I'm not sure why there are recent negative reviews. I've used a lot of the shops in this area and they did a great job at the market rates. They corrected an issue caused by another shops bad work and were super easy to deal with. I'm a Toyota guy and will always bring my truck back here from now on. read more

My son was driving our 2008 Kia when the check engine light came on. The car began idling rough and stalled in front of our house. I suspected what it was, but since I was out of town and he needed it for work and school, and he's not very mechanically inclined, I told him to take it to the Japanese Auto Clinic. They read the code and diagnosed the issue as just a dirty air filter and possibly a dirty mas air sensor. They charged $130 for the diagnostic and quoted him $700 to replace the senor. PURE RIPOFF. Might as well have taken it to the dealer. I told him to pay the diagnostic and take the car home. For $130 they could have replaced the $20 filter, bought a $15 can of MAS airflow cleaner, and charged him the balance of the $130 for the 5-10 minutes it would have taken to do the work. I sent him the info for the filter, he bought it at Advanced Auto, I had a can of the MAS sensor cleaner at home. Swapped in filter, sprayed and dried out the sensor, DONE. Problem resolved. What the JPA tried was highway robbery and they lost a customer, as I'd used them before work work I could not do myself. read more

I had a surprisingly poor and disappointing interaction on 10/8/2025 with Chris at Japanese Auto Clinic. I had been there in March and had great service, which makes this experience extremely unusual. I had a gasket-related leak, which had been identified when I was there in March. Chris pointed that out, after reviewing my electronic record; I acknowledged and did not disagree. However, unbeknownst to Chris, I had visited other repair shops that identified other/different leaks and engine issues. So, I asked Chris to check the engine for other leaks. He indicated that it was not necessary for him to check because he was reviewing my electronic record. And, to my astonishment, he said that he could tell just by looking at my car that there were no other leaks and the gasket leak was the issue. At that point, I simply turned and left, in frustration. His attitude was dismissive and arrogant. He had absolutely no interest in performing any additional work on my car, beyond noting the gasket-related issue. He was totally disengaged from me, as a potential client, and seemed really bothered and inconvenienced. I don't want to trash Japanese Auto Clinic, since my first experience was successful (with Chris). But yesterday's experience was unacceptable and reflected poorly on the business. Needless to say, I went elsewhere, where the service was much more customer friendly. Perhaps Chris was having a bad morning. read more

Great place to service your Japanese auto vehicle! Chris, one of the original mechhanics and new owner a few years now, has been wonderful in providing excellent customer care and mechanical service to our Prius company and personal cars. Highly recommend! read more

Japanese Auto Clinic - Another wonderful job! - Auto Repair Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I had my 2017 Honda Pilot's 100,000-mile major service completed; Chirs and his team did a great job! The est. price and completion of work was spot on. Thank you, Auto Clinic team. read more

They are expensive and charge me $80 just for a battery change and they only use the customer be careful guys they charge you double the pric stay away read more

The guy who works the counter Steve is rude. All about money. Won't even come out and look at the car. So you can at least show and explain what is going on. Just wants to stay inside and sit. Crazy read more

Before leaving for our road trip to Florida during the Christmas holiday, we got our minivan serviced. We have been taking our car to Japanese Auto Clinic for several years and we have been coming back because of the great work on our cars. It is worth mentioning Steve is no longer here and instead Chris helped us explain the work that we needed. We have almost 100,000 miles on our car, so there were a lot to maintenance that needed to be done: new timing belt, tune up, and new tires. Everything was done well and reasonably priced. After the service, my husband remarked that the minivan drives like it is almost new. We always keep our cars for at least 10 years and it is important to get the cars serviced and maintained well. We got back from our road trip with no problems. Thank you Japanese Auto Clinic for the great work and peace of mind during our long road trip. read more

First time at JAC and I an very pleased with the job they did. I knew before going in what was wrong with my car and they didn't tell me any different. They were efficient and professional! read more

I left here after 25 years. Yes, Steve is extremely rude and any question is taken to be an attack on his knowledge. My issue is that they only want to do the easy work. I had to go elsewhere to get my A/C recharged because basically refused to do it. I have a serpentine belt failing and wanted it fixed, but was told that if bolt frozen on, I might have to replace my engine. Any competent mechanic knows how to fix it. I really wanted a mechanic who would do all of the work and not just the simple stuff. I have never caught them trying to do work that was not needed which they found. However, they will not fix anything hard which they do not find. read more

Review update! I have been back to Japanese Auto Clinic for loads of different things since my last review- nail in the tire, bent rim, dead battery and of course, oil changes. All of the above of things were fixed quickly and efficiently but here's my latest story. Today, hopped in my car for work but alas, had a dead battery. I keep Steve, Japanese Auto Clinic's owner, in my cell phone's address book (not even kidding) and he said they could do it that day-- woo hoo! I had to get it towed since no one was around to jump my car and they got to working on it as soon as it was dropped off. It took less than an hour to fix and I was on my way. While in the waiting room, Steve had to turn away a few customers because they were so slammed with cars to work on. If that doesn't show you that Japanese Auto Clinic is super trustworthy and is THE go-to auto shop, I'm not really sure what will! What the owner recommends, is to come in first thing in the morning to drop off your car, as they generally operate on a first come, first serve basis. It might also help to call ahead to get a forecast of how busy they are that day too. Japanese Auto Clinic has yet another satisfied customer! read more

Japanese Auto Clinic - Photo of their garage, courtesy of jac4u.com - Auto Repair Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I went here for an oil change because my usual place has gotten pretty popular, so getting an appointment there can be difficult (damn you yelp...I have a love/hate relationship with you...but mostly love). Although this place is also popular, they said they can take me for an oil change, so I showed up at 11am and they said they would be finished around 2pm. No big deal since I had some stuff to do so I set-off to Starbucks and also had lunch. Fortunately, they were finished by 1pm, which was great, so I'm giving them big props for that. Did they provide stellar service...not really. They were less than friendly, but I can't complain too much since I'm not looking for a new best friend. Nonetheless, being courteous also goes a long way. Anyway, for the quick oil change (for only $29) and getting it finished faster than they said they would, i'm giving the 4 stars. If they also had great customer service, I would have given them the full 5. read more

Before I travel for the holidays on a trip down to Florida, I had brought my Mitsubishi SUV in for a timing belt replacement and full 90,000 mile maintenance service. Steve thoroughly explained the entire service beforehand and quoted me a very fair price that included a military discount, which was awesome that this reputable business supports veterans. He assured me that the service would take only one day and he delivered on his promise. Steve was straightforward and diligent throughout the entire experience and made me feel like a valued customer and was very honest, friendly and professional. I hope to keep my Mitsubishi on the road for many more years and will be a return customer. Thank you to Steve and the Japanese Auto Clinic! read more

I had a bad experience with this car service. I found it very unprofessional place to take your car to. The guy who spoke with me about my car was very difficult to talk to and his assumptions to my car issues was due to my lack of care. For no reason, he thought that I was going to have them fix my car for charity. I called back to ask him why he's very rude, and why he was assuming that I wI'll not going to pay for my car's service, he hung up on me. Then I called the number again and he told me that he is going to call the cop because I was harassing him. I should have let him call the cops. Insanely unbelievable! I won't trust this place. read more

I am deeply disappointed with the way I was spoken to today by STEVE in the office, last year I had to replace a tire pressure censor which had gone bad, My tire pressure light came on today so I went and filled the tire with air and it looks like another censor has gone bad. I called STEVE today to ask what it would cost to replace it. The quote seemed high so I questioned it, I had other work done on the car at the same time as the first censor was replaced. I started to explain what the charged was for the censor but didn't have time to include labor when I was rudely interrupted by STEVE shouting down the phone at me telling me that this is not what he charged me. If STEVE would of let me finish my sentence before interrupting me I would of given him the cost of the censor as well as the labor., at what time STEVE could of answered. STEVE put the phone down on me, so I called back to continue the conversation. I asked why he was being so rude and the phone was put down on me again. I called a couple more times and the phone was but down. I called one last time STEVE answered and told me that the calls had been recorded and that he was going to call the police, and that I was band from using his services. Why would I even consider going back to such poor customer service. SHAME ON YOU STEVE. MORAL OF THE STORY. let people finish there sentence before you interrupt. read more

They did a great job servicing one of our old cars. Its now under new management. I believe one of the former technicians bought the place from Steve. Very honest and reasonable. read more

I went to this place after reading the recommendations on here. Boy, must say their prices are high (almost dealer like) and the manager is very rude. Quoted me a price - we agreed on repairs. I dropped off the car and then he called asking a question on which parts to use. I did not fully understand his question and he increased the final bill by 40% of the quoted price (nearly $300) When I went to pick up the car, he gave me a higher bill. I showed him the invoice and when we realized there had been a misunderstanding, he was very rude and not willing to work with me to resolve this in any manner. I said its clear we've both made a mistake - he said no -- "YOU made the mistake. I never make mistakes." A real f***ing a**hole in my book. I have been to many repair shops including dealers and never run into someone so rude and short-tempered. Dealers will rip you off, no doubt, but they are polite and do it with a smile on your face. I don't enjoy being folded over but if I must be folded over, all I ask is that you at least try to be nice and polite. Don't care how good his work is -- he charges premium prices and with this attitude, no thanks. Not going again. Will not recommend to anyone. This is America - learn to speak and treat customers with some respect. Customers are you bread and butter. Don't disrespect them and think you are always right. My 2 cents. read more

Steve, who seemed to be the manager or owner, took a look at my car and quoted me $900 for a simple brake job. Then he tacked on lots of other charges, including a pricey "maintenance package" that he recommended. When I questioned him about the high prices, he became agitated and would not release my car until I paid an "estimate fee" of $92, which he had not previously disclosed. There are several shops with similar sounding names -- beware of this one. A much better choice is Japanese Auto Care (not "Clinic") at 4530 Washington Blvd in Arlington: better mechanics, better customer service, and much more honest. read more

I've been taking my toyota trucks for 50,000/100,000/150,000 mile checkups, but no more. Took my 09 Tacoma in for a 50000 mile checkup, noticed they put down "air filter cleaning", wondered why they cleaned a recently cleaned K&N filter, and thought very little of it. Until I went under the hood today and realized THEY TOOK IT, and replaced it with a paper filter. That was a $50 filter. I would have spent plenty more than $50 over the life of my current truck with them but no more. Word of advice to current and future customers - If you have any after market treats for your car that are easily removable, remove them before going in! read more

My review is purely based on customer service and price and not actual service to an automobile. I am sure the quality of work by their mechanics is great as I see they have excellent ratings. However, Steve in my experience was not very helpful and I would even say a little rude. I feel like he picks and chooses who he is nice to, but I will leave the details of this out of my review. Japanese Auto Clinic is also pretty expensive. There are shops that will do the same work for much less. I got quoted $75 just for a diagnostic when I got quoted $40 at the following garage down the street. Glebe Shell Service down the street, Herb's Auto Repair towards Merrifield, and Auto Stop in South Arlington were much more competitively priced with excellent work AND service as well. I spared the one star review because I have never actually gotten my car serviced here, but felt compelled to give my opinion after getting much better service and pricing at other service garages. read more

Disappointed. Steve was particularly rude to both my wife and I. He did not do the entire job as quoted. We will be filing a BBB complaint as well. The rudeness included not allowing us to ask questions nor inquire what was included in a 'tune up' or 90k mile service'. Then, finding several other issues, he was impatient with my questions when trying to understand the recommended repairs. At the end of the day, we were asked not to return. How's that for customer service? This was a premier shop when run by Jay. Sadly, it has devolved to the Mr Tire level. read more

I found this auto shop through the Consumer Checkbook and, over the 5 years I've used this place, I've never had bad service. The Korean owner can be a little gruff, but he's something that's highly prized. He's honest. He's always made good recommendations and has never pushed any kind of unnecessary repairs on me. In fact, I'm usually the one asking the questions. Of course, this place deals only with Japanese cars. If you're a Japanese car owner living nearby, this is the place to go to for your car maintenance. read more

Based on other reviews, I took my '98 Honda Civic to this place (also because it's a mile away from where I live). To be honest, even if I had been charged an outrageous price, I would not have gone elsewhere, because my car had a serious problem (it would rev and try to go even when my foot was on the brake or the car was in park mode). I'm pretty sure the man I spoke to guessed this, but he gave me what I found out afterwards was a very fair and reasonable price. I was desperate enough that if he told me I had other problems, I would have paid to get them fixed. But I explained the funny noises my car made, and he checked it out and said it was all part of the same problem, so the one repair was all I needed to make. Not only was the mechanic honest, my car was fixed by the next day. When I picked it up, I asked if the car was ready to go a long distance, because I had to drive it 900 miles to my parents' place in Florida when I returned the car to them. He said it was good to go, and the car totally went the distance. I definitely recommend this place to anyone who has a problem with their Japanese car. read more

These guys are trustworthy and honest. Each member of my four-person family owns a Honda, and we have all taken our cars to Japanese Auto for years. We always trust their opinion and we know that if there's a problem, they'll find it and fix it. Most importantly, they won't "invent" problems for their own gain. I live in College Park now, but I still take my Civic to Arlington just for their service. Highly recommended! read more

When I had my Subaru Impreza, I always brought it here. Japanese Auto Clinic is great! As soon as my Honda is out of warranty, I will be back! Highly recommend. They will tell you straight up what service you need and what you don't. I did a lot of research to find JAC and I have never felt ripped off or like their advice was incorrect. Also, as an FYI, my ten-year-old 100,000+ mile Subaru ran well forever thanks to them. It never broke down and was a dream car. It met its end because of a deer. read more

Cyndy's Bottom Line: The best place to get your scheduled maintenance done! Japanese auto clinic is the best place to get your scheduled preventive maintenance done. They are efficient and only do what is necessary. read more

I have been going to the Japanese Auto Clinic for many years now. I am very happy with the service and repairs I receive there. Without exception, they get my car back quickly and under the price quoted. Mr. Lim, the owner, is no longer on the front desk, but he is usually there in the shop. Steve has taken over the front desk and is very quick and efficient. He can appear to be rude, but he really isn't. You only find that out after being a regular customer. He gives you an estimate of cost and when your car will be ready and always I get a call well before the promised time. I am a happy customer!! read more

Stay away from this place. I took my car in because the breaks had just begun to squeak. I was told it would be $800+ for new front rotors and 4 shoes. When I told them not to do anything they were very rude and charged me $50 for the inspection, I was not informed of this up front but what can I do? They had my car hostage. I took my car to another shop, this time asking up front what it would cost me if I didn't want anything done. The manager looked confused, shrugged, and said it wouldn't cost anything. They quoted me about $350 for new front rotors and shoes. I asked about the rear breaks and was told my drum breaks would probably be fine for another year. read more

I just had the alternator replaced in my car by Japanese Auto Clinic. I had my car dropped off at 11 pm by a tow truck after it died on the side of the road while I was driving. The shop opens up at 7 am and I was promptly called by the owner, Steve, around 7:15 am. Unfortunately, I was unable to call him back until an hour and a half later. When I did call him back and apologized, he yelled at me and said that he had called 5 times and why wouldn't I answer my phone. After discussing my issue, he said that the alternator needed to be replaced and said that he would call me back with the exact price. I said great, thanks. He then said "will you actually answer my phone call this time?" in a very nasty manner. He then proceeded to berate me for not having my oil changed within the last 3,000 miles. I told him that the place that I get my oil changed at said 5,000 miles was often enough and he said "NO! It must be 3000 miles. Take care of your car". The mechanics called me later to tell me that my car was finished and to also let me know that my car was leaking coolant and it would cost $400 to replace. I asked if it was urgent or could wait a few days to be replaced. Upon hearing that I could wait a few days, I told them not to fix it. The alternator obviously needed to be replaced immediately and I was stuck with them for that, but I was not going to give another dollar to Steve. I will take my car to another place this weekend for the rest of the work. The prices were reasonable and the work was completed in a very timely manner. The labor was not too expensive either. I would recommend this place if you're in a pinch for quick service. However, the attitude from Steve was enough to make me never give my car to this place again. read more

Stay away from this place. If I could give this place a negative I would. LIARS and CHEATS. They tried to charge me on a service that I had just got done which I have a recipe for, when I asked why he recommended this service which was a timing belt that I have done at the factory dealer he has no answer. Hard to understand what they are talking about. Just horrible service and overall inappropriate. read more

I strongly advise you to not bring your car here. Since Jae left, I do not recommend trusting their advice and prices are the same or more than a dealer. read more

It's a shame because this used to be the best repair shop in Arlington - I had been a loyal customer for more than 20 years. Unfortunately, the owner, Jay, whom we loved, appears to be transitioning out and the new de facto manager, Steve is not to be trusted. We had one incident with Steve last year in which he ordered (and replaced) the wrong part. The motor that moves the seat on the passenger side had burned out. When I dropped off the car, Steve accompanied me to the car and I showed him the problem on the passenger side. When I picked up the car, the problem on the passenger side was still there. He replaced the motor on the driver side. When I complained, he said that I told him that the problem was on the driver's side and insisted that we pay for both parts. Eventually, Jay intervened and agreed to not charge me for the driver's side repair that I never needed, however, Steve continued to maintain that I had told him that it was the driver's side that needed the repair and denied that he had accompanied me to the car when I dropped it off. He lied to save his butt with Jay. Given our long-standing relationship with Jay, we continued to go back for minor maintenance with no incidents over the past year. This week, our Subaru outback needed a new catalytic converter. Steve gave me an estimate of $500 plus taxes for the repair over the phone. I authorized the repair and told him my wife would be picking up the car later in the afternoon. When she arrived to pick up the car, he handed her a bill for $950. When she complained, he told her that he had quoted me $900 plus tax for the repair and she would have to pay that amount if she wanted the car back. It appeared that he was simply trying to take advantage because my wife was picking up the car rather than me. Needless to say, we will be taking our business elsewhere as long as Steve is involved with this business in any way. We recommend you do the same. read more

Owner Mr. Lim is wonderful, as are the mechanics. Front desk staff person is very moody and often gets aggressive with the customers. Unreliable technical feedback on cars, and slight of hand cost estimate cost charges! Yeah, really weird stuff. I was a reliable customer for years and then got disillusioned. Not going back any more... read more

The radiator hose on my 1998 740iL burst while on 66 , so my husband pulled off at Glebe and this repair shop was close by so he drove in to see if they could help him. The young Japanese man at the counter told him no, and to "get that "POS" out of here, I've got customers trying to do business". I cleaned that up by using the acronym; the young fellow on the other hand wasn't so kind. It's up to you to decide if this is relevant to you in any way, but because of his aberrant and disrespectful response, I felt it was worth mentioning. read more

Terrible service. After front brakes were "fixed", one of them started smoking. Took car back, replaced caliper and pads again. Two weeks later, same brake caught on fire. They then told me they could not determine what the cause was (after spending $620) and I had to take the car elsewhere. In the middle of this, I took the car to them two times, stating that the brakes were not engaging well, and they told me the brakes were "fine." Not only terrible service, but also put my life in jeopardy with the brake fires. read more

I'm a yelp free-rider; I think this is my first review. My feelings about the Japanese Auto Clinic are strong enough that they overcame my reluctance to post. I have been using these guys for a long time-- probably 15-20 years now. They proved their value when I failed inspection and the inspecting garage did hundreds of dollars of work (and advocated hundreds more) without solving the emissions problem. I took the car to JAC, and for $42 they solved the problem and produced proof that the other guys were incompetent. It led to me getting my hundreds of dollars back. Ever since, they've consistently done quality work inexpensively, quickly finding the lowest-cost solution. When we buy new cars now, we are limited to Japanese models because I don't want to have to deal with other mechanics. I wish there were a 6-star rating. read more

My husband and I have been going to Japanese Auto Clinic since 2006. Steve is very honest and trust-worthy, and we continue to be so pleased with the excellent customer service and repairs. We are so thankful to have a mechanic we trust and highly recommend Japanese Auto Clinic. read more

It seems my experience was much like that of Roy J, tho Beth M's review also resonated. I went in based on favorable reviews on Consumer Checkbook. I just wanted a little feedback on my noisy power steering (2001 Honda Odd). (I was the only customer on the premises at the time.) Guy behind the desk advised: "I charge $96 to check it out." How friendly and winning. I would have been happy to leave the car and pay a reasonable price to get it fixed. Seems they are not much interested in new customers. It was my first and last visit. Maybe I just caught them on a bad day. Better luck to you. read more

I don't get hugs from the staff when I walk through the door, but nothing that I've had done on my car here has ever made me give a second thought about it. I have the greatest appreciation for Steve because he gives me options when there's something wrong with my beat-up old car, even though I always pick the cheapest way to get back on the road. I've also had tires, fluids, and brakes changed here, and JAC is my first choice for auto maintenance and repairs. Prices are reasonable, and the service is reliable. read more

I had to register to review this shop! I came to JAC because my car was making a whirring noise. I spoke mainly to Steve and he was extremely friendly and thorough. As I expected, my car turned out to have multiple problems. He explained each problem and, of course, included an estimate. As the day went on they found one more problem and called to update me. Because I was already spending quite a bit of money, Steve only charged me for the parts (and not labor) for the last problem. When I picked up my car and drove away, I noticed right away that the noise I heard before was completely gone. Overall, their prices are extremely reasonable and they are very reliable. I called ahead of time so I had no problems dropping my car off and having it repaired the same day. I will definitely be coming back if I need any other work done! read more