We had a wonderful experience buying a car at Fitzgerald. Our salesman, Drew Huon, was professional, easy to talk to, not pushy at all, and very knowledgeable of the cars he is selling. He was extremely patient with us, and made sure he understood what we wanted. Our 24 year old son was buying the car, and Drew (not sure of Drew's age, but he's younger) was a great match, as he was respectful and not condescending. Drew made sure that our son was going to be happy with the car, even driving us to other Fitzgerald dealerships in the area to find the right car. Our son got a loan with Fitzgerald, and Mark Law patiently helped him to determine which loan would work best, and helped him understand the warranty, without pushing. Rick Felperin of Allstate was also there to provide an estimate of auto insurance, which was very helpful. Again - no pressure, just there to help. We actually had a great time with all of these guys! The atmosphere is very friendly, not pushy at all. The way they sell their cars - low prices and no haggling - works. Who knew that car buying could be a pleasant experience? read more

UPDATE: I've now purchased 4 Hyundais from there and still have a very good impression of the place. I also think their service department has gotten better since my first review. read more

NEVER shop here. They have absolutely no regard for their customers. You are simply a replaceable wallet in their eyes. After a month of searching (I am broke and lost my car very suddenly), I found something here that I could afford. I went in and tested it and walked away saying I just needed a few pricing details before I would buy. I contacted them less than a day later saying I wanted to sign for the car officially the next day (since I wouldn't be off work in time to sign that day). I was promised the car, with them saying they'd send an email with written confirmation of that (which they didn't, which is why I couldn't turn the tables on them in any official capacity) and that nobody could buy the car before me. I was promised first dibs. I got a call the next morning, just HOURS before I would go in and sign, saying that not only had someone else bought the car (despite my having been promised the car), but that they had actually come in and bought the car BEFORE I HAD EVEN CALLED AND BEEN PROMISED IT. In what world is it good business to not even keep your employees in the know when a car they were selling to one customer has been sold to someone else by another associate?! Worst of all, when I called in to talk to a manager to see if they could at least try to help me out since I've been in dire straights with my car situation, the manager tried to turn the tables and convince me that I was lying and twisting information on him. The way he handled the situation was COMPLETELY unprofessional and unacceptable, and how quickly he was willing to turn the blame on to me (how does that even work?) just shows to me that he's used to people confronting him on bad business practices like this. ------- At least my story has a happy ending. I found an even better car for a better price value over at Auto Wholesalers of Rockville! It's a small business in a tiny little lot in a back street off of Rockville Pike. It doesn't look like much, but the guys who run the place are fantastic. They are truly the embodiment of the American dream. They came over to America with nothing and built their own business from the ground up! They were happy to accommodate me by keeping the doors open late when I came to look at a car, and they even turned around and drove back when I came past closing once. I have NO qualms about the car they sold me, and they did everything I asked to make sure the car I bought was in top condition. Moral of the story: Don't waste your time at the Lakeforest Fitzmall. Go to Auto Wholesalers of Rockville instead! They actually give a shit about you there! read more

Was very impressed with Fitzgerald Subaru service department. Specifically Josh at the service counter was straight forward and honest about service requirements, which can be a rare character trait to find at dealership service centers during the 21st century. Thanks again for your honesty Josh! read more

Absolute joke of a dealer, incredible waste of time, horrible horrible unprofessional folks to do business with. Do yourself a favor and check out a small 'mom 'n pop' place (few left I know) like Stohlman Herndon. At least they won't lie to your face. My mom came all the way down from Buffalo, NY to pick up a new Impreza Sport Premium hatchback. I called and they assured me they accepted USAA (Auto Circle) pricing. At one point, they tell me they weren't "accepting USAA pricing" in the future because dealers are losing money.. I said okay, then don't take the pricing and I will go somewhere that does accept it. That ended that conversation quickly. I spent literally the next 4 days getting phone calls from the salesman, Ron Scherr, about how great of deal this is, that the car is still on its way and should be in by Sunday night or Monday. Setting up the facade of strong communication, impressive! Sunday, no car. Monday rolls around, no car. Tuesday rolls around, no car, so I call Ron around 4pm and he says the car JUST came in and we can pick it up Wednesday morning. I take off work, and my mom rounds up the title for her car, cleans it up, etc. so we can trade it in. Flash forward to 5pm-- Ron calls and says, "I've got some bad news; one of my managers just sold the car". I said, 'you told me you put your name on the vehicle, that this was a guaranteed DONE DEAL and we are coming tomorrow to pick it up. WTF do you mean it's sold??!' Ron: "I guess one of the managers didn't see my notes on it". Okay, yeah I'm sure that's what happened. Then this, "Oh but there's a 30% chance I could find you one in black". Hold up - first of all, we don't want a black car. Second of all, it makes me laugh that you'd think I'd still want to do business with you after wasting 4 days of our time and a long road trip from Buffalo to pick up a car that you've just sold out from under us. Unbelievable. Avoid this circus at all costs. They play games with customers, lie to you about what they have in-stock and what price they'll offer, and ultimately string you along just to slap you in the face when you're ready to buy. Easily the worst dealer I've ever had the pleasure of (attempting) to do business with, and I've purchased 7 cars since I was 18, and assisted friends/family members in purchasing theirs. read more

We went in to pick up our new Impreza 2.0i Limited that we factory ordered and this salesman (Sam Kasraie) completely disrespected us by threatening to void our warranty if maintenance service was not performed by Subaru and if we did not add the maintenance plan to our car. Just because we did not want the maintenance plan, it does not mean "we don't know anything about cars". He continued to interrupt and badger us when we were trying to discuss personally if we wanted this maintenance plan. Upon asking where the disclaimer for this void in warranty, he spoke in a condescending manner and told us "He didn't have time to show us and that he had customers to take care of and we could go home and find out for ourselves." This guy used all possible scare tactics to make this entire financing process with him the worst car purchasing process we have ever had to deal with. I can't believe how unprofessional this person is. We will never go to this dealer again nor recommend this dealership to anyone. read more

I brought in my brand new 2017 WRX STi not even a month old for a steering issue covered my warranty. When I dropped off the car my friend saw the employees who drive the car to the back play fighting over the keys when he told me that I should of recognized at that point it would be a bad idea to leave my car with them. After waiting an hour and a half after which they told me they couldn't find the issue and that there was nothing was wrong with it I was handed the keys by one of the employees when I got in the car I told him the car was making the sound right now and he confirmed that he was able to hear it. The guy I handed back my keys too at the front desk made a comment about the service technicians slacking. A technician came out and said he never seen this issue before and that he wasn't sure how to fix it and they wanted to keep it overnight. I was going to say no because I saw that they MAXED out the PSI on the digital boost gauge meaning they decided to thrash it around and joy ride in it while revving it to 5500-6000 RPM I know because the car records the driving habits and the mileage was more than it should have been for just testing the issue and the was still in its 1000 mile break in period. I decided the next morning that this service department couldn't be trusted enough to leave my car with them. When I came to pick up the car after explaining to the front desk guy why I didn't want them touching my car anymore they reset the digital boost gauge it to make it appear that they didn't do anything. If you have a nice sports car don't make the same mistake I did. Go to a more reputable Dealership. My experience has shown me the employees at Gaithersburg Fitzgerald have no respect for other people's property. No wonder they have a piss poor 3 star average rating. As of writing this I have yet to take my car to another dealership after my poor experience at Fitzgerald Lakeforest Subaru. Update: I was called by the Service Manager to which the conversation went no where. They told me that they have video of them driving the car on the lot and that they NEVER took it out of first gear. I pointed out that the mileage was different as well and the only way the digital gauge could have recorded the number the psi was at is if RPM was at 5 to 6000. Then he said "Oh the service technician drove it thru a couple neighborhoods." I told him that it was recorded on the gauge so it doesn't matter to me if I saw the video or not because whether it happened on the lot or off the lot doesn't change anything. He also repeated multiple times that he has known the technician for 15 years and that he would never do that. That's Great! that they known each other for so long, but that has nothing to do with the fact that my car was abused while in employee hands at their service center whether it was the service technician or the person that I handed over the keys too or the person who brought it too and from the back. The conversation ended with me telling them I wasn't going to remove my review if that was what they were calling for, after all it is reflective of my experience at Fitzgerald Lakeforest Subaru. Edit: I don't know why this review was filtered? Maybe because its the only review I left I never been so ubset I see there was another person who also took in their wrx the same time I did and have the same issue with the clueless technicians that want to joy ride your car. The one I spoke too also said he never heard of this issue and thats why I let them keep it overnight (Big Mistake) read more

I had an extremely unhappy experience for my first time service at this shop. I drove to this shop for a regular oil change for my 2008 Subaru Outback. The advisor told me the regualr oil change was about $39 and asked me to sign the paper work for the regular oil change. After waiting for almost 2 hours, the advisor said that the front LEFT headlight of my car was burnt out and need to be replaced. I said OK and asked the technican to proceed to replace the left headlight. Finally my car was ready and I was told the total price was $173.56. I questioned the price and the person told me that I had a synthetic oil change instead of a regular oil change. I ordered a regular oil change, and the advisor did not recommend synthetic oil change when I checked-in. During the time he asked me about changing the LEFT headlight, he didn't say anything about the synthetic oil change either. If a dealer recommends/requires an upgrade service, I believe that they should get the customer's permission first before they provide the service. I asked the person that if you are sure I had a synthetic oil change. The person said that you should had a sythnthetic oil change since the price we charged was for sythnthetic. What?? Can you believe this? I had a sythnthetic oil change because I was charged for this service although I had no idea until I saw the price. The bad thing was not end. Right after I went home, I found that the front RIGHT headlight of my car was dead. I had to come back to check-out what's happened. The advisor insisted that there were nothing wrong with their service and the bulb can burn out any time. What a coincidence! The right headlight burnt out right after I had my left headlight changed. At least I don't believe what the advisor said. I had to spent another $50 to change a bulb. For just a regular oil change, it turned out to be a $220 bill and I had to spend two Saturdays in their shop. Overall, I felt extremely unhappy for my experience in this shop. read more

Update: After the original review the short block in our 2.5 FB engine was replaced. This happened after after we gave the regional field service techician all of the pictures related to the oil consumption tests for our vehicle. The new engine did not burn oil. So that was was a relief... However, it was going through substantial amounts of engine coolant. Literally, anti-freeze was disappearing, and it wasnt leaking. Again, Fitzgeralds didn't want to be bothered to fix the car. You can't make this stuff up! The car went to them 3 times, and each time it was missing several LITERS of coolant. However, Fitzgeralds simply kept telling there was nothing wrong with the car We ended up putting UV dye in the coolant after they refused to be more proactive Turned out, as expected, there was head gasket issue. However, the damage was done and now we have a THIRD engine in the car. The service manager responded to our review indicating they know how to change the oil in a car. However, the last few oil changes had 6QTs, as opposed to 5.1 -- At this point, I'm going to have to say they we have alot of experience with this dealership. Let me give you a list of our experiences: 1) We purchased out first Subaru there, and it went very well, until we noticed they typed my name wrong on the loan financing paperwork... which required a fair amount of work to get it fixed with Chase. 2) Subsequently, we had a family emergency and needed to purchase another car. So we got another Subaru and gave our Honda Civic EX-L Navi to the family member in trouble. The finance people told us multiple times that the load would go through Chase (like the first), but when we got the paperwork in the mail... it was another company. Huh? 3) After having the cars serviced at the dealer during the warranty periods, I took the first one into the dealer for some tire work. While the car was there they called me and told me that the transmission fluid needed to be changed. Having changed the fluid less than 10,000 miles before then (almost no mileage for trans fluid) I was a little confused. I asked the guy "Does it look dark? Does it smell burnt? How did you determine there is something wrong with it?" I eventually told him it had just been changed, and that I did not want to see anything on the paperwork about the fluid needing to be changed. What did I get when I picked up the car? A form that, among other things, indicated that the ATF fluid needed to be changed (with the following underlined) using a flushing machine. (The manual says to drain the fluid, and add new fluid back to the car.) I called Subaru, got a technical person on the phone, and asked if the fluid needed to be changed using some sort of special machine. He said "absolutely not." FWIW: ATF Fluid is expensive, and Subaru ATF costs about $10.00/QT, plus labor. So that's about $150.00... It's ~$60.00 if you do it yourself. 4) It turns out that with 22,000 miles on the newer Subaru, the oil light came on. It further turns out that 2013 model year Subaru cars with the FB25 (2.5L) engines made before May of 2013 may have bad oil rings. The Subaru has a procedure, and the procedure is to fill the car with oil to the top hole on the oil level dip stick, drive the car of 1200 miles, and then add oil to get back to the top hole. If you burn 1/3 a quart of oil or more, they replace the engine block (called a "short block"). The first time they started the consumption oil test, they overfilled the car with oil. (We have dipstick pictures after letting it sit over night on a level surface the day we got it back.) We went back, and they started ANOTHER oil consumption test The second time they also overfilled the oil again. So we took pictures and sent them to both the service manager at the dealer, and Subaru of America Never heard a thing from the dealer. In fact, they will not speak with you about any issue via email. They verbally acknowledged receiving them though... Now, I suspect a few readers might not understand why this is important: If the oil level is above the top hole on the dipstick, then when you take the car back to the dealer, they'll indicate that the car is not burning oil because it's not below the top hole on the dipstick. The test procedure specifically indicates "After changing the engine oil and filter, confirm the engine oil level is even with the upper hole (FULL Mark) on the dipstick and not below it before releasing the vehicle." So now we have started a THIRD oil consumption test, because the previous one is invalid. Even though the car burned a QT of oil in 3000 miles... (We have pictures of that too...) This time, however, they dealership put a wax seal over the DIPSTICK handle so that if we even CHECK the OIL LEVEL, the test will be invalidated Basically, they don't want us to be able to take a picture of the oil level, so they can't be held accountable read more

Did not get the opportunity to try out their service, because their sales department has some of the most obnoxious dirtbags I've ever met. This single dealership experience was so bad, even though it happened a little while ago, it has swayed me from even considering buying a Subaru in this region. Buy elsewhere or consider something else. read more

Worst experience I've ever had anywhere. Came in with a 730 waiting appt. 5 hours later my car hasn't been brought in to be looked at. What's the point of making an appointment? Will Never come back read more

These guys are a bunch of liars. Fitzgerald used to be reputable, but now they are just a bigger version of a two-bit used car lot. I'd recommend Jim Coleman Toyota in Bethesda where I just bought a car with no b.s. after almost buying a lemon from these liars a couple of months ago. read more

I had a wonderful Subaru car buying experience with Jenna Keller. I highly recommend her for your next Subaru. Her enthusiasm and sincerity was refreshing. She catered to all of my desires as I needed to order a custom Forester with specific options from the factory. She was thorough and followed-up with me every step of the way. The best part was Fitzgerald Subaru had the best price around the Baltimore-Washington area. read more

Today I try too buy a car at this location.903 N. Frederick Ave Gaithersburg MD. But I most say, that it was the most horrible experience I had had in a very long time on a dealership. I went yesterday Thursday the 30th of April. I spoke with Chris Veres. I toll him that I was looking for Empresa car that needed too be Black and Black Interior. So he couldn't fine the car in that dealership. But he still offers me to do a test drive on similar Impreza car, which I took the offer. After the test drive, Chris says that he was going to check on other dealerships and he can bring that exactly card that I was looking for to that location in Gaithersburg. But he said I needed to give him $500 as a holding so he can bring the car for me too look at it if I still like the car. Which I say it was find too me since I really needed to buy a car. At this point we only spoke a little bit about prices but we never finalize anything on the actual price for the car since I have not seen the car yet. So today early in the day Chris call saying that they had the car. So after work I rushed to the dealership. Too see the car and finalize the price on the car. So as I am sitting with Chris I say lets talk about price of the car. The value was 26,626.14 dollars I ask if he will do anything or if he can lower just a couple hundred to the car. Which he said let me ask my manager so he left. Sure after A Manager Kevin angler came and sat in from of me. And said that all prices were NONE negotiable with so much attitude he looks so bother that I have asked the question so he emphasize that the prices of the car were NONE negotiable and that he would not do anything. He look so upset that he look like he could just grab me by my shirt across the table...so I told him that I work with customers if I had had that attitude that he was giving me I will lose all my customers. So he says I know were you are you going with this and got up and walks away and says that he will NOT do any Business with me. So I got up and walkway as well. I'm glad that I did not buy from the dealership because that really shows that that's how they treat their customers will never put foot and that dealership unless they don't return my $500. Horrible, horrible management that's not what business is all about. read more

I have been here a few times to get my boyfriends car serviced. The best part is that if the service is going to take over an hour you get a free rental car from NextCar right behind this shop. The customer service in not good for the most part. We have had one friendly person and all the other employees have been rude or not knowledgeable. One time the two employees even told us different things about a warranty, which is a pretty big deal when we are told it comes with a year warranty and then after we pay and have it serviced there is not one. Another good point is that if you have a certain service plan (not 100% sure what it is called) you get $35 every three months to use in the shop, which makes an oil change become only $5. However this last time we were getting the oil change and some other services done we found that the glove compartment was broken. Key words: we found. Yup the service people knew about this damage and left it, hoping we would not notice until we left and then the blame would be on us and we would have to pay. Luckily we opened it before leaving and went right back in. Someone came and looked at it, took a picture so for evidence and ordered us a new part for free (duh). It still bothers me that someone's ethics are so low. Well looks like it's time to find a new service center for the Subaru... read more

Just bought my 3rd Hyundai from Fitzgerald Lakeforest. I worked with Spencer and Maria. Both were extremely helpful and friendly. Maria spent almost 5 hours with us, test driving, finding the perfect car we wanted, etc. She answered all our questions, didn't make me feel stupid for not understanding things, and kept us entertained throughout the whole process. We ended up with a 2013 car, cheaper than the 2012's on the lot, with a better package. I love Fitz and would recommend them to anyone. Honest people, doing honest business. read more

A day after I posted my review, Brett Davis, Service Director for Lakeforest Hyundai contacted me offering to rectify the screw up by offering to pick up my car, service it, and bring it back. I agreed. I specified a few hours during the next day when I could forgo the use of my car, but specified the time I needed it back. A driver from the dealership came, took my car, and left. I did get my car back almost 2 hours after the time I specified I needed it, but Brett told me he will not charge me for the service. So I want ot compliment Brett Davis for making a valiant effort in delivering an excellent customer service. This was a very minor service, but I was impressed by the effort. I think some additional work for the rest of the dealership team is still required. I think Brett Davis deserves a promotion, so he can lead their customer service team to be more like him. read more

We originally leased a Sonata from Fitz and were happy. However this last buying experience was just horrible. The salesman was great trying to stay in touch but it didn't work out. I used true car and told each dealer, plus Fitz that it was a one shot deal for their best out the door price with no rebates so everything was on the same playing field. Since I leased at Fitz prior, I told them I would give them last chance to earn our business after all offers were in. Every dealer (5 of them) gave us their best price out the door. Everyone of them knew credit was no issue and we would come in on a certain date to buy if they won our business. We actually went into Fitz and had them give us their numbers in person and they came in 2 grand higher. We kept insisting that they were wrong, and then realized that the 2014 model had changed the trim packages. So, we called all 5 dealers back up and immediately got new numbers for what we wanted. I talked to the Fitz salesman at 11am the next day and told him that we were going to buy at 4pm from a dealer up in frederick so he needed to get me his numbers. I told him to get me his best offer asap and if he was even close we would come to them. I told him it was time sensitive to get with me. So, they waited until 3:55 and called me while I was basically pulling in the other dealer. They gave me a price that was a grand higher and would have to DX the vehicle. I thanked him and told him goodbye and hung up. 2 minutes later the manager called and came in $50 cheaper than where I was buying. I told him they had 6 hours to work out a deal with me and took too long and I was already at the dealership to buy. We then went in and had the place we were buying from match the Fitz offer. Ideal Hyundai in Frederick was wonderful and we will only buy from them in the future if possible. I will never use Fitz again as this isn't the first time they tried to play number games with us. read more

In looking for a new mid-sized SUV, we started with Fitzgerald because we had previously bought a car from them but then shopped around. In the end, we came back to Fitzgerald Subaru and had a good experience. They gave a fair price for a trade in and the no haggle pricing made it a much better process. read more

Fitzgerald Gaithersburg service is DEFINITELY NOT recommended. They will con you into buying a service when you do not need it (filter change, wheel alignment, brakes, etc). If you turn it down, they will damage your car. This happened more than once to me, and I found out a work colleague had the same experience. After I suspected their tactics, I took my car to a friend's dad who is a mechanic and he confirmed my suspicions. NEVER take your care there for service. Do not be lured by the coupons or the free oil change or the cookies in the lounge or the free wifi...you will end up leaving with at least a $200 bill or a damaged car!!! read more

Fourth visit today (unfortunately due to some whistling sound coming from the engine- turned out it was the serpentine belt. Good thing, it's still covered by warranty so I paid 0.) I called to make an appointment within the same day and was attended to immediately. Their service just keeps getting better. I have been taking the vehicle for regular service (oil change and multi-point inspection etc)- in and out within the promised timeframe. I like that they're not pushy with services that you don't need, but still gives you recommendations and lets you know what has been done to your vehicle. They usually have service specials on the site- although more expensive than your usual service centers, i think it's worth using, esp if you want to keep your vehicle's warranty (because of that "authorized dealer only" clause). If not for the higher pricepoint, I'd give 5 stars. Overall, great experience. read more

I honestly don't write reviews of businesses or companies unless my experience was extraordinary or absolutely terrible but I am happy to say that it was the first one. I was really impressed by the amazing customer service that this branch has. I purchased my 2016 Hyundai Elantra on February 6th of this year and I have never been happier. My salesman Jesus is great guy and very knowledgeable, you definitely need to hire more people like him & reward him for winning back a customer. I also want to thank the manager Kenny for the way that we handled the situation by giving us a good discount and deal on the car. My last experience with Fitzgerald was pretty horrible to say the least, I told myself that I was never going to purchase another car from them to be honest but he made accommodations for us and really helped us out and I am grateful for that, I am absolutely loving the car. Thanks for turning a horrible situation around and getting me a amazing deal on a new car! read more

We had a great experience leasing from Fitzgerald Auto Mall. Our sales consultant, Drew Huon was very helpful and made the process fun. They are about as pretty no nonsense as a car dealership can get, which is nice especially for first time car leasers/buyers. read more

they offered a great deal for me to purchase a 2017 Crosstrek - 2 x I have purchased at Fitz

If you are taking your car here for an oil change, you are getting ripped off. I took my car here a few months back for an oil change and tire rotation, and the bill was $125 (synthetic oil), which I thought was outrageous. Just out of curiosity I called Herb Gordon and Frederick to see what these dealerships charge for the exact same service, and they quoted me prices of about $85 out the door. I guess this is the Montgomery County markup they charge here. Needless to say, I won't be going here again. Oh, and they don't even have coupons anymore on their website. Not cool. read more

This rating is for the Service department at Fitzerald LakeForest Subaru in Gaithersburg, MD. Our 2015 Forester had a recall. Not a problem. Lots of cars have recalls. So, I had a morning appointment, and I took the car in. The people parking the cars are very fast, and courteous. They hold the door open for you (no matter how many times you go outside, and come back in). The appointment took exactly as much time as they said it would. Every person I saw at this dealership was professional, busy doing something, and working hard. I did not see any slackers. I spent some time sitting by the service advisor area. I could hear that the service advisors are really polite to the customers on the phone. Everybody at this service department really earns their money. Mr Fitzgerald runs a very good operation here. I usually do the repairs I can on my cars (oil changes, brakes, spark plugs, coolant flush and fill), but if I couldn't do it myself, I would not hesitate to take my car here for any type of service. read more

I just bought a vehicle at Fitzgerald's. My salesman was Thomas Barker and I told him I was in a rush because of a family obligation and he worked to get me processed through fast. I hope the truck I bought proves to be as good as my buying experience. read more

I have had some really terrible experiences here. I brought my car in at 99,000 miles before my warranty was up and they told me everything looked great. I brought my car back in at 102,00 miles for my oil change and they told me I needed $3,500.00 in work. I took it to my mechanic and he did the maintenance work for under $1,000 and he told me he couldnt find anything wrong with some of the parts they recommended i replace. Have had other bad experiences too, but my last few visits the staff have been very friendly and service has been prompt. read more

Very mixed experiences with the sales staff. The trainee (one-week on the job) saved the sale with his excellent attention to consumer service. The "primary" salesman was satisfactory, but other staff tainted our experience. The primary saleman we had first dealt with was not there when we came for a test drive. The "substitute" was very dismissive and rude, exhibiting a sexist, if not age-discrimination attitude. When I asked for the torque rating on a specific model of Subaru, he replied he did not know, but begrudging agreed to look it up. After digging around in his desk, he came back and stated the information was "irrelevant." He never inquired why I was wanting the information. For example, he could have asked if we intended to tow anything (e.g., a small trailer with our motorcycle. In fact, I was collecting this data on several vehicles we were considering for purchase and wanted the information for comparison purposes. (From reading car reviews in both Consumer Reports and the Washington Post, I knew torque was a factor they presented/discussed when evaluating the car's performance.) I had to wonder what his response would have been if my male partner had asked this question.....? Note: We later easily found the torque rating in their printed brochure, given to us by the trainee as we were leaving. We returned a day later to talk price and financing. After a LENGTHY discussion about financing options and having to re-configure our financial strategy due to limitations imposed by the dealership (see below) we settled on a final figure (or so we thought). Then another staff member sat down, presenting us with "added" services we could purchase (read: spend more money). This presentation can best be described as "robotic" -- a monotone, memorized recitation with redundant information and little effort to determine our knowledge or interest in these services. After definitely declining the third service offered (upholstery treatment for staining) the salesperson challenged my decision, which was based on concerns with VOC's (off-gassing of the chemical compounds used). The salesperson didn't even know what VOC's were. Then, after I commented that I could manage to clean up any spilled soda (one of the "staining" materials cited in their literature) myself, the salesperson demanded to know what I would use to clean up a soda spill. At that point, I had reached my limit with this staff member and I chose to go for a walk outside, leaving my partner to deal with another 10-15 minutes of sales pitches. When we finally got to the financial officer (after being there already 2 hours), we found ourselves providing the same personal information that we had already provided the primary salesman -- taking another 30-45 minutes. I can not understand why the computer programming for this dealership was not better integrated to abate such redundancy in processing a sales. Bottom Line: Good customer service (a) does not include salepeople verbalizing their negative opinions or challenging a customer's request/decision and (b) should seek to minimize the time the customer has to spend finalizing a purchase. Other information we learned on site regarding financing: This dealership would not accept an American Express GIFT card as "cash" as many businesses do. They would only process it as a credit card and credit card charges were limited by this dealership to payment for taxes and fees, not the purchase price of the vehicle itself. As to the latter policy we were given different explanation by the saleperson v.s. the financial officer. This resulted in considerable "reworking" of our financial strategy ON SITE to complete the purchase of the vehicle, as we not only intended on using the gift care (a value in the four-figures), but we also intended to pay approximately a third of the price with a credit card to take advance of the card's rebate program. In hindsight, I wish we had just taken all the financial calculations home to consider our options in a less stressful environment. And finally... The day after we made the purchase we received a solicitation phone call from an Allstate agent stating "he was sorry to have missed us the night beford and wanted to offer us a free quote on insurance for our new car." It was clear the dealership had provided our purchase information to this agent, including our personal identity and phone number (note: we are on the federal do not call registry). And this in spite of the fact that we had provided the requested information on our current insurance carrier to the dealership. I can only hope that future experiences, especially for service, with this dealership will be better....... read more

We were in the market for a used vehicle for your son and had decided on Fitzgerald based on a care we found on their website. Thomas greeted us in the parking lot the moment we got out of our car. We knew what we wanted and were interested in a quick, hassle-free transaction and Thomas obliged. We took a quick test drive with him and then walked in the office to complete the necessary paperwork. The transaction was completed and we were on our way in a relatively short time-frame. We would highly recommend Fitzgerald and specifically, Thomas Barker. read more

This is the letter I recently wrote to them regarding my recent (Feb 2013) visit for car service: I am not interested in the gift card, but I am interested in voicing my opinion of the service I experienced at Fitzgerald Hyundai last week. I came in based on a mailing re: 37K checkup that included tire rotation and oil change. Those are two things I wanted even though my car was at 31K. I told this to the service agent and he explained that I really needed a 30K checkup. I did understand, but explained that I had come in around 22K and got the 15K checkup so wanted what was offered with the 37K package. He proceeded to do the 30K and added in the tire rotation at a price $10 higher than that of the package for 37K that included rotation plus other services. While I do understand the need to service at separate milestones, I don't understand adding in a service at a HIGHER price than a full package and putting it on my bill as "customer request". When I made an appt for 37K, clearly stating my car was at 31K, I anticipated paying $59.99. I left with a bill for over $225 and the agent did not budge. To his credit, he did not display any angst, but tried to explain what I wrote above. I told him I understood the math and the reasons, but did not feel that the tire rotation was appropriately discussed, especially at the additional price. He should have advised me that the service would be so much more than I had come in to have, but he did not. Also....wait time. While I also understand that these times vary, I was told an hour and a half so I waited with my laptop and worked in the waiting area with Wifi. A little more than 1 1/2 hours went by and the guy came to tell me that it would be 10 more minutes while they washed my car. He brought me the estimate for a paint repair ($almost $1000!!!!) I requested and then 40 minutes later, he came to get me to pay the bill and deliver my car. I had been there for 3 hours by then, it was raining, my laptop battery was finished, and I finally just paid the bill, deciding that I would NEVER experience the "Fitz Way" again. I studied the bill later and do agree that one needs to get a 30K before a 37K checkup, but the tire rotation issue was not properly consulted and agreed upon and was priced higher given the circumstances. What should have been done was to advise of the PRICE and SERVICES in the 30K, in writing, before performing the services, so that the ADDITIONAL tire rotation could also be brought up, INCLUDING THE NON-SPECIAL ADDITIONAL PRICE and decided upon and agreed to in writing. I would have waited to do it or possibly agreed to it, but would have done so in a knowledgeable way. Very disappointed. This is not the dealer from which I purchased the car. That one is in PA and this one is closer to my home, which is why I went to Fitzgerald. Do you have a recommendation for an unaffiliated auto shop for me? On Feb 23, 2013, at 5:05 AM, customercare@fitzmall.com wrote: Having trouble viewing this email? Open it in your browser. Home | Service | Directions | Contact Us Thank you for servicing your vehicle with Fitzgerald Hyundai. You may be randomly selected by Hyundai to provide them with additional feedback. Hyundai customers that fill out their manufacturer survey, will have a chance to win a $100 Visa Card. Click Here For more information on Fitzgerald Collision Centers See BEFORE & AFTER pictures Your vehicle can be restored too! You can unsubscribe from receiving further emails from us. Customer #BA013513 Powered By Total Customer Connect read more

We've purchased 3 cars there. Overall, excellent experiences. Great service dept. I had a recent issue with a car I leased, and it was remedied quickly and beyond satisfaction, by general manager Daniel Rosenfeld and salesman Drew Huon. read more

Thank you David Merrit for everything...you have exceptional customer service. As I mentioned to you, you were the first person to speak and welcome my family to your store. I told you what I wanted, you showed me exactly what I was looking for and we immediately made the purchase. My son had purchased a Sonata 100,000 miles ago and insisted I go to Fitzgerald Lakeforest for the best price, and customer satisfaction. Thank you again, read more

We've bought several cars here. The buying experience is pretty good. They are a no haggle dealer and I think the prices are pretty good. You might be able to get a little better deal elsewhere (if you really like haggling). Trading your car is a different story though. They will low ball you in a big way. Do your research. Or do yourself a big favor and get a written offer from CarMax first. T\In our experience they generally pay pretty close to what KBB says. Then you have something to go on and a back up plan. As far as the dealer added extras they try to sell you. They give their presentation but if you say your not interested they have never pushed it to much. . read more

Came in for a recall issue. Listed as an 18 minute repair. Been here 90 minutes. They'll probably say it's because they had another recall issue to work on that requires a flash to the ECU. My accessport takes 5 minutes to remap the ECU. Why am I still here? read more

Well we kind of got the situation fixed. They had our car towed to there place and "miraculously" the spare fit when they put it on but myself the man who helped me and the police officer could not get it on. So we have a spare whether it is the new one they ordered or the old one we do not know. However they want us to pay the towing REALLY! read more

Took my car in for two recalls. Been here since 815am and all they had to do was tighten door handles and adjust thermostat. Lady at the desk keeps telling me 10 more minutes.... 10 more minutes. If I had known I'd be here for over 3 hours long I could have asked for a rental. Not to mention the people at the desk complain a lot and mess around too much. Must be nice. read more

VERY Disappointed with this location after having a positive experience several years ago at the Frederick location. Acted more like stereotypical used car salesmen and by that I mean they are your best buddy's until there is a problem, then they act like they never met you before. Put a deposit on an Audi that had just been traded in. I discovered a flat spare in the trunk and after the car passed their inspection, they were still waiting on the valve stem for the spare. While moving the car, the check engine light came on, so it had to be sent to an Audi dealer in Frederick because their shop couldn't see the codes. No problem so far - glad this happened before I left the lot in it. In the meantime, however, they cashed my check that they agreed to hold for about a week the day after i gave it to them, which resulted in a $36.00 fee from my bank. Then, after 2 weeks of waiting for the Audi to be returned, I was driving around in their free loaner car - which they insisted I do, rather than my trade in possibly being damaged in the meantime. After the Audi was returned, the report said they had to replace 4 different parts on the car, at which point, I considered this to be a huge red flag that I was about to buy a lemon. I told them I had changed my mind and wanted my old car back, which they had said was no problem each time I called to check on the status of the Audi, and saying that i was getting nervous because of the time it was taking. Well, here's where the parade of lies begins. When I notified them that I'd changed my mind and was on my way up to get my car back, Alan (who was great up to this point) tells me that my car may have been sold already, goes onto their internet site and says, yes, it's been sold because it's not on our site was being for sale. Bullshit - my car was 12 years old and not in great shape so I expected it to be sent to an auction place to be sold - nobody was going to buy it within 2 weeks in the shape it was in. Well, here comes Kevin - the used sales manager. Same bullshit story - says I'm pretty sure it's been sold. I replied that I then wanted to see proof that it had been sold. He leaves, comes back and says it hasn't been sold but was marked wholesale to go to auction - just like I said 3 times. Then repeatedly tells me I can get my car back if I want it while giving me a whole speiel about how they fixed more than they had to, why I wanted it back, etc. Not really a big deal because I know they want to move the car. Here's the kicker - everything appears to be going fine, but then Kevin comes back and says he has a problem with Fitzgerald paying for two weeks of a loaner car when I've changed my mind about buying the Audi. I informed him that this wasn't my choice, but Fitzgerald said that's what they wanted me to do and that Alan was the one who gave this instruction. he says alan isn't authorized to do this and I said that's between you and alan - a fitzgerald employee told me that I had to leave my car there and use a rental. I say let's go talk to alan. I tell alan we have a problem and alan says that's between Kevin and me. Complete f'ing liars. I will never purchase another car from Fitzgerald because of this bullshit. Incidentally, Kevin backed off and I wasn't charged for the rental, which I was not going to pay, but I'm sure I'm going to have to threaten to sue them to get my 36 dollar overdraft fee back. Bottom line, when things go well they are your best buddy. When there is a hitch, they behave like any two-bit used car lot. read more

I've had my car two weeks and the experience was ok. The salesperson was very casua and blasel. It felt like there was no "push" for the sale, which was fine. The sales team was typical of any car dealership--they were trying to push the sale. Overall, most of them were nice in a "I'm paid to be nice" kind of way. I went back a week later to get a hubcap & front bumper cover (they were missing in the initial sale) installed. I waited one hour to be told that they either could not find the parts or they hadn't been sent to the shop. I was literally told, 'the parts might be in the shop, but my person isn't here to locate them.' How is this my fault? This was after I had called the day before to verify that the parts were in. A 40 mile drive roundtrip, and I wasn't offered a free oil change, a car wash, or nothing for my time. I very disappointed that a dealership didn't think more of my time since I had other important obligations I could have tended to. read more

I bought a Hyundai crossover in 2009 at Fitzgerald's. The truck has been great and the warranty has been particularly valuable. Over the years they have provided good service and I have come to know much of the staff. I recently had a 60k service and the service agent was a newer staff member. When I picked up my vehicle he told me what they did and recommended a steering column replacement which wasn't cheap. As I was leaving Josh Krumpach recognized me and having overheard the conversation asked to see my receipt and advised me that he thought the work needed was covered under warranty. He called and checked and called me the next day to let me know the service would be covered under warranty and managed the service in a few days. Josh demonstrated a commitment to service that I greatly appreciated and he represented Fitzgerald's very well. He let me know he coached the newer staff member so that the next customer wouldn't have to depend on a relationship to get excellent service. Great job Josh! read more