I personally love this place. You could cover a spoon with oil, and tell me that part needs to get replaced and I would simply say "okay how much does that cost?" BECASE I know that little about cars. This has NEVER tried to sell me a service I do not NEED. Which is rare in this day and age. Their prices are fair and competitive. What more can you ask for in a place honesty and fair prices.
I’ve been coming here for like, 7 or 8 years now — Just for minor stuff here and there — and I’d honestly never consider going anywhere else. Everybody here is super kind, extremely attentive and will give it to you straight. I’m always out of there faster than I anticipate. Extremely grateful to have this shop close by.
I have had some repairs, advice, and multiple inspections here.
Can sometimes be tricky to park here, but doable.
Treat the folks here like people and they treat you well too. Surprising to have to say that...but people can come in heated or upset that their car is broken, and that just sets the tone all wrong. Sometimes it seems like they reflect back what you offer them, and I kind of respect that! Refreshing
It's also surprising to have such a good and honest shop in the middle of Somerville. Let's cherish that
A+++ Aris Auto ^_^
I've been using Aris Auto for over 20 years at this point and every time I go there I find my work well done at a reasonable price. they have earned my trust over this long-term relationship and I'm not a wealthy person who can afford to get his car done at the dealer. I served mechanics as a parts counter person for years at my fathers store, so I know my way around cars and mechanics much better than most peoople
I had a flat tire from hitting a curb. They ordered me a replica for the next day after placing a spare. I was in and out in less than 10 minutes both times to change my tire.
As someone with limited car knowledge, I felt well cared for at Aris auto. Thank you!
I had a unique and memorable experience with this business that I’d like to share. While I was away for a few days, I returned home to find my car had been damaged in a collision while it was parked. The person responsible left a note, and when I called, I learned that the damage was caused by an employee of this business. I was directed to the owner, Alex, to address the situation.
I was truly impressed by how Alex handled everything. He was incredibly responsive, understanding, and flexible with my circumstances. Living in New Hampshire, it would have been difficult for me to manage this situation in person, but Alex was more than willing to accommodate me in any way possible. Despite the repair quote being substantial, Alex took care of it without hesitation.
If I lived closer, I would undoubtedly be a loyal customer. The respect and integrity Alex showed, even to someone he had never met, speak volumes about how this business treats its customers.
Alex exemplifies what it means to be a class act, and that kind of leadership reflects the high standards of the business he runs. Judging by the other outstanding reviews, I’m clearly not alone in my admiration. I highly recommend this business to anyone considering their services.
They were really quick and friendly! My inspection took fewer than 20 minutes. (Update) I went again this year and also had a fantastic experience! My back light was out, and the replacement bulb was provided for a very reasonable price.
Sought a MA vehicle inspection from another vendor and they were busy. They suggested Aris Auto. It was the best suggestion they could have made. The staff were kind, supportive, and got the job done in quick time. Can’t say enough good about them.
I went to get an inspection and found out that my emergency brake wasn’t working. They set up an appointment for me for the next day, fixed the issue, and I was able to get my car inspected right before the end of the month. Great service, very friendly, and fast turnaround time. I’m new to the area, and I will definitely be coming back if I have any car issues!
Longtime customer (7+ years). Quality of service has declined significantly in the last year or two, incomplete rebuilds after repairs, most recently broke the tabs off an air filter compartment and said nothing. Unsecured lid the fell off and caused engine to stall and throw a code. If the people who work there are going to let you drive off with a broken part without saying anything I can't trust their work. What's the work I can't see look like? Never again. They also tolerate a staff member who often smells strongly like alcohol. Very unprofessional.
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Editing to add that Alex promptly phoned my boyfriend after reading this review to offer an apology. What is this, 1950? We're done here.
Very terse and rude way of dealing with customers. Came to get my smog check and they told me in order to past the test would need to drive it a while (I had my battery replaced). When I came back to get it rechecked they surprised me with a new fee saying it was longer than the 60 day fee. They said this was a standard fee by the state, which may be true, but was never told I had to come within 60 days. When I tried to explain this was never conveyed to me, they became extremely combative. I highly recommend going to another like Mac’s or GE.
Took my car here to get inspected after it failed at another place. The other place tried to charge me $500 to fix the "issue" that caused the failed inspection. The guys at Aris proved to me that the issue wasn't as serious as the other shop made it seem and they passed my car without needing to pay for extra work.
10/10 would recommend Aris Auto to others. My time at Aris was quick and easy and the customer service was great.
I was spoken to very rudely and don’t recommend coming here. When my initial smog test failed because it was done after a battery was replaced they said to just bring it back after driving it more and they would retest it for free. When I did come back, they made up a 60 day rule and charged me again. They never informed me of that rule, and refused to even consider waiving it. This is already after spending 300$+ here. Do not come here. They are not honest, and will cheat you of your money.
Quick and efficient inspection, they don’t partake in small talk. They didn’t try to haggle me or encourage me to do any unnecessary fixes. Parking lot is a bit small when multiple people are queued up for inspections so I’m unsure what the scenario is if more than 3 cars are getting inspected at a time. Overall great place, I would recommend for inspections.
$20 to change your plates is steep. I had out my out of state plates that I wanted switched for MA plates. I would expect this would’ve been $5 or part of customer service. I understood there was a fee but the pricing was not transparent. The time it took was 3 minutes max, if any. There was no mention of difficulty or need to replace the bolts. I also had a plate frame with my previous plates and it was not put back with my new plate so even the customer service was minimal. I then called Accounts Payable later to ask what the standard fee was and they put the mechanic on the phone and they stated $20. I then went to their reviews after the fact and saw a review posted a year ago regarding a similar event and they charged them $10. The sliding scale of pricing creates distrust.
The reply to this comment regarding $5 was not transparent and does not make sense how one can get to $20 when there was no changing of rusty bolts nor difficulty in removing.
I had a great experience! I had to unexpectedly leave town for a few months, and when I got back my car was DEAD. I went to Aris on a coworker’s recommendation and I’m so glad I did. I had my car up and running again with a new state inspection sticker in two days and will definitely be coming back. Thank you guys so much!
I had a great experience here. I came in to renew my inspection sticker, however the mechanic at Aris pointed out that my tires had little tread which would not allow him to pass the inspection. And sure enough, that was the case - they were very bare. The folks at Aris quoted me on a very reasonable price for four new tires they had in shop and in less than 24 hours I got a text that my car was ready. Extremely nice and honest people. I would recommend Aris to anyone who’s looking to get their car serviced.
Very unprofessional. None of their employees seem to talk each other. Every time I call I got a different price and different diagnosis for the road noise. The first time I dropped my car for them to change the tires, they didn't receive the parts and I wasted a day. The next time I booked a week in advance to make sure the parts were received. They had diagnosed and told me they will replace two rear tires but ended up replacing my two front tires instead. They didn't bother calling me and communicating what's going on. The road noise I came in for didn't go away, after spending $700+. I definitely regret using their shop and don't recommend.
Had my inspection here. Bob was upfront that installing the license plates would be an extra $10. I guess that is reasonable, since I can imagine some are more work to change than others (I did it myself). I needed my windshield washer fixed for the inspection: I had an idea what the problem was and Bob fixed it quickly for a very reasonable price. Will be back!
I am happy that when I came to check out their reviews, after already being there, their reviews reflect how great their service actually was. I recently took my KIA into them for some repairs. I was worried, as my old mechanic retired, and I had to take a chance on a new one. Right when I walked in I was greeted by the owner, Bob. He was down to earth and chatted for a bit. I told him the issues and told me to leave the car. He called me later that day to explain what would need to be done and the price, that he explained could go up once they see exactly what the damage was. He quoted me at 800$ for 2 ball bearing 2 new tires and an alignment. After 3 days it was ready, as it was very busy there. I get ready to pay and the price was 100 and cheaper than he quoted me! He explained that there wasn't as much damage nor did the car need the alignment, I can't imagine other shops looking to save their customers money. On top of saving me money he also went in and fixed a couple small issues (brake light and wiper) while also giving me an inspection sticker that I desperately needed. All in all Aris auto is as good a repair shop as you can expect, and have become my new go to shop.
Nick Schiavo
It can be really hard to find a good mechanic anywhere you go. I'm happy I have Aris Auto to call when I have issues with the car. They've taken care of me through two cars at this point. Bob will always tell you what needs to be fixed and not give you any frills or BS. They always seem to figure out what's wrong and fix it at a reasonable price with nothing hidden. If they can't fix it, they'll tell you and if they can, they'll just do it. Sometimes you wait a while for your car to be ready but it's always done right.
I can't speak highly enough of Aris Auto! They are very polite, professional, and their work is top notch. I worked with Alex and Bob who were both very transparent and straightforward about what needed to be done and how long said repairs would take, and Bob was quick to point out ways for me to save money via my warranty (I saved $400 thanks to him!). A local business that has been around for a long time for good reason, I'll be going to them for all my car needs moving forward, I highly recommend this business!
These guys are awesome. No chit chat, no small talk, just asked what I needed (an inspection) and I was in and out in less than 15 minutes. Was so unbelievably easy and low stress. Will be using them again and would definitely recommend their services.
For the bad reviews on here, they're just regular dudes running a shop—it's not a corporate chain. Be polite and don't act entitled and they'll take care of you (for example, when I got there a customer was behind the service counter shouting into the garage asking if anyone worked there, the shop had been open for literally one minute, pretty obvious why he was still waiting when I was checking out and getting my inspection report lol)
I will start by saying this, The absolutely No what customer service means!!!!
I needed tires for my 2014 Dodge Caravan. I shopped around and when I contacted Aris Auto I spoke with Alex (owner). Right away I new this was someone who does things right. He explained to me the options and also let me know I did not need to replace all 4 I could just do the front 2 tires. I asked him what he felt was best and he explained all options to me. My decision came down to 1 thing he said. "If I were traveling in the rain with my family in the car I would do it that way" to me that is what treating the customer right! I now have 4 brand new Michelin tires and it rides and handles amazing. Most of all I now myself and my family are much safer. Thank you Alex and the entire crew for all of your help. You will always have my buisness going forward! It's true the small businesses always treat you like family!
I just used Aris to fix 2 broken rear springs on my car- they were attentive, friendly, and gave a ridiculously fast turn around, I was able to get my car back the next day even though they had to find and order parts. As if this wasn't enough, my wife's car had an issue the very next day, when we were supposed to be heading out of town. I was able to bring the car in that morning to get looked at and everything was resolved by 4pm. Overall a great experience that gave me a lot of confidence in the owner/mechanics here.
Although the location is small and sometimes pretty busy, they've always finished with my car really quickly. Alex is the man, he's very knowledgeable and a chill dude. I still go here even after I moved. Highly recommend.
It's hard to know where to start in describing how great my experience was with Aris Auto. I brought my car to Alex at Aris after the dealership told me it needed $3,000+ in work. Alex was honest and clearly explained what did and did not need to be done (or what could be deferred and why). I left the car with the to do the work that actually needed to be done (~$800), and on my walk home, had second thoughts that maybe I should just sell the car (moving to NYC next week). I called and talked it through with Alex. He was incredibly understanding of my situation and willing to give me as much time as I needed to figure it out.
I ended up selling the car with the provision that I did some work on it, and Alex again was willing to take the car any day and get the work done quickly while minimizing cost. They seemed to do a great job on the actual repairs, and were fun and enjoyable to work with along the way.
The only bad part about this story is that I only found this shop the week before moving out of the area! I wish I could bring them as my mechanic anywhere I move. Would highly recommend.
First time writing a review. I went there for an inspection and one of the guys who was working there rear ended my car. The bumper was damaged, but the guy didn't even apologize. His co-worker who saw him rear ending my car check my front bumper and denied that the guy bumped into it. He kept on saying "I don't think so!" Finally I went to talk with the guy who rear ended me and apparently he was drunk! I mean DRUNK!! I can smell the alcohol from his breath. I got the hell out of there... But I saw the guy jumping into another car to bring in the garage. I trusted the Google reviews, but left with a damaged bumper and disappointment. Will never go there again.
For people who don't know much about car maintenance, what do you want most out of your mechanic? If you said honesty, then you're like me. I couldn't have more confidence in the honesty and trustworthiness of Aris Auto. On more than one occasion, I've brought my car in to Aris thinking I had a major problem and even voiced that concern. Each time, the fix has been relatively minor and affordable.
Great team, great service.
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