Scanwest Autosport

We highly recomend Scanwest Autosport — they’ve taken great care of our Audi. We bought our car used last year and it needed some work. We took it to another local mechanic (that I won’t name) which came highly recommended online, but we were sorely disappointed. The other shop missed a number of issues, «accidentally» overcharged us twice, and did some shoddy work which kept us coming back at least once or twice a month for repairs. We finally decided to switch mechanics after getting stranded at Snoqualmie Falls with a coolant leak and an overheated engine. We felt like we could no longer trust our one (and only) car, and we were wondering if we had purchased a lemon.
Then we came to Scanwest, and since then we’ve been very happy. The service is great and prompt, the prices are reasonable, and they fixed a number of issues, including one that the previous mechanic said was not fixable. It’s been several months, and we’ve had no significant issues since then. We finally feel like we can trust our car, as well as the mechanic we can take it to when something eventually does go wrong.

Great service, but I am confused by the logic of this company. For example, they will «throw in» a 15 point inspection with a 35 $ oil change, but not with a 1200 $ repair.
Sorry guys, the mark was missed on this one. I really hoped I’d found a local shop for all of my car care needs. The hunt continues.

Great, honest shop that does right by their customers. They also happen to be Saab experts — everything from classics, to the last off-​the-​line Saabs of 2011. They know their stuff, know how to find parts, and treat you fairly. For the past 3 years, I’ve relied on them to maintain both my cars, and they’ve never disappointed. Highly recommended.

These guys know what they’re doing when it comes to Saab and Volvo. Friendly service and they go above and beyond what I expected them to do. Highly recommended.

Best repair service I’ve ever received! I’ve an older Saab that is falling a part. First the transfer case, then, while in the shop, we found out the alternator and belt also went bad, then it was the transfer case and motor. Lastly, as we finished paying the bill, I drove the car up and opened the (already loose) door just to have the interior break off. Thank God for @ScanwestAuto! They gave us the best professional service. They called us with progress updates, showed us what went wrong and how, and even showed us how to get quality parts for cheap on our own! Even fixed the door immediately and for free since they knew we were in a hurry!

I have been taking Gretta to Scanwest for the last 8 years. In my experience, there are no words to describe the level of trust and confidence I have in these guys. I won’t take my car anywhere else, even if the price is lower (the 2 times i did in the past was a complete disaster).
Many times i called or brought her in to see if i had a particular issue or something to be concerned about– they tell it to me straight and half the time the issue is very minor and not at all what i thought (or dreaded). Sometimes there is no issue and it turns out I’m just being paranoid.:)
They also let me know approximate time i have left on a part if something will need replacement or repair sometime soon. many times they’ll tell me I actually have quite a bit more use before i need to worry about it.
Bottom line, Scanwest is like family to us, not only that but the customer appreciation rewards are huge and because of my customer loyalty now and then I’ve received a real break on major jobs (original part replacement, etc) which to me knocks them clear out of the ball field and into the highest league possible.
They seem to be as concerned with saving me money as I am! They will always look for least expensive option if it will accomplish the task just as well (lightly used or rebuilt vs. new) and they go over the differences with me. but ultimately i trust their judgement because they’ve never, ever steered me wrong.
Plus they are just a super friendly bunch with the sweetest little office mascot (of the fluffy, four-​legged variety). I do miss Bob however, I wish they would bring him back cause he was a regular fixture and its weird not to see him there anymore. Maybe we could start a ‘bring Bob back’ committee.
Simply put– you WILL NOT find a more honest, able auto repair shop in Seattle– period.

I was seriously considering selling my SAAB for the lack of affordable quality repair. The good news is I found Scanwest! Everyone from the office staff to the mechanics were very helpful. Will write a more detailed review later but just wanted to put in a good word for them right now!

I’ve been meaning to review Scanwest since December and am only disappointed in myself for taking so long to get around to it.
[ D e t a i l e d E x p e r i e n c e ]
The staff on the phones we very efficient answering my questions and booking my appt. There was a slight mix up on my scheduled day where a loaner wasn’t available, but my car was checked out quickly by the owner and scheduled to come back the next day for the repairs — which were quoted at about 30% of what Swedish Automotive in West Seattle was trying to get me to pay.
The repairs ended up not fixing the original problem (though all were needed), but allowed us to realize the actual problem was a worn out Evaporative Purge Valve which wasn’t triggering the normal replacement codes. They were so nice and apologetic about the original fix not working that they offered to keep my old Purge Valve on hand in case the fix didn’t work, at which point they would refund my money plus reinstall the old valve. The new valve did the trick, and my car has been running wonderfully!
[ C o m m u n i c a t i o n ⁵⁄₅ ]
Everyone from the staff, to the mechanics, to the owner are very friendly and helpful. I never felt like my questions were stupid, and they made sure I understood everything completely. I really got the feeling they go out of their way to make sure their customers are happy.
[ L o a n e r C a r s ⁵⁄₅ ]
I had the pleasure of driving 3 different loaner cars while my repairs were being done. All were clean, ran lovely, and all were actually Saabs! If I remember correctly they were $ 25 for the duration of the repair.
[ C o s t ⁵⁄₅ ]
Significantly lower than what I was quoted elsewhere, and I feel very comfortable with estimates on other repairs needed in the future. If the fix really only requires the cost of a ziptie and a couple minutes, that’s all you’ll be paying for.
I will definitely be going back!

I gone to them again. As I said, the garage doors have windows so you can sort of see what they are doing. They were doing the brakes. Sloppy mechanics let the calipers hang down, even though the car company says not to do that. The Scanwest guy didn’t do that so that’s good.
Washing the car, having snacks in the lounge, or fancy décor can be found at dealers but that is not what I seek. I seek smart guys that don’t do sloppy work. Scanwest prices are not bargain basement but consumers need to realize that there are a lot of expenses.

My father started taking his Saab to Scanwest about 20 years ago. In college, I inherited my father’s Saab, (the second for the family,) and began taking my car there. Upon its final visit to Scanwest, they honestly told me that they’d recommend NOT fixing it due to the extent of repairs necessary. What kind of shop recommends not making repairs due to cost and then doesn’t charge you anything? Scanwest: that’s who.
Of course, I bought another Saab, and began taking it to Scanwest. This was eight years ago.
Be it for routine maintenance or for repair of something bizarro: They’ve always been more than reasonable, quick, informative, friendly, and often come in under-​budget. At one point my car was DUMPING oil straight out of the engine. It was as if a BP or Exxon demon had possessed the vehicle. I went in expecting the worst… the fix was a blown freeze plug. A shop minimum charge and a $ 2 part, and I was back in action.
I really can’t recommend them enough. Go get your car fixed.

I currently have the privilege of driving my boyfriend’s Saab which also lands me the responsibility of taking care of the car when minor things happen.
First off, i’m pretty sure this is a family run business and they’ve been doing this for a long time now which means these guys know how to look for problems and treat a customer at the same time! Rare to find in any/​most autobody repair shops these days.
I was late at brining the car in for a scheduled appoitnment but the guys we’re understanding and took my car anyway, while I browsed over People magazines for hour and half.
Every once awhile one of the guys at the front desk would check on the car and give me an update of whats happening with the vehicle and even reserved me a rental car in case the diagnostics took too long. I was more impressed with the cleanliness of the shop, water tank, and a free bowl of candy with hand sanitizer nearby. I really didn’t believe I was in a autobody shop.
To top it off the guys are amazing at working with pricing here whether it be for parts, car rental, and getting your car back to you on time because its a hassel having it in the shop. Maybe my future car will be a Saab because I know, I’ll have a great place to take my car in for care.

My partner drives a 2007 Saab 9 – 3.
And Saabs sometimes need some lovin’.
That’s something to keep in mind if you’re considering to purchase a Saab. And if you have one, this is your place.
The staff are honest and fair. I drive a Volvo now and take my Volvo to Daiseywagen in Roosevelt. But I plan on a 2008+ Saab 9 – 3 SportCombi for my next vehicle, and this is the only place we will take our Saabs.

I’ve had my 900 in for service at Scanwest a number of times over the past 8 months, and the guys there always do a thorough and professional job.
The front desk folks are always very courteous and knowledgeable. The initial price estimates they give are pretty much on the nose, give or take a few dollars. I’ve had a few work order changes, but they’ve always called me immediately and explained the situation clearly before asking for approval. They are also very good at explaining what repairs can wait, and for roughly how long. This is nice for those of us who don’t like to feel pressured to have work done.
The service staff is usually available for questions, and they will often outline your options on repairs. They are also quick to fix any mistakes — after I had my front brakes done, my brake lights were working intermittently. I called them up, dropped off the car, and they had me back on the road within 30 minutes… apologies provided, no questions asked.
The after hours drop off service is extremely convenient and works as advertised. Also, when they tell you your car will be ready at 4:00pm, it’s generally ready at 4:00pm. They’ve called me once or twice a few hours early to tell me the car was good to go, which was an unexpected bonus.
Scanwest’s prices are on par with, and often cheaper than, most other Saab-​specific garages. When I do shop around for estimates, they always provide one of the lower-​cost quotes. To be honest, I think the prices are extremely fair and very competitive, especially considering the level of service that they provide.
So far, Scanwest has been an absolutely solid 5 star experience.

I always get great service at Scanwest and today was no exception. I finally got around to taking care of the «left low beam failure» message my Saab insisted upon telling me about every time I turned the ignition. What a pleasant surprise to find that cost for a new bulb, almost a full tank of washer fluid, labor and tax came to a whopping $ 23.51 and took all of 15 minutes to complete. I certainly paid a LOT more than that at the dealer last time I had the same service performed. Everyone at Scanwest is genuinely friendly and I trust what they tell me.

I’ve been taking my car there for the past 3 years and each time I felt like I was given honest and valid feedback on any issue my car had. The only reason why I didn’t give them a 5 star rating is because I was having an issue with the check engine light going on every other month. After replacing the gas cap a few times they realized that someone was using a cap for 9 – 5 not my 9 – 3. That only ended up costing me $ 25 for the new cap. I’ll keep going back to them and recommending others as well.

We were referred to Scanwest Autosport by a good friend; then later, another good friend referred us. Both Saab owners who had been going to Scanwest for many years. No $ 50 referral fee involved (see below); we know, we didn’t indicate that we had been referred so no fee could have been paid.
We have a ’04 Saab 9 – 3 and they’ve done good work at a reasonable price on each of two visits. It’s not cheap by any means but certainly reasonable for a foreign car. We also have a BMW and pricing is similar if not less for Saab repairs. We don’t take the BMW to Scanwest, rather, it goes to Hobb’s Hilltop Auto.
The Saab will go in again this weekend so hopefully we’ll have another good experience. So far, we’re satisfied with Scanwest.

I’m surprised by the negative reviews here. I’ve taken my 1987 Saab 900 S to Scanwest many times over the ten years I’ve owned it, both for emergencies and for regular minor/​major tuneups.
They’ve always been courteous.
They’ve always taken pains to explain what’s up with my car, and helped me prioritize things I should fix right away vs things I could live with.
Often, I noticed that they had tightened up things that I hadn’t specifically asked them to fix (like the clutch, for instance) without charging me for it.
They always gave me reasonably accurate estimates, and if something came up to change their estimate, they always called me very quickly to explain the change and get my permission to move forward.
My annual (ish) visits usually cost between $ 1000 and $ 2000. I consider that acceptable for annual upkeep on a 20 year old European car.
So, yeah. I like Scanwest, I’ve been pleased with their customer service, and I recommend them.

Always great and quick service. I’ve had my car broken into twice in the last two years and Scanwest was ready to replace the window with no prior appointment and relatively cheap (appx $ 225) when the other window guys in town said that it would take them one to two weeks to source a Saab window. If you drive a Saab and want to keep driving a Saab, I would most definitely recommend this joint

I love Scanwest! I’ve been bringing my car here for 12 years, after dealing with a couple of other Saab mechanics in the area. I’ve always been treated well and always fairly. Their work is excellent, the engine just purrs when I leave. My Turbo engine still runs as well now as it did twelve years ago, but I bring it in for all its recommended routine maintenance.
When I’ve brought in my car if there’s a question of cost, they’ve worked with me, especially in finding still serviceable, used replacement parts. They are the only mechanic I’ve ever gone to when if they do a tune up, they’ve said, «Your spark plugs were still good, so we didn’t replace them,» rather than replacing perfectly good plugs and charging me because I wouldn’t know anyway. More than once I’ve gotten a quote, come to pick up the car and the actual cost is lower. I think this is because they’re scrupulously honest and they have so many long term clientele that it’s just a smart business practice.
If I haven’t understood something mechanical they’ve taken the time to explain it to me, sometimes more than once.
When my car was in an accident they really bent over backwards to help me: they explained how the confusing insurance process works, gave it an «all clear» safety check, then they did excellent body work, and got me back on the road as quickly as possible.
(By the way, if you ever have to be a combined velocity accident of 100mph, be in a Saab. There was no significant damage to anything but the car door, and none whatsoever to me).
I am so convinced that they’re a find that I don’t want to own anything but a Saab or a Subaru. I wouldn’t want to have to try and find a mechanic this trustworthy and this good. I’ve not yet been disappointed with their work. In the past, at other shops, I’ve been treated like an idiot and once flat out ripped off by mechanics.
When I have to pay for car repair, I never like it, but I’m at least never worried that I’m being taken advantage of at Scanwest.

If you do much Googling around Saab repair in Seattle, you’re bound to run into a recommendation for Scanwest. Beware! After taking my ’93 Saab Turbo into the shop a few times, I began to refer to them as Scamwest for the following reasons:
1. I never got out of there for less than $ 800 dollars, no matter why I’d taken the car in. Why? Why?
2. My Turbo worked when the car went into the shop and didn’t work the same after that, although they weren’t supposed to touch the Turbo and claimed they hadn’t. So, what happened?
3. They would call me on the phone and quote me a price. If I challenged them, they’d lower it a little. Once, my beau went in on my behalf and they lowered the bill by several hundred. WTF? How about charging a fair price for good service?
4. They give customers a $ 50 incentive to refer them. Can you really trust those referrals?
Now, they did repair what they said they were going to repair — so that was fine. And, granted, my experiences might have been extraordinary. But I never walked away from that shop feeling confident that I’d gotten a good deal for good service and after just a few visits, my trust was shot.
I’m not saying don’t go there; but if you do, be sure to get details on their methods, do your homework, and question both your and their assumptions when the invoice comes due.