John is an experienced and insightful mechanic and Catalano automotive is a great place to bring your car for service. After purchasing a used 2025 BMW 540i, I noticed a persistent grinding noise from the brakes at low speeds. I took it to the dealership as it is under warranty. They confirmed the noise but told me that the pads were recently replaced and they can't help me. I called John and described the issue and John asked me to bring it the next day. Although he could not reproduce the noise during inspection, based on my description, he suspected the problem was due to second tier BMW brake pads and recommended replacing them with OEM pads and he gave me a very competitive price. I hesitated a bit given that the pads on it were only 2 months old but then decided to trust his judgment, and he was absolutely right. Once the OEM pads were installed, the brakes became completely silent. The difference was immediate and dramatically improved my driving experience. John was professional, honest, and clearly knowledgeable. I highly recommend Catalano Automotive to anyone looking for reliable, expert automotive service. read more

This garage was great! My daughter was home for holiday break and we discovered she had a hole in the muffler. I called and owner said bring it in and fixed it that day! read more

I feel that I have to create a Yelp account to leave my review. Earlier this month, a dealership tech claimed that my front brake pads were at 4/32 and recommended "having them replaced after the snow season for $900, give us a call when you are ready," while passing me a hefty bill for the factory-recommended service and state inspection. When I was seeking for a second opinion, John performed a thorough diagnosis after lifting the vehicle, noticing uneven wear on my front brake pads--a detail easily missed by careless mechanics who only check the outer pads. In my case, the inner pads were low (see attached), and ignoring such an issue may lead to serious problems like a brake piston leak or losing braking power in snowy conditions within several weeks. There is no doubt that a brake job needs to be done within the snow season. John also noted that the uneven wear indicated the brake rotors may need replacement, along with a complete brake system inspection and maintenance. With extensive experience working on European vehicles (unlike many mechanics who primarily handle Chevys and Toyotas), John assured me before the service that he would inspect the pistons and caliper guide pins for possible clogs or leak and ensure that all parts are properly lubricated. While many mechanics rush through brake jobs, John's attention to detail shows his genuine care to his customers' safety. John's labor fee is reasonable given his experience in the field. The replacement parts are OEM with a comparable price to European car parts distributors such as FCP Euro (~$350-$400). As a bonus, John's loaner car is a hidden gem--a luxury SUV I seriously dreamed of owning as a child. If I need to drive my car, which is equipped with a manual transmission, all the way up Mt. Washington Auto Road once again with my wife sitting on the passenger's seat, I will send my car to John for inspection in advance. read more

Catalano Automotive Repair - Use engine brake when you are on your way down the road! - Oil Change Stations Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

See all

My husband's car didn't start, so he had it towed to Catalano Automotive Repair. Not only did he fix the alternator, but the AC that hadn't worked for several years now is working beautifully. I just took my car in to be serviced, and he found a rodent nest in the fan, cleaned it out, and now my heat is working a lot better than before. He is a very nice man to do business with and I am very pleased with his thorough work and vast knowledge of cars. read more

Very professional, very helpful and very reasonably priced...very dependable and so honest!

John is a great mechanic -- but equally as important, he's super honest and fair, as well. I had brought my wife's 12 year old car to Catalano Auto about a year ago when it needed suspension work. John completed the work quickly and at a fair price. A few weeks ago, the same (now) 13 year old car needed exhaust work. We brought the car to John for a diagnosis. When we made the arrangements to drop the car off, we told him, honestly, that we weren't sure if we'd have the work done or not if the cost of repair was too high--as the car's diminished value might cause that not to make economical sense. John called a few hours after we dropped it off with some bad news -- the repair would cost $1700 at a minimum. John was understanding that we were now in a tough place and needed time to evaluate whether or not to repair...he even agreed to hold the car for us for a bit while we weighed our options. Ultimately, we decided not to repair the vehicle as it made more financial sense to trade it in in its current state. If we had decided to repair the car, we would have had zero doubt in our decision to have John complete the repairs. I would VERY HIGHLY recommend John! read more

Very convenient and friendly service... they took me right in to plug and patch a flat tire. I even got a quick look over and am happy to go back.. I didnt feel pressured. I have been to other places and felt talked down to. Services very much appreciated... read more

This is the secondtime I used Catalano for repairs on my heating system. First on our used Audi that even Audi dealers couldn't seem to fix properly and then on my used Flex 2015. Quick service well done and reasonable prices. Audi dealerships are ridiculous. Easy to get an appt to right before Thanksgiving. Can't recommend them highly enough Give them at try read more

John is terrific to work with, very knowledgeable and accommodative in scheduling repair. He and team repaired my GMC Sierra, recommended essential tune up work and dropped my truck in my driveway (close proximity). Great shop. read more

I love this shop because they are knowledgable, and most importantly honest. I was willing to pay $1100 for a strut job, but the owner insisted I did not unless it was absolutely necessary. He even helped me find the warranty agreement I had with jeep to see if it would be covered, then wrote a note describing his diagnosis for me to bring to Jeep since only they could cover the repairs under warranty. John could have easily gotten the money from me but was honest and went above and beyond to make sure I got the best deal for the best price. They do great service, efficiently, and for a reasonable price. 10/10 would recommend this place. read more

I've had my brakes done and my timing belt and water pump replaced by Catalano Auto. John does business as it's supposed to be done. Fast, professional, fair pricing and no BS. I recommend this shop to everyone who asks. read more

Appeared professional at first, but first charged an unusually high fee just to determine that the engine in my car was busted, then tried to charge me double the normal market price of a used engine for that car. When I got a more reasonable quote from another mechanic, he refused to allow the tow truck to take my car until I payed him his diagnostic fee, which I had already agreed to pay. Overall impression of a smug and untrustworthy guy, out for profit. read more

Needed to diagnose a check engine light and rough performance. Catalano was able to fit me into a tight schedule on short notice. I was able to drop the car off and he gave me a loaner car for the duration of the service. On the same day, I got a diagnosis and a fair quote. They were able to get my car finished the next day and running great. I highly recommend Catalano Auto Repair and would return for additional services in the future. read more

Professional and knowledgeable! This company is the BEST! Topnotch mechanics and John the owner is great!!!

John was super accommodating and got me in the same day to fix my crunching brakes. I found him on yelp and had to leave a review for others as my experience was top notch! I called at 830am, dropped the car off at 1030am and had it back, good as new by 5pm. He was flexible, informative of what was happening throughout the day and made me feel that I wasn't being taken advantage of not having much car knowledge. Pricing was very fair! I will go back in a heartbeat from now on for any future repairs! Thanks so much, John! read more

I have now lived in the metro Boston area for over a year and have used Catalano Auto twice. On each occasion, I have found John's facility, attention to detail, and customer relations to be nothing short of superb. John and his team provided fast, honest, and cost conducive opinions on brake rotor and pad repair during our first interaction. More recently, during graduate school finals week, John answered the call after rats opted to chew apart my SUV's wiring harness. Once again, John provided open and honest courses of action not only on the repair work but also on suggested towing companies. 11 out of 10. Great small business. Great service. Great loaner car. read more

John is as honest a mechanic as it gets. I recently moved, but still take the 30+ min drive to him because once you find a good mechanic you'll never go elsewhere. I've recommended him to friends and family and he's never let me down. Always works to meet the needs of his clients schedules, while maintaining the up most professional standards. Conveniently located just off exit 19B on 95 in Needham. read more

Have had multiple repairs done on my vehicle. Quick, honest and reliable service. The dealer told me i needed parts replaced, John was able to find the real problem and solve it without parts. Finally my car has stopped rattling!!! About a month later....all is still good. Awesome work! Would recommend to anyone needing a good shop! read more

Once Again John did not disappoint! Had to have some exhaust work done on my Audi and He did a great job. Car runs great and sound as good as new. read more

I live in CT and was traveling for work. I called to have my brakes looked at hoping/praying they could get me in and out rather quickly. Not only, did they diagnose the issue, but repaired it by before my meeting was over and also at very fair price! I wouldn't recommend waiting until the last minute like I did, but highly recommend them! Wish they were closer to me so I could use more often. In addition, they followed up to make sure everything was working well (which is unheard of these days). read more

I was happy with the service I received at Catalano auto. Accommodating, fast, professional. I will come here again in the future.

John is amazing!! He's very knowledgeable and I trust him completely to do what's best for me and to do that well! I've been coming here since he opened and I will be a customer for as long as I have cars to service. Thanks so much for your excellent service! read more

My experience here has been outstanding. John will put you at ease by letting you know clearly what he'll be doing so you won't have to guess if your car is getting the right stuff! I love my car and always want to keep it 100% so this is very important to me. Prices are fair and quoted turn around times have been spot on. I'll continue to bring my car and my family's cars here without a doubt! read more

Was referred to John by coworkers. Called the day before, and went in to have some headlights replaced that required the bumper to be removed. John then called and alerted me that my tires were in critical condition, and was a safety concern. He recommended them to be replaced as it wouldn't pass inspection this month. He sent pictures of the tires, and i was surprised that the issue wasn't brought up by other mechanics in previous oil changes. They replaced all tires, lights, and even cleaned my car inside and out. Total cost was fair if not less than other places. Thank you John and everyone that worked on my car. Will definitely be back, but hope I don't need to :) good customer service, quality work! read more

I agree with all the other reviews here. John is easy to talk with and communicates very clearly. Prices are more than fair. He and his team fixed up our 2011 Volvo XC70 which was having some suspension component issues and now it drives as good as new. Will be coming back! read more

GMC front hub failed late on a Saturday night while traveling. Tow service showed up after midnight and I directed them to Catalano Automotive. I just took a chance based on reviews from a couple of different web sites. I made a good choice. John was surprised to find the vehicle outside of his business on Monday morning, but worked me right into his schedule. Repairs were correctly completed within two days at a fair price. No upsale in any way. I appreciate his honesty and communication. Thanks! read more

Brought my car in, wasnt starting, but there wasnt a clear issue. Catalano Auto took the time and figured out and fixed the problem. They communicated clearly with me throughout the process. They build that trust, and I will be using them again for sure! read more

Highly recommend. I found John to be very personable, honest and helpful. Called me before doing work to explain situation.

We recently moved to Needham, and we had repairs from our previous mechanic that still didn't resolve the issue. Given the reviews I saw here, figured John was worth a shot. And he delivered! It's great that you can request an appointment via the website, which is super convenient. He kept me up to date with phone calls throughout the day. The repairs were done on time. And best of all he was able to fix the issue that my previous mechanic could not. Highly recommended! read more

I read reviews on Yelp and then had a great experience with John at Catalano Auto Repair. I filled out the form on his website to get an estimate on brakes. He called me promptly and gave me a very fair estimate. Even better he could fit my car in the next day. He was very courteous on the phone and called to check in with me midday to fill me in on progress. I have an older BMW wagon that is off warranty but I continued to have it serviced at BMW.. The dealership said I needed brakes (after I had already gotten new tires and tire rods) but the price was outrageous. I saved money and now I have new mechanic. Highly recommend. read more

I brought my Volvo here a few weeks ago after my neighbor suggested them. I had been into my regular mechanic 2 times for a problem with my air conditioning and it still wasn't working. I'm not very car savvy but all I know is the a/c has been working perfectly since and the price seemed very fair. I'll definitely be going back next time I need something fixed. Thanks Catalano auto!! read more

I had a great experience with this company! Fair pricing, quick repair service and positive customer service. I will certainly use them again for future needs. As a new BMW owner I'm happy to have found a place that services BMWs well, and not at a dealership price (dealerships have outrageous pricing). All of my questions were answered in detail and honestly. My trust in mechanics hasn't always been high due to scammers, but I fully trust that this company is honest, thorough and fair, making it my new go to auto repair place! read more

John Catalano and his Auto Repair business were awesome, I called and asked him if he could take my car in that day, and even though he was very busy already, he let me drop my car off the same day and even had one of the mechanics drop me back off at work (5 minutes away). When he called to explain the work that needed to be done later that day, he was extremely courteous, and patient with me as I asked all of my questions. Seldom have I talked to someone from any auto place that did not come off as condescending and pushy as soon as they realize how much inexperience I have with cars, but John truly made me feel at ease. Since my car needed a lot of repairs (and I last minute dropped it off), he quoted that it would take about 2 days, and he stuck to that timeline which I was very happy about! Also, the quote he gave me for the total cost ended up being exactly what he charged, so I can not complain there as well. Bonus, they even got my car washed and threw in a few complimentary bits! Overall, Catalano Auto Repair has been the best experience I have had with auto services. They are professional, kind, and very thorough in explaining the work that has been done. I will definitely be going back for future maintenance. Side note, it has been about four months since I went to John Catalano and my car has been running smooth and silent (well, as best an '02 corolla can!) since. Thank you John! read more