About Our Shops in Sterling and Vienna, VA
Family Owned & Operated--Auto Stop Elite
Who We Are
The Auto Stop Elite team
Auto Stop Elite is owned by Benjamin Bradley, Meredith Bradley, and Tom Lapham. It is a sister brand inspired by Tom’s existing business called The Auto Stop. The first Auto Stop in Arlington, VA opened over 20 years ago and now has grown to a second location in Falls Church, VA. Benjamin started working for Tom in 2016 with the intention of eventually starting his own auto repair business. Ben and Tom quickly learned that together they could redefine the automotive repair industry and Auto Stop Elite was born! Tom dreams big, Meredith puts a plan to it, and Ben makes it happen. It’s the perfect partnership.
Benjamin Bradley
Ben has been in the industry for 18 years. He had a passion for cars at a young age and started his automotive career as an apprentice of a Master Technician. He then became a General Service Technician changing tires and oil while obtaining his Automotive Technology degree. In 2003 Ben became an ASE Certified Technician while continuing his education at George Mason University for a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. Ben loved working on cars, but had the necessary skills to take a management role in 2008. Since then, Ben has been sought out by both large corporations and small independent repair shops to overhaul failing businesses or redefine success in thriving businesses. Throughout his career, Ben has maintained and grown a strong customer-base that has loyally followed him from shop to shop. He makes sure the people who have come to trust him are taken care of. He married Meredith in 2013 and they started looking for a location to open their own auto repair shop. Four years later and the dream has finally come true!
Meredith Bradley
Before meeting Ben, Meredith was just like you! She got a flat tire and did NOT want to deal with going to a shop to get it replaced. Sound familiar? Well, off she went to her local garage in her sweatpants and a bad attitude, and out walked Ben. His customer service was so great that she decided to marry him! (Well, there may be a few more steps in there…) Meredith graduated from Penn State University (WE ARE!) with a Marketing degree and has the customer service and business management experience to keep the behind the scenes of the shop running smoothly. Having a non-automotive member of the ownership team helps to keep our perspective in a customer’s point of view.
Tom Lapham
Tom created Auto Stop in 1995 as a mobile repair shop out of the back of a van. His customer-base grew and in 1996 he put some roots down and opened his first stationary location in Arlington, VA. Tom opened his second Auto Stop location in Falls Church, VA in 2007. He won the Humanitarian of the Year Award from Automotive Training Institute in 2012 and 2013 in recognition of his charitable efforts around the world! Tom helped develop a trade school in Haiti, he supports an orphanage in Brazil, and has helped build schools and homes in Mexico. A few years ago, he even bought a truckload of pottery from one of the small towns in Mexico when they were in desperate need, and now sells that pottery in his other shops to support even more charities! Tom makes Auto Stop Elite look good!
We know that unexpected expenses like car repairs can be stressful, so we want to do everything we can to make your experience pleasant and enjoyable. Our employees will go above and beyond the call of duty to earn your business!
It is important to state that our objective is never to write up a long list of problems on your car in an attempt to sell you more services. We see it as our job and obligation to be thorough and forthcoming about your vehicle’s overall condition so you can make educated decisions about maintenance and repairs. We will always break it down for you in terms of immediate safety issues, manufacturer maintenance suggestions, and/or items to keep an eye on down the road. Our service advisers will use their extensive knowledge to help create a customized service plan based on your car’s needs that works best for you.
What We Value
People First, Cars Second – We want to build relationships with our customers, vendors, and employees one vehicle at a time.
At Auto Stop Elite we take pride in our core values and tried-and-true business practices. Our role is to turn your adverse vehicle issue into a positive experience by being friendly, respectful, honest and performing quality work at reasonable prices. We are committed to doing what we do best and raising service standards in the automotive repair industry.
People
More than anything else, we value people. Having strong relationships with customers, vendors, employees and even competitors is important to us.
Integrity
We believe in trying to do the right thing in every situation, every single time. Our ultimate goal is to become your trusted, long-term automotive service facility who you can rely on to keep you safe, give you honest advice, and always assist you in making the best car care decisions.
Environment
We want Auto Stop Elite to be an enjoyable place to work and an enjoyable place to wait! We have a safe, positive, and efficient work environment for the employees, and a clean, comfortable, and enjoyable waiting area for the customers.
Quality
We value the highest quality people, parts, and practices.
Education
The technological advancements in the car repair industry are exciting and constantly changing. It’s important for us to keep our Master ASE technicians informed by sending them to trainings across the country to better service your vehicle.
We also value customer education. We want customers to understand their vehicle’s needs so that they feel empowered to make repair decisions and don’t feel taken advantage of; a common complaint in this industry. We will slow down, check for understanding, and even be happy to show the inner workings under the hood to aid in comprehension.
Every service at Auto Stop Elite comes with a complimentary inspection using a state of the art digital evaluation where a Master ASE technician looks over your vehicle while taking pictures and noting recommendations based on safety and maintenance concerns. This inspection not only builds trust through our transparency, but also helps you make the most informed decisions regarding the health of your vehicle.
Our bright waiting area is a comfortable place to unwind while we're working to keep your car safe and on the road for years to come. Auto Stop Elite is a local and family-owned, automotive service center out to make repairs and maintenance as simple, convenient, and stress-free as they should be. You'll always be treated to a personalized experience from a highly trained and certified staff. Your car will be worked on by Master ASE technicians using cutting-edge technology to give you precise repairs you can depend on. We'll prioritize and explain the repairs so you know what needs to be fixed and when. Consider our shop your vehicle’s second home. Actually, we’d like you to think of our service facility as top quality health spa. Bring it to us for routine maintenance to make sure you’re never back for costly repairs and breakdowns. Get treated like family at Auto Stop Elite.
We are a family owned and operated, full-service automotive repair facility. We employ industry-leading, Master ASE technicians to work on your vehicles. Our service advisors are carefully chosen and trained to be expert communicators. We have invested in the latest technology, best equipment, and use the highest quality replacement parts available. Here at Auto Stop Elite, we are passionate about helping people and fixing cars! We want to keep your vehicles safe and on the road for years to come. We would love for you to take a tour of our shop and see what the buzz is all about! Keep us on speed-dial so you don’t have to waste one second searching for this community’s auto service leader. You’ll be greeted with a warm and inviting smile every time walk through our doors. Call us, and you’ll hear the smile over the phone. We want to build long-lasting relationships with our customers, vendors, and employees one vehicle at a time.
Schedule Service
When creating Auto Stop Elite, we envisioned people WANTING to come here! Isn’t that a novel idea? An auto service experience that turns into a pleasant memory; one you’d actually like to repeat. This is a great place to work, a great place to visit, and a great place to bring your vehicle. Everybody’s right where they need to be, including you and your vehicle. We want our employees to be excited to come to work every day, and we want our customers to not dread their necessary vehicle maintenance and repairs. Our clean and inviting waiting room is complete with plenty of seating, coffee bar, and even a separate kids playroom! While you wait for your car, you can get some work done, let your children play, or just relax and enjoy a cup of coffee! That even goes for your dog, bring him/her along with you! We are dog friendly, so feel free to bring your pup with you! Auto Stop Elite is easily accessible and in a convenient location in Dulles, VA.
How We Give Back
As a family owned business, it is important for us to take care of our community by giving back via sponsorships / charities and by implementing sustainable processes to better protect our environment
Here at Auto Stop Elite, we like to REDUCE, REUSE, & RECYCLE!
- Paper, plastic, and aluminum are recycled
- Used oil from oil changes is saved to fuel our heaters in the winter
- Scrap metal from used parts is separated and transported to recycling centers
- Used tires are collected and transported to recycling centers
- Our uniform shirts are partially made from recycled coffee grounds
- Our waiting room / office florring is Greenguard Gold Certified for being produced with low chemical emissions
- A chemical resistant epoxy coats the garage floors to project the ground in the event of a spill
- Used batteries are returned to the manufacturer for proper recycling practices