- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Planet Saab-Subaru
Category: Automotive Auto Repair Auto Repair [Edit]
45 Dore St(between Howard St & Folsom St)
San Francisco, CA 94103
Neighborhood: SOMA
(415) 552-7222
- $95 for $125 promotion lasts for 1 year from date of purchase. After that period, your Certificate is redeemable for the amount you paid. Not valid with other certificates or offers. Only 1 certificate(s) can be purchased for own use. 3 can be purchased as gifts. Subject to the Yelp Deals General Terms.
- Reg. Price $125
- Discount 24%
- Savings $30
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7:30 am - 6 pm
30 reviews for Planet Saab-Subaru
30 reviews in English
-
Review from Jim M.
Santa Cruz, CA
12/21/2011
Planet Saab has long been the go to place for Saab fixing in San Francisco.
Jay and the guys always take special care of you, and they make sure your Saab is in great shape. Every interaction I've had with them has been professional, easy, and affordable.
How many other car places give you a car wash with your service?
I've actually suggested to friends that they should get Saabs so that they can take them to Jay. These days though they work on other brands as well such as Subaru, and BMW.
While they don't do everything they have hookups within the local community.
One time I needed a front window so I dropped off my Saab at the Planet and they took care of everything for me. Their location is conveniently close to the 101 ninth street exit, and parking on Dore street by their shop is free. Another cool thing about them is that their phone number spells Saab which was handy before I had it programed into my cell. -
Review from SF Y.
San Francisco, CA
8/21/2011
LAZY and slightly inconsiderate. These guys did some major work on my car, which required a test drive (more on that in a sec). I asked them to check my brakes (but didn't tell them that I was hearing a LOUD metal-on-metal sound whenever i hit the brakes). They said they routinely do a full safety inspection, and when i got the car back, he told me I had 25%-30% left.
Really? Yes, if you looked at the brakes from the outside, it did look like about 30% left. But the inside was totally worn out. What happened? I can only guess that they were so lazy they never bothered to take the wheels off to give it a decent inspection like they told me they would. Why didn't they hear the obvious metal scraping sound? They either did and couldn't be bothered to deal with it, or their mechanics just don't give a crap (I had the brakes done later that week and was there when the other mechanics took the wheels off and gave it a decent look -- pretty obvious).
Yeesh
(BTW, the "inconsiderate" comment was due to them putting on a license plate frame advertising their business on MY car, without asking if it was OK). Now I have to get a hex wrench to get it off.Comment from Jay S. of Planet Saab-Subaru 8/25/2011
SF Y, I want to apoligize for the fact that you left our… More » -
Review from Peter S.
Novato, CA
2/2/2012
After hopping from shop to shop I finally discovered Planet Saab and I have been going there for about 5 years now and I did not even own a Saab until a year ago (I bought one from Jay, the owner for my daughter). I started out by brining my Suburban down there for routine maintenance oil changes, tune ups ECT.... And then I began bringing my work vans in to them as well (we have 6 vans) and they did a great job keeping records and doing what was necessary to keep them running and on the road, who knew they provided fleet services as well. Jay the owner is knowledgeable and fair, he never tries to sell me stuff I don't need or pad the bill. The car we bought from Jay for my daughter's first car was great for a new driver it was not perfect as it is a 1997 so it had a few dings but it ran like a top, and other than brakes and routine stuff the car has been hassle free since day one. I would highly recommend this place to everyone!
-
Review from Stephanie K. A. T.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 2/2/2012
Update: things are looking up. The person I thought was the owner (Steve) is not, in fact. Jay, the owner, contacted me, and stepped in to take another look at our car; he seems to have found the problem and fixed it! :) The other times, starting in August 2011, the AC would blow cold at first but be out of coolant the next morning. It's been a couple of weeks now, since the most recent repair attempt, and it seems to be working OK (I hope it's not simply the fact that it's been cool-cold outside lately.) This time, he reimbursed me for the rental car, which was MUCH appreciated. (We'd spent hundreds of $$ on rental cars previously for the multiple visits when they didn't find the problem.) This recent development doesn't erase the inconvenience, extra money spent, and frustration over the repairs not being done properly, but I like the fact that Jay seems to genuinely cares about what happened, and is doing everything that he can to make it right. That's worth a lot, in my opinion, and goes a long way towards restoring my trust.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
12/11/2011
I really want(ed) to like this place. After the absurd Ellis-Brooks, we were looking for a service… Read more »
-
-
Review from M S.
San Francisco, CA
11/30/2011
First off, I want to say that I do not usually write these kind of comments on yelp but its worth saving someone a lot of time, money, and hassle. This is only regarding buying a car from Planet Saab
Let me tell you why I recommend you not buy a car from them:
I bought the car used at Planet Saab thinking that I would have a lot of great years driving it and would obviously have to fix it up once in a while. let me tell you the day after I bought it the tire went flat, ok, no biggie just get them to fix it, then went flat again which I had to pay for, they said it was the wheel which they paid for, I will at least give them that. This is a red flag in the beginning and I kept thinking it was ok.
Next, went to car fax and it showed up "not actual mileage" that they said was no problem, just have them fix it at the DMV, which later I found basically makes your car worth nothing if you want to sell it.
I still thought its cool they are a shop and its not like they are trying to rip me off.
then a few weeks later the alarm system stopped working correctly, then all the electrical stopped working properly, from the locks to the lights to the alarm, clock, everything, and I babied the thing.
a month after that I was told I had to change the brakes immediately or I would be down to the metal, which would cost more,
Next about 8 months after that the fuel pump went out, a scary amount of money, and a scary situation of breaking down right off the Golden Gate bridge exit coming into the city, very dangerous.
About 2-3 months after that the tire or wheel/alignment went bad and the same tire as in the beginning started going flat again and the car started shaking at 55 mph. So at this point I thought shit! this car is very defective.
Next, I went to trade it in and the dealer ship car faxed it and told me that the car was dramatically reduced in price due to the non accurate mileage on the odometer with the DMV, (basically if your not familiar it means that the car could have any amount of miles on it and no one would know), so therefor you can't sell it for what it's worth.
I ended up getting barely anything for it and I can say that I felt like someone ripped me off. I won't say that they did this knowingly but one does wonder how in the world all of these thing happened so fast after purchasing it.
You never know what you are buying totally when getting a used vehicle but I have had over 5 used vehicles and this one tops it as the most money lost and time wasted.
They do pretty good work on the cars, I just wouldn't recommend you buying one there.Comment from Jay S. of Planet Saab-Subaru 12/8/2011
We're sorry that you feel you had a negative experience with… More » -
Review from Missy L.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 9/19/2011
I'm confused by the response from the ownership. I think it goes without saying that I would not expect anyone to diagnose a mechanical problem without first hand inspection. The whole point of my post is that I made an appointment, got to the shop, and was given a firm diagnosis of a blown head gasket without anyone ever popping over the hood. The owner seemed perfectly nice but stated how busy his schedule was. Looking back, I suspect that when I professed how broke I was these days he automatically concluded the unlikeness of my actually fixing the gasket, especially as we discussed the fact that the repair may end up costing more than the car itself. Hence the brushoff without so much as a glance under the hood, though I didn't realize it as that at the time.
I'm not sure if the owner is aware of the ramifications of his actions. I very well would have junked the car at a time when it is my lifeline to pulling myself back up economically at one of the hardest periods of my life. His diagnosis also had the effect my giving up on the car and not taking care of minor issues which have grown into bigger problems. Again, I take responsibility for my own stupidity, but I cannot help but remain angry and incredulous.
No, I will not take you up on the offer of free oil change . And I re-state my caution against this shop, especially for women.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
8/21/2011
I took in my 2001 9-5 because I suspected that I had a blown head gasket, a $2000+ repair. Steve,… Read more »
Comment from Jay S. of Planet Saab-Subaru 8/25/2011
Missy, I do apoligize for the unfortunate situation although… More » -
-
Review from David L.
San Francisco, CA
7/23/2011
These guys rock!
I'd been taking my Saab to another mechanic and body shop in the SOMA, where they did good work, but were insanely expensive and did not specialize in Saabs.
Recently, I decided to make the change and take my Saab to Planet Saaab. I am SO GLAD that I did. WOW! These guys are fantastic. Seriously. I have NOTHING negative to say. on the contrary; Using a 1-10 point scale to score/grade them, my scorecard would look like this;
Customer Service; 10
Communication; 10
Friendliness; 10
Expertise in working with Saabs; 10
Attention to details; 10
Efficiency; 10
Competitive prices, cost/value; 10
Car performance [as a result of the work that they did on my car]; 10
Steve, the owner and manager of the place is great; Friendly, honest and forthright in 'keeping it real' when it comes to the needs of the car and the customer. His right-hand man, and head mechanic, Abraham is at the top of his game when it comes to the craft of caring for these cars. I had a LOT of work done to my car. The initial estimate was daunting, because it needed so much love. In the end, they did all of the work for *well* under the estimate cost, and threw in quite a few extras, simply because they thought that the car needed them. I have to say, my jaw [proverbially] dropped at all of the incredible attention that they gave my car, and the details that they so carefully paid attention to. My car is as good as new now. She's purring like a very quiet kitten and running flawlessly.
I'm 110% satisfied with every aspect of doing business with these guys. They are now officially my 'go to' shop for service on my car. I am one happy camper. Would I recommend Planet Saaab to people? You bet I would. -
Review from Rick H.
San Francisco, CA
8/4/2011
Did great work on my 900 SE CV - great communication, honest appraisals, solid technical skills. If I still owned that car, I would still be having it serviced there. Saab owners in San Francisco have a terrific mechanical resource in Planet Saab.
-
Review from jonathan r.
San Francisco, CA
11/12/2010
I scheduled an appointment for this morning at 7:30 and was surprised when the doors actually opened at 7:30. I just got a used Saab and wanted to change the oil and have them take a look at the vehicle. Steve did a great job getting the service done and giving me a realistic over view of the car and maintenance work that was going to be needed in the future. He told me the timeframes of when he thought the service was going to need to be done by and also gave me the prices for the future work. He was cool and professional and made me feel comfortable. I will definitely be back next time.
To top it off, when I came to pic up my car I saw Steve outside washing my car. Seriously....does this really happen? Well...it just did, so thank you to Steve and the rest of the team at Planet Saab. Keep making the customer #1 and people will keep coming to you! -
Review from bex m.
San Francisco, CA
7/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
In a walkable city like ours, it can be hard to find a good team of techs to service my temperamental Swedish auto. Steve and his team are the poo, and never make me feel bad for asking neurotic questions or waiting years to bring my Saab in for a tune-up. Yeah, it's pricey, but not overpriced. And the service is high-quality and consistent. I don't mind paying more for a knowledgeable approach to my car's brand-specific quirks. If you want to pay less when something breaks, get a Honda. But let's be real: those little guys aren't nearly as fun to drive.
-
Review from Lenneal G.
Emeryville, CA
1/15/2010
Got a Saab? Better take it here. The guys over at Planet Saab really know their stuff. I have a 9-3 that was burning through coolant like crazy. After deciding to bite the bullet, I brought it over to Planet Saab who quickly diagnosed the problem and had my Nordic vixen back on the road the next day. I haven't had any issues since so I know the job was done right.
They also took the time to tell me about issues I might have further down the line and how they are monitoring them. I haven't taken my car to any other places so I can't really comment on pricing but it seems fair to me and what I expect for maintenance of a foreign (euro) car. They have a pretty decent reputation around the bay as you can see from the ratings.
I would give them a 5* rating but I simply haven't had my Saab for long enough to swear by their work. But as of right now, I can't think of any place else to take my Saab, and I live in the East Bay. -
Review from n b.
San Francisco, CA
1/26/2006
Planet Saaab was recommended to me by some friends I bought my car from. I just spent about $2k with them--major tune up, oil change, new muffler, a water pump, etc. I left my car for them to work on while I was out of the country. They communicated with me via email, and it was ready when I returned. They even stored it inside, and washed it just before I picked it up. Never once were they condescending when I asked questions--very down to earth guys.
When driving it, I noticed that she just purrrs like a kitten now--it runs totally different! I am a happy camper. :) -
Review from Heather F.
San Francisco, CA
3/1/2009
Wow - thanks Planet Saab - they totally saved my butt (actually they saved my car's butt) again! After all this rain we've been having, I discovered that my front driver's side carpets had turned to a mini pool - apparently the car had sprung a leak and was letting in all that rain = UGH! The second I realized what was happening, I drove straight to Planet Saab and despite the fact that they didn't have time to work on my car that day, William came out and spent 15 minutes looking it over with me - he did a few tests to help identify where the leak was coming from. The next day I dropped off the car and it was fixed and leak-free less than 8 hours later.
This is the 2nd time I've been to Planet Saab - these guys are great! Talk about attention to detail and personal service, William even remembered the name of my baby and asked how he was doing when he called to tell me the car was ready! It's amazing to have a car mechanic shop that you can actually trust. I feel like my next car should be a Saab just so I can keep taking it here for business! -
Review from Elton T.
San Diego, CA
10/10/2007
Looks like PS has had some ups and downs. I've been bringing my '96 900T Convertible to them since I bought it 2 years ago. I have nothing but praise for them. I guess Will is a big part of that.
I bought it salvaged so it's needed quite a bit of work. Every time I visit, they check All the basics, adjust my top and when they have time, give it a quick bath.
Good communication, good recommendations, good customer service. A+ thanks P.S. -
Review from Alex J.
San Francisco, CA
5/31/2008
Excellent customer service, decent pricing, great work.
Minus one star for lack of a shuttle service. Sorry.
After haven taken my car to Downtown Auto in Oakland for the last several years and them not doing much of what they were supposed to do (and charging an arm and a leg in the process), Planet Saab is a welcome relief in every way. -
Review from Earline A.
San Francisco, CA
1/13/2007
William's back. I took my 9-3 in recently to have several things done. They took care of everything in a day, and they did a fine job. I was quite satisfied, and I'll use them in the future.
UPDATE: It's ten months later, and I've brought my 9-3 in a couple of times since my earlier review. I continue to be very happy with these folks. I feel as though they're straight up with me, and that's a very good thing in a mechanic. --One more thing: William remembers me by name. Considering he only sees me about once every six months, I think that shows an impressive level of engagement. Did I mention that they always give my girl a good wash when they're done?
It's so nice having a happy experience with a mechanic. I love these guys.
ANOTHER UPDATE: It's about four years later, and William is gone again, but has been replaced by Steve, who is TERRIFIC. He is pleasant, accommodating, and straightforward. I've been taking my 9-3 to Planet Saab for five years or so now, and I have nothing but the highest praise for them. Thanks, guys! -
Review from Gregory T.
San Francisco, CA
1/24/2009
Life is too short for dishonest mechanics.
Planet Saab has taken care of my 1986 900S with sincerity, professionalism and honesty at a fair price for many years.
In short, I trust them.
I have had my car since 1989 and have been through several mechanics as I moved around the country. Thankfully, back in my adopted home sweet home of SF, I have an honest mechanic who knows Saabs.
If you have a Saab, I would highly recommend this be your mechanic.
MUNI is a 10 minute walk away.
William runs the show....say hello to him from Greg and his silver 900S.
Thanks for reading! -
Review from Miranda D.
San Francisco, CA
7/7/2011
I am very pleased with my recent repairs at Planet Saab. The whole process was very smooth and professional. Abraham discussed with me the repairs I needed (including replacing a headlight switch). He also did a oil change and safety check. While the oil change was a little more expensive than elsewhere, he did not charge for a bunch of minor additional repairs and the safety check . The safety check results appear to be honest and fair -- not requiring any immediate repairs. For the total cost, I believed I got very good value for my money. I used to go to the Oakland Saab Dealership and always felt bad from a cost and service perspective after their repairs. Frequently Oakland did not do the repairs correctly, especially the smaller minor repairs. I felt good about Planet Saab throughout the entire repair process. I am looking forward to having a equally positive experience when I have a major repair. I will definitely be returning to Planet Saab while I live in the Bay Area.
-
Review from Jeff S.
San Francisco, CA
5/15/2006
I've been taking my car to Planet Saaab for about 4 years. Why, you may ask, am I giving only one star to a place I've patronized for so long? Because William, the garage manager, no longer works there, having moved on about a month ago. I'm writing this review because the new garage manager, whose name I've suppressed, sucks. To whit:
o I brought my car in last Thursday for a regular service. Went okay.
o Today, the "Check Engine" light comes on. Annoyed, I call them. Although it's during business hours, I get their answering machine (the cell phone number -- to "call in an emergency" -- that Mr. New Person left goes to voice mail as well). I ask them to call me back as soon as they can, since I need to know if I can drive the car to work or if I need to take it in or what. No call after an hour (and I called them back repeatedly) so I went down.
o They kept the car today. I called and "Oh, yeah, it's ready." (William used to call me back when the car was ready.) I came to pick it up, and Mr. New Person is talking on the phone with a bud about their kids and little league for... 5-10 minutes, even though I'm sitting there waiting. This pisses me off, but I make nice with his dog until I realize that his dog is covered in grease and has just smeared it all over my pants.
o After I pay for the repair, he says "Oh -- too bad about the pants." "It's okay -- it won't happen again." I say.
And it won't. -
Review from Wan T.
San Francisco, CA
10/25/2006
I gotta agree with Jeff S. Since William left, the service has been abysmal. The New Person that Jeff referred to is actually the owner of the shop. He can be nice enough, but the first time you complain about the service, he's a real sh*t. The last couple of times I've taken my car in, I've had to return the next day and even one or two more times after that. I've been going to PS for years now. I'm on my third Saab--all of which I've had serviced at Planet Saab. So I'm definitely the kind of long-term customer that you want to keep. They haven't been treating me (or my car) that way. So now I'm taking my business to Embarcadero Saab.
-
Review from Yelper A.
San Francisco, CA
1/20/2006
Okay - I want to update my review - most of the time I seemed to get ripped off - but I think this place just charges more than the average shop.
-
Review from Aaron J.
Santa Barbara, CA
Updated - 12/30/2010
ONCE AGAIN, Planet Saab came through in the clutch! The Serpentine Belt, the ONLY belt in the engine, popped outside Sacramento the day after Christmas. We found a Saab dealer in Sac and had the car towed there. To their credit, the gentlemen who helped me, Joe, was very attentive and cordial. Yet, I got a call several hours later from Joe telling me what work needed to occur, the cost ($550) and the fact that they'd have to order the part, which would not come until Thursday. Wait from Monday until Thursday??? Please. I called Steve at Planet Saab and explained the situation. He told me he believed he could have the car fixed the same day we brought it in, but, of course, would have to wait to see the car first. We had the car towed to SF. Thankfully we had just signed up for AAA Premium road service so it didn't cost us. Had it to Planet Saab by 8 AM the following day. By the time I left Planet Saab, walked to the BART Station, caught the train and another bus to get to my mothers house in SSF, and was ready to jump in the shower, Steve called to inform me the car was fixed! I cannot say enough about the folks at Planet Saab. In two separate crucial situations, they were there! And, he charged me close to $200 less than the Sac-Town dealership! Not to mention the fact that Steve remembered me from our first encounter. Now THAT is what I'm talking about! Quality customer service. Exceptional work. Clear communication. Honesty. No bullshit. I cannot say enough good things about Planet Saab and ALL the folks who work there. Much love and respect. Keep it up!!!!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/14/2010
Steve, Abraham and Jose helped me out in a crunch!!! While driving to the Bay Area from Southern… Read more »
-
-
Review from Tony L.
San Mateo, CA
9/9/2007
I had my saab there about a week ago to get an oil change, get the DRLs disabled and to get a 3 pt sub frame brace bolted to the chassis. all together it took about an hour and a half. they also lubed by bushings for free.the service was good. but they forgot to reset my oil life reading on the sid through tech II, so now itll always say 0% oil life until my next oil change which i will probably do myself. The place is straight up in the cuts too. it was hard to find.
-
Review from Sabrina L.
San Francisco, CA
6/29/2008
I've had my 1996 Saab for 3 years now and am the second owner. A friend recommend Planet Saab and I've always gotten great and fast service from them. They're all good guys who do good work. Any problems and they're on top of it and they explain all the repairs they've done. Sure car repairs are pricey, but remember it's a luxury to have a car. I'd recommend them to anyone who owns a Saab.
-
Review from Jim R.
San Francisco, CA
1/13/2009
We've owned three SAAB's over the past twenty years. For Service we've found Planet Saab to be the Best. Hey, as the name Says...they specialize in SAABs. These cars have their little quirks and when an issue arises, they pretty much know what is going on and have it resolved for us quickly. The service here is excellent...William, the manager the nicest guy to deal with and is very straight forward. They have a very low turnover rate in mechanics here so most of these guys know our cars and are very good at getting work done quickly...
the price is right on as well. certainly much more inexpensive than having the car serviced at Ellis-Brooks...not thatthe service wasn't bad or anything over there,
If you have a SAAB and need serivce or Preventive Maintenance (PM) work this is the place to go...
It is a little hard to find. it is on an alley street (Dore) traveling west on Howard Street you turn left into Dore just past 9th Street and Before 10th. -
Review from H Edward C.
San Francisco, CA
12/21/2009
Just for curiosity I had to read the bad reviews that..... brought the average down. Well.. I have only been a customer for a few years but I can say.... WILLIAM is BACK... and I am glad he is. I only call when its an emergency and well they William has bent over backwards to help me every time. Going so far as to council me on what I can fix myself, and predicting what will fall apart next. Yup, I need to listen to him more for sure. Anyway all service to any car is somewhat expensive as some people noted. I think Planet SAAB is right in the ballpark with their pricing. Me, I have NEVER had to take my car back and have been 100 % satisfied with the service. Thanks Planet SAAB for keeping my baby going strong !
-
Review from Tugh T.
Berkeley, CA
4/24/2009
I took my car to Planet SAAB for the first time couple days ago because I was very dissatisfied with SAAB Replay on the East Bay. I had the major service and couple other fixes. The guy who works there, William, looks like a very nice person. They also cleaned the car after their work, which was a nice touch and shows that they want to give the best service. I didn't have a big problem with the car so I cannot judge their knowledge yet, but so far I'm very satisfied with them. Their shop is about 15-20 min walk from the Financial District, which is not bad on a nice day.
Edit: I've been taking my car there for several years now and I still give them 5-star rating. There's a new guy there but the service level is still outstanding. They gave me several suggestions in the past, even though it meant they won't be making money form me. Very honest folks. -
Review from David A.
San Francisco, CA
3/24/2010
I have been a Planet Saab regular since my 1996 SE convertible went beyond the dealer's warranty services many many years ago, but it wasn't until the last few visits that I realized I owe it to them to Yelp about how great they are. Aside from the fact that they know their stuff and are totally honest in terms of what must be fixed vs. what can wait till later, my experience working with them for the past 10 years is that they are always courteous, helpful, and truly understand that a satisfied customer is a repeat customer. The last two times I literally drove by for a quick fix (headlight lamp replacement, muffler clamp) and they squeezed me in immediately, fixed it in 10 minutes, and refused to take payment. If you have a Saab (or anything else they work on!) you will not find a more professional, capable, or friendly place to do business with. William the manager over there is a joy to work with and his friendly attitude makes up for the fact that you have to drop off your wheels for a fix. Check them out and I doubt you'll ever go anywhere else.
-
Review from Larry L.
Daly City, CA
9/3/2010
If you own a Saab, this is the place to go! Needed service several times and they always delivered. Great service!
-
Review from Luk S.
San Jose, CA
5/19/2008
This place is great. You get good customer service on your Saab. Took my 95 900s and 99 9-3 several times, always get top-notch service. William is an excellent manager, the owner is also very friendly and knowledgeable (if he happens to be around). Service time could improved a bit, but they give clear breakdown on any quote and is quite professional.
