I've brought my cars to Autostream a couple of times now and had positive experiences each time. As other reviewers have mentioned, Jesse and Chris are really great. They both are extremely personable and customer service oriented - Jesse kept me updated daily while my car was being evaluated, and they both took time to explain what was going on in a way that was easy to understand. I like that they take pictures of everything and provide a full report of what's going on - it is very helpful. One thing to note is that I did pay $170 to evaluate what was going on with my check engine light, which seemed a little high but I don't have much locally to compare it to so it's hard to say if that's unusual. Just something to be aware of if you want to bring your car in for that, I guess. Anyway, between the good customer service and the proximity to my house, I am sure I will be a long term customer. read more

My wife and I visited the AutoStream Columbia location to have the bad AC compressor fixed. The compressor is covered under a "Lifetime Warranty" from a previous repair done at this shop, and we brought the physical documentation (see photo) to prove it. Unfortunately, the front desk manager refused to honor the agreement. After looking at the warranty paper, she demanded an upfront diagnostic fee before any work or inspection could begin. When I explained that a lifetime warranty on the part and service should cover the inspection to verify the failure, she refused to discuss the matter. Instead of talking professionally, she yelled "Excuse me!", walked away, and ordered us to leave the shop while refusing to address our other repair needs.We have been customers here in the past, but the complete lack of professionalism and the outright refusal to honor their own written warranty is unacceptable. Potential customers should beware that AutoStream may not stand behind their lifetime guarantees. read more

AutoStream Car Care Center - The warranty paper - Auto Repair Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Excellent team and service. Can recommend for honesty and quality. Better than other shops in the area. Also provided loaner car for emergency. read more

I've recently returned to Columbia and used AutoStream when I lived here before (2020-2022). They're even better than I remembered! I started with the obligatory MD safety inspections on two vehicles, one of which failed due to a minor windshield crack (that I didn't even know existed until I saw the picture). They managed to get it sent out for a new windshield with calibration and it was back the next morning! Tia is fantastic to work with! I will happily be coming back for all my work! read more

Five stars through and through. AutoStream has absolutely wow'ed me and I recommend any Yelpers reading this to reach out to AutoStream for your car needs. A few reviews back, I mentioned how I had a bad tire that needed tending to. I took my car into the nearby Mazda dealership and got a full diagnostic done. Unsurprisingly, there were a few things in addition to the tire that needed to be replaced: brakes, rotors, alignment, you get the picture. It's common knowledge that dealerships tend to charge more, so I wanted to look for a locally-owned business to bring my car into to give a second opinion and to ultimately do the work. I love Yelp's Request a Quote tool: I sent off what I was looking for to a couple of businesses on a weekend night and I heard back from AutoStream first about an hour later (from the owner Doug, at that). I loved the promptness and the personal touch, knowing I was talking to a human and not some AI chat bot. Doug informed that they were running an October special on brakes, where they donate to breast cancer research (awesome!), and that I could bring my car in first thing Monday. Wow, ok, and done. When I brought my car in, I talked to Chris and Garry, who were so friendly, knowledgable and patient with me. Dropped off my keys and off I went... my car was ready the next day, despite getting several things done. What set AutoStream apart: - They send you a full diagnostic via text WITH photos and educational videos explaining what you're looking at. I don't think I've ever seen the intricate insides of my car before. - They beat the dealership price and other quotes I received - Chris and Garry - there's a reason these guys keep getting mentioned in the review below TLDR: quality service from a friendly, responsive biz read more

had my starter replaced here and after only two weeks it went bad, took it to my normal mechanic and the starter was bad as well as some other part that apparently was messed up by this shopwhen they replaced the original. I'm just glad that they Autostream company has a warranty system so I was able to get all the repairs done again but for free. they were very nice and pretty helpful and they got the oil change and toped off my fluids, maybe it was a bad day. but when the bill is around 1700 bucks and the majority of that being labor you would expect things to be done right the first time. I will not be returning and I would look elsewhere if its a big repair job. read more

I've brought my car here a few times now, after discovering these guys (surprise surprise!) on Yelp. The first time was to get a second opinion after leaving my car at the dealer for over a week, only to get a frustratingly high quote just for what essentially amounted to a diagnostic. Autostream quoted a notably better price than the dealer, and also did a full evaluation of my car in just a day. I've kept coming back because honestly, the customer service and efficiency are exceptional. When I'd had what seemed like a simple issue balloon into a pricey repair, they were patient and helpful, breaking down prices and giving me options on how to best approach things with my budget. In short, they come well recommended. read more

Have questions? Ask and they will get answered. From the beginning to the end, I was walked thru every step and not rushed out the door once I handed them the keys. Chris treated me as a friend in the way that he spoke to me; he was direct and professional, very knowledgeable given he knew a lot about how Audi's work. The passion for what he does shows thru his efforts to address any and every problem. Mechanics -- there are a lot. The person who represents your brand is unique, they either set the bar for the service being performed and challenges others to step up, or runs a business to the ground because of their carelessness. Needless to say, my baby, Snow White has a new dependable car shop to get all her needs taken care of. -Thank you guys! read more

Really great help from Chris, Dantrell, and Jesse. All the work got done in a day, and they were very knowledgeable and friendly. I only like taking my car to AutoStream. Thanks, guys. read more

So, I have literally been searching for a trustworthy car repair shop for at least a decade. I've been the type of person who trusted that the big box, name brand, credit card offering auto repair shops wouldn't rip me off ... until they did, and quite frankly I had enough. I needed some services on my car and came across AutoStream Car Care Center after searching reviews. They seemed spoken of pretty highly, so I made an appointment and gave them a try. My first impression was how friendly everyone is! Next, I noticed how awesome their communication is via text or calling about what's needed and the progress of the repairs. They send a very detailed list of everything that looks good or bad on your car, and even write notes on the bad. What I appreciated the most is the time they take to explain (in normal people terms) what is wrong, and what is needed done...and the pricing seems very fair/reasonable. Big shout out to Jesse and Chris especially for going above and beyond to explain what they would do (even if it meant taking it to the dealer for any further repairs covered under a warranty instead of keeping me in the dark and taking my $$!) It's hard to come by honest auto shops, but these guys are the real deal! read more

"Bigger on the inside than the outside" After reading so many google reviews and then looking at pictures of this place, and then going for service, it all makes more sense now. As a customer, you work with Jesse and Chris, who share a tiny office behind the door pictured on the right --- sandwiched between a convenience store and a six-bay repair facility (three front bays, and three back). But don't let the size fool you. Although the office is small, and there's only standing room for just one customer at a time, everything happens there. Both Jesse and Chris show incredible patience on phone and in person helping nervous customers (like me!) who are worried about their cars. All while they are engaging with the steady stream of mechanics completing repairs, and ordering parts by phone and receiving parts delivery through the front door. It sounds crazy, but in this case small is good because they both know what's going on and are able to keep track of things. E.g. "quality control over your car". For me - Jesse and Chris were just as professional and courteous (formal) and followed up with you like all the reviews said. In my experience, we did a $50 inspection service where my 11-y.o.-deferred-maintenance-car was reviewed inside-outside-topside-underside to produce a detailed report of my car with pictures. From there, Jesse produced a menu of itemized tasks and pricing that we were able to negotiate remotely on a repair plan. It was nice after we agreed on the tasks, Jesse was able to send me a PDF with the tasks and estimates we had agreed to. Jesse was very patient working up separate estimates for both OEM-comparable and full-on OEM parts when I asked. After a recent experience where my car was not evaluated and explained thoroughly - leading me to need (to spend my personal time and effort) to do my own evaluation and thus consider another repair provider, it seemed fair to explicitly and separately pay for an experienced person's time to review my car properly. It was comforting to see auto stream uncovered the same problems (!and non problems!) on my car that I'd found on my own. The point being that they were thorough, and found the same things I shouldn't have been having to spend my own time doing (that's what you pay someone else to do!). I was also impressed that both Jesse and Chris were hesitant to agree with me on any of my problems and possible remedies before examining my car themselves. *That's responsible*. My overall impression was everyone there (Jesse, Chris, repair staff on down) were all career repair professionals and were trying their best to do good "dealership quality" work. E.g. correctly identifying and replacing worn parts with either OEM or OEM-comparable. Judging from the amount of cars I saw in repair, it appeared they had plenty of business doing what they honestly thought might be needed and did not have an incentive to invent unnecessary work. In my case, I guess with significant repairs, they were able to supply a loaner car to get to work, otherwise I would not have been able to take my car there for service. Also in the pictures that I missed, until I was actually there -- there's both an after-hours key drop box and an after-hours electronic key pickup box, so in theory you could get repairs without speaking to anyone in person. With the convenience mart and cameras everywhere no worries about leaving a car there. Pricing was comparable to estimates I'd had from a dealer on the same tasks (total of labor rates + part markups). As another reviewer had observed "you get what you pay for", since the repair staff all appeared to be career-oriented / experienced (nobody I saw looked like a flunky). One of my repairs included replacing a radiator hose where some special care was taken to tie off some nearby wiring that could easily have been skipped. Like someone who knew something and cared went out of their way to get a detail right. My understanding was several of the mechanics were veterans from various dealership service departments, so collectively they had first-hand experience and coverage over multiple car brands. read more

Nice local neighborhood garage that offered me a comprehensive checklist each time I get service. It's the first place I think of when I need something checked out on my car read more

If you want to have them lie to you about your car you can absolutely go with Auto stream. I put off my automatic transmission so I went here to have it done because it was across the street from my house. what should have cost between $150-$200 and it was just under $300. They give me a laundry list of leaking brake lines and leaking power steering fluid. Then they tell me I need new brakes and rotors within the next 50-100 miles or I'll need to replace everything. LIES. I took it to my regular mechanic, independent auto in Glen Burnie. They wanted to charge me ~$2500 for all of their B.S. and independent tells me my front brakes need to be changed but the rotors are in great condition and the back brakes have at least 10,000 miles left. The leaking fluids were a complete fabrication and I think it could have even been this shop who did it! AND IT ONLY COST ME $170! I could not recommend a shop less than these upselling con-artists. read more

I took my car to the AutoStream shop in Columbia, MD to have an oil change. I was informed that I needed a serpentine belt replacement among other minor repair recommendations. I chose to have the serpentine belt replaced. I wasn't satisfied with the service in Columbia and noted this in my previous review. The General Manager, David, contacted me to apologize for my inconveniences and ask that I allow him the opportunity to resolve the car issues I was experiencing. I agreed to take my car to the Pikesville, MD location where Allen was extremely helpful. The guys in Pikesville worked hard to diagnose the root of the issue, allowed me to use a loaner while they repaired my car, and used their expertise to completely fix my car. My trust is restored and the Pikesville location has gained a loyal customer! Thanks, guys! NOTE: I am not particularly pleased with the Columbia location, but I will rate as 5 stars since the general manager, David, was able to resolve my issues at the Baltimore location. read more

I wish there was a way to give negative stars because that's what I would like to do for this place. I first took my car to AutoStream in Columbia when it was still Columbia Car Care Center in 2010. They were honest and helpful and very good at fixing my car. Then a few years ago they changed management and things have been going downhill ever since. The first issue I had was in December 2012 when I took my 2003 Mini Cooper in for an oil change primarily, but also asked for a brake estimate. After waiting over an hour for my car, I came back to get it and noticed that the oil change sticker was not changed. This is because the mechanic didn't know he was supposed to change the oil. To remedy this, they gave me a free oil change coupon and the mechanic stayed late (and so did I) to do the work. Great, fine, whatever. Fast-forward a month, I go back to get the brake work done. It never felt quite right and would intermittently feel as though the brakes were not aligned properly. I mentioned this when I brought it in for the next oil change - they "checked" it and of course concluded that their work was sound. The brakes still don't feel right at times so I know they were wrong. Plus, the supposedly free oil change I got a coupon for was not actually free because they still charged me for labor. Next, I went back to fix a headlight that had blown out repeatedly, leading me to believe it was a wiring issue. I TOLD them this. They took my car for an hour, changed the light bulb, didn't check the wiring, and gave it back to me with the headlight still out. The result? I had to bring it back another day, resulting in more wasted time for which they offered no discount or compensation of any kind. The final nail in the coffin was this past fall when I took my car in for another oil change, only because I hadn't had time to find a new mechanic. They gave me a several thousand dollar estimate for a whole list of things my car "needed." Somehow, they concluded that the most important thing on the list was a $2000 repair to my power steering line. Even I know that power steering isn't needed to drive a car and therefore was not the most important repair on the list, which included axel work. So now I am changing my own oil and looking for a new mechanic. It also turns out that they were putting the wrong oil in my car all along. They insisted that it needed conventional and the the sticker right on the engine says to use synthetic. These people are unethical and incompetent and no on should let them touch their car ever. read more

Very impressed with this business. Best customer service in town. Mechanics provided a detailed assessment of my vehicle. Turns out brakes, rotors and a front caliper needed replacing. Repairs were prompt and affordable too. Thanks Jesse and Chris! read more

I have been using for years. I have even replaced a vehicle since I started using this shop. I used to live on the corner and it was easy to walk to drop off. Now, I drive a little bit and pass several other shops within walking distance to get work done on my Kia Sedona Van with over 100,000 miles on it now, my son's VW Turbo Jetta a much newer vehicle with less mileage on it, and my now partner's vehicle too another 100,000+ mileage vehicle but a Toyota Corolla. I have had many repairs over all the years, but the prices have been fair. I have often had to prioritize repairs and delay some. As long as Erik is the manager, I have no problems. He left to help a family business for a short period but thankfully is back :) They keep great records of exactly what has been fixed, what they recommended but I deferred due to my financial situation. I have had belts replaced and something happen to them during the shop's warranty period. I mentioned that I thought we had done that repair a few years sooner when they mentioned one of the recommended repairs. Erik, just searched my file for that vehicle and found it was the case and they replaced under their warranty. I do all my repairs with Auto Stream. I do occasionally get an oil change done elsewhere when that is all I need and I am short on time. I also get my tires from a tire specialist only because I have a Lifetime Alignment package with a tire company closer to my home from when I hit the curb sidewall and needed to be towed and would have had to pay to get towed to their shop. They accept Care Care Credit Plans where most of the time repairs over $199 or $249, depending on the promotion are on a 6 month zero interest payment plan. It is up to you to monitor the Credit Card statements and ensure you actually pay off balance before you hit the 6 months time period. I currently have a repair on my card that the balance is due early Sept. If I don't pay off the deferred balance, I owe the Credit Company over $188 in accrued interest. I ensure that I pay my balances before interest is due. But, it is Car Care Credit from Symphony Finance Co that sets up the interest rates which are typically high for any zero % deferral payment plan. read more

I've had my oil changed here twice WITH a groupon, and BOTH TIMES the service was IMPECCABLE. usually, places that know you have a groupon type thing they don't treat you as well, but the service team here was super helpful, efficient, and FAST. I had my back windshield wipers changed, and they even offered to order the wipers for my front one's because I needed those too. It is super easy to schedule an appointment, just go online and do it that way. I cannot praise this place enough!! thank you so much for being amazing!! I will def be back! read more

Stopped because my tire light came on and stopped and they found the screw repaired my tire and was on my way in no time. Pleasant and clean place to wait but was only there a short time. I felt they were trustworthy and will return for my car needs. They also give a discount for AAA. read more

Very good customer experience. Extensive evaluation of vehicle issues and report to help make informed decisions.

Just had to get my Maryland Inspection done for my 2007 Prius. I spoke with Erik, the manager, to set up the appointment. The team started on my vehicle promptly at my appointment time and finished within the allotted time (it takes about an 1.5-2 hours to get it done). Erik was very helpful with explaining the process (and additional information about transferring cars to Maryland). All I needed to pass was to change a couple light bulbs. Very efficient and helpful. I would suggest this place to anyone who just moved and looking to get an state inspection done from trusted mechanics. They are AAA certified as well. read more

New to the state and needed an inspection. Was the worst customer service I've ever experienced! I dropped my car off at 1 pm and they stated it would be a two hour wait, so I took an Uber home. 4 pm came and gone with no phone call, so I reached out. Turns out they were having "computer issues" and hadn't reached out to me, even though I arranged for a ride to take me back there since I was out of their "shuttle range", by two miles. After reaching out, when they should've called, they called me back at 545 pm and left a voice mail stating "the car was good to go". When I called back, the "after hours" machine was on, therefore ruining my ride and evening plans. I had to arrange another Uber due to their lack of communication the previous day!! Upon arrival the next morning at 8 am, they in fact told me the car had FAILED when they told me it was "good to go". I then had to go back later the same day to get it reinspected! Will never return or recommend this place to anyone. read more

Really happy with my car work. No one really ever wants to get auto work done but these guys made it less painful. Good customer service and communication to find best options for what needs serviced first and what not. Highly recommended read more

Yesterday I called AutoStream Car Care Center in Columbia and received nothing but incredible Customer Service the second Gary answered the phone. He listened to my problem and welcomed me to visit the shop for a free estimate, the technician did a thorough inspection and even took pictures of the issues! I asked Gary my options and he priced it out for me using all OEM spec parts, his estimate was roughly $1000 less than the dealerships quote! He got me into a courtesy loaner car and completed all repairs that day. On top of the unbeatable service and price I received, my car hasn't performed this well in almost 4 years. It feels almost new! Zero complaints! read more

I was pleasantly surprised with the service, right away. The offered a ride home, took pictures of things that need to be repaired, and I explained why in a way I could understand. I don't generally associate trust with car mechanics, but they earned mine. read more

I called AutoStream for a state inspection for my vehicle. I made an appointment the day before the inspection and had to cancel and remake the appoint the day of. Chris treated me like I was a customer that he's known for years. I was really impressed with his professionalism and attitude. When I mentioned that I was going to call and Uber to go somewhere while I waited for my car, he offered to drive me there instead. Although it's located in a Shell station, these guys know what they're doing and treated me with respect the entire time I was there. Will definitely call them when I need more work on my car. read more

I had a great experience here the other day. Took my truck in because the AC wasn't working very well. They diagnosed the issue, fixed it, and called me for pickup, all within 2 hours and at a very reasonable price. I would definitely recommend them! read more

Larry and Kevin were great! Walked me through the process with my German car repairs. It runs great!

Great service. Chris is an awesome service manager, and the quality and price of work is competitive. This is an auto service shop that you can trust. I believe that AutoStream puts the customer first, which is so important when choosing a mechanic. read more

I went in January or an oil change. I was told that I needed rear shocks, that mine were broken and I must have hit a pot hole or something. I was told that I needed struts. I was told that I needed an oil pan asap even though I wasn't witnessing any oil in my garage. I was quite upset as I have already put a lot of money into my car there. The staff was different last year and I trusted their recommendations based on recommendations I had also had from the dealer. They even called me once to tell me that the work I was having done was going to be less than what was originally quoted. I was very happy. So, I took my car to BJs for new tires and asked them to look at my shocks and struts. They said they were fine and were shocked when I said I was told they "were broken". I then took my car to another reputable/recommended shop (Town and Country in Dayton) for an alignment. They did a complete check of my car, said everything was fine but my oil pan was sweating and, although it was nothing to be concerned about at this time, if anyone suggested down the road that I need a gasket - that would be it. I will not ever be back to Autostream and will spread the word. Really?! I'm driving a 2003 Buick. Do you really think that I have money. Life has thrown me some serious curve balls. The thought that they would try to cheat anyone, but especially someone in my position, is sickening. They should be ashamed. read more

I had been to this establishment for an oil change in the past where I had My own choice of synthetic oil and filter and done the oil change on my car,today I had been to do the same and ERIC who was at the desk was handling the phone and after speaking to the customers was making inappropriate comments and unprofessional guestures after he hung up the phone I was uncomfortable with his customer service, when he asked me for My name and cell no I could sense he pulled up my details and made eyes at the screen and told me He did not have My info and jacked up the price for same saying in an arrogant way thats what it is today. I would not do business with such people and request everyone to be away from this place . read more

This place is awesome! I highly recommend you come here for all of your auto concerns. Chris at the front desk will take such good care of you. Everyone there is so friendly and super fast! They're reasonably priced and an all around great place. read more

I was totally taken care of in my time of need. Erik the manager was very professional and courteous. I was impressed that he showed me the problems and then gave me choices for repairing my car. The facility is clean and the people were friendly. I would recommend these guys to everyone who is looking for a great car repair shop. I will return. read more

I did 60K service for my 2004 Honda odyssey in this shop. They told me they changed the break pads. I just found out they didn't use generic Honda parts after I sent my car to dealer for maintenance again . The Honda dealer technician told me my front wheels balancing part was broken and using the non generic Honda parts maybe is the reason. I will never use this shop again. read more

Had my car inspection and they repaired what needed to be done in order to pass the inspection. The repairs was done quick, they gave me a ride home and my car is running perfectly. read more

Everytime I see a deal on groupon or living social, I go here for an oil change. Erik the manager is awesome. Very laid back and nice. There were two occasions that made me admire him. One, I had a service light on in my Ford Explorer that I couldn't figure out how to turn off. Erik came out of the front office area, checked out my car really quick, and solved the issue, free of charge. The second time was fitting me in for an oil change appointment last minute when the shop was near to closing hour. Last year they hired a new manager who I wasn't impressed with. Now that Erik is back, I will be returning here more frequently! read more

Took my Jeep from VA there for Maryland state inspection. Service was excellent! I had to make a few repairs, their pricing was very reasonable, but I wanted to do some of it myself. They went through and explained each item with me and texted me pictures of the things that needed repairs. No charge for re-inspection, and passed the next week. Great experience overall!! read more

The team here is amazing! Allen, the service manager, is the most professional, knowledgeable, and courteous car care professional I've ever met! I took my 2008 Toyota Yaris in for a brake inspection after taking it to another automotive center to get a second opinion. Allen was efficient in getting my car in. About an hour later, I received a text message with a link to their diagnosis. Amazing! They included pictures and explanations! I shortly received a call from Allen going over all the repairs needed. Even though the cost of repairs were more than I was prepared for, Allen patiently went over all my options for repayment and could not be more understanding. I cannot stress how kind and empathetic he was. If you need a car care center that is efficient, trustworthy, and professional, look no further. I know I have found one for life! read more

The guys at Autostream were fantastic with their service. The team took couple ounces of each of the fluids for transmission, coolant etc and showed me the difference between what color it is now and what color it should be. This was very helpful when trying to understand what services were needed and what were not. The team also brought me in to the shop where the car was lifted and showed me the struts and tire wear and tear. I would have been unaware of these issues if it weren't for the AutoStream team . I highly recommend getting car repairs admins service done here. read more

do not use this garage for anything other then simple repairs My son's car was brought to them loosing coolant with no coolant in the oil and a request for a pressure test of the coolant system, did not did not pressure test the coolant loop properly then drove the car nearly 30 miles with out checking whether coolant was showing up in crankcase, miss diagnosed the problem as a blown head gasket. drove car extensively with coolant in the oil and damaged the engine, only to find out that the leak was in the oil cooler, broke studs on the exhaust manifold when they attempted to work on the car Result was engine required a total rebuild including a new turbo charger. they charged us 700 dollars to do 6600 dollars worth of damage for what should have been a 300 dollar repair read more