S & D Automotive

Dave is great. He is both honest and competent. He really does a great job diagnosing what is actually wrong and solving it. Dave stands behind his work really well.
Dave has been really flexible with helping me drop off and pick up my car which has been really helpful for me.
I just hope he never retires!

Had an 11:45am appointment to drop off my car. No one was there. I called at 1:30pm to find out what happened and the man said that he never makes appointments.
IF A MAN FLAT OUT LIES OR CANT KEEP HIS WORD, HOW CAN HE BE TRUSTED TO REPAIR YOUR CAR.
These folks cost me an hour and a half off work because they evidently feel that other peoples’ time is not valuable.

I’ve been taking my ride to Dave ever since I moved to Lincoln Square. He is actually an old family friend, but that’s not why he gets five stars! Dave always give me a great price — at least half of dealership rate. Service is lightning fast — I don’t think it’s ever taken longer than 24 hours regardless of the massive amount of stuff I need fixed. Dave has a great sense of humor and always explains exactly what the issues are and what needs to be done with my ol’ lemon — much appreciated for a car idiot like me. I just heard he’s retiring which is a huge bummer. I never want to go anywhere else!

I don’t write a ton of reviews but finding a great mechanic is truly invaluable. Dave is super honest and has been very good to our car over the past few weeks. After getting our car back it didn’t start a day or two later and Dave came over to our house so that we wouldn’t have to tow it to his shop to make sure he couldn’t fix it on the spot. He’s always good with pricing and timing which are the two qualities that are hard to come by with mechanics these days. He’s awesome! The shop is a bit hard to find as you get there through the alley off Carmen. Also don’t be swayed if you try to call and there’s no answer. He’s pretty much a one man operation so if he’s busy or out to lunch you’ll have to call back but if you leave a message he will get back to you!

Okay, here’s the deal. I’ve basically worked on my own cars for the last I don’t know how many years (too many), so I know when I need some professional help. If you’re in that category, Dave’s your man. He has all the tools, and he has the know-​how to overcome problems I’ve seen other shops screw up big time. He thinks the solution through quickly and uses some ingenuity with the tools at hand, which are extensive. And yes, he is reasonable. Not cheap, but who is these days, but more than fair for what you get. He’s talking about retiring soon, so if you need something done, hop to it. You won’t go wrong with S&D. I guarantee it.

I have been going to see Dave for my auto repairs and maintenance for more than a decade. He is fair and gets the job done. He treats you like family and tries to teach you something about cars at each visit. I refer all my friends to S&D Auto.

I just had Dave replace the AC compressor in my van and I“m very happy with the service I received. He was very thorough in diagnosing the problem and completed the work in a short amount of time. I even paid less than the estimate he gave me which is not what I expected to happen. I highly recommend S & D Automotive.

This is the last honest shop in America, and Dave is the only mechanic you’ll ever need. Dave’s become a trusted adviser to my family and friends; we have absolute faith in his knowledge and abilities. You’ll not find a more fairly-​priced garage anywhere, nor will you find anyone who works as hard as Dave. It can’t be overstated: S & D is the best in Chicago.

Not only is Dave honest, reliable, and affordable, the contacts he referred me to for some other work were just as great! ((If you need your transmission looked at or worked on, go see MIke at United Transmission; 4207 N. Kedzie))
Thanks again Dave! This is good good business!

I have been to S&D a few times in the last three years. Dave has been nothing but helpful, honest and reliable. The prices are great and so is the work. My only gripe, which was big enough to make me find a new mechanic, is that it always took at least three days to get the car back. More often than not, longer than that. He is too busy to give immediate care it seems. And while that is the sign of a quality mechanic, it is also a pain for the customers. If you’ve got the time/​alternative to wait, I recommend S&D.

I couldn’t be happier with the service the guys provided. They not only fixed my car, for a very reasonable price but they were extremely friendly and explained everything to me so that I understood. They were never condescending because I’m a girl and know nothing about cars, just the opposite they were happy to explain everything. Now that I have found this place I wouldn’t dream of going anywhere else!

So I have to admit that I was skeptical at first about all of the positive reviews of S&D Automotive. I’ve now taken my car to Dave & Jesse three times and the reviews are right. I’ve had them change my oil, replace my battery and replace my water pump and each time the job has been done well and fairly priced.
For my battery, I had scheduled an appointment to get the new battery installed. I went to my garage and discovered that I had waited too long and my car wouldn’t start. Dave came over to my condo, helped me push the car out, jumped the battery and then he even gave me a ride back home after I dropped off my car at his shop. Dave and Jesse are getting my business as long as I live in Lincoln Square.

S&D is the most trustworthy place to bring your car. Our family has been taking our cars there for over 20 years, and the job is always done right the first time. In a time when a good, honest mechanic is almost impossible to find, thank God for S&D Auto.

I’ve known Dave since I was little. He’s the best mechanic in Chicago, but don’t take my word for it, go see for yourself.
My family has taken our cars to him for many years. He’ll tell you straight up what’s wrong and how much and only fix what needs to be fixed.
He won’t try to hit you for repairs you don’t need like other rip-​off shops out there.

There are special people in this world that are put there to make the hells of daily life easier, and when you find those people, you put them in a safe place. You bake for them. You shower them with compliments, jokes, and sometimes money. Dave and Jesse at S&D are those people. I’ve been taking my cars to him for about 8 years and he’s done nothing but right. We’ve been friends as we frequent the same local pub for about the same amount of time, and I’ve recommended him to every person I know who has a car in the city and everyone who has worked with Dave LOVES him. He’s a true mechanic, too — this is his CRAFT. He used to teach it, for heaven’s sake! My dad is super impressed with his detailed, honest invoices — the only evidence I have to prove that I am ‘maintaining’ my car to DAD standards — and he is all about taking care of people who have gotten ripped off and cheated before. Take your car to Dave and you’ve made a valuable connection for you, your wallet, and your car!

One of the hardest part of moving away from Chicago is not having Dave to take care of my van. He has bailed me out so many time with my jalopies, keeping budget in mind.
The day before I was to drive to the west coast my radiator rusted through. Dave got me back on schedule and I had no fear of being over charged.
I didn’t want to tell too many people because then he would be too busy to get my van in. This is the best shop by far. I would actually look forward to seeing them.

Dave at S&D auto is real find. Honest, skilled, and sensitive to your budget. If a repair can wait he’ll tell you. That alone sets him apart from the sea of repair shops. If a repair can’t wait he’ll fix it for a fair price and explain everything without talking down to you or being irritated. Also if it’s something he’s not well equipped to do he’ll refer someone who is better suited for the job. For example he wasn’t the guy for an old Saab 95 Turbo I brought to him but he’s keeping my Ford Focus in great shape and money in my pocket. The last time I brought the car in for «noises in the front end» he looked over the car completely gave me a list of future repairs to plan for with estimates, prioritized each one, and rotated my tires. Cost-​$ 40

S&D are by far the best place Ive ever taken any of my vehicles to. Dave is a great dude and has the patience and knowledge of a man who is confident in his craft.
My first experience with S&D is when some other Northside import auto place on Broadway wanted to do a $ 650 brake job on my 97 Toyota Corolla when I had it in for a check up. I was broke so I rode the brakes till they where grinding some months later. Luckily S&D where less than a half mile away and recommended by a friend. S&D had my car in and out within a day, gave me the full story with no bullshit. The repair cost me $ 75.
I’ve taken all sorts of beastly cars to S&D and the turnaround is quick, they are friendly guys and they are TRUST WORTHY. I’m hoping S&D will be there forever because I don’t want to take my cars to anyone else, ever!