They are back to the original location on Butler Road! The same great knowledgeable, efficient mechanics, honest, reasonable pricing. I took my Volvo there to get fixed after I had been to the Ourisman Service location down the block and they were able to successfully repair my car after Ourisman had bothched a simple repair. Will definitely be back! read more

Been well served by Bethesda Import Specialists for nearly twenty years and again today. As I said before: It is very comforting to have knowledgeable mechanics you can trust, who are well organized, finish their work when promised, and do a great job. In addition to working on our cars in their shop, they have also provided really helpful telephone advice when we have been in a jam on the road - like when warning lights came on when we were on a road trip in Maine, or the time the ignition key would not turn. I highly recommend them. read more

Great service with no-nonsense diagnostics. We've taken our Volvo (only have owned Volvos and Mercedes) to Mike's since I was a teenager. He's always accommodating and is even willing to look at the car with no charge. Can't beat that! read more

We have worked we these guys for years. Reliable! Honest.

Mike and Scott are Homies. I now only buy cars that they will service so I don't have to find a new mechanic. We have our subaru, volvo and BMW serviced here. They've stood by us through several very used cars that needed many repairs. They are very honest, and if something doesn't need to be fixed or can be a small fix they will do it for the least money possible. I've driven my car to them with a "broken headlight" only to have them screw it in and send me home with no bill. They do great quality of work for very fair pricing, and have done everything from electrical to transmission to fuel pump work in our cars that have kept them running for many years. read more

After such rave reviews by fellow Yelpers, I decided to take my 1995 volvo over to bethesda to get some repairs done. As you can tell from my rating, I was less than impressed with Mike et. al on more than one account. First off, I have to disagree with others who write about their "great prices"; while it may be true that they're a bit less expensive than a dealership (who isn't!), they really work you on the labor. This isn't a big surprise to me since high repair costs come with buying a foreign car, but it'd simply be wrong to say that they're cheap by any means. My second issue was the poor customer service, which was completely unexpected based on the other reviews. After dropping my car off in the morning, I was told it'd be done - at the latest - by closing. However, by 4:30pm (they close at 5) I hadn't even received a call on the status of the repairs. So I call, and am told that they needed to order a few parts and that the car would be done by lunchtime the following day. Fine. The following day the same story: not only was it not done by lunchtime, but they didn't bother to call me to let me know what was going on (I called right before closing and was told "oh yeah", the car is done). In short, I thought it was ridiculous that they don't feel it necessary to call their clients to let them know what is happening. Finally, and most galling to me, is their "free shuttle service". When my car was finally done, I took the metro up to friendship heights and called Mike for a lift. While I am quite a patient person, after standing by the curb for an hour with no sign of Mike or his colleague I got on the phone again with Mike, who said someone was on their way. So after standing around for an hour and 15 mins, I was finally brought to their shop. This episode, and the fact that it didn't even warrant an "I'm sorry, we were really busy", showed an utter lack of respect. The only positive aspect of this experience was that they did do a good job on the actual repairs of the car. But for the money I spent, they sure as hell better have. read more

I'm very, very happy with Bethesda Imports. As long as I live in DC, I don't think I will take my Volvo anywhere else. The short version is that I recently purchased a used Volvo from a private party and within one month, the check engine light came on and the transmission begin to slip, and I was really ticked off and needed a whole heck of a lot of repairs. Mike and his staff are very knowledgeable about the peculiarities of Volvos and were quickly able to diagnosis and fix the problems. While expensive, cause I had some big problems, they were able to fix them at the least possible cost, and the work they did will probably save me from needing my transmission replaced. It's been a few days and so far the car seems great. I'll let you all know if anything changes. Another plus is that they are friendly people (they know their customers by name) and have a free shuttle to the metro. read more

I could have written a great review every time they worked on my car, but I'm just now getting to it after having sold my Volvo (sniff!). Some years back I bought an older S80 with 85K miles on it, so it naturally needed to go into the shop occasion--more often in recent years. I always had confidence that I was getting a good and fair price and excellent work. They performed the work quickly. They advised me when work wasn't mandated. When I worked nearby, they picked me up and dropped me off at work. If Volvo made a hybrid, I'd buy another with the confidence that I'd have a good, honest mechanic. The last time I took the car in, it was clear that the work would exceed the value of the car and I decided it was time for hybrid. It actually made me sad to say goodbye. Fun fact: they have a Sago Palm they've kept alive for several years. Like Volvos, these plants will live practically forever if they're property cared for. In the summer, it's in a planter out front, and in the winter they bring it inside. They'll treat your car and your business with the same thoughtfulness and consistency. read more

I have been extremely impressed with Bethesda Imports. They are reasonably priced, knowledgable, friendly, and fast. Mike and Scott have diagnosed and fixed issues associated with my pre-Ford 1998 S70 within just a few hours (including, but not limited to: check engine light, squeaking noise- emergency break sticking, brakes, taillight issue, oil changes, etc. They also will drive you to the Metro (and talk cars on the way there, if that's your thing). Great shop. Highly recommended. read more

Terrible customer service. From the moment I arrived, I felt unwelcome. Not only was there no record of the appointment I had made, the guy working the front desk made no apologies, but instead seemed annoyed by the suggestion. He went on to say that the mechanic who would perform the service was out for several hours, yet tried to take my keys. No, thank you! read more

Mike and his crew have been servicing my family's cars for not just years, but generations. Mike is a straight shooter, and he and his guys are honest to a fault. Although they specialize in Volvos, they have done a bit of work on my VW. I recently brought in my VW for a variety of minor problems, and the total bill was $10! I almost felt bad about it. I highly recommend Bethesda Import Specialist read more

We discovered this shop after our third visit to volvo dealers (Marten's and Brown's) back in 1992. Twent years later, I can say that one of the main reasons we keep buying Volvos is due to Mike Cunningham (owner) and his crew. The only honest car mechanic we have ever known (I am sure there are others, we just never met them in our 30+ years of car ownership experience). For those here in YELP that complain about their lack of friendliness. Could they be more friendly or less direct? Certainly! But my car (or my wallet) do not care! If you are looking for friendliness, go to the Dealer. You will probably be received with big smiles and greetings -- you may also end up with a list of expensive repairs that your car does not need! -- Been there, done that :( My wish for 2013 is that they fix Porsches!!! read more

Mike Cunningham owns and operates this shop, and I sought them out after a couple of years of $1000-plus "routine maintenance" visits to the Volvo dealer. Mike and crew are honest, they do good work and their prices are well under half of the nearby Volvo dealer (Martens). They don't have a receptionist and so your conversations will be with Mike & the mechanics (smile), which means they won't be polished but they will be direct. We have been pleased enough with Mike's service that we bought a second Volvo (and final - the kids are teens now) from him at less than blue book. read more

Mike and his team are fabulous. They are endlessly helping us with all of our odd issues and couldn't be more reliable or kinder. Thanks to Mike and team!! read more

After my Volvo broke down on the beltway, I was towed to Bethesda Imports. They had an after hours key drop which was really nice. It looked like a few other Volvos had been towed there as well. It is about 4 miles off of I-495. I was very happy with the service and price. Actually cost was half of my original quote. Work was done on time for a tough and uncommon problem. I am thinking about taking my Volvo there for all my routine maintenance. Mike seemed to know his Volvos. Really glad that I didn't get towed to the dealer next door. They seemed really busy which is good and bad. Good because they must have lots of repeat customers but bad because they always seemed to be in a hurry and didn't take as much time as I wanted to thoroughly explain the problem and what they did to fix it. Oh well. As long as they do good work. read more

Having a go-to mechanic makes life a lot easier. I had a great mechanic I was sad to leave in PA, but I lucked out when my wife and I found Mike/Scott and their team after moving to DC. They've done a quality job every time on our 5 year old S40. read more

I remember when Mike was in the old location across the street..we always took our cars there...my son and daughter and members of our company all were customers.....the past few years we have had cars in warranty ...and also...were not Volvos or any of the other cars which Mike likes to service...my daughter went there recently with her honda ...as she had been told she definitely needed brakes by another operation..remembering Mike..she took her car in and he said she had more time left on the pads..good honest advice in these economic times...highly recommended read more

I was told by the dealer that my car needed its thermostat replaced, but there was a little reason to be unsure if that was true. So I brought it to Bethesda Import Specialist to find out if the thermostat needed to be replaced and to replace it if it did. They could have easily said it did, just so they could get me to pay to fix it. But they didn't. For me, that is the true test of whether a mechanic is a straight shooter or whether they try to rip you off. They certainly earned my loyalty. read more

Had nothing but the very best of experiences with these guys since I started taking our old Volvo there nearly 15 years ago. Honest, reasonable, efficient, relaxed experience. No pressure sales job here - just the facts. Could not have asked for better. Decided to buy another Volvo 4-5 years ago in all honesty simply because of the convenience and service at this shop. It's fallen out of warranty, so good riddance to the dealership. Even though the bills are again on me now, I'm very happy to be back with Bethesda Import Specialists. read more

In from out of town, I needed an oil change before I headed back to Boston. They were accommodating and quick. When I move back to DC, I'll bring my 2004 Saab 9-5 with 180k+ miles to them again. read more

On the day before New Year's, they were kind enough to take an out-of-state visitor with no appointment, and figure out if the "Check Engine" light needed immediate attention. When it turned out to be nothing serious -- they didn't charge us. What nice people! read more

Smart, honest repair shop. Very nice people, and a nice warm waiting room, too. We've had our volvo and lexus's repaired there regularly for a few years now and have always been very satisfied. read more

I have been bringing my 2007 Volvo XC90 to Bethesda Import Specialist for years and they have always done an an excellent job with maintenance and any repairs. The quality of work, honesty and customer service is exceptional. I highly recommend Mike and his team! I wouldn't go anywhere else. read more

I have been to many Volvo repair shops after owning Volvos since 1988 and Bethesda Import is the best and Mike Cunningham and his team are honest and fair and provide a good value. You can waste your time and money trying other shops but that is silly of you!!! read more

IMy husband and I have used Mike for years. We have never once had a problem with his service. The place is clean and Mike explains things so that even a girl can understand car talk. I wont go anywhere else ever. read more

I needed my battery and alternator looked at after my Honda CRV kept dying despite a recent battery change. After reading the horrible reviews of the Honda dealership nearby, I thought I would try this place out. I'm so happy I made that decision! Everything went really smoothly and it turned out it was a loose wire that was causing the problem. They actually charged me nothing to fix the wire which was really nice of them. As young woman, I'm always wary of mechanics and dealerships trying to take advantage of me but this couldn't be further from the truth; I'll be back any time I need service on my car. They also offer a free shuttle to the Friendship Heights Metro and open at 7.30am so it's very convenient if you work in the area. read more

Very happy to find this shop for my 2012 Volvo when it broke down. Had car towed in, and it was fixed by day's end. Will come back. Highly recommend. read more

I am so glad I found Bethesda Import Specialist! They did a fantastic job on a major repair for my '08 Volvo S60. Smart, honest people doing a great job. The repair was quick and reasonably priced with great customer service. I wish I had quit going to the dealership and found them years ago! read more

Unless you have a Volvo, don't go to Bethesda Imports! While they say they welcome all types of cars, they should stick to their specialty. After misdiagnosing my Honda's ailment and leaving me broken down on my way home at night, they struggled to work the problem. I left -- very unhappy -- and 11 months later, found myself stranded, AGAIN, because the part that BI had replaced had failed. This part, which I specifically had confirmed was not reconditioned but rather "new", should have lasted years, not months. Bottom line -- poor diagnosis,shoddy work and/or a shoddy part. Very disappointing. read more

I'll just echo all the positive reviews on here and add that having a private shop like Bethesda Imports is essential for anyone with a Volvo. I moved here 5 years ago and when our 2002 Cross Country needed repair work I first went to the Volvo dealer a block away. I was astonished by the way I was treated and the prices. Thankfully I found Mike's shop shortly thereafter and have been a loyal customer ever since. Highly recommend. read more

I have been taking my Volvos to Bethesda Import for over 10 years and have nothing but great things to say about them. They know their cars and they get the work done. In all those years, their service has been dead-on, and the one time it wasn't (leaky radiator), they worked very diligently to fix it. Mike and his crew are very good about recommended work that needs to be done, and suggesting which maintenance/issues to keep an eye on for the future visits (like timing belts). None of the "we went ahead and replaced your muffler bolt for $1000" games. As for the critique of "John J" - he doesn't even have his facts straight, so I'd take his comments with a grain of salt. The shop is open until 6pm (not 5). I've never waited for a ride even a fraction of the time he suggests. After less then great experiences with Marten's and other local dealers, these guys make the service side of owning a Volvo enjoyable. read more

These guys are just the best. They are helpful, polite, reasonably priced and dependable.

These guys are great, and do a great job on my Volvo - certainly less expensive than the dealership and Scandinavian.

Great service, great prices, and they know Volvos. As a longtime Volvo owner, I know that not just any mechanic can work on older models. The finicky electrical system and sometimes unusual Swedish engineering present unique problems that require a special knowledge and experience with the Volvo brand. Mike and the guy's at Bethesda Imports know Volvos. Usually when I call up with "one of those Volvo problems," Mike can diagnose the issue, correctly, before I can even finish describing it. The first two times I brought my Volvo in, Mike and the guys fixed it for free. The issues, which I thought were dire, ended up being just a quick tightening up the first time and a replacement screw the second. They didn't try to pull a fast on me and charge for some $1,500 part. They didn't even charge me the one hour minimum for labor. Mike said each issue was a 5 minute repair, no charge. That's what won me over. So when the time came for the big $1,500 repair, I brought my car back to Mike and Bethesda Import Specialist without thinking twice. Also, best of all, they're not at all expensive. I wouldn't say cheap, but for a quality professional import shop right outside of D.C., they're a deal. read more

I love these guys! My fan belt and fan blower were busted and Mike and Scott replaced them quickly and reasonably. Unfortunately the fan belt wasn't installed tightly enough... and after I neglected to take the car back in to have it tightened for a month and simultaneously left a light on in my car and then drove it around on the hottest day of the year... it died and I had to have it towed back to Bethesda Imports. I had to leave for vacation the following day and was nervous that when I got back I would be facing a hefty bill for labor and ten days of parking-- but this morning when I went to pick up my car, I was thrilled to find they tightened the belt and recharged my battery, AND put on my new DC license plates free of charge. They could have ripped me off but they didn't. It demonstrates that these guys put service first and I am now a very loyal customer. read more

I have taken my 19 y.o. Volvo to Bethesda Imports from time to time over the years, but I learned my lesson recently when I took my car to a local gas station I had been using for minor repairs up until last week. I am not going to waste my time with a gas station who has little Volvo knowledge and will be taking my Volvo to Mike from here on out. He has always been fair and very good to me. Excellent customer service. I was very happy with his work that I even made him homemade brownies the last time I took my car to him! I highly recommend Mike and his team! read more

After a few bad experiences at Marten's, I started taking my 1995 850 here. Not only is cheaper then the dealer (thought only slightly), but they seem much more knowledgeable. They have always been straight forward about what repairs need to be done immediately vs. which can wait, and keep up a good line of communication - I don't have to call back multiple times like some other repair shops. I recommend them to anyone that has a Volvo and lives close! read more

Bethesda Import Specialists is one of the few mechanics that worked with me honestly and fairly. Mike and his team are a rare gem.

These guys are the best, period. They've taken care of all five of our Volvos for at least 15 years, four of which we still own and are still running (two are 95s, one is a '99, one is a 2005). Two of these are used cars that I bought from them -- sadly, they no longer sell used cars due to the hot off-lease market. Both used cares have held up superbly Many thanks to Mike, Scott, Jim and the entire team! read more

Happy new customer. My wife thought she had heard some noises in the brakes of her Toyota Highlander, and the Toyota dealer service place, where the car was coincidentally in for routine service, tried to impress upon her the need to change all pads and rotors immediately. At the recommendation of a friend, we took the car to Mike and Scott and co., who reported that despite some glazing on the rotors, the brake system was fine for roughly another 5,000 miles before the need to think about mechanical intervention. They did not charge anything for this analysis, and gave a nice explanation of the things to look out for to actually warrant repair. Really appreciate the honesty; they now have a new client. read more