Service Listings: MN

Andrews of Princeton

3558 Brickton Road

Princeton

(800) 882-7220

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A exclusively Saab family operation, Andrews is the best Saab facility I

have seen.  The service people are top notch, they discount new parts,

carry used parts, will give advice over the phone or net.  They do it all -

auto body, service, sales, mail order.  Decent, honest folk with an

extremely positive attitude who give excellent service.  I would never buy

a used Saab anywhere else.

Submitted by Eric Oines

Foreign Affairs of Duluth, Inc. 

722 E 9th St

Duluth

(218) 722-2246

www.foreignaffairsofduluth.com

Foreign Auto Specialists

26th & Pleasant

Minneapolis

(612) 871-9476

I recently bought a used '94 SE 900.  It had been pretty thoroughly maintained 

but was running a little ratty and in need of a 150K servicing.  I went to FAS 

on the basis of the posts here, and because it's near where I live.  Jerry didn't 

disapppoint, creatively sussing out all of the car's problems, and bringing the 

job in well below the budget I had expected.  He fixed everything that needed to 

be fixed and didn't push to fix anything that didn't.  He proved himself to be 

totally honest and thorough, and I'll be going back to him in the future for sure.  

The car is running great.  That description in the previous post of him as an 

"artist" with Saabs is right on the money.  Best advice:  don't let the 

occasionally gruff phone manner fool ya - there's a reason he's too busy to spend 

much time on the phone, and he's the man for your Saab.

Submitted by Mike Villers

Jerry, the mechanic who owns the shop, runs a rather quiet operation.  He

ONLY works on Saabs, and doesn't advertise, accept via the occasional

business card on the windshield of a nice looking 900.  Very knowledgeable

and helpful, although due to his loyal following there are occasionally

long waits for an appointment.

Submitted by Philip Hult

Jerry Thompson is one of the best around at fixing Saabs. He has a loyal

following including myself, but he is an artist and won't fail to deliver.

Submitted by Bron Madrigan

The Foreign Service

1746 Terrace Dr

Roseville (St. Paul/Minneapolis)

(651) 635-0395

www.theforeignservicemn.com

foreignsvcdsl@visi.com

All Saab repairs including transmission overhauls.  Drivability

specialists.

Submitted by Kris Simonson

SAAB SPECIALISTS AND DIAGNOSTICS EXPERTS, owned by Stew Roberts

I first came to The Foreign Service when my previous shop could not figure

out how to get my new to me SPG running smoothly without stalling.  After numerous 

visits and a several hundred dollars in parts I tried another shop.  Stew tested 

the car and quickly determined that the timing was off and needed to be adjusted.  

Within an hour he diagnosed the problem, adjusted the chain and got my SPG running 

perfectly.  I quickly switched to Stew and The Foreign Service for all my vehicles.  

That was 4 years ago. 

Over the last 4 years, Stew and his staff have been great.  They really care about their 

customers and offer various options tailored to their needs.  They will recommended OEM,

aftermarket, rebuilt, or used parts depending on the customer’s needs and the situation.  

They have all the necessary Saab specific equipment and tools to get the job done right.

I highly recommend Stew Roberts (Owner) and the Foreign service even if it’s not a Saab.

They even have a small fleet of loaner Saabs when you need it.  

Submitted by Wil Wong

I have been going to The Foreign Service for over 3 years and have always had excellent 

service at a reasonable price.  They always take into consideration my needs and what makes the

most sense for my car.  They also explain exactly what’s going on and what they need to do.

The best part is they often advise me about potential issues they see that need to be addressed 

in the future though immediately.  I can then budget these things in and know what to expect.

They are the best.

Submitted by M C Chan

Groveland Imports

17520 Minnetonka Blvd

Minnetonka

(612) 473-5213

Small shop, been there for years. Jeff is an honest guy.

Submitted by Michael Wendle

North East Imports

2525 White Bear Avenue

Maplewood

(651) 748-5722

My fiancée and I have taken her '86 16V 900 Turbo (175k) to John on two

occasions -- to replace the power steering rack and pump and a second time

for a radiator replacement. We went back because, as Robert already

mentioned, John really knows the cars and what actually has to be repaired.

He DOES explain things well, performs good diagnostics, gives accurate

estimates, has good access to reasonable-priced parts, and is comfortable to

talk to -- unlike other mechanics who have a more aggressive attitude. John's

co-mechanic Rob also has an excellent knowledge of Saabs -- I recommend both

to anyone here looking for a new garage.

Submitted by Travis Hussey

Excellent service and enjoyable personalities. John Haffner, his daughter,

and his mechanic are a great team. Their knowledge of Saabs has been right on

every time. They use Saab parts, inform you of what is wrong before repairing

it, and do not treat my wife like she does not know cars. I drive 45 minutes

to drop our Saabs with them. They are well worth the drive. Keep up the great

work.

Submitted by Ray Otto

John and Rob are mechanics of exceptional quality and integrity. I make a 35

min trip from the opposite end of the metro to see them. They work with great

attention to detail and strive for perfection. They are friendly, funny and

always treat you with respect. They take the time to explain things to you

and they charge a fair price. I always leave there feeling like my car has

been in the best hands possible!

Submitted by Jacqueline Urick

John Hafner is the most knowledgeable Saab mechanic I have ever 

encountered, and more importantly he's a fair and honest man.  My wife 

and I have been getting our cars serviced there since we needed some 

diagnostic and electrical work done on our '95 900S convertible that had 

already been botched at some other local "specialist import" shops to 

the tune of hundreds of dollars.  He also did excellent work on our '90 

9000CS (sadly deceased via collision), and our latest car ('93 9000 CSE) 

was rebuilt by John and is a pleasure to drive.  I highly recommend John 

and NE Imports to all Saab owners around the Twin Cities, and wish him 

plenty of work and Mountain Dew.

Submitted by Howard Collins

The Phoenix

3715 Oregon Ave

St Louis Park

(612) 933-7284

The Phoenix team is unbeatable. I've tried almost every shop out there, and 

have found a great home for my 9000 and 944 for the last three years. I'm 

always treated with respect, and never over charged. Their diagnosis is 100% 

correct, and I trust them above every one else. First shop I've seen that 

delivers what they promise, and have seen them go above and beyond many times. 

I understand why they have many out of state customers. Give them a try, and 

you'll never go anywhere else. They're not called "Morries South" for nothing!

Submitted by D Wagner

I am driving my fourth Saab and The Phoenix garage has the most knowledgeable

Saab mechanics I have have ever known. The professionalism and camaraderie in

the shop make it a pleasure to go there.

Submitted by William Comiskey

Uptown Imports

2904 Harriet Ave. So.

Minneapolis

612-822-6490

www.uptownimports.com

uptown55408@hotmail.com

I have been compelled to write this letter which I am certainly not 

accustomed to, until now! After suffering through multiple major repairs 

on my 2001 Saab 9-5 at other "Repair Shops", I was forced into searching 

for a professional, reputable repair facility. I spoke to friends, family 

and even went so far as to ask a technician at Morries Saab if he had any 

suggestions as to where I might find someone that did high quality work for 

a reasonable price? When the Saab technician pulled me aside and said that 

"Uptown Imports will take care of you", I made the call.

In January of this year my 17 year old daughter was driving my Saab (I'm 

sure with kid gloves) down 394 at an undetermined speed when the engine was 

blown. I live west of the metro, so I had a shop in Mayer, MN locate a used 

motor with 35K miles and they installed it for a total of $6200. Shortly after 

the 30day warranty expired it began to leak oil. The leak worsened and I returned 

to the scene of the crime. I was told I shouldn't have bought a used engine. 

Not quite the answer I was looking for. 

My search mentioned earlier began. I was greeted on the phone by Steve and treated 

more professionally than I am at my doctor's office. He thoroughly explained what 

they would do to diagnose the problem and said they would contact me as soon as 

they knew what the best plan of attack would be. He followed through exactly as 

stated and I was given a quote over the phone which they stood by. In each and 

every instance John and Steve have done exemplary work on my Saab and I have 

nothing but praise for Uptown Imports! 

I have been in sales for over twenty years and consider myself to be driven to 

exceed all of my customer's expectations; it is for this reason that I also have 

very high expectations when it comes to receiving service of any type. Uptown 

Imports has exceeded those very high expectations on every visit regardless of the 

complexity, and it is for this reason that I am writing this

letter of praise and my highest recommendation!

Submitted by Chuck Castner

Hey these guys are great I have been bringing my SAAB to them 

for about four years now and they have always treated me great me being 

a woman and all (gotta check out the bathroom it's great!).  They tell 

me what's wrong with my car (when I pick it up they even show me my old 

parts!)teach me how things work and never belittle me because I am a 

woman. They have the SAAB factory scan tool I think it's called a Tech2 

from what they have said not many shops have this tool in the Twin 

Cities. 

The other thing that is great is the Car Care Club Card it has all kinds 

of great offers and saves me gobs of money on my repairs and 

maintenance! 

If you are looking for a shop that is helpful and knows what they are 

doing when it comes to  SAAB's you'll be happy you chose them I know I 

am!

Oh by the way they were just voted best auto repair shop in Minneapolis 

and St. Paul by Citysearch.com!

Submitted by A. Morgan

SVS, Inc.

2231 W. Superior St.

Duluth

(218) 729-4788

Owned by Mark Strohm who has over 35 years of experience 

repairing Saabs. His son, Phil Strohm, is the other technician.

Submitted by Tim Winker

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