This place is amazing! Murph is the smartest, friendliest and most capable mechanic I've ever worked with. He's honest, never overcharges me, and always makes an effort to save me money. I brought in my car and it looked terrible because I had left it outdoors all winter, and he fixed it up quickly and it now runs better than ever. Really amazing place. read more

I've been coming to Car Zone and Murph for years. Sadly, my car is old and infirm, and random stuff pops up all the darn time. Murph is both sweet and also like, "you again?!" whenever I show up. He's done a lot of quick repairs for me at no charge, and he's done some longer more in-depth repairs for a fair price. He's all about a quick/cheap fix as long as it's safe. Murph and Wade and the rest of the Car Zone folks are friendly and fair and I am eternally grateful to have a service place I can trust. read more

These guys are the best! I hit a pothole and caused some decent damage to my two passenger side tires and wheels. Murph was super helpful from the beginning on putting the best replacement parts in there and getting my car back to me as quick as possible, while also keeping me in the loop regularly throughout the process. Will be going back whenever I have any car issues...these guys are the best in town. read more

Good prices, very fast service, and friendly people. Definitely the best place I've been to in Cambridge/Somerville!

There's a reason why I am driving from Montreal Canada to Murph's garage in (now) Somerville, MA ---- and that's because he is simply the most awesome car mechanic ever. He has always and consistently done primo repairs on 2 of my cars, and the 2 times he couldn't do a certain repair, he sent me to specialist mechanics who also did a great job for a great price. In addition to being an A+ mechanic, his attention to the small (but very important) details amaze me (and probably everybody else who's written a review here). Couple of examples: he found that my tire had a nail in it. Pulled it out, patched it up in no time. And then would not charge me for it. He found a broken spring rattling around somewhere in my car - removed it, tested to make sure I was safe without it. Didn't charge me for it. There have been so many times he's done stuff like this that at one point I had to thrust money in his direction to go get lunch or something. And I've never had a repair job go bad. I'm ordering snow tires online, based on his recommendation several years back, and having them shipped to his garage to have installed. I've done this numerous times. I trust him with my new tires. I trust him with my cars. I trust him. The man is a complete and total gem of a guy and repair maniac. I don't think he takes vacations. He seems to live and breathe auto repair. You go see him, you'll be saying the same thing as everyone else here does. read more

Professional and attentive to customers. Easy to get an appointment/ no waiting time to get your car looked at. Open on Saturdays, unlike most of other places around the area. Definitely coming back for my next car maintenance. read more

Murphy is awesome, took my car to have a look at it on Saturday for the wheel bearing issue. Within few hours diagnosed and provided suggestion on what to do which is it's ok to drive the state car was in rather spending big money, another mechanic in Watertown wanted me to spend big money saying things like it's dangerous. Murphy and his team are so organized, I heard him talk to other customers and they are very friendly and on top of their game. If you have Japanese car Murph is your guy even if you need to wait read more

Murph, Alex, and the team are class acts. They are consistently friendly, work quickly, and truly just want to help people out. A rare gem and my go-to place! read more

Scenario 1: My 2009 Subaru starts to make a horrid rattling noise that audibly increases by the day. I realize I should probably address this issue when I find myself slinking lower in my seat at traffic lights and avoiding the stares of the drivers around me. Enter Car Zone. Murph takes my car in, inspects the general area where the noise is coming from and tells me to come over. He points to the location of the rattling, explains what it is, what that part is for and says it's a problem inherent in Subarus. The noise doesn't affect the performance of the vehicle but if I wanted to get it fixed, I could either take it to the dealer to do so (and it would be costly), or I could have someone i.e. my boyfriend fix it himself because Car Zone didn't have the right parts. He brings out the props. He gesticulates to my boyfriend. Boyfriend nods after a few minutes of explanation. Murph sends us on our way. 1 week later, my boyfriend has successfully DIY-fixed the source of the rattle. Scenario 2: We are on our way up to Maine when the check engine light comes on. Panicking, we call Murph and drive 45 mph on the highway to Car Zone ignoring the people cursing us from behind. What's the issue? Loose gas cap. Murph screws it back on and sends us on our way. Scenario 3: Brake light comes on. I've also been told by Valvoline that my car battery is low. Murph finds that my car has low brake fluid (which Valvoline should have checked/refilled) and he tops it off. He says the kind folks at Valvoline are kindly trying to rip me off, there's nothing wrong with my battery. Sends us on our way. Scenario 4: Check engine light comes on. Again. I tighten the gas cap, which doesn't do it. Murph tightens the gas cap and the check engine light yields to his power. "Happy holidays. I hope I don't see you for a long time," says Murph, and sends me on my way. Did I mention that he never asked for a penny for these services? I've been to my fair share of sleazy, dishonest mechanics and I cannot emphasize enough how amazing it is to finally FINALLY find a car mechanic that's patient, friendly, and above all, honest to its customers. Murph and his team at Car Zone gets 5 star ratings from almost 200 reviews for good reason. As long as Murph is around (and I hope/pray that he will stay in the Boston area forever), I refuse to get my car serviced anywhere else. read more

I just back from Car Zone. The owner Alex and the mechanic Ali are the nicest people I ever met in a body shop. Alex helped me for changing an exhausted light bulb and charged me nothing. I felt some warm at that time in Boston winter. read more

Really nice guys, however, the estimate they gave me was double what I paid just 20 min outside of the city. They had the highest estimate by far (called all around the Boston area), I literally almost scrapped my car because of it. Again, really nice people, and I'm sure they do fine work, but I would encourage you to check around for the best price after getting your estimate. read more

It's a small shop in a back alley with the best service. Murph fixed one issue (windows wouldn't go up) without charging (by just pushing on the right part of the door--seriously!) and told me there was nothing wrong with my car and to go home. Of course when something did go wrong--headlights needed replacing--I came right back. I didn't have time to go over anything and I really didn't have time for anything to go wrong when I dropped the car off but Murph and his team took care of everything very quickly. Straightforward, honest, and top-notch service--I really appreciate it and definitely highly recommend this shop. Thank you! read more

The guys at Car Zone are amazing ... they are my regulars for oil changes. It's refreshing to know that there are still HONEST car mechanics out there. I went in today for an oil change and asked if they could snap my bumper back into place, something that I knew would cost me if I took it to a dealer ... they did it for free with my oil change, without even a mention of paying them extra -- much appreciated Car Zone!! Go here if you are close by, you will not be disappointed. The dunkin across the street is a huge plus too :o) read more

I had to make a cross-country road trip and thought I needed new brake pads so I took my car here because of the great Yelp reviews. I'm always very weary of getting ripped off when it comes to getting car maintenance and repairs but Murph was AWESOME! He told me "I could take your money and replace them but you don't need them yet". UNHEARD OF! I got an oil changed and he checked my car out to make sure I'd have a safe trip and sent me on my way. AMAZING SERVICE and incredibly kind staff! GO HERE! read more

Brought car in to address the check engine light. Apparently it was a faulty reading due to a filter. The crew not only fixed it, they didn't charge me for it. read more

I was skeptical of all the good reviews at first but after doing business with Car Zone I know they're all true. I went there with my Subaru sounding and driving like it was in need of some serious repairs. Within an hour of dropping the car off Murph called me and said I could spend 1200-1400 dollars on a new exhaust pipe and cat or I could try having an exhaust place weld it up for much cheaper. He told me if it was his car he would try having it fixed before replacing the parts. At the end of the day I spent 20 bucks and my car is running great. Really impressed with his service to say the least. read more

I'm a new customer to Car Zone and I couldn't be happier with my experience! I had to fix my front bumper after it popped off when I hit a curb. Not only were they generous, warm, and kind, they immediately took my car in without question. My bumper was fixed within minutes! The bottom piece of my bumper is cracked from hitting the curb, and when I asked about it, they were honest with me and told me it wasn't necessary to fix. They could've easily charged me to have the crack fixed, but they were honest and told me it was only a cosmetic feature. Not only that, they didn't even charge me at all! I will definitely be returning here for all my future car needs! read more

I joined yelp specifically because I felt so strongly about this place and wanted to write them an outstanding review. As a young female, I have been targeted by mechanics for years and have learned not to trust any of them, often getting second or third opinions to make sure they weren't trying to dupe me. However, Car Zone has proven to be the exception. A truly honest and friendly mechanic does exist, and his name is Murph. He and his whole team are professional, straightforward, respectful, easy to talk to, and extremely nice to top it all off! They will tell you they're in the business of making money but are completely forthright in telling you if the issue is not critical or necessary. My car had a creaky noise from the wheel. Murph told me if it were his car he would not bother replacing the part; it was safe to drive and would be fine for many years to come, just needed a little WD40. I found their honesty quite refreshing. I am very grateful to have finally found a good mechanic, and I will never bring my car anywhere else. read more

I would recommend this car repair shop to anyone, especially anyone with a Honda or Accura. Not only are they extremely knowledgeable about car repair, they are also very honest. They replaced the hydraulic cylinders in my 1996 Honda Accord's clutch system and did a fantastic job at a fair price. They completed the repair about 4 hours after I dropped the car off. The owner showed me the broken parts that came out of the car and described what went wrong when I picked up the car. Again, I give these guys the highest rating because they really are that good. read more

Great place to get your car serviced. I've been coming to Car Zone for over 18 years (started coming back when it was called Honda Zone). Murph is really knowledgeable, very funny and nice, and super honest. Can't say enough good things about him. I've referred many friends to him over the years, and they've all had a similar experience. Wade is great too! read more

I brought my PT Cruiser in because it had been making this squeal sound when it started up for months now and I could finally afford to fix it. These guys were nice, friendly, helpful, they did exactly what they said they would do without charging me anything crazy. I'm new to the area and only here for a short while and read all their Yelp reviews so I decided to come here. I have an emissions test coming up and had them check it over then they gave me a place to get it tested and told me who to ask for when I take it to get it tested. I'm beyond happy with this. As a single woman sometimes it's hard to go to a mechanic because they often won't take you seriously or will charge you like crazy. They definitely were respectful. 11/10 would recommend. I'm almost sad to leave because I don't want to have to find another good and fair priced mechanic, they're few and far between these days. read more

My CRV was continually dying after turning over, particularly when it was cold outside. I took it to several mechanics who either said nothing was wrong, they couldn't figure it out, or tried something that didn't fix it then charged me an arm and a leg. I took it to Murph on a recommendation from one of the mechanics I had been dealing with. Murph opened up my car three times to figure out the problem, followed my suggestions on what I thought the problem was, and refused to charge me until I had drive the car for two weeks to make sure the fix worked. He thoroughly explained everything that was happening with the car, and was extremely nice and honest. He even had me bring the car back for an additional tune up as part of the original fix he did. Never going to any other mechanic! read more

The hype is true: I had a slow leaking tire, brought it in around 9 am without an appointment, and they patched it for free in 5 minutes. Free, I say! Thank you CarZone. read more

THE best auto repair shop in the Boston area. Got referred to Murph by a colleague and I have been there ever since! Unlike other repair shops you never feel like you're being ripped off. Unlike other repair shops he doesn't charge you just to take a look...Unlike other repair shops...Whenever he feels like someone has more knowledge about a specific thing he tells you where to go..but don't get me wrong...he knows his stuff!...In short...Whatever car you have...go to Murph and forget ever being ripped off by any other repair shop...cause you will never go anywhere else than Car Zone! read more

Amazing service! I had a nail in my tire, so I came to Car Zone to see if they could patch it or help me with a new tire. I was in and out with 10 or 15 minutes! They patched the tire, checked my spare, put the tire back on, checked all my tires, and I was on my way. Dealing with car repairs is usually a stressful experience for me, but they were absolutely wonderful. I'll definitely bring my car back there for future problems. read more

Best, most honest, friendly shop I've ever taken my car to. Murph is great. He explains everything in detailed, understandable terms and goes the extra mile to inspect other areas of your car. It's extremely hard to find a hard-working, knowledgeable and honest mechanic- do yourself a favor and make him yours. read more

I've been taking my car to Car Zone since 2001, when it was still known as the Honda Zone, after another repair shop installed a wrong battery into my car. I can't say enough good things about Murph and his crew. When discussing repairs, he is very upfront about what should be fixed now and what can wait - he has done it for both myself and others in my presence. Nothing he has fixed for me ever broke again. Feel he has good prices - cheaper than others when I called to compare. Also always available on the phone with advice. Highly recommend. read more

I had a slow leak in one tire. The guys at Car Zone quickly fixed it. Best part was they didn't charge me a thing. I'll be back when my car needs real work done. read more

Murph is awesome! He gives it to you straight and is honest! He provided me with alternative options that saved me money and turned it around quickly. Thanks again Murph for the great work, would highly recommend, and will be coming back. read more

I am long overdue in writing this review. I took my car here for all my repairs and maintenance during the 9 years I lived in Cambridge/Somerville, with just a brief stint at Alewife Automotive when I moved to a place a bit farther away from Murph's. You will love working with Murph because he is a good honest soul and car expert, as are his staff. For repairs he uses only brand new parts, the pricing is reasonable and the service quick. Once when I was in grad school and was super swamped with work I took my car in for an oil change and Murph noticed my inspection was due and had it taken care of for me by the time I got my car back. You won't regret getting to know him and giving him your business. I only wish Murph had a Car Zone out here on the west coast. read more

another great experience at Car Zone. Friendly, fast, and I didn't have to pay an arm and a leg to get my power steering line replaced. murph is THE MAN read more

My car wouldn't start after I arrived at work in downtown Boston on Friday afternoon. I was a bit panicked, as my regular mechanic was 40 minutes away and having the car towed there would have been super expensive. I searched online and found Car Zone, only 3 miles away with fabulous ratings so I gave it a chance. Called and spoke with someone at about 5:20pm letting them know that my car wouldn't start and it would be towed there later that evening. I called at 8:30am on Saturday morning and spoke with Murph, who let me know the car needed a new battery and cable. He quoted me $180, which is pretty inexpensive for new parts and labor. He let me know that the car would be ready at about noon. He then called me at 11am and said the car was ready early! I was really happy with both the service, work and efficiency. I am glad to know that there is a good mechanic nearby in case of emergencies!! Thank you to Murph & team. read more

This shop is the best. Friendly staff, quick service, fair prices. I won't go anywhere else in the Cambridge/Boston area.

Phenomenal. I had a tire leak, and brought it in with only a short phone call beforehand. They fixed it in about 10 minutes. Just fantastic service. read more

After reading all the reviews I decided to try Car Zone. I had visited a local gas station/ mechanic shop and got my oil changed. The technician had a list of repairs my car needed including new brakes. With only 23,000 miles I wanted to make sure so I brought the car to Car Zone. Glad I did, Murf says your brakes are fine, no charge. Wouldn't it be great if all businesses operated this way? What the dishonest ones fail to realize is they would have MORE business, people do catch on. I will be going to Murf's place from now on and recommending to family and friends. read more

Highly recommend! Very helpful mechanics, extremely accommodating to my schedule, and was able to get my car fixed faster than I could have ever expected. By far the best experience I've ever had with a mechanic. Would give six stars if that was an option! Ask for Murph, he's so helpful! read more

I would 100% recommend this place. I called them at 1:30 pm for a tire repair emergency. They were closing at 2:00 pm and still took care of it for me. They could not have been nicer and they saved me a lot of stress. I will definitely be going back. Thank you Car Zone!! read more

Car Zone is by far the best mechanic I have ever worked with. Murph is honest, intelligent, and totally interested in working with the customer to safely repair cars while not spending astronomical amounts of money. He is always out to help the customer out, is fast and efficient in service and communication, and I am so relieved I found him in Somerville. read more

I have a subaru wrx. I wanted to replaced my low beam headlights and also get an oil change. He did bring me in fairly quickly despite the unprofessional speak over the phone. You may ask why do I need this guy to install my headlights....1) because one of my lights is a pain to install if you do it right....2) because I hate it when people have misaligned headlights. So i brought it in.....he charged me 60 bucks and did it in about an hour. I drove off and during the daytime...i could tell the lights were misaligned..immediately. One light was COMPLETELY off. I then went back and had him fix it. He did, but I saw the way he installed the "pain" light...it was not the correct way, kind of a makeshift way to do it and I didn't like that... apparently to align the lights correction all you have to do is make sure it's seated properly in this "pocket" in my lighting socket......once he fixed it and I saw how easy it was for him ...i did not think he should have charged me 30 dollars for the service due to the 2 minutes it took him to redo the job. Then again, still probably cheaper than anywhere else. My low review is due to the laziness in checking his work...it would have taken one peak at the lights with the car on to know they weren't aligned right. Pricing is still fair despite my complaining. read more

Murph and staff were friendly and helpful. Took a car I was looking to buy in for an inspection with little notice. I called 3 other shops (with good reviews as well) but they were ALL booked solid for the week. I'm used to shops in the NYC area being able to see you that day. The diagnoses for the car were quick and accurate. Which comes from years of experience seeing thousands of cars. Went over prices and options for repairs that my car needed. All the prices were fair. Would happily recommend them to others. Thanks guys! read more