Woodings Garage [www.woodingsgarage.com] (Allston, MA) Mechanic(s): Bill Wooding (owner)
30 Penniman Road , Allston, MA 02134 (617) 782-4574
Features and Specialties: VW and Audi

Please send us any corrections or additions to the above information. If you have experience with this shop, please add your own review!

Survey results:

They are always honest
They are competent
The repair price is always reasonable
They fix the problem the first time
They complete the work in a timely manner
They respond well when they screw something up
They take the time to explain the problems and necessary repairs
The shop is located in a safe neighborhood
The hours of operation are convenient for customers
They treat male and female customers in the same manner
They are near public transportation (or provide loaners, shuttle bus, rides as needed)

Reviewers Comments:

Bill is honest regarding repairs and maintenance, which is a top priority. He will tell me what needs to be done now and why, what will need to be done soon, and other things he found, that can possibly wait. He also refers to your file to check what has been done in the past, and when. I found him via another referral...like any other good business, including my own Chiropractic practice.

My family and I have been using Bill for years and have had good, solid experiences to date. He is thorough, extremely competent and honest. He will offer repair options on our VWs, suggest used parts where appropriate and fairly deal with mistakes or failures caused by the garage. I would reccomend him to anyone who owns a VW.

The guys at Woodings are great. I recently moved back to the Boston area and needed to find a mechanic for my 1998 VW GTI VR6. Lucky for me, I stumbled across Woodings. I've had my car to them multiple times in the past year for scheduled servicing, new front ball joint, new exhaust system, a new starter and miscellaneous other things. They're always up- front about the cost and come in right on or under what they've estimated. They even called to say that something was going to be $25 more than they had originally thought on a $1,000+ repair job. They communicate really well about what they are recommending and why - and about what they are not recommending (yet) and why not. I definitely appreciate that they say things like "Are you keeping the car for another year or two? If so, you'd want to go this route...." It's also great that they have given me the heads-up on repairs that I should be expecting sooner rather than later (brakes, clutch, etc). I've recommended Wooding's to everyone I know who drives a VW - they're terrific. I wish I had known about them back in 2000 when my VW came out from under warantee.

I have used Woodings for the past seven or eight years. Bill is always honest and reasonable. He tried to dicourage me from a recent expensive repair saying that I should really invest the money in a newer car.

I was referred to Woodings for my VW Jetta and found them to be very honest and thorough in their work. They did only what was necessary and then recommended some other work that needed to be done sometime in the future. I will definitely go back for any future repairs. Also the prices were very reasonable.

I had a very good experience with this shop. The shop owner took a ride with me to diagnose the noises I had in my car. He then told me it could be wheel bearing but that he needed to confirm. He called me and confirmed that I had 2 wheel bearings that needed to be replaced and gave me the exact price. After the job was done he called me again to confirm. I paid over the phone and picked up the car later that night. I highly recommend this shop and it is unfurtunate that I am moving to NJ and wont be abe to come back here. - Diego

I was referred to this shop when GT Shop in Watertown went out of business. I am pleased with their work. They replaced the heater tubing in my 87 Jetta, which needs to be replaced sooner or later in all water cooled VWs. They also replaced one leaking heater hose, and two engine coolant hoses that were old. They also troubleshot and solved a starting problem that I was having. They recommended retro-fitting the car with a Ford starter relay. I OKd the work, and they did it. So far the problem has not come back. The first time I came to them with this problem they could not duplicate the problem, and they didn't want to do any repair work at that time because they weren't sure what was wrong. And they didn't charge me anything for the troubleshooting, even though they kept the car all day! Two months later the problem happened again, but this time it was easy to duplicate, and they fixed it right away. I miss the old GT Shop in Watertown, but these guys are just as good.

My 87 Jetta is very old. These guys are taking good care of it. In the last few months I have had a few problems with the car, and they have fixed the problems in a timely manner. My water pump started leaking, and they replaced it and the alternator belt. That works fine now, with no leaks. Also, one of my brake lines sprung a leak. I took the car to Direct Tire, where I usually get my brake/shock/tire stuff done, and the mechanics took one look at the rusty fittings on my brake pressure regulator valve and recommended that I go to my regular VW mechanic, as they were afraid they would break something. The guys at Wooding's were able to fix the car by only replacing the leaky brake line. They were able to save me some $$$ by not having to replace the brake pressure regulator valve, in spite of the rusty fittings.

I've been going to Woodings Garage for about 4 years now. First with an '84 VW Rabbit (which needed repairs frequently) and now with a 95 Golf. I've always felt I was in good hands and felt secure that I was not getting any bad advice or being ripped off. As a woman, I've never felt talked down to or taken advantage of. The garage is not open on the weekends, which can be a drag, but I've managed to work around their schedule without a problem. My car is currently in the shop for a rather expensive repair (new radiator), but it has to be done and I feel confident I am getting a fair price. I've recommended Woodings to a boyfriend and he has gone there several times with his Jetta.

I have 99 Passat - the clutch went out just after the warranty expired (of course) and I ran it by a bunch of VW dealers. They all wanted to replace the clutch for $1500. Wooding's looked at it and felt they could repair it. It's worked fine since. Another friend of mine had a late 80s Jetta and they kept it in tip top shape - the guy got 200k miles on it with their great service. It's been said before, if you have VW in the Boston area out of warranty - this is the best place to go.

I had great experience with Woodings with a '92 VW Jetta, but recently had bad luck with them repairing a '90 Audi. The problem with the car was not fixed when they gave me back the car, and they weren't very accomodating about turning it around the repairs quickly (under a day) when I brought it in a second time. The total to repair it also ended up being more than double the inital estimate, because they did not fix the problem.

He had never come across the problem I had experienced (Airbag light on, eventually requiring a total reinstall of the drivers side wiring harness) and was straight up about it. He told me he was in forums and it took almost two weeks to resolve the issue. The third day out though, he gave me a loaner car rather than me paying for a rental nearby. He does know his stuff, and is not condescending in any way. I am going back again if (and you know it will) something else gfoes wrong.

These guys are very easy to do business with. I trusted them right away and have not been disappointed.

Anyone in greater Boston driving a VW that is no longer under warranty must get their car serviced here! I speak the truth! After I totaled our first VW (a 2003 Passat Wagon) we bought another used VW because we knew we could trust Wooding's as our mechanics. They consistently charged us less than their initial estimates. Rarely did repairs cost more than $200.00. At one point, in preparation for a cross-country trip, we gave them the green light look for as many things wrong with the car as they could possibly find. The total was $247.45! Don't toss your money into the crapper by visiting a VW dealer. Go to Wooding's, people of Massachusetts!

I own a 1999 Audi A4. This summer while driving, check engine light goes on. I panic and call Bill Wooding. He tells me to drop it off the next day. I receive a call from Bill that the problem is a leaky air valve. He said he would repair the current valve at half the price of replacing it with a new one. Job completed that day at an incredibly low price. Would highly recommend Woodings Garage to any Audi owner as they live and breathe this manufacturer.

This review is way overdue. I learned about Wooding's right here on the CarTalk website a few years ago sometime after purchasing a used '90 VW Golf. At first I stuck with a few shops close to work, but when they were unable to REALLY fix a recurring problem (but still charged for their "work"), I finally broke down (me--not the car) and called Wooding's. I began explaining the problem that had baffled other mechanics, had them searching the VW tech CDs, etc....before I could finish the description, Steve said "It's probably one of two things...I can't promise that I know what it is until I actually see the car, but..." He really sounded like he was familiar with my car. I went the extra couple miles out of the way, and hopped on the bus nearby for home. Later that day I got the call from Steve. It turned out to be the first scenario he proposed. It was a relatively cheap fix, too. And the finished work proved him correct. I don't know why I bothered with other garages. Now I don't own VW, but I'm probably going to take my Geo Prizm / Toyota Corolla back to Wooding's for service, since I've never had a bad experience with them...they're always honest, don't promise anything they can't do, and do what they say at a reasonable price. They understand the "real world" of owning & operating very used cars, and won't sell you a senseless repair.

I've been taking my 1997 VW Jetta to Wooding's for the past 5-6 years and have always had a positive experience. Wooding's is locally owned and operated and has great customer service & mechanics. Bill or Steve have always been great about answering questions, offering explainations, offering less expensive alternatives and so on. I can't imagine servicing my car anywhere else in the city.

Bill is honest and to the point. He will give you his impression of the situation based on his years of experience. I can take comfort in the fact that my Audi A6 is in good hands with Woodings Gargage.

I'm nursing my 1990 Audi through old age and just moved to town--so I was glad to hit upon Woodings. Judging by Bill Woodings's reaction, I'm not the only one to find him through MechaniXFiles. Woodings was extremely efficient and prompt, getting me his estimate in a few hours after I dropped the car off and repairs were done in a day. Bill seemed very forthright to me, with a matter-of-fact approach: he explained the necessary repairs clearly, discussed ALL options with me, advised me about maintainance that might need to be done in the future, and was clear on the estimate. He clearly wants to do the job right, but when he was able to make do with what I had--with some manhandling he was able to save me replacing a costly body part--he was willing to do so. I was, of course, grateful and will be heading back.

My search is OVER! Our 1990 GTI 8 valve is worth keeping now that we have found Woodings. Great Price, honest people, and above all knowlegable mechanics make this my place to bring the car. We had several big and little things fixed and now the car runs better than ever! Better than the local dealer by far. Please bring your VW business to theem. We'll be back!!!

I have been taking my '98 Passat to Woodings since 2000, when I was tired with the shabby service at the Boston-area VW dealers. Bill and Steve are the best. I've never met more honest mechanics. On a number of occasions, they reminded me of my warranty and saved me a lot of money. Bill recently reminded me that VW was initiating a service call on Passats due to poor suspensions (if it wasn't for Bill, I never would have known). So, I write VW about my Passat's suspension issues--dating back to '99, and VW cuts me a check for $1000! I will have my car towed 100 miles just to have Woodings look at it. They came highly recommended to me, and I highly recommend them to anyone! Heck, even the old-time taxi drivers say they're the best! Bill and Steve are very nice guys!

Bill and Steve are the most honest mechanics I've ever met! They have saved me a lot of money--the VW dealers were simply ripping me off, I felt. I recommend them highly! And they're super nice guys with sunny, courteous dispositions. My '98 Passat owes everything to them!

After shelling out way too much money and being without my car for 2.5 weeks, I'd had enough of my local VW dealer. I found Woodings on this website and figured it was worth a try since the car still wasn't fixed or running properly. They diagnosed the problem and had it fixed within one day!! I have been a loyal, repeat customer ever since. Their honesty and integrity is refreshing!

I've been having trouble with my check engine light since I bought my 2000 Passat new. It wasn't a big deal $$$$$$ until I had to start paying for it. The Last time I went into a VW dealer for CHECK ENGINE LIGHT it cost me $474. 20 miles later the light was back on. When I brought it back to them because the light came back on they told me that parts they replaced needed to be. Now, after having checked it again they told me they couldn't isolate what it was. They didn't want to continue changing parts. They told me the best thing was to wait till it failed completely. I found Woodings Garage website, and went over to check it out. I met Bill, he told me that he would check it on the computer and attempt to diagnose what was causing the light to come on. I brought my car in two weeks later. Later that morning Bill called to tell me he was pretty certain he had found the problem, and told how much it would cost. It's been over 2,000 miles and it hasn't come back on. I thought when they connected the car to the computer at the rate of $85. the problem would be exposed, but as Bill explained it exposes an area not a part. The mechanic's ability to isolate the problem is what makes the difference. I was concerned when I left my car their because Woodings is a small cramped place. When I mentioned it to Bill he told me they're used to it, and not to worry.

Great response to an urgent reqest for help when the dealer said they were too busy. Honest, quick, professional and reasonably priced. I will be going to them again now that the car is off scheduled service. Great job Bill.

You won't find a more honest shop in boston (or out of boston). The first time I went there (7 years back) my 'check engine' light was on. I brought it in and they called to tell me what the problem was (oxygen sensor). They quoted me a price... then asked me a few questions... and then said "bring it to the dealer, your car is still under warranty" and so I did... they lost $900 in my potential repairs, but gained a customer for life. I'm in the market for a new car now, but won't consider purchasing anything they won't work on there!

If you have a VW there are only two shops to go to. Woodings and Brian's in Needham. Every time I bring my car anywhere else it just create problems and costs money. These guys actually fix problems and don't waste $. Thank God they exist.

Steve at Woodings garage was great to deal with. He saved me thousands by giving me an honest and complete appraisal of my car's condition. He is an extremely honest mechanic. Woodings is great and I would highly recommend them to anyone.

I moved to Boston 18 months ago and had been using the Audi dealership to service my A4. After my third time to the dealership I became fed up as they constantly found items that needed to repair and I always came out with an empty wallet - over $4K. So when the check engine light started to flash and engine sounded rough on my way home the other day, I searched the internet to find a mechanic and came across this site. The stellar reviews motivated me to call Wooding's in the morning. Bill was exceptional - explained the problem and my options. My car was fixed in less than two hours. I will definitely come back to Wooding's and recommend it to anyone with an Audi. Absolutely great experience - and I haven't had the opportunity to say that about a garage for a long time!

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