Advance Auto Center

Address:	320 Watertown St, Newton, MA 02458, USA
Phone:	+1 617-964-2886
Site:	advanceautocenter.net
Rating:	4.4
Working:	7:30AM–6PM 7:30AM–6PM 7:30AM–6PM 7:30AM–6PM 7:30AM–6PM 8AM–3PM Closed

Location

Photos 8

Reviews 7

Stephanie K

My car was starting to shake when I braked at higher speeds. When I researched reviews of auto centers in the area Advance Auto had multiple good reviews so I thought this was a good starting point. They were able to look at my car the same morning I called and it only took them about an hour to diagnosis the problem. Steve, the owner, explained to me that my rear brake pads needed to be replaced and that my front and rear rotors needed to be reshaped/resurfaced (not sure of the accurate term). It would cost approximately $500. I scheduled the work to be done the following morning and Steve offered me a loaner car while they completed the work. I left his shop feeling confident I had found a good place to have my car fixed. On my drive home I decided to stop at the GMC dealership to have them give me a second opinion; they were right down the street, so I thought, "why not". I knew they would probably be more expensive, but I thought it was worth them taking a look. To my surprise, they had me come into the garage to physically show me that my brake pads and rotors did not need to be replaced. They showed me the tool they use to measure when the pads need to be replaced. Their inspection showed "4mm life left for front and rear brake pads." I had all four tires replaced the week prior. The mechanics at the dealership said the "shaking" I felt was from the tires being bolted on too tightly. Sure enough, after a test drive on the highway my car was back to driving normal. I know there is always a risk of any auto body shop being dishonest and taking advantage of their customers. In this case, I feel that is exactly what they were trying to do. The owner came across as being very customer-service oriented, but was in fact, dishonest. Do not be fooled by the friendly and accommodating attitude.

David Ford

When the engine of my dealer-serviced 2011 Volvo C30--with only 60k miles on it--blew, Volvo said it was a freak thing. They said I was a great customer, well give you a deal and put a used engine in for $7,800. Whaaatt??!! So I went to Advance--whom my wife and I had been using for our other cars since the late-90s--and they quoted $5,100. A third less even though they get the engines from the same place! After a week negotiating with Volvo trying to get a better deal (and during which time Advance let me keep the car on their lot), Volvo refused to budge and so I went with Advance. But by the time I told Advance to move forward, the used engines we were looking at were no longer on the market. So Advance said theyd rebuild the engine. Which is a better option than a used engine, but more expensive. In fact, Volvo wouldnt rebuild my engine because they said it would be equal to or more than a new engine ($12k!) When I picked up my car, I got a bill for $5,076--Advance honored the first quote they gave me, even though it was for a used engine, not the much better rebuilt engine. Went for a road trip yesterday to test things out and the engine is now smoother and quicker than it ever was. Amazing! For almost 20 years, Steve and the Advance team have always been great to us. Friendly, prompt, flexible, helpful. And they really stepped up for me in the past couple weeks when Volvo (Volvo, no less!) refused to do so. Thanks Steve, Michael, and everybody else on the team. Youre the best!

Ming Lee

Terrible service. Rude and unaccountable. Cant even be bothered with customers asking when a car is done. Not honest.....we found out later it costs much less somewhere else ...Brought our car there to change brake pads because they are close by but obviously, they say other stuff needs to be done. Left the car afternoon the day before and told them we need the car back by noon next day. They did not tell us they have loaners. When I called to ask when the car will be done. They can not give an answer. They are definitely not upfront or honest and have bad communication. The person answering the phone was plain rude and the worst I have seen. Terrible service. I would stick with the dealership with better service and accountability for what we paid. If you have been in the business so long, you should be able to estimate how long something takes. What happened was....they probably didnt get started until I called them. Just not honest and annoying to work with. They even got short and impatient with us Just for asking when the car is done.

Anonymous User

You can sum this place in one word, relationship. They communicate well, give solid advice and are in it for the long term. I have been there about 8 times in the last 5 years. At least 4 of those visits I wasnt charged anything at all. Granted they were small things like a tire patch or a tire pressure warning light, but I garuntee that other garages would have charged. For more major service I have also had a good experience. A couple years ago I had a motor burnout in my power seat. The replacement part was only available as part of an entire power seat assembly from the manufacturer for over $800. Advance Auto called local junk yards, found a similar car and then negotiated the price for the new motor to $75. That is going above and beyond in my opinion and I wont take my car anywhere else.

Anonymous User

Well, I see this whole review board is pouring out with good reviews, however, Im afraid mine will not be inline with the others. I just left Adv. Auto Center with a gauge that was said to be "fixed", but it seems it was not. Thats the third time Ive taken my car to AAC to have something not work out favorably. Everything is minor, but theres something about a place that overlooks your requests or just neglects them, that makes me concerned. If you bring your car in for a few reasons and they fix one and dont look at the others, that concerns me. I dismissed it the first two times, and they act interested, but it doesnt come out in the end product.

Anonymous User

I broke a bolt inside my caliper while changing my pads, so I called around a few shops to find one willing and able to extract the bolt. Most places were either unsure if they could help or tried to sell me a new caliper without even taking a look at the car. Advance Auto was both pleasant and confident they could help so I brought my car there. After 15-20 minutes on the lift, the broken bolt was out, new one in, and to top it off they didn’t even charge me for the work. I could not believe it. I’ll be happy to give them my business next time I have something more substantial for them to do.

Ricardo Benitez

Excellent! They were very efficient and provided great customer service all from the shop mechanics to the owners. I would recomend to anyone and everyone. Wish I had used them prior since I have had a fair share of bad experiences in other shops. They got my truck up and running within less than 24 hrs. I am sending friends and family there from now on. You will not be dissapointed. They are honest and have very reasonable pricing. Great experience in an industry that is known for questionable practices. Very happy to know that there are still good mechanics out there.