Fitzgerald Auto Mall – Wheaton Suzuki

I thoroughly enjoyed the process of buying a car from Fitzmall in Wheaton. Chuck Scott and James Baker made this the best auto buying experience I have ever had. Over my lifetime, I have bought 10 new cars. This was my first used car and I have nothing but superlatives for their genuinely friendly professionalism.
On yeah; I love the car!

I bought my vehicle from another dealership in suitland Maryland, but started using Fitzgerald Auto Mall Wheaton, MD since 2008. I am so happy with them. They have taken care of my vehicles needs and when I did have a complaint a few years back (which is rare), they took care of me in that instance too!

Wheaton Fitzgerald has GREAT customer service! George is phenomenal and always willing to help. They are friendly and knowledgeable and I have purchased many vehicles from them for my company. When ever I have a question or need it is addressed immediately. I know I am getting a good product from Wheaton Fitzgerald which is always refreshing and reassuring when you are buying a used car. Additionally, Dottie and Jack Fitzgerald are huge supporters of giving back to the community and have been supporting our non-​profit for years!

Bought my mom here 2 weeks ago. Best experience I’ve had in a long time. As soon as I drove up, someone was outside greeting me in the parking lot. They should my mom there full attention the whole time we were there. Best experience ever coming from my mom. Easy transition. She came out happy with her Chevy cobalt. And the fiancé department was top notch very friendly and was not trying to get us to buy everything in the world. Overall I would recommend this dealership to my friends. Thanks again

I never write reviews but I had to about this place. This is the second time I came here and felt like they don’t know how to treat people nor do they know fully what they offer. The first time I came in, I was willing to buy a upgrade of the car I had. I filled out all the paper work, my credit was ran and the process was just about complete. The sales man came back saying someone just put down $ 4000 for the car a few days ago. I was highly upset. After a week of searching for what I wanted, I came back again. I was treated very nicely until I told the sales man I did not want to put down $ 3000 for what I wanted and if I could just pay for the tags, taxes and title like I did for my last car which was like $ 1000. He rudely told me that he was going to sell it to someone else that wanted it more because it’s a very nice car and he was not gonna sit on it or wait for me to come up with what he wanted. He handed me my inspection paper for my car and told me «I’m done» then walked away. I never felt so low and disrespected in my life. The second time I came, I made a appointment for my oil change and to check out the service engine soon light but wanted to come in early. When I called they told me to come in right away. My appointment was for 11 but I was there at 9:45. I was told I could be seen right away but when I got there, it was a hour and a half wait. Then I have the car lifetime protection plan and they told me even though I have it, I have to still pay out of pocket for my oil change. They have given me the worst service.

The Assistant Service Manager James Johnson there is unprofessional and is a Nasty Monster who takes his personal life problems out on the customers who come in for service. He is very disrespectful and should not be in the Customer service business ever. I will never take my car back there for service ever. I will go to the dealership for now on… I walked in there yesterday feeling Great and after I met James Johnson left there feeling awful by his mean and disrespectful tone and manner in the way he address me and he handle me as a tyrant or enemy as those I was wrong for bring my business to Fitzgerald Auto Mall Service Department.

Beautiful car – exterior, low mileage, etc. By week 2 engine light comes & stays on. Back & forth with the dealer and it’s finally off-​handedly revealed that we’re on the 3RD catalytic converter in a 7-​yr-​old car. Whoa! Not good. Stalling on the 495-​Beltway in the passing lane, stopping in the left-​turn lane/​intersection –scary stuff. Finally, my partner & I putt-​putted the car to the dealer’s lot where it just died. This is 2 yrs later & w/​n 30 days of paying the car off.$ 8000+interest. The mgt staff – nice as apple pie, but… Their solution: We had a Suzuki Verona; they wld give us a Dodge Aveo. How insulting! Fitzway? No Way!

My 2004 Mini Cooper S began sounding like a formula one race car, so decided to bring it in to Fitzgerald for them to take a look at it. I had bought the car from their Germantown location and purchased the buyer protection plan (which provided a free loaner car during any services that needed to be done). I made the appointment on a Saturday online for an appointment on Monday at 6:00pm (which was an option on the website) and got the email confirmation so I thought all was set. I get to the shop on Monday around 5:30 and they don’t have a record of the appointment and apparently the techs leave around 5 everyday (so they should probably remove the 6pm appointment option online). But, i left my car there and picked up the loaner, which was a pretty simple process. The next day I get the news. catalytic converter problems. YIKES! Paul was very nice over the phone and explained everything to me, so I went forward with the repair and was told that they would call me on Friday when it was ready. Friday afternoon rolls around, so I decide to call and check on the status, since I would be leaving work soon and I could just go directly there. Paul wasn’t in at the time, so I got a call later that day saying that my car was stuck on the lift. If i hadn’t have had a loaner car and got this image of my poor car stuck 6ft in the air and laughed, I probably would have been more upset that I had to wait another few days to get my baby back. Paul was apologetic and we shared a good laugh over the situation. Long story short, I picked up my mini cooper and it sounds just like the day i bought it. Everyone was nice and I’ll definitely be back for any future service needed.

Husband went in in the morning and looked at several used cars with Sonia. Found one he liked and we went back in the evening, test drove it, filled out a credit app and waited, waited, waited. Credit report comes through and I sign it. Wait, wait, wait. Random other salesperson comes in, smirks and takes keys. Sonia comes back and says that someone else had applied for financing on it «at about the same time» and his approval came through first. Um, what? Manager totally unapologetic, says will find another vehicle. Really? Because my husband looked at everything else you had this morning and nothing fit the bill. So, now my credit’s taken a hard hit from this place with nothing to show for it. Garbage! Have bought three other used cars and never had something like this happen. Walked out.

This review is on the Service Department.
My alternator died on me and since I have an insurance (Zurich)that I spend $ 100 a month on for situations like this with Fitz, I took it there.
Ok #1 it took them three days to get my insurance verified, which is ridiculous. Why am I paying for this and you can’t find me? I had to go to the Fitz I bought my car from to get someone to help me.
#2 they quoted me $ 440 which is including the Zurich deductible. I was excited to get my car back finally after 4 days. I went in and paid it full in cash… Ok sooo why the next day did they call me and say I owe them $ 100 !!!
I paid the total on my ticket. Why do I owe $ 100???
I never take my car to the Fitz shops because they seem like there always trying to get over on someone, but this is my first to Wheaton.
#3 I just had back backlights installed a few a month’s ago, why are they out now ???
After this situation I want nothing to do with this company… never have I ever had to go through so much at a car shop.
2 stars because my car is back on the road.

While the wait was long, (I know, I know. I probably should have picked a day other than Saturday.) the price was reasonable for the MD State Inspection. They were thorough and explained the next steps. I would definitely take my car here again.

On January 11, 2014, I took in my 2007 Suzuki SX4 with 42k miles for warranty work. The car was making rattling sounds from the muffler area and the car was sluggish, not driving past 45MPH. I had another mechanic take a look at it, and I went under the car myself and took photos and it was the Catalytic Converter that wasn’t working. Researched it on the web, and it’s a common problem in these cars that the honeycomb breaks inside the converter. The catalytic converter is covered under Federal Warranty and Suzuki’s warranty for 8yrs/80,000 miles. I took it to Fitzgerald, and upfront they want to charge me $ 110 to work on the car regardless of the warranty. Although, I explained and argued that it was covered by warranty. Ultimately, they wrote a service agreement and didn’t list the $ 110 to check the vehicle. On Tuesday, I spoke to Service an they advised me they received authorization from Suzuki North America to change the Catalytic converter and changed it but now it’s the Resonator & another converter that isn’t working properly and they will contact Suzuki N.A. for another authorization to change the Resonator/​Converter. However, now the Oxygen Sensor attached to the Catalytic Converter isn’t working and not covered by warranty so I would have to pay $ 400+ to change the Oxygen sensor attached to the Catalytic converter.
I contacted Suzuki N.A. on Tuesday, Jan 12 to place a complaint and report the incident, they called the dealer and gave me a case number. Debbie the Customer Service at Suzuki N.A. stated she will call her Regional and report the complaint, so he can call Fitzgerald and hear their side. Jan 13, I called Suzuki N.A. on the status of my complaint against the dealer and they state they will not pay for the Oxygen Sensor. While searching the Warranty guidelines, I uncovered the Federal Emmissions Regulations EPA-420-F-09−048. Based on Federal Regulations, all car manufacturers after 1995 have to provide an Emmissions Warranty. On page 3 of the EPA-420-F-09−048, it states the parts covered are. «Exhaust Gas Conversion Systems: oxygen sensor, thermal reactor, catalytic converter, dual-​walled exhaust pipe» I advised the Suzuki Customer Service representatives about the regulation and asked them to annotate this information on my complaint.
Jan 15, UPDATE. Suzuki N.A. finally authorized Fitzgerald to replace the Oxygen Sensor under Warranty.

I just moved to the area and needed a state safety inspection, as well as an oil change. I called around, and Fitzgerald Auto Mall’s price for a safety inspection was $ 100 CHEAPER than the competition! I was treated with respect, they got me in the day after I called, it only took an hour, and Al was very kind. A great experience all around.

My wife took our car in for the state inspection. Everything from setting up the appointment to dropping the car off to picking it up was great. They dropped her back off at home so she didn’t have to wait while they were doing the inspection then picked her up when it was done. They did not add anything to it and were very professional. I will definitely return to them.

You know what??? Unilocal works!
Initially, I wrote a bad review for Fitzgerald’s Wheaton location. Soon after I posted the review, I was contacted by the managers.
I was asked to bring back my car for full inspection of what was overlooked or not completed. My car ended up in the shop for 2 weeks. Well, I ain’t complaining because I had a loaner car. Plus, it was cheaper using the loaner car, gas-​wise.
Since then, I have not had any problems with the car. Finally!
One of the managers was in constant communication with me about the status of my car which I appreciated. He took the time to meet me personally whenever I made an appearance at the shop.
Overall, I’m thankful that Fitzgerald’s was concerned about my bad experience there and sought to rectify.
Thanks!

The service center is phenomenal. I’ve been going here ever since my father bought the truck. The associate that’s been getting my truck on the road is Al. One of the nicest and descriptive people you’ll find on any service center. I definitely recommend!

UPDATE:
Management contacted me about this, and to their credit went to great lengths to make it right. That said a lot about them, so I am upgrading from 1 to three stars. I will see how the next visit goes and then upgrade the rating further if all goes well.
Terrible. Waited six hours there. Arrived at noon They told me the parts would arrive in 1 – 2 hours. At 3 pm they told me the parts would come by 5. At 5 I went up to the desk and they told me «whoops» we found out at 3:15 that the parts would not come in until tomorrow but forgot to tell you. Please come back tomorrow. And it went downhill from there. Sad, because Fitzgerald was a great place to buy a car. But service experience has been poor at this location and another.