Elite Automotive of Potomac

Pros:
–The staff is very very kind and friendly
–Very quick service and repair
–Drives your car around to back lot, ready to pickup whenever
–Easy to pay (inside gas station)
–They explain problems very well
–They explain charges on your bill to you ver well
Cons:
–Hours aren’t always reliable
–Sometimes push you to go for the option with the higher price even though it may not be entirely necessary

There is a NEW OWNER. The white haired guy who use to own it apparently passed away.
The new owner is a young lady named Brittany ?? I think. I’m really bad with remembering names. She is a small woman with short hair and was EXTREMELY NICE to me when I
asked her if she could re-​attach my windshield wiper blade which came loose.
She was working in the garage on a car when I pulled up, She came right out and greeted me and asked what I needed.
I am all thumbs when it comes to mechanics and I showed her the wiper.
In 2 minutes or less she reattached it.
I offered her $ 10 and she WOULD NOT TAKE IT.
We then chatted about the next 10 minutes about cars, motorcycles, back injuries and my out of aligned front tires.
Unfortunately her shop doesn’t have the space to do tire alignments but I will return and have her flush out my brake fluid as soon as I have some extra cash. I live off disability payments so money is always tight.
I have an uncanny ability to be able to read people + their amount of BS, and I feel that
This kind young woman is a genuine NICE PERSON and not your basic con artist that I have dealt with in the past when my car needed work
I would highly recommend you stopping in and letting her work on ur vehicle

If I could give them zero stars, I would but the lowest rating allowed is 1 star. I am not the type that typically complains about anything but I believe I got ripped off. Took my wife’s Mercedes in for a check engine light issue 6 months ago. They said that it needed a tune up and performed various services resulting in a $ 1400 invoice. Less than 3 months later, check engine came back on but went out by itself before we had a chance to take it back to them. Since the check engine light went off, we kept driving for 2 more months and the check engine light came back on and stayed on this time. Took it back to Elite and this time they said it was a camshaft sensor that needed replacement. They performed the service and the invoice came to almost $ 500 this time. Less than a week later, the check engine light came back on and took car back to Elite Automotive. They said to leave the car with them and they will do a thorough check. Now they say it is the car’s ECM computer which the dealer should fix under warranty. Picked up the car with the intent to take to the Dealer but now the car was worse than before. Called Elite and they say it’s because of the ECM. Funny, everything was working just fine when we brought the car back in except for the check engine light issue that was never fixed. Am I being unfair with this rating, you be the judge because this is exactly what we experienced. I could have applied the $ 2000 I paid them to have it properly fixed at the dealer but originally decided to give them a try because of their high online ratings. By the way, the Mercedes dealer fixed the problems and they said it was not the ECM. People are nice and friendly but don’t believe their claim that they can service all makes and models.

I’m not a big online reviewer but tried Elite Automotive based on the great online reviews by others. They fixed my Fiat when the dealership couldn’t find the problem, turning my car around in a day — even though it was towed in without an appointment between Christmas and New Year’s. Britney really knows her stuff. I have been looking for a local shop where knowledge, honesty, competence, friendliness, communication and reliability prevail. It’s been a long search with some bumps along the way, but I do believe it is over. Will be back with my Lexus, too. Highly recommend.

Took my care over to Elite Auto after getting some shotty service at Fitzgerald Hyundai. The team was friendly, helpful, and able to diagnose and patch my tire within 30 minutes. Very honest and well run business. Customer for life.

I highly recommend this shop. My timing belt broke and the staff found a replacement engine before providing an estimate! The work was done and now my car is running better than it has in years. I couldn’t be happier.

After calling several nearby mechanics, I was relieved to finally hear a nice-​sounding person and a fair estimate when I called Elite Automotive. I was greeted by the person I spoke to on the phone, Brittany, after I arrived and she immediately began looking at my car. After realizing I didn’t need a bulb replacement she fixed my blinker for free, all while being informative and very courteous. In the busiest part of the day I was in-​and-​out in less than 5 minutes and I will definitely be bringing my business back next time I need a fix!

They are super friendly and really only want to charge you for what needs to get done. They wont try to upsell you just to make a sale. They also are so busy but will take your car that day or the next morning. I love this shop!

The mechanics are gentle class acts: when I discovered a car problem the night before a long trip, I pulled in as they were closing, and they stayed open late till the problem was fixed. They didn’t charge extra. They wouldn’t take a tip.

The staff is friendly, courteous, professional and willing to help. They were trustworthy and accommodating. I would definitely bring my car to them for any future work. Great group of guys!
Christen Elledge

I’ve brought my car here four times since new management took over. Today is the last time. They are completely disorganized (take a look at their back office – it is a disaster) and will tell you anything whether it is true or not. Twice (two months apart) the owner Warren promised me that they would order and have a tire for me at a particular date and time. Both times it wasn’t there, and the workers acted like they didn’t know anything about it when I showed up. I also found out this morning that they put an incorrect tire on my car two months ago. I’m now stuck with that mistake and at the dealership getting work done that Elite Auto couldn’t do. Don’t believe anything they tell you.

IGNORE REVIEWS FROM PRIOR OWNER… UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP!
I brought my son’s Jeep Liberty in due to a check engine light on. Warren immediately checked the code and verified that the car had a leak in the gas cap, a very minor issue. Since we were headed out of town that day, Warren offered to order and install the new cap for me, plus check out the car and hold it while we were away. When I got back, the bill was just slightly over the typical cost for a gas cap and the car was fine, no other issues.
It is almost an indescribable feeling when you get incredible service from really nice people in the auto repair industry, especially after that disaster of the prior owner. I highly recommend Elite Automotive… would give 10 stars if I could.

I’m changing my review now that this place is under new management. I recently went back and had a wonderful experience here. Everyone was very helpful and knowledgeable. I will definitely be bringing my car here for future needs.

Elite Auto Repair surpassed my expectations! Diego was very helpful and fit me in on a last minute Friday afternoon checkup. Not going back to VW.

My low tire pressure light came on and I was driving by so I pulled in. I couldn’t find my own tire pressure gauge or I would’ve done it myself as well.
Came in and the conversation with the guy behind the counter counting money at the back-​right corner of the Exxon station went like this…
Me — «Can you check my tire pressure? The light came on and I don’t have my gauge»
Guy — «There is free air over there» pointing to the side of the building and not looking up at me. And FYI, it isn’t free air.
Me — «Yea I know but I need a gauge can you or someone do it?»
Guy — «You are going to have to give a tip»
Me — «I only have a buck on me but if I had more I’d be more than happy to give it to the guy»
The guy behind the counter then proceeds to laugh at me.
I said forget it @$$hole back to him and walked out.

A recent experience here leads me to not recommend Potomac Autohaus.
I brought my vehicle in for one main reason — the air conditioning had stopped functioning. PA advertises that it repairs all vehicle manufacturers, and I assumed /​hoped that an A/​C issue in a 2004 Toyota would be relatively easy to isolate and repair.
I brought the vehicle in and was without it for about two days (actually longer over the course of several visits). They checked and charged the freon and placed dye as a tracker, a standard procedure in A/​C issues. The vehicle was returned to me and they said the A/​C was fixed.
But a couple of days later it became clear it had not been fixed — despite the insistence of the owner who said he had personally driven the vehicle and the A/​C tested as fully working.
I brought the vehicle back yet again, but the result was the same. By the way, the cost of the first repair was in the $ 300 to $ 400 range, which included the freon charging and a belt replacement. I returned to PA and spoke with the mechanic who had worked on the vehicle — the response was quite unsatisfactory — he got in the car and turned on the A/​C only to find, as I told them they would, that the A/​C was still not functioning.
Fast forward to yet a fourth visit to PA — this was after a sent a letter to the owner requesting that they refund the cost of the original A/​C repair. To his credit, the owner phoned me after receiving the letter and asked me to bring the vehicle in (yet again). At this point, I was determined not to bring the car back to PA, but one day I did. Both the owner, and the mechanic, came out and confirmed the obvious, that the A/​C still was not working. However, he told me he declined to refund the original repair cost, and suggested I return the car to them yet again.
End of story — the car went back to Jim Coleman Toyota, and the problem was fixed in a few hours and the car returned to me the same day.
Sorry Potomac Autohaus — in the end they violated the one all-​important rule — that the customer is always right (or should always be given the benefit of the doubt).