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Aladdin Auto Service
Category: Automotive Auto Repair Auto Repair [Edit]
162 Alewife Brook PkwyCambridge, MA 02138
(617) 547-8000
- Nearest Transit:
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Rindge Ave @ Russell Field (83)
Rindge Ave Opp Clifton St (83)
Rindge Ave @ Clifton St (83)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 9 am - 6 pm
Sat 9 am - 3 pm
Danielle R. said: "In the 20 years I've been driving, I've never found a mechanic I could trust. As a female who knows nothing really about cars, I'm not really in a place to argue prices with them. George at International Auto has changed my mind. I…" read more »
47 reviews for Aladdin Auto Service
47 reviews in English
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Review from J D.
Cambridge, MA
4/5/2012
Taking the car in for repairs has never struck me as an artistic and spiritual experience, but then I had never before brought it here
Instead of ordering an expensive part, my car now has a hand forged bracket by a master metal sculptor (total cost of repair $45). And I received a cup of tea and a discourse on peace, Jerusalem and a world unifying Messiah. -
Review from Peter A.
Providence, RI
3/4/2012
Came here by reference and what can I say, even without an appointment Mahmoud and his team checked my car right away while I was allowed to watch.
I don't like the idea of giving your car to a mechanic and have a sales person reporting to you afterwards like most shops do. I do like to talk with the mechanics directly, which is a huge plus!
While waiting Mahmoud offered me some tea and instead of watching stupid TV shows, you can look at his fantastic pieces of art. So you don't only get your car fixed, you also get an art exhibition for free!
To sum this up: Honest, very reasonable and reliable. Although I hope my car will last for a little while now, I will definitely come back. -
Review from Jess M.
Boston, MA
1/27/2012
I've been bringing my car(s) here for years and can't say enough wonderful things about Mahmoud. Reliable, honesty, trustworthy, efficient, skilled, knows his stuff. He will give you great prices and be upfront with the options for your car.
He can take awhile to get the work done, but I think that is because it is just him and one or two assistants.
As others have mentioned, the owner is also an artist. An amazing one. His art is up in his shop. He will also serve you the best tea you've had while you wait.
I hate dealing with mechanics and I always feel like they are trying to screw me over. Especially car dealerships. Aladdin is the only place I've been where I feel the exact opposite. The rave reviews on here are all true. You'll never want to take your car anywhere else.
Chat up Mahmoud too because he is very interesting and would love to tell you about his amazing art. -
Review from Keem H.
Cambridge, MA
12/17/2011
You gotta try them. Most of the mechanics I've tried don't even think about fixing anything the first thought is always replacing. Aladdin always looks for what is wrong and if it is fixable or not. They are Honest, trustworthy, skillful and efficient. And Aladdin cares about you and your car so he won't try to ripe you off.
I finally found the mechanic that I can go to without looking around for better deals or other opinions. -
Review from Jen W.
Arlington, MA
3/8/2011
I brought my car here early this morning and it only took an hour for him to fix my muffler. Right away they knew what the problem was and he had me look under the car to see it too. Then, he said "I can cut it here and here and weld a new piece in" and that's $75." If I was to replace the entire muffler, which most places would do, it would cost me $700-900 for the fix.
Thanks so much! The tea was tasty too. I've been in a good mood all day from this! -
Review from bill b.
New York, NY
3/31/2011
This guy is really good!
Went to six places trying to find someone to do the work my car needed. All said they were too busy, or did not want to do the (tricky and difficult) work, or could not do the job.
Two places simply could not do the job, two were "too busy" (and definitely did not want to do the work), and two gave me quotes and said it would take a day or two in the shop, next week or so.
Aladdin/Mahmood did the job immediately, which took only one hour while I waited drinking tea, charged half of what the other guys wanted, and did a better, more complete and correct job compared to what the other guys planned to do.
No complaining about the difficulty, just got right to work and did it right. And under-charged. This "difficult" job that was too much for the other guys, was no problem for Mahmood.
I rarely give five (or even two) stars - but Mahmood deserves ten stars. Where else in this world can you pay less for higher quality??
You can find him directly behind the Fresh Pond Cinema. -
Review from Caroline S.
Baltimore, MD
2/8/2011
I found another great auto body shop, and boy did this one make me happy! Really, I do feel, well, zen, whenever I leave this shop.
When I got here for the first time, I was having a *bad day*. I actually had already dropped my car off at another shop. When my car savvy office mate told me that I was nuts to pay over $100 to just have this shop check out my car, I didn't know what to do. I needed some place that was easily accessible, honest and fairly priced. While I love Hondaa King in Allston, I didn't feel comfortable leaving my car at a place on the other side of the river that wasn't near the T. Luckily, I went to yelp and found Aladdin Auto Service. She gave me a ride so I could quickly pull my car from the other place and bring it to Aladdin.
First of all, it is important to note that they are located BEHIND THE FRESH POND MOVIE THEATER. Both you and your GPS will get very confused as you drive right by this place, expecting to see it from the main road. Just pretend that you are going to the movie theater's parking lot and keep driving behind it, and you'll do just fine.
After I made an enormous loop-de-loop and got stuck in traffic by Route 2 in my own quest to find the shop, I finally pulled my car up behind the movie theater. Yelpers are not kidding when they discuss the owner's art. He has ENORMOUS pieces all around the front of his shop. He is really quite talented with metal. I thought it bode well if a mechanic is willing to put his (impeccable!) welding skills on display.
The first thing that I was offered when I entered the shop was tea. I could feel my stress melting away as I sipped it. The warmness enveloped my body, and I knew everything would be okay. It sounds corny, but the tea really is that awesome.
Then, I truly knew that everything would be okay when the guy looked at my car. Not only did he look at it right away, but he actually had me come over and stand under my car so I could see exactly what was wrong with it. It turned out to be a lot less dramatic than I had feared.
A few hours later, I get a call on my office phone. "It's your best friend calling, your mechanic!" It was Mahmoud, calling to tell me the total price of the repair. His total price was *significantly* lower than what the other shop wanted to charge just to diagnose the car. I picked up my car after work and went on my happy way.
I've been to Mahmoud one more time since that initial great experience. A plastic piece actually got torn out of my car by the ice (yuck, I know), and it dragged on my way to work. Mahmoud pinned it up as I waited and had just enough time to finish my tea and cookies, and he insisted on charging me $0. No, that's not a typo. Despite saving my butt and warming my tummy, he would not take any money from me. He trusts that I will go back to him to do the full repair when the weather warms up, just like I totally trust Mahmoud! -
Review from Jonathan B.
Jamaica Plain, MA
11/10/2011
Reliable, Honest, Efficient, Affordable. Normally I get antsy and guarded when taking a visit to an auto mechanic but this place put me at ease and they put me back on the road without testing my patience or my wallet. Love this place!
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Review from Mustafa E.
Boston, MA
7/11/2011
I went to this guy based on the good reviews here. What a mistake. This guy even cannot change an engine oil properly.
I went there to get my oil changed and my cooling system checked. He changed my oil then started the car and the car stalled and the engine stopped suddenly. Guess what ? he forgot to put the filter back and most of the newly changed oil spilled on the floor. Then he went back and put the filter in and closed the hood. I asked him if he is not checking the oil level since most of it spilled he said no. When I insisted he checked and 1 quart was missing. Unbelievable...
Then he started on the cooling system. Based on JUST his visual inspection he said that the thermostat needs to be changed. Without no pressure testing or what so ever. After changing the thermostat car started overheating worse than before. The coolant on the reservoir tank started overflowing the tank and engine temp gauge went crazy hitting the end of the red zone. Then I asked what is going on and why it is overheating. He started telling me that he will now change the fan switch if that doesn't work then the relay then something else and he will see how it goes. First I told him that it was not the thermostat then. And continued saying that if it is a matter of trial and error until you find what is wrong then you will keep charging me for every part you change plus the labor. He said yes of course!!! I said you already changed the thermostat for nothing and this is not acceptable. At that point he showed me his real face under that fake smile.
I can assure you that this guy, Mahmood, has no respect for his customers and he has a huge anger management issue. At some point he started yelling and swearing and finally said I am not touching your car go somewhere else!!
He messed up my car big time and charged me for messing it up. Then I took my car to another mechanic and showed him the old thermostat and he said my thermostat was as good as any working used one and there was no need to change it. Of course on the way to the second mechanic my car overheated so many times that I had to stop and go continuously. He ruined my whole day!!
Overall this guy and his service sucks big time... He has no professional attitude or what so ever. If you go there with one problem you will at least double or triple your problems. In addition he will charge you for messing it up and you will pay more on top of it to get it fixed somewhere else.
Please read all the low rated reviews. They all have similar stories. -
Review from Tamar A.
10/28/2008
Jeez. Okay, I gave this guy the benefit of the doubt, I really did. I took all the extolling yelpers to heart and decided that he was the mechanic for me. My name is Tamar, my clutch-hungry car's name is Bessie, and here's our story.
First I called around, comparing prices for a new clutch, and when he picked up, rather than gruffly giving me the skinny in a cigarette-beaten Boston accent, he just asked me how much money was in my savings account. "Well," I asked, in no mood to play games, "how much is a new clutch?"
"First you tell me how much you have, then I'll tell you how much I'll charge."
Good guy, right? That's the whole problem--he's an almost disarmingly nice, decent guy. But he's working in a patently practical industry, and the truth is, I want a QUOTE. I went to the garage (an adventure in itself--a note to all yelpers: it's BEHIND FRESH POND CINEMA. Mapquest will lead you hopelessly astray), and he, as has been noted, offered me a cup of tea and had me sit amongst his actually very good artwork while he went off to do mechanic things. When he came back, he told me that my shirt was his favorite color and that he'd knock an extra $100 off the still-unquoted price. Yay, right? BUT WHAT WAS THE PRICE?
"Tamar?"
I nodded.
"What is that in Farsi? Let's look it up."
"Um...so, I also need my oil changed..."
So we get into a conversation about his artwork, the Middle East conflict, and how we're all connected in a deeply cosmic way...just look up and we'll find the answer in God and unity and spirituality. Beautiful, right?
"So...uh...I also think I have a leak in my trunk, it would be great if you'd check that out too..."
When I actually came back to get my car, one thing I asked for wasn't even done, my mats were covered in oil, and something rattled so fierce I got a mile away before I had to bring it back and go for round two. To be fair, he took it right in and fixed the problems, cleaned the mats, personally cleaned out the mildew-factory that was my trunk, and gave me a ride back to Davis. Super nice of him, right?
He proceeded to spend the majority of this car-ride telling me that I'm overly preoccupied with money and the trivialities of life, and that I should just relax and look up at the stars and gain some perspective. Okay, fair enough, but, dude, YOU'RE NOT MY SPIRITUAL ADVISOR. YOU'RE MY MECHANIC. And I'm sorry that you may be intellectually and spiritually unsatisfied in your chosen profession, but, seriously, THERE IS NOTHING MORE PRACTICAL THAN MECHANIC-ING. I have limited funds, and I need to know that what I need fixed is getting fixed, and I need to know how much it will cost. You fix my car, I give you the money. End of transaction.
My clutch is sticking now, and I kinda feel like God is punishing me. This is not productive.Listed in: Oh Honey No, Das Auto
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Review from Rokaya H.
Cambridge, MA
10/9/2010
Mahmood is the best. I have been going to him for 4 years now
My car wouldn't start the other day, I called him and he came over and jump start it then i drove it behind him to his garage, he told me he needs to take a look at it and will call me later in the day, and he insisted to drive me back home in his car because I had a baby with me... then after 4 hours I got a call from him that the car is done and that he will drive it back to my home, he really was super nice when he saw I was juggling kids around with me
and he is always very careful not to rush and just change whatever is not working, he is treating the car like his own and not like a way to get money from you like I feel when I go to other mechanics.
THANK YOU MAHMOOD -
Review from MJ H.
Cambridge, MA
11/23/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I cant believe anyone who reviewed Aladdin that gave it less than 5 stars. I've never been to another mechanic who is as HONEST and fair as Mahmood.
My repairs were explained to me in plain English, once he knew the cost of the parts he called to let me know and ask if the amount was okay, and when the work was done... it was done right.
I just moved here from Maine, and the garage is about a mile from my residence. I will never have a need to visit another mechanic... one who can trust to work on my Jaguar, no less!!!!!! -
Review from Pete S.
Somerville, MA
3/7/2006
Mahmood will offer you tea, sit you down, tell it like it is (oh, and fix your car, too), and not rip you off in the process. An honest, hardworking mechanic who treats his customers with respect.
Look closely, because he's waaay back behind the Fresh Pond movie theater (thankfully an easy walk from Alewife). -
Review from Paul S.
Boston, MA
11/11/2009
Every time my parents start with the "I used to walk X miles to..," my frontal lobe seizes and I stop listening. Well, mom, dad, I'm sorry. After all these years, I realize the value of...having a car.
For three years, I've owned the best car on the road--the BMW MINI Cooper. I'm a terrible automobile owner. I drive the car like it was a wheelbarrow. I drive through potholes as if they were puddles and I snake around tight corners as if the car and road were magnetized.
But when I'm done beating my car up, there's only one auto mechanic shop I can trust for damage control-- Mahmood and his staff at Aladdin Auto Service.
Aside from his deep knowledge of automobiles, foreign and domestic, Mahmood and his staff are courteous and very patient with people who don't know that clean motor oil is clear.
If Mahmood is on site, he greets every customer with an offering of tea and sugar cubes. He doesn't rush my questions and answers them all fully and honestly. I've learned more from him than I have reading the MINI's driver's manual.
If you make clear your expectations, you will be very satisfied with the auto and customer service at Aladdin. -
Review from Kate B.
Chestnut Hill, MA
3/27/2008
Mahmood is the best. Part artist, part mechanic, part alchemist. Don't get me wrong he is one weird bird.... but you gotta love him for it!!
I took my 2000 jeep grand cherokee to a jeep dealership (Brigham something on Route 9 in Natik) they said I had a malfunctioning water pump and they wanted to charge me $900 for the parts and labor to fix it.... those douche bags. Of course I declined their services (that price is outrageous!). All they did was diagnose the problem and fill my car up with coolant and they tried to charge me $220... the gall! I haggled (ok, my boyfriend haggled) with them and got it down to $120. So I took it to Mahmood a month or so later and he put 2 gallons of coolant and 2 bottles of some leak-fixing-stuff in the radiator. My car has been running great since.... and best of all.... Mahmood didn't even charge me one red cent!! The man is a god... clearly.
He said to come back if that didn't work and then he may replace my water pump. And for that he would charge me (obviously).
Also, he makes a mean cup of tea! -
Review from Cat M.
Boston, MA
8/4/2007
Hurrah for Mamood! After shopping mechanics for two years without ever feeling great about any particular one, I have settled on Mamood as my mechanic for life (at least the life of my car).
His shop is also a gallery for his sculpture, and he always offers a hot or cool beverage depending on the weather. He is warm, welcoming, honest, fair, and did a great job on my car for about a third of what I would have paid elsewhere.
To get to his shop, you have to drive through the parking lot of the Alewife Cinema and go around the back. It's tricky but worth finding.Listed in: Because of Yelp!
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Review from Dave M.
Cambridge, MA
5/27/2009
This is a very interesting place to come and view high quality art, speak philosophy, and get some great work done on your car.
First time I came in, it was a pleasant experience, and the tea was good. We spoke about the vehicle, and my concern about parking during a week trip I was taking the happened to fall within street cleaning in my neighborhood.
He said no problem, leave it here, it will be safe. (It was.)
For a first trip he took care of the following for me:
- Tune up on a jeep with 208.5k miles (These seemed to double in price every year back in CA...)
- Install a catback exhaust.
- Fix two power windows.
- Check brakes.
- Adjust headlamps.
- Check suspension.
He did this quickly, and when I came back from my trip the car was ready to go with everything working perfectly. The best part was we did our transaction in a relaxed, calm atmosphere. He is most affordable (non-family member) mechanic I've ever had. I will continue to use his services, as well as enjoy his art until my jeep hits at least 400k miles. -
Review from Payam S.
Portland, OR
10/18/2010
Incredible.
It's hard to say what is more valuable, the world-class automotive care or the deep insight and spiritual wisdom Aladdin's shop founder Mahmood offers those who come his way. A messenger of Unity and mechanic with inspiring integrity, Cambridge has indeed received a great gift from the presence of Aladdin Auto Services.
I am ever grateful for the day I visited it and always stop by when ever back in good ol' MA.
Go and enjoy!! -
Review from Erin S.
Portland, ME
4/27/2009
This review is long overdue, so my apologies!
Last fall, I noticed that one of my headlights was out and a new bulb wasn't fixing the problem. Being new to the area, I logged onto Yelp in hopes of finding a good recommendation for a mechanic. After reading Mahmood's rave reviews, I decided to bring my car down without an appointment in hopes of at least getting someone to tell me what was wrong with it so that I had a general idea.
When I walked into Aladdin, I was immediately greeted and after talking to me about everything but cars, Mahmood gave me a cup of tea and sat me down to talk shop. Within 10 seconds, he and his colleague figured out that my headlight had a crack in it and water was leaking in. Within 5 minutes, Mahmood had made three phone calls and found used parts for me.
A day later, my parts were in, my car went into Aladdin and came out the next morning all set. Mahmood was wonderful to work with, he's extremely close to Alewife (although I had to make the long trip around the road barrier as it was raining and you couldn't get up the hill to the sidewalk), and I found his prices to be fairly decent. For a couple hours of labor and parts, it cost me under $150. -
Review from Mike B.
East Arlington, MA
7/15/2011
Five stars for a shop that does fast, good work.
Five stars for a mechanic that allows for someone who knows nothing about cars (me) to feel well and fairly treated.
Endless stars for Mahmood for engaging, in depth conversation that always leaves me a bit bewildered but always smiling.
This shop is probably not for you if you are in a rush (though service is quick) or if you are not ready to experience something out of the ordinary.
Thank you Mahmood for being honest, fair, and caring. I never hoped to feel this way about an auto shop. -
Review from John S.
Wakefield, MA
5/25/2010
pretty straight forward scenario.
I work on my own car as i usually hhave the time but one particular project, swap a new radiator in and replace the front shocks a (3-4 hour job at most) I couldnt finish as I had no time but had the parts.
I called up aladdin. asked if they could give me a shop rate for such service ( FYI most shops have standard rates/charges for preforming certain jobs such as oil change, replace brakes,replace head gasket etc.
The person at Aladdin said " do you when yo go out to eat take your own rice and beans and ask them to cook it for you?"
I said thank i guess you wont give me your shop rate, good bye.
Other shops have given me their shop rate ( 150 to replace a radiator about 150 for the front shocks etc...
Reason I have my own parts is that parts I ordered and receive were upgraded better than OEM parts.....
Aladdin.. I've experienced better service.... I'm thinking you like to use your own parts and there might be a nice mark up for you
thanks aladdin.
Thi -
Review from sheilerama j.
Hull, MA
3/11/2009
I'm giving Aladdin Auto 5 stars because it deserves it. Mahmood deserves it. I live part-time 300 miles away and so have numerous mechanics in my virtual rolodex: one for work; one for home. At home I had to keep changing mechanics because anytime someone suggested a major repair on my car, that wasn't totally crucial and needed to be done asap, I'd go to Mahmood when I got to Cambridge, and he'd not only fix it, but hundreds of dollars cheaper. If I didn't have to occasionally go to the local monkeys at home, I'd only go to Mahmood.
Two concrete examples: my car was sputtering every time I turned it on. Mechanics in my town said I needed a new battery. I drive it to Cambridge...Mahmood said, "Let me clean it." He cleaned my battery, I never heard of anyone doing so. But he cleaned it. Charged me $8 and I was able to safely milk my battery for another 2 years.
Yokel in my town recently decided that my engine was shot because I haven't been the most faithful with tune-ups. He quoted me a price of $2000 to replace the engine with a used, no-guarantees engine. Plus who knew what else he'd find wrong with my car once he took the old engine out.
I was able to drive to Cambridge, get Mahmood to look at it, and of course got a different diagnosis. I needed a new timing belt and a tune-up. $700.
Maybe $700 is a high price for timing belt and lube job. But you do the math on what Mahmood is saving me.
He's a charming other-wordly guy, The garage is clean and gorgeous thanks to his art. If you are unable to mellow out while waiting in his garage, like what the other reviewers tell you, you will probably not like Mahmood and his artistic ways. Which is great. Go away and don't make him so busy that he won't be able to take my car when I need him to. -
Review from Shuo S.
Honolulu, HI
2/6/2008
I gotta say it too, I'm a Mahmood fan. Just had my first trip to Aladdin...it was just for an oil change, but the experience was like none other. From the eclectic decorations to the hot tea to Mahmood's wonderful penchant for conversation, the whole experience was great.
Best line ever (I had asked Mahmood why engine oil comes out black but goes in yellowish):
"We eat lots of different colored food, but the shit always comes out brown."
That's it. $35 for an oil change might have been a little high (the first and only other time I got my oil change was at Midas for $30 which included an inspection and tire rotation), but it was well worth it.
PS - Mahmood is also something of an accomplished artist. He sculpts large pieces of metal to reflect his spiritual beliefs. That's what he decorates his shop with; the mechanic job is just a side thing he does to make a living. Amazing! -
Review from Stephen M.
Medford, MA
10/21/2008
Brought our ailing Honda Civic into Aladdin's a few months back. The muffler was making a horrible noise, and since we had recently driven cross-country, I wanted it checked up on as well. Mahmood quoted about a week to fix all the problems found.
Well, the next day he called up and said the car was ready, much to my surprise. The work was all done well and very reasonably billed. When we picked up the car, we sat and chatted with him for almost an hour. Very interesting man with some great artwork as well.
Just today, the same car had a loud noise coming from the engine that I couldn't trace. I brought the car in, drank some tea, and Mahmood and his assistant fixed the problem (loose cable pushing up against the alternator) in just a few minutes, for free.
Best. Mechanic. Ever. I can't recommend him enough -
Review from Erin R.
Saratoga Springs, NY
10/10/2007
Ahhhh. Mahmood. Thank you for helping me and fixing my car after my being mercilessly ripped off by another mechanic nearby.
He'll offer you tea, he'll make you laugh, he'll even give you a hands on lesson on the anatomy of your car. To quote Mahmood, "See? You come here to get your car fixed and an education." Who knew? -
Review from stephan j.
Roslindale, MA
1/8/2008
I recall INC MAGAZINE running a story on Mahmood and Aladdin Auto years ago. I looked it up and INC still has it archived on-line.Here it is for everyone's enjoyment. - SWJ
Additionally. Here's a link to Mahmood's Artst's webpage.
BE SURE TO check out the "Singing" sublink. Awesome!
http://www.mrkart.com/...
By Chris Wright. Copyright 2001
A woman, visibly upset, walks into Aladdin Auto Service Center, in Cambridge, Mass. "Sit down," says owner Mahmood Rezaei-Kama-labad soothingly, as he ushers her to a couch. "Have some tea." The woman, a regular customer, explains that her car's radiator is leaking, and she doesn't know how she will get to work. "You can use your mother's car," says Rezaei-Kamalabad. "It is an old car, but it will get you there. When you are in the desert, old shoes are a gift." He laughs. "Don't worry; I will fix your car. When you have the money, you give it to me."
Aladdin -- located in a scruffy, low-slung building nestled between railroad tracks and a housing project -- is an unlikely haven of inner peace. But Rezaei-Kamalabad knows that when cars break down, their owners often do as well. So he gives customers not only wheel alignments but also spiritual tune-ups. "I try in some way to help, to take care of the person, not just the car," he says.
BODY WORK AND SOUL: Mahmood Rezaei-Kamalabad tends to the whole customer.
Rezaei-Kamalabad, 49, is a mechanic, but he is also an inventor, a science buff, and a deeply spiritual man. As his assistant removes a distributor cap, the repair-shop owner relates homespun parables and gently offers advice, his voice ringing with the cadences of his native Iran. He always, always, offers a cup of tea. And he assures departing customers that God is with them.
In the back of the shop is a prayer room, where customers meditate, pray, or read books of poetry or books about religion or popular mechanics. The more adventurous strap themselves into the "Sense of Unity Machine": a large gyroscopic invention of Rezaei-Kamalabad's that he claims establishes inner harmony. Sprinkled about are the steel sculptures that he builds in his spare time.
Aladdin services about 35 cars a week and grosses about $120,000 a year, but Rezaei-Kamalabad has no desire to expand. "A garage with 20 lifts has no feeling of who comes and who goes," he says. Rezaei-Kamalabad, by contrast, knows most of his customers inside and out. And they, in turn, are doggedly faithful. "I come here all the time," says Ashrafali Sheikh, who is having his car's oil changed. "He does a very good job. He understands our needs." -
Review from Andy F.
Somerville, MA
11/18/2007
This auto shop is so tucked away that most of the people who end up at Mahmood's garage found it by chance. "How did you find me?" Mahmood asked. "I Googled you on the Internet" I replied. He had no idea what I meant. And this is just one of things I love about Aladdin.
There's the customary tea; there's art; there's talk of love and brotherhood; and there's a quality, affordable repair for your automobile. Mahmood will engage you in conversation, and even get you to talk to anyone else who's waiting around the garage. He is laid-back and fun. But if you don't have enough patience for his casual attention to time when you walk into his shop, then you don't belong there and he wouldn't want to fix your car anyway. But if you do leave your car with him, he gets the job done quickly.
If you trust your vibes about people, this is your garage. It makes you realize the true value of a handshake. -
Review from Gil G.
Burbank, CA
12/7/2011
Count this as another vote towards Aladdin. My husband brought our new used car in today to have it looked over. He didn't charge us for something he could have. Highly recommend.
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Review from A T.
Novato, CA
11/26/2008
I went there before a trip to Vermont recently for an oil change. He gave me tea and cookies, and generally made me feel like a welcome guest, letting me poke around all the interesting crazy artifacts and tools in the place.
He charged me 30 bucks for the oil change (pretty standard), but not only did he change the oil, he filled the tires and all of my various fluid reservoirs, and gave me an electronics diagnostic. A very positive experience.
As long as I am in Boston, I'll be going to Aladdin! -
Review from B P.
Los Angeles, CA
1/18/2007
I needed my car repaired, a couple months ago, and I brought it to Aladdin Auto Service. It was fixed in a timely fashion for a reasonable price by a polite and courteous mechanic.
Now that we got THAT out of the way, onto the *real* review!
"Repair Man--Mahmood Rezaei-Kamalabad doesn't just fix cars at his Cambridge service center, he also maintains a mystical machine designed to soothe your soul" begins the March 28th, 2004 article about the owner, proprietor, embodier of Aladdin Auto Service.
Does he ever! Rather curt on the phone, when Mahmood arrived, at the stroke of 9AM, at his very, very hidden Den of Spirituality aka auto shop to find me waiting outside, his face lit up.
"Come inside!!!!"
I did, and was greeted to a large garage-like open space: on the right, some cars suspended mid-repair. On the left, enormous bronze sculptures, a recycled-oil burning stove, and living room. Strong and spicy Persian tea already hot (how did that happen?), Mahmood sat me down to talk--certainly not about my car, for which his response was "Yes, yes, it will be fixed, no worries."
So genuinely interested he was to hear about my job, where I grew up, and chat about gender issues and religion, to talk to me about his art, about world peace, about his unity machine--I couldn't bear to tell him how late I was for work. I also just couldn't help but feel like this was a bizarre and strange adventure the likes of which I would rarely experience, and I didn't want to cut it short. At one point, an older man walked in, Mahmood unceremoniously waved him over to the tea and dates, and he joined us. Amongst other things, Mahmood told me of the all-women car repair class he wanted to teach and the MIT professor who inspired him, and what he would do with the money if he sold any of his 12-feet-tall religious sculptures. To try to convince me that this whole scene was going down behind that crappy Entertainment 10 movie theater in the strip mall by Alewife in Cambridge in 2006 (last December) would be futile. We were in another universe.
Eventually, the conversation died down, and I mentioned that I should be going, and would be back to pick up my car the next day. "How are you getting to work?!" he asked emphatically. "Well, I'm going to take the train from Alewife to Harvard, and the the bus--" I replied. "Why no!" he said "I will drive you! I know JUST where it is! I was a taxi driver!"
Not in the practice of getting into cars alone with strange men, I said "Thanks!" My instincts told me that no man who creates a Unity Machine to assist people in feeling the divine energy of human connectedness would harm me, and I was right. He drove me right to work (which was not next door, but rather a good 15-20 minute ride) with a smile. He left me with his business card, which just had "mrkvision.com" written on it in big letters.
Not surprisingly, this man is freaking famous. He's had films made about him. He's been written up in a crazy number of publications. This all sounds like a tall tale, but it's true. He will blow your mind:
http://mrkvision.com/
(And I was very happy with my car repairs, which is about as much of a sidenote in this review as it was in real life).Listed in: 5 stars
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Review from D. M.
Cambridge, MA
7/29/2008
I took it in complaining of a coolant system leak and a Check Engine light that recently came on. My Honda Civic has been leaking antifreeze for several days now. It sprays out intermittently all over the front grill of the car, the windshield, etc. It leaks out onto the ground, too. He had the car for the day and said that he could find no leak in the radiator or cooling system. I picked it up and drove it for about five miles, and during that time it sprayed out all over the front grill again and I had to add about a pint of water when I got home.
He did replace the PCV valve and a tail light and reset the Check Engine light. With charges for diagnostics and labor, the bill came to $150.
After I posted this review, he called me one evening and left a message saying that I was dishonest in this review. I went to his shop because he had so many positive reviews on Yelp, but after this phone call, I wonder if other yelpers have been pressured to remove their negative reviews because of his phone calls. -
Review from Sarah G.
Somerville, MA
2/28/2008
OK, knocking it down one star. He's still great, but I would not recommend him if he doesn't have the ability to service your particular make and model. Our car is two years older than his computer system can service, and he was very straightforward about telling us that. Recently, he did a quicky repair for me and actually messed something up slightly while he was doing the repair. We had to bring the car to a dealer to correct the mistake. Still, he's great if you have a car he can service. He's also helped us do a repair over the phone, which was amazing. And, as others have said, he's a super guy and makes great tea!
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Review from Sharon E.
Manhattan, NY
5/19/2008
Engine light was on. He tightened my gas cap and charged $65 for diagnostics. The engine light went back on a week later. I brought my car to ABJ (my regular mechanic). Within hours, they fixed the problem. They tightened some clamps (to fix an emissions issue that caused the engine light to go on). The diagnostics (and time spent at Aladdin was a waste). If you want a great, efficient, knowledgable mechanic, go to ABJ in Somerville. If you want to have tea with your mechanic, go to Aladdin. (Incidentally, ABJ charged LESS than Aladdin -- AND they fixed the problem.)
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Review from Will E.
Cambridge, MA
10/4/2010
Great first experience at Aladdin over the weekend. Mahmood is everything he is purported to be here: honest, funny, eccentric, and talented. He charged me $45 for an oil change and tire repair, and found an $800 repair that is still under warranty - he could have ripped me off for it but didn't. Class act. Will definitely go back.
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Review from Anna F.
4/20/2008
Brilliant! I am glad to have found my "soul mechanic"! Such a sense of humor, so honest, so worldly, so unobtrusively spiritual. Like everyone before me has said, plan to spend an hour, particularly when picking up you car in the evening. Be sure to sit in the "angel seat" and check out the large foam core mounted article from Automobile magazine on his center driving car (then check out the real thing- he'll be happy to explain!). His work is good and his prices are so fair! Can't recommend highly enough.
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Review from Peter V.
Quincy, MA
4/29/2008
Mahmood is an awesome mechanic, he fixed my brakes/rotors/calipers and I tried to pay with an American Express but he doesn't take that CC. He gave me my keys and told me to take the car and come back later to pay him.... No mechanic/company I know would do such a thing. He makes a mean cup of tea too.
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Review from Kristin T.
Mid-Cambridge, MA
8/25/2009
I brought my beaten-up station wagon here. Instead of hearing the same recommendations of replacing my entire exhaust system (more than the car is worth), I got a very reasonable solution to create a support using some formidable metal-working skills. I've only been here once but I intend to come here for all of my auto care needs.
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Review from Laureli K.
San Francisco, CA
12/22/2008
Wonderful! Mahmud is a great person and an excellent mechanic. He has fixed things promptly and at good prices. He has come up with inventive work-arounds so that my ancient car has continued to run well without costing me a fortune!
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Review from Meredith G.
Cambridge, MA
1/4/2008
Oh Mahmood... you are my favorite mechanic in the world. The only bad thing about his garage is trying to find it -- be sure to just drive directly behind the movie theatre in Fresh Pond Mall... don't drive down the street behind it. So, he pulled me in for hugs and tea and Dove dark chocolate... gave my car a great and affordable tune up... drove me to Alewife and offered to pick me up... sang me Rumi poetry... The final touch is that he brought my car back into his garage before I was coming to pick it up so that it would be warm when I got there. Yes, so that it would be warm when I got there. If you are reading this, take your car to Aladdin!
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Review from Kevin C.
Middlesex, MA
7/26/2009
My car broke down about a mile from the shop on my way to work on a Friday. I called two closer repair shops and asked if they could help maybe try to jump it and was told that wasn't something "they do."
I called Aladdin and Mahmood was there in minutes trying to start my car on the side of the road. It didn't work, but he got a tow driver to come get the car for a decent price.
He then offered to drive me 25 miles to my work in Dedham! I thought that was asking too much so he gave me a ride to the T instead.
My problem was fixed by Monday and he charged a fair price and also checked out a brake problem I had.
He's hilarious and definitely a good mechanic. I'll go back next time I have any problem.
Highly recommended.
