Very nice business and friendly service fixed my car and didn't charge that much Gave me an assessment of my overall condition and needs of my Sabb and said he can get parts for my Sabb if I need parts because the car parts are out of production so I was happy to hear this information read more

Exceptional service! They are Saab specialists and very convenient. They can so work on Audis:) read more

I've read some of the other reviews - what I've noted is that more than a few of them are pretty outdated. Well, my experience is pretty recent. Saab Replay is not the shop it once was...once upon a time it had a team of mechanics, where now it seems to be a one man operation. And I think this lack of staffing is reflected in the quality of work, customer service, and attention to detail. The guy on site seems friendly...but oftentimes I've felt very disenchanted with what seems to be an unwillingness to fully address issues expressly described that need address. I've brought my car on multiple times to basically have to receive a la carte (instead of comprehensive) service. For me, this is highly inconvenient, for a number of reason...it feels as if I'm being ushered to the door with whatever work was performed, whether all work not only required but specifically requested have not been addressed. And inevitably...I must return for a followup to address some issue previously discussed. Honestly - if there were other viable options in the Bay Area reasonably proximate to me, I'd have gone long ago (and believe me - I've looked. Very dutifully, for alternate shops.) I've come to dread bringing my car in, and the delay, I'm certain, has lent to exacerbating what otherwise had been relatively small issues to blossom to become full-fledged emergencies. "Hard to get good help, these days" is a timeworn cliche...but it seems very appropriate where ascribed to the situation as it now prevails at Saab Replay. And in my estimation...all aspects of receiving service there suffers as a result. The guy needs help - and it is customers who are paying the price for this problem, in my honest opinion. read more

Saab Replay has saved my Saab 9-3 from extinction several times. They are generally quick to make appointments, and the do their level best to do their service on time. The place can get pretty full, though, so sometimes it might take a bit longer than you may wish. To me, this is more than set off by how accommodating and helpful these guys are. Honestly, I find the reviews that characterise the staff at SR differently hard to believe. Once, when my battery was dead, they kept the shop open for a half hour after regular closing time, waiting for me to come in after I had gotten a jump-start from a neighbour, just to check out what was wrong - and they didn't even charge me a penny. I haven't come across that anywhere else. What I would really love would be if they could pull parts from junk yards to make some repairs more inexpensive. That might not work for all people though, and to say the truth, I haven't tried to bring in my own parts. So, all in all, in my experience, this is the go-to place for Saabs in the East Bay. read more

I've been taking my Saab 93 to SAAB replay for many years, but their rates seem ridiculously high now. I was charged $800 for a rebuilt alternator job ($200/hour for labor x 3) + alternator. Looking for a new Saab mechanic. read more

I'd give them all of the stars -- 5 doesn't feel like enough. Hung & Tavo are incredibly kind, knowledgeable & helpful. I HIGHLY recommend them. I was in the middle of a car crisis and they were a huge help and calmed my anxiety. They were genuine and really put in the effort to get me the best possible price on parts. If your car needs some TLC, stop by or give them a call, you won't be disappointed! read more

This place knows Saabs in and out and they actually care about these cars (and drive them). It shows in their work. Tavo went beyond what I've experienced with any other mechanic to resolve my issues, give advice on performance parts, and install the parts I brought in with some slight modifications. They are also a wealth of knowledge which was helpful for other lingering questions. During my installs they found several small issues which they fixed for no charge. Highly recommend! read more

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. read more

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 read more

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 Yelp 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! read more

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. read more

I realize that this may sound masochistic to anyone who has never found a loyal mechanic...but I actually look forward to taking my car to Saab Replay. Maybe it's the Swedish flag, the line-up of classic 900s out front, my suspicion that they rally vintage Saabs on the weekend or the tasty baked goods left by grateful customers. Or maybe it's because they're so passionate about what they do and the brand they've built their business around. Andy is always friendly, sharp and understands the quirks of my 9-3 inside and out. Problems are often immediately diagnosed regardless of their obscurity, options to control parts costs are presented whenever possible...and they proactively note repairs that will be necessary down the road. My car has always been returned to me with her problems fixed...and they even follow Saab's tune-up checklist, which is more than I can say about the local Saab Dealer. If you need a great mechanic...I can't recommend Saab Replay highly enough. They always take great care of me and my Saab. read more

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. read more

Saab Replay was recommended to me by two other strangers I met in Oakland who were driving late model Saabs. I've taken my car in three times for different problems and have had nothing but good experiences. Everyone I've dealt with has been friendly, helpful, patient and accommodating in every way. I think the most important thing I can say to all you other Saab owners is this: These guys love Saabs. Clearly they have kept my car running well but they have also fixed all of those little pieces that seem to fall off my car--windshield wiper with a loose screw, plastic casing around the bumper--little details that they didn't need to do but did anyway just because they care. I have owned many Saabs in many states and have been to many mechanics so I feel confident in saying that Saab Replay is the real deal--you can trust them to do an excellent job. read more

Bravo! Everything that the other people said it would be. i didn't feel stupid, the worked with me, were very friendly and knew who I was when I called. The most pleasant thing is that they made me feel part of a club. The Saab club, which I imagine is weird mix of individuals. read more

Saab Replay gets my highest recommendation. I've been a customer since 2007. #notfakenews read more

Saab Replay - Saab Replay gets my highest recommendation. And, I've been a customer since 2007. #notfakenews - Auto Repair Near Me - Berkeley, California

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. read more

I would never take my Saab or any car anywhere else. Their attention to detail is amazing, the staff are very friendly, and they are all really good at what they do. I have dealt with bad mechanics before and I don't have to bring my car back for fixing if these guys get their hands on it. They fix it once and it's good to go until the next Saab-story occurs. They have *saved* me before by catching things before a long driving trip and not related to what I brought my car in for and not even a service that they offered- I haven't been up-sold or told to do anything that was not needed. The space is aesthetically pleasing and full of cool Saab stuff. Saab Replay is Saab Heaven. read more

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 . read more

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. read more

Posting this for my roommate, who's not on Yelp: These guys have been extremely helpful every step of the way, from explaining what is wrong to working with me on payment options (hey Saabs are expensive to repair!). They were also gracious enough to be in the office and let me drop off my car during their holiday, to make sure it would be fixed as quickly as possible. read more

What a RIP off place this is. They have no idea how to fix a saab. Dont let them charge you by the hr. You will be broke.

Incredibly helpful staff. Tavo is a great mechanic and a great person in general. He has saved my Saab multiple times throughout the years.

I recently took my '95 Saab in for a 15,000 mile tune up and the overall experience was positive. Both Randy and Tavo are very friendly and their rates were competitive with other shops in the Oakland/Berkeley area. I would definitely recommend this shop to other Saab owners. Jennifer R. read more

SAAB REPLAY NO WAY!( I have to give them a star?) After using saab replay and dealing with the owner , I would like to recount my experiences and hopefully keep people from having the same. I was recommended to Saab Replay by a family member, so I figured it would be okay. I took my car in because it was overheating. No prob it was the thermometer for the exaust fan replaced no prob. Then I took it in for the 60000 mile service... They took 3 days and charged me out the you know what.... No problems....They recommended that I have the crank pully seal replaced, no problem. I took it in to have it replaced and 3 days later they replace the coolant pump. Ben(the great one) said it was a misdiagnosis on the crank seal, what they thought was an oil leak had been a coolant leak. Great! all is well that ends well right. Wrong... 3 months after the pump was replaced I started leaking coolant...took it in they said nothing was wrong, took it in cause the belt started squeaking, tightned the belt...then one month later, still leaking coolant the belt started squeaking again. So Now I take it in and they say it is the oil leaking from the crank seal which is lubricating the belts and making it squeak and btw they had no idea why my car would be leaking fluid... They even tried to tell me that it was my imagination. A company full of incompetents. I brought my car then to a reputable dealer and a mere 4 months after that major service found the my front breaks were running on 10% I had a hole in my radiator hose, needed to replace the crank seal pully, the water pump was loose and the bushings needed to be replaced in the alternator.... what Saab replay couldnt even comprehend SPECIALTY SAAB Service diagnosed in 1 hour and fixed in 5 hours. Dont use them they are incompetent andthe owner is a pompus jerk! The webstite that is under construction has been so for over a year. read more

If you view the reviews about SAAB Replay, you'll see that they're either 5 stars or one star and I think I know why. The main mechanic working there used to be a different guy and he was really great. He was very helpful and he never tried to rip me off. Thanks to him, I took my car there for 3 years and bought another SAAB after selling the older one. However, he left about a year ago and unfortunately, I cannot say the same compliments for the new mechanic and his team. I do not know enough about cars to assess their quality of technical work however... ...the last time when I took my SAAB there, not only they tried to overcharge me twice, but also apparently one of their workers used my car to make out with his girlfriend!!! Fortunately, the girl was stupid enough to forget her belongings in my car so I figured out what's going on. They didn't even fold the seats back!! I never took my car there again. Not recommended. read more

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. read more

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 read more

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. read more

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. read more

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. read more

I called after noon to see if they had time to check out a warning light I had on in my '98 900SE. They told me to bring the car down and when I did they busted out the computer and checked it immediately. Turns out I had to have my clock spring in the steering column replaced. They had a used one in the office. They replaced my clock spring and had me back out the door with a total turnaround time of about 45 minutes to an hour. For bringing my car in the afternoon you can't beat that kind of speed and convenience. read more

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 !! read more

Since I've moved out to the Bay Area 2 years ago, I've been looking for a mechanic that knows a lot about Saab. I have researched for mechanics all over area and found this shop on Yelp. I needed to pass smog to re-register my car and Randy had helped just do that. He also pointed out other things that I needed on my car and which need attention asap. He had replaced my belt and pulley, changed my oil and helped me pass smog. He noted that my car needs attention on my motor mounts, a pcv update, rear wheel bearing and rear brakes. I am definitely bringing my car here again to work on those repairs. read more

Totally incompetent - I took my Saab to them for brakes and to repair an oil leak. They told me they don't work on the six cylinder Saab engine and that the oil leak meant my car was toast. After they 'fixed' my brakes, my brakes squealed for the next several months until I was forced to take my Saab to another repair shop for - yes, another brake job. Oh, and the other shop fixed the 'unfixable' oil leak problem and I've driven the car another 40,000 miles since then without problems - these people are dense read more

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! read more

My car was lacking serious performance. I thought it was a vacuum leak, they found out it was a clogged catalytic converter. Problem corrected in less than a day! I'm back on the road with full power! Thanks! read more

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. read more

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! read more

Great place - nice staff, very personable. Seem honest, and definitely cheaper than getting my car fixed on the other side of the bay (I live in SF). The proprietor (I think Randy?) is a great guy, was very available and even offered to give me a ride back from SF the next day to pick up my car! Amazing service, amazing place. Very happy with my experience and if I ever need more repairs on my Saab (ha!) I'll be coming here. read more