20/07/2016

Big thank you to Hillside auto repair, and Frank Spinosa and crew. Fantastic job getting my friends and I back on the road. Impeccable skills, courteous and friendly. We broke down in Roxbury, and was referred by the tow driver about Hillside. EXCELLENT work, diagnosed and repaired in less than an hour. Once again, Thank you guys!

Chris Leonard

Source: FBOOK

16/08/2013

Jill Connerton

Source: FBOOK

08/10/2005

Use with caution

I went to them for a quote on AC work and was advised that all charges would be explained and there would be a small charge to determine the problem. After it was explained the job would be $900+ I decided to get a second quote (which I…

Jim M

Source: INPAG

06/04/2006

good service

Hillside has fixed my cars many times - and has done a good job. Their labor charges seem reasonable, and they are attentive to let you know what they need to do and whether it HAS to be fixed. I did have my brakes done last year, and I'm…

Caitlin S

Source: INPAG

20/02/2009

Over-priced Services!

I brought my car in here when the "check engine" light came on. The quoted repair price at Hillside was almost 6 times the price I was quoted and ended up paying elsewhere. Even more, Hillside charged me a labor fee in addition to the…

Sarah B

Source: INPAG

06/12/2009

Diagnostic charge without warning

I also got burnt by the diagnostic charge, after coming here with two different cars. Expensive, but trustworthy, I always thought before this. A charge without telling me beforehand was breach of faith.

ellie b

Source: INPAG

18/10/2010

hillside auto..STAY AWAY!!!

gave me a estimate for a pcm for 500.00.when i picked car up price went up to 950.00!!HAD to pay,just to check i called dealer,and for SAME job,they charge 435.00!beware!frank has a short memory..i'll NEVER go there again,after this latest…

arthur g

Source: INPAG

17/07/2005

Excellent Mechanic

I have been using Hillside for the past 4-5 years and I have nothing but high praise for them. They are always clear and concise in what needs to be fixed. They set it out before they work on it. The work is always first class and I…

J B

Source: INPAG

22/03/2006

Good service station

Hillside has fixed my cars many times - and has done a good job. Their labor charges seem reasonable, and they are attentive to let you know what they need to do and whether it HAS to be fixed. I did have my brakes done last year, and I'm…

C. S.

Source: JUDYS

28/01/2016

Gas is gas, we fill up and go. Hillside is different all because of Victor. When I'm dreading to drive to work, Victor puts a smile on my face with his fun antics and friendliness. He has no idea that I'm addicted to chocolate and he always comes back with some sweet treats. I know I'm not the only one who gets candy but it really makes my day.
It's the little things in life and Victor contributes more than he knows.

Face D.

Source: YELP

18/06/2014

A+.
I'm a girl and know zero about cars; they explained everything before they fix it, give me a parts list, so if I ever go to a different shop, the other shop knows what they did, and they are so quick.
I took my car to a different shop earlier for a check engine light, and they took a week - a week! - and $1300 later my engine light was off. Cool, right? No, it was still broken. It turns out the sleazy shop had just shut the engine light off - they didn't actually fix anything. (GRRRRR).
So now I'm wary, so I went to Hillside. Hillside quoted me $1000, and I'd have it back first thing the next morning. One afternoon to fix what the other shop took a week to do and didn't fix? Yes, please.
Not only that, but before fixing anything, they took me around the car to show me every single thing that was wrong, and since I don't know much about cars, they explained it again and again until I understood them. Then they showed me how I could check it myself in the future. Then they went through a priority list - "this needs to be fixed; this is really minor and we'll fix it if you'd like, but it doesn't really need to be done for another few months or if it starts to bother you." Awesome.
Then they gave me a detailed list of what they put in and the part numbers, in case I ever take it to a different shop.
And the entire time, these guys were the friendliest people ever.
I saw some reviews saying that once something got "fixed" here, it broke again a while later. I just got my car done two weeks ago, so I'm not sure if that'll happen, but those reviews were from a couple years ago, so I think it should be okay. No matter what, I'm really impressed by how I was treated and the quickness and cost of what they did.

Susan R.

Source: YELP

04/10/2014

Beware of Hillside Auto! I took two of my cars there for a number of years, and it's true that the work will generally be done promptly, and within the timeframe that you expect. Frank takes the time to explain the problem to you, give you a detailed estimate, and generally convince you that what you are getting is quality work. So what's the problem?
For starters, like many shops, Hillside will add on little charges for things you didn't ask for. They will replace wipers, filters, and various other parts whether they need it or not. I can even remember a charge for "adjusting the trunk latch," which was emphatically not what I took the car in for.
Then there is the way Frank talks on the phone, which can occasionally be hard to understand. I once thought he quoted me $450 only to find out when I picked up the car that there was an extra thousand in front of it. And of course, Frank's magic price is $800. No repair to your car will be done for less than that, no matter what.
But the biggest problem is this: The repairs do not hold up! Hillside uses substandard parts, poor workmanship, or both. A new clutch that Hillside put in my car has lasted a paltry 40,000 miles, and is now so worn I'm worried about being stranded on the side of the road. Two Sumic tires that Frank charged me $90 each for (retail around $50) lasted 7,000 miles due to a shoddy alignment. "If they're worn after 7,000 miles, you've got something out of whack," said the mechanic who's been servicing the car for years. The last repair I had him do was a couple of drum brakes, and judging by the lack of anti-corrosion coating on the drums, I'm sure he used poor quality parts there too. Can't wait for those to fail.
Don't be fooled by this shop. They take great pains to seem knowledgeable. But you will only end up needing to have their work re-done again and again.

M R.

Source: YELP

05/09/2014

My car started making an awful noise on the highway very suddenly so I pulled over and got towed to the nearest autoshop (hillside).
They had a full garage, but got to my car quickly. Turns out that I ran over a towel or a blanket at some point and it got wrapped around my drive shaft and caused a little havoc.
They fixed it quickly and were really nice about it. Plus the gas attendant gave me some klondike candies because I looked like I was having a rough day.
Would recommend.

Sean L.

Source: YELP

09/03/2011

This gas station and two-car repair garage off Broadway holds a secret. His name is The Candy Man.
Like all Somerville fuel pumps, an attendant must fill your tank. Vic approached the ol' Jeep with a giant smile and when I opened the door, he danced like he was dodging a missile. I laughed.
Disappeared to do his thing, and returned with what I assumed was my slip for payment. Nay nay, good sir. Instead, Vic outstretched his arms and gave me two handfuls of Fun Size Snickers, M&Ms and Reese's cups. I laughed again, this time bewildered.
Turns out, Vic's been handing out candy to his customers for a few decades now. Customers so loyal, mind you, that they've written in to companies like M&M/Mars, told them the story of this animated character at a Ball Square mechanic shop, and the multinational candy empires been sending him product ever since.
And if you've got the time, he'll tell you some stories about growing up in the foothills of Virginia, trying to run tractors on shine and selling two kinds of apple cider roadside.
Gas is gas, and it's expensive. Never have I thought I'd look forward to a top off but with old school customer service like Vic's, I'm like a kid on Halloween.

Damien S.

Source: YELP

07/04/2014

I would give 0 stars if i could. They way overcharge you for everything and claim to be your friend and giving you the best deal. Im warning you people they wayyyyy over charge. Funny that everyone i know who has went here has never ever had a good thing to say about them. I don't even know how they are still in business

Steven F.

Source: YELP

16/05/2013

This review is for a single experience. It may or may not represent business as usual, but I won't be going back.
Had my AC worked on -- a hose and a recharge -- for $800+. Supposedly dye was added to the system so leaks could be traced. I went back for another recharge after it leaked again. It failed again, and I won't be going back. They broke some interior trim parts on the dash to remind me of this experience.

Ralph K.

Source: YELP

01/04/2013

I went here with a flat tire that needed to be replaced. After a few minutes of discussing what needs to be done, I was told that the cost of the tire (before any labor costs) would be $225!!!! The tires on my car retail between $60-$80 online at reputable tire sales websites. DO NOT GO HERE, unless you want to be taken advantage of.

Lauren J.

Source: YELP

01/04/2011

Went here twice- first was a little tire swap- which they found little things they charged me more for.
2nd time- not only going 50$ over my spark plug quote- they decided to do a few other things to charge me another $50 with out asking first... oh " we added some coolant..." another $3
another local place doing scummy business- places like this want to make me pay a few buck more an hour to get it done right elsewhere.

M G.

Source: YELP

04/08/2011

Been going to Hillside since I've had my license and a reason to care for my vehicles. Jack and Frank take excellent care of everything, and are always happy to explain things to me in a manner I can actually understand. I love that I can drop my car off in the morning for an oil change and inspection, and they'll always be waiting for me when I get out of work at the end of the day to pick it up. They'll call me mid-day to let me know how things are going or if something odd pops up, which is rare. I can say that I absolutely trust Hillside with my car and even now that I've moved out of the Somerville/Medford area I go OUT OF MY WAY to see them. They also send you reminders for routine maintenance which is really helpful because I would never know if I needed these things otherwise.
...and I'll absolutely agree that the Candy Man is the highlight to my visit. Always a smile and a handful of sugary delights to greet me as I pass through. Love this place!

Meg R.

Source: YELP

17/12/2011

Have had my 20 year old car serviced here for years. Highly recommend.

Paul L.

Source: YELP

15/11/2010

I have had two experiences with Hillside Auto. Both times the staff was knowledgeable and helpful. The Office is clean and well maintained and the prices were reasonable. The repairs were completed quickly and professionally in both cases. They even went out of their way to get one of the vehicles inspected at a location down the street.

Todd L.

Source: YELP

14/04/2013

I had some trouble with my car turning over, and stopped in here late on a Sat afternoon. They spent a good half hour trying to figure out what the problem was. Unfortunately I had forgotten to tell them the check engine light had come on before they disconnected the battery, so they lost the codes. They told me I should come back if the light came back on or I had further troubles. NO CHARGE! They could easilly have thrown in a battery and sent me on my way. They aren't anywhere near where I live or I'd go back. I was impressed.

Dake H.

Source: YELP

12/04/2011

I went to Hillside last summer based on some of these Yelp reviews, since I didn't have many friends who actually drive in Boston. I was having trouble with a sticky clutch on my manual, which for the last five years hadn't caused me any problems.
They took the entire day to check out what was wrong, determined that the problem was a couple broken shifter cables and said it would take another couple days for them to order the shifter cables from the dealer... fine.
So once they charged me a couple hundred for that, plus labor, they let me drive off the lot with what turns out was actually a broken clutch. So my car continued to have the same problem and in fact became really dangerous to drive only later that day, when it wouldn't go into first gear without a fight.
So I had to bring it back to them and they charged me upward of $900 for the whole clutch replacement...
But get this, the saga doesn't end there.
I have since moved about an hour south of Boston, closer to my work, and go to a mechanic I trust--who I switched to right after this whole ordeal with Hillside.
Last week, my car broke down completely and guess what the problem was? That's right: THE CLUTCH. It's supposed new and I haven't even driven it a year, and it's completely disintegrated.
So I call Hillside because I have a warranty for a year--then they tell me that I should read the fine print and that it says either 12 months or 12,000 miles. I've put 18,000 on it due to commuting and several road trips--which isn't anything unusual for the last 6 years I've owned the car.
Over the phone with them, they're clearly not even interested in helping me at all. They even suggested that maybe the problem was "how I was driving the car."
My mechanic where I live now says he's never seen a clutch fall apart so quickly. He even called them to try to ask them what went wrong but they were absolutely unwilling to admit that they did anything poorly.
These guys are crooks, pure and simple. Do not take your car here unless you want to wind up pouring thousands of dollars in repairing their shoddy work. Worst mechanic experience I've ever had.

Alexis H.

Source: YELP

01/09/2006

I just brought my Carolla in there this evening (5pm on a Friday before a 3-day weekend) because I was desperate to get my headlights fixed. Needed 2 new headlight bulbs- they did it right away and had me back on the road in less than 15 minutes.
Charged me $25 for labor, instead of the usual $35. Not bad pay for 15 minutes of work but since they were able to help me right away, I am not grumpy.

Jessica M.

Source: YELP

13/11/2009

I live i the neighborhood and have been going to Hillside for all repairs and maintenance work on my car for the last 7 years. They are always fair, efficient and courteous. And their reception area is cleaner than my living room.
They now offer a 5% discount if you are a AAA member on both parts and labor. It's a great deal.

Karen W.

Source: YELP

04/06/2012

honestly,they claim to be your dealer alternative?go to your car dealer for any repairs,because my 3 experience's with hillside on broadway were terrible!OVERCHARGED??i found out about DOUBLE compared to the dealer,for the same job..(which by the way,had to be re-done 11 months later)..yes i was just another victim for frank and his crew to totally overcharged,and sub-standard parts.RUN away,get yourself towed away from this greedy scam man as fast as you can..YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!!

arthur G.

Source: YELP

14/09/2006

Called them at 8:30 am with a list of three things that needed checking/repair. Dropped off at 9:30 am. They called me a few times during the day to give me updates on what was happening and where I was on the cost. By 3:00pm my repairs were done and I was able to pick up, no prob! Quick, fast, efficient and friendly!

emily p.

Source: YELP

23/02/2008

Yesterday morning I dropped my newer Cadillac Deville off to be serviced because the "Check Engine" light had activated. They advised me that I have 2 vehicle ahead of me and then they would take a look at it. They also advised me off the initial fee of $90 just to hook it up to the computer which is a average.
A short time later I received a call advising they had hooked it up to the computer and there was an indication of 6 "codes"(Malfunctions). Before just fixing them all and running up the bill to thousands they said they would test each code to see if possibly one code was snowballing and causing the others to go into alarm.
About an hour later they notified me that the cause of the check engine light was due to a short in one of the wires. This meant that that the other 5 were "False Codes." From here they advised exactly how much time it would take to find which wire(s) were shorted and the total job was about $350 dollars of which only $7 for parts.
Overall this place is/can be expensive but these people know there stuff and I would highly recommend them. From the outside it looks like any other gas station but when you see the front desk area and there book keeping you will be impressed.

Tommy B.

Source: YELP

11/05/2016

FANTASTIC! These gentlemen are excellent mechanics and extremely knowledgable about all makes and models of cars. I have an older BMW and they have been so helpful! Trustworthy and honest people, I will be bringing my car back again! ( hopefully not too soon though!)

Hilary F

Source: GPLAC

16/02/2016

they ALMOST got me for a 900 dollar PCM !...had the car towed out of there promptly,to the GM dealer...and 360 dollars for a brand new PCM AC delco..dealer alternative ? STAY AWAY..unless you like getting taken for OVER top dollar..someone has to pay for Freddies toys,the owner...but not me.....or you..

arthur green

Source: GPLAC

09/04/2016

We have been using them for over 10 years to repair our cars and they have always been very professional and helpful. When we asked them to get new tires for our Audi we checked around to make sure they were giving us a competitive price and found our trust well placed.

Kate Zebrose

Source: GPLAC

05/12/2013

These guys are the best mechanics anywhere. They can figure out any problem with any car. I had a check engine light on in my car which I had brought to 3 other mechanics to try to figure out. I spent a lot of money with these other mechanics with their wrong diagnosis and wrong parts installed. I brought it to Frank at Hillside Auto and within a few hours they had figured out what the problem was the whole time. I was really impressed. I wish I went to them first instead of last. It would have saved me a lot of money! It was just a broken wire but no other mechanic could find it. They have a great reputation and its for a good reason.

Spiro Malcot

Source: GPLAC

21/02/2013

I've been taking my car and my wife's car here for probably close to 12 years now and totally trust these guys. They are very open and honest about what your car needs and doesn't need which is sometimes more important. I highly recommend them if you are looking for a repair shop.

Kelsey Roth

Source: GPLAC