Dan’s Merrifield Sunoco

In spite of previous posts claiming Dan’s Merrifield asks patrons to post positive reviews on Unilocal,this wasn’t true in my case. Being in outside sales myself, I know sleeziness when I see it. Sometimes I think I invented it. Anyway, my car is basically my office, and my office’s brakes were grinding metal to metal. I’m just too busy of a guy to take care of things right away. If procrastination were an Olympic sport I’d be a famous gold medalist. So I basically pull into this random Sunoco very frustrated because it set my work day back a bit. I could literally smell the rotors burning, so it had to be done. I was pleasantly surprised at how painless the process was. The guy that helped me (I assume was Chris) was very polite and direct. Gave me two options, I asked the cheaper one and asked for an oil change. Only took a couple of hours while I worked remotely at a little restaurant next door. The pocket book took a hit of $ 400, but that’s my own fault. Coulda saved me a couple of rotors if I did it sooner. Just charged for labor and parts. No «diagnostic» check or whatnot. They did a great job and were very friendly.

I cannot say enough positive things about this auto body shop.
Chris, the manager, is fantastic — personable, helpful, and quick to help. He also notices when someone may need help, even if they aren’t directly asking for it. I once had a low tire sensor flash on when I was on my way to the airport and didn’t have time for a flat tire. Chris came out to the tire air station (probably after noticing the panic on my face, ha ha) and had his guys look for a leak in my tires right then so that I wouldn’t miss my flight.
I have come here several times to have my car fixed, and each time I have felt like I was getting a fair price and estimate. I have always received «good, better, and best» estimate options so that I can choose what works best for my budget at the time. I also received what I felt was a shady and suspect repair estimate from another nearby garage, and I asked Chris to look into it. He not only said the initial estimate cost was bullshit (which I appreciate, given that the repair in question is a routine one and I would not anticipate it to be as high as it was), but he looked at the part and told me after that I did not need that particular repair at all. It is INCREDIBLY rare to find an auto body shop that doesn’t try to upsell you on everything!!!
They’re also quick, and all the mechanic and register staff are really friendly as well.
All in all, they earn their 5-​star rating!

Here is the truth, these crooks offer discount
To the customers who will write a good review about them, I went to this place after reading the reviews for regular oil change and was told by them that I needed my transmission and my brake system flushed, which was a complete lie because I had gotten all the fluids flushed 3 months ago, and listen to this” we will even do your oil change for free if you would be kind enough to write a good review online”. Well, I did.
Cheats and crooks.
Don’t waste your money here

Chris and his crew here are simply great! I have been coming here for everything for the past few years and have been surprised every time by the care. They explain everything about the service, help with minor things frequently and are very reasonable with the prices. I would highly recommend this shop for auto care.

I stumbled on this place when I needed somewhere close to take my car. What good luck! I was very impressed by personable, knowledgeable service. It was unlike any mechanic experience I have ever had. Chris, the manager, was friendly and took time to explain my options. He called to follow up. The work was great and the prices were very reasonable. I will be taking my cars here for service from now on!

I rarely develop trust with a mechanic due to bad experiences in the past. Chris is the absolute exception. He always takes the time to let me know what I need to do, and what I can get away with letting go for a little while. I recommend them to everyone that I can, and everyone has come away satisfied. They are walking distance from my office now, but if we ever move I would still find a way to bring my truck here.

Very nice people and the mechanics are very honest and won’t rip you off. Quick service as well as quality work. Highly recommended.

New to the area from Connecticut… had a car problem and stopped in Dan’s Sunoco on a Friday late afternoon was met by Chris. Glad I did, they replaced the battery and provided good service with a reasonable price. Will repeat.

I’ve been going to Dan’s Sunoco for years to service our cars. I just happened upon them one day and have not gone to anyone else. My relationship with Chris has been one of trust and honesty. Chris has always treated me with respect and has given me time to discuss his experiences with cars and the issues a car may have. The quality of the work is also a reflection on Chris’ integrity. I observe him speaking with his staff to ensure they understand what needs to be addressed.
I usually call Chris if I have any questions and he always takes my calls and gives me the educated and honest response that I have come to expect as it relates to my cars. He also lets me know what I can do now and what I can wait for, which means that he’s not looking to pull a fast one on me. That’s truly what I have come to appreciate. Sure I’ve had my share of hefty service charges, but as long as I know what I’m paying for and it’s explained to me and I don’t have to come back for re-​work, that’s the reason I keep coming back.

At the beginning of a vacation trip we had to stop here because we heard a banging sound. I’m sure it was related to when I previously ran over a curb. I’ve done that before, and it previously cost a couple hundred to get it fixed. At this place, they fixed it for $ 20. Great customer service, very knowledgeable, and highly recommended.
Also, a reviewer spoke poorly of the bathrooms. While the bathrooms were not modern, they were clean. Both my wife and I felt comfortable using them.

My wife and I have been taking our two cars here for the last 5 years or so. Prior to my current to my vehicle, I’ve owned nothing but clunkers & lemons, so I’ve had my fair share of interactions with mechanics in the NOVA area. With that being said, I’ve had nothing but positive experiences with theses guys, especially Chris who always goes the extra mile for us. They are very direct and honest, and do not try to up-​sell or scare you into spending money. They take to the time to tell you exactly what the situation with your vehicle may be (in layman’s terms), and lay out your options and price points. Prices are very reasonable and they get you in and out as fast as possible. Hell, now you can even walk next door to have a beer while you’re getting your oil changed.

Chris is honest and conscientious. The best measure of a mechanic, in my opinion, is if you take your car in hearing a weird noise and the guy turns you away free of charge after explaining whatever is making the noise and why it doesn’t need to be replaced –at least not right away. This happened to me a couple of times over the years going to Dan’s. When something does need to be fixed, Chris explains in detail what is wrong and what they are going to do to the car. He is really good at helping a layman understand the mechanics of it all. I never felt that I was being taken advantage of or mistreated there.

A hundred dollars to «diagnose» the radiator had a leak in it?
Isn’t that more of an «observation?»
“There’s green fluid leaking from your radiator onto the ground, that’ll be a hundred bucks.“
Enter at your own risk.

First of, after you read the post below I’d like to direct your attention to an article in the Washington Post called «Its a Hot mess» dated July 12^th, 2012. Its an article about repairmen (A/​C repairmen in the case of the article) who dupe unsuspecting customers (people in dire need of a professional), i.e. customers who are none the wiser. The article applies to the majority of us. The following story is yet another example of a repairman trying to dupe a person in need.
I give these folks two stars (a gift) because they all seemed courteous.
Anyway, we towed our 02′ BMW 325i in on Friday for overheating problems. On Monday, a comprehensive analysis showed a lot of repairs were REQUIRED. We asked for an itemized receipt. It had a bunch of this and that, i.e. we HAD to change both upper and lower radiator hoses $ 329 for parts and labor, HAD to replace the thermostat $ 276 for parts and labor, HAD to fix check engine light $ 178. Plus, a separate charge for an ANALYSIS (fancy way of saying «diagnostic») of overheating issues $ 203 US dollars. 30 dollars for one gallon of «BMW» coolant. In all, roughly 830 bucks. If we had stayed, I would have demanded to watch them empty an actual «BMW» coolant container into the radiator reservoir. I realize I sound mistrustful. Its not unfounded.
This immediately set off red flags. My fiancé had to repeatedly ask «WHAT are the items that are actually REQUIRED to be fixed??» They finally responded with — both hoses, and the thermostat assembly. So, those plus the ANALYSIS came to about 650 bucks. By the way, most places do not even charge for the so-​called ANALYSIS if you choose to repair the vehicle on-​site. Even dealerships disclose that if they do a diagnostic and you decide to repair the car there, the fee is waived. NOT AT DAN’S!
Anyway, we weren’t really certain what needed to be fixed but the charges sounded quite ridiculous, so we used our towing coverage through insurance and moved the car elsewhere free of charge. It turns out that only the upper hose and the fan clutch HAD TO BE REPLACED, which the fancy ANALYSIS worth 200 dollars didn’t even uncover. The thermostat was absolutely fine. Final charges for total repair were 350 dollars (LESS THAN HALF) those fabricated by the repairman at DAN’s.
So, whats the lesson learned? Don’t go to DAN’S. Or if you are in an unfortunate position to end up there because your car overheats and dies right in front of DAN’S, then get a second opinion.
And, read the article in the Washington Post.

I love this place. If you’re searching for a trustworthy group of mechanics, this is it. The gas is expensive, but car service is great. I’ve been taking my cars here for 3 years now, for everything and have never been disappointed. Their rates are very fair, no overcharging for parts and labor. They just fixed my wife’s pathfinder, the ac/​heater unit was not working properly and was not passing emmissions. 5 hours later, everything was fixed and the final bill was only $ 243. Ask for Chris or the owner, Dan, and you will be treated with respect.
Upgrading to 5 stars. These are my life-​long mechanics after coming here for over 5 years, and never being disappointed with their service, courtesy, and honesty.

Stopped here for gas after lunch on the way to my Doctor’s office in Herndon, VA. Pulled in, paid at the pump, and gassed up.
Normally, most gas stations get a 4 – 5 star rating just for being convenient — unless they do something poorly — and Dan’s Sunoco does. I used the Men’s Restroom while I was gassing up — you have to ask for the key. When I went in — the restroom was in bad shape — dirty, and someone had spent considerable time in the restroom huffing on a cigarette a few minutes before I had entered — it was almost as if they were using a cigarette room freshener.
C’mon guys — you can do a lot better on the restrooms — I’ve noticed a clear trend in recent years in service stations really modernizing these facilities and keeping them in good shape and well serviced.