Auto Repair Plus

A hanger broke on my muffler and my entire exhaust system was literally dragging on the ground. I got in on Monday @ 9am and my car was ready for pickup by lunch time. They repaired/​welded the hanger and even took the time to explain and draw the work that was done. I highly recommend them for professionalism & reasonable pricing.

I’ve been going to Orlando at Auto Repair Plus for two years now and I love him!!! I have been to three other mechanics in the city and he is head and shoulders above all of them. I literally have never met anyone who cared so much about me really understanding what’s going on with my car and taking the time to explain it to me. Believe me, believe the rest of the reviews– Orlando is the best in the city. He cares about cars, not money like some other mechanics. He is generous, fair, and kind and I recommend him to everyone I know!

As previous reviewers stated, Orlando is great. I know very little about anything car related except for driving, so I appreciate that he took the time to show me the problem with my brakes and explained what everything meant. This level of service won me over.
I ended up needing brake pads, rotors, and calipers. The front calipers were nearly rusted through. Orlando showed me that the rear ones were not in as bad shape, but would need to be repaired fairly soon. Knowing nothing about any of this, I appreciate anyone who does not attempt to get me to spend more money.
Honestly, the only thing preventing me from giving this place 5 stars is that he does not take credit card. Street vendors take credit, so it’s nearly absurd that I had to get a money order for car repairs.
Also, note that the store hours on Unilocal are not accurate. You should call in advance.

It’s rare to find a mechanic that is so trustworthy and honest. I had squeaky brakes and took them in, expecting to pay a few hundred dollars for replacement pads. Orlando took a look and told me I still had over half the pads left, and that I should wait a few months before returning. I definitely appreciated that he was honest and didn’t just do the work to make some money. I will be taking my car here from now on.

A friend recommended Orlando to me, but as a femme I still expected to at least be patronized. Orlando is the most honest, engaged, and respectful mechanic I’ve ever dealt with. He genuinely loves what he does and wants to explain it to you. He could tell I was interested and took time to explain the systems in my car that were causing the problem. His pricing is honest and realistic. I have never been happier. Femmes, bring your car here!

If you need any work done on your car, this is the shop to go to! I’ve been bringing my car to Auto Repair Plus ever since I got it and have been happy with the work done every time. Orlando (the owner of the shop) is a great guy and runs a tight ship. He’s really good at diagnosing the problem with your car, explaining what is wrong, and telling you what needs to be done to fix it. I’ve always felt that the price I’ve paid for work has been fair, and I’ve always been happy with the speed with which his crew fixes my car. I would never even consider bringing my car anywhere else when it needs work done, and I try to spread the word about this shop as much as I can. You will not be disappointed!

My experience at Auto Repair Plus was wonderful. I too needed to pass emissions but had some other issues as my car is old. Orlando broke down everything so that I could understand what could wait and what absolutely had to be fixed without delay. He was honest regarding part cost estimates and length of time he would have my car. I wish he was closer to my home but, I don’t mind driving a little further for peace of mind. While I know my car is old, Orlando and his crew were up for the challenge. I’m proud to say that I have a «guy» now when people ask. I recommend this repair shop to anyone who is down right sick of the shady machanics but, especially women. Orland and Gabriel (and the others) were professional at all times while I was on the premesis. No cussing, loud talking, random laughing, or creepy man activity here.

Our only car just died after lunch in Greektown. Guess who I am going to call first thing tomorrow: Orlando! They have been there for us 3 times since we moved to the South Loop. They are trustworthy, reasonably priced and easy to deal with. Go! Just not tomorrow.

Pros:
(feels like) Honest prices
Customer care and attention
Detailed explanations
Cons:
sometimes opens at 8:15
Tips: (guides for majority of auto repair scenarios)
For specific requests/​concerns, be very clear about what you expect. Voice your thoughts.
If you expect your car back in 2 days, tell yourself 3. Expect it in 4? Tell yourself 6.
As previously stated by many reviewers, Auto Repair Plus seems to be the exception to all the questionable repair shops littered throughout most major cities. My experience here was one I would like to repeat. Explanations about parts needed, diagnosis, and how work would be performed was careful and detailed. Prices are never low but seemed reasonable and fair. Auto Repair Plus is not a cutting edge shop but the mechanics there seem knowledgeable, common sense, easy to deal with.
Play by Play:
Dropped off vehicle in the morning, no one there at 8 AM, left my car in the lot and pushed the keys through the hole in the garage door (with contact info, vehicle description, summary).
Followed up with phone call, requested call back with estimate.
Called again next day, received estimate, I was given option to stop by and sign work order. Stopped by, met Orlando who (as everyone on Unilocal has stated) gives you a clear and detailed description of the why and how. I will admit this is a first.
Total repairs took longer than anticipated, Auto Repair Plus made many sacrifices on their own personal time to get my car back to full speed, always seemed willing to hear me out, and priced the work as originally estimated. I feel that the positives far outweighed any trivial negatives. Thank you.

I called and made an appointment for an oil change. They didn’t have any oil but they told me they would order it for me and it should me there for my 1 pm appointment. When I showed up, the oil wasn’t delivered yet. I can understand deliveries being late but they should have notified me and save me a trip to the shop. Upon further discussion I found out they ordered regular oil instead of synthetic that I wanted. I clearly told them synthetic when I made the appointment and also got a price quote for it as well but they somehow messed it up. They also were not sure which oil filter to use and pretty much lost all my confidence in them. Needless to say I got out of there without having any work done and a lot of time wasted.

I have been going to see Orlando and his associates for OVER 20 years. I know that sounds crazy but I have rarely if ever gone anywhere else. i moved into South Loop over 30 years ago back when hardly anyone was around here except Orlando was. He has been the most honest and fair person I have ever done business with. I ALWAYS recommend him to anyone who asks about auto repair. He has worked on at least 4 of my cars over the years and I always feel like he does NOT charge me enough which is rare to say the least. They are very realistic about when the car will be ready and I have never had to go back to fix something twice. Sometimes you just want to rave when raving is appropriate. 5 stars is really not enough!

Orlando is absolutely the best. As a young, single female in Chicago it is hard to trust a mechanic and Orlando is fair, informative, and professional. I will definitely continue to do business with him and recommend my friends to do try Auto Repair Plus out too!

Orlando and his crew are the best! I went through a string of shady mechanics before I came here and was shown that there ACTUALLY ARE HONEST MECHANICS in Chicago! I first went to the shop to get duals put on my 1974 AMC Matador Station Wagon, Orlando fixed my entire exhaust system very quickly and for a great price. I just took my 2003 Volvo XC70 in because I needed a new catalytic converter to pass emissions, he was able to install a new cat in about 24 hours and get me back on the road without any hassle. I am so glad I found Auto Repair Plus /​Mufflers 4 Less and Orlando. I will be taking both vehicles here for all repairs from now on, thank you!

The owner Orlando is so nice. My starter went out and I couldn’t get it towed bc it was in a parking garage. He came by and got it started and then we took it back to his shop and he got me a new starter and was ready for me the next day.

Heard all the great reviews about this place and Orlando. Let me tell you, they are spot on. Fantastic service, competitively priced, and supportive of the local community. This is the only place we’ll be taking of Nissan to from now on. You should do the same for your car… you won’t regret it.

Very honest and trustworthy. I would highly recommend!
They are always able to fit me in to get my car repaired and they always give me a good price, I wouldn’t go anywhere else in city!

These guys are wonderful. I had something come loose on the bottom of my car after I scraped it against some ice, so I brought it in. Turns out that it only needed to be snapped back into place, so it took about a minute to fix. As I got into my car to leave, I realized that the low tire pressure light was on, so I went back in, and they put some air in for free. It’s a small shop, but they do honest work — and as a single woman, I’m always wary that auto shops will try to rip me off. There’s no worry about that here. I’ll be back for my future car repair needs.

Stranded in Chicago I needed to get home to Michigan, and my car wasn’t turning over. I called other mechanics in the area and they were telling me it was a blown head gasket, my fuel pump was out or my alternator died… All very pricy fixes… I Found Auto Repair Plus on Unilocal and saw 5 stars with great costumer service so I brought my vehicle there.
Best auto decision I have ever made in my life. Orlando (owner) is absolutely amazing! He found the problem in less then 5 minutes, and it wasn’t an expensive fix, just Distributor wires… He explained what was happening, why it was happening, and how I could fix it if it ever happened again, putting my mind at complete ease.
I am a girl and have little knowledge about cars, plus in a city I’m not from and needed honest auto help. He is honest, trustworthy and I would consider him a friend for doing what he did for me.
Thank you Orlando you are the best!
Happy Holidays!

My 2002 explorer was shot. It would not stay running and the brakes definitely needed attention. It was my spare car but I was not willing to give it up. It was my baby. I also did not want to keep dumping money into it or be ripped off. THis place was reccomended by a friend so I decided to give it a shot.
I got a the news on what needed to be repaired and an estimate. It seemed fair but I did not want to count my chickens before their hatched. I agreeed to get the work done and waited until it was repaired or I got the call that they needed somthing else (which is what I expected).
I was surprised. I did not get a call for more money. Instead I showed up a couple of days later as they said it would take 2 days, got the car, paid the bill, and drove home.
That was 6 months agi and my Explorer is still playing nice. I would recommend this place and will return (if I have to). So far (knock on wood) my cars are running great.
Short and sweet — quality work for a fair price delivered at the time they said they where going to. Could not ask for more.

In the past, I thought I had good, honest mechanics, and in some cases, I actually did. However, no mechanic I’ve ever used before has ever been as nice, honest, informative, and as reasonably priced as Orlando is.
I would recommend him to anyone who is seeking a qualified mechanic, especially single women who find themselves intimidated at other garages. Orlando will never talk down to you or use mechanic mumbo-​jumbo to explain your car’s problem. He will show you what’s wrong with it, and explain what normal is (or even show you, if he’s got another car up on the lift). He is up front about the cost of parts and labor, and his parts and labor are very fairly priced.
As Ashley K mentioned, Orlando has even dropped me back off at home, and brought my car to me upon completion. You’ll get the kind of service personal that bigger garages just can’t offer, and it really makes a difference for me.
The other guys who work there are his brothers, and I like taking my car to a locally– and family– owned shop.