Scanwest has a loyal following of Saab owners. I was initially one of them. But over several years and several thousands of dollars, I came to see their method. They know these cars, and they use... More

Scanwest has a loyal following of Saab owners. I was initially one of them. But over several years and several thousands of dollars, I came to see their method. They know these cars, and they use that against their customers. They are all about the upsell. Sometimes you do want a mechanic who notices a problem that you weren't aware of. But Scanwest says things that are untrue. Example: Me: "I need a headlight bulb." Scanwest: "Okay. You should replace that cracked glass cover, too." Me: "How much is that?" Scanwest: "$175. You'll go through a lot of bulbs if you don't replace it." I didn't replace it. And three years later, not a single bulb more needed. Sometimes they do work that "needed to be done" without asking permission. That's illegal: Me: "Why is my bill $300 higher than the quote?" Scanwest: "We replaced the tensioner when when we replaced your timing chain." Me: "Why did you do that? I didn't authorize that. Scanwest: It needs to be done when you change the chain." Me: "But I didn't authorize that. Nobody called me to ask. It's not on the estimate." Scanwest: "It's only three hundred dollars." Yeah, right. And against state law. If they do work without asking, they should eat it. Not their customers. If you go there, sit in the waiting area. Listen to the phone calls. You will hear what I heard. Upsell, upsell, upsell. All day long. Not solving problems for customers, but finding ways to get more cash out of them. Pros: Technical skill is solid Cons: Not trustworthy
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Seconding the first reviewer's roundly positive sentiments. These guys know what they're doing, and since they have a great following and aren't lacking for work they're just as tickled as you are... More

Seconding the first reviewer's roundly positive sentiments. These guys know what they're doing, and since they have a great following and aren't lacking for work they're just as tickled as you are when they find a less expensive fix for a problem (for example, my '93 900S convertible top had stopped working, they quickly diagnosed and corrected a simple problem with some spuzz in the switch that prevents operation when the handbrake is not engaged). If you love your Saab, take it to Scanwest!
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I get my SAAB worked on at this shop, and have found them to be accurate and on top of the needed maintenance and repair. If you have a SAAB in the Seattle area, definitely check these guys out. ... More

I get my SAAB worked on at this shop, and have found them to be accurate and on top of the needed maintenance and repair. If you have a SAAB in the Seattle area, definitely check these guys out. At one point my transmission failed, and the owner, Rob, was clearly torn between taking a vacation the next week that he had planned with his wife, or tearing into my transmission to see why it had failed. We decided to install a rebuilt unit so that he could have his vacation. They have loaner cars which are older SAABs for the reasonable price of $10, but be sure to schedule in advance if you want a loaner. Oil changes are done anytime, just drop by. Pros: Independant, high technical knowledge and very into SAABs Cons: Loaners not always available
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A great review of Scanwest has to be one of my first contributions to Judy's Book - Seattle. I currently drive a 1988 Saab 9000 Turbo with 263,000 miles on it, and at times in the past have also... More

A great review of Scanwest has to be one of my first contributions to Judy's Book - Seattle. I currently drive a 1988 Saab 9000 Turbo with 263,000 miles on it, and at times in the past have also had a 1988 900 Turbo Convertible as well as an 1987 900S serviced there over the years since 1994. There are a number of things that set Scanwest apart from my previous and current other experiences with independent auto mechanics and dealerships. The first thing is enthusiasm - the owner, Rob Walden has been a Saab Rally racer for years, and participates actively in the Saab Owners club events. Everyone who works there is passionate about the cars, and you can tell from the energy in the place. The other big thing is customer-service - the folks you work with in scheduling and discussing your issue take the time to tell you as much as you want to know about your car and its issues. If you desire, they'll install used parts when you ask and it makes sense. They even have loaner cars available for $10 if you schedule your appointment far enough in advance. If something goes wrong (we're talking Saabs, after all), they'll make it right, one way or another. With the Saab 9-2x sharing so many parts with the WRX, Scanwest recently added the Subaru badge to their sign, but their expertise is clearly with Saabs of all ages, and more the newer Subarus. I brought my old 1987 Subaru GL wagon in for work on the carburetor, and that didn't go as smoothly as my Saab experiences, but even so - working with the folks at Scanwest through tough diagnoses isn't painful in the least. At ~$90/hr, billed by the book, the work here is not cheap - but if you own and love your Saab, this is a great option if you want special treatment without spending $40k+ at a dealership in order to get it.
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