I'm updating my review as this place deserves an extra positive shout out ), Took my car to jiffy lube cause light went on in car indicating an issue with the back tire. Jiffy lube insisted tire was no good and wanted me to buy a new one. Husband suggested I take care to Eliot's for a second opinion. Didn't say a word to Eliot what other place recommended within an hour after I dropped the car off I received a call that my tire was fixed. They took a nail out and put a patch on the tire. Good as new. 29$ charge vs the hundreds I would have paid had I just taken the first recommendation. Eliot and his workers are honest, good people. I have been going there almost a decade and I have only had highly positive experiences. Highly recommend read more

I had one of my most amazing auto service experience this week at Eliot's auto repair. I've taken my car there a number of times over the years and I've always been very satisfied. However this visit was exceptional. Off the charts. My 2015 Nissan Murano power back gate stopped working. The Nissan dealer quoted, just for parts, nearly $1200. I walked out of Eliot's with a car that runs like new for remarkably less money. Many many hundreds less. He provided a loaner, and he didn't look to find things that weren't there to pad the bill either. Great job Eliot! read more

Eliot's has been my go-to shop for the last year or two. He's always been knowledgeable and reliable, and the cost of service is fair. I would recommend him to anyone. read more

TLDR: they were VERY mean and rude. TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!! Made a phone call with them to get an non-guaranteed estimate. I'm a car guy too so I know my stuff. I needed a release cable replaced and I asked for a non guaranteed price estimate and Eliots was very VERY rude. They insulted me and belittled me and lectured me. Quoted from the phone call: "You think you know how to do my job?" THEY MAY BE HONEST BUT THEY'RE ASSHOLES. DON'T GO HERE. There're better places with better customer service out there. read more

As someone who knows close to nothing about cars, I'm so glad I found a shop that's so trustworthy and thorough! I've gotten work done 3 times so far, and Eliot and his team are honest about what my car needs, so great with communication and answering all questions, and they get me back to driving safely within a couple days & for a good price. This is the Chicago mechanic that I will always recommend to a friend and anyone looking for a reliable shop. read more

Eliot consistently does excellent repairs and routine maintenance on my vintage Honda. It is rare to find a mechanic who only suggests what you specifically need when you need it. Eliot is very honest and transparent with his pricing. I trust him and his technical skills and knowledge completely. read more

I have been having issues with the heat shields on my 2011 Nissan Rogue. I have gone place to place trying to get help. Getting no results. I called Elliott's Thursday he said bring it in. I went next day, Friday June 25,2021. I live in Oak Lawn, arrived 8:40 was out by 8:58. He stopped what he was doing said pull it in let's take a quick look. He was so nice, quick and most important my car is no longer making noise. He was honest and nice. The shop is clean, the waiting area is clean. Thank you read more

Dishonest. Replied to my review with an inaccurate and untrue account of what really happened. Unless you have money to burn, stay away. 12/30 update: Still being dishonest. read more

A lot of reviews say that Eliot is rude or an a$$ h$&@. He's not. He's just direct and to the point which I appreciate. However, my last visit didn't leave a good taste in my mouth. I needed a minor repair done and contacted Eliot for a quote and he gave me a round about dollar amount and I agreed to bring my vehicle in. This was my third visit to him. Eliot contacted me on the phone to let let me know that an incident occurred while changing the part but did not tell me how or if it could have been prevented, if it was damaged due to something he did to it or if the part was worn. I feel that if the part was worn, he would have said so. Instead I get a quick description of the problem along with an obscene price to fix. He lets me know the following day that my vehicle was ready for pick up but it took me days to get the money together to get it back. I was prepared to spend 400-500 max when I was quoted 250-300. My total came to almost 850 dollars. I could have changed this part myself for 220. Fast forward to two days later when I was able to scrape the money together. I returned for my car later after dropping off a rental and Eliot's shop was closed. I get in my vehicle and start it up and it literally sounded like an old worn out clunker on its last leg with a squeel coming from under the hood so loud that it had dogs howling in the neighborhood. Shaking and grinding. Honestly I was completely embarrassed to even drive it. When I dropped off my vehicle to him, these problems did not exist. I had plans to sell the vehicle to a very interested buyer that checked out the vehicle days before. I told the buyer that I was not comfortable selling it to him when a part needed replaced. So I told him I'd touch base in a few days and he could come Buy it once it's fixed with no issues. Needless to say my vehicle cannot be sold in its current condition. I took it back the following day to have it looked at again. (And to have a part put back on they they forgot to put on before giving it back to me) I drive in and Eliot looks at it and says that it looks great and sounds great while holding the part they they forgot to put back on after they "fixed it" and asks me. What're does this thing go. Speaking to me as if I'm clinically insane and am not hearing what I'm hearing and tells me that it's fine and there is nothing wrong with it. After I tell him that the squealing and grinding is something that was never there before. After spending almost 850 dollars, one would expect to get their vehicle back fixed and In the same condition they dropped It off in. Not this time.. I drove into his shop with a good vehicle that had the interest of many that wanted to Purchase it. I left with a vehicle that is literally embarrassing to drive and I'm disgusted to drive it. He won't fix the issue because he's convinced himself that he has done a fantastic job and acts as though I should be thanking him instead or questioning his work. It's a shame and I feel completely taken advantage of. read more

This was my first time getting work done by Eliot's Complete Auto Repair Shop and I am happy to say they provided me excellent same day service. I needed my front driver side replaced and they got the job done! They are efficient and courteous. If I could give them 10 stars I would! read more

After emissions coded me with a bad oil pressure switch, I looked for local auto shops to do the fairly simple repair instead of the dealership route. (I don't have my tools anymore or a garage or I would have done the work myself.) I wanted to do business with someone like Eliot both because the location is a neighborhood business and because I love this neighborhood. Unfortunately, after speaking with Eliot, there was no way that was going to work. First, on the phone I asked for a specific price for a specific replacement of a part. He wouldn't quote me over the phone. Then I take the car there and he quotes me based off the codes but there is still a $50 to $100 diagnostic charge on top of the repair. We talked about why, as the codes were there and he would have to throw the thing on the lift, pull the bottom cover and probably remove the part anyway as part of the diagnostic...this is when he looked at me like I was a moron. Well, I took the car to the Dealership, got the car fixed and returned within 5 hours (including a wash and warrantied OEM parts) and they charged me $50 less than Eliot's All-In price. I still think if you don't know what you need, Eliot will take care of you. He seems like a genuinely nice guy. That said, he was happy to leave money on the table and for that I can't offer more than a 3-Star today. read more

About two years ago I decided to break up with the auto dealership for my regular car maintenance, and I'm so glad I did. Eliot's Auto is amazing! He is reliable and honest. I recommended him to my dad who was taking his car to his auto dealer. He switched and is equally happy. read more

It is so nice to have an honest, trustworthy mechanic. My car didn't start properly and the engine light came on. I drove it to Eliot's. They took a quick look at it, discovered that the battery was defective, quickly replaced it, and had me back on the road in half an hour. Wonderful services as usual. read more

I drive a Nissan Altima and Eliot's is the only repair shop I go to. I've been a long time customer because I trust the diagnostics and quality of repair service I receive every time. Eliot's also offers a loaner car if the repairs are going to take a day or two so I'm not stranded or have to change my plans. (Located near Addison Brown Line stop and Trader Joes). I continue to go to Eliot's for regular oil changes. Mailings provide me with tips and discount coupons. The owner Eliot is a mechanical engineer and takes pride in his & his team's service. read more

Bring a book! I've been here 2x so far to utilize my punch card I bought via Groupon. Each time I've had an oil change that takes at least 2 hours. I get there are other cars to work on however it seems he has only 1 mechanic to work on vehicles. I also received a car wash and left with my car dripping wet because he does not dry them. Pointless if the water will just become water spots. Paying $2 for a hazardous waste removal (oil) every time I get a oil change is pretty strange as well. I've been to my dealership, jiffy lube, and Midas for oil changes and have never been asked to pay for a disposal fee or seen it on my receipt. That is an additional $16 to the price you pay for the Groupon. I ultimately ended up complaining to Groupon about that since that disclosure was not on his advertised Groupon neither is it on his website. Groupon took care of me. He is a direct mechanic. Comes off somewhat rude and has a nonchalant demeanor. I wish he were friendlier but it's his business not mine. Hope this helps. read more

I don't even know what to say here. I called for an estimate and got nothing short of the worst customer experience of my life. I never got my estimate and was pushed repeatedly to bring it by because apparently, "I'm stupid and he can't tell me anything over the phone." I hardly even got a word out describing the problem with my transmission before I was being blasted with attitude. Not happy with you Eliot's. Not happy at all. read more

I received a phone call from Eliot this morning offering to take another look at my car for free after reading my review. While it was a nice gesture to reach out and be in contact with an unsatisfied customer, I told him that I have gone elsewhere to fix the damage done. He posted a comment almost immediately after I turned his free service down, highlighting the fact that I refused his services after I picked up my car. Of course I did, why would I agree to someone over charging me to fix my brakes?! The amount he offered me was three times more than I just paid. In addition, it turns out he tacked on other issues that I did not need. I'm really sorry, but this Web site is to inform others of service whether it is great, mediocre or bad, and the reviews speak for themselves -- I am definitely not his first unsatisfied customer. I still stand by my initial review, go elsewhere, you will get better service done right for a better price. read more

You can really trust Eliot to get the job done, for the least amount of money and time without shorting you service or quality. My car was presenting with a diagnostic error that no other auto shop could correctly fix. Eliot's ran diagnostics once, fixed a small part for less than $100 and I haven't had any problems. I've been a loyal customer ever since! Besides the great staff, Eliot's also provides free loaner cars while they work on yours so it's very convenient and you never have to worry about being without a car. read more

I have been going to Eliot's for eleven years, but I believe way back then it was called Techincal Tune Up. But Eliot's been there the whole time. My first visit there was for a brake job on my 89 Acura Integra. Unfortunately, the rotors had never been replaced and couldn't be turned again. It happens, it's sad and very costly, especially for an Acura. I actually cried when he called to tell me the total. My next visit was much better. I took it in because in the morning it would sometimes not start, especially when it was dewy outside. It turned out to be the distributor cap and he also found one bad spark plug wire, cheap fix for a really annoying problem. On my last car, a Mazda Protege, Eliot had just flushed the oil (thanks to three years without an oil change), gave it a tune up and replaced the EGR valve because the engine light keep going on. Then it got hit by a UPS truck a month later. After he had just told my hubbie that if we did his recommended repairs (totaling about $300) for basic maintenance we'd been putting off, it might make it a few more years. This was a car already at 150k and had been getting by with minimal care. And it really did need those repairs, there was actually not one item on the list that I didn't totally agree with. My latest visit to Eliot was when my latest car, a 98 Suburu Outback, started to not want to start regularly. Some days it would, others it wouldn't. I called AAA once and they came out and charged the battery and tried to sell me a new one. But that didn't seem to be the issue. The next time it happened I got fed up, called Eliot and told him what was up. He recommended that I not let them charge the battery and just have it towed in, so it would be in the exact state that had been vexing me for so many months. I told him no tow was necessary, I'd call AAA and get my free towing. He said fine, just give the tow driver the keys and address and not to worry. I heard from him a few hours later. It was the starter and was replaced for an excellent price and picked up later that day. All in all exactly as his motto states: an honest mechanic read more

I live right around the corner from Eliot's and have been taking my car there for several years. My car is 10 years old and has the typical problems of an older, well-used automobile. Disclaimer: I have been taught by my father to be distrustful of mechanics and to research thoroughly the mechanical recommendations that the auto shop is making. That being said, Eliot has always accomodated me and explained thoroughly the repairs he was making to my car. Several times I have asked him to itemize his recommendations and prioritize what work he believes I need done. He has always been patient and attentive with this request. I've had Eliot evaluate my car several times for a weird noise the car was exhibiting or the "feeling" of driving experience was off. He's never pushed any solution or charged me more than minor repairs on this. I don't get the sense that he's ever charged me for more work than than necessary or contributed to my cars problems, contrary to other posters. I trust Eliot with my car - he's always respectful of the due diligence I perform before he does the work on my car. And the repair work has been great - just got my car winterized and it's running great in this crappy Chicago winter weather. read more

I stopped in here many years ago and will not go back. I have been receiving solicitation junk mail ever since. No thank-you. The customer service was cheesy-salesman like and nothing was explained to me in technical terms; not even when requested. I was treated in a condescending type manner as though I knew nothing about cars which is not true. My bill consisted of misc. items that had little to do with the actual repair and suggestions that were pointless. I felt dirty walking out, in a "I was just violated" sort of way. Good news: I have other options to repair my vehicle and certainly am happy to exercise these. I suggest others do the same. Perhaps Elliot should spend more time actually working on vehicles and studying innovative engine repair versus mass mailings, flirting with customers and replying to posts on Yelp. read more

Fair and honest. Eliot took the time to explain the situation with my car (brake lines needed replacement), suggested a few other items with the car that needed to be fixed but weren't critical (I declined the extra work), and Eliot charged a fair and honest rate (I called around for other quotes). Do business with Eliot's Complete Auto Repair Shop with confidence. read more

I've taken my car to Eliot's for about two years, and I am very happy with his service. He has always accomodated my scheduling requests, and his prices are fair (and much less than at a dealer or some other "local" shops). I am quite surprised to see negative reviews about Eliot's: my multiple experiences with everything from oil changes to emission repairs have all been great. On the single occasion that he couldn't finish my car when he thought he'd be able to, he quickly offered me a free loaner. Additionally, he doesn't "upsell" services. I wish he was open a bit earlier or later (8 to 5:30, M-F only), but I am so happy with his service that I will continue to arrange my schedule. (He'll also work with you if you need to drop off the car early and drop your keys.) In short, great work, fair prices, and very good customer service. I can't ask for more! read more

Yeah... Don't bring your car here. Eliot's motto is something to the effect of "Finally, an honest mechanic." I found out the hard way that if a mechanic has to say he's honest, he's probably not. To make a long story as short as possible, I took my car in for one problem, it conveniently came out with another. It was a very noticeable problem that wasn't a problem before the initial repair. So I'm pretty sure Eliot's damaged the malfunctioning part during the initial repair and didn't take responsibility for it. They also didn't have any problems quoting me another $500 for the additional repairs. With all the choices of repair shops in Chicago, take your car to a shop where the mechanic doesn't need to convince you that he's honest. read more

Great customer service! Eliot, the owner-operator, is very personable and available. He offers a loaner car for free while your car is being serviced. Diagnostics can get on the pricey side depending on how long it takes them to figure out the problem. They send me a coupon for a free oil change. read more

Picked up my NIssan last week, been driving it around as usual, and I'm amazed Eliot was able to fix all the things that were wrong with it especially the brakes. Good guy, good shop. read more

It's a nice enough shop but incredibly expensive even for routine services. Paid considerably more for an oil change here than I have anywhere else, including the dealership ($110). When I consider that I used a voucher that was valued at $67 for an oil change and then paid an additional $80 charge for the oil, that is a ridiculous amount (even for the added 57 point inspection and tire/brake inspection-missed the bad bearings and pads worn down to around 20%-oops). I understand that synthetic oil is more expensive but I purchased the value of a regular oil change so the cost of the non-synthetic oil should have been factored into the overall cost and credited towards the oil change. In addition, there is a 20% up charge for any parts they order as well as charge for any supplies they use of their own. Typically, shops factor all this in when they give you a quote. There's a bit too much nickel and diming which ends up costing a pretty penny! read more

Eliot the owner wrote "Some of these posts are from competitors who want to ) to tarnish my image. I know this because there are posts from names that don't exist on my data base." Very laughable since some of the positive review here on yelp and some other review site seem suspiciously written and eerily similar. One might speculate that some of the very positive ones may have been written by the same person..... It is odd that a few of the positive reviews have never reviewed anything else... Name changes and fake reviews emphasizing "honesty" wont fool people for long. Getting to the point... My experience with with this shop was awful... Eliot quoted me around $200 for repairs and ended up putting in a more expensive component without my permission, driving my total cost to$900..... this shop maybe okay for an oil change or broken window.. but any thing else, think twice, between Eliot's Dishonest tactics and dreadful workmanship, you would be better off going else where.... People write bad reviews for a reason, and I have an audio with Eliot admitting he had no idea how to install the component he initially quoted me for and that it was easier for him to remove and install the more expensive unit... Rebut my review, I can post a link with his permission? that simple. I failed to mention upon driving my car home from his shop, I heard a rattling coming from the front of my car, I opened the hood to noticed that my air filter cover was not mounted back on... Scary thinking what else he failed to reinstall properly... read more

Terrible service. This man is a cheat and will try to swindle you out of as much as he can. The quality of work and inspection is among the worst. Don't trust this man. Go to ASE certified mechanics. There is a reason why it has a 3 star rating. If you have the time do some research and find a better place. read more

I"m very pleased with the work and the service. The owner was friendly, polite, and explained what needed to be done to fix my brakes. The brakes are working fine now. read more

I am really upset that I was referred to this place by a friend. My car broke down and I brought my car to Eliot's and he told me I need to replace my water pump and timing belt. I was charged $1200 for this service and was also told I needed to completely replace my exhaust and this would cost me over $2000 dollars. I could only afford to replace the water pump and timing belt then other problems came up. He did in fairness warn me that I did have some front end issues that needed to be addressed in the future. The extent of the issues and cost was never discussed. Also the check engine light was on but he said he was not able to fix the lights on a Volvo because the require a special reset by the dealership. I understand this but I dont understand why the check engine codes were not discussed in greater detail. When I went to a different shop I replaced both outer tie rods, cv axel, replaced two tires, sway bar links and bushings, brake pads, rotors, flex pipe joint, front strut and mount for about $1300 basically an entire front end over hall for what eliot charged me for a water pump and timing belt... The other mechanic told me that $700 for a water pump and timing belt is fair and I was ripped off. Then he also told me my engine is leaking a ton of oil not from the oil pan but from behind the timing belt and this should have been addressed when replacing the timing belt. I was asked if anything was related to me in regards to the engine problems and the codes, I said it was vaguely described to me and he said it had to do with cylinder misfirings. I am not a car guy Eliot told me I needed to replace the exhaust badly as there is a hole in the exhaust and it would cost me at least an additional $1000 to fix. The other mechanic told me it was the joint in the exhaust that could be repaired for $135 not $1000. Eliot also told me how an over haul of my exhaust in its entirety would resolve the issue of hesitation and shaking while accelerating. This other mechanic proceeded to tell me this diagnosis was flat out wrong and unnecessary. I am awaiting his diagnosis but was told that I received not only incorrect advice but was also over charged. Eliot is not in search of long term customers but would rather milk a cow until its dry great way to get business referrals... Great argument about how we are apparently fake customers... I have no doubt you are loyal to some. Probably your regulars since 1987... but if you are someone Eliot has no vested interest in and he for whatever reason does not see you as a repeat customer will in fact try to take advantage of you and hope it does not give him bad press. Over Priced, Loyal to regulars, and shady when it comes to first time customers or someone unsuspecting he feels he could milk every penny out of. read more

The good: Went in for an oil change. They weren't busy so I was in and out quick. Eliot called me over when the car was on the lift and pointed out a couple things I should get looked at. The just ok: Eliot didn't write down the things he told me about the car and I've since forgotten them. The Groupon I used was supposed to be a discount of $149.95 to $24.95 and include an oil change, a 57-point inspection, battery test, alternator test, and check engine light scan. Got the oil change, not sure I really got any of those last items. Overall, good experience and didn't feel like I was being gauged. read more

Eliot is genuinely nice and honest. When my window got smashed out he couldn't squeeze me in but refereed me to a glass guy that was awesome and cheap. I have never heard of any place giving a complementary loaner car to use while your is getting fixed, even if your just in for an oil change! I have no idea how much auto repair costs, so I know that whatever it is whatever they say it is. I can tell that Eliot is a guy with integrity and I'm doubtful that he would rip anyone off because he would be crushed if anyone said that they had a bad experience. Once you go Eliot will remember your name and always greet you with a warm smile and friendly convo, why go anywhere else?! read more

My husband and I have taken our 1999 Audi A6 to Eliot a few times I have been impressed with the service. Getting your car repaired is expensive and stressful but he does his best to keep in touch with us and my husband has done his homework to check Eliot's prices and they are fair. Audis are expensive to repair and we were considering getting a few necessary repairs done to pass the emissions test and then sell it. We had to replace one of two catalytic converters ($1100) and an air pump ($588). Then, we shopped around for a new car but we just weren't finding any that were an improvement over a fully repaired A6. The check engine light came on again a week or two after the initial repairs and we decided to get the Audi fully repaired and keep it for a while longer. The next repairs were a belt (around $50) and a cracked axle shaft ($1060). If the axle shaft had broken, it would have totaled the car. He actually got the work done two hours under the estimate and so he didn't charge us for those two hours of labor. The night after the second set of repairs, the car broke down on the side of the highway. The insurance covered the cost of the tow truck (Eliot did offer to reimburse us) and Eliot inspected the car early the next morning. He said that the axle shaft was a faulty part and replaced it free of charge and had our car ready to pick up that night. That is the only problem we have ever had with Eliot's service and it was taken care of immediately and free of charge. The free loaner car was a life-saver during all of the repairs. It is a bit embarrassing to drive (as one reviewer put it) a pimptastic car and I desperately wanted my shiny Audi back, but a working loaner car is better than no car at all. We did suggest to Eliot that he send those cars through the car wash once in a while. I am rating four stars because we had to take the car back after the first fix, because of the faulty axle part, and the dirty loaner cars. However, I would recommend Eliot's repair service to anyone. read more

$400 for an alternator on a 1994 Saturn sedan. Judge for yourself. Eliott was personable until, it seemed to me, it became clear I wasn't made of money, then he was impatient. When I returned after strolling around for 20 minutes (in February) looking for the loaner he had misguided me to, he effectively told me that finding it was my problem - he was too busy. To his credit, my golden alternator is still working fine. read more

Really quick and easy, got my car back within a day. Eliot is great and very helpful!!!

He repaired my car and put in a new fuel Pump. Also said I need a new tie rod and a water pump. I went to Hollywood Services at 5656 N. Western and asked them about them. The tie rod just needed grease and the water pump was not leaking. The Fuel Pump however was leaking gas! I will never go back, even if he does provide cars to use. read more

I've taken my car to Eliot's for about two years, and I am very happy with his service. He has always accomodated my scheduling requests, and his prices are fair (and much less than at a dealer or some other local shops). My multiple experiences with everything from oil changes to emission repairs have all been great. On the single occasion that he couldn't finish my car when he thought he'd be able to, he quickly offered me a free loaner. Additionally, he doesn't upsell services. I wish he was open a bit earlier or later (8 to 5:30, M-F only), but I am so happy with his service that I will continue to arrange my schedule. (He'll also work with you if you need to drop off the car early and drop your keys.) In short, great work, fair prices, and very good customer service. I can't ask for more! read more

My last trip to Eliot blew my mind. My car was making the worst sounds on the planet and even a buddy checked it out and thought my shocks/struts were gone and would need replacing. For that I was expecting $1000 bill at least. He took a ride with me, listened to the noise and then told his mechanic to do the same and he would be able to hear what was going on. Imagine my surprise when an hour later he called me to tell me that it was going to cost $76 TOTAL! $10 for parts and the rest was labor/tax. He could have easily told me the job was going to cost $1200 and I would have paid it. I was so appreciative I even bought him a gift card to the nearby Trader Joes to thank him for truly being an honest mechanic. I am so surprised by some of the reviews I am reading on here- Eliot is always very friendly on the phone as well as when I am there in person. He seems to really care about his customers and always asks questions about my life too. It feels more like a buddy working on your car than a mechanic. I have brought my car to Eliot three times now and each time the service has been phenomenal- he has always very clearly spoken to me about what I thought might be the issue and then called me with an estimate shortly after, always getting my car back to me quickly. Half a dozen of my friends bring their cars to him and they all feel the same way- a great, honest mechanic. I also do not understand why my review seems to have disappeared. It seems a bit ridiculous that a recent review is not listed anywhere on the first page and yet some that are years old are there, especially since it seems like they are all the bad ones. Not exactly fair in my opinion. read more

I couldnt be more appreciative of the service received at Eliots. I was referred by my boss with rave reviews and was not disappointed. He was professional, friendly, and prompt. He fixed the car the same day, and it ended up costing $40 less than he quoted. Refreshing to experience an honest mechanic, proving car repairs don't have to be such a nightmare. Absolutely will go back. read more