Came here for my emissions test. No appointment needed, $20 cash only (they have an ATM on the premises). On Friday afternoon within one hour of closing time, the parking lot is huge and easy to park in. The waiting room is incredibly spacious and nice. I gave them my car key, waited a bit (there were some people in front of me) and then soon I was good to go! Got my report, paid, and left. Really convenient location for me, nice and efficient staff, will be back for my needs! read more

Swanson Automotive - Waiting room - Auto Repair Near Me - East Haven, Connecticut

Great group of mechanics/office personnel. Love this business, always very kind, helpful and a whole lot of fun to be around (comical). Would recommend them whole heartedly read more

I had been to Swanson automotive for emissions testing and was very satisfied with Luchi at the reception desk and the quick service.Due to a need for an oil service and power steering issue I stopped in last Friday and spoke with Luchi and she quoted me for the work I needed and set up an appointment for the following Tuesday so my wife and I dropped the car off Monday afternoon.Luchi called me Tuesday late morning to tell me the car was ready!When my wife and I went to pick up the car we're greeted by Luchi and the owner Kurt with his dog Lola(which happens to be the name of our dog also).The repair estimate was accurate and the chat we had was pleasant!Great customer friendly shop and would highly recommend. read more

I stopped at Swason Automovtive for my emissions test. I choose them because they are the closest option for me. When I walked in I was greeted by a harsh and weathered woman who clearly has been through more than I can imagine. She barked at me and told me where to go and that I was in line behind two others waiting. Reminded me of being back in grade school being scolded by the teacher. I felt a little better when the next customer arrived. This woman requested a service that Swanson Automotive does not offer. She received a similar scolding to mine. That made me feel better knowing it was not just personally directed at me Then it really got interesting. I guess the lovely greeter decided to check how her stocks were doing. Apparently because her next move was to repeat "Jesus Christ!" over and over again saying her stocks were way down. My car passed emissions and the wait was not bad. read more

Take note dealerships this is how it's done.From the person who awnsers the phone to the machanics .Real people who do what they say they will do at a reasonable price. read more

After getting some bogus info from another source I called Swanson to see if he could service my car. I had been told it might be a huge repair. Kurt knew immediately that the info sounded off and had us come in right away. He fixed it same day and accurately identified the issue and saved the day! I will be going to Swanson for all service from now on. read more

Hello I like Swanson automotive. They change my oil and service all of my other mobile needs. There is a deli across the street so it is convenient to get an oil change and also a snack. Kirt is a cool guy. He is not from Connecticut so you gotta know the guy has solid manners, an astute amount of professionalism and a nice clean haircut. I do miss Kim now and then when I am up at night thinking about Swanson automotive, but looch is also about as fine a counter dwelling individual as you can find. She is quite conversational and professional with very pretty eyes. Also, sometimes there is a small dog that enjoys friendship so get on down to Swansons and regale yourself with fine conversation with looch, remember Kim fondly wherever she may be, test the patience and manners of Kirt, play with a little friendly dog, and maybe if you're so inclined, even get some work done with your car! read more

Swanson Automotive - A visual interpretation of my complete satisfaction with kirts manners, looch's fine personality and that wonderful canine fellow - Auto Repair Near Me - East Haven, Connecticut

Whoever took the phone this morning for emission test was nice :) service was done quick! Thank you.

We take our 2003 Hyundai here and have needed service on engine fuel line, different things. These guys are honest and seem fair with pricing of repairs. Will will keep coming back thank you. read more

Good staff, fair and professional. I've taken my car here multiple times and have been happy with their services.

Always available when you need them. Super friendly and take the time to answer your questions. Was there for emissions, practically no wait. Perfect!!! read more

Just another kudos to Kirt & the crew. I had a shoddy tire repair done at Solano & Son's on Forbes Ave where I ended up with stripped lug nuts & stems. Unfortunately, I had to pay out of pocket as owner took no responsibility. Fortunately, however, I got to go to my FAVORITE, reliable mechanics at Swanson who took care of me & my car's issue with ease. Again, I could've gotten gutted but their honesty and integrity still somehow amaze me! read more

Was introduced to this automotive repair shop from a neighbor and I couldn't be happier! Word of mouth is the best advertisement. The work was done, honestly, and professionally! read more

THESE PEOPLE ARE HONEST, and FAIR!!! I am SO PLEASED with this Auto Shop! By accident, by chance last winter they were the only shop open in all of New Haven, as every shop we called had closed due to the blizzard. The owner, Kirt, stayed open for us. I called him on the way to ask him to please stay open, we will be there. He checked our emissions, and shut shop. Forward to 8 months later, and my muffler is shot. Crack in the pipe at the manifold. Took it to the dealer, took it to Midas, took it to other shops. Then I took it to Swanson Auto. BY FAR THE MOST REASONABLE. NOT EVEN CLOSE. One place was 3x the price, another 5x, one 10x, and one even 20x. Brian, the Tech did an amazing job with my car and it sounds like an electric car now. It purrs like a little kitten now. Thanks Brian, Thanks Swanson Auto. Thanks Kirt. Amazing work. PURE LUCK! I was so impressed with Kirt's humbleness, honest demeanor, and overall attitude in the middle of a blizzard that shut down the entire state, I asked 'Do you sell cars here?' As we were looking and he seemed like a trustworthy guy. I wanted to buy a used car from this shop. He said, 'no, sorry, we are only a repair shop.' read more

Great mechanics. fair pricing. Friendly staff. Very reasonable compared to other mechanics in the area.

Updating review from original 2015! That being said: Kirt @ Swanson Automotive is STILL my mechanic- I obviously trust him with my families lives. He is doing repairs that if not done correctly could possible cause the loss of these people. His work ethic, overall caring for his customers & his business' good reputation that he built himself, have kept him one of the VERY few businessmen (never mind mechanics!) that I've had the pleasure of (torturing..) with my time and money!! He had a customer for life with me but my big mouth assuredly has already brought more & I will keep singing his (& wife Julie's) names to keep bringing in many more!! read more

I just wanna jump in here after reading these reviews from some of you with your absolute petty ridiculous comments. Theses RANTS are just so off base and I really hope anyone reading these aren't taking these negative comments as the holy grail of reviews.. If you read further the good out way the bad. I was recommended by my BF Tom B. and he highly recommended them! Now mind you I have a newer Range Rover Sport and I'm super picky about who I want working on it but I'm also smart enough to know nor to consider it to the dealer as obviously they will charge you through the roof for the smallest of repair. Example: Took my Rover to a rover dealership in the area we won't name names here but.. they actually tried to charge me several hundred dollars for a fix that cost $77.00. Here with a little extra for the work but you realize they don't work for free right!? They're very responsible to say the least... Now to the guy with the rant 4000 paragraphs long talking like he knew how to change his brake pads and that These guys at swanson auto don't know what they're talking about??? Cleary they do and you don't or you wouldn't have called several over priced dealers and asked them! ALSO I FIND YOUR ATTITUDE TO "OBNOXIOUS AND RUDE HOW ABOUT THAT? No I'm not a personal friend of Kurt or anyone else there but I'm a returning customer and so is my guy! So please anyone that finds the negative guy on the bottom list helpful ?? Well you are making a HUGE mistake by not bringing your vehicle here you won't be disappointed! FIVE STARS TWO SNAPS AND A HIGH FIVE TO THE HARD WORKING KNOWLEDGEABLE GUYS HERE read more

Never a bad experience at Swanson Automotive. Mechanics you can trust and service you can appreciate. You can rest easy knowing your vehicle is in capable hands and you'll be paying a fair price. The emissions testing is cash only so heads up read more

Swanson Automotive - Emissions Testing Hours - Auto Repair Near Me - East Haven, Connecticut

Brought my car in for diagnostic and repair. Was told the engine had low compression in 2 cylinders.. I asked over and over and was told that it wasn't worth fixing. sold the truck for parts. The buyer called to tell me that it was a bad spark plug wire, the truck passed inspection and was great! I lost between 3400-5k so to their incompetence. thank you! read more

I can't say enough about how great these guys are and how much I have to thank them for. When my car caught on fire, they recommended a great towing place, took a good look at my car and let me know what had happened and what was wrong. Unfortunately my car was a total loss, but many other garages would have tried to rip me off and tell me it could be fixed. They even offered to take a look at the next car I am thinking of buying before I get it. The staff is extremely helpful, courteous and honest. This is my forever garage. read more

My absolute favorite mechanic and I won't go to anyone else. Honest, trustworthy, and they do excellent work. They won't try to sell you on things you don't need like a lot of other mechanics. My whole family uses them. Highly recommended! read more

The people who work here are very friendly. If you're only looking for an oil change, this is a fast place, had it done in about 20 minutes. However, I also asked them to do a general check of fluids, belts, brakes, etc to see if anything needed work and I'm pretty sure that either 1) it simply did not happen in a span of 20 minutes while simultaneously doing oil change or 2) they are so so incredibly fast and efficient to have given everything a look through. I personally prefer more thoroughness and care when someone is looking at the vehicle I use everyday. read more

Honest place! So refreshing to not worry about being taken advantage of. These folks know what they are doing and are the real deal. Highly recommend them if you need a simple oil change or major work done. You'll be as pleased with them as I was. So glad I gave them a try. read more

Excellent service, people really friendly Yep I recommend this place to anyone Thanks to Swanson for the service read more

If you have a foreign car and you are getting waxed at the dealership, I have great news for you! I have a Volvo and my last visit to the Volvo dealership was so outrageously overpriced that I vowed 'never again'. I had a headlight out and went to Swanson where they charged me less than $25 for a new headlight, to take the message off my dash, AND service! That would have cost me $150 or more at Volvo. They also changed my oil for ~$35. Their waiting room is large and clean, everyone is polite and courteous, and this place is right near the East Haven/Branford border -- easy to find, plenty of parking. Fantastic! read more

I never thought I would write a bad review for swanson's. I took my car there on monday Aug 5th to get the brakes checked. I was given the car back on tuesday the 6th saying it was fine and had 35% left on the pads and the squeak must have been a rock. On tuesday night I went to go out with the family and got a grind when I stepped on the brake. I then called them and dropped off the car on wed. After a bit they called me told me the inner pad on the front driver's side was bad and had gauged my drilled and slotted rotor. I was then told I had to replace the rotor, pads, caliper on that side. They also said they had to do both the front rotors cause they only come in pairs. When I asked why they hadn't seen this when they were supposed to check the brakes the day before. They said they only ever check the outer pad and that the pads ALWAYS wear evenly. Anyone who has EVER done a brake job knows they never wear 100% evenly. They said if I wanted them to check the four inner pads I would have to pay two hours labor. When I said that is not how a brake check is ever supposed to go I was told ALL shops do that and to call other shops if I didn't believe them. I did just that.. I called McDermitt Chevy, Branhaven Chrysler, Midway Autobody, Fairfield Audi & Porsche. Each of these dealerships said "That is not how brake checks are done and that's lazy, unprofessional, and dangerous." When I told them what others said and told them they should fix it because it was their screw up. marcio refused and even got to the point where he was rude and obnoxious. I had direct IN PERSON interactions with Kurt and marcio as well as phone conversations with marcio about this and kurt was nodding his head right along with marcio when he was telling me in person that they only check the outside pad. PER THE OTHER BUSINESSES..THERE IS A LAW IN CT THAT STATES A SHOP CANNOT RELEASE A CAR THAT IS UNSAFE. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID and by saying the brakes were good they warrantied that they checked all the brakes and the brakes were good when they weren't.. therefore they should have made it right. TAKE YOUR CAR HERE AT YOUR OWN PERIL. I WILL NOT BE RETURNING EVER. read more

Kirt is a great mechanic and will make certain he keeps your vehicle is a safe reliable condition. He is a great business man and one that you can trust. He provides great value and friendly service. He treats his customers like his own family! Prepare to be amazed. read more

At a time when customer service, honesty and reliability aren't the most common traits, Swanson delivers all of these, and more! Always courteous, informative, dedicated and helpful, Kirk and his crew have earned my trust by always solving my car woes, answering my questions and making sure I get back on the road as quickly and affordably as possible! They are my go-to shop, from emissions to major repairs to rentals, and they should be yours, as well! Get thee to Swanson!! read more

About the friendliest people you coul deal with. Honest and good work. Plus the owner is a Scandinavian like I and from WI like I. Hard to go wrong with that! Great neighborhood garage that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend! read more

Worst service repair!!! Cost is $1900 for a work vehicle to get fixed. 2 week later it's back in the shop and they're telling us the bearings are going and that the oil pan is leaking.That it will be another $800.00 This should've been brought to our attention before they fixed the brakes and when they gave the truck a tuneup they should've noticed something was leaking at the time. Took it to another shop and it's not even the oil pan the radiator is leaking and the bearings have no lead way like they said well we can get away with that for another couple of years they're done read more

Outstanding customer service. This shop had the opportunity to charge me for extra work but didn't. I met with Kurt (the owner) the evening I dropped off my 03 Mustang and explained that the car wouldn't start and had antifreeze leaking. I thought it was an overheating problem with my radiator. In the end it turned out to be only the starter. Marcio (one of the mechanics) called to advise my starter seized and before they could diagnose the cooling system I would need to replace it. After a few hours he called back and said the car only needed the starter and was working fine. Great auto shop and honest employees. read more

I have been a customer of Swanson since they started on Main Street in East Haven. They are professional, quick and very helpful. Can't say enough good things about these guys. Very honest and hard working. Thanks Kirt for giving us mechanics we can trust! - GG read more

I tried Swanson based on previous Yelp reviews and was not disappointed! I went in thinking I needed a host of work done to my truck, and after inspection, the owner let me know what truly needed to be done and what did not, saving me about $300. He easily could have charged me for extraneous work that I thought I needed but didn't. His honesty was very refreshing, something you don't see from a lot of mechanics nowadays. He gained a permanent customer in me and I STRONGLY recommend you try Swanson as well! read more

I had my emissions tested here and it was entirely painless. There was hardly any wait and the test took about 2 minutes. Swanson, or whoever it is who works there, is polite and pleasant. That's where I'm going from now on when the DMV orders me to. read more

swanson auto is the best auto repair in the tri town area. East haven, New haven, Branford. Expert mechanical services friendly staff hard working family owned business Kirt is very courteous and great to deal with . relaxed atmosphere surrounded by quality repair parts and service. Don't hesitate to bring your vehicles here. You'll become a loyal customer also. read more

Great shop, quotes, everything . Never feel I have to second guess things.

Amazing car service shop. Will come here always! Very nice, honest staff. Super quick service and good prices. New place very spacious and clean. Great atmosphere read more

Just got an oil change and it was easy to drop my car off in the morning and pick it up on the afternoon. Really nice shop and everyone was friendly. read more

Swansons Automotive on Short Beach Rd., East Haven, Ct. is AWESOME!!!!!! This guy Kirt Swanson KNOWS how to run an honest, welcoming, and efficient business! (can't say that about most car repair businesses) If I could give 10 stars, I would!! I had an issue with a check engine light, and he and his mechanic, not only diagnosed it quickly, but replaced my damaged sensors in record time!!! Not only that, they gave me a ride to and from the shop! The icing on the cake was the more than FAIR pricing! I was pleasantly surprised when I received my invoice! He also does emissions testing right there onsite. It's clear that Kirt Swanson, cares about his customers, and is doing what he loves! The shop is clean, pleasant, and easy to get to. I will never go anywhere else if I have a vehicle issue! Forget the dealer!! You will pay at least twice as much and will only get "generic" service, if you're lucky!! You will also pay top dollar, or as much as they can squeeze out of you!!! I have never had such a pleasant, efficient, and timely experience with a repair shop!! Ever!! HIGHLY recommend to anyone with vehicle issues!!! Brigitte Bouvier East Haven, Ct. read more

Best customer service around Kurt is a stand up guy i bring all my cars there had a problem with emissions on one of my cars and kurt took care of me for a good price read more