Great shop, great team. I have brought my beat up Ford Escape to this place maybe a dozen times over the last few years for everything from oil changes to serious front end damage after an accident, and every time I get my car back quickly and at a reasonable cost. Matt is an honest and fair mechanic who can fix almost anything, but will level with you when he can't figure something out. On one occasion I had a window stuck in the down position and Matt told me that the dealer would be my best bet to fix it (he was right.) This confirmed that he is trustworthy and not someone who will milk a bad situation for his own gain. I will continue to bring my car here even though I no longer work or live very close to the shop - it's worth the extra trouble for the high level of service. read more

Blew a tire on a wonderful pothole on 90/94 and was thankfully able to drive it over to the garage. Matt took excellent care of this and also gave my car a once over. Needed an oil change, filters, fluids changed which had never been done. Matt communicated with me through the whole process with updates and costs. Highly recommended read more

I was driving in from out of town when the alternator light lit up on our dashboard about 10 miles from our hotel in the loop. We luckily made it in that night, and I called up Fulton-Desplaines first thing the next morning, based on their rating from Yelp and how close they were to our hotel. Matt was super friendly on the phone and said that he would be able to get it looked at that morning. They were able to get me in, diagnose the problem, fix it and get it back to me in a few hours. They really got me out of a jam and provided amazing service at a fair price. The yelp reviews are why I selected this shop, and our experience agrees with the vast majority of the reviews I read. A++++ read more

This place was quick and reasonable in price. Totally recommend this place. It was just an oil change synthetic oil. They took care of me.

Honest and super helpful. Willing to evaluate and fix tires without replacing immediately. I trust they are fair and honest with pricing and service. A great find in River North! read more

This is my second review because this is the best shop in the city. Matt helped me out in a bind during a stressful situation when the axle of my old Acura snapped right in the middle of an intersection. After I pushed the car off the road Matt had a tow sent out in 30mins. He was extremely helpful and easy to work with and he is the only mechanic I will ever use. read more

Friendly competent staff, but a synthetic oil change is $85. I could head over to my dealer and spend $60 and get a free a car wash. I was really shocked. Seems like a shop for urgent repair needs and not regular maintenance. read more

After my car was stolen for a joyride and dumped in the ghetto, (stripped of the ignition), I needed a place to get it fixed. Looked on yelp, saw this garage had great reviews, and decided to give it a shot. I wasn't disappointed. Matt fixed the ignition and did all the work dealing with my insurance company. He said I didn't have to worry about it, which was one less set of phone calls I had to make, trying to fix the whole stolen car debacle. My ignition was replaced quickly, and they even put on my temporary plate since they saw it sitting on the dashboard. Yes, the thieves even stole my license plates. :( At least Fulton-Desplaines Garage helped make my ordeal somewhat less painful. Now if only I could find those thieves and get them in a room for five minutes... read more

So I have an old car (but the duct tape holding it together is practically new!). It's old enough to get it's own driver's license, and next month, it'll be old enough to vote. We have grown up together, and we are good friends. However, as my Dad always told me, "Cars are a pain in the ass." There is only so long you can drive before it needs to go in for something....and car repairs are never a pleasant experience. Ok, ONCE my car repair cost me all of 10 bucks...that totally rocked, but with an 18 year old car...those days are long, long gone... I went to Fulton-Desplaines for the first time last week, and I have to say I am impressed. Again...my car is old. It's never going to be "good as new"...but some repairs and tweaking from the guys at Fulton-Desplaines seemed to shave off a few years of wear and tear. It feels soooo much better than it did going in. Matt was upfront with me about what was going on, about what needed to be fixed and what fell into the "why bother" category. And to top it off, I spent a a little less than I thought I would. Can't ask for much more than that... I'll be back. read more

Only place I've ever taken my car in 6 years. Team is honest, friendly, reliable. I'm lucky they are 3 blocks away but I'd drive 20 miles to them if I needed to. read more

Matt and his staff are awesome. If you despise, loathe and abhor spending your Saturday waiting in line at a Jiffy Lube, answering questions like "this is what your air filter looks like, do you want to replace it?" or "the recommended time to flush your coolant is 30,000 miles (your car has 20,000 miles) would you like to do that today?" to a bunch of 19 year old kids that have no vested interest in making the best decisions for you and your car then I have an answer for you...Fulton and Desplaines garage. These guys are awesome. I started going to them about 2 years ago when I discovered a nail sticking out of my tire. Since this garage is near the loop you just drop it off, walk to work and pick it up before they close at 5:30. Then I started taking it there for regular oil changes. Frankly, I am thinking about getting my oil changed everyday; parking in my building is $38--getting my oil changed is $35. Hmmm... Matt called me one time I had dropped off my car for an oil change to say my battery needed to be changed; he didn't think it would make it through the winter. I told him my dad and I were going to change it--little father-daughter bonding. He laughed and said that sounded like a good Saturday afternoon project. 3 months later I called back to schedule an oil change. He said, "How was your battery change bonding with your dad?" To which I had to reply that it didn't happen. Point of the story is that they remember their customers, treat the vehicles as if they were their own and are extremely accommodating and personable. I'll never go to a Jiffy Lube again and neither should you. Don't forget to rub the garage pooch's belly. He likes that. read more

Fine service, honest and attentive. Even better - it's within walking distance! The other week, I looked on Yelp and found this place. They replaced my completely shot brakes, plus a few other fixes. I enjoyed talking to Matt. He let me bring the car in immediately, and the work was done in a day. He was real friendly, took the time to explain things, and appeared to be honest. It's hard to really tell unless you know the industry well, but I feel like I received great service and a reasonable price. It was nice (yet sad if you really think about it) driving away with the confidence that your car actually works right and you didn't get ripped off :) read more

Matt called it "Just good timing" but I'm going to go ahead and call it what it really is: "Great service." I called at 8 a.m. to see if I could drop my car off to have the A/C inspected. The air blowing from the vents in the car could warm an apartment in hell, and I was just hoping F-D Garage could fix it before I melted into the seat. When I arrived at the garage the place was overflowing with cars and news vans apparently being repaired. Matt said he'd get back to me later in the day, which I figured would be 5 p.m. Instead I received a phone call 62 minutes after I left -- I checked -- telling me the A/C was fine and just needed to be recharged. No leaks and everything looked to be in fine shape. The car was ready to go. And despite the loaded parking lot, which I have to believe is a testament to the quality of the people and the shop, Matt didn't seem to mind at all when I told him I couldn't pick the car up until the end of the day. I know I didn't ask these guys to rebuild my engine, but it's a breath of fresh air to have your car serviced quickly and without being nickle and dimed. And yes, the AC works like a champ. Thanks guys! read more

So I moved to the West Loop about a year ago and didn't know where to bring my car for service. I used to get the oil changed way out in suburbia where I used to work, but since my ass got laid off, I don't really feel the need to drive 30 miles for an oil change. So, what's an unemployed guy like me to do? Fortunately, there's Yelp. I've always been concerned about getting ripped off in bringing my car to a new mechanic. And Yelp held my hand until I was brave enough to check out Matt. I brought the car in for an oil change and also to repair the rear tail light after an unfortunate incident with the loading dock at my building (yea, let's just say I now highly, highly recommend washing your car when it's caked in winter salt before you back up in a dark alley up against a dark loading dock). So, as I mentioned, I'm straight out of low-cash (circa Chris Rock in CB4) because of the aforementioned job loss. So we ordered the part through eBay and I brought it to Matt to install. He charged me for the 20 minutes of time it took him to install the light - he probably could have tried to overcharge me, but because he didn't, he has won my business and I have found my new neighborhood mechanic. I hope not to have anything wrong with my car and I hope to only have to bring my car in for oil changes, but at least I know I can trust these guys if something more serious needs to be looked at. read more

On my first visit, I noticed some small problems that led me to think this business lacked attention to detail. But, I did give the local shop a second chance. However, On my second visit, I had a much more serious problem. I brought my Highlander in for an oil change. After the work was done, we started noticing odd smells in the cabin that didn't go away, I took my car to Toyota for a second look. They informed me the previous mechanic had used a worn, defective, or improper gasket when they installed the oil filter. They showed me a video of the car running, where a steady stream of oil was spraying from the filter. The dipstick was showing dry, and the engine was dangerously low on oil. We came very close to the engine running without oil and causing serious damage. I was fortunate I only had to pay Toyota $100 for the cleanup and a second oil change. On my first visit, my intuition said that this shop lacked attention to detail, and after nearly having major damage done to my car, I will be sure to trust my intuition in the future. I will find another mechanic. read more

I just took my car here for the first time and was very happy with the service. My friend from work suggested I go to Fulton Desplaines Garage and I am glad he did. Usually when I take my car into be looked at I feel like I am going to be ripped off because I do not know anything about cars. All I needed was an oil change and a spare set of car keys made (when I got a key made at Ace Hardware it got stuck in the ignition- beware). I also asked them to look over my car to make sure everything was ok. They changed the oil, made me two sets of keys and looked over my car. I feel they are honest and do a great job- I will for sure be back! read more

Here is my story: My car was difficult on starting so I went to my local (across the street) car maintenance place and they told me my alternator and a whole list of other things needed to be changed. I told them I would need to think about it. So one day due to street cleaning I needed to move my car there wasn't any parking so I parked in front of my building with my hazards on for maybe thirty min.. When I went to move my car it would not start. I called my roadside when they arrived they told me the battery was dead and it was not the alternator. I jumped on yelp and found this "jewel" in every aspect of the word. After my roadside recharged the battery I took it to FDG. He not only changed the battery for a reasonable price, but he fully checked out the car, and a in the midst of talking he said "your alternator is fine". I never told him that I thought it might be a problem. For the beginner: When you pass Jewel Osco you might say what is this (on the left hand side)? I say pull in and make this a go to. I guarantee I will be there! read more

A few weeks ago, my recently paid off car started making an alarming metal-on-metal noise. Isn't that the way it always works? I asked around for recommendations and took my car to a mechanic in North Center, not really thinking through the fact that it would take me nearly an hour to get back to my house from there. Before they had a chance to do anything with my car, I picked it up, did my Yelp research, and made an appointment at Fulton-Desplaines. I'm a girl. I don't know a thing about cars. I'm not above dressing nicely if I think it'll help get better service. But I hate getting the "delicate flower" treatment. You know what I mean. I got none of this from Matt at Fulton-Desplaines. He asked good questions, listened to what I had observed, and kept me apprised of the situation as they put my car up, looked at the brakes, changed the oil, and drove the car around checking to see if the noise was gone. It appeared to be, I paid what seemed to be a pretty reasonable rate for parts and service, and I left with my happily noise-free car. Until the next day, when a NEW noise took its place. ::shakes fist:: It was the beginning of the holiday weekend, though, and I couldn't be without a car, so I waited a few days before calling Matt back. When I did call, he was all apologies, encouraged me to bring the car in as soon as possible, and did his due diligence. They never did figure out exactly what was causing the new noise, but swapping out the replaced parts with OTHER parts did the trick. I picked my car up, confident the noise was really gone, and wasn't charged a dime. Matt even called the next day to make sure that the noise(s) hadn't reappeared after more driving. I'm totally happy with the service I received at Fulton-Desplaines, and will be taking my car back the next time a mysterious noise - or another, less mysterious problem - manifests itself. read more

I cannot comment on the services since I never used their services, but I do think this place is overpriced. My car has some body damage and since this place is right next to my apartment, I brought my car here for an estimate. I was told that I would be spending thousands to get them fixed! Soon after I brought my car to a smaller shop called M&G auto body shop on Devon Ave up north. They gave me an estimate for a 1/3 of what I was quoated before for the same work! This place might be good but for someone who is paying out of her own pocket, this is just not the right place for me. And for people out there who are worried about having to pay a lot for body work, I suggest comparing a couple of different places before you make your final decision. There are a tons of auto shops up north in rogers park area, and they tend to be cheaper than places in the city. And it seems like estimates can vary a lot. read more

I highly recommend this garage. It was a refreshing experience to work with Matt and his team. After getting into an accident with someone who had "alternative insurance," I knew it was going to be a hassle to get my repairs paid for. Matt did all of the necessary work to get as much money from the insurance company as possible, and the body work on my car looks excellent. read more

My little Corolla has finally come to rest in a junkyard in Wyoming, halfway through my cross-country trip. It seems I should have listened to Matt when he insisted on every single one of my pre-trip tuneups that the car probably couldn't make it through too many more of these long treks. But I have to thank him and the team of F-D for always taking care of my baby at a reasonable price, and making sure that my first car survived for over 15 years. In my car's ailing years it consistently needed parts replaced and strange noises and leaks repaired, and this garage always got it done not just cheap but as a same-day service, which to me is basically unheard of. My car is now quietly rusting in the Cheyenne sunshine after an engine gasket ruptured, but I'm sure if it could talk it would say thanks to Fulton Desplaines Garage for making sure that its years in Chicago were good ones. read more

I had avoided taking my car to a mechanic for a long time... I used to go to a place I trusted in the suburbs but never found someone in Chicago for the important work. Eventually I knew this situation would come to a head and it did when my check engine light came on while driving on 90. I found Fulton-Des Plaines on Yelp and took my car in to be checked. They scanned the computer and found the problem, which happened to be covered under my factory warranty. I had that problem fixed at the dealer but had Fulton do the full break job I was putting off. Three months later I am very happy with the service and thought it was a good price. I have since referred one other person for a new battery & alternator and they are just as happy. I am glad I found a mechanic in the city that I trust. read more

I've used this garage twice, and was extremely satisfied both times. I feel that they are very honest, maybe a little more pricey for an oil change than say, Jiffy Lube... But I would rather pay a little more and know that I was being taken care of than feel like I was taken for a ride for random "repairs" that werent properly explained to me. Very easy going guys; you feel calm just walking in there. And the dog is adorable. read more

I am so glad i live in a neighborhood where i can find a trust worthy mechanic to take my car for repairs and services went to Fulton Des Plaines garage several times for different services (dead battery, oil change etc), always happy with the service i received and pricing is reasonable no complaints here read more

We used to live across the street from Fulton DesPlaines. Over the years we've brought our cars there for anything from an oil change to body work. We never have to worry about the work being overpriced, or parts being marked up. It is such a nice feeling to be able to to drop the car off, get it fixed and know that I don't have to second guess anything. Matt won't have you get any services that you don't need, even if it means less money for him. Case in point - last week we dropped off our MDX and thought we were in for a new trans. Matt recommended that we swap out the fluid (which was burnt to a crisp!) change a sensor that was acting up and try that before dropping 2500 - 3000 (at least) on a new trans. I was prepared to get the new trans, but Matt told us to give it a shot. So instead of a new trans, we're in for about 400, and so far it looks good. And if the car ends up needing a new trans, we will be back to Matt and the guys at Fulton & Desplaines. I have no idea how anyone could ever trash talk this place; everyone I know who has ever gone there completely trusts them, especially the honesty and integrity of Matt. read more

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this before, but I can't seem to find it? After helping me nurse my Infiniti g20 through the final years of its 200,000 mile life, I've been a strong supporter of Matt. With that car, my clutch went out and I did drive on it to get it to the shop. When I asked Matt about how the transmission fared, he said it's not perfect, but safe and drivable and not worth the cost of the repair. Fast forward 10 years and 160,000 on my current car and Matt's been fantastic at helping ensure that I know what NEEDS to be fixed versus a nice-to-do. Safety is always the priority. Almost 20 years since I started using Matt and I trust him, find his explanations to be extremely helpful, and he's always been upfront with me on pricing and work. I've never been taken off guard picking up my car with additional expenses on the bill. read more

So I'm not a handy person and needed to: 1. install a front license plate holder so the Illinois popo's don't pull me over and give me a ticket and 2. replace my driver's side front head light so the Illinois popo's don't pull me over and give me a ticket I even purchased all the supplies! I dropped my car off Monday morning and picked it up Monday after work. The service was great, fast, and efficient. I think I paid a little more than I wanted ($65), but at least they were nice fellas. And, the location is awesome - so close to my place and work. read more

Thanks to Yelp I found these guys today as I had quite the emergency. If anyone heard the morning traffic reports about a stalled out car in the middle of lake shore drive - yep that was me! Well as F-D seemed to have great reviews, I told my tow truck driver to simply take me here to see if they could get me back and driving fairly reasonably. Well that they did cost wise and time wise. Car went in at 900 am and came out ready at 1130am, the SAME morning as my LSD nightmare! I somewhat expected that I would need to take the whole day off work for this fiasco but F-D helped me out and I was back in the workplace the same afternoon. Mucho Thanks guys. In the end, Matt runs a great shop and has an excellent team in his garage. He even gave me the 5% discount that is advertised on Yelp, to save some money! If you ever need auto repair services and hate the high prices with long turnaround times at dealerships or shops, then you should definitely utilize the services at F-D. read more

I had only been doing maintenance on our car when we went back to Michigan for visits since I had a great garage there. Eventually, the fiance pointed out that the 300 mile commute wasn't all that efficient and I was forced to hunt for a local alternative. We chose Fulton & Desplaines for the convenience, but we'll stay with them for the work. They do a great job with the estimate and keep in contact if anything changes. They have reasonable rates and do great work. It also offers a full service gas pump and free air for your tires. Its great to take the car someplace that is independently and locally owned. Its always nice to know you are dealing directly with the owner. **A bonus: As a chick, I have often experienced the condescending attitude many garages take with those in possession of a uterus- didn't get that here. Had explained what I needed explained without the 'tude. Reason enough to go there.** Here is the breakdown: Location: Near West/Fulton River District across the river from the loop. Transportation: A block away from the Green/Pink line (Clinton Station) into the loop and really only a 10 minute walk from the loop. Service: Great and quick. read more

These guys are awesome and super fair. Quick in and out service, reasonable prices, and no BS. Would highly recommend.

Had my dip stick break off in the engine when I went to check my oil. Matt got me in and out in less than an hour with fresh oil in the engine and a new dipstick on order. Great service, good prices for the city! read more

Ever since breaking up with my high school auto mechanic boyfriend years ago, I never thought I'd find somewhere to take my car where I could trust the work they did and know I would be charged a reasonable price. Problem solved. 3 weeks ago when my car shut off at a stop light and proceeded to not run correctly once starting back up, I brought my car to Matt and crew at FultonDesPlaines on a Thursday morning, no appointment needed. I recieved two phone calls from Matt that day updating me on the progress [turns out I needed a new crank sensor], and even when I showed up early to pick up my car [that very afternoon!], they got everything finished up and I was on my way. Unfortunately for my car and wallet, I was back there the next afternoon when the problem persisted despite the new part. To help narrow down the issue, Matt instructed me to take my car to a Honda dealership for a diagnosis test to get a clear picture as to what was up with my car before we spent hundreds of dollars potentially fixing the wrong thing. Matt walked me through everything, and of course could do the job much cheaper than what the dealer quoted. Overall, can't beat them. Matt and his staff are super helpful, and Matt is always friendly no matter how busy he is, remembers your name and takes awesome care of you. You can certainly tell the customer comes first here. read more

I had a run-in with a support beam in my parking garage that left a big scrape on the rear passenger side of my Lexus IS250. I got an estimate from the dealer & 2 other shops but Fulton-Desplaines was the cheapest. They're also right around the corner from where I live, so, based on the other reviews I saw here, I decided to let them do it. When I first brought my car in, Matt told me he does this kind of repair more than any other & I trusted that he'd take good care of my car. I shouldn't have worried at all - they did a fantastic job!! And - they cleaned up my leather seats, too!! True to his word, the charges were within the range of what he verbally estimated and I really appreciated that. He also told me that if I dropped off on Monday morning, I'd have it by Friday night, and I did. I couldn't be happier with the work that they did. The next time my car needs some TLC, I'll be headed back to Fulton-Desplaines. Thanks Matt!! read more

I took my car here based on the reviews and its proximity to my apartment. Matt was professional, knowledgeable and responsive. He gave me a reasonable price for a rotors/brake job as well as tire rotation and alignment. I dropped my car off in the morning and it was done by the same evening. A professional operation with good prices and no hassle. I'll be going back soon for a timing belt service. read more

If I could give more than 5 stars I would! Matt Tefke is an absolute angel. After receiving the diagnostics and very pricey estimate from another auto shop for a failed transmission, I decided to get a second opinion. After hearing how knowledgeable and informative Matt was over the phone I immediately had my car towed to him for a second look. Thank goodness I trusted the right guy this time, because it turns out my car was in fact under warranty, something the initial auto shop denied and that the issue was not the transmission but the powertrain! He essentially saved me thousands of dollars! If you are having car troubles, do not walk, RUN to Matt Tefke at Fulton- Desplaines Garage. Honest and professional! I cannot thank them enough. I will never go to another mechanic again. read more

These guys are great. I took my car in the day before I was leaving town. they took the car in and fixed it at a great price. Best of all, it was done right. My car was making a noise so I took it to firestone before taking it to "The Garage" and firestone wanted to fix my brakes and all of this other stuff in order to fix the noise. When I took it to "The Garage" it turned out that it was not even the brakes that were making the noise. These guys will fix it right. At any other place that I have ever taken my car, I always leave feeling like I got ripped off but not here. I recommend this place for sure. read more

A couple months ago I had a tune up at Fulton and Desplaines, which was fine. A week later my engine starts mis-firing! So I take it back, assuming it was bad plugs, so Matt swaps out all 8 plugs for free. As it turns out it wasn't the plugs at all, instead it was a faulty injector. Either way Matt stood behind his work and made sure that I was happy. This is just one example of the many great experiences I've had here. I've been working with the guys at Fulton and Desplaines for a couple years and never felt like I was being lied to or ripped off. Although the gas could be about 10 cents cheaper :o) Overall it's a great place and I would encourage everyone to get their car serviced here. read more

First a confession.. I've been using Yelp for the last 5 years as the go-to consultation on virtually all of my consumer decisions. However, I must admit, I've been selfish. I have only consumed on Yelp, never contributed. That changes today and I'm turning over a new leaf to give as much as I receive from the Yelp community. What inspired me to change is a long overdue of my neighborhood mechanic at Fulton-Desplaines Garage. I originally found Fulton-Desplaines on Yelp 4 years ago and I've been taking my vehicles there ever since. I have been completely satisfied everytime. They have worked on my much beloved, but very expensive to service 2003 BMW 330xi, my lifted and modified 2000 Jeep Cherokee, and most recently my 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. They've done everything from $1400 engine repairs on my Beemer, to a quick exhaust fix on my Cherokee, tires, oil changes and everything in between. Great work, competitive prices and above all CUSTOMER SERVICE! Matt knows his customers and takes care of them the best he can, even if you may end up having the work done somewhere else. Matt knows his customers and will do everything he can to take care of them. I like to think this is what most mechanics were like in the "good ol' days". Where customer service and loyalty meant something. Finding an honest mechanic, especially in the city, is almost impossible, but Fulton-Desplaines garage is the rare exception! My highest recommendation! read more

Matt did a great job with the body repair of my car. He kept me up to date with what was going on with parts. He is very honest and the service is great and the price was very decent. The location is wonderful for me living downtown. I will definitely be back and refer my friends. Thanks Matt and crew! I love Yelp and everyone that inputs, it makes finding great businesses and people so easy! read more

These guys are awesome. They're not interested in screwing people over. Their business is about doing good work at a good price. Matt is a really nice guy. Not only did he go out of his way to take care of the car, but he also let me to buy the parts myself at a lower cost and he put them on. I ordered my part at autozone and he actually had his crew go and pick up the part for me at no extra charge, so that I wouldn't have to leave work. The work they did was fantastic and they turned it around in a few hours - not bad for replacing a stolen catalytic converter! Thanks Matt & Crew read more