Fresh Pond Mobil

I had my inspections done here- never been to this place before, and my insurance company had listed FPM as one of the approved inspectors. Inspection went fine - all I needed were two headlights. (my car has two on each side). Eli mentioned I may need a new belt, and showed me the small cracks.. but didnt say it was pressing and didnt try to push me to get it done there. I asked for a quote on how much it might be, and he said around $70 total, which certainly didnt seem like a rip off. He was very personable/had a good sense of humor. I was not ripped off, not treated poorly, and I was in and out in a jiffy. Works for me. more

I've been going to Fresh Pond Mobil for over 10 years from when I was driving an old VW Rabbit to the New Nissan Maxima that I drive now. I've come to know Eli (the owner) and the mechanics as being fast, reliable and reasonably priced. One huge advantage is that you can just bring your car in and they will bend over backwards to get you back on the road as quickly as possible. In short, I don't take my car anywhere else and recommend them highly to anyone in need of car repair or maintenance. more

I have never taken my car to get repaired here however, my car died and it was so old that it was not worth fixing it. So it died on a major road and I called them and they said they are a car junk removal service. They came right away and took the car off my hands. There was no charge and the tow truck driver was very nice! more

This service station is run very well efficient, and i was shocked by their service. Quick, Organized, very Freindly people, and reasonable prices. I thoguht the service i needed on my car would take a day or two at least, not here, When i broguht it in on christmas eve it was takin care of in a matter of hours. I just took a walk around the Fresh Pond Reservoir, and had a cup of coffee at dunkin donuts. i'd have to say Two thumbs up. more

I took my 07 GMC yukon over to Eli's and I have to say the service was great and the price was great also! I needed new rotars and brake pads, ntb quoted me around $800.00 and Eli did it for me for half  of that! I needed a new bumper for my yukon Maaco wanted alil over a thousand and Eli did it for $785. and that included  new bk-up censor and painting. I have no complaints! and the eployees are always very nice. more

Fresh Pond Mobil is the only place I will take my cars for service from now on! I've always done all of the maintenance work on my own cars so I know a thing or two about labor, rates and part prices - and you have nothing to worry about with Fresh Pond Mobil. I had a major engine rebuild done by them recently and FPM: 1) was easily $1k cheaper than the initial garage that did a hack job at the diagnosis, 2) did the job very close to what they quoted and, 3) was consistently professional and pleasant to deal with - all he way from the guys pumping fuel to the guy behind the counter to Eli the owner. Given the current economic conditions a new car is not in my future so  I want to keep my cars running for as long as possible and I appreciate going to a garage like FPM that will notify me of what needs to be done to my car ti keep it safely on the road. more

this place is UNBELIEVABLE, and very convenient. was able to get an oil change and a new battery at 10 PM. I pulled up to get gas, and i found the bays open and the lights on, so i was a lil curious and i asked the employee on duty. and with a shock, they were open and decided to get my oil change, and the battery. being that i had to jumpstart my car a couple of times earlier this week. Highly reccomend this place. OH and the garage is also open on SUNDAYS in case u need like tires, batteries, o/c, etc. more

i first brought my car to another service station in arlington because of an oil leak (no minor leak) and they said i needed a new oil pan, and a couple other things to fix it and the total came out to be a little over $500, i flipped. I told them i am all set and left. but a couple weeks down the road, it got to the point where i checked my car's oil everyday and added constantly. So i brought it here (Fresh Pond Mobil), and they told me i needed a so called ""oil pan gasket"" and i was confused becuase the other shop tried selling me an oil pan and all that other crap. so i made up my mind and decided to change the gasket itself for a total of $80. and surprisingly it resolved the problem. to cut to the chase this place is very honest, and this is where my business will be going to from now on. more

I am sorry but I have to disagree with all of these reviews. I have taken my car to this station twice for repairs and an inspection. The owner Eli has been very nice and professional on both occassions. He had pointed out something that needed to be fixed in addition but did not pressure me to get it done and also told me that I did not need to get it fixed right away. If this guy was scamming he would have tried to get me to fix it right away before leaving. I would also believe that he has some sort of positive reputation as there are thank you letters all over the wall from customers and there is always a ton of cars there being worked on. more

Despite all the extremely negative reviews, I actually just had a great experience with Elie and Joseph. The transmission on my Saturn completely went, literally, with a bang, and all my fluid leaked out of the huge crack in the case. It was Sunday afternoon, and AAA gave me a free tow to a place near my house that was actually open: Fresh Pond Mobil. I gave them the quick scoop, and then went home. Monday morning, Elie gave me a call and told me I needed a new transmission. OK, I knew that. But then he gave me three options at three different prices all which were below what I had expected from researching online. He then ran a 14-pt check on the car. He pointed out that my fan belt was going--which I knew--and my battery terminals were corroded--which I also knew. He quoted prices which I knew were market-rate--and well below what the dealership would charge--and I approved the repairs. He also pointed out on the test drive that my struts were feeling soft, which I also knew, but I refused this repair since they're fine enough for me. I also needed an oil change--I knew that--and he topped off my gas tank. And the whole thing took three days. The entire bill ended up being less than I had expected after I realized my transmission was totally shot. And labor was included on all the prices. I suppose I'm just different than the other reviewers. I appreciate it when they point out things that need to be fixed. And I feel comfortable having them taken care of if they need it and not if they don't. Now my car runs great, there's a warranty on the repairs, and I know that I don't (or shouldn't) have to worry about things. I can see how people see Elie's recommendations as upsells, but you can always refuse them. more

Eli has always been good to me. I have brought several cars there and have never had a problem. I have called around to get pricing for many of the repairs I've had Eli do, and he is usually the most affordable. On top of that he does the work pretty efficiently. more

Eli fixed an electrical problem in our old car that had stumped another mechanic. He replaced a defective, rebuilt, part he had installed cheerfully and with no charge and very fast. Finally, maybe it is the lousy economy but suddenly the customer service at Fresh Pond Mobil has been very good indeed. more

Eli's Fresh Pond Mobil did a superior, speedy ""pit stop quality"" job fixing my car. I really don't think that his business would have expanded to the extent that is had by ""ripping people off."" The harsh reality is that I brought my used 1997 Honda in with 104,000 miles on it and with a very loud rusted out muffler system that needed immediate repair. And, I am not surprised that with the vast number of miles on the car, that my car had other repair issues with the number of miles on my car. Eli and his crew found ""a host of other problems"" that needed repairs and I gave him the ""green light"" to go forward. After the job was completed my exhaust system was fixed! (I could have a conversation in my car). My bushings, struts and shocks were replaced! (I had a more than noticeably smoother ride). My leaking rusted out oil pan reservoir was replaced. (Had I not replaced it, my engine could have seized and I might have had major timing belt issues in the future). All these issues were honestly explained prior to the repairs. The great part is that my car was finally repaired at a reasonable and competitive rate more

AMAZED!!!! can anyone find a place with a garage that was open on a NATIONAL holiday(martin luther king)? i know i did here in cambridge. sounds absurd, but it seems to me that these people are committed as to other comments and of course MINE. driving down RT.16/RT.2 or w/e it is, and i see the bay lights on, i had to stop and see if it really was true. and yup it was they were open. got an oil change, couple other minor things and bing out....quick service btw. P.S. to those other ppl who complain abt those wipers, i can c why they cost that much, best wipers i've ever had installed on my car. and they r NOT PLASTIC like those other cheapo ones more

This is the best place I have ever been to for car repairs. I have been bringing my family's vehicles to Fresh Pond Mobil for 5 years and Eli has been great. He is great at figuring out what the problem is and suggesting what to do. He will fix the problem I brought the car in for, and then tell me about any other problems I should be aware of. I want to know this. I want my wife and kids to be driving a safe vehicle that won't break down on the highway when it's moving at 60 MPH. His prices are great (fair and reasonable), he explains everything thoroughly and patiently, the work gets done quickly, he is very honest, and he remembers everything. I am very happy with all the repairs Eli has done and highly recommend this business and Eli. I have read the negative reviews and assume these were written by people who don't understand what's involved with making cars safe to drive and think they are being ripped off when additional repairs are suggested. For example, the customer who complained about their ""unnecessary"" ABS Brake Warning Light repair was wrong - a car with the ABS warning light on will not pass inspection, so spend the money and fix it; these are your brakes. They never should have bought a car with the ABS light on. If you want repairs done correctly and want to be told of any other problems, then Eli is great. It costs money to keep a car running so don't complain when you are told about additional needed repairs and then say you were pressured or ripped off. You always have the option of saying "" thanks but no thanks"". more

Our 2001 Lexus ES 330 wouldn't start last Sunday in the parking lot at the Fresh Pond Reservoir. It didn't seem to be the battery because the lights worked. The ignition would just click over and over. So I walked across the street to Fresh Pond Mobil and asked if they were Triple A and would tow the car to their garage. They said no, they were not triple Am and a tow would cost $30, unless they were paid to do the repair. A mechanic would be in on Monday and call me by 7:30 a.m. with a diagnosis. I called at 7:30 a.m. They said it was not just the battery but the battery and the starter--$300 for a Lexus starter; $109 for a new battery; and $130 for the labor. I said let me call my service people at Lexus in Watertown and check. They said it sounded legit and the price was less than Lexus would charge. I gave the go-ahead and the car was done and seemed fine by early afternoon. Joseph, the mechanic, was professional and lived up to his word. Not as smooth or friendly as Lexus but, then, probably a good deal less expensive. I have to trust that all the repairs were needed and done. (Come to think of it, they didn't show us the old starter, but then again my wife didn't ask to see it when the car was returned.) I'll write further if any problems develop but so far no complaints. Five stars in a pinch! more

Eli's Fresh Pond Mobil did a superior, speedy ""pit stop quality"" job fixing my car. I really don't think that his business would have expanded to the extent that is had by ""ripping people off."" The harsh reality is that I brought my used 1997 Honda in with 104,000 miles on it and with a very loud rusted out muffler system that needed immediate repair. And, I am not surprised that with the vast number of miles on the car, that my car had other repair issues with the number of miles on my car. Eli and his crew found ""a host of other problems"" that needed repairs and I gave him the ""green light"" to go forward. After the job was completed my exhaust system was fixed! (I could have a conversation in my car). My bushings, struts and shocks were replaced! (I had a more than noticeably smoother ride). My leaking rusted out oil pan reservoir was replaced. (Had I not replaced it, my engine could have seized and I might have had major timing belt issues in the future). All these issues were honestly explained prior to the repairs. The great part is that my car was finally repaired at a reasonable and competitive rate. Although I am no expert on cars (as most Yelp reviewers), it does not take a rocket scientist to realize the ""harsh reality"" of car repairs. I know that to most of the Yelp reviewers that it is a painful reality to spend money on their cars. My suggestion to Eli as a business owner is to turn away customers that ""believe"" that they are going to have any unnecessary repairs. Or, tell them to buy a new car. more

AMAZED!!!! can anyone find a place with a garage that was open on a NATIONAL holiday(martin luther king)? i know i did here in cambridge. sounds absurd, but it seems to me that these people are committed as to other comments and of course MINE. driving down RT.16/RT.2 or w/e it is, and i see the bay lights on, i had to stop and see if it really was true. and yup it was they were open. got an oil change, couple other minor things and bing out....quick service btw. P.S. to those other ppl who complain abt those wipers, i can c why they cost that much, best wipers i've ever had installed on my car. and they r NOT PLASTIC like those other cheapo ones more

I highly recommend Fresh Pond Mobile for any and all car repair needs. Elie and his employees are straight forward and honest. Elie told me what was wrong, how much it would cost, and how long it would take. I also had my timing belt replaced and he even showed me the belt after he replaced it. He was also concerned about my brakes and offered me a good price to fix them, which I will do in the very near future. They do not pressure you to get work done here. They will tell you what is wrong and you decide what you want done and when. Elie is very knowledgeable and will share his knowledge with you. Again, I would recommend Fresh Pond for all your car related issues. Rich D, Somerville. more

Well i am not surprised by all of the negative feedback. I took my car here two months ago to have an oil change. I waited and the manager came up to me sitting outside and said that my front brake pads were too low and needed to be changed. He also said that the rotor on the driver side needed to be turned. I was skeptical. I said to just change the oil. I took my car to Lexington Toyota and dropped it off for the 60,000 mile service. They did a complete service and i even said that i think the brakes need to be done. They came back and said that neither the pads nor the rotor needed any work. They said it was absurd for anyone to say they needed to be replaced. Beware of their tatics. I won't even buy gas here anymore. Chris more