So I dropped off my car here for an estimate on brakes. Rafael was on the phone behind the cashier…read moreregister and did not want my business. He was saying they are very busy and I saw zero motivation by him. Within 2 hours he called me saying I need $800 repair for brake leak, my caliper, brake hose and parking brake motor needs replacing. My pregnant wife went to pick up our car and Rafael started harassing her for $60 diagnostic fee. I would have loved to pay $60 fee had anyone told me about it. Not mentioned even once, when I was there to drop off my car. I refused on the phone. Told my wife to never come there. This is the reason why shops get a bad name. Rafael was on the phone the entire time I talked to him. He doesn't want this job. Took the car to another shop down the road, guess what only thing that was needed to be replaced was a single caliper. $225 job only and they bled the brakes and everything. Avoid this place.

I had an overheated engine and pulled in last minute just before they close. Raphael was very…read morepolite and explained that they will not be able to do anything that day as they needed to wait for the engine to cool down. He explained to me their diagnostic fee and that he will let me know if it is a big repair. Fortunately, it was not a big issue. He did point out that I should look at other issues and recommended what I need to look out for, he did not pressure me into fixing them immediately. He even pointed out the business next door for a rental to help me get home. I was about 50 miles from home so I felt very thankful for this upfront and honest service center.

Another great job by API. Very fair rates, excellent work and professionalism. I always bring my…read morecars here when I can't handle a repair myself. I cannot recommend this service center enough.

I needed a new radio console installed along with routine oil change, differential fluid, tire…read morerotation, etc. at the dealership for our 2015 Subaru Outback. AutoNation Subaru promised 2 days but it turned out they hadn't ordered the radio and it would take 7-10 business days, so--for the first time ever--we took it to Kevin at API for the routine stuff and would take it back to AutoNation for the radio another time. We dropped it off June 23 and would pick it up June 29 (which we did.) Drove it home (~5 miles) and it sat until Tuesday at 4:30 a.m. when my wife went to work. The car started shimmying and a burning smell and grinding sound came out from under the hood. She pulled over as the car lost power and the car wouldn't stop rolling in Park; used emergency brake and towed it back to API that morning (June 30). Kevin diagnosed the outback needed a new transmission but denied any culpability, saying instead this is a dealership problem and try to con them into extending the warranty. Towed it to Catonsville Subaru and we have their video diagnostic and written report stating the differential assembly was empty of fluid and the transmission was filled with differential fluid. It cost almost $20K to repair the damage and Kevin and API (with his son and daughter) refuse to respond. I hate to spend $10K to recover $20K but they are leaving us no choice. I've mailed hardcopies, sent email requesting "read receipts (APISOUTH@YAHOO.com) but they immediately delete them without reading. API has their folksy "aw shucks, I'm just one o' ya'll" routine down pat but it's shadier than Trump bitcoin. I recommend avoiding this place like the plague.

Extremely honest shop. Steve didn't try to sell me anything extra at all. Recommended.read more

Honest. Know what they're doing. Just ask any customer they have, and you will get a thumbs up…read more Bill Mitchell

Do you want an honest, fair priced automotive shop? Well, do you?…read moreStart your experience with Dependable...no it's not a commercial, nor am I paid, but when I have great experiences that exceed my expectations, I'd like to share that and get the word out. I am super happy with Dependable and as a customer, I am treated more like a friend than a customer. Top notch work, fair pricing and excellent communication! Years ago, I worked with another automotive shop in Howard county far longer than I care to admit to. First it was the poor communication; next, the pricing was getting very expensive; lastly, too many repeat visits for the same issue caused me to find another automotive shop.

Steve and crew are skilled and honest, qualities rarely seen together in one shop today…read more I highly recommend then for all your automotive needs. WHK

Absolutely GREAT People!! We will be a customer forever…read more Did what they advised us they would do and did it in a timely manner. Awesome convenient small business

I had a good experience with them. I needed a part replaced and they were pretty quick and charged…read morea good price.

Condescending staff, INSANELY overpriced (I was quoted $1400 for brakes and rotors!). I will never…read morerecommend or take any cars to this joke of a shop. Maybe they should pick a more affordable location so they can rip people off less.

Took care of my md state inspection in a timely manner. Good communication. Keith was very helpful.read more

Worth the 20 minute drive. Great yelp reviews for a reason. My 2nd visit and have a 3rd coming…read more Staff: Customer service is great and had straight forward conversations with the guys that have helped me out. Provide you the rates up front with no BS and don't try to sell/talk you into anything. Shop: Clean and great car theme going. You can tell the owner has a passion for automobiles with the way he has designed the place. Classic arcade games as well. Service: Rates are reasonable and have been cheaper at times compared to other places with good yelp reviews. They also support service members. Semper Fi, Tom

Went in looking for new brakes all around. Instead I was told they were fine. I really appreciate…read morethe honesty.

I don't usually bring my lgbt identity into these types of public reviews, but because I had to…read moreshow up with my full nail gig on, I cannot be more pleased with my experience. Everyone was super nice and they didn't over charge me at all. I bought a used car recently, and honestly they could have up-sold me because I know nothing about cars, but they were very honest and very professional. To all my gals and guuurls out there, this is the place to go when something goes wrong with your car. Happy driving ya'll!

I believe in leaving fair and honest reviews, which is why I'm updating my original feedback. **To…read moreclarify, I have never received any service from this business.** My initial one-star review was based solely on my phone conversation with Lou while scheduling an appointment to have a diagnostic performed. I want to thank Ethan, the service manager, for taking the time out of his busy day to personally call me and explain the company's position regarding my review. I appreciate the effort to clarify the misunderstanding. According to Ethan, the business does not require payment upfront. Instead, the text we received was a pre-approval link meant to inform us of the potential cost following a diagnostic. Unfortunately, this wasn't clearly communicated during my original call with Lou. If he had mentioned that we'd receive a text requiring approval before any work could be done--and that payment would only be due after the diagnostic--I would not have left a one-star review. From a customer's perspective, receiving a $200+ link without prior explanation understandably creates the impression that payment is required in advance. This was a clear miscommunication, and I'm willing to chalk it up as such. That said, I strongly recommend the business makes this process more transparent in future calls. Customers should be clearly told: 1. They will receive a text with a pre-approval link. 2. No payment is due until after the diagnostic is complete. In today's climate, transparency is critical, and many customers--like myself--may feel uneasy approving charges before their vehicle has even been seen. While I still haven't had any work done here, I want to be fair. Ethan's call helped clarify the process, and for that reason, I'm updating my rating from 1 star to 3 stars. My intention has never been to tarnish this business--only to share my honest experience. I hope this feedback helps them improve communication with future customers and avoid similar misunderstandings. Thank you again.

After a frustrating experience elsewhere, I brought my 2017 Hyundai Elantra to Columbia Family Auto…read moreCare for a second opinion regarding a traction control light, check engine light, and intermittent loss of acceleration. From the first phone call, I could tell the experience was going to be different. They were able to get my car in quickly, performed a thorough diagnostic, and accurately identified the issue as a faulty sensor. The repair was completed the same day, and my car has been running great ever since. What really stood out to me was their communication and transparency. They took the time to explain exactly what was wrong, showed me the old sensor they removed, and answered all of my questions in a way that was easy to understand. I never felt pressured into unnecessary repairs or talked down to. A month later, when I called about a separate issue, they immediately pulled up my vehicle history and knew exactly who I was and what work had been done. That level of organization and customer service is rare. Finding a mechanic you trust can be difficult, but Columbia Family Auto Care has earned my trust. If you're looking for honest diagnostics, fair pricing, and a team that genuinely takes the time to help their customers, I highly recommend them.

Prompt, reasonably priced, friendly, honest and helpful. Exceeded my expectation. Made honest…read morereasonable recommendations without pressuring.