«Due to my incompetence, I broke my Subaru Outback’s transmission. A transmission shop charged me $140 for a tow and another $150 for a «Diagnostic Fee». The cost to fix it was astronomical! We decided to scrap the car. While looking for a scrapyard, I stumbled across Southlawn Auto Service on Southlawn in Rockville where I met Gus the owner. I explained how the transmission shop gave me the option of a rebuilt trans for $7k or a $4k transmission repair (if possible once opened up).
Gus took some information and presented me with another option. He said he would put a used transmission in for $1500 to $2k. And if the trans failed, he would put a second one in for free. That was a deal we could not walk away from. Replacing an Outback trans is a very complex procedure. It is worse than most other vehicles.
Since our 2005 Outback only had 63k miles on it, we decided to let Gus do his magic. Two business days later Gus calls for me to get my car.
I was present with a modest bill of $350. It seems that my trans was not broken so bad that it needed replacing. So that previous trans shop that charged me $150 for «Diagnostic Services» must have had a bad transmission test machine. Or they could be crooks. You decide. Gus only charged for towing, pushing the car on the lift, getting and returning a used trans, removal and replacement of items they didn’t need to remove (exhaust, driveshaft, etc) and of course the actual simple repair.
Gus could have easily faked a receipt for a used trans, copied my trans’s number onto the receipt, brushed my trans off a bit, and charged me whatever he liked. And I would have been very pleased at that price.
Gus is an honest business man with 36 years of experience. Finding Southlawn Auto Service is the best thing that has happened to me so far this year! Thanks Gus!»
John Painter Gaithersburg
Customer Review
Rob S.
Damascus, MD – Apr 10, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
«You know what I love about Gus at Southlawn? He has no issue saying he is «the man» after a repair because, he is – in fact – the man. LOL. The guy just knows vehicles, and furthermore, his knowledge goes BEYOND basic auto repair as he knows about electrical issues, etc, from his earlier days in Lebanon. He is the ONLY mechanic I will allow to touch my 2001 BMW 325ci. Premium service at budget prices. Don’t be fooled by the «messy» surroundings of his shop – that is usually a sign of a dude that KNOWS what he is doing and refuses to pass on the overhead charges of coffee and a waiting room to your repair bill. Also, name another mechanic that gives you his personal cell number and allows you to text him when you have an issue? I’ll wait. Thank you, Gus. You ARE the man!»
