Ben Nielsen's Alexandria Automotive

Melissa Massey

★★★★★

5 months ago

I had an emergency when my battery died. I drive a Volvo, so not everyone is able to work on the car. I called several places, and because it was a Saturday afternoon, no one could help me until Monday. When I called Ben Nielsen's, even though they were closing in an hour, Ivan told me to come on in. The technician was able to replace the battery in minutes and even backed the car out of a tight spot. I can't say enough good things about my experience at Ben Nielsen's Automotive.

Pat S

★★★☆☆

4 months ago

The good is that thus far my vehicle has been fixed. The bad is that service took longer than promised, communication could be better, what seems like predatory charges for unnecessary fixes, and surprise junk fee at the end. Relatively comparable to most experiences with mechanics these days though.

Drew Pencek

★★★★★

3 months ago

Great job! Was happy to take my Volvo xc90 there for an oil change and break work done. Service was very quick and an overall smooth process.

Matthew Buchanan

★★★★★

2 months ago

Brought my 02 BMW 525i wagon in with a flat tire and thought it was my valve stems because I’ve had issues with my tires losing air. Neilson’s did an entire inspection of my vehicle giving me a breakdown of what is going on with my vehicle as well as checking my valve stems and flat tire, finding a puncture. They patched it and didn’t charge me for anything. Fantastic service and quick.

Carolyn Paul

★★★☆☆

5 months ago

I’ve used this shop, once, in the past and was fairly pleased. They work on my boyfriend’s car and we were pleased with the service. However, this time with mine….not so much. The pricing was way too high and my car was there for 3 days and basically, all that was done was a new tire and a very thorough diagnostic, which would have been fine but they were not able to recreated the problem that I brought the car in for. The last day I had it in the shop, I thought it was being worked on for brakes and was reassured from the day before and verified the day of, that my car would be ready after noon. When I show up at 2:30, on my accord, I find out that the technician had to go to urgent care, so in fact, nothing had been done. They wanted me to wait for the other technician, whom I guess was close by, but at this point….i was over it. I know things happen but, nothing was communicated and my patience were gone. I wouldn’t say this shop is a bust but it definitely didn’t work for me, this time.

Mikey ICXC

★★★★☆

2 months ago

lot's of work done. Seems well done and the billing was detailed and looked reasonable, cost-wise. The customer liason was excellent and kept me well informed. I was disappointed in two things: first, for the amount of work I had done, I thought there would be a discount. Second, I had to leave with my radio unplugged/unprogrammed. I would have thought that would be hooked back up. Overall, a good experience and I expect to come again at some point.

scott waddle

★☆☆☆☆

2 months ago

Brought in my 2014 Volvo S60 for an oil change, state inspection, emissions test, and to fix the check engine light that would’ve made me fail said emissions test (the code read that my air flow was too lean in my fuel). Problem number 1: the “complimentary inspection” was free, however them actually diagnosing the problem was a whopping $219.46. So, then the inspection was not free at all. Problem number 2: the quoted me at $2900 dollars to do the bear MINIMUM of repairs (air/fuel induction service, replacing an 02 sensor, MAF cleaning). Took it to another place, and I only needed to do ONE of those things for $300. Problem number 3: They insisted on me replacing my crankshaft main oil seal which would have cost me another $5000 dollars. Problem number 4: when I said this was way too much money for what I needed as I stated when I walked in that I only needed whatever had to be done to pass inspections and testing for registration and that I would come back to get my car, my Lyft to get there that is supposed to be paid for was not. They did pay for my one home, but not for the one back. Problem number 5: I only asked them to look at 2 specific things, the oil and my O2 issue, however they decided to also try having me pay another $10,000 in preventative maintenance services. problem number 6: They performed a service without asking me when I had clearly told them not to perform any service on my car after they provided the prices to me. However, they still performed the oil change anyway and charged me $119.95 for it. So despite me not wanting ANY service done, I still had to pay $389.53 just to get my car back and take it to another place. I simply cannot recommend this business to anyone when this is the kind of treatment and prices. If I had gone along with their business they were providing, I would’ve paid for more money in services than I would have just buying the car. I bought this car for $14,000. They were wanting to have me pay over $1500 more than what my car was even worth when I had purchased it. Save yourself the headache and wallet pain and go somewhere else.

James Collura

★★★★★

5 months ago

I’ve been taking my Ford Escape to the Ben Nelson’s Auto Alexandria locations for several years and they have earned my complete trust. The entire team is professional, honest, and extremely accommodating. I travel often for work—sometimes on short notice—and they’ve always done their best to fit me in, even when my schedule is unpredictable. There have even been a couple of occasions when they stayed late to make sure my car was ready before a work trip. Their service, communication, and commitment to customers are truly exceptional. Highly recommend!

Elijah Steele

★★★★★

3 months ago

I had a great experience with the team here. After their initial inspection of my car, they were up front with me that my engine was done and would need to be replaced. They told me they could run more tests to find out exactly what was wrong with the engine, but that would cost me a bunch of money when they already knew that the engine was done anyways. I appreciated their honesty about the situation. Afterwards, they held on to my car for almost two weeks while I tried to figure out what to do with it to get rid of it. I appreciated their patience as I was trying to sort out the situation. Throughout the process, the staff was professional and the communication was good. I will be using them in the future and would recommend them to others.

BJ SOLEY

★★★★★

3 months ago

First time and will be back! Great communication, thorough inspection of my vehicle, didn't have to sit there waiting around, and no surprises. I knew it needed some things done, and was pleasant that I could wait at home since it took a while. They provide a detailed review and good explanation of the work. Car feels great and I feel safe that everything is in good working order.

Chelsea

★★★★★

a month ago

Extremely friendly and helpful place to take your car. I have never had better service. They explained everything thoroughly, were very helpful and understanding. They were able to help me and answer questions that other auto shops were not able to.

Alexandra MK

★★★★★

a month ago

Ivan, Mike (director), and the rest of the crew at Ben Nielsens were so kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. They were communicative and thorough. Made a very stressful situation more manageable. I'm very grateful and would highly recommend to anyone needing major repairs.

Judith Miller

★★★★★

a month ago

Fortunately, the day was bright & sunny, there was ample parking in the driveway on Colvin Street, so I thought it was my lucky day to have a simple problem fixed as streets were finally passable after freezing snowcrete remained everywhere. Truly the service was great as the hanging skid plate could be soon fixed. However I did not expect that it would take two hours - first come, first serve? Then I came to understand that they were also giving a full car analysis of brakes, fluids, etc. with a cost estimate for consideration. This was very much appreciated for the durability and usage given to a car ignoramous. I appreciated very much this information, and will return soon for the appropriate work to be done. p.s. their was no charge for reattaching the hanging skid plate.

Jeffree Jean-Louis

★★★★★

a month ago

I can’t recommend Ben Nielsen's Alexandria highly enough! From start to finish, their team was exceptionally thorough, honest, and genuinely committed to quality service. They took the time to explain every step of the repair process and made sure I fully understood what was needed without ever trying to upsell unnecessary services. The level of professionalism, attention to detail, and integrity they bring is rare these days. My car has never run better, and I left feeling completely confident in the work they did. If you’re looking for a trustworthy, skilled, and reliable auto repair shop, this is the place to go!

Denise Koram

★★★★★

2 weeks ago

My transmission oil pan leak was repaired and technician discovered that my tires were too big. I was able to buy 4 brand new tires which made a big difference while driving. Carlos and Ivan were great, patient and extended their office hour to accommodate me due to unforseen delays in getting my new tires from their vendor. I was a first time customer and will recommend them to my family.

Donald Blue

★★★★☆

2 months ago

I have a Chrysler 2012 Town and Country. Love that minivan. Went into the shop gasket replacement at the engine, and it had a start problem. The vehicle had to stay in or like maybe weeks probably which is kind of long but it was necessary. So far the vehicle is running fine starting with no issues at this point as of 1-24-2026... I will still give it another week before I draw any final conclusions. Other than that, the service was good. They can work on their communications a little bit more. As far as keeping the customer informed what's going on. I will be going to the Charles county automotive which is almost like right around the corner from me. I have a '94 Accord which I will be getting to that shop soon when I'm ready. I thank them for for the loaner vehicle. Made it possible for me to go to work. Great service friendly staff.. looking forward to doing business with y'all in the future. Thank thank you Donald K Blue

Sarce Topin

★★★★★

3 weeks ago

Review I recently brought my Ram in for service, and the experience far exceeded my expectations. From the moment I arrived, the staff went above and beyond to ensure I felt taken care of. Unlike any dealership I've visited, they even offered a complimentary ride home and back to retrieve my truck—a gesture that truly set them apart. Carlos, in particular, stood out. He took the time to walk me through every detail of the service, answering all my questions patiently and making sure I left completely satisfied. His dedication to clear communication and customer satisfaction was evident throughout the entire process. If you own a Ram, I highly recommend bringing it here. The level of customer service you’ll receive is unmatched—don’t waste time or money at a dealership when this team delivers such exceptional care.