These guys are everything you want in an auto garage. Especially for Asian car brands. I have (unfortunately) had to have 3 major repairs done to different vehicles, and every one I left feeling great that I chose this garage. I have always left come away with the feeling that they had my best interest in mind and did everything they could to save me money. They set expectations fairly, and then worked to meet or exceed them. Peter and his team deserve to take pride in their work-- they are good people. Recommended. read more

My engine light came on suddenly and Say Ray was the ONLY one who had time to do a diagnostic test to see what was happening. He assured me it was probably a sensor and although it is likely to come on again, it's safe to drive. Not only that, he didn't charge me a dime. He's my mechanic for life. read more

Great work at an affordable price, and I am by no means a techie making 6 figures living here. This is the second time I've taken my Volvo in for repairs, they were quick and efficient. So glad I was recommended to this shop! Will definitely take my car back here! (Although I hope I don't have to anytime soon!) read more

This is a long overdue recommendation. I have taken my car here several times over the last few years for various issues (e.g., brake fluid leaking, check engine light on, etc.). Ray is very straightforward and honest. He has never ever pushed any unnecessary repairs on me, and in fact he has chosen to not charge me for looking at my car when it turned out nothing was wrong. I wish I could say the same about more mechanics. This place is a gem. read more

Heard this place was okay. But after two phone calls, Customer service needs improvement. Was not able to answer basic questions about services offered. Did not ask right questions to get information needed. read more

It's Friday, and I just gotta update again because of what the guy who answered the phone did -- saved my weekend. Did a good thorough job of explaining and reassuring me about why I don't have to be in a panic about my check engine light -- same light comes on for a loose gas cap (checked) and emissions. But since my engine hasn't been acting funny, it's probably ok. I can drop by any time Monday, morning is best, and it'll only take 5 minutes to find out. Whew! Ps. I don't know who that other poster used to go to that he thinks these guys charge a premium for their work but to me, they're frugal like my late Norwegian ex-father-in-law. And they keep throwing things in for free and at cost, like it'll turn out the problem is just a bulb that went out or something. I almost feel guilty about it but hey, if they want to be nice, who am I to stop them? read more

Every time I do business with them, I have an amazing experience. They treat us like they would their own family, which is SO very rare in this town: honest, fair, and compassionate. Thanks to Say Ray, we have no problem with the idea of keeping our Volvo --which now has 123k miles-- for as many years as possible. We love our car, we know that Say Ray will be there to take care of it, and we know that the repairs that our car needs will be done well, at a fair price, and with no hassle. We have never had the same feeling of trust with [our Volvo dealership]. Also: in my experience, their technical skills cannot be beat. Three separate times, my family or I have had problems that our Volvo dealership(s) swore were extremely complex and neigh-to-unfixable. Either the dealer mechanics were boneheads and really had no idea what they were doing because it wasn't explicit in a troubleshooting manual, or the dealer was being opportunistic, and trying to move us into a new car. When we took our cars from the Dealer to Say Ray, things got fixed. Each problem was easily tracked down, and fixed quickly. One time the problem turned out to be a transmission controller harness replacement, and any mechanic can tell you that this is a VERY hard bug to track down (as opposed to totaling our car). One time, it was a simple CPU reset (as opposed to the $600 to replace a window position switch the dealer quoted us). Their prices are extremely fair, and the value of their customer service is beyond measure! Fear not, Volvo dealers: we are still going to buy cars from you. After all, they are great machines. But the real reason we will still darken your doorstep is that we know, as soon as the warrantee doesn't cover something, Say Ray has our back. read more

My Mom has had a Volvo for years.....and for many of those years she had the same Volvo. Growing up, I was the only kid on the block whose mother drove a 1966 Volvo. You know the ones that were curvy--not boxes like the ones now. My Mom and Dad drove it around Europe when they first got married and shipped it over here. My Mom literally drove the thing as her primary car (with brief stints of Volvo upgrades, but she always went back to the original) until the 90's. Say Ray kept it runnung. When she got a new car, it was also a Volvo. With that history--Say Ray has been servicing the family Volvos for as long as I remember. I am pretty positive my Mom never took her cars anywhere else. My Mom has now passed on a Volvo to me and I wouldn't think of taking the car anywhere else. I can't tell you how much I trust them. The prices are fair. The advice good (and often for small things -- free). The service is quick and helpful. Everyone is knowledgeable and genuinely nice. read more

I signed up for Yelp so I could write this. While i can't comment on their prices, I've really appreciated each of my Say Ray encounters thus far, and can vouch for them as friendly, sharp, and super-knowledgeable servicepeople. I went in there once with a broken side foglight, and Robert not only replaced the bulb in there for free, but also offered to help me put in a new fixture if I wanted to order the part online and bring it in. They've also done a check engine diagnostic for me for free without ever making me feel pressured to get it fixed by them, and also gave me helpful suggestions on how to get my car started when my battery died in my garage. Even Carlsen Volvo, the official dealer down the street, has happily recommended them to me. Other Volvo-owning friends have also vouched for their fair prices. If I weren't as price-sensitive as I am right now, I'd gladly go to them for everything, given that they offer a great package overall. read more

Good story to illustrate how great these guys are: Based on Yelpers reviews, I took my '96 850 GLT in for some regular maintenance. Ray said the battery needed replacement. Huh? It was new as of 7 months ago! Went back to the place that sold me the battery. They said I needed a new alternator. Called up Ray to ask for a quote for a new alternator -- they said bring it by for us to diagnose. Stopped by two days later in the morning. Peter came out, hooked up the machine, revved the engine, went back into the shop, crimped the positive battery cables, machine read-out looked better, off I went. Seems that the cable connection isn't the best in my year of vehicle, which is why it wasn't charging that well. Comparison: Free versus $670. Hmmm.... I'll be back. read more

I was visiting my daughter at Stanford when my elderly Volvo began barking and coughing. Since I was due to return to LA the next day, this was a big problem. Not only did Say Ray give me an immediate appointment to clean out my MAF filter and tighten my steering wheel, but when I went to check my fluids the next day before the long trip home I discovered that they had also topped off my oil and coolant unbidden. My daughter drives an even more ancient Volvo, and I am so happy to have found this wonderful Palo Alto mechanic for her. read more

amazing customer serice and amazing service they will tell you what needs to happen and get it done if you need a mechanic in palo alto for toyotas these guys will get it done quick right and at a great price read more

The woman at the front desk is so mean and punitive in her attitude that I can no longer go there. It is bad enough to need expensive repairs without her being so curt and unhelpful. I'm not complaining about the mechanics. read more

I am sorry to say I did not experience the type of service many others seemed to have gotten from Say Ray. I called them for brake work, based on the reviews I saw on Yelp. Let's just say get things in writing before you go there. Was given a quote for replacing front pads on my Volvo, so made an appt for 3 days later. Showed up, and the estimate was about 30% higher! Woman at front desk, as mentioned in other reviews, was pretty curt about it, made a snide comment like are you kidding we'd never do the work for that rate. Later on she admitted to me she 'was mistaken' when she gave me the orig estimate on the phone - I guess some honesty on her part gets them 2 stars instead of 1. So I somewhat reluctantly say OK (for the higher amount) since I'm already there and have gone thru the trouble. Later get a call that I need the rotors replaced too. Asked for an estimate, the total is now more than what the Volvo dealers (two different dealers) quoted me for pads and rotors replacement, what!? Sorry, long review, but I hate bait and switch tactics. Manager then acted like he was doing me a favor by saying they'll 'put everything back together' and I won't be charged if I don't want to do the service. I was hoping I could find a good honest place to bring my cars (I also have 2 other cars of types they service) but I won't be going back. read more

A buyer for my used Volvo Wagon brought it to Say Ray for an evaluation. This wagon is clean and in good condition, and I was asking under trade in value but Say Ray killed the deal with a laundry list of inconsequential, silly, and wrong maintenance issues. Included were dirty brake fluid, dirty transmission fluid (changed within the prior year), 'old looking' timing belt and water pump(both changed as regular maintenance just 15,000 miles ago) worn belts, hoses, and clamps(Please!), dirty air filter (almost new), tire rotation needed (done two weeks ago). after market brake pads, O2 sensors may have issues down the road??????, and other stuff relevant to any decent car with 120,000 miles on it. I was surprised he didn't comment on the stinky air in the tires. I was less than cordial when I confronted the 'man at the desk' for killing my deal with this nonsense. His response was "This is what we do.". When I stated that I could come up with a similar list for any car on the street his response was. "I know.". Summary: Did they test for major issues like blown head gasket, bad transmission, or 'smogability'?...No! He kills my deal, grabs a quick $135.00 from the buyer, and kills any chance for his shop to perform any of the future maintenance on this car. Duh! If he was thinking straight he should have given the buyer a 'go' on this good looking, good running, low priced, used Volvo, and positioned himself as the go to guy for future maintenance. The only winner under this scenario is probably Toyota. read more

We've been a Say Ray customer for 20 years. EXCELLENT ... EXCELLENT ... EXCELLENT ... EXCELLENT... EXCELLENT...!!!

Have always been very honest, timely and perform the service as promised. I've been taking both my Toyota and Lexus to Say Ray for a few years now - always a fantastic and fair transaction. read more

10 stars, minimum. I had our beloved high mileage 1990 Turbo Wagon towed to Say Ray after two other local shops gave up trying to correctly diagnose the problem (would crank, but not start). Within hours they called me to say the fuel injection relay was bad ($56.00) and to come get it. Until then, based on the feedback we received from the other two shops we were on the verge of donating the car to charity. Since the repair the car has been on the road for six months and has been 100% trouble free. If you have an older Volvo that needs maintenance, or repair, I highly recommend you drive straight to Say Ray. read more

Say Ray may charge a premium for their services but it's totally worth it. We've gone to them for several years now and they never upsell repairs and are very honest. Never had a problem with any repairs. For instance, our trunk was stuck shut and several Volvo dealerships said it would cost in excess of 1000$ to fix. We drove into Say Ray and they immediately knew that for our car, apparently locking the globe compartment locks the trunk - problem solved! read more

I was in agreement with the other posters until this morning when I called to see if they can give me an estimate for some small knick knack issues with my Volvo. They told me they can't even look at it without an appointment and that it will run me $120 at a minimal for the one hour shop time for them to see what work needs to be done. This without me even bringing my car in or they asking me any questions about what issues I have. This is not what I expected from Say Ray. I really want continue to be a customer as I brought the same car in for a brake job a year ago. The brakes worked great and they saved me $70 over the dealership. But with this experience, I have to say that I will be taking my business elsewhere. I guess since their next open appointment was not for 2 weeks, they don't need the business. That's too bad... read more

Came in needing some light replacements and they replaced them right away and sent me on my way. Super easy and much appreciated!

took my S70 in for analysis of the SRS warning light based on my regular mechanic's recommendation. The place was busy and clearly does a good business. They were friendly, professional and saw me right away. The prompt attention was a pleasant surprise given the number of cars in the shop. Pete was thorough in his anaylsis and honest in his recommendations. For this issue, he had nothing to gain as it will need to be addressed by a dealer (ugh) but still gave it his complete attention. I would trust this shop with my business, which is a rare thing to find these days. read more

Very prompt and good service on our Volvo and fair prices. Support this independent repair shop so the dealer doesn't become our only option in Palo Alto. read more

Say Ray is an excellent shop for Volvo owners. I never take my S80 to a Volvo dealership because they rip me off like no other. However, Say Ray is privately owned and run by a thorough and respectful staff. I feel lucky that I found Say Ray and am always appreciative of their work and honesty. Highly recommended! read more

Took my volvo 850 in to Say Ray for the first time, based on yelp reviews. Ratings were confirmed by my experience -- these people are very honest and forthright. They advised me on the implications of an optional repair, and saved me $700 in the process. Worth noting -- when I pulled up to their shop in Palo Alto, I was struck by the scene. The garage is located on a quiet side street near Fry's Electronics and has no business signage on the exterior of the building. They open for business on THEIR terms: Mon - Thu 7am - 4pm and Fri 7am - 1pm. Yet the place is very busy, and must get all of its volvo-specific car maintenance business through word-of-mouth. Very impressive. read more

Like Jason, I signed up to sing the praises of this Volvo repair shop. They know their stuff. I approached them with a list of bothersome quirks that my car had developed, and they identified the cause of almost all of them immediately. Also, at no charge, they pulled the codes on my Check Engine light, a service that other shops have charged me $60 for. Their swift diagnosis of my car's problems impressed me, and I was amazed at how quickly they fixed everything (same day!). All in all, worth every penny. I will be coming back to this shop for any further work that needs to be done. read more

Signed up for Yelp just for this. I'm new to the area, was looking on Yelp for a place for some minor repairs to my 2001 S40, found Say Ray on Yelp. Needed a new wiper arm motor, new antenna. Figured they might be expensive, so waited a while to get them fixed. I called Say Ray, they said come on in. Went in, looked at my car, said it'd be an easy fix, they just had to order parts. Next day, they called to see if I was still coming in, got both parts fixed for cost of parts + about 1/2 hour of service. Very friendly, don't overcharge for anything, give reasonable and accurate estimates, and seem very competent. I asked about getting a new key, they quoted me a very reasonable price (electronic keys = expensive), but didn't push it at all, which I really appreciated. I'm looking at buying another car, and I may consider driving the new car over three hours just to have it checked by these guys. Excellent service, knowledgeable techs. I couldn't be happier. read more

I've been taking my 1984 Volvo 240 here for 5+ years and it's always received top notch service. I just don't have to worry about it; I know the car will get whatever it needs to have done, done, and furthermore that it'll be done *right*. I've never ever felt as if they were trying to push me into something I didn't need. Nor have I ever had cause to worry that they'd done a repair incorrectly. Also, they give great referrals if the car needs something outside of their specialty. I've come to trust their referrals almost as much as I trust Say Ray themselves. read more

I was 100% correct. They called me by 9am on Monday to let me know the problem, the solution, and the cost. My car will be ready by noon, thus confirming that this is the best mechanic's shop ever. read more

Went there for Volvo service. Very friendly. Reasonably priced. Fixed the brakes and a few other minor things on the same day. Delivered it when promised. Convenient location. I'll come back. read more

Like others, I signed up Yelp just to praise Say Ray. I got stuck on 280 on my way to work with what I thought was my battery but turned out to be (and what I had feared) my alternator. Towed my 2006 S40 to Say Ray and what can I say, it's just felt right. Now there's no fancy waiting room or anything like that but the staff is honest and straight to the point...both things I can value in a shop. I will definitely be taking my car here for services in the future. Only 4 stars because I haven't gotten my car back yet (there's only one alternator for my car in the US). Will be sure to up the star-o-meter once I can drive it around. read more

I've taken my Volvos to Say Ray for what must be 20 years. Now up to 25 years--same great honest service. They have always been courteous and responsive to what needed to be done (and as the cars were older -- didn't need to be done) and at a fair price. As others have said, they will fix a light bulb with minimal cost --often on a dropin basis (and I have spent much more time and money when I did it at the dealer's shop). I am switching from Volvo to other makes, and was pleased that Say Ray is now able to repair Toyotas and related vehicles as well as Volvos. Thanks for nearly 400,000 miles worth of repairs! read more

I concur with every positive remark in the other reviews, but my positive experiences go back to 1968 when Peter's father, Ray, was running the shop. Ray, Peter and their associates have serviced three consecutive Volvos for me -- including the present 23 year-old one with 260,000 miles on it. I trust their automotive judgement far more than my own when deciding what is needed. read more

We have seen many mechanics through the years. It does not get an better than this. Starts with the Robin at the front desk, ends with Peter the mechanic. One reason we drive Volvos, we know honest capable people will be handling the service. It really doesn't get better than this imho. read more

If you have a Volvo, new or old, Say Ray is simply the best Volvo repair shop I have encountered in almost 40 years of our family owning multiple Volvos in Boston and the Bay Area. They are fair, honest, efficient and a pleasure to deal with. They diagnose problems very well, never do unneccessary work and always provide a detailed accounting of parts and labor. Their prices are fair and they try hard to work with your scheudle as a customer. read more

Had service on my Volvo S60 and thought they were great. Prices reasonable, great service and nice people.

I have been a customer of Say Ray for over 16 years. The are honest, knowledgeable and always have my car ready on time. My 240 wagon is 21 years old and they keep it running like new. Ah, stress free car repair. Who knew! read more

I also signed up for Yelp just to write this. I live near Say Ray and have had my two Volvos (1991 240 Sedan and 1993 240 Wagon) maintained there for about 8 years. They are great. The best aspect of Say Ray is the old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Unlike so many other places, Say Ray is not interested in trying to sell you a bunch of repairs that you don't need. They will tell you honestly what is wrong -- or NOT wrong -- with your car, regardless of whether it means a lesser repair bill or not. This has happened to me several times at Say Ray, where I bring the car in expecting a major repair and they say no, it is just this little thing or no, you don't need anything fixed. Example 1: I brought in my 1991 240 Sedan when I first bought it for radiator/cooling repair because the temperature gauge needle seemed higher than normal. They drove it around and said "no, that is an acceptable level, you don't have any cooling problems" and charged me $0. That was 8 years ago, and I have had no problems since then, so they must have been right. They could have reamed me and they did not. Example 2: Our 1993 240 Wagon suddenly made a horrible screeching transmission noise on the freeway, so we pulled over and had the vehicle towed into Say Ray. They looked at the tranny and found a loose nut sitting in the the tranny oil pan, removed it and test-drove the vehicle and there were no problems found. After charging me only $105, they said well, you'll probably be okay, it is probably not worth taking anything else apart. That was 4 years ago, with no problems since, so they must have been right. Could you imagine how badly a dealer would have reamed me? A dealer would probably have had done a $3000 transmission overhaul! Example 3: The rear back window (electric) would not work in my 1991 240 Sedan. I came in to make an appointment. Instead, the mechanic walked out to my car and pressed extremely hard, with a screwdriver, on the corner of the driver control switch for that window. He said this tends to fix the problem because of the weird way the Volvo swtiches age over time. He was right! The charge was $0. That was 2 years ago and no problems since. This is the kind of local, independent repair shop that puts dealers to shame. read more