TESTIMONIALS
I give Accel Automotive my highest and most enthusiastic recommendation. They are skilled and honest, their pricing is excellent, they get the work done on time and exactly as they say they will do, and their staff are communicative and caring. Recently our Subaru Forester was consuming oil, and Accel identified the problem and gave us a packet of information in time for us to take the car to the dealership and have the short block replaced under warranty. They're awesome. I'll never take my cars anywhere else.
Anne R.
Very responsive, reasonable prices, provides loaners for repairs, friendly service techs --John was awesome! What more can you ask?
Sandra T.
Never actually liked a mechanic before! They are great -- trustworthy, good work, reasonable prices, super nice and accommodating. I won't go anywhere else.
Lauren L.
I switched to Accel two years ago. I've been very happy with both the work that they do and their customer service. Their long time front office person is Sylvie, who is personable and efficient. The last bill I got documented my report of the cars symptoms right above where they described what work they did. And they always remember to call you after they look the car over to discuss what needs to be done.
The mechanic I know best is John, and he's one of the nicest guys on the planet. If you call in advance they can usually reserve a loaner car for you for free. The cars are older but surprise, surprise they run perfectly!
Judy H., Newton Highlands, MA
Accel deserves all five stars in my rating. I have been taking my cars there for many years, and they have always been thoroughly reliable and scrupulously honest. They are well versed in every make of car I have brought in, from a disreputable Ford to a Volkswagen Passat to an Acura. In each case they have been able to deal with every maintenance and repair issues, big and small. John, Brian and Sylvie are invariably friendly and inspire total confidence.
Their shop repairs exotic and high end cars -- I have seen Alfa Romeos, 1955 pink Cadillacs and silver Deloreans in the bays -- but they are just as happy to work on more ordinary cars. I wish all my repair services were so good.
Jeff H., Waltham, MA
What do you want most from an auto repair service? Honest, dependable and timely service. My family has found all three at Accel Automotive. I've been a car owner for over 40 years and Accel has been my best repair and maintenance experience.
Dave P., Newton, MA
I highly recommend Accel Automotive. After 7 years of having all repairs done to my BMW at the dealer, I found Accel. Not only is the work excellent, but the honesty, pricing are superior. The attention to excellence in mechanics and customer care are superior. The entire staff make going to Accel a great experience. I do not think you can find a better place to go for car repair.
Shelly B., Newton Highlands, MA
I am a new customer of Accel Automotive. I was referred to Accel and met the owners John and Brian. Like most car owners you never know what you are going to get when you have automotive problems. I was not only pleasantly surprised by the care they took, I was thrilled by the attention to detail and the result. Great people who truly care about you, the customer! I would recommend Accel to anyone that needs service for any vehicle without concern as some may have had with other garage’s
William S., Belmont, MA
I met John through another mechanic when I was looking for a mechanic for my networking group. The other mechanic was too busy to come but he gave me John's name and said to invite John because he was very reputable among other mechanics.
I have a Lexus RX350 2007 and the first 3 years I went to the dealership all the time for maintenance because I was afraid they would hold it against me when I traded it back in. However, 5 years ago I bought this car outright so I started to go to Accel Automotive instead. As a woman who knows NOTHING about cars, I've always been afraid that the car mechanic is taking advantage of me and getting me to fix things that aren't needed. But John is the most honest person I know! I feel like I've been saving hundreds of dollars vs. going to the dealership. I've taken the car in when it had a symbol light up on the dashboard and he said all it needed was air in the tires (he said Lexus cars are very sensitive). Another time I took it for my regular checkup but I was thinking I needed new brake pads and he said the back was fine and the front had another 6-9 months left of life.
Last year he told me I was needing 2 new tires and they quoted me a price for the tires and installation. The quote was much cheaper than the dealer price. I had gone to him a few years back for the other two tires. However this time, I went to BJ's Wholesale because I wanted to compare pricing and BJ's gave me a little bit lower price for them and they had an adjacent tire company to install them. So I used the BJ's affiliated company instead. That was a huge mistake. These folks broke my tire sensors altogether so for the next 4 months I had to deal with going back and forth to see what the issue was and although they tried to fixed the sensors they couldn't figure it out. They would only pay for it if I brought it back to the Lexus dealer who charged me an arm and a leg to replace the tire sensors. Although that local tire center ultimately reimbursed me for the cost, it was the biggest pain in the neck and a huge amount of wasted time. I really learned my lesson that not mechanics are the same.
Unlike other small mechanics, John's team knows my Lexus car and has the right tools to diagnose my problem. He also knows when to send me to the Lexus dealer as was the case with wanting to upgrade my GPS software on my car.
Whenever I've taken the car to him, even for an oil change, he lets me use a loaner car. Given these cars are not this years Lexus model, but they are nice enough and I feel safe in them.
I have referred my sister and many clients to Accel who have all been happy with their service. I highly recommend him and can't say enough good things.
Marie P., Stoneham, MA
Finding someone in the auto repair business that you can really trust is so hard, but I've found the place. John is one of the owners. He's such a nice guy and clearly knows exactly what he's doing. I have a new, higher end car and I thought I needed to get everything done at the dealership. Not true. These guys know what my car needs and how to handle all the technology in today's newer cars. One day, I stopped in there to deal with a message that was showing up on my car's screen. I was in and out in no time and it was so simple. I know I would have killed a few hours at least if I had gone to a dealership. Also, very cool seeing some of the collector type cars they had in the shop at the time.
Mark S., Newton, MA
Great shop! Repairs to my MG were done ahead of schedule and the pricing was below what they estimated, I left there with a list of other things to keep an eye on but told to just drive it and enjoy it.
The staff is terrific, and a huge plus is that I can call and talk directly to one of the mechanics (I usually get John) when I have a question about my car, and get suggestions of what I may want to do next.
Also fun -- seeing the other cars they are working on in their shop.
Brad - Newtonville, MA
I recently was in need of getting my '95 Toyota 4Runner some repairs, specifically a misbehaving clutch which would not disengage properly. After a false start with Lexington Toyota (be sure to read my less than favorable review) I was eventually referred to Accel by another reputable shop in Waltham.
At first I was a bit intimidated to take my car there, because while they work on all imports, they also specialize in high-end imports such as Alfa Romeo and Ferrari. But I figured if they can be trusted with expensive sports cars, they'll probably treat me with equal care. Happily, I was very right in this assumption.
My first contact was with Sylvie who runs the front desk. After explaining my situation over the phone, she promised to talk to one of the mechanics to get a rough idea of what would be needed to fix it and give me an estimate. True to her word, she called me later that afternoon and gave me an estimate over the phone that was LESS THAN HALF of what a local dealership estimated. I did not hesitate to setup an appointment.
I dropped off my 4Runner, and Brian came out to talk to me about what was wrong, and what I had done so far in the diagnosis process. This was a big deal to me because I come from a family of DIY's and my brothers are both mechanics (but now live far away from me). So I told him everything I knew and we seemed to be in agreement on the first things to try to diagnose and fix the problem. He called me later that afternoon to discuss his findings and we agreed on the next step. Sylvie gave me the estimate for the work and it was less than her previous estimate even though it included a few more parts than initially thought. I picked up my 4Runner 2 days later with a much improved clutch, and Brian told me to drive it a few days and let me know if I was satisfied.
After driving it a bit, I realized it was much better but still not 100% so I setup another appointment to replace the one part we had previously opted to leave out of the repair. Brian turned it around that same day and got my 4Runner back to me with a clutch that now works perfectly. "It's like buttah!"
I had the use of a loaner vehicle during repairs, and the shop is only 2 miles from my place so it was also super convenient working with them.
Brian and the rest of their team should be commended for running such a kick-ass repair shop. They are knowledgeable and friendly and will listen to you, and do a great job at a very fair price. If you have an import car that needs repair, you shouldn't hesitate to call these guys, they are the best.
Dan - North Waltham, MA
I have owned cars since 1986 and FINALLY I have found a mechanic I can trust. These guys know how to run a good business and they are awesome mechanics. They are kind, honest and reliable. I love Sylvie, John and Brian - they make having to deal with our old cars tolerable - actually pleasant! I could go on and on about the thousands of dollars they have saved me, but take my word for it and just go to them. They are the best!!!
Liz - Newton, MA
Two years ago, I moved from Worcester, MA, to Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. Understandably, I was apprehensive about moving my 1967 Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider. I decided to risk the drive, but first I took the car to Accel for a good going-through. They did a through work up on what was needed and what might be problematic on the 500-mile trip. I had them do it all. The result: a reasonable price and no problems on my drive to the north. In fact, the car has needed nothing over the past two years.
I certainly recommend Accel for any Alfa work -- and for lesser cars as well.
Dan G. - Fredericton, Canada
My husband and I have used Accel for 15 years, and they are fantastic! They are professional, completely trustworthy, and quick to respond. John, Sylvie, and Brian are delightful to deal with in person and on the phone. They explain everything thoroughly and clearly, and go way beyond what I'd expect from a car repair shop. Over the years, they've worked on our American and German cars, and have kept them running happily for a long time. They go out of their way to make the experience pleasant and convenient, and their prices are very fair. Accel is a real gem!
Reva D. - Waltham, MA
We recently bought 1986 Alfa Romeo Spider, so as you can imagine there was some mechanical work to be done. It has been very difficult to find someone who is knowledgeable to work on such a car. We started from a repair shop in Rhode Island, where we live and the service was dissapointingly bad, then we found another shop in MA. They did a decent job, but were neither particularly enthusiastic about their work, nor motivated to finish the job. In my view, these issues created sufficient level of risk and uncertainty regarding the quality of their future work , so I decided not to go there again. Finally, we went to Accel Automotive. Brian and Sylvie were of great help! Brian is so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the work that it was total refreshment for us dealing with him! We initially came with a list of things I thought needed to be done, but he performed inspection and found much more serious (and urgent) issues. For example, I wanted to replace shock absorbers, but lower ball joints needed replacement, transmission mount as well. Of course, it was left to me to decide what should be done, so Brian and myself made the final list. The work was performed in timely manner and it was of high quality! The bottom line is that Brian went beyond my list, inspected the car, found issues that directly affected safety of my wife and myself and told us what needed to be done to make the car safe and as reliable as 27 year old car can be. He showed himself to be a real expert. The thing that I appreciate the most is when someone is really good at their job. There are no extra words, no fake explanations, handling etc, everything is clear and presented as is. Unfortunately, it is rear these days to find people who are really good at what they are doing and enthusiastic about their work. Brian is certainly one of those people and I really deeply respect that. That is why I decided to write this review and single them out as one truly exceptional car repair place.. I do have to say that my interaction was limited to Sylvie and Brian, so I cannot comment on John and Leroy. What I can say with certainty is that one should give them a chance, as I did. I am sure they will do a great job! I will certainly contact them again.
V. M.- Newton Upper Falls, MA
Need a mechanic that actually cares about you and fixing your car? I have found them - Accel Automotive in Watertown. Needed some work done and decided to leave my other mechanic as he tried to charge me for something he broke and called Accel. They asked all the right questions, were incredibly knowledgeable and spent a hour of their time for free helping me make some crossroads decisions on my car. I am so glad I gave them a call and want to give them a well deserved plug because an honest and fair mechanic is hard to find.
Deb G.- Newton Upper Falls, MA
This is a no nonsense car mechanic in Waltham that deserve attention. Honest and excellent work on 3 cars we've been bringing for the past 5 years.
M. - Belmont, CA
I've brought two of my work trucks to Accel Automotive and my husband has brought his car here as well. Very knowledgeable mechanics, I would recommend them to anyone. I own a small business with a growing fleet of vehicles and I feel lucky to have found a great company to handle my maintenance needs. They are definitely worth checking out- great company and great service!
Katie M. - Middlesex, MA
My car needed to be towed in. It wasn't running and I had no clue what was wrong.
When I called in the morning to confirm that it had arrived, John informed me that the car had arrived and was fixed - it was just a broken wire. They had gone over the car and had a list of recommended repairs.
We went over the list and their estimate of repairs. All were reasonable - both their suggestions and their pricing. I authorized all repairs and had the car back in two days.
Granted, these guys specialize in some foreign cars (MG, Triumph, Jaguar, Alfa - at least that's what I saw there) and mine is on the list, I will not hesitate to bring a more modern car.
**** Service is great. ****
**** Staff is friendly and professional ****.
This place is easy to get to and I will definitely be back.
Dennis C. - Brighton, MA
I have been going to Accel for years now, and am glad to tell other Yelpers about them! They are a small shop that works on super high end cars as well as regular cars. What I really like is that John and the crew take the time to find out what my needs are and help me get the most from my budget. They have done oil changes to standard repairs (brakes, mufflers, water pumps, etc...) with no problems, and at very reasonable prices. At one point, I asked John, one of the owners, about recommendations for a new car to replace my 2002 Rav4, and even though they are now offering some nice used cars for sale, he convinced me that I would be likely to get many more miles, at a lower cost, out of my ultra reliable Toyota. It's not often you can trust a used car salesman, but these guys pass my test.
Mike M. - Medford, MA
I cannot say enough about how helpful Accel Automotive was. I have a 2001 Volkswagen Passat which had one major problem and a number of small ones. I needed to get the major issue replaced in order to pass inspection. I had taken my car to Boston Volkswagen previously but did not like how I was treated and their attempt to get me to fix a number of things that were not actually broken. In addition to fixing the major issue at the exact cost I was quoted the people at Accel fixed all of the other small issues and did not charge me. One of these fixes was to re-secure the front bumper which I was previously told by a different shop needed to be replaced at a cost of 500 dollars and could not be fixed. I will be going back here for any additional work that needs to be done and am recommending their work to anyone I know that needs work done. What a great shop.
Lucas L. - Belmont, MA
Other Yelp reviews are right on.
I went because of the recommendations I saw here on line. I needed some work on my 2004 Saab. the guys did an assessment of the problem and then looked the car over (I figured to "find other problems" they could fix.) But they said everything looked fine. None of that "you need new brakes or the tires need to be replaced stuff."
It took them the one hour they said. I went to the Dunkin Donuts.
Price was right too. Nothing extra added. thanks.
Paul F. - Medfield, MA
LIKE OUR SERVICE?
If you liked our service, we'd appreciate it if you take a few minutes to give us a positive review on Yelp or as a Google Review. Thanks!
Located in Waltham, MA, convenient to Route 128 and public transportation, we're eager to demonstrate why Accel Auto should be the choice for all of your car's service needs! We look forward to hearing from you!
ACURA • ALFA ROMEO • AUDI • AUSTIN HEALEY • BMW • FIAT • HONDA
INFINITI • JAGUAR • LAND ROVER • LEXUS • MAZDA • MERCEDES BENZ • MG • MINI • MITSUBISHI, KIA, LOTUSNISSAN • PORSCHE • SAAB • SUBARU • TOYOTA • TRIUMPH • VOLKSWAGEN • VOLVO • RESTORATION, REPAIRS, AUTO SHOP, AUTO REPAIR IN WALTHAM, NEWTON, BELMONT, WESTON, BOSTON, NEEDHAM
