Chicago Auto Radiator Service, Inc.

I was smelling antifreeze coming through the air vents whenever I turned the heat on and it was making me feel nauseous and the worst part is the smell stayed with me hours after I had parked the car… that can’t be good. But the deal breaker was when the windows started fogging up one night and I couldn’t defog them so I drove home literally on pure instinct on a wing and a prayer with about 5% visibility. It was beginning to look like my radiator or heater core was shot. In Chicago you gotta have heat so first thing in the morning I call my mechanic to make an appointment but he politely informs me he’s gotta take a rain check due to a backlog of work. He was however kind enough to give me a recommendation which I immediately checked out on Unilocal,but to my surprise the reviews for that place were terrible. So I saw Chicago Auto Radiator Service, Inc. and there were only two reviews but I was impressed and decided to do my due diligence and investigate. So I go in, ask a ton of what if questions as I tried to gauge whether or not they were being honest. I drive a somewhat exotic sports car and repair shops see $$$$ when they see me coming. But a funny thing happened as I waited for the sharks to move in for the kill… they turned out to be dolphins. My fellow Unilocalers let me tell you… Robert and Carmen are two of the most honest people I have ever met in the auto repair business. Absolutely no pressure, they explain everything clearly and go the extra mile to make sure you are aware of all your options. In my case that smell of antifreeze and windows fogging up turned out to be just a very nasty, dirty cabin air filter which they replaced for me right away. Now the smell is gone and the widows are clear. Thank you Robert and Carmen for being honest.

I really feel like I got an honest assessment of the work I needed. I had a Honda CRV and the compressor had gone bad. Carmen the manager was full of information about AC problems and resolutions and she was extremely kind.
These guys specialize in AC repair so don’t bother going to another mechanic with the same problem because they have all the parts in stock and the mechanic is super experienced. I took my same problem to a Muffler Place on North ave and they wanted to charge me $ 650 for the compressor that costs $ 300 and tried to charge me for parts I didn’t need and the total was going to be $ 1100. I got the work done efficiently and HONESTLY here at Chicago Auto Radiator Service and it was $ 600 total so a great savings. A+ service.

My car was overheating in 30 degree weather. Correct that, my car had been overheating in 30 degree weather for the past 2 evenings home. I finally added a jug of coolant/​antifreeze in the wee hours of the morning on my way to work, and thought that should buy me a few more days before I could bring it into a shop during business hours.
It lasted a few more miles.
So, here I was, late for work and now driving through Humboldt Park w/​my heat blasting and my anxiety for getting ridiculously screwed at an unknown shop (if I could find one), and low and behold, I find a shop which barely looks open yet. In fact, they immediately referred me across the street to Chicago Auto Radiator Service.
I sat in the waiting room while Roberto assisted an earlier customer. Midway, a man w/​a truck came in and said he needed a radiator flush, Roberto asked a few questions and determined the man was mislead and Roberto could do what needed to be done and save the man his money.
Meanwhile, Roberto checked out my car and after flushing a pump and adding another gallon of antifreeze, he refused to take my money. He wouldn’t even take the remainder of my jug from earlier, still in the back seat.
The waiting room had been filled w/​his daughter and son’s school awards, drawings and A’s on their assignments. Turns out they were now in college, but raised by the single father in that waiting room as little ones. ‘My children witnessed my business every day. I will not lie in front of my children, I taught them to be good people by being good people.‘
I only hope I can take my crap car to Roberto for all its auto work!