Originally Posted by AdamT
Sure, Phil. It's Complete Car Care on Gervais Street, just a few blocks from the Capitol here. Note that there is, just a block or two away on the same street, "Firestone Complete Car Care." Not the same place at all.
CCC is an interesting one. On first glance, it looks like a regular tire-and-lube place, and the bulk of the cars you see on their lifts are American, Japanese everyday kind of cars. If you pass there every day (as I have for years), though, you notice that they are rarely without at least one or tow Porsches hanging around. For that reason (and the fact that they are three blocks from the office I had at the time), I started taking my string of 90s and early 00s Mercedes to them several years ago. They were always excellent, knowledgeable and reasonably priced.
When I got the Boxster, that was why I approached them (even though my office is now a very hot 6-block walk back from there). Some of the mechanics there have raced Boxsters, and they're knowledgeable, enthusiastic and practical.
I can't quote for you their rate; I took a very boring 3-year break with a late-model Lexus and haven't had occasion to visit them during that time. I'll be getting a nice big bill from them in the next day or two, though, and I'm glad to shed some light at that point. I do know that I've always found their tabs to be cheaper than the independent Mercedes-centric shop I had used before finding them.
This was more of an answer than you were looking for, but if you look them up on street view, you may think I'm crazy (if that was taken on a day that everything on the lift was a Chrysler minivan, Civic or Camry).
This will be by far the biggest job they've ever done for me, but I have never had a bad experience (including this one, at least so far).
Do note that they are very busy most of the time, and I have rarely been able to get a car in and out of there in a day (even for minor things, like motor mounts). It's never been a problem since I'm nearby, but you might want to call ahead and make sure they have arrangements in place if you don't want to spend a night in Columbia.
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