Suggestions for good honest imported car mechanics (Charleston, North Charleston: buying, maintenance) - South Carolina (SC) -Charleston - North Charleston - Mt. Pleasant - Summerville - Goose Creek - City-Data Forum

emilybh · 10-02-2010, 10:06 AM

I'm in need of a good auto service place that ideally specializes in German cars or at least Imported Cars? Anyone out there drive a German car that has had consistently good and reasonably priced service? Please tell me who you use. Thanks in advance.

jbreeden1 · 10-03-2010, 07:30 AM

Kevin's North Charleston Transmission on Spruill Ave has a Volvo certified mechanic who is good and totally honest, has recommended twice that I not waste money fixing minor things. I don't know why the name says transmission because I think they do it all, don't know what other certified folks they have, my problem was a leak which he has almost fixed, it is still causing a little trouble but won't leak until the rain is severe, I know he will find the rest of it.

mrpeatie · 10-03-2010, 07:50 AM

I recently switched from the service Department at McDaniels to German Auto Specialist (had to pull the card to even remember the name.) I've been happy with them and they are much more reasonbly priced.

They are literally on the backside of the building LaHacienda fronts on Folly Road. 843-608-4460.

I liked the dealer service department but audi gives you 50,000 miles free service and its pretty easy to get spoiled by that- until its up and a recession hits. At which point an independ becomes very attractive to the wallet. I do miss havign them clean my car everytime it was serviced and the little snack counter but I'm sure that contributes to the price diference.

emilybh · 10-03-2010, 08:39 AM

Thank-you both very much! Both of those sound great. The Folly Road guy is super convenient too.

I got REALLY ripped off by Low Country VW the last time I went when I brought the car in for routine maintenance; they found I had a slightly cracked boot; quoted me one price; didn't get to do my car till the next day and I had to cancel appts; the next AM they called me and said to get at the boot was going to cost more in labor than putting in a whole new front axle assembly. It sounded so fishy I was beginning to wonder about the cracked boot and asked them to show me which they did. I should have just told them to leave the crack in the boot and give me my car back and take my car elsewhere. I later found out by telling my story to people who know about cars that they lied about the difficulty of getting to the boot and saying it was cheaper to put in the axle. Back then I gave them the benefit of the doubt (that no matter where I took it they'd have to replace the axle assembly) and let them do it...and ended up forking over another $800 that I hadn't planned on paying. NEVER AGAIN will I go back there. I meant to complain to VW about that dealership but the whole experience made me so made I didn't even want to think about it another second. I probably still should complain.

I might add (now that I think back) that I have had 6 VWs ( a Dasher; 2 Jettas and 3 Passats) in my life... 5 of them were purchased brand new and NEVER have I EVER had to have an axle assembly replaced. Grr. I wish I had not let them replace that axle assembly. It isn't exactly a common repair.

mrpeatie · 10-03-2010, 11:27 AM

Oh geez. That's the VW dealer in Mt Pleasant correct- not the one in North Chuck. If so I have heard loads of complaints about them. But the other local dealer would be the one on Ashley Phosphate & that can be a brutal drive at the wrong time of day.

As I said I was perfectly happy with McDaniels- and in fact liked them more than any dealership I have ever dealt with. They do a better job than the Baker or Rick Hendrick Service departments at keeping on schedule and actually repairing items on one try (comparing Audi with my experience with Rick Hendrick & numerous friends experiences with Baker in terms of European cars.) I only went elsewhere as a cost saving measure.

The dealer who will forever reman on my **** list is Palmetto who I dealt with after buying a Ford in a fit of patriotism. Needless to say the experience ended with me telling some regional customer satisfaction rep that I was half the age of her average buyer, put lots of mileage on cars and never intended to use a Ford dealership again after having the alternator replaced twice in 10 months plus numerous visits to two service departments (one across the state) because the car would not maintain idle. They refused to cover the cost of the second alternator and kept sending me to diferent people to review it. They also refuse to service cars after about 90,000 miles which is probably the most absurd thing I have ever heard.

Rggr · 10-04-2010, 12:38 PM

Barnes Auto on Maybank Highway is good. They specialize in imports.

emilybh · 01-03-2011, 12:16 PM

mr.peatie. Your mechanic behind La Hacienda is hard to find. I've been driving by both locations..even drove into one to try to find signs of an auto service place and haven't found any. I (finally) came back to this thread and noticed you left a phone # which I just called and left a message that I wanted to set up an appt. I hope they call back. If not I'll try the other suggestions.

Is it near the first (north most) La Hacienda on Folly or the one farther down on the left ( as you are heading south towards Folly Beach)?