Key Auto Werks (Houston, TX) Mechanic(s): Owner - George Ramsey
2505 W Holcombe Blvd. , Houston, TX 77030 (n713) 662-2622
Features and Specialties: Mercedes, Volvo, BMW, Acura, Toyota, and Chevy/GMC Suburbans

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Survey results:

They are always honest
They are competent
The repair price is always reasonable
They fix the problem the first time
They complete the work in a timely manner
They respond well when they screw something up
They take the time to explain the problems and necessary repairs
The shop is located in a safe neighborhood
The hours of operation are convenient for customers
They treat male and female customers in the same manner
They are near public transportation (or provide loaners, shuttle bus, rides as needed)

Reviewers Comments:

They're outstanding. They've worked on our cars (3 Hondas, 1 BMW) for maybe 15 years. First rate customer service. They ALWAYS give you a complete explanation of a problem with options available before doing the work. Never failed to have a car ready when promised. I took my 2001 BMW 330ci in to the dealer right after the warranty expired for a detail job I had paid for earlier. They also did a mechanical check and told me about three problems that would cost about $1,600 to fix. Key said only one was needed now and quoted a price about 60% of the dealer's; the second wasn't needed now and could safely wait 9-12 months; the third wasn't a problem at all.

After finding and reading about this shop on mechan-x file - the reviews were accurate. Had my daughter take her RAV-4 after some intermittant starting problems. They check and kept the car for a week to see if they could reconstruct the problem but couldn't. They did know what had been replaced and did not just start replacing other parts. They told us what to try the next time this happens. Definitely going back to them.

THEY ARE HONEST, FRIENDLY, AND NO ONE ELSE DOES WORK AT THE QUALITY THEY GIVE THEIR CUSTOMERS!!!!

I have used this company since buying my Volvo 3 1/2years ago. I have found their service people to be very helpful in explaining the problems and repairs required. They have always finished the work as promised and have not "screwed it up". When I came in with a problem that they thought was covered by the warranty, they first called the dealer to confirm that it was covered, and then called me to say I should take it to the dealer instead of paying them. They charged me I think about $35 to diagnose the problem. I would recommend them to anyone without reservation.

Key Auto Werks is the best foreign car mechanic in Houston!! My husband and I have been taking our BMWs to them for four years and have been extremely pleased with their honesty, their fairness, and their general knowledge. They work on BMWs, Toyotas, Volvos, Mercedes and other nice foreign cars. I like the fact that they are just as comfortable working on older models (i.e. our 1989 Toyota truck and our 1994 BMW), as well as newer models (like our 2001 and 2002 BMWs) - they have proved equally competent and knowledgable of both. They will honestly tell you if something does not need to be done to your car, or whether and to what degree you can wait on fixing it. They really do take the time to explain what they did with your car (or what it needs) and why. On top of that, they are all EXTREMELY nice, friendly people. HIGHLY HIGHLY recommended!!

We have taken our cars to Key Auto Werks since 1976--the first owners sold to the existing owners. We have followed them from their orignal shop out of an old gas station to their current shop on Kirby. They have fixed our VW bug, Mercury Villager, Toyota, Honda, and Volvos over the last 25 years. They are honest, don't fix things that don't need fixing, and help assess what is important to fix and what can wait when money is an issue. Athough our repair bills seem high (when you have 4 cars, one is always in the shop), they are comparable to taking the car to the dealer and it works when you get it back! I am definitely a biased customer and trust them with our cars and my children's cars.

They are always up front and honest about the current repair, but also about repairs that may be looming on the horizon (so you can plan appropriately). On multiple occassions they have had the opportunity to perform unecessary work but have not (e.g. - There is minor leakage and corrosion around the radiator intake hose. I won't know whether you will need a brand new radiator until I pull off the hose. Some Volvo's of your model/year need an entire replacement because the neck has cracked). They could have easily told me that the neck was cracked and done the full radiator replacement. I was happy to get the call from George saying it was just a worn radiator hose. I highly recommend these guys for Volvo work. I can only assume that they are as competent and honest for all makes/models that they specialize in.

Key Auto Werks is the real deal: friendly, honest, and competent mechanics who willingly go the extra mile to diagnose the car and to ensure a happy customer. They have performed great work on our two Hondas, and performed extremely thorough buyer checks on two Acuras for me. They found some notable problems with the first, which I didn't buy, and went out of their way to thoroughly investigate the second, which I did buy. When my wife's CR-V was in for some A/C work their shuttle driver picked her up from home, took her to the shop to retrieve our child seat, drove to my daughter's day care with my wife, picked up my daughter, and then took them all back to the shop while the repair was being finished! Amazing. I am a reasonably knowledgeable Honda/Acura owner, so I do not lightly recommend these folks: they are very good at what they do.

George, Scot, Russ, and the others at Key Auto Werks are the most trustworth group of auto technicians I've ever come across. Over the past ten years, they have worked on my most recent Landcruiser, Miata, Honda, Suburban, and "The Truckster" - my 1987 Toyota Land Cruiser. They are honest and professional and treat you with respect - even when you ask really stupid questions. I try to make sure that whatever vehicle I purchase - it's one that Key works on (they do not repair many domestic makes).

Haven't actually taken my car in to them -- found them on the CarTalk website and called them up to ask a few questions about possible maintenance. They answered my questions, some of them dated or naieve, without bias and with full explanation. They come across as honest people who aren't trying to hose you -- as others have opined, they won't attempt to sell you a job that your car doesn't require.

It pains me to leave Houston for Michigan because I won't be able to take these friendly, capable, and honest mechanics with me. They have helped this college student keep a 30 year old car on the road safely. Excellent work.

They sounded friendly but they don't work on domestic vehicles.

My wife and I have been taking our cars to Key for close to 20 years. They've serviced our Nissan, Mazda, Toyota, BMW and Lexus - both new and used models. We have never trusted the dealer, but trust George, Scott and Russell. They do our warranty and other authorized service work. Back in the old days, when we were considerably poorer and driving really, really used cars, Scott or George would give us spending and duration of fix options. They would tell us, for example, that we could do a such and such minor fix at x dollars which would last for 3 months, or fix 2 for some dollars more that would last 5 months, or the real fix that would completely knock the problem out. Very handy during the paycheck to paycheck years.

Taking the time to explain situations with the car and options for courses of action is really their particular strong point. I don't believe that I have ever run across anyone in any line of business that is as good at providing clear, concise explanations of problems, potential problems, and potential solutions as Scot Bish. It doesn't hurt that they do every other part of their service very, very well, either.

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