I went to the shop for a transmission fluid change. They charge me 225. I look under my truck after the service, its bone dry. Doesnt look like they touched it or cleaned it or changed the washers. I go back to ask what they did and why the plugs dont have any new washers. Because they dont look like theyve been touched. Transmission fluid leaves residue and even cleaning with brake cleaner would leave evidence. The tech told me he filled it and drained it from the level plug. Which makes no sense because the level plug indicates its full and isnt a low point to drain the pan. He said he has special tools to drain and fill from the level plug. In my mind im thinking BS. I wanted a refund. I dont think they did the service but they charged me anyway. Dont go here if you value honesty and integrity. The feeded me bs saying the level plug which indicates is full is where they drained it. You can see from my pictures none of the bolts look cleaned or even touched. No residue of oil, or cleaner because it looks like nothing was done to it. read more

See all

Jesse was extremely helpful when VW of Orland Park completely jacked up my car. Found them on a Touareg message board highly recommended.

I had some mechanical work performed on my 1993 Buick Park Ave yesterday. I was in and out in no time. Fast professional service and a super deal . I would highly recommend them for all your automotive repairs. Everyone I interacted with was polite, courteous and professional. A superb shop. A special thank you to owner Joe Gentile and his crew. read more

Honest shop with good rates you get what you pay for With a friendly crew that gets back to you with a quick quote read more

Richard and his team were absolutely amazing. They set reasonable expectations for me, were very communicative, extremely thorough and the price was such a value I was floored. Could not recommend enough, they will have all of my mechanical business moving forward. read more

Had my 2012 Ford focus there and the dual clutch went out they checked out the electrical system to make sure nothing else was wrong. It was the clutches only read more

I highly recommend this place if you value integrity in an organization. I got so many different opinions and prices from other places regarding the transmission issue I was having it was impossible to tell who knew what they were talking about and who was full of BS. I took it here, upon the recommendation of a trusted friend, and I'll never go anywhere else again. Not only did they know what was going on simply by my description, but they had it fixed in 2 days, for a fraction of what others were estimating, and my F-150 has never driven better. When it comes to integrity and trust, they've earned 6 out of 5 Stars. read more

Our normal mechanic noticed a possible transmission issue and recommended Atomic. We took it in, and they looked it over very thoroughly. They couldn't find a problem and didn't charge us anything for their time. I am super happy with how considerate and honest they were about everything. It is above and beyond to spent hours looking at the car without charge. I would gladly take any car to them! read more

Dave was fantastic. He towed my daughters car to this super duper shop and fixed it right up there and brought it back to her house, just like the grinch promised Cindy-Lou Who. I am so grateful for an honest business that does good work. If you have been having troubles with a transmission shop that charged you a ton of money, but still didn't fix the "clunk" sound in your transmission, bring your car here to get it repaired right! read more

Amazing service, rob got me a fast appointment in and out. Always honest good work at this shop! I never take my work vehicles and personal vehicles to anyone else. Highly recommend everyone at this company!! read more

Atomic Transmissions - Auto Repair Near Me - Villa Park, Illinois

Second time I've used Atomic for my 1966 Chevy pickup truck. First time it was to have them install new u-joints and mid-shaft bearings. 2nd time it was to fix a shifting problem. I just picked up the truck and it works beautifully! They found a used part (new parts not available) and adjusted all linkage. All for $165! That was a of what I was expecting. Great service, great value! read more

Atomic Transmissions - Auto Repair Near Me - Villa Park, Illinois

Wavered here between 2 and 3 stars. The repair seems (so far) to be quality work, the customer service was not. They came highly recommended from a mechanic in my area, who was honest enough to tell me if I brought my car to him, he would just send it over to these guys. That was decent of him. Checked out their website, which is somewhat clever and humorous. Said they have "more bays than anyone in town" and lots of mechanics to get you in and out quickly. Based on the local guy's recommendation and their website that I liked, I called Atomic several times before the winter holidays, to see if I could get my car in (funky shifting and not shifting issues in my older car). I was trying to get a sense of how long it would take. Would I be without my car for one day, two? I was told they were "about 30 cars behind" and I should just bring it in. Finally in early January I just bit the bullet, and realized I needed to be without a car for a couple of days. I took the car in on a Thursday afternoon, and the place was indeed very busy, not an empty bay in their large shop. Friday came and mostly went, having not heard from them, I called. They were still testing the car, to diagnose the problem, and would give me and update Saturday morning. Saturday morning at almost 11, and no call yet, so I call again. The guy who answers says "hey it's still mornin" and that someone would call shortly. I do get a call later, they think they are pretty sure what is wrong, and it should be ready Monday. When Monday, I ask. Probably the afternoon is the answer. Monday comes, by 3 PM I have heard nothing. I call again. It is almost finished they tell me. Just around 5 PM they call and let me know it's done. Now the car is fixed, and the funky shifting issues have gone away. If the issues return be assured I will amend this review. They seem to have done good work. They are clearly a very busy shop, so this speaks to a strong demand for their work. In my humble opinion, and in this economy, one would think that a small business that benefits from word of mouth type referrals would want to make an effort on their customer service. Maybe I am being too idealistic in expecting a warm fuzzy from a busy transmission shop. I just got the vibe that they did not give a crap whether I was there or not. read more

Brought my 2012 2500HD pickup in for a broken CV axel. Had the vehicle back in one day with it repaired. This is a pretty major repair but this shop handled it promptly and professionally. Well run organized shop with very professional people. Thanks so much. Do not have words to describe what a superior experience this was. The repair was very reasonable in cost read more

Awesome, awesome, awesome. I could not like them more. I drive a 2003 Acura TL and my trans went out, which is a common Acura issue. Took it to Atomic on the reco of a friend and I couldn't be more thrilled. My car has 164k miles on it, and it now runs like it's brand new. As for the people who are complaining about customer service, come on. It's a transmission shop. If you expect someone to get you a mocha and fawn over you, take yourself to one of the chain shops and see if their work is as good as Atomic. It won't be. Gordon was excellent, honest, and straight to the point. I appreciated it, and I think others will too. While I hope I don't need to see them again, I know if I do they'll take excellent care of me. read more

Our 2007 Trailblazer SS had three failed transmission repairs with this shop. After the third repair, the linkage was not connected properly and the car stuck in reverse within two miles of leaving the shop. That was a four hour wait for a tow truck with a foot on the brake. Now the odometer has not been reconnected. Avoid this place at all costs. They did not test drive as promised. They found a (supposed) problem to upcharge before the second repair. No attention to detail. Worst repair shop ever! read more

All I can say is these guys are great! If you ever have any transmission issues, this is the place to go. I had checked out 5 different shops and all of them gave me the run around. A friend gave me their reference and it was the first place that felt like they wanted to earn your business and knew what they were talking about. 5 months later, no issues no engine lights or any issues with gear shifting. That says a lot about the quality of their work. Things can get a little costly here but considering transmission issues its a reasonable rate. The customer service needs a little fine tuning :) apart from that its the place I trust and without a doubt reference to friends and family. read more

Great work at a very reasonable price. I took my Ford Excursion to Atomic for a major front end job (and 4x4 problems). They saved me a lot of money and got the work done quickly. Nice guys, good work, fare price... that is all I can ask! read more

I just picked up my truck from Atomic. They sent a tow truck to my house to pick up my truck after talking on phone and getting a ball park figure for repairs. I blew out the differential and they gave me two worst case estimates. They had it for two business days and it's done and under estimate. I didn't even show my face in the business till I picked my truck up. I was shown old parts and they were very good at explaining what they did. I would definitely suggest using Atomic for your differential repairs. read more

Yes, they can be a bit brusque, but it's part of their charm. These guys are the best. I have a 1965 Mustang which has an AOD transmission from a 1991 Mustang. I installed that transmission in the car in 1991. I brought it into the shop today for a "1000 mile" checkup, and they found that the shift points were markedly early. They made an adjustment or two to the TV cable, took it for another test drive, and everything's fine. No charge. Every mechanic that I've used in the area recommend Atomic Transmissions. They have to be one of the best shops in the Chicago area. read more

Dear Frank, I've been doing business with you for over 50 years and I tried to talk to you about this, however they said you were in the shop and couldn't be bothered. I recently had my trans serviced. When I went to open the door the handle was black and so was my hand after opening it. The armrest and the steering wheel were as well. I've been a business owner for over 50 years as well and I would definitely want to know if one of my customers was unhappy. I am so aggravated that this was allowed from you. I know your work is second to none, however when my car is filthy with black grease it is absolutely unacceptable. I hope you take the initiative to make some changes in your people. How can someone so professional be so sloppy? I will never use your services again. read more

Referred to them from Nofsingers. They assessed my car and let me know that the transmission issues would be covered under my original warranty and that I should take it to the dealer so I won't pay out of pocket to them. Thank you!! read more

To sum up my experience with one word, I would say wonderful. After receiving a hefty quote from a nearby shop, I was referred to Atomic Transmissions. The quote Ed provided me was considerably lower than nearby shops. I decided to pursue. Ed quoted me to fix a rear main seal on my vehicle on a Thursday morning. He gave me a call the following day to update me on my vehicle, everything was running well with the repair. HALT! Ed called me back within 2 hours asking for an extra day because he had discovered another problem. He continued to keep me updated through the entire process. As another day passed, Ed called me to update me every step of the way. He alerted me on a Monday morning that the timing chain in my vehicle had skipped. He immediately called the dealership and verified an extended warranty still applicable. Ed towed my car to the dealership and it is not being worked on there. Ed, thank you. If you are reading this, I appreciate you and I know others do. Thank you for eliminating the stress and anxiety I had from car repairs and making this whole ordeal a truly painless process. Reading through others reviews, I see there is an impatience problem. Ed works very diligently and carefully. I was pleased to hear that he was taking extra time to make sure my vehicle was running well. read more

Called on Saturday morning to find the source of noise on my 1979 Camaro. Frank came out and took a test drive with me. Immediately, he diagnosed the source. When we got back ,he put it on a lift and showed with a stethoscope exactly where the noise was coming from. He then had a tech check my diff and trans fluid. This was all done for no charge. He gave me a estimate which was competitive. This place had at least 20 bays with lifts with all types of trucks, cars and even forklifts being worked on. I would trust this guy with my kids---all though I would like to have a beer with him. I was blown away and now I get the fantastic reviews. Don't hesitate if you have a drive train issue --Wow!! read more

I'm always wary about bringing my car somewhere new but I am so glad I came here after a recommendation from Steve at Sooper Lube. I have been having several issues with my car that no one could successfully diagnose. The staff here was friendly, efficient, and fair. Will definitely be back the next time my car acts up. read more

Worst place ever DO NOT take your car here. Bad consumer Service. You have to call them to find out when your car will be done. Car comes out worse then when taken in. read more

I have trust issues- especially when it comes to my car. After a series of negligent repairs by thieves, I was referred to the guys at Atomic Transmissions by a retired man in the business. About a year earlier my clutch had been replaced by a rotten shop who used a defective part. When this rotten shop started giving me a VERY hard time about fixing their mistake, I got a sick feeling. You know the one. That, oh god- I've paid lots and lots of money to a business I do not trust. At that point a kind neighbor placed a call into Atomic for me. Maybe they knew I had the repair shop version of PTSD, but this was an amazingly comfortable experience. They were pleasant over the phone and ever better in person. The head mechanic took with with when he did the test drive. As he drove he explained to me what he was listening for and then what those sounds then meant. When we arrived back at the shop he opened the car up and showed me the work that needed to be done. He was never condescending, very informative, and extremely kind. Unfortunately for them, their excellent work means that I won't have to take the car back. Highly recommended. read more

Went to get second opinion on my van. Had trouble downshifting at speed of 30 miles. Got help from Steve Regaloelo. He checked to see online if there were other instances of this problem. Ed the person at counter took my vin no to see if there were any updates. In the end I was instructed to talk with Kia dealer to address this issue as my van is still under warranty. I was given tips by steve. Thanks to both steve and ed for giving me correct advice. Will definitely go to Atomic for future transmission needs. read more

So, my Jeep Commander was under extended warranty. Took it to the dealership due to a noise I was hearing. Nope, don't hear it. It will cost about $250 to inspect. If there is an issue there will be no charge on the inspection and the warranty will cover. Not feeling good about that option I take it over to Atomic. They had it on a lift and inspected within 30 minutes of being there. They contact the warranty company with a quote to repair. Warranty company says I have to take to the dealership. Atomic writes up a detailed explanation and send me on my way; no charge. Now I take it back to the dealership, agree to the inspection fee, then yes it's covered under warranty and they fix it. So I look over the paperwork - their numbers were more than double what Atomic was going to charge. This is the 3rd vehicle I have brought into Atomic. The other 2 were rebuilds. On 1 we started hearing a noise again and took it back. Turns out that one of the parts they didn't replace had a hairline crack. They had to completely R&R the transmission to get to it and replace the part. They charged me $65 for the part, they covered the labor. They said that they should have caught that originally. Don't go there for the fancy lounge and expresso machine, cause they ain't there. Nope they don't have wi-fi. What they have is the absolute best technicians and management staff. Go there for the best service at a cost that is below most if not all other shops. read more

First off I would like to say that I came to you on a recommendation, and at this point I can't see what would ever make me come back or say a good word about this place. I dropped the car off on 10/23 & left the keys. On 10/24 I was told that yes I needed a transmission rebuilt. Was told my car would be ready late, late Monday. Then I got a call on Monday saying not only was my car not ready, but now it needed engine mounts- all of them. They were NOT all broke when I dropped the car off! & they're telling me this on the day it's due back. Now I had a new completion date of late Wed. I called & was told it was still not ready on Wed, now Thursday. I should have been given updates and not had to make numerous calls to see the status of the job. On Thursday, I left work 1 hour early so I could get my car. I was told there was some vibration, but drive it and it should go away. AND I BELIEVED HIM! Not only did it not go way, it got worse!!!, lights came on on the dashboard that John also dismissed as ok and if I drive it they'll go away. Was my car not test driven after completed? Was the mechanic new? How can you give a car back that way? I drove home very upset and called the next morning to say I was bringing it back. Left work early at 12:00. I got there when the mechanics were on lunch, so I walked to grab lunch & wait. Was called to say they THINK I have defective parts, and that parts weren't going to be available until sometime Monday. I could take my car and they would call me. Told me it was safe to drive, but the whole way home I felt very unsure of how safe this car was, or if I could trust that was true. Nothing was in writing, and no rental offered. Sat morning I called back to voice my concerns, and was told if I felt unsafe, they would put me in a rental. Why wasn't this done in the first place? Why isn't my time and inconvenience taken into consideration? They suggest a young girl drive me and my car to the Wreck Room. My car should not have been taken there, and she definitely should not have been the one driving it since she is not a mechanic. When I go to leave with my rental, I see her sitting in my car- WITH ANOTHER MAN! I did not authorize or approve or was even told of this happening. Who said that she could do that??? I have personal belongings in my car, and I don't know who she had sitting in my car, but they weren't even driving back with the car...just sitting there parked. This is inexcusable! Monday, 11/5, I'm called and told 'they finally got my car on a rack and yes it looks like it was defective' If it looks defective after one day, why wasn't it caught when they were under my car installing it? At this point I don't trust anything I was told, or the expertise of your employees. I was given my car back in terrible condition, later than promised, had my car used as a pick up without my knowledge or approval. Is this how you treat unsuspecting female customers? Did my car really need the engine mounts replaced, or did you break them?? Were they actually replaced when you said they were? Were they from a junk yard and that's why they were bad after 1 day?? What are the odds that 2 new ones you put on are defective, and the mechanic doesn't see this until my car is up in the air 2 days later?? Do you not take pride in your work? Do you not care how a vehicle leaves your establishment, just so long as it's gone? I deserve answers. What are you as a small local business owner going to do for me to make this right? You have unethical business practices and I cannot believe you have been in business as long as you have. I have been back there more times than even reasonable, was given my vehicle back without being properly inspected, and had a stranger in my vehicle without even asking me. At this point, I don't even know if I can trust the work that you did perform. I was finally called by the owner, 13 days after I originally dropped off the car, to say my vehicle was finished and test driven and I will be happy with the way it runs now. I get there and drive it with him, and say 'this is how a car is supposed to drive.' The real surprise was that he was going to have me sign off on everything without giving me any break on the price for all of the aforementioned incidents! I know how much the job pretty much cost, with the parts being marked up that were junk in my book but at the very least defective, plus the cost for the rebuilt which was not broken down into parts and labor to hide the mark up there as well. They made a lot of money off me, and didn't think I deserved anything for my time, multiple trips, multiple phone calls made by me to find things out, giving me the car back without test driving it, and letting some girl pick up a guy in my car w/out my knowledge or approval. What they did give me was by no way even close to a decent discount for everything I went through. Learn from this...STAY AWAY! read more

Friendly, professional counter and customer service before the the job is done but poor workmanship and short warranty period. Clutches in '04 Explorer started slipping after 93K miles two years ago. Car primarily used around town. Wanted job done right- got three quotes- went with the local/most "trustworthy." Tech drove with me in car & showed me how 2nd gear was not engaging- very knowledgable. Paid $1500 for rebuild. After 20K miles tranny is slipping, needs to be rebuilt/ replaced. I want to support a local business but the proof is in the lack of performance! Warranty is only for 90 days. 20K on a transmission rebuild is unacceptable- over 90K on original and 20K on replacement- no way! I will take my business elsewhere. So should you. read more

All you people crying about customer service crack me up. What do you want ? a foot rub and cucumbers over your eyes? It's a Transmission shop that is very busy most of the time. If they suck so much why are they always full of cars that need to be fixed? All my friends from Jewel foods go there for Transmission work including myself. Never had any problems with their work. read more

Problem with the auto trans linkage on my 71 Jag - Rob from Atomic was great. Called Atomic on recommendation of a friend, they sent flatbed over the same day and within 1 day called back having identified and fixed the problem. Very reasonable rates, fast service and kept me informed. What more do you need from your mechanic? read more

Terrible experience from start to finish. Trip#1 Trans was making a noise... Spent $1500...noise was still there?? Trip#2 back to fix the noise told it was something else, than told the tech just forgot to fix it??? Trip#3 1 month after spending $1500 on a differential my trans went out. Really? All of a sudden it's leaking from everywhere when there was no leaks 30 days earlier????? $1500 again for a new trans, then the lines, then the cooler, everything it was connected to needed to be replaced as well because they couldn't get them off?? Trip#4 check engine lights on for a trans slipping code 2 weeks after the new trans??? They had to replace parts again?? And now my front end has damage but it didn't happen there?? Really banging like crazy when I pick it up but not their problem?? Car smelled TERRIBLE after every visit for 2 weeks after. So bad it gave you headaches. Service from their front end staff seems pleasant but they will never call you when they say and expect everything to take twice as long as promised. Overall I would never go there again and recommend you find another shop. read more

Frank Gentile the owner is a trustworthy person to deal with. I was told I need additional work on my car from a trans shop down the street. I took my car over to Atomic and was given a very reasonable estimate and Frank told me that the other shop was trying to price gouge me. He didn't have to tell me that. Car runs great. read more

They came highly recommended to me. Since my conversion van was jerking while driving, I thought, I had transmission problem. I dropped it off to check and repair transmission in the morning. I got the call from them the same day, informing me that it is not transmission but I needed tune up. They do transmission exclusively. They did not charge me anything. The staff is extremely courteous and knowledgeable. I strongly recommend this place if you ever suspect you have transmission problem. Thank you guys for great service. read more

Great service every time I go there. As much as I would not like to deal with transmission issues (or differential or transfer cases) if I have to, I trust Atomic. This is a no fuss operation. You walk in, you tell them whats wrong, they look at it, they quote you, they fix it, and you pick up you vehicle. There is a reason they are consistently busy, because they are the best. read more

My car was giving me issues so I contacted Atomic Transmissions, brought my car in and they took a look at it and were awesome. They were so honest, told me that it was not a transmission problem, a engine issue and gave me some places to contact. I really appreciate that, they are awesome, Frank and Bill rock read more

Just terrible.. they fixed my transmission kept it for a good two-three weeks. My guess was that they kept holding off the work that needed to be done. A month later went back for check up owner said to bring it back a couple days later. Took it on a Friday said I'll get it back Saturday, called me 5 minutes before I arrived to the shop, "the car isn't ready, you'll get it Monday". Here I am waiting for my car because he said he JUST ordered a piece that was missing for the leakage. read more

If there were more than five stars I'd give them to Atomic Motors. I've been going there nearly 20 years, and they are absolutely the best, most competent, most honest guys in the transmission business. I do most of my own work on our cars, but I don't touch automatic transmissions. These guys know transmissions, they know cars, and they know trucks. I've never seen an unhappy customer there, but I've sure seen many happy and grateful customers. They listen to your concerns, drive the car, make a diagnosis, explain the problem, offer you their recommendation and any alternatives, and give you a price. No games, no unnecessary repairs. No absentee management either - Frank (the owner) is out in the shop all day, and knows every customer and every car. I'm almost always hesitant to recommend a service shop to anyone, but I tell everyone to go to Atomic Motors for transmission or driveline work. They're the best. read more

My daughter was leaving for college the next day when I get that call you never want to get. Dad the cars trans is slipping. All I could see were dollars signs, then I remembered Frank at Atomic. So we drove over, Frank told me we will check it out. They had the car for about 90 minuets, Nothing bad just replace the filter and trans fluid. $120.00. The car runs great . These guys are the best. read more