We are long-time owners of three Volkswagen “Bugs” and for many years have taken them to Peninsula Automotive for service and repair. During all that time, we have been consistently very satisfied with the work that they have done. In addition, Dave takes a personal interest not only in the cars, but in the customers as well, making dealing with him a real pleasure.
We can wholeheartedly recommend Peninsula Automotive to everyone.
Merle F Walker & Kamilla B. Walker
I have been doing business with Dave since he moved the shop to Campbell, close to 25 years now. During that time I have met and become friends with other customers who have been shopping and having their VWs worked on there for as long as I have.
Todd has been there for years and always thoroughly explains to the novice and the experts what the repair shop will be doing or what the part being purchased is for. Todd, Dave, Blue, Mike, Nick, and others throughout the years have given me good sound advice, keeping me from wasting money on things I did not need or repairs that were not needed. They have also advised me on repairs that were needed that, down the road, besides saving me money, I am sure saved my life.
I have sent many friends and strangers who ask me for a trustworthy shop to Peninsula Auto. Later, they all tell me how much they appreciated my advice and how well they were treated. Many of my friends who own older air-cooled bugs, ghias, buses will not take their VWs any other place. Many of them have been doing business with Peninsula Auto for over 20 years. They tell me their VWs are part of their family and the people at Peninsula Automotive understand that.
Recently, I needed to rebuild the engine on my Meyers Manx dune buggy. Being short on cash, I went to Peninsula to see what my options were. Dave and Todd assured me that with my experience, that I could rebuild the engine myself. Although I had never rebuilt an air-cooled VW engine before, with their expert opinion encouraging me, I bought the parts from Peninsula and headed home. As I went out the door with my box of parts, Todd tells me, "Call us if you run into any problems". I called them and, sure enough, Todd got Dave and Blue on the phone with me to talk me through it. They thought I needed a custom tool, so Blue told me how to make one. The engine now runs like a top.
I am 53 and have been working on cars since I was 15. Mostly Chevys and Datsuns. Skill level 1 to 10, I'm around an 8. Welding, custom fabricating, rebuilding engines, transmission, differentials, and electrical.
I currently own a '58 Vette, a 240z with a 350 Chevy V8 engine & Vette 4 speed, a stock original 240z, a '72 Baja Bug (with a 2110 cc engine & custom built transaxle, disc brakes, full roll cage, etc) and 2 original Meyers Manx dune buggies. In the past I have owned two '57 Nomads, several '55 Chevys, '65 GTO, '31 Chevy, and the list goes on. I do and did 98% of the work on them myself.
Although I was a professional mechanic for 5 years, during the mid to late '70s, I am finding that VWs are a different kind of animal and it is awful nice to have a helping hand especially from the group at Peninsula Automotive who honestly care for my safety, my welfare, and my pocket book.
I know when I am being bulls****d and cheated. I will tell you straight up that if my mother drove a VW, I would insist that anything I did not personally have the time or the knowledge to do, the only place she should take her Vee Dub to would be Peninsula Automotive in Campbell, California.
If you are reading this and wondering where you should take your air-cooled or water-cooled Volkswagen, do what some of the owners of VW show cars featured in Hot VW magazine have done when seeking honest advice and good honest mechanics, do what my good friends do, do what I do, do what my mother would do, go see Peninsula Automotive in Campbell, CA.
Wayne K.
I have been using these guys for years now. They have kept our ancient Vanagon ('87) on the road for many trips. Their service is great. Recently I took it in to check a "funny" noise under the vehicle. They diagnosed a bad fuel pump. Seems reasonable, so I gave the go-ahead. Earlier, I had also taken a ruptured power steering hose to them. They had a contact who could rebuild it at half the price. Well, long story short, it turns out the problem was that the hose had not been rebuilt correctly and it had nothing to do with the fuel pump. So they put in the old fuel pump and found the correct power steering hose. When I went to liberate the beast, I expected a stiff repair bill since they put a lot of labor into it. Instead, they said, "Hey if the guy had done a correct job on the power steering hose, you would not have brought the vehicle in, so no charge!" Go find a repair shop like that! Definitely recommend these guys if you are into VWs.
Cheers,
Hans
Our son introduced us to Peninsula Automotive in 2000. He had a Vanagon that they did some drive axle bearing work on. He was very pleased with the results. In 2004, we bought a VW-powered Dune Buggy and have taken it to them a few times for work that I could not do myself. We have found Dave, Todd, Blue, Mike, and the other technicians to be professional, highly skilled, knowledgeable, trustworthy, courteous, and reasonably priced. They work hard to please the customer. We are very satisfied with the work they have done for us. That's why we keep going back to Peninsula Automotive.
Karen & Larry Baumann
Retired H.S. Auto Shop Teacher
I am currently a customer of Peninsula Automotive Parts and Service and have been a customer of that establishment in excess of twelve years. I use the word establishment because, as a satisfied customer, I find Peninsula Automotive to be fully established in their service, dependability, and reliability in all aspects. I expect quality service and I receive such from Peninsula. Their parts service is exceptionally prompt. Peninsula, in my years of experience, has delivered excellent service as I have purchased major items (engines, transmissions) with no problems. I have also had my 1964 VW completely refurbished there and I have been more than pleased with them.
Booker Anderson USN (ret)
Certified Flight Instructor