Volkswagen builds some of the most reliable vehicles on the market today. But just like any piece of machinery, your VW will likely need some repairs after a while. Auto dealerships are notorious for long wait times and less than reliable quality repairs. How can you locate the perfect VW auto repair shop in Charleston when your Volkswagen needs work? Here are five tips to help you find the most reliable VW auto repair when you need it.
Explore Consumer Reviews
Begin your search for reliable VW auto repair by spending time on the Internet exploring consumer reviews of shops in the Charleston area. Satisfied customers will let you know about their experience — and dissatisfied customers won’t be shy about sharing what went wrong! Check out reviews on:
- The shop’s website
- Bing
- Yelp
Pay attention to both good and bad reviews and what may have caused a poor experience. If your vehicle is having similar problems to another dissatisfied customer, you may want to avoid that VW repair shop.
TIP: Be sure to notice how a VW auto repair shop responds to any negative reviews or comments. What they say and how they handle criticism tells you much about their character, reliability and desire to satisfy their customers. Just because a shop has a poor review, doesn’t mean they don’t offer exceptional service.
Shop for VW Specialists
Auto repair shops that cater to a wide audience are always suspect. How can any shop employ enough “specialists” to perform precise work on a wide range of makes and models? No one person specializes in everything, and this applies to repair shops as well.
Narrow your list of prospective VW auto repair shops in Charleston down to those that only work on German-made vehicles like Volkswagen. If you drive an EV, make sure they handle these specialty models as well. Ottohaus of Charleston takes pride in having a narrow focus of specialty like this; we’ve seen pretty much everything that can go wrong with a Volkswagen because we work on so many. And, that experience translates into specialty knowledge on the best way to repair those problems.
Review Their Practices
Once you narrow your list down to the local highest reviewed specialty VW auto repair shops, carefully review how they do things. Look for things like:
- A quality guarantee
- OEM (or better) parts
- Advanced diagnostic equipment
- Trained/certified technicians
- Courteous treatment
- Low-pressure relations with customers
A quick review of the shop’s website and customer reviews can reveal much about how they treat you and your vehicle. If anything seems suspect or fishy, ask about it.
Obtain Repair Estimates
Choose your top VW auto repair shops in the area and visit them for a repair estimate. Pay attention to the questions they ask about your vehicle’s problems. Provide all the information you can so they can offer as accurate an estimate as possible. Compare these estimates and look for:
- Differences in the problem diagnosis
- Differences in their proposed repair strategies (what parts or repairs are needed?)
- Differences in price
- Differences in the quality of the warranties
- How each estimate was compiled and offered to you
The least expensive repair estimate is not likely the best; but the most expensive estimate may not be the best, either. Try to identify the most thorough and professional estimate and experience.
Trust Your Gut
After doing your due diligence with research and getting estimates, compare these and then fall back on your instincts. You’ve likely had interactions with various repair professionals before. What does your gut tell you?
Quality VW Auto Repair in Charleston
Ottohaus of Charleston is a reliable, quality VW auto repair shop that area residents and vacationers have grown to trust with their German-made automobiles. Our trained and experienced VW specialists have extensive knowledge of older and late-model Volkswagen vehicles and the best way to make repairs to a wide range of problems. We’re not afraid to tackle rare or unheard-of problems — bring your malfunctioning Volkswagen to us and let us demonstrate why Charleston VW owners keep coming back for service and repairs.
