Alexandria Auto Repair

First, you have to understand this can be a very busy place, especially on weekends. I went in last Saturday to have my wife's car inspected, and turns out she had a cut in the tire and it failed. I went to Sam's, bought a new tire and came back. Even though they were super busy on an early Saturday afternoon, they still found time to install my tire, in a matter of minutes. Went back through the inspection line and was done with no problem. Everyone that works here is at best friendly, and at least helpful. I also want to add they are honest, and not the kind of shop that is looking to rip people off. I've had nothing but positive experiences here.

I stopped by the back section on 11/05/14 for what I hoped would be some quick auto service because my tire pressure indicator lit up. I was greeted by the friendly Connor and told to pull right through. I didn't even have to get out of the car. He checked the pressure on all tires and gave me some extra air in the ones that were a little low. Seems like my indicator is just very sensitive! Everything was free and probably took a total of 5 minutes! I've also had many a pleasant experience gassing up here.

This is my go-to mechanic for my Prius. The mechanics are knowledgable and polite. They know you're in a hurry so they try to get you out quickly, and they know you don't want to spend too much so they help you decide what repairs can wait vs what needs to be done now. You have to love a place where the staff says things like "you don't need to replace that right now, but start budgeting for it in the next 6 months". Sure, I could probably find a place that was a little cheaper on labor, but I feel like I'm in good hands here, and they deserve the pay they get! Side note: I know this isn't a big deal but they have a female mechanic. It's just nice to see a woman in a field where you don't see many women. :)

Initially I came to Yates to get my oil changed. But soon discovered they do so much more better, cheaper and faster than any other garage I've used. I'm a single mom without any knowledge of cars. So I'm often afraid I'll be taken advantage of by mechanics as I'm easy prey. These guys are trustworthy and customer service is outstanding. Such a peace of mind to know I can trust my mechanic and they will take good care of my car.

On the coldest day ever, my tire decides it wants to go to sleep. I stopped by here to see if they could assist. They assisted me like it was 80 degrees out. Professional and free. They helped me find my wheel lock (girl-card) and took the tire off to ensure it had no leaks. I had to give the tech a big tip for assisting. I LOVE GREAT Customer service. TOP NOTCH.

So my beloved Roadbeast, a 1989 Crown Vic LX, failed to weather our most recent snow storm. I backed up over a jagged piece of ice which pierced my gas tank, and before I knew it, I was desperately searching for a place that wouldn't take advantage of my compromised situation. In the automotive repair world, there are so many thieves out there that the good ones have to be treasured. I had some dealings with Yates Express Lube in the past and knew that they would treat me fairly, so I drove across town to seek them out. My auto tech Megan, who was simply amazing, soon found the problem and confirmed that there was indeed a pinhole puncture in the tank. She assuaged my fears with a very reasonable quote and the guys at the shop stayed within the quote. At no time did I feel that I was being "put together" for a higher price. Megan and the other techs were in constant contact, as I check up on the Roadbeast regularly. They offered transportation to and from the shop, and confirmed that a shard of ice could have punctured my tank. It seems that some of my friends had their doubts on that matter: "There is no way that could happen." "Did you see Titanic?" "Yes, of course. I love that movie." "Well, Kate Winslet, if ice could bring down the Titanic, I'm sure it could scuttle the Roadbeast" So not only did I win the argument, I one the battle of the repair with Megan and Express Lube's help. I will most definitely return here for my Roadbeast repairs...just not too soon I hope.

Stopped by this morning in the bitter cold to get air for my tires. The wind chills were below zero and my attempts to add air at their sister station across the street failed. A real nice guy out back on a break, immediately came up to my car as I was driving in and very cheerfully asked what he could do for me. When I explained I needed air, he professionally checked my door sticker to see how much air my tires required, added air and got me on my way. The can-do attitude was very much appreciated. Many thanks.

Everytime I have come to the Express lube to get any work done on my car the mechanics have been friendly and knowledgeable. They don't try to rip you off or sell you things you don't need. They're very good at taking customer cues and knowing when a customer goes in for a certain things that we want that certain thing done and don't want a whole lot of unnecessary hub bub about how screwed up their car is and how they can fix it. I know my cars is a piece of crap...it's a Chrysler. The mechanic that did the oil change in my car last month was awesome. I showed up at 745 in the morning without an appointment, he immediately took my car into the garage and within 15 minutes my oil change done and I was on my way. The mechanic and I even joked around about how crappy Chryslers are and I really appreciate that sense of humor since I really think Chryslers are pieces of shit. I've never had a bad experience here so I will continue to use them as my go-to mechanic shop when I need quick and efficient service. The one drawback to this place is that, like a previous poster said, the gas is very expensive. But honestly everything Kingstowne and Northern Va period is expensive, so I'm not shocked there. The associates in the gas stations snack shop are equally as friendly as the mechanics. They really just make you leave there with a smile which is not how one normally leaves a mechanic's shop. And if you check in you get $5 off an oil change! Wtg Yates!!

James and Tim were super in getting my beloved Toyota pickup through state inspection last month. The truck is so old that it requires a whole different set up to run the engine and wheels while its in the bay. They made the extra effort to get the setup in place and save me lots of time. Thanks guys!

Brought my car in for inspection on Labor Day, no less ,and the service was outstanding. I needed a new tire and it was out of stock, but Andrew promised it would be there the next day. He also provided me with several options and a great recommendation. I returned tonight and the new tire was there and they fixed the tire and had me on my way in under 1/2 hour. I was very happy with the price too. Looked at their pricing for other services and I will never go anywhere else to service my car.