A-K Auto Mechanic & Body Shop

Reviews

Reviews are sorted by relevance, with the most helpful and insightful feedback listed first for easy reference.

  Bruce Daugherty
a month ago
They've been taking care of my vehicles for over half a decade. They've always provided excellent service. They're great down to earth professionals. Who has never disappointed me and kept my cars on the road. I will continue coming here another decade if possible.

  Michael Sullivan
6 months ago
I have used A-K Auto for years and love the work they do. Sam and the team are amazing! In the past I have had minor mechanical issues fixed, done a full muffler replace, tune ups, etc. Most recently I had some body work done to replace a fender and trim, plus a new side mirror. After the repairs at A-K, everything looks better than before it was damaged in the first place, and it was done a day faster than quoted! They are always very upfront and honest with costs, materials, parts etc, and they are very good with communication throughout the process. Highly recommend 5/5 stars!!!Services: Auto body & trim repair, General repairs & maintenance, Body & Trim, Side view mirror repair

  Serenity McCaulley
5 months ago
I highly recommend this place.They have transformed my car into a brand new car in a timely manner . The prices are amazing as well .I definitely will come back for my regular maintenance . 10/10

  Chemo TheKid
6 months ago
Have brought my car twice here and had nothing but positive experiences. Definitely will be my got to when I can't get it done myself. Diagnoses issues well and won't pressure you to get it done there.

  Russ
a year ago
I can't recommend A+K auto. I brought my car in to diagnose a thumping tire a few weeks ago. It cost $90 for them to diagnose it, which I was fine with. It took 3 days, which was an inconvenience.They determined that it was a front strut was caused an imbalance in the rear tire which made it wear unevenly.They quoted about $1600-1700 to have the front struts and crossbars replaced. They also estimated another $2000 in unrelated services like spark plugs, air filter, etc. that weren't needed.I was able to take the car to another mechanic that changed the struts and crossbars for a total of $900, much much less than A+K quoted.Then I bought and had new tired installed. It was only when I went to get an alignment that they discovered the rear wheel was way out of alignment, and is not adjustable. Meaning that the original wear was from bad cross bars, and not the front struts like advised.So while the front struts may have needed to be replaced, they were not the immediate issue, and now I have to have more work done. And A+K auto charged almost twice what another shop did. I was told the strut assemblies from Mercedes are self contained. They do not take long to install.I won't be taking our car here anymore unfortunately. I believe they routinely overcharge.RESPONSE TO AK REPLY:The estimate you provided did include other maintenance costs. It was $3600. I tallied only the front strut related costs and it came out to $1700. Ignoring the spark plugs, serpentine belt, etc.

  Matthew D
2 years ago
My wife and I both have taken our cars here and they have always handled everything perfectly. Very friendly, great quality service performed quickly and fairly priced. We both drive older cars and have been looking for a trustworthy mechanic shop that won't try to take advantage of you or pull one over on you. I know my way around cars having driven and worked on older vehicles most of my life and usually know when I'm being taken advantage of but I didn't need to worry about the folks at AK who were very honest and trustworthy. Their shop is a bit far from us but I wouldn't hesitate to bring either of our cars there again or send a friend to them.Services: Tires, Steering & suspension repair, Painting, General repairs & maintenance, Body & Trim, Wheel alignment

  Ben Zhou
a year ago
Ak auto is my go to place for any car issues. I really appreciate their honest and transparent pricing and they do good work. Their quotes are always more affordable than what they quote you at the dealers.

  Frank Cihak
4 months ago
The best place to get your car fixed in the neighborhood from Little Italy to Bridgeport, and of course, Chinatown.

  C J
7 months ago
A-K Auto was recommended by a family friend. The service provided to fix my car was great. Customer service at the front desk was okay

  Ahmed Khan
4 years ago
I've had several positive experiences working with Sam and his crew. When I first started driving, they fixed my headlights which were broken and now, they fixed an oil leak in my car. Compared to other locations in downtown, they offered me the best price for those two services.The real reason this review is 5 stars is because you can tell that they are honest people who will not overcharge you. Other mechanics that I have been to try to "create" nonexistent issues and get the most money by using scare tactics (i.e. your car will explode if you don't fix this!!) But over here, I have never experienced such an issue. To me, at least, they feel more trustworthy.

  Eric Bate
2 years ago
I just got home from getting my Mazda 3 repaired at A-K Auto Mechanic. My car was making a scraping noise. So I called them this morning, and they were able to get me in right away. They were very punctual with when they said they would call, and when they said they would finish. I really appreciated that. While they were at it, I had them change my oil as well. They got the problem fixed (replaced a brake pad), and had me on my way. Thanks!Services: Brakes, Oil change

  Natalie Crary
3 years ago
Yen and Sam (the office administrator and head mechanic) are wonderful people to work with! My organization has a number of well used cars that need repair and they are always thorough about communication and give good recommendations at a fair price. I use them for my personal car as well. It's great to have such a trustworthy place to take my vehicle.

  Sean B
9 years ago
Sammy the head mechanic is the best. He treats you with respect, works directly with you, and will do his very best to help you save money. My car was in an accident and my insurance wouldn't pay for it and he did his very best to get the car in driving condition again at the lowest cost to me. He truly cares about each and every customer and is great about teaching you what your car needs to keep it running well. I truly trust him and his work. They have earned me as a customer for life.

  Nicole Bucio
5 years ago
They charged me a lot for a fix up when my car broke down and it seemed pricey. That's not too bad but what put me off is that they also wanted to do a $400+ fix for an issue I'd never noticed. I said no, and my car worked fine despite them saying I'd have a few weeks max. I'm not knowledgeable enough about cars to say it's fine, so I got a second opinion and the new garage said I had no problems.

  Daniel Bauer
11 years ago
I've taken cars to Sam for over a year now. Originally, I found his reviews to be outstanding on Yelp so I gave him a try. I see some people rated him low on Google+ and I find that to be shocking. Sam has always been honest, knowledgeable and fair with price. One way I measure a mechanic's honesty is to ask the mechanic to keep the box of the new part they are putting on one of my cars and put the old part in the new box. I also ask him to talk me through why the old part failed. Sam has never flinched at this request. I definitely trust AK Auto. Additionally, the parts he has put on my car usually come with a 6 month warranty just in case they have a manufacturers defect. I highly recommend AK Auto.

  Manny Aldana
4 years ago
I've been coming to AK for a long time now. Sam (the owner) has always been very helpful and knowledgeable. He and his wife always tells me the problem straight up and what they recommend most. If it is out of budget they will recommend alternatives. They are very knowledgeable in different car types. Came here for service on my Pontiac, Toyota, Ford, and Acura.

  Aaron Truitt
7 years ago
I stopped in drop off my VW Beetle for repair and the lady at the front was trying to be very quick with me. Paperwork, money and get out! (she didn't say that, but that's the impression she gave me)She gave me three options to pay for due to the needs my car had:$95 for "check engine light"$85 for "tune up"$90 for "coolant leak diagnostic".I tried to ask her what each entailed and she quickly got grumpy at me in broken English. I just wanted to make an informed decision!In the past, when visiting a mechanic they gave me some idea of what they planned to do with my car prior to dropping it off there.I decided to get a "tune up" as it was the least expensive and sounded the most general and noticed that there was a $45/day charge for car storage. This starts billing you $45 each day starting the day after notification. I thought that was a little much, but they can charge whatever fees they like.That spurred the question of "what is your labor charge"? (i figure it is good to know as often times after a "tune up" they will want to repair things) She was quickly angry at me as she said $85/hour. I said "isn't that a little high? I've only seen two other labor charges in Bridgeport but they were both lower" and she quickly informed me that A-K Auto had THE lowest labor rate in the whole city. (I assume she means Chicago... and that's certainly untrue)Anyhow, I can't communicate how immediately rude she was in text so I didn't really talk about it. I went across the street to the guy with a 5.0 star rating on yelp. (Dave's Auto)I THOROUGHLY trust Dave. And he spend the time and more to explain what he was going to do. If you're on here looking for a mechanic, go to Dave's. I'm sure we aren't the first that went across the street, or the last.PS: I see many reviews about "Sam" at AK, and I'm sure he's a great guy. He just needs to focus on hiring great people like the lady in the front. That seems to be the fate with many large businesses... Some good, and some bad "apples".

  Taylor Franchuk
4 years ago
I can't say enough good things about Sam and his crew here. Several times I have had serious issues with my Honda Accord and he has diagnosed and fixed them properly and quickly. Recently, one part he replaced was faulty. He went through a lot of work to find the problem and replace the part at no cost because he stands by his work. A-K works hard and is honest and fair in their pricing. Highly recommend.

  Yutong Wu
2 years ago
I called, visited, tried to communicate and ended up asking my keys back, simply because I felt so difficult to talk to the ladies in the front or the mechanic in the back. Yes they are very busy but making things clear would help get things in and out faster I suppose? I am not ok with $75 magically becoming $95 (not to mention that it should only be charged if I decide not to use their shop but they wrote it down as if it was a base charge) on the job sheet and the lack of certainty on basically anything. On top of that, impatience and not willing to listen is what I felt during the entire conversation. Last but not least, an FJ Cruiser is an FJ Cruiser and it is not a PT Cruiser... I later took it to a place nearby where they have a good amount of enthusiasm and at least a smile on the face.Service: Transmission

  Alex Rains
3 years ago
Brought my car here after getting in a hit and run and the staff were professional, courteous, friendly and helpful every step of the way. They were in touch with me and my insurance agent throughout the repair process and I felt very well-informed and taken care of by the time I got my car back. Highly recommend!Services: Painting, General repairs & maintenance, Wheel alignmentServices: Painting, General repairs & maintenance, Wheel alignment

  Justin Hoskins
7 years ago
I always take my car to Sam. He's up front and does amazing work. I thought my brakes were squeaking and had him check them out. He told me they were fine. They're super honest. I recommend them to everyone I know. And never take my car elsewhere.

  Grant Austin
a year ago
Been going here for years, A+ service every time. Affordable, friendly service at less than half the cost of your dealer. Have sent several friends here and they ve all had a great experience.

  YJ L
11 years ago
It's hard to find a decent auto shop to go regularly. I come here for routine maintenance and bring friends to check out used cars before buying. Decent price and good & fast service. The owner is very nice. He explains all items in details and give advice on what should be fix/replaced soon or sometime in future. He does not charge extra by asking me to change everything. Instead, he would even tell me what doesn't really have to be changed if I could live with the discomfort. The prices are really good, even when compared to the "cheap" prices offered by auto shops that do a terrible job.

  Jimmy Le
8 years ago
What a great experience! Like many of the other reviewers, Sam and his wife (I think) were genuine, honest, and nice. I didn't feel pressured at all and they made me feel like they were looking out for my best interest. Sam took the time to examine the damage and gave me several options. In the end, his estimate was less than the nearby competitors and service was top notch. I plan on bringing my family and my future visits to AK

  Amanda Mauser
3 years ago
I was very upset when someone damaged my new Mustang, but the folks at A-K were really friendly, got the job done quickly, and it looks great! I had some deep scratches and a broken lens, but it looks like new! Great people to work with.

  Pat Xia
5 years ago
Although it was only the first time I went to A-K auto for bodywork, I highly recommend this auto shop.My car had some scratches on the body, as well as on the back bumper. During the estimation we asked for two quotes with and without fixing the bumper. Since the bumper fix requires lots work, we decided to go without it. However, there were some miscommunications inside the shop. When I called to pick up my car according to the original schedule, it was not ready yet. We then realized that they have included the bumper in the sanding phase; too late to omit that part of work. A day later, I went to pick up the car. I expressed that I felt sorry for the mis-communication and confusion. The shop owners (I think they are a couple) responded with a smile on their face "it was our fault. Just take the bumper fix as a big gift from us. Now drive safely to keep the car in good shape!"I selected A-K auto based on its review score. That information leads me to a good selecting decision. Now it is my turn to post my first review :-)

  Shubham Patel
a year ago
Complete trash place, been there today to ask about noice in my car dashboard, old lady in front, in rude & disrespectful tone told me it'll be $160 just to check what's wrong. Can't even get the estimate before that.. will never go there or recommend anyone. Can't give less then 1*.

  Magnus Wu
5 years ago
Sam and his wife run this place and it is my go-to. They have solved things that other places can t. I had a noise coming from my car and went to 3 places having a coolant replaced, filters replaced, engine recommendations.... went to AK Auto and the technician discovered it was a loose hubcap. They are quick with oil changes if you come in early. This is my go-to in Chicago. No frills. No upselling. Honest and experts at what they do. I recommend to my coworkers and friends and this is their go-to as well

  Eric Fiksdal
2 years ago
Sam and his wife are the best, always do good work, and are honest. He'll show you what needs to be done and is transparent about everything. Highly, highly recommend if you're looking for a mechanic. We won't go anywhere else .

  Cloud C
a year ago
I went to get my tires repaired and they didn't say there was no time and then just pumb some air, and they took my 10 $ and told me that it ,so pumb air need 10 $ .very disappointing service. from the manager to the staff are all big liars.Service: TiresService: Tires