Barry Palmer Auto Incorporated

I love my mechanic. Makes owning a VW a treat. My only qualm when I get a new car (something Japanese, they're quite a bit more reliable) is that I have to find a new mechanic. He does great work, is honest about it, and has VERY reasonable rates. I just had my clutch changed, alternator replaced, brakes changed and rotors rotated, and it was all done in one day. I am dreading the day I have to find a new mechanic.

this father/son team were so sweet-they fit me in one day in advance when i had a road trip to take and for the work they did (fuel filter replacement, check codes, replace those pesky side-panels that always fall off VWs, and a few other minor things) the bill was just under 250. which seemed reasonable to me. they were friendly, and called me before they did any work to tell me how much it would cost and what they were doing. the place is sortof hard to find but they gave good directions. the biggest inconvenience is that they close at 6 and aren't open weekends. but otherwise, i'd recommend them.

My girlfriend (in GA - I live in DC) had a problem with her volkswagen jetta stalling whenever it drove through water/rain/puddles, etc. I did some research and we determined it was most likely her ignition coil. She went to her dealer and they said it would cost over $1000. I called these guys up after reading about them on cartalk.com. They said yep - it sounded like the transmission coil, and they'd happily use a replacement part. They were up front with the cost (MUCH less than the dealer), showed her the part, told her the options, and worked with her to get her car fixed up and running as soon as possible. She's been going back to them ever since and absolutely loved their service.

Used recommendations from this website when I was searching for a shop for my wife's 2003 Passat. These guys were very friendly, were able to fit the car in with very short notice, and charged almost half of what Jim Ellis was going to charge me to fix a CV Boot. I have definitely found a new mechanic for my wife's car. The hours are not totally customer friendly, but they did say they are working to set up a "key drop" and they did stay late when my wife and I got caught in traffic and called ahead. The hours are not a problem because of the service you receive.

Mr. Palmer and his son have worked on my 2000 passat several times, their prices are fair and usually the lowest around. They both have no problem explaining the details of what exactly and why various parts needed to be repaired/replaced. They have a lot of experience with the Volkswagen brand. I would not hesitate to bring my car back to them or to recommend them to another VW owner.

Palmer Auto did some major work (VR6 timing chains, etc.) on my '94 Corrado about three years ago, and the work they did has held up great. They are experts who can be trusted to provide excellent service at a fair price. The father and son are a pleasure to deal with and will gladly explain the work they are recommending or have performed. As previously mentioned by other reviewers, their hours are somewhat restrictive for those with regular working hours (and ATL traffic), but it's worth the hassle to know your car will be serviced properly at reasonable rates.

We own a 2003 VW Passat, and I highly recommend them over the dealer because they fix the problem the first time and their costs are significantly lower than the dealer. The location is ok and the shop is not the prettiest but they do great work.