Ben Nielsen's 10th Street Automotive

Michael Brice-Saddler

★★★☆☆

3 months ago

I brought my Buick in for a coolant leak, and the staff inside the shop was very welcoming and kind. After a few hours they diagnosed a leaking coolant connector and also recommended replacing the valve cover assembly due to an oil leak. They provided photos, but the total estimate for both repairs was nearly $2,800. Based on the knowledge I had going into the service, this quote seemed pretty high. Before approving the work, I got a second opinion from another reputable DC shop, which completed both repairs for $570 total. My car is running fantastically. I’m glad I sought another estimate. While the issues themselves were real, the pricing I was quoted here was several times higher than what I ultimately paid elsewhere. I would strongly recommend getting a second opinion before agreeing to major repairs.

Daniel Berman

★★★★★

a month ago

They were excellent during what was the worst blizzard DC has seen in several years. They took delivery of a towed vehicle on a Saturday and had it ready Tuesday despite seven inches of snow. They even paid for a Lyft home! Their online inspection report is also one of the most impressive I have ever encountered. Incredibly informative and easy to read.

Sean Combs

★★★★★

2 months ago

Great team! Although I did not ending up getting the work done as recommended, they performed a diagnostic free of charge. I plan to support the business in other ways (i.e., getting oil changes) because of how well they treated a first time customer.

Lou Rangel

★★★★★

4 months ago

Dont go anywhere else in DC until you try this local mechanic. Everyone was attentive and honest. They provided an extended pre inspection before doing a private car purchase. I was given all the details on the mechanical repairs maintained and future repairs. I test drive and a 2 Hour service. Although he mechanic was busy he made sure to point out the undercarriage, They saved me $3200 in future unknown repairs that were hidden to the normal consumer .

Marialana Queen

★★☆☆☆

4 months ago

Read all the recent low rating comments. I concur! Friendly customer service which makes you feel that they are trust worthy. However, very expensive and I'm not sure trustworthy. Maybe it's a female problem, but I feel that I was taken for granted and advantaged of. Brought my car in to be winterized. I had the service in the past from another mechanics but he closed so I chose this conveniently located source. I've paid annually about $340 for this service. They charged $548, and the estimate that they texted me was $80, but when proceeded to accepted the estimate in the text it jumped to $80 more , noting "fees". I called and asked and they (Josh) stated that those fees aren't always noted in their write ups. When I questioned why not, the answer was not clear. Something about they charge to dispose of waste and parts that they have to dispose of in their garage????. I've never heard of such a thing! But, I agreed to pay because I felt vulnerable and needed my car! I then made a mistake of telling them that my car was rattling a little and could they check it out, immediately he said your engine light is on and there's probably a problem. My engine light was not on when I brought my car in! Needless to say they say they checked it and my spark plugs and engine coils need to be replace for $1900!!!! They had just done a full engine assessment last month and none of that came up! I was there last month because my engine was smoking. They charged me $3500 to change a gasket top! Needless to say I returned to have my car winterized with now spark one cans could needing to be replaced. Hummmm. I declined the service. Got a 2nd opinion from a professional mechanic shop a few blocks over. They checked everything and said nothing needs to be replaced. Their diagnostics showed no engine issues and the engine light was no longer on! I now do not trust them, and feel that I was overcharged for the previous work! I don't believe I'll be returning! My gut told me that there was something not right here! U should have used better judgement from the previous charges.

RS DC

★★★★★

5 months ago

Excellent service. Being able to book online and to get a same day appointment is really convenient. It was also a nice touch for them to provide a Lyft back to my home. Ethan did a great job of clearly laying out the maintenance work needed for my car. The services were comprehensive and done in a timely way.

Blu Sondai

★☆☆☆☆

3 months ago

Wasn't worth the trip to get a quote for the work needing to be done. The quote took an hour to get with no waiting area and the quoted amount to do the work was 6,400.00 for new brakes and rotors on both axles. They quoted me twice as much as I actually paid to have it all done at S2 Dynamics in Gaithersburg, MD. Don't waste your time at 10th Street just go straight to Gaithersburg and get a reasonable price on warranty work using all OEM parts.

Thomas Moschig

★☆☆☆☆

2 months ago

I had been looking for a new workshop and chose this one because of the many positive reviews. I booked an appointment online and arrived on time. However, when I entered, one of the mechanics approached me in a very rude manner and made me go away before I couldn't even explain what I was here for. Obviously the mechanic had a terrible day, but I expected new customers to be treated differently. I will look for another workshop instead where they treat clients with respect. Dissapointing experience.

Knell Villarta

★★★★★

6 months ago

The team at Ben Nielsen are incredible. The inspection was thorough, the description of what needed to be fixed was easy to digest and understand, even for someone who has lesser knowledge of vehicles. Ethan did an exceptional job with communication, as well as making sure that his customers are well taken care of. Typical mechanics cannot even compare to how well run this establishment is. They also offer rides to your destination after dropping your car off for inspection/repair. 5/5 stars, for everything.

Jacob Michael

★★★★★

2 months ago

Very honest. Highly recommend if you live in DC area. Brought my Audi Q5 and got a full diagnostic right away. Even offered to help call me an uber. Will def be back !

Chris Davis

★★★★★

5 months ago

Great, professional service. They did what they said they would do and finished when they said they would. Price for windshield replacement was competitive and drop off/pick up was easy. Discounts for first time customers and Costco clients.

Adrien Inman

★★★★★

2 months ago

Fantastic experience working with these guys. Worked with Ethan, and he took good care of me. They gave great service and were prompt and professional. Highly recommend!

Robert Hanley

★★★★★

4 months ago

Friendly, efficient repair shop tucked away in the 500 block of 10th St NE. While travelling had a piece come loose on our vehicle. Called a number of dealerships to see if they could take a look. Never got to speak with a real person and never got a call back. Called Nielson's and spoke with Mike. He worked my car in, took a look and reattached the loose piece totally on his nickel. I recommend 10th St. Automotive for their service, price, and, most of all, customer focus.

naomi balk

★★★★★

3 months ago

Had an expensive repair to do. Both my brothers who know car care details well said the labor rates were expensive, but we went ahead and did it. They were quick, clear in communication and brought my car to excellent condition. A huge thanks to the team at Ben's!

Jay Barber

★★★★★

4 months ago

I recently had the pleasure of taking my car to Ben Nielsen's Automotive, and I can't recommend them highly enough! From start to finish, my experience was outstanding. Overall, Ben Nielsen's Automotive excels in both customer service and car care. If you're looking for a trustworthy and efficient automotive service, this is the place to go.

Jamiel Dawson

★★★★★

2 months ago

Everything was excellent and my truck is running smoothly. Great experience! Repaired quickly! And great service! This team is now the only mechanics that will service my vehicle.

Alexander Russakoff

★☆☆☆☆

4 months ago

Scam shop. I used to work as a mechanic for a taxi shop in my 20s. Driver side caliper on my 08 Subaru seized up. Took it to these guys because they were a block away from my house and I was worried about driving the car. They quoted me 2000 dollars for calipers, rotors, pads and hoses. I asked how many labor hours that would be, they said about an hour on each side. Thats 500 dollars worth of parts and 2 hours of labor all in. Ended up paying to tow to my regular guy in another state and still paid about half the price these guys wanted to charge. Edit: I wanted to sanity check this review, so I called the dealership in Silver Spring and asked for a quote for the same job. Even the dealership wanted 500 less than these guys. You'd be a fool to take your car here