A great review of Scanwest has to be one of my first contributions to Judy's Book - Seattle.
I currently drive a 1988 Saab 9000 Turbo with 263,000 miles on it, and at times in the past have also had a 1988 900 Turbo Convertible as well as an 1987 900S serviced there over the years since 1994.
There are a number of things that set Scanwest apart from my previous and current other experiences with independent auto mechanics and dealerships. The first thing is enthusiasm - the owner, Rob Walden has been a Saab Rally racer for years, and participates actively in the Saab Owners club events. Everyone who works there is passionate about the cars, and you can tell from the energy in the place.
The other big thing is customer-service - the folks you work with in scheduling and discussing your issue take the time to tell you as much as you want to know about your car and its issues. If you desire, they'll install used parts when you ask and it makes sense. They even have loaner cars available for $10 if you schedule your appointment far enough in advance. If something goes wrong (we're talking Saabs, after all), they'll make it right, one way or another.
With the Saab 9-2x sharing so many parts with the WRX, Scanwest recently added the Subaru badge to their sign, but their expertise is clearly with Saabs of all ages, and more the newer Subarus. I brought my old 1987 Subaru GL wagon in for work on the carburetor, and that didn't go as smoothly as my Saab experiences, but even so - working with the folks at Scanwest through tough diagnoses isn't painful in the least.
At ~$90/hr, billed by the book, the work here is not cheap - but if you own and love your Saab, this is a great option if you want special treatment without spending $40k+ at a dealership in order to get it.
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