Mecca Motors

These guys are a rare gem. I’ll be taking my VW to them until its very last mile. Drop the car off, take the bus to work, get a call around lunch with a detailed explanation and quote, give the OK, pick up the car after work — and it drives beautifully again. No nonsense — quick, easy, and excellent service!
Not to mention, the price was the most fair and honest quote I’ve ever received for car work. No ambiguous fees, no nonsense, just a part replacement and the labor time needed to do it.
I came here because of the flawless ratings; I almost thought they were somehow cooking their reviews or something. They’re not. After bringing my car to them twice, it’s clear that the customer loyalty is justified.

I’ve been going to Chuck and crew for service for over 30 years. The only reason I could keep my last car for 20 years was Mecca Motors. I can always count on them for good analysis, detailed work, reasonable prices and best of all, they never make up anything you don’t need. This is not a fancy place, but it works. You may be able to reserve a car while yours is being repaired. I am not a relative, but sometimes I feel like one.

Not much on writing reviews, but this place deserve one. Ever since in bought my 2003 Saab vector 9 – 3 a few years back, most auto shop try to take advantage of it by triple the prices of repairs, since the make is discontinued. But at this place I pay the exact price, sometimes cheaper if they have any spare parts running around. Thanks for everything Chuck and staff.

I had taken our backup car, a 2003 9 – 3 Vector with 6 speed manual, to the local Volvo/​Saab dealership for a series of issues and was dismayed by the cost, so I let the car sit for a while. Then I read on the Saab forums about Mecca Motors.
As a mechanical engineer by training (but one who travels too much to work on my own car), I love these guys! Reasonable cost estimates, alternate diagnoses, excellent workmanship. They looked over the entire car, assessed systems and reviewed the status with me, giving me the confidence to invest in a vehicle with over 130,000 miles on it. The car drives great again! When I had a subsequent problem with a repair item, they stood by their work and took care of me. We are fortunate to have a mechanic that we can trust!
The forums are right, if you live in Boston/​Cambridge, I think there’s no better place to take your Saab for repairs… in fact, we started taking our Volvo there too.

It is an awesome place. I got my Volvo repaired at a decent price and timely manner. The staff is really friendly and supportive. Definitely will come back when I need help! Thanks Mecca Motor.

This story dates back more than 20+yrs. Got a mid 80’s Saab 900s somewhen around 1993 and had some weird probs. Since i’ve always been a DIY’er I just needed the diagnosis. Chuck did that and then aft I told him I’d prob keep up the Saab myself he offered to sell me some of his Factory Svc manuals (I’d been looking for some and they were very hard to get) at an extremely reasonable cost. Well those steel jacketed manuals let me keep that old Saaby on the road for quite a few years. I actually still have the manuals and wanna drop by and just give them back to these guys bcs they’d really helped me out back then. I am glad to see they are still around and garnering so many stellar reviews and people are using them. Keep up the great work and the rep! Should I ever acquire another Saaby I will bring it around as needed !

I have been bringing my Saab to Chuck since I moved back to Boston two years ago. He was recommended to me by a fellow coworker with a Saab and now he’s the only guy in Boston I’ll trust my car with. Chuck and his son are both fantastic to work with on diagnostics and repairs. They talk to me like I’m an actual human being instead of talking down to me because I’m a woman, which is AWESOME and greatly appreciated! I love that they have loaner cars as well.

Awesome place and great guys… My car died and the dealer told me the only thing that could be done was rebuild the engine and it was over $ 7000 to fix… I called around a few places and he was like «oh sure it just needs [some part]»… $ 250 later my car is back to normal… Definitely making them my mechanic when needed

I made an appt and stopped in here a few weeks ago with my A3, and Chuck was busy but still took the time to look into and fix my problem. He was honest, fast, and efficient. My previous MM visit was also positive.
I was going here when it was Wooding’s Garage, and the transition has been smooth. Yes, I would recommend Mecca Motors.

I have been bringing my Saabs here for 20 years. This is simply the best indie Saab shop in metro Boston. Chuck is prompt and honest. He has a quality that I admire. He absolutely refuses to speculate on what the problem might be until he looks at the car. Saabs (Something Almost Always Broken), are over-​engineered and complicated. I have been to shops that just plain got things wrong. Never here. With my older, high mileage Saabs, Chuck has been willing to work with me on aftermarket, rebuilt or used parts. He has free loaners too (most of which are in better shape than my car). Paying for car repairs sucks. Somehow I always feel that my car should never have problems and it always feels like a rip off. Chuck makes it a lot less painful.

Mecca Motors is fantastic. I went in last week to have windshield washer fluid pump installed on my 2003 Saab 9 – 3. The guys were personable, thorough, and affordable. I had gone to a dealer to get a pricing for the job that Mecca completed and Mecca came out close to $ 700.00 cheaper. They are fantastic and friendly. I’ll be using these guys often.

I took my daughter’s Saab day after Christmas for suspension work and miscellaneous non critical items that I needed to addressed. I am a car enthusiast and wrench myself when time permits.
Mecca Motors diagnosis were consistent with mine and the work was done on time as estimated as indicated by Chuck. I like the fact that they are flexible as I had some parts that I had lying around for when I had time but there was no reluctance to install them.
Will definitely be back for future maintenance work on the Saab.

Mecca motors is the one mechanic shop I trust 100%. Although Mecca motors’ hourly rate is high, but I have learned it the hard way that most cheap places try to make you pay a little more by making you fix unnecessary things. This is not the case with chuck at Mecca motors.
Chuck is 100% clear about the costs and will call you before doing anything to confirm it with you. If something doesn’t need to be changed, he won’t do it.
About Saabs, I should say again, Chuck knows what he’s doing. Don’t take your Saab to any mechanic, they’ll screw it up. Take to Mecca and you’ll be happy.

Ok, I see I am the only one who had this experience, and I wish I didn’t. I want the experience that Julie W had, but this time I left very confused about the the service I had been getting.
Ive been going to Mecca Motors for at least 10 yrs with 3 different SAABs. Chuck is a really nice guy, very pleasant and I never had an inkling that he was dishonest in any way, but this last visit shook my faith.
I brought my 11 yr old SAAB in to fix the squeaky breaks and louder than usual exhaust… and a few other small things. He called me with the quotes for the fixes as he usually does. I opted to have the breaks fixed, but save the exhaust for the next paycheck. He said my exhaust system was completely rusted out and should be replaced entirely for cost of $ 800. When I picked up the car is seemed ok, but a louder than i remembered when I dropped it off. Not that big a deal. After it sat in the driveway overnight, I got in it to drive it to work and it was LOUD!!! I mean really loud! I have never let my car get this loud with an exhaust problem. The noise was coming from the front rather than the back as it was when I originally brought it in. Everything in the front seat was vibrating when I accelerated. There was no way I was going to be able to drive it this way for a month until I got paid again.
I called Chuck right away and insisted that he do something that I could afford to tide me over because this was unacceptable. I didn’t care if it was 20 yrds of duct tape, but I needed something. When I brought it in, he said «I told you so.» Well that made me feel better… NOT. He said it might be the front something or other that he could fix for $ 300. I said fine, I could live with that.
I come to find out when he calls me back with the quote, that he was able to fix it with a clamp of some kind for $ 65. I picked it up and it’s purring like a kitten.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!? The day before he said I needed the whole exhaust replaced for $ 800 and then when I brought it back in and asked for an alternative, it was fixed for $ 65? I had to bring it in twice and demand he find a alternative rather than him offering one. Did he even look at my car himself the first time? Did he just take his mechanics word for it that it needed a whole new exhaust system? Did the mechanic screw with it so he could say «I told you so» and I’d have to opt for the $ 800 fix? If I had had the money, I would have paid that and had him replace the entire system. Good thing I actually didn’t have the money this time!
In all my years going there, he’s rarely offered me a low cost alternative. I just had him fix whatever needed fixing however it needed fixing for whatever it costs. What do I know? I don’t know anything about cars. I trusted him.
Now I wonder how many things I paid hundreds of dollars for in the past that could have been fixed for a lower cost alternative.
I’m really sorry Chuck, I was very unhappy with this past experience and I’m willing to bet your other customers will be very surprised when they read this review. and I’m still baffled as to what really happened.
I can’t wait to get rid of this car that I have a love/​hate relationship with. I will NEVER buy another SAAB again. It’s too fragile, too eccentric, and too expensive to fix.

I LOVE MECCA MOTORS!
Ok.I’ll admit I am not happy when I have to use Mecca Motors. but only because it means my ’97 saab needs repair and I’m, as a result, taking the god-​awful 66 bus in the rain (why does it always rain when my car is in the shop?!).
Anyway, the guys at Mecca do an awesome job. Both times I have needed something fixed it has been an emergency– car broke down and left me stranded, and they have taken the car right away.
They are honest about what the car needs and both times I’ve dropped off the car they’ve offered a low-​cost alternative to bandaid the problem if I can’t afford the to completely fix the problem. (If you know anything about how expensive saabs are to repair you would really appreciate this!) The mechanics are also very vocal about how long the «bandaid» will last and when I will probably need to fix the problem entirely.
I would 100% recommend Mecca Motors! Great customer service and excellent work.

Can’t say enough good things about Mecca Motors. I trust them, which is the most important thing. They do great work, quickly. I went to them in the 90s with my old Saab which they kept on the road for years, and now am back with my old Volvo.

Put everything else you read aside. Just answer this question: How would you like to take your car to someone that you think you can trust?
That’s really the whole story. Good work, a fair price, and honesty. You can’t beat it.
Watched my friend get her SAAB fixed here for years. Always fair, always up front with her about what was — and what wasn’t! — wrong, and the work was always done well.
When I found out they’d take my Passat, I jumped on it. Walked in with a list of 5 things to look at. Chuck fixed four and told me not to waste my money (or probably his time!) on the fifth.
Can’t beat it. Almost makes me look forward to having to go back!

Chuck and his team are truly as good as it gets. Totally honest, and they never give you the impression that they are looking to stretch out a job to make an extra buck.
I would highly recommend people bring their Saab (or any other European car) to Mecca Motors. They will not dissapoint.

I don’t have a SAAB anymore but if you do, this is the place to go if you live in the Boston area. Chuck is a pro and totally trust worthy. I had a Saab for about five years and Chuck always took care of me and did it honestly, quickly and professionally. I highly recommend this garage.

I drive a Saab… yea, I know, I’m a weirdo.
I love my car but sometimes it doesn’t love me back and decides to fall apart on me. Granted it’s never catastrophic but it’s still a pain in the ass when it happens.
Chuck, the owner, and the guys at Mecca, Alex, another Chuck, and I forget the older gentleman’s name, are amazing. They all have decades of experience with these quirky Swedish cars and you can tell that they really do love the brand. It’s a real hole in the wall and there are probably a few holes in their walls but if the work is good and the price is right, what else matters?
I’ve been taking my Saab here since I bought her a few years back. They’ve done everything from oil changes, to suspension work, to replacing my turbo. And everything has been done expertly, on time, and for hundreds cheaper than Charles River Saab charges. That’s all I need. Ohh, and if you need a loaner, just let Chuck know ahead of time and he’ll set you up with a classic. like the 91 9000 I got. That was a pretty cool experience.
I recommend these guys for anything that your Saab might have wrong with it. I guess they do other Euro brands like BMW’s (eew) now as well. I’d give them more stars but Unilocal won’t let me. I guess Unilocal is a Volvo driver.