Bauer Porsche Repair

I decided to give Bauer a try after seeing the positive reviews at Yelp, and I am glad I did.
After describing the problem, Brian gave me his prognosis, which is very close to what I thought was the probable cause, so I had my car towed to his shop. The car was repaired in the time promised and the bill was reasonable. The only negative was that they did not have a shuttle to my office, but it was not a big deal. I plan to have the next major service done at Baur's.

These guys are great.

I've been coming here since a friend who had a 944 recommended them (I own an '87 944 Turbo, my Dad's old car).

I am not what I would call an ideal customer for Bauer. It didn't help that (a) my last car was a rock-solid '88 Acura Integra which gave me hardly any grief for the 14 years I owned it; that (b) this particular model has a history of specific recurring headaches that, had I bothered to look through the phone-book sized receipt folder my Dad kept for every work order / receipt generated, I would have been forewarned of; and (c) it had been garaged and un-driven for years when I took it over from my Mom - which meant issues from sitting too long. This car was gonna be an 'adjustment'. But it didn't really matter -- once you get used to a car like this, the hooks are in, and you are, in plain language, well-and-truly fucked.

Because you will never want anything else except another Porsche.

Add to that the sentimental value of it being my father's favorite thing in the world after my Mom, and I was dedicated. It took me a long time to figure out a strategy to make my car's up-keep manageable. The single most important piece of that strategy was Chris and Brian and their team - they have helped me through a lot of problems over the last 9 years, and have been an encyclopedic source of information about my car, and not just about the encyclopedia's worth of things that can - scratch that, WILL - go wrong with a 944 Turbo.

They have also worked with me in a number of ways, and even given me advice on things I can safely do on my own. They have kept my car - and all it represents to me and my family - alive and healthy. I can't thank them enough for that. They have also shown a lot of patience with a complete Porsche Newb - even after almost a decade driving this car, knowledge comes slow. They're pretty gentle.

Case in point: four coolant leaks in one year. Not cheap to fix. I was pissed. Brian took care of the new leak personally, replacing two crapped-out hoses (the engine runs hot and they crack). He did it without adding any labor.

Then he did something that helped me a lot: he showed me a schematic for a 944's cooling system. It was complicated, with a fair number of hoses. They looked like little pieces of macaroni.

"OK, now this is the coolant system for the Turbo." He flipped to a new illustration which looked like someone had spilled a 2-pound bag of Macaroni on the page. Two separate water pumps. A bunch of other stuff, a lot more than was on the first page.

"Oh," I said. "I get it."

So thanks guys. Thanks for helping me keep my dream going.

I have been coming to Bauer since purchasing used Porsche. It was a little ruff at 1st, but I think it was the previous owner's fault.
The guys at Bauer know their stuff and they are honest! They have even repaired little minor things for me! Love it, I can't even get my husband to do the things they have done for me.
I love Bauer and all the great guys there!!! I will continue to return!

Where do I begin? This place is awesome. Unlike some other mechanics, they treat you with respect and tell you like it is. Never have they tried to "up sell" me for any parts and services that I don't need.

Brian is the second generation of this place they just moved from Uptown to West Oakland. It's a little bit of drive from where I live but trust me, it is so worth it. Way better than Michael Stead Porsche in Walnut Creek.

Brian and Team at Bauer are AWESOME!
I took My Cayenne Turbo in for PDCC system that threw up all the fluids.
The problem was promptly diagnosed(ruptured pressure line and distributor), exact quote was given with great communication. The rate was very fair for the quality of work and customer service!
I had some bad experiences with shops in the past and I do alot of work on my cars myself so I know when mechanic is being honest, overcharging or blowing smoke in your face. I got nothing but good vibes from this shop!
Employees at Bauer all seemed happy which is a big plus, you walk into some shops and mechanics look like someone drop kicked their puppy or worse!
If my Porsche is in trouble again I will not hesitate to call Brian right away!

Great place, great team and great job!

I just bought a 2005 Cayenne S and brought it here for its 100k miles oil change. They were able to fix a tricky electric problem, an unplugged wire under the driver seat... The price is fair, about half what was asked by official dealers for the oil change only.

Brian is enthusiast and welcoming. He kept his word by keeping me informed about the work done by phone. The job was done on time. Looking into the place (what a collection of Porsches!), it makes no doubt the keywords here are passion and customer satisfaction. I just move here from Europe. I am a long time Porsche fan and I am so pleased to find nearby a place I can fix and maintain my car(s).

Franck B.

Great solution for any Porsche owners who live in Oakland/Berkeley! My first experience was very good. Oil change cost 40% less than Michael Stead - that is a huge help! They helped me out and took my car to Rouse to have my tires changed instead of me having to make another appt to do so. As a new customer, it made me feel comfortable to see that they had about 40 Porsches in the garage -- old and new, 911s, Boxsters, Cayennes, and a 928 or 944 here and there. It made you feel like you're taking your car to someone who knows what they are doing. If you're an enthusiast, it seems like you would want to hang out here all day. If you're just a fan of Porsche and happen to own one, Bauer seems like a trustworthy and reasonable place where they know what they're doing, to take your Porsche. Looking forward to being a long-time customer.

Extremely competent, honest, fairly priced, friendly... Chris and Brian will give you a thorough assessment, your options and a recommendation generally. 6 years of having them taking care of my Boxster S 2000 has kept any expensive repair at bay and the car runs like new. I highly recommend them.

Bauer is fantastic!!

I have had several excellent experiences with them after being dogged by Oakland Porsche Audi. Brian is a great guy and their new digs are awesome!

If you are lucky enough to have a Porsche, you must check them out.

Truly a credulous repair shop. As a woman I have been duped by mechanics over the years but this was the first time I didn't experience that manipulation factor. Their fees were reasonable compared to the dealership, whom by the way told me the problem couldn't be repaired and to get rid of my Cayenne. Since the repairs my truck runs better. Bauer has become my official mechanic and I highly recommend them to all Porsche owners.