Went for an oil change & to look into a relatively minor check engine light. Both were resolved fine. While that was going on they sent a quote for a bunch of other maintenance items, which I refused. Fine, lots of other shops do this kind of thing. But they wanted quite a lot for engine air filters, so I decided to do that myself. Today I get into my engine and discover the hose from the air filter box to the engine is completely loose. There's two of these on my car -- one was properly tight, the other was so loose it had a gap letting unfiltered air into the engine. This is the only shop that's touched my car for a couple years, and if they were recommending an air filter replacement I have to assume they actually looked at them. Easy fix, just tightening a worm clamp after swapping the filters. But my car was in this state for a few months. Reader, this silly mistake could have destroyed the car's engine, and very well may have damaged it. It does not take a lot of unfiltered debris to permanently score cylinder walls. I'd need to go get a compression test to know for certain. I came to this shop for oil changes & maintenance because I didn't want to feel the need to crawl around my car double-checking a quick-change place's work. That is apparently not the level of service they are set up to provide. For what they charge and the "vibe" they give off, this sort of thing should be on a checklist a second mechanic runs through before delivering the car. Real basic "humans are capable of making mistakes" type of controls. read more

Took my BMW after a final straw experience at BMW Seattle. Explained that to them and I may as well have taken my car to the dealer. Exact same service experience: a focus on upselling "recommended" services and not on why the vehicle is there in the first place. Spent $1,500 for NOTHING. Will NEVER GO BACK!!! read more

Professional, friendly and honest customer service and work from Taylor and his team! It's why my Subaru and I will continue to be repeat customers read more

I've been really happy every time I've taken my car to Swedish Automotive. They're very knowledgeable and give great customer service too. Highly recommended. read more

First time customer after only ever trusting the dealership with servicing my car. Only regret is not finding this place sooner. Provided exceptional care from my first call to completed service. I'll be back! read more

I have been here twice now. No job is too small for them to complete with high quality and excellent service. They stood behind my headlamp reconditioning and even gave me a loaner for a ride home. Sean is a fantastic service advisor, thanks again! read more

Phone customer service needs to improve with the guy that answered the phone and was a giant condescending prick. Asked him simple questions like how much? Walk-in or appointments only? Spoke to me like I was supposed to know how shit operated there. Hung up on my ass after stating nothing until next Tuesday. Fuck you too! read more

I completely trust my soon-to-be 20 year old Saab with the folks at West Seattle's Swedish Automotive. Their maintenance and repair work is top quality. They fully explain beforehand the work to be done, itemizing labor and parts costs. They get owner approval in advance. They can provide a loaner car if needed. Look for $$$-off-labor coupons on their website. read more

Review is based on a few visits for professional advise and cost estimates only. I have only been met with the utmost courtesy and genuine neighborly care, much appreciated especially when they are not the right fix/fit. Grateful for a recommendation recently to Big E Auto Rebuild in Burien to properly assess major damage. Now they may not be the cheapest but seem like the folks you'd want in your corner. read more

If you want to know what it feels like to have business with a genuine, knowledgeable, honest, reliable auto shop, then come here. I've never had bad experiences with them. I've been going here for about 3 years now and I will continue to use this shop exclusively. If they don't already have a good hunch of what is going on, they WILL find your problem and make it right. When 3 or 4 other shops (two European "specialty") could not help me, Swedish Auto simply reassured me yep, we can take care of you. That is exactly what they did. The rest is history. Swedish Automotive is excellently communicative, accurate, and again- they are HONEST. Their techs are skilled, and are able to get your vehicle repaired or just keep you up to date on your maintenance. I've said it in other reviews- you will not find the "cheapest" service here. That being said, what you get for your money is QUALITY fixes and maintenance. I have always gotten what I've paid for and I have never felt cheated out of my money, uninformed, or upset with the end result. I do not mean to sway people away by saying it's not "cheap" work. Ultimately, Swedish is incredibly fair with their pricing considering their know-how and the price of owning a Saab to begin with. I guess what I'm trying to say is don't expect your Jiffy Lube 29.99 oil change, but rest easy that whatever work you need done will be done to spec, with the customer (you!) in mind. Make your own choice- shop with Swedish Auto or don't, but if you are here reading this review, I would suggest that you give them a call and see what they can do for you. I am very glad that I did. THANKS SWEDISH TEAM! -Theron Flowers, Kent WA read more

Swedish Automotive - Pulling in the 9-3 for her check up. - Auto Repair Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Took my mini in and was quoted an astronomical price, almost 3k. I called a couple of other mechanics and told them what the problem was, the parts needed and they all quoted me a decent price under 1k. Swedish charged me $314 to diagnose the problem when the other shops prices were about $150. I don't know if it's because I'm a female, new to the area (out of state plates) or if they always take advantage of their customers but I will never go back and I will never recommend them to anyone. read more

Beware! Zero stars. Worst experience with an auto mechanic ever. I chose this auto shop because of all of these great reviews, and I couldn't have regretted it more. The guy I dealt with was so snobby, condescending and completely unhelpful, plus totally dishonest and scammy. Pretty sure I was just being strung along and manipulated because I was a woman. Not only did they have my car for six weeks, for a job that ended up only taking two hours and costing $400, but during that entire six weeks I had to call them every week for a check-in. They never called me. When I called them, they kept giving me all of these doom and gloom stories about how my car was toast, I needed a new transmission, and that it had a million problems, and I knew that none of it was true because I knew the entire car's history. Every week their story changed. When I got my car back I took it to another mechanic in West Seattle, (Foreign Car Workshop) which has a great reputation, but without all of the shininess of Swedish Automotive. They diagnosed my car, and informed me that it just needed two new ignition coils, which was very similar to what I had been telling Swedish automotive all along (I thought it was the wiring to the coils). The transmission was totally fine. They fixed the problem in less than a day, for a few hundred dollars and the car has been running great ever since, about a year now. Still no sign of any problems with the transmission that they wanted to charge me several thousand dollars to fix. Updated to add, since the owner responded - Tom is my husband. I took the car in, so it was under my name. Somehow my phone is signed into my husband's account instead of my own. But it wouldn't be difficult to figure out who I am since my husband and I share a last name and he knows that service was a year ago. Also, Todd and I went back and forth by email and I was very clear with him at the time that his employee, Shawn, screwed me over. He backed up his employee and made no attempt to make it right - hence the review. Time got away from me or I would have written it sooner. Being able to figure out who I am and "what went wrong" serves no purpose now because you had the opportunity to make it right at the time and chose not to. read more

Without going into too much detail, Swedish Automotive in West Seattle can be very expensive. They either have inexperienced customer service people or they're opportunists and they take advantage of customers once they get the vehicle. We have over 12 years of experience dealing with them and at least 4 Volvo's we have owned. I strongly recommend quoting Swedish Automotive against Bellview Volvo. Your pocketbook and customer experience will benefit from using Bellevue Volvo. As one of many examples, our last service at Swedish Automotive was phone quoted just under $1000, once they had the vehicle the quote went up $600 and absolutely nothing changed from the phone quote as far as expected services.. we will not be returning to Swedish Automotive in the future. read more

I have been using Todd, Chris and their team for auto repairs for at least 15 years. They are good men with integrity. Not the cheapest, but I totally trust their diagnosis, fairness and work quality. As a woman, I always fear auto mechanics will both take advantage of a "perceived" lack of knowledge and also be condescending. I have never faced this issue with Todd and Chris. Sean at the front desk was notably kind, knowledgeable and not condescending as well. Ryan, who has 25 years of experience, did the work on my car this time and it is running smooth after a wheel bearing issue and brake replacements and misc. other minor repairs. I love having a go-to place for all my car repair needs. read more

This shop has taken good care of my Volvo for the past two years, through regular maintenance, electrical issues, and other minor fixes. Everyone I've worked with is very friendly, honest, and knowledgeable. The free local rides are a bonus! The shop is clean, in an accessible area, and has a night drop. Sometimes the service costs the same as the dealer, but I trust them and feel good supporting small business. I experienced one minor inconvenience when I received a school bus traffic ticket while the car was in their possession. Mistakes happen. They were apologetic and took care of it immediately. read more

I have been trying to get an appointment using their online portal for over 3 weeks now. I received one email with an option to bring my car in for a day that didn't work for me so I asked to schedule at a later day. No response so I sent a follow up email asking for an answer. Still no response so I sent another follow up email. No response so I called them and the guy at the front desk said he couldn't get me in for another week and that he had no idea about the email conversation because he is "new". Without offering to look further into it. You shouldn't have the option to schedule an appointment via email if nobody is going to respond. Also consider hiring front desk staff with better customer service that's basically their main job. read more

Moved back to the area and thought I'd give these guys a shot. I have been a long time Volvo 240 owner and it's always important to me to find a reliable mechanic who understands this car. Would be 5 stars if the initial connection were smoother and easier - had trouble getting a hold by phone and then the website appointment request process was slow and inaccurate. Great service and connectivity once I was able to connect. Sean was friendly, clear, and helpful. I will be going back. read more

Swedish Automotive - My 1986 Volvo 240 wagon. - Auto Repair Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I took my Volvo in with concerns about my brakes. The team at Swedish is very thorough, answered my questions about my options clearly, and completed the work in a timely manner. I have had vehicles serviced by Swedish since 2010 and can count on them to do a good job at a fair price. Trust with your maintenance shop is everything! read more

I called to get a quote on replacing a starter in a 2008 Volvo. The part was $400, 2 hours of labor was $320, diagnostic fee was $100 =$820 plus 10 %tax =$82 for a total of $920. Fast forward. I found a garage near me where the owner was the service manager at Bellevue Volvo and the factory trained mechanic had 15 years experience working there. My bill was $1150 today. New starter. New thermostat, New coolant reservoir, coolant flush and refill. New front control arm and ball joint, new rear brakes. An earlier experience had them qouting a new battery for my car @$380. Took it to Interstate and paid $160. With labor rates @$160/hr, Swedish Automotive is the non-dealer, dealer service in Volvo repair..... read more

Swedish seems honest and straight forward, plus they are more reasonable than the dealership. I had a quote from Carter Subaru for rear brakes/rotors and calipers and it was ~$1,500. Swedish did the same work for about $500 less. Not only that, I believe (though I've only gone a couple times) that they are only quoting work when it needs to be done instead of up selling. Sean is a friendly service representative read more

I called them with a last minute car issue and they told me to come on over and they fixed it, no appointment needed. These guys are so responsive, helpful, and have fixed my Subaru issues on multiple occasions. 10/10 would recommend taking your car to Swedish Automotive. read more

I recently purchased an elderly volvo and had the old owners recommend this shop for their quality and reliability. I had them do a systems review and identify what needed attention. I was pleased that there was clear and frequent communication and then astounded by the skill and ingenuity that they displayed in diagnosing and fixing my issues. Kudos to the team on my first visit experience. I will definitely be back! read more

The front frame of my car was almost detached after I accidentally bumped into something concrete. It was a few minutes before Swedish Auto's closing time when I drove in. This gentleman greeted me and started inspecting my car immediately as I recounted what happened. He then stabilized the frame in the best way possible and reminded me to get full body service. Even though it was a quick fix, he tried his best to line up everything perfectly. When I asked to pay, I was told to just pay it forward. THANK YOU for helping me right before closing for today. I wouldn't be able to drive home safely without your help. read more

Brought my SAAB 9-5 in due to a hose failing, they got me right in and were super thorough. When they found a lot more wrong with the car they called me in and showed me what the issues were (lots of bad seals) and got my approval before doing the work. Plus both the office staff and mechanics are complete car nerds and love to talk shop, makes it more fun. 9-5 is back on the road to begin its next 160k, thanks! read more

This being a recommendation from a client has me limited with this rating and review! Regardless, if buyers took in for inspection before or after sell of Mercedes? Their conclusions were about as wrong as me leaving the buyer there alone and this place doubling the price tag! The outcome being a loss of thousands, 100 hours of my time and dumping car! Everybody new what they were doing, but as always it was me only one knowing anything or fixing anything! Had a good deal before going here and had such a terrible deal after leaving sold shortly after and was upside down! read more

My car (Volkswagen Passat) broke down right before going back to work. Sean is incredibly professional and knowledgeable. Even with a tight and busy schedule, he got it back to me right on time and I could tell he really cares about vehicles and also the people who drive them. I've had a hard time finding garages I trust and I'm so happy I found Swedish. read more

I can't say enough good things about Swedish Automotive! Sean helped me sort out the repairs I needed. Helped me to navigate an aftermarket warranty to cover half of the costs, which can be challenging sometimes. The service is friendly and filled with both the experience and expertise that makes a customer feel confident that the work they are paying for is of the caliber they expect. I can't recommend them highly enough! read more

Although a bit more expensive than some local places, Swedish is very fair and honest. They service all of my vehicles including my Chevy, Toyota and Land Rover. Todd and Chris (owners) have been honest and fair for the 20 years that I've used them. I've tested their pricing and diagnosis by twice taking my vehicle to my brother's dealership's shop. Came back same price (with family discount)and I had to drive twice as far with no shuttle to get me home or pick me up. I would highly recommend them. read more

Had a problem with my 2006 Subaru Outback door. The lacking mechanism was broken and the childproof lock was on while the door was shut making it impossible to open. I had some experienced mechanics look at it and be stumped, but the dudes at Swedish hooked me up. I was worried about cost but Sean helped me out and worked with me to make it affordable. Great service, cool dudes and all around great experience! Especially since I brought it in two days before thanksgiving and they had me on the road my the holiday! read more

It is kind of sad, because the place looks so nice, and the employees are very helpful. But (and I have a big but), all the positive reviews are from men, aren't they. I took my Volvo here, and they quoted me double what two other shops quoted. I did get an oil change, but $100.00 for an oil change is just too much. I think I am pretty smart, so I don't expect to be treated differently because I a middle aged woman. This shop made me feel like they saw me coming. I had a man take my car in, and his quote was half. MMMM, just like the other shops. read more

I can't say enough about this place. It is almost too cool to even exist. The best, most courteous, efficient, truly caring, and quality car mechanic in Seattle. Not only will they be 100% transparent about the pros/cons + cost of different fixes (pre-emptively so you can decide before they do the work,) but their first concern is always to do what is best and SAFEST for their customers. I have always felt that my and my son's safety were the #1 priority at Swedish Automotive, and every time I go back, they legitimately care about how we are doing, how their work is performing in the vehicle, and how they can do better. Last time I came in, I was expecting a loaner car for a few days, but a couple loaners hadn't returned on schedule, so they didn't have one to give me. Instead, they offered to stay after hours to work on my car, and drive my son and I to the park, while they expedited the work. They called to give me updates, let me choose how much work they did quoting the pricing upfront first, so I could decide if it was in my budget, and then picked us up at the park around our schedule, being sensitive to the wayward whims of a toddler. Dave. the owner, is always a joy to speak with. He remembers all our previous conversations and all past work on my car without me having to tell him, and has been very generous on numerous occasions to diagnose issues and do minor repairs on the fly, at very reasonable rates. As a single mother, I can't tell you how valuable it is to have a business in this community that is truly looking out for the greater good. I feel that this business is based on an ethical foundation that puts the quality of their work and customer safety first, and you can't put a price on that. I will never bring my car anywhere else. They stand by all the work that they do, as well as its maintenance, and if they feel they could have done better, they will often right any wrongs for a discount or include it in the original price. I have also been humbled by their bills, so I get that, but I have a car I know is 100% reliable in keeping me and my child safe, and the clear conscience that provides, as well as investing my money in a business I truly feel is enriching our community and raising the bar of customer service for mechanics everywhere, is worth every penny and more. read more

I live in West Seattle and thought I would give the local shop a try since I will never do business with Walker's Renton Subaru again. I brought in my 2007 Impreza with 46K on it for a full synthetic oil change. I called on Thursday and told them the year, make, and model of my car as well as it takes full synthetic oil. I was quoted $49 for the oil change. I said great and made the appointment for Monday. They also said they provide loaners so I said that would be great as well. When I got to Swedish and dropped the car off they had me sign a waiver that said do not complete any repairs over $85 without my approval. I was also informed at that time the loaner was $15.00, which I was not aware of. I signed and was on my way. When I reached work I received a call from the owner letting me know that with tax and the loaner the charges would actually be $119. I was shocked, $119 for an oil change? Even if it is full synthetic that is ridiculous, but at this point I was already at work and I had their loaner car so I agreed. Then later in the afternoon I received a call that my transmission and brake fluid needed flushed and was "dirty" my tires needed rotated and were wearing and that I needed new brakes and rotors. My car has 46K miles on it, at 35K the transmission fluid and brake fluid was flushed, the tires and wheels were just installed at 41K and the only thing possibly needing replaced was the brakes. I may be a woman, but I know my car, my service records and when something doesn't need done, especially when the price is relayed after everything. The owner was kind and spent time with me when I arrived because I wanted to know why they said those services needed to be made. He was nice and courteous and a WSU graduate. However, in the future $119 for an oil change is just too much in my book, especially when I know other services were not necessary or needed. read more

I recently took my Subaru Outback in for an issue that I knew would be tricky to diagnose and repair. The transmission shifted very hard from 3rd to 4th gear, but only when the car was cold -- and even then for only the first two or three shifts after starting. The team at Swedish Automotive was very diligent about finding the issue, repairing it, and testing and retesting to make sure it was completely fixed. It took a number of days since the car had to get cold overnight to test each time, but they were fanatical about making sure it was absolutely correct before declaring the car ready for me to get back. Throughout it all, Dave was in constant communication, letting me know exactly what was going on. He also let me know other issues with the car that I should consider repairing, how much they would be, and whether I could put them off or not. There was no pressure to perform any of them and the prices quoted were reasonable and they stuck to them. I wish the hours were a little more work friendly, but with the generous loaner car program ($20 gets you a car for the duration of the repair, which is a great deal on a multi-day repair) and being located right on the 21 bus line, there are plenty of options to make it work. read more

UPDATE. When Barrier Volvo Southcenter closed, I made the decision to give this place a try. Swedish provides excellent investigative mechanic work. Customer communication is done in a Scandinavian-American-Prairie Home Companion kind of way. They usually discover something other than what I've brought the car in for, but the news is delivered cheerfully and with balance about what should be fixed right away and what can be put on the back burner. Their pricing still seems to be as high or higher than dealer service and they still are not open on Saturday, which makes it hard to think they're the greatest thing since sliced Kavring. But you can be confident in the owner's judgment and work when you bring your Volvo here. read more

This is an update from my 2/6/15 review. My first experience with Swedish Automotive started off on the wrong foot because the day I brought my car in happened to be one of their busiest, most under-staffed Fridays. I received multiple verbal apologies, which was nice, but I still knew that within a few days I would have to face a couple thousand dollar bill. I wasn't convinced and was still quite hesitant, especially after receiving "update calls" that the mechanics weren't able to fix the problem, so they needed to spend more time on it (aka $110/hour) to fix it. I can honestly say that I've never cried on the phone with a mechanic. The prices they were reading to me were literally bringing tears to my eyes. I'm a college graduate trying to be financially independent from my parents, and the thought of spending 2 months of paychecks on one mechanic visit made me extremely upset. I'm probably not alone on this: it's frustrating that after getting an initial estimate, it goes up by a couple hundred each time you talk to the mechanic. The sticker shock from the initial estimate was bad enough. I was told that there might be some overlap in labor price, which was the one thing I was actually looking forward to. By the time I picked up my car the following Friday, my bill had gone down a significant amount, I wasn't charged for the $30 rental car, and I was given two gift certificates to use on future visits. Todd was extremely grateful of how patient I was the previous Friday (having to wait in the lobby to receive my estimate), and it truly showed. A couple weeks later, I received a note in the mail with another gift certificate for future visits. I also received a phone call following up to make sure my car didn't have any problems! Those unique customer service efforts definitely play a part in a business' success. If you're like Swedish Automotive and your services are more expensive than most, customer service MUST be top notch to be successful. They have entirely won me over. In my original review I mentioned finding another mechanic, but now I don't think that will be necessary. Thanks for your high quality work and for being a Saab-lover just like me! read more

I have been taking my '04 Subaru Outback to Swedish Automotive after my warranty ended. The service at my dealer seemed to decline year over year since I originally purchased the car in 2005. Approximately 2 years ago the dealer was unable to successfully diagnose a rear suspension issue after having my car for three days. Additionally there was a decline in other services such as no longer washing your car at key service intervals. I thought I would give Swedish Automotive a try since they were located close to me and they started servicing Subarus. They were able to successfully diagnose and fix what the dealer couldn't. I have also taken my car back for multiple subsequent appointments and repairs such as a clutch replacement and CV joints and I will likely take it back to Swedish Automotive for the timing belt replacement service. There have been a lot of reviews on here about the prices being too high. Swedish Automotive's quote to replace the clutch was approximately $300.00 less expensive than what the dealer quoted. I haven't been particularly shocked by the costs or quotes from Swedish Automotive; whether it is automotive repair or motorcycle repair no one should expect shop labor to be inexpensive; costs are relative. Swedish Automotive's facility is clean, they offer loaner cars, they will thoroughly wash your car upon returning it to you and they have always provided me with great customer service and communication. read more

All the people I have worked with at Swedish Automotive have been great. The are thorough efficient, do great work, and most importantly in car repair, honest. read more

SA did good job on my car repair. The service advisor is good communicator and did listen to my concerns & explanation of the cars problem. The repair cost a lot but still much cheaper than buy a new car. read more

Great people over at Swedish Automotive! They do quality work in a timely manner and always put the customer first. I recommend this shop to anyone. read more

This place is awesome! I went in for my routine oil change today and everybody in the office is so friendly and attentive. I got frequent updates on how my car's repairs were progressing, and when it was ready to go. Something's by I specifically really like about Swedish Auto is that they send you a link to a portal where you see the name of the technician working on your car, the systems that they've checked, and the system's statuses. For example, they checked my steering wheel, my brakes, etc which all got a green check. Then they add in comments on things AND picture proof of things that they found during your car's inspections, and some of these things I didn't even know were issues till today! For example, my cabin air filter needed replacement and there were evidence of rodents in my hood (eek!). They updated me in real-time about these issues so it could be cleaned up and fixed. I think this portal is a fantastic idea, and I know I'll be coming back to Swedish for all of my car's repairs and maintenance from now on. Thanks guys! read more