Stay far away.
I took my car to Grease Monkey in Dundee last Saturday for a routine oil change. While starting the work, the crew told me my radiator had a major defect and needed replacement (this was visually obvious). I agreed, and four hours later picked up my car at the quoted price.
On the drive home, I noticed my horn didn't work. At home, I discovered all the panel clips in the engine bay were destroyed, and my horns were hanging by their wires -- completely unbolted. I reattached them myself.
The next morning, I found a large puddle of coolant in my garage. A quick inspection revealed a coolant hose near the top of the radiator was only half reconnected and missing its clamp -- the source of the leak. Given the horn and clip issues, I decided not to return to Grease Monkey and risk more mistakes.
I called and left a message explaining the problems. On Monday morning, the manager asked me to bring the car back in. I explained I no longer trusted them with my vehicle. He said he'd speak to the owner about a partial labor refund and call back.
Instead, I had the car towed to my regular mechanic. They immediately diagnosed even more issues: the bottom radiator hose was installed incorrectly and "cinched," preventing coolant from entering the radiator at all. They performed a complete coolant flush and fixed the hose connections.
I followed up in person with Grease Monkey. The manager again asked why I didn't let them "fix it" and offered excuses, including blaming a "vacuum" for the hose issue. He assured me he was going "above and beyond" and offered me a $25 coupon -- despite the fact that their mistakes could have caused serious overheating damage. He also claimed this "has never happened before," though I know of at least one similar incident with a neighbor whose belt replacement failed the very next day, leaving her stranded.
I've been a loyal Grease Monkey Dundee Oil Change customer for over two years. Prices were fair, service was fast, and I had no complaints -- until now. This experience showed a severe decline in workmanship and attention to detail. Cars in the shop now seem few and far between, which sadly matches the quality I've seen.
Bottom line: I will not return, and I strongly advise others to avoid this shop. My trust in them is gone, and I am still waiting for any real follow-up or reimbursement for the costs I incurred fixing their mistakes. read more