*** THIS IS A FIRST HAND REVIEW IN THAT I RETURNED WITH THE CUSTOMER AND DEMANDED CORRECTION FOR HER OVERCHARGES *** I strongly recommend that you do NOT take your car to Woodlawn Auto Center (the newly rebranded Sunoco Station) at 5634 Mt. Vernon Memorial Hwy., Alex., VA 22309. A friend took her car there to have a flat tire repaired and a turn signal bulb replaced. They suggested that she have her oil changed as well - which she agreed to. When she returned they presented her with a bill for $274.54. Being the quiet person that she is, she paid without question. She told me about the charge and I asked to see her to see the receipt. The first item that jumped out at me was that they charged her $45.00 to check her battery, charging system, and starting system. She never asked them to perform that service as there wasn't an issue with the electrical system. They told her that her battery needed to be replaced. It was less than two years old, so she declined since she knew that IF there was a problem, it would still be under warranty. Nonetheless, they charged her $45 for a service she never asked for or authorized. They charged her $68.99 for the oil change PLUS $36.00 for oil change labor. The price of the oil change included a filter and the first 5 quarts of oil. HOWEVER, they charged her an additional $12.00 for a 6th quart of synthetic oil. According to her OWNER'S MANUAL the engine only holds FIVE -5- QUARTS of oil - MAX. They charged her $10.99 for a replacement bulb PLUS $45.00 labor to replace the burned-out bulb. This is a TWO MINUTE job, which I demonstrated to the service writer when I went back to the station with her. They also charged $40.00 to plug her leaking tire. Obviously, I have no power to dictate their ridiculously high labor charges so we accepted those, but I did insist that they refund the $12 for the extra quart of oil that was never put into her car. Also, since she never requested a check of the electrical system, I insisted on a $45 refund for that 'service'. Unfortunately, she still overpaid for the work that was done. The service writer was argumentative and belligerent from the moment he saw the two of us approach with the receipt in hand. I believe that I was only successful at getting a refund of any amount because I repeated the list of overcharges several times as new customers arrived. I DO NOT recommend that you patronize this establishment! Forewarned is Forearmed . . . Miguel de Cervantes Wish it was possible to leave negative started rating! read more

Highly recommend this shop! Chris was super helpful and truly saved the day with his expertise. Super kind, helpful, and fixed my problem at a very affordable price. Missy was so sweet and welcoming. Thanks to Jose and Chris, they identified the problem quickly, and the repair was done within the hour. Grateful for them and all of their help! read more

The mechanic guy that completes inspections is rude and unprofessional! I waited a hour and while waiting called inside to ensure they were still doing inspections and told them my vehicle color advising I was parked waiting. The gentleman said yes you got 1 ahead of you. Welp! The mechanic told me I was not parked in the right line and he refused to do my inspection after I had been parked waiting! He walked out and left for the day. Please don't waste your time going there. Bad business!!!!! read more

do not support this business! do not get your inspection or emissions done here! they severely damaged my vehiclle in the process and when i returned to calmly ask for their help in repairing the issue, the owner threatened me! do not trust your safety and that of your family to this business! i would have chosen 0 stars or a negative rating but unfortunately, that is not an option read more

I got their advertisement in the mail and since I needed some help with my car, I thought I would see what they could do for me. I wasn't sure where they were and it took me a little bit of time to find them. I called and got directions. When I arrived they brushed me off and told me they come back at 8 o'clock in the morning. I am busy at 8 o'clock in the morning. But they didn't bother to inquire about it that. The whole atmosphere did not inspire me to come back and after I read the reviews I was sure I wasn't going back. read more

You want to see how quality their work is? They consider this work acceptable. The console was not broken before I dropped it off, they decided this was the appropriate way to install a clutch. read more

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Went to pay inside. We accidentally pressed the unleaded, but wanted premium. The old man (who was picking his nose and teeth) got extremely mad and said, "ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS PRESS A BUTTON!!" So I said... well, mistakes happen, and we pressed the wrong button. He then goes back to the pump and presses unleaded. I told him... you did the same thing we did!! See... easy mistake. So he throws a huge fit and at that point I tell him to cancel the sale entirely. NO WAY I will spend my hard earned money to support a business with such a shitty person who was highly upset we bothered him from picking his nose. This place is going downhill. FAST. We then went to the tiger mart next door. I'm never going back to this place. Go back to picking your nose, we won't be bothering you! read more

I don't recommend this business because of these reasons: Lack of proper Customer Service and Business professionalism. It's very difficult to understand what is being said because most of the workers there have thick accents. The front desk attendant, is unprofessional and has an issue with everyone who doesn't know how to properly fill out the paperwork and begins to throw insults to those who are around him to hear! It would be great if all those who are in management would be able to take sometime out of their busy schedule to properly provide the new employee/s with proper training on the products that are being used for the company to run smoothly! read more

Horrible service, they ruined my car and wouldn't do anything to make things right! I recommend all avoid this shop!

Fixed what needed to be fixed. Unfortunately the part took a couple days to get there but maybe that is the price for not being at the dealer? Anyway, very friendly, took the car right away. Definitely going back! read more

Horrible service...mechanics have no idea what services are needed. Long story , short...will never go back...have used them in the past but new management is terrible. They fixed wrong tire among other things...u have to watch them rather than rely on them. Will never go back!! Had to take two days off work b/c they never called and communicated with what was needed! If you use them shame on you-you have been warned! read more

If you like waiting.....then this is your place. Came in for a power steering leak at 9am. It's 1pm now. As I'm typing this, I'm the only customer in the waiting area watching the Discovery Channel. I asked the mechanic why it's taking so long? He forgot to order the part..... $500 bucks and 4 hours latter, I wish I went to the garage located behind the 7-11..... read more

Woodlawn Auto Center - I'm the only customer here.... - Auto Repair Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Worst place ever. Had quite a few problems with my car so i dropped it off, told them to take a look at the things and give me a call to let me know what has to get done and to tell me the estimate. Got told they would let me know within an hour. So an entire afternoon of waiting for their call, i send my husband in in the evening, for him to find out the apparently fixed a few things for over 400 (!!!) $. I was so stupid and filled out paperwork with my name and signed it, but didn't fill out the part which said what had to get done, since i got told once they looked over it, we would fill the lines in. This unexpected expense ended for my family in a 2 way struggle in able to afford food till next payday, not havong my car for an entire week, plus not even having the important stuff fixed!! High bank robbery!!! Do NOT recommend!! read more

Brought my vehicle in to replace an intake manifold. They ended up not using two line wrenches to properly remove the fuel line and broke it. They started a fire in my throttle, burning my injector leads and tried to hide it with cheap electrical tape. Then, they charged me for "repairing" the fuel line they broke, though it was still dripping fuel. Had I not inspected it before I drove off, I would have almost certainly gone ablaze while driving. Whatever debris they allowed into my engine made my oil system fail, thereby destroying my engine. One mechanic launched into theatrics of how he was fired and tried laying guilt on me. The other mechanic said I had a defective engine. Yes. I definitely have a defective engine after their work. BEWARE. read more

Despite higher prices, not always getting the job done accurately (but, we're all human), and negative reports from neighbors and friends, my family has been a regular customer of WOODLAWN AUTO CENTER for over thirty years and, because we were such longstanding, loyal customers, felt Chris, the owner, would always treat us fairly. I'm not one to complain, but after sending Chris this post to allow him the opportunity to rectify the situation and not getting a response, this last experience deserves a review for public knowledge. Several months ago my father brought his car in for a simple oil change and upon completion, the gas tank no longer functioned properly - the gauge read as close to empty and the tank allowed only 7 gallons of gasoline. My father brought his car in again and although Chris could not fix the problem, he charged for labor. ADDITIONALLY, while the car was in the care, custody, and control of Woodlawn Auto Center it was sideswiped. Chris ignored the fact that he should fix the dent and only offered to repair the window regulator, for which he also charged my dad labor costs. It's unacceptable to me that my dad had to pay for damage caused by Woodlawn Auto Center and it wasn't even a full repair of the damage. They were only willing to fix the functional damage they caused, not the cosmetic damage they caused, and had the audacity to make my father pay for it. According to USAA, not only should Woodlawn Auto Center have repaired the bodywork, but they should have provided my father with a rental car as well. I believe that my father, an extremely kind and tolerant elderly man, was taken advantage of and feel compelled to let the public know in order to help others avoid a similar experience. read more

Woodlawn Auto Center - Auto Repair Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I had my rear bearing replaced plus rear brakes and parking brake. Total cost, which seemed outrageous was $2,000. Car sounds worse than when I brought it in. I'm going to go back on Monday and waste more precious time trying to get it fixed properly. I had a very bad feeling when talking to the service agent, but my car was already there and I was at home 5 miles away, so I agreed and let them do the work. That big mistake was my fault. in my gut, I had extremely bad vibes about this shop. Regardless, they are going to fix the car right, or I'm going to dispute the charge on my credit card, and we can fight it out in small claims court if necessary. I'll have to get a certified Toyota mechanic to provide proof that their work was shoddy, but that should not be hard. Bottom line my car runs worse than when I brought it in and let them rip me off. read more

Came in for a SIMPLE procedure, paid almost a thousand dollars, and now my engine is RUINED. Had Woodlawn replace an intake manifold because my thermostat bolt broke. Sounds like an easy procedure, right? They caused a fire in my throttle-body and damaged my injectors, injector lead wires, and broke my fuel inlet because they did not use the correct tools or technique. They covered this damage up, said it was ready to pick up, and it was dripping gas from the haphazard repair to my broken line. They would have had me drive away leaking fuel. They even charged me for the shoddy repair to the line they broke. Gave them more time to fix, then picked it up. It was idling irregularly and didn't sound right. They told me it was because my wires were old. I had to drive 150 miles that weekend for military duty, so I picked it up. On the highway engine lost oil pressure just as I reached my destination. This is a five year old engine that has always had premium oil and filters. Now I have to pay $7000 for a NEW engine on top of the $924.71 I paid them to RUIN MY ENGINE. I am so disappointed. I went to Woodlawn because the Auto Skills center at the base recommended them and they were more expensive and claim they're ASE certified. I trusted they were my best shot at a good repair. I thought expensive meant better tools and technique. I was wrong. read more

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This is my go to auto repair place. My family and I have been trusting them with our cars for over 20 years now. I have gone to get my current car fixed twice now and Chris the shop owner always treated me like I was family. They are fair and reasonable with the price. I highly recommend and even with I moved a little further south to Woodbridge I still will drive up to trust them with even my cars inspections. read more

I would NOT recommend this shop to anyone. I left my daughters vehicle (2013 Ford Focus) with them to have the engine repaired and had to go out of town for a military school. When I returned to pick up the car, the owner (Chris) pretended to be oblivious to what was going on, and the car was missing. When I threatened to call the police and report the car stolen, he stated that it wasn't stolen because someone brought him the title and he gave the car away. Never happened. One of his mechanics had taken it home. He promised to have it returned and repaired. Mike called and said it would be $4400 parts and labor for a new engine. A few weeks later, he called and said he needed a $3000 down payment before the could start. Months went by, and it was one excuse after another. Finally, the mechanic (Mike) said it was ready for pickup. My wife goes to pickup, and one of the workers tells her the transmission is messed up and the vehicle won't go into reverse. I called Mike again, and he says he could fix the transmission for another $4000. I didn't immediately decline, i go to retrieve the car, but the clerk couldn't find the keys. He sees on the repair order, and it says, "Edwins car now." He asks Edwin, who surrenders the keys. The vehicle won't go over 30mph, won't go into reverse, and on top of that, they tried to charge me for having the vehicle towed from the mechanics house. My recommendation is to steer clear of this place, untrustworthy. read more

Woodlawn Auto Center - Could not find the keys, but this was on the ticket. - Auto Repair Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I've gotten my inspections done here for the past few years. I show up when they open and it takes about 30 minutes.

Came in for an engine problem so they said they would call me fir an estimate but they never did and did the "repair" anyway. Said it was good to go but after driving half way to work it starting smoking again and had to get it towed back which had additional costs. The second attempt to fix my engine was the same except I had to call them to remind me to call me back for an estimate. The cost for it this time was double the amount. I asked to have the first repair cost deducted but they said it was a diagnosis cost so basically nothing was repaired the first time. They added that they took out the diagnostic cost time time around but the cost for it hasn't changed when I got the quote over the phone.Overall terrible experience and will not be returning and do not recommend this place to anyone. Save your time and money going somewhere else. read more

A wonderful community owned business with a community minded staff, I go to Woodlawn for all my car care needs. They're very conveniently located on my commute, near a 7-11 and Roy Rogers. I also love the flower garden they planted out front. Always has the best prices on 87 octane. I get my inspections done here and they've taken good care of all my cars: wrx, prius, sienna & rav4. read more

Woodlawn Auto Center - Great gas prices - Auto Repair Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

$170 plus for an oil change and tire rotation. I previously would've said they treated me pretty fairly, but I'm gonna look for service somewhere else. read more

They were recommended to me by a gentleman in my church but I believe that they may deal differently with men than women. My bmw 330i 2006 check engine light was on and it was making. Horrible sound esp on reversing. And my ac blower was not working. It had been filled with freon a week prior to it ceased. I was charged 250. For dx. No print out. Kept a week. Told to p/u. Price 2300. P/u sat. Same nois. Same rough drive. Person said being back monday. Rented a car. Returned Tues. Kept a week. Ac working. Less rough drive. Check light still on. But drivable. Kris says bring back if not good. Horrid sound again. Ac not working. Took back, Kept two weeks. Charged 350. For another diagnostic. New price to fix. Of note. 1st fix, they say was faulty parts used. Same issue on next fix. Last time nephew requested dx. Print out. 'They say there is none. Lots of money. Still broken car. Still sitting until I can figure it out. read more

Horrible!! I went in to fix my obs sensor. Charged me 120$ just to tell me they don't know what's wrong with and I have to keep my car over the weekend. Decided to come back when I had time, once I got home I noticed my lock system was not working, was not able to lock the car period. I called them and they told me to bring g it back so I did. I was told the mechanic that worked on the car will not be back until Monday and they were unable to reach him, and they had no idea what he did. At this point I was talking with the owner Chris. I returned to pick up my car and nothing was done, long story short we went back and forth that HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS WRONG. So I decided to take a look at the fuse box and notice a fuse was missing. I told chis again he's the owner, what happen to the fuse and again his reply was idk, so I asked him to give me a fuse, when I did this he pulled the car into the shop and replace the fuse. GUESS WHAT !!! It's was fix, lights were working again and I could lock my car!! Please stay away, this might not matter but I'm a female, sorry Chris I was raised with a father who taught me a little about cars. read more

My go to shop every year for emissions and inspection....always quick and easy. Seems to never be a long line which could be good or bad...i think it's good read more

STAY AWAY --WOODLAWN JUST LOST MY FAMILY'S AND FRIENDS BUSINESS. They cheat Veterans. Today was told my F150 was ready to be picked up. Arrived to find my vehicle missing and no one, to include Chris the owner knew where my vehicle was. Only to find out, a worker took my vehicle to Advanced Auto to pick up parts for another job they were doing. My vehicle was in for an oil change, that's all. How many other customers do they do this with????? Was told a road test is part of an oil change. Also, MISSING $50 THAT WAS HIDDEN IN MY CENTER CONSOLE FOR EMERGENCY'S. They do sad work and are liars, owner on down. read more

I have rolled in here many times without an appointment, and had an inspection done quickly. The mechanics are nice and always compliment my Charger. The waiting area has pics from the 70s, and although it may not have been cleaned since then, I go back annually for my new inspection sticker. Brad got his motorcycle inspected there too. read more

Terrible. Dishonest thieves Was charged double for brake on my Cadillac they missed calipers had to warranty out to fix there own mistakes stole brackets for caliper did not change And put cheap metallic pads on car while lying thru teeth Continued to lie when caught Had whole job re done and parts they used inspected by oubono factory rep for east coast he gurentee they were not there parts Awful awful awful thieves Ended up having entire job re done And they had to refund money for ceramic pads they did not put on car Worse place ever read more

Crappy gas station with an inconvenient entrance and exit. The gas pumps don't even have the clips so you have to hold the nozzle while you pump. read more

Came for an inspection. Was helped within 5 minutes. A problem was found with my exhaust and they were able to fix it within a day and for cheaper than originally estimated. Staff was helpful and courteous. read more

Took my car to be fixed. I knew there was damage underneath. Got an estimate for the repairs. Said do the work. Was asked a few times if I was sure. Said yes. Just bought the car. Hydroplane into a curb so knew it had decent amount of damage underneath. Was told would take a week. A week later no car. Was told the wrong part came in. Promised it would be ready in 2 days. Nope. Part didn't show up. Finally got the part and was promised a discount and car would be ready next day. It was ready. But the discount t was only $ 120 off $3000. Picked up the car and the steering wheel was WAY off. Could barely turn left. Took it back to be told the frame was broken. They did not see that the first 10 days they had the car?? Was told they would have it ready in 4 days. Maybe 5. Would not be charged labor and 50% off part. Well 3 weeks later the car was finally done. After being told the part that got was wrong part. Then they got another deliver to them but there was not enough money to pay for the part at the place so was sent back. Then wrong part sent again. Then dealership part back ordered. Then part coming today and will stay late to get it done. To no call to say want to go home. Maybe tomorrow it will be ready. Had to call daily for update to be promised a call back. No communication at all. Never did they call me. Finally car is ready and they charged me full price plus labor. No discount. Nothing I was promised happened. Totally pissed and fed up no professional at all. Even had an employee there say to be, wish you took it to a collision place a d not here I bet. Told him hell yes. . Never coming back. Total lack of professionalism or caring. Woman at front desk even yelled across the bay to Mike I refused to pay the full final bill. Go elsewhere for car repairs. . read more

they fixed my radiator at closing with no issues at a decent price. Chris is awesome. They installed my exhaust, cold air intake, and do my inspections. I sometimes use their cheaper gas. All my experiences there are good. Much better than some other auto shops. PEPBOYS im calling you out!!!! I would give this shop 10 stars if i could. They always take good care of me. read more

Not too bad of a place. I've gone there to have my headlight bulbs changed, an oil change, and a safety inspection. The people at the desk are usually friendly and the mechanics typically get your vehicle right away if it's not a big issue that needs to be addressed. I also get gas here from time to time in their prices are typically a couple of cents better than other places nearby. I would recommend them if you have something that needs to be done to your vehicle quickly or for minor issues. Otherwise I typically just take my vehicle to the dealer that way I know there's a warranty on the service. read more

As a DIYer, this place was recommended after I replaced my 2005 Avalanche front suspension system (i.e., upper/lower control arms w/ ball joints and bushings, inner/outer tie-rod ends, stabilizer links, and shocks). The rebuild is where the quality work ends. Unfortunately, I didn't take the time to read previous Yelp reviews or pay close attention to their service area before taking my truck into this establishment for service. The $95 alignment, obviously, was done half-azz because the steering wheel is not centered and the truck pulls to the right. I think the technician looked at the work I had done and figured this would be "easy money"! Like the saying goes: "Haste makes waste" - as in time and money - now that I have to spend more time and money to find an alignment service provider to do the job correctly! Caveat emptor!!! read more

These crooked people lied about getting all 4 of my brake pads done for $239.99 (part of their special) rotors, and labor included. They told me all this on a Thursday afternoon, and had me sign the receipt which authorizes them to do the work but nothing is written down until the "work" is done and you're back to pick up the vehicle and pay for the amount they listed. I came back today, Tuesday afternoon, they only replaced my 2 front brakes, and "clean & adjust" my rear brakes and it cost me $329.99! Then the lady behind the desk said the special is "per axel".. which the flyer they had at the front desk does not say anywhere on there "per axle". TO ALL MY MILITARY FOLKS, DO NOT GO HERE! They will work their way into your pockets, and get you for your money. You've been warned. read more

Worst place ever. Everyone is so rude and they openly admitted to me that they scam people because it's a nice area and when they add hundreds of dollars to the bill, the customers never seem to mind. read more

Took my SUV there for an over heating problem. Told them it was a coolant and the leak was somewhere in the back of the engine bay. They took a look and called me back staying that it was not just a leak but I need a new water pump, heating core, and timing belt assembly quoting me almost $1400. I refused the service knowing well that those weren't the issues. I found these leak myself and bought the replacement part from the dodge dealership for about $160. And now my vehicle is running normal. They really tried to make a quick buck on me. Little did they know that I have done knowledge about the issue of my water pump was replaced less than a year ago. SMH. Now I can't help but think that when I took my Subaru there a few months back, that not only did they not fix it but made it worse (the engine died about 2 weeks later). read more

If I could give this place 0 stars I would. Absolutely the WORST business I've ever encountered. Went to get a diagnostic test done to see what's wrong. They quoted me 1700$ worth of issues that needed to be fixed. One being a "major tune up" for 900$ this place is a joke. I go to pick my vehicle up and to pay the 80$ fee for the diagnostic testing and they tell me they don't have the codes. So whatever I pay and the next day I call and ask them if they could email the codes to me. The service managers response was "we just don't have the time". read more

This review has been a while in coming. I don't enjoy writing negative reviews about businesses. I generally like to offer helpful pointers or keep it specific. There's no way around it though, this place is awful and my experience was awful. It was so bad that its taken me a few months to want to sit down and write about it. I think doing so is the right thing to do. There might be others who had different experiences, but going off of mine, this place sucks badly. I came here because I was back in the area recently and it looked like an old, established, dependable business. It had proximity to the military base so I figured that it is a straight-shooter kind of place. I also went off of the very positive Yelp reviews of the place which is why I feel compelled to write. The reviews in no way reflected my own experience. Nope, it's a fly-by-night chop shop very typical of bad auto businesses in this area. You might do ok here but that's a real risk. They are definitely looking to "hose" people. The place affects a bait-and-switch technique with those who it wants to soak. There's a friendly old guy who charms you in the waiting room while they screw around with your car. They quote you prices to get you to agree to something simple then they try to jack the price up as much as possible before ever handing back your keys. I literally felt like my vehicle was held hostage by them. If you have any kind of "nice" vehicle ... well, I wouldn't tell my worst enemy to bring one here. They were supposed to do an oil change, safety, and emissions test. It all turned into a nightmare. They were supposed to do the oil change first, but they didn't. Instead, they did the safety and emissions first and used the emissions test (of a car that needed and was supposed to have an oil change) to try to screw me around. The messed up and scary part is that they actually drained oil from the vehicle during their initial "inspection". They did really dangerous things to my vehicle that made me angry. I also got the sense when I was there that they were like the valets in Ferris Bueller who go joyriding with Cameron's dad's sports car. At one point, they told me that my problem was that I drive "a German car and those aren't good cars." I asked, "So, what is a good car?" They said, "Like, Honda and Toyota." Take from that interchange what you will. Sadly this is a place that I would give no stars if it were possible. I don't say that lightly. The reason that I wouldn't even give them one if that were possible is based on something I found out that makes me think that people should think really carefully about bringing their vehicles there. So, my car was held up at this shop for several days while they tried to run this racket on me. I was bumming rides off of family and friends. One night, a friend and I drove past at like 11 pm and decided to check on my car. I asked to see the keys of my car. The girl working the front desk was rude and said that the keys are locked up in the back at night and she doesn't have access to them. Well, I walked out to see my car anyway and what I experienced made me VERY angry. My car was sitting out in close proximity to Hwy 1 and the hood was left open (on a rainy day just out in the open). I closed it myself. That in itself gives you an idea of the negligence with which they handle "nice" vehicles. Also, I tried the driver's side door of my car and IT WASN'T LOCKED. I opened the door right there. The place was closed except for gas, the manager was gone, and the vehicle was left unlocked. To see if that was just a fluke and if I'd just gotten unlucky, I tried opening and closing a couple of the car doors around mine. What I found out was, the expensive Mercedes sitting near me was also unlocked. The Honda Civic type vehicles were all locked up. Basically, do not take a "nice" vehicle there. That place is right next to Highway 1 and they are keeping nice vehicles in an insecure manner. I have waited to report this because I feel a bit bad admitting that to people. The place is like a crime waiting to happen. I do think that prospective customers should know though. Caveat emptor. Customer beware here. I was so shocked that I actually took photos. I couldn't believe my eyes. Needless to say, I won't be back. I felt such relief getting my car out of that place. I frankly have avoided thinking about this place, but yeah, I think people need to know about this. Yeah, they have cheap gas and it's fine as far as getting that goes. I personally won't buy gas here; I won't support this business. I'll pay a couple of cents per gallon more to support other gas stations. As for getting my car serviced? No way am I doing it here. I want to go somewhere more respectful and conscientious. read more