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Import Auto
Categories: Automotive Body Shops Automotive Auto Repair Body Shops, Auto Repair [Edit]
4700 W Fullerton Ave(between Kilpatrick Ave & Keating Ave)
Chicago, IL 60639
Neighborhood: Cragin
(773) 342-6363
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 5:30 pm
Sat 8 am - 1 pm
$75 for $100 Certificate
Lisa C. said: "I had picked up a stone on the expressway a few months back. The little chip did not bother me much, but then it began to propagate after the first…" read more »
4 reviews for Import Auto
4 reviews in English
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Review from Michael C.
Chicago, IL
4/17/2007
Import Auto did a terrific job reparing my Lexus 400h. They bid competitively on price, made the car look like new, and completed the job on the early side of the time quoted.
The repair was to the passenger door, and right front fender. The damage resulted from running into an unseen stationary barricade in a parking lot at about 2-3mph.
[UPDATE] Another good repair job from Import Auto. We sold the car above for a sexy 2009 Toyota minivan. Two weeks after receiving it from the dealer, a friend rubbed the passenger side against a parking garage post. (It's a big car...) We took it to Grossinger Toyota for an estimate and to Import. Import was a little cheaper and had done such great work for us before. They did an amazing job again. Car looks perfect after the repair.
I had the repairs bid by three locations in Chicago: Erie-LaSalle, Elston Auto Body, and Import Auto. Erie estimated approx. $2300, Elston and Import were both at about $2000. However, Import's estimate included a new door, not just a new skin to the door as quoted by the other shops. Because safety bars may have been bent and the door was clearly twisted out of alignment with the doorframe, a new door was a more costly but better fix for the estimate. In the end, it demonstrates that they were better at estimating b/c Import confirmed that the door needed replacing due to structural damage. Either of the other shops would have been forced to increase the repair cost once they discovered the damage.
Elston was referred by our insurance agent and likely would have done good work. I found them responsive and competent during bidding. Import was referred by two different sources at McGrath Lexus, specifically for Lexus repair.
Import estimated $2K and 4-5 business days for the repair. The final bill was right on target with the estimate. We dropped it off on Monday morning and picked it up on Thursday afternoon.
The car looks like new. The new door is perfectly installed. They perfectly matched/blended the color ("Bamboo Pearl"). No overspray or mistakes are evident after several days of possession and many reviews under various light. -
Review from Nessie V.
7/1/2011
This was my insurance company's pick, and it worked out well. They worked with the insurance co and the rental co well. And they fixed my door good as new, when they said, and even washed my car. How could I complain?
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Review from Mathew Y.
Chicago, IL
11/14/2010
I had my Lexus IS250 repaired at Import Auto after an accident. The impact and damage was mostly on the back driver side wheel.
I found import auto because they house someone at my Lexus dealership. I took my care in the week after the accident to get an estimate and to have my car serviced. The Import Auto employee gave me an loose estimate saying that the wheel and tire need to be replaced and some work on the bumper would be necessary. It would be about $1,200. She said that she couldn't provide an estimate right there though because it would be a part of an insurance claim. So my car got serviced and my tires were rotated, which was the start of the confusion.
I called Import Auto the following Tuesday to figure out the logistics of how to get my car fixed. I talked to Andy at Import auto on the phone and he said that I could just bring the car to the shop instead of the dealership. I proceeded to drop the car off at the shop Tuesday morning. I talked to Sam there who briefly looked at my car while I explained to him where the damage was and that the wheels were rotated. He barely looked at the car and said it was an easy job. He then asked Lucy to call enterprise for a rental car and I was on my way.
I picked up the car on Friday and immediately realized that they had replaced the wrong wheel. I went back into the shop and told Lucy that the work done was incorrect. She called Sam out and we walked out to look at the car together. Sam immediately told me that I had not told the person I dropped the car off with that the tires were rotated. I reminded him that he was the one that I dropped the car off with and there was no response. He told me he would call State Farm on Monday and call me on Monday. There was no call on Monday so I called them Monday at 5 because I knew they closed at 5:30. He said that the insurance would not cover this and that they could clean up the wheel for me but they would not replace it. He went on to bring up damage to all the wheels and the one they replaced was the most damaged even though it was not the wheel that took the brunt of a auto collision. He said that he spoke to the Lexus technicians and that confirmed this. I am not even sure why this stuff was brought up since it has nothing to do with repairing the damage of my vehicle which is what the insurance company is paying them to do.
So I called State Farm and there was no record of Import Auto contacting them on Monday. I called the Lexus dealership just to confirm what Sam had talked to the technician that worked on my car. I got a call from Peter, general manager of Import Auto, on Tuesday. He had the audacity to start the conversation by complaining about getting multiple phone calls about a wheel before having a chance to talk to me. He told me to bring the car in. I brought the car in and he said they would repaint the wheel, not replace it, and they would not pay for a rental car. Peter told me to call the insurance company to get a rental car again. They called Import Auto to talk about the issue and then AGAIN told the insurance company that I did not inform the person I dropped the car off with that the tires were rotated. So they would not pay for a rental car. Finally, the McGrath Lexus stepped up and has offered to repair the damaged wheel and touch up my other wheels.
So where do I think things went wrong at Import Auto:
1) Communication: Sam took my car in first and Peter did my estimate. My guess is that Sam never told Peter that the wheels had been rotated.
2) Excuses: when they figured out that they were wrong, there were lots of noise that they were trying to introduce to the situation. Damage to other wheels, extra work done, etc. They continued to ignore the simple fact that they did not repair the damaged wheel.
3) The Cover Up: For whatever reason, they kept their story that I did not inform them that the wheels were rotated. Sam knew that the tires were rotated. He remembered as soon as he saw the car again on Friday. He just told me that I was supposed to tell the person I dropped the car off with. Again, that person was Sam. He just didn't tell Peter I suspect. However, they continued to tell the insurance company, State Farm, this lie.
4) Not Admitting Fault: Import Auto would not replace the wheel claiming that it was fine except for cosmetic damages. Even though an employee of Import Auto told me that the damaged wheel needed to be replaced, another body shop told me that the damaged wheel needed to be replaced and Import Auto deemed another wheel that wasn't even involved in the accident needed to be replaced. How do you explain that one? Peter even went on to tell me that everyone of my wheels were bent EXCEPT for the one involved in the accident.
The bottom line is that I would never take my car to Import Auto. I would warn you to think twice before doing it yourself. -
Review from cassie s.
Palatine, IL
4/28/2008
So far, I have brought my car here twice. Once when I rear-ended someone and it was nearly totalled, opps and once for general repairs. I have an older car and even though they had to order parts etc, the big job was done in under a month and the other work was done right on schedule. They have great prices, a clean and organized facity (come on, I am a girl) and the people that work there are really helpful at explaining everything, I was never made to feel like my questions were an inconvenience. Plus they gave me REALLY good chocolate when my car was done.
Specialties
Automotive Body Work - Painting - Mechanical Repairs - Computerized Alignment Service
Import Auto specializes in Japanese and European luxury cars. We pride ourselves to be among the best Lexus auto body repair shops in the Chicagoland area.
At Import Auto you receive the comfort of our honesty, quality of our work and justice from your Insurance company. We are Your personal advocate for quality.
The professional staff at Import Auto is ready to help and guide you through the repair process. Let us take care of your car and return it to it's pre-accident condition
Please visit our web site for additional information.
History
Established in 1984
Two partners, Andrew Pulaski and Peter Reszczynski, started Import Auto in 1984 by renting workspace in an existing auto repair shop.
Andrew is an ex race car driver from Poland, who's life always and constantly revolved around cars. Peter grew up on the north west side of Chicago and since childhood had a deep interest in automobiles. Their mutual interest in cars prompted them to join forces in a business and expand on their automotive passions.
They started with a small two-car shop and within 4 years expanded to their present location with a 20 thousand square foot production facility and 18 employees. Most of the technicians are European trained craftsmen, with strict attention to detail and love for their work.
