Rick and the team go above and beyond for repairs and helping in understanding what else your vehicle needs to perform its best. Not everyone can keep up with their automobile needs or quirks but the service here is excellent. They work on more than Volvos and they know their stuff. read more

Rick's SVS Automotive - Front Office - Auto Repair Near Me - Sacramento, California

I found these guys after some serious research. Wanted another option to service my Volvo besides the dealer. I'm happy to say, I've found my new mechanic. Service was friendly and thorough. Price seemed about the same as dealership? Not sure. But I felt like my car was in good hands. And next to a Target if you wanna shop while you wait. This was my first service appt so I'll be following up next time. read more

Very Happy with the service and care my 88 240 received. Thank you for being honest and conscientious about the service needs of my 240.

Rick and his crew are top notch. Been bringing my Volvo here since she had just 40K miles on her, and she's about to turn 150K. Through the years I've really come to trust Rick -- I know he'll always be straight with me and will get me back on the road quickly. Regular service appointments are a breeze, and I appreciate the online booking system. Nice to communicate via text too! I know whenever I come here the work will be done right and the value will be there. If you have a Volvo, come see SVS. read more

Great Place to get your Volvo serviced for a very fair price. Staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. read more

Rick and the team took time and care with our V70 issues and were sensitive to deadlines we had to get it ready to return to Oregon with our daughter for college. They double and triple checked once the repair was finished - knowing it was important for her to have a safe car and also arranged for getting it smogged. We appreciate ed their attention to detail and would recommend anyone take their Volvo to SVS. read more

Staff very knowledgeable about vehicles and was treated with respect. They did not try to force me to buy any service without consulting with me. read more

I was on a road trip when my Volvo lost oil pressure. We were heading towards Sacramento so I called SVS. They worked with me over the phone to diagnose what the problem was, and I was able to make it to their shop the next morning. They had a mechanic work on our car immediately, knowing that we were on a road trip and needed to get back on the road safely. Our mechanic stayed late to get all the work we needed completed, and also did a full inspection of our SUV to make sure there were no other surprises. There is a reason that this business has been around for so long and is highly recommended - they know Volvos inside and out. We were given great advice for additional maintenance items to do yearly based on their experience with our model to help extend the life of our vehicle. The customer service, attention to detail, and professionalism from everyone at SVS is above and beyond all other shops we've used. 10/10 would recommend to anyone with a Volvo to go to SVS. read more

I was taking my 4 year old granddaughter from SoCal to Washington state when disaster struck in the form of a failed Alternator. Fortunately, SVS saved the day. The crew at SVS was able to source and install one in less than a day. I am a retired automotive trainer and found the staff at SVS very professional and experts on Volvo's. I highly recommend them. read more

I discovered this autoshop months before I actually had my car serviced. Their prices were anywhere between $50-$300 cheaper than other mechanics had quoted me. I corresponded solely with Rick and over text (very convenient for someone who has an 8-6). Rick was friendly, super helpful and prioritized my safety! He was willing to answer all my many questions and spent extra time to make sure I knew what he was talking about. He cut me a deal where he could and gave me the best prices in Sacramento. On last minute notice, he had my C70 serviced with several repairs (drive belt, stabilizer link, and washer hose) done within a business day. read more

I hate giving bad reviews but I have to be honest about my experiences with SVS servicing my 1995 Volvo 940. I am not a trained mechanic but I do know a fair amount about cars. I have owned many, many older cars over my 51 years and therefore experienced just about every mechanical failure one can have. On one occasion I brought the car in with a hesitancy problem that rendered the car virtually undriveable. From experienc I was almost certain it was the fuel pump. SVS immediately dismissed that idea and performed a tune-up and some other unrelated things; I trusted their assessment and therefore felt OK letting them do some other non-critical -- but pricey -- things like replacing both headlight for $600. When it came time to pick the car up they broke the news that it still wasn't running right and essentially suggested I bring a tow truck to pick it up! At this point the bill had totalled $1500 and I was livid at the suggestion that I give them $1500 for a non-running car, especially since some of that was on non-essential stuff (why have clear, beautiful new headlights on a car that doesn't run?) At this point they finally did as I originally asked and looked at the fuel pump. Guess what? It was bad. To their credit they replaced it for free but what would have happened if I was a client who knew nothing about cars? I likely would have had to pay them $1500 and then send the car directly to the salvage yard assuming it was a lost-cause. What if I was a poor single parent and it was my only car? Second issue occurred when I brought the car in for an overdue timing belt replacement in January 2021. (The car had about 185k miles at this point and the last belt replacement was 15 years earlier.) I have never had a timing belt done where the water pump wasn't replaced at the same time while the belts were off, however SVS told me they only replaced it if it was clearly leaking. Ok, you're the experts I guess. Within 200 miles after that service the car started dumping coolant out, so I simply put the car on non-op and stopped driving it. 6+ months later I finally take the car to a different shop -- after not driving it for many months due to the coolant leak -- and guess what? The leak was from a failed water pump. $500+ in parts and labor to the new mechanic and inability to use the car for months. Sure, you could chalk this up to just bad timing and/or bad luck. But on both occasions I specifically asked about these components and was blown off, only to have them fail immediately after. I gave them two chances, two visits in a row, and they let me down. I call that negligence. Two stars because they were generally nice guys, but still... read more

Very professional! I won't be taking my Volvo anywhere else. They offer a great value for the money. Thanks SVS!

Such a nice waiting lounge, makes your visit more relaxing and the time go by faster! :) read more

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Five Star customer service, integrity, and honest service. Brought my SUV in for a leaky radiator connection. They were able to squeeze me in, replace the radiator connection, repair 2 other things I had broken and let me add on an oil change & 140k mile tune up. Love this place!! read more

I went to have my V70 GLT diagnosed today, and I couldn't be happier with these guys. There was a turbo lag, and they fixed in about 30 minutes. When I asked how much do I owe you, he said "nothing". I swear to God, I couldn't be happier with a company like this one. They know Volvos. Period. They've got a customer for life. I've owned 5 Volvo cars, and I truly wish I knew about this shop before. May God Bless Them And Their Families ! read more

I have been dealing with coolant leaking on my 2015 Volvo S60 T5, coolant hose was hard to identify and change for myself to do. I was referred to SVS by Rigoberto from Tognottis.... I dropped in the shop and spoke to Rick. He did a visual assessment and asked me to bring vehicle in for full inspection. He was able to get my car fixed, at reasonable price. I will be a forever client to SVS! I am thankful for flexibility and great service!!! Thank you Rick!!! Diana will be back for routine maintenance in 6 months!!! read more

As a former mechanic, I often fix things myself on my 01 Volvo V70 T5, but I recently took it to SVS for a hard-to-diagnose performance issue. The mechanic, Chuck, just did not give up and he fixed it. The car runs fantastic now. The owner, Robert, even followed up to make sure that I was satisfied. Don't hesitate to bring your Volvo to SVS! (Customer since 03/2015) read more

If you own a Volvo, bring it here. When we moved to Sacramento in 1991 we owned 1 Volvo and as our kids grew up and started driving we had up to 4 older Volvos at the same time. We have been bringing our cars here for approximately 15 years. I have bought Volvos advertised by other private owners on the SVS bulletin board and had other Volvos checked out here before purchasing. I always get what I pay for, nothing is done unnecessarily and my approval is always asked for throughout the repair process no matter how many times they need to update me. On my last visit, one of our Volvos was stopping abruptly. SVS evaluated that is was a loose battery cable (my fault) and charged me a minimal $59.00 which I appreciated. Several years ago I had a similiar minor problem with a Volvo I had purchased at a local Volvo dealer nearby. I took it back to the Volvo dealer and was charged for the evaluation and also for some additional repair work that I later determined was not necessary and had just had been suggested due to my ignorance (Emissions warning light due to a loose gas cap) . I have not been back to the local Volvo dealer since. In contrast , at SVS they once repainted, at no charge and at their own initiative, my daughter's gas tank door as the paint had started to chip off. The SVS owners are very active in running the business and I always enjoy talking to their staff no matter how bad the repair news is. My experience with them over the past 15 years have all been positive and I am confident yours will be too. read more

If you have a Volvo or are looking to have one inspected before purchase, take it to these guys. I live in the Bay Area but found a rare, used Volvo for sale in Sacramento. A trusted independent Volvo mechanic here recommended SVS. I took the car to SVS for a pre-purchase inspection ($150). Ken assigned it to his most finicky mechanic for a once-over. He estimated that the inspection would take 90 minutes and he was right on the money. The thorough inspection revealed tons of work that needed to be done (some small, some huge). Ken explained everything to me and I was able to walk away from the deal, knowing the car was going to be a money pit. The car looked fine cosmetically inside and out. I was so relieved to have an independent place like SVS give me the low-down on the car. Thanks, Ken and the crew! read more

I purchased a 1984 Volvo 240DL from the original owner who had all the vehicle maintenance completed by SVS. The mechanics thoroughly know the vehicle inside and out, and have the expertise to make sure my classic vehicle is in tip-top condition! If you love your Volvo as much as I love mine, then you won't take it anywhere else! Once you have your vehicle serviced by SVS you will feel like you are part of the family! Are you looking to purchase a Volvo? The waiting area has a bulletin board with some good deals for anyone passionate about Volvos. The shop has a convenient after-hours drop-off, too! SVS is where the Volvo community goes for expert repairs and maintenance. read more

Rick's SVS Automotive - Auto Repair Near Me - Sacramento, California

These guys are the best of the best... I have been bringing my 1996 850 sedan here for many years. It was seriously mistreated by the dealer service department and some other hack mechanics in it's earlier years... Now I'm at 223K miles and still running strong... I hope to drive this thing for another 5 years thanks to Ken and John... read more

So in the last week (since I posted the last review) SVS has made big steps towards amends. They've been calling me left & right, giving me lots of options about my car, fixing things quickly, and generally being nice guys. I picked up my car today and while they charged me for the parts, they didn't charge the full fee for the labor ("just because"). After my experience last week I'm still concerned about the consistency of their customer service, but since they are being much better I figured I should bump this back up a bit. read more

Awesome volvo service. Chuck provided a full service on my car while in Sacramento. I appreciated his extensive knowledge of my model. I followed his recommendations for the immediate repairs needed. Chuck then gave me an idea of what the next major tune up will entail. Thanks for the detailed explanations! If I lived here, this would be my new Volvo guy! read more

Called Monday after I heard one of those weird metal on metal noises, which disappeared after I stopped and started again. Brought the car in Tuesday morning (grateful for such a quick appointment). They looked over the car and concluded that the plastic belly pan bolts had fallen off. They were replaced. And best of all- Rick did not charge me anything. I will return. read more

I almost gave them only four stars because it's pricey. But I didn't, because you really get what you pay for. Robert, Ken, and John really know their shit. They know Volvos inside and out and everything they do is on a professional level. My true test of an auto shop is what happens when they make a mistake in diagnosing or fixing a vehicle, which happens everywhere once in awhile. Unfortunately, they've never made a mistake with my 98 S70 T5 so I can't comment, although knowing them, I'm almost positive they would do what it takes to help their customers leave satisfied. I have sort of a custom car, and they have absolutely no problems dealing with it. I've spent thousands of dollars at SVS on various problems, but never once has a problem come back in any form. Every time I leave, she always drives like a dream. If you want to save money, go somewhere cheaper, because this place ain't cheap. But if you want things done quickly and correctly and want to be able to fully trust a guy who specializes in Volvos, deffo go to SVS. read more

Took my '96 R850 here for the first time and can't help but notice how sweet and genuine they were (are). I'm also a girl dressed up for a meeting at the moment, so, the fact that they didn't talk to me like I was stupid or naive made my day already. Checked on me a number of times, notified me of anything they found, let me know of work that would be done or could be done before doing anything to my car, laid out all time frames and service quotes for me, and showed no sign of discontent if i wanted to opt for a cheaper alternative (I'm a full-time working student). They also have a number of choices for various carwashes that range from decent prices (cheaper than where I currently wash my car for $30-40) to their specialty works -if you don't mind leaving your car for practically a whole day, with the option of extra services like engine bay wash. Seems like they do everything! It's no wonder why they have such great reviews. Not to mention, they provide a comfortable and quiet waiting room filled with couches, a desk, a huge tv with an abundance of choices for movies, and a controllable air system. I'll definitely be coming back. read more

I am ABSOLUTELY IMPRESSED with and Appreciative for the great service I've recieved at SVS! I have a 2004 Volvo S80 that needed some extensive repair. Not only did they provide great service, the repairs were accurate, their prices reasonable and the car runs beautifully! It's great to find a repair shop you can trust! One more compliment!: Their waiting room is second to none! The ambience, the massage chair, additional comfy seating, refreshments, a big screen television, and a fireplace made a stress filled circumstance much easier to deal with. Thank you SVS! Christine Boston read more

These guys were AMAZING! We got stuck in Sacramento on a long road trip when our car started shuddering upon acceleration. I called SVS and they got us in right away, fixed our broken axle in a hurry, and even gave our kids hot wheels toys and water for us and our dog. To top things off, the mechanic unpacked the back of our station wagon, checked and filled the spare tire, then packed out things back for us. If we didn't actually live about 600 miles away we'd have found ourselves a new Volvo shop. These guys clearly care a lot about Volvo's, and people too. We could not be happier that we lucked into finding SVS, and would highly recommend them! read more

I went in for an $1100 repair job to my front suspension in the morning. The fellow I met with to check the car in called me in the early afternoon. He told me I didn't need half of the work done on the job and my cost would be around $500. He was able to get my car's smog work done as a convenience. I could not have had a better experience !! I'm thrilled ! I've found a very honest and valuable partner to keep my car running well and while keeping my costs down. Thank you !! read more

They weren't able to work on my car but the owner was really nice and went out of his way to let me know about a shop that could work on my unique setup. read more

Appears to be a very Mediocre repair shop. I say appear because I've tried time and time again to give these guys a chance but I hit major red flags every time. ex: called about getting a clutch job done on my 05 Volvo v50 - they said they don't have the tools and referred me to the dealership. Seriously?! "You don't have the tools"??? In my mind I'm thinking, What kind of (Volvo specialist) hack shop is this? They get two stars because the guys seem pleasant but i would be very cautious having them work on anything that isn't a 1995 850. read more

I thought that SVS was good until I needed to have a lightbulb repaired in my Volvo S80. It took one hour to change a bulb and 2 to 3 people worked on it. I eventually had to come back to get the bulb changed. During that visit I found out that SVS details cars. I had my car buffed and unfortunately one of the owner's son didn't know what he was doing so he buffed off the paint leaving me with swirls and wax that still remains in the crevices of my car, and it's 2018. I complained for over a year with no results. I contacted Richard, one of the owners, and he had no intentions of making anything right. He only accused me of wanting a free paint job. When I informed him I would contact the State Attorney Generals office he told me to, "do what you want." After years of arguing and being called a liar I submitted a letter to State division that deals with Automobiles. The owners refused to pay because of the time that had passed, and the case was closed. I would tell anyone, don't waste your money with SVS when they charge the same prices as the Volvo dealer Neillo. The service at Neillo was better and more professional. If I had known the owners would be so cowardice, flaky, and rude when something went wrong, I would've never have taken my car to SVS automotive. For the remainder of my time in Sacramento I only took my car to Neillo automotive service and had great, professional service at the same price read more

PAST CHARGE ALMOST $5000.00 SVS suggested a new engine for my 1998 S70 Volvo several months ago. I gave them the go ahead to do that. It cost me a little under $5000.00. At the same time we asked them to replace the windshield because it cracked while the car was sitting in the sun. SVS took the car next door to the glass shop to replace the windshield. When we picked the car up we noticed that the windshield would fog up as we drove it. After spending so much money we decided to wait before calling the glass company (assuming the fogging was due to improper installation of the glass). We knew SVS checked out the car prior to returning it to us, so we never thought that there could be additional issues. Shortly afterwards, we noticed that the engine light was coming on because the radiator seem to be losing water and antifreeze/coolant. A friend of the family replaced both the radiator and the altenator. We noticed yet later there was still loss of water in the car. AFTERWARDS ANOTHER $733.00 Recently water and coolant was coming inside the car floor. We took the car back to SVS. They said it was the heater core and Ken said that the cost to replace is $733.00. I told him that I just watched youtube and someone replaced the heater core in a few minutes. Ken said no, it took us 3 hours to replace the heater core. The parts he quoted was almost $300 and labor was $435.00. He also said that your radiator is missing the petcock drain value. To which we said, how did that happen? We called two friends (both who have worked on cars for years and one worked with PEP boys for a while. They both say the valve was on the car. So not sure how the valve got lost. MISSING PART WILL BE ANOTER COST OF $800 OR SO : Ken said, I do NOT know that you can get a valve by itself so I would have to charge you ANOTHER $800 or so to replace the (already new) radiator. I went to Amazon and find the part for $10.95. It will be here in 2 days. MY CAR IS HOME AND STILL LEAKING: The concern I have is that this shop has been in business for many years. I have used them to do my work on this car. I ran quotes after I picked up the STILL LEAKING CAR after they replaced the heater core. The quotes for replaces this item varied from $375-$525 in the Sacramento area. In the Bay (San Jose, Santa Clara) the quotes ranged from $301-$395. The parts on www.partsgeek.com and www.automd.com were all less that $100 some as low as $47. THEIR QUOTES HIGHER THAN ALL SHOPS CALLED IN SACRAMENTO AND SILICON VALLEY: I paid them and thanked them for their help, and asked them three questions: 1) Why didn't you tell us the radiator and/or heater core was leaking after you put the new engine in the car? The windshield was fogging up then. (What we learned from YOUTUBE is that a fogging windshield is one of the signals that the heater core is bad and leaking causing water to drain into the car from the radiator. 2) Why did you quote us $400 more than every shop in Sacramento and every shop in the Bay area (SILICON VALLEY)? 3) Why are the parts different than what is listed on www.carparts.com for this repair.? 4) Why did you quote 3 hours when everyone else has quotes less than 2 hours to do the work? WILL NOT USE THEM AGAIN: Unfortunately I trusted them and did not do my research until they came back saying they needed to replace the whole (new) radiator because the petcock valve was missing and they did not know if just that part could be ordered. DO YOUR HOMEWORK (WWW.CARPARTS.COM; WWW.AUTOMD.COM; WWW.PARTSGEEK.COM; WWW.AMAZON.COM DO NOT ASSUME that those shops that you purposely patronize will give you better pricing or will treat you fairly. I have learned that regardless of how much you pay little or a lot, do NOT assume you are in good hands. I am so disappointed in this shop! read more

We are from out of town and went to SVS for a pre purchase inspection. They were able to get us in that day! Their report was very clear and detailed. Their price was reasonable and well worth it - we ended up not purchasing that particular car. We would go here again if we lived in town. read more

I took my 1972 Volvo 1800e in because it was just not running right.... Robert did the tune up AND. showed me how to do a few things that I didn't know how to do... so I can keep the Engine running on my own. Robert was very knowledgeable on the older type Volvos.... anytime there is something that is outside of my knowledge I'll be driving down to Sac to the Volvo Dr.... thank you Robert... read more

My 310k mile 1991 240Volvo "Betty" has been through the mill, but keeps on movin'. I have taken Betty to other shops, Volvo and non-Volvo alike, and no one has taken more time and care and given me more peace of mind than SVS. They seem to be able to get to the root of the issue, where other garages will just gloss over and fix problems. They know their stuff, and I trust them completely. Thanks guys! read more

This is long over due but yes SVS is 75 miles away from me and yes its expensive being a student but I will not take my volvo any where else. I will first start off with Ken a very caring man and tries to do what he can to help. You can't just go to any mechanic and just find that. They care and aren't going to be dishonest about their work. Being a woman you know how mechanics are but I know he will take care of me. I have a 1994 volvo 940 with turbo and let me tell you I have already put a lot of money into it. But I trust these guys they have been working on the year of my car since it's been out. It's 21 years old and I'm maybe the 3rd owner so I have been running into issues here and there which hurts but I wouldn't take my car anywhere else no matter how far I am. Next let me talk about John also a very sweet man who just wants to help and also knows the pain of commuting. Maggie also a receptionist very sweet girl and a student as well so she knows my pain! Last but not least Robert the owner I can't speak anymore highly on this man. I have got to know him on a personal level and why he love's volvo's. Honestly as much as I am there they need to hire me now haha! Thank you SVS I am happy I am apart of your family and I enjoy my conversations with all of you. If you want to have real and honest work done to your volvo these are the guys and i will vouch for them no matter what! read more

Rick's SVS Automotive - Look at my super snazzy stylus flashlight pen too! - Auto Repair Near Me - Sacramento, California

The owners and mechanics are very knowledgeable of their work and are very honest. One time, I took my car there to fix a problem and one of the mechanics took it out for a test drive to make sure the problem was fixed. On one occasion, he went over a speed bump a little too fast and because my car was lowered, it made this loud thud sound. However, when he brought the car back the the shop, he went ahead and lifted the car again to check and see if there were any damages. I was very impressed that they took the time to do that. Although their labor rates are high, you can be certain that whatever you want them to do, they will do a good job at it. read more

Great service from this shop. My 1989 Volvo 240 had a loud humming from the engine bay, and it sounded like the timing belt. I took it to them and they diagnosed it to be a part connected to this instead. They allowed me to obtain the parts on my own to save myself some cost, which was nice of them. The car was in and out in a couple of days, and the price was great. I will be returning here in the future. read more

Amazing experience at SVS! I was greeted and helped by the most helpful friendly workers. My car was having break light issues and I was road tripping by myself, clearly flustered without a clue how to fix my car. I was helped right away, got my break lights repaired, was shown how to fix them myself and then I was sent on my way with water and a popsicle. I'm sad that I can't remember the name of the man that helped me, but he was so genuine and I understanding, along with very knowledgeable. I was so grateful for the above and beyond service I got, I would HIGHLY recommend! read more