[ba] Fw: need bay area audi wrench

[quattro + 5 or 8 = fun]

When my wife moved to Berkeley 5 years ago, she took it to Wolfsport to do a
couple of jobs I could not do with simple hand tools (I was living 1200
miles away at the time).  I was not happy with them.  Nice VERY capable when
you talked to them but in the end, the repair was not good for the $$.  She
had 3 or 4 med. Size repair jobs done and one really big job done.  Just
after each event, she had to bring the car back and there was always an
additional charge.  Once she took it in for a "dying" issue.  I told her I
bet it was the fuel pump relay.  It was.  But, they charged her about 90$$
to diag it and $70 for the part.  Maybe this is inline for the area, even
living in the BA for 3 years now, I have no idea as I do all my own work.
Needless to say, the relay failed about a  week later and they charged her
again.  Last year I tried to buy a V8q part from them and Walter flat out
refused to sell it to me.  I needed a fender and he said he would only sell
the front clip if I wanted the fender.  I was desperate and offered 400$ for
it (really desperate).  He declined.  Strange.  I do think they know the
cars.  I just don't think they are careful when working on them and have
somewhat questionable business practices.  In defense of them, the owners
Walter and another guy whos name I can't remember seem to never know what is
going on.  How is this a defense??  On the relay case, he told me he would
look into it.  Said indeed the price was a bit high and said he would give
her car a some free labor next time it came in.  She never went back.  So,
maybe it is more of an issue of communication.  I don't know.  If you use
them, just make sure everything is clearly defined in terms of cost and what
you expect in the end.  Have them check with you for any additional work you
need done.  On one job, Kristin was expecting about a 250$$ bill.  It turned
about to be 900$$.  No one called to inform her.  She got a loan to pay it
off.  That is inexcusable.


Shayne


Bay Area, CA
Eastern WA State


PARTING:  1972 Mercedes Benz 280 SE 4.5
PARTING:  1986 Audi 4000 CS quattro


> 
> 
> There's Griffin Motorworks on San Pablo in Berkeley.  I've used them a
> bunch of times and they are pretty good (though not recently, but about 3
> years ago...).
> 

> 
>> ... perhaps this might get a better response here ... what kinda Audi does
>> 'Becca have?
>> 
>> I hear that they do service at GAS/WolfSport ... I can't vouch for the work,
>> but it is pretty close to Berkeley ...
>> 
>> Frank Kasan had a shop out toward Concord ... prolly pretty close to BART
>> ... I'd trust him to do a good job if he's still in biz ...

>>>> 
>>>> Hey Rocky,
>>>> 
>>>> I really *really* need the name of a good Audi mechanic
>>>> ASAP. My car's unhappy and I don't know who to take it
>>>> to. Do you know anyone who's in Berkeley and/or near a
>>>> BART station?
>>>> 
>>>> Thanks! :-)
>>>> 
>>>> Becca