Metric Systems

Reason for Visit: Service

I recommend this dealer: Yes

My Review of Metric Systems:
Have used Metric System for 10 years. Kept my 15 year old volkswagen on the road and are now taking care of my new rabbit. I have always had friendly, no-nonsense service in a convenient neighborhood setting. Cars are always ready when they promise and I am called if they find anything that might need additional work.

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Reason for Visit: Service

I recommend this dealer: Yes

My Review of Metric Systems:
Brought in my BMW X5 for a break job. MS was recomended to me by a coworker who brings his antique VW Rabbit there. Metric Systems was $200 cheaper than the dealer for the same job, plus they didn't sell me the rear breaks because they didn't need to be replaced, where the dealer told me they all needed to be done (saved me another $600).

Overall, very trustworthy, which can be very hard to find in a mechanic. My only complaint would be that they didn't call with what work needed to be done before they started, but that could be because it needed less than I expected...

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Reason for Visit: Service

I recommend this dealer: Yes

My Review of Metric Systems:
I've been bringing my Jetta to Metric since the warranty expired. They always get me in quick (same day for emergencies) and out on time. They are friendly and easy to deal with. Their prices are in line with other shops in my experience and definitely less than a dealer. The only snag was that last month they had to re-do some work from this spring, but Steve reimbursed me for the original amount though, so no complaints. I wouldn't think of going elsewhere.

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Reason for Visit: Service

I recommend this dealer: Yes

My Review of Metric Systems:
I wanted to follow-up with my original posting about CEL problems that I submitted on 11/11/2003 at 10:27:14 PM. I followed-up my post on Boston Audi Group, but forgot to do it here. The reason for my review and follow up is another experience I recently had with Metric.<br><br>After they dismissed me, I brought the car to an Audi Service Center. They diagnosed the problem as being a frayed vacuum hose. I asked Audi if this damage could be caused during the timing belt/water pump service and they said it's possible. Audi charged me $140 to fix the vacuum line.<br><br>I brought that receipt to Steve at Metric Systems and said that I cannot prove that he caused this and that he couldn't prove that he did not cause this. I also said that Audi claimed it is possible that the TB/WP service could have damaged this hose. I asked him to meet me halfway. He pulled out his checkbook and wrote me a check for $70.00.<br><br>I was definitely satisfied and Metric reinstated their reputation in my mind. That was back then.

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Reason for Visit: Service

I recommend this dealer: No

My Review of Metric Systems:
I brought my car to Metric Systems in Cambridge a week or so ago for a minor repair. My outside temperature readouts have been wacky for a couple months now. My temp display would intermittently drop down to negative temperatures, as low as -58F. When the car thought it was that cold outside, it would only pump heat into the car with the HVAC on. With summer coming, I decided to deal with this before it got hot outside. <br><br>Metric diagnosed that the ambient temperature sensor in the front grill area was faulty; Parts: $38 Labor: $70 Total: $108. When I picked up the car that night (after hours), the display read -48F as soon as I turned on the car. My girlfriend and I were cursing Metric the rest of the weekend since I had just spent $108 at Metric to replace the wrong thing, unnecessarily. <br><br>I called Metric the next business day spoke to Chris about the problem not being resolved. He apologized and agreed to look at it first thing the following week. He also agreed verbally over the phone to apply my initial labor charges from the first sensor to the replacement of the second sensor. <br><br>I brought the car back and dropped it off. They called me mid-day so tell me that they had already done the work to replace the other outside temp sensor. The other ambient temp sensor (behind the glovebox?) was also around $38 and 1 hour labor, which is another $70. I asked them to document this all on one receipt so I could submit it to my warranty company for reimbursement. When I picked up the car, I discovered that they had erroneously charged me for TWO hours of labor, which is $140, for a total of $178. This brings the grand total to $286, when it should have only been $216. So they owe me $70. <br><br>When I brought this to Steve's attention yesterday, he attempted to blow me off, saying the dollar value was &quot;insignificant&quot;. Finally, today he said that they would apply that $70 toward my next repair at their shop. I told him that if they don't refund my credit card for $70, they wouldn't get another opportunity to work on my car. This is unfortunate because they have made good on their mistakes in the past. In addition, they also apologized for performing the services without getting authorization from me. Steve said that it would never happen again. Again I said that they probably wouldn't get another opportunity for it to happen again since they'll be losing my business. Steve then said that it wouldn't be a big loss based on my postings on this forum. I replied that I had posted about the entire experience and followed up when they made good on their mistakes. For more info see this thread: http://forums.bostonaudi.org/viewtopic.php?t=3118&amp;highlight=metric <br><br>I told Steve that I felt that he owed me $70. I do not wish to bring my car back to him unless he refunds me that money to my credit card, and even then I will be VERY reluctant. I also told him that I'll probably be conducting a billing inquiry through my bank since the erroneous charge is right there on my paperwork in black and white.<br><br>Would I recommend this service shop? Not any more.

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Reason for Visit: Service

I recommend this dealer: Yes

My Review of Metric Systems:
I started using Metric Systems in 2001 after GT Shop in Watertown closed. I have an 1989 VW Golf with 213,000 miles. Metric Systems, far from perfect, has overall been a positive experience. They do occasionally overbook, but at the same time I have brought my car in there for emergency repairs with no appointment and they have repaired my car in a timely manner ( a 15 year old VW is prone to emergency repairs!). I have even received same day service on repairs. <br><br>I find that their prices are competitive. I have all the repair records for my car since I purchased it in 1994. Some repairs that I have needed more then once, brakes for instance, have been cheaper at Metric than at GT Shop five years ago.<br><br>Also, as I have a car with so many miles on it, I am clear with them that I don't want to go to extreme measures to repair something if the car isn't worth saving. With this information, I have never felt that they went ahead and repaired something when the car should have been junked.<br><br>I would recommend Metric to any VW owner.<br><br>

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Reason for Visit: Service

I recommend this dealer: No

My Review of Metric Systems:
I first tried to use Metric Systems when they absorbed Autobon, who we had great experiences with. I'm a huge fan of Fed Swanson at SAS in Brookline, but Metric Systems is in my neighborhood, &amp; I was hoping it would be more convenient. The three times I have tried to bring my car to them have been a total pain in the butt.<br><br>I'm not quite sure what the problem is with MS- they totally overbook themselves, they are overwhelmed since they took over Autobon, they simply don't have enough staff, or they are so disorganized work doesn't get done. They always have a garage full of cars, hardly anybody working on them, and no time to get you in. First time I went in, I wasn't able to get an appointment for THREE WEEKS. I was willing to wait because of the convenience &amp; because I only needed two non-emergency things taken care of. Dropped off the car at 8:30 Thursday morning &amp; explained to Steve I needed it back that night for a trip Fri a.m. When I got there at the end of the day, Steve said they had simply been too busy to get to it &amp; wanted to know if I could leave it overnight. Told him again I couldn't, and had to schedule a new appointment for two weeks later. When I brought it back, Steve told me they &quot;only had time&quot; to get to one of the two things I asked them to fix, and the other item, the defroster, I &quot;really wouldn't need until winter, anyway&quot; (yeah, and every time it rains). I don't really care if he thinks I'll need it- I asked them to fix it, and they should have. At that point I thought, &quot;forget it, I'll just go to Fred Swanson.&quot; Fred is some kind of Volvo genius and saint, just not convenient to my house.<br><br>Last night I had a confrontation with a concrete wall disguised as a snow bank, and my bumper has been left hanging. I don't really want to drive all the way to Fred like this, so I called Metric Systems. I was really optimistic when Steve said to bring it in anytime &amp; they would see what they could do. <br><br>I was there at 9:00 this morning, one of the mechanics took a look and told me I needed to order a new bumper, &amp; I might save some time and money if I ordered it myself and had it shipped to them. Steve looks shocked at this idea, and tells me that he doesn't want me ordering it, they'll order it for me. He'll give me a call with a price later today, and I might be able to bring it in right away to have it bolted on. This is good news to me, because the bumper is hanging and I can't really drive around these bumpy roads at this point without being afraid it is going to fall off. <br><br>It's 3:30, and I still haven't heard from them. I call, and Steve tells me they &quot;just haven't been able to get to it&quot; &amp; that they won't be able to see the car for another two weeks, anyway, unless someone cancels. I explain that I can't drive around with the car in the current state, and he tells me that he misunderstood the mechanic, he thought it was just a little body work problem. He tells me he's going to call me back later. Sorry, guys, you don't get my money if you can't be bothered to see my car.<br><br>Foget this, I say, and call Fred Swanson. Fred tells me a new bumper is like $400, but he has a used one for $150 in the shop. I can bring the car in tomorrow a.m. <br><br>Don't waste your time with Metric Systems- if your Volvo is sick, bring it to Fred- he does great work, is really pleasant, and is a smart enough businessman to know that mechanics don't get paid unless they actually fix cars.

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Reason for Visit: Service

I recommend this dealer: No

My Review of Metric Systems:
I have a 2001 A4 with 55k miles. <br><br>Last weekend, I started noticing some strange sounds eminating from the engine bay that sounded like worn belts. I brought the car to Metric Systems last monday to have them look/listen. They recommended doing the timing belt/water pump service and quoted me $750. I scheduled a tentative appointment for Friday 11/7. <br><br>I brought it to Brian's Garage for a second opinion on Thu 11/6. Brian pulled back the front engine cover and squired some oil in the area of the tensioner. The noise went away. He said that I should do the timing belt/water pump service as soon as possible, but he was booked for over a week. <br><br>I brought the car to metric on Thursday evening and left it there. I went back to Metric on Friday at 3pm to pick up the car. It was parked inside the shop, right by the office windows. I paid my $750 and proceeded to drive off. I pulled out through the garage door and then as I turned left onto Broadway, the car started making some terrible noises and lost power steering. I shut it off immediately and let it coast over to the sidewalk. I beckoned for Chris to come over and we popped the hood. <br>The a/c belt and accessory belt were gone!! Strike 1 <br><br>We pushed it back into the garage and it turned out they forgot to tension the a/c belt and it slipped off into the accessory belt, causing one of them to shred itself. They apologized profusely and fixed it while I waited outside. I had plans to drive up to Vermont that night for the weekend. I called AAA to upgrade my account to AAA Plus. About 40 minutes later, I was on my way again. Car seemed fine, so we drove up to Vermont that night. Ran fine the whole way up. <br><br>On Saturday, when I turned it on, I got a CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (CEL). Strike 2! For the rest of the weekend, I was very gentle and drove under 75 the whole way home. <br><br>I called Metric first thing Monday (yesterday) morning and told Steve the CEL came on. He said they were busy, but he'd fit me in. On the way over there, I pressed the windshield washer button for the first time since picking up the car, because the sun was shining in my face and the windshield was pretty dirty. About a minute later, the entire tank of washer fluid emptied onto the road. Strike 3!!<br><br>They fixed the washer fluid and checked the codes. Mostly they were miscommunication codes and one &quot;lean mixture&quot; code. After they reset it, it threw another code during their test drive: Misfire in Piston 1.<br><br>When I got there last night, they said they reset it again and it seemed okay. They also promised me a free oil change for my troubles. I asked if they could do it tomorrow since I didn't need the car (I have an appt in Boston today and I'd take the T). He said he'd try. <br><br>So after I left last night, the CEL came on again on my way to my hockey game. <br><br>I brought it to Metric this morning. He f-ing turned me away!! He said he was too busy to look at it and probably wouldn't be able to look at it until atleast MONDAY!! Strike FOUR!! <br>I asked if he thought it would be okay to drive on the CEL until then and he said although he doesn't have a 'crystal ball' that as long as the car is performing fine it should be okay. <br><br>I don&#8217;t know what to do at this point.

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