North Westy

While I’ve not had the pleasure of working directly with North Westy on account of being on the other side of the country, I do own a van that they Subaru converted back in 2015.

I have been absolutely blown away by Kirk’s willingness to support and back up his work by helping me troubleshoot gremlins with my van over the phone. I have never known a shop to stand by their work so fiercely and I can’t recommend NW enough because of it.

Had a great experience here the other day on my way south from Canada. There were a number of items I wanted to do to my van, including installing a new Renogy DC-DC MPPT, and I got some great advice and assistance from Maverick.

Definitely recommend stopping by for your Vanagon needs. Super friendly and knowledgeable staff!

Thanks again for all the help!

This past winter, I had Kirk and his team do an engine swap in my 86 syncro westy. They put in a 2.0 Boxeer TDI kit and shipped out my transaxle for a rebuild. Kandyce and the team also helped me process my old engine and get it shipped out to a buyer so that I didn't have to bring it home with me.

About a week after I got the van back, I had an issue with 4th gear slipping and not engaging. This is where the unbelievable customer service started. I called Kirk and explained the issue to him, he decided it was best that we not drive the van until we get the trans out and see why 4th wasn't engaging. He personally drove 4 hours south to where I live to help me take the trans out and bring it back up to his rebuilder in Renton. He warrantied the 4th gear issue. Then he drove the trans back down to me and helped me install and test drive it to ensure everything was good to go.

Kirk is hands down the nicest and most helpful shop owner I've ever dealt with, and arguably one of the most knowledgable Vanagon connoisseurs on the planet. I highly recommend these guys for an engine swap. I'm a couple thousand miles in on my swap and Kirk has helped me with every little hiccup I've had so far. Unbelievable customer service.

I just bought my very first vanagon and came here for parts and a 100 point inspection. Kirk the owner came out and talked to me, test drove my van to give me feedback, and then let me drive his personal van to see the difference. That level of customer service will definitely make me a repeat customer

Ordered a set of ARB awning brackets to Canada (having read good things about them on The Samba) and Kirk and Ella sure went above and beyond with great personalized service, helping me overcome UPS's obstructionist rude banditry on outrageous import fees. The brackets are a work of art - I assume the fabricator went to such lengths just to shame my own welding skills. Very excited to get the awning on my Vanagon so that I stop tripping over it in the living room in the middle of the night. Superb customer service and really prompt help when I needed it. Will be back for more stuff as the US/Cdn exchange rate allows!

Went to order the awning brackets, but UPS shipping to Alaska came to $50. Emailed to inquire about shipping w/ USPS instead and Ella reached out and due to her willingness to go the extra step, we were able to arrange shipping for $20 (+ WA state tax). It arrived in 3 days and the brackets are working out great!

The sweet Westy air freshener, sticker and thank you note really sealed the deal.

Thanks to North Westy for being a great shop with knowledgeable staff. I brought my 85 vanagon (with a Subaru conversion) to them with a starter issue and they were able to diagnose it on the spot and helped me get back on the road within no time. Did I mention they are family owned and operated? Kirk (owner) was super down to earth and understands the passion we all have for these vans. 10/10 would recommend checking this place out.

Kirk and his team treated us like family and went above and beyond to restore and upgrade my 1982 Vanagon Westy. Good work is worth the wait. We are looking forward to many new adventures in our van!

The guys at north westy are top notch! I came down from Canada and they immediately accommodated me to get me back on the road as soon as possible. I upgraded tires, truck mirrors, and new head lights and among other things. The guys are super knowledgeable, honest and take pride in their work. They take the time to talk to you and their customer service is wonderful. Kirk has a great business model and parts are local. I'll definitely be back and highly recommend this shop.
Thanks guys

Northwesty owner Kirk Meeks knows these Vans extensively and has years and years of experience. He loves what he does and is genuinely excited about the vision and course you want to take your vehicle in, but also gives you guidance and advice. Cote and Eric are professional shop techs, are willing to talk about the work being performed to your Vanagon and are also friendly and personable.

I first learned of the existence of Vanagon 4WD's when I conducted a fire inspection of Kirk's shop. He showed me around and informed me of how awesome these vans were. Since then, I spent 2 years looking for, and finally finding one. Kirk performed a hard top-pop top conversion for me and has given me countless amounts patient advice and help in my very slow moving restoration. Though I don't see him socially, from the day I bought my van, through leaving the local fire department, Kirk has always made me feel like a friend rather than a customer or someone who had a measure of authority over his business due to my job. I can't imagine knowing anyone or any business I would recommend more than Kirk and NorthWesty.

North Westy is a shining star in the fabric of Westfalia maintenance and culture in the Pacific Northwest.

I recently bought an '87 Westy and found that there was more work to be done on it than the seller advertised. North Westy has been so available, so helpful, and well supplied with everything that I've needed to make my purchase worthwhile.

The owner and staff are all terrific, and have been accommodating to my frequent dumb questions- because unlike many shops they actually foster the DIY spirit of their customers. I can't say enough good things about them. Simply put.. I highly recommend this shop.

If you have a Westy and need either work, or parts- definitely give them a call. I feel incredibly lucky to have a store like North Westy here in our city!

Cheers!

They're great. Hands down. I just bought a vanagon up north and traveling south it started breaking apart, to put it lightly. North Westy was obviously super busy but gave me tools out of their shop and parts I needed. I was in a pinch, trying to get about 300 miles south, and out of everyone along the way, and in fact let me say, in years, they were the most helpful folks I've come across. Many thanks. Oh yeah and.. go there.

North Westy goes above and beyond! Everyone at this shop is so kind, caring and genuine. They have experienced and knowledgeable staff. Great prices and high quality work!

I think everyone who owns a VW can say their vehicle is a little more than just a vehicle. So finding a place I trust with my irreplaceable baby has been difficult. I absolutely trust North Westy and will be coming to them for all my future Vanagon needs.

North Westy exceeds expectations! ❤❤

Great Vanagon shop! Was passing through town and needed a couple items, they got the order in and I picked up with no hassle a few days later. They even offered to do a quick look over of my van before we headed out on the second leg of our trip and they quickly fixed some hanging coolant lines at no charge. Solid folks, if you have a Westfalia/Vanagon, this is the place to come!

Kirk and all of the staff at Northwesty were awesome to deal with. They have a wealth of knowledge on vw vans, and can fix anything.
We were able to find all the parts we needed, including odd ball parts for the stove and fridge on our 83'.

They let us work on our van in the parking lot, and even lent us tools and gave us pizza! A great company to do business with.

Our 1988 Vanagon had some CV Joint trouble on a recent road trip from Idaho to Seattle. I had been checking North Westy out online after some fellow Vanagon friends pointed them out a year ago.
North Westy was friendly, and responsive at all phases. They squeezed us in on a busy line-up, and completed the work in a timely manner. Once the CV work was done, they informed me of some basic upgrades to the original fuel, and brake lines, they discovered on the inspection, that they recommended I consider replacing. I took their advice. They showed me the parts they replaced, and after seeing what 25 years on the road does to rubber and plastic, I was very happy to have upgraded to stainless steel. We made the trip back to Idaho with no problems.

In my discussion with the owner, and some of the staff, they are clearly talented, and care about doing a good job. If I ever land a cash windfall, I look forward to writing a review after we hire them to re-paint/seal the exterior, and possibly a transmission, and engine upgrade.

This place is the only van shop you should consider if you want the job done correctly and at a great price. You get what you pay for and when you take your beloved van to Kirk and the NW crew, you'll know that it's in good hands. I recently did a DIY air-cooled Vanagon to Subaru 2.2 conversion and had the support of NWesty the entire time. When I needed advice and parts on major points in the conversion I got that and more. Give them a call and visit the shop, you won't be disappointed.

NorthWesty were very responsive to a request for their ARB awning bracket and got back to me as soon as they were available. Assisted with the shipping to Canada and received it promptly. Hope to get down to their shop once travel restrictions are removed.

Brought in my Westy to have it tuned. Kirk and Eric, and their team had it done same day. They identified additional items, and clearly explained their importance and cost. Eric reminded me that these special vehicles are investments. He’s absolutely right. They’re good for the soul.