I took my car back into model garage about a month and a half ago to get it fixed and it was, according to Roberts initial quote, going to be $1125. My car was at the garage for a few days and I was excited to get it back. When Robert gave me a call, it was to inform me that my little baby, my little Red Subaru, was in the equivalent of ICU. She had engine problems that we're going to cost me well over what the car is worth and what I paid for it. Robert told me that I would have to have the engine replaced and that in his opinion it was not worth it. He only charged me $175.00. Now, while this isn't the news that I was hoping for, it made me very happy that I took my car into model garage again. These people are fucking awesome! If you're sick and tired of dealing with unscrupulous mechanics, Jenkee ass handymen, or that dude down the street who will do the work for a 12 pack, then take your ride to model garage on Shattuck in Berkeley. And Robert... I apologize for how long it took me to get this review posted. I recommend you guys to everyone who has a vehicle that's either a Subaru, Volvo, Toyota or Psion I believe. Check out the website. You won't be disappointment. read more

I do not write reviews often, but I think this review may help struggling car owners like me, and I think I owe Robert, the owner of Garage Model, a "THANK YOU." My Volvo XC 70 has had the "check engine." message for the last few years. My late husband had taken it to a mechanic shop in Daly City. The mechanic always told him to ignore the signal and drive it. Last time smog check, he told us to put Oxicat in the fuel, and luckily, we passed the smog check. He explained that we had been accumulating dirt in the tank using regular gasoline. This dirt eventually blocks the exhaust pipe and causes smog. My car also hesitates to go forward uphill. He said the dirt blockage caused that hesitation. He recommended replacing two parts. Sorry, I do not entirely understand which parts, but it would cost me $6000 approximately. I trusted him and told him to go forward. I took my car to his shop on 7/10/2023 and followed up with him every week. He told me he had been busy; two months passed by. I called him on 9/8/2023; he said my car had a transmission problem and needed to send the part to a place to repair it. This repair cost is an additional $6000. I finally realized that guy did not know how to fix my Volvo. I eventually googled and found Model Garage. Robert, the owner, diagnosed my car and found the problems the same afternoon I towed it to them. The vehicle responded abnormally because of the malfunctions of the LEAK DETECTION PUMP AND FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR, sending wrong messages to the car. There was nothing wrong with my car mechanically. I probably will pass the smog check when it is due next year. Robert fixed my car in two days. I have come a long way to get my car back as I used to. So I want to say "THANK YOU, Robert.................................." read more

Came here for a second opinion after a different tire shop told me my tie rods were frozen and had to be replaced ($$$$), blocking a wheel alignment. Model Garage took my car the same week I called. They were able to get to the tie rods and have the wheel alignment done same day, saved me over $1000. Good people, fast service, great value. read more

I knew what I needed and it was expensive. But after I made an appointment, Felix checked locally for parts and found that my car might still be under warranty. He called me back and said that I should check with the dealer. I did, and it was, and I saved about 5k. The Model Garage has an incredible amount of integrity. They are not afraid of losing this one service, because now I will always come back to them when I need another one. Thank you TMG! read more

I have been taking my 1993 Camry to Model Garage since I first got it, and thanks to them it is still going strong. They are thorough, honest, and incredibly helpful. Before I had my 1993 Camry I had a 1973 Corolla which they also kept in great condition until I sold it to get the Camry. They are always there when I need them to check a sound or vibration or any other quirky thing my Camry might throw my way. They have great customer service, treat you and your car with respect, and really listen to you when you explain a problem you are having. read more

Model Garage once again helped us with 2 big problems with our 2 cars. The work, involving general maintenance as well as a problem with brake lights and a rear view mirror, were dealt with quickly at a good price. We appreciate the high quality service we received. read more

My husband had them work on his Volvo for years. They always did a great job. Now I trust my Honda CRV to them. They are super friendly, and always manage to fit me in to their schedule. read more

UPDATE: I have amended my original review because the owner contacted me to explain that he reviewed my work order and agreed that there was an error in the fees charged. I appreciate that he took the time to review my order and provide fast customer service. I took my car to Model Garage for the 60K mile service and to have them assess a noise issue on my Volvo C30. They did a thorough job of providing an overview of my car's "health" and making sure all of the items on the 60K service were completed. They were very friendly and finished the service on time. read more

I highly recommend Model Garage. Everyone I have talked to there is super friendly and professional. Prices are reasonable and service is awesome. No one likes having car problems but if I have to go to a mechanic I am happy I can take my car to Model Garage. read more

I had my catalytic converter stolen, called Model Garage, brought my car in the same day, and was able to get it replaced within a week. Doreen was incredibly helpful, generous and communicative. Can't thank you enough! Will be a loyal customer for years to come. read more

My break lights were out. Replacing the bulbs didn't fix it. Model gave me an estimate for $185 and I said go for it. 2 hours later I got the 'ready' call. The cost was $15. I had replaced the wrong bulbs and model made the simple fix. I was very pleased. read more

Excellent customer service from Robert and his staff. Today Robert help with emergency repair without apt that took about 30 minutes or less. Routine maintenance no problems making apts and receiving great service. I highly recommend Model Garage read more

Thank you to Robert and all at the Model Garage. Recently had my clutch replaced in my Toyota pickup. Tow truck was late getting there but they stayed open til he arrived so the truck didn't have to sit on the street. Luckily it wasn't too long after closing. I always get good service here. Everything is expensive these days but their prices are fair. A good, honest car repair shop! read more

Really awesome shop with knowledgeable mechanics. Extremely friendly and are willing to go the extra mile to make sure you have the knowledge about what's going on. I just got a Subaru outback and I am very lucky to have found this garage right away. I will be a repeat customer! read more

Is there anything worse than your car breaking down while out of town? This was our situation recently. We drove up to Berkeley from San Diego to visit family, and on the last day of our stay, our Lexus hybrid would not start. This immediately meant we were likely not driving home the next day as planned. We called about 5 local mechanics ("lexus mechanic near me"), but everyone was extremely busy, and only Model Garage agreed to take a look at it. We reluctantly had it towed in, and crossed our fingers that we were in good hands. Well, after a few hours we were told our car was ready and payment was only the cost of the diagnosis. (Rain had gotten into the junctions via the sunroof. They cleared the water out and it started right up.) We were so relieved. On the way to pick it up, I said to my husband, "I hope the next time we break down, we are in Berkeley because I want these guys to work on my car!" Isn't that crazy to hope you break down just so these mechanics can fix it? We can highly recommend this team, and we are so grateful to have found trustworthy, reliable, & knowledgeable mechanics. Edit: I finally understand their name now. They truly are a model garage, and I hope their competitors take note. read more

I'm a bit of a car junkie, my go to vehicle is my old Toyota 4 runner, it's clunky, a bit rusty, a bit rattley and a whole lotta fun. It's my oldest vehicle and it carts me and my family of dogs to and from hiking and camping in the woods and is full of love, dirt, dog hair and a lot of amazing memories(it's an important vehicle-clearly) I have had over 10 mechanics and shops in the bay are take advantage of me and my rigs so I am very weary of mechanics, I used to date one too who would Tell ya what we all fear and feel is valid. But When I found the crew at model garage a few years ago I was struggling not only to find talented folks who were honest but who would actually work on my POS. When I went in for the first time I put my hyper focused feelers on and asked a lot of questions, looked into a lot of eyes and souls and could tell these folks were honest folks that would do their darnest to be reasonable with me and give me options. They wouldn't use used parts when I bought new ones nor would they recommend unnecessary work and bill me for non worked hours or talk to me like I was an idiot. Don't get me wrong this might be the most expensive place I could bring my car to other than the Tesla dealership but it's the only one with the expertise of my old wonderful crotechy 4Runner who will actually work on it. I have spent more money at this place than my car is worth x3 but I feel good I am supporting nice talented folks and feel like I'm building a repor and maybe next time I'm looking to buy a new vehicle I could possibley swing it by here and ask them to give me an honest assessment. Thank you all for treating me as an equal car owner to the gents and not judging my wonderful dog car choice(or at least not telling me how you really feel) :) read more

I always come here. I have never had a quote go over, and quite frequently its under. I never feel condescended to or disrespected and the quality of the work is always stellar. I'm on my third car with them and I will always come back. read more

Great job in diagnosing and fixing the problem. Professional and great communication.

I got a cat converter theft protector online for $89 and went to model garage for an install. They were able to schedule me immediately and it took half hour and was only $134. My Toyota dealership that I do love was over $500 for the part and install. The staff at model garage were friendly and efficient. read more

This team was great. My catalytic converter was stolen. The insurance company told me to expect to wait for months for the repair due to the lack of supplies. I had my car towed over on Wed and I got the car back on Thu. Doreen was SUPER-proactive in working with the insurance company. This was my second time replacing the catalytic converter. The Toyota dealership supposedly installed an anti-theft device which didn't work and caused a lot of noise when the car was running. The new solution is not noisy at all. It is so nice to work with a small business where they answer the phone and you don't have to go through a phone menu, wait on hold, and wait to be transferred to a service adviser! read more

Had the rear wheel bearing replaced on my Subaru. Robert knew what the issue was just by my description of the wheel sound I was hearing. The repair was excellently done; very reasonable. So glad I found the Model Garage and no longer have to do expensive repairs at the dealership. read more

Excellent! The Model Garage staff and owner are amazing: they do great work, they're courteous and they get the job done right! Thank you, Robert and Model Garage Team! read more

We've been bringing our cars here for over 20 years. Great place. Much better choice for Toyota service than the local dealership.

In this day and age, one is hard put to find a business which truly, truly puts the customer first. Nothing is more stressful than a car that won't run. Rob and the other team members at The Model Garage made me feel like I mattered. Rob and the others went out of their way to help get my car to run. If I could give a higher rating, I would. This is the model of an exceptional, honestly run, and customer centered business. read more

Went to Model Garage after learning about them from AAA re: protecting the catalytic converter for a Prius. They explained the needs and options and clearly have done a lot of work proactively installing protective plates and reactive work after thefts. Am hopeful / confident that their work will prevent a theft! Friendly, professional, and reasonably quick service. read more

I'm delighted to interact with Model Garage. They have consistently been highly professional, friendly and helpful. Most recently, they did an amazing job getting my stolen catalytic convertor replaced within one day while also assisting me with the insurance coverage. I see that some reviewers complain about the price. Model Garage charges standard, full-fare rates. In my experience, the most cost-effective way to keep my car running is to pay an excellent mechanic the market rate to do the job right the first time. You can find cheaper shops, but in the long run, they can end up costing more when repairs need to be redone, or the initial diagnosis was incorrect. So, I'm happy to pay Model Garage a fair price for outstanding work. read more

Found them in Google search while looking for Catalytic converter protector. Called and scheduled for install. Staff greeted us and treated us well from start to finish. Staff explained what will be done and time frame to install. Very happy with the experience and will recommend this place. read more

I had a very good experience with Model Garage. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable, the prices were reasonable. Thank you!

Their always reliable, high quality service keeps my 23 yr old Camry running smoothly.

We were looking for somebody who could take care of our Honda and a friend recommended "The Model Garage" I called and spoke to Robert who gave an appointment right away. We were greeting by the most friendly people in town. The car was ready in two hours. We will not bring the car anywhere else. read more

These folks are the best! Friendly, knowledgeable,and efficient. I won't take my Subaru anywhere else. They just gave my air conditioner a tuneup. Now I've got great cool air for the hot summer ahead. read more

Incredible customer service, great attitude, and really efficient. Got a cat shield and a service for my Prius this week; they estimated 4 hours to do the job and they finished in 2! Hat's off to Doreen, Ernesto, and everyone there. read more

Explained the reasons for my car problems, fixed them, and offered tips to avoid future problems.

I was really happy with the service here. I wanted to get a Cat Security protection plate put over my catalytic converter on my 2015 Toyota Prius to prevent theft, and they did it in a very timely organized fashion. They also offered the most affordable way to do so after I compared the price of service and the part in multiple Toyota service centers (San Francisco, Fremont, San Jose, etc). Everyone there was very friendly (including dog friendly with my labrador I brought along). Thanks! read more

I wish there were more stars! It is almost like searching for the proverbial needle in the haystack to try to find a reliable auto repair. I am so glad we found Model Garage. We had a very tricky problem that had stumped other repair shops; Robert solved it! Everyone at this business is wonderful, professional and pleasant. You also get the work done in a timely manner for a fair price. They are all about honesty and integrity. Hopefully you don't need major repairs but rest assured that Model Garage is the model for good business. read more

We're back! Excellent service, friendly staff! Model Garage just tuned up our Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and it's purring along. It had been 34 years since we last used Model Garage and they are just as great today as they were in the last century! (We had Honda's -- sadly the garage didn't work on those, but nowadays they do!) Thank you! read more

This is the place you look for in your dreams! Walking into a repair shop can be off-putting, but the Model Garage guys welcomed me and my questions with real interest and answered with obvious knowledge and competence. For over a year, I've been trying to resolve the smog issue with my old Volvo. Dealers, smog guys and other mechanics sent me on a wild goose chase, down paths that were just dead ends. Don knew about the problem - turns out it's something particular to this year and model - and outlined several approaches and gave me his honest opinion about what was best for ME. He discouraged me from spending money on what would probably have been a mistake - imagine that! I'm from Detroit, daughter of a 50-year Ford guy, sister to a master mechanic and cousin to several car dealership owners. I think the Model Garage guys should join my family for the holidays. read more

The Model Garage - Auto Repair Near Me - Berkeley, California

Kind staff. Good communication. Thoughtful diagnosis. We have been going there for years.

I went to the Model Garage on a friend's recommendation when my catalytic converter was stolen. They were phenomenal. They went out of their way to help me through a stressful situation, and located the part remarkably quickly given the backlog. Everyone I dealt with was friendly, skilled, and professional, and Doreen was extremely helpful with the insurance company. I plan to return for service (and to have a protective plate installed over the catalytic converter on my son's car!). read more

I really appreciate their attention to detail and impeccable customer service! I wouldn't take my car anywhere else. read more