Graeves Auto and Appliance

This is an honest business. You might want to use their coupons or AAA card if you have one.
This is good as gold when it comes to a truthful mechanic.

Graeves is an honest shop with mostly local and family working there. I don’t go there often mostly due to logistics. I’ve had the oil changed before and needed to tighten the bolt later, but since I’m garage parked, it’s an easy catch.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them. I only wish they took appointments, though usually it is a one day in and out, even for more items than just routine maintenance.
Price is reasonable, and they are very pleasant. Coffee, donuts and a clean bathroom if you need it.

Most important thing is you know they will not rip you off, they are honest. As a woman I don’t know anything about cars (except that if you don’t fill them up with gas they stop on the highway), so for many years I got ripped off at Jiffy lube, every time I take the car in for an oil change which I did regularity, they talked me into hundreds of $$$ for things they said I needed (I drive a Toyota thank you very much, not a Porsche) I started bringing it to Greaves for all my maintanace and can’t be happier, they never try to sell me services I don’t need, their work is reliable, timely and professional. They are friendly and helpful, they will even fix a leak in your tire for free:-)

Great uhaul rental spot. Good friendly service. Never had any issues. Very accommodating.

Took my car in for 100k mile maintenance. A few months later, I take my car to the Lube Center for a routine oil change. The mechanic there approaches me in disbelief, I have several bolts missing from my engine mount. This is something that he has never seen before.
He advised that I get this taken care of immediately, because you know, the engine could fall out of the car. I cannot prove Graeves is to blame for the missing bolts. Even if they are not to blame, why was this not caught during the 100k maintenance? I paid almost $ 2,000 for this service, did 2 bolts just fall off of the engine mount in that 2 month time frame? Clearly, I do not have peace of mind and will not come here again. They were not friendly and seemed bored with me to begin with. I can deal with that if a good job is done, not the case here.

Great service from a family-​owned and operated car repair shop!
They fixed a flat tire for free on Tuesday, then two days later, charged nothing to remove a nest from underneath the car hood. They told me they fix flats as a courtesy to all persons– not just loyal customers. That says a lot! Additionally, the oil change on my car was $ 37.00 — other places have charged me between $ 80 – 100.00 for the same service. They do a great job and most importantly, they are honest! I am so grateful to them for servicing all of my cars!

This is a tough review to write because my experiences with Graeves are so mixed.
I had my vehicles serviced competently there for a few years. Usually the normal maintenance and simpler repairs under $ 500. I have bought appliances from them also but this review is for the auto side. (If you want good pricing on your kitchen appliances they are very competitive).
Again, no complaints for brake work, oil changes, tires, etc. They are very competent and fast, fairly priced, and pleasant to deal with.
But i had to take my business elsewhere after two experiences.
The first was when i had my Ford Explorer in for routine stuff and i kept hearing an odd whirring noise coming from the engine compartment. When i asked the fellow at the counter to check it he told me my transmission needed to be overhauled and that «I do 2 – 3 a week in those vehicles». I smelled BS but just let it go. (That was a few years ago… the Explorer still has the same trans and noise simply went away on it’s own).
But then i had a Chevy truck in for a an oil change and serpentine belt (as i was going to sell it) and was told i needed
radiator…no problem. I drove the truck home. parked it in my driveway and started fielding calls from prospective buyers. The first guy that test drove it handed me the keys back and told me the transmission was slipping badly and he wasn’t interested. I checked the trans fluid stick… nothing showed. And there was no leak under the truck. I determined that the fellow that replaced the radiator at Graeves failed to refill the transmission with fluid after draining the trans cooling lines attached to the radiator.
I replaced the fluid myself and eventually sold the truck but needless to say, that was it for me and Graeves.
Sorry too as this was, and i think still is, a good outfit but i don’t like to be BS’d and i cannot forgive a screw up like that. I wasn’t sure how to rate these guys Star-​wise so i hope i did it right based on my experiences.

Pleased with the good service.

Top notch. I needed a part for our house when we first moved to the area. Went in and the guy just gave it to me. Yeah it was only a couple bucks, but now I will always come to these guys for service. Places like this are rare these days.

In reply to Graeve’s response: there was no miscommunication. I asked these «professionals» to service my car. They should have been competent enough to tell me if the rotors needed machining or replacement. To call this a miscommunication is a complete cop out. I have started taking my cars to Wilson tire in Olney. I have not had any problems with them in 1.5 years.

My husband and I brought in a 2001 Honda Civic that needed quite a bit of work done on it to pass inspection. Our estimate from Graeves was $ 3,400 parts and labor. My husband explained to Scott Graeves that that was simply too much for us since we are active duty military getting out very soon and that instead of getting the repairs done, we’d figure something else out. Before we left that day (a Saturday), Scott told us to call back Monday to speak to him to see what we could figure out. We assumed we were just going to have to scrap the car which would have put a great deal more stress on our moving and our entire life change from Military to civilian.
Anyways, we called back monday and Scott told me that he’d do the necessary work to get the car to pass inspection for $ 969. Needless to say, we were EXTREMELY grateful. He really showed us great generosity and understanding of our situation. I dropped off the car at 6 in the morning the next day and went to pick it up at 12pm. We showed up and Scott had had our rear breaks and drums replaced at no extra cost to us. He did it our of pure generosity.
This business understands how to gain new customers and keep existing ones. When we officially move up to this area, this will be the place where we take all our cars.

Awesome crew, got my tires rotated and they did a free inspection to see if I had any maintenance that needed to be done. They were very honest and didn’t beat around the bush. Definitely recommend these guys. Good prices too.

Graeves is decent place to get your car repaired. I have been going to this place for 10 years and Scott has always been helpful and fair. He has some one drive me home when possible after I drop off my car. Scott is up early by 6AM moving cars. He works hard and it show that he cares about his business and customers and the community.

The significant other and I usually did our own auto repair work until we were given a 1982 Cadillac. After doing our own oil changes, brake work, fuel line & parts installation and rebuilding, the Cadillac was a beast too much. We decided to give it the heave ho when the reverse on the transmission gave out & we couldn’t afford to get it repaired, but finding a replacement car was also not within our budget. We still drove it when necessary but just made certain that we didn’t need to back up. We had pushed & popped the clutch to get cars started before & moved them as necessary but the «tank» was going nowhere when we tried to budge it. It needed the oil changed so enter Graeves.
As an Olney, MD resident for decades, I watched as the lot behind McDonalds where Graeves is located was first allocated for a car wash that was denied by Greater Olney Civic Association & then became Graeves. My friend raved about Graeves since they gave her a ride home after her car broke down. So I gave them a try & all seemed to go well but after the oil change & despite my begging them when I dropped the Cadillac off for the oil change to make certain the «tank» was parked so I could drive it forward out of the parking spot, they parked it head-​in on their gravel lot (it wasn’t yet paved). My strong-​as-​an-​ox 19-​yr old son & I tried to move the thing but my feet slipped out from under my body and I fell and my head hit the frame of the car & sustained a slight concussion & neck wrench. I was exasperated beyond belief, drove the tank home & parked it on the side of the road, ½ on the grass, in front of my house where it was not moved for weeks. I told my significant other that I refused to drive that thing again.
A friend of ours who did not own a car needed to drive to Chicago, IL and asked if he could borrow the tank. We said yes & warned him of the no reverse in the transmission. He called us while on the road & asked if the tank burned oil. No we said. He said he stopped for gas & noticed a smokey smell & discovered that the tank was almost out of oil. He put in a can. He noticed more smoke and decided to buy a case of oil. By the end of the trip, so much oil was lost that he had used up the entire case. When he returned from Chicago, he parked in the same place on the grass in front of our house. I went out there and noticed oil on the grass. I put my fingers to it & rubbed it between them & smelled it — no doubt, it was oil. I called Graeves.
I told them that after that oil change a few weeks before, the tank had not been driven at all until our friend took it to Chicago. I took it to them, knowing that whomever changed the oil didn’t seat the oil filter properly so it was not sealed tight. A new filter needs its rubber gasket to be «primed» with oil to ensure a seamless fit & it cannot be twisted too tightly with the «oil filter wrench» or it will become dented and will not fit properly. This is my experienced opinion from numerous self-​oil changes & those of others. I went to pick up the tank. Graeves claimed that the tank was not leaking oil; rather, it was leaking transmission fluid! I said to the guy at the counter, I know what I saw on the ground & it was not pink & watery-​like transmission fluid — it was oil — I smelled it, felt it, & it was NOT transmission fluid! Just because I am a woman do you think that I don’t know the difference? Besides why would the problem have been temporarily resolved when oil was added if it had been a transmission fluid problem on the drive to & from Chicago? I was incensed that they would lie to me because I was a woman & expect me to nod & not question. I asked to speak to the manager or owner. Not in, said the guy. I left my number & asked for the owner to call me, a dissatisfied customer. Nobody called. I called but could not reach anyone. I decided never again & have never been back. Now I have owned 10 cars that Graeves could have made money from working on. I just spent over $ 5,000 getting my minivan fixed and $ 1,600 for another one. I prefer to keep the car about which I know what is wrong than the strange one I don’t, so I buy new ones off the lot and keep them a long time. I use a mechanic shop nearby & the mechanic knows his business big time. I cannot tolerate ridiculous lies from businesses trying to cover their behinds. I know how auto repair shops work & the skilled mechanics, owners, & managers do NOT change oil. No, it is some unskilled, low paid laborer who has moved up from sweeping the floors & doing the dirtiest work who changes the oil. The particular guy who changed the tank’s oil wasn’t ready yet or was negligent. Graeves knew I had no money — why bring in an old Cadillac with no reverse transmission if I did. Graeves knew their business wouldn’t suffer from my lack of patronage, so I was ignored after I was screwed. Shame on that business model. The tank was donated to the National Kidney Foundation. It only had 80,000 miles on it.

This place is great! I just started coming here to get my oil changed and I’m so glad I did! Every time I call to make an appointment, they are always so pleasant and try to fit me in as soon as possible! I will definitely continue to come here!

I have always done 90+% of my own car work because I can’t stand being lied to and ripped off… And I don’t have a lot of money. That said, I have been to Graeves at least 3 times where they ended up doing less than I thought or catching something I wasn’t aware of AND costing less and being done more quickly than I expected. I have found the folks at Graeves to be professional, honest and forthright, sadly a rarity these days.
At first I thought it odd they sold appliances and worked on cars. I thought maybe it would be a «hinky» place. Now I’m just really glad I went in that first time! If you want to go somewhere they will give it to you straight and charge a fair and honest price, do yourself a favor and give Graeves a try.