Fritz & Peters

As a single woman I always tried to do my research on any service providers because I found that many people thought being a woman was a blank check. A friend of mine recommended Fritz and Peters so I checked out their reviews then made an appointment. 1-​husband, 2-​kids, and 10 years later they are still my go to mechanics. The customer service never disappoints, their estimates have always been honored, and my cars have stayed with us for many years. No matter how long between appointments, the owners and mechanics remember us and can discuss the history of our cars (good record keeping). I hope they are around for me to send my daughter to them when it is time for her to learn about cars.

After reading the great reviews I took my 2001 VW Jetta in for check engine light and resulting lack in acceleration and drivability. Joe told me that two codes came up and initially he fixed an Oxygen sensor which came up to almost $ 400 (which seemed outrageous). I picked the car up and was happy though that the engine light was off. About 20 minutes after driving off the lot the check engine light came right back on. I called Joe and he told me he’s be happy to have it back in the next day. Then he told me a camshaft sensor would need to be replaced. The bill for this was another $ 400. I was happy to pay for these things had it fixed the problem. I drove away happy once again only to be disappointed that my car went right back to it’s old self and the light came back on within minutes of driving away from the shop. I decided I would take it to another shop because at this point I was scared of another expensive repair that would not fix the problem. I took it to two other shops who immediately told me it was a transmission code error and that basically my car would need a new transmission and that was the root of the lack of acceleration and drivability. Joe did not mention anything about needing a new transmission and I would not have spent nearly a thousand dollars at F&P had I known that I would basically be taking my car to the junk yard (transmission replacements are worth much more than the car itself and I will be basically selling it for scraps). I am unsure if Joe had this information or not but it seems odd that the cars symptoms did not change and immediately two other mechanics detected a very serious problem. Neither mechanic even charged me to look it and told me the bad news about my transmission right away. I can’t say for certain that Joe withheld this information to make money on other repairs that may have served as a bandage but I am upset that I am out nearly a thousand dollars and am now even worse– out a car. Joe was nice enough– but the prices seemed beyond outrageous, I didn’t feel like the repairs were well explained, a good value, and my car never really got fixed despite the money I had spent. I understand that fixing cars isn’t always black and white and perhaps this was a one off but I have had much better experiences and value elsewhere.

These guys are awesome! I just took my 2001 Audi A4 to get some work done. They got it done quickly and were very thorough. They are polite and helpful and super organized. I will definitely be back any time I need service on my car.

F&P has serviced my MBZ for 15 years. I depend on their skill, honesty, courtesy and service. I have been misadvised and overcharged by mechanics including dealers over the years. This is an island of quality.

They did a great job on my Mini. Got it done fast and for a lot less than I expected.

We have taken our VWs and other cars to Fritz and Peters since both Fritz, joes dad, and Peter both worked there. We have NEVER been disappointed with the work. Joe is such a gentleman, and so much easier to deal with than his dad was! If there ever is a problem that isn’t resolved on the first try, he will look again for no charge. We have called him from vacations for advice when our VW camper had issues. He knows our cars, always has them ready as promised. Reliable, knowledgeable, honest. And don’t knock his other mechanics. Han has been there for many years and has also provided great service and advice!

I’ve been taking my 2002 VW Cabrio to Joe and his gang of great mechanics since I bought it used in 2005. Now — at 162K+ miles, he just replaced the fuel pump. Joe gave me the option of a dealer part or an after-​market part that was ²⁄₃ the price (with 162K miles — I don’t need the dealer part, right?).
Joe & his staff are responsive, friendly, and do great work. He gives you options, and educated on what needs to be done without making a non-​Motörhead feel clueless. He’ll tell you what you HAVE to do to get it running, and then he might say «if money weren’t an issue, you could do this …» — he never forced anything on you.
I definitely recommend Fritz & Peters!

I have been very happy with the service at Fritz and Peters. Joe always answers the phone when I call. He is always very helpful and patiently answers all my questions. I trust the mechanics at this shop and don’t ever feel I’m getting taken advantage of because I’m a woman. I just got my battery replaced on my VW Jetta and got charged a very reasonable price. I didn’t have to wait long at all. if you are looking for an honest mechanic, this is the place to go!

Joe is personable and knowlegeable but usually there only in the morning. Hung follows Joe’s instructions and runs the shop for Joe when Joe is gone.
Joe knows VWs and can tell you what needs to be done. The prices mostly are mid range.
Some time ago, I was quoted over $ 2,000 for some work, but had another shop asses it and they said only some of the work was needed So I paid $ 975 for the work that was needed now, and saved over $ 1,100.Joe was correct that some of the parts not replaced may eventually fail, but did not offer me the option to just replace the parts that were bad now event though I pressed for ways to reduce the price since the car is old and I hope to replace it soon.

Fritz & Peters has worked on my 64 and my 73 Beetle and I have always had excellent service from the shop. Joe is very honest and so nice. Great work!

I have had excellent service from Fritz & Peters through the years. From his assistance with my 1967 VW Beetle, 1972 VW Super Beetle, 1998 VW Golf, and now 2006 Subaru Outback. Just a simple shop that gets the job done honestly.

Nice guy, crap service. Here is the skinny:
— Joe is incredibly nice and will tell you everything you want to hear when you drop in
— He will quote you a reasonable price
— Then he will give all the work to his low cost (and low skill) employees
— Joe is hardly ever there to take your calls and when you do reach him, he usually doesn’t know what’s happening with your car
— Then you wait
— And wait
— Then, in my case, the work he does needs to be re-​done a week later (literally)
PS — He might leave your car UNLOCKED on the streets of Oakland (with the keys in the glove box) for your after hours pickup!
The search for a good mechanic continues.

This was my «go to» place when I had issues with my VW Jetta because my first couple of experiences here was great. I had an engine issue solved that Stevens Creek VW was not able to fix. He also gave me a choice to opt for a used part, or even take advantage of a factory recall to save me money.
My most recent experience, however, was not very good. I had a strange hesitation issue that cause the engine light and the triangle light to turn on. I’ve been quite busy with work since I recently changed jobs and now work in San Francisco. So I drove with this issue for the last 5K miles or so. Then I started leaking coolant and it appeared to be coming from the serpentine belt. I thought it could be the water pump or something so I called Joe to and explained my prognosis to him and scheduled an appointment.
Once I got there, I explained again about the leaking coolant, then told him about the check engine light along with the triangle light. I also told him about the hesitation problem and wanted that fixed too. He called me that afternoon and told me the leak was simply for an old hose that was a total of about $ 280 or something. I then reminded him to fix that hesitation problem. A few hours later, he said he spent a couple more hours and replaced my turbo bypass valve and a breather hose. The grand total was just over $ 600. I’m fine with this if it fixed the problem.
Once I started driving the car, the hesitation happened again and the check engine light and triangle light turned on once again. I called Joe the next week and told him the issue, then he said bring it in and I will no charge for the diagnosis of the issue. I had so much going on that I had to push my appointment back a few days. I finally made some time to come in again. I explained to the other mechanic my hesitation issue. He said that last week he thought it was a sudden burst of power as opposed to a hesitation, and now that I’ve clearly explained the issue, he would have a better idea on how to fix it.
Finally, I just picked up my car. It seems to be fixed, but Joe gave me a bill for another $ 580. WTF, really!!! I mentioned to him that this was a bit excessive and he said they spent 4 hours figuring out the problem and finally, they knew someone for the VW dealership that clued them in on the issue. He credited me an hour and a half (they charge $ 120 per hour for labor). The part cost $ 230.
My thoughts: If you are going to charge me over $ 600 the first time, I expect the issue to be fixed. If not, there should be some sort of warranty or goodwill, since they didn’t have to replace those other parts. Are they guessing and using trial and error? The other mechanic who worked on my car didn’t even know that it was a hesitation issue, «hesitation problem» was written on my work order and receipt. I had no car for the last few days and it took an hour and a half just to get to work. I asked Joe if this problem was not solved this time, what would he do for me the next time. Joe just said he’s confident it’s fixed but no assurances whatsoever. He’s not gonna get another shot with me.
You be the judge. I just wanted to give the facts and my opinion. Yes, I’m a bit frustrated. I will probably go to the dealership for repairs the next time. At least, if it’s not fixed, they probably will not charge me again to fix the same problem.
UPDATE: Joe responded to my Unilocal review and wanted to make good on my repairs. The only thing was I already traded in my car for a new one. Thanks for trying though.

I was happy with my service at Fritz and Peters. I went in for an oil change. I would suggest that you should make an appointment. This place isn’t huge and there is only a couple of people working there. I made an appointment and did not experience any bad service of any sort.
I thought they were very helpful actually because I tend to ask millions of questions, lol. They even helped with something that was body work related, and there shop doesnt even do body work.
I would go here again, I thought everyone was very nice and helpful.

I will go just about anywhere regarding an oil change. I stopped in and was giving the impression that they were busy and may not be able to get me in, but they did. Of course it was a little longer than the typical, but I came with a coupon and no appointment. The oil change was successful. They made some suggestions for my brakes and the next time I’ll try to make an appointment.

Joe and his team have been my mechanics ever since Oakland Audi referred me to them years ago — and I’m so happy they did — I love them!
Joe is a pleasure to deal with, and always calls with an estimate before starting anything — he’s clear, concise, and fair — he even tells me when something can «wait» till next time.
Any time I have a «small» issue (headlight or fuse replacement as examples) I just pop in and they fix it while I wait — FREE OF CHARGE!
I never thought I’d ever review/​recommend a mechanic, but Fritz & Peters has been that good to me over the years… I just had to!

Friendly Joe at the front desk charges a hefty price considering his mechanics go below the call of duty to hack their way into your purse.
They might fix things there, they might not.
The search for a honest and skilled vw mechanic continues.

We’ve been taking our VW Jetta here for the past few years. They are really nice, honest people here. I highly recommend them!
They are also near 19^th street BART which makes drop off and pick-​up convenient.

My shop is right next to theirs.
On several occasions I have consulted them regarding something my car needed, and they have all ways ordered the correct part and have good information. They hold my UPS deliveries for me! More often than not I see a «art car» in the shop.

I’ve been a customer at F&P for the past four years. I keep going back because of Joe, the owner. He knows cars, he knows people. His manner is always calm and friendly.
Another great thing for all you German-​o-​philes out there is that Joe speaks German and the back of his office looks like a Bierstube. Wie toll!