Your Trusted Neighborhood Auto Experts
For over 34 + years, our family-owned mechanic shop has been the cornerstone of auto repair in the community, built on a foundation of honesty, experience, and old-fashioned friendliness. We believe getting your car fixed shouldn't be a headache. We've worked hard to create a welcoming, transparent environment where you feel like a valued neighbor, not just a number.
We specialize in thorough, detailed diagnostics, inspections and repairs for all critical systems in different makes and models.
We give you a straight forward, accurate diagnosis, clearly explain your options, and never recommend a service you don't actually need.
Stop by for an estimate or inspection—we'd love to earn your trust!
Hours not specified
What clients say about Automotive Express in Arlington (VA)
They were super friendly and efficient at completing the state inspection of my vehicle. I came here after having no luck at two other places. I appreciate their time since I came close to closing.
Walked in and they had my car inspected in about an hour. The service was very friendly and I was able to drop my car off and come back. They brought up an issue that I might need to get checked out but didn’t sell me on anything and I really felt like I could trust them. Will 100% come back here!!
I had a nasty (dirty water) stain from an apartment pipe leak. Wilson and the team did an absolutely outstanding job. Good as new!! and I could not believe the improvement in my cars’ look. Highly recommend and will be back. I don’t have before pictures but look at ‘her glow!!
Mechanics tried to cheer me up because I was hit with a big fee to fix my car. They helped out and I appreciate them for their hard work. God bless.
Update: it's been 7 years. Still go to them and prob won't ever stop.
Excellent results from AA on a difficult problem that was hard to diagnose. My 1994 F150 had a transmission fluid leak that my usual shop was not comfortable working on due to the age of the vehicle. AA worked at figuring it out then solved the problem at a fair price. Nice people too. I highly recommend this shop.
I've been going to them for years because my male co-workers had reference them . However, this past weekend was my worst experience with them . The customer service and quality of work have declined . I recommend women to have another person there to witness the verbiage or male presence who are experts in vehicle . I don't ever write reviews. However, this was a terrible experience, and there are plenty of other arlington mechanics. Don't come here
Customer service is always great. I go here for emission and inspection. They are friendly, has fast and efficient service. They call back when it’s ready quickly which makes my busy life much easier. I’ve been to many places but I like it here because how they make this process with ease and peace.
Dropped off a service van yesterday because of front end shaking when braking. After diagnosing they called to explain the repairs and provide an estimate. Surprisingly, the van was ready to pick up that afternoon. Downtime is critical for us... The ride back to the shop was smooth as butter!
Thanks to Rudy and the professional techs at Automotive Express.
Went here for an inspection and they fail me because I need new rear struts and a brake light is out. Brake light okay but struts is gonna be ~$700. They weren’t able to do both that day so I take my car to a DEALERSHIP and they say my struts are fine just the brake light. From a dealership!! I expected to pay $900+. They replace my brake light, fill my fluids and air pressure, pass my inspection - all for $35.
Should have done my due diligence before taking it to this place. Also should have checked their work. Not going here again.
Great repair shop! Rudy and his friendly team have been taking care of my car for five years, I highly recommend them. They do honest work a very fair price. Never pushy, but offer great advice about maintenance. They go the extra mile to provide great service, exactly what you what from your repair shop.
My recent visit to Automotive Express left me with mixed feelings. While there were some positive aspects, there were also a few areas that fell short of my expectations.
On the positive side, the staff at Automotive Express were friendly and attentive. They greeted me warmly upon arrival and were willing to answer my questions regarding the services they offered. I appreciated their willingness to provide information and make me feel welcome.
However, I found the overall service to be somewhat lacking. The wait time for my vehicle to be serviced was longer than anticipated, and there seemed to be a lack of communication regarding the progress of the work. It would have been helpful to receive regular updates or an estimated completion time to manage my expectations better.
Furthermore, I noticed a few minor issues with the quality of the work performed. While the technicians were generally knowledgeable, there were a few areas where attention to detail was lacking. For instance, I noticed a small scratch on my vehicle's exterior that was not present before the service. While it was a minor blemish, it was still disappointing.
In terms of pricing, Automotive Express was reasonably competitive compared to other automotive service centers. However, I felt that some of the charges for additional services were a bit steep, and it would have been helpful to have more transparency in the pricing structure.
Love this place. I have gone there with tire issues twice. The first time they looked over everything and found no problem. No charge. I gave the kid $10 for his efforts. The second time I brought a large trailer. I needed to do a tricky 3 point turn, but the owner helped me get it right, and they jacked up the rig, got the tire off, and found a leaky stem. $25. I was on my way in 30 minutes. It ain't luxurious, but they work hard and treat you with respect.
If you look at the sign, they are missing an S. That missing letter stands for "saving" time and $.
Good, reliable service with very reasonable prices. I've used automotive express for all service on our 1994 Honda del sol and 2005 Toyota Matrix, and their recommendations and work have always been good. Appreciate that they explain various options with no pressure to upsell. Getting some parts for the del sol have been difficult and taken much longer than I thought, but it's not their fault, and they have gone out of their way to track down parts or recommend alternative options.
Honest, fast, and excellent service. Rudi is one of the kindest, most helpful people I’ve ever dealt with in an auto body shop. Highly recommend for ANY car repair and for state inspection.
Had my car window smashed. They fixed it in less than 2 hours, dealt with insurance, and made it an easy experience.
Fantastic service! Got a great deal on a state emissions inspection and they were nice enough to help put new plates on my car. Friendly staff that did not try to up sell me. The inspection was done within 30 minutes of dropoff too. 10/10 would recommend this place if you need an inspection or repair.
Their inspection deal is the best I've seen in VA. They do great work for an honest price. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. They gave me options for expensive transmission repair work that lowered my bill. I highly recommend this company. They need a cleaner, bigger waiting room.
Rudy is honest and I have never felt like I was taken for a ride here. The cost was less, and the work was solid. You don't need to pay dealer costs for work. Will be coming again.
GMC Envoy, Nissan Pathfinder.
Rudy and the rest of the staff are proficient, courteous, and efficient. They are experts at their craft. My family and I have been going here for years. Today I went in for a car battery replacement and was out within 20 minutes. Amazing!
We made an appointment online for my wife's car and were greeted immediately by Martin. He was very polite and helpful guiding us to the front desk while he performed the smog. The inside was recently renovated and we were offered water and chips. No other smog shop does this. Our car passed and the owner even helped us submit other required DMV paperwork. I like getting all this done at one spot! Thank you, Martin and Sunny.
Went in for a safety inspection through Groupon. Process went by smoothly; just an hour wait including repairs and prices were reasonable. Everyone was super friendly and I felt like my car was in good hands. So glad I was able to bring my car here; it's definitely going to be one of my top auto shops for car repairs from now on. Thank you so much!
Great service and quality. Staff are very knowledgeable and friendly. We have been coming to this shop for over 10 years. Their prices are fair and reasonable. They have saved us money, especially when purchasing a used car. Their inspection has discovered minor and major issues. Highly recommend them.
Been using these guys for many years, they are the best in the business. Honest, helpful, reliable, fair. I live in Springfield now and still bring my car up to Arlington. I would not trust my car to anyone else, Rudy is the best!
They are thorough! They are reliable! They are friendly! They are patient! They are honest!
I called around because my vehicle was leaking power steering fluid. Originally, I was told, by another mechanic from a different shop, that I would need a different/more costly repair. I was given the quote for the requested repair, but was also told that Automotive Express would inspect/perform a diagnostic of my vehicle to make sure that my issue wasn't something else before proceeding to repair my issue. The diagnostic fees apply to the repair if AE does your repair!
I dropped my vehicle off on a Thursday afternoon, got my phonecall with the diagnostic results on Thursday evening, the repairs were completed and my vehicle was picked up by Friday afternoon.
My initial statement best describes my experience. I was told that I would need a rack and pinion and all the fixings from a reputable shop after routine maintenance. Ultimately, I had a hole in the hose of the power steering fluid reservoir. AE saved me so much time, resources, and emotional stress by being honest, thorough, and not giving me false expectations. If these are the qualities that you want in your mechanic then take your vehicle to them for mechanic work. They will continue to get my business and my referrals.
Been here for so many things, from patching tires, to body work, to replacing my alternator and they are the best around. Honest, up front about prices, and don't try to BS you about what's wrong with your car. On top of all that, they do great work, are nice guys, and get work done quickly. Can't say enough good things about everyone here. Manny is always so helpful along with the rest of the staff. I wish there were a mythical 6th star to give these guys because they are that good.
This place was not only quick and great but were polite and courteous. They took me in no appointment necessary. This place can change rotors on ford vehicles. My 2013 fusion needed its rear rotors replaced and other places were not able to do it, or I was faced with going to expensive brake shops with overpriced attitudes or the Ford Dealership. This place replaced my rear rotors and brakes without the lying misinformation the dealer spreads. Come check this place out you won't regret it.
I found this place via a Groupon for vehicle and emissions inspection and I couldn't be more thankful. All of the guys are very helpful and super friendly.
Manny is pretty much the go-to guy, however, all of the gentlemen that work in the shop are great and will help you. Chris worked on my car and was awesome! He was thorough, yet quick with the work. He explained how changing a particular part on my car wasn't crucial, but another part of the vehicle was and it had been overlooked by a larger chain that I had just visited the day before. Manny was able to promptly locate the part and Chris got the job done.
These guys saved me money, time and unnecessary work that was strongly suggested by a larger chain. My husband and I have made them our official shop for all of our car's needs. I highly recommend them for any of your automotive needs great and small!!!
Wow! Automotive Express is honest, friendly, and doesn't overcharge. The manager, Rafael, is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. He always listens carefully to you and treats you with respect. He spends a lot time with you, inspects everything and is truly concerned with your satisfaction.
When I went to get a tire, he didn't try to sell me the most expensive ones. He gave me a lot of options and actually recommended the economy tire for my needs. I don't think that has ever happened to me when working with a mechanic. He really looks out for you and takes care of you.
An example of his level of service: I had my tires mounted and paid for all the work. I was backing out of his business and he noticed three of my lights were out. He stopped me, dropped everything, got three bulbs, and immediately replaced them. NO CHARGE!
If you need tires, rims, or really any car work, you could crazy not to go to Automotive Express. It was easily the best experience I've ever had with a mechanic/shop. They won me over and I'll keep coming back.
My car broke down during a road trip and I was only halfway home. I found Automotive Express online and they really were amazing. Rudy, the owner is very nice and helpful as is Manny. They able to tow my car and look at it that day, despite the fact that they had many clients coming and going. They diagnosed my car, gave me a few different options encouraged me to make a few other phone calls - like back to my dealership in St. Louis to see if there was any help with the warrantee they could give. They priced out a few options for repair. During the repair they came across a few things that were not immediate issues but called to see if I wanted to include these other repairs. When they finished they cleaned my car too. The bottom line price they told me at the beginning was what I paid. Really, for a broken down car during a road trip - things could not have possibly gone any smoother. You won't be disappointed if you take your car here!
My husband went there because we had 2 flat tires on our car. Rafael not only had the exact tires we needed, but actually offered use of his own car to my husband so he could go get the tires.
The service was excellent and we got a very good product for a great price! We now have a new mechanic!
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