RAI Motorsport

Reviews

Reviews are sorted by relevance, with the most helpful and insightful feedback listed first for easy reference.

  Larry Contillo
2 months ago
RAI does excellent work and the business is well run. I can t say enough nice things about RAI Motorsport. The owner, Ray, is honest, his team is thorough, and they are fantastic diagnosticians. Ray does an excellent job of communicating what needs to be done and why.They ve worked on my Mini and BMW since 2017 and my Mercedes for about 2 years. They do a wonderful job of inspecting the car, identifying all the items requiring attention, and then helping to prioritize what needs addressed immediately and what can wait, helping to stretch out the cost. They ve never attempted to upsell me.Ray is great at sourcing non-OEM parts of equal or better quality at less painful price points. On the rare occasions when the work was not perfect, Ray owned up to the problem and worked with me on the cost so that I did not pay for the rework; he could have easily concealed the issues.RAI can do more than maintain and repair your vehicle, they upgraded the suspension on the BMW and the Mercedes to improve the handling; I m very happy with the upgrades, money well spent.I started using RAI when I moved to Baltimore in 2017. I left Baltimore in 2023 and I still use RAI, sometimes driving from Virginia.

  Dempsey Gallant
4 months ago
Ray, hands down, is one of the best in the business. He s so extremely knowledgeable about German engineering and extremely knowledgeable about modifications to them. He is FAIR AND HONEST!!! Which is so hard to come by in the car industry. I had a bunch of work done. He kept me informed during the whole process, which was timely due to the amount of work being performed. That being said, he and his team worked diligently and thoroughly to get all the work done in timely manor while making sure quality was not sacrificed. Ray and his team at RAI has not only gained a customer, but an advocate for his business. From scheduling the appointment, talking to him and his technicians and going through options; this team was professional, friendly and genuine. Thank you Ray and thank you to your team for being a gem in the automotive world!

  J T
6 months ago
Brough my car in to have a bad motor mount replaced. Talked to the owner for the longest time about the vision I had for my little beater. They did great work. Definitely plan on returning to have more work done soon.Service: Engine repairService: Engine repair

  Thomas Keith
a year ago
I experienced a tire blowout on I-95 South over the Labor Day Weekend and had my car towed to RAI Motorsport to be repaired. As a resident of NYC, I was unaware of RAI's reputation or service quality. The representative (Ray) was very professional and provided me with excellent guidance over the phone which made me feel comfortable leaving my car at their location over the holiday weekend. In the end, RAI provided outstanding service, priced my repairs reasonable and gave me advice on issues I should address regarding my car when I returned to NYC. I am extremely grateful for the quality service provided by RAI Motorsport and would strongly recommend RAI to anyone in the surrounding areas.Services: Tires, General repairs & maintenance

  Dakuan B.
a month ago
Went in to get my car tuned, customer service was excellent and couldn't be more happier with the tune on my car 100 out of 10

  Shauna Loggins
a year ago
Having to deal with car repairs when you don t know much about cars can be scary. There is always fear that you will end up paying for things your car doesn t need. Ray stayed in contact with me to update every step of the way. He explained why my car needed the repairs it did. I will definitely come back to RAI for any repairs in the future.Service: Brakes

  Denys Kobzan
2 years ago
Ray was great! Super pleased with the customer service and he even stayed for 1h longer to wait for me driving from D.C. Absolutely recommend - those people are enthusiasts of what they do.

  Tim
2 years ago
I ve worked with a lot of different tuner shops over the years and RAI is definitely among the top tier. The first time I dropped my car off for a fuel system service I was given a ride home. You can tell by the variety of builds they have going on in the garage that they know what they re doing and are more than true enthusiasts. What really did it for me recently was a OEM part installed in the last few months by RAI which malfunctioned and was promptly reordered then reinstalled free of charge. I showed up a few hours late for my appointment and they still got it done before COB. What more can I say.Service: General repairs & maintenance

  Steve Woodell
3 years ago
Ray and the team at RAI have now seen my vehicle multiple times for tuning upgrades. Everytime my mk7 gti was taken care of in a professional and timely manner. Currently using United Motorsport software. Ray is extremely personable and professional. He takes time to talk and explain to the customer about whats being done to their car and is happy to help the customer plan for future modifications etc. Highly recommend.Service: Auto engine tuning

  Marshall Webber
2 years ago
RAI was my choice to do pre-purchase inspection on a vehicle I was buying from a nearby dealership. Ray and his crew went over it with a fine toothed comb and were able to give me excellent assurance of the true state of the vehicle, which let me negotiate some corrective pre-sale service from the dealer. I cannot recommend them more highly. Ray took his time on the phone with me, was busy, but not rushed, and was unfailingly polite. The pre-purchase inspection was excellent and reasonably priced, and is now included with my vehicle's trove of other documentation. I'd recommend RAI to anyone in the Baltimore area.

  Kevin Kcal Callaghan
5 years ago
Great experience with RAI. Had a major amount of work done on my S4 and they were great to work with. Ray kept me posted throughout the process and the tech (Steve) working on my car was great as well. Nothing but good things to say and I would reccomend using them. Even though I live in Frederick, Md I plan on making the hike to RAI down the road whenever my cars need service or work done. Well worth the hour long drive.

  Brian Thibaudeau
a year ago
Been going to RAI since 2012. I started to have my B7 A4 modded with their house turbo, downpipe, intercooler, and a whole slew of other parts. They've come through and modded my car right up. The exhaust was an issue because it had a strange connector,but they fabbed up a solution. After the tune, I had boost issues, and they swapped in a new diverter valve at no cost. That set me going for quite a while.Since then, I've gone back several times for various things. I had them change the engine mounts, carbon cleaning, power steering flush, thermostat, wheels, wheel bearing, oil change, pulley, and transmission fluid. These have gone well, for the most part.This latest time was trans fluid change. I had gotten the fluid, which was the new "Lifeguard 8" (avoid if you can). I had some issues shifting, but normally converting over to it requires a dealer update to the transmission software. My dealer had NO idea what this update was (despite other owners having received it). I had talked to Ray and he straight up recommended flushing it all out with Redline D4. I brought it back and they did 3 drain and fills to replace the fluid, and it's smoother than it's been in years. Ray wouldn't let me leave until he was certain I was happy with it!On top of all this, Ray has been available for me to shoot messages to anytime, and has helped me solve a number of issues without having to take the car in. Rest assured I will be going back.Update 7/22/2016: They still continue to be awesome. In the past year, I've had them replace the rear coolant flange (which started leaking), oil filter & stand gaskets, install coilovers, and replace the vacuum pump. Great guys, love seeing other cars in the shop, and/or shooting the breeze with them. My B7 has since gotten totaled, but I know I'll be bringing my C5 allroad by the shop.Update 8/26/2022: At this point they have done multiple services to my (former) C5 Allroad including oil pan, heater core, suspension, electrical, etc. And my C7 A6 TDI, where they have done maintenance and engine mounts.Had tires shipped to Mr. Tire for install, who proceeded to be able to only mount 1 and damaged 2 of my wheels. Then with an attitude that screamed, "Go pound sand!", told me to take my tires to a performance shop to have them installed. So I did, and called up RAI again. They got me right back in. Estimate to bring to Mr. Tire reimbursement, and I've since gotten the wheels repaired and new tires mounted and balanced. Always a pleasant experience!

  Daron Williams
a year ago
Rai is the man. He came highly recommended for my VW, and consistently does great work. He demonstrates high integrity. That's why we drive all 3 of our German vehicles 52 mies RT....we only go to Rai's for service and/or repair.

  Dawn Kellner
4 years ago
RAI prides themselves on treating your car as their own. They excel in cleanliness and communication. They call you for authorization before proceeding. Tell you what needs to be done and what to watch for. Unlike the dealer I received my car back with greasy hand prints and an unexpected bill. Your not just a number your a name. That s worth a lot to me.

  Rob Mikes
3 years ago
Honest & Trustworthy, Knowledgeable, Experienced, & ProfessionalNo this is not the Boy Scout motto; but this should be every and all auto mechanics motto! I drive from south of Annapolis, about 40 miles and rent a car to get back home, because I trust RAI Motorsport!Ray knows what he's doing, another place said: I needed a new starter on my Porsche. Turns out a fuel pump and a new gas cap were needed. Experience & Honestly is the Hallmark of RAI.Services: Electrical repair, General repairs & maintenance, Auto engine diagnostic, Auto engine tuning, Engine repair, Oil change

  Bruce Hartig
4 years ago
I was looking for a shop to replace the steering rack on my Mercedes SL, Did a google search, and found RAI Motorsports. Called the business and spoke to the owner.He was courteous appeared to be knowledgable abot my car. He gave me an estimate that was reasonable and affordable to me. Then i realized that he was 85 mies away.!! I brought my car to him, he arranger for a rental car for me, and callled me when it was ready. I picked up the car and everything was perfect.!! Ill make the trip again if i need further repair work.

  D C
8 years ago
Been going to RAI for a few years now and wouldn't go anywhere else! I had a 99 a4 and had heard things good things about them so I decided to stop in for a reflash. At the time I had recently gotten my timing belt and water pump replaced (at another unnamed shop) and while they were looking over the car they realized that the other shop hadn't tightened down any of the bolts for the front end of the car so it literally could have fallen off at any time, so ever since that day I was a customer at RAI. Ray and the guys their are very helpful and knowledgeable with anything VW and Audi related. They will even take you back in the shop to show you whats wrong or if they are having issues with something. The Audi I had is gone now but I still take my Honda to them for maintenance and performance mods and when I get back in an Audi i'll be going back again. Thanks guys!

  GG Karanja
a year ago
Did perform all promised repairs. The ower had a detailed explanation on what the Car needed before they could even start the work. Congrats Ray for creating confidence in meService: Engine repairService: Engine repair

  Odelon Garcia
3 years ago
Mr. RAI is very professional in explaining the details of the car problems. His mechanic maintained the cleanliness of your car & disinfect it as well (covid 19), after the repair! Will highly recommend!!!

  Hector Griswold
9 years ago
Cannot say enough good about RAI. Not only knowledgeable, but very cost conscious, and honest. The have stood behhind their work, and when I had to have a minor issue reworked, they bent over backwards to resolve the issue for me at no additional cost. I hate to say it, but I drive almoost 3 hrs to have my Allroad serviced by them. They understand my car, and me, and even try to talk me out of some things that I ask them to do. My Allroad was a used purchase for me and loaded with problems. Over time we have conquered them all. Much superior to my local Audi dealer. Knowledgeable, I can recommend them without reservation.

  Spencer Himelberger
7 years ago
These guys have been nothing but fantastic with my big turbo Golf R. Every detail about my complicated issues have been delt with great detail. Ray is a trustworthy guy and I won't take my car anywhere else in the Mid-Atlantic.

  John Butz
7 years ago
I've been taking my 2010 A4 here since moving to the area. Knowledgeable group of guys. Honest quotes at reasonable prices.Update, April 2017: I've migrated to another shop. Nothing against the guys here, I've just found a little more personal attention and detail elsewhere.

  Joel Galtieri
5 years ago
Went to RAI for a complete head rebuild with all new parts SO THEY SAID but when called with what happened they admitted to never replacing the tensioner. When car was finished, $9k stroker engine was immediately ruined on startup to be tuned and broke in by a more well known and proffesional shop in PA. This was due to cam timing chain being off two teeth along with cam sprocket installed backwards. Probably just a mistake by their employee but would highly not recommend. Not to mention the head rebuild price increased a little over $1000 after I was quoted and already sent my engine head to them. One of the change orders being cam chain and tensioner .

  Randy Coffren
8 months ago
I only take my Audi to RAI they re quick, professional and honest.Service: Engine repairService: Engine repair

  Russell Sims
10 years ago
I have Maestro that I purchased from RAI and its a bit intimidating. On several occasions I have had some goofy issues come up and Ray at RAI has always done his best to help me out. I really can not say enough about them.

  Irezumi Chris
8 years ago
I ordered a hfc downpipe/hfc cat combo from them.They put the wrong value on the box so I ended up paying a penalty at customs. (They put 20$ in value...)Paid 200$ to install it (dont have a lift), it woulnt fit, called them and the only choice they gave me was to send it back to California... So I paid 90$ in custom penalty because of them, 200$ in labor to try to fit it, 150$ to have it fixed so that I could sell it. The guy who fixed it (same guy who made my turboback afterwards and the DMCC roll cage approver) said he never saw welds so weak, the penetration was so bad he showed me he could break the weld with is hands.They used to offer good products, not anymore.Btw it happened to a LOT of us, search the forums. I had about 10 PM's from people with the SAME issues, it would touch the transmission crossmember at the exact same place.

  Richard Lewis
9 years ago
I ve never met a greater group of guys. I ve taken both my Corrado and Passat to these guys and I ve never been disappointed. I just recently had my Passat in there and I told them what my budget was and we came up with a game plan that allowed me to get the most work completed (i.e. what needed to be tackled first and what could wait).

  Kevin Cross
2 years ago
Great Shop friendly staff Ray will give you the best option to save you money for your vehicle and repair it the right way. I m very satisfied with this shop.Service: General repairs & maintenanceService: General repairs & maintenance

  S Powers
2 years ago
minus the great customer service lmao, i just cant comprehend how a 5 hr at home job, which would probably take 3-4 hrs, for vw mechanics can cost 800+ without the parts

  Rich R
9 years ago
RAI Motorsports.First off if you come here to complain, you should also go to the Better Business Bureau and file a complaint as RAI is a member of this and it is a better way of resolving your issues with RAI vs trying to post on this site.I have had issues and you can read them on BBB, just type in RAI Motorsports and BBB and you will be able to see what is on there and you can file a complaint on there also to help force RAY to either fix his business practices or continue to receive complaints against him.