To be in the heart of downtown Raleigh, this business has sent out red flags for racism. Being a black man in a nice car passing food over to another vehicle, We were approached by Joey (Mandeza?), who walked between our cars and just straight up said, "y'all need to leave!" OK, no worries, but why are you coming up being rude. Joey said, "It looks like y'all are doing a drug deal passing things from car to car in the middle of my parking lot. I'm done, dude it's 830 am. the streets are too busy to be parking on them. No vehicles had entered the business at any point or time while being there. I've never been approached in a manner like that and for this guy to assume a drug deal was going down is completely wrong and unacceptable had it been another race they would have either not been approached or the approach would have been very different. The best part was they called RPD, which I waited and spoke with the officer. This was one of the most racist situations I've been in, in quite some time. I wouldn't have ever thought it would happen in the heart of downtown Raleigh. If you think every black guy driving a nice ride is a drug dealer, then yeah, you're racist, and this is the perfect business for you. Not at any point did a single vehicle come into the parking lot while I was there, Well 2 if I count the RPD officers who responded. This was a situation that shouldn't have happened, and what started off as a lunch passing turned into being a drug deal. I've never been so pissed read more

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This place was recommended to me by a friend. They have good service, fair prices and quick turnarounds. I had previously had someone who replaced my water pump with a used/defective part and they fixed the problems and replaced the damaged parts. read more

These guys are awesome! As a girl it can be difficult to find a good mechanic. These guys care about your car and you. They have continuously taken care of my car quickly and inexpensively while being incredibly friendly and respectful. These guys are good and honest. I am incredibly grateful to have found Benchmark Auto and plan to return to them for a very long time. read more

I have a real old truck. I know it's old. It's going to be beat up of course. It's never going to be perfect. There's something to be said about that... Bad: it was all or nothing. Wouldn't just do pads. Only pads and rotors. There was nothing wrong with my rotors Calls back and tells me I need calibers and lines also. I disagreed and took the truck to do it myself. It's an old truck of course they are going to look old but they were functioning properly even if I would need it in the future. This quote was outrageous imo. WORSE PART: my window was knocked off track and they tell me that all they did was touch it and it feel off track and they can't get it back. I know exactly what they did. They cranked it down after the back side came out and kept going which caused it to come all the way off. So instead of fixing it properly by taking my door panel off, they put cardboard in there to hold it up and THEN PROCEEDRD TO CHARGE ME $50.49 FOR THE WORK when my truck was worse than before it came in Good: The guy knew what he was talking about and explained his plan to me before hand when it was just pads and rotors. He knows what he's talking about. Gave me fair price for rotors and brakes considering my truck needs the bearings repacked after coming off. I took it and did it myself for 40% the price. A brake job costing more than the truck is worth is not worth it and I wish they'd understand that about a clearly beat up truck when you ask to just do limited things. read more

Always do great work at fair prices. Taken my car here for years without and issues and have never once felt like I was being taken advantage of or given the run around. Would recommend. read more

I have used Benchmark for years on all my cars and and have never had any reservations about their work or pricing. Always honest, reasonably priced and prompt. As a woman, I am alert to how some auto mechanics and businesses may try to take advantage. Never a problem with Benchmark. I recommend them highly. Shelley Eason read more

I am highly disappointed in the service I have received from them. I went to them because they are close to the place where I live and work but I deeply regret that decision. 1. I went in there with a nail in my tire to be repaired. After getting back my car, I noticed that the tire and rim had stains all over them. 2. When I got in the car, I saw the tire pressure light on. When I told them about it they said I should just drive for a little bit and it will go off. I drove for a the day and went back to them at the end of the day. They dismissed my concerns, took the car back for about 2 minutes, and the guy told me it will go away this time when I drive off. Of course it did not. 3. I told them I will pass by at 12:00PM to pickup my car, they agreed. I went at 12:30PM and the car was not ready. I did not get my car until 12:55PM. I did not have lunch for the day and was late for a meeting at work. And because they did not do a good job, I had to leave work early to go back to them. 4. The person I interacted with first in the morning was friendly. Everyone else was not friendly and dismissed my concerns telling me to just drive off and it will be fine. When I spoke to the mechanic right after getting my car, he told me he can not look at why my car has the light on because he is tied with something else. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In response to the owner's comment: If you did not think you could get the tire in a safe operating condition with my "limited budget", then you should have just not taken me as a customer. 1. The service I paid for, as we discussed initially, was to have the tire installed so it is safe to operate. Now, I still need to take the car to another mechanic since the "low tire pressure" light is on. The mechanics did not seem to care. The least they could have done is dismount and remount the tire to make sure it is installed correctly. I was not offered a diagnoses for why the "low tire pressure" light was on. 2. You were friendly to me but your staff were not. Particularly the mechanic who refused to look at the car right after I took it because "he was tied up". 3. I said I will come back at lunch and specified 12:00PM. I never said after lunch. 4. The tires and the tail lights are two completely separate issues. I specified that I will fix my tail lights on my own since I am an Electrical Engineer. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ read more

I've been fairly unlucky this year regarding some mechanical issues with my truck. After being frustrated in dealing with the dealership I did a little research and stumbled across Benchmark. My first interaction with benchmark was on a Friday afternoon around 5:30/6 (just as they were closing). I was very frustrated in having the dealership quote me thousands of dollars for a repair and called them to see if this particular repair might be something benchmark might be able to take care of. Not only did they say they could take care of it, but they spent time talking to me on the phone to gather specific information in order to make informed decisions on the best plan of action. I was able to drop my truck off the next day and pick it up from them with everything repaired. I've taken my truck back to them now for other issues here and there that have come up and they have always been extremely professional and friendly throughout the entire process. They always take the time to fully explain a repair to me and their prices are fair. I have only taken my truck there for major repairs so far, but I imagine they are just as wonderful with routine maintenance as well. read more

This place is the BEST!!! So affordable and conveniently located in downtown Raleigh! They are so kind, professional, and honest!! I will never take my car anywhere else for as long as I live here. read more

My car had problems on Saturday afternoon. I had my car towed to the auto shop , the owner called me to let me know my vehicle arrived and would be looked at as soon as possible since the day was almost over . Monday when they reopened they called before noon, gave us a quote and told us they would have it ready beige the end of the day. I really recommend this shop. It was a great experience since we are new to the area . read more

Fantastic family owned/operated auto repair shop that I trust ALL of my vehicles with. These range from vintage Mercedes to a '77 Land Cruiser Iron Pig to an '07 e63AMG. There is nothing and I mean nothing they can't handle. Thanks as always read more

Benchmark is a quality shop with great service located conveniently for anyone downtown. I've had both my Prius and Mustang serviced here, minor and major service, with excellent outcomes. This shop will not rip you off and offers very solid advice with respect to maintaining your car appropriately. I highly recommend. read more

I can recommend this auto repair shop without reservation. Its pricing for the repair that I needed was fair, I believe, for the problems that my car had, and it got the repair done by the same afternoon on which I had brought in my car to it. In addition, the owner of the business let me apply, two days retroactively, a coupon that I had just gotten in the mail the same day of the repair, but which I couldn't use for that same reason that day. I went back two days later and he applied it willingly. This saved me $60 on a repair that cost $515, which I very much appreciate. The next time I have any major car problems, I plan on using Benchmark Autoworks again. read more

These guys tried to charge over $4,000 for brakes, a window that wouldn't roll down, and wipers that didn't work. And then charged us 2 diagnostic fees totaling over $200 for not getting the work done there. Upon questioning that extra fee they immediately resorted to threats of keeping our car until we paid. The owner's son Joe (the "expert" mechanic) started yelling at my girlfriend, throwing his arms around, and approached me in a physically threatening manner. I whole heartedly believe he was going to strike me if his father hadn't stopped him. I believe he is overworked. He was yelling about working 90 hours a week. Seems like they need to hire another mechanic. Being tired and overworked can lead to poor work and obviously TERRIBLE customer service. Many other good places to go. Avoid this one. read more

I have been going to Benchmark for a couple years now, and am so glad to have found someone who can keep my 1991 Ford running beautifully, which is so much cheaper than buying a new car! These folks are very smart, experienced, honest and dedicated. They have replaced my spark plugs, muffler, and radiator -- all of which needed to be replaced, haha! They can also do the serious stuff -- rebuild engines and transmissions, bend exhaust pipes (for older cars where replacement pipes are unavailable). As mechanic James says, "If you can't do the serious work, you can't work here." read more

It's hard to find a good, honest auto shop. There are plenty of factors involved: Trustworthiness, communication, turnaround time, etc. All those things, plus intangibles can be summed up in one question: "Would I send my wife here for repairs?" It was time for an oil change, and my normal shop is all the way in Coats. They're booked out two weeks solid, and they only do oil changes first thing in the morning. I don't trust the Meinekes, Wal-Marts and Jiffy Lubes of the world to not strip my drain plug, or leave it out altogether. So, I went on the hunt for a good mechanic. And I've found Angie's List to be a good place (sorry, Yelp!-- You aren't quite there yet for businesses besides restaurants and bars). Benchmark came up, and they were running a special: $24.95 for a synthetic blend oil change. ($45 or so for full synthetic...not bad at all.) I booked it, and the folks responded quickly. Good sign. I scheduled an appointment for 2PM, they got my make and model to make sure they had the proper filter on hand. Arriving a little after two, I grabbed a seat in the waiting room, and they put my car in the bay immediately. Thirty minutes later, they backed the car in. The guy who checked me out at the counter took the time to run through some codes (minor) in my system, and explain them in detail. When I asked about a tune up, he took the time to look up the service interval, and give me a brief estimate of the time and costs involved. At no point did he try the upsell or hustle. Just said that he cleared the codes, and if they were still there at the next oil change, we might want to talk about it. So would I send my wife here? Without hesitation. How can I say that based on a single oil change? Because how a business treats a small margin transaction like an oil change says a lot about how they'll treat an engine or transmission swap. The next time you have an issue, or that little engine light comes on...I suggest you take your vehicle down to Benchmark. They'll definitely receive more of my business in future. read more

DO NOT GO HERE!!!! I thought I had gotten lucky with finding a friendly, honest mechanic and decides to listen to the 5 star yelp reviews this place had received. I couldn't have been more wrong. This place will take advantage of you if you know nothing about vehicles like most of us that need a mechanic. I brought my 1978 scout 2 that I just purchased here to fix a few things. I was told estimated quotes that then became 3 times as much as originally said. I was then charged for TWO diagnostics with equaled to over $200. This was just to look over the car even though I had given them a list of what was wrong with it. I am appalled with this place runs it's business. Please save yourself the money and time and do NOT go here. I was screamed at, cursed at, and told that I should have never bought that car to begin with after I questioned them about paying for TWO diagnostic tests. The WORST business I have ever walked in to. read more

They are always helpful....If you want honest service and repairs for your vehicle they are the ones to contact.

They gave me a printed out quote before doing the work, and charged me exactly the price quoted. I appreciate that level of honesty.

Worst business I've ever dealt with. I have been making payments every two weeks(which I was told was ok when I purchased it). I go to my car today and my car is disabled(which I had no clue they could even do). The idiot at the front desk says I've been making weekly payments. She is apparently too stupid to realize that the payments are dated weekly but I make them back to back on the days I get paid. She didn't care I was 45 miles from my home and kid and called me a liar because she was too stupid to understand what I was explaining. It's a lease, not an outright purchase which I wasn't told until I read it while I was signing papers. Shady company!!!!! STAY AWAY!!!!!!!!! Stupid and rude is a terrible combination. read more

I called at 730a this morning right when they opened after hearing my brakes grinding. I'm greeted by the smiling administrative assistant, get asked to explain my issue, given my timeline on when things will get going and I leave. Not 1 hour later, I get a call from the mechanic himself, not the administrative assistant. Although I would've appreciated her call as well, but he's the expert. He tells me what he did to find the problem was, what he can do to fix it, the cost and time frame. A few hours after that, another call that my car was done. When I picked it up, I spoke to the mechanic and he handed me a detailed copy of what was worked on. I thanked him over and over for such an outstanding job. My car is running and sounds great. Excellent staff. Excellent work. This shop should be proud. read more

My check engine light came on this morning on the way to works. They did a great job on my car! It's running like new again. I found my new go to place! I highly recommend this place! Right downtown in walking distance of everything! read more

Locally owned and run little gem in downtown Raleigh! It's very lucky to find a team of car mechanic gurus that are friendly, honest, and affordable. I will always bring my car to Benchmark Autos first, as Lou and team can't seem to be beat! They are even open on Saturday!! read more

These guys are the real deal! You won't find a more honest, friendly or knowledgeable shop in Raleigh and when it comes to mechanics, honesty is tough to come by. The team took my frantic phone call after my 2007 Corvette died on the way to work and I had it towed to a different shop where they told me they thought "the engine may have seized up" and I needed to find an engine specialist or look for a new motor! Naturally I freaked out and started calling around and was blessed enough to call Benchmark first. They calmed me down, pushed my car across the street to their shop, dissected the problem like boss in a few hours and had me on the phone and off the bridge I was planning on jumping off! Lol. My alternator went bad and I lost a pulley. Far from a 6k motor replacement! They could have 100% could have taken me and my hard earned money for a ride but they chose to be honest and do the right thing to gain a customer. If you have car problems or just want a good oil change DO YOURSELF A FAVOR call Benchmark! They have also replaced my clutch and done a ton of wiring and maintenance to my 2007 Jeep Wrangler. Really glad I found these guys! read more

I took my car here June 30 at 7:30AM. I asked what time I could pick it up, the lady asked when I needed it. We agreed on 4PM. When I called at 3:30PM to check on the status, she said they hadn't even looked at it and it wouldn't be ready until 5:30-6. I couldn't wait that long as I had evening engagements. Instead of offering any kind of assistance (we could take you tomorrow, etc.), she simply said, "You can come get it, no work has been done to it." When I came to pick it up, she was not there, but the owner was. When I asked him what happened, he was defensive and said the woman had no recollection of the time we agreed to and went even further saying, "She's pretty sharp too, so..." I understand mistakes happen (a fact the owner acknowledged), but how you handle mistakes says a lot about your business. The fact that the owner simply reiterated that I could leave and take my car and made no offer to even try to complete the work at another time says a lot. I wouldn't recommend this place unless you need a free parking spot for the day. read more