TheSamba.com :: View topic - Repair shops in San Francisco? Window got busted, help!

Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:04 pm

hey all,

so i just moved to san francisco and my passenger window on my 87 vanagon got smashed last night :(

Need to find a reliable shop to replace the window as soon as possible.

also have an intermittent issue with the battery system. since i had a relay w/ 2nd bay battery put in, the main battery does not hold a charge. it has something to do with the ground - not sure what it is. hoping the shop can fix the window and the other problems with the van...

any and all suggestions are highly appreciated!

ian

Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:24 pm

Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:28 pm

ianstone wrote: hey all,

so i just moved to san francisco and my passenger window on my 87 vanagon got smashed last night :(

Need to find a reliable shop to replace the window as soon as possible.

also have an intermittent issue with the battery system. since i had a relay w/ 2nd bay battery put in, the main battery does not hold a charge. it has something to do with the ground - not sure what it is. hoping the shop can fix the window and the other problems with the van...

any and all suggestions are highly appreciated!

ian

Try The Buslab in Berkeley. Oh, and move to the East Bay. In S.F., a Vanagon/Bay window says, "Drugs on board" to the homeless guy that busted your window. San Francisco is the homeless CAPITAL of the U.S.

- Chester

Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:33 pm

Ian, sorry to hear about this...
welcome to the city right!!!?

Buslab over here in berkeley would be good, or most any decent glass shop should be able to take care of your window...luckily since vanagons are so plentiful around here, even most run-of-the-mill repair shops are pretty familiar with them.

Fred's Garage is good too, or Tassi's.

If I had my westy in the city, I'd want an off-street spot for sure.

PM me here or on TS if you need any info.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:03 pm

Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:05 am

Jamos wrote: Ian, sorry to hear about this...
welcome to the city right!!!?

Buslab over here in berkeley would be good, or most any decent glass shop should be able to take care of your window...luckily since vanagons are so plentiful around here, even most run-of-the-mill repair shops are pretty familiar with them.

Fred's Garage is good too, or Tassi's.

If I had my westy in the city, I'd want an off-street spot for sure.

PM me here or on TS if you need any info.

agreed... i wish i had an off street spot for it. any reccomendations on places i can get it stored either in the east bay or south city? thanks all for your recs

i believe the "drugs on board" was the motivating factor.
they rummaged through the glove box, drawers, cabinets, etc... and i didn't notice if anything was missing but it didn't seem like it. stereo faceplate was still there as well as the 1000w amp under the seat and custom sub

Fri Jan 02, 2009 10:29 am

Just to add another SF story to the thread.

My side vent window was smashed last nite on PolK and Van Ness --New Years day. I think they were after my bicycle inside. It was strapped down so for some reason it did not come out on the first grab. I guess the smasher-robbers got spooked and just flat out left. I found the slider down open and the front window cranked down. I guess I should have at least had the bike well hidden under a blanket or something. I guess if all I have to do is replace that vent window I am not that bad off. Anyone have any ideas what it should cost to replace ?

Fri Jan 02, 2009 10:47 am

Here is from our classifieds:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=690250
I have seen just the glass as well. Search around. They are available.

Fri Jan 02, 2009 10:55 am

artnyoga wrote: Just to add another SF story to the thread.

My side vent window was smashed last nite on PolK and Van Ness --New Years day. I think they were after my bicycle inside. It was strapped down so for some reason it did not come out on the first grab. I guess the smasher-robbers got spooked and just flat out left. I found the slider down open and the front window cranked down. I guess I should have at least had the bike well hidden under a blanket or something. I guess if all I have to do is replace that vent window I am not that bad off. Anyone have any ideas what it should cost to replace ?

Dang, my brother's truck got broken into right there last week. Parked for less than ten minutes. Barely took anything (basically empty briefcase). He actually saw the guy (prior to break in) that likely did it. Just another reason to live in Marin and take the ferry.

Fri Jan 02, 2009 12:20 pm

two tips for parking in s.f., or any major city. leave nothing in the vehicle, or barring that leave NOTHING in sight. even an old jacket or a CD or a rusty wrench which isn't worth anything to you...remember if some dude who has nothing and is jonesing for crack can get $1 for it, he'll be happy to smash the window.

but seriously, leaving a bike in the van? ON POLK STREET?!?! AT NIGHT?!?!? sigh.

our westys are of course still serious targets because of the cabinets - there's always the potential of something sellable in the many storage spaces. but, if it's a clean van with absolutely nothing in sight, there's the psychological idea that it may be a bare empty van, even behind the cabinet doors.

if there's a pile of crap on the back seat or floor, or things stuffed under the seat, it's a sign that there's a potential for something sellable to be hidden in there.

i also have a saab convertible (the doors on convertibles HAVE to be left unlocked, or the top will be slashed). about once every 2 months or so i come back to find the interior rummaged through - glove box contents all over the seats, coin holder and ash tray pulled out. but again, if there's nothing to steal, it takes about 1 minute to put everything back.

i can't emphasize how much this will reduce your break-ins...

Fri Jan 02, 2009 1:00 pm

yup, my old Vitara convertible got the canvas slashed in SF about 5 years ago, they took nothing from the car and I had to pony up to replace the canvas...

For vanagon/westy repairs in SF I've been recommended City Automotive on Eddy St., German mechanic (Rolf??).

Fri Jan 02, 2009 11:15 pm

Thanks for the support everyone. I feel much better hearing other ideas and stories. They are all great.

I did place a cardboard cut out wrapped in plastic in there today as a temporary replacement. I did notice that that side vent window is held by 2 screws in the inside face. So that should mean it is replaceable extremely easy if I find the glass.

I was just visiting a friend who lives there so I don't normally think abou t all the things I have inside my car. I'll do a better job of keeping things hidden. I live in San Rafael. If it was drug addicts-homeless people I wonder if they would have been easily spooked away. I also suspect some more professions as well. It was a nice folding bicycle that they were probably after. A possible thing that might have made them give up is that my interior light is currently dead. So they had no light by opening the door. This makes me feel better for not fixing that light yet.

Sat Jan 03, 2009 12:03 am

I think I have a spare vent window, give me a call in the morning,
Just across the bridge in Emeryville.
Paul
510-508-0151
Drivers or passenger side?

Tue Jun 02, 2009 11:48 am

I've had my window smashed twice in SF on my subaru justy. On the other hand my convertible VW with the crappy top that a child could rip open with a spoon has never been broken into. I think its because it doesn't lock. The previous owner who lived in SF used to leave it open with the top down, one morning he said he came out and there was a homeless guy sitting in it who woke up and asked him "which way are you going?"

Tue Jun 02, 2009 11:54 am

ChesterKV wrote: San Francisco is the homeless CAPITAL of the U.S.

Shoot man, when we were there the only people in Starbucks were homeless.
Our saying for that trip was, Frisco is so rich even the homeless get their coffee at Starbucks~! :lol:

Tue Jun 02, 2009 12:22 pm

First night my wife and I moved to SF (in '06, we now live in Oakland) our Acura was stolen. No joke, FIRST night.

Cops found it down by SFO a few weeks later.

Car was constantly broken into. About once every two months.

Believe it or not, Oakland is much more mellow.

Tue Jun 02, 2009 12:29 pm

Hallvalla wrote: First night my wife and I moved to SF (in '06, we now live in Oakland) our Acura was stolen. No joke, FIRST night.

Cops found it down by SFO a few weeks later.

Car was constantly broken into. About once every two months.

Believe it or not, Oakland is much more mellow.

Yeah the city sucks, I finally moved to the east bay a few months ago. Life is much mellower now. I had to park my Westy on the street when I lived there, but I got so paranoid I finally had to store it out of the city. I still go there every day for work, which is enough.

Tue Jun 02, 2009 1:14 pm

madspaniard wrote:
For vanagon/westy repairs in SF I've been recommended City Automotive on Eddy St., German mechanic (Rolf??).
Second that.

THE vanagon repair shop in SF.