Testimonials for Saab Master Technician Walter Wong

Gang,

Had a great experience this past week with Walter Wong, Los Angeles Saab Independent and sponsor of Saabnet.com.

Last Saturday night (Labor Day weekend), I noticed a bad coolant leak on my '02 9-5 Aero Wagon. When I looked for an independent mechanic in the L.A. area in the Mechanics section of this website...I saw pages of good things said about Walter Wong (Saab Mobile Service... Santa Monica, CA). So I called Walter last Sat night and he told me to meet him at his shop at 9:00 Sunday morning. That's right...Sunday of Labor Day weekend...Sept 9th (or 9-5!!).

Anyhow, not only did Walter quickly diagnose the heater valve leak but he made sure we did a complete inspection of the vehicle since it is 5K from warranty running out. Walter found an oil line leak that I would have never caught. So I took it down the road and dropped it off at Santa Monica Saab for warranty work.

In the mean time, Walter loaned me a 900 Classic to use until the dealer fixed my car...no charge!

Bottom line: Walter's the Man! Honest...thorough...and genuinely concerned about the well being of your Saab and your understanding of the car.

Regards,
Jeff

Kyle,

I live in Rancho Cucamonga and use Walter Wong in Santa Monica to fix/service both of my Saabs: '96 900SET & '02 9-5 Aero Wagon.

He's a sponsor on the board... Give him a call and tell him what's wrong. He'll take it right in...go over the car completely with you and/or your daughter and give you an honest assessment of what's wrong and what's going to go wrong in the future.

Best regards,
Jeff

Just thought I'd post an extremely high recommendation for Walter Wong's Saab service in LA.

My yellow '91 SE convertible was the unfortunate recipient of an a$$hole who decided to rip the CD head unit out of my dash and cut the right side of the dash bezel to get at it. This all took place in the "high surveillance" garage in my building (the good news is that videotapes have the guy coming in, at the car, and leaving, so let's hope the LAPD track the guy down). False sense of security I guess...not quite as safe as my old driveway in Brookline, MA.

Walter recommended me to Elite Foreign Auto in Sun Valley where I located a replacement dash last week, and the car went to Walter this morning. He gave me a free loaner to get home, saving me a $40 cab ride each way. I picked up the car tonight and it's back to normal! He also lubed my front bushings so I no longer have the infamous front creak!

Great service, great price, easy to do business with and I would recommend him to anyone!

Thanks Walter!! You're my new mechanic of choice out here!

Cheers,
Paul H

Check the listings under mechanics on this board and look for:

Saab Mobile Service
Walter Wong
Los Angeles CA
(310) 666-2406

I live in No. California and have called him for advice many times. Probably the most knowledgeable SAAB mechanic in the state.

You shouldn’t have any problems with Walter. He is friendly, helpful, and I think he appreciates that some of the free advice he gives will come back to him in future business. All of the staff drive Saabs, he has a 99EMS as his daily driver, and the shop is crowded with cars for service. I would not have a problem in going back there.

The shop is a little difficult to find the first time, as it's tucked around a corner, but there is a big Saab picture in the window and it's freeway close. His rates are reasonable as well.

Mark

My daughter has had work done by Walter Wong and was very satisfied. He advertises on TSN. Also have used Swedish Pro-Tech in Lawndale and have been pleased with their service.

I checked out Walter Wong and definitely recommend him. I met some very satisfied long time customers while waiting for his shop to open. His prices are reasonable and he knows how to keep your SAAB running.

Walter has been great and is worth the drive (I work in Anaheim and live in Pasadena). He also has free loaner cars (typically 10-20 year old 900s)

Walter is the best mechanic in town. He does everything but body work. He even gave a loaner car, and that means a lot for people like me because I work with my 900T... My friends and I can save and get first-class repairs. He has been working on Saabs for the last 15 years, and he really knows how to keep a Saab on the road without spending more money than necessary.

Thomas Montero

I have a 1985 Saab turbo that has had some problems. I said had. Walter Wong, who I found by a happy accident, is definitely the Saab Angel with golden wings. Walter only works on Saabs, was trained in Sweden by Saab and is Saab certified. Walter has won numerous awards as mechanic of the year in several countries including Sweden. In my Saab travels around LA, many of the Saab mechanics I've talked to know Walter and all nod in approval of his abilities. Walter charges a more-than-reasonable rate. He's a downright bargain. Walter doesn't just fix your car; he resurrects it. I feel like I'm driving a brand new car. Walter installed a transmission and several other parts, clutch, master clutch cylinder etc., for half of what other people charge. He also is honest to a fault. He will tell you how to save money by going to Sears or somewhere else to have shocks put in rather than have him do it. He even tells you when the sales are happening. All said and done, Walter has made owning a Saab a joy and not a sob. There is only one drawback to Walter Wong. He is a family man with children and refused to let me put him in my car trunk forever no many how much money I offered him.

Brian McNally

Just as I was about to dump my 1989 Saab 900 SPG (218,000 miles and counting) I found Walter Wong. After years of dealer and mechanic rip offs, I have found an extraordinarily honest mechanic who loves Saabs and looks out for their owners. I am a journalist and need my car constantly. Unlike many mechanics who won't let you near the car when they're working on it, Walter patiently explains what he's doing and what I can do myself. I get several different fixing "options" depending on my budgetary demands. He never makes you feel like a stupid customer. I have learned much about my own car since I met Walter. Last year when my car broke down in Utah, I was stuck in a tiny town with a mechanic who'd never even seen a Saab. Via cell phone, Walter guided the man through a diagnostic. I've decided to keep my car because of Walter. I'll probably be buried in it. I almost have as many miles on me as it does!

Dianne Bates

I was having some problems with shifting on my 93 900 Turbo. I received an estimate for $3000 from a mechanic telling me I needed a new transmission. To get a second opinion I put an ad on Saab Net asking for help. Walter responded to my ad, calling me over and over again trying to help and following up to make sure I was making progress on getting my car fixed. Thanks to his over-the-phone diagnostics (which determined I needed a new coupling and not a transmission), repair instructions, and $1.50 (that's one dollar and 50 cents) worth of plastic ties, the coupling is fixed and car running great until I can purchase a new coupling and have it installed. From a $3000 estimate to a $1.50 fix - that's pretty incredible. He's also continued to follow up to help me order the new part and fix it myself and has never asked for anything in return. I just wish Walter lived in Redding and not LA. I highly recommend Walter to anyone lucky enough to live close to his shop.

Kurt Hoffmann

Walter Wong is an amazing Saab technician. I went to him with several small complaints and he led me thru the finer points of owning my Saab. With all my confidence I would recommend him to anyone who can travel to LA to see him. I look forward to my next oil change with Walter and future repairs—in his hands I trust! Completely!

Shauna Heller

I live in Orange County, and drive about 80 miles (one way) to get my '89 900 Turbo serviced by Walter. The man's knowledge of Saabs is immaculate. He can diagnose a problem by a sound or symptom that will confound many independent shop techs. Moreover, his honesty and reasonable prices are unmatched. I've had the firsthand displeasure of returning from a Saab shop with more mechanical difficulties than I had when I arrived. Walter works on the problem, and doesn't create new ones. You'll know when you're in his neighborhood, as the number of Saabs on the street will skyrocket. I heartily recommend Walter for his aptitude and attitude, and suggest that anyone with a serious Saab condition give him a call to get the real deal.

Brian Ahmadi

I bought a 1989 900 Turbo convertible with 68000 miles on it and took it to Walter Wong. He spent 2 hours with me going over the car making a list of what needed to be done right now and what could wait a while. He knows what parts to buy used and what to replace with better than OEM. We went for a ride after he serviced the car and it drove like new. He said "This is why people by a Saab" and he was right. As we drove around his neighborhood I started to notice 2 or 3 Saabs parked on every block. He even has loaner Saabs. The amazing thing about Walter is that he tries to save you money when he can. Call him with your problem and see.

Todd Orr

I just bought a '99 Saab convertible and came to this site for mechanic info. Following the advice here, I made an appointment with Walter. The majority rules - Walter is awesome. I mainly just wanted an overall assessment of my new (used) vehicle and he was great. He spent an hour with me, going over the inside of the car and the outside. He opened the hood and explained all kinds of stuff and jacked the car up and inspected things. He even made me drive him around the block to troubleshoot some noises I had been hearing. It was well worth the $60. I now have a list of about 4 items I'm taking to the dealer for repair (only 1 major thing which is a faulty tire). The good news is, he said my car is in great shape - mechanically and aesthetically. Woo hoo!

Kathryn Marshall