Great customer service! Although the service was not done as expected at the first service engagement, the team went above and beyond to make sure that the issue was resolved and that customer satisfaction was a priority. I can not say enough about the owner, Billy, who make sure the customer understood the issue, provided the solution, and followed up on his promise. Brandon was very helpful and professional. All in all, great team to solve any of your car issue professionally! read more

Great Computerized Systems for Car needs, Analysis and Service Advisers, Friendly Staff and the Mechanics whom know what their doing. Ed Webb. read more

Stop sending unwanted mail. I have. Mechanic. I never used them. However I know people who did and they weren't satisfied read more

PRAISE GOD FOR HILMUTH OF GAITHERSBURG!!! I live about an hour away from this shop, but needed to have my 1996 Lincoln Town Car Cartier towed here when the water pump went out. We were sightseeing in Carroll, Howard, and Montgomery Counties over the weekend, (3 Precious Cargo in tow 94, 84, & 79 years of wisdom! ) From the first conversation, I knew I was in good hands. Brandon and John repeatedly kept me informed of the progress of my repair, and when I asked that they check other concerns I had, they told me what needed fixing and what didn't. (honesty, how refreshing... seemingly short in supply these days) I didn't have the pleasure of meeting Greg... (BEST VEHICLE TECHNICIAN EVER!) But his work spoke volumes!! I also needed spare keys for the car and Brandon informed me of Armen Locksmith just down the street. He took it there for me, since I was so far away, which saved me time when I came to pick up my now "2023" 1996 Lincoln Town Car Cartier!!! I APPRECIATE YOU ALL... GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!! MAY 2024 GRACE YOU WITH FAVOR AND ABUNDANT BLESSINGS!!! :) read more

I will never take my car to Hillmuth again. I've been going there for 5+ years and I received good service...but all that changed within the last year. I let subpar experiences slide, but I couldn't let this most recent one go unposted. On 7/12/20 my engine wouldn't start and I had my car towed to Hillmuth to be checked out on 7/13. I also asked them to do an oil change. They charged $200 to check the car and $50 for the oil change. They called me back later that day and told me the check engine light wasn't on, there were no codes, and the car started fine. They completed the oil change and noticed one of my tires was dry rotted. The price to change the tire was another $200. I got the tire changed and walked out with a $500 repair bill. So I picked up my car and left thinking the issue was a fluke occurrence that had been resolved. On 7/21 my car died again in the same way. Hillmuth wanted to charge me another $200 for another inspection. I went to talk to them in person when they called and said my car started. Regardless of my car starting, there was an obvious problem and when I asked why they couldn't find the problem, I was told they examined the tire pressure system and that checking the engine was a different job. But they told me before that the engine was checked and there were no codes or issues. Who checks tire pressure when a customer says the car won't start and calls that a valid diagnostic attempt? What they really did was try to justify why they charged me $200 to diagnose a problem that they couldn't accurately diagnose or fix. So after having the above conversation, I get in my car and drive off...but it died before I left the parking lot. When I went in and told them it died again, I was told they called and left me a voicemail saying the car wasn't starting correctly. This is complete garbage! I had no missed calls or voicemails. And why would they give me keys and let me leave if my car didn't start? Just say you have no idea how to fix my car and recommend next steps. Don't charge me $200 to check something completely unrelated and then act like you're doing me a favor by offering to only charge $100 the second time to check what you didn't check the first time. Done with Hillmuth forever. I'm chalking this up to poor customer service, but it's borderline lying, unethical, unprofessional and dangerous behavior. Thank god my car died in their parking lot and not on 270 or one of the intersections on Shady Grove Rd. read more

John and the gang really know what they are doing. I went for an oil change and brakes. They were super quick and I said your done already. I'm moving and I wish I could take them with me. read more

Would not/ could not recommend. Bad experience with terribly expensive prices.Had them look at the vehicle and they disassembled it and could not reassemble without me paying double the MSRP for parts. read more

I had a great experience. Went to get a front in alignment at another automotive shop. They said I would need at least $3000 worth of work before I could get a front end alignment. Came here. It was only $800 worth of work before I could get a front end alignment. They could not finish the job that day and gave me a loaner car to use. John Papuchis was awesome to work with. read more

Unfortunate experience. Avoid these guys. They ruined a set of new rims that I had dropped in for a simple tire replacement. Really shitty experience and behaviour. Unwilling to address damage or take any responsibility. Got a call a few months latter to take a cust sat survey. That prompted me to do it here instead. Wish they would stop sending me flyers in the mail. read more

My truck had an issue with the bed brake lights not working. The third brake light was working fine. They were able to figure it out and get me back on the road. read more

Friendly and helpful scheduling. Good service. Appreciated the rides to and from the garage and my home while my car was being serviced.

They definitely "got" me. I had been going to them for about a year/a year and half. After I stopped going to them, I logged all my services in a spreadsheet. I think they definitely had bogus repairs done on my car. My last service by them was when I had signed up for their rewards and got a free oil change. After the service, I was told my water pump was leaking and that I should bring it back to get it fixed. Three days later my car broke down in the middle of 355 with coolant completely drained. I ended up towing it to the dealership who diagnosed the problem as something OTHER THAN the water pump, and was an issue far less expensive than Hillmuth's diagnosis. BTW -- I've brought up issues with my coolant in the past and they never found anything wrong. Call it a coincidence, but the pattern of repairs is just ridiculous. I mean, every time I brought my car in for an oil change, they would tell me there was a problem with something else. And I'm also mad that they've charged me different prices for replacing my headlights! One time it was $30. Then the next time it was $115. Both lo beam headlights. Their justification for high prices is just a silly marketing tactic. They are definitely very friendly and trained well in the customer service, but that's just so you think you're getting your money's worth. read more

I recently had this shop perform a pre-purchase (PPI) in and state inspection reports on a 2004 Carrera. When I made the appointment, I was told the PPI would cost $85. On the low side, but thought they were already performing the state inspection so this would provide more detail. Once completed and paid for, I was told 'everything looks fine with the car' but there was nothing they'd give me in writing other than the state report. When I pressed for a written PPI, the technician said 'fine, we'll refund the $47'. Glad they refunded my money but wouldnt have wasted my time and money here to begin with had I known I'd have to go to a 2nd facility for a thorough inspection. read more

This is the second time I've had my car serviced by Hillmuth. The first time they provided excellent customer service and excellent workmanship. This time they once again provided excellent customer service. I will be able to assess how well they serviced my car after I've driven it for a while. Based on past experience I'm sure I will be pleased. However, if I have any problems they are the type of company to ensure that it is resolved. read more

I meant to leave this review a while ago but better late than never!!! The service that I received at Hillmuth in February was beyond amazing! Out of the blue on a Sunday night, my trunk door decided not to close. After troubleshooting using YouTube, I was able to get the door to close just enough for the trunk light to turn off. My friend told me instead of going to our normal dealership to try out Hillmuth. She said she now goes to their Columbia location because they didn't try to up sell her because she's a female. I told her I would give her a try. On my way to them the next morning, I called my dealership and was quoted a price that made me pretty much choke. What they quoted was higher than what a few sites had estimated the repair to be (if the latch was broken). As soon as I walked into Hillmuth, I was treated extremely kindly and I was talked down to as if I didn't know anything about my car or cars in general. After they quoted me the price, I was provided with a free loaner car until the repair was done. I got a call later on that day to let me know that the latch was indeed broken and needed to be replaced. They wanted to let me know that because of this that the original email quote needed to be increased. Here's the amazing thing! The quote that they gave me was still about $125 cheaper than what my dealership quoted me. As you can tell, Hillmuth is where I will now get service on my Zionism performed. read more

I need to preface this by saying I have an innate distrust of mechanics. I haven't found one in Maryland that I like. I I had hoped that this one would be "the one". I decided to start out small, an oil change for my to the metro and home piece of junk car. I really like the guy (Ron) who I talked to, very personable, knowledgeable and whatnot. About 20 mins after I dropped my car off I got that call, you know the one, that they "found some things". So immediately I went into the "how much is that going to cost me mode". Any ways I ended up getting half of the things they recommended and decided to do some price comparison after the fact to see how much I got ripped off. This would have been the end of the story but... when I went to pick up my car the service guy was chatting with me and I mentioned that I was trying them out and that I had heard about them from an advertisement that I got in the mail. He then gives me a card for me to refer someone and that person would get 10% off all services on their first visit! I was all like what the...I'm a new customer why don't I get 10% off? Especially since 90% of my $600 bill was for "service charges". So anyways I don't know if I got ripped off yet but I'm not happy at how stupid it was for him to tell me about the "new customer" discount and not give it to me as a new customer. read more

The first warning sign was that they said that a mere diagnostic, which is 50$ at pep boys and 90-100$ at a dealership, was 193$. But, I figured given their fancy website and entire list of certifications (Hybrid master, ASE) that they might be knowledgeable and do top quality work (which they are, but read below) Technical Stuff When I entered the shop, I realized that the shop was just a pretty face with no substance. The guy I talked to was really friendly. I explained to him the problem I wanted to have fixed on my 2007 Prius-- the replacement of a coolant valve, a very common issue with Gen II Prius'. He insisted that the code I had gotten for free from Pep boys earlier was insufficient and that further diagnostics were required. I insisted that I would not be authorizing the diagnostic and that they should just look at the code. It was at this point that they actually did something useful, that is, their code reader identified a leaky water pump, which was something I noticed when I was looking at the coolant container-- the coolant level was low. But, it was nice to have corroboration. I asked for an estimate of the coolant valve fix (search this on Google, it is a unique Prius issue), and it was going to be 638$ out the door. At that price point, I might as well go to a dealership! Even at the dealership, the average price range is in the low 500$. Moreover, this 638$ figure didn't include the diagnostic, meaning if the problem wasn't fixed or there was some other problem, they wouldn't be liable, pretty convenient. And of course, I didn't even bother asking them how much to replace the belt water pump (typical pump all cars have), likely overpriced as well. I was at the Frederick Toyota and they charged $509 out the door for the valve, not cheap but given the uniqueness of the problem, not unexpected. I was able to get a free diagnostic too. "Customer Service" The way they lure you in here is by acting like they care about you. The guy there called the Toyota dealership for me to see if the water pump was on recall, they promise a loaner car if they do the work for you, and they talk about how they want to "build a relationship" with you. When I mentioned how they charge double for diagnostics compared to a dealership, he immediately sidestepped the remark and talked about "building a relationship." Nice try slick. They have a clean shop and look super professional, but again, it's all looks. When you want your vehicle fixed correctly and for a reasonable price, those type of things are insignificant. Don't be fooled into paying for shiny foil. Furthermore, all they want to do is wow you with unimportant bells and whistles while they are charging you more than a dealership. I was hoping that an auto shop that is based out of Maryland and family owned would respect their customers and actually charge reasonably for their services versus some big corporate dealership. I guess the allure of profits is just too overwhelming in the auto repair business. I really like to support local businesses but when they pull stuff like this, it makes it hard to justify going out of my way to do so. Bottom Line: Avoid at all costs, don't fall for their coupons or free diagnostics or anything like that. read more

I feel the request I made which was to inspect my car for any potential issues prior to going on a long distance trip was a pretty basic task for which I paid about $60. However, the battery was not checked during this inspection. Because the battery was not checked the car would not start as we began our return trip from being out of state. Aside from the shop failing to do an accurate and thorough inspection, every time I've been in here to get an oil change the advisor has pushed about five or six additional services that are totally unnecessary and very expensive. I refuse these "recommend" services and the advisor emphasizes that I have "declined" them as to make me feel that I have made a bad decision. read more

Billy and the Hillmuth team took extremely well care of me and my vehicle. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. I had them install new tires and alignment done and they started working on my car as soon as I checked in. Complimentary Dunkin Donuts, coffee and wifi made the wait quite enjoyable. John at the front desk was very friendly. The job itself was done to perfection and very reasonable time frame with a great, competitive price. They even have loaner vehicles if you need one. I highly recommend giving them a call for any of your automotive needs. read more

I took my car in to see why my check engine light was on and why the vehicle was idling rough. I don't know much about cars so I thought I went to a good shop as they did a state inspection for me prior. They told me what I needed and I agreed to pay them almost 1k to fix the issue. When I drove the car it ran the exact same, same rough idle only difference is the check engine light was off!!!! I called the shop immediately, isn't it funny how they offer to pick up your car when its a sale but if there is a problem they tell you to drop it off???? Anyway I called and the manager never called me back. I wouldn't have a problem paying for good work even your $70 charge for rags!!!! But my car is still running the same. I had a issue with them once before with false information, they offered me a free oil change for next time. I won't be using the free oil change or there services again......I just got tricked and it was expensive. I'm taking it to be looked at by another shop today since I got no response. Also they put air in my tires I guess as part of the oil change and left it in crazy levels....smh there is a guy there named Bruce he just treated me!! I told him I would protest because of them taking money and not making repairs, he told me dont forget he has the address and will come to my house!!! I am now calling the cops these people are crazy. Terrible company violent employee name Bruce be very careful the must get the workers from a half way house. read more

I've had two cars in for MD state inspection. They were courteous and professional and got the job done, even when one of their inspectors was out sick, they took it to another shop to get the job done for me. read more

Excellent all around. Been going here for years and always leave feeling confident in my vehicle.

I always feel well taken care of when I bring my car to Hillmuth. They are professional, friendly, and treat me like family. I never have to worry about a ride as they have loaners or can give me a lift to work if I need one. I can always count on excellent service! read more

I received great service from the Gaithersburg store. We have been using them for some time for multiple cars. This time they picked up my car, replaced the tires, completed an alignment, and then returned it sanitized. Price is always fair. read more

Very impressed with Hilmuth Automotive. We needed routine maintenance with one of our cars and took it into Hilmuth. Sami was great to work with and very timely. This saved us money compared to the auto dealership. I commend Hilmuth as they have a very clean shop, do speedy work, they are our mechanics now for life. read more

John at Hillmuth is a very friendly and easy going guy. He always went the extra mile for me to get things done at a fair price. I've had mostly minor things done there but in every case I was very satisfied. They are the ONLY ones that managed to properly balance the wheels/tires on my Honda Odyssey (which is notoriously difficult to get balanced). Same with two of my other cars - balancing is smooth as glass. They did a used car inspection for me - only one issue which they guided me on how to fix and then got me squared away very quickly after I took care of it. Ask for John, he's awesome! read more

I searched for reputable jeep mechanics and came across this business. Scheduling an appointment was easy and they took their time to explain everything they did when servicing my vehicle. In addition, they recommended a few minor repairs but did not pressure me make a decision on the spot. Great atmosphere and professional employees. Definitely recommend giving these guys a call. read more

I have been going to Hillmuth Automotive for at least 5 years and I am always impressed with their customer service and great work. I highly recommend Hillmuth Automotive because they are honest, provide a loaner car, and the work gets done right!!!! read more

Good service at a fair price. Been taking our cars to Hillmuth for years. read more

I don't know if they've improved, but a few years ago I took my car there for a checkup (second opinion), just a cursory inspection (supposedly free). I called to check on status, they said they thought there was something wrong with the tie rod, but that they hadn't done anything or taken anything apart yet. I told them don't do anything, I'm coming to pick up the car. When I arrived not 5 minutes later, the young guy there told me that they had taken (something) apart and would cost me $60(?) for them to put it back, otherwise the car could not be driven. I told them I had specifically said not to take anything apart, but it fell on deaf ears. Basically my car was held hostage until I paid for them to undo whatever that they had supposedly done in 5 minutes. read more

Tried to charge me 200 dollars just to look at my car. Um...NO, NEVER! The dealer doesn't even charge me that much.

2016: I've been taking my car to Hillmuth for a couple of years now, and they have always taken such good care of every issue with my car. They find the best solutions that I can afford. I really appreciate how they inform and answer all my questions thoroughly! They are top-notch with customer service, giving me a loaner car, or dropping me off to work and picking me back up. John and Sam and Henry at the front couldn't be kinder! Highly recommend this long-standing family business, and can see why they are successful! ---------------------- Sept. 2017: Hilmuth stands out with their excellent customer service and their ability to offer immediate diagnosis and repairs! They are always prompt in providing clearly what is important and what is suggested in keeping my vehicle well maintained. They're very considerate in supplying a ride or a loaner car for my convenience. They also work within my budget to insure safe driving. read more

I started using Hillmuth after taking my Mini in for an inspection. I liked their service and I really liked how detailed they were. I do a lot of my own work and generally only end up there for things I can't do on my own; which Hillmuth understands and was happy to work with me. Ok, here's the big one: They talk to me like...a person! I'm a girl, so I usually get pushed to get a headlight flush and new calipers with every brake pad change; but here? Got a brake inspection, they actually took it apart and checked the whole thing, not just a "visual" inspection. Then they told me what exactly was going on with everything and what they would do to fix it. From there I had them do some things, I did others; and everyone was happy. read more

Front brake pads and an oil change. $470? You've gotta be kidding me... Firstly, I've been to this place a couple times. The help there is always knowledgeable, personable, and I've never had a problem with the quality of work done. They've even set me up with a loaner car when mine needed to stay in the shop over the weekend. They do make it feel like they're going out of their way for you. That being said, they are absolutely overcharging and adding additional nonsense charges to my bill. My most recent visit, I went in for new front brake pads and an oil change. I had brought a coupon for free brake pads. By the time I got my keys back, I was out $340, and that was AFTER the coupon taking off $80 and haggling them down another $50. So, what I'm left to believe is that they figure the value of brake pads and an oil change is $470, pre-discount. That, my friends, is absurd, and I will absolutely not be back. I do feel bad about it, because I want to like the guys there, but I can't recommend them based on price. read more

I had same experience as Claude. It was 20 years ago, so they could be totally new management by now!!! It was raining and my wipers stopped. They were inspecting to give me an estimate. It took over an hour. I decided against the estimate since the part was $250 and they had no cheaper options. So they insisted they'd taken off the wiper motor, and that it would be $75 to reinstall it. Thing is - it's easy to reach on that car since the wiper motor sits high and right against the fender, and is installed with all of three standard bolts. Since I wasn't paying $75, I told them to leave the motor in a box on the floor, which they did after some debating (read arguing) with me. Then I drove to a used parts place, and proceeded, in a business suit and high heels in a light drizzle, to install a used motor I'd located, in about 5-10mins without getting a smudge on myself. It was that easy to reach this motor & work on it. $75 for 3 bolts that could be done in a business suit & heels? Insisting on not putting it back together on a free estimate job? Taking it apart to inspect what's easily visible? Over an hour to diagnosis that the wiper motor was running & the attached rod had fallen off (easily visible)? I never knew if they saw a woman coming, or this was standard for them. They had a great reputation, and boy was I surprised. P.S. The replacement motor had the attached rod, but when it fell off a few years later, my father and I fixed the falling off rod, with a drill, and screw into the end of it. No need to replace the motor. Cost maybe 1 hour, and a screw. Not a professional job, but it worked for me! read more

When I moved to Maryland, I had to get my car inspected and based on the reviews on Google, I took my car to Hillmuth. They were a little pricier but I was hoping that they would then be better. After some expensive fixes, I passed inspection. But soon after, my car started leaking. So I brought it back in. They "fixed" it for a couple hundred more dollars and sent me on my way. A few days later, my check engine light came on. So I decided to bring it somewhere else. I was informed that a hose under the car had been unattached (almost 100% from my last "fix") which was probably what started my recent issue. Will not be going back to Hillmuth again. read more

I went for an oil change, and that is what I got. This is my second visit to their business in Gaithersburg and I will return. I got an appointment when I needed it. They worked on it promptly. Everyone was very polite and the facility was clean. I will note I was the only customer in the waiting room. They found nothing additional wrong with my car. They are promoting an offer, for $170 up front, they will change the oil on your car for the life of the car. The deal is transferrable if you sell your car. Plus, 5% discounts on service, parts and labor on routine maintenance. They are AAA rated, if that means anything. read more

!I have been a customer at this location for several years. The maintenance and office staff are very helpful, attentive and timely in the services they provide. I know when I take my car to them they will give an honest appraisal and go the extra mile (sorry about the pun) to make sure my needs are met. Thumbs up for Hillmuth !!! read more

The shop and its manager are excellent. They worked with me and fixed my Bronco quickly and at a reasonable price. I also had it detailed there and it came back to me looking better than it had in years. I would highly recommend them for all of your needs for automotive work. read more

Like the previous reviewer, I have also been raised with an innate distrust of mechanics, but I always try to go in with an open mind. I was especially hopeful in this case because I noticed that this is a family operated business. I've been struggling to find a good mechanic in this area, and unfortunately this was another fail. My check engine light has been on and I had one of their coupons to do a "free" diagnostic test. They accepted the coupon, but only to give me a general code that indicates the many things that could be wrong with my vehicle. They were very insistent about running a full diagnostic test (which would run from $125-$175). I told them that I didn't think that was necessary because I suspected that my vehicle's flex pipe was the problem and asked if they could just check that out. The lead mechanic assured me that the code they got from my free diagnostic would not indicate the flex pipe as the source of the problem. I authorized the next diagnostic check and after waiting for an hour and a half, the lead mechanic came back out to tell me that indeed, my flex pipe was the problem and that I had been correct. He made the excuse of, "usually the code they got doesn't mean its the pipe." Now I have to say, as a young female it is the sad case that mechanics usually underestimate my car knowledge. I'm not a pro, but after owning used cars (and once being asked by a mechanic if I needed time to "call my husband" to discuss a repair estimate -- seriously true story) I have taught myself some of the ins and outs of the trade. After the flex pipe debacle, I was starting to suspect that I wasn't being taken seriously. Already livid about paying $150 for something I already knew, I asked what estimate the would present to repair the pipe. After quite some time, they came back with an estimate of a whopping $746 for the part and labor. (Mind you, this was just for the pipe --- the total estimate of all the work "needed" on my vehicle was over $6,000. ) When I asked about the breakdown of the expense for the pipe, the lead mechanic told me that the major expense was the part and that wherever he tried to find it, it was over $600. I asked about finding my own part and if I could just pay them labor. They said that was against store policy because they warranty the parts they put it. All in all, after three hours I was left with a $746 dollar decision. Needless to say, I did not authorize the repairs. In addition, I had asked them to please re-set the check engine light, because I was interested to see if it would come back on even if the flex pipe was not repaired. The service employee I was working with said that this could be done and assured me that they would re-set the light. After three hours and the $746 estimate, the light was still not re-set. I inquired multiple times about the light and they kept telling me that it would be done. When I got my car, I asked one last time about the light. The rep I was working with offered to do it himself, because the other mechanics had left for the day. I was pleasantly surprised by his dedication until he asked me, "what my boyfriend thought of all of this." He then asked for my number in case my light needed to be re-set, assuring me "I'm not trying to hit on you." I was disappointed because I had already complimented the staff on their friendliness and this rep in particular was very helpful. But I guess maybe he had other motives. Overall, I was disappointed by this place. I felt as if they didn't take me seriously and definitely tried to overcharge me for repairs. I felt uncomfortable as a female and wondered if their friendliness was dedicated customer service or if they had other motives. Who knows. Well Hillmuth, I may just be a woman .... but that pipe you told me was $606.85 in parts? I found it today myself for $159. Apparently my womanly brain knows how to shop around. And use the internet. read more