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Automotive Service Garage Situated on the corner of North Fayette & Oronoco Streets in Alexandria stands one of the most reputable automotive repair shops in all of Northern Virginia. Automotive Service Garage has been keeping their clientele satisfied since 1972 with the latest and newest state of the art equipment. Owner Dennis Whitestone knows that to keep a client cheerful, he must meet and exceed their expectations.
Reviews (28)
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Lindsay S.
Jan 20, 2022
Like everyone else I had a flat tire during the early January snowstorm. I called Yates on Wednesday to ask if they had the bandwidth to look at my flat, they said to bring it over. I did, and they then said they were backed up because everyone is having mechanical issues, and to leave my car overnight so they could look at it in the morning. I get that the storm was bad, so I say okay.

The next day, the morning passes with no call. I finally get the call in the afternoon, and they quote me nearly $50 for a patch and almost $220 for a replacement. Then they tell me that they can't get to the tire replacement until the next day. This is the point I picked up my car and took it elsewhere. I understand that everyone had major mechanical difficulties from the storm.

It was a bad time. But I called ahead specifically to see if you had the bandwidth for me, and stringing me along for three days for a tire replacement isn't that. I was able to take my car to a tire shop and got the tire an hour later. I'm sure they do good work, but their unwillingness to be honest with me with time means I'll be going elsewhere.
Maura M.
Dec 26, 2021
A lot of upselling, gaslighting, delays. A repair that should have taken one day ended up taking four, because something was done incorrectly. After the error was fixed, which they would not admit to, one of the techs graciously informed me that they would not charge me for the troubleshooting. Maybe they are overbooked, and that is why work can slide for days. Yelp has some scathing reviews, many regarding inflated pricing and unneeded work.

I suspect the gender of the customer is a factor. I wish I had done my homework and looked at the Checkbook and Yelp ratings before taking my vehicle there. Steer clear of this shop.
Tom C.
Dec 21, 2021
I took my car in for a noise in the front end. They gave me a long list of repairs they said needed done. I told them to only do one repair when I dropped it off. When I called Yates to check on the car and they were doing all the repairs they had recommended. It cost me over $4000. I will never go back to Yates. That includes buying gas.
Joanne Lee
Dec 18, 2021
Busted a tire and brought my car to Yates which was the only shop open late, and they had it ready the next day. Excellent service and would highly recommend.
Elyse J.
Dec 04, 2021
I recently had repair work and two days later I went to a different auto repair for the safety inspection. They noted work had been done and just for interest I was curious about what they would have charged. It was almost 2K less then what I had paid. I understand everyone needs to make a living and it was my responsibility for getting a second estimate which I did not. I have learned a expensive lesson and will not return nor recommend. So very disappointed in their business behavior.
James T.
Nov 25, 2021
These guys are awful, they merge with Tony's be aware if you take your commercial vehicle there
Robyn G.
Nov 21, 2021
Love Yates--they are extremely responsive, always courteous and friendly. You can make appointments for maintenance or detailing online. Besides bringing my car in for general maintenance, they have an awesome detailing service. My car was spotless! I mean, when is the last time your gas tank looked like this?
Julian J.
Nov 20, 2021
I was just so amazed how quickly they fix my issue with car. I really enjoy and trust that location.
Alexandra G.
Nov 19, 2021
I would never recommend this place to anyone. I only went here because I was a loyal customer to Tony's and didn't know where else to try, but clearly they sold to the wrong people. Wish I could give zero stars. I took my car in for an oil change, have a hub cap put back on when they checked for a low tire & a state inspection with emissions test.

I have gone to tons of car dealerships & garages and no one has ever taken it upon themselves to clean my floor and rummage through my things without consent, but left all the dust on the dash. Paper floor mats are perfectly acceptable and would have rather had someone use that in my car. I understand customer service, but I genuinely don't like strangers touching my things & adjusting my things without my permission.

I had prescription receipts and tons of personal things that someone saw when they rummaged through in order to vacuum my car. Vacuumed my car when I wanted to search for a sentimental necklace. Hence the dirt being on the floor. I'm so upset that I lost that possibility from a place that never asked for my consent. They also quoted me an atrocious amount of money for brakes when no one else in the area quoted me so much money. This place was awful and you couldn't pay me to come back. Worst place in the DMV!
John R.
Nov 19, 2021
What a bunch of jerks. Called for a simple tire patch, guy said he could get me right in if I came straight over. 10 min later I am there and they have no room for me / guy is telling the other one behind the counter he never told me that. Would never go there again
Michael Carr
Nov 04, 2021
Seemingly good customer service, but very poor communication on updating me on the status of my repair. Repair quotes are not itemized and are over priced. Following an egregiously over priced engine diagnostic, I took my vehicle to the dealer and was saved from being stiffed price gouging. They even recommended repairs that were not necessary. I would not recommend them for serious vehicle repair.
Lenor Reese
Nov 01, 2021
This morning, Dwayne greeted us and asked if he could help. We needed air in one of my tires. He said he'd check all four tires. Dwayne is always friendly and professional. He got right to it and we were on our way. Thank you Dwayne! I appreciate you. Service: Tyres
Nl Boylan
Oct 30, 2021
Hi Joey and all Yates professionals Thank you for servicing my car. I feel confident driving it knowing that it has been checked and repaired at Yates. Everyone at Yates has been helpful, informative and kind. I also appreciated the ride you provided to return me to the station to get my car. Thank You. Nancy Boylan
Kayla Boston
Oct 24, 2021
***UPDATE*** I called the shop to express my disappointment in the prices and the fact that pricing was never discussed with me before the work was completed on my car. I spoke with Joey, the manager, and he was INCREDIBLY NICE! He actually REFUNDED me money for the miscommunication, which is unheard of. I will be speaking to Joey directly from now on if I ever need anything done on my car.

Thanks Joey for being so understanding and for actually rectifying the situation, much appreciated! (see original review below) "I have to say that when I picked up my car this afternoon, I was APPALLED at the bill. I needed my front and rear brakes replaced (which I knew would run me around $500-700). That isn't the issue. The issue is the cost of labor that Yates charged.

My labor charges were $617, almost as much as the brakes! I was so surprised that I asked what they charge hourly for labor, and the guy told me about $170/hour ($190 with tax). On average, labor charges run $80-100 per hour, so obviously, they are WAY overcharging people for labor. Did Yates do great work? Sure. Are they nice guys? Of course. But I will not bring my car back here for services when it would be cheaper to bring my car to the dealership."
Aaron
Oct 13, 2021
I went to Yates for a safety inspection and my vehicle failed inspection for the first time ever. I was suspicious of the things they were telling me as the reasons for the rejection and was quoted over $2,000 to fix it all. I brought my vehicle to an auto shop I've used in the past and was quoted significantly less ($300) with only 1 of the issues they mentioned. I feel sorry for anyone who uses these guys and gets taken advantage of. Embarrassing.
Brittney Goldstein
Oct 03, 2021
We were on a road trip from MA to VA and noticed a strange noise so we stopped to have the car looked at @ Yates and we couldn't have had better service. The owner and staff were all so kind and helpful. I would highly highly recommend Yates to anyone in VA. Really exceptional service.
Eric Hageman
Sep 11, 2021
My 2010 RX350 had an oil coolant line rupture out of nowhere. This major repair took Yates less than 24 hours. The only downside was that the mechanic forgot to reconnect the A/C condenser line. But they fixed it within a couple hours the following morning, and communications were very clear at every step. Very impressed by this shop's professionalism and speed.
Brian B.
Sep 09, 2021
Don't be fooled. They give great customer service, but charge you hourly rates comparable to elite european dealers. I went to them several times until I realized what was going on. Example: I had a motor replaced at another shop for 2,500 dollars. Yates had earlier charged me 3,700 dollars just to replace head gaskets. Yes, they came to help me several times but I paid for it.
Steve H.
Sep 09, 2021
Yates has taken care of our cars - Porsche, Audi & Ford Expedition for years now. Simple things like oil changes for the Porsche & Audi and everything for the Ford. Very professional service, very friendly, and very nicely done overall. Thanks guys.
Sheila F.
Sep 03, 2021
I drop my car off for the hand wash and Dwayne does a super job! Car looks brand new after each service. Super fast too!
Jim G.
Aug 18, 2021
I had an appointment today that Yates confirmed to replace two tires. I show up at my appointment time and find that they have no technicians in today. Not the front desk guys fault. He was fine. Management needs to address this colossal waste of my time. I've gone to Yates for several years for most all other work and it was great.this is beyond ridiculous.
Louisa H.
Aug 03, 2021
Quick, reliable and professional service. Very pleased. I took my Audi in for an emergency repair and they diagnosed and fixed the problem.
Elisha Davison
Aug 03, 2021
They do good work here and the employees are very nice, but it's expensive and I always have a small issue every time. Once it was being charged far more than quoted when picking up my car (had to call a manager who did reduce the price enough), forgetting the tire rotation the first time, not putting an inspection sticker on my car resulting in a ticket, etc.

These little things add up overtime. No shop is perfect and gets it all right every time, but it's different when you feel like you need to be extra vigilant every time you pick up your car.
Genny C.
Jun 29, 2021
I am rating Yates low due to my experience with them as a brand new customer. I went in for a safety inspecition AND an emissions test. I repeatedly said I needed an emissions test when the front desk worker kept saying only a state inspection to me. It seemed like the person didn't care enough to write that down on the paperwork based on our interaction.

So I repeated myself several times that I needed both before dropping off my car, and he nodded his head. Three hours later, I call to just get an update since it was a workday, and I would need to uber there to get my car. They said I failed the inspection and it would be almost $1,600 to replace a leaking strut, but that price didn't include the wheel alignment needed to go with it. Ummm excuse me?!

Love when car places throw out a huge price like that and act like it's no big deal. I said "thank you for letting me know, I will take my car somewhere else. How did the emissions go?" He said "Oh you need an emissions too? We'll run that and give you a call". So my suspicions of not being heard when saying I needed both an inspection and an emissions were true, and I had to wait 2 more hours before getting my car. I'm not sure if the price gouging was because I was a female or a new customer, but if I were you, I would go somewhere else.

The second place I went to said the same repair was needed, but for a fraction of the cost that Yates quoted. Plus, the second place had much better customer service, and the mechanic actually explained to me what the car issues were and why they would need to be repaired. instead of just telling me it was leaking and throwing a price out so nonchalantly. Save your time and money and go somewhere else!
Margaret A.
Jun 20, 2021
Yikes. Let me preface this with I have used Yates before and have been generally happy with what they do. But something has seriously changed. Took my car in for routine manufacturer recommended service and to have someone look at my tire pressure system. While I was at work, they did call my husband to okay the services they planned to do - it was all good with us.

When I took a look at the bill when I picked the car up later that afternoon, I was aghast. $800 for regular service. When I asked if anything was wrong with the tire pressure system, I was told it was reset and all was good to go. This is despite me telling them that I had already reset it. And guess what? On the way home the tire pressure system light comes back on.

I call them and I get another patronizing response. Us women, how could we know anything about cars? The horror! And that car wash they promise with oil changes? Lol nope. Save yourself the money and the headache. Yates will run itself out of business at this rate.
Katherine I.
Jun 01, 2021
Update! Yates reached out to me and completely blew my mind. Joey the General Manager called and asked me to explain the situation. He actually listened to what I had to say and then he surprised me by asking how much the dealership charged and when I told him he REFUNDED THE DIFFERENCE! That is unheard of. I have never had a business actually listen to me and take action, I am completely impressed and I had to come back and update my review.

I will be sending all my friends, relatives, and strangers to Yates. A lot of us are struggling during this time and spending that amount of money on just diagnosing the problem was a pretty significant financial hit for me. It is sad to say but not many businesses go out of their way to treat their customers as if they matter so to the Yates family all I have to say is action speaks louder than words, YOU HAVE A CUSTOMER FOR LIFE!

And Joey thank you for listening. For the readers out there no one asked me to write this update. I believe in fairness and I was quick to complain so it is only fair that I am just as quick to give kudos and thanks when deserved. Original Post It would have been cheaper to go to the dealership. I paid $375 just to diagnose what was wrong, that amount does not include ANY repair work.

The dealership charges a flat rate to diagnose but Yates charges per hour and as you can imagine they will NEVER diagnose your problem in one hour. So my advice is to go to your dealership, you will save money.
Richard S.
Feb 05, 2021
Took my LR4 there the other day. The service writer took hand-written notes on the problems I was having with the vehicle and was very transparent about prices and fees. The mechanic called a few hours later and said the issues were minor and that all I need was basically a software update. They kept it overnight to make sure all the problems were fixed.

All the issues are gone and it's running like new. Very fast, professional service with smiles all around (including mine). My only knock is that I had them send the truck to be washed at their car wash arm. They did a terrible job. Missed some spots, never cleaned the roof. It was like they did a wipe down with some sort of chemical instead of taking a hose to it or putting it through a machine.

Salt stains remained on the underbody and roof. One of the managers gave me a card for a free wash on my next visit, but I don't think I'll be back for a wash. But they are my new mechanical shop! I won't be going anywhere else for repairs.
John S.
Sep 01, 2020
My daughter took her 2014 Jeep Cherokee in for a VA state safety inspection two days before it was set to expire. Yates told her that her rear brakes were bad and they needed to be replaced in order to issue an inspection sticker. They quoted her $800 to replace the brakes. She was a bit panicked and called me ask what she should do because they put a Failed Inspection sticker on her car.

I told her to leave Yates. We just brought the car to my mechanic in Vienna and he determined that there was nothing wrong with her brakes at all! And her car was absolutely safe to drive and passed the VA safety inspection. I can only conclude that Yates is a crooked shop that was attempting to RIP OFF an inexperienced young woman. I intend to ask the VA State Police to revoke their inspection license. This kind of behavior is DISGRACEFUL.