I do not trust VFC engineering. There are much better repair shops around town. In 2009, I brought my 2009 Passat Wagon to VFC to diagnose a rumbling noise from bottom of the car. VFC stated that my right catalytic converter was bad. They went ahead with the repair ($1,400). After the repair I did some research and learned that federal law requires the auto companies to warranty catalytic converters for eight years or 80K, even if the bumper to bumper warranty has expired. I was under on both counts. I asked VFC about this after the repair, and they gave me an unsatisfactory answer: "VW usually doesn't cover this repair unless the cat itself is bad. If the housing is bad, VW does not cover." I wrote VW, and VW actually refunded me the entire repair amount! Amazing! In 2009 I told VFC about this happy outcome, and they were indifferent. Never an "I'm sorry we didn't tell you about the federal warranty." I was unhappy that VFC did not even bring up the 8/80K warranty and say, "Hey, try a VW dealer and you may be able to get the repair for free." Fast forward three years: the cat that VFC replaced is bad. It was an OEM part. It happens, but it's really poor that the part failed after only 35K (I don't necessary blame VFC for that). I took the car to another shop in Chicago, and the repair took 2.5 days because all the bolts that VFC installed were stripped. The shop said that VFC did a poor job installing the cat. In summary: VFC is expensive, they do NOT treat customers like family (my father would have said, "Try the VW dealer to see if they cover under the 8/80K warranty"), and their work is shoddy. I wish it were not true. It was in this case. read more

Zach and Doug and the rest of the guys at VFC are great. I had a general idea of what needed to be done and a quote in hand from the dealer and Zach took the time to show me what needed to be replaced on my car and why and beat the dealer price by a large margin as well. Just the friendliest guys too. Unfortunately, as my Audi is now 6+ years old, they'll be seeing more of me but I'm ok with that. read more

I have an '01 Passat and the VFC guys know more about VW's and Audis than the dealers do. For two generations they have been fixing them and racing them, frankly they're VW-Audi geeks and I dig that about them. Their estimates are tight and their work is done right. During a recent repair, a brake sensor failed while they were doing other front-end work. The sensor had had intermittent problems for two years but since it failed while in their shop, they replaced it at no charge, no issue. I think that was fairer than they needed to be but I appreciate their bigger picture view toward customer relationships. Fix it, shake hands and move on. Given that my car is 15 years old, it needs repairs 1-2 times a year but with VFC in my corner I really feel that hanging on to my old car is a better investment than any new car could be. When I think about replacing my car someday, I consider another VW because having a repair shop like this makes a difference in the long -term reliability of and happiness with a car. I am really fortunate to have VFC in my neighborhood. read more

Doug and Zach know German engines. Plain and simple. I'm a woman and I know my car - 2002 TDI New Beetle. I did a lot of searching before I picked them. I would walk in to a shop and say do you work on TDI's? If I got a blank stare or the little lady treatment, "yeah we work on all cars"- I'd walk out. Then I found VFC and they have tended to my turbo diesel injection engine for 4+ years. We've had some mystery issues but they've always gotten to the bottom of it. And they've been more than considerate and fair with my schedule, time and money. They race cars too. Better more personalized care than you'd get at a dealership with expertise you can trust. I'll pay for that, all day long. read more

Great shop! They specialize in VWs, Audis, and Porsches. I had them work on a different sort of car and they did great work, but at a price and a time fram. The down side is that you have to compromise on time and cost to get the work done by the right people. If you have a special car to you, take it here. read more

This is the best place I have ever taken a car to be looked at/fixed/maintained. Robin and Doug are phenomenal- they take customer service to another level completely. We have had our Porsche Boxster checked out and have had an oil change with VFC. The degree to which they provide information and details on the work they have done, what is needed and how everything works is so appreciated. The prices were very fair and time frame very realistic. (I have been living in Chicago and am moving to SF...sad to have to find a new service provider for our car, can't imagine I will find one as good as VFC) Highly, highly recommended! (they specialize in Volkswagon, Audi, BMW and Porsche) read more

Took my Audi in, got a very fair price for the repairs. The work was done exactly when it was promised and I appreciate that most. Zach was friendly and helpful--will definitely be back! read more

I have had great experiences with VFC. They are very knowledgeable and explain what they are doing in a clear way that takes the mystery out of automotive service. I have never left feeling that I was "taken for a ride" like with many other auto repair places. Here are some examples of VFC's great service: I had a reoccurring problem with my check engine light coming on. I took it to the dealer several times and the light would always come back on. I started looking on-line and found the reviews of VFC. Since they are close to my house, I decided to give them a try. They fixed the check engine light. It came back on, so I gave them a call. They looked at car again and found that one of the engine mounts was loose, which was causing a sensor wire to short out. The light has not come on since. My passenger side window had also stopped working. The Volkswagen dealer said the motor would need to be replaced at a cost of over $300. I declined to do the work because I had just spent $800 on other repairs. (Including the check engine light.) When I was at VFC, I mentioned the problem with the window. They fixed it for free without replacing any parts. In some of the other reviews, people have mentioned the cost and time of repairs. I have checked the cost of VFC's work against dealer prices and in my experience, it is between 25 - 50% less than the dealer. (German cars are just expensive to maintain.) I did need to leave my car overnight once while parts were ordered. However, I would gladly do this in exchange for the quality of work. From my experience, VFC really thinks about the problem and doesn't just fix the symptoms. Robyn and Doug provide great customer service and Saint and Sparco (their two black labs) give a warm greeting every time you walk in the door. If you own a VW, Audi, BMW or Porsche, this is where I would recommend having it serviced. read more

I brought my BMW to vfc engineering to have an issue looked at with the engine. I brought my car in the night before to have it looked at in the morning. I left it there overnight and they said they would be done with it the next afternoon but by 4 p.m. they had still not gotten to it. So I had to leave it there for another day. My father-in-law is pretty handy with cars so we pretty much knew what the issue was and was getting a price quote on what it would cost to get it fixed. Vfc engineering gave us a long list of things that were wrong with the car that my father-in-law disagreed with. The bill was a couple of thousand dollars. We decided that we would take it to another mechanic for a second opinion and when we went to pick up our car they told us we had to pay a $250 evaluation fee. They seemed angry that we were not going to have the work done with them. And it kind of seemed like a knee jerk reaction- more of a ransom to get our car back. We argued with them and ended up paying $125 just to get our car. Once that was all over and we got home, we realize they had taken all of our wheel locks also. I don't trust them and would never go back. I should have read the other reviews below. read more

I have a 2004 BMW X3 and have brought it to this family owned establishment several times. They are the most accomodating and polite shop I have ever worked with. They will voluntarily stay later or provide additional times for you to drop off or pick up your vehicle. Beyond that, I have never once been sold something I didn't need. I have requested additional preventative maintenance items and have been told that I should reprioritize to work on a different item first, saving money. I feel they are an honest shop who truely cares about the cars they work on and the customers they serve. I now get all of my work done at their shop. I look forward to working with them. read more

These guys are the real deal ... my old air-cooled mechanic (Southern Suburbs) for my 1995 Porsche C4 (993) shut his doors and I found VFC Engineering online. A bit worried at first without a personal referral, these guys put me at ease and wanted me to feel comfortable at my own pace. Zach and his dad not only know their stuff -- they are passionate about their shop and work and are a true find for anyone looking for an air-cooled mechanic in the Chicago area. They're reasonable, but more important, they're expert. read more

VFC was extremely helpful and considerate to me when I was in a bad situation that they easily could have taken advantage of. I was on a cross-country road trip in a 1999 Audi A4 when my air conditioning failed. It was summer, so A/C was pretty essential. The strange thing about the problem was that I had just had my compressor replaced prior to leaving Boston. VFC efficiently diagnosed the problem and then worked with the shop that originally did the work and the parts distributor to get the compressor replaced under warranty. I'm sure this was a big headache for them - they could have told me it was my problem and charged me several hundred dollars for the part - but they dealt with it with a smile. This is even more impressive given that I was clearly from out-of-state and could not be a repeat customer. Hats off to them!! read more

I have a 1999 Z3 Roadster that is basically my child. I bought it years ago with the intent of holding on to it forever and keeping it in tip top shape. Purchased from Perillo it was supposedly "certified" and was only 2 years old with low miles. I have the Carfax review which shows no accidents. Long story short I begin to notice that the care has obviously been repainted and I was buying rear tires every spring when I took it out of storage. The insides of my tires were wearing. Everywhere I took the car they said I needed an alignment. I would get an alignment and new tires (500+ for 2) and would have to do the same in the spring. I replaced the rotors in the rear and still was not sorting out. On top of it all suddenly the car starts slipping in first gear from a dead stop. Finally I took it to VFC (where we also take our Audi TT) to replace the transmission. I get a call from Robin and she tells me to come out to take a look. Her master tech discovers that the bracket under the rear of the car (welded at the factory) that everything in the rear including the transmission and axles attach was broken on one side toward the rear. See center of photo. Believe it or not that turned out to be great news. Doug her master welder welded the new piece and they put the car back together. I was prepared to have to put down for a new transmission when this piece was the root of my years and thousands of dollars of problems. My car now rides, drives and handles better than it did when I purchased it. Plus we all know when you have a later model car with issues beyond an oil change or a tire rotation; you are the last person the dealer wants to see. The team at VFC is so incredibly attentive. I have never brought my car there without them fixing little "pain in the butt" things that I have not noticed like two little light bulbs on the trunk lid brake light. Or the little squeak I was hearing in the rear. Total attention to detail. I will say that sometimes it does take some time to get parts but please know it is because Robin is checking all of her distributors to get the best price for your parts. They know I my preference is the best part for whatever is being fixed. I am fine waiting a few days for a part to make it across the country when she is saving me money. I would never take any of my cars anywhere else. read more

Was having electrical issues with my 06 Mini Cooper from some flood damage. Stopped in and Zach took great care my car. They solved my immediate problem efficiently within 2 hours of dropping it off. Couldn't have been happier. I'll most certainly return with my business. read more

Can't say enough about the quality of work, the fair prices and most of all the excellent client service. They have been there for me in urgent situations and have gone above and beyond to deliver in a timely manner. I trust their guidance about the fixes they are making and the prices they are charging - lower than our dealership. They take their time to talk you through the work and promptly follow up. Would highly recommend! Thanks Zach!! read more

I have a VW golf w 50k miles. I took my car into the dealership when the check engine light came on and was told it would be $1,100 to fix a pressure sensor issue. I was hoping to avoid spending that much and wanted to get a second opinion. After doing some research for good repair shops in Chicago, I came across VFC. They took very good care of me and were great in explaining what the issues were and how to correct them. Communication and speed in which the repairs were made was top notch - not to mention half the cost of the dealership. Would definitely recommend! read more

We were referred by a friend a few years ago who informed us that VFC specialized in German cars (VW, Audi, BMW, Porsche), and we were getting fed up with paying hundreds of dollars at the suburban dealerships to get oil changes and yearly service for our Porsche Cayenne. VFC knows German cars inside out, and I'm comforted by the fact that they own a racing team and they build and maintain their own race/ rally cars, which means that they understand every aspect of performance. They are always honest about their assessments and will not try to sell you a part or service unless it is absolutely necessary. Case in point, a few years ago I noticed that our rear brakes were squeaking. VFC looked at the problem and instead of suggesting new brake pads, they assessed the quality of the pads and told us that we could easily go for a year or two if we didn't mind the sound. We waited for a few years and let VFC replace the pads - while the Porsche parts themselves were pricey, the labor was extremely reasonable and the turnaround was fast. From the time of appointment to final delivery, communication was clear, simple and never stuffy. Prices for service, oil change and basic maintenance (wiper blades, etc.) have rarely exceeded two hundred dollars. Hours are great and the fact that they are local means it's a quick drop-off and pick-up. read more

Bait and Switch artists. So we took our car there and they told us it would be a few hundred dollars. Then, they called us back and said it would be a couple hundred and done by Thursday. The following Wednesday we showed up and the price was almost $2,500.00. Then when asked about some of the things on the bill, they said "oh, we charged you for that twice, sorry" Lets take off $125. So the final job was 10 days late and about $2k over the original estimate and about $1700 over any numbers they gave us on the phone. Very bad experience. read more

VFC Engineering are hands-down Chicago's best German car mechanics. We've been going to VFC Engineering for over four years with three different cars (Audi A6, A4 and VW Jetta). We will not go anywhere else and could not recommend them more highly. Doug and Robin provide sound, practical advice which ensures your car is the best engineered and maintained it can be while keeping costs down. It just makes life so much easier to have a mechanic who you trust completely - whenever we have a problem or maintenance, the car just goes to VFC and they take it from there. Here's just one example of why these guys are so great. Only today, we took the Jetta in after the check engine light came on. They diagnosed the problem and then proactively looked to see if this was an item still under factory warranty. It was! So they recommended a contact at a local dealer who will do the work for free. They didn't need to do that, but that's just one example of the way they provide great service focused on the long-term relationship with the customer. Finally, they are also right next to the Ravenswood Metra station so it makes it easy to drop the car off / pick the car up if you work downtown... read more

This place is a generic, overpriced mechanic shop. Nothing special. I would not be surprised if the 5 star reviews were written by the owners. They charge a crapload of money to just diagnose a problem, and their estimates are overpriced. Working on cars isn't as difficult as people want you to believe, and these people definitely want you to believe it is. read more

I have had great experiences with the folks at VFC. They first performed a post-sale inspection on my 2006 Cayman. I have also used them for tire mounting and oil changes. Substantially cheaper than Porsche dealership and great service and customer care. read more

I was informed by Robyn this evening that if I parked my car outside that she would have me ticketed and towed so she could get her business plowed! I've lived in this neighborhood for over 40 years. I've never met such a hostile local business owner. read more

I trust VFC completely to diagnose and repair my VW's problems. They are thorough and they have some of the best customer service I've ever experienced. For example, when I brought in the car because the water pump was broken, Tom and his staff went over the entire car and told me about all the things that I should consider doing for my 10 year old car to maximize its life. He was honest about which things were preventative and how much each would cost. I really appreciated this because even though we didn't have the money to do a lot of what they suggested, I now have a record of what I should replace and things to watch out for as the car ages. After fixing the water pump they called twice over the next few months just to make sure it was working well and there were no other problems with the car. Also, Tom worked with me to get my repairs covered by the car's extended warranty, even letting me keep it there over the weekend while I had the warranty transferred, so that I wouldn't have to pay for the repairs out of pocket. PLUS they have two adorable black labs in the shop. What more can you ask for? After dealing with two other car repair places that both screwed up their repairs, requiring me to go back to them to have their work redone multiple times, I am relieved I've found VFC. read more

As has been said, they are a family owned busienss specializing in Audi, Porsche, and VW. I have always used VFC Engineering for non warranty and upgrade parts work on my VW and my Porsche. They are exceptional at German autos, however keep in mind while they may be less expensive than those make dealers, they are not a bargain basement repair shop. read more

What can i say they are just horrible .I took my car to them to fix it and they changed the wrong part. They brook the good part and replaced with another part that was not new..They are just horrible in customer service, they don't have any manor to talk to customers.When they know the screw up things they just walk away from you and let you talk to your self. I heard bad things about them but still decided to go there because it says they were just specialized in European cars, Honestly they don't know what they are doing. Basically what they do they still from you. I would never recommend this place to anyone. For inspection they charge $120.00 and they don't even do the inspection. This time the SCREW me for $ 400 BUT NEVER AGAIN. THE ENTIRE BLOCK KNOWS WHO VFC ARE, THEFTS.......... read more

Have gone there before for service and they have always taken advantage of me. I had a feeling they were lying about a repair($1000+) that I "needed" last time I brought my car in for an oil change and I said no and took it for a second opinion. Of course there was NOT a problem and almost two years later still working fine. Bottom line, if you go here, be prepared to be taken advantage of. I recommended a friend here a long time ago and it was a disaster as well. Anyway, if you want to spend a lot of money for work that doesnt need to be done, go ahead and go there. Please take my advice and save your money and go elsewhere. Buyer beware read more

i have been going to VFC for a couple years now. they have always provided exceptional work and treated me kindly. they always get in touch with me the same day, regarding what needs to be done. no matter the situation they are willing to help. i had a nail in my tire today, called at 11am and my car was finished at the end of the day. zach is remarkable, along with rest of the staff. my boyfriend doesn't have a foreign car but zach recommended another mechanic who was also exceptional and provided great services. if you need a mechanic you can rely on and trust, VFC is it!! read more

The perpetual question "Do you know an honest mechanic?" Yes - I know a great one. We have always had great experiences and wonderful customer service taking our 2002 Audi to VFC. VFC have been our mechanics for the last 7 years and during that time they have gone "above and beyond" for us. We recently took our car in for a major repair. Doug and Robin and Tom worked tirelessly to get to the bottom of the issue, kept us in the loop, and only charged us the originally quoted price despite the fact that the work they did significantly exceeded the expected scope of the job. In our experience, this level of service is not unusual for this shop. They are honest, direct and really good about communicating status every step of the way. They listen to your questions and provide detailed answers. Finally, they are great about telling you what needs to be done now vs. what can wait for the right time, which helps if you are trying to balance your budget. read more

VFC Engineering quoted me $1650 including the parts to fix the water pump of my BMW, and the shop was insane. Their price is even more expensive than BMW dealership. (I checked) How could they claim that they are "20% - 30% less than the cost of dealership." First, they were dishonest when they gave out estimate about the cost of the parts, and they also over-charge customer with their labor fees. Moreover, their attitudes were really bad and didn't seem to value their customers. They gave out a high estimate and tried to scare me away from their shop, leaving me no choice but paying the $107 diagnostic fee, I paid $107 for diagnostic fee after I brought my car to this nearby european auto repair shop (VFC). I was very regretted of my decision and I was not even bothered to talk to the staffs at VFC after they try to overcharge me in every way they could. Then I just had my car towed to V.S. Motorsports. Bad Day!! Call your dealership first before you bring your car to VFC, guys! read more

I was displeased with what I felt was constant attempts to up sell. I specifically said that I wanted to deal with safety priorities first. Maybe the problem was that MY priorities for the car were different from theirs. Ex: The car was inoperable for a long time. .I brought it in and was told that it had a dead battery plus other issues. I spent $2250.00 getting it back up to minimum standards. To some that may not be much for a foreign car owner , but in this economy, If you can flash cash like that without a thought , I'm very happy for you. As repairs were underway the owners wife called me in to again go over the repairs already covered on the phone. I thought that was strange, but went over on a Saturday. What she really wanted was a DEPOSIT. I have never had that happen, even when I've had work done at Loeber Motors. A pre paid deposit! It was fine, I had the money which was obviously her fear,but I thought it strange that I was leaving without the car because more work and parts were still needed. I have never paid in advance before . Again, she said nothing about this over the phone. The second issue was the car being out of gas. I told her I wanted the gas tank repaired. I said that several times. That was a safety priority ! The response was "it was out of gas when you brought it in, we put a little in to start it and It looks like the needle moved , but we are not sure because it needs to be filled up." Are you kidding me? I just spent $2250.00 on the car repairs and they are going to nickel and dime me on filling the car with $20.00 in gas so they could # 1. properly test drive it and # 2. diagnose the gas tank problem! Robin(Owners wife)apparently thought that was logical. I don't think that way. I even asked her on pick up day,how could you have test driven the car without gas? I also said "I would have reimbursed you the money. After all I just spent $ 2,250.00 what's another 15.00 or 20.00?" She didn't get it. Does the gas gauge work? No, it does not! And as I left, she continued to remind me that the car was on fumes and that I had to get straight home. I thought to myself , my old mechanic would never have returned the car on empty especially after being asked to check the gas gauge!! I do live around the corner from this shop , but still my old mechanic would have too much pride to let me sputter home after charging $ 2,250.00. I think VFC tries to present itself as elite and perhaps the mechanics are ...but the customer service that I received was somewhat strange . I think the deposit request was insulting. If it had been mentioned upfront, I probably would not have complained , but it was in my opinion kinda sneaky. I think they lack the finances to handle customers like a Loeber Motors does yet, they want to bill that way. If you can't front a customer $15.00 for gas and charge it to the bill then I 'm not sure what to say. The gas gauge doesn't work , but she was ready to quote me $30.00 or more plus labor for new wiper blades. And I don't even know how much for replacing my rear view mirror, but no gas gauge after all of that. I started getting tired of her trying to run up the bill and I said that's okay , I'll just go to Auto Zone and get it myself. To Robin , these things were more important safety priorities as opposed to running out of gas in some strange neighborhood. Go figure! I was mad at my mechanic of 10 years , but I see that I should have given him another chance . He may not be as elite , but he returns the car washed and he fixes little extras like fuses etc without charging you the world. I see now that he does that to build customer loyalty so you'll keep coming back. That is something I will not do with VFC even though they are literally around the corner. Of course , she wanted me to get my tires from them and everything on my car was in need of replacement as far as they were concerned. The tires were dry rotted , this was falling off , that was hanging off! and of course, for each suggested repair , she could get me a good price. I would not buy tires from one of their people. I would not bring my car in to them for the rest of the repairs either. It's back to my old guy who may not be elite and fix race cars etc but if I had told him that fixing the gas tank was a priority he would have filled it up and taken it out to diagnose the issue.He would not have returned the car on fumes saying , we put a drop in and it seems okay. Oh and even though he is a smaller less elite shop, he has fronted me oil , towing charges and other things when I have had emergency break downs with my Audi Quarto. I guess there can never be too much said about customer loyalty or customer service. Those are my thoughts about my experience with VFC Engineering. Days later I got a typed thank you note . I regret giving them my $2250.00. I regret that I still don't have a working gas gauge . I'll take it to my old mechanic, I should have never left him. read more

Horrible customer service the lady in the front Robyn has an attitude. I brong my BMW X5 for a coolant leak and a misfire They changed my water pump they also suggested to change my alternator belt, accessory belt and a bunch on things that I did not do because didn't have anything to do with the problem the car had and there were asking for almost $4,000 . I ended up replacing water pump for the leak,spark plugs and accesories and alternator belt. They called me to pick up the car but I was out of town. Robyn sent me E mails and calls every day and charge me $50 storage (she waived ). I ende up paying almost $2,000 and my car still asking for coolant and still misfiring. She doesnt want to take my car back becuase my car temporary tag is expired supposely my car is ilegal and also she wants me to pay AGAIN for a scan. This place is a rip off and I wouldnt recomend it even to my worst enemy. They take advantage of people. read more