About us
auto repair
Business highlights
Services we offer
SERVICING,MAINTAINING, AND SELLING SAAB AND VOLVO AUTOMOBILES ALONG WITH ALL OTHER MAKES AND MODELS.
Amenities
Eco Friendly Accreditations
Yes
Free Estimates
Yes
Warranties
Yes
Accepted Payment Methods
- American Express
- Check
- Visa
- Discover
- MasterCard
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 71% | ||
| 7% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 7% | ||
| 14% |
Filter reviews by service
"[Member name removed] came into my shop at 4:45 on Friday April 24th, he stated that his car failed inspection and that it wasn't ready for inspection. I asked him to leave his car so that It could be diagnosed, I explained that the shop was full and I had customers coming to pick up cars by 6 PM, he responded "I can't leave my car"! with a not very nice attitude. I said "I am very busy right now" and he said "oh it must be nice to be busy!" I responded "yes it is, When would you like to leave your car"? and he turned around and walked out the door! I did not call him an a****** behind his back - I responded don't let the door hit you in the a** on the way out. Also when [Member name removed] came in he interrupted my business with a long time customer [Member name removed] who witnessed his behavior. I reacted to [Member name removed]'s rudeness - when you give respect you get respect in return! I wanted to service him I just couldn't do it immediately!"
court, and receiving an answer to the complaint from the company?s attorneys, the attorneys agreed to settle with me by paying the complete cost of the repair, $2,500. So it seems that justice has prevailed.
"As is clear from my initial response and the video accompanying this one, the convertible rooftop, which was in the locked up position, was repaired at the agreed upon price of $2,500 so that it would open and close--and it does. However, once the rooftop was working, another problem which could not have been predicted beforehand became apparent--that the rear window was misaligned. This could not be seen until the rooftop went up and down, which it did not do until I fixed it. In essence, my shop is being blamed for a latent and hidden condition which could not have been known until the manifest one was corrected, and which it is undisputed that my shop actually fixed. No provision was ever made to fix any other problem with the customer's car. The medical equivalent of this situation would be if a patient went to a doctor for treatment of one condition and the cure disclosed an underlying problem which was masked by the initial disease. The patient's claim that the doctor did not fully restore him is unfair. The patient originally sought relief for one condition and it was then discovered after the cure that another hidden one existed which could not have been detected until the first one was fixed. The real problem is that this unscrupulous and unethical customer has played the legal system to his advantage. My insurance company, over my strenuous objections, agreed to settle the case simply because it costs less for them to settle than it does to litigate. For them, right and wrong did not matter. In other words, justice did not prevail here because it is too expensive for my insurance carrier to pay an attorney to go to trial and for me to have had my day in court, and the insurance company would rather just cut their costs than reach justice. As I have written elsewhere on this site, my business has been around for a very long time and vast majority of my very satisfied and loyal customers have been with me because of the value and service which I provide. Otherwise, I would not be still in business. Yes, there is injustice in the world and this is a good example of no good deed going unpunished. The business model that I am being asked to adopt by the results of this case would be to charge the most expensive amount possible to ensure that every function related to the malfunctioning rooftop would be covered. I will not do this because it conflicts with the core values of Swedish Connection and it is unfair to the vast majority of my clientele who are not inclined to steal services and evade paying for them. It is said that a picture is worth a 1000 words and the accompanying video of this customer's car after my repair says more than my words ever could. [member name removed] Top After Repair [hyperlink removed]"
were stressing me out with my new SAAB so I was happy to find Joe who maintained my car
at lower costs without losing the qualified expertise found at the dealership.
I cannot count all of the used cars I have purchased over the years, spanning from when my children were newborns in
car seats to now driving their own cars purchased at Swedish Connection. So I began purchasing used cars from Joe anytime we needed to repurchase, (that baby I mentioned in the car seat? She drove the same car in college!)
My highest priority has always been safety and repair prevention. Joe and his team are very friendly and thorough, keeping my cars up and running. I love driving SAABs but my college kids drive a used Subaru and Oldsmobile purchased and maintained by Swedish. What is the downside of purchasing used cars and having your car maintained at Swedish? Hmmmmm, can't think of any.
**NOTE: Before hearing my experience, I recommend reading ALL of Swedish Connection's reviews-rather than the last 3 yrs, which is listed by default. Look for 'all reviews' on the company's report. I would have changed my mind if I read all of them.
I regret trusting my car w/ this self-proclaimed auto mechanic, Joe Vetere (owner of the company), who said he specifically knew how to fix Volvos. Mr. Vetere misrepresented his & his employees skill as well as provided misinformation regarding the care and skill my car required.
In the end I noticed my '240-DL' rear chrome emblem (a real collector piece) was missing, my car needed an additional $300 to put the wiring back in the right place, have major adjustments made on the muffler system (was very loud when driving away), install the relay I provided and asked to replace.
Was looking to try a less expensive Volvo mechanic to save $ and after speaking to Joe by phone, was convinced he was the best and had more experience. Brought car in same day & before even going into the office, he jumps into my car to take a ride to see what the problem is. I tell him I prefer to go along and he became somewhat defensive w/ "what's wrong w/ you, don't you trust me!?"......uuh....no, I don't really know you that well.
Although I told him the problems I was having, he also told me additional things that needed to be done. He wasn't able to give me a cost estimate b/c he said he 'needed more time to see what was wrong.' Said to leave my car w/ him for a few days so he could see what the problems were.
I came back a few days later w/ a list of the things I needed for my car. The list was divided into two parts w/ the 1st being repair of the mechanical, the 2nd involving aesthetics (replacing the carpet, cleaning/oiling the inner door mechanisms & all car hinges, installing dyna-liner throughout the car, etc). He responded "all this will cost you about $1,000 bucks". Thus, I requested that only the mechanical done for now and that I needed to know how much that part would be first, to which he agreed.
He then proceeded to call his convenient car rental company which, by the way, was already there w/ a car. He never offered the loaner car-which I found out was available & let customers use.
I drove away realizing I forgot my EZ-pass so upon returning he yells to me in his office "go in the garage & tell those 2 spicks out there to let you get your stuff!" While telling them what I needed, he came out screaming "stop talking to my workers & get your f**king stuff & get the h*** out of here now!!" My car by now was already in disarray w/ parts & wires all over and I was too afraid to ask for my car back just in case he demanded I give him cash for what was already done. I noticed a male customer nearby telling a teenage female (possibly daughter) to quickly get out of the garage & into their car quickly (perhaps so she would be safe). I called the secretary while driving away asking what I did wrong. She said "he's not mad at you. He's mad at his two workers b/c he found out they messed up a customer's order & car which cost him a lot of money.
Over the next several days I called daily only to be greeted w/ "I can't talk right now, I'm busy!" and "I'll call you when I'm ready to speak to you!" and "you're car is not ready yet!" I asked how much it will be and he kept saying he didn't know yet. So now I'm VERY concerned at this point & decided to let him know I was never told the cost yet, to which he answered "oh, your car is ready to be picked up now; however, I wasn't able to fix the headlights." I asked how much it was & he said he wanted $897.73 in cash ONLY, to which I said was unfair and why? At this point he became very irate, started cursing saying "ok then, just pick up your car b/c I don't need your f**king money you bit*h!!!" So now I'm shaking and afraid he may do something to my car or hurt me. I contacted the Bergenfield police & spoke to a police officer requesting someone go w/ me to retrieve my car as I was concerned for my safety. They assured me they would.
The next day I get a voicemail message from him listing all the things he said were done on my car & how much he expected me to pay. He ended by saying "you better bring cash & pick up your car by 5pm b/c I'm through w/ this car and you--and you are not welcome here anymore! And if you don't pick up your car I'm going to charge you daily fees for storage."
I decided to get my car w/o the police b/c I would bring someone w/ me. (I brought a guy who ended up running away b/c of the mechanic's explosive & unpredictable behavior). Upon arrival, I met him in the front office to which he asked me my address and last name--so he could write it on the invoice. He demands $857.73 in cash only & I ask to see the invoice. He told me to give him the cash first. I told him I was recording w/ my cell phone & he began cursing & threatening me saying the man standing behind me was his personal lawyer. I suggested if he didn't have anything to hide why would he be mad for me recording? At this point he is enraged and lunges across the front desk trying to grab me & my cell phone. I backed away & he points to my car cursing at the top of his lungs "you f**king bitc*, I don't want or need your f**king money now-- so go get in your f**king car and get the h*** out of here!!!!" He slams open the door, points me all the way to within 2 feet of my car while yelling/cursing continues.
I get in the car, start it up and he comes out in a rage screaming "oh, so you're not going to pay me?" then returns to his office. His 'lawyer' is standing @ 7ft from my car, I roll down the window stating "look, I came here to discuss this bill. I never authorized the work and requested an estimate first. I'm not leaving his shop in order not to pay b/c I brought money to pay for his services. I just don't think what he quoted is fair. I'm leaving b/c I'm afraid of his rage & my safety. His 'lawyer' demands I come in & pay the bill before leaving.
I drove away & called his phone leaving the same message I spoke to w/ his 'lawyer." While driving, I call back to try to speak w/ him but get hostile, threatening remarks-so I hang up. He keeps trying to call me back but I just hang up. This goes on and on for @10minutes and I'm driving and not sure where I am. I ended up on the highway stuck in very slow traffic. I decided not to hang up the next time he calls but when I called a man says he is a policeman & was told I just picked up my car w/o paying the bill & this is 'theft of services.' The policeman suggested I meet him at a donut shop next to the auto place so we can talk it over. I return &a
"[Member's name removed] has been thrown out of every Volvo dealer in the Bergen Passaic County because none of them will deal with her and her myriad issues, all of which are very readily apparent from her lengthy text. The fact is that [Member's name removed] was provided with an advance estimate of $900.00 for labor--she supplied virtually all of her own aftermarket parts, which were inferior and substandard. The problem is that [Member's name removed] is her own worst mechanic, and most of her car's problems are attributable to her refusal to allow oem parts to be used in her effort to cut corners. [Member's name removed] tried to cut corners on the estimate too. Even after an estimate was provided to her, [Member's name removed] continuously barged into my office and kept interrupting a sale in an effort to reduce the amount of the estimate I quoted her. The repair work she was requested was performed for slightly less than the estimate. However, contrary to [member's name removed] claim, no work was performed by my shop on her car's exhaust system. Any problems with the exhaust system are solely attributable to [Member's name removed] use of aftermarket parts in her exhaust system . The rest of her claims concerning the services provided and quality of the work done are so ludicrous as to be unworthy of any response. They are categorically denied. As will come to no surprise to you, [member's name removed] refused to pay for the work performed and actually removed her car from my lot and left my business premises without paying anything at all. She did this even after being advised by my attorney, who happened to be in the shop that day, that she should not leave without paying for the services rendered. As a result of [Member's name removed] attempted theft of services, she was detained by the Bergenfield Police Department after hanging up on the police officer who contacted her. [Member's name removed] was directed to make payment upon threat of criminal prosecution. Even so, [member's name removed] only had $700.00 to make a payment, so it is clear that she never intended to pay for the services she requested to be performed on her car and for which she bargained for in advance. I have been in business for almost 30 years and have not survived by harming my customers--quite the contrary. I provide extraordinary service for a reasonable cost, but it is unfortunate that one cannot make happy those persons whose sole purpose in life is to terrorize legitimate businesses due to their own personal issues and agendas."
"In Response: This 2002 Saab 9^3 convertible was brought to the shop with a complaint of “the top doesn't work”. The top was in the up (closed) position and would not move. The initial diagnosis was a fault in the top hydraulics, a complex system consisting of a master pump and five pistons connected by 12 lines using a special fluid, which performs the delicate ballet of lowering and raising the convertible top. To begin, about two hours time is needed to carefully dismantle the interior to gain access to the hydraulic pump and the 12 lines that connect it to the five pistons. This revealed that two lines were blown off the pump and no fluid was present. The customer was advised to replace the two damaged lines and the missing fluid. That was done and an attempt was made to bleed the system of air during which time three more lines blew off the pump, indicating that the wrong fluid had previously been used and damaged the lines. The customer was contacted and it was recommended to replace all the lines, so that the top hydraulics would be able to function. The customer accepted the recommendation and upon completion of this work the top did have some movement but would not move properly as the five pistons were leaking fluid, consistent with improper fluid use in the past. The customer was contacted and it was recommended to replace the five leaking pistons with used pistons. Customer agreed to this recommendation. Used pistons were sourced from a reliable, reputable vendor. Unfortunately, three of the used pistons wouldn't hold pressure. Another attempt was made to source working used pistons in order to save the customer money. Unfortunately, this second set of pistons also failed to function satisfactorily. The customer was advised that new pistons would be needed and even though these new pistons are much more expensive than used pistons the shop would still honor the price that had been quoted to the customer for the repair using used pistons, absorbing the additional expense of the new pistons. The repair of the hydraulic system was completed with five new pistons, at the price that had been quoted using used pistons, and the top now opened and closed for the first time since this car was brought in to the shop. Now that the top was able to open and close as intended it was discovered that the top did not move in a normal fashion. The rear window would sometimes catch as the top moved, indicating a structural problem, which might be from the rear window, the frame or the top itself. When the customer saw the top open and close in this manner he asserted that the shop had damaged the top and demanded that it be repaired at no additional charge. As noted from the beginning of this encounter, the top didn't work at all when this car was brought in to the shop and the top didn't open and close until the hydraulic system was repaired, as already described. The shop successfully repaired the hydraulic system of the convertible top and went the extra step of using new parts instead of the agreed upon used parts at no additional charge to the customer. There was no programming nor adjustment made to the top during this repair. Whatever is causing the convertible top to move in this manner is separate from and not related to this repair. It is unfortunate that both sides lost their tempers when the customer came into the shop to pick up his car and brought a family member with him to speak on his behalf."
"hi this is joe from swedish connection. we dont push work on anybody we just tell them whats needed to there car thats all."
I spoke with the owner of this place on a Thursday, hopeful that I had finally found a reasonable place to repair my car. I made an appointment for the following Tuesday. This man seemed nice enough at the time. I explained that I would have no way of getting home while he would be working on the car and he readily volunteered that there were loaner cars available. I did ask about waiting for the car and he ignored my question. Armed with the previous information, I found myself at this establishment at 8:00 am, their opening time, on this particular Tuesday. I entered the empty office and stood there.........and stood there............and stood there................for about five minutes, alone, until another customer, a man, entered the office behind me. I should mention here that I am female. A rather sullen, stone-faced man then miraculously appeared. With few words, he took my key and directed me with a wave of his arm to someplace in the general direction of across the street to get my loaner car. I asked if I could wait in their chair-filled office or even just walk around town and he said, "No! Absolutely not. We'll look at the car this afternoon." (This after waiting 5 days for an appointment.) I then watched this same man interact with the man that had entered the office after me. Their conversation was very different from the conversation that I had just had. Friendly even. I immediately thought , "What am I getting myself into here?"
I wandered across the street and got my loaner car (which was quite another uncomfortable situation for another time) and went the 4 miles to my home to wait for THE phone call. Swedish Connection looked at my car about an hour after I left and called me at about 10:00 am. Why I needed a loaner car, is still unclear. The phone call was from a man who identified himself as the owner. He told me that the car need this $490. part and some hoses. Hoses, plural. The total would be just under $700. I explained that I would have to look at my bank account and get back to him. I called him back five minutes later to tell him that I could not afford the $700. I asked about replacing the hose, singular. I don't think he heard me because he started to raise his voice to a very loud pitch, saying that I would have to pay for the loaner car, why did I waste his time and a few other delectable words not fit for a trucker, never mind me. He called me every name in the book and a liar besides. He was screaming about how I was going to have to pay for the loaner car. I couldn't get a word in anywhere. He vehemently claimed to have told me about the parameters of the loaner car over the phone the previous week. Well sir, you must be mistaken. Little does this man know that I have that conversation on a microcassette as well as this morning's tirade. AND the conversation with the man behind the counter too. I don't go anywhere without my trusty recorder. Especially to a place like this where I'm not versed in the task at hand. NONE, and I mean NONE of what I was told over the phone is true. I have concrete proof. Let me repeat that for the benefit of the owner of this place.......... I have your words on tape. Maybe he was incensed that I could not afford his exorbitant price to fix what turned out to be just a hose, as I later found out at another establishment. I don't know. But treating a potential customer in this way is just plain wrong. Why anyone would bring their car there is beyond me. Or maybe they just have problems with females. Females who just won't submit to their bullying with at least a short explanation about the diagnosis and subsequent milking of my money.
There are reasons that they have no customer testimonials on their website. What a racket!
And I had to miss a day of work for this?
Ed of Parkfield Motors in Bergenfield, NJ, where art thou? I miss your knowledgeable, helpful and honest way of doing business, your patience and your compassion. You never talked down at your customers. You laid out all the options available to get my car running. And sometimes I felt that you were part of my family because I spent so much time at your dealership. You were an upfront guy, something that is impossible to find now days.
"the customer was told how much .he did ok the job and i replaced the fuel pump not clean it"
Licensing
State Contractor License Requirements
All statements concerning insurance, licenses, and bonds are informational only, and are self-reported. Since insurance, licenses and bonds can expire and can be cancelled, homeowners should always check such information for themselves. To find more licensing information for your state, visit our Find Licensing Requirements page.
*Contact business to see additional licenses.