I hesitated for a long time to write this review. In terms of service, I have little to complain about. The mechanics and associates were expedient and updated me frequently about their progress. I have not had enough repairs done in my life to know how the price compared, but my insurance covered it, and the rates seemed reasonable. However, that will be the last time I use this place. When I came to pick up my car, one of the employees was having a personal conversation on the phone. I don't care about that; we've all done it. However, he used several gay slurs in the conversation, which I did care about. He noticed my unease and apologized, and enough time has passed that I do not even think I could reliably tell which employee said it. I know many people would say "get over it," and I did. I did not try to get the employee fired, and I waited a very long time to mention this anywhere. My only response is to go to their competitors instead, which I have every right to do. read more

I'm going to go on record and give this place 5-stars after all. Their honesty regarding repairs and price, good advice on how to cut costs (without quality), and fast work times make them the to-go place in Columbia. I have now had one major repair (struts), one major piece of maintenance (fuel injection cleaned), two oil changes and a minor repair (small hose). They have always provided fair price for labor and parts, told me where to go if I wanted to find the parts cheaper, and even instructed what needed to be done and what could wait. My vehicle is usually done within 12-36 hours, and if they say it'll be done by the end of the day they mean it. The main mechanics/owners are extremely knowledgeable, recognizing common problems or concerns based solely on the model, make, and year. I've even been able to describe stuff in layman's terms and they still can determine what needs to be looked at. I also like that they send you updates for regular maintenance via e-mail, something many independent garages don't do. I will continue to use Dobbin Auto Repair and have recommended it to everyone I know in the area. I hope they maintain this level of quality, but judging by the other reviews it seems certain! read more

I needed to get my car inspected and found this place through yelp. When I called to check prices, they were the cheapest around. Dealers want to charge $95, other places want to charge $80. This place was $60. I was able to schedule an appointment for a Saturday and when I drove up, they knew who I was, even though I had never been there before. I had called a few days before to see if there was a Starbucks or Panera nearby and the guy said there was a Starbucks across the street (not quite, but a short 3 minute walk). When I got there, I saw that they had a really nice waiting room, but I needed my morning fix, so I decided to walk up to Starbucks anyway (which was also a positive experience, clean, TONS of seating and surge protectors with extra outlets so you don't have people jostling for the 2 good seats by the outlet). I had been told that it would take them a few hours so you can imagine how happy I was when they called to tell me it was ready in just over an hour. The car passed inspection and even though the guy recommended getting 2 new tires, he wasn't pushy about it at all. There were no hidden charges. I paid exactly the price I was quoted over the phone. The (VERY) minor downside was that the shop was tucked far back behind a few other shops. But, if you know this going in, you'll be ok. Even though this place is 20-25 minutes away from me, I'll be going back. Thank you to the other Yelpers who directed me here. They were not wrong. read more

I have taken all my old cars to them and they have done a stand-up job for me. Having come from several corrupt mechanics, I was a little jaded. They have not let me down yet. I have NEVER had a problem with them in over 9 years and as a female, recommend them to every female I know. I noticed a review where someone failed inspection and the cost of parts was a little more. That is generally true when going through them, but, as one of the mechanics told me, you can always get the parts cheaper online then bring them in and they will put them in for you at their labor cost. Worked out tremendously for me with the last job I had done. read more

Wasn't impressed.. terrible prices and quotes for fixes needed. They were trying to charge multiple alignments and $98 for installing one clip in light cover I replaced both for 10$. They just clipped in.. Nothing was broke it just fell off. I had to take my car by another shop it was just sitting badly with me and I'm not going to get ripped off. They told me $59 for the inspection and then charged me another $25 for a window tint inspection when it was time to pay??? I don't recommend going there and I won't be going back. They wanted 800 for a power steering pump and around 1600 to fix it all with hoses. At the second shop I went to I was informed my car had a recall to replace the power steering! Dobbin was going to charge me to replace it.. Says a lot to me about there character and I'd just be careful. Just really heart breaking that people treat others like that... ----reply to message sent by Richard A.----- In addition to the MD state inspection, you provided a quote to make the necessary repairs needed to pass inspection. I was going to bring it back, since you would already be familiar with the faults needing to be corrected. This quote for repairs was separate from the MD state inspection. I was told only of the $59 dollar inspection fee and was not made aware of the additional inspections required. I actually asked twice just to confirm. Once when I called to make the appointment and then again upon arrival. I was given the same price of 59$ (which is also listed on the wall in your waiting room). I'm not able to bring the car back to the seller since it's a private owner and was lied to about the inspections passing. All I can do is take them to small claims court...That's all my own fault and I got a lemon. I was just disappointed in being taken advantage of yet again and I don't want that to happen to others. read more

Awesome mechanic? Affordable, reliable, and honest are the tree words that come to mind when thinking about dobbin auto repair. They do a thorough jog, and have never given me the negative feeling that comes with dealing with other mechanics. They are great. read more

Superb service! I took my chronically problematic car to this place twice now, and every time they are finished with it, my car runs perfectly again. Alok was my mechanic and he was super thorough with everything that was going on with my car and even gave me suggestions about my tires' warranty instead of ripping me off for it. I don't even live in Columbia but if something happens to my car and I can make it to Dobbin Auto Repair I would absolutely do it. read more

5 Stars? I wish I could give them 10! After my horrible experience with Mr. Tire (see my review) I was still stuck with the same problem with my car. Turns out there are several auto repair shops all in the same small area. I read through all of the Yelp reviews for those shops and the only one that seemed to have consistently good reviews was Dobbin Auto Repair. I gave them a chance and they did great. For example... * Very thorough diagnostic and clear explanation of the problem. * Realistic estimation on time needed for repair, and they did it in less time. * Excellent communication and very patient with my questions and sympathetic to my concerns (again, see review of Mr.Tire) * Did not try to up sale me or bully me into additional services, although I did ask them to check out a few things that I suspected might need to be fixed. Weren't needed. * Clear explanation about my questions concerning the invoice. To top it off, I was pleasantly surprised when I received a 10% discount for being a new customer; they have other regular sales as noted on their website and here on Yelp. So again, great service, great job, my car is working fine and I'm a happy man! :-) read more

So I have a hard time reviewing Dobbin Auto Repair. The car we brought her the most was my wife's 1995 Honda Civic, which we started bringing there in 2011. So it was already super old when they got their hands on it. Basically, they were able to keep it running for an additional 6 months. However, the second to the last time it was in, they somehow may have missed a problem with the radiator. I really don't know. Two weeks later, the car overheated and had some major damage. We asked if they could only fix it enough to get another month out of it. They said they could, and did a patch job. Two days later, my wife almost ended up as 'that car' on the DC Beltway as the car began to violently shake. She managed to get to a garage where the car was pronounced as dead on arrival. They mechanic there was amazed that Dobbin Auto's mechanics let us drive it off. However, every other time we brought a car there, they have been great. Their prices are also very good. Four stars, but it could easily be five. read more

This rating is for honesty and trustworthiness. Paul has been very great both times I brought my car to him. He always could have charged more and also suggest more work! But he did not. He kept things very reasonable. My two experiences went like this:1) I had a flat tire, and all the other places told me it had too many nails to be fixed. They wanted me to buy a new tire. It had three nails. Paul fixed it dirt cheap and I never had a problem. 2)Fast-forward one year and I noticed my engine is low on oil. probably burning it, but was not sure. He went ahead and figured out that it was being burnt, telling me fixing it would be pretty expensive and not necessarily worth it. Again, an opportunity to recommend and charge a lot. Only 50 bucks for diagnostics. I cannot speak to his ability to catch subtle problems, or perform extremely technical repairs, but I can say he's a straight shooter. He will always be the first guy I go to. read more

Get a scan tool and check your codes before and after coming here. Came in with cylinder misfires and left with 3 more codes... also get the feeling they tale parts from your car to sell to others do just be careful you pay for them to do nothing but take from you. read more

If I could give them zero star I would. I sent my car to Dobbin this morning, because my air conditioner is off. At this weather, the air conditioner is a must. I was there at exactly 8:00 am in the morning, and haven't heard anything from them until 12:00 pm. I was wondering "what takes them so long?" and back to store to ask if they have checked my car. Then until 3:00 pm I got my car back. Although it takes so long but I thought if they could fix the problem then it maybe worth it. Then then told me my air conditioner was working fine. This is what they figured out after 7 hours. I picked my car and drove back home, the air conditioner died AGAIN just a little bit later at 5:00 pm. This is a totally waste of time, a waster of 7 hours in my life. I should try somewhere else, somewhere respect their business and more professional. read more

We just moved here and had issues with our car hood closing and they were able to take our car today without an appointment. About an hour after we dropped off the car we got a call that the hood was working just fine and there was no need to fix anything. He was correct the hood was closing just fine. We're giving 5 starts for honesty, they could have charged us to "fix" something that wasn't broken. We will definitely come here when our car does need something fixed. read more

I called them around 1pm. They said bring it in. Got my tire patched for $17.50 in about 30-40 min. They were courteous and there is a nice waiting room with a tv and magazines- a plus! Now I don't have to worry about figuring out where to go while the car is being fixed. read more

New to the area, looking for a new place to service my old accord. They came recommended by a car guy, but unfortunately, I had a bad experience. First and foremost, they were always professional, courteous, and nice, but I was almost charged more than double for something I got fixed for less than half their quote. Took my car in, said I needed two new radiator fan assemblies, quoted $750. Super high. Called around, they all said it was too high. Called Dobbin back up and asked them to check around cause everyone's saying they can do it for cheaper. Got a call back a couple hours back saying no can do. Meh. Took my car back, paid the $50 for the check or whatever it really was, and took it to another place which cost me about $350 or so total. read more

I went to Dobbin Auto Repair after my car AC quit working in the middle of this 90° weather. Molly was super nice and helpful when scheduling an appointment, explaining the issues they had found, and keeping my updated with cost/time estimates. She even took the time to call my warranty company to help cover the cost of the repairs. They were super quick to replace my air compressor (among other services) and I ended up getting my car back - perfect AC and all - in less than two days. Will definitely return if I need any more work done! read more

Update to my previous review. I went to another repair shop and didn't mention the previous evaluation. They came back with suggestions for $1000 less in repairs. I then explained the previous situation and asked them specifically about the parts they hadn't recommended replacing and they said those parts were fine and absolutely did not need to be replaced. Additionally, Dobbin had also recommended I get my oil changed since it was overdue, which surprised me. However, when I got the car back from the second shop and compared the mileage to the oil change sticker on the windshield I still had over 400 miles till my oil was due to be changed. read more

I am so glad this place exist! You won't find a better place to have your car worked on! read more

Dobbin Auto Pros - Auto Repair Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Richard is "THE MAN", at this spot. Polite, kind, and treats you like a person. He, is a professional that will tell you Exactly what's going on with your Vehicle, without the "RUN AROUND", and without trying to "RIP YOU OFF". I have been a loyal customer for over 10 years and I have no complaints! Ask for Richard... Good Guy! read more

I used to go here for my CRV's service. Good service and respectful staff members.

Called at 8AM dropped car off for MD state inspection at 9AM. 2 hours later car passed inspection ready for pick up. Professional and prompt service. Strees free visit. read more

Coming from overseas and just got stationed in Maryland. Found Dobbin Auto Repair based off mainly positive reviews on yelp. My experience dealing with Alok was great. Talking to him over the phone to schedule an inspection as well as my re-inspection experience (seems like he mainly works reception so you'll most likely be talking to him on the phone). Required a Maryland state inspection to register my out of state vehicle. $80 for the inspection which was average price based on my research. Failed the inspection and the fixes totaled around $275 (including inspection fee). Thought the price was steep for what fixes needed to be done (mainly replacing light bulbs in the front and rear and some other things). Easy conversation telling him I would fix the issues myself and return. He obliged and said it was no problem as long as I return within 30 days or 1000 miles. Returned to have the shop replace a headlight and parking light bulb that I just couldn't do myself. (Advance auto store literally couple mins away to buy parts if need be) Not only did Alok take care of what I couldn't fix, he helped me pass inspection when one of the inspectors wanted me fail me or return some other time for not securing one of the wheel liners to his liking. (Understand they were busy working with other cars and I was a walk-in). Alok also took care of that quickly and efficiently. The work was minor but he didn't even charge me for replacing the light bulbs and fixing the wheel liner. Also took the time to explain registration steps to me since I wasn't from Maryland. Speaks volume on his care towards customers to go out of his way to fix my issues for free when it took his valuable time and spend a moment to talk to me. Definitely will be coming back. Recommend this place and ask for Alok. Thanks again Alok, appreciate it - Tom read more

I would put 0 stars if i could . Did not pass my Lexus Es 350 for inspection because it apparently needed the "steering rack and pinion " replaced . Took it to a independent mechanic who checked to see ABSOLUTELY NOTHING was wrong with the steering rack AT ALL . They inspected and it passed with flying colors . This shop is a con shop and incredibly dishonest , i would never recommend anyone to go here unless they do not care about their money . This shop knew the car would have to be put on a rack to see if the issue was there which is why they tried to pull a fast one . I understand this is how mechanics make their money but this is completely unethical and they should truly be put out of business . Just trying to help future people in need of auto service .... Steer CLEAR of Dobbin Auto Repair ! PS. They tried to charge me $1580 to fix the steering rack which is RIDICULOUS in its own ! First and last time every going here.... read more

I can't speak highly enough about this place. I called Rolando, who was so helpful and kind, about my Jeep needing the ball joints replaced. The dealership was going to charge me an outrageous price so I asked what they could do it for and he gave me a quote, he looked it all up while I was on the phone and it was was more than half less from the dealership! They got me 2 days later (I had to make arrangements - they would have done it that day if I asked) and had it done the same day. Also to my surprise, it was even LESS than what he had quoted me!!!! I've can honestly say this is the very best experience I have ever had with auto repairs. They went above and beyond and I will recommend everyone I can to go to them. They are Honest, Reliable, Trustworthy and kind...and they do a great job! read more

Unbelievable! Completely took advantage of my young daughter! Vehicle passed inspection 8 months ago and Dobbin now claims it needs a multitude of repairs in excess of $1500, including light bulbs for $30. This vehicle has been meticulously maintained with the records to prove it. Auto repair is a necessary thing, this shop is not! I will be taking the vehicle to another shop for anything that is truly needed. Additionally, I called the gentleman who wrote the estimate and he immediately stated that shops set their own labor rates and I may find a lower estimate, hmmmm? I offered him a chance to re-visit the estimate and he declined after supposedly checking with a manager. Whatever my charges from another shop, I will report here objectively so everyone is aware. read more

My son took our 2008 PONTIAC G6 Virginia Title: #51988471 VIN: 1G2ZF57B684172746 to get a MD State inspection yesterday, 2/16/2019. He was told the car passed the road test, but needed $1400 in brake work and other repairs. Today the LR brake caliper is bleeding brake fluid profusely and the car is undriveable. Coincidence? I think not! read more

Traveling through with a fifth wheel... (from out of state) had an issue with my brakes, and a front end shimmy.... called on Monday morning at 9... they worked me in by noon to diagnose the problems, and finished the work by 5 PM.... very reasonable pricing (considering I was from out of town and they could have stuck it to me) great customer service, great work. read more

What a fantastic find off of Dobbin Road. The staff is professional and very courteous. They took care of my car as a walk-in so I could safely drive home in the dark. I appreciate the fact that they are customer focused and centric. I would highly recommend them and will certainly visit again. read more

I have been bringing my vehicles here for 5 years. They are knowledgeable, nice, and I never feel like they are trying to sell me extra things that I don't need for my vehicles. They explain things very well The customer service is great. I currently drive in from out of state to continue to get my cars serviced there because they have done such a great job over the years. I highly recommend them! read more

I had some work done here and so far have been very pleased. The place can be a little tricky to find as it is located amongst other mechanic shops. The customer service was excellent and the place felt trustworthy. read more

Our Honda Civic's radio and dashboard panel started intermittently turning off, so I had my wife go here immediately. They quoted her about a Ben Franklin for the diagnostic + the same per hour for labor. They took all day testing everything they could think of (she left it there), cleaned the battery terminals, and ran the diagnostic test numerous times. They could not replicate the problem. When she returned to pick it up, they only charged her half the quoted diagnostic and nothing additional for labor. Sometimes these things don't replicate in the shop, but I feel like they covered all the bases and were very fair in the charges. read more

Excellent service and price! Sabrina at the front desk was exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable as well as helpful. And they have a decent waiting area with coffee, WiFi and tv. A great find and a keeper for our neighborhood! read more

These mechanics know what they are doing, and ensure customer satisfaction. It's good to have a trusted mechanic, and the specialist Richard is very good at what he does. The only bad thing would be the repairs seem to always take longer than they estimate. read more

I actually really enjoyed this place. I went in to have my maryland state inspection done because they were the cheapest I found when I called around the area. The place was a little hard to find (Tucked away in array of buildings) but the waiting room was nice and had digital cable and architectural books. They only found one thing wrong (something to do with my struts) and I heard the shop owner calling around to different part stores to get me the best price which was shocking. The thing that most impressed me was he offered to drive me to the bank because I had lost my bank card. I told him I didn't have enough money in my checking to pay for the unexpected repairs and he let me come back the next day on an honesty policy. I would definitely try this place again. read more

Beware, they may take you for a fool. I've used them before and am aware of the good reviews, but this time around the quote was absurd. $1900 for brakes including pads, rotors and calipers (note: it is nearly impossible to need four new calipers at once and the replacements likely wouldn't be as good as the originals that have lasted 145k miles, but that's another story). The price for parts is clearly marked up about 100% over what you'd pay for premium parts online and there's no indication that these parts are any better for the extra cost. I understand they have to make SOME money on parts but don't pretend like they're installing gold plated rotors and pads. The thing that got me the most was 6.5 hours labor for performing a brake job on one car! I've done it in half the time without any fancy lifts and tools! They also offered a $100 "computer diagnostic" for my check engine light. This is free at any auto parts store and I actually bought a "computer diagnostic" for $15 online that I use to reset the light as needed (catalytic converter is the issue). Not sure if it just happened to be the crew that was there that day but it was clear I was being fleeced. Will not use them again. read more

I went here to get a Maryland State Inspection. My car failed the inspection on account of one part in my car. Paul, the manager, encouraged me to call the manufacturer to see if the piece was under warranty because it would cost at least $800. Luckily the dealership replaced the part and I went back to Dobbin to have them reinspect my car. The service was honest, timely, and excellent. Paul is a great manager and I would definitely recommend this place! read more

Ehh. I've brought my car to Dobbin Auto Repair three other times with good results over the years. The battery I had them install went bad and I noticed it had a warranty that covered 1/2 the replacement cost. Somehow even with 1/2 the battery price covered by warranty it costed noticeably more than the original battery. The shop owner said their prices went up. I still do not understand how a warrantied battery costs more than what I originally paid total. read more

I tried Dobbin Auto Center because of the good reviews on Yelp. Our regular repair place gave my daughter an awfully high price to replace all four struts on her ten-year-old Corolla. I called around, based on some of the reviews on Yelp and some other local shops I knew, and Dobbin Auto Center had the best price. I was a little nervous because I didn't have a written estimate, but when I confirmed with Paul, the estimator and fellow at the front desk, he remembered the estimate and honored it and told me what line of replacement parts they were using. When we dropped off the car, they did the repair, noticed that a couple strut mounts were rusted badly and asked to replace them. When I checked the bill later, they only charged me for the parts (no additional labor). The repairs took the entire day. They insisted on test driving the car before releasing it to us, and didn't like the readings they got on the alignment, so they asked to hold it until morning to do the alignment again. They completed it first thing the next morning and called us by 9 a.m. to say it was ready. A pleasure to work with. Plan to move a lot of my family's auto repair business there. read more

I don't understand all the praises here. This place charges as much as the dealership and you guys were all impressed?! Tried calling for price for an oil change, they wanted $40 for the conventional and more than $80 for full synthetic, while Apple Ford only asks $30 (after $10 rebate) for synthetic blend+tire rotation. Same thing for the spark plugs replacement too. Where was the "affordable" and "honest" you guys were praising for? read more

I found a nail in my tire and scrambled around Columbia to find a repair shop before I ran out of air. These guys took my car in, I sat in their comfortable waiting room, and 30 minutes later we were on our way. Thanks! read more