Car mechanic recommendations?

[rozasharn.livejournal.com]

Can anyone recommend a good place to fix the transmission on a 1995 Honda Accord? How about a good mechanic for the steering on a Nissan Altima? I just moved to Somerville recently so I'm hoping someone can share the benefit of your experiences.

Comments

[foxalbers.livejournal.com]

Last time I asked about where to take my Honda, someone recommended the Hondar House in Central Square of Cambridge.

They fixed my brake problem, were reasonable in price, and didn't try to sell me anything I didn't need.

And so, in turn, I recommend them to you.

[watchamacallit.livejournal.com]

We all need to stop recommending Hondar House. It's already busy enough in there!

To the OP... make sure you call for a appointment first!

[theodosia.livejournal.com]

Back when I had a Honda, I was very VERY pleased with the guys at Hondar House right over in Cambridge -- several times they came up simple and low-cost solutions to problems that less-scrupulous and/or -honest mechanics could have charged me big bucks to replace framistats and thingamajigs.

Also, when they're done with your car, they'll park it front-out in their tiny parking lot, so that it's much easier to drive out onto the busy road they're on. A small, thoughtful detail that shows that they really think things through.

617 547-1950

[dani-namaste.livejournal.com]

do they do Nissans as well? I have an Altima too, and I need to get a tuneup, alignment and inspection. I've been looking for a place nearby that will actually pass my car (there's nothing wrong with it, but for whatever reason, when I go to a place in Camberville, they tell me I need to fix 43 things before I can get it inspected).

[jbsegal.livejournal.com]

It seems that they actually handle all (foreign?) makes. They just don't advertise that. I mentioned that I was thinking about only getting hondas so I could keep coming htere and they told me I didn't have to worry about it.

Another enthusiastic vote for Hondar!

[aspasia02.livejournal.com]

http://www.cartalk.com/content/mechx/find.html

[tooffdk.livejournal.com]

Yes, the difference between Hondas and Nissans isn't that great when it comes to basic work.

I would be careful with transmission work, however. I'm assuming it's an automatic transmission - a very complicated beast. You want to make sure the mechanic has had experience with transmission work, and that your tranny problem has been properly diagnosed. This is why specialised transmission shops are so common.

I've really had good luck with the Mobil station on Memorial Drive, right as you come off the Pike, over the bridge (it's on the right, across from the Shell station).

[rozasharn.livejournal.com]

Actually, this is a manual transmission. Does the Mobil station handle transmissions, or only the less-complicated repairs?

Yes, the ability to correctly diagnose the problem is part of what I'm looking for. I have my former mechanic's word that it's a damaged/broken transmission based on the symptoms I described, but I don't dare drive it three hours back to where I used to live.

[agharta75.livejournal.com]

Hondar House.

[ariwriter.livejournal.com]

ABJ Auto. They specialize in foreign cars. I bring my Subaru in every couple of months for oil changes, tuneups, etc. The last time I brought it in, I wound up paying a good $300 less than they initially quoted me as the parts were cheaper than they expected. They have their own off-site parts shop which is a good thing.

[hominidj.livejournal.com]

I just took my Subaru to ABJ after getting a bunch of good recs and reading their reviews on the cartalk site. They did a great job.

[bluedaisy.livejournal.com]

I was thrilled with Koko at Foreign & Domestic on Boston Ave.

[dakotakym.livejournal.com]

Gary & Carlos @ Arco Tire on Clarendon Ave (which runs between Mass Ave & Higland Ave) in Teele Square. They'd handle the steering issue on site, but likely send the tranny work out to a specialist. They're honest, sharp, and really good people as well as being great mechanics.