brought my honda element in for a valve adjustment. 200k+ miles on it. did a very nice job. friendly and personable. spot on pricing.

I am so happy I started taking my car to Model Garage. I was using another mechanic for years and was not happy with them in the end. I decided to try Model Garage and they are pleasant to work with and they get the job done right. My car is a 2006 Lexus pushing 200k miles and they do a great job keeping her on the road. read more

Have been using the MODEL Model Garage for years! Always prompt, good service and dependable.

totally reliable, very skillful and extremely friendly and helpful staff. I have a 12 year old Volvo C30 which I have every intention of driving untiil I'm too old to keep my driver's license. I'm confident that Model Garage will help me be able to do that! read more

Customer service was amazing. Ernesto helped me with all my questions about pricing, and service needs for my car, recommended things I should check, very pleased with our conversation would definitely do business with them next time I'm in the area and needed service. read more

Model Garage has gone downhill. Made an appt last week, asked for 3 non-urgent things to be fixed. Brought my car in 8:15am drop-off yesterday and didn't tell me that they didn't have the parts needed. Call at the end of the day that they didn't get the part and they needed the car another day and it would be ready late morning. Today, no call. I called at 1pm to ask when my car would be ready. Response was that it was the next car up and they had done nothing on my car for a day and a half! No parts but take a booking. No communication on progress or lack there of. The days of Don and Peter are long gone. read more

I really liked this shop and this owner. I took my Subaru to the dealership in Albany and I'm just so disappointed in them lately. They always charge too much and the service is just meh. This last time we took it in for intermittent power failure and they charged us 800 for a new battery and an oil change. They sent me home and this horrible clunking noise started. It got so bad I decided not to drive it until I could get an appointment somewhere. I took my car here and they were just super. Nice service center, knowledgeable staff, clear communication and no surprises. Come to find out Subaru forgot to tighten my lug nuts on my tire. I think from here forward I'll just take the car here. read more

Model Garage is exceptional-- they are super knowledgeable about cars, do a great job helping us stay on top of service and deciding about repairs, and they are also just really great people to work with. I feel they are honest, we can totally trust their work, and their prices are reasonable. Highly recommend. read more

I went here for the first time with my Prius to get a second opinion in some expensive suspension work recommended by a dealer. It turns out the work is not necessary. I felt The Model Garage was well run , honest and attentive to detail. I certainly will go here again. read more

I got my oil changed and tires rotated at another shop and the mechanic recommended that I get my brakes replaced. I was surprised with the recommendation and went to The Model Garage for another opinion. Felix checked out my car and said that my brakes look fine with more than 75% left on both front and rear. Great news! Thanks Felix! read more

Have used the Model Garage for a number of years for Toyota's and a Honda. Great service. Always helpful. Get things done and on time. Highly recommend. read more

A great place for servicing and repairing Hondas and Toyotas. We have been using them for years (Toyota Prius; Honda Fit. They are very honest and do very good work. read more

Alright - I had to share this. I've been going to Model Garage for probably about 5 years now. Not necessarily cheap - but I've always been VERY HAPPY with the work. A couple of weeks ago I brought my beloved old Toyota Land Cruiser in for some work. They diagnosed the problem, proposed a fix, and recommended a couple of other related things they thought I should do at the same time. The estimate was pretty steep. But I decided to go ahead with the work. (Did I mention 'beloved'?) A week or so later, I got a call from one of the service managers saying my car was done. Not only that, he informed me that the service tech found a simpler way to do the fix and that the actual charge would be about 40% CHEAPER than they had originally estimated! Unbelievable! Like I said - they're probably not the cheapest for any given project. But totally reliable and trustworthy. And that can count for A LOT. I wouldn't take my car anywhere else (assuming it's a brand they actually work on). read more

Another 5 star review! Everyone was helpful, efficient, knowledgeable, and honest We brought our matrix in for some big repairs and Robert and his staff walked us through every step of the way. They helped make a stressful situation easy and we appreciate it. Highly recommend! read more

I found TMG when I first moved to the Bay Area almost 40 years ago and faithfully took my Toyota there for all that time...then (about 5 years ago) my Toyota died and I was given a Honda. Aside from liking Toyota's better, the worst thing about it was that it meant I had to leave TMG (this was before COVID and before they started working on Honda's). But of course, not to be one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I went with the flow and have been driving this Honda. Then, miracle or miracles, someone else I'd recently recommended to TMG told me they saw that TMG was doing Honda's now....so I am back. And such a happy camper! These guys have always been and continue to be the best. Fair, honest, reliable, and friendly. Thank god they work on Honda's now! read more

I have been coming to Model Garage since having a cat security plate installed. Don't drive much and missed the maintenance dates by months while still under the mileage goals. So this last time, they adjusted the next maintenance date to match my actual usage. I find their service very affordable. And people so nice. read more

The folks who work at the Model Garage are a magical combination of highly-knowledgeable and deeply thoughtful. As someone who doesn't have specialized car knowledge, going to the mechanic is a bit like going to the dentist: it requires a lot of trust in their diagnostic skills. The fine folks at the Model Garage have been straightforward in letting us know what immediately needs attention with our trusty ol' 2007 Toyota Corolla, and what can be punted down the line. The quotes aren't going to be the cheapest in the area, but given the skill of the workers, we've always found it to be a worthy investment. Now, I've known all this about Model Garage for *years,* but I'm writing a review *now* because when our catalytic converter was recently swiped off our car, Doreen at the Model Garage gave us a quote and then proceeded to move heaven and earth to lower the price for us wherever possible. It was a great kindness that really exemplified the neighborly care that we've felt at the Garage for years. read more

Save your money and take your car somewhere else. These people prey off of the upper class by providing "excellent service" but charging an arm and a leg for it. I took my Toyota in for a quote after it broke down, and my first issue was with the $200 diagnostic fee. After the issues were diagnosed, they proceeded to quote me for $700 worth of repairs for a $400 fix. I am actually impressed because these mechanics managed to turn a 400 dollar job into a 1,000 dollar job. If you like throwing money down the drain then come here, but for all other purposes you are better off going to a different establishment. read more

I went to take my car in for regular service today. The service was fast affordable, thorough, and friendly. They did not try to sell me anything I didn't need and informed me of what I should be looking out for. The location close to Ashby Bart makes it convenient to drop off your car and go about your day on public transit. Excellent customer service and a clean facility. I'll be going back for sure. read more

Great conscientious, customer service and follow through. They really helped me out with my mom who has challenges communicating. They recommended a number of repairs but we're happy to do a portion of it now and right of the rest for a future visit! I was sad when my previous mechanic retired but these guys are definitely an excellent replacement. read more

The folks at Modal Garage did their magic again. I've been taking my car, a 1989 Volvo, there for years. She's now 35, so things happen, and this last visit they found the issues (3 of them), and she's running well again. And I know it's extra hard work finding parts on these older vehicles. They've always been helpful and friendly, letting me know what needs to be done, and also things they see that could need watching. Given her age this is extra helpful, and their honesty is refreshing. I know they are not taking advantage of my not being car savvy. I'm grateful, love this place. read more

I am so happy to have my car serviced at The Model Garage. The whole experience is truly wonderful, from scheduling the appointment, checking in, and picking up your car. I have total trust in them to provide the best service and I have never been disappointed. Everyone who works there cares about their customers. I will go to The Model Garage for all of my tune-ups and auto repair needs. Highly recommend! Plus, icing on the already delicious cake, there are the cutest dogs in the shop!!! read more

I used a mobile mechanic for a tune-up on a Subaru Impreza, and one of my cylinders wasn't firing. This happened late Thursday afternoon before Labor Day weekend. We were looking at having no car until at least Tuesday. The Model Garage fit us in that Friday, found and replaced a cracked spark plug, and had us back on the road. No, they're not the cheapest. But they're friendly, professional, and (most importantly) highly competent. read more

Had routine maintanance done for my 2014 Subaru Forester. I enjoy taking my car there. Not only is the service excellent but the people are really nice and professional. They know what they are doing and do everything well . My service was written up by Ernesto today. Thank you: 5 stars read more

Amazing service, very fair quote and very fast repair time. The shop has also established great Covid procedures that made me feel extremely safe. The guys went above and beyond to repair my car and minimize the hours required for the repair (they researched a work around for a manufacture recommended engine removal - which they could have done a charged a huge fee). They communicated every step of the process and kept me in the loop with all changes that came up. The owner and all the shops employees went above and beyond to get my car back on the road. The Model Garage is the only shop I'll be bringing my car to, without question. read more

Thanks Doreen- explained thoroughly what the process was and educated me for the future

Thanks to the wonderful care provided by owner Robert and crew, my 1987 Volvo recently reached 400,000 miles. The Model Garage has been providing my family with outstanding advice and service since 1993, including devising creative solutions when original parts are no longer available. Thank you Model Garage for your honesty and your dedication to excellence -- on my way to 500K! read more

I've been going to these guys since the mid-2000's when I owned a red Volvo station wagon. When Don & Peter owned the place. I went from a Volvo, to a 04 Toyota Highlander, to now a 13 Highlander. I WOULDN'T TRUST any of my vehicles with just anyone. The new owners Bruce & Robert are keeping that same spirit of treating their clients as QUEENS & KINGS. And I can't forget Ms. Zina; SHE IS THE BEST! read more

The Model Garage - My newest vehicle they take really good care of. - Auto Repair Near Me - Berkeley, California

I've been looking for a reliable mechanic in the area for a while now. Great communication and fair prices. I was actually charged less than expected for a diagnostic/fix of my AC unit. Highly recommend working with Felix! read more

Price gougers. They charge you $182 for a diagnostic assessment (1 hour of work) and then after start charging to do the work. They also don't include a timestamp of how long they worked on your car so there's no way for you to assess if they utilized the whole hour. I had a faulty windshield wiper and they said they had looked into it, but it needed a diagnostic assessment. Apparently "looking into it" didn't include looking under the hood, because the diagnostic assessment for my windshield was looking under the hood, cleaning out debris and then simply reconnecting a cable that was detached. $182 later I'm feeling taken advantage of and pretty upset. Not even sure how cleaning out debris and reattaching a cable would take an hour. They did some other work in fixing my tire that was reliable, yet expensive. I probably could have gotten the same quality service for a better price somewhere else. Will be looking for a different mechanic. read more

I've been going to Model garage for 25 years. The service is top notch and everyone is so nice and kind. I highly recommend them.

Model Garage is an excellent model of both customer service and car repair. Both Doreen and Shelby are welcoming, accommodating, and plain ole nice. And, Robert and his team are committed to correct whatever the problem to customer satisfaction. Couldn't expect more, a rare find today. Ina J. read more

My boyfriend and I got a flat tire that was so severe it wouldn't hold any air to get us to our tire repair shop. We pulled in hoping to ask to use a jack, but realized we already had one and started to use it to replace the tire. Alan came out and asked us if we needed help and kindly helped us remove the tire, put on the spare, and filled the spare with air. He really saved us and I honestly am so grateful. 11/10 would recommend. read more

I'm so happy I found this place. Being new to the Bay Area , I was worried about finding a trusted mechanic who specializes in Volvo's. Got so lucky with The Model Garage. I've taken my 2002 Volvo in twice now for repairs and each time they went over every detail with me and the cost before hand. I feel that they went above and beyond with the service provided, and they are also affordable. Thank you so much! read more

friendly service, utmost transparency with regard to "must have work," and "nice to have work," no sense of nickel and diming, affordable service, and ongoing communication throughout. 100% recommend! read more

Very easy to book an appointment, they were friendly and professional. I didn't get to see the tiny dog sadly but they took great care of my car and tried to figure out what was up with the funny sound it was making. When they couldn't find anything wrong, they reassured me and didn't charge me for the diagnostic! They also performed routine maintenance, oil change etc and not I feel very confident taking my car on a long road trip home for the holidays. I appreciate you folks! Thank you read more

Ok, I have the ability to wrench around an automobile but I no longer have a garage. We moved to San Francisco in 2001. My wife found Model Garage 12-13 yrs ago and decided to cross the Bridge to use them. Seriously, it's worth it, Bridge, BART, MUNI or freeway these people treat every customer entirely fair and equally. They talk honestly to women and that really makes me happy. I've recommended friends and their family to Model Garage. Volvo or Toyota, Model Garage, Berkeley. While you are there go shop right next door at Berkeley Bowl for killer produce. You can hop on the Ashby BART a block away for a quick ride back home or to work. read more

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

This place was so helpful and pleasant. I got my Cadillac converter stolen, I was so stressed out and frankly scared of auto shops and being taken advantage of. I did not feel that here what so ever. The lady was so sweet and understanding. I will be coming back for future car issues as I feel they are trustworthy. Thank u read more

I was staying at a friend's house in Berkeley when my driver's side rear view mirror was knocked off. Luckily it was not broken. My friend recommended that I have her mechanics at Model Garage take a look at it. I called, they arranged a time the same day, and I went in to have the damage assessed. There was a professional, friendly, and old school quality to our conversation. Within a minute he had the mirror mounted and repaired. IT WAS MAGICAL. I am ever so thankful there are mechanics like those at Model Garage. Lucky Berkeley!! read more