The 8 best used car pre-purchase inspection services in Arlington, VA

in Auto services
Photo of used car inspection station

Want to save money by buying a used car, but find yourself hesitant about potentially winding up with a lemon? No sweat: there are a number of shops out there that specialize in examining used cars before purchase. Here are the best ones we’ve found in Arlington.

Auto Stop Arlington

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Address: 3808 S. Four Mile Run Dr, Arlington, VA 22206

Phone Number: 703-382-2180

Specialty: Auto Care

Website: https://tomsautostop.com/arlington/

Auto Stop Arlington is a pre-purchase inspection provider, as well as a full-service mechanic. An important caution during this pandemic, all cars are disinfected upon arrival and departure.

Any work they do is covered by a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty; few (if any) other independent shops that offer that. The warranty has clearly paid off, as they boast a 4.7 star rating on Google.

They also offer loaner vehicles or even a shuttle if they need to work on your car for an extended period.

Auto Stop Arlington’s excellent service, excellent reviews, and excellent warranty earned them their place at the top of this list.

Shirlington Shell Service Center

Address: 2817 South Quincy St. , Arlington, VA 22206

Phone Number: 703-457-1215

Specialty: Auto Repair

Website: https://www.shirlingtonshell.com/

Shirlington Service Center has the advantage of being both a mechanic shop and gas station, so you can fill up when they’re done working on your car. 

Thanks to a 4.9 star rating on Google, you can rest assured that their work is reliable.  Shirlington also performs pre-purchase inspections in addition to state inspections. 

For great, local auto service from the shop with some of the best reviews in town, Shirlington’s got you covered.  


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Arlington Auto Care

Address: 3298 Wilson Blvd. | Arlington, VA 22201

Phone Number: 703-247-3060

Specialty: Auto Care

Website: https://www.arlingtonautocare.com/

Arlington Auto Care is a great shop that offers pre-purchase inspections among many other services.

They’ve racked up a 4.0 star rating on Google, with most customers leaving good reviews of their experience there.

They’re certified to perform state inspections, which makes them a good place to take your car for pre-purchase inspection - they’ll let you know if there are any issues with the car that would prevent you from passing your state inspection.

If you need a pre-purchase inspection in the Arlington area, Arlington Auto Care is a great choice.  

Metro Motor

Address: 2300 Columbia Pike Arlington, VA 22204

Phone Number: 703-920-2808

Specialty: Partnership with Lyft

Website: https://www.metromotor.com/

Metro Motor has 12 total locations to service you in the DC area, with one in Arlington. They offer towing services, coupons on their website for service discounts when you sign up for their mailing list, and they partner with Lyft to shuttle customers when their vehicles are being worked on.

Metro Motor also offers warranty plans for their customers. Thanks to these amenities, they’ve earned a 4.5 star rating on Yelp and an overall rating of about 4.3 on Google.

If you need a mechanic to inspect your car pre-purchase and help maintain it afterwards, these guys can’t be beat. 


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One Stop Auto & Tires

Address: 1515 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA 22204

Phone Number: 703-243-9179

Specialty: Auto Care

Website: https://www.onestopautoandtires.com/

One Stop Automotive & Tires is one of the highest rated auto repair shops in the Arlington area. They offer everything from diagnosis to vehicle inspections and brake jobs.

They also hold down a 4.9 star rating on Google and a 5 star rating on Yelp. As their name says, they truly are a One Stop shop for your pre-purchase inspection and maintenance needs.

Jim’s Automotive

Address: 14961 10th St S, Arlington, VA 22204

Phone Number: 703-931-9431

Specialty: Auto Care

Website: https://www.autorepairarlingtonva.com/

Jim’s Automotive specializes in all over automotive repair, from brake jobs to diagnosis.

In fact, they are one of Arlington’s highest rated auto shops, with a 4.9 star rating on Google and a 5 star rating on Yelp. The customer reviews are consistently good and show they’re willing to do what it takes to retain customers.

Like any of the other shops on this list, Jim’s Automotive is a great choice for a pre-purchase inspection provider.

J&F Motors

Address: 4064 S Four Mile Run Dr, Arlington, VA 22206

Phone Number: 703-671-7757

Specialty: Auto Care

Website: https://www.jandfmotors.net/

J&F Motors are European motor specialists, so this is a good place to take a European car, such as a BMW or Mercedes if you want it inspected prior to buying.

J&F Motors specializes in quality European service from diagnosis to transmission changes. They also do state inspections and 32 point pre-purchase inspections.

J&F Motors has racked up a 4.5 star rating on Yelp and a 4.6 star rating on Google for the quality of their work.

If you want to buy a European car and want it inspected pre-purchase, J&F Motors are your go-to. 


GET A CURATED LIST OF THE BEST USED CARS IN ARLINGTON

Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll search every dealership in your area to create a curated list of the best used cars in your area. The CoPilot app is the smartest way to buy a car.


Mr.Tire Auto Service Centers

Address: 5200 Lee Hwy., Arlington, VA 22207

Phone Number: 703-552-9516

Specialty: Price guarantee

Website: https://locations.mrtire.com/va/arlington/5200-lee-highway.html

Mr.Tire doesn’t just perform tire changes. They also do everything from transmission flushes to inspections.

They have discount offers on their website every day, and inspect customers’ cars every time they visit. Mr.Tire also offers a 30 day price guarantee on any maintenance they do and promises to beat any competitors price by 5% on any repair.

They’ve achieved a 4.4 star rating on Google

The easiest way to find the best used cars in the Arlington area

The best way to get a reliable used car is to buy a ‘nearly-new’ car. That means you’re looking at vehicles less than 5 years old, or with low mileage.  They’re also great in terms of cost-to-reliability ratios, since you’ll avoid new-car depreciation without giving up mileage. Add high levels of certified pre-owned availability and you’ve got a recipe for success.

The easiest way to find a nearly new car is CoPilot Compare. Tell us what model you’re looking for and we’ll show you how much you save by buying nearly new, and we’ll show you all of the best cars in your area. 

To search all the dealerships in Arlington at once, download the free CoPilot car shopping app.  CoPilot searches all listings in your area, then evaluates the quality of each to create a customized list of the best vehicles in your area. Plus, we’ll alert you if the price drops, if a stellar new listing hits the market, or when a dealership’s willingness to deal is increasing.