Google Reviews
Zoe Larkin
★★★★★
2 months ago
I’ve had 3 jobs done here, and somehow my 2005 Honda Accord (Hondisha, a true survivor) is still alive and thriving. From the air compressor to the lower control arms, Rick’s Automotive always gets her back on the road. I recommend them to anyone who needs mechanical work!
Mike Wofford
★★★★★
2 months ago
While living in Urbana in 2001, when I started my ‘86 944 Turbo one morning it sounded like a Briggs & Stratton. I thought, “this is going to be extremely expensive,” then started looking for a local mechanic who specialized in Porsches. Someone pointed me to Rick’s, and Rick spent about two minutes looking at it before he said, “You need new header studs. Do you want me to order them, or do you want to bring them to me?” I thought I might be able to get them more quickly, so I told him I’d bring the car back when I had them. I drove a rental car to the Porsche Dealer in Decatur to pick up a set of studs, then brought them to Rick. Rick charged me exactly one hour of labor to replace them all, which I considered an incredible bargain as there appeared to be less than an inch of clearance between the tops of some studs and the right fender. It was obvious to me that whoever suggested Rick as a Porsche specialist was absolutely correct. Anyway, 25 years later, and I finally have an opportunity to write a review. If I’m ever in central Illinois with an aging Porsche that needs some TLC, I’m calling Rick’s.
Jiayang Lin
★
☆☆☆☆
a year ago
I never go out of my way to leave reviews, but I feel compelled to leave one after this experience. My car’s alternator failed the other day, and I called around a couple shops to see who could take me without an appointment. My friends and family that I spoke to told me it should be around 300-400 to replace and fix (labor included). I was also told that because the part was near the top, it should only take an hour or so to fix. I called Rick’s and they said they could look at my car the next day. Unfortunately, I did not ask for a quote from Rick’s — I really should’ve because it would’ve saved me from this disaster. I get a call the next day, and get quoted $1379.96 for an oil change, alternator replacement, and a serpentine belt replacement. I do NOT have that type of money. I asked for just the alternator and was still quoted $962.47 — $326.00 for the part and over $400.00 in labor costs. I find it really hard to believe it would’ve taken three hours to replace a part near the top, and they wanted to charge me an additional hour of labor ($115.00) for charging the battery. At this point, I called a different shop and was quoted $370.00 for the same service (ended up being $353.16) and I was in and out of the other shop in less than an hour. I also didn’t even need a belt replacement! The craziest part of it all is that when I came to Rick’s to take my car to the other shop, everything in my glove compartment and my central console was completely emptied out onto the passenger seat. It wasn’t neatly placed either, everything looked like it had been tossed randomly into the seat. I have never been to a shop that had needed to access anything in either area to fix something in the hood of the car. I also noticed that they had stolen my perfume from out of the glove compartment — not super expensive so it doesn’t matter, but it makes me wonder what else they stole. The only positive about this experience was Danielle, who was helpful with breaking down the costs for me. However, I felt like I was being scammed as a female college student, and I do not recommend anyone, especially other UIUC students, come here. Please save yourself the time and the money from the diagnostic fee of $121.00 (for a diagnosis that I literally told them on the phone previously) and don’t come here!
Daniel K
★
☆☆☆☆
5 months ago
Stay far away from this place. Rick’s Automotive is completely unprofessional and dishonest. I made the mistake of taking my Audi here for a second opinion on a dashboard oil pressure warning. Big mistake. They had no clue what they were doing—gave me vague, confusing answers, and despite their scanner showing no codes, they still pushed me to replace two pressure sensors. They lied and said the dealership had cleared the codes, which was a flat-out lie. Two days after their so-called “repair,” the warning light came back. When I called them, they scrambled to make up excuses and tried to shift the blame, saying it might be a wiring issue. The owner even lied to my face about talking to me on the phone. Total lack of accountability. From the owner to technician Jason and receptionist Danielle—they’re all liars. Now the warning light comes on every 10 minutes, and I’m worse off than before. This shop is a joke. Don’t waste your time or money here.
Anna Slater
★
☆☆☆☆
Edited 4 years ago
Do NOT use Rick's for repairs- here's the most brief version of events I can muster. TL,DR: Rick's charged us $500 and 5 visits in an attempt to fix a simple problem, instead break our car and leave us with another $1200+ of repairs at a dealer. History: We brought our Fiat 500X in to have it it looked at because a tail light wasn't working despite replacing the bulb. 1st Visit: We brought the car in at 8 am, we requested an update so we knew when to come get the car (we are a one car family, so this was important since we have to take a bus to and from the repair place). At 11 AM, we tried to call for an update- the phones were down. Same problem at 1 PM and 3 PM. Finally found an email and asked them what was going on, they responded they had "just looked" at our car and that we'd have to come pick it up and schedule a new day for repairs. All that seemed standard. They charged us $105 for looking at the car, but assured us they would take that off our next charge if we chose to come back. I asked for that in writing to be safe. 2nd Visit: We brought the car in on the scheduled day at 8 AM. We communicated that we were going out of town that weekend and needed it fixed by a certain day, they said no problem. At 12 PM they called to say the parts were not in (they told me they were the day before and the morning of), we'd need to bring it in later. 3rd Visit: The parts were in and they "fixed" the problem, but said that we'd still have to take it to a Fiat dealer to clear the warning light. 2 separate people assured us multiple times that the light itself was fixed, that the only problem was the warning light was on. When we picked it up, instead of getting a "left turn signal out" we now had: All 3 brake lights out, and a backup light on the RIGHT side. And, the left side was NOT fixed. We took pictures and emailed the manager, expressing our frustration. Our trip was the next day, and it was over labor day weekend so we could not get a rental car in time to leave. Also, the cars that they claim are "sanitized" after each visit was left with multiple pieces of trash including a used water bottle, and reeked of second hand smoke. 4th Visit: the Manager calls us after seeing a (now deleted) negative review. He made an unconvincing apology for the problems, saying "that's not acceptable but it's how it is" multiple times. He was clearly angry that we had posted a review. When we came to pick the car up this time, they said they had found the problem - a short in the wire leading from the left tail light was causing the error message and the problems with the left light. But after spending "hours" diagnosing that problem, we'd have to bring it back again to actually have it rewired. After this visit, suddenly our 4WD stopped working. This had never been a problem before. 5th (final) Visit: We brought the car in again, hoping the shorted wire was the source of all the problems. They attempted to rewire the supposedly shorted wire, but it fixed nothing. They told us we had to bring it to a dealer, there was nothing they could do. Finally, we brought our car to a dealer today. Rick's had left an exposed wire (no pigtails or anything) leading from the left tail light to the module in their attempt to rewire it. The mechanic at the dealer was shocked that they had left it like that. Rick's malpractice possibly led to a problem with the internal power transfer which led to 4WD no longer working - this will be a $1000+ repair for the part and labor at the dealer, in addition to rewiring to fix Rick's mistake. Please, for the sake of your car, your safety, and your wallet, avoid Rick's at all costs.
Debra Wasserman
★★★★★
a year ago
I thought for sure my vehicle had bit the dust... I took it to Rick's to be serviced and they thoroughly checked it out and explained everything in detail for me. It was a very simple problem and my vehicle is still alive and well! Fantastic service from the service manager to the technicians. I will definitely be back!
Khloe Williams
★★★★★
a year ago
This place is absolutely amazing I drive a Range Rover sport and go to school in Champaign where there are no Land Rover dealerships so I called around and no local shops even Midas could work on my car until I was recommended ricks by another local mechanic and I had my car towed there and they fixed it in a matter of hours!! Their prices are very reasonable they are very transparent which is amazing considering im a college student away from home and they work on and have experience working with luxury brand vehicles!!! I will 110% be going back to this place whenever my car needs servicing especially in a pinch!! 10/10 recommend!!
Danielle Rokosh
★★★★★
a month ago
They always get my car in and out efficiently and are always friendly, and no matter how difficult the problem is, they always figure it out
Michael Gluck
★★★★★
a year ago
I'd like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Rick and his team! When my daughter's (student at U of I) car sounded like it was dying, we were in a bind. Thankfully, another local mechanic recommended Rick's, knowing they could fix her BMW. True to their word, they provided exceptional care, promptly fixed the issues, and all without breaking the bank. Thank you, Rick's, for your outstanding service!
alexander barclay
★★★★★
6 years ago
I've been going to Rick's for about 6 years for service on my Audi and Chevy, before and after new management took over. I consistently received the highest quality service at a fair price. The staff is friendly, patient, professional, and honest. They never proceed with any repairs without consulting with me first, which is always appreciated and not my experience with several other mechanics as well as Audi and Chevy dealerships. Unfortunately, I am leaving town and will once again have to find a trustworthy mechanic. Otherwise, I would not take my cars anywhere else for routine service and unexpected repairs.
Carolyn
★★★★★
a year ago
I took my car in and they fixed the radiator right on the spot.I was grateful to find a mechanic that gave me a quick fix and didn't charge me for it. The shop was organized and the waiting area was comfortable. ...he had done a wonderful job.... I had a great experience 😊
Allie Muisenga
★★★★★
5 years ago
Came in after reading some reviews because my car’s AC no longer blows cold, they squeezed me in despite appearing full and got me out in 30-45 minutes. Problem wasn’t able to be fixed but they tried everything and told me what needed to be done, cost, and ways to make it cheaper if needed. Labor was super cheap considering the prices I’m used to and Josh was very straightforward and helpful. It’s really frustrating to go to car places and get the run around on things they want to or could do to your car and Rick’s doesn’t seem to be about that. Really appreciated their kindness and service especially from the man who seemed to own the place. Only annoying thing was how confusing it is to find the place (same building as the Euro Motors but other side) but obviously that’s not their fault. The price, quality of customer service, and attentiveness was fantastic and I will be using them again.
Douglas Sears
★★★★★
8 years ago
I've done business with Rick's for over 20 years and they have been nothing but excellent. They give you the truth about what is needed and would never mislead or replace items that weren't needed. Honesty above reproach combined with one of the best if not the best mechanic in a 300 mile radius. Their labor rates are very reasonable and if you don't believe me, call the dealership of whatever car you own and compare labor rates. I find the one star ratings to be suspect honestly.
Emily Zorn
★★★★★
6 years ago
After many instances of being taken advantage of by various mechanics, I was nervous when found out that I needed new brakes. I decided to try out Rick's, and I was very glad I did. They are there to fix your car, not to pressure you into spending money you don't need to spend. The only negative of the whole experience was a miscommunication about when the car would be ready. Besides that, I was very pleased with the service and the final product. I would definitely recommend trusting Rick's with your automotive needs.
Shraddha Shirguppe
★★★★
☆
4 years ago
I had been to Rick's a few months ago to get an oil change. But my car's sensor kept showing that I needed to change oil within 3 months of the service. When I reached out to Rick's again they were very nice about it and checked the car and even replaced the oil for free! I really like their service. They're professional and considerate. I'd recommend them for sure
Charlie Newman
★★★★★
6 years ago
Rick’s changed hands in the last year or so. The old team was excellent, and I’m pleased to say the new guys are as well! As other reviewers have said, they are great about doing what needs done. There are some garages that will always try to get you to do the most expensive repair possible, even if a cheaper fix would do the job- Rick’s will tell you what you actually NEED to get done (and do it well). The guys at the old Rick’s kept my older car safe and running without me going broke, and it seems like the new team will do the same!
Benjamin Reidys
★★
☆☆☆
3 years ago
The Good: I came in needing an oil change and a window repair. Which they successfully completed. They also pointed out a different issue that I will have another shop fix. The Bad: They have pretty outrageous prices. It is very difficult to get a quote from anyone since they "don't know exactly what your problem is", but I will say that there is at least one honest shop that does. After I got the quote from Rick's on the repairs I was shocked. The additional issue would have required removing the engine and fixing some parts. However, they seemed to be applying labor for each part individually as if they had to put the car back together between adding parts (which, to my knowledge of the issue is not required...). I called around and managed to find another shop that would have done the same repairs for less than half the labor cost of Rick's. I ended up having them complete the window repair since having them not do it and then paying their diagnostic fee would have been more expensive, but am opting to look elsewhere for the engine issues. TLDR; Call around after you get your quote from them, it may be cheaper to go to another shop and pay them the diagnostic fee. That being said I would recommend looking elsewhere.
Marilyn
★
☆☆☆☆
3 years ago
I had used Ricks years ago, when they were excellent. New owners now and they managed a few oil changes for me ok during the pandemic. Then after the most recent oil change and tire rotation, one tire was missing a lug nut. I took it back and they said it needed a bearing replacement on that wheel, which I authorized (it’s an older car, so it sounded reasonable). After that it was making an odd noise so I paid Toyota for an assessment ($199) and the found not only had Rick’s not used the right lug nut, they had done some $500 worth of other damage in that wheel area and recommended I take it back and get it corrected. At this point I was not about to let Rick’s touch my car again, so I had Toyota fix it. An expensive lesson!
Carla Campbell
★★★★★
4 years ago
I brought my 2011 Audi into Ricks for repairs. I has a great experience. The price was fair and the work was done in a timely manner considering how busy they are. Im trying to understand the bad reviews posted here. Ive been going here for years with no bad experience. I def will continue to bring my vehicles to Ricks.
Zach Thomas
★★★★★
12 years ago
Rick did a fantastic job of doing a transmission replacement on my 2000 Saab 9-5. He sourced a good, used gearbox and replaced it quickly, while also addressing other problem areas on the car and installing aftermarket parts that I provided. His pricing is very fair and he is honest about when your car will be ready. Rick's shop is the only one in town that really deals with European and/or obscure makes of cars, so if you have a BMW, Audi, Porsche, Saab, etc., this is the best place to take it in the region.
