Ben Richards Fabrication LLC — Local services in Burlington

When I sprung a leak in my Honda CRV exhaust system I asked Honda of Bellingham to give me an estimate while they had my car up on the lift for some recall work.

They texted me an estimate for $8,100! Huh?? 🐂💩! I told the counter guy there was no way I would/could pay that and he chuckled and agreed it was a massively stupid quote. I'm not sure why they would even send it then, it seems really predatory.

I looked for a good exhaust repair shop in Bellingham and finally one garage (thank you Joe's Automotive) suggested Ben Richards fabrication in Burlington. I called ahead and roared down the I-5 on Thursday afternoon for an estimate. Amber at the desk, the wife of Forest (one of the owners) was very nice and I had barely settled in to wait when Forest walked in and told me he had already looked underneath the car and had diagnosed the problem. Two flanges had rusted out and his solution was to simply cut them out and weld in a connector pipe.

Forest said "it will take me about 1/2 an hour, I can have you in and out for under $100!" No hedging, no upsell. Tell me the last time you took your car to any automotive shop and got away for less than 100 bucks? Doesn't happen unless You're getting an oil change. It gets even better.

He asked when I needed my car. I told him I was driving to Vancouver on Monday afternoon. Without a moment's hesitation he offered to squeeze me in the following day even though the shop is officially closed on Fridays! I told him Monday a.m. would be more than fair and Amber scheduled me in.

Long story short, I arrived on Monday and about an hour later I was on the road, my exhaust totally fixed and whisper quiet. The total including taxes was $90, $8,000 less than the outrageous, almost comical Honda of Bellingham quote.

For the short time I was in the waiting area of the office I observed Forest and Amber's interaction with their customers. They didn't talk down to people, and really worked hard to meet their customer's needs in terms of scheduling and repair options available.

When you see all the cars parked in the lot you assume they must be booked out weeks in advance, yet somehow they were able to take care of their customers in a timely (and highly cost effective) manner.

If you are within driving distance of Burlington WA and you need exhaust work done, THIS is the place to go. I am so happy to have found an independent repair shop that does excellent work and puts customer satisfaction first. Thank you Forest and Amber, you have a loyal customer...

At first glance, with its hot rod ambiance and cool cars, I doubted if it was the right place for my Swedish car. But I was in for a surprise.

I visited based on a hunch after being told elsewhere that I needed an expensive catalytic converter replacement. The mechanic here, a true Volvo aficionado (owning more Volvos than the founder of IKEA), diagnosed the issue within minutes. Instead of a costly repair, it was just two coils that needed replacing. The cost? A quarter of what I was originally quoted.

It wasn't just about saving money, though. It was about finding that rare mechanic with an incredible depth of knowledge, able to diagnose problems on the spot. The efficiency and expertise here are unmatched.

As I write this, I'm almost hesitant to share how great this shop is. I fear it'll become too popular and I'll have to wait weeks for an appointment! It's that good. Highly recommended for anyone seeking honest, expert service,...

Car: BMW 330i (E46)

Richard Dutton did my exhaust work. I quickly found out that he's friendly, professional, and very experienced. I'm a rather attentive-to-detail kind of person and he did everything to expectations and beyond without being asked.

To be completely honest, I was reluctant about "upgrading" my OEM/stock exhaust (will it rattle? will it leak? will it be twisted or too long/short?) but everything was put to rest when I saw the work and I drove it after install.

I regret that I didn't do this sooner!!! I also did my due diligence to see if the battery terminals were screwed back square and tight after welding, and of course they were. My only critic (no shop is perfect), would be to have a cleaner shop, there were nuts, bolts, wires, sawzall blades, other material lying on the floor but a little mess, especially in a high traffic shop, isn't the end of the world. Don't judge a book by its...