I originally chose Town Car Repair because of the warmth and trust they had built with me over the years. I had brought my car there twice in the last five years for other repairs. The technicians were so sweet to me. One was for a starter, the other was for a cabin filter. Although I was originally quoted $85 for the filter but then later received a call saying I needed to pay $155, I still had a good experience. Those positive experiences are what led me to return a third time.
After my tow truck driver told me I needed a new alternator and battery, my car was towed to Town Car Repair. I was quoted $1,300 for parts and labor. While other shops quoted under $600, my car was not drivable and, based on past experiences, I decided to move forward here and supplied my own parts.
The owner told my husband—repeatedly and condescendingly referring to him as my “fiancé” and then “boyfriend”—that there would be no warranty if client-provided parts were used. We understood this to mean that any defective parts would be identified before payment and before the car was released. That did not happen.
I picked up my car at 6:45 p.m., and within seconds the “Check System Charge” light came on. As I walked back toward the shop, the open sign was turned off and the staff had already left. Less than an hour later (<4miles out from the shop), my car shut off while I was DRIVING. Power steering, ABS, and multiple warning lights came on at once. I was lucky to be near a well-lit parking lot and not on the highway, as I had to force the steering wheel just to get to safety. I contacted my insurance to tow the car back to the shop.
When I contacted the owner, the response focused entirely on “no warranty” rather than concern for a situation that could have been dangerous. I asked if the alternator was tested because the RECEIPT mentioned testing is included. The owner said no because it was not a shop supplied part. The NEXT day I received a call and a video stating the alternator was faulty. This was after I drove off and after it was towed back to the shop. What once felt like a warm, trustworthy business now feels like one that prioritizes collecting payment over customer safety and peace of mind. I am now down $345 (labor costs) while now having to find another, more trustworthy mechanic to fix my car. The car has now been towed back to my residence.
If you're a car expert and have the funds to use their warranty backed parts, you may have nothing to worry about. I would just say use your discernment when deciding on who to fix your car.
Some Constructive Feedback:
1. Morally, don’t accept payment if you believe customer-provided parts may be defective. Don't even do the work on the car if there is a chance for customer and owner frustration/lost trust.
2. Reconsider servicing vehicles with customer-supplied parts if proper safety checks won’t be done.
3. Re-evaluate pricing—$700 more for parts and labor versus other mechanic shops in the same area is excessive .
4. Review warning lights with customers before they leave the premises.
5. Show compassion when customers are placed in potentially life-threatening situations. It's important to note not everyone is a mechanic therefore their expertise may not be the same. This is a great moment to educate customers to increase customer-business trust and to ensure their decisions are based on knowledge not frustration.
6. Remember and respect loyal customers.
7. Don’t release a vehicle or take payment if there’s a chance it will immediately need to be towed again.
Rob & his shop desperately helped me in my TIME OF NEED!!! All of a sudden my exhaust cracks as I’m driving on the road I see his shop in my rear view mirror flip a turn & immediately go there helpless I may add because it was just so sudden, rob & his crew helped me no questions asked, price was definitely reasonable & just having full transparency about what options I had & how it can get done! Goes to show still honest working people around now I’m fixed back on the road & in good shape
I don’t usually rate places where no service occurred, but after a half hour of waiting the technician said it was impossible to give an inspection with the car having any items to review. He then brought me to the incredibly rude inspector who abruptly waved me off and told me to go elsewhere: barely making it to Japanese Auto Service before they closed, they were able to do a new inspection no problem. Not only were these people rude, they were dishonest. Don’t waste your time
Thank you for inspecting my car for the safety of me and my family! Great service, affordable prices, and they accept both cash and card. If you come here, you’ll get excellent service, and the bathroom is clean and well-kept too. Thank you!!
Well I was recommended somewhere else's but Alex advised me to go 2lights down Well Mr Paul Provided Excellent Service and also The Cleanliness I will be back. Thank you Mr Paul
Just met the Staff and one of the Mechanics to inquire about the Virginia State Vehicle Inspection and oil change hours and cost. First time ever I have met business owners and staff that I felt so comfortable with their integrity and customer service value that I submit a positive review for them and I'm 71 years old ! Look forward to coming in for my inspection and oil change. David.
I called to inquire about the state inspection cost and the employee said $20 then hung up on me. I know because I heard the phone hang up versus a disconnect. I then called back and told him he hung up on me when I had another question and he repeated yea, $20 and tried to hang up again. I finally asked my second question which was if they'll still inspect the vehicle if it is based out of Maryland. He didn't know so I hung up. If you're that miserable at work then please GO HOME before you make the wrong person angry. Definitely NOT going to this place. I wasn't even rude to the guy.
I got a quote from them for repairs prior to a state inspection. The repairs were priced very fairly. I scheduled the repairs/state inspection for when I would be out of town and made sure they knew that I wouldn't be able to pick it up until the end of the week. During the week, I received a few calls asking when I could pick my car up, and I told them that when I scheduled the repairs and when I dropped the car off I wouldn't be able to pick it up until the end of the week.
The end of the week comes and I go to pick it up, but they hadn't done the inspection and they had parked the car on the street with the doors unlocked. They had also noted an issue that they hadn't brought up in the original inspection. It seems like they know their way around a car but aren't very organized or careful in how they treat their customers' cars.
Town car is amazing, a random find in an ocean of dishonest people. Rob runs a tight ship and the pricing is fair and honest. I've recommended all my neighbors and colleagues go here, and they've come back grateful to deal with kind professionals.
This Place is a certified Emissions inspection and repair shop for emissions. I only came for that so I will keep my review to just that; As I was there and had the emissions test done. I waited to get my results as I suspected I had the p420 code to replace that Catalytic converter a known issue with 2014-2015 Chevy Cruze. I had them replace the Cat once it was replaced which cost a whopping $1500 to include labor and parts. I had to drive it a few days so the Emissions would reregister it self. Well low and behold the P420 code came back 2 days later. After that I took the car back to them explained what happened and was granted a waiver after a recheck and same P420 code appeared. So they did exactly what I had expected. No issue with this establishment. My only issue is DMV needs to lower the amount spent to get a waiver or do away with this 2 year check.
An honest mechanic. Took my truck here a couple of times now. I've been told that there are things that don't need to be done now, and when I had an issue with the turbo, he did the research and found a recall so, sent me to the dealer.
Those who put down 5 stars got ripped off. These people don't deserve that. I come there for an inspection and they want me to stay with the car and drive it to the bay. Excuse me? Isn't that your job? I've Never went to a mechanic where you drive it to the bay area, they do it, it's their job. We just drop the car off. Then I go there for help to remove license plate screws and the short hispanic guy wanted to charge me 100.00!! Are you kidding me? Either he's crazy or likes to scam people. That same hispanic guy made me wait for 1 hr to get an oil change when I was there first for my inspection. Don't go to these people. They are lazy and they will rip you off! I went to another trustful mechanic and he was able to remove the license plate screws for wayyy cheaper than 100.00. Wat a scammer! Never going back here again and everyone else should do the same!! DO NOT GO HERE. They are rude too! Only the tall hispanic guy was nice with the glasses. The short one is not just rude, but he's lazy and will rip you off. The asian guy is lazy too. The dj Khaled looking owner is the same way! Lazy and wants the customer to do work. Bye. I found a better mechanic.
On my first visit I waited a hour for a safety inspection. Before the inspection even began, they removed my current safety inspection sticker, which was valid for another two weeks. I ultimately received a “rejection” because one of my headlights was “low.” I was told to come back within 15 days with the headlight fixed and all that would have to be done was a quick inspection of the light. Upon returning with a new headlight two days later, I asked if could quickly have it checked rather than waiting another hour in a line of 5 cars, for the flip of a switch that takes 30 seconds. I was told to go to the back of the line. I again waited an hour for what was ultimately a less than 5 second re-inspection of my headlight. I will never come here again and recommend whoever is considering coming here, instead go to any of the dozens of other inspectors in the area who don’t display such disregard for customer service.
Guy was doing inspections late on Saturday. And he fixed my issue right there in no time. My check engine light was on and he let me get in there quick so he could reset. Guy totally made up for the last place I went to being a dud.
I had to take my work truck in for an oil change. I called ahead to see if they could do a quick turnaround and they were able to do it in the time frame that I needed. I found the staff to be friendly and professional. The price was fair as well.
Edit: Rob (the owner) got in touch with me, and we went over how the misunderstanding might have happened and came to a reasonable solution.
I took my car in with a misfiring engine and a need for an oil change. The estimate was higher than I wanted, so I elected for just the oil change so that I could do the other rather simple repairs myself for a fraction of the cost. To my surprise, when picking up the car, they had done everything. I trust that the work was done correctly, but I feel rather ripped off at the moment.
My experience with Town Car Repair has been exceptionally positive. Not only did they efficiently address my car issues, but they also went above and beyond by providing a free jump box. This unexpected gesture showcased their commitment to customer service and willingness to assist beyond the basic repair service. The staff's helpfulness and generosity have undoubtedly earned my trust and loyalty, making Town Car Repair a commendable choice for automotive needs.
I can't recommend this garage enough!! The staff were amazing and very friendly. They were the first mechanics in the area that cared about my experience/vehicle rather than trying to price gouge me. They explained what was going on with my car and even caught miscellaneous things such as my car not having the proper registration stickers on the plates. I will be recommending to friends and going back for any car needs!
Highly recommend this repair shop. Rob was super transparent about what my car needed/didn't need. They didn't try to upsell and even showed me online where I could buy parts myself. Reliable and friendly service. Will definitely come back.
The staff very friendly and knowledgeable. Took the time to explain the work they were going to do step by step virtually. I felt at ease that I made right move to take my car to Town Car repair. Even recommended my Aunt to bring her car in as well. This will be my go too for all my car needs and already told my friends to go check them out.
Amazing Mechanic! I’ll definitely be back. They just charged me $180 for the brake replacement, but they also went above and beyond and fix the unlock/lock button on my car and a broken part under the steering wheel and scrapped a sticker off the windshield. Another mechanic quoted me $2000 for those extra repairs and I had to leave because I couldn’t afford it. Definitely recommend! Very affordable repairs and responsive staff.
They were very efficient getting the work done needed on my car same day. They're very friendly, with friendly rates in comparison to other shops. Will definitely go back in the future vs Subaru dealership.
I had a fantastic experience taking my car to Town Car Repair. They were able to see my fairly quickly after I arrived and their mechanics were very professional and helpful. Rob, the owner I believe, was extremely friendly, professional, and transparent about how my car needed to be fixed. I highly recommend them to anyone who needs service, including my own local friends in the area, and will be returning for any future repairs. Thanks for such great service!
They're the best! I had a flat tire in a garage, where a tow truck wouldn't be able to come in. The guys at Town Car Repair came to the garage to assist me. They plugged my tire, filled it with air, and I was on my way. They're honest and hardworking mechanics.
Want the job done right at a great price? This is the place. The shop is family-owned for over fifty years and the work is top notch. They'll always give you the honest and fair pricing for all your car serviced. They're just the best folks for you and your sweet ride.
Brought my truck into the shop today because the check engine light was on. The owner Rob quickly figured out the issue. Waited while the car was serviced. Was done exceptionally quick. Not the 1st time I have brought my car here and wont be the last. Won't take it anywhere else. Great people, great service. Highly recommend.
This place whole upset. I was waiting on the line about an hour, once my turn come they just put unknown car front of me and tell me wait 10 mins but it’s actually 30 mins just keep talking..
They do a good job at letting you know everything that needs to be done so you can approve the work. Had all new brake pads, rotors and tires put on and they did a great job for a very good price. This is the only place that I get my oil changed because I know that I can trust them to do it right. I won't go anywhere else unless it's a problem they don't fix or covered under my warranty.
Today was my first visit, and I was really impressed. I was greeted with a genuine smile and handshake. The other customers also seemed very happy and loyal. They offer a full range of services, and they are open late enough for me to bring my car after work.
We've always had a great experience with Town Car Repair. My brother owns a repair shop up in Maryland, so I call him with any issues or concerns I may have. I told him the price and work that was being done (and even cleared based on the symptoms it was necessary) and he was shocked They give good prices for quality work. They are very friendly, thorough, knowledgeable staff. They always call if there is something more going on with the car than the work originally discussed and clearly explain what is being done and why. The line for inspections can sometimes get long, but they are also quick. I highly recommend them.
3800 S Four Mile Run Dr Suit F, Arlington, VA
3900 S Four Mile Run Dr, Arlington, VA
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