TD Garage

Took my 09 WRX in due to a bad engine build, Kia was able to find all if the problems, get them fixed and get me back on the road a very timely manner. Definitely going back whenever I have problems with my car

I found this locally owned business on Unilocal when I arrived in Berkeley 2 years ago, and they have been my trusted Subaru mechanics ever since! They have done major and minor work, can’t imagine going anywhere else and receiving such excellent customer service. The price is reasonable, the owner helps me stay on top of preventive care, and communication is excellent about what is going on with my car. I strongly recommend this company for all your Subaru needs, and to support your local business owners. The personalized service and knowledge about Subaru vehicles assures my car is well maintained and reliable.

They did a really good job on my Impreza and the turnaround time was much faster than I was quoted at some other shops, especially given that it was the holiday season. Kia is super friendly and knowledgable, and there is a cool Japanese vending machine inside with all kinds of cool drinks that you can buy. Very cute shop dog as well!

This place is GREAT! It was my first time coming here, but it won’t be my last. Kia’s heart is as big as his beard and his knowledge of Subarus is infinite. ¹⁰⁄₁₀ TD Garage rocks my socks!

They took really great care of my 2012 Impreza ! I had a super positive first experience and I’m coming back.

Pretty darn great to find a friendly, reliable, honest Subaru shop that won’t bring me to tears with their service pricing.
Thank you, Kia, for connecting with me so quickly, squeezing me in right before your winter break, and being so honest about what I needed and didn’t need to do for my car.

These guys are great! Learned about them from a friend and trying to find a good Subaru garage is difficult. Well worth the drive to Berkeley from San Francisco for any work I need done!

Brought in my 06 wrx from another shop that did some bad repairs. Timing belt slipped & my soob was out for the count. Kia put her back together now she feels like she rolled off the lot. He is really knowledgeable & explained things to me.
TD all the way thanks Kia your the man
I’m totally satisfied!!!
See you next tune up!!!

My 08′ Subaru WRX STI was plagued with rod knock in ⁰⁹⁄₂₀₁₄. I knew an engine rebuild was in my future so I called a few Bay Area Subaru specialty shops see what the damage would look like. Most tried to up sell me on replacing a bunch of additional crap in addition to rebuilding the engine. Kai was very calm and explained that 1 – 2 rod would likely need to be replaced, but we wouldn’t know for sure until he took it apart. He recommended forged pistons going forward because in his opinion the stock pistons were the weakest link the the STI engine. Everything else would be overhauled or replaced with OEM parts.
I had the car towed to his shop in Berkeley in the late afternoon. He was immediately able to confirm the rod knock. I got a detailed estimate a few days later, which took into account worst case scenario of 2 rods needed to be replaced.
Kai was upfront on how long it would take to repair. He explained that he needed to send the block out to a machine shop and he has little control over their turn around time. It turned out to be a single rod failure, but he also found that my clutch was nearly worn out and this would be a good opportunity to replace it since the labor was already included in the rebuild and all I would have to pay for is the parts.
After the work was done, Kai showed be my worn out clutch and failed rod. He recommended oil changes of 5w40 oil at 100,500,1000, and 2000 miles. He answered every question with ample detail. It’s been about 8 months and around 10,000 miles in with no issues.
Super happy with Kai and TD Garage. Would recommend for anyone with a Subaru.

Kia of TD Garage is absolutely thee man! Brought in my Impreza OBS at 10am due to heavy vibration and weak acceleration and by 2 pm my baby was driving like a champ! Apparently my driveshaft was cracked and ready to go. Kia found me a used but excellent condition part and popped it on. I can’t stress enough how honest and awesome Kia was. The workmanship was top notch and the price was an absolute bargain. If you live in the East Bay (or anywhere in NorCal period) bring your Subie to TD Garage. It’s the best automotive decision you’ll ever make!

Brought and STi to TD for a check up prior to purchasing it used. They were insanely thorough and did an amazing job with meticulous notes. They earned a lifetime customer. Stoked to have found a local subaru shop that I can trust. HIGHLY recommend :)

In the world of auto repair shops where you worry about getting ripped off I have to say I was so pleased to take my car into TD Garage. The guy there was very accommodating and ended up not charging me at all for fixing my front fender! It was an easy fix that didn’t take him very long so he didn’t charge me a thing. So awesome. Just made my day. Thanks!

Awesome shop. I’m hooked. I pulled my rear side panel off on a curb and they fixed it in minutes for a nominal fee. I totally trust this guy, as he knows the RU inside out and even gave me tips about repainting my Pearl baby. (mind you the idiots at Albany Subaru told me I needed to go to a body shop… Arghhh). This is my new BFF stop for my RU.

I bought a used Subaru and came by TD Garage to have some repair work done to it. They were GREAT. I highly recommend them for the following reasons:
— they are quick — always got back to me very quickly with a quote and they completed the work under the estimate they gave me
— they explained exactly why they had to change some parts and showed me the damage on the old parts they replaced
— their prices are fair; they quoted me about 30% less for the same work than another local garage I went to
— the owners are very friendly and obviously care a great deal about customer service and about the quality of their work
It can take a few days to get an appointment but it is well worth it.

About to move to LA, I just about died when the engine of my 1998 Subaru began making a terrible noise. I just barely chose to try this shop over others and stoked I did! Upon arrival the mechanic reached his arm deep inside my engine to pull out what was making the noise. I thought I need my brake pads replaced, but after a quick general inspection he told me that my car looked pretty good actually. He changed my both my brake lights and only charged me a couple of bucks after all that. I am ever so grateful to have found a mechanic that didn’t try to convince me I needed lots of work done. The girl in the office was genuine and friendly as well. In all my years in the East Bay, this is the only time I had my car problems solved affordably and without wishing I wasn’t a young female. Thank you again!
I definitely recommend this shop

I had my Subaru serviced here after calling around to get quotes from several shops in the area and I found TD Garage to be the best price. The staff is very friendly and the service was done well and quickly. I highly recommend this shop for your Subaru service needs!

Highly recommended. They diagnosed a problem that another mechanic had failed to find, fixed it the same day, and at a reasonable price. He brought to my attention other issues he had found, took me under the car to see for myself, and clearly explained the implications. Very respectful and patient mechanic, I will definitely return again.

If you have a Subaru and don’t have a mechanic or aren’t completely satisfied with the one you have, you need to go to TD Garage. Period. Great expertise and passion for Subarus and great customer service.

Got Subaru issues! Bring it here! I just had a diagnostics check and replaced intercooler at a great deal, I normally do minor stuff on my own, but I was stomped, so brought it to TD, and now its fixed! Enough said, just bring it here for your Subaru needs!

If you have a Subaru and maybe you haven’t followed up on all of the necessary maintenance but still want your car to live up to its legendary reliability ratings, it’s silly not to bring your car to Kia at TD garage! Not only is he capable of the most technical performance modifications and everyday maintenance, but he is also there to bring your favorite set of wheels back to life even if it’s had a rough one. His prices are real-​world and his work is top notch. Your car will thank you. Kia is the man. Subaru for life! Literally :)

Great experience. Had trouble with my Forester, called TD at 9 am. Kai’s friendly and helpful assistant told me to bring it in by 10. I did so and Kai looked at it right away and told me it’d be $ 50 to diagnose the problem, which seemed totally fair. I got a call back in the early afternoon. Kai gave me the «full service» and «economy» options for fixing the issue. The cost of the economy option? The $ 50 he charged me to diagnose the issue. Car works great and TD will be getting the call next time I need service or repairs.

Imagine my dismay when my Subaru dealer could not replicate the issues I am having with my 2009 WRX– Overheating and coolant system issues– I have the Subaru Gold extended warranty and my car is having major problems, but they can’t seem to/​want to diagnose it. I decided to take it to Kia over at TD who has done some maintenance work on the car. He did a compression test and immediately found there were issues in 2 of the cylinders. We discussed options, and I chose to have him perform the repairs rather than bringing back to the dealer for another round of «guess that problem».
The work was fantastic. Kia and Gladys make an excellent team. I felt well taken care of, and I understood all of my repair timeline, options and the costs. The repair bill was very reasonable for the very big project we faced. He found other issues as well and I was invited to observe his findings with my car on the lift. Awesome!
I rarely post on Unilocal,but I feel that TD deserves a nod or 5 and I would strongly recommend to anyone in the Berkeley/​Oakland area who needs anything from routine maintenance, new clutch, head gaskets to a performance motor rebuild. TD is the last of dying art– a repair and performance place where you talk to the guy working on your car, he shows you the parts he would like to replace, he reviews the parts he did replace. Try that at the dealership.
Again, the fact he offered me GOOD, BETTER, and BEST options was fantastic. He uses Genuine Subaru parts all the way to ultra-​high end Cosworth parts. He stocks most of the Whiteline suspension bushings as well.

Great service and Kia was super quick at fixing the issues with my Subaru. The price was much less than I thought and the location was continent! Thanks again!

Kia is one of the very few stand-​up mechanics left anywhere. If your Subaru has an issue, don’t hesitate to bring it to Kia, it’ll get fixed right the first time. TD Garage knows Subarus inside and out.
Prompt service
Very Very courteous service
awesome pricing
and the two most important things in an auto mechanic:
a passion for the CAR, (he knows ALL of them inside and out)
and most importantly (to me): DONE RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!!! (can’t emphasize how annoying it is at other places, ESPECIALLY chain/​tire shops, to bring your car back for the same thing. repeatedly. Not here though.)
Save yourself the headache and cost of the dealer and chain shops that try to sell you anything an everything you probably don’t even need. Pay Kia a visit @ TD Garage. You and your Subaru will leave happy.