Since the purchase of our 2013 Volvo XC60, our service experiences have been horrible at the dealership so we decided to give Southwest Automotive a try based on other reviews. Hands down, best service experience I've had in a long time. I had the first appointment of the day and happen to show up 10 mins early. They immediately greeted me and got to work on my car. They first do a diagnostic test and inspection of the car, then suggest based on Volvo recommendations as well as what the service technician sees while inspecting. I was then thoroughly explained each item that needed attention and time frame associated with fixing. It was the first time in a long time that I left a car shop feeling good about everything. I will absolutely bring my vehicle back here and recommend them to anyone with a Volvo. read more

Great service for Volvo car owners, reasonable prices, excellent customer service. They have been in the same location for over 20 years very easy to find in Richmond Ave. Highly recommend if you drive a Volvo read more

I cannot recommend this place enough. My Volvo was rear ended and I needed to bring it in for repairs. I dropped it off on Monday morning to get repaired. There was some uncertainty with the rental car, and they called the local Enterprise and got it cleared away for me. In addition to the body work, I had them check on an AC issue. I got a call that same day to quote me for the work, which was a very reasonable price. A few days later I got a call saying that my car was repaired and ready to go. There was some light touch up on other spots of the car that Israel helped with. Overall it was a great experience. They take pride in their work, and I can trust them not to screw me over. I will certainly take my Volvo here for future maintenance and work! read more

When considering where to take your Volvo look no further than Johnny! Brought my car in because of a coolant leak and was quoted at a previous shop for about 200-300 dollars more than the quote Johnny gave me AND the price it came out to was including a tow service. Literally SAVED my life. And my car was ready and up and running by the next day! Truly as hospitable and genuine as it gets. I absolutely loved how transparent he was about everything from start to finish. And he truly made me feel "right at home". As a Florida native with my family miles apart from me, it really comforted me to know someone was in my corner over here in Houston trying to look out for my benefit. Would go above and beyond to recommend this spot to ANYONE in the Houston area looking for a Volvo Specialist. Thank you Johnny and thank you Southwest Automotive, you've gained a lifelong customer out of me! read more

This is the only auto shop my family has truly trusted, we have been coming here for decades. Johnny has worked on all of the cars I've ever had. The people here are honest, super helpful, and really take care of you. I've never felt like they try to upsell or do work that's not needed. It's such a relief to find a place that actually cares and doesn't treat you like just another transaction. I wouldn't take my car anywhere else. Highly recommend. read more

Johnny and his crew are very professional , personable and know there stuff when it comes to repairing Volvo's. Johnny will work with you and never sell or repay anything that you don't need. His work and his word are top notch. I would rate them a 10 if I could so I will give the 5 rating because the at is all I can. Honest pricing and quality work. Take your Volvo to Southwest Automotive and visit Johnny you will not be disappointed! read more

I have an older Volvo and they take such great care of it. I would never take my car to any other garage. Everyone is professional and they are ontime for appointments. Never try to upsell or add unnecessary items to service appointments. Pricing is very reasonable and I am often pleasantly surprised that the total cost is actually less than I was expecting. I've used them for several years and have never had anything less than a fantastic experience. read more

I've had a love/hate relationship with my 2016 XC90 over the 5+ years of owning it. Nice vehicle, but expensive to maintain, as one would expect with any European luxury vehicle. The hate side of the relationship has been exacerbated by frustrating experiences with the dealership service department, so once it went out of warranty I was lucky to discover Southwest Automotive. Unfortunately, I've had to take it in to them more frequently than I would have liked, but dealing with Johnny and his crew has always been very pleasant. They're highly competent and extremely fair; on several occasions he's even waived some charges due to unusual circumstances. So if you own a Volvo and live anywhere near the southwest side of Houston, you really should make this your go-to spot for servicing your vehicle. read more

Customer service professionalism and experience you expect out of a dealership, with out the attitude and inflated prices. (you still drive a Volvo! so don't expect $60 radiator!!!). Johnny and his crew has always treated me fairly, and this is why I keep coming back. read more

2019 XC40 Service is excellent, made my appointment via email, parts were pre-ordered and the work performed professionally. The shop was shorthanded; however, they performed the work in a timely manner. If you have a Volvo and are tired of the dealer runaround then this is the shop for you. The dealer will never touch this car again unless it is recalled or needs major warranty repairs. Thanks Johnny and your team!!! read more

I took my 2016 XC90 to Southwest for scheduled maintenance, and a brake job. While I was there the owner noted some pretty major issues with bearings, motor mounts and the transmission. He called the dealer as it had only been serviced at the dealer prior to this and one of the issues looked like it had been there for a while. He found out that my vehicle was still under warranty (it was at 49k and warranty was till 50k), spoke to the service manager at the dealer and let me know they were waiting for me to drop my car off the next day. I paid for the maintenance (at about 40% the cost of the dealer) and had the Transmission and motor mount fixed under warranty at the dealer. Above and beyond in the customer service catergory- I would not take my Volvo to anywhere else. read more

As always, I received top-notch service from Johnny and his team of experts! I will always have my car serviced at Southwest Automotive, even though I live in Richmond Texas now, I will still drive to Southwest Automotive for all of my car service needs. Johnny and his team are professional, knowledgeable, efficient, kind, and they provide quality service every time! It's really difficult today to find good, quality service, but Southwest Automotive is one of those rare wonderful gems, and I am happy to be a loyal customer. if you are seeking quality service with fair prices for your car service needs, I would highly recommend with five stars Southwest Automotive. read more

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". read more

Wonderful customer service & great at what they do! I made a call to see about having my Volvo XC-60 looked at because of a sound the brakes were making. Johnny had an appointment for me just hours later. Within 20 minutes of getting there, mmy car was diagnosed and I had the most FAIRLY priced estimate I have ever received for my car! I can't say enough about how great they are. All repairs were made within 24hrs and they even gave me a loaner car to use while mine was in the shop. read more

I started coming to SWA two years ago after the manufacturers warranty ran out on my 2011 Volvo XC90. Last April my AC compressor went out and SWA replaced the compressor. After 5-6 months it was not cooling as much, and they evacuated and re-filled the system. Had the same issue in February, and again in May 2018. After putting dye into the system, turns out there was a leak near the expander valve which I subsequently got repaired and the AC was fine. Now in the sweltering heat of July 2018 it was taking the AC about 10 minutes to cool down. I spoke with Johnny and he theorized it could be a stuck reed inside the compressor. I told him my compressor was out of warranty since it was well over a year. Without a blink, he asked his office manager to put me down for a loaner car and said they will replace the compressor free of charge. Many people talk about a business' expertise in repairs, or their friendly customer service, and sometimes even their honesty. I want to talk about integrity because that is exactly what Johnny showed. Integrity by standing behind the quality of his work, and having the moral fortitude to do what he felt was right. And let's not forget, his staff/shop does provide excellent customer service and reasonable prices. As for my XC90 - the AC is now "blowing ice cubes" as Johnny put it. I am now a lifelong customer, thanks so much!!! read more

I am SO happy to have found this place! Everyone is SO nice, service is top notch and they will exactly know what's wrong with your car and not make up anything else. Highly recommend! read more

As usual a great job on my 2010 XC90 (even if only for an oil change). Never push, but always suggest corrective action... Would not bring my volvo anywhere else read more

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. read more

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. read more

I needed to get my Volvo serviced because my brakes were squeaking. I made my appointment online with my 3 available times/dates. Within minutes my appointment was confirmed. On the day that I brought my car to get fixed, I decided that I would wait for my car to get serviced. It did not take them long to complete the job. Instead of going to the dealership, I will definitely use them from now on for any repairs that I need on my vehicle. Service is quick and the people are very friendly. read more

The AC on my Volvo was not cooling sufficiently, and the passenger side vents were even blowing out hot air. The folks here took care of the problem quickly, and at a reasonable price. Very honest mechanic. AC works great now, even in the intense Houston heat we've had these last few days. read more

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. read more

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 ran like it was breaking down. I stopped, had AAA tow it back over to the shop and left a note for them. The owner called me and then told me that the hinted at repair 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 1/2 star for this place, I would. I would also advise that people carefully consider things before they use this outfit. UPDATE: As you can see below the owner responded to my review more than TWO YEARS after I posted it. That is equal parts laughable and pathetic. I stand by what I wrote two years ago and I would again suggest that others carefully consider things before you patronize this business. read more

Southwest Automotive did my pre-purchase eval, same-day appointment. They told me they would look at it at 2pm and by noon they were calling to say it was done. The specialist spoke to me and detailed the few minor issues the car had and explained what was urgent to fix and what wasn't as well as providing estimates for each thing. Very thorough and professional. read more

If you own a Volvo - old or new - this is the only place that you should take it for service of any kind. They know what they are doing and they charge a reasonable price. As well, they have great customer service read more

I've been coming here since 2012 for my repairs, one major, most were minor and of course routine maintenance. Johnny is the best, and I really should have reviewed them 5 years ago. Today I popped in (no appointment) for the "position light failure" message. I've seen it before, every couple of months but it always resets itself but this time it was on for a week solid and I do a lot of night driving plus those messages drive me nuts. He stopped what he was doing, found the culprit and changed the bulb in 7 minutes flat, and wouldn't take a dime from me. Its the second time he has changed a bulb for me on the whim and it speaks volumes of his integrity. If you drive a Volvo, this is where you need to go for diagnostics and or service. They just don't make them like Johnny any more. read more

We have used SA for years servicing our many Volvos. Johnny and his team consistently exceeded our expectations and were always helpful and professional. We recently changed car brands and won't be using the service because we have cars which we will take to dealers. Every time we make a dealer appointment I am reminded of the wonderful customer service and thoughtful repairs we received with Johnny and his crew--How many people can say they miss their old car repair team? Excellent people and service all around.HIghly recommend. read more

From when you walk in the door and are greeted by the kind, efficient Grace, to working with Johnny S. on your mechanical issues or Israel for body work (not just Volvo!), you will be very pleased with your excellent level of service. Five star service; great people; honest; trustworthy; fair prices. We have been using SWA for approximately 30 years and there is no other Volvo shop I'd rather use. Israel and his body work people are top notch and have not only made several of our Volvos look new, but also a Miata and Cadillac. These guys are the best! read more

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. read more

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. read more

Very professional and honest Volvo repair shop. Prices are appropriate and you will save money versus the dealers. Recommended!

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! read more

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 Yelp. 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. read more

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. read more

I've recently relocated to Houston and did not have a qualified mechanic nor did I know anyone who could recommend a qualified Volvo mechanic. I was experiencing what I thought was a major transmission issue and anticipated a major repair for a recently purchased S60. While doing research on the internet I came across Southwest Automotive. I had the car flatbed ed to Southwest Automotive and what I thought was a transmission problem turned out to be a clogged injector. Johnny professionally diagnosed the problem and corrected it in less than 20 minutes. I was treated professionally and with Honesty and Integrity by the entire staff at Southwest Automotive. I will continue to have ALL repair work and maintenance done at Soutwest Automotive. Laurence rice read more

I've taken my '95 Volvo 850 Turbo to Southwest Automotive a few times for servicing and repair work. Johnny and company are friendly and courteous, and most importantly, I trust them because they know their stuff when it comes to Volvos. read more

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. read more

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!!!! read more

I cannot comment about the repair job, however Body shop work is terrible, especially integrity of the manager. Israel told me that he bought a new part for my vehicle, however I have discovered that he sanded and repainted the part. He even showed me the original part from the dumpster but I know that was not mine because the accident impact location was not the same. I have pictures to prove it. DO NOT TAKE YOUR VEHICLE for body shop repair. They will give you a hard time. VERY DISHONEST MECHANIC!! read more

If it was not for Southwest Automotive I would not own a Volvo. They know there stuff. You can trust them to get it right the first time because they know these cars inside and out. Better and cheaper than dealer! read more