Peter B’s Automotive

One of the two places I would trust my car with in Champaign/​Urbana. Honest, reasonable, and skilled. Peter and his team always get things done in a timely manner, and without adding additional unneeded services to your bill. In a town full of shady garages, it is a wonderful change to have Peter B’s around whom you can trust.

Peter is the ONLY person my wife and I have trusted for auto repairs since the early 80s, when he was working out of the garage of his home. His current shop in Urbana is so pristine that you could eat breakfast off his shop floor.
Peter knows cars obscenely well. And he’s uncompromisingly honest. On many occasions he has told us there’s a potentially expensive problem with our car, but «We can wait and check it out in a few months.» And a few months later, he would say, «It’s still OK, we’ll just keep an eye on it.» And we would end up getting rid of the car before we ever had to have the work done.
A number of people, I have learned, bring their cars to Peter from Chicago and even St. Louis, having moved there from C-​U, because they trust no one else. He specializes in higher-​end vehicles, but is willing to work even on our ancient minivans.
We never purchase a used car (the only kind we buy) without having Peter do a buyer’s check. Once I drove a potential purchase for him to check it out. It was summer, and the large shop door was open. He apparently heard me coming, because before I could get out of the car he was there, saying, «Take it back. You don’t want this vehicle!» Then he explained. He had me get out of the car, with the engine running, and said, «Do you hear this very faint sound.. . ?» (and he described what I was supposed to listen for). «That’s such-​and-​such [I’m ignorant about cars, so I don’t remember what it was], and that means that pretty soon this car is going to need very expensive work.» He could have charged me $ 85 for a buyer’s check (it’s more now), but instead he saved me money and a lot of time.
I trust Peter absolutely. Having him as our mechanic is one of the aspects of residing in Urbana, both my wife and I agree, that adds significantly to the quality of life here.
In fact, Peter B’s is so classy that on a number of occasions I have called up Cindy, the office manager, and asked her about my car, and she has provided highly useful/​technical advice. A VERY amazing place!

Peter B’s is the only place I trust with my car. Excellent work, always very professional, and it’s done at a fair price.
Of particular value are their buyers checks for a used car. They are THOROUGH. A friend was looking at a used car at a discount car lot. He asked if he could take it to a mechanic for a once-​over. The salesman happily agreed, and asked where he was going to take it. My friend answered «Peter B’s.» The salesman suddenly flipped out: «oh… well… you know, Peter B’s finds a lot of things wrong that aren’t really… problems.»
The only drawback is that they’re way out on the east side of Urbana.