DARCARS Toyota Scion Silver Spring – Service

I brought my car in to have the emergency brakes looked at. I explained and it was noted on the tag that I wanted an estimate to fix them because the car was slipping on hills with the e brakes on. After 3 hours of waiting, I was presented with a list of recommended things to fix, totaling about $ 3K. But the they hadn’t even checked the e brakes — the one thing I came in for! What a huge waste of my time waiting around in their sad waiting room. I’m going to my local mechanic from now on. Never to this dealership again.

Terrible waiting times and poor follow up. Only reason I am giving three stars is because of Sam and Wahab. The service Director (Amir) should learn to control his temper and close the office door before berating an employee.

Be prepared to spend the majority of your day here, regardless of how simple your request. On past visits I have waited over four hours for a simple oil change and today I am going on a two hour wait to have some tail lights replaced. Even with an appointment it took them over an hour just to tell me that I had four tail lights out (which I told them when I handed over the car). To make matters worse, their wifi is next to useless and times out even when trying to check email.
Having your car serviced here is an unbelievable waste of time! The only reason I even come here is because I got suckered into paying for «pre-​paid maintenance» when I purchased my car.

I was nervous to take my car here based on the reviews. But easy online scheduling and the location made me give it a try. I came in for an oil change, tire rotation, recall repair, and my check engine light was on. Whew!
Pulling into the service station was great. Someone immediately acknowledged me. Once inside, I was told to wait in a small waiting area for an associate to help me. It took my guy over 30 minutes to even get to me. That was a little disappointing as the small waiting room is cramped very easily with only 15 chairs.
Once I saw him, he informed me that I didn’t need an oil change but could use a tire rotation. He also offered to see why my check engine light was on for free since my car is relatively new (yet a few months older than the two year warranty).
I waited about an additional 3 hours for all the repairs but it only cost me $ 35!
Final Verdict: I like this place. The upstairs waiting room is very large and comfortable. I didn’t feel like they were out to get all my money. My only complaint… my tire pressure was absurdly low the next morning after my tire rotation. Three of the four tires were at 15psi versus the 35psi recommended. That’s annoying (esp. after ruining a manicure).

I wish I could give 0 stars. Took me 3 visits (waiting 6 hours each time) for them to fix a simple repair. Never again…
Go to the next closest Toyota dealership for any service… just please.

If I could give this dealership 0 stars I would. Hands down the worst customer service experience EVER. My wife hit a pothole that result in a flat tire. She pulled into DARCARS with her 2010 Venza at 12:36pm, pulled into the bay, checked her car in like normal, and she told them she needed her rear tire changed, which any «lay» eye could see just from looking at the car… especially the so-​called experts service techs at the dealer… right? The tire was FLAT, like down to the rim flat.
So 2 hours later, DARCARS calls and says «we have your car here, but we don’t know what to do with it?» We call back, we can’t get thru to ANYONE. We leave a message relaying again, why we dropped the car off. Did this message get relayed? Of course not. An hour later, they call again, and ask the SAME question. Seriously. Again we call back, and NO one is available and no message has been relayed. It is now 3:30 and we finally speak to our rep, who says he will check to see if they have the tire and call me back. Should be a quick check… right? Wrong. I end up calling back at 4:15…our rep or a manager, no where to be found. At this point we feel as if our car is being held hostage. We call again at 5:30, demand our keys be ready for pickup by 6:00 so we can take our business elsewhere. The dealer offered to put the donut on free of charge, but at this point this is the LEAST they could have done for our trouble. Never again, and I mean NEVER will we ever use DARCARS of Silver Spring, EVER AGAIN!

The service department is the worst. They will do anything to prevent fixing your car if you’re still under warranty, or try to classify it as a non warranty issue forcing you to pay out of pocket. On top of their poor business tactics they also have poor customer service. Almost everyone is rude and disinterested in offering satisfactory customer service. I wouldn’t suggest buying a car from this dealership for that reason alone. After one visit to the service department after your purchase, I’m sure you will regret giving them your business in the first place. Plenty of other dealerships in Virginia and throughout Maryland that value their customers and business more than Darcars!

I’ve had my Toyota Camry SE for about 5 years. I’ve had it serviced at 3 different Toyota dealerships across the country. This one was probably the worst. They have potential though. Went to have my car looked at because the auxiliary port is not working. When I first pulled in they told me to wait till a servicer could help. One guy was prompt and helped me. Answered questions I had, although he didn’t seem like he was enjoying his day.
Next they directed me inside where I waited in line for a few seconds before a nice lady helped me. She grabbed some papers and told me the service writer would help me next and that I could wait.
Now at this point I was ready to drop my car off and wait for a shuttle back to downtown Silver Spring which they provide. When I was waiting in the Toyota lobby the shuttle driver strolled in. First he asks everyone who was waiting, if anyone needed a ride on the shuttle. I said yes. He then said «well are you ready to go?». I then said «well I need to wait until the service writer calls my name so I can tell him the problem with the car, therefore Toyota can take a look». He then proceeds to say «well can they hurry up because I need to go». –_​_​_​– He said it with a little attitude. I just told him well I can’t go until the service writer calls me name, so you can just go without me.
He then says «well do you need me to talk to him, because we need to go.» I told him sure, but even then he said that with an attitude. Eventually the service writer told him he would call me because he knows the shuttle driver has to get going. I get in the shuttle van, and he picks up another gentleman from the Lexus dealership. The guy says «hello» to the shuttle driver and the shuttle driver literally says nothing… like no kind of manners. You don’t have to be happy go lucky nice to everyone, but you can at least acknowledge people.
Eventually he gives me a paper that shows all the shuttle times, and he drops me off. I tell him thanks for the ride and he says nothing. I’m like wth??? I don’t know if he was having a bad day, or if his wife just told him she’s leaving him… idk…don’t care. But it made my Toyota experience that day a 3 star experience. I literally might just drive all the way to Alexandria Toyota to get my car stuff done, rather than DARS.

Called on a Monday to look at a car they told me the car wasn’t ready it had to be serviced. They scheduled me to come Tuesday and told me the car would be done at 4 from its service. At 330 that day while I’m on my way (had to drive 45 minutes to get there) they tell me the car they scheduled me to see is currently in the middle of being bought by a different customer. I asked to speak to a manager and the person who got on the phone said sorry with out a deposit on the car they can’t hold a car to be looked at. They told me they would call me back if the car wasn’t bought. Never heard back from them.

Bought my Toyota in Ohio, but I came here to get a wash. Made an appointment earlier that day and drove out there, only to not be approached or greeted for at least 5 minutes. My car just sat there and I stood there WAITING for someone to say something or direct me to where I needed to go. Once inside, I waited AGAIN for someone to say something to me, only to be told that I needed to wait to speak with someone about my FREE car wash. Finally an employee directed me to someone who was really awesome and went and put my car through the wash herself.
It wasn’t the greatest car wash, either. Not sure it was worth the drive, but the woman I spoke with was so nice I’d come back to see her.

Ok I guess I will give them 3 stars mostly for the great coffee lol. They do have a very nice waiting area for when your car is being serviced on. They have a microwave and two vending machines. The coffee is so good and the machine uses fresh coffee beans. Extra plus especially when your spending your money there to have your car serviced. The waiting area is gigantic with numerous tables and a bar table. Also numerous lounge sofas., chairs and love seats. They have 3 large flat screen televisions. Your bound to find something interesting on and they have several booths available with computers and free Internet. You have to check in at the desk once you go upstairs to wait and give the receptionist your name and she will call you when your car is ready. I have the Darcars Service package which I purchased when I first bought my car which gives me free oil changes for life with the exception of my oil filter which I have to pay for which is usually about $ 9.00 not bad for an oil change. It also comes with free tire pressure and rotation. You also get a discount on any other services you may want to have done because of the package. The service advisors always try to get you to get more of course but that don’t always work with me. At least when you say no thanks they don’t harass you. I always bring my car here because of my Darcars package. Oh and i almost forgot they do offer free transportation to the Silver spring metro station if you want to leave your car even though I’ve never used that service before because I always wait. So if you own a Toyota and want to get your car serviced on check in upstairs it’s much more comfortable. They also provide a free car wash if your having you’re car serviced and please try to arrive early. I was there by 8am and out by 10:30. It’s by appointment only. You can call or make your own appointment on line :)

I brought my car in for a recall repair last week. I’d had my car serviced there a few years ago, before switching to a great local shop. Previously I found them slow and expensive, but competent.
When I went to pick my car up, the first issue was that the door to the service area was locked, a good 20 minutes before their closing time. I had to get someone from the dealership side to let me in. I signed the paperwork and got my keys. As I walked up to the car, I was annoyed that they didn’t bother to run the car through the car wash, as they have one onsite (literally 20 ft from where my car was parked) but shrugged it off as it was a «free» recall repair. Then I got in the car and saw that they had left a big sheet of plastic and other trash in it, as well as the dirty paper floor mat. The fuse compartments were left opened as well. Just plain lazy. I should note that they called me almost 7hrs earlier to tell me they were done, so it’s not like I got there right after they finished. Then I saw there was GREASE on the passenger seat! How do you possibly do that?!?
They were of course closed by this point, so I had no immediate recourse — not that I would have any faith that they wouldn’t make it worse. I will certainly never take my car there again.

I am so sad that this place built a great building to have the service department and even with that they have a problem with their timing. I have been here many times and have never received my car by the promised time frame. Two hours turn into 4 if you drop off your car and then some. I stopped waiting in the building due to this issue. Thank God is close to where I work and I can get get a ride l from and back.
I have never had to wait for an advisor, but I always make sure I pick the same person all the time. And also I take the first or second appointment of the day meaning I have to be here by 7:30 am to assure I will have my car latest noon and that I won’t have to wait to long to check in.
Like everyone said upstairs in the waiting area is clean free coffee computers with Internet access, tv’s, kids area, it is excellent there is a gorgeous view.
Why do I come here? Well closest to work I have… that is the reason.
My update on my past review is bad just because I had great expectations. … but I think that even if u dress the monkey in silk… it will still be a monkey.

Darcars Toyota of Silver Spring service department is chaos. My vehicle was purchased brand new with extended warranty & Darcars «so called» lifetime maintenance care package. Your service advisor has so many customers to advise that all he pretty much cares about is getting you in and out the door. My customer service experience @ this dealer was absolutely unbelievable. He did not even try to push my vehicle’s repairs through for my extended warranty.
Go to Rosner Toyota of Stafford if you want actual service on your vehicle!

Terrible service I had to call the police just for God damn oil change. Owner acted like an asshole

The advisors are nice especially the concierge but my main concern is how long there service takes. A oil change should not take 2 hrs and fixing the window motor should take 5 hrs. It’s very frustrating.
I had to come in because apparently I had my temporary tags for so long that they needed to conduct a Maryland State Inspection. I appreciate that they did the service for free but it is super inconvenient how long it takes. I have been here since 8:45 am. It is now 2:10 pm and I’m still waiting. I have a little brother and sister that I need to pick up and I’m very upset now because I have no way to get them on time at this point
I’m very frustrated and upset with this location
Even the other day I had to wait an hour to meet with an advisor.

TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE. To sum this up quite nicely, don’t ever, ever settle for being assigned to OJ as your «car advisor» during service. Request someone else immediately! Or just don’t go here at all. Save yourself the time.
I scheduled a 9am appointment for routine maintenance on my 2013 Camry. I arrived at 8:45, dropped my car off in the garage, and was ushered inside to meet with my «car advisor.» I was informed that OJ was busy, but if I waited in the lounge, they’d retrieve me in 1 – 2 minutes to meet with him. 1 – 2 minutes turned into 30 minutes, when I finally walked up to the desk and asked when I would be assisted. OJ was sitting there without any customers, and had completely forgotten about me. My car was therefore checked in at 9:26am (nearly 30 minutes late), and he told me it would be done in 2 hours — 11:30am «promised by» time.
2 hours went by in the waiting room upstairs (which, on the bright side, is great! Love it up there). I gave them the benefit of the doubt (despite the fact that I actually left my car at 8:45am) and waited until 12 before I asked the friendly woman upstairs if she had received an update on my car. She called downstairs and told me that OJ wasn’t answering his phone — therefore, I had to go downstairs MYSELF and ask him. Poor service.
When I got downstairs, OJ was indeed with a customer, but had four people standing to the side waiting to speak with him (I’m guessing I wasn’t the only one who had problems with OJ — in fact, the woman downstairs mentioned to another man in passing that «OJ was her problem child.» Wish I had known earlier). I stood there for another half hour before OJ interrupted his time with the customer, handed me some papers, and told me to go to the cashier to check out. He promptly walked away and went back to his other customer.
I asked the cashier if she could please tell me the details of my service. She told me that was OJ’s job. He never reviewed the service performed on my car or apologized for the delay (which was one hour). At that point, I was so livid that I made the decision that it wasn’t worth waiting another half hour just to speak with OJ again, who was terrible at explaining things to me at check-​in to begin with.
When my car was brought around back for me, I noticed there was small spot on the side of my car that was not there before. It looks like someone opened a door and hit mine slightly.
I am really disappointed that I received this type of service. This department needs to turn things around stat if they intend on keeping any customers in the long-​term.

This is regarding the service department.
The Service Center waiting area is nice and the staff are generally friendly.
I DO NOT BRING MY 4Runner unless there is something that others have told me that they can’t deal with. I am fairly certain that I get taken for a proverbial ride financially before I leave. Below is an account of my latest trip in (7÷3÷2014)
I brought it in for a coolant flush (it has 200,000+ miles & another shop said that they couldn’t do it) and an oil change.
By the time I was done, they said I needed new brake pads and resurfaced roters AND new tires. The service tech explained that these needed to be DONE RIGHT NOW!!! because of safety.
I had them finish the oil and coolant flush and told them I would address the other issues later.
I took my 4Runner to a Mr Tire where they did replace the brake pads (they said I would have been fine for several hundred more miles) and they replaced my tires which were in the same category (ready to be replaced soon but not urgent).
Just another reason to avoid DARCARS service center whenever I can.

Been here twice, the first time to get a recall replacement and a small part for my car. I ordered the part ahead of time to make sure it was in, and then when it was in made an appointment for the recall.
When you pull up, signs point you to the service garage, which opens and lets you in. Someone met me at my car, took my information, and led me inside to someone at a computer. They showed me to a waiting room and said it might be two hours for the recall replacement. Hey! This is pretty nifty! So far so good!
Then I went over to the service counter. It took approximately 20 minutes, alot of keyboard pounding, and 2 people to tell me «We have no clue about the part you ordered.» Huh? I received a call that it had arrived! More blank stares, and some mumbling about waiting until someone is back from lunch. I had a few hours, so I told them where I’d be a waited.
Who I assume was a manager finally called me over and he found the part. I was sent over to the cashiers to pay, but they told me they needed something from the parts desk. So back I go a third time, a bit agitated, and now they can’t find another piece of paperwork.
By now my car is ready, so I go back to the first desk, and they tell me there are 4 – 5 other things wrong with my car. Um, I came in for a recall, and you spent two hours doing a full checkup on my car?! And the repairs on my car (that runs fine) will be like $ 2500! I bought my car for $ 5500, so no thanks!
So I go over to the cashiers to pay, and they get very confused, have to call over to the parts desk again. I’m only buying one thing and getting a free recall done! HOW IS THIS CONFUSING!
Let’s recap. I’ve been there 3 hours, not one staff member has been prompt and knowledgeable EVEN THOUGH I had an appointment and a part ordered ahead of time. They turned a recall appointment into an excuse to run a full check-​up on my car, meanwhile mixing up almost everything that could be mixed up and blaming it on another department.
They do have some nice waiting rooms, a small one downstairs and a HUGE one upstairs with free lattes and coffee, some workstations, couches that seat about 30 and a kids play area (pics). Too bad the staff couldn’t rise to the occasion, they thought everything was someone else’s problem, that some OTHER person in the dealership was responsible for the mistakes. One person just taking it upon themselves to solve the problem would have gone a long way.
AND, both times there was no shortage of extra employees standing around, joking, snacking, laughing at their smartphones, etc. WHAT ARE THEY DOING? WHY ARE THEY HERE? Hey! Mr Darcar! Maybe if you got rid of a few employees who aren’t working anyways you wouldn’t have to mark up your prices and try to drum up business from your recall appointments!
I went back a second time for another recall and they recommended the same $ 2500 stuff as before, but a recall is the only reason I would go back. One extra star above the minimum for the nice waiting room and free coffee.

I’m usually one of those people who always likes to give companies (even car dealerships) the benefit of the doubt. When I read bad reviews I usually think: «People are overreacting»; «People take a small inconvenience and make it a big deal»; «People are always a little grumpy when dealing with car repairs». Well, I’m sorry to say, that based on my experience I would like to second (3^rd and 4^th) what reviewers are saying about this place. They will try to up sell you; they will tell you that your car will be ready at one time in the morning and another time in the afternoon; they will leave you with the overwhelming feeling that you’ve been overcharged and mistreated.
I took in my car because of a Toyota recalled part and, wouldn’t you believe, there was a cascade of discoveries and fixes that they recommend – with each new repair authorization leading to yet another discovery. Half-​way through I wish I could have picked up the car and my parts and gone elsewhere with it.
Trust me, do yourself a favor and find a different mechanic, dealership, buddy, or friend to fix your car.