East Bay TDI service shop recommendation request

My 2011 Golf TDI needs its 40K service. Looking for recommendations on superior TDI service shops in the East Bay (Oakland/Hayward/Fremont areas). Please advise.

Mark Spindler
Union City, CA.

You just missed the Bay Area GTG on Oct 20-21. There were 2 TDI Gurus who could have done it for you. Try contacting Matt-98AHU and see when he'll be back up here:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=297973

is your golf a manual or DSG? If DSG, get a price from some shops on the service, as it varies.

I would go to the dealer. I have had good experiences with Walnut Creek VW. When you have a brand new vehicle I see no reason not to go to the dealer. My car is old so I generally do not go that route. I like to have things done at GTGs, when possible. I also trust Karmakanix, AVS, and Griffin Motorwerke, all in Berkeley. As well as European Auto Repair on High Street in Alameda.

I've never taken my TDI to the dealer for service,have easily handled all basic things myself, with just the clutch and timing belt done by local and visiting mechanics - but is there something special the newer models need done at dealer?

I bought my Ford van new. Actually two of them. I tracked all of the expenses on both vans for six years. I compared them to expenses on an old van tracked for five years. Since that time I have tracked expenses on the newer of those two vans, my TDI and a number of other vehicles. At the end of the day, the cost difference was nominal. If you do your own work, or go to GTGs, you can definitely save money. However, when I buy a new vehicle I let the dealer take care of it until the warranty expires. Big difference between a brand new TDI and one that is a half dozen or a dozen year old, such as yours and mine.

NFSTDI said:

Big difference between a brand new TDI and one that is a half dozen or a dozen year old, such as yours and mine.

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I guess that's still my question - what regular maintenance do the new models need, which is best met at a dealer? I put new injectors in my 2003 practically the day after we bought it new, and the "service" has been little more than oil and filter changes, along with glow plug replacements.

I will try to answer everyone's ?'s at once:

1) Kiva822 - My 2011 Gold TDI is a 6 spd manual.
2) NFSTDI - What is a "GTG"?
3) B100 - I am an extreme newbie to the TDI world. Coming from the Porsche world. I have an extended warranty so I am leaning towards dealer maintenance support. I can't answer your ? regarding what a new TDI needs vs. an older model. Sorry.
4) NFSTDI - Thanks for the recommendations in Berkeley.

Mark Spindler
Union City, CA.

mespindler said:

I will try to answer everyone's ?'s at once:

1) Kiva822 - My 2011 Gold TDI is a 6 spd manual.
2) NFSTDI - What is a "GTG"?
3) B100 - I am an extreme newbie to the TDI world. Coming from the Porsche world. I have an extended warranty so I am leaning towards dealer maintenance support. I can't answer your ? regarding what a new TDI needs vs. an older model. Sorry.
4) NFSTDI - Thanks for the recommendations in Berkeley.

Mark Spindler
Union City, CA.

Click to expand...

Get ToGether

Periodic meets of TDI fans.

B100, What is the benefit of not going to the dealer?

NFSTDI said:

B100, What is the benefit of not going to the dealer?

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Meeting cool people, for one:





Learning new techniques, personal satisfaction, and saving money, for another.

Seriously, I get that some people have neither time nor inclination to work on their own vehicles, or their own homes/computers/etc. But for those of us who enjoy understanding how the implements around us function and operate, there's deep satisfaction to be gained in doing basic even not-so-basic work ourselves.

I do not see this as a mutually exclusive thing. One can attend a GTG for purely social reasons, I have on several occasions.

Again, my point is that when you spend thirty to forty thousand dollars on a new vehicle the difference in costs to maintain it is nominal. However, the difference in liability, not so much.

You do understand that I have been working on my own vehicles since I was fifteen. I choose not to, in most cases. Not because I do not know how, but because I love what I do. I work on locks and keys. My phone rings every day, and many nights. It is rare that a day goes by that no one calls requesting my services. Yesterday I choose not to answer any phone calls, except for family and friends.

Once you make the decision to pay others to work on your vehicles, it is simply a matter of choosing those who are qualified and not returning to those who fail to do things correctly. I have had plenty of experience in that department, both at dealers, and at independent shops. GTGs are not without there perils, although I have had mostly good experiences.

My list of trusted VW shops, in no particular order.

Walnut Creek VW
Griffin Motorwerke
Karmakanix
European Auto Repair (Alameda)
Clayton Auto Repair (Tell Irfan I sent you)

I have had work done on my vehicles at all of the above shops and would not hesitate to return to any of them.

I would also consider

AVS
Tomas Sport Tune
Bus Lab (VW Bus specialists in Berkeley)
Sonnen Motors

My Fords go to

Clayton Auto Repair
East Bay Ford
Walnut Creek Ford
Midas, Big O Tires, Jiffy Lube, and Oil Changers all in Berkeley

My Ducati goes to

Nichols in Milpitas

It may go to Addiction Motors in Emeryville at some point in the future.

My Honda Sabre and my Chevy van are primarily serviced by yours truly, as are all of my vehicles when I feel like saving some money.

Justin is my preferred GTG mechanic. I also trust Pete and Matt, although neither of them have worked on my car...yet...

If you own a Honda, Toyota, or other Japanese car

Berkeley Mini Car is an outstanding shop. My mother has been using them for about thirty years.

Marty's Motors in Richmond is also very good for most any vehicle. Marty is an expert on Volvo, and very good on Toyota, Honda, even some domestics.

My trusted body shops are

Stewarts in Richmond and Bay Auto Body in Concord (Tell Todd I sent you).

Full disclosure, I am called upon to work on locks at many of the above shops, have been for years. I reciprocate with those who treat me well and do good work. I know lots of other good places, but they will be left off this list, at least for now.

I will also point out that I have had problems with work done at GTGs. Returning to have the problems addressed is not really an option. I had to choose between paying others and doing the work myself to correct those problems. I choose to do it myself and make sure it was done right.

To each his own.

NFSTDI said:

I do not see this as a mutually exclusive thing. One can attend a GTG for purely social reasons, I have on several occasions.

Again, my point is that when you spend thirty to forty thousand dollars on a new vehicle the difference in costs to maintain it is nominal. However, the difference in liability, not so much.

You do understand that I have been working on my own vehicles since I was fifteen. I choose not to, in most cases. Not because I do not know how, but because I love what I do. I work on locks and keys. My phone rings every day, and many nights. It is rare that a day goes by that no one calls requesting my services. Yesterday I choose not to answer any phone calls, except for family and friends.

Once you make the decision to pay others to work on your vehicles, it is simply a matter of choosing those who are qualified and not returning to those who fail to do things correctly. I have had plenty of experience in that department, both at dealers, and at independent shops. GTGs are not without there perils, although I have had mostly good experiences.

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All good points... I spent about $16k on our new Golf, and don't mind putting time into my car on a few weekends a year, it brings me simple pleasure to do so, and is a welcome respite from the usual chores and daily work. For things beyond my aptitude and skills/tools, I have no problem taking the car to a professional shop or mechanic.

Great list you put together up there, too.

Wow, you bought a Mark IV new for 16K? My mark III had nearly all of the history, including the original sales sticker. MSRP was 18K on my car.

NFSTDI said:

Wow, you bought a Mark IV new for 16K? My mark III had nearly all of the history, including the original sales sticker. MSRP was 18K on my car.

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$16k and change... taxes took OTD above $17k. It's as bare-bones as a TDI could be, save for the ESP.

B100 said:

Meeting cool people, for one:

Learning new techniques, personal satisfaction, and saving money, for another.

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Shouldn't that caption read: "Watching the Master at work"