My wife and I have visited Old Center Auto Repair on two separate occasions in recent months and we could not have had better experiences. The first time both of my taillights had burnt out over the weekend and I needed somebody to quickly help obtain & install new lights, as it wouldn't have been safe over the long weekend. I called a number of places and was unsuccessful and then remembered Old Center Auto, which I had passed many times on Rte. 62 in North Reading (near the high school). Raymond, the owner and a chief technician, could not have been nicer on the phone. In person, he was just as nice of a guy. When I had called in the morning he quoted me a rough price. However, when the job was easier than he expected he actually dropped the price. Although we aren't talking about a huge repair job here, I believe this is indicative of his character. In fact, when he didn't have change for a small denominated bill and I insisted he to keep the change, he wouldn't take it. The second time was a totally different situation, and with a different vehicle. Raymond again went above-and-beyond the call of duty to try and diagnose what we eventually discovered what was a very complex issue. Raymond was acutely focused on figuring out the issue and spent significant time/effort contemplating and attempting solutions while collaborating with his network of specialists. He also continued to be in constant communication with us throughout the process. This was much appreciated as we were simultaneously discussing the issue with the dealer - so it was nice to have thoughts of an independent third party (Raymond). Eventually, with his consult, we were able to understand the issue and move forward with the best - and most economical - solution. I'm new to the area but from my past experiences I believe that having a trustworthy car repair shop (with an honorable owner) is very important. I'm hopeful that Raymond will be my car care professional in the future and would recommend that you give Old Center Auto a try based on my experiences read more

I knew what I needed to get done on my Jeep Grand Cherokee. Stopping by, I asked if they could install a new thermostat. Was getting a code on the vehicle leading to needing a replacement. I usually would do this myself, but without a garage and the freezing cold temperatures, it was not possible. They knew exactly what to do, as they explained some of the special procedures needed for this parts installation. Which is important without damaging the plastic housing. They were done in a day. Very fair on their prices. Would recommend this business to anyone. Great to deal with. read more

I called them about an error message on my car and was told to swing by later that day. Ray came out immediately, plugged his computer into the car and diagnosed the problem and cleared the code within 5 mins of me showing up. And then wouldn't accept any payment. So this 5 star review is my way of saying, "thank you, thank you!" No way this happens at my local car dealership. read more

Raymond is the best. I would be astounded if anyone gave this business a bad rating. He discloses everything he does to your vehicle, gives you a price upfront so there's no sticker shock when you go to pay after the work is done, and is prompt and reliable. He is honest and our town is so lucky to have him. Many times I read about Raymond on our local community Facebook group and how he helped jumpstart someone's vehicle when they were stranded without a vehicle or gave someone a discount when he knew they were struggling. It's nice to know that we still have plenty of "Rays" in this world - someone we can always count on. read more

had $700 brake job done. mechanic left adjuster loose and didn't change hardware. my tire seized while driving and he didn't take an accountability. no refund, nothing. when asked about it, he wouldn't admit fault. happened 5 days after brakes were done. wouldn't recommend this place. read more

Old Center Auto Repair - Auto Repair Near Me - North Reading, Massachusetts

ray the owner and Mike his assistant are awesome honest kind and cares about my care care needs thank you so much I'll be returning for any and all repairs read more

Ray and his team are the gold standard for a mechanic. Every time I have an issue I bring my Ford F150 to Old Center Auto and he always does right by me, he even gives me his personal car to drive so I do not have to wait! He is the most honest mechanic and has not accepted money on multiple occasions because "it was an easy job". If you are ever looking for a reliable mechanic, you need to see Ray. read more

About 2 weeks ago, I started having issues with my SUV out of nowhere. I have a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse High Country. My AC wouldn't work and my dashboard had almost every light on imaginable. It didn't feel right while I was driving whatsoever. After doing my research, I gave Old Center Repair a call. I spoke with Ray and explained to him what was going on. I told him I did not feel comfortable driving it to the shop, and that I would have it towed whenever he could squeeze me in. Ray coordinated for one of his mechanics to come see it at my home this morning. When I was assured it was OK to drive, despite his lot being jam packed with other customer vehicles, he had me bring it in. By this evening, I got my car back! No lights are on, my AC works again, my fuel pumped needed to be replaced, and he had someone from Chevrolet reset the computer. I can't recommend Ray enough! Aside from everything being done so fast, he was SO nice and kept me in the loop throughout the day. Not to mention VERY fair pricing as well! I finally found a local mechanic that I trust. Ray, thank you so much! read more

Ray is a really good guy easy to talk to and great on pricing definitely one of the best mechanics in the area always helpful on finding parts and will always try to get the best deal definitely recommend old center give him a try you won't be sorry read more

We finally have our car guy. Raymond has been servicing our family cars for several years and I can honestly say, he is the best mechanic I have ever had working on my cars. He is honest, sincere and very capable. He also is extremely fair when it comes to cost. Sometimes we question whether he is charging us enough. If you are looking for a mechanic you can trust, Raymond is the man. read more

Ray is the most honest mechanic around. Reasonably priced and always goes the extra mile to find the problem. I am happy that I found Old Center Auto Repair! read more

This is the best car mechanic, I've been to in my life!! As a single woman being ripped off by car mechanics is always an issue but Raymond is absolutely NOT like that. He is extremely honest and fair. I had my ABS and traction control light on in my Jeep Patriot. He looked at the my car for a few hours, diagnosed it, cleaned off the ABS sensors and even fixed some of the wiring and did not charge me at all or even try to find other issues with my car. I even told him I wanted to pay him for his time and he refused to take my payment. I am so grateful that there are actually decent, kind human beings out there. I will definitely be back here and will probably never trust any other mechanic again after this amazing experience. read more

Ray is as honest as they come, men like him are rare nowadays. Great mechanic. A1 communicator, taken my car to him multiple times and have always received fair pricing and great work. I don't want to take my car to ANYONE else. Ray your the man. read more

Best customer care, extremely experienced mechanic. We've been very lucky for the last four years, and serviced both Honda Odyssey and Infinity EX here. read more

Raymond has been working on our cars for years. He is honest and will 100% take care of you without scamming you. I would never take my car anywhere else and the customer service that he gives is unparalleled! read more

Raymond is the best!!! He is not only a GREAT mechanic, but he is a genuine and trustworthy individual. I came to him on a whim when I got a flat tire- and I knew I had found my GO-TO auto repair shop. Stop getting screwed over by your auto repair shop and go to Raymond at the Old Center Auto Repair... seriously you will NOT regret it at all. read more

Raymond is hands down the best mechanic I have ever had. He is an honest guy who really cares and always goes above and beyond to make sure my car is in tip top shape. Easily charges the best prices and does the best work. Even after moving out of North Reading I still make the drive back whenever I need work. Keep up the good work Raymond! read more

I took my car here after a failed inspection from a bad OBD connector. Ray was extremely helpful and quick to diagnose the issue. He went as far as taking my car to get it reinspected so he could ensure that the car would connect to the reader. If you're looking for a mechanic who dedicated to solving your problem, this is where you need to take your car. read more

Tried Old Center Auto Repair today, the place across from Ryers. I dealt directly with Raymond as I'm sure many did. He is honest as they come and an excellent communicator. I emailed from his website last night and received a reply within an hour. I understand that may not be typical, but it was pretty surprising to me. I usually do all my own work on my cars, except for major stuff where I have a Subaru specialist. This was an air conditioning service which I do not have tools for. I dropped it off at 9 and it was ready for pick up by 11:30. A/C is ice cold and the price was very fair. read more

Owner is extremely helpful in diagnosing issues and does excellent work. Very fair price and is willing to beat competitors. I have an older Honda and was told by another mechanic that the shocks needed to be replaced. Raymond looked at them and said they are fine. He's replaced tires and a bad wheel bearing on my car. Does quality work and in a very reasonable amount of time. read more

After years of being ripped off by dealerships and repair shops that don't know what they're doing, I've finally found a local repair shop that cares about its customers, does fantastic work and charges the least possible amounts. I met Raymond when he first opened his shop in 2014 and was at first a little skeptical of what kind of work he'd do. He instantly put me at ease by doing the work on time and at a cost far less than competing shops. He even let me borrow his own car to use for the day! If you live in the area, I highly recommend you give Old Center Auto Repair your business. You won't be sorry! read more

This was an awesome experience. The mechanic diagnosed the true cause of a squeaky noise (pully wheel) and fixed the issue. It was misdiagnosed at Firestone (they replaced the belt and then wanted to replace the water pump). I feel like I won the lottery finding an honest talented friendly mechanic. It's like finding a gem in the ocean. I will always take all my autos to this garage. read more

My father and I have been bouncing around from mechanic to mechanic never with any luck find a good guy. Once we met Ray (the owner) all our problems were solved. Ray is one of the most honest, kind, and trustworthy mechanics out there and you can tell he is very caring from the first time you meet him. You bring your car into the garage in North Reading, and you have it back in just a few days running better than ever. Ray actually let me take his own personal car to use for the day while he was working on mine, which has never happened to me before. Old Center Auto Repair in North Reading is now my family's go to garage when we have any and all car troubles. I highly recommend going here because you wont be disappointed at all. You will save so much time and money by doing business with Ray! read more

Don't go to old center auto in North Reading. They are the worst people I have ever met. Truck was there for 5 weeks. Nothing but lies. I had it towed out this morning and they could not even look at me. They told me they took it apart and found a bad cylinder head. I walked outside opened the hood and nothing was touched!! read more

Raymond is one of the most honest mechanics I have ever met. He is adept at diagnostics and repair. I go to him for everything. He never fails to quote a very fair price for only the work that is needed. He worked late on my car one night as I needed it early the next morning. I really can't say enough good things about him. read more