The short (TLDR) version of my review is to say Whitings Auto Repair went well above the call of duty to render assistance to me (and accompanying family) when we found ourselves in a difficult situation. We were treated kindly and fairly by Kurt, Maddie and Peter over a period of several days during which my disabled vehicle required relocation by tow. I highly recommend Whitings for their professionalism, courtesy and communicativeness.
A longer narrative follows: My teenage son and I were on the first full day of our vacation in remote Acton, ME, when my Audi A6 degraded en route to a Sunday morning trip to Portland from warning indicators about electrical malfunctions to a fully poweless and inoperable vehicle I was compelled to steer off of the main road in a less-than-ideal location. This happened on a particularly cold day, and in the midst of a long weekend. With options extremely limited -- no ride sharing, no open rental agencies, and no local connections on whom to depend -- my only choice was to seek assistance via AAA. I was relieved when they assigned Whitings, based simply on online reviews. Kurt arrived from 20 or so miles away, not realizing this was a roadside assistance call due to miscommunication with AAA, and had not brought a flatbed (optimal for AWD). He helped jump start the car so we could move off the road, and after evaluating our situation, elected to give us a lift into town and tow via dolly system, to ensure we weren't left stranded. Moreover, he drove us outside the direct route to enable me to pick up a U-Haul, which turned out to be the only available rental vehicle in a 50 miles radius. Kurt was kind enough to wait around to verify we could access an alternate vehicle, in spite of operating short-handed on a long-weekend Sunday.
After examining the vehicle Monday, Kurt and crew determined that they could not effect repairs because of parts (understandable, given the alternator required replacing, and I've learned the hard way that Audi parts are generally in high demand, low supply, and, accordingly, not inexpensive). Maddie called to explain the situation, and offered assistance to coordinate a second towing with AAA in an effort to minimize cost to me. I contacted a dealership (the closest being an hour away), and made arrangements to have the vehicle serviced and to obtain a loaner. Peter from Whitings was the assigned driver, and he was kind enough to offer me a lift with him to the dealership so that I could pick up the loaner. He worked diligently in brutal code to secure my car and exhibited more courtesy than necessary during our early-morning trip to Stratham, NH.
After securing the loaner, and as the only eligible driver, I was left with the challenge of returning the U-Haul 10+ miles away from the shop at which it was parked. With towing fees settled and no stake in the outcome of my vehicle, Maddie demonstrated extreme generosity in offering to pick me up from the U-Haul drop-off and drive me back to their shop to recover my loaner. She did this in the middle of a busy day with both family and professional commitments, even though my status as "customer" was (pun intended) in the rear view mirror. And having brought my son with me on the vehicle exchange, Maddie was gracious enough to accommodate the unexpected additional passenger, and was a lovely companion for the ride.
I may not be qualified to comment on the quality of their repair services proper, but I can certainly vouch for the reliability of their 24/7 towing service, and with even greater confidence, the compassion and goodwill everyone we encountered at Whitings demonstrated in spades. I am certainly grateful for their willingness to help, even when it was not directly related to profit, and I can definitely say that while I would have preferred to not contend with vehicle repairs, I did in fact enjoy the experience of meeting Kurt and his team (and family). They have earned both my loyalty and appreciation. read more