What we work on
Foreign and domestic, from a state inspection to an engine. One shop, one set of lifts, 23 years in the same unit on Mill Street.
24 months or 24,000 miles on parts and labor, honored at 14,000+ locations nationwide. The NAPA Peace of Mind Warranty, included free on qualifying work.
-
01
Virginia state and emissions inspections
A licensed Virginia inspection station for safety and emissions. Most inspections are done while you wait. Inspections stop earlier than the shop does, so the useful thing to know is the inspection window, not the shop window.
Inspection hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Saturday 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Often done while you wait.
- Virginia safety inspection
- Virginia emissions inspection
- Re-inspection after repair
-
02
Engine diagnostics and check-engine lights
A code is a symptom, not a diagnosis. The reviews that mention this shop by name are mostly people whose problem had already been misdiagnosed somewhere else. Scan, test, and confirm the fault, then quote the repair.
- Check-engine and dashboard warning diagnosis
- Engine tune-up
- Drivability and rough running
- Electrical and electronic system faults
- Diesel diagnostics
- Hybrid vehicle service
-
03
Brakes, steering and suspension
Brake work starts with an inspection and a measurement, not with a quote. Alignment and suspension work is done on the rack in the bay rather than sent out.
- Brake inspection
- Front and rear disc brake repair
- Rotor replacement
- Shocks and struts
- Ball joints and tie rods
- Wheel alignment
-
04
Oil changes and scheduled maintenance
Lube, oil and filter, air filters, wipers, and the full mileage services from 7,500 all the way to 180,000. Many of these are done while you wait.
Often done while you wait.
- Lube, oil and filter change
- Air filter and cabin filter
- Mileage services, 7,500 to 180,000
- Spring and winter checkups
- Wiper blades
- Fluid services
-
05
Tires and tire service
Michelin, BFGoodrich, Uniroyal, Bridgestone, Firestone, Goodyear, Dunlop, Pirelli, Cooper, General, Continental, Yokohama, Hankook, Toyo and Kumho. Mounting, computerized balancing, TPMS service, flat repair and alignment.
- New tires, 15 brands
- Computerized wheel balancing
- TPMS service and repair
- Flat repair
- Low-profile installation
- Wheel alignment
-
06
Air conditioning and heating
A/C and heating share a cooling system and a control head, and a complaint about one is often a fault in the other. Both are diagnosed properly rather than recharged and sent away.
- A/C system diagnostic
- A/C service and recharge
- Heating system diagnostic
- Cooling system flush and fill
- Radiator replacement
- Belts and hoses
-
07
Engine, transmission and driveline
Engine repair, exhaust, differentials, CV axles and driveshafts, four-wheel-drive systems, starting and charging. Foreign and domestic, on the same lifts.
- Engine repair
- Exhaust and catalytic converters
- CV axles and driveshafts
- Differential and transfer case
- Four-wheel-drive systems
- Starters, alternators and batteries
This is a summary, not the whole catalog. The shop's full service list runs to roughly a hundred and fifty individual jobs, from a u-joint to a 180,000 mile service. If what you need is not named here, it is very likely still done here. Call (703) 281-7506.
Things that make a bad day shorter
None of these are extras and none of them cost anything. They are just how the shop runs.
After-hours key drop
Leave the car overnight and the key in the box. Nothing is touched until we have spoken to you in the morning.
Local shuttle
Local shuttle to anywhere within 5 miles of the shop. Ask when you book rather than arranging a ride you did not need.
Both inspections in one visit
Safety and emissions, at a licensed Virginia station, usually while you wait.
The things people ask on the phone
How long does a Virginia state inspection take?
Most are done while you wait. The thing worth knowing before you drive over is that inspections stop earlier than the shop does: monday to friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, saturday 8:30 am to 12:00 pm. Arriving at 4:30 on a weekday gets you a shop that is open and an inspection lane that is not.
Can I drop the car off before you open?
Yes. There is an after-hours key drop at the shop. Leave the car overnight, put the key in the box, and we will call you in the morning before anything is done to it.
Do you work on my make?
Foreign and domestic, and hybrids. If you want to be certain about something unusual, call (703) 281-7506 and describe it. If it is not something we do, we will say so and point you at somebody who does rather than take the car in and find out later.
How do I get somewhere while you have my car?
Local shuttle to anywhere within 5 miles of the shop. Ask when you book. There is also a shaded picnic table outside and a waiting area inside with free coffee, bottled water and Wi-Fi if the job is quick enough to wait for.
What does the warranty actually cover?
The NAPA Peace of Mind Warranty covers parts and labor on qualifying repairs and services for 24 months or 24,000 miles, and it is honored at 14,000+ locations nationwide. It costs you nothing and it is not an upsell. If you pay with the NAPA card it extends to 36 months or 36,000 miles.
Will you call before doing work I have not agreed to?
Yes. Nothing gets done that you have not approved, and the number at the end matches the number you agreed to at the start unless you told us to go further.