what has to be fixed and what can wait until we save up the money!

Randy’s has been a staple in our family for over 20 years. God love him, he kept that ’66 Volvo running long enough to pass the 300K mile mark! I liked that he always took the time to explain what he’d done to try to make me a better car owner.
THX Randy!

I’ve taken my ’68 Ghia here for years, usually for tune-​ups but initially as part of a full restoration (working in tandem with a body shop). Randy is a smart, approachable guy with eons of vintage VW and Porsche experience. They’ve branched out in recent years, fixing all kinds of foreign cars, but I always see several old-​skool air-​cooled vehicles parked out front and in the shop.
They’ve spent quite a bit of time with me, explaining late-​sixties exhaust technology, giving me the back-​story of parts buried deep within my transmission and helping me build a better car, piece by piece.
They also give me options, which I like. They’ll happily spec out multiple solutions, from cheap to expensive, and they’re not pushy. The guys here are genuine enthusiasts; always excited to talk shop. I’m not so handy or automotively inclined, so I just kind of nod along.