49 Comments:
oh that's weird. I just, just got off the phone with a friend giving him info for my tried-and-true car-care dudes: Weinhagen's Tire and Auto - they're on Wabasha on St. Paul right across the street from the Wabasha Caves.
Mike, the owner, is my dad's best friend, so I always knew I wasn't getting hosed. They're ultra reputable and will tell you like it is - great for inspections if you're gonna buy a used vehicle, too.
»» Submitted by »»» leigha at 2:24 PM on June 5
Four Star in Prospect Park is absolutely fantastic. They're a mechanic shop, but they do a limited amount of body work. If they can't help, they can refer you to someone good.
I've also heard good things about Hamline Auto Body, right off 280.
»» Submitted by yepnope at 2:26 PM on June 5
Hagen's on Lyndale just south of 28th has worked on 2 cars for us. Price is right, work is excellent, service is courteous & timely and it's a 9 minute bus ride to & from downtown MPLS while your car is out of commission. Plus the shabby chic Cabin Up-North c. 1963 feel office & waiting room is tough to replicate.
»» Submitted by grote at 2:35 PM on June 5
I've had good luck with Latuff's on University Ave. in St. Paul.
»» Submitted by »»» Bruce at 2:40 PM on June 5
Sort of anecdotal: I'm a member of Angie's List and my fellow A-Listers directed me to Atlas Auto Body in Columbia Heights for a quote. (I'm still sitting on the quote and haven't done anything yet, though.)
»» Submitted by »»» alexis at 2:38 PM on June 5
Latuff's is really good. I think they charge fairly, but definitely on the upper end.
»» Submitted by realist at 2:41 PM on June 5
latuff's is also a wicked good 70's style pizza joint on Hi-55 in Plymouth.
»» Submitted by grote at 2:44 PM on June 5
Electra Tune on East Lake Street is GREAT!
»» Submitted by Kelli at 2:43 PM on June 5
Big fan of Park Service in Saint Anthony Park.
Also, the Auto Talk website compiles listener reports on good mechanics.
»» Submitted by »»» Question at 2:48 PM on June 5
I've always gotten a fair price and quick service from Nghia's Auto Service on 42nd Ave N.
»» Submitted by ErikaK at 3:03 PM on June 5
Unless you love Popeye's chicken, steer clear of Paramount Collision. They don't do great work and they don't play nice with insurance companies.
»» Submitted by »»» richg at 3:05 PM on June 5
St. Anthony Mobil at the junction of St. Anthony Pkwy, Silver Lake Road and New Brighton Blvd. - My limited experience has been outstanding and my brother-in-law's more extensive experience has been equally positive.
Auto Edge in Mahtomedi - Not close to anything and a little pricey, but my uncle works there (gotta pimp for the fam) and I know many of the guys, would definitely trust them, especially if you drive a German car.
Hamline Auto Body - My uncle (see above) recommended them and my experience, after the wife was rear-ended by a garbage truck, was great.
Tisdel's at 50th and Penn - A co-worker has some sort of man-crush on Tony that runs the place. That's how good he says the service is.
»» Submitted by RyanE at 3:14 PM on June 5
If your car is an import, I highly recommend Alexander's Imports off Hiawatha and 35th. They do great work, are honest, way cheaper than the dealership, and on the light rail line so getting to work is easy if you work in downtown Mpls
»» Submitted by ivana at 3:30 PM on June 5
Not a body shop - but the best damn mechanic in town is Baber Auto
»» Submitted by »»» imagreen at 3:34 PM on June 5
On a related note, the chain fell off the front gear of my bike last night, anywhere in the Chicago/Lake area I can take this too that anybody knows?
»» Submitted by »»» kwatt at 4:04 PM on June 5
I've had good luck with Worku at Great Brakes in Prospect Park. (Mechanic, not body work)
»» Submitted by »»» jeffk at 4:05 PM on June 5
On a related note, the chain fell off the front gear of my bike last night, anywhere in the Chicago/Lake area I can take this too that anybody knows?
Bicycle? Is the chain still intact? If so on both counts, just use your fingers to put it back on the gear.
»» Submitted by Elizabeth at 4:07 PM on June 5
If it's not in one piece, there's Sunrise Cyclery right along 35W, just south of Lake.
»» Submitted by »»» champs at 4:11 PM on June 5
Great idea for a post! Helpful!
»» Submitted by Meow at 4:15 PM on June 5
Well, I just have to say my experience with Raymond Auto Body off Pierce Butler Road was a text book case of awesome customer service. Not only do these guys usually fix Mercedes', Audi's, and Porsche's -- but they keep you up to date on the progress with a more or less daily phone call. The work was excellent as well: paint matched perfectly, no large seams between body panels, and they talked to my insurance company to make sure they could do things the RIGHT way as they replaced the trunk lid instead of repairing it by asking for more $$$.
Total repair bill was over $9k after I was rear-ended by an Eldorado and pushed into the guy ahead of me.
»» Submitted by »»» klasker at 4:17 PM on June 5
Thanks. It's still in one piece, but I think the shifter is broke cause it no shifto. And it's really greasy.
»» Submitted by »»» kwatt at 4:28 PM on June 5
Not auto body, but Metric Auto Works in St. Paul is fantastic for imports. (On Smith Ave., at the top of the High Bridge.)
The brakes on our new used car were making noise and I thought we needed new pads, and they actually told me they were just a little dirty and had a lot of life left in them. And another time they found a slight head gasket leak and recommended I take it back to the dealer since the problem likely existed before our warranty expired. A lesser shop would have milked us on both of these.
»» Submitted by Jim at 4:52 PM on June 5
My dad fixes my car, so I couldn't really help you here...but I get my oil changed at Yougstedts in SLP on Excelsior Blvd, and they've always been polite and fair. Also, the Goodyear in SLP is good, as well. Plus you can play with the owner's dog while you wait...
My dad fixes my car too. Or, rather, he takes it to the mechanic for me, and I'm not ashamed to admit I have no idea where that mechanic is. All I know is that I now have new tires and my car doesn't make that weird noise anymore.
There is something really fantastic about being the youngest daughter.
»» Submitted by »»» josie at 4:59 PM on June 5
car ... repair ... ?
»» Submitted by »»» wayne at 5:00 PM on June 5
My dad is a mechanic, so I get to hear all the boring reasons why my car is making a funny noise...I also have to still stay on top of it, as I have to drive it almost 300 miles to get the brakes checked, or whatever...
Oh, and being the only daughter is better, but only slightly...
Helpful post! Anyone knows of a good place to replace my side mirror? Some d-ass ripped it off and i found it broken on the street last week. I left it there and now i am missing the backing place that connects the mirror to the cone.
I called a bunch of places (harmon glass, checkers) and they all want to sell me the entire cone (not just the mirror) and of course, they sell it but i would have to somehow install it myself. Anyone has any suggestions?
»» Submitted by »»» RodG at 5:03 PM on June 5
make & model?
»» Submitted by grote at 5:07 PM on June 5
I don't think you can get just the mirror. The same thing happened to me a few years ago and my dad had to replace the whole damn thing. You can call around the salvage yards and see if they have the same model. That'll save you about 50%.
The good thing about being the youngest daughter and having two big brothers in front of you is that you're even more of a delicate flower by comparison.
Also it means no one ever treats you like an adult, especially at family functions, but whatever, I'll take it for the relief of car repair responsibility.
»» Submitted by »»» josie at 5:12 PM on June 5
yeah i will have to do that. i bet i'll then have to call a mechanic to get it install and that'll be another hundred bucks. lovely
»» Submitted by »»» RodG at 5:12 PM on June 5
Nah, try looking up directions first...you'd be surprized what you can fix yourself on a car...
After being told by my Ford dealer that my brake pads needed replacing, I chose to get a second opinion from the Meineke shop on County D near Maplewood Mall. Whereas the dealer told me my front pads were 80% gone, Meineke said they were still 80% good at the time and to please swing by whenever I needed an oil change and they would check them again on a regular basis for free. Drove another 20 months before needing the pads replaced. Have since gone back to Meineke for most of my car repairs (car was long out of warranty anyway) and regular maintanence simply because I think this particular shop didn't try to hustle me. I had been warned before about dealer service charades but until then had never seen one so blatantly exposed.
Also had some good work done recently by the BP station on Ruth St. near Sun-Ray when a vacuum hose wore out and developed a leak.
»» Submitted by noodleman at 5:00 PM on June 5
I have my Ferrari fixed at the dealer (Sears Imports). They're fantastic! I'm thinking of getting another one (blush!).
»» Submitted by TheFonz at 5:30 PM on June 5
Autopia on Hennepin has Starbucks coffee, mini candy bars, cute staff, and they handwash your car after service...
My actually functioned when they gave it back to me, too. Dunno if they do bodywork though.
»» Submitted by »»» ranty at 5:56 PM on June 5
Raymond Auto Body in St. Paul!!!
All I hear is good things about them from the Audi crew. Luckily I've had no need for body repair yet, but this is where I will be going.
In terms of other repairs more mechanical in nature, that really depends on the make and model of car.
»» Submitted by caryc at 7:29 PM on June 5
People are getting too afraid to just try to do stuff themselves anymore. Sunday, I went to NAPA and bought new front brake pads for the Suburban. $21. Took about half an hour to install. Never tried fixing your own stuff before? You can find good, clear, detailed directions for just about anything on the internet.
»» Submitted by »»» bobby_b at 9:42 PM on June 5
Raymond Auto Body in St. Paul!!!
Watch you ass at Raymond Auto Body on Pierce Butler in St. Paul. They repaired heavily hail-damaged VW GTI. The paint and bodywork was very well done, car looked great when I went to pick it up. Problem was they couldn't reassemble the elecrtical systems they had dismantled.
The headlights wouldn't go out even with the switch off. They lost the light fixture that illuminates the cargo space under the hatch back. They also chose to replace the hood (rather than fix it) but ordered the wrong hood, so I didn't have the heated washer nozzles that were in the car when I brought it there.
They never called to ask me anything or indicate tehy were having trouble, and rather than take my car someplace to get it right or get someone in there who knew what to do, they just dinked around with it so long my 30 days of insurance-covered rental car ran out. I had to do a lot of screaming at them and my agent to get it all right.
I do reccommend Highland Auto Collision on West 7th Street in St Paul and Bonfe's, also on W. 7th.
»» Submitted by OctaneBoy at 10:59 PM on June 5
Autopia on Hennepin has Starbucks coffee, mini candy bars, cute staff, and they handwash your car after service...
At Autopia's rates, those "free" mini candy bars are costing you about $75 a pop. I brought my car there twice for oil changes, and they came back to me with estimates on needed repairs to the tune of $650-$800. Alarmed, I took the car over to Weinhagen's for a second opinion - while Weinhagen's agreed that the repairs needed were legit, Autopia's price quotes were astronomical. Other repair shops charged $200-$300 for the exact same services.
They're sharks lurking beneath a squeaky-clean image.
»» Submitted by »»» leigha at 11:40 PM on June 5
I swear by BONFE'S in st paul... good peeps.
»» Submitted by W7th guy at 8:02 AM on June 6
My family's been ripped off by Electra Tune before. They've charged hundreds of dollars more for work than they should have. I would recommend Greg's Auto Service by Dairy Queen on Minnehaha Ave, near the Falls.
»» Submitted by »»» acalhoun at 8:09 AM on June 6
I second (or third or fourth) the Raymond's Recomendation. They simply do the best work in the metro when it comes to import cars and would imagine they do the same for domestics. I've had a couple repairs done and both times have been overly impressed. Their rates are not the cheapest, but having had a cheaper shop screw up a color match, I am more than willing to spend the extra cash to have it done right.
RE: Autopia, I have spent thousands of dollars there on my Audi and still feel like I may have problems with the car. They used to be a really convenient location so I got suckered into using them a few times. now that I have moved, I will never go there again. Seems like every time you call about your car they have another thousand dollars to add to your bill. They do guarantee their work though which I have used to save me about 1800 off my last bill.
»» Submitted by StandishAudi at 11:50 AM on June 6
As I've mentioned a couple of times on my own blog, I like Stinson Auto, up around 32nd NE & Stinson.
Precision Tune, Eden Prairie, Dave is the manager and James is a mechanic, they fix it all and do not overcharge, these 2 are the best in the business! We recently moved to Maple Grove and we still take our cars to them
»» Submitted by M.R KokoCat at 12:48 PM on June 6
I (and other Volkswagen owners) most highly recommend South Central Imports, a small shop that's been 3101 East 37th Street in Minneapolis for 18 years, for Volks/Audi repair. Brothers Chad and Ben are excellent mechanics, reliable, honest guys to work with, good prices, efficient and personable. I've been going there for at least 3 years, and always been happy with the work and results.
If you (or anyone else) have a Honda, I highly recommend OHV in Eden Prairie. I know its a drive, trust me, I lived in Shoreview, I know its a drive, but its totally worth it. Michael and his gang are so skilled at Hondas and are honest and straightforward and also a lot of fun.
OHV Motors Honda & Accura Service
6360 Carlson Dr
Eden Prairie, MN 55346
(952) 937-2592
And I just realized I said I know its a drive twice in that sentence. I really want to impress upon you that I know its a drive BUT DO IT
I dunno. It sounds like it might be sort of a drive.
BODY WORK -
Modern Auto Body at 2240 85th Ave. No. in Brooklyn Park does very good work at a fair price. Our family as had four or five cars repaired there over the past ten years with various amounts of body damage. They have always done good work and made us happy. Even when a small mistake was made on one they corrected it for us when I pointed it out to them. Dave and Mike go out of their way to help you.
MECHANICAL WORK -
JPT Services, 6317 Welcome Ave. No. in Brooklyn Park does very good work at affordable prices. You might need to wait a few days to get your car repaired if their busy, but there service is worth the wait. Go see Curt or Pat for excellent auto repairs.
»» Submitted by One Who Knows Cars at 3:14 PM on June 9
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