Swedish Auto Service

It pays to go to a specialist!
I had been going back multiple times to the nearby tire and repair place, and after the 3^rd problem, decided to take it to Swedish Auto Service instead. I should have just gone here in the first place, because NOTHING compares to taking your car to someone who has seen cars just like it day in and day out. For one problem, they said «They just did A and B? You need to replace C and D at the same time.» And the problem was solved! For a small leak, the tire/​repair place wanted to rent (and charge me for) a smoke machine to trace it, but SAS said «Let’s try replacing the gas cap first, that usually works.» And sure enough it did! I would have saved SO much time and money if I had just come here first.

This is a true experience … Sitting in Citibank parking lot in the pouring rain with Walter putting in a new battery for my car… Called and asked him for assistance as my car would not start. He walked me through trying to get it to start and then drove here with a jump starter to get it to the shop… No luck. He just brought the battery and replaced it so I did not have to wait as I had an appointment .
This is his normal kind!!! above and beyond service… He is truly one of a kind
THANK YOU !!! Walter you are truly a generous soul.
He always honest and you can count on him to tell you only what needs to be done!

Highly recommend bringing your Volvo here! I had brought my S70 in for a brake light question & the gentleman actually took the time to understand the problem & literally got his hands dirty right then & there to fix the problem & explained to me what it is. He said he can offer to fix it but also wasn’t pushy like others that want you to use their shop. I was in an accident with the car & he offered shops & companies that might carry the replacement parts I needed. Offered to pay him for the help & he said it was his pleasure & refused the money. (Left it anyways) but don’t see that kind of service to often anymore! Thanks again

One of the rare trustworthy auto-​repair shop. Walter is great.

What fantastic service. The first couple of times I stopped by here were for very small things — I needed help replacing one of my headlight bulbs, and the second time I had scratched up my tire and wanted an opinion on whether it needed replaced. In both of these instances, Walter dropped what he was doing, stepped outside and helped me on the spot, for no charge.
Walter is professional, super friendly, and very knowledgeable — I feel really good entrusting him with the care of my C30. :)
To top it all off, the price of regular service has been super reasonable, especially when compared with the official Volvo dealerships.

Walter, the owner, is everything you’d want in a human being, much less your auto mechanic. Humility, honesty, sincerely, and friendliness are just a few of his outstanding characteristics, not to mention ethical and competent. I’ve never had a «Friend» as a personal go to auto mechanic before I met Walter. I’ve been going to Swedish Auto for over 15 years. I’ve never doubted Walter’s commitment to keeping my Volvos and my family safe. His friendly and very capable support staff is tops.

These people are the best. Like many other reviewers here, I found Walter to be honest and knowledgeable on issues involving my aging Volvo S90. My highest recommendation is without qualification.

I love Walter. He knows Volvos, inside and out. I brought my 2001 V40 in because kept stalling while idling. He tried and tried to repeat the problem, but couldn’t. He called me and said it could only be one of two things, or possibly both, causing the problem. He explained the fix was $ 750 including parts and labor, and if that did not fix my problem he would honor the $ 750 toward additional work instead. I have not had a stalling incident since. Great service.

Thanks to Swedish Auto we drive a flawless 2001 Volvo — now at 257,000 miles — that has had better than factory service since they began servicing the car at 89,000 miles. Walter, the service manager, is a gem. The experience and knowledge they bring to the work they do translates to trustworthy service and fair pricing.

I think their heart is in the right place and Walter could give a clinic on Customer Service. he’s the nicest guy. Before I bought my used Volvo, they told me to leave it with them for a day and they’d go through it free and tell me if it was mechanically sound — and worth buying. They had history with this car. I did and they said it was good to go. The car was back in that shop once a month — at least — for the next four months and a couple times after that. The biggest thing was an incessant rumbling noise at initial acceleration the first month I had it. They never mentioned a thing about it. I thought it was a heat deflector. It was AWD. It burned up and left me stranded for three days. $ 4K estimate to fix that. Later $ 500 to replace a starter and they said NOT to use a REMAN because they are unreliable. The new starter burned up a week later… and left me stranded out of town for two days. But it was under warranty and they shipped another starter to a shop where I was. It was a REMAN starter.
Lastly — $ 170/​hr = labor rate. Yikes!
I think these guys are good. My Volvo may simply be biggest piece of garbage to roll on four wheels. And I wish they somehow could have told me that. Looks good, though. ;-)

I feel like I’ve been owing them a 5 star review for a very long time.
My family has been coming here for as long as we’ve had Volvos and have always been more than pleased with the results.
One quick anecdote: While driving through Fresno, I hit a bump and lost my drain plug and four liters of oil all over the highway (not their fault — they don’t change my oil). I called SAS and spoke with the owner, Walter. He overnighted me the following: a drain plug, a new filter, and some solvent to clear out any of the havoc that driving without oil might’ve caused… and he did it for free. No cost.
I can’t tell you how loyal I feel to this business, but they earned every bit of it.
Prices are on the expensive side of fair and the staff is friendly and competent.

I had a car that I was considering fixing and after finding out that the car had repairs outside of what I wanted to do I decided to sell it. I was going to have it detailed and some repairs done. Swedish Auto, gave me honest feedback that, all though did not make them money showed me the character that this auto repair company has. They are the best auto repair company I have ever had the pleasure of connecting with. If you own a volvo and want honest, hardworking, great people/​mechanics working on your vehicle look no further –Swedish Auto Service is by far the best! I dealt with Walter and could not give a better reference– 5 stars all the way *****!!!
Jennifer

I have been going to Swedish Auto Service for about 16 years. They have serviced my 3 Volvos: a 1987 240 sedan, a 1988 240 station wagon, and a 1998 V70. I just purchased a 2006 V70 and they will be servicing that as well.
During that time, the ownership changed but the quality of the service remained the same. The mechanics at Swedish Auto really seem to know their Volvos well. I always felt that they Swedish Auto was honest and fair in their pricing for repairs.
When Swedish Auto Service fixes something, they usually hit the nail on the head first time. Often they invent creative ways to diagnose and isolate a problem to a specific component. They always warranty their work as well.
I regularly meet people in the lobby who have been going to Swedish auto for many years because they have been very pleased with the quality and fairness of the service.
If you need to drop off your car and get a ride to your job, they have a service that will accommodate you.
The service they offer, in fact, goes above and beyond the call of duty. I told Walter I was going to sell my 1998 V70 because I had bought the 2006 V70 and Walter says he might know another customer who could buy my older V70. They went through the trouble of making multiple calls to the customer so we could arrange for them to see the car. This type of personal touch is why I keep returning to Swedish Auto Service.

You can read in another review that I have been really loyal to another shop, until Volvo specific items come up for our S60. When that happens, we make a beeline to Campbell and have the car diagnosed and serviced there. I must say that they are kind to us, despite taking the car for fluid and regular lighter service to the other shop.
The entire staff is competent, from the phone, to reception, and then speaking to the mechanics. The fees are very fair, especially for getting things repaired right on the first try. We have dropped the car off with a burnt out signaling lamp & forgotten to mention it, but gotten the car back with the light replaced and no fee. There are some nice, courteous touches like that here.
They get five stars for taking our concerns so seriously, good execution, and follow through.

Good service at a good price. It took a little longer than expected because his computer went down (couldn’t download firmware) but they apologized and took some of the labor off due to the wait.

I have been servicing my Volvo at Swedish Auto Service for several years. Their work has always been excellent. Walter and the front office staff are knowledgeable and attentive. Sometimes I had to challenge them on some choices that were pricier than I expected. Having a 10+ year old car means that I do not mind going for the knock-​off part instead of the Volvo original :) Regardless, I found to be honest, professional and knowledgeable and by far the best Volvo shop I have ever dealt with.

My family and I have been bringing our four Volvos to Swedish since 1987. I would refer my best friend and my own children to these professionals. The key word is trust… I trust them for honest evaluations, fair prices and true concern for maintaining your Volvo in a reliable and safe manner. Other shops might also be good, but in nearly 25 years I have never been given reason to go anywhere else!

My family has been going here for our Volvos since 1988. First with Frank and now with Walter, you get the best car advice available without the upsell service pressure. The prices are fair on both parts and labor and their experienced mechanics are top notch. They just do more for you. If my mom needs a bulb changed or something simple she just stops by and Walter will take care of it right now and for no charge. I work on cars myself a bit and one of their master mechanics actually let me borrow some of his service manual materials to get the job done right. They’re just nice helpful people with tons of specialized Volvo experience. What more could you ask for really. Good source for original equipment parts too.

They go the extra mile and know how to manage and exceed your expectations. I have a feeling they’re on the pricey side, but you def get what you pay for.

Swedish Auto is a great value. The no-​frills location is a stark contrast to local volvo dealers service centers, but I don’t really want to be paying for a great waiting room. Walter (and Frank, up until his retirement) takes good care of you and your car. Walter, the manager makes sure you understand which repairs are needed and why and which repairs are preventative and can wait if needed.
Walter and the mechanics make this place a terrific value.