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July 2024 by Melanie
I entrusted my cherished 1989 VW Westfalia to 523 Rods for a new engine and a full body repair/paint job. They did an excellent job with both--my van runs and looks fantastic!
Felipe always took time with me to explain what was found and needed. I trust his vast experience to navigate unique VW issues and do what was best for my vehicle.
I was very impressed with the care 523 Rods took with my van's restoration--the paint job was flawless. And they got me in/completed ahead of schedule in time to make it to Syncrofest! Several van owners there wanted to know where I got the work done and I passed along info to 523 Rods without hesitation. Thank you Felipe and team!
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September 2023 by Bill Gegg
Great people. Very knowledgeable. Good pricing. BUT horrible at returning phone calls. And always late with the fix. If you have unlimited time, this might be your place.
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June 2023 by Rick B.
So far, the service has been very satisfying.. Many things have been done, and several things were corrected on the final review.. These things are difficult, and I understand the quirks.. Felipe has been very responsive even while on vacation, and I'm sure that we will get the little bits sorted out.. I'll update my review as we go
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November 2022 by Bill G.
I have a 914 Porsche with a Subaru engine and was having starting problems. I had the car towed to 523Rods and was delighted with the service. Felipe, although very busy, is very accommodating, taking his time to explain issues. His mechanics are knowledgeable and cordial. Absolute 5 stars.
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September 2022 by Seth B.
UPDATE to my original review: Felipe and his team are definitely the best VW Bus mechanics in the Bay. (Sample size 3: I've been to two other well known places.) He just installed a rebuilt 1.9L engine (plus a lot of other stuff like new clutch, new CV joints/boots, etc) in my 1983 Westfalia and it literally rides like new. Not a rebuilt bus...like a new Westy. Start with Felipe before going elsewhere. He'll tell you exactly what is going on, how long it will take, how much it will cost, everything else you might want to know about it. Amazing work delivered. ORIGINAL "Felipe and 523Rods are a great shop and alternative to Buslab, which in my experience can be hit or miss. Felipe has done a couple fixes on my 1983 Westfalia and it always comes back working as expected. Felipe also provides more of a thorough explanation and walk through of what is going on versus other shops I've been to. Great option if you need work done on your VW."
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August 2022 by Jesse Long
Felipe and the crew are the real deal, quality and timely workmanship. The experience is evident, as they are able to diagnose and simply explain repair issues. Six stars out of five, all dayServices: Auto engine tuning
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June 2021 by Jim Walsh
Felipe is a lifesaver! I was visiting my son in Berkeley when my '86 Vanagon Weekender's transmission started failing. I just had the transmission rebuilt in San Diego before my trip to Berkeley. My shop warranty was in San Diego, but the van was stuck in Berkeley. Felipe knew my mechanic in San Diego (small world) and they worked out a plan to send a newly rebuilt transmission from San Diego to Felipe. Felipe and his team did an awesome job installing the new transmission and repairing some other issues that I was having with the van. The van now drives better than ever. Felipe squeezed me into his schedule and I was able to pick up the van just minutes before closing on a Friday afternoon. My drive back home was happily uneventful. I found a new friend and reliable mechanic in the Bay Area. 523Rods really came through for me.Services: Engine repair
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December 2020 by Justin G.
Came home with check engine light on after a second time in their shop for months on end. Was trying to participate in a Vw cruise last week and engine turned off on me at a stoplight after being highway for 15 minutes. Popular opinion I see on Subaru forums is to mount the radiator(s) on the underbelly of the vehicle which I brought up the second time in the shop and was told that mounting in engine compartment was just as good and I feel they were too lazy to move the radiators to where it would've made more sense to pull in cool air. Instead I got a janky fix and everyone online tells me this guy has no idea what he's doing. They also cut a hole in my bus to access something and never bothered to ask or bring it up to me or just remove some previous installed components. I could go on but stay away from this shop.
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November 2020 by Saquib
Fantastic craftsmanship, excellent people and service, and reasonable pricing. This must be on your list, if you need to talk to any body shop or repair shop. Close to BART, so even if you're in the city, do consider this place and filter out the overpriced workshops in SF.
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October 2020 by Kai Boyd
I had my 1983 Vanagon towed to Felipe's shop, suspecting an issue with the starter. 523Rods knew I was traveling full-time in the van, and was able to 1) diagnose the problem in under an hour, 2) get me back on the road with a new starter + ignition switch within 24 hours. I felt like the crew truly understands Vanagons, and was very impressed with their ability to fix it quickly. Felipe also has a long history with vans himself, and you can tell the shop deeply cares about what they do. Will definitely be bringing my Vanagon back to 523Rods if in need of repairs while in the Bay.
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October 2020 by Curt Pere
Very friendly super helpful clean shop im sure they do top notch service.
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October 2020 by Leanna B.
I am very impressed with 523. Although our van's problem is not resolved yet, it's not for lack of effort on the part of 523! They've been super friendly and responsive and actually seem like they care about their customers. That's far cry from the treatment I've gotten at another van shop in the area! Definitely check them out.
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July 2020 by Saquib Hussain
Fantastic craftsmanship, excellent people and service, and reasonable pricing. This must be on your list, if you need to talk to any body shop or repair shop. Close to BART, so even if you're in the city, do consider this place and filter out the overpriced workshops in SF.
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July 2020 by james ross
They're the new 'Go-To' shop for vintage bugs or busses. Felipe, the owner, is a good man, and they do excellent work
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February 2020 by andrew hayes
Dedicated, passionate
