One star is too high of a rating. This is the worst service I've had of any kind in Champaign. The price went up twice, doubling the second time. My car was there from 8am to 5:45pm, 45 min after closing, because I demanded my service was finished. I was also originally told my service would be done in 2 hours, which turned into 4, and then became 6 with a new found issue. UIUC students, do not go here. Do not find out how to get screwed over the hard way. read more

If you have an Audi this is the place to go. I will never take my Audi to any other mechanic. Before I found Ricks I only took my car to an Audi dealership for all issues oil changes anything I needed for my Audi. I was getting ready to leave my house one day and my engine light started flashing. When I turned off my car coolant went everywhere in my driveway. I had it towed to Ricks and he took his time to diagnose my vehicle and was very detailed with issues going on. Anytime there were concerns or issues he called me every time he was getting ready to start on another problem he found. I love they keep communication with the customers and make sure to ask if it's ok to proceed with the purchases as well. Everyone in the office is very polite and professional. The knowledge the mechanics and the owner have with foreign cars is amazing. He also informed me of a correction of wrong information the dealership was giving me about maintenance with my Audi as well which may have been the reason my car was having the oil and coolant issues it was having. Thank you so much for saving my car. I definitely will be only be bringing my car to this shop. It was 2 weeks ago I got my car back and I have nothing but positive outlook towards this company and staff and am very thankful I found someone I trust with my car. read more

Rick's Automotive - Auto Repair Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

I bought my car in for a maintenance check before going out of town. I was told that the repair/check would take a few days depending on what's wrong with the car. When I told them that I would be able to pick up the car up only in 2 weeks, I was told that I would be charged storage fees the day after the car had been serviced, which was undeterminable at that point. I asked to reduce the storage fees but was told only that the owner would be willing to negotiate the storage fees when i come in to pick up the car without any definitive figure. 2 days later, nothing wrong was found with my car and they wanted to start charging me storage fees. I asked my friend to pick up the car from them, but the garage was closed and my car keys were unavailable! I called complaining about this and one employee told me that they would be waiving the storage fees for two weeks when I can come in and pick up the car. A few days later I got a call telling me that they are going to start charging me storage fees. I told them that another employee had already agreed to waive the storage fees because of a mistake they made. The second person agreed. A week later, I got a call again, telling me that they would start charging me storage fees. When I went to pick up the car on the agreed upon date, I met the owner who again insisted on his story. And went back and forth about what was agreed earlier! Needless to say, I am going to get my car checked at another place and I won't be visiting this place again! read more

Had more problems with my car than I thought, and they did an amazing job helping me with both great prices and efficient and friendly communication. They had to order parts unexpectedly, and they got the parts ordered and shipped really fast. read more

I was driving through Champaign and had issues on the highway. I had trouble finding a repair shop that could look at my car so I can get to my destination by the end of day. Rick's said they would look at my car even if they were busy. They explained what they thought was the problem and got me to where I needed to go after making sure it was safe to drive. read more

I brought my car for an aftermarket exhaust change. They charged me $913. Did they also changed the engine?!? I was shocked

I spoke to the new owner and he was very apologetic. He was out of town when my car when in for an oil change. When my husband went to pick up the car, he couldnt open the car with the remote key. The car wouldn't start. The mechanic did not figure out it was the battery until I asked to replace it. After speaking with the owner, the mechanic should have called him to trouble shutt the issue . The mechanic is not longer working at the shop. I thought it will be a nice gesture to acknowledge the owner reaching out to find out what really happened. read more

This place has saved me a lot of money! Got rear air ride suspension shocks replaced at dealership for almost $3,000. When the front went out I thought that there must be a cheaper way! My bill here was less than $1,000 for the same service. They also went out of their way to find a replacement TV for my back seats. One had a broken screen and the new part was $1200. They researched and found one from a junk yard which looks perfect and installed for $500. I'm so happy with the savings and the knowledge that the owner and mechanics have. Thanks. Updating again after another great service on 6/2. The staff is knowledgeable about Range Rovers and can do the needed repair work. The past two times I brought the car in expecting a major problem and it was just a sensor in both cases. The mechanic who worked on it, Josh, really went above and beyond to explain it and take care of it. Thank you! read more

I used to bring all of our cars here for service but after my last visit, I am speechless. Maybe different owner. I am not sure. They kept my car for a week because they ordered wrong part. And they messed it up so badly that I took it on the highway and it's shaking bad. I will rather take it to the dealer first thing on Monday. Never going there again... read more

My review originally from google, for awareness - Misdiagnosed a leak and only found the correct issue after 600$ in work, then wanted more to fix the actual problem. Waiting on a response, but seems they just wanted to do the job they could pull the most $ on whether it was actually the issue or not. Follow up - After being contacted, I was walked in circles and told I should have got a second opinion to be sure of the work offered. Thanks Rick's, was hoping your opinion would be good enough but your own employees don't seem to think it is. This is 2 weeks pay for me gone, thanks Rick. read more

Good service, dinner a great job on my vehicle. Thanks guys

I planned a road trip and went to Rick's for a check back in April. The guy called me and told me a few things they could fix. One of them were the the tire nuts being loose. I asked them to tighten it. When I got the bill, they did charge for that. Then I went on my trip a week later. Here is what happened - about 800 miles into my trip, I started to feel my wheel shaking slightly on highway and the tire was making some noise even on obvious nice road surface. I made a stop for gas. I'm so glad that I checked the nuts on my passenger tire. They were all loose! One of them was so loose that I could take it off with my fingers... I meant to review this earlier but my life has been busy. And I'm usually too lazy to review. But here is something for your reference when you choose a mechanics. read more

words can't explain how i feel about this whole situation and how it was handled I went in to get my timing belt and camshaft chain and all the other goodies that needs replaced when doin this job two weeks later I get my car back and let me remind u before I brought it in there was no problems no lights car ran perfect it's just I am about to stage 3 it and wanted to get some of the serious maintenance done so I brought it here and when I get my car back it feels like it gots half power it's boging in all my gears even hesitates to go over a slight incline that's not even the worst part my check engine light is on they said it's just a camshaft sesnsor and we can't do anything till Monday and it's Friday smh and the manger done left so I couldn't even talk to him only talked to the mechanics and it's funny they said it was fine but on the test drive the check engine light just randomly pops on read more

Ricks was AMAZING, I told my husband my transmission was acting up (even if it only did it when I was driving) I was begining to think I was crazy, but Josh at Ricks found the issue and fixed it in a few hours. Now my car runs great and I couldn't beat the price. My Toyota definitely has a new doctor.. read more

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. read more

Jasper this is foolishness. Did your tech test drive my car? Answer that question first. Second question: is it possible to scratch a wheel when hitting something with the car while test driving it? Or do you have to remove a wheel to scratch it? Third question is: if you know it's impossible and it wasn't your fault why did you offer me 100.00 dollars to fix the wheel? Final thoughts: the wheels on that car were a 6500 dollar option. One of the wheels had a scratch on it that looks like someone ran a jackhammer on the side of it after I picked it up from your shop... what am I gonna do with 100 dollars? Oh and your boss was screaming at my wife on the phone I was listening to him do so. He was violently angry to the point that despite having immediately paid my bill in full and despite that the is still leaking coolant and now also has a large vacuum leak error message/check engine light on, I didn't feel comfortable calling back and speaking to him again. You were supposed to fix a car, it took you twice as long as it was supposed to, and the car immediately was in worse shape than it started, dumped all the coolant and nearly blew the motor after I picked it up, whoever test drove it scratched the wheel, and it still leaks coolant, and now the check engine light is on. I can't bring the car back to you because your boss has a violent temper, and I'm afraid to let you touch the car again because every time you do it keeps returning to me in worse shape than it was initially, again despite having immediately paid a you 2200 dollars to replace two radiator hoses. Thanks again for leaving your feedback. Best of luck. read more

+12 Years ago my friend recommended Ricks to me after I was about to be ripped off by the dealer. Rick gave me an honest assessment of my vehicle and saved me over thousands in repairs that weren't necessary. Over the years, Rick and his team have provided impeccable service and maintenance for my vehicles (Toyota Tacoma / Honda Civic). Both continue to run smoothly even after 200,000 miles thanks to Ricks Automotive. I have never trusted any mechanic more than Rick. The entire staff is friendly, down to earth and know vehicles. I recommend this shop without hesitation. read more

They did a radiator replacement, didn't tighten up a radiator hose and because of that air was getting in the system, coolant was slowly coming out of that hose, car's sensors registered a higher temperature because of the air inside, showing that the car overheats. A very lousy job, didn't take care well of my car. Please do not go there even if it's the last auto repair shop in Champaign-Urbana. Just go somewhere else, you will be thankful you did! read more

This is the only place in town to go for major work on many foreign cars. Its either Rick's on Springfield or drive to B M'F'n Naperville. Labor is $60/hour, but if I ran the only place in town certified to handle goofy obscure cars, I wouldn't be Wal-Marty about it either. Rick (I assume it was Rick) and his people are less than super coffee-shop friendly fuzzy and warm, but they are mechanics, not Red Lobster hostesses. So, the work is quality and they do not gouge you. If you have the option of shopping around, or to have other places handle your 'lighter' maintenance issues (like brakes, oil changes, suspension work, etc.) you probably should look into it if you want to save some scrill. You could do much worse than Rick's. read more

Changed ownership a couple of months ago (current as of May 2018). Used to have knowledgeable mechanics and efficient staff. No longer. Messed up my appointment time, overpriced oil change, then the classic mark of a terrible auto shop, didn't tighten the oil filter properly after the oil change, oil all over my garage floor. Never happened at Rick's before. Sad to have to look for a new mechanic after a decade of great service. read more

Like other reviewers, I used to think that Rick's was the place for foreign cars but I have to say, they have recently not been helpful at all. I took my 1986 Alfa Romeo there because it was having electrical problems and the person on the phone seemed annoyed that I brought my car there. All they did was charge the battery, not noticing that the windows would not roll down and the headlights were out. I'm trying to sell this car and I was really hoping for some sound advice but the staff there could not be bothered. I ended up taking it to Midas (which is where I always take my Jeep) and got the help and advice I was looking for. They found the electrical short and will be able to fix it for a couple hundred bucks. I will never take my car to Rick's again. read more

150 dollars for a diagnosis that was previously agreed to be 100. Inconsistent pricing and far too much money. Without a doubt I won't be coming here again read more

Helpful and courteous staff. They take the time to discuss the needed repairs--and they also make helpful suggestions without pressuring you. My most recent repair wound up costing less than what I was expecting--and they got it done sooner than they had promised. read more

Rick's is no longer owned by Rick. Stay far away. They had my car for three months and couldn't diagnose the problem. Eventually, they gave me a quote for $5,000 to replace the engine. I took it to another shop, and they had the car running within 24 hours. It needed a new fuel pump. To add insult to injury, Rick's took my car apart and I had to pay the other shop to put it all back together. The mechanics at Rick's didn't seem to know what they were doing, and the owner's solution was to rack up the bill as high as possible. read more

I would say Rick's is one of the only 2 places in Champaign/Urbana that I would take a European vehicle, or any vehicle for any service more than an oil change. Rick himself is a very down to earth guy, and very skilled. I have never felt overcharged there, or that there unneeded repairs added onto the bill. They seem fair, honest, and able. The only down side, is that often they are booked a couple weeks in advance, so if you have an emergency, it can be pretty difficult to get in to get your car looked at. read more

My car is a Range Rover. Although the price is a little bit high, they are the best. They know my car and can solve the problem exactly. Best in town for Europe cars. read more

Rick's has always been good to me, extremely fair and competent. They are uber-honest, and way more affordable and quicker than a dealer. They've handled everything from my Toyota mini-van to my Porsche. read more

Best automotive service in Champaign. Rick has worked on 6 different vehicles for me. Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, and Volvo. He has extensive knowledge on import vehicles and has all of the electronics compatible with the different makes. Currently I have two late model Porsche's and his electronic equipment can reset maintenance reminders and diagnose all issues. Rick is the owner and he does not work on commission nor will he pressure you to do any maintenance that is unnecessary. Take your car there. You can trust him. Oh, and he does good work on American makes also. read more

Rick and his team did a great job in fixing my BMW convertible. My car battery died and the hardtop convertible roof was in the trunk. BMW has its batteries in the trunk so to reach the battery was almost impossible as the trunk had the roof and getting the roof back up was not possible because that can only work after you fix the car battery. The car wasn't starting when one tried to jump it as well. Overall a complicated situation which Rick and his team handled really well. The only downside is that the labor a bit expensive but then you get quality work done. read more

I was a customer here for many, many (decades) years. Rick knows his stuff, and if you happen to own a German import - particularly a Porsche, I would rate him (not his shop) as 5 stars. Very good person and truly an expert. The problem is not Rick, it is the OTHER people working at his garage. James is the worst. Attention to detail is missing resulting in *multiple* return trips for bolts not tightened or lids (radiator, power steering, etc) missing. Add that with an "I didn't do anything wrong" attitude (again, not from Rick) and it was enough to send me elsewhere. Clean shop Rick - no pun intended - and bring in some help that is as good as you. Until then, steer clear of Ricks Automotive. read more

I have been taking my various automobiles to Rick for 16 years and highly recommend him. For over two years I suggested it may be time for new brakes, before he finally agreed that it was time for new brakes. Rick knows his cars; he is especially adept with foreign cars. His prices may be a bit higher than other shops, but his work has always been excellent. Rick is not a slick, super gregarious guy, so as Tim J. stated, you won't get a warm & fuzzy feeling...but you will get an honest answer from a nice guy. read more

Janus - May 2012 I have FINALLY found someone I can trust to work on my 2006 Prius and 1996 Town & Country van! Having been overcharged for years by O'Brian's for maintainence of both cars (and last fall given a faulty brake job by Midas), I was ready to pay whatever Rick's charged me to get the repairs done RIGHT the first time! (Also, I didn't have to risk my life in the hands of O'Brian's "courtesy drivers" who drive with one hand -- sometimes one FINGER -- on the wheel while talking on the phone back to O'Brian's and try to write down addresses and phone numbers of their pick-up victims.) I can WALK to Rick's from my downtown Champaign home. But the best thing about Rick's is that they know what they're doing without me having to tell them. When I dropped off the Prius the night before it's service appointment, my neighbor followed me over and told me that one of my brake lights was out (how would I know??!!). I stopped by Rick's on my way to work at 9 AM the next morning, in my old beaten up van, to tell them to please add that light to the list of things they were to do -- and guess what? Not only had they found and fixed it, they were DONE with the Prius! (It took O'Brian's all day to replace four spark plugs!) I was so pleased with the low bill that I left my van and took the Prius to work that day. I told them no hurry, but that O'Brian's had quoted me a $2,000 fee to fix the AC's slow leak, and I wanted Rick's to see if THEY could give me a better price. A week later they called (twice, because I failed to call them back after the first message) to get my approval to re-fix the brakes (Midas' "fix" had left it without fluid, DUH), and replace the rusted out straps about to drop the gas tank onto the street. The next day it was all done. The AC problem was simple: they refilled the freon and, when it held for an hour, added a sealant. Brilliant! So now I have AC, brakes, and a gas tank that will stay in the van, all for about $600. I'm thrilled. After 40 years of having cars fixed in this town, and being overcharged or disappointed, or having to go back again and again, I have found my men! James worked on the van. Cudos, James. No longer do I dread a MAINT REQRD light on the dashboard. These guys know their stuff and do it quickly, efficiently, and competently. They're a rare find these days. read more

Rick has taken care of our Volkswagens for many years. The service is very good. The charges are fair and reasonable. Absolutely no reason to take our cars to any other place. read more

A mechanic looked at my car belt for free and gave me his honest and professional opinion immediately. Although my engine oil is leaking slowly, he said that this is common among many cars. But aside from this, my car is in excellent shape. I would definitely go to him to get my car fixed in the future, but keep in mind that they're completely booked for the next two weeks. Also, they're currently open only on weekdays. read more

My first (and last) experience with Rick's was an interesting experience. I am new to Champaign and called to schedule my BMW for repair to what I believed was a caliper problem. I was told to have my tires checked first at the place where I bought them. I explained that wasn't possible since I had moved from out of state and again repeated what I thought the problem was (I knew it was not tire related). I was again told to have my tires checked, but they did not do that there. If there was nothing wrong, I could call him back. Incredulous!!! Not only was he not "super coffee-shop" friendly" as described by Tim J., but I got the impression he didn't want to be bothered! I went somewhere else that promptly got my vehicle in ... and it was a stuck caliper!!!! Since it was in for repairs, I also had them do some other maintenance work done - THEY were great! Rick's Automotive Service LOST OUT!!! read more