It's Alive! Automotive - Classic European Sports Car Restoration and Sales

Reviews

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

  KAMAL KAMAL
a month ago
I recently purchased a European vehicle from It's Alive! Automotive and Mr Mike Dyer was the salesman. My experience with the dealer was so great and wonderful. Mike was so considerate and willing to help he provided a virtual tour of 1967 Citroen and went over the details. He contacted the owner several times to make sure I had all the necessary information. I also want to thank him for the delivery of the vehicle to my house in Florida it was flawless. I m sure he will treat all his customers the same way. Thank you Mike for the wonderful service. God bless you.

  Christona P.Johnson-Binnishavilli
3 weeks ago
Hi Jeff,This is Christy Azriel s Granny, Thank you for your loving kindness to Azriel each time we visit. He sincerely loves and enjoys himself observing learning more about cars. For 3yrs It s Alive Cars, have Blessed Azriel on his Birthday Day with a Lovely and Beautiful B-Day cake. On behalf of Azriel and his parents of course myself, We Thankfully Appreciate your Loving Generosity and Kindness Blessing him on his Awesome Day! The 1st Year was a Dream Come True for him. Seeing Herbie and all his toy cars in Real-Time. Thank to It s Alive Automotive staff I became the Super Hero granny. To this day, at 8yrs old (his bday) he still shares that adventure with everyone. Like he did this morning! This inspired me to send this email of Thanking You, Jeff and your staff at It s Alive Automotive for continuously sharing your Amazing Customer Service of Loving Generosity and Kindness nurturing his passion for cars. It s Alive Automotive Thank You for being a Blessing in this upside down universe we re in. Your Customer Service is Awesome.Thank you!Christy

  David Pollard
6 months ago
Outstanding work and easy to work with. I have had the occasion to use Jeff and his team at It's Alive a few times and with each time it was a great experience. I like to do the work on my Triumphs, but I am still a novice so for certain things I need help. My latest project was to repair and reinforce the differential mounts for my 73 TR6. Jeff's team replaced one mount entirely and reinforced both front Diff Mounts. They welded them in place and prepped/painted them to a point that they looked factory done. The price was reasonable and the work was done in a day.I would not hesitate to take any of my cars to Jeff and his team at It's Alive

  Corey Powers
a month ago
I recently purchased a 1965 MGB from Its Alive. The buying experience was 100% solid. Mike Dyer is not a car salesman, rather he s an extremely knowledgeable and transparent partner to work with. The IAA facility is top notch. I can t say enough about how seriously these folks take Customer Care. If you re looking for a classic car to purchase or get full-scale restoration services, I encourage you to choose the team at Its Alive Automotive! I m glad I did.

  Creig Houghtaling
3 months ago
I had a broken and warped dash top in my TR6. I bought a replacement cover from Moss Motors. Then I began learning that the windshield has to come off. That includes taking off window to windshield seal and fuzzy door seal. Glove box out. Vents off. Wood dash face and metal sub dash loosened. Scrape off old dash and clean residue. Glue down new pad. Trim and tuck in all edges appropriately.Then...Replace windscreen vents. New seal under windshield. Reinstall windshield (windshield and frame unit). Reinstall sub dash, wood dash, glove box, windshield wipers, window-to-windshield seal (new seal), and new fuzzy door seal.I am perfectly capable of learning and doing all this. But I knew it would take me (and maybe a friend for a helping hand) a couple of weeks to do it. So I talked to Jeff (proprietor of It's Alive) and he suggested his ace interior guy, Kyle, could get it done much quicker. I showed up with my car at 8 in the morning. And in one day everything was beautifully together as shown in the attached photo!Having the right person who knows how to do the job, and has all the right tools and facilities is priceless.Thank you Jeff.Thank you Kyle.YOU'RE AWESOME!!!

  jack loynd
2 weeks ago
What a cool place, love the projects going on. I consigned my Jaguar with Its Alive, They did a great job marketing my Jag and got me my asking price, couldn t be happier. Mike and Jeff are a pleasure to work with !!! See you guys when I m ready for my next car, maybe a Healey !!!!

  Eric Johnson
4 months ago
I am restoring my own car but needed help with getting chrome work done. Jeff and his team did the repair work on the pieces and handled sourcing the chrome work. They were very particular which required staying on top of the chrome supplier to make sure the job was done right, and that shows in the final product. They have a great facility with lots of fine British metal in house. I'm sure I will be back with more work.

  Viru Agrawal
3 years ago
I have nothing but amazing things to say about Jeff, Kyle, and the team here! I've been to them for an O2 sensor, and more recently for a soft top replacement (pictured) on my 1980 450SL, and have been blown away both times. The fitment on the top, which is challenging to get right, is miles better than the old one, and definitely the best among other R107 SLs I've seen in person. Highly recommend to anyone needing work on their classic car!

  Drake Powers
3 years ago
Jeff and his team are fantastic to work with. Jeff's a serious car guy (he's got great taste when it comes to collecting his own vintage classics) so he gets it and knows how much these cars mean to us. He's worked on my '70 Vette a few times and even came to my house with his ace mechanic, Jim, when something didn't seem right after I got it home. I really appreciate his work, his honesty, and sense of humor. You never know what you're going to see (or hear) when you visit his shop.

  Frank Freund
5 months ago
Let me start by saying that this is not the place to go for a quick oil change. They are extremely busy.There is a $125 pre-inspection, and $187.50 post inspection and shakedown for services. Your vehicle is filmed when received by IAA, and when returned by IAA, noting any issues. There are many expensive cars there, each worth hundreds of thousands. This protects all parties, and is explained before you put your car in for service.I had multiple items repaired on my original 1964 chevelle malibu convertible. And my car was returned cleaner than when I dropped it off. Their service manager is great to work with giving you the details of the repair, and answering your questions. Julie, the business manager explained the pre and post inspections, and took care of the paperwork. Jeff made me feel like I was part of a family, rather than a customer, he takes an interest in each car in his shop. Jeff is honest, and I can't give a higher compliment.

  Kurt Jensen
7 months ago
I'm a first time customer. This place is awesome! Very professional. Facilities are excellent. Their ability to fix anything and everything to bring your car back to life is excellent. They are truly a one stop shop for all your needs. They fixed an idling issue on my 1969 Jag XKE that had been plaguing me off and on for the last 3 years. They did a butt joint paint repair on the bonnet that is totally invisible. They are very thorough in what they do. They are very transparent in providing information, whether it be good or bad news. The statements of work to be done in their estimates is very detailed. Jeff and Julie are the best to work with. Very personable. If you're in doubt, let them give you a tour and discuss your needs like I did. I will definitely return for any future work on my car. My experience with this shop was nothing but excellent. Very refreshing compared to past experiences with other shops.

  Betina Hedrick
3 months ago
I can t say enough good things about It s Alive Automotive! Mike and his team went above and beyond to make our transaction and the transport of the vehicle as easy as possible and he did it in the freezing cold with a gracious attitude. Thanks Mike! I highly recommend this company!

  Mark Setlich
4 months ago
This is my second review / addendum to my first review below. I just had some more work performed on my 2002 Jaguar XJ8 at It's Alive Automotive.Jeff and his All Star Team of true professionals were able to figure out and resolve a very complicated problem that several other outside experts could not.Their persistence in solving a difficult problem was amazing, not to mention that I received, as usual, most exceptional communications throughout the entire process.It's Alive Automotive has truly earned my life-long trust, respect and loyalty. They are honest, fair, and indeed always a great pleasure to work with!Mark SetlichI recently had numerous services performed on my 2002 Jaguar XJ8 including body work, mechanical work, dash gauge lights replacement, complete interior and exterior detailing, plus quite a bit more. There is nothing that It's Alive Automotive can't do, and they do it all to absolute perfection!The entire staff is extremely professional, knowledgeable, courteous and friendly. I primarily dealt with Julie (office manager), Matt (detailing) and Kyle (mechanical) as well as with Jeff (the owner) who made sure that I was completely satisfied.Julie kept me fully informed throughout the the entire process and kindly answered all of my many questions. Kyle and his team of mechanics easily tackled some complicated issues. Matt's detailing work is nothing short of magical. He is truly an artist!My car now runs and looks better than when it came off of the showroom floor! To say that I'm pleased would be a gross understatement. All of my expectations were greatly exceeded.I wish I could give It's Alive Automotive a higher rating. In lieu of that, I've given Julie permission to provide my contact information to anyone seeking more details regarding my amazing experience.

  Peter Larkin
7 months ago
Jeff and his team are artisans as much as they are restoration specialists. The detail, professionalism, responsiveness, and results are absolutely A1. I would highly recommend his services for your British sports car (mine was a TR 250). I am in Washington DC, and the geographic distance was no problem for communication or delivery. Great bunch of guys and ladies as well!

  Hal Grant
6 months ago
I had my 1963 Jaguar XKE inspected by Jeff Homsher at It s Alive and he did a wonderful job. I shipped the car to my home in San Diego and when I had questions or concerns he immediately called back to help and give advice. Great service. I can t recommend him enough..!!!

  Nick T
10 months ago
Great people to work with! Purchased a 1965 Austin-Healy Sprite project car sight unseen. The car was just as described - they even pointed out a few issues that were significant but not obvious to make sure I understood what I was, and more importantly, was not getting. They also coordinated the delivery so all I had to do was accept the car and pay the driver. Mike and the staff were very professional and responsive to all my needs and concerns. I would not hesitate to do business with them again.

  Phil Mason
3 years ago
I have had many mechanics and shops work on the TR 7 over the years. Jeff Homsher and his staff are excellent at what they do. They were great at finding the problems and fixing them correctly. Jeff was very fair with me on the cost of the repairs as well. Great people and great work is sometimes hard to find. I found it at IT'S ALIVE Auto. Thanks, Jeff.

  Javi Turk
3 years ago
Timing is everything well, almost everything I recently purchased a 1980 MGB. I wanted a car that was both fun to drive and easy to work on. Although handy, I knew the limits of my mechanical skills, and so decided to seek out expert advice. Under recommendation of the soon-to-be-retired St. Louis MG guru, Mr. John Mangles, I contacted Jeff Homsher at IT S ALIVE AUTOMOTIVE.Jeff, the owner, answered the phone and listened patiently as I explained my car s problems and symptoms. I was impressed in several ways. Firstly, Jeff s willingness to give free advice. Secondly, Jeff s knowledge of his craft, without sounding arrogant or condescending. Lastly, his passion for these delightful little vehicles really shows.I realized I had a decision to make: Fix the car myself and hope that the repairs prove reliable over time or take it to an expert and enjoy peace of mind. I chose the latter.IT S ALIVE adjusted the timing, changed the distributor, and installed a heat shield. That means I get to do less fixing and more driving. My car is fun to drive and has proven reliable thus far. When Jeff and his guys work on your car, they stand behind their work.One word of caution: Jeff likes to joke a lot. If you are not careful, you might leave his shop with a smile on your face!JT

  Bryan Wyman
3 years ago
Top notch place. The clutch went out on my 94 Rover Mini Cooper. I searched all over STL to find someone to help. The owner Jeff went above and beyond to help me out. He's a class guy. He fixed all the issues without any problems. I highly recommend this place for any automotive issues. They can fix anything. Check out his shop and you'll see the quality work they do.

  Graham Day
a year ago
It's Alive Automotive is simply the best. Their team combines incredible technical knowledge and expertise with excellent communication and customer service. My 1964 Corvette Sting Ray was dead - or, at least, moribund - in most every respect after sitting for decades. True to their name, the It's Alive team brought her back to life and, indeed, genuine vitality - both mechanically and appearance-wise. Throughout the process, the team kept me well informed and provided extraordinarily helpful guidance in terms of what was necessary, what was recommended, and what was inessential to get her safely back on the road .... and looking better than I could have ever imagined. And, on top of all that, they are just good people who are EXTREMELY reasonably priced and efficient. Thanks so much to Jeff, Julie, Del, Dave, Matt and the rest of the It's Alive team for such a fantastic experience and even better outcome!!!

  Elena Klepatskaya
2 years ago
I have never seen so many beautiful cars as in this place! Jeff is an amazing guy, very friendly! The place is very clean. Maybe the cleanest car shop I have ever seen. Here is a photo I took of one of their mehanics, Kyle.

  Donald Ray
10 months ago
I had a self-induced issue with my ignition system that would not allow the car to start. Jeff spent a good amount of diagnostic time over the phone trying to help me figure it out. I attempted his suggestions, but was unsuccessful. Had the car towed to the shop and he quickly fixed it himself. I must have messed the point gap by just touching them.Thanks Jeff!As the shop name says: It's Alive!

  Heather F
a year ago
Knowledgeable, professional, friendly, funny, and honest just a few of the words I would use to describe the folks at Its Alive.My vehicle was badly in need of a paint job. After admiring the gorgeous vintage vehicles in their lot and stopping by one day to look at a Troopy Land Cruiser, I took a chance and gave them a call. From my initial meeting with Jeff and his team I knew I d made the right choice! Even though my car isn t vintage, it being only 26 years old, Jeff understood how much my Land Cruiser means to me and his team took excellent care of it. Julie kept in the loop every step of the process and even sent pictures throughout the various stages. I could not be happier with how it turned out!

  brad blumenfeld
a year ago
Jeff is a great and knowledgeable guy. Super helpful and professional. I contacted him because i was interested in a car he had listed. he honestly walked me thru the good and the bad of the vehicle and ultimately i decided not to pull the trigger on that particuular car. he offered to help me on my journey and has since helped me evaluate a few cars that were listed by others and saved me from making big mistakes by pointing out "red flags" to me that i would not have otherwise known to look for. He is a true professional and great guy.Highly reccomend.

  bruce vogel
3 years ago
They never called me backThey called me back Would not think that there were so many people fixing old cars did not know they were closed on the day I called . it sound like they really know what they are doing . price sounds good I think they were very helpful for the advise they told me

  David Schwartz
a year ago
I highly recommend It s Alive Automotive. They were able to build almost from scratch a fender for my 1938 Packard which was a very complex design. The paint match is perfect as is the blending to the original form. In addition, they provided invaluable service to diagnose and repair complex issues well beyond the capabilities of other local resources. My thanks to Jeff, Adam, Brian, Dave, Jim and Julie for great service.

  Steve S
a year ago
This review is three months overdue. I started with a pre-buy inspection in late November and then had the team at It s Alive replace the steering, brakes, driveshaft, u-joints, install a rear shock conversion and multiple other needed repairs. It s Alive then stored my car for me in a heated building during the winter months.Jeff has assembled an excellent team that are knowledgeable, friendly and take the time to answer questions. And the work they do is truly superb.If you have a special car in need of restoration work this is absolutely the best place to go in the St. Louis area.

  John Landsbaum
11 months ago
These guys know their stuff!! Full off frame or any type of partial restoration work you're considering, look no further!!

  Debbie Hutkin
a year ago
Jeff, Kyle and the team at It's Alive Automotive have done master class work on our 1955 Jaguar XK 140 DHC and 1969 Mercedes 280 SE bringing them to exactly the level of quality we requested.They have great attention to detail and spotted things we missed that made a huge difference in the final outcome without breaking the budget.They are not just very skilled but also very logical and sensible.Their pricing is very reasonable and we would not hesitate to use Jeff, Kyle and the pros at It's Alive again.

  Susan Delano
a year ago
My 1967 Morris Minor sat in my parents garage for 40+ years. It was missing parts and was un-driveable. It s Alive picked up the car, diagnosed what was needed, worked up an invoice as to what specific work was needed and what the costs were. They let me choose exactly what work I wanted to have done to my car. If I had concerns or wanted things checked or added, they were happy to comply. I am so happy with the way my car performed & drove after it was delivered.Jeff goes above & beyond to make his customers happy. He keeps the car owner informed EVERY STEP of the way. It is plain that he loves what he does. And it shows in his work. I highly recommend It s Alive!Service: Oil change