Excellent shop - ask for Christian and he'll take care of you! My car powers my everything - so when my darling little Kia needed her 90k tune up I didn't really want to take her to the dealer to get ripped off or cross-sold into a bunch of services she didn't really need (I change her oil constantly and drive like a grandma so I know my car isn't running rough). Christian came highly recommended from friends and so I made a point to find him here. I was going away on a short local trip so I gave him my car over night and when I returned he gave me a full run down of all his findings. Apparently, spark plugs are a thing too - Bless him, he must have gone over my little Kia end-to-end because not only did he change all the fluids but in his assessment, he noticed my spark plugs were practically burnt out (is that the term? Idk) so he changed those out along with a few other things and boom - practically a new car feel! I'm grateful I found someone I can trust! While this shop specializes in BMWs, I wouldn't hesitate to see if Christian can do your car. Peace of mind is priceless! read more

Wealth of knowledge and experience. Always recommend Michelangelo as a quality local mechanic and auto repair service.

After being needlessly upsold out of warranty during a previous visit, I did not want to take my M3 back to the dealer. Richard was the perfect choice. He made the time to check my car out thoroughly on very short notice and suggested next steps which did not include any immediate repairs. He wouldn't even let us adequately compensate him for his time, accepting only a modest token of our appreciation. He is obviously very experienced and knowledgeable about all things BMW. We will be back, thank you Richard! read more

Long time customer who had not visited this shop in years. I went to visit Richard to get a estimate for my front shocks and struts on my 2007 650i BMW. I was already told from the dealer that they need to be replaced. I left Michelangelo Motorwerkes spending close to $700.00 for a new battery and a oil change. I was changed almost $200 for what they "brag about" hooking my car up to this amazing diagnostic computer like what the dealer has, so they can list all of my alerts and errors on my car. I was never quoted the charges for this diagnostic fee and I never asked for this report. Both Richard and Bryce who are very knowledgeable lack customer service besides being constantly fed chatter about "this and that about Bmw's", I could care less about every aspect on each nut and bolt and part on my car. I JUST WANTED WHAT I CAME IN FOR. I have had 9 BMW's in my life and I don't need to be educated about every little thing like a teacher to a student. So I just sat there and let them ramble on and on and on. They seam short staffed and always rushed, Richard can barely take the time to "stand still" I cannot get a full sentence in before he starts educating me again. When I asked what about my "shock quote" I was fed a bunch of unrelated chatter that I was not interested in hearing and Bryce said I don't know talk to Richard. Even after a few days had pass you would think I would receive a call saying "I have a estimate for you and I can get the parts do you want us to do the job"? That never happen. I Remember now why I stop coming here years ago. I will never be back. Be aware of the $200 car diag scan that they will insist is necessary. read more

I've been taking my family's cars to Michelangelo's for close to eight years now. Richard has always been a great help who is willing to go above and beyond to fix your car, and fix it right, at a good price. One example of his great work is how he fixed the sunroof on my dad's BMW 540. He took the cassette apart and re-assembled it with salvaged parts to fix the sunroof at a far lower cost than if we were to replace the cassette. The sunroof worked perfectly and we appreciated that he would go through the work instead of just buying a new cassette. He also can pick up your car if you need him too and does a number of other things to accommodate is customers. read more

I've been taking my 1988 M5 to Richard for 4 years now and he has never disappointed. Richard knows his stuff and he's is the most honest guy I know. He gives the straight dish and your car could not be in better hands. His prices are extremely fair and again, he knows his BMWs! "Do something you love and you'll never work?" We'll since I've been going to him, it's seems like he's not working but doing something he loves. That's awesome. I really dig stopping by his shop just to check out the cars and race cars he's working on. I would not and could not trust anyone else with my e28 M5 other than Richard at Michelangelo Motorwerks. read more

I was driving from Hollywood on my motorcycle and had a mini breakdown. This place was the closest stop I was able to make and was welcomed by Brice. For not having a car this place gave me the best service and got me back on the road in no time. I really appreciate the time you took to get me safely on my journey. I do not mind driving here with my car to be serviced. Thank you again, Cheers read more

We've been bringing our 1994 Audi 100S to Richard at Michelangelo Motorwerkes since we're moved down here to the OC and he's has always done a wonderful job it. Richard never tries to do or sell us more service than the car actually needs, but he is always keeping us aware of what issues the car will be facing in the near future. And informs us on how to take care the Audi on a daily/weekly/monthly basis, until our next schedule maintenance is due. He gives you car the best care that European engineering needs, without the European prices. Great service without the bullshit. *Please check for the correct info.* read more

I drive all the way from San Diego to see Richard. I wont let anyone else touch my cars. He is totally honest, explains everything, and if a part is very expensive he will see if he can find it cheaper. He's awesome and fair in price. He also warranties longer then any other shop I know. He's a BMW mechanic but he works on all cars. He is very busy, works all on referrals but he will fit you in and work with you! A+ all the way! read more

Easily the best independent BMW mechanic in Orange County. Richard is always a pleasure to work with and I know my car will be in the best hands whenever I call him. Most recently I took my '07 E92 335i to him for the following: new electric waterpump + thermostat, oil change, brake flush, coolant service, inspection. And, I paid over $500 less for all of that than I would have at a dealership for just the waterpump! During the inspection he identified a small leak at the oil cooler. I couldn't afford to address it at the time because of costs associated with my forth coming relocation to New York. However, Richard told me it wasn't critical enough to address it immediately and even instructed me how to get in contact with a reputable BMW mechanic in my new neighborhood! Give Richard and Michelangelo Motorwerkes a call for your next service appointment or repair! You will love the level of service and attention to detail! read more

Have been bringing my 2004 BMW X5 to Richard ever since the factory warranty expired. He is always quick to respond when I am having an issue and always gives good info that is easy for me to understand. Have never felt like I was being up-sold for items not yet needing attention, but at the same time Richard did let me know what things were coming up. My car still feels great even with 160,000 miles on the odometer and I know this has everything to do with Michelangelo Motorwerkes! Libby N. read more

Michelangelo's is the only place I take my E320!! I was referred to Richard by some friends at work, and so happy I was! Richard is great and takes the time to answer your questions, explain what's being done, why it needs to be done, and the charges on the invoice. Richard and his team are always busy (that is a good thing in my book), but I've had nothing but great service on my car and customer service from them. Richard is very knowledgeable and honest in what he does. Always nice to find a foreign auto shop that knows what they are doing. Being a woman I'm very involved with my car when it needs to go to the shop because most places see us (ladies) coming and see dollar signs, so I research and talk to my brother and uncles who are in the industry in MN prior to bringing my car anywhere. With Richard I've never had to do this and it's a breath of fresh air! I brought my car in last week thinking I needed new suspension,my uncle thought the same thing, but in speaking to Richard he said he COULD have done that, but wasn't needed and fixed the problem. Any other auto shop or dealership would have been the complete opposite! I recommend Michelangelo's to anyone I know that needs work done!!! read more

This is my first Yelp review, I felt intrigued to finally write a review as I am extremely irritated at the moment after leaving Michelangelo's. Richard, the owner, is a nice, eccentric fellow who knows his stuff like no other, and will take the time thoroughly explain the work/parts. Those qualities I value very much so. On the other hand, I spent a week and countless hours hanging out at his shop trying get a simple job finished, that was never accomplished. Throughout the week while I waited for him to source a couple flanges, he explained many times how a proper OE exhaust should function, look, and be assembled. This is great information, but he should have been ordering the other gaskets, seals, etc that he would have needed to finish the job in the meantime. After waiting one week, having already turned in my rental car to Enterprise, he explained to me that he could not find the two flanges I needed, but within 15 minutes, he found some lying around his shop. So the parts I was waiting a week for, were there the whole time. He then told me he would order the remaining gaskets and could have them by Tuesday. Wow!!! Shouldn't these have already been ordered!? I explained to him many times on the phone over the previous week that the car was my commuter and I had rented a car for the week while he found the parts. In the end, I bought the muffler alone and unfortunately had to weld it on instead of properly bolting it OE style like I had wanted to. If you have unlimited time, patience, and an extra car this would be a fine place to take your European auto. If you're looking to get simple jobs done within a week timeframe, go somewhere else. I'd recommend another shop in HB that also ends in 'motorwerks'. read more

Great people, highly recommend. Come and experience 5 star service yourself. Super honest and reliable!

By chance, after being frustrated time and again with other car shops, Richard at Michealangelo's was referred to me by a neighbor in 2004, and I have been taking my car to him ever since. He knows me and what car I drive, by my first name. He never does more than is necessary as is typical of most shops, and I trust him completely. He is a above and beyond type of guy and was even available by phone during my purchase of a new car! I will only let Richard touch my car and have recommended all my friends to him. read more

Finding Michelangelo Motorweks was the best thing that ever happened to my car, 2001 530. It is so hard to find a good person these days let alone someone I can trust to work on my car. Richard is upfront with his work. He tells what I have to do to keep my car running and also tells me what I need to do when my budget allows. When I bought another used car he gave some 101 education on what to look for and what questions to ask. Richard is as honest and hardworking a guy as I have ever met. He is the car whisperer. read more

Unfortunately my European habit died with the arrival of the firstborn. When I had my BMW's and they were out of warranty, Richard was the man to see. Don't expect to find super cheap service, but do expect to find reliable and very honest service. I was going to Richard for a good 5 years before I wanted to prove that my car would run better without water in the radiator. Oops. He even gave me options on what I could do. After realizing that the cost was just too high, he even offered to help find someone to buy the car and replace the engine. What a guy! Anyways, his work is excellent. He's reminds me of a mad scientist, but if you need help with your bravian automobile he's the man you need to know! Btw, he uses original manufacturer's parts. read more

Picked up my car last night, so i thought i would post up a review. I have been coming here for years with my e10, e46, and now e91. If you want to drop off a car and just write a check at max cost, i recommend the dealer. If you want to drop off a car and start investing in a relationship with a shop that will will cover you for years to come, this is the place. Ask for Richard read more

If you're looking for an honest mechanic who knows what he's doing and you're reading this, you just found him; Richard at Michelangelo Motorwerkes. read more

Bryce and Richard are great. Took my car in here and they diagnosed it within 10 minutes and fixed it. Honest, knowledgeable, and fair prices..plus these guys have a real passion in what they do. At first Richard may come across as harsh. But he is straight shooter and you just have to listen to him as he knows his stuff well. Both seem to be genuinely nice folks. Highly recommended and have told many of my co-workers and friends about this place. read more

Recently hired Richard for a pre purchase inspection on a BMW M Coupe. Easily the most thorough and honest inspection I've ever received. He went above and beyond typical service to research workmanship and origin of previous repairs. Really appreciated the personal service and patient explanations. Highly recommend this shop if you care about quality work and great service. read more

Great personalizes service. Honest people, hard working, and good at explaining what's what and what options exist.

I recently drove up from San Diego to have a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) performed on an e36 M3. A close friend of mine has used Michelangelo Motorwerkes and suggested I call and make arrangements with Richard. Richard was great to work with, and inspected the car both on the ground, on the lift and while driving it with me in the passenger seat. He documented everything and rated the items in order of priority so I would understand what needed to be immediately addressed vs. what I should expect to fix as the new owner of the car. I learned a lot and walked away very impressed with their knowledge and customer service. read more

Richard and Bryce are two of the most helpful individuals I've ever met. I'm not ashamed to admit I don't know much about automotive science, I've basically programmed my brain to let my husband understand it all. You never feel that sense that they will take advantage of you because you're meek and unaware of what is needed. They do a play by play explanation even the most naive of car novices would understand. Richard is forthcoming and upfront with you with the details of your automotive maintenance and diagnostics. I don't exaggerate when I say he'll really work with you so both parties are satisfied. read more

These guys are incredible at what they do. Not your average money hungry shop. Brought in my 2013 320i for an issue I was having with Idrive and they were able to figure it out in minutes what took the other guys all day to misdiagnose. Very honest and treated me like family. Highly recommended. read more

Was referred by my neighbor who has all of his BMW's serviced by Richard. Needless to say I was impressed by his knowledge and how he did not want to replace anything without proper diagnosis. (I scanned the computer and had an idea what it was) Brought my 99 M Roadster in because of a "check engine" situation. Richard did not want to start by replacing parts even though I went to his shop asking to replace the part(s). Once diagnosis was done, Richard explained in great detail what the report covered. The two pre-cat O2 sensors were the culprit and were replaced. The car runs exceptionally well and am very happy with the service! I'll be back for any future repairs. read more

Richard is a stand up old school guy who will tell you exactly what needs to be done. My service light came on for my brake pads to be changed and I decided to take it into Richard, he checked them out and informed me that they didn't need to be changed for about 15,000 miles. Most auto repair shops would have done the repair regardless of the condition. I just so happened to also have a flat tire. He gave me the best price I could find and extremely quick and professional service. I highly recommend Michelangelo Motorwerkes to anyone! Thank you for being honest and upfront, it is a breath of fresh air in a society full of people willing to do anything for a dollar! read more

Richard and Bryce are awesome! I had some car problems on 4th of July and although the shop was Closed for the holiday, Bryce picked up and told me I could bring my car in so he can check it out so he could make sure I was safe driving my car. He got rid of my problem that day! I then took it back to get other work done and Richard was amazing, explaining everything to me and how much it would cost me. He also gave me a few pointers on my driving habits. lol. My car was ready in a day! Being a female, I am always hesitant to take my car to a car shop myself, but with Richard and Bryce, I know I can trust them to give me a fair price and tell me exactly what I need. They are very knowledgeable men. No one else but them will be touching my car from now on. I am so thankful I was recommended to them and now I can say I strongly recommend them also! read more

I was referred to Richard by a friend, and I am so thankful. Richard and Brice are just amazing. Fair, honest and reliable. Besides being knowledgeable mechanics, they are just really great human beings. Richard takes care of you like you are a part of his family. Treat your mechanics well and with kindness...they are the ones making sure your auto is safe! If you own a BMW, old or new, look no further. Let Richard and his team take care of you. You won't be sorry. read more

I drive a 2009 Stage 2 BMW 135i. Recently, I noticed that due to the increased HP and Tq from my modifications / tune and my driving habits that my clutch was starting to slip. It started off very subtly and gradually got worse. Knowing that this was going to be an expensive repair, I started asking my network of friends where they have taken their BMW's for work. There was one name that I kept hearing over and over again, "Michelangelo Motorwerkes". Everyone that had gone there had nothing but GREAT things to say about Richard, Bryce and the rest of their staff. Taking this into account, I went ahead and made an appointment and took my car in. I was hoping to upgrade just the clutch (leave in the original flywheel) because the price for both clutch AND flywheel was enormous. Richard was willing to work with me as he knew that my financial situation was tight. The next day I received a call from Richard telling me to come in and take a look at my flywheel. HE SHOWED ME live and in person a comparison of a good flywheel vs my flywheel (never heard of any other shop do this). He explained that due to my driving habits, that not only was my clutch bad but as was the flywheel. After taking a look at it, it was very clear that Richard had the best for me in mind. He made sure that he got me the flywheel at the best possible value. I chose to do exactly what Richard advised. I replaced both my clutch as well as my flywheel. Honestly, I am SUPER glad that I made this decision because my car has never felt better. The clutch and flywheel hold PERFECTLY, and put the power straight down to the ground. Richard and Bryce were both extremely knowledgeable and very kind. I will always send any one of my family members and friends to Michelangelo Motorwerkes. I can't thank them enough for their amazing service, I came out of this repair with an upgraded clutch, new flywheel and A LOT of very useful knowledge. read more

I've been going to Michelangelo's since 2005; Richard the owner is very knowledgeable, especially when it comes to older model BMWs. He's worked on / serviced in some capacity over the years an E24, E31, E34, E38 and an E46 for me. Richard has a real passion for these cars and you can tell he's living his dream when he talks to you and works on these cars. He's great at analyzing what needs to be done and what does not. It takes time to do things the right way, realize that when you come in. This place is not a mill that just spits out repairs. They take the time to do it right and explain your options. read more

I brought my 335xi to a different shop, and they couldn't fix the problem. A friend of mine took his car here previously, and claimed they were wizards under the hood of a BMW. Within hours they identified the issue, and gave me a quote. My quote was almost 50% less than if I had taken my car to the dealer. They had the part in that very same day, and my car was back to new the very next day. I will always come back to Michelangelo's as long as I own BMW's. read more

Came by to pick up a liter of oil for my E46 M3, received a helping hand when a drip went on the engine cover. Can't beat that level of attention to detail and customer service. read more

Purchased a car here about 2 weeks ago. This shop provides more than just automotive service, it also provides confidence, information, and a relationship between the employee and customer. I found this car from r3vlimited.com and Richard Michelango inspected the car on the lift bumper to bumper and didn't skip anything. Shows the difference between eom and aftermarket, what causes premature wear, anything you have a question for, he has an answer for. For anyone that needs parts or service, or information, this is definitely a place to stop by even if you do your own work or have your own mechanic. Can also perform custom work as well. read more

I took my E34 535i to Michelangelo Motorwerkes because I had a major misfire that rendered the car undriveable. I spent nearly 4 months replacing hundreds of dollars worth of parts pertaining to both the ignition system as well as the the fuel system. One day I threw my hands and took my car to Michelangelo's. It turns out, the culprit to all my problems was a very inexpensive part, I'm talking only a couple of dollars. However, I would not have been able to locate this culprit without the expertise of Richard, so in my case it was actually cheaper to go to the shop than to fix the car myself. Richard had my identical motor (M30B35) on a stand and he showed me exactly what was wrong with it, so you know he's not BS'ing you. I got my car in less than two days, a far cry from the 4 months it has been sitting. When I arrived to pick up my car, I was afraid of an enormous bill. Richard kept insisting the price would be fair - but I was still very afraid because I've heard horror stories of BMW repair shops. As it turns out, not only was my bill very fair, but actually rather inexpensive. I was shocked when I saw the final invoice - and I mean that in the positive way. The great thing about Richard is that he'll also point out glitches with your car that need addressing, but he won't fix them without your approval. Long story short, do not bother fixing the car yourself or even taking it to another shop - bring it to Michelangelo Motorwerkes because it'll probably be cheaper than throwing parts at it. I learned the hard way, but I'm glad I found this shop. read more

Its taken a long time for me to write this review because it took a long time for Richard to give me a partial amount of the money needed to fix the scratches that they caused on my car and to replace the items that his employees stole from my car. This is the worst place one could take their car to. He repeatedly did not fix an oil leak (while doing other repairs) that needed to be addressed which caused the main belt system to come off multiple times rendering the car undriveable and causing me to have to get it towed. While it was there they scratched the car along the passenger side because they park the cars inches from another, which is pathetic. They also stole an inflator kit and a tire pump from the car and he lost the key which needed to be replaced. Beyond this he lacks people skills and is to direct and it takes weeks upon weeks to get anything fixed where other shops might take a few days. Despite everything I wouldn't have wrote this review if he was more apologetic. If you don't want to run the risk of having your car scratched and having to take uber to work cause your car is taking weeks to get fixed I would advise against this shop. read more

I used Richard's shop for a PPI when buying a used BMW located near him while I was out of state. I bought the car and then used Richard's shop to do some work on the car before it was shipped. I found Richard to be very honest, fair, and knowledgeable. He spent an incredible amount of time walking me through issues and explaining things to me, even when I was only spending $200 with him for the PPI. If I lived near him, I would be taking my car to him. However, I would not recommend him if you want a thorough PPI. For the PPI I was looking for someone that would have a very detailed checklist and go through the car systematically and thoroughly and provide me with a written report detailing his findings, which I could then discuss with him. In my case, Richard's PPI resulted only in a one-page bullet point summary of 5-10 items that he thought might need attention. He did again spend a ton of time talking through it with me, but his PPI process seemed to be more organic than systematic and detailed. That said, I cannot say enough good things about how attentive Richard was throughout the process. He's a super honest and fair guy, someone you can definitely trust. read more

Ladies look no further. If you drive a Mercedes or BMW this is the place for honest, upfront discussions about your car. I recently purchased a 2011 C300 sport with little to no maintenance history. After purchasing I went to a recommended shop and was highly disappointed in their lack of interest in telling me about the car and was skeptical of the repairs they suggested as I had done a pre purchase inspection with a mechanic and been told it was solid. I took my car to Richard and Mitch to get a second opinion and a thorough inspection and none of the suggested repairs were needed. He spent 10 minutes or so talking with me when I dropped the car off and another 15 or 20 minutes when I picked the car up. Gave me some good info on maintenance, things to look for, replaced a fuse and gave me 2 more just in case. Richard reminded me of a neighborhood mechanic your family might have used in the 70's; honest, no BS, just a good guy who does good work at a fair price. I will be coming back and enthusiastically recommend this shop. read more