I trust Bob, Adam, Jake and the rest of the guys like I would trust family. I have been a customer at Phoenix since 2010 for both routine maintenance (fluids, brakes, etc.) and more intensive repairs (head gaskets, driveshafts, etc.). Yes, they really know their stuff when it comes to imports. But equally important is the following: They listen to you. They respect you and they keep you transparently informed of what is going on with your vehicle. And that's regardless of your gender - they treat my wife exactly the same when she less frequently goes in with her car alone. Bob never recommends work that doesn't need to be done. And he will also tell you when *not* addressing an issue will cost you more dearly in the long-run. When he or his guys do the work, they do a thorough job. Simply put, Phoenix is on your side from the moment you walk through the door. I've never had any real issues with the work they've done. Only once did I need a little adjustment to a chirpy brake pad shim. But they'll own up to those very infrequent errors, and never make you feel guilty for an offer they extend to make something right. I honestly can't even say that much about my dealership experiences with Honda and Subaru here in town. I've never left those places completely satisfied with the experience. Speaking of dealerships, you should understand going in that this isn't a flashy new place in some trendy suburban area: there aren't TVs with cable, plush chairs and aquariums full of tropical fish. But there's a bench, some plants, and an old radio usually tuned to public radio. Whenever possible you'll want to call and make an appointment, and you might be looking a few days ahead, maybe a week when they're really slammed. Their labor rates are on par with other shops in Madison (which is high when you compare it to everywhere else you've lived in your life... everything is more in Madison). This is your dad's repair shop: looks and smells slightly greasy, but full of exceptionally personable and trustworthy people taking care of one of your biggest expenses/headaches in life. read more

There is nowhere else in Madison to take your foreign car for repairs. Bob, Adam, and the crew at Phoenix Foreign Car Specialists not only do EXCELLENT work, but their level of customer service will exceed your expectations. I "inherited" a 1996 Volvo 850 that obviously needed brake work, but I wasn't sure if investing any money in what would be my young family's sole car was worth it. Based on the glowing reviews of Phoenix, I brought my car in to get checked out. When he saw my car, Bob actually remembered it from working on it for the previous owner years ago! I told him I hadn't invested anything in the vehicle, but wanted to know if fixing the car up would be worth it in the long run. Bob assured me that their top priority is prolonging the life of each Volvo for as long as possible, with safety being their guiding priority. Very reassuring given we'd be hauling our 6-month old daughter around in it for a while. I dropped the car off a week later, and after inspection he assured me my Volvo had plenty of life left in it, but needed new brake pads and rotors. He gave me a couple of options and had the work done the next day. When I went to pick up my car, he informed me he had done a general safety inspection, replaced some cracked hoses and the light bulbs above the license plate, for free! Bob informed me that he'd be keeping an eye out for a matching hub cap and front headlight, as mine were missing and cracked, respectively. I've brought my old Volvo in there every time something has come up (bad door latch, service engine light, the list goes on) and every time Bob approaches me with the same exceptional level of customer service I received that first time. His levels of service and care, and that of all of the great employees at Phoenix Foreign Car Service, are what have made me a customer for as long as I'm in Madison! read more

This place oozes "customer service". Correction: oozes "Caring about the customer". I found Bob and Phoenix when I was looking for someone to do a pre-purchase inspection of a used Toyota that I was interested in purchasing from a Madison non-Toyota dealership. I searched on-line and looked at the various mechanic ratings. I live out of town and wanted to get it done the next day. Local Toyota dealers were quoting a one week wait to do the inspection. Bob scheduled me in the next day even thought they were really busy. When I arrived for the inspection, Bob asked what I knew about it's history, if I was aware of any recalls, what kind of price they were asking, how many miles it had on it etc. He was clearly interested in doing more than just an inspection. He wanted to help me make a good purchasing decision. He then took me out and walked through the car with me, explaining what he was looking for and why. That included putting the car up on the hoist and going over everything under the car, the wheels, brakes, tires, etc. What I appreciated about his shop in the rapport they have with each other. He asked one of his co-workers to call a friend that works for a Toyota dealership to check on the particular model year and any known issues with it. While I had already extensively researched the model year, it was clear he wanted to be as thorough as possible. The way I was treated, the kind of service I received and the price I was charged made me definitely want to do business with Bob and his team again. They were extremely reasonable and the service/professionalism was absolutely fabulous. It was just a really pleasant experience. read more

So I don't know a thing about cars. All I know was one day my AC stopped working on a scorching hot day and my radio refused to play the bumpin' music that made my commute to work bearable. Apparently, I had blown a fuse--a minor problem with an extremely simple fix. How simple? Well, the mechanic, Bob, must have literally taken less than a minute to fix it. Imagine how naive I felt when I realized I could have totally done what he had done myself. However, he remained attentive to the issue and was even nice enough to take the time to entertain my questions about how to prevent the fuse from blowing out again. Here's the icing on the cake though: I had to insist on buying a spare in order to even pay for the service done! I mean, I didn't expect it to be overly expensive or complicated but I definitely did not expect to get the help I got for free. Overall, I would say my experience here was definitely a positive one. I got more than enough help with my small fuse problem; I can only imagine how helpful the people that work here would be with more serious auto repairs--all I know is that if that ever happens, I know where I'm going to go to get it fixed! read more

Bob really is a life saver! I called and asked for help from this place first. Bob told me that they were quite busy and have me numbers of other shops that I can call because I needed to get home that day (I'm from out of state). When I realized none of the other places could take me, I called back to see if there were any other suggestions he may have for me. Instead of just giving me a "sorry" he told me to come in and he would take a look. The man was about to go on his lunch and he looked at the car anyway! This place seems like they actually care about the people who call, which is rare in this industry. Without them, I very well may still be stuck where I was. I cannot express how happy I was with my experience. If it was possible for me to drive back whenever I had car issues, I would. That is how amazing this place was to me. I cannot express my thankfulness to Bon, and I surely cannot recommend this place highly enough. I would think it's safe to say that not a single person has ever taken their car to this shop and left unhappy. Amazing experience, and I can't thank them enough. read more

I may have found out about Phoenix on Yelp, for all I know, but I am very glad I found Bob and Adam and the other great folks there. I have an older but usually peppy Volvo. I have been to at least four if not more foreign car repair places in Madison who work on Volvos--there aren't that many. One was ok, one was grossly overpriced--on and on. I searched and searched for a reliable Volvo repair place over issues with my transmission oil. Two or three places said my car had no dipstick for t-oil. Someone told me how it had to be fixed "right" by dropping the pan, but nobody wanted to do it that way until I found Bob. Bob said, "It does too have a dipstick. You just have to know where it is." Bob said he'd be glad to work on it but don't let anyone blow out the lines--it needs to be done by dropping the pan." I knew I had the right place then. I've gone there ever since. Prices are fair, customer service (kindness) has been fabulous. I am not related to these people and I tell you true of my experience. I couldn't be happier. read more

I found Phoenix after my 2001 Volvo's check engine light came on for the 3rd time this year and I didn't want to pay what I knew the dealership was going to charge me just to diagnose the problem. Bob offered to read the code do a visual inspection to see if he could tell what was wrong that same day. He tried really hard to save me money, which is opposite of my experience at the Volvo dealership - Bob cleaned the offending part to see if that helped, and when it turned out I needed a new part instead he was able to install it as soon as it came in the next day even though his week was really busy. He also did an oil change and gave me a head's up on what I'll need to replace/fix soon on my aging car and recommended another local shop that could save me a lot of money by repairing instead of replacing a major part. I will definitely be taking my Volvo back here next time it breaks down (which is definitely happening)! read more

My family has been taking cars to Phoenix since 1968, and they have always come through with honest, quality service -- and often a bit of charm thrown in. Bob is the most amazing mechanic I've ever met. He has taken care of my 1996 850 Volvo for five years now. He gives a careful and well-reasoned diagnosis, and once the job is done, he is eager to teach me about the repair. He is also strong on preventive care. Just tonight, he gave me a 20-minute lesson in how to use and recharge my new self-start jumper battery. Marlene is an office goddess who not only manages the books, but also turns a mere car repair shop into a humming and drumming spot for beautiful plants, good food and great conversation. And I have to mention that the prices at Phoenix are quite competitive. Finally, I really like it that when I back up to leave, they wave good-bye. read more

If ever there was a godlike auto mechanic operation on this earth, it's the shop over at PFCS. Bob (head mechanic extraordinairre) is incredibly smart and caring, Marlene (who *really* runs things) makes you feel like family, and the rest of the staff is more than courteous and polite. I've been a client for over 10 years and have NEVER been anything short of GRATEFUL, AMAZED, and IMPRESSED by the professionalism, honesty, and expert care I'm given each time I have to bring one of my beastly old Toyotas in! Bob always leaves each visit with a "I love seeing you, but I don't expect I'll have to see you again for a while, which is the way it should be." And he always personally gives a follow up call the next day after pick up to make sure all is operating smoothly. Thank you Bob, Marlene, Harry et al! I am your client for LIFE! Chariti Gent Madison, WI read more

Best foreign car mechanic in Madison. I'd taken my '96 Subaru Legacy to a few other mechanics in town before discovering Phoenix Foreign Car online and reading the great reviews. The reviews don't lie. Everyone there is beyond friendly, caring, and upfront, and prices are incredibly reasonable. I brought by Subaru in for an inspection a few weeks ago before making a drive to the west coast. I expected to leave my car for the day and drop 100 bucks or so for the work. Instead, the inspection only took about 15 minutes, they didn't charge me a cent, and they even fed me and my mom breakfast while we waited (AND sent us home with some tomatoes grown on their property!). Good people at Phoenix who do great, honest, and timely work. Wish I could have taken them to the west coast with me! read more

This shop is the greatest! Just picked up my money-pit Volvo. A $1500 part recalled by Volvo needed to be replaced. It was out of the recall period by 6 months --- 6 months, even though it was well within mileage. FIELD'S refused....REFUSED to help. But not Bob at Phoenix .... First, he is the one to tell me about the recall and encouraged me to check. When they refused he had a part he thought would be adequate. He did the work at a FRACTION of what Field's was going to charge. And the car works great. There is a lot to love about my Volvo -- and a lot to hate. But, with the great and honest mechanics at this shop I will continue to drive this car into the ground! Thanks! You guys are the best! read more

I almost don't want to tell anyone about this place because they are so amazing and I don't want it to be any harder to get in to see them. Yes, they (Bob, in my case) took me under my hoisted car and pointed things out to me, in a "here's some things you should know" kinda way, not at all condescending. He explained options and let me know about potential problems coming up (replace my tires, soon, for one). I hung out in the "lobby" until they were done, chatting with the friendly employees. As a woman, I'm used to trying to hide my ignorance, partly because I worry about being taken advantage of when talking to mechanics. None of that here and I am so grateful to feel like I can trust them. read more

The BEST mechanics in the world. They are honest and do great work. I have been bringing my 1989 Volvo there for the last year, just for preventative maintenance. He only does the work that is required, and does a great job explaining to you how best to take care of your car and make it run and last longer. I really can't say enough good things about them. I even got fed a delicious bagel with cream cheese and fresh basil and roasted tomatoes there this morning. They treat everyone like family. The place came highly recommended to me and for good reason. Bob, and the rest of the Phoenix team, are simply incredible. read more

This place is absolutely amazing. Rather than trying to figure out how much money they can squeeze out of you, the try to fix your car right, as inexpensively as possible. They specialize in imports- a look around the lot will reveal all vintages of Volvos, Saabs, Audis, BMWs, some Japanese cars and even a few Citroen. If you have a Ford Taurus, this is probably not the garage for you. Also- their demeanor is classic "Madison." They have art hanging on the walls, and are as pleasant as can be. This is the best car service garage I have ever done business with. read more

This place is honestly "as good as it gets!" I can't say enough fantastic things about all the men at Phoenix. I had been dealing with a very marginal mechanic prior to being referred here and I don't ever want to go anywhere else! They are awesome: friendly, fair, knowledgeable and just plain fun. I even traded in my last domestic vehicle and bought foreign, just so that I could 1. Give them more business and 2. Never have to go anywhere else anytime soon! There is a place in heaven saved for Bob and everyone out at Phoenix. :-) read more

Bob,Marlene,Jake,Jim and Chris are all amazing! We have been having our menagerie of vehicles serviced at Phoenix for years. We always get their best repair, ideas for saving money, keeping our car on the road longer and at an affordable price. Our Mini, Volvo and Mazda are all"seasoned" but we know they are road ready because of Bob and Phoenix. If you have a foreign car you should be taking it to Phoenix. Be careful though, you may end up staying longer for the snacks and conversation.............. read more

We took our VW into Phoenix Foreign Car Service upon a recommendation of a friend and they certainly did not disappoint. After dealing with poor service elsewhere I was skeptical to take it anywhere but we really found a gem of a place. The staff is all very friendly and respectful. They looked over our car and gave us an honest assessment in a very timely manner. We didn't end up fixing our vehicle since it is too far gone but I have no doubt that we will forever take our vehicles into them. read more

From the first moment these guys made me feel at home. I asked them if I could stay there while repairing my car and they told me "Now you are part of the crew. You can stay wherever you want" :) They fixed my car before my eyes, were fast, answered all my questions and I got really satisfied of the job. Highly recommended. Of course I'll go back the next time. Joan Madison WI read more

The guys at Phoenix are AMAZING!!!! Not only is my vehicle running smoothly, but Adam & Bob seems to really care about their customers. They didn't exploit my naivety and only made necessary repairs. I truly cannot say enough about their integrity, skills and customer service. Top notch individuals! I will definitely bring my car back for any future issues. Many, many thanks! read more