Bug Shop

We have been taking vehicles to the Bug Shop on and off for 20 years (or more?). With VW Vanagons they have been terrific and even helped me to find a new owner for mine that they have cared for since 1985 or so. They asked for no compensation for assisting in finding a new owner, but I had already been contacted by someone; so they just gave me an estimate as to what mine was worth in the local market. I followed their advice and made a new friend who is loving my van as much as I did, and still do (but we no longer were using it). The new owner just had T.H.E. Van in for some routine maintenance following a road trip to the mid-​West. She actually bought our van in great part because she knew the Bug Shop had been servicing it over the years and knew that meant it was well cared for mechanically.
Yesterday, I took in a used car for a pre-​purchase evaluation. I had been bugging the Bug Shop for a couple of weeks saying we would bring a vehicle sometime for them to check and they said they would fit in the inspection as soon as a lift was free. When I finally got there with a vehicle, they were true to their word and first took it for a test drive and then put it up on a lift. They just saved us a bunch of money because the dealership selling the car said they would fix the leaking front camshaft seal prior to sale to us. The Bug Shop gave us a list of what would need to be done in an approximate number of miles. Sure the car passed inspection, but it was going to need work after 10,000 and 20,000 or so miles, brake shoes/​pads, struts, tires, etc. We looked carefully at the odd alignment of the front
bumper and the newish headlight to see if this 2006 had been in a real wreck or just had some cosmetic mishap. They gave us an estimate as to the cost to repair these issues which made it possible for us to determine if the car was a good choice for us. The car I brought in was not a particular model they had worked on routinely, unlike the VW’s and Subarus we had brought in in the past, but clearly their group knowledge was sufficient to advise us about this particular manufacturer’s reputation. The mechanics also taught me some of the tricks used to distract buyers from noticing problems even under the vehicle. But they could not disguise the leaking seal because it really needed work. When one has older cars it is great to know that their decades of experience means it includes the vehicles we like to keep running for decades. I would also trust them with a new vehicle, if we ever decided to purchase one.

Love this place– never taking my car anywhere else as long as I’m in Blacksburg. No fuss, no hastle. Won’t try to sell you things you don’t need. They do a great job, and the prices are more than reasonable. Cannot sing enough praises for this place.

These guys have been around forever, and are one of the most reliable places in Blacksburg. I’ve taken my car there two or three times — and the mechanics’ diagnosis has always been right on.
Recently, I received three estimates in Northern Virginia for car maintenance that would cost between 1000 and 1200. The Bug Shop gave me the HONEST labor rate (2.5 hours of labor instead of 6) and gave me a decent deal on the parts. Total came to $ 450.
I’d recommend these guys’ work, particularly for VW/​Audi/​BMW.

Excellent VW shop, they diagnose and repair VW issues that perplex me. They also dropped my wife off at work one morning for an emergency repair. They are not cheap but they know what they are doing. Great cost to value.

The guys here are great! I brought my car in (without an appointment) because one windshield wiper wasn’t working. I walked right in and they immediately asked what my problem was and got someone outside to take a look. They were able to fix the problem pretty quickly and didn’t even charge me! I was completely expecting to have to leave my car there or to wait for a few hours to have it fixed. These guys are great and I will definitely recommend them to my friends!

they specialize in volkswagen but will work on anything with an engine. Being in a college town you need to be careful of dishonest mechanics. Bug Shop is as honest as they get. I’ve brought my car here twice expecting to dish out 300+ dollars and have been out the door for under 100 both times. Talking to people who have lived in the area over 40 years and they all bring their cars here.

What?! No one’s reviewed the Bug Shop?
Great little shop down Harding Road, just outside of Blacksburg’s Town limits. It’s a quiet little shop on your left as you start to head down the hill, but good luck finding a parking spot as any given day there’ll be people trying to pull in, some trying to pull out, and car scattered all over. Seems everyone brings a car here from time to time, and the guys do it right. They’ve always been up front and honest — even once told me they couldn’t do anything for me and recommended another shop in the area.
I’ll take that kind of honesty any day, as the only thing I know for sure about my car is what side the gas tank’s on.