Rockville Auto Repair

When you find a place as honest as this, you don't need to shop around anymore.

This shop is great. It feels good to support and independent business who are straight up and don't try to bs you with problems that don't really exist. The best part is, I can call make an appointment and not only will they do the maintenance, an oil change in my case, but they let you wait for your call which all around was an hour of my time. Even when I would make an appointment with the dealer they still would ask me to leave my car cause it would be at least 3 hours..how unacceptable. These guys are a fantastic alternative and are now my new mechanics.

I have an aging Hyundai Elantra & was worried that I wouldn't be able to afford to keep it running when it was making lots of terrible noises and driving poorly, I knew the brakes were shot but not sure what else and started considering alternatives (zipcar & metro?).... I did some research and discovered Charles Automotive via their excellent reviews on Yelp and took it there, they were able to tell me what needed work (besides the brakes and rotors the axel/CV Boots were damaged with one side totally cracked open and leaking) and triage what needed to be done immediately that I could afford then and there and what could wait a little longer while I got the $ together for the rest and they gave me a very detailed estimate as well as put the car up on a lift so they could show me exactly what the problems were and once I could see them for myself I completely understood.... The first round of repairs got my barely drivable car back on the road purring like a kitten, the 2nd round is now completed & I feel so much more relieved and safer to boot being caught up. I am grateful to Charles Automotive - it is a relief to find honest and skilled mechanics who are glad to explain things to the non-mechanically minded so they can understand and not to try and pad out the repair bill with unnecessary work (like the dealership who insisted I needed a new cabin air filter every time I was there; they made me dread the experience so much I put off work) Now I feel I can get a few more years out of my old car and I will definitely go back to Charles Automotive when it needs more work! The staff are very friendly and glad to help in any way be it a ride to the nearby White Flint Metro or an offer of snacks/coffee/water if you wish to sit in their waiting room. I feel so much better knowing where I can go!

Excellent service.

I've been going to Charles Automotive for years for service on our two Infinitis, and have recommended Gary & his mechanics to friends and family repeatedly. They are quite simply the most honest & competent auto shop I've ever dealt with; never before has a mechanic told me "you probably don't need to replace X part yet even though your check engine light went off-it can probably wait another 5k miles before you need to spend the money", or, "we really don't do a lot of that type of work but let me refer you to someone who does" etc, etc. I know enough about automobiles to get by without having the wool pulled over my eyes, and have had the exact opposite experience with dealers and other independent shops over the years. Gary's shop specializes in Japanese cars but I was comfortable enough to have them work on my German sportscar too. Highly recommend!

I've been going here for probably 5 years, and always enjoyed great service. They are honest, and reasonably priced. Don't waste your money at a dealer.