Del Ray Service Center

Took my car here to get my emissions test the other day. They were very busy (it was the end of the month) but they still had very quick service. They were even nice enough to point out that I needed to have a safety inspection and took care of that at the same time!

I took my motorcycle in for inspection and they were fantastic. First come, first served but i showed up at 7:45 on a weekday and was seen promptly at 8am. Found a new neighborhood gem.

Del Ray Service Center just sent me a threatening message because I said I didn’t like their attitude. Coincidence? My point exactly.
Even worse, they keep calling me by the wrong name. Sounds like someone needs a therapist.

I requested an oil change and change to my washer fluid and the experts at Del Ray Service Center followed the recommended maintenance checklist for a car with my car’s mileage. They then offered me additional services that I could choose to take or leave. The team is friendly and fast. Make sure you find out why they are making a recommendation, because it may save the life of your car in the end!

Everything you could ask for in a neighborhood mechanic.
I walked into the Del Ray Service Center with a check engine light displaying and a deep amount of skepticism for mechanics. Of course, like most mechanics these days, they said that it would cost $ 90 just to hook it up to the machine and get the code for the error. I consider this tactic to be a scam and pushed back pretty hard.
Eventually, though, they explained that the fee included more than just a 3 minute computer scan. It included their confirmation of the problem and the diagnosis of what it would take to fix it. They also said they would charge me nothing for the test, if they were unable to fix the problem.
Now, I still would prefer to just pay for the actual time spent diagnosing rather than a flat fee for diagnosing. But the mechanic here was patient with me (and I was not the easiest customer to deal with), and they were honest. They ran the test, told me they couldn’t fix it for me (and that may just be a censor error), and charged me nothing for it.
I also used this station for a safety inspection and to recharge my air conditioning. I asked them for an emissions inspection, and — instead of charging me for something I asked them to do — they reminded me that my emissions inspection wasn’t due for another year.
At the end of the day, they are what I want in a neighborhood service station. I don’t expect high end repairs from a shop like this. I want a shop like this one to give me basic service, quickly, and with a friendly demeanor. They give all of that in every way.

I had a flat tire and the team at Del Ray Service Center let me drop-​off my car, called me when they had fixed it and it only cost $ 20. I know taking a screw out is not a huge deal, but they could have easily tried to charge me way more. Overall, was a very positive experience.

Do NOT take your car here for safety inspections!
I took my car here for a safety inspection 3 weeks ago. The inspector rejected my car, saying that the power steering pump needed replacing ($ 500), my tie rod ends need replacing ($ 150), a tire needs replacing ($ 150), and some other minor things that bumped the cost of repair up to $ 1000.
I then asked him why those things needed to be done, because I actually know things about cars. Tie rod ends basically need to be replaced once in the lifespan of the car, and mine have less than 20,000 miles on them. I’m aware of a leak in my power steering system, but the pump is the most expensive part of that system and the leak could have been from a loose hose, or the reservoir. I asked the mechanic where the leak was coming from, and he said he didn’t know but the best thing is to replace the pump, which is (of course) $ 500. I asked him how the tie rod ends could possibly need replacing, and he gave me a bullshit answer about how Virginia is being more of a stickler on his particular inspection place and so he had no flexibility. He basically lied to my face trying to get more work at his shop.
Anyway, I drove over to another inspection place and told them this story. I said to the mechanic «Hey, so my car got rejected, but I don’t trust their opinion. I want a second look.» The second mechanic looked it over, and said that the leak was coming from a loose hose clamp, which costs all of $ 10 + labor to fix. The power steering pump is fine, he said. He also said that the tie rod ends were fine, which they are, and don’t need replacing. He only agreed with the decision to replace the tire, costing me $ 100 plus labor.
The short of it is that the inspector at this place made up bullshit to repair. He told me $ 1000 to fix the car. I took it to a second place, and they told me $ 200. I will never be using this place for safety inspections again. Mechanics like this guy give auto mechanics a bad name.

The funny thing is these reviews are for the most part all true — both the good and the bad! It is NOT high end. They don’t have a computerized system that tracks the repairs. :(Their hours are casual and they are hard to communicate with sometimes. BUT they are friendly, helpful and from what I can tell honest and knowledgeable about car repair. I live down the street and so it is very convenient for me. Would I drive out of my way to go here? No. But every repair I’ve had done has been done quickly, the price was as stated and it seemed to have fixed the problem. The price checking I’ve done indicates they are far less expensive than the VW dealership and other high end (Yates) car repair. Same repair in the end. Even if I do have to keep/​track my own receipts. :)

Fast, courteous service. What more can you ask for. Super convenient location that fits in perfectly with the small-​town America feel of Del Ray.
If you bring your vehicle (s) here for VA state inspection, you should expect a short wait ’cause everyone comes here (that speaks volumes for the service).
Oh yah, gas is always cheaper than right across the street at Shell.

Don’t know why they have 2.5 stars! Very professional employees. Quick service. I showed up unannounced and they took me right in and installed some new shocks on my Jeep!!! I couldn’t be more pleased with my entire experience! Highly recommend this shop!

I have now tried twice to get state and county emissions tests done here. Both times the person said that they were not observing posted times. The person who did the tests left early. They did not provide any guidance about when the person would be there. Very, very frustrating. No apologies. No guidance. Lousy customer service.

These guys were great. Got my car inspected — usually when this happens they suggest a slew of immediate repairs that need to be done. No BS here… just quick effective service. The guy inspecting my car even took off the wheel to peak around and fix some squeaking that was bothering me.
Add the local main street feel and overall it was a great experience.

Gas is $.20 cheaper than the Shell across the street. I came in for inspection, and they did it while I waited. The service men were very polite and accommodating. I think my inspection was like $ 16. Very handy, and nice to support a local business.

It is unfortunate the the company works off an archaic system that does not keep records. I had the opportunity to be reimbursed by my dealership and cannot get DRSC to locate the records from less than 6 months ago. I have called at least 5 times and each time I am told «the boss» will call me back. I’m still waiting. My advice is to avoid this place. It is not legitimate and will sure to be out of business when it is finally audited.

I took it there because they always do my inspections and don’t find miscellaneous bs to fix. Thought they would be honest but alas again am disappointed in mechanics honesty. Was told they would fix a shock and a coil for 455.00 !!! BS is what I call that. Is there any honest mechanic shops left???

Good, Straightforward Service! Don’t plan on eating there or vacationing with the guy at the front desk… IT’S A SERVICE STATION. You pump your own gas and they do State Inspections and that’s about it. And yes, «they will attempt to sell gasoline and service to whomever shows up!»

Del Ray Service Center is always my stop for gas in Del Ray. It’s always at least 7 or 8 cents a gallon cheaper than the Shell Station across the street.
My wife and I have had our cars serviced and inspected here the whole time we’ve lived in Del Ray and always been pleased with their service, including some oild changes, tire repair and replacement. They work quickly and do quality work. They even talked my wife out of some of the 30,000 mile checkup items Honda listed as «mandatory» when my wife took her car there. (I agreed with them, too.) They could have made an extra buck on her for pointless checks, but instead explained why they weren’t crucial at 30,000 miles and saved us some money.
They’re only a block from where I live so it’s really easy to leave a car there for service and walk home. That won’t apply to everyone, but it’s another plus for me.
Highly recommend.

Not sure what the others expected from a gas station, but I can only give Del Ray Auto credit. I’ve been in for quite a few years for inspections on my cars and motorcycle. Always no appointment and a drive right in! So when the beetle needed a timing belt I asked for a quote, and it was very reasonable, unlike most in this area. Not only did they finish the work in one day, they came in as estimated (actually a few dollars less) which to me is a hugely respectable attribute! I don’t need anymore auto work, but will be back for inspections; and if anything comes up for repairs, they will be the first quote.

I must admit, I wasn’t planning on using the Del Ray Service Station for an auto repair. However, when filling up my very old Land Rover (Series IIa), it started leaking gasoline profusely. My wife and I were hesitant to drive it home so I decided to leave it with the mechanics for repair. They repaired the leaky fuel hose quickly and for less than I was expecting.
Based on that experience I returned a few months later for a much bigger job — replacement of the Land Rover’s steering box. Despite this being a complicated job, they did the repair quickly (next day) and affordably. The mechanic was extremely gracious with his time in explaining the details of the repair, as well as providing a few tips on other issues that will likely need attention at some point.
Overall, nice guys, quality work, and a fair price. With an old vehicle, it’s only a matter of time before I’ll be back for another repair job.

Quick, straight-​forward service. Went to get an emissions and state inspection on a Saturday morning, did not need to make an appointment in advance. The servicemen may not exude friendliness, but they get the job done.