[Sahil]

Services offered:

Repair/Service of any kind

What I like:

- Mr.Sunil Shanbhag is probably one of the most honest and nicest chaps around. He wins your trust in the first conversation itself and never lets go of that.

- Very straight forward approach, he lets you know whats best for your car and your pocket. If he isn't confident of getting a job done, he will advice you to take it to the dealer or himself take it there for you.

- Attention to detail, he finds mistakes and rattles even before you know they existed.

- Being a well educated and experienced automobile engineer, he certainly knows his job.

- He has maintained several of our cars since the past 15 years.

- His mechanics are well trained and he personally looks into every job too.

What I don't like:

- His garage looks very shabby and over packed.

- You don't exactly get the dealership experience where your car comes back smelling like new and shining with a free coat of tyre foam. You might experience some grease stains and smell in the interiors after.

Pricing:

He is not exactly cheap, but be rest assured he wont rip you off

USP:

He maintains several of Gautam Singhania's project as well as imported cars. Not like I car about this as long as my average car gets a good treatment. But posting it here since some might find this a USP.
For me his USP is HONESTY

Location:

Contact Person : Sunil Shanbhag
Contact no: 2414.9910 / 98338.85868
Address : #129 A, Dadasaheb Phalke Marg, Dadar East, Mumbai - 400 014.

Landmark : In the lane that starts from NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology). Drive into this lane about .75 kms, and the yellow gate/entry to his garage will come up on the right.



Enter this gate..


The garage

[GTO]

Shanbagh is the absolute best independent from Bombay. Unbelievable honest (a rare breed), uses only original parts, willing to repair instead of replacing (wherever possible) and tunes engines / suspensions like no other. Has amazing motorsports experience. I've seen Lotus' & Honda S2000s in his garage, as well as regular Toyota Corollas and even a Chinkara! My cars have been going to Sunil'uncle since over a decade. He knows his machines inside out.

Pricing : Premium. If you are looking at a cheap solution, don't visit Select Auto. The man performs the highest quality work and justifiably charges the same.

There's only one thing I don't like : Each time that I visit him, its a 2.5 hours visit . 30 minutes on my car, 120 minutes on all other cars! This man is a data center of knowledge & ever willing to share what he knows.

[navin]

I have had my Skoda Octavia vRS serviced by Sunil.

Yes the place is shabby but the man is honest and an honest mechanic is very rare.

My comfort level with him is such that I leave the car with him whenever I travel aborad so he can check and change parts (before they fail) at HIS discretion. I call it preventive maintainance.

[scooby05]

This is great news! I didnt know He was still running His Garage!
He was very famous in our Rallying times, the duo He and Baccha Deshpande, and the latter Expired, so.
Will surely like to try him out. Very straight Forward.

[yogi1771]

Thanks for the info guys never knew about him though I stay a few minutes from his garage.Got the fuel pump work done of my Fiesta at his place just day before yesterday.A gentleman and a genuine guy.

[raul]

Totally agree, I went to him first an year and a half ago on GTOs recommendation and he is an absolute gentleman. He knows his work and is totally straight forward. A true find in this day and age, someone you can just trust. He's taken care of my car since. And he goes out of his way often to get things done.

If you are the kind who is too fussy and unable to trust people he may not be the right person. He is too much of a gentleman to subject to that kind of thing, you have to be a gentleman with him.

[yogi1771]

Got the Fiesta serviced and had some minor work to be done as well,as said earlier by GTO " uses only original parts, willing to repair instead of replacing (wherever possible)",saved me quite a few bucks by repairing parts instead of replacing it.The job done was excellent

The only con i would say as regards to A.S.S,does take a few days to return the car I got my car after 6 days,but would like to say that time taken was due to repairing parts instead of replacing it.

[R.P.M]

+1 for Select Auto:

My Mondeo and Indica are serviced by him. He is extremely knowledgable and trustworthy. Little bit on the higher side but dont mind paying extra for his service.

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear all - it is indeed nice to see my good friend "Sunil Shanbhag" on the forum. "Select Auto Works" brings back many memories. I have the honour and privilege of knowing him since 1982. I have spent endless hours in his garage, working on our rally fiats / race cars, chatting away through the night with him, alongwith Vasant Patki (MMD6300 - a rally prepared Padmini), Nachi Patel (MFC1560 - a rally prepared Gypsy), Vijay Pitale and most important, our Guru, the Late Mr.Adi Malgham, a walking talking encyclopedia who taught us complex stuff like how to set up a race car with a space frame and also the basic stuff of how to tune an engine with a twin carburettor set up. Sunil had the Herald engined race car MMD2244.

Sunil and I, alongwith Farad Bhathena did the Himalayan Rally in 1983. We won the second national award. I am attaching three pictures of the same. The first picture shows me sitting in the car with Sunil in the striped shirt standing next to me. The second picture shows us holding the trophy which Mr.Buta Singh presented to us. The third picture shows us entering National Stadium at the end of the rally.

So Guys - oh my God, how we have enjoyed our passion. Today with all sorts of electronic gizmos + facebook + twitter at your command, I doubt whether you are enjoying to the extent that we did. By writing this, do I sound "ancient" (as my sons now call me)? Not at all. I am only 23 years old and I have no intention to exceed 25. My physical age does not matter.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[kavesh55]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear all Sunil and I, alongwith Farad Bhathena did the Himalayan Rally in 1983. We won the second national award. I am attaching three pictures of the same. The first picture shows me sitting in the car with Sunil in the striped shirt standing next to me. The second picture shows us holding the trophy which Mr.Buta Singh presented to us. The third picture shows us entering National Stadium at the end of the rally.


Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

In the picture you look like young Cyrus. As always, let the information flow.

[ronk]

Just gave my car for some repair work at select auto. Must say its a pleasure talking to Shanbaug uncle. After visiting apex honda and car nation, i finally felt at peace after showing the car at select auto. Very to the point, has a repair option for a lot of parts unlike the use and throw approach by dealers. Must say, they identify the problems with the car very very well!
Now waiting for the final estimate and to see the quality of work. However, having read the reviews here, am quite sure i won't be dissappointed.

[dipen]

Originally Posted by ronk

Just gave my car for some repair work at select auto. Must say its a pleasure talking to Shanbaug uncle. After visiting apex honda and car nation, i finally felt at peace after showing the car at select auto. Very to the point, has a repair option for a lot of parts unlike the use and throw approach by dealers. Must say, they identify the problems with the car very very well!
Now waiting for the final estimate and to see the quality of work. However, having read the reviews here, am quite sure i won't be disappointed.

How did the work go. All reviews hint towards "quality job, honesty in work, parts, repairs and justified premium pricing". How does all the above translate into figures. Could you share details of work done, pricing, quality of work to help get an idea.

[ronk]

Well the garage work is finally done. The car is old, and it did pop up a few surprises.

Regarding the garage, Sunil Shanbaug oversees every job and pays personal attention to us customers which is great. But that brings with it the problem of time! e also personally tests each car during diff stages of repair.

With regards to the quality of job done, its really good. Sunil ji's attention to detail is fantastic and he ensures every lil mention of a problem is sorted out.

As far as expenses go - it is not cheap, he insists on originals and resorts to substitutes only if originals are not available after a thorough search. It is definitely cheaper than a honda service station, their quote was way way more, and they did not even identify some severe glaring issues.

The only issue with select is that it is slightly under manned and due to the lack of space, they take a while to sort out the car. Mine was there for a total of almost a month now. But if you insist, he speeds up the process as much as possible.

Car is polished and thoroughly cleaned (interior & exterior) before returning, and it has that tinge of a garage smell which i love.

Best part - interactions with Sunil Ji and the mechanics is really pleasing. They are all very friendly and willing to explain in detail.

Bottom line for me is - this is a great place to get you car repaired from if you have time on your hand. Works out real well for older cars because he actually gets parts repaired if possible and also fabricated at times.

[saurabhkum]

I used Sunil Sir services 2 months back . Firstly I used it for my OHC Vtec and then for my Hyundai Accent. I'm extremely happy with the services and the work which was carried out by him. He checks all the work personally that's why the time required is little more. Cost wise I don't find it high, his charges are much lower than authorised service centers. You can always sit with him and chat for long and you won't be disappointed.
My Vtec needed axle bearing replacement and I was unable to take the car to his workshop, he send his mechanics to get the job done. Got the axle bearing repaired and then fixed at my place itself.
A very honest , absolute gentle man.

[rikhav]

Spoke to Mr Sunil

He has the cam locking tools which is very important for replacing timing belts in a Fiat 1.6 engine