523Rods

UPDATE to my original review: Felipe and his team are definitely the best VW Bus mechanics in the Bay. (Sample size 3: I've been to two other well known places.)

He just installed a rebuilt 1.9L engine (plus a lot of other stuff like new clutch, new CV joints/boots, etc) in my 1983 Westfalia and it literally rides like new. Not a rebuilt bus...like a new Westy.

Start with Felipe before going elsewhere. He'll tell you exactly what is going on, how long it will take, how much it will cost, everything else you might want to know about it. Amazing work delivered.

ORIGINAL "Felipe and 523Rods are a great shop and alternative to Buslab, which in my experience can be hit or miss. Felipe has done a couple fixes on my 1983 Westfalia and it always comes back working as expected. Felipe also provides more of a thorough explanation and walk through of what is going on versus other shops I've been to. Great option if you need work done on your VW."

So far, the service has been very satisfying.. Many things have been done, and several things were corrected on the final review.. These things are difficult, and I understand the quirks.. Felipe has been very responsive even while on vacation, and I'm sure that we will get the little bits sorted out.. I'll update my review as we go

I asked for a quote November 2021. Wanted full upgrades on my suspension and brakes. Didn't ask for a discount or anything. They said they would get back to me in a couple days. A week went by and had to go in to check on it. They apologies for all my info and said they would get back to me by the end of the day via email. It's January 2023 and still nothing lol. Only reason why I'm placing this review now is because I forgot all about it. Just remember since I been calling all day and no answer. If they do it to a potential customer can you imagine once you are inside the door...

I have a 914 Porsche with a Subaru engine and was having starting problems. I had the car towed to 523Rods and was delighted with the service. Felipe, although very busy, is very accommodating, taking his time to explain issues. His mechanics are knowledgeable and cordial. Absolute 5 stars.

Came home with check engine light on after a second time in their shop for months on end. Was trying to participate in a Vw cruise last week and engine turned off on me at a stoplight after being highway for 15 minutes. Popular opinion I see on Subaru forums is to mount the radiator(s) on the underbelly of the vehicle which I brought up the second time in the shop and was told that mounting in engine compartment was just as good and I feel they were too lazy to move the radiators to where it would've made more sense to pull in cool air. Instead I got a janky fix and everyone online tells me this guy has no idea what he's doing. They also cut a hole in my bus to access something and never bothered to ask or bring it up to me or just remove some previous installed components. I could go on but stay away from this shop.

Just had a great experience with 523Rods in Richmond, CA. Came in with my 1990 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia for suspension work, a tune up and an oil leak fix. I chose them after seeing few members' comments about them in the Volkswagen Vanagon Owners Facebook Group. Felipe is a Vanagon genius and he was very helpful. Competitive hourly rate compared to other shops that specialize in Vanagon. Conveniently located near Richmond Bart for those that need it. Will be back for a new engine at some point. Highly recommended for those in the Bay Area looking for a shop!

Felipe and his stellar crew made me fall in love with my '86 Vanagon Syncro again. I had been to a few other VW van specialty shops in the bay, but only 523Rods displayed the care and craftsmanship I was searching for. Felipe clearly explains the options for repairs and upgrades and I trust his recommendations. After going to him for the past 3 years I've always been thrilled with his work and can't recommend him enough.

Can't speak highly enough of the quality of work that Felipe and his team provides at 523Rods. I had a ton of work done on my '84 Vanagon, including a subaru EJ22 engine swap, new suspension system (springs, shocks), hardwood floors, auxiliary battery, propane tank, pop top canvas...etc. Felipe's estimate was extremely accurate and his hourly rate is competitive compared to other popular shops in the area.

The quality of the work Felipe provides is unmatched - every time I've shown someone the engine swap he did, they're always in shock of how cleanly the hoses, lines, and wires are arranged. Since getting it installed last July, I've had no issues whatsoever with the engine. And when I have had some other random issues that occur with a 33 year old van, I've been able to call Felipe, and he's happily and patiently walked me through steps to diagnose it over the phone.

I would highly recommend 523Rods for any kind of work you want done on a Vanagon or any other vintage European vehicle. They're definitely more hidden/less prominent than bigger shops in the area like BusLab or VanCafe, but the quality of work you get is just as good, just without the huge wait time or big egos that often comes with the bigger shops.

I am very impressed with 523. Although our van's problem is not resolved yet, it's not for lack of effort on the part of 523! They've been super friendly and responsive and actually seem like they care about their customers. That's far cry from the treatment I've gotten at another van shop in the area! Definitely check them out.

No, I won't recommend this repair shop. I interviewed Felipe before the service and asked him where did you learned being a master mechanic? He responded to me through years of experience working only on Vw Vanagon. So, it seems legit and I explained to him that I have a small leak of ATF on my transmission specifically. But after leaving my Van for 2 months, they inspected more than one issues other than the first. Although there's nothing wrong with it, it's just an upgraded parts to be replaced which I approved it. After I took back my Van, there's no more ATF leak visible underneath and it run smoothly. But after driving about 240 miles, I noticed a delay in gear shifting and I immediately know there's something wrong. I called Felipe and went back to his shop and told him that ATF was overfilled. I left my Van and came back after couple of days. The next day morning, I started the engine and still doing the same problem. I checked again my ATF while the engine running and found out the ATF was about 6 inches above the normal level. Again I went back and he started pumping out more ATF until it reach the safe level. I made it back home but the following morning, I felt the same problem. I called Felipe and told me that I may need a new transmission. How could that be? It only has 96xxx miles and I never experienced this before. Hey Felipe, if you're reading this review, you messed up my transmission big time and don't expect me to come back. You're a fake poker face and can't be trusted.