Southwest Automotive

Not only are these people a wiz at keeping my Volvo and others in the family in tip top shape for at least 20 years, Johnny and his people are ALSO very friendly and courteous. Having a friendly face to talk with when you have car issue is very nice. I would also rate this company high on honesty and integrity.

Nope.
No way.
Took my vehicle in because I thought one thing was wrong. Their «expert troubleshooter» hinted that something else was wrong but didn’t come right out say it. If he had, then I would have made the decision to either fix it right then or have simply junked the vehicle.
The next day the car ran well, but the following day I was driving along and the vehicle alternator light came on and it rn like it was breaking down. I stopped, had AAA tow it back over to the shop and left a note for the. The owner called me and then told me that the hinted at repair was needed to be done. Since they knew this all along, the only conclusion that I can come to is that they were seeking to juice me for as much as they could.
After paying a total of $ 1800 for both «repairs» (and then having a third suggested to me) I took my car away before my new tires also needed to be replaced. I was going to write a review at that time, but then I might have had to take the car back for warranty work and that might have «complicated» things.
Now a few months later I realize that had I simply taken the car to a dealership I would have come out better than taking it across town to a squirrely operation like this one. The number of broke down Volvos behind the shop should have told me that the place was better avoided and now I know that I’ll do so in the future.
Not sure where the 5 star ratings on here are from unless they represent friends of the owner. If I could give ½ star for this place, I would. I would also advise that people carefully consider things before they use this outfit,

Always great service here at Southwest. My boyfriend and I both have Volvos and when anything goes wrong they take care of it and we never get the runaround. Johnny the owner is extremely knowledgeable and so is Henrick, their main mechanic. They’ve both been working on Volvos for a very long time and that puts my mind at ease. We had an issue with a front noise in our V50 and they tried for three days to diagnose it and they didn’t charge us when they couldn’t find the issue. (Turned out to just be some plastic hanging off) Never trusted a shop, Southwest changed that for me. For as long as I own Volvos and live in Houston I will bring them here.

That boy Johnny has got some skills…
I ordered aftermarket strut and frame braces for my Saab. Since it is not a Volvo, I took them to other shops to have them installed. Two shops, a Saab shop and an alignment shop, said that both parts were defective and could not be installed. They said that I should send them back to the manufacturer for replacements.
Since I had confidence in the quality of the parts, I took them to Johnny. He studied the brace and its contact points like Minnesota Fats studying pool balls on a table after a break. Then he selected a special pointed pry bar and worked his magic. Within a couple minutes the brace was bolted on. He didn’t charge me. He just said, «Take it back and ask those guys if they still think its defective».

Great place to take your car! Being new to Houston, didn’t know a good place to take my car for servicing, besides an overpriced dealership, where you take your chances and are at their mercy on repairs needed.
SWA was professional, courteous and extremely helpful when I called, and then when I arrived well their rating in my book just went up… I got in on my appt time and my car was done quickly to get me on my way. The mechanic mentioned that next time I came in for service, we might take a look at brake pads, but not to worry now, no need to spend the money just yet… not often a place will defer maintenance for a possible next visit. A couple weeks later I was traveling to Dallas, my engine light came on I called them and asked about it… they remembered me and said NO worries your car is fine… maybe just a sensitive sensor but bring it back when you’re back in town… WELL thankfully the light went off, and no problems. I have found my new mechanic in Houston — THANK YOU!!!

I went to Southwest Automotive for the last 2.5 years while I lived in the Houston area. Highlights of their work:
–Quality of work is excellent; I only once had a problem due to a defective part, which they happily replaced free of charge
–They will always be upfront about what work needs to be done vs. what can be deferred, saving lots of money vs. dealerships
–Repair estimates are very accurate, often performing better than their estimate
–I always came in with a list of things I’d like done, and they always responded to each of them when I came to pick up
–If they’re not available on the phone with a status update immediately, they’ll call back soon
–Work with them on when to bring your car in, and you’ll be in and out in no time
–For longer repairs, you can get a loaner car with some planning ahead of time

This is the second time I have had my vehicle serviced here. Brought in my 2005 Volvo XC 90 because it starting sounding like a Harley. I knew I had an exhaust system issue. They gave the car a once over and fixed some other issues needing repair (serpentine belt, rear breaks and A/​C clutch) and made suggestions for issues in the future. But they did not recommend that they fix the exhaust issue.
One of the main reasons I trust these guys so much is their honesty. Before they commenced work on anything they told me that the exhaust system components were in decent shape the problem was that a flange had corroded. They could fix it but they would have to replace the whole system for a couple of thousand dollars. He suggested going to a muffler-​specialty shop because they could cut out the corroded section and weld in a patch. Johnny was trying to save me money!
I took it to a national brand shop and they said the couldn’t patch it and they needed to replace the whole thing. I tried another national brand tire and brake place and they said the same thing. Then I found a local guy (not a national chain). And he’s doing exactly what Johnny at Southwest had suggested. Total cost…$ 40!
Southwest will forever get my business for being professional, honest and creative.

Went in for a coolant flush and to replace my coolant thermometer. It was done in 3 hours. Pretty fast if I say so myself. No line! Did not try to upsale me. They fixed my car and made sure it ran good. Overall very satisfied. Price was reasonable too.

Johnny and his crew really know their way around Volvos. They addressed all the issues with my vehicle. Plus the have loaners as well. If you need a loaner please make an appointment early on before you bring your vehicle in for service. When I spoke to lady at the front she was very pleasant and more importantly patient as with Johnny when explaining the issues on my S60. One of the customers with the same vehicle was telling me how long she has been going to Johnny and his crew and I was sold. I refuse to take my S60 to any other shop now. I’ll be making sure that I will take my S60 to Johnny from now on. First class service !!!

This is the best place to take your Volvo! I have been to two different dealerships and one other Volvo repair shop, this is the only place that actually fixed my car. They were prompt with both getting my car in and the repair. The prices are very reasonable. This will be the only place I take my car for repairs!

My husband and I moved to Houston June and bought our first Volvo. It was used and we needed a second opionion. We looked online for different shops to take it to and found Southwest Automotive reviewed quite highly on Unilocal.We decided to check it out. We found the shop to be exactly like the description in all of the reviews — incredible. Not only did Johnny give us an overhaul of the used Volvo’s strengths and weaknesses, he gave us a checklist of things that we would need to be mindful of in the future. We ONLY go to Southwest Automotive because they are extremely honest, reasonable, and flexible on scheduling. I am so happy that we bought our Volvo, but I am even more grateful to have an incredible shop to go to when needs be.

Great service, trusty-​worthy, and true to their estimates.
I’ll keep coming back for sure! My previous mechanic told me I had to do all kinds of work. Thank goodness for Johnny and the VRS team! I walked out with confidence in their assessment and work PLUS their prices (including labor) were less than half my previous estimate (didn’t even include labor). I’ll be going back every time my car needs work and I live in The Woodlands! I feel so relieved to have found a great mechanic for a car I absolutely love. And I’m no longer regretting buying a Volvo when I take it in for maintenance.

Like others, I was greeted with friendly customer service and made to feel that my business was important. I had a complete brake job done and the price was ~20% lower than other quotes I had for my XC90. Job done right, good price, knowledgeable friendly customer service, even a free loaner car. Why go elsewhere? Highly recommended.

This garage is fantastic! They’re honest and extremely reasonably priced. Serviced and maintained my XC90 with no hidden extra costs like a majority of dealerships! Extremely knowledgeable and courteous and will defiantly use again.

The service at Southwest Automotive is as good as it gets. I’ve taken my car here a few times, and will continue to bring it for any future repairs. Recently, I was one of the unlucky Houstonians to have their car flood, and Johnny and the team at Southwest Automotive took my car when many shops turned it away. My car was completely restored to it’s previous condition, and Johnny made sure to keep me informed of every issue they encountered throughout the way. He was very honest and up front, which I appreciated. I’ve also had my A/​C repaired here and that took less than a day to get up and running. Southwest Automotive will get the job done and not charge you an arm and a leg. I prefer their service and work over the Volvo dealership.

Johnny Spiegel, owner, and his team of friendly, experienced Volvo mechanics are simply the best here in Houston. My 11 year old Volvo started having power problems in mid August. The Houston of Volvo dealership confidently felt it was either the immobilizer or the key. AAA kept recommending it was the starter or the starter cable. Well, I’m not going to talk about the $ I wasted with that big dealership up on I-​10 — I’m the dummy who trusted them (new to town, who to trust?). Ended up speaking by phone with Johnny. He told me it could be a bunch of things, including a PNP switch. I got the car to start, drove it to Johnny’s, and they graciously gave me and my son a lift home. His team was persistent — and a week later they replicated the intermittent problem I was having. Thank goodness. Meanwhile, I have to mention that when I was in the office there, I met a customer of Johnny’s who has 380,000 miles on his Volvo and won’t take his car anywhere else in town for service! That’s an endorsement. Anyhow, if you visit on Mondays, there are fresh muffins to eat while you wait. Anytime there is coffee and current magazines to read. He does offer loaner cars too.

This is a great place. Johnny runs the shop. He’s a great guy who will give you good and honest advice. I’ve gone in asking for work and had him tell me he’ll take my money if I want to spend it, but he has a cheaper and better fix.
I’ve had all my regular Volvo servicing done there, in addition to body repair, paint, air conditioning, etc. It looks small from the front, but this place is huge and they do a lot of work. Call in advance and you can even get a loaner car.
One time I needed a fast turn around so that I could hit the road the next day and one of the guys agreed to stay after hours to get it done for me.
I can’t recommend this shop highly enough. People in Houston who own Volvo’s know this is the place to go and recommend it to one another.