The Model Garage

Berkeley, United States

4.6

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 510-746-8539
Website:
www.modelgarageberkeley.com
Address:
2920 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA, 94705
b/t Ashby Ave & Russell St
South Berkeley
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
2.1 miEmeryville
2.3 miCalifornia
2.3 mi4th & H Ave
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Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards
Yes

Today

Today –
Local time (Berkeley) –

Business hours

Monday 7:30 am – 5:30 pm
Tuesday 7:30 am – 5:30 pm
Wednesday 7:30 am – 5:30 pm
Thursday 7:30 am – 5:30 pm
Friday 7:30 am – 5:30 pm
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Since 1981, we’ve offered expert and quality auto repair services to the Berkeley area. We are an independent Berkeley auto repair shop which specializes in Volvo, Toyota, Lexus and Scion repair. Our highly qualified technicians are conscientious professionals who care about your automotive well-​being and will keep your car performing at its best. With quality and honesty as our strengths, we pride ourselves on customer-​friendly service and repair. We want to ensure that you will be leaving your local Berkeley auto repair shop happy and satisfied with the work that we do.

History

Established in 1981.

Peter and Don started out with no employees. We moved from Emeryville to Berkeley in 1982 and to our current location in 1988. We’ve grown to 5 mechanics while maintaining personal service.

Meet the Business Owner

Don W.

Business Owner

Don the owner has been an owner since 1981 when he and Peter (1946 – 2012) started the Model Garage, Inc.

Don grew up in Japan, graduated from Cal in Japanese religion, and went to Merritt Community College to learn auto repair. He’s been working on cars for a living since 1972.

Peter (1946 – 2012) was originally from Brooklyn and an accomplished musician (mandolin, guitar, etc.). Both have lived in the area for over 35 years.

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20 reviews of The Model Garage

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
Great shop all around. Don is a Volvo expert and a endless source of knowledge, he is very patient and always found time to answer my questions. They have service my Volvo for four years and I have zero complaints.
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
As always, terrific service with a smile and sometimes a joke, plus sporadic musical accompaniment by Don on the Sax. These guys have been servicing our Volvos since back when dirt was cheap, and they just get better and better.
Place rating: 5
Berkeley, CA
Everyone I’ve ever dealt with at the Model Garage is fast, honest, knowledgeable, and effective.
I love the Model Garage!
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
Totally excellent service. Thorough inspection of car, thoughtful prioritization of needed and optional repairs, accurate estimate and good problem-​solving. Bruce is really good at explaining the why’s and hows – making the experience educational and kind of fun. The best garage and service team I’ve ever encountered.
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
Amazing fast service that helped me out in a pinch. These guys are just plain honest and do a great job at repair. I can’t recommend them more highly! Service charge was quite reasonable.
Place rating: 1
Albany, CA
Tried to charge me 700‑1200 to get my emissions to pass smog. Turns out all i had to do was use a cleaning fluid that cost 30. Either they didn’t know what they were doing or they were intentionally trying to tip me off. Either way, i don’t trust them and neither should you. They put on a show to make themselves seem friendly and trustworthy but they will screw you if you let them.
Place rating: 5
Berkeley, CA
Truly, your next car should be a Volvo so that you can really leverage the smarts, honesty, humor and skill of this shop. They have helped me out of oh so many jams. They troubleshoot like nobody’s business, find less expensive parts and pass the savings onto the consumer and even program the Volvo key fobs. I’m a fan and won’t use anyone else.
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
My Volvos have gotten great, honest service for the past 12 years at Model. Even complex issues with my cars have been solved by the mechanics there. As long as I am a Volvo or Toyota owner, I will be a Model customer.
Place rating: 1
Pasadena, CA
I have had a very bad luck in this place each time I visit, I am now having to take my car to a new garage 3 hours ride to get it fixed. They overcharge for every minor issue here
Place rating: 5
Castle Rock, CO
The shop staff were honest! I had an insignificant problem with my car and they were upfront about it versus creating problems that did not exist!
Place rating: 5
Berkeley, CA
Took my 2007 Prius in to have the driver’s side headlight changed. First thing I noticed was that everyone seemed to be in a great mood! They were attentive, courteous, honest, and speedy. Will definitely be back.
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
Love the Model Garage!
I am writing this review because I just bought my first non-​Volvo in 18 years and am sad to have to find a new mechanic. I literally like Model Garage so much that I considered buying a newer Volvo (ew) just to keep Model Garage around!
These guys are great, considerate, honest– they won’t work on a kind of car that they don’t know just to keep your business– have squeezed me in when they’re about to close so that I can get my window locked up so my car doesn’t get rained in (don’t worry, it did different time) — and have offered to get me in when they’re not even open to see if they can make my car safe to drive.
I LOVE that they have women mechanics and that they close for a couple of weeks for the holidays. If you’re looking for a speedy, in and out, open 24 – 7 place, this isn’t it. If you value the labor that goes into your beloved Volvo– and why wouldn’t you? you’re a Volvo driver!- then don’t pass up Model Garage. I’m going to miss them!
Place rating: 5
Palo Alto, CA
Robert was amazing! My car is old and temperamental. He found the part I needed and installed it and it looks as good as new. Other mechanics couldn’t do either of these things. My car is happy so I’m happy. Thanks Robert, having a mechanic you can trust is a wonderful!
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
The Model Garage just did more great work on my 2005 Prius. This time, it wouldn’t start — the original equipment auxiliary battery finally died. They diagnosed the problem and replaced the battery quickly and efficiently. It’s great to have mechanics you can trust. Thanks Model Garage team. Again.
Here’s the text of my previous Unilocal review, from May 2014:
I’ve been taking my 2005 Toyota Prius to Model Garage for the past couple of years. I wish I’d found them sooner. They do great work; they explain everything that they plan to do; they’re honest, patient, and courteous. And their prices are reasonable. What more can I say? Highly recommended.
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
Don – and everyone – at Model Garage are really wonderful. I used to go them for my Volvo, now I do for a (used) Prius I recently purchased, even though I live in San Francisco and have to take a day off work to head over the bridge. They are so honest and kind, they always tell me everything that’s going on with my car, and take a look at anything I’m worried about. A number of times, they have driven my car around to listen for noises I have mentioned or checked something extra that I might be worried about.
Oh, they are also great for used car inspections — the $ 140 was well worth it to know the Prius I was buying was in good shape.
You can trust Model Garage-​they will always be up – front with you about what needs to be done (versus what doesn’t) and you’ll know your car is being taken care of.
Place rating: 5
Berkeley, CA
I brought in an old Volvo for a pre-​purchase inspection.
* Everyone is friendly, easy to talk to, and the process was smooth.
* Seems to be a thorough inspection.
* Reasonable price — $ 140.
**Best of all, Don, took the time, sat down with me and reviewed the results, answered questions. He went through each system, gave me pointers on what to ask the car seller, gave me an estimate of repairs needed, and an opinion of the car.
It was a very good experience and I want to take the car there for servicing if I buy it.
I had never been to this garage before because I have had Hondas for 30 years. I love my Honda mechanics — Campus Auto; go there if you have a Japanese car — and I wanted to get a mechanic I trusted, the way I trust Campus Auto. I think I have found that in Model Garage.
Place rating: 5
Alameda, CA
The Model Garage helped me with a running problem on my 2005 Lexus IS 300 a couple of months ago when my check engine light came on. It wasn’t just that everything was done perfectly in a reasonable amount of time, it was that they first tried to see if the fix the computer was telling them was correct. It was a large bill but they took the time to see if actually needed to be done or if there was a less expensive way. THAT’S a garage you can trust. Taking it back in today for more maintenance!
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
I’m delighted to see all these great reviews, but not surprised. These guys are the real deal. We’ve been taking our cars there for 20 years.
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
Long overdue thanks and recommendation for The Model Garage. My car is a freaking lemon… after years of bad expensive service at the dealership around the corner, I took a friend’s recommendation and took my car to The Model Garage.
Instant happiness when they quoted me 1⁄3 of the dealership’s quote for my 80k service. I had found my new mechanics!
A couple of months later, my car flat out stalled… upsetting for a perfectly maintained ’05 Volvo xc70 which had already had a new transmission, turbo pump and other multitude of rare replacements. Barely made it into their garage.
They patched her up replacing the abs system, an oxygen sensor and spark plugs. Unfortunately she died again the next day… not their fault, my car is the lemon of lemons. They felt bad for me and were so nice. Put me up in a rental over the weekend, consulted volvo USA, and fixed whatever rare problem my car chose to have that day.
As long as I keep this lemon, she will only be serviced by The Model Garage. Thanks Don, Robert and staff! It’s so hard to find a good trustworthy auto shop.
Place rating: 5
El Sobrante, CA
Excellent work and good customer service! Their rates are reasonable and I like how they keep most (if not all) of the parts in stock, unlike other garages who take additional time ordering and waiting for the part to be delivered before working on your job.
Would definitely see them again for future maintenance and repairs.