It was going into winter and all of a sudden my windshield sprayer wasn't working right. I noticed that it was leaking by the corner of my hood. I took my car there as an emergency stop because I couldn't see through my windshield with all of the salt on the road in the dark. I called and asked if they could squeeze me in after I got out of work. They were busy, but still helped me! They fixed the hose, which was cracked in multiple places. I tried to tip and pay them and they would not allow it, they were so nice. I was having one of the worst days ever, The kind where everything goes wrong and they were incredibly kind. Bottom line: If I ever need any future repairs, this is the type of place I would like to give my money to. read more

The best. Been coming here for nearly two decades. They have helped me get more years out of my very old Honda Civic, celebrated my new Honda Fit with me in 2016, and I wouldn't go anywhere else. Thanks Al and everyone! read more

Nals is honest, fair, always gets me in for an appointment even when he is very busy and does quality work!

Excellent, ethical service! We've been coming to Nal's for 30+ years. Highly recommend

The guys at Nal's went above and beyond for my little old Mazda (and without gouging my wallet). I'd recommend them to anybody!

I have gone to Nal's for years. Always straightforward and honest about recommendations and what is necessary. Nice people.

Honest and great mechanics, reasonable pricing as well. Many other friends go to Nal's too

I love this place! It's walking distance from me, and the people are honest. They offer quality work at reasonable prices. I'm so happy I found Nal's. read more

Nal's is amazing. I've been going there for a few years since my old repairman moved to Florida. Great service and great prices.

Cannot emphasize enough how great Nal's is. Service is top notch and prices are unbeatable. They replaced my tire and repaired a heat shield on short notice even when they were fully booked (be sure to call and make an appointment ahead of time as they tend to be busy!). Will definitely be going here from now on for my Prius and future vehicles read more

I love Nal's! Best mechanic I have found. Al is a straight shooter and tells you exactly what you need to know, and does not overcharge or do repairs unless needed. So glad I found this place! read more

My wife and I have been using Nal's for over 20 years. They always do a great job and describe all of their work in advance, and often provide us with options. We have recommended them to many our friends and extended family. read more

Excellent service at a reasonable price. Very friendly . Al is the BEST mechanic around by far. I wouldn't trust my vehicle to anyone else.

I took my car to Nal's after a failed emissions test. I found them through the website that gave me at the emissions place and then chose to go there because of the reviews on Yelp. The only thing that was a little difficult was finding the entrance. You do have to go into the alley to get to it, but once there, there's a little lot outside the entrance to park in. I can't speak to the actual repair work they do, but here's why. After inspecting my car, they found that there was a crack in a part still under warranty. They called to let me know and recommended I go to a dealer to get it fixed for free rather than paying them $400 to fix it. .....what?!? I'm so thrilled to have found a mechanic willing to give up business in order to do what's best for their clients. They may not have earned much off me for this visit, but there is no question in my mind about where I will be going for future non-warranty covered work. (Not to mention where I'll be sending my friends.) As much as I hate to stereotype, an ethical mechanic is hard to find (especially as a woman). I will 100% be back. read more

Nal's Auto Repair has been my go-to mechanic for some 28 years. They are honest and have gained my trust. When my daughter lived in the city, she went there to. Al takes good care of his customers! read more

Always great service, honest, reliable, and beyond fair prices! At one point, they researched parts and told me it'd be cheaper for me to order them and have them install vs them doing the ordering. They also are great at recommending what "needs" done vs what's just good to know about state of the car or irregularities. read more

The best. I've been taking my Toyotas to Nal's for 30 years. They know how to fix a car right the first time. Honest. Dependable. My heater box that directed heat up, down and to the windshield broke. Dealer wanted $2500 to take out the dashboard and replace the box. Nal's fixed it for $100. Kept the car for four more years. The problem never reappeared. Good people. read more

I rarely write a Yelp review, but Nal's wonderful service has inspired me. The crew at Nal's is honest & trust-worthy, does excellent work, and takes time to explain what needs to be done & how much it will cost. A hidden gem. read more

An honest mechanic is hard to find, and once you find one stick with them. Has kept my sixteen and twelve-year-old Hondas well maintained and has saved me from spending on unneeded repairs over the years. read more

I have used Nal's several times for some small repairs and I get excellent service and fair pricing every time! I highly recommend bringing your cars to Nal's! read more

Nal's is honest. When it comes to auto mechanics, there's not much more to it than that. They are a small, neighborhood shop off the alley under the Irving Park El; you can't even reach it from the street. Their loyal customer base kept them going for many years, and I think the internet exploded their business. It's a small family shop with a long history in Chicago. Expect you may have to wait on account of their increased customer-base, but know that's a small price to pay for not getting cheated. read more

I used to go to Nal's years ago, because my (now) ex-husband's ex-roommate was someone's relative there, I forget who. When I got divorced, I stopped going to Nal's. Not a good idea; I've since gotten over avoiding a place just because it was my ex-husband's choice. Clearly, he knew something, about cars at least. Nal's came to my rescue when my famous bad kar karma came into play once again. The only ignition key I owned for my 7 year old car had broken, having shattered on the ground. (Long story about why I only had one ignition key, which I will spare you.) Initially my body shop guy said he could fix it, but with all the computer chip reprogramming necessary, etc., it was clear that he couldn't do it; would I mind if he sent it to Nal's, he asked? No problem, man, let's just get it done! At first I was afraid that it would take a while to get a new ignition cylinder installed and the housing replaced. From the time my car landed at Nal's doorstep to it being done was less than 48 hours. Awesome! They were motivated to get the thing out of the way, I'm sure (no way to start the car = thing in their way), but I appreciate it all the same. Oh, by the way, Al and the guys: did you find the black brassiere in the glove compartment? My underwire broke and it hurt like hell to wear a bra with an underwire stabbing my ribs (not that you'd know that). So I took it off and stowed it in the glove compartment, and never took it out. Honestly, it wasn't the result of a fun evening, but hey, you can think whatever you want to imagine ;-) Go to Nal's for a mechanic on the north side that you can rely on not to BS you. And if you need a map to find the place, let me know, I'll draw one and post it on Yelp! read more

Unbelievably great service and Al bent over backwards to resolve my Toyota Prius issues. Al is knowledgeable, fair and professional. read more

Nal's is really tricky to find, but worth it once you do. Although the address is off Irving Park there is no storefront and you actually have to go down a tiny alley to access the main office. For a quick oil change it it pretty awesome though. Really quick, inexpensive, and the staff is incredibly friendly. You'll be in and out before you can even walk down the block and finish a Shrimp cocktail from Snappy's (Which I also highly recommend doing while you wait) read more

Went here for oil changes and break jobs for both my car and my fiancees based on reviews. I did not think it was that cheap. Then after getting two break jobs on both cars I inquired as they seemed to just want to replace the rotors everytime. I talked to the mechanic and he said it was thier standard practice as rotors get rusty and pitted out. Yeah. BS. You DONT need new rotors everytime you change your breaks. Whatever. But then the worst part was about 1 week after the work I had to change a tire and noticed my rotors were still rusty and NOT replaced, even though I paid for it! Later Nal's! read more

Leeetttt me starrrt by typppingggg - I love Nal's.... Once again, overdue review and delayed praise. As a native Texan I was raised by a gender blind father (i.e. he really wanted a boy) and taught to maintenance my own car alongside other handy DIY resourceful lessons. When home with a proper garage - or at least a street wide enough that I don't risk being flattened as the unluckiest of rodents - and reasonable weather, I have the know how to change my oil ("ohhl" when speaking West Texan), belts, hoses, myriad filters, batteries, and tires. Now that I'm stranded in Chicago I'm a 'damned'sal in distress. I can't maintenance a cotton pickin' thang up here. Before biannual, 18 hour marathon road trips home to Lubbock I take my Honda to Gateway on Division for long-distance, safety once overs. They're ab fab there, no complaints...but I was looking and longing for a Honda specialist. I found Nal's stellar reviews and decided to drop in for a spell and ohhl change. I chatted with Nal while my trusty chariot was raised upon a hydraulic pedestal, firing away many questions and surprisingly found myself a half-hour later waxing philosophical with a genuine, intelligent, caring entrepreneur. I was so at home in his garage I could have been whiling the afternoon away with my dad back at home. I came back not long after my positive, initial visit to have his boys switch out my worn brake pads. My car hadn't had the brakes done (a bit over 40k miles, manual tranny, I go easy on 'em) and I knew the pads were worn thin but I'd not had any rotor issues. Other than the rotors looking a bit rusty from a couple of salty dog winters in Chicago, they still looked pretty solid. What happened next was ill communication on both ends of string-bound plastic cups. I should have clearly stated that I needed my brake pads changed. Instead I probably made a broad generalization like, I need my brakes done. Well they changed my pads AND the rotors to the tune of a whole lotta love that I cannot state here and that I was not prepared to fork over. Nal was gone for the day but his nice, calm gentleman-on-duty phoned him at home while I frantically relayed the brake quote I'd received from Nal my previous visit (he'd given me a rough, quick glance guesstimate as we were shootin' the clay pigeons). Nal is such a reasonable person that, although I'm certain he wasn't stoked about having to eat the labor and parts for the rotors, he understood that the assessment and subsequent quote had not been related before the work began. So again to recap: I made a broad generalization and the garage didn't state the assessment/subsequent price quote before proceeding with the job. WIthout torn flesh and fallen tears, Nal honored his rough quote and I drove off into the sunset experiencing feelings of guilt mixed with gladness. Nal is one of the golden greats. read more

Been going to Nal's for 20+ years. They are the best: supremely skilled and honest. I'm amazed at Al's (the owner's) knowledge. He's also a great guy. They always charge me the lowest possible and many times on diagnostic checks say "You don't need anything replaced." I noticed a couple of reviewers thought that Nal's tried to scam them. They are mistaken. Must have been a misunderstanding. Do take your car to Nal's Shoot, I just wrote another review that's not funny or cool. Well, I hope it's at least useful. Gimme a break, you 143 people who've viewed my profile. read more

Dog bless Nal's! Nal himself is a doll! Ok, that sounds really girly, but he's actually a really sweet guy who treated me like a PERSON and more importantly like a customer (not a female in a car shop) whose money is important and needs to spent wisely. He and one of his techs both drove my car when I brought it to them this morning, spent a good 30 minutes (free), explaining my options and I can't really say how very impressed I am with him. I'll update when I get my car repaired, but he's gonna be my first choice for sure! I don't think he'll let me down. Women- this is a car shop guy who will actually treat you as he would a man. No Good Old Boys Club sensed here whatsoever. It's really not that hard to find (take Ravenswood south, turn right in the alley and right under the tracks is lovely little Nal's) 7/6/07- 3 weeks after Al (that's his name, I got confused) made a cheaper fix, my transmission is running great! Plus, I took a friend there this morning, who also has a Honda. Al spent 45 minutes with us, and even told my friend how to fix the problem we brought the car in for! Awesome! read more

Only taken my car here once. I'd been a regular customer of Ashland Tire and Auto and while I liked it alright, I really had no idea what everyone was gushing about. No one there was extremely nice or helpful, though the prices are definitely fair. But this isn't a review for Ashland Tire now is it? After taking my car to Car-X (dirty, nasty, mean Car-X on North Western), the guys there tried to scare tactic me into get all new brakes and new axles. The guy told me it would be at least $900 and I HAD to get it done if I wanted to drive my car more than a couple more months. Asshole. Plus, I was there for an oil change (ONLY reason I go there) and they didn't even remember to switch off my oil light. Again, not a review for Car-X either. Geesh! Back to Nal's. I called and told them that I thought I might need some brake work (the brakes were soft) and I wanted them to check it out. Three days later I dropped the car off (after following the explicit directions mentioned on here. South on Wolcott from Irving, left into the first alley). Turns out my old car did need some work (brakes and calipers, but the cost was about $300 less than what Car-X quoted me. And, they took a lot of time to explain exactly what was wrong and didn't pressure me at all to make any of the repairs they suggested. I love that. I was able to pick my car up the same day and so far it's running great! I will update with other experiences as I need them. read more

As a girl who never had problems with a car and isn't originally from the Chicagoland area I was totally lost when my old Malibu started having problems. Unfortunately the only friends I had with cars took them to the suburbs to get worked on, which wasn't an option for me. I tried out Car-Max because something about the familiarity of a chain seemed comforting. STUPID ME! After paying tons of money the car wasn't fixed and I had to find some place else. After checking out reviews online, I found Nal's, which had rave reviews. The location was a bit confusing (they failed to tell me they were behind a business on Irving Park), which stressed me a bit because my car was literally about to die as a drove around looking for it. They were super nice and completely honest. Nal fixed the hose leaking transmission fluid and told me that my muffler had a hole in it, but could wait to be fixed. He even recommended I go to a regular muffler shop because it would be cheaper than if he did it! HELLO! How awesome is that?? I have since sold that car, but when I buy another one I will bring it back to Nal's if I have any problems. read more

I signed up for a Yelp account so I could hype Nal's like everyone else... Nal's has been a great find; very trustworthy and incredibly friendly folks. They've been able to fix all of my car problems in less than one business day, super speedy! It's difficult to get an appointment (I've had to book a week or two weeks out); but it's definitely worth the wait. I had a minor anti-freeze leak over fall... two months later the problem seemed to come back; I took it in and the fixed it while I waited. They explained that it was a "hose shrinkage" weather-related problem (not faulty work in their part) - fixing the problem for free and in under 20 minutes (on on the day before Christmas, I didn't think I'd have a prayer to get the car fixed in time!). I'm certain most other places in the city would have been happy to re-charge me to correct the problem. Just took the car in today for two minor problems - they called in under 2 hours with the estimate; informing me some problems didn't need a fix right away... the repair guys I talk to on the phone are always professional and happy to explain the details around any problems; I'm a customer for life! To all the clueless car-owners like me, car trouble can be intimidating...don't get scammed by other auto repair shops, go to Nal's. read more

Oh. Oh my. I know many things. Anything accessible via Google is my purview. But when my car started making a *thunking* noise under the right from wheel, I was helpless. Everyone has an Achille's Heel and mine is anything remotely mechanical. So, of course convinced that the thunking would lead to my car blowing up in the next 3.2 seconds, I hopped on Yelp and found Nal's very highly reviewed. Aside from that it was also nearby and easily accessible via public transport. Sold. I called on a Monday and got an appointment for Thursday morning. When I walked in, I knew they knew what they were doing: located directly underneath the Irving Park brown line stop, the lobby/front desk looked like a set directly out of the tv show "Taxi." The lady at the front desk was efficient but nice and in a matter of minutes I was leaving my "baby" to "get better." Later that afternoon, I got the call: the mechanic on the other end broke the MAJOR repair necessary very gently. He couldn't have been nicer and offered me several options as to ways I could approach the issue. I took his advice, thinking and praying this work would be done in one week's time. It sounded major. When I asked him about an estimated time line he just said, "I'll probably have it by mid-afternoon tomorrow." OKAY! This is my new place for all things car related. They couldn't have been nicer. The estimate and work was fair and done well. And I'm confident I didn't get "sold" on something or the runaround that a big auto mechanic superstore would probably give you. Way to go Nal's. I hope not to see you for a very long time. But will certainly look forward to our next meeting... read more

Al is friendly and honest! He always does what's best for the customer. He has a lifetime of experience and is highly knowledgeable of all autos and trucks. Much better than any dealership service dept. and no upselling of unneeded products or services. I have been a customer of his for decades and always recommend him to friends and coworkers. Quality work at reasonable prices. read more

Just like everyone else, I love Nal's. They were recommended to me by a friend because a) they're affordable; b) they explain things so a layperson can understand car-talk; 3) they're incredibly friendly; and most importantly: 4) they don't "find" additional problems with your car and rip you a new one. On more than one occasion, Nal's has saved me money by telling me that there's nothing wrong or fixing the minor problem for no cost. Thanks, Nal's! read more

If I could give Nal's 6 stars I would. Their good service and location are a big plus (right under the Brown Line at Irving & Ravenswood). Ever go to a place and it just feels like they are being straight with you? Nal's feels like that. Ever go to a place and it feels like they are ripping you off, selling you work you don't need or talking down to you? I've NEVER felt that way at Nal's. Here's how my exerience has been at Nal's: **Appointment required, and then they are almost always a week in advance, so you are better off not to wait if you hear something going funny with your car. **They usually take a while to look at your car to see what's wrong (I usually bring the car in at 8, and get a call around 4:30). Once they do look at it, the work & diagnosis is quick and dead on accurate. I've never had to take a car back there because any problem they fixed came back. **Since I always drive older, Japanese cars, they always give me several repair options where appropriate (safely ignore it for now/nothing to worry about; a small temporary fix; a fix that will last 15K miles or so, or a complete top line overhaul). **The receptionist was friendly and helpful and not in any way pushy or rude. She even gave me a little advice on what to do to keep my AC from getting a moldy smell I complained about. **After my car was fixed last time, I had a question about work a Honda dealer recommended for a slipping transmission and a mechanic came over and talked to me for about 10 minutes about what I could do about it, what they could do if I wanted, and what expensive work at the dealer I could avoid. I always drive older cars (usually at least 8 years old with 100K miles on them). I've driven Hondas, Corolla's, a Chevy Nova (Toyota inside, Chevy Outside). Each car has been in Nal's for the things that old cars usually need (brake work; belts; exhaust; oil leaks; power window problems; etc.), and I've always been very satisfied. read more

There's a reason why this place keeps getting 5 stars time after time. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! I was having trouble with my car a few weeks ago and had it serviced at my local auto mechanic's shop. Problems is, it still kept acting up and my mechanic swore that everything looked ok on their end. I made an appointment with my dealership for service but wanted to get a 2nd opinion about the issue. I called Nal's and asked if I could stop in a few minutes later, just for a diagnosis. He said sure. YAY!! I was greeted outside, it only took about 20 minutes and he told me the problem. The Cam sensor, which was replaced by my local body shop, was sending error messages. He told me to take it back to them and have them fix it. I proceeded with my dealership appointment and turns out Nal's was right. The first mechanic had broken a connector from the Cam sensor to the car's computer. That's why even after having been replaced, it was sending error messages and wouldn't allow my car to pick up speed. Wow, I was really impressed. And it was a complimentary diagnosis. I guess he noticed how upset and frustrated I was. I will be driving over to Nal's for any future service needed on my car. read more

Thanks to my friend Brooke's recommendation, I now have a mechanic who is trustworthy, affordable (seriously), and convenient to my place. They're hiding under the Irving Park L stop - how easy is that to pick-up / drop-off? I have had service done there three different times and all were hundreds cheaper than my dealer (kind of a 'duh' comment), but their value is amazing. They fix only what's needed and provide more cost effective options if you talk to them. On a related note... Dear Howard Orloff - I am not giving you any more of my time and/or moolah. Nal's will run circles around you for every inch of their business. Well, they don't have free coffee. You have them there. Adios - Matt read more

So now my spark plug wires got messed up. Broke down on the way back from work and called Nal's at 4:00 asking if I could come in. I got there around 4:45 with my limping car. Took them about 20 minutes to diagnose what was wrong and show me exactly what the problem was. They said they had the parts in stock and could fix it right then. I asked how much, and they said that because they were old parts in stock they would charge me the old part price instead of the new part price. Apparently since the auto bailout genuine car parts have gone up about 200%. He quoted me under $100 so I said go for it. I waited until about 5:30 and then they were done! The total price was under $80 and they were so nice about the whole thing. The kicker - I forgot my wallet at school, so they let me leave with my car WITHOUT PAYING! Don't worry Nal's, I'll be back with your money today because I'd hate to lose you! read more

My normal mechanic (who I love) noticed that something was wrong with my transmission, and as they don't touch the things, suggested another place. That place was on the west side, and I'm lazy. Yelp: Trans. Boom, Nals. Take it in, super friendly people. Figure "What the hey" my wheel bearing is acting up, too, can you look at it? "No problem" A day later I get a phone call with a full detailed, but dumbed down to Jon level, explanation about whats going on with my vehicle, best and worst case scenarios, clear quotes on repairing, and length of time. I stated I needed my car for the weekend, they made it happen. They did ALL the work, helping me avoid the Subaru dealer, for almost HALF of what I'd allocated. As always, let me be nitpicking and find something negative to complain about. Hell, even finding it isn't that hard. So let's see..... Ah, yes. The parking lot area you put your car in, under the El, while you go in and let them know you've arrived. That's kind of small. That's the worst thing I can find about this place. Also, very neat handwriting on the receipt, and that's nice to see. It's a family owned shop, too, I think. read more

I have been car-less for about 7 years. I just shipped an old Jeep from California to have. It had a lot of work done before it was shipped but was running a little funny when I got it here. Based on a friends recommendation of this place, I went to the yelp reviews. My experience was very consistent with the reviews! I took it in for two reasons. They had it for a day and when I called in, they wanted to keep in an extra day just to be sure. When I talked to Al, he explained everything in terms that I understood! They fixed everything for $65! I could not believe that! It's less than a tank of gas! I feel like he spent $65 worth on the phone explaining to me what the problem was. I will continue to use them going forward and will tell everyone I know to go there. The most trustworthy car repair experience I have ever had. They are hard to find. Going west on Irving, take a left right past the metra tracks and then a right into the first alley. The front door is right under the brown line tracks. Made it very easy to drop off and take the train to work. read more