I had previously recommended Karmakanik in Berkeley as
a good shop run by an experienced vanagon/syncro
mechanic, with reasonable rates.  Allow me to withdraw
that endorsement and say that I have heard of
unpleasant experiences with the shop as of late,
including from a friend whom I sent to Karmakanic.  His
van sat unworked on for months, when it was finally
worked on, the interior was trashed and some of the
work was never done and some was done poorly.  Another
person reported an apparent botched drive shaft rebuild
attempt.

Maybe these were isolated experiences, but the one
involving my friend was truly hideous, so I feel i have
to warn people since i used to sing the shop's
praises.