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A-Z Auto Center
Categories: Automotive Body Shops Automotive Auto Repair Automotive Auto Detailing Body Shops, Auto Repair, Auto Detailing [Edit]
47-51 Richdale AveCambridge, MA 02140
(617) 354-3680
- Nearest Transit:
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Massachusetts Ave Opp Beech St (77, 83, 96)
Massachusetts Ave @ Walden St (77, 83)
Massachusetts Ave @ Beech St (77, 83)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 6 pm
About This Business:
At Safelite our goal is to be America's first choice for quality auto repair and replacement solutions. Through industry-leading 24-hour instant… read more »
25 reviews for A-Z Auto Center
25 reviews in English
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Review from J Alain F.
Boston, MA
2/6/2012
these guys are awesome. carlton and his crew are fast, friendly and totally pro. their yelp reviews are stellar for a reason. A+!
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Review from Jonathon S.
Auburndale, MA
5/11/2010
So I wrestle with how to write a review for this place. I went to their website after finding them on Yelp on saw what I thought was the coolest thing ever - eEstimate. You can post pictures and a description and supposedly they'll give you a ballpark estimate. How cool is that? Most of these places are open bankers hours - so not having to go in just for an estimate seemed like a blessing. Anything to avoid wasting my time or theirs.
So I took the pictures, filled out the form and submitted my pics. And then I waited. And waited. And resubmitted. And waited some more. UNCLE, I cry! A-Z - you win! I know other people have had positive experiences, but I can't help but think a place that offers an eEstimate and never responds stinks. PS - I checked my SPAM filter. -
Review from Christopher S.
Somerville, MA
11/7/2010
Brought our car to A-Z after a recent fender bender. Staff is very pleasant and helpful. Though the end result is very good, it took a bit to get there - initial estimate missed a part that needed ordering (that I had to point out), the work took 1-2 days longer than anticipated, and we had to bring it back twice to get it fully-fixed (had some parts alignment issues).
Fredy, the owner, was very gracious and resolved all outstanding issues in a timely manner. Again, end result was very good but it took more effort on our part than anticipated to get there. -
Review from Cha Cha W.
Cambridge, MA
7/29/2008
It's nice to have a competent auto shop next door for those moments when life tosses a rock through your windshield, an U-Haul truck in your passenger door, lest I forget, the SUV on my rear.
For all the times when you're not thinking rationally, seriously, they still key cars?!? There's the dependable guys at A-Z. So considerate, after all the incidents, they gave me a discount and effortlessly hooked me up with Enterprise for a rental while my mental anguish subsided.
I considered bringing them a batch of fresh brownies for restoring my baby to its shiny black luster, but that'd be a bit too corny. Worry not, I'm sure I'll be back, oy =/ -
Review from Daunielle R.
Somerville, MA
6/13/2011
I came to A-Z auto center after reading great reviews on yelp, and I couldn't resist adding to the list. I had already gotten body work for another car at the A-Z body shop, and had my inspection done at the Brighton location with great satisfaction. After moving to Somerville I knew I wanted to stay in the A-Z family and I'm glad I did.
Not only does A-Z exemplify customer loyalty, even with the little things, but they also put honesty and quality in all their work. My car is extremely old with a ridiculous amount of miles (322,000 ... ). I had trouble with a valve, which lead to trouble with a converter. The converter had been done at another shop and was allegedly under warranty. I had already told A-Z to go ahead and fix the valve when I discovered that the converter was not covered and would be quite expensive. A-Z not only was completely fine with holding off on fixing the valve while I investigated further but actually advised me, based on the age and miles of the car, to not get the work done. It could have been easy for them to try to sell the job to me anyways, or even say they already started the work but they were very helpful and open to whatever I wanted to do. They let my car "live" there in the meantime and even helped me out when I decided to donate the car.
All in all, A-Z to care of me and was looking out for MY best interests, even if it didn't give them any payout. They have a family feel to them, and seem to treat their customers as such. Not only would I return there once I get a new car, but I've already been recommending them to friends. -
Review from Jennifer N.
Washington, DC
3/13/2009
The people at A-z do a good job with repairs. I brought my car in after a hit and run and they definitely made it look brand new (and dealt with my insurance company... which everyone knows is a royal pain in the a**).
So why three stars? First of all, the woman who works at the front desk is ridiculously and insanely unhelpful. When I brought my car there the first time, without even looking at the car, she told me the repairs would take "two to three weeks" (the manager later told me 4-5 days). Second, any time I called, she continued to give me misinformation about my car. Dealing with her was unbeliveably frustrating, and I can't for the life of me understand why the A-Z Auto Center keeps such an incompetent receptionist. Finally, getting a return call from these people is nearly impossible.
If you do go there, talk to Lee- he knows what he's doing, and he does a good job. -
Review from Nick H.
6/17/2009
Look, I'm not a car fan. I don't get all "yah-dude" about my engine, rims, and all that shit. I drive because I have to - navigating through the deadly gauntlets of pissed-off masshole drivers they call routes 128, 95, 3, 495, 93, and the dreaded "Pike." I've survived them all. Anyway, I prefer not to have to deal with too much hassle when it comes to my reliable little Honda.
But, when things go wrong, A-Z has always been there for me. When I woke up one morning to find my car vandalized...raped...stripped of its radiator, front bumper, and hood (who steals a hood?) this spot was the only place around that would take my poor car in. After a few days they had my vehicle back in working order, and during the whole deal I had ONE friendly contact here I could call on for updates on how things were going. That says good service to me.
More recently, my car was making this awful loud squeaking sound - that's how car amateurs describe what's wrong - and I took it in here to find that my brake pads and front tires were ready for retirement. A-Z had the car fixed for a reasonable price the same day I brought it in. In fact, they offer a free diagnostic if they find something wrong. Again, for an auto-novice, I was able to call and get updates from ONE person who knew exactly what the status was with my car at all times.
These guys just get it. People want to deal with an auto service center and repair shop that is honest, timely, responsive, friendly, and doesn't appear to want to rip you off. Last time I came in here one of the representatives was offering to speak Mandarin with some customers to help communicate better - how many local repair shops can say that??? -
Review from Gabe M.
Chicago, IL
12/5/2008
Good people do still exist in the world. I wanted to get the huge tacky dealership sticker removed from my new car (read my dealership review) so I did a search for auto body shops in Cambridge. I found A-Z and decided to give them a shot. I got there as soon as I could after work which was 15 minutes before they close.
They greeted me and asked how they could help, I explained my situation and they said they would take care of it for me in 15 mins. So they rolled my car in the garage and 15 mins later my car had the sticker removed with the paint still in perfect shape.
These people are extremely nice and do good work. I highly recommend them. -
Review from G L.
Cambridge, MA
11/18/2009
I scratched the side of my car on a stupid column in my parking garage on a Friday evening and decided to take it around to get some estimates on Saturday. Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of auto body places either weren't open or closed super early!
I took it to Glenville Terrace Auto on a recommendation from another auto repair shop and got a ridiculous estimate of almost $1k! The guy working there didn't really talk to me, just looked at my car and then typed up an estimate. After I saw the estimate, he could tell I wasn't convinced and started talking non-stop for 15 minutes trying to explain things like how they were going to make it look "factory" and bs like that. After hearing his bs, I decided to leave and he tried to pass me his business card which I promptly threw out once I walked out the door.
Monday morning, I decided to check out A-Z since it had such high ratings on CitySearch and I also called a colleague of mine who is prone to accidents to get a recommendation. He told me he had also gone to A-Z and felt they had excellent customer service. I took my car there and spoke to Lee. He gave me a rough estimate of $600 and I left my car with him. I got the car back the next day and it looks good as new! They throw in detailing as part of their service and he even touched up a scratch I had on my front bumper free of charge!
I'd recommend them any day! :) -
Review from Anna W.
1/8/2010
Just had my first experience here, and I must say, they are awesome!
I have a love/hate relationship with my car. I love driving it, but when it comes times for repairs, I hate it. I wish I had known all about maintenance costs when I bought a BMW, but my young mind was poisoned by the evil salesmen at the dealership.
Anyway, after what seems like years of being f'ed over my other mechanics (shoddy work, being overcharged, etc.), I have found my new permanent place to go get mechanical work done.
I heard about Lee (owner? manager?) and A-Z through a referral from a friend. I called Lee to explain my situation (need lower control arms, bushings, and ball joints all replaced) one evening around 6pm and he told me I could bring in my car the next morning. Yes, the next day. So, I dropped it off and waited for him to call me with an estimate. I had already had an estimate in mind, based on previous experiences at other mechanics, so when he called me and quoted me a price that was HALF of what I was expected, I was giddy and relieved.
It was a blessing that I brought my car to Lee when I did - he was very candid with me and told me that he had never seen ball joints and bushings as severely worn as mine and that it was dangerous for me to be driving my car, as any of my wheels could come off at any time. He then reassured me that he would fix my car for me and it would drive like new again. I reiterated to him that I really need my car, since it's my only mode of transportation, and he said he would have it done by the end of the day, pending anything unforeseen.
My car ended up staying overnight, through no fault of A-Z. One of the parts that they ordered wasn't available until the next day, so I gave the OK to keep the car overnight. Lee called me the next afternoon and told me my car was all done and ready to go. I went to go pick it up, paid, met Lee in person and thanked him. He explained the work that was done to me, and mentioned to me that he noticed that I would most likely need to get my front brakes/rotors done in the near future and that all I had to do was give him a call when I wanted to come in. In addition to that, the guys there washed my car -- inside AND out! I was shocked and pleasantly surprised. I left there with a smile, even after paying a $1000 bill.
As a chick, I can tell you that it's not uncommon to be d*cked around when it comes to getting car work. Lee and A-Z are awesome! He is honest, precise, responsive, considerate, and hardworking. He returned all my phone calls promptly, and answered all my dumb questions with patience and reassurance. I will definitely be bringing my car (and all future cars) to this place. Not only that, but they stand behind the quality of their work and offer a yearlong warranty on it. You couldn't beat that with a stick.
Oh, and my car drives like the bomb. Word. -
Review from Stephanie ..
Cambridge, MA
Updated - 4/19/2009
UPDATE: My car was rear-ended the other day, and so I needed to get my rear bumper repaired. Of course I went to A-Z--they took amazing care of my car last time, and they did yet again. They even did a full detail--inside and out--which was a really nice surprise.
I hope to never have to go to an auto body shop again, but if I'm still in the area, without a doubt, I would return to A-Z. Lee is the best.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/16/2008
After a bad experience with another auto body shop, I jumped onto Yelp and found A-Z Auto Center.… Read more »
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Review from Erik S.
Cambridge, MA
3/17/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I needed to wait a few days to write this review because I wanted to make sure that these guys were as awesome as I initially thought. The bottom line is that they absolutely are.
One morning a couple of weeks ago I came outside to find out that my 2007 BMW 530i had been run into. The damage was contained to the front bumper, but I love my car so I was pretty upset. After working through her insurance company and a less than good insurance estimator, I dropped my car off at A-Z Auto Center because it was close to my home, one of their preferred autobody shops and because it had good Yelp reviews.
So I dropped my car off and the receptionist called the local Hertz for me. At the time I dropped off my car, I was told to expect emails with updates on my car. A couple of days later, I hadn't heard anything, so I called them. The receptionist told me that my car would be done in 7-10 days. This seemed excessive to me and she put me on with one of the managers. He told me it would be done in a few days. What happened next really impressed me. First, he told me that the estimator hadn't covered all of the issues with the bumper, but they talked the insurance agent into covering everything. After he told me that, I asked him if he thought I should have a few paint chips filled in on the front of the hood that are the results of 50k miles of driving. He told me that he thought I did a lot of freeway driving, which I do, and that it would be a waste of money to do it because I'd just be back in a few months with new paint chips. I am always impressed when people tell me that I shouldn't pay for a service of theirs. I was even more amazed that I had found an auto-body shop that did this. It made me feel like I could really trust them.
A few days later they called me and told me that my car was ready. I went to pick it up dropped of the rental car at their shop (they took care of it for me!) and went to look at my car. Honestly, aside from the license plate being upside down (which is understandable as I only have an H, some 6s and 0s), the car looked better than when I gave it to them. Aside from doing more work on the car than they had originally signed on for (e.g., fixing some chips in the grill), the paint looked brand new. On top of that, they detailed the inside and outside of my car!
Absolutely fantastic. I hope I don't ever have any more issues with my car, but if I do, I know where I'm taking it. -
Review from Mike A.
Cambridge, MA
4/21/2009
I needed serious body work on my car to the tune of $3300 or so. A-Z was walking distance and had great reviews, so I brought my car here while I was on vacation. They did a good job handling all the insurance paperwork and additional negotiations needed for extra repair costs needed, and the work they did was up to par with what I expected the finished work to look like.
But I'm dinging 2 stars because... They told me it would be done in 2 weeks, for sure, right when I got back in town. 2 weeks later, I called and was told it would be ready in 2 more days. 2 more days later, nobody called me to tell me they needed 2 more days. 2 days later, I call them and they told me it should be ready the following Monday. The following Monday I called and they told me it would be ready tomorrow, which finally, it was ready, 8 days later than I expected (which isn't terrible I suppose).
However - I really hate being jerked around like that over and over. I really let down some people in my life when I had to cancel on them repeatedly as a result believing my car would be ready when Lee said it would be ready. Granted, it may have been out of A-Z's control as to when parts were to be delivered, but the least they could have done is to be proactive and contacted me so that I could have stopped believing my car would be ready when it wasn't. -
Review from Diana P.
Boston, MA
7/22/2010
I thank AZ so much for all that they've done for my Altima, which got smashed by a drunk driver one night about a month ago. Their team went above and beyond what any other bodyshop would have done. From battling with two insurance companies, working with Enterprise, fixing my car to look like new and even taking time out to check out my broken speaker. They really do take care of people here I was totally surprised. And go figure I found them on Yelp! Would def. use them again. Freddie and Hannah were awesome.
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Review from Jonathan B.
Cambridge, MA
6/26/2009
Their office manager is profoundly incompetent. They essentially 'lost' my car, putting it under another person's name and actually had it appraised for another job. I'm glad I caught it in time and they didn't do somebody else's repairs on my car.
As for their work, it was passable but not great, with a mildly discernable color difference between the panel they replaced and the rest of the car. I'm sure it's difficult to match colors, especially in all lighting, but this is their job. -
Review from Chris P.
Somerville, MA
6/21/2010
This was my first experience with A-Z and it was outstanding!!! So after borrowing a car for a day i noticed 4 deep scratches going the length of the passenger side and with only 5 hours of time before the car had to be returned I frantically called around trying to get it fixed. Trying one last time i went to A-Z where they not only gave me the cheapest estimate, but also told me they would hook me up and work on my car next. Sure enough the car was ready half an hour before it had to be returned and the scratches were INVISIBLE. Best $100 ever spent! Everyone else wanted to take off the door panels and paint them which was completely unnecessary. A-Z is the place to go as the service was excellent and they were very friendly!!!! A+
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Review from Eli M.
Cambridge, MA
4/25/2010
Dropped my car off. They called me when the insurance company stalled, fought the insurance company when they lowballed me, and ended up giving me a car so shiny I couldn't tell in had been rammed. Would recommend them again in a heartbeat.
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Review from Owen E.
Cambridge, MA
5/8/2007
This is by far the best auto place I have ever been. I went in to repair a major scratch on my car and expected to pay 500-600$$. I dropped my car of for 5 hours and left with it in perfect condition for under 150.00...Friendly staff, great service, highly recommended
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Review from Ben S.
Bedford, MA
5/31/2011
Aweful... Just aweful. I chose this place to get the body work done on my car after an accident. They took about two and a half weeks to get the work done but that is a small matter to me compared to the other nuisances in dealing with them. First off, they promised to give me a half off the exterior detail that I asked them to do when they finished the body work. I ended up telling them I would bring it back to have the detail done since it was the end of the day and I wanted my car that day. They never ended up making good on this promise even though I followed through with dropping it off at a later date. Second off, after I picked up the car after the body work was finished, the radio had static instead of crystal clear like it had been for years in the past. After dropping it off again for them to fix this issue they insisted on the phone with me that the radio was fine. Sure enough when I came to pick it up the radio had not been fixed and to this day I don't listen to music on the radio anymore because of this! It appeared that all they had done to try to fix the problem was to bend the antenna. Also they never bothered to replace one of the turn signal lights and I had to go pay to have a local mechanic take care of this.
There were even more problems that I don't even want to bother typing out. -
Review from Richard L.
Boston, MA
12/21/2008
These guys are amazing! We had our passenger window smashed by someone looking for our GPS (idiots never found them in the glove compartment) - so had to deal with this - got an appointment the next morning and they dealt with all the details with insurance - so $0 out of pocket and made it convenient for us to pick up after work. Will definitely go back for other repair issues, as they're friendly and seem honest.
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Review from rxrfrx r.
Cambridge, MA
5/31/2008
They got the job done and dealt with my insurance company just fine. However, they were difficult to get in touch with and evasive when I did talk to someone on the phone. I felt like I was dealing with a car salesman, not the customer service guy at a body shop. Also, they never updated their website (with photos of the car's progress) the entire week my car was in the shop. I won't be back.
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Review from Lucy M.
Somerville, MA
1/6/2009
I heartily recommend these guys to anyone in need of honest and helpful mechanics. I took my car to them right before Christmas and it was in need of a fair amount of work. When I asked if they could try to keep the repairs under $400, they did!! How many mechanics can you say that about? And when extra repairs were needed, they were extremely helpful, kept me informed, and even though my car needed to stay in the shop for almost an extra week, they still did their best to keep the costs low while doing a thorough job. I can't sing their praises enough.
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Review from Max P.
Boston, MA
9/27/2009
What a fiasco. A nothing fender-bender turns into 3-4 weeks of headaches, and thousands of dollars worth of repairs. If you have any kind of accident, this place will pick apart your car and find anything that they possibly can to repair (and charge for), even if it clearly didn't have to do with the accident. If it's your insurance that's paying for it, watch out, it'll kill your premiums.
So after 3-4 weeks and multiple rounds of repairs, they returned me the car with several things still wrong with it, and when I brought this up to them they tried to lie and say, "no we didn't say we would fix that"... well then, why when I looked through the bill was it charged for?? "oh sorry, yea, let me check"...
Seriously slow work, seriously try to (over)charge for anything they can, will invent things to fix, and are not honest. Very bad experience. -
Review from scarlet r.
Somerville, MA
9/3/2010
Wow, I went to A-Z for detailing after my car has been abused for the last couple of years with jobs that required me to cart loads of junk around Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York, and not going anywhere near a car wash. I cleaned it out and got A-Z's full interior/exterior detailing and the results are amazing. I am flabbergasted at how clean and shiny everything looks, inside and out! No way could I have gotten it to look anywhere near this good myself. I'm talking about every nook and cranny, every inch. Wow.
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Review from Gavin M.
Rochester Hills, MI
1/3/2008
I had a great experience here. I needed my brakes done as a preventative maintenance issue and they were really helpful and straightforward about what needed to be done. They were even willing to give me a 10% "neighbor's discount" after I hemmed and hawed about it. No appointment and my car was done within a few hours. I'm certain that I got the best price I could expect to get in the Boston area.
