Automotive Repair Group

Out of business

The comedy of incompetence and unprofessionalism that is Automotive Repair Group cost us our 1995 Mercedes Benz. We brought it in to ARG, 50 miles from our home, because their web site advertised much cheaper rebuilt transmissions than we could get anywhere else. They examined our car in detail and gave us a firm price, which we accepted. Then when we came to pick the car up they charged us $500 more than had been agreed upon, on the grounds that they needed more parts (they NEVER asked our permission for these parts). To placate us, they offered us our next Mercedes maintenance inspection for free: but when they did the inspection, months later, they failed to remove the oil filter, claiming their wrench could not free it up! [We paid to have a local change the filter -- they had no problem doing so.] Anyway, back to the initial repair: the Benz started smoking on the way home from the shop after the transmission repair (!) and my wife and son lost a day returning it to ARG to fix their snafu. To add gross insult to injury, the car's transmission utterly broke, not just no reverse but no gears at all this time, in December 2010, THREE WEEKS after the expiration of the 1-year warranty. When we phoned (hoping for a discount to repair the car) we were rudely sent packing by the telephone receptionist. We had the car examined by a Benz specialist, who informed us that the transmission was shot and that the previous rebuild had been totally incompetently done. Not being able to afford two rebuilt transmissions, we had to essentially give away our beloved Benz. ARG provided the worst single experience we have had with a merchant in our 23 years in the DC area -- a unique combination of rudeness and incompetence. Stay away from these people!