Doc & Friends Auto Services

Just like all the reviews, I can honestly say that Doc is truly one of those genuinely nice and honest mechanics you will meet. I just moved to Ellicott from Alaska and my vehicle has been sitting for a while through transit. I wanted to use Unilocal to find a trustworthy place to get my vehicle checked and the oil changed. I came across Doc’s shop and decided to give it a shot. All the reviews couldn’t be wrong, right? I’m glad I went here. They were professional and I wouldn’t want to take my vehicle anywhere else. I was always weary of the Jiffy Lubes and other shops but I recommend calling first to schedule an appointment. The place is a bit difficult to get to but it’s worth it. The oil change and checkup was quick and I will be back in the future. I love places and people who are passionate about their customers, job and don’t take advantage of those in need. They just earned my business until the time I’m here. Don’t go elsewhere. Thank you Doc!

Just moved to the area and selected this place because of all the 5 star reviews. The reviews are all 5 stars for a reason. He was fast, friendly and efficient. I only had a 100 dollar bill to pay which he couldn’t break so he was going to let me drive away in my car and come back. I refused and walked to the Dunkin Donuts to get smaller bills. He is also honest. He said nothing was wrong with my car. He mentioned that my rotors were showing some but I dont need to replace them unless I am noticing issues with braking. He took time to write a detailed invoice since my car is still under warranty. I didn’t ask, he just explained that I need to keep it to show that I was taking care of my car in case something happened. I will only take my car to him as long as I am living in Maryland.

I called Doc and told him I thought my brake pads were worn down since my car was squawking whenever I hit the brakes. The day I called him I started to hear grinding so I knew I had to get the issue taken care of ASAP.
I called five minutes before he closed the shop and he told me to bring my car in the next morning. He promptly called my husband after he ran the diagnostic and gave him a price to fix the problem.
Turns out my brake pads were totally worn down and I had to get the rotor replaced as well.
Doc fixed the issue at a reasonable price and got it done by the end of the day. He was very friendly and very trustworthy. I’m glad he’s right up the street from me in case anything else goes wrong with my car.
Doc’s shop is a little tricky to find. Follow the tip on this Unilocal page and you shouldn’t have any problems!

Best auto mechanic shop I’ve been to hands down. Been there twice now. The first time was by chance because my truck was flaking out nearby and it was the highest Unilocal rated in the vicinity, the 2^nd because he earned my trust the 1^st go around. You don’t feel like your getting swindled, and the owner is always straight with you on what needs to be done. Doesn’t cut corners and doesn’t try to make a profit at your expense. If there’s something wrong, he’ll open it up and show you what he’s talking about so it doesn’t seem like he’s trying to con you or something. Recommended for anyone who dreads having to deal with shady auto mechanics. I drove 20+ miles to get here the 2^nd time. One of his friends brought pizza over the 2^nd time while he was working on my truck and he hooked me up with a couple slices. Chill guy. Will converse with you as he works.

I needed break service on my 2011 Mazda Miata, and I was a first time customer. I have to say Doc did an excellent job! Even though he told me had 30+ years experience and used to teach car repair, I found him to be very humble, trustworthy and sincere. He finished my car in under 2 hours by himself. He even showed me the old pads so I could see what he replaced. He wanted to charge me less, but the Mazda parts themselves were most of the bill. I had gone to the dealer first, and they wanted to charge 3x as much for the exact same service. I’m so glad I passed on them. I would definitely recommend Doc. Great job!

Had an excellent experience with Doc. I called and spoke directly with him. He was a very nice man. I told him I needed an oil change and tire rotation. Doc was able to see me immediately, and said it was $ 65 for everything including fluid re-​fills, brake checks, and some other stuff.
Now the place isn’t exactly a Jiffy Lube with a decent lobby area to wait in but I didn’t care. It was a two door mechanics garage with a desk, sofa and a few chairs to sit and wait. It was a little chilly but worth it to see Doc in action. Yes you get to see him do the work on your car. I felt better seeing him do the work, he took his time and didn’t rush. He looked underneath the car in the motor and made sure everything looked good, then he proceeded to do the oil change and tire rotation. Took him maybe 25−30mins. He was very polite and is very knowledgable on Japanese cars. Every review I read about Doc has been on point. Great service at a great price, I recommend Doc because he’s simple and does the job you need done. I will deff be coming back to him for my next oil change or any other work I need some on my car.

Doc gave me a free diagnosis and when He told me it would cost over $ 2000 he also told me it wasn’t necessary to fix the car because it wasn’t essential for it to run and also that I could drive the car fine «forever» without getting it repaired. He showed me how to maintain my car now with the problem it has until I decide to get a new car. Very helpful & honest… I tried to tip him but he wouldn’t let me!

great guy and shop. honest, knowlegable, quick, oh and did i mention honest? has a bit of an accent but if you can manage, id definately recommend his place for all Japanese/​korean cars and trucks.

Doc is quite simply the best. Completely agree with prior Unilocalers — this gentleman is trustworthy, kind, and brilliant.
My friend had driven from upstate NY to Baltimore and realized once she was here that the folks who had changed her oil in NY, uhm, forgot, uh, to put the oil cap back on — — - by the time she’d gotten down here, her oil had completely spilled out along the way and her engine was likely a few miles away from exploding. We took her poor limping Subaru to Doc and he fixed her right up. He was extremely kind and resolved all issues very quickly and thoroughly. She made it back up with absolutely no problems and is singing his praises wherever she goes!
Only sadness: he specializes in Japanese & Korean cars, so he can’t be our go-​to guy for one of our more needy fixer-​upper vehicles. Oh well — we will definitely be back!
THANK YOU!

In need of an oil change and having been burned by my previous mechanic and a local location of one of the big lube chains, I turned to Unilocal for a recommendation on a place that would finally treat me right.
Let me tell you, the reviews of Doc’s shop are 100% on the nose. I called yesterday to see if he had time to fit me in, and the man (who I figured was Doc by the accent) told me to come by at 3. Good deal — I had some errands to do, so that would work fine.
Despite my errands I got to Doc’s shop a little before 2:30. As mentioned, the reviews were right — his shop is a bit tricky to find at first. You cannot see it from the street, so don’t bother looking for it. The landmark you’re looking for on Rt. 40 is the Verizon Wireless store. Pull into the parking lot, and drive up the left side of the building. At the dead end, turn left and you’re at Doc’s shop.
Anyway — got there a half hour early, and went in to let him know I was the guy who called and would be fine with coming back if he was busy. Instead of sending me away, Doc put down his lunch and pulled my car into the garage.
Half an hour later, my oil was changed, my car was inspected for other possible issues, the door and hatch hinges were lubed and the tire pressure was adjusted because it was too low and I didn’t realize it. The price was fair, and worth every penny for the level of service alone.
Long story short, Doc loves what he does, and it shows. The entire time he was working I was sitting there chatting with him and he said the same thing that others have mentioned hearing him say in previous comments — he used to work for years in a dealership, retired, and now does this «for fun». Not a bad way to run a business.
Two big old thumbs up for this place — I’ll definitely be back.

Doc is a sweet Thai-​American man and capable car mechanic who aims to please his customers! He told me he worked many years as a mechanic for a dealership and has since retired. He now works in his own shop for fun.
I went in for an oil change and automatic transmission fluid change. He was very knowledgeable in explaining whether or not I actually needed the latter and left the decision up to me. He also helped me fill up on car fluids that were running low (e.g., windshield wiper fluid) and used some sort of aerosol spray can to clean the door hinges — free of charge. He definitely goes above and beyond! I went in on a weekday morning a little after 8 AM, and he finished everything by 9 AM.
The shop is a little hard to find; it’s hidden behind the Verizon Wireless store facing the street.
In short: terrific customer service, fair prices, and terrific customer service! (It’s worth repeating.)

This place is great. The owner and staff are friendly and honest. You can tell they’re good people. I bring my 2012 Ford F-​150 here for oil changes, and I bring my girlfriends Mini Cooper here too. When I first started coming here we had an older Volvo and Doc did some front end work that I was super happy with. Great price and great service.

My car was having severe issues and Doc was able to fix all of them for a great price! Donna (service consultant) was extremely professional and very helpful. My car needed a new belt, pulley, and radiator and Doc and Donna explained exactly what needed to be done. Usually car mechanics have a negative stigma for being dishonest people, but they are the complete opposite. I would highly recommend these guys to everyone!

I found this place on Unilocal after looking for a quick place to get my oil changed. When possible, I try to keep money locally in the community. I called and they were able to fit me in within 10 minutes. Another 35 minutes and it was done. Service was prompt. Doc and Donna were professional, friendly and most importantly — *honest*. No upsells, they let me know the condition of my vehicle and I appreciate that. Would recommend them without hesitation.

The way we found out about this place is like a story from a book. I was i the middle of my pregnancy, it was super hot outside and my car decided to die in the middle of the highway. After I somehow managed to move it to a lot, my boss picked me up to take me to work. My boyfriend found Doc’s number online and called them to see if they will be able to fix the car. Donna drove all the way to the lot, picked up my car and took it in the shop. They fixed it and didn’t charge me extra for having to pick it up (somehow it made it to the shop). We were sold after that, so my crappy Hyundai has been there 2 times after that I think — she gave me a ride one time so I can leave the car overnight. Not only they are super friendly and good people, but also Doc is the absolutely best with Asian cars, he knows them in and out! I went to the new location the last time and it was again a great experience. I really hope they get more business since it is such a better service than most places!

I took my car to Doc’s to get new tires. Both Donna (service consultant) and Doc were both polite and professional. I felt that they both honest, knew what they were talking about, and are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure you are a satisfied customer. The tire installation went well with no gotchas, and the price was right. I am very pleased with their service.
The actual service center is a large building with 1 big room where all the work is done and all the papers and contracts are signed (e.g. there is no front office room or anything). That was a little strange at first and very barebones, but not a big deal and don’t let it deter you. They mentioned that the service center will be moving to Ellicott City (close to Shanty Grill) in early 2013 or so, which is supposed to be a nicer building.

Words cannot describe what an incredible experience it was dealing with Doc. In the middle of a heatwave, car stranded on the side of 100, Doc volunteered to come pick up the car at no additional charge. He diagnosed the problem and had our car fixed the very next morning. Excellent work, fair rates and the BEST customer service experience I’ve ever had with an automotive mechanic — again, I can only say THANK YOU DOC and I will definitely be back!

Great service. It’s nice to see a family owned business that’s as competent as these guys.

This is auto services place who can cater to all the problems related to cars and any brand of car. It is located in Elkridge. They are the best! Their services are better than dealer services.
My muffler broke on my old Honda, they gave me the best price for the part and installed it also at great price.
Now I got my new mazda and I do my oil change here itself. Its like almost giving your car to a family friend and getting it fixed.