About
GaragePass is a membership auto shop in Oakland. You pay monthly, you book a lift by the hour, and everything else is already there: tools, fluid disposal, advice, community.
Why this exists
There are a lot of people in the Bay Area who know how to work on their own cars and have nowhere to do it. Apartment parking prohibits it. Landlords object. Street work means kneeling on asphalt in fading light with a jack you do not fully trust.
The default alternative is paying a shop $150–$200 an hour for labour you are entirely capable of performing. That is not a skills problem. It is a space and equipment problem, and it is a solvable one.
The word gets used loosely, so here is the specific version: free monthly events, a members' Discord that is genuinely active, a members' lounge in progress, and, most usefully, a decent chance that whoever is in the next bay has already done the job you are attempting.
We run events aimed at people who have been made to feel unwelcome in traditional automotive spaces, including “Ladies Under the Hood”. Beginners are not merely tolerated here; every new member gets lift safety training before their first booking.
GaragePass was founded by Abraham Barkhordar and operates as GARAGEPASS LLC from 950 77th Ave in Oakland, right off the 880. It is the first shop of hopefully many. A second location is planned for San Jose in Q4 2026 / Q1 2027.
Hours never expire. They roll over indefinitely with no cap, because charging people for time they did not use is a bad way to run something that calls itself a community. There are no long-term contracts and you can cancel at any time.
Memberships start at $60/mo. Come see the shop first: tours are free and there's no pressure.
