Capitol Hill Auto Service

Reviews

Reviews are sorted by relevance, with the most helpful and insightful feedback listed first for easy reference.

  Mark Lyon
3 days ago
This shop was recommended to me by several people at work. I recently picked up a very old used car for my nephew and Capitol Hill Auto Service did a great job investigating the most significant issues before a long drive. I initially thought I needed one repair that they quickly alerted me I didn t need. They then diagnosed the most significant issues and provided reasonable pricing for that work. The shop prefers email communication - don t call - and cash/venmo/zelle will lower your cost by 4% as compared to using a credit card.

  Andy McKinley
3 months ago
I ve consistently had quality service. I ve been a customer for over 15 years. Capitol Hill Auto has provided routine maintenance and repairs for three different types of cars, both foreign and domestic. The prices are very reasonable.It is a small shop with a dedicated client base. As such, they are usually busy. This isn t a spot for one hour oil changes. If you re able to give them 24 hours to complete their work, you won t be disappointed.

  Alton Cheaves
a month ago
My primary place for vehicle repair work. This team is skilled and I never have to return for the same issue. Very pleased with the work performed and recommend anyone with any type of vehicle but BMW, Mercedes, is to give them a try and you won't be disappointed.

  Sara Beatty
3 months ago
$120/hr for labor is highway robbery. If that s not enough of a deterrent, I brought my car in for a scheduled oil change and the employees completely ignored me both at drop off and pickup. Then they charged me for 45 minutes of labor for an oil change, which only takes 15 minutes max. When I complained, I was told the extra labor was for an inspection. Any decent mechanic will tell you inspections are complimentary. He tried to tell me they rotated my tires like he was doing me a favor when this is another industry standard, complimentary service. Also, I dropped my car off at 8am and they didn t even look at it until I emailed and said I was ready to pick it up (around 4pm). When I asked for a partial refund, Chris (who was incredibly rude throughout the entire process) told me that since I didn t voice my concerns earlier I was out of luck. I have the right to dispute a transaction after the fact, but Chris wouldn t know customer service if it slapped him across the face.TLDR: a complete ripoff and horrible service.

  William
a month ago
This happened about 10 years ago. Found an old business card and decided to write what follows.Ryan and Jesse names were on the card. I brought my VW Passat, in to get fixed. There was problems under the hood and with a seat belt and rear door. They fixed the seat belt. The door I inspected and when I normally went to close it, the entire inside fell off. This was due to the mechanic not putting back together properly. I am sure he got chewed out since a new inside had to be ordered. Since now he was mad, and still had to fix engine items, he went as far as pulling some wires that were crucial for my car to run any extensive amount. I drove away the day they told me to pick up the car thinking my car was fixed. I lived in Arlington at that time and only made it to the Jefferson memorial. The car was stuttering and check engine light was blinking. I called them and they said not to call anymore as they don't want my business. Now I am stuck on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck. I write this as this is the mentality of this place. Do not go. They are crooks and don't care about the customer.

  Mark Evans (WavyFlix.com)
4 months ago
The guy at the front desk, (Chris I m assuming) was so charming that he took NEVER acknowledged my presence. I stood there in his office speaking loudly enough for him to hear me and he was so kind that NEVER ONCE SPOKE back or said I ll be with you in a second. What a GREAT guy! He just mumbled inaudible grunts under his breath!When he finally acknowledge me he was beyond short and to the point, some would interpret it as RUDE and DISMISSIVE, but I know better, I felt honored that I was even seen by a celebrity mechanic! Lucky me! Needless to say I would not spend a dollar of my money w someone like this. I m not desperate so I got in my car and left, I ll find another shop that treats its customers like human beings. 1 STAR REVIEW!!!!!!!

  Ben Marcus
6 months ago
What I thought was a minor issue with my car radio turned into a 3-week ordeal where it turned from me-versus-car to me and the mechanics at Capitol Hill Auto versus GM.Chris and Ryan were honest and transparent throughout the whole process. They worked quickly and they were sensitive to my schedule, working to accommodate it the best they could. They were casual and friendly but very knowledgeable. I'm definitely going to then for my next car issue.

  keanna allison
8 months ago
I caught a flat on my way home from work. GPS sent me to this tire shop as it was nearest to where I was stranded. So I drove my car to this shop, on a flat tire. This owner first of all wouldn t even look up or speak, he was so rude and short with me and would not assist me. I asked if they could at least plug my tire (not for free). He told me to take my car to another shop. I pleaded with him, as I was stranded with no other options. Insurance would take too long to send someone and I had to pick my infant up from childcare. He continuously said no. So I had to drive another 15 minutes to another shop on a flat tire. This owner was so rude, I wouldn t recommend spending a dime of your hard earned money with someone like this.

  Lisa Hunter
7 months ago
One word: dangerous. Anyone else get hit by a mechanic backing out of the garage while waiting in line to pay for service? Sounds like I wasn t the first, though I may have been the only person hit while 5 months pregnant. I was told that this mechanic had run other customers over before and that the next time I come in for service it would be free. Definitely never returning, which is sad because they are so conveniently located, though I always found them overly expensive for regular tune ups anyway.Services: General repairs & maintenance, Tire rotations, Auto maintenance, Oil change

  Caleb Bridgwater
5 months ago
Wonderful auto shop and extremely honest and straightforward people. I highly recommend this shop for your car needs, they took care of me through several years and lots of auto work!

  Katie Boothroyd
10 months ago
I had taken my car here for oil changes without issue for over a year but recently needed body work due to damage incurred in an accident. They didn't do their diligence working with the insurance company, and the result has been a tremendous headache, both monetarily and with my time. I will never use them again, as the work was mediocre, and I was overcharged for the minimal body work they did. Do yourself a favor and go elsewhere; convenience isn't worth the lackluster work, poor customer service, and inflated prices.

  Grant Bethurum
a month ago
There are qualified mechanics here. Parking can be a challenge, but it is the best mechanic in a 50-mile radius.

  charmayne ortega
10 months ago
Had a great experience at Capitol Hill Auto service. Contacted them and within an hour had a response and was told I could bring my car in. My car was fixed and ready to go within days. The prices are reasonable and felt as if they truly cared.

 
7 months ago
Good place to have your car serviced. Good prices, reasonable wait time and above all, excellent customer services. I have been with them for two years and so far so good.

 
7 months ago
Amazing service. Always top notch work and prices are industry standard. They care about doing only the right thing without pressure. Highly recommend them for all type of vehicleaintenance and repair

  Rick Bell
4 years ago
Someone had side-swiped our car overnight and needed body work and a mirror fixed. We have used Capitol Hill Auto Service before for oil changes and tire rotations but did not know they did minor body work as well. They ordered the parts after assessing it and as soon as the parts came in they had it done in just 2 days. I highly recommended the CHAS team.

  Landon Zinda
8 months ago
Gave them the benefit of the doubt for several visits, but now I won't be back. Don't expect them to notice you when you visit for at least 15-20 minutes every time. Visits also ranged from consistently delayed service by several days, $180 assessments that "it's bad" with no further detail, and one time a mechanic literally backed into another customer with a car. Absolutely terrible service.Services: Electrical repair, Tires, Steering & suspension repair, General repairs & maintenance

 
6 months ago
I was very pleased with the service I received. They were very competitive with their prices. They told me in advance how much it was going to cost. It was ready on time. Highly recommend.

  Peter Bihl
11 months ago
They added $200 on top of the estimate for fairly routine work (belt replacement, water pump). They use a new automated invoicing system and naturally also went back and changed the estimate to match the final invoice (at least backdate the estimate if you re going to play me for a fool ). I think these guys know what they re doing and do good work. If you are walking distance from the shop and you re a money s no object kind of person, this shop is a reasonable choice.

  Karthiga Emmanual
a year ago
I never write reviews because honestly I m lazy and have never cared enough, but the experience I had at Capitol Hill Auto was terrible and so I have to share because there are only a few auto shops in the area and I want to spare others my horrible experience.I had an issue with my brakes making a grinding sound so I called the auto shop (the one I usually go to was closed for renovations). No one picked up. So I drove over to see if I could bring it in. The man at the front desk was the RUDEST customer services person I have ever met. He ignored me for almost 15 mins (the person in line behind me literally left because he was taking so long). When he finally deigned to talk to me he was terse, rude and not helpful. He acted like a paying customer was the biggest burden he s ever had to deal with. He told me to leave the car and he d get back to me.He finally emailed me saying I would need to new calipers, brake pads and rotors for a total of almost $1300. I decided to get a second opinion. I called Baird Automotive and they quoted me a lower price and asked me to bring it in so they could check to see if I really needed all new parts - he said he was skeptical it was that extreme.At Baird, Joey took a look and said the motor pads had rust that he could sand off for me and that I needed new rotors but that s it. He charged me less than $500 for the whole thing. And did it all in a day PLUS he called me multiple times to keep my updated on the progress. The customer service was light years better that Capitol Hill Auto.If you decide to go here please save your time, dignity and money and just go anywhere else.

  Paige Handley
7 months ago
got shocks and struts replaced here about a year ago. They cross threaded the bolts which I found out, now, getting my tires replaced, because they broke off and had to be replaced. Won't be returning.

  Marc Steiner
8 months ago
I left this place with a very bad taste in my mouth. I came in with some damage to the bumper, and it ended up being a 1month+ long ordeal to get it repaired. This could have been done far sooner, but Capitol Hill Auto Service never answers their phone, my insurance adjuster was never able to reach them and I spent hours on the phone with GIECO relaying info back and forth between them and CHAS. Chris at CHAS also was unhelpful via email and constantly said "we are waiting for a check from GIECO" etc but GIECO had confirmed the checks had been sent and received. In essence, any time he needed info from GIECO, I had to get a hold of them and make it happen because he wouldn't pick up the phone and call them (or even answer it).Moreover, the experience at the shop is very odd, and Chris literally ignores you at the front desk for several minutes before acknowledging you, and then is notably rude and inattentive. Normally I'd brush off something like that since you never know if someone is having a bad day, but its happened all three times I've come into the shop. He also appears frustrated and exasperated when I ask him to explain to me what work is being done on my car. He sarcastically responded with (something to the effect of) "we are obviously going to fix it."In the end, my car was repaired well enough, but I was left uncomfortable with the experience. Not only did I put a lot of money into this car and into these repairs, but my (and others') safety revolves around it working well. If my auto shop can't look me in the eye and walk me through their process of fixing it, won't efficiently/proactively coordinate with my insurance in a timely manner, and won't even treat me with respect as a customer, I'm going to find a different place.

  Sadikh Boiro
a year ago
They were not nice to me. I wanted to change my Chevy windshield wipers. It took me more than 20mn to get attention from the costumer experience guy. When I started explaining my car problems, he didn t let me finish he asked me to grab a card and email him.Service: Auto windshield replacementService: Auto windshield replacement

  mansur dashti
7 months ago
Fantastic and reasonably-priced auto services. I am very impressed by the time, customer service and price of getting my tire fixed.

  Ethan W
a year ago
A good place to get your car serviced. I have a Hyundai and they do pretty well. I d say that the prices are higher than usual, but I think it s a DC thing. They're professional and quite quick despite the volume of cars they get daily.

  Joie Bavender
2 years ago
I needed a tire replaced for my 2015 Maserati and this place had the best ratings so I chose them to have my tire shipped to and put on. The only way to correspond is by email. They do not EVER answer the phone. That should of been the first red flag. The tire arrived on Thursday and they replied that it would have to be on Friday. I needed it changed because they were closed on Saturday and Sunday. I emailed them all day long and never got a response. Finally I decided to go pick it up and take it somewhere else. When I arrived at the shop, not one person greeted me, asked if they could help me or even acknowledged I was there. Even when I said hello and asked if someone could help me, they all ignored me. Chris who I had been responding with was in his office and when I said hello, he also never looked up from his desk. I asked if he was Chris and still nothing. At this point I was blown away because by now at least 10 employees had walked past me and not one said a single word. I finally went up to the door that was marked employees only and asked again if he was Chris. He replies back, what do you need ? I said to him, thank you for replying to my emails and he said yeah you and the other 400 .I have no idea how they stay in business with no phone contact and such unprofessional staff and customer service. I would NEVER EVER use them again no matter the situation. I have no idea how they are still in business.

  Ron Yoon
3 years ago
After seeing an overwhelming amount of positive review for them on Yelp I decided to bring my '13 Lexus GS here to have my sway bar end links and front axle replaced. After having them done, there was a momentary vibration coming at low speeds. Chris and Ryan kept me in the loop about what the issues could be and in the end were able to determine that it was low transmission fluid and possibly an additive or incorrect fluid used when I had done a transmission drain and fill at another mechanic earlier in the month. I wouldn't recommend calling their number since I was never able to get through to them. Why? Because when I went there I saw how busy they are which is a great sign. Chris is always in front of the computer replying to emails, answering customers' questions. If not, he's talking to customers who are coming to pick up or drop off their car. I was praising their work to my friend yesterday after getting the car back and coincidentally he had gone to them just a little while before I did to get his tires mounted and also had great things to say about Chris and his team.Capitol Hill Auto Services did a fantastic job getting my 8 year old, 100K mile car feeling like new again. I love my car even more now and will only trust Chris and Ryan to work on her from now on. You should too.Services: Transmission, Steering & suspension repair, Wheel alignment

  Matthew Stevens
5 months ago
I've used these guys for years. Great prices and professional, can't recommend them enough!

  Jon Detrow
2 years ago
A similar story to another customer who got no service despite an appointment. We were going to be visiting DC and booked an oil change and tire rotation based on Capitol Hill s good service when we used to live here. But something has changed. I think Chris is overbooked and needs more office help. You can t get a live answer or leave a message. You have to email. And Chris does not acknowledge you for several minutes when you stand at the office window in front of dozens of clipboards with work orders and keys on them. Our car was there for most of two days with no communication no call or email with an update. When we showed up in person to claim our car because we had to get on the road, there was not even an apology. Very disappointed. One star for good service in the past. One for what happened on this, our final visit.

  Ee H
a year ago
Chris is super friendly and transparent with his work. He provides you with options and doesn t try to scare you to get repairs done. Super fast and efficient communication through email.