Galen Street Service

Great crew, they always take the extra step to make sure everything is in perfect working condition.

I have been coming to Max for years, and most of the time he has treated me very fairly. Very few of his repairs are warrantied for more than a year, and a used engine is likely warrantied for 3 months, if that. I have had major components like transfer case fail just beyond the warranty period, which is aggravating, to say the least, and I doubt the quality of the used parts he sources. As I say, most of the time he treats me fairly, but not the last time. I brought my car to him for a fuel tank pressure sensor trouble code. He said he was having trouble sourcing the replacement sensor from the dealership, so I procured it myself, and brought it to him, after which he attempted to install it (allegedly), charged me $90 for the labor, and then told me it was the wrong part and he could not put it in. He said I needed a new EVAP hose, which may have also been true, but that the part I brought him was incorrect. He then texted me a link to a supplier’s website listing what he believed to be the correct part and told me to order it for them, but when I went to order it, it flagged as being incompatible with my model year. He then sent me a link to another part on the site, which also showed up as incompatible. Apparently out of options, I took my car to the dealer who sold me the part, and they were able to install it no problem, which resolved the trouble code. The dealership also recommended replacing the EVAP hose, which I agreed to. After the work was done, I called Max and explained to him that he was wrong to charge me labor for failing to install a part, and that the part I provided was indeed correct; the same one the dealership installed to resolve the code. He became very irate and accused me of accusing him of trying to intentionally cheat me. I never said any such thing, but I told him the part I had brought was correct, and would have resolved the code, but he doubted me. He said if I brought him the car to inspect and the part was in there, he would refund me the $90 in failed labor costs. A week later I brought him the car, along with a parts diagram and a repair order from the dealership, showing that the part I had brought him was indeed the one installed to resolve the trouble code, but he again refused, since they had also replaced the EVAP hose, which he claimed was the only part I needed all along. It wasn’t, because the code he scanned (and saved) was a fuel tank pressure sensor code, not an EVAP pressure sensor code, and he seemed to confuse the two. The pressure sensor that lives in the tank is not the EVAP pressure sensor which lives in the hose. They are two different parts, with two different part numbers, which I showed him on the invoice, but he wasn’t having it. I protested the facts and calmly made my case, but he became angry and asked me to leave. Max is a professional mechanic, ASE-certified, and he knows his business better than your average gas station wrencher. That may be just the problem—maybe he’s too arrogant to admit when he made a mistake. I was willing to eat the cost when I believed the mistake was mine, but Max was not willing to do the same after I proved the mistake was his. That’s a deal-breaker.

Max is the best! So glad I found him through a referral 4 years ago! He isn't a shady mechanic and doesn't try to scam women into making unnecessary repairs. He will tell you what needs to be done now, and what can be done in 6 months if needed. One time i brought a used car I just purchased in for him to look over, and he said everything was good and didnt charge me a dime! Also very nice guy in general! He has worked on my Hyundai, ram promaster, and volvo. My husband also takes his Tacoma here and has saved loads by not going to the dealership. I already recommend galen st service to all of my friends, but wanted to post this review too! My doggos love to come visit too!

Reasonable prices, good work, nice to do business with.