Russo’s Auto Service

My car broke down (alternator) and I Unilocaled this shop, what a great choice! I called and they recommended a tow service, they took me in immediately, they were very professional and friendly. We spoke over the phone about the car issues and by the time I reached the shop they took care of me, I was given a clear estimate and the cars issue was explained to me in detail. There were no hidden costs. Unfortunately there were some issues with the part (no fault of there’s) Russos I feel went above and beyond trying to get my car fixed all the while communicating with me. At the end I picked up my car with an excellent warranty, honest work, and knowing they worked hard to get me the best pricing as possible. Only regret was that I never chose them before after all the years I drove past this iconic shop! Thanks Guys!

I’ve had my car to Russo’s twice, and had a great experience both times. They are no-​nonsense, direct & honest people which I greatly appreciate.

So easy to work with. Great quality and fair price.

Second time at Russo’s and both times we have been very satisfied with their work. They are reliable and reasonable with their prices. We did not feel like we were being cheated/​ripped off. Thanks for the service Russo’s!

Went in for oil change, and basically ended up paying 93.37. Had I known he charged to «check my brakes» I would have not allowed him to even peek at them, nor do the oil change.
To check brakes it cost 50.00 here so don’t even ask. You’re better off at Walmart or Sears.
43.37 for an oil change. I will never go back nor would I recommend this dump.

FULL DISCLOSURE ALERT, my wife worked with his brother, and we ended up using Russo’s because we were so pissed off with Mc Grath Honda (and continue to be pissed off with Mc Grath Honda).
But that aside, the service we have received here has always been courteous, prompt, honest, and good. Will never take our Honda anywhere else.

Over the last 36 years, I’ve had Russo’s do small jobs on our 2 cars, mostly starting the cars when the battery died. I did that bc the founder said they don’t work on Volvos.
A few days ago, I was driving down one of Oak Park’s quiet streets when I heard a bang, then clattering on the street, and then uproar from the exhaust system.
I took the car into the Volvo dealer and repair. They diagnosed the problem and then said they didn’t have the equipment to patch this roaring hole in the tailpipe. What?!
So I called Russo’s, who said they’d look at it and see whether they could repair the pipe and replace a clamp or something that was about to give up the ghost. Without pre-​emptivr replacement, it would break and send the rest of the muffler system head first into the street.
Russo’s took a peek, knew they could do the job, and two hours later, the roaring was gone. For a pittance of what my trusty Volvo friends (this is serious, not snark. I like these Volvo repair managers) had estimated.
So thanks, Joe, Dan, and whoever fixed our old car. Y’all done good and good on ya!
I hope you have or had a happy Fourth!

Called on the Friday before Memorial Day, described the windshield wiper problem (which a chain auto repair place had «fixed» incorrectly with new wiper blades the day before) and the guy on the phone immediatly diagnosed it as a loose bolt. He warned me if it was anything else he couldn’t do it today because they were all booked up but he said I could come over and he’d check it out. He did — tightend the bolt in about a minute — no charge — and I was on my way. I will defnitely be coming back here (and not to the chain) for my next auto maintenance or repair needs. Smart, fast and more than fair — what else can you ask for?

I recently moved into the area and coming form the far NW burbs one of the things you gave up in moving to Oak Park is a big heated garage to work on your car. I was overdue on an oil change and I’ve always performed all of maintenance on my cars personally. So hading over my car to just any mechanic, even for something as rudimentary as an oil change was not a routine adventure.
I used Unilocal to locate shops in my area and Russo’s was my third choice based on reviews and comments. The first place I called seemed solid on paper but when I called to schedule they were very short on the phone and basically had the approach of just ‘drop off the car’ and didn’t want to talk to me on the phone. The second shop was more of the same; couldn’t provide an exact fee if I was supplying the parts, short on the phone, didn’t want to hear my story.
So I called up Russo’s the conversation couldn’t have been any easier. I could bring the car by first thing in the morning one day later that week and wait, and after telling them I would supply the materials it was only $ 15 for the service. Done.
I arrived a cold winter morning at 7:30 and was back out the door by 8:00. They even put the leftover oil bottle in the cabin without my asking for it back (I gave them 6 quarts and it always takes 5.5 with a filter change).
Here’s a tip: don’t schedule service on a Monday as then you couldn’t walk over to the Oak Park Bakery for a fresh donut while you wait :)

Joe keeps the family comfort and honesty alive in the auto shop… No need to look elsewhere. We are loyal to Russo’s.

Very friendly, affordable, and honest service.
I took my 2007 Civic in for a check since my car seemed to be bouncing all over the highway at 55mph and up. I stopped in late in the evening without calling and they happily accommodated me and my car was ready right away the next day. Prices were fair, may have gotten a cheaper tire at a big box place since Joe says he doesn’t get the best deals on tires himself, but either way I would rather pay an extra few dollars and support local business anyway. Will definitely be taking my car here for an oil change and transmission fluid change/​flush soon.

We have been going Russos for many years, its a great neighborhood garage you can trust. We have had multiple cars, both foreign and domestic, and Russos has handled them all. You always get a fair assessment of what needs to be done, and they will only do work they think is necessary. There have been multiple times where they actually suggested to do less work to help us save money but keep the car running
I feel the pricing for the service is very competitive, and I have always gotten my car back within the same day I have dropped it off
We have 3 cars with mileage in the 130−150k range that have all been serviced by Russos. If you are a south side Oak Park or Forest Park resident you should definitely take your car to Russos for service!
To top things off, they are Blackhawks fans!

Stopped by late on a busy afternoon WITHOUT an appointment to have a suspicious noise on my CRV checked out. The guy apologized that they didn’t have any lifts available to take a good look, but offered to take a quick listen. Immediately he knew it was a loose heat shield. He grabbed gloves and pliers, got under my car in the middle of the driveway, and took care of it. He scoffed when I offered him $ 20 (my peace of mind was worth at least that, right?). I’m going back today for an oil change and will update this review as I have more encounters with these guys.

Fair prices. Honest service. Will prioritize repairs if you can’t do everything at once financially. Nice to support local business instead of a big dealer.

I have been a customer for many years and they always treat me right. Honest, reliable and on time.

Russo’s is very fair and honest. Great neighborhood auto repair shop!

Very good service, and easy to deal with on the phone. Needed a new clutch in my VW Jetta. The price that he charged me was the exact price of the parts plus labor times their hourly rate. He looked up the average time required to replace the clutch on my model in a book and used this to quote the amount for labor, so I was confident that he was not overcharging for the number of hours. The total price came out where he said it would.
I’m not sure how their hourly rate compairs to other places, but no complaints. They even finished the car on time despite the fact that there was a power outage.

I have only good things to say.
Joe Russo was an experienced repairman and honest business person. I went to Russo’s for oil changes, new tires, batteries, and every other misc. problem. It’s a smaller place and I think it lets them pay thorough attention to their customers.

Good review of this place!
They have been recommended to us by several people. We’ve taken our car in for anything from an oil change, to a dead battery, to odd noises– You name it.
Each time they’ve been professional, quick, and most importantly, honest.
There were several times when we didn’t understand the problem and/​or weren’t able to diagnose the problem with the vehicle ourselves. On one occasion, after we heard an odd noise, they tested our car thoroughly, and after nothing came up, they said so! And sent us on our way! Given the way many other car places operate, this was the point when they could have taken us for a ride, and I’m happy to say they didn’t.
I feel that this place relies on their good reputation, and it’s easy to see why they have one.