Ourisman Volkswagen of Laurel – Service

These people charged me nearly $ 300 to tell me that I needed a new rear window. No, they didn’t fix anything, just charged me to tell me something I already knew. One more shining example of why dealerships suck.

I’ve been taking my 2004 VW Passat here for years among other places, and Ourisman always does a great job. They are always friendly and helpful. I used to just pop in for oil changes, but now it seems I need an appointment as they tend to be busy. Oil changes have been under an hour recently which is nice. They let me know what’s going on otherwise with my car, but never try to sell my things I don’t need — in fact they tell me my car is in great condition, so I’m happy about that. Also, they send coupons in the mail, there are often rebates, and there is (or was?) a buy 4 get one free oil change punch card — all which bring prices down. The few times I’ve needed to do something extra and don’t have a coupon, they just apply one anyway for some small percentage off, but every bit helps. I’ve seen a lot of the same faces working there over the years and they are always happy to chat. The waiting room is comfortable and has Wifi which is all I need. I never feel like I’m getting ripped off — for a dealership I think this is saying a lot — and I trust them to tell me what I need, not what they need to make more money. Yeah for major repairs I may go to another place — a small VW specialty mechanic in Catonsville, but for the convenience and hours, I’ll come here. This is for the VW side only — our experience with Honda service was not as great.

Been to the service department a few times since inheriting my VW Passat. Mixed emotions on this one.
Place: Right off of 295 and 198 this is an easy place to get in to. You can pull right up to the front door. It really is a good looking place.
People: The service people are super nice. Almost like they’re aliens or something. The one complaint I have is that they always underestimate how long its going to take to get work done. You also have to make an appointment for just about anything.
Product: The car is great. The service is pretty good. Although one time they couldn’t figure out why my tire was going flat, which surprised me. They also offer free car washes, but you have to wait even longer for that.
Price: Very expensive. Everything costs most than you think it would. Although to replace a light bulb or plug a flat tire it’s only about $ 20. Regular maintenance or oil changes are ridiculous, but you are paying for the cleanliness and great attitude of the staff here.
Overall: VW smiles while they pick your pocket. Although I’m sure its nothing personal, they don’t set the prices and they’ve even been willing to hook me up with discounts when I’ve had to wait longer than expected. I would gladly pay extra to know that they took care of the car and aren’t just trying to take advantage of me because I know very little about cars. I’ll be back here again.