Heritage Volkswagen Catonsville

All of the sudden we were in the market for a new car as one of our cars was totaled in an accident. We had a lot of decisions to make in a very short period of time. We went to several dealerships and Ru one of our cars was totaled in an accident. We had a lot of decisions to make in a very short period of time. We went to several dealerships and Russell was hands down the best choice. Dave Lawell, the Sales Manager, and Melvin Bey, the Salesman, worked together to quickly find us the car we wanted and matched the price we were willing to pay. Every effort was made to make the whole process as seamless as possible. They were professional, knowledgeable and very pleansant to deal with. Everything was handled in a timely and professional manner. The Finance Manager, Bong Lee, found us a lower financing rate than we could have gotten on our own and was very helpful in our decision over loan terms and monthly payment. We can honestly say over all the cars we have purchased, this was the most pleasant experience we have ever had. More

10 May 10 I accessed BJS Auto program via the internet, 10 May 10 I accessed BJS Auto program via the internet, and it directed me to the closest sponsor dealership, which was Russel VW. The point of cont 10 May 10 I accessed BJS Auto program via the internet, and it directed me to the closest sponsor dealership, which was Russel VW. The point of contact was "David Lawell". I called Russel VW and spoke with David and informed him of the make, model, and perks that I wanted on the car. He told me he would search and call me back. Having had a long weekend with 2 other VW dealerships, that were not able to find the Eos in the color (Eismeer blue)I wanted, I was already discouraged. David, said he would need a few minutes to check and would call me back. To my surprise he called me back in about 20 minutes, said that he had found the car and in Eismeer blue. I was in awe, being that I wanted manual transmission I knew it was a difficult task to find that. I couldn't believe it, David went over the specifications on the car, and confirmed that this was exactly what I wanted. We made an appointment for that afternoon to make a deposit. In person, David was just as pleasant as he was on the phone. He was very straight forward with me. He went over cost, fees and approximately what the final numbers would look like. This was especially important to me since I was already pre-approved through my bank. David Lawell, by far is the first salesman that made me feel comfortable, and not threatend or as if he was trying to get over on me since I am a woman. I would recommend David and Russel, in a New York minute. More

I have gone to Russell since I purchased my Jetta there in 2001. The service department is HORRIBLE, The three service agents are probably the worst service agents in the world! A super long story short: a in 2001. The service department is HORRIBLE, The three service agents are probably the worst service agents in the world! A super long story short: a valet cursed at me (f-word) when I walked in the door for wearing a Ravens scarf, then John argued with me about $125, then Karwin spoke condescendingly to me. I thought was it, but after all that I agreed to have them complete the work on my car (should've NEVER done that). I went to the waiting area and heard one agent start talking about me and the questions I was asking to the other agent. He discussed how I thought he should cater to my needs and that I must feel entitled. THEN a third agent inserted her 2 cents on the subject. It was completely inappropriate. Agent one is supposed to be the manager and engaged in this type of behavior with his employees, deplorable! I called the General Manger of Russell and left messages, I have yet to receive a call back. Another display of HORRIBLE customer service! NEVER EVER EVER go to Russell Volkswagen. Ankers Automotive up Rt. 40 is wonderful, as someone else stated! Right after leaving Russell that afternoon I went to Ankers and he brought my car into the shop and diagnosed the problem. I took my car there a week later to be fixed. I will never go to Russell again for anything! More

I can not believe these people! Every time I go to Russel VW on Rt.40 I have a horrible experience. I will start with today, it took 2hrs for these people to change my oil! What!? How do other places take VW on Rt.40 I have a horrible experience. I will start with today, it took 2hrs for these people to change my oil! What!? How do other places take a half hr. or so? Then my car was finished and the service advisior took the key to the cashier, no one ever called me up to get the key back (yes, I waited while they completed the 2hr oil change). I sat for another 30min, until I was really ticked and asked the service advisior if/when my car would be ready. She said, "oh, it's been ready, the cashier didn't call you?" I thought, "No, idiot, that is why I just asked you! Plus you knew I was sitting there, why didn't you say anything?" I have always hated this place, everytime I go in they want another $800 for something. Here is another unsatisfactory comment - I brought my car in a couple years ago for them to replace a recall, then a year or two later those things they replaced (engine coils) are broken again. Did they really replace them the first time?? I doubt it, now I ask to see the parts they "fix." I ended up having to pay $850 to fix it all. And it was VW's fault in the beginning they are the ones that made the car wrong in the first place. I held up my end of the bargain and took the car in for the recall VW Russel and VW did not hold up their end. I contacted VW and they sent me $150 voucher towards a new car, WHAT!?!? On top of that, it expired in 3months..... What a smack in the face, like I would ever buy another VW. NO WAY! More

My car was in for 80K maintenance. Jetta was not ready when they told me it would be. They said to come in and get a "loaner". I did, this was my first experience doing this and thought I was in good ha when they told me it would be. They said to come in and get a "loaner". I did, this was my first experience doing this and thought I was in good hands, I trusted my car to them, didn't I? I go in and the receptionist calls someone and he comes in and puts a key on the counter, she tells me it is out there, the silver Jetta. Nothing to sign, nothing, simply handed me the key and said "see ya later". So I drive home and my son looks at the front fender and it was cracked, big time. I said, they must be aware of it becauses they just told me to leave with it. Was I ever wrong!!!! When I returned the car, the blonde woman service manager came stomping in to find me at the cashier and begins yelling, yes yelling, at me "THAT CAR WAS BRAND NEW WHEN YOU TOOK IT OUT OF HERE!!! LOOK AT ALL THE DAMAGE YOU DID!!!" I said the damage was there when I got it. She (still yelling) said no, she drove it the week before me and it was fine. I again said, NO, the car was damaged when I got it. We went back and forth in the parking lot until the stupid woman finally said " I am getting the service records". She marched off in a huff, I was pretty mad myself be accused of being a liar and cheat isn't nice. She comes back, opens the file and (thank goodness) the damage was noted in there before I used it. No apology at all from this mean woman, none, all she did was say "OH, I know who it was now, ...." I didn't give a hoot who did what to this car at this point. Anyway I would never go there just to avoid this woman that seems to hate her job. Oh, on the repair bill, it said they replaced my windsheild wiper, I turned them on, Nope, same old broken one still there. They credited me the 15.00 charge but I still wonder about the things I can't see that they said they repaired. I will never ever go there agian, even with the free oil change coupons, NOPE. More

My experience was very different from the others posted. The salesman, Dave Lawell, was straight up and friendly. The sales manager, Chip Defries, played a little bit of the "I can't stay in business by los The salesman, Dave Lawell, was straight up and friendly. The sales manager, Chip Defries, played a little bit of the "I can't stay in business by losing money on a sale," but it wasn't too bad, and in the end (which actually didn't take that long), he came essentially matched the price I wanted. In addition, the paperwork portion of the deal took an incredibly small amount of time. More

I have had not one, but over 5 bad experiences with this dealership over the last 4 years. I only kept going back because they continued to fail to fix problems under warranty and often caused new problems dealership over the last 4 years. I only kept going back because they continued to fail to fix problems under warranty and often caused new problems by faulty repairs and the fact I have lifetime free oil changes. I would never return agian however as it isn't worth my time to have them keep creating new problems with faulty repairs and bad customer service. Most recently, after three failed attempts to fix a simple problem, I insisted they give me a loaner car, for which they not only tried to charge me, but then tried to charge me for gasoline despite me providing them a receipt for gas timed and dated just minutes before return of the car for the gas. They called me a liar that I refilled gas even though I brought it back with more than I started with. That was the final straw. Really have nothing positive to say about them. More

We had our Jetta 1.8T in for some warranty work - a leaking driver's side window and a squeaking front suspension. The service advisor promised the car the next day. We came to pick it up and they sa leaking driver's side window and a squeaking front suspension. The service advisor promised the car the next day. We came to pick it up and they said it was finished. I checked the service order and it said "road test - no problem found" except there weren't any additional miles on the car. Strange. We pointed this out and asked to have the car repaired again. This time, we requested a loaner. After a significant amount of haggling, they agreed and kept the car over the weekend and into the next week. They called and said the car was repaired. The window seal was listed as being replaced (under warranty) and appeared to have been. The front suspension squeaked as soon as we sat down. We walked back inside and could not find our advisor. A technician came by and he asked if there was a problem with the car. We explained the situation, took him outside to show him and he agreed it was noisy but nobody in the shop had asked him to look at it. We finally got the service advisor, explained the situation and asked to have the car looked at NOW. She agreed and 15 minutes the car was returned to us with the anti-roll bar bushings lubricated, and no more noise. Russel's service advisors are rude and don't care about customer service. We've had much better luck at Ourisman. More

On Sunday, June 13, 2004 I emailed Russel Volkswagen with my intent to purchase a VW Touareg V6 base model for a specified price plus tax and tags. <br><br>On Monday, June 14 Ray Ott, Russel VW's Internet S my intent to purchase a VW Touareg V6 base model for a specified price plus tax and tags. <br><br>On Monday, June 14 Ray Ott, Russel VW's Internet Sales Manager, emailed me saying, they had the vehicle I wanted and "We are willing to sell the vehicle for that price." He wanted me to come in to the dealership to finalize the sale. <br><br>Later that same day, I emailed Ray Ott to clarify, before coming in to the dealership, that the price would be my specified price plus tax and tags -- with no other amounts or fees to be added. [No processing fees, and no other 'baloney' fees.] <br><br>The morning of Tuesday, June 15 Ray Ott again emailed me saying, "I will honor the price. When can you come in?" <br><br>Then, later that day, as we were attempting to hammer out all of the details Ray Ott infromed me that he could not sell the vehicle at my specified price. Instead he could only sell it for another $575 above my price. And to be clear, the extra $575 was not the charge for the tax and tags -- this extra $575 was ON TOP of the tax and tags. <br><br>In summary, Ray Ott and his dealership Russel Volkswagen agreed to my price, not once but TWICE, and then as we were finalizing the details he suddenly changed the price and was going to charge me an additional $575. <br><br>This is precisely the type of deplorable "salesmanship" that I was tring to avoid by using succinct electronic communications instead of haggling in the dealership. Unfortunately some salesmen, like Ray Ott at Russel Volkswagen, appear to have no scruples. They will agree to your price many times over and just when you think you have an rock solid agreement, when you are finalizing the details, they will try to screw you for more money. Then your only options are to give in and pay their price, or to walk away having wasted all that time with them. <br><br>Bottom line: Avoid dealerships like Russel Volkswagen and salesmen like Ray Ott. More