We've all anxiously awaited the car repair shop's call with the news on cost. It's worst if you're not sure the job will be done right or the price fair. The best way to cut that anxiety is to find the right shop. Our evaluations of hundreds of area repair shops will steer you to shops that are rated tops for quality and price.

Read our article and findings (available exclusively to CHECKBOOK subscribers)

Back to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK Table of Contents.

Sample Subscriber Comments/Reviews About Auto Repair Shops

CHECKBOOK provides subscriber comments on their experiences with the firms they use. Please remember that individual subscriber comments are informal. Subscriber comments may give you insight into the types of features and problems that exist in a service field, but are not the best basis for selecting or rejecting a specific firm. To assess the quality of a firm's performance, we recommend that you give more weight to the percentages of favorable ratings. Those percentages are generally based on much larger numbers of consumers' ratings (the number of consumer ratings is noted above).

As You Can See Below, Some Auto Repair Shops Get High Praise from Their Customers. Some Others Don't. So Choose Carefully.
Here Are a Few Samples of the Thousands of Comments CHECKBOOK Has Collected on Hundreds of Different Auto Repair Shops.

• Subscriber from SOUTH EASTON, MA wrote Another Shop: Great service!.......
• Subscriber from DEDHAM, MA wrote Another Shop: They are great. Don't try to sell/fix what doesn't need to be done........
• Subscriber from NORTH ANDOVER, MA wrote Another Shop: The shop repaired a hole in the exhaust by cutting out a piece and welding..........
• Subscriber from WATERTOWN, MA wrote Another Shop: Not open on weekends. Doesn't accept credit cards........
• Subscriber from BRAINTREE, MA wrote Another Shop: I don't trust them; I suspect they use substandard parts and in one case, believe..........
• Subscriber from QUINCY, MA wrote Another Shop: I have used this company for many years and they have done good work at..........
• Subscriber from CAMBRIDGE, MA wrote Another Shop: Technician took a long time to diagnose and repair a simple wiring fault. But service..........
• Subscriber from DOVER, MA wrote Another Shop: These guys are the real deal ...you can completely trust that the problem will be..........
• Subscriber from WEST ROXBURY, MA wrote Another Shop: They are terrific.......
• Subscriber from DEDHAM, MA wrote Another Shop: repeated problem with car. They said they fixed but obviously they didn't........
• Subscriber from BILLERICA, MA wrote Another Shop: Reliable honest shop.......
• Subscriber from BOSTON, MA wrote Another Shop: Repairs not done properly the first time and not in time promised. Can't even find..........
• Subscriber from SUDBURY, MA wrote Another Shop: They are very good at diagnosing my car's problems. They give excellent service, above and..........
• Subscriber from ARLINGTON, MA wrote Another Shop: Absolutely honest and trustworthy. I've been going there for 24 years........
• Subscriber from NUTTING LAKE, MA wrote Another Shop: I just hoping saying this doesn't make them too busy to fit me in........
• Subscriber from ANDOVER, MA wrote Another Shop: repairs were expensive and took several tries but the problem was fixed.......
• Subscriber from JAMAICA PLAIN, MA wrote Another Shop: Did not do repair I requested; gave me a shopping list of repairs they recommended..........
• Subscriber from BEDFORD, MA wrote Another Shop: my vehicle was given back to me unsafe, unreliable and incomplete. Technical errors were made..........
• Subscriber from BELMONT, MA wrote Another Shop: Accepts cash only. On expensive side........
• Subscriber from NEWTON, MA wrote Another Shop: Does excellent work.......
• Subscriber from NEEDHAM, MA wrote Another Shop: Great people, very honest and reliable. Three minute walk from the Needham Heights Commuter Rail..........
• Subscriber from FRAMINGHAM, MA wrote Another Shop: I've used them for year -- quick, effective, and economical........
• Subscriber from BEVERLY, MA wrote Another Shop: on expensive side but good service.......
• Subscriber from WELLESLEY, MA wrote Another Shop: Awesome Service Department for Volkswagens. I have used them for the last 5 years........
• Subscriber from NEWTON CENTER, MA wrote Another Shop: I'm sure I'm paying a premium, but their service is reliable and pleasant........
• Subscriber from SUDBURY, MA wrote Another Shop: A good experience all-round.......
• Subscriber from MEDFORD, MA wrote Another Shop: Over-priced -always costs more than you could possibly expect........
• Subscriber from READING, MA wrote Another Shop: I took my Acura here for a simple brake repair because it was close to..........
• Subscriber from NEWTON, MA wrote Another Shop: The agency has been sold to Clay Chevrolet, who seem to be less pleasant.......
• Subscriber from WOBURN, MA wrote Another Shop: High quality service! Quick turn-around and reasonable prices........
• Subscriber from CONCORD, MA wrote Another Shop: Excellent mechanic. Work done on time and done well........
• Subscriber from BOXFORD, MA wrote Another Shop: I used to take my car to IRA Lexus, but I get the same service..........
• Subscriber from ALLSTON, MA wrote Another Shop: The best work, at the best price on foreign cars. Honest and reliable........
• Subscriber from NATICK, MA wrote Another Shop: We have been long-standing customers with several different cars........
• Subscriber from NEEDHAM, MA wrote Another Shop: I can send my wife there for car repair or maintenance and know she will..........
• Subscriber from FRAMINGHAM, MA wrote Another Shop: My family has taken our Hondas and Toyotas to Larry for years, and always felt..........
• Subscriber from TOPSFIELD, MA wrote Another Shop: Experienced a couple of isolated incidents where service coordinator lied, e.g. swore requested road test..........
• Subscriber from CAMBRIDGE, MA wrote Another Shop: These guys are honest and work hard to keep cars running well -- a positive..........
• Subscriber from ARLINGTON, MA wrote Another Shop: We have been bringing our cars to Frank for many years and trust him completely...........
• Subscriber from LEXINGTON, MA wrote Another Shop: This place is a gem for those tired of getting hood-winked and hosed by dealership..........
• Subscriber from DORCHESTR CTR, MA wrote Another Shop: Excellent at diagnosing problems........
• Subscriber from NEWTON CENTER, MA wrote Another Shop: Small, expert,friendly shop,good at trouble-shooting. A special feature: gives rides between home and shop,which is..........
• Subscriber from WALTHAM, MA wrote Another Shop: Have been going to Bob since 2000. No regrets, no complaints. Highly recommended.......
• Subscriber from BOXFORD, MA wrote Another Shop: It's so hard to find an honest shop. Mark, the owner, is a great guy..........
• Subscriber from SOMERVILLE, MA wrote Another Shop: I have taken my car to Mike's for over 10 years and have only good..........
• Subscriber from AUBURNDALE, MA wrote Another Shop: Excellent in all respects........
• Subscriber from ACTON, MA wrote Another Shop: Car is relatively new, so only routine services have been required so far........
• Subscriber from NORTH ANDOVER, MA wrote Another Shop: Wonderful shop! Been going to them for 25 years. Never a problem, always a perfect..........
• Subscriber from NEEDHAM, MA wrote Another Shop: Amazing--very good, thorough, and take time to explain things and check up on previously done..........
• Subscriber from NEWTON, MA wrote Another Shop: I already rated this but goofed and checked not recommend when I meant to recommend..........