- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
AVS Specialists
Categories: Automotive Auto Repair Automotive Oil Change Stations Auto Repair, Oil Change Stations
2501 10th StBerkeley, CA 94702
(510) 981-1837
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 5:30 pm
Anvesha D. said: "Needed to get new brakes on my 2006 325 BMW, and didn't know why my car wasn't driving smoothly someone told me I needed new tires. had shopped around a bit and then found these guys. Being a girl and getting services done on your car…" read more »
24 reviews for AVS Specialists
24 reviews in English
-
Review from Rich H.
Second Mesa, AZ
3/20/2009
Summary:
--fixed my car with a simple, fairly low cost fix that both Broadway VW and McNevin (RIP) repeatedly missed
--caught and fixed a separate design problem, not part of a recall, that the dealers missed -
Review from Ian G.
San Francisco, CA
8/17/2006
Initially we had a rough time with AVS, and they nearly lost our business, but in the end they redeemed themselves.
However, I really do hope they get a new receptionist. (Edited to add yes they did!)
If you take your car here, be sure to deal directly with Eddie, the owner. Our car was in their shop for six days, partly because they were short a mechanic and it was during a busy time for them, but most of that time we could never reach anyone on the phone and no one returned our calls, so we didn't know what was going on. When we dealt with the receptionist, she suggested repairs for things our car didn't have, like a sunroof and a turbocharger.
The owner was very apologetic and to make up for things he made some courtesy repairs and cleaned the car inside and out. He won back our confidence after a very long six days. -
Review from Amber M.
Portland, OR
5/15/2008
I took my '97 Jetta in to fix some major electrical problems it was having (namely it was possessed by demons who's sole purpose was to torment me through the car alarm, and multiple windows also ceased functioning), Eddie was very helpful and they actually got it back to me on time.
BUT, they didn't actually fix the problem, although they charged me an arm an a leg. The windows continue to be very finicky, only working when they feel like it (usually on very cold days when I don't feel like using them), and every time I plan to take it back in, they start working again so I blow it off. Super annoying. -
Review from Jon L.
Baltimore, MD
2/6/2007
I live right around the corner from this place. I brought my VW Golf TDI in after I was in a minor accident. They outsourced the body work, but I had them do a tune up and brake job. Eddie seems like a nice guy and communication was good. I plan to take my car back for oil changes and regular service.
And they service diesel VWs like mine. BTW, if you have a diesel and you're around AVS, fill up with biodiesel at the Biofuel Oasis which is only about 6 blocks west. ( http://www.yelp.com/bi... )Listed in: My Neighborhood
-
Review from Michele M.
Hayward, CA
2/23/2009
Eddie at AVS Specialist is the real deal.
Honest - hardworking and provides great customer service.
His shop is neat and clean and he has a good team working with him.
He does what it takes to get your car up and running as soon as possible.
I highly recommend AVS Specialists~ -
Review from Dan W.
Emeryville, CA
12/19/2007
Yesterday was the first time taking my VW to AVS. I was blown away by the level of service, friendliness of the staff, and the willingness of Eddie to talk to me in detail about not only my car and the maintenance they performed but also about why he's in business. Eddie also gave me some recommendations for better operation on my Passat.
I'll be going back to AVS for all my car maintenance needs from here on out. The service is great and they are very knowledgeable. Even though it was raining they gave me a voucher to get my car cleaned inside and out at a later date. AVS is top-notch. -
Review from Mindy G.
El Cerrito, CA
9/30/2011
We've been trusting our VW Passat (03) to AVS for 3 years now and they have been consistently wonderful to work with. Eddie and his team are courteous, honest and do their best to minimize the costs. They really know VWs and have made preventive recommendations that have helped us avoid costly disasters and kept our car in good working condition. The space is clean, kid-friendly and they offer rides to/from the BART. I highly recommend AVS!
-
Review from Marilyn S.
Alameda, CA
10/28/2011
I was fed up with the Audi dealer in Oakland. My daughter suggested I look for an Audi mechanic via the Berkeley Parents Network. I did and what a wonderful find! Eddie and his team have been. I've been going to them for several years and I find their service, service ethics, and hospitality excellent. YAY!
-
Review from Denise C.
San Francisco, CA
4/26/2007
I've been taking my 2000 VW Passat to AVS for about a year and a half now. Eddie, the owner, rocks. He's personable and knowledgeable. Like the other reviewer said, Eddie will tell you what work needs to be done right away as well as tell you what repairs can be held off for a while. Matt, the new Office Manager who works the front desk, is also knowledgeable and helpful. I like this place because no one here has ever made me feel like an idiot about my car. Everything is explained clearly.
An example of why I like AVS:
This past Friday, the power window motor breaks while the window is rolled down. This happened at 5:40. The shop closes at 5:30. Damn. I called anyway and started to leave a message. Eddie picks up the phone sounding concerned and offers to store my car in the garage over the weekend to keep it secure (I didn't need it, but it's nice that the option was there). He said he would put in the order for the part and to bring in the car Monday. So Monday morning rolls around and I bring in the car. The replacement part is already there. I also needed an oil change and a brake light to be replaced so I asked if he could do that work as well. He said that the shop is very busy but he'll try his hardest to get the work done. About six hours later Matt calls and says my car is ready to go. I was fully expecting that they weren't going to have time to fix my car by the end of the day. I was thrilled. Well, not thrilled with a broken window or broken brake light, but I'm glad it's all fixed.
And to celebrate, today my car reached 100,000 miles! -
Review from shawna W.
Berkeley, CA
1/11/2008
I found Avs on Berkeley Parents Network and it was the best thing I ever did for my car. Eddie and Matt are honest and so nice. Everything is explained in detail , they take care of every little thing and go above and beyond the call of duty. For the first time in my life I feel safe taking my car in for service and repair. It's also the first time an auto repair shop didn't treat me like an idiot .
I could go on and on but I just don't have enough space.
I will probably only ever buy VW's just so I can keep them as my repair shop! -
Review from Brian J.
San Francisco, CA
12/21/2009
It's the little things that make a difference. I took my car to them for the first time a few weeks ago and was amazed at how much care they took to look after little things like squeaking doors that I didn't even mention to them, nor did they charge me for fixing. They were very detailed in the work they did and made a great impression on me for a dozen other things they did. And the biggest thing they impressed me with was that they looked after my car when I couldn't pick it up right away without charge or complaint. I suggest you see them if you like your car because they will like your car like you do.
-
Review from L C.
San Francisco, CA
10/13/2010
PROCEED WITH EXTREME CAUTION. Several bad experiences at AVS. While we have given AVS several chances at keeping our business they continue to fail and disappoint at many levels. They are often too busy to take your vehicle, let alone have a proper conversation with you with regards to your vehicle's needs.
They have lied about attempts at communication in an age where your cell phone captures "missed calls." They refuse to be accountable for damage done to your vehicle while in their care. And they never have the vehicle completed when they say they would.
They are not as good as their word. They are not timely, not communicative, not accountable, not honorable and most certainly not courteous. What could they be doing to your car if these are the characteristics you encounter during your experience with them?
We strongly suggest taking your vehicle elsewhere. You will be treated much with greater respect anywhere else than with Eddie at AVS. He is rather shifty. -
Review from Valerie R.
San Francisco, CA
3/15/2010
Eddie delivers the best auto repair experience you could have with his friendly and knowledgeable staff, a clean shop and wifi to boot.
-
Review from Ed K.
Berkeley, CA
3/13/2007
I have been going to AVS since shortly after they opened and have nothing but praise for their service. I have had several major problems with my Audi A6 and Eddie has diagnosed and fixed them quickly. In one case, he diagnosed a "strange sound" as a turbo problem and informed me that this was covered beyond my 50K warranty (which had expired) as it was an emissions issue. He then guided me through the Audi dealership repair gauntlet where I was getting pushback at every turn. Had Eddie not helped me, I suspect the work would not have been done. BTW this saved me around $7K.
Eddie has years of experience as a certified Audi/VW mechanic and knows the cars well. I know when he gives me advice that work needs to be done, it NEEDS to be done. He will also let you know when something can be deferred.
As far as Ian G. concern about the receptionist, you need not worry. She no longer works there and a guy named Matt runs the front of the house. He is also extremely knowledgeable about the cars and will give you good information.
Schedule at least a week in advance as they tend to be busy. However, If you have an emergency they are accommodating. -
Review from Ling Ling Z.
Bay Area
7/31/2010
I have been going to AVS for years. I trust their expertise and recommendations, based on their high volume and years of expereince in Audi and VWs. They recommend what have to be fixed right away, versus some nice to have or repairs that can wait. It is not cheap, I am not going to lie, but they are not deceitful and not as expensive as you would have to pay at the dealer. And they have excellent customer service!
-
Review from Slava L.
Berkeley, CA
10/14/2006
They do seem to be knowledgeable, which is important. And Eddie (the owner) is a great guy to swap jokes with, which is nice too. But boy, are they pricey! Every little thing costs an arm and a leg. Clearing air bag light, literally a 30 second job was 50 bucks. Stupid I for thinking that it could be a freebie just after spending $950 there for timing belt. Oil change was 70 with my own oil.
And on top of this they lost engine cover retaining clamp, held the car two days longer than promised, and I had to keep calling them to find out whether the car was ready.
Well, just because I drive Audi, does not mean that I don't care how much things cost. And if I am charged through the nose, I expect a better service. -
Review from M J.
Portland, OR
1/1/2009
This is my first visit to AVS. I have a huge lemon for a car...well, technically it's a '01 Passat.
Most all of my repairs to this car have been handled by Broadway VW in Oakland. Big mistake.
After getting a quote for a repair from Broadway VW I decided it was time to see what someone else had to say. I found reviews of AVS on Berkeley Parents Network and Yelp and dialed their number. I spoke with Eddie about my situation and he agreed that I needed a second opinion.
They were very thorough with my car, diagnosed the problems and fortunately (unfortunate for my wallet) found other immediate issues that needed to be addressed.
Their prices were competitive with that of the dealer and I'm pretty confident that if I were to have had it serviced at Broadway VW I would have paid 2x the amount and it wouldn't have been done so quickly and efficiently.
I appreciate their honesty and willingness to explain exactly why and what was being done to my car. They were also very accommodating to my schedule. Car was in Monday night and picked up Wednesday by noon.
This is the first time I feel like a considerate repair was done to my car and I very much trust the work that was done.
Highly recommend. -
Review from Luke T.
Berkeley, CA
2/25/2010
First time reviewing anything on Yelp, so let me preface my comments by saying it takes A LOT to motivate me to actually write a review of something - good or bad. In this case, my review is entirely bad - I'd prefer to give a 'no-satr' rating, but guess that's just not possible.
I just brought my car (2001 1.8 T Jetta) in for some issues I was having with my battery. Basically, the battery died when the lights were left on overnight. Had it jumped, drove it around for a while, then it died again. Thought I didn't drive it around enough to recharge the battery the first time, so I drove it around for over an hour. Then it died a third time. Obviously time to get it looked at. So, I took it into AVS and described that exact same scenario, also mentioning that this was a NEW battery (two weeks old). The first thing they ask me is if I want to have my oil changed. How much, I asked. $70! Sorry, but is that the same oil change you can have done at Jiffy Lube for, what - $25? Then, they tell me that it'll cost $190 to replace the battery. Again...What? What happened to *diagnosing* the problem first, then telling me what my options are and how much it'll cost? As I've learned since, the issues I was having pointed much more clearly in the direction of a bum alternator. Why would you lead off with replacing the battery without even checking the alternator first? C'mon, this has got to be basic stuff. Finally, they tell me they'll look at the car and do a diagnosis on the problem. How much? $125! Just to diagnose the problem!! I walked outside and called another mechanic (Tomas Sport Tuning, on 4th St.) that was recommended to me. They said they'd do the same diagnosis for free. Done.
Since they're only a few blocks from my house, I had actually actually been to AVS on three previous occasions, dealing with a seemingly never-ending "check engine" light problem which was never resolved, even after $1200. That was an extremely frustrating experience in it's own right, but I never got the sense that I was being taken for a ride - just that they couldn't seem to ever solve the problem. Wish I remembered how pissed I was about that saga before I tried to take the car in for this more recent problem.
Bottom line, these guys will take all the money they can get out of you. I was told by another shop that the owner of this place runs it like it's a dealership. Couldn't agree more. They overcharge and under-deliver. And they do it all with a smile on their face that suggests they're doing you a favor. They're not. Do yourself a real favor and skip this place. Complete waste of time and a total rip off. -
Review from Carrie A.
Oakland, CA
12/17/2009
After being referred to this repair shop I was greatly disappointed. I paid $125.00 for AVS to diagnose my car problem(s) and they found three issues that they claimed all needed repair in order to alleviate the problem. My car was not starting in cold weather, especially if it had not been started within a day. The maddening part is that AVS gave me an estimate for $1,600.00 for a faulty throttle valve, faulty air flow sensor and a tune-up. I had to shop around because I simply could not afford 1,600. + 125. for my beloved 1998 VW Jetta. I took my car to a neighborhood repair shop in Temescal, North Oakland and they gave it a basic ignition tune up and fixed the starting issue for $179.64! Basically my neighborhood mechanics changed the distributor cap, distributor rotor, spark plugs, one ignition cable and added oil and coolant and my jetta jets again. I feel like I did get a Christmas miracle in Temescal, after the grinches at AVS charged me $125. for an unproductive diagnosis and a ridiculously high estimate.
-
Review from Aaron C.
Oakland, CA
4/23/2009
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER THEIR PHONES??? I had my oil pan and suspension fixed here. The original estimated time was supposed to be less than a week. They kept my car for over two weeks. I wasn't too upset though, because I know as you work on the car, you may see other things wrong, so it takes longer. But during this time, I would call every other day or two to see if it's close to being done. I got the answering maching every single time. My dad tried twice, same thing. we left four messages over a period of 3 days. It got to the point that we had no idea how much longer my car would take, so our insurance company called and left a message. I finally had it and called again. I was in the middle of leaving a pretty angry message, when someone finally picked up the phone mid message. They informed me that the car will be done in a couple of days. They were nice once they answered, but no apology about never returning calls.
My car runs fine, but I will never go here again. -
Review from Uncle A.
Alameda, CA
6/26/2010
I can't really add much to the other reviews, except to point out that I'm 60 years old and have experienced a lot of good and bad auto repair shops. Eddie Delgado is one of the best. I own two 2001 Volkswagens and wouldn't take them to any place else.
-
Review from Keira A.
Berkeley, CA
8/24/2009
I have been taking my car to AVS since a neighbor recommended Eddie and his team. They are fast, flexible, very personable, skilled at dealing with our warranty folks, and help make logistics easy. They have fixed many issues with our diesel VW as well as provide regular maintenance. And they provide extra touches like giving my car back vacuumed (as the mother of 2 small children, it is sometimes the little things...). Also the other day I dropped in for a diagnosis and they checked fluids and tire pressure for me before a big road trip. I have always gotten someone on the phone, or quick response to messages. I highly recommend AVS.
-
Review from noah S.
Berkeley, CA
4/5/2010
As good as it gets, these guys are always friendly and professional. They give honest advice and work quickly. Sometimes it can be hard to make an appointment on short notice, but otherwise no complaints.
-
Review from marirebel l.
Richmond, CA
2/10/2010
First, I took my car (2006 Jetta) here to have the brake pads replaced. After AVS' fix, my back tire spokes were constantly covered with a dark, oily film. AVS says it's "brake dust." But, my car never had "break dust" before my trip to AVS. I brought my car back to have AVS check the "brake dust" and to have the back tires replaced and aligned (this is the third set of tires on this car which has less than 45,000 miles on it!). AVS told me it would be able to drop me back at home (less than 6 miles from AVS) and pick me up when the repairs were finished. I confirmed the availability of a drop off and pick up service the day before my appointment and the morning of my appointment. On the day of my appointment, I arrived at 8:00 in the morning when AVS opened. At 9:15 I was still waiting for a ride home. Only one other customer arrived during this time. Later when I called at 3:00 to find out the status of my car, I was advised that the car work was complete, but that their driver had gone to a doctor's appointment. I would have to find my own way to the shop, I was told. Funny how the confirmed pick up service disappears after AVS has your money. AVS is unreliable and unethical (they also swapped my license plate frames for their cheap plastic "AVS Specialist" frames without my permission!). In addition, this place is outrageously expensive as other reviewers have noted. If you want reliability and high ethical standards this is not the place for you. You will do better going elsewhere. I've heard and read great things about Berkeley Auto Service.
