This Father and Son shop are the best! I was soooo nervous and truly down right scared of what they might find wrong with my carburetor but it only needs a new float thingy, replaced my fuel filter and educated me on not running low on gas!!!!! They kept me updated on progress, parts and were so kind!!! Highly recommend!!! read more

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It's been about 8 months since my experience with Porbug and it's been bothering me this whole time. Perhaps after writing this review I can let go of my anger. I had heard about Porbug from many people and read online reviews as well. My car, a 1972 Super Beetle, had recently developed a pretty serious oil leak and it was something I couldn't fix myself. I called Porbug to make an appt. The person on the phone was abrupt and it made me feel very awkward. When I dropped off my car, the attitude of the men there was the same as on the phone; abrupt, bothered. I told them when I dropped it off that if they had it ready that day or even the following day, I wouldn't be able to pick it up til later in the week because I had obligations and my husband has to drive me from Port Townsend to pick up my car. They acknowledged that. The next day they call and tell me they found the source of the leak and that it was my oil cooler seals. Cool. Then they tell me they need me to pick it up the next day because they were out of room in their lot, even though I told them that picking it up early would be a hardship. We managed to make arrangements to come early. At that point, I was wondering why Porbug came so highly recommended, but maybe customer service doesn't matter as much as a competent mechanic who does a good job, so I let it slide. We picked up the car, they showed me the old seals and explained how shot they were, and I paid the bill and that was that. Took the car home and it seemed OK. Next day I looked under the car and no oil was leaking. Good. Three weeks later though, I've got the same kind of leak that I did before, coming from the same part of the engine; at least as far as I could tell. I called Porbug and said the leak had returned. Made another appt. I take the car in, go into the office, and as I'm saying "Good morning" he interrupts me and barks "KEYS!". Took me aback, but I handed him my keys and left. Car is ready the next day. At pick up I asked him what the problem was. He said that the oil screen was bent preventing the drain plate from screwing on all the way. It made sense to me in the moment because this man's attitude intimidated me so much. But as I was driving home and thought about it, that explanation made no sense. The last person to install my oil screen was HIM. Does that mean he knowingly or even unknowingly re-installed a bent screen? Either way, not good. And why would my car be fine for 3 weeks, then all of a sudden start leaking oil if the screen was bent the whole time? They don't bend out of shape by themselves. And the oil leak wasn't even coming from that part of the engine anyway. Predictably, I saw the oil leak was still there. I realized that I'd been lied to. But why? Based on their unfriendly attitude, it feels like they didn't want to work on my car at all. I finally went to another shop which is a lot farther away from me, but also highly recommended, Too Quick's in Tacoma. The difference between my experience at Too Quick's and Porbug is like night and day. They found the cause of the leak: Oil cooler seals. AGAIN. If Porbug installed new seals, why would they have failed again so quickly? The answer is that the oil cooler failed the pressure test, a test any competent VW mechanic would do since the oil cooler is exposed anyway. My oil cooler needed to be replaced. So either Porbug never pressure tested my oil cooler (which they should have) or they did and just replaced the seals and called it a day. Either way, not good. I don't know why my experience seems like a one-off compared to other reviews. But there's no excuse for lying to a customer. None. I will never recommend them to anyone. read more

My VW mechanic was recovering from surgery and unable to work. His recommendation was, "Take it to Porbug." I brought in my '79 VW Bus with an intermittent starting problem. I explained the specifics and George, the owner, immediately diagnosed it as a failing starter and possibly a faulty ignition switch. When I went to pick up my bus at the end of the day, it wouldn't start. The likely culprit , it turns out, was the new reconditioned starter which would have to go back the next day. Because my ride was gone, George volunteered to drive me back home. Above and beyond! When I got a call from them later the next day, with everything working, George explained to me that he also discovers the battery was being drained even when the bus was off. This, he discovered, was because the radio had been wired in such a way as to always be on even when the bus was off. So, I asked him to install a kill switch on the dashboard that I could use to shut down the radio even when the bus was off. When I went in to pick up my bus, he told me no charge on the kill switch! I wasn't expecting that! Maybe he assumed he would go the extra mile to make up for the faulty starter he'd installed the previous day....which was not his fault! At any rate, George and his son deserve a five star review for the repair they did on my bus and for going above and beyond as business owners and people. I rarely run into folks like this and they deserve to be acknowledged for who they are. read more

Porbug Repair - Auto Repair Near Me - Edmonds, Washington

I want to take a minute and thank George and his son for taking care of the 1967 Bug that I just bought. I was given the lead to Porbug by a friend of mine that took his car in there and he was very happy with the service. George did not disappoint when it came to taking care of my car. My bug had sat for long periods of time and needed some carburation and fuel pump help. The car is running great now and I feel comfortable driving it anywhere. Top notch service by folks that know how to work on air cooled cars. Porbug will be my go too place for any services that I need for my 67. Mark R. read more

Simply put, it doesn't get better than this. Every business should take a lesson from George and Jason. Had my Vanagon worked on several times now, my experiences have been superb. Attention to detail, outstanding depth of knowledge of the product, excellent communication, fast, efficient, friendly service all at reasonable prices. I've been to other "VW specialists" before, Porbug is now the only place for me. read more

Having issues with my "vanagon". Heard great things about them from my WetWestie friends. 3 mechanics didn't diagnose it right, but george did. Very happy that my van is running again, honest and too the point. HIGHLY recommend them. Good price for what you get. read more

Inherited a beetle. Took it to them to get updated and dialed in. I'm not a critic of price so I can't say whether it's the best value or not. All I know is they have it on the road and I was happy with what I paid. Will be back. read more

I have been bringing my '84 Vanagon to Porbug since 2011, and have always been completely satisfied with their work. George and Jason know VWs inside and out and are honest, hard-working and fair. George has a no-nonsense demeanor that may make some folks think he is unfriendly -- don't let that stop you from choosing this shop. I've tried quite a few different VW specialists in the greater Seattle area and will always choose Porbug first. read more

George and Jason are both excellent VW mechanics and you are lucky if you have just found their shop! George tells it like it is, don't expect any sugar coating, just reliable assessments of the problem and a quality fix. Five star!- Thanks Wende B. read more

Brought my '84 Vanagon here because the last mechanic almost put it in it's grave. It needed a new engine and everywhere I went I was getting quotes from 9-13K for a subarau swap. George offered to to do a rebuild instead for a FRACTION of the cost. Have had no problems with the engine since it's been in the van over the past 2 years. Yes it is the same crappy, under powered engine I had before and it's stressful as hell going over any pass or even mild hills but hey I have the use of my awesome van again. I also have had Porbug do work on '81 rabbit and they did a great job. He didn't push to do alot of unnecessary work that sure, would have made it better but C'mon, it's an '81 rabbit that is my A-B car. Great service, Intelligent Mechanics that are truly helpful. read more

I have been to Porbug 3-4 times in the past few weeks as they have been terrific. My wife and I have a 1985 Westfalia and it needs a lot of work from years of neglect. So as a repair begins it often turns up a related issue. Them is the breaks with older vehicles. George and Jason have been great. They did a detailed inspection, fixed a few things along the way and invited me into the shop to show me first hand the issues. They helped me prioritize the repairs and offered sound advice on parts and ways to save on labor costs. If you want to see or keep the old parts they will gladly show them to you. Porbug knows their trade and they know VW's. Their shop is well kept and orderly much like their diagnosis, maintenance and repairs. This makes me feel confident the work they do is sound and with upkeep will provide years of enjoyment and safety. read more

had a prepurchase inspection done with porbug.. i have never had such a detailed inspection done.. and it's not what they checked, but the details and explanation of what they checked and what needed work or how long about it would last until needed something done.. man i was so impressed with this company.. come on communication understandable by a non mechanic, that's unheard of.. they are truly a thorough and solid company.. i'd reccommend in a heartbeat, if they weren't so far i'd bring my vanagon to them.. read more

I am a long time customer of the Porbug shop. I can tell you that this place is the best in the state with quality work and reasonable rates. George and his crew are experienced and don't hesitate to tell you their approach and work needed to fix VW vehicles. My brother Gary and I have never been disappointed with their work! read more

I was very happy with the communication and service from PorBug VW repair . They fixed my daughters VW bug( broken axel) Quickly and for what they quoted ! I will recommend them to others and will use them in the future! read more

since taking ownership of my '91 Vanagon w/ stock 2.1L, George and Jason have been my "go to" shop. from oil changes that I'm too lazy to do myself, to an oil leak, tune-up, and then some hesitation issues... George took care of me. fair prices and on-time. one time I had my van flat bed delivered from DT Seattle for a no-start problem and when he got it it started right up and he could not replicate. is he that good?? ;) When diagnosing the hesitation issues, he road tested and swapped his own working parts in to diagnose the failing part. I don't think he even charged me for that time switching parts in/out, just the time for updating the actual bad part. Provides the replaced parts for inspection and explanation, gives breakdown of estimates accurately, and mentions other issues that can be addressed but allows me to decide if/when to have him work on it (or me DIY.) overall, highly recommended. George will always be the first place I call. read more

I wish I had found George and Jason's shop when I first began restoring my 1970 VW bus, I would have saved a lot of time and money. My bus has seen work from other shops in the area and these guys are the best, most knowledgable, and most reliable. Their shop is clean and efficient; the work they've done has always gotten done right and on time. Above all, though, these guys are honest. They have not hesitated to take responsibility for my vehicle. Jason once drove out to restart my bus in heavy traffic after I left the shop. After some thorough diagnostics (which they refused to charge me for), the fault proved to be just the condition of my battery. They ended up staying late to install a new battery and an ignition relay when I expressed concern about the sluggish start it's always had. Since then, it always starts like a new vehicle. And this is just one of many stories I could tell of them going above and beyond as well as finding the real problem and the best solution. In fact, after finding these guys and having them do the work, my bus runs like new. Plus, all at great prices, they have sourced parts for me or had parts on hand and directed me to the best parts people around for my 40+ year old VW. But really, one of the best things I can say about the family-owned shop with the funny name, is that before I took it to them, (and I've read and had people tell me that old buses always do this so just accept it) I had to deal with the drip marks of ownership of an antique VW bus. Now I've got no drips. read more

Keeping a 28 year old Vanagon on the road is not easy. I've been through three local shops with varying degrees of success. And then I meet George at Portug Knowledgeable,friendly,fair and he really knows VWs. I'll always use Porbug for any and all future work on my baby 'Vincent Vango. Thank you Gearge. read more

First off, I'll start by saying that I don't write Yelp reviews. In my opinion, they are often the venting grounds for frustrated people who had one bad experience, or misguided expectations, so I find that they do not accurately reflect a businesses true performance. THAT being said, WHEN I do leave a review, it is for a good reason. Well, that is especially true for Porbug. Long and short of it, George and Jason are great at what they do, which is to work magic with old cars. I have a 1982 air-cooled Vanagon Camper that the guys have done a lot of work on over the last three years. From full break jobs, replacing the starter, new fuel tank and fuel lines, diagnosis electrical issues, engine issues, oil leaks, timing issues, rough idles, these guys have tackled it all and exceeded my expectations. Not only do they fix the problem, often times the end results are better than I ever thought possible on a 36 year old car. For example, the brake job they did left me with crisp tight braking that rivals my '09 Subaru forester- not bad for rear drum brakes! They also were able to find the cause of my mysterious oil leak and replace the affected part, where other shops have told me in the past "it's not leaking oil, it's just marking it's territory. Just carry extra oil." They both also have a great work ethic. When my van's gas leak popped back up after we thought it was all taken care of, they told me to bring it back in and they would make it good. When I asked to let me pay for the repair, or at least to compensate them for their time, they wouldn't let me. Why? "You brought it in to have it fixed the first time, and since we said that was what we'd do, that's what we'll do." was their answer. Another shop would have nickel and dimed me for the return visit, but even though this was outside the 30 day window of the original repair, they still took care of me. That is the kind of service that earns my respect and loyalty. Another great thing about them is they are genuinely interested in giving you knowledge. Not only do they do the repairs right the first time, they will also take the time to explain the workings of the system in question, show you the old parts they pulled, where the fault lay, and other things to watch for. They do NOT pitch the hard-sell on other repairs like a lot of shops do, but rather give you factual, straightforward advice from a sound perspective. Long and short of it, if you are looking to establish an actual relationship with your mechanic (and if you drive a Vanagon of any year then you already know the value of this!), and are looking for a top-quality, no corners cut, honest team of mechanics who have VAST experience with these classic rides, save yourself some headaches and go straight to Porbug. As a final testament, let me put this fact out there: after taking our van to Porbug, my wife upgraded our AAA coverage from standard to Premiere, "So we can get towed back to Porbug from anywhere if we need it." Not just any shop will do- it has to be Porbug!!! read more

George and Jason, Porbug's expert father and son team, took on my 1990 Vanagon and completed a variety of repairs. These included installing a complete new coolant system, fixing my shifter, tackling an idling engine surge problem, installing lift assist struts on the pop-top, putting in a kill switch, and installing new CV joints and boots. They are thorough and hard working. I appreciate that they explain what needs to be/has been done and why to a non-mechanic like myself. I will continue to take my van to them and have confidence in recommending them to others. Thanks! read more

Called these guys and was answered just "hello" ,not thanks for calling Porbug but just hello. Asked a question and was given a very short answer. I would think a business would actually want your business. But sounded like they didn't care at all that I called. So whoever answers your phones, you should teach them phone etiquette. At least. So just off that alone, I won't be taking my Porsche there. Nice job guy. Not! read more

Porbug is the best. George is a straight shooter and will tell you what needs to be fixed and always does it right the first time. (Which I value much more highly than how someone answers the phone) He and his son have done multiple things on my 84 Westfalia and I've always been satisfied. You can take your VW here with the utmost confidence read more

27 years and still going strong! George has been servicing my two VW's since 1987, and my visit there last week was no exception. Early in the week, I ordered a couple of parts that I needed installed, mid-week I called to verify their arrival, and at the end of the week I stopped by to have them installed. As they were quick installations, I checked in with George before stopping by, and when I arrived, his son Jason installed them while I waited. George is a straight-forward mechanic who knows his stuff when it comes to VWs, and his pricing is in line with other independent VW mechanics throughout the region. There certainly are other VW mechanics who are closer to my house, but trust is something that is built up over time, and I trust George with my Vanagon and Jetta. read more

I thought my '83 aircooled Vanagon had vanagon syndrome where the engine dies. In fact, it had been stalling out everytime I stopped. I got it down to their shop. They had it for two hours and called me to tell me it was ready. Amazing! Runs fantastic! I was at wits end and had decided if they couldn't fix it, the Van was a gonner. I'm so happy now that I've got it back. read more

I have gone to Porbug several times since I had a Subaru engine put in my1985 VW Westfalia Vanagon camper and although George calls it a Frankenstein, he and his son have provided me with prompt and courteous service with accurate estimates every time. Their shop is the cleanest and most organized one I have ever seen. I give them the highest recommendation possible for all things VW. read more

This place was recommended to us. We will NOT recommend it to anyone else. Quoted us a date of delivery and a price. When it wasn't finished by the agreed date, I had no choice but to pay for the work and come back for the rest of it to be finished. When I went to pay the bill it was more than double what he had quoted me. Since he had already ordered the other part I was waiting for his call to let me know it had arrived. Never got a call. Decided to call them. Was told he would return my call. Never returned my call. Then when I call 5 days in advance to confirm a drop off time and date, he says no problem. I call 30 minutes before our scheduled arrival. He says that it's almost time for his lunch break so we'll need to come 45 later than scheduled. We then drop the car off. He says an hour and a half of work. He calls an hour and a half later to say its done. We show up. Check his work and sure enough, nothing works. Sitting here still waiting for my car and writing this post to make sure no one ever comes here. Horrible customer service and lack of communication. read more