Ken Shapiro and Precision People's have been doing a stellar job fixing and maintaining my cars since about 1979. They rate SIX stars! They do a great service job, with absolutely the highest integrity, provide wonderful customer service and really love cars. They are really great about working with you to find the best repair alternative for your needs, your budget and your schedule. A representative story is one day years ago, we coaxed our cranky VW Rabbit into Ken's shop with a dodgy electrical problem. Ken looked at the car, pulled the schematic and studied it for a minute, then went and opened the trunk and triumphantly fished out a coat hanger that was intermittently shorting one of the rear lights. "No charge" he said, "The challenge was its own reward!". Quick too. They now maintain my eleven year old Prius. I send everyone I know to Ken -- you should go there too. read more

Ken is the best. We looked all over to find someone who could work on our 2006 dodge Sprinter. Not only does ken work on sprinters, but he knows them WELL! A rare find in the Bay Area! Ken is super honest and kind. We plan to be loyal customers for years to come! read more

These guys are great!Been taking my cars there for years.Great friendly,knowledgeable,affordable service.And great stories!

Ken and his crew have been keeping our cars in top shape for over 20 years. Even though we've moved to San Leandro, we still take our cars in to Precision for service, and it's worth the trip. read more

Ken helped me out in a pinch and asked for no money. I took my VW rabbit truck there and he took a long look and gave me advice on what to do. An honest guy who really wants to help people out. I will definitely be going back! read more

Ken and his team are the best! Whenever I take my cars to him, the usual quote time of getting the job done is same day service as well as HONEST prices. I had tried a mechanic closer to my home out of urgency, and it just was not the same (the labor was too long and the price quote was obscene! ). I stopped service with the 'other guys' and took the van to Precision Peoples.... there was automatically $200 savings! I will NOT make the mistake of taking either of my vehicles elsewhere. read more

Ken and his crew at Precision People's Car Repair have been doing a great job servicing my cars since the early 90's. I've recommended him to friends over the years and my friends have been very happy with his service. Ken understands what it means to be on a tight budget and to repair safety-critical systems first, but maybe delay other items until next time. He has also worked with me on solving mystery problems like pulsing while braking (it was the shocks). Other mechanics would have said I was crazy and ignored the problem. These days, I have a '93 Toyota truck that has a certain amount of underbody corrosion. Other mechanics would turn it away, but not Ken. He acknowledges that the truck takes extra time and gives me a fair price when the going gets tough. The truck goes to the desert, so reliability is a must. Under Ken's care, my truck has never failed me. Compare and contrast this with the Reno Ford dealer who would not service an older truck, or a local motorcycle shop that will not service older bikes. Ken also services our 2010 Prius, which has only required oil changes to date. However, I'm glad to have his careful eye look it over. Ken also serviced our 1993 Acura Integra, and helped us reach the decision to move on after 230K miles. Ken appears to have started out in air cooled VW's, and he serviced our '63 and '63 Bugs in the 90's. I've gotten recommendations for services from other local companies (smog, windshield, body work) from Ken and they have worked out well without fail. Ken's hours are Monday through Thursday 7 am - 6 pm. However, when necessary, I've been able to pick up my car after 6. Getting a dropped off at BART is easy. I also enjoy being able to hit REI after picking up my vehicle. I've found Ken to be very patient and to take the time to explain the options to my wife and I. On the rare occasions when Ken has been not around, I've found his crew to be helpful. My truck lives in Sonoma County these days, but I always take it back to Ken and his team. They are that good. read more

I have brought two separate Toyotas here based on the recommendation of my hairdresser who happens to be Ken's daughter. I've been quoted 1000s of dollars in recommended repairs by various toyota dealerships, but Ken has whittled the work down to the essentials needed to keep the car in good health. He appreciates keeping older cars running and well-maintained rather than trashing them and upgrading to the newest model. I can appreciate that type of frugality! read more

So Ken's still there, still trucking. I was one of his first customers, back in the day, and we had NO money, and he helped out with advice when I did some of the work myself. I hope he's achieved the success he deserves! Ken's great people and a great mechanic! read more

With Precision I never had to worry about if they were ripping me off or just making things up that were wrong with my car. They were really straightforward and their estimate was totally accurate. If you are looking for a reputable shop that you can trust in the East Bay, look no further. read more

Happy to concur with most of the other Yelp'ers; People's Precision is a great find. I checked here prior to making my first appointment,and was not disappointed...straight talk, honest prices and stellar customer service. A girl can feel comfortable with Ken and his crew-top notch! read more

Precision People's Car Repair is the BEST!! Price and Service was excellent. I can hightly recommend them! I called around to have my cat converter replaced and I knew I could trust them just by talking to Ken over the phone. They did an excellent job !! Thank you, Precision People's Car !! read more

Rarely have I encountered a mechanic and shop as skilled, trustworthy and honest as Ken's Precision People's in Berkeley. When I first moved back to California ten years ago, a friend and colleague recommended Ken in Berkeley. What a gift that was! My two cars have benefitted from great maintenance, repairs and advice from Ken and his courteous staff ever since. A few months back when I went to a Honda dealer only for an oil change and received dire news that my poor Honda needed all sorts of pricey repairs, I went to Ken for his opinion. He put the car up on a lift and showed me exactly why the dealer's diagnosis was wrong and why the issues in question could be dealt with many miles down the road. It was clear the dealer was on a fishing expedition. The car went in for its regular service a couple months later and all has been well. Not only does Ken address your questions, he is happy to educate you about the car's operation. There are terrific mechanics at Precision, plus it is a wonderful and charming place to go, especially for those of us who enjoy large model airplanes and pictures of mice in race cars. Good conversation too! Thank you, Ken. Precision is a treasure. Elizabeth G. read more

SCAMMERS, LIARS AND CROOKS, OH MY!! We took our Jetta Diesel in for a tune-up before a long road trip and the owner called us to tell us that we needed to replace the timing belt. He put on quite a bit of pressure, suggesting that our car would likely have a catastrophic break-down on the way to Seattle if we didn't replace the belt. He also quoted a high price- $1200. We thought this was fishy since we'd just bought the car a few months ago from a dealer who's said they'd done all the needed maintenance. Sure enough, when we had someone else check out the car, the timing belt was basically brand new- it still had the brand name screen printed on it, something that would wear off within about 10,000 miles. While other folks have clearly had good experiences with Precision People, it is pretty clear to me that they saw an opportunity to cheat us and tried. Totally unethical and dirty. Please don't patronize this scammy business! (On a much more minor note, there are also bikini-lady photos all around the garage, which might strike you as kind of skanky and sexist, as it did me.) read more

i had a great experience here! ken is super friendly and definitely not trying to sell you stuff you don't need. he's pretty frank with you about what your car NEEDS, and what work you can wait to do. he even came to the shop on a friday (when he's normally closed) so i could come pick up my car. read more

We've been taking assorted VWs, Audis, Toyotas, and Integras to Precision for years. They're family. They do great work, as everyone we've sent there agrees. Excellent mechanics who've stayed with Ken over the years, a shop full of the latest equipment--so that they can do anything a dealer can do, for a lot less--and a smart, friendly, no nonsense guy in charge in Ken. The best. read more

This review is actually quite overdue. I have been taking my problematic 03' Jetta to the shop off and on for a couple years now, and I wouldn't consider going anywhere else. Ken and the rest of the staff have always been friendly, professional and extremely helpful. They have even showed me where I can do a simple fix myself on a couple of occasions (and save some $$$). I would recommend these guys to anyone. read more

Ken is great. I have a 2002 Chevy Trailblazer I'm getting ready to sell and had some serious engine vibration that was going to force me to scrap the car instead. Ken gave me an honest assessment and for $70 took a look at the car for me. He found a bad cylinder coil, gave me a quote and let me mull it over before executing the work. Once I gave him the green light he fixed it quickly and $390 later the car was back up and running. He even had me come back in for free to make sure the engine warnings had gone away, so I could smog it and sell it. I will definitely be back next time I own a car. read more

Ken stayed after hours when I was very late in picking up my car and was understanding. He was able to get the car mirror replaced and fixed in just one day for a very reasonable price. I appreciated his kindness and excellent service and will certainly take my car to him again. read more

Okie doke...I have a classic little '81 honda (think Wayne's World, YEAH) and this car requires some love and affection. After getting the recommendation of this place from this hippy-dippy free-love inspired woman, I figured that any place where you have to drive under a painted rainbow to get in has gotta be a good sign. I had some brake work done, some fan work done, and these boys offer a free shuttle to the BART, though there are a load of neat places within walking distance if you're up for exploring. Bill, who has a ridiculously similar mugshot to that of Jack Black (see pic) is radiant in his splendidness. He kneeled down to explain to me, in laylady terms, what the heck was going on with mi coche. They found great deals when purchasing parts for me, they saved all faulty parts to show me exactly where the problems could be found...Basically, I left wishing that I lived next door to these cheerful dudes. Ken, the guy you'll talk to on the phone, is a no-BS kinda man. And jolly to boot! Lastly, they have a Babar poster in the shop...No giant boobs to scare you away, just a well-dressed elephant. Good prices, great people, they work long days (mon-thurs, only) so they can enjoy 3-day weekends. Are they awesome or what? So thankful that I've found an auto-shop I can call MY auto-shop. Yeahp! read more

Precision rocks. Ken is incredibly helpful, responsive and transparent. A nice change after too many years taking my '04 Jetta to Broadway Volkswagen. I had a warranty through Broadway and had to fight to get released from it so I could take it to Precision. Well worth the fight- their diagnostic fee is a third the price of Broadway's, there overall quote was $400 cheaper than Broadway. read more

We are so lucky to have found Ken and Precision Peoples for our car advice and repairs. I've been bringing my cars to Ken for at least 20 years, and rely on him for the best advice and service. He has always told me exactly what's wrong with my car, what can be fixed most cheaply, what I can get fixed more cheaply if I do it myself, and what I can safely leave alone. He kept our 15-year-old car alive for many years with necessary repairs, and let us know when was time to let it go. You'll be lucky if he is your mechanic, too. read more

Precision is a very loyal business! I heard about this place by word of mouth when calling nearby auto repair businesses when moving to the area a year ago, and have brought my car there every time it needs repair/checkups. Ken the owner shows integrity when doing the repairs. A couple days ago he was honest about my car when I brought it in-(it's very old, and after looking at the engine problems he told me to think about putting it to sleep) which I appreciate. Also 1 year warranties on engine parts when replaced-bonus. Will keep going to this place. read more

Brought my 2003 VW Passat in for an engine light alert. I have had VW for years and only recently moved to the Bay area. Ken and his staff were very helpful, knowledgeable and efficient. I highly recommend Precision People's Car Repair for all things VW. read more

I have been bringing my cars to Precision for more than 30 years and I wouldn't even consider going anywhere else. I have never received anything but good service, good advice and pleasant manners. Ken has helped me buy cars and checked them out for long trips. He has calmed my frazzled nerves when something awful goes wrong and picked me up when I'm down. As far as I'm concerned, there is no better place to bring your car. Period. If I could give him more than five stars, I would. read more

A friend recently asked me if I knew a good mechanic and I said yes I have a great one, Kenny, who has been there since the '70's and his staff who have been with him since the '90's are all knowledgeable and honest and do excellent work. I've recommended him to friends who are now happy customers. I own a local contracting business and understand the importance of integrity and good craftsmanship and good client relations and am thankful early on that I found Precision People's car repair. Just this week I had one of my vehicles in for a service. I got it back and smelled gasoline. I called he sent a mechanic to my home immediately to take a look and he found the cause, my gas can had tipped over when I pulled something out. That's service! read more

I feel so lucky that Ken and the mechanics at Precision People's Car Repair are nearby. They have been maintaining my car for many years. Ken has supported me innumerable times when something was wrong (or I thought something was wrong) with my car. He knows what he is doing; he looks for the simplest, cheapest way to fix things. When I got sick a few years ago and my daughter suddenly had responsibility for our car, Ken was there to answer her questions and help her through emergencies. Highly recommended! read more

I have been coming to Precision since, oh, say, the late 90's? I'm not sure-- but I would never go anywhere else at this point. 1) Really honest pricing and talk about what your car needs v. what it's "supposed" to need. I think I ended up here many moons ago because I had gone to one shop that quoted me an outrageous price/job needed and then came to Ken and he said, "um, no, you don't need to do all that" and the car, after a much more minor servicing, ran fine. 2) Ken has had pretty much the same (really nice) group of people working for him for YEARS. This makes me feel confident that his employees must be fairly happy with the treatment they're getting, and I appreciate this in a business. 3) I'm not really sure where people are getting the high pricing complaints, because I've always had prices from Precision that are really reasonable. If it's a big job, sure, they charge more-- but I have never felt like the prices quoted were some secret as to how they got there-- Ken will usually look up the parts prices and talk you through the quote very transparently. In short, I love these people. I would highly recommend them.The only thing might be seen as an incovenience is that they are not open on Friday, but as Ken explained his reasoning for having longer days 4 days a week and then having 3 day weekends (more rest, happier employees), I am happy to lose a day of availability. read more

We took our PT Cruiser here a few weeks ago due to the car idling. Ken and his team told us it was due to a small issue with the air conditioning and that it had been fixed. The very next morning after we picked up the car the AC had stopped working completely (it had worked before we took it here). We called and told Ken about the AC and he told us they had only run tests on our car and that we would have to pay to have the AC fixed. I found it to be completely unprofessional that they would not fix a problem they had created. Ken is very friendly but I was not impressed with his work. We will never take our cars here again and I will be telling all those we had previously recommended to do the same. read more

These guys walk on water. I've been a customer/fan for more than 20 years. Honest, efficient, great people!

PPCR was recommended to me by a friend I trust, but my experience was different from his. I took my VW in for its 5000-mile check-up, but also needed the pull on the passenger re-seat inserted, although the seat back both on the floor and on the seat itself was still working. When I got it back, the seat no longer worked at all, so I took it in. The guy who worked on it had written that he had re-inserted the pull, but didn't mention that the seat no longer moved. One would think he had checked to see if his "repair" had done the job. Ken, the manager, would not take my word that the damage was done in his shop, and seemed to be unaware of how such a problem might be fixed. A day or so later, a knowledgeable friend noted that all the tires were low. One would think that on a major check-up such as we supposedly had, that, too, would have been noted. But the Bad News continues; we then took this New Beetle to a VW dealer who now has kept it for a week, and upped the price from $80, to $480, and now close to $1,000 (claiming further problems). I then looked up reviews of this second place, Broadway VW, which I hadn't done before, and they are TERRIBLE. Overpricing, long waits, etc., and we still don't have our car back, repaired. read more

I have used this shop off and on since about 1980 (less since I moved some distance away, but then I went back anyway). These guys are straightforward, competent, and fair. They will not propose a repair you don't need, and will always alert you to something they noticed that might cause you problems. They will even talk you out of repairs that are not essential if you're trying to economize, but never at the price of your safety. I have always found them to be respectful and kind, and they don't mind explaining what repairs they're going to do and why. Ken is just one of those very decent, upright people who would never steer you wrong. In reading the other reviews, I see that there are people who felt it necessary to complain, but I have to say it's hard for me to imagine what they described occurring. In many visits to the shop for many reasons, I have seen Ken and his mechanics being friendly and polite to one and all. The have always treated me well and their work on my cars has been excellent and affordable. I would just say give them a chance, tell them what you need, and you'll be glad you did. read more

I called yesterday to see if I could get my 87 Westy looked at because my radiator fans weren't turning on (would start to over heat if I was stuck in traffic with no air being pushed through). Ken told me to bring it in first thing this morning as I am only in town for a couple days. When I got there the shop was full of VW's which is quite comforting for some one who has gone up that brown creek with mechanics that claim they do Volkswagens. Ken quoted me $125 (one hours labour) and even explained to me that in California you don't have to pay more then you are quoted if they don't inform you that the cost will be higher! When they brought the van into the shop I remembered there were a couple coolant hoses that were on their way out (really soft, no leaks) and asked for them too look at those as well and showed Carlos what I was talking about. Sure enough one hour later I get a call saying it was finished and that there were just some issues with the fan ground wire and they has swapped them out. They didn't have the hoses in stock but Ken said he would print off some diagrams for me so I can order the parts and have them put in at the next stop on my travels. When I got back there was a diagram of the engine and two sheets of part names and numbers waiting on the table and after tax I paid $128. Couldn't ask for better service, I would strongly recommend this shop! read more