I took my Audi to Silvio based on the reviews here on yelp, and the reviewers could not have been more spot on, Silvio's is awesome! I took my car in because of a severe engine stalling problem and dropped it off at 7:30 AM. Silvio had the problem diagnosed and repaired by 4 PM the same day. He replaced the sparkplugs and a sensor for $231, about half of that being parts (damn $15 German sparkplugs). Then he told me that there might also be a problem with the ignition coils, but that he wanted me to drive the car and see if the problem was still there because he "[didn't] want to sell my something if I didn't need it"--that in and of itself is amazing for an auto repair place! Well, it turned out I did still have some problems, and since Silvio mentioned that the coils might be bad, I took it to Momentum Audi (the coils ended up being recalled by Audi and it was a Saturday (Silvio's is closed on Saturday), so I figured the dealership would replace them for free). The dealership told me the coils were fine, but the mass air flow sensor needed to be replaced. Repair cost? $560! With that I went back to Silvio's and told them what the dealership told me. Silvio looked up the part ($210) and told me he would install it for free since he had already worked on the car. So going back to Silvio's saved me a whopping $350 versus the dealership! Now, some might say that Silvio should have diagnosed the mass air flow sensor problem the first time and not replaced my spark plugs. But, truth be known, the car was at 45,000 miles and had never had the sparks changed, so I didn't mind paying to have it done. And more importantly for me, since he already worked on the car he was willing to install the mass air flow sensor for free. That was just awesome of him. I'll never take my Audi anywhere else, for sure! read more

I've been taking my cars to Silvio for almost 4 years. I've never run across a more honest, humble, and friendly mechanic. My BMW E36 M3 and E60 M5 are always in good hands with Silvio. He's NEVER tried to rip me off or make any unnecessary repairs. Highly recommended! read more

Keep your TDI diesels away!!! An obvious lack of knowledge. I drive an A3 TDI, and called to get a quote on a transmission fluid change- as part of scheduled maintenance. They said they could do it, no problem. I asked for the cost, and they said I would have to book an appointment and come in (in 2 weeks), and could not quote over the phone because they didn't know what kind of fluid it takes without looking at the transmission. I understand undiagnosed problems need in-person quotes- but NOT a scheduled maintenance fluid change. I understand taking a few minutes even to check on the procedure if it has been a while, but, again, this shouldn't require bringing a vehicle in. This is laughable and a great way to rip people off. Not only does the manual contain this information, it is available all over the web or even a quick call to a dealership, and they probably should have known from working on other TDI's. Obviously their TDI expertise is nonexistent. Or they just could have cared less about earning new business. I opted to just quit while I was ahead, instead of educating them on what they should already know. read more

Best mechanic I have ever worked with in my life. His work is always much cheaper than the dealership and competitive with other places. The quality of the work is outstanding and customer service is second to none. There is no other place in Houston to consider for work on German cars. read more

These guys have always run a "no bullshit" shop. They have fixed, quickly and cheaply, a variety of issues for my wife's smart for two. Silvio even owns a smart car, or one of his crew does, so we're in good hands. read more

I had very little hope for my car when I had it towed to Silvio's and didn't feel much better after Silvio called me and said he was afraid to look at my car because it sounded like a diesel. The next day I got the best phone call from Silvio saying that one of the things wrong with my car was covered by BMW. Turns out that the bolts on the vanos broke and these bolts were covered by an extended warranty as well as the repairs related to the vanos. Thankfully Silvio was aware of this and worked with his contacts at the dealership to get this fixed. Silvio completed the other work to fix the remaining items wrong with my car. I picked up my car today and it is running better than ever. I just wish I had known about Silvio and Ralph before now. As long as I have my car, I will be a customer! read more

AMAZING customer service. Bulb/headlight was out on my Audi. Audi dealership said 400$ and it couldn't be done until Friday. This place did it in less than 30mins for free. I tried to pay for at least the labor and they wouldn't take my money and said that they don't charge for silly things like that definitely coming back here and sending everyone I know here as well. read more

Silvio and his expert mechanics have saved me thousands over the past 9 years on my mercedes!

I come to Silvio's with any problem my little VW beetle has. I always have felt comfortable here because Silvio is very upfront and honest and has even told me I didn't need something fixed that another mechanic in the area said needed replacement. As a girl who doesn't know much about cars I'm always worried I'm being taken advantage of, but that's never been the case here. Silvio is always willing to help! As for prices I don't know if they are the best in the area but they have been cheaper than others I've tried and you know you're getting quality service, especially over big chain mechanic shops. Also, they usually are willing to take a quick look at your car without diagnostic fees so that relieves some of the intimidation. (Yes going into a shop revolving around things I know nothing about can be intimidating!) They're definitely a hard working crew, looking for repeat business, and they also give free rides within a few mile radius while your car is being worked on. Perfect for those who work downtown! If you can't tell by now, I definitely recommend this place! read more

I saw all the great reviews on this auto shop so I desided to take my VW Jetta, And I'm so glad I did! Thanks Yelp!

Silvio's Autohouse is an oasis in a sea of othewise shady repair shops in town. I had a 96 Jetta which he kept running smoothly for an extra 2+ years. Plus, everything he does is fair and most of all, he gets the job done RIGHT!! read more

Been coming to Silvio's for the last 10-12 years at least. He has worked on my 3 BMW's and has always been honest and reasonably priced. He even allows me to bring my own parts. (kinda like bringing my own eggs to Denny's...per Silvio) read more

I have been meaning to write this for awhile. I take my 07 Audi A4 to Silvio's and Silvio's alone now. He does great work, quickly and charges fair prices. I physically sat in the office waiting on my car to be repaired and listen to Silvio tell countless customers who call in that they didn't need to spend extra money on something they didn't need. How many mechanics will tell you that. Do yourself a favor and go here if you can. read more

Yes, I recommend Silvio's Autohaus to anyone who wants their car to be fixed right. It must have been 100 degrees outside and my baby vw a/c was blowing hot hot air... Silvio and his team took a look at it, and fixed it right up! I made the mistake of taking my car to a non- vw place before that, and they could not figure it out. It is a good idea to make an appointment - it is worth it. Thank you Silvio! read more

My car is not yet 100% fixed but I have had such a good experience dealing with Ralph and Silvio's Autohouse that I felt obliged to write the review now. This is the most honest shop I have taken my car to. My BMW 750Li is experiencing some electrical issue that has left me stranded a few times. Tried the dealerships and no help. I have the car taken to Ralph and he first starts by changing the battery and registering it with BMW. Upon pick up he tells me "drive the car around for a bit and tell me if the issue is still there, pay me when we fix the car 100%" I couldnt believe it. This man clearly understands how to connect with people. Its no surprise he has customers that have been bringing their cars there for over a few decades. Ralph is passionate about getting my car straightened out when others would want to just hurry up , get paid and move to the next car. My german cars are all going to Ralph from now on. read more

I am so happy to have found this first class Mercedes mechanic shop....clean, friendly, dependable, commited to service with incredible workmanship. read more

Silvio's is a very honest, trustworthy mechanic shop. The prices are extremely reasonable and the staff always goes the extra mile to provide excellent service. read more

I would highly recommend Silvio's to anyone with a German make vehicle. I have gone to two other German mechanic shops but Silvio's always goes the extra mile! I've had my BMW serviced by them many times and had two repairs by them. They take extended warranties and are very honest. Arguably the best German service center in Houston. Their hours make it a little tough to get your car in to be seen but it is well worth it! read more

I have always taken my BMW to Advantage for repairs. Now that I have found an honest and affordable repair shop I won't return to Advantage again. J. Bell my coworker told me about Silvio's. I had my car serviced at Silvio's several months ago. I was very, very pleased with the repairs performed! The "service engine soon" light was coming on frequently. I took my car for repairs on January 13, 2010. Silvio immediately told me what the problem was and provided a reasonable quote for the repairs. I was not left speechless after the quote. Advantage provided a quote for the same repairs which was totally ridiculous. As we all know the dealer's repair cost's are very, very, very expensive. As long as I own my BMW, Silvio's will always perform my repairs. One word of caution Silvio's brewed coffee is real coffee! Thanks Silvio and staff for the wonderful work you do! Keep up the excellent work! Rita B. read more

After getting completely hosed by the Audi dealership on Kirby (not just $$$, but they broke something every time I went in) I was ready to sell the Audi and buy a Toyota. I found the reviews on Silvio's here and went in to get some basic service and repairs. Completely, positively pleased and impressed. Much better pricing than the dealership AND they fixed stuff the dealership screwed up. They identified items that might need to be addressed, but never tried to sell me anything, and the communication has been excellent. It's a huge relief to find a mechanic I'm happy to return to. read more

Silvio (the owner) is always available, or Ralph his right hand man. It's great knowing I'm dealing with the people who take complete responsibility for work and costs. Silvio goes out of his way to help customers with rides when staff is available. I have the highest level confidence in his advice and recommendation, and I know he is more than fair with costs. When I don't need a repair, which has happened many times, Silvio tells me; some repairs have been deferred years until safety becomes an issue. read more

Chris C., you are right in saying that Silvio does not charge you much the 1st time around (this is only to get you to come back). However, its the second time around that this mechanic gets over on you !!! This autoshop is not honest !!!! People you can take your chances in hopes for great service from this shop but honestly take your car else where. I do not recommend this shop at all. The first time Silvio's shop worked on my car it was no big deal, they only changed a sensor...and only charged me for parts no labor. I thought great, I found an honest mechanic who workes on Euros. Silvio told me to bring the car in whenever it needed anything else, so I told him i would. The next time I brought my car to this shop it was because of a small oil leak. I paid over $1500 for him to fix an oil leak and a week later my car was still leaking. Silvio did not fix anything but he did take all my money !!! When I took my car back to the shop and told him my car was still leaking he tried to capitalize on me by saying he wanted to change my brake pads. I tought to my self ... is this guy for real ????? Im telling him he did not do his job correctly in fixing my oil leak and he wants to change my brake pads.... this guy is NUTS !!!! Silvio wanted to work on my car again, but by that time my trust in this shop was lost. My car is my investment and if mechanics are not honest I do not do business with them. To make the long story short people, i never went back ! I got my car fixed elsewhere. This shop is not honest and they need to be exposed... I would rate this shop a -10 but yelp does not have a rating that low. read more

I recently had B service, ABC pump replaced and other work completed at Silvio's on my Mercedes. I had a bad experience at another German car shop and vowed to only deal with the dealership for future repairs. Although costly at the dealership, I could not afford another high cost, botched job at an independent repair shop. A long term customer highly recommended Silvio's and spoke so convincingly of his work that I decided to try out the shop. I was very impressed with the service; cost compared to the dealership and the integrity of Silvio. So glad to have found a repair shop that I feel I can trust! read more

Has anyone had there head gaskets with silvio..I have a 1997 bmw 540 I n recently it started blowing out white smoke out of the exhaust wn I turn on Kris accelerate.. read more

Ralph and team are simply great. Quick in and out oil change today as the price was awesome as well. Thanks Ralph

I inherited a 1983 Mercedes Benz 380SL which had unfortunately spent most of its life on the east coast. Besides the unfortunate New Yorkers, the car had spent a good deal of time sitting around in the salty air. Consequently, I had some vacuum leaks and frozen moving parts. Silvio is the man! If you take your car to anyone else with a vacuum leak, you're getting charged for an hour or two of labor every time that happens. It happened to me frequently. Silvio replaced a couple of big-ticket items that broke, but I checked up on him and he charged me a fair price for the parts and labor. His associate mechanic, Ralph, is also very helpful. I had an emissions pump go out and it was making a horrible noise -- some belt or something. Silvio told me not to fix it, just to unhook it. He told me it really wasn't needed. Now THAT is an honest mechanic. I'm about to buy a 90's BMW and will take whatever I look at to Silvio for a pre-purchase inspection. I know that I will get an HONEST opinion from Silvio and Ralph. The reviewer that gave Silvio a bad review does not specify what type of car he has, nor did he give many details. Given how efficiently Silvio has performed in maintaining my vehicle, I seriously doubt he would spend 20 hours fixing an oil leak. read more

Somehow, there is a failure of dealerships to take care of a car beyond the regular maintenance. I cracked ( badly) my windshield before Christmas and naturally I call the dealership for a quote. Imagine that they were unable to give me one, knowing the year, style, etc, they had to have the car in... to look ...at?? I recalled that a friend had a great experience at Silviu's. Drove there- great quota on the spot, came back after the holidays, perfect workmanship. I love Silvio 'a style. No nonsense is perfect. read more

my family first started going to silvio when we bought our second mercedes from a close family friend. he had had the car meticulously maintained by silvio (for 10 years old, it was in mint condition!) and we decided to continue using him as he knew the car and it's quirks, and had clearly done a wonderful job thus far. when i bought my bmw, there was no question as to where i would take it. i've had it for 6 years now, and i've never been disappointed by the service. like chris, he has done small jobs on my car and not charged me, but he knows i'll be back for the real stuff. great customer service! i never feel cheated or taken advantage of, and always feel that the price is fair. when my sister bought her car, he helped broker the deal between us and the previous owner who was also one of his clients. she has been very happy with her car as well, so that's 3/3 great experiences for us! as an added bonus, they have a great espresso machine in the office, which is great for those earlier-than-one-should-be-up appointments to get an oil change before work. i would definitely recommend silvio and ralf (the manager) to anyone that has a euro import. they are the best in town! read more

These guys are great. They didn't try to upsell me and they charged me a fair price for the work they did on my Mini Cooper. Probably half what the dealer would have charged. They had to fight for me to get a thermostat which was on back order and didn't charge me extra trip charges though they had to drive an get it. Clean shop but not too clean. I'm a believer! read more

Do excellent work at fair prices and don't nickle and dime you over little things.

For over twenty years my husband trusted Silvio's Autohouse for repairs and general maintenance on our BMWs. I recently learned why. Shortly after my husband passed away, the check engine light came on in our car. Making the effort to drive into Houston at that time was more than I could do so I choose the convenience of a shop near my home. This shop advertised as specializing in foreign motors so I trusted they knew how to repair the car. My car spent several weeks in and out of that shop. It was frustrating and time consuming. When the service engine light came for the third time, I decided to call Silvio and introduce myself. Silvio promptly identified the problem. He explained what was wrong with my car, what needed to be done now and what could wait until another time. Along the way, I learned that the other mechanic had grossly over charged me for inferior work as well as charged me for work that had not been done. He charged me more for after market parts than new BMW parts would have cost. In one instance, he charged me three times for one part. As this unfolded I was reminded of a segment I saw on "60 Minutes" years ago about shady mechanics that prey on the unsuspecting. I was furious but not sure what to do! Silvio not only fixed my car, he also took it upon himself to call the owner of the shop that ripped me off. Silvio went over each line item one by one with facts he had uncovered. Because of Silvio's persistence and determination I was refunded a very large portion of my money by that mechanic. For years I've had the luxury of not having to deal with automotive issues as my husband owned that task for us. In fact, the only part I played was to let him know the gas tank was low before the warning light came on. My eyes have been opened wide . . I now clearly see why my husband had done business with Silvio all these years. So will I from now on. Silvio is a man of tremendous integrity. His brand of service is well worth the drive! read more

My wife and I have been bringing her 2003 C240 here for 10 years. Trustworthy, honest, and competitively priced. Silvio and Ralph are the only honest mechanics I have met to this day. Highly recommend. read more

Thanks, guys! IService B and brakes for 2002 Mercedes E320 - in and out quickly (fit me in because a cancellation opened up an appointment). No attempts to add on with unnecessary repairs. Efficient, quality work at a reasonable price. I'll be back! read more

The best. Silvo and Ralph make you (almost) want to go to the mechanic. If you have an older german car and live in central houston, simply go to silvios. Always straight with you, never doing more than is needed, looking for the best solution that is reasonable in cost but also won't bite you down the road (i.e., no refurb parts that tend to break in a short manner of time). read more

Been taking my Mercedes here for years! They have taken care of my car 10X better and more professional than Greenway Mercedes ever did. Silvio and his team (Ralph) are good honest people who always walk me through what needs to be done, what the charges will be, allow me to research if their prices are in line with what needs to be done, and get my car taken care of. There have been several times were an indicator light has come on and I driven by there and they have fixed the issue even replacing my gas cab cover for no charge. Several of my neighbors take their cars to them as well and we all are grateful to have such a good reliable mechanic in the neighborhood! If you have a European car, I wouldn't hesitate taking it here if you like good honest people who take care of your car at good prices. read more

I had expected good things from reading other reviews and initially I was pleased to be doing business with Silvio. He seemed nice and we agreed that I'd pay $650 to replace my crankshaft and camshaft sensors in my BMW- the parts plus 4 hours labor. I wasn't ecstatic about the price but I liked him after our initial discussions so I proceeded. When it came time to pay I could see the bill break down and some notes next to it which showed that the actual hours worked were 3.4, and he asked me to pay $670. I politely asked about our agreement and that's when he turned nasty. I'm a big boy and can hold my own in a 'discussion' but he spoke so aggressively and was so rude I just agreed to pay the money and get out of there (not wanting to risk further venom by asking about the hours actually worked)- it's obviously an effective tool he uses! I was tempted to give him a one star but as it appears, touch wood, the car is working correctly, I thought that would be harsh. But, I certainly feel he is less than honest and extremely nasty when he's questioned. Unfortunately I won't be giving him any business again and will be warning people away. read more

I have been their customer at least five years, not because of their service, but its convenient location. Every time, I mean every time, they failed to complete the work 100%. In 2010, I sent my car for oil change. When they told me that job was done, I found that the engine oil lid were lost after I drove home. I went to the auto house again. They gave me a used one. No sorry said. In 2011, I sent the car for engine temperature warning. They said radiator was broken and replaced it by a new one. However, engine light was still on. It took three days to figure out that the fans didn't work. Can I say the old radiator may still work and they made wrong diagnose? In 2012, I found steering fluid leaking. After they fixed it, I found the steering fluid lid lost. I repair my car by myself when I have time. I am very familiar with it. I sent the car for oil change again. I found the engine oil drop to the floor a lot during couple hours. They didn't put engine oil drain plug gasket, so I drove the car to ask them fix it. When I drove car home, I found that the bottom plastic body cover was lost. And they said "there was no cover for this car" . They also said, " You may make it off and we don't want to fix your car any more." I was totally shocked by their ridiculous assumption. Come on, this is my car and I know that it absolutely has a cover. I will never ever waste time there. I hope this review can help the current and future customers. They won't never recognize their fault. If you have business with them, you'd better check the work when you pick up the car. They will charge $400 to fix the old problem and their repairing will cause another new problem. That's how they run the business. read more

On September 22nd, I took my automobile to Silvio's Autohouse to have my two lower ball joints replaced, because I inspected them and the rubber boots that protect the joints, were old and torn up. I already had two brand new parts in my possession and ask Silvio whether he would agree to use my two brand new Lemforder ball joints. He agreed to it and my wife and I took the automobile for the repair. We took delivery of the car a few hours later and drove it home. As I kept driving the car for the next few days, I kept hearing a knock from the left(driver's) side. Yesterday, September 29th, I decided to go under the car and take a look at the ball joints. I discovered that the passenger side part had been replaced. The driver's(left) side part was the old part with the torn up rubber boot and with all it's grease expelled. Immediately called Silvio and told him what I had found. His reply was that I am wrong and that he personally had performed the repair. He asked me to take the automobile to the shop, and that he would prove me wrong. I drove to down town. and as I got there, he again proceeded to tell me that I am wrong. Meanwhile, he had ordered another ball joint through his supplier. He put the car on the lift and right and there glaring at us, was a terrible looking ball joint. A very sharp contrast to the new one on the opposite side. He was yelling at me in front of all his emploees "that was a brand new part" and what I was seeing was a "cap". Even when I put my hand through the ripped up rubber, he was still insisting that it was a new part! I took him to the side and quietly told him that if a mistake was made, it was alright but tell me about it and let's do it right. All to no avail. He kept insulting me in front of all the shop employees and he said that he will replace the rubber boot and he did not want me into his shop again. The new part was delivered and took out the rubber boot from it and after he yelled some more that the old part it is "new", put it on. I politely asked if he could put the entire new ball joint on the car and that I would compensate him for it. He refused by telling me that if I had not insulted him by questioning his work, he would have done it. But because I questioned him, I would only get the rubber boot replaced. When he finished, one of his employee and my self, we took the car for a test drive. The noise that was before was still present. We drove the car back put it on the lift, the employee checked a few components for structural integrity, found nothing wrong, Silvio uttered a few sarcasms and I left empty handed. What Silvio doesn't know is the fact that I understand metallurgy and metal fatigue (due to my profession) I am also an intermediate level car mechanic and enthusiast. I own this particular automobile for 30 years and I have performed numerous times repair and maintenance work myself. I know what a new metal part looks like versus and old tired one. I managed to take with me the old torn up rubber boot as evidence that can easily be examined by another expert, including the old ball joint that is still on the car. In sum, we paid Silvio's Autohouse $380.00 for the replacement of two lower ball joints, and we only received one. We think that the least he can do is pay back for the work he did not do; $190.00. In this price abuse and insults are not included. read more