Augusta & Paulina Service Station

I came in for an oil change, brake inspection, and A/C service. When I dropped my car off at 11am I was explicitly told they would call me before doing any work. I never received that call. I had to call them 30 minutes before closing and was told they had already started working on my car. Furthermore, the mechanic admitted they hadn’t even gotten to it until late afternoon despite my 11am appointment. The next morning I received a text, not a call, 22.5 hours after drop-off, with a laundry list of recommended repairs totaling over $4,600 with no follow-up explanation or offer to walk me through anything. The A/C service was also performed without my authorization. I acknowledged a price estimate of $450 at drop-off. Acknowledging a price is not authorizing work, especially when I was explicitly promised a call first. Even then, I was then initially charged $533 after the work was completed, before the charge was ultimately removed, not out of kindness, but out of spite at the fact that I had correctly called out their unauthorized work. Furthermore, the estimates themselves raised serious red flags. My car has 21,000 miles on it. The mechanic I spoke with on the phone told me 3 of my 4 tires were in good shape, but the owner then insisted I needed all 4 replaced, and was also pushing a $190 alignment on top of that. They recommended replacing all four rotors and brake pads at 21,000 miles, when rotors typically last 50,000+ miles. They also claimed my radiator needed a full replacement at $2,270 and included a $186 leak detection charge despite having already added UV dye to the system during the A/C service. Every single line item was inflated well above fair market value. When I raised these concerns with the owner, he became hostile and eventually screamed at me and had a meltdown. I ended up taking my car to Dave Auto Shop on S. Halsted the next day. Dave diagnosed everything in minutes. He did, in fact, confirm I needed all four brakes, but did the complete job (pads, rotors, tire rotation, coolant top off, and a full inspection) for $632. Augusta Paulina had quoted me $1,315 for brakes alone. Dave also rotated all four tires for free and confirmed they were perfectly fine and did not need replacing. He also checked my radiator and found zero leaks and absolutely nothing wrong with it. Augusta Paulina had quoted me $2,270 to replace a radiator that had nothing wrong with it whatsoever. The contrast between these two shops could not be more stark. I would not recommend Augusta Paulina to anyone.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Run away as fast as you can!

I went in with a suspension issue and my tax refund. Glad to have my car back and in great condition after replacing almost the entire front suspension. Service was great, especially considering that parts had to be ordered and installed. Inspection was helpful and also identified another issue I needed to address with a rear wheel. I’ll come back since they’re in the neighborhood and east to get to. Professional and timely communications via text, which I prefer, and I love the photos that go with the job approval process. 10/10.

I would recommend this Auto Repair Shop to anyone in the area! The staff was super helpful and nice. I went here to have a diagnostic test for my car as it was over 10 years old and became shaky and repeatedly died. I went in on Friday and they did not have availabilty to do the check until Monday. Since the car kept dying, they allowed me to leave my car over the weekend, which I really appreciated. After I got the report, it was clear that my car has met its end. So I called a tow company and the workers were really nice helping me remove the license plates and they pushed the car themselves to the tow truck. Couldn't have done all of this without their help. Would go back again.

Came in for new brakes + rotors and an inspection (for an older car). The shop did a thorough inspection, and when we talked over it the team was transparent + helpful about which findings were urgent and what can be monitored. Very fair prices across the board.

Had a really nice experience with this auto shop. I went to them for the convenance of living in the area and because of their high review ratings. Friendly, communicative, and I like their text update & service approval expeirence that made the work transparent. On par or cheaper than other repair shops I got quotes from, especially dealerships. I will be taking my vehicle back here for additional service needs.