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Marvin's Auto Repair
Rating Details »
Category: Auto Repair [Edit]
Neighborhood: Roscoe Village1828 W Belmont Ave
(between Honore St & Wolcott Ave)
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 296-2584
- Nearest Transit:
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Paulina (Brown)
43 reviews for Marvin's Auto Repair
This business is a Yelp Sponsor
9/2/2008
7/8/2009
10/7/2009
9/6/2009
4/20/2009
Updated - 5/30/2009
10/22/2008
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Updated - 7/7/2008
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Updated - 11/8/2008
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10/25/2008
8/18/2008
One of the Business' Favorite Reviews What's This?
I drive an 11 year old Saturn 4 door. After an hour of horrible stop and go traffic at 25 mph, my breaks started making horrible noises even when I wasnt using them. I was really nervous to bring my car anywhere in the city, as well as being a younger woman, I was totally set that I would, in some way, be ripped off.
Then I found the reviews for Marvins, and I decided to take the plunge, and make a call to him. I sort of tried to explain the problem over the phone, but he told me to just bring it in, and he would do a once over/estimate at no charge.
Now, most places would charge me for this because there is occasional computer diagnostic testing used in my car.
So what happened was that my calipers were rusted, and getting in the way of the rotor? I think. Thats what was causing the noise.
The best part of my experience was that he actually took all the wheels off for me, and put the car on a lift, and SHOWED ME WHAT WAS WRONG. No mechanic has ever done that before! It was so awesome of him.
Marvin also flushed and replenished all my break fluids and lines. Didnt charge me a cent for that!
He DID NOT try to up sell me anything, though he did answer some other questions I had about my car. He said that a few things would need to be looked at again within 6 months, but that everything was running ok.
Thats all I needed to know :)
I also got a keychain and a crazy mix CD out of the deal :)
Marvin's is affordable, fair, fast, convenient and Marvin actually works there! Yes, I have met Marvin. You know when you meet someone and can tell from their eyes that they are a good person? That's the feeling I got when I first met Marvin. He is always eating everytime I have seen him, too. I think it makes me like him more. Ha.
So I've been to Marvin's for a bunch of things. First, I ran over a pothole and lost a hubcap and there was this weird bubble in my tire that I just knew was going to pop on me while driving down the Kennedy. I love Chicago winters.
I called first and explained to him what happened and he told me to bring it in the next day and he'd take a look. I did and he not only did it right away, but he walked me through everything while the car was still up on the lift and showed me every detail. He gave me different options.
First let me say that I know exactly how I come off to mechanics. I use the helpless hometown girl thing to my advantage, most of the time. I do tons of research beforehand and then ask questions to see if the mechanic is going to give me the run around.
Marvin passed the test. He told me I could get a new tire, but eventually I'd have to replace all the tires, so it would be cheaper now to get a used tire for only $35. The rim was also bent, so he told me I'd have to replace that, but I could go used as well. All in all, the trip only cost me a fraction of what I was prepared to pay and the experience was pleasant.
The next time I checked in with Marvin was for my brakes. I let them go too long and I knew it. He told me I needed new brakes and rotors for all four wheels and that it would be about $275 total. I still thought this was cheap, but asked him what I could get by with if I only did one set. He told me to definitely get my front brakes done and then I could come back in a month and he'd take care of the rear brakes. I did just that and have no complaints. Also, while he worked on my car, he gave me a loaner vehicle for the day. This was a no-frills vehicle...a '90 Camry, I think. But it was free and it ran and I didn't even have to cover the cost of gas.
The next time I visited Marvin was at about 6:45 p.m. on a Thursday night. Yet another pothole and flat tire. I actually had to drive from Clybourn & Western on the rim to get to Marvin's, but I don't have roadside assistance and didn't want to pay for the tow.
Marvin's closes at 7 p.m. and I showed up with maybe 5 minutes to spare. Marvin remembered me and let me leave my car and again, take a loaner to use the next day. I told him I had to drive to Burr Ridge and back for work and he said no problem, my car would be ready around 4 p.m. when I came the next day.
Here's the thing...it was. And it always is. The guys at Marvin's always come through for me. I don't trust mechanics, but I trust Marvin.
He has never ripped me off and always delivers on what he promises. He's very accomodating and fair. Maybe this isn't everyone's experience, but it has been mine for the five or so times I have gone to see him and I think that's worth a good review.
Also, he gives you a mix CD of old 90's tunes to jam out to if you're a first timer. I still have my CD and play it all the time! K7, Come Baby Come, Snow Informer....awesome.
Thanks for keeping my ghetto wheels rolling, Marvin!
I went there yesterday at 4:30 to get an estimate for a dent/scratch repair. They were very friendly and gave me two options. The first was $175 to do it right, the second was $75 just to cover it with paint. Great. I still had a couple other places I wanted to check, and ended up deciding Marvin's was the best option. Well, I just brought it back at 11:45 today to get the $175 work done and they all of a sudden told me it would cost $350 - double what they told me less than 24 hours ago! I had turned down other places based on their $175 estimate, and I'm turning my car in tomorrow for the end of it's lease, so now it's too late for the other places and I have to turn in my car with damage. If you go to Marvin's for an estimate, get it in writing, or go there last after you got estimates elsewhere. (P.S. They seemed very friendly otherwise...)
Took my 2000 suv to Marvin- hoping that it would be something affordable. He had it back to me the next day, and it was fixed- along with a pleasant surprise...for the first time in 8 years it didn't rattle while idiling! It's a miracle- literally every shop I'd taken it to for 8 years said that it couldn't be fixed- so we just drove around disturbing the neighbors. Not only did they fix the problem, but they fixed something I didn't think was possible. And I got the mix cd as well;)
Yikes! This place is SHADY! I needed to replace the front bumper of my car and had taken the car to a couple places for estimates. I also called around for quotes. Everyone gave me the same estimate $700 - $750 except Marvin's who quoted me as $550 on the phone. So I think, great, and I take the car in Friday after work. When I get there, I mention that I spoke with them on the phone and got a $550 quote. The owner, Marvin, takes one look at me (a young-looking female) and says it's $650. I remind him again that I was quoted $550. He says "oh that's because you gave me the wrong model." Um no, I know the model of my car. So he mumbles "okay, let me go check." 15 minutes later he comes back and says "ok, we can do $550." I am curious who he had to go "check" with since he is the owner.
Okay, fine, I ask him to put it in a quote in writing for me. He says okay and tells me to wait in the waiting room. About 45 minutes later I still had not seen Marvin or anyone who works there. So I go back into the garage and ask what's going on. He tells me a quote will take another 30 minutes. Huh???
So he tries to convince me to leave it there and tells me he will give me a loaner. Okay, fine, I agree. About 20 minutes later, he pulls up a "loaner" that is in really bad shape. Oh well, whatever, I just want to get out of there by now. He asks me for my key to my car and hands me the key to the loaner. As I take my key off my keyring, I ask for the paperwork. He says "no, we give you the paper work when you return." Ummmmm so he wants me to leave my car with him with absolutely no receipt and no record of the agreed upon price?? Is he crazy? So I refuse to give him the key until I get the paperwork.
He huffs away and goes in there to write up the paperwork. I call my husband and describe the "loaner" car to him. He reminds me that he will be out of town next week, and I should wait until then so I can just drive our second car while the car is in the shop. Thinking this is a good idea, I go into the garage to let Marvin know that I will bring the car back in a week but that I will take the paperwork as record of the quoted price. Well Marvin shows me the paperwork that still has NO PRICE on it and then rips it up in front of my face and says "thanks for wasting my time!" And then he storms out. Ummmmm okay.... So all in all I was there for TWO HOURS and still had no written quote and decided that I would never return there again. I mean who in their right mind will leave a car overnight with no written record and no cost estimate. Very shady!
My exhaust has been really loud as of late. My co-workers joke that it sounds like I souped up my Civic even though I have like -6 horsepower. I brought the car into Marvin's and he quoted me for $175. I can't be sure, but I think that was a good price. It was fixed in about two hours and the car is now quiet as can be. I was please yet again with the service I received here.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/3/2008
I couldn't be more happy with Marvins. My car was stolen then recovered two days later. The thieves… Read more »
I went to Marvin for an estimate and he was very nice and friendly and was also available after work (7ish pm), which was great. I was able to go after work.
After reading the reviews on yelp, i had very high expectations so I was shocked when marvin came back and gave me a list of 6 things that I apparently needed to change right away or else I was going to be in trouble. I found this very hard to believe because I even told him that I just literally had a maintenance check a few days ago and was simply going for a second opinion. So, with that said I went to Nal's Auto Repair for a third opinion and Nal's was the best, they fixed the problem and told me I didn't need to change the items that Marvin told me to change. Thanks Nals!
Anyway, back to Marvin, he is a nice guy and he is accomodating but I am not convinced he is honest so I will have to disagree with some of the people here.I'd say go to Nal's Auto on Irving Park instead.
I took my car in because my brakes were constantly making a scratchy sound. He told me that my calipers were frozen/locked and that I needed new calipers, pads, and rotors. He quoted me ~$500 for this. I didn't really understand how my calipers could be locked up but I was still able to brake and release the brake with no issues, so I decided to just deal with the noise issue until I got another opinion. I started a new job at an auto shop and asked the shop foreman to check out my brakes. He said I needed new rotors and that's it. I told him what Marvin said I needed, and he straight up said that it was not true. Pads were great and calipers were fine too.
I can understand how people think they're getting a good deal by going to Marvin's because he acts really nice and does a good job of selling it, but do yourself a favor and take your car somewhere else for a second opinion.
I recently was calling around checking what the cost would be for just the labor to change my transmission fluid, and Marvin's quoted me four times the amount of the shop that I will be going to.
UPDATE: I took my car to City Volkswagen on Irving and got new rear rotors. The brakes are great now.
Marvin is the man. Despite living less than a mile away for years, I only found out about Marvin after I had his step-son as one of my students. I was lamenting about my car last year in class when Mini-M piped up with the suggestion to go visit Marvin. I AM SO GLAD I DID. He is up front, honest and does not try to haggle you on prices. Every time I've needed him he takes me that day. Even though I no longer live near Marvin's, this is the only place I'll take my car.
Today after my car completely died in the middle of the street, I had my car towed to Marvin's even though it was out of the way. He figured out that I needed a part from the Volvo dealership on Armitage (who, PS, used to rip my non-warranty ass off big time before I discovered him) and my husband and I drove over to get it. Somehow Marvin talked them into giving me a lower price on the part (!) and didn't charge me for labor since he had done work on my car within the last month (!!!!). Marvin for President. And I wish I still had Mini-M in my class this year, because he would have an A for life.
Have only been here once, but had an excellent experience and would certainly go back.
Suspected that I needed substantial transmission work on my Ford Focus and found not a lot of places that would even take it. I came in late on a weeknight, and they took a look at it immediately and gave me a loaner car for the couple of days while they did the repairs. Felt the price was reasonble, and ya can't beat the 1 year Warantee on both parts and labor!!
To top it off, they treated me with respect and utmost courtesy. Met a guy in the nicer-than-average waiting room who said the place was highly recommended to him by some "old and cheap" family friends, which struck me as another good sign.
Marvin's is fantastic.
I called on a Friday night just to get a quote on replacing my front brake pads and rotors. Marvin was quick to give me a quote. I was a little nervous because his quote was so much lower than the other places I had called. He told me I could bring my car in on Friday night or on Saturday and he'd have it ready in two hours.
I took my car to him on Saturday morning. I told him what I needed done, and he tells me, "Oh yeah! You called last night. $250 for the break job, right? No problem!" He was so friendly, courteous, and happy. I've never seen that from a mechanic. He took my information and keys and told me he'd give me a call in about two hours.
Even though there were a good three cars ahead of me getting work done, his promise of the time held up. 2 hours later I got a call from him telling me my car was ready to go!
Overall, Marvin's has to be the best mechanic experience I've ever had. His prices were unbeatable, he's really friendly, and he lives up to what he says.
I've found the mechanic I'll be using for as long as I live in Chicago!
I took my car in after I hit a HUGE pothole and got a flat, I had heart great things about them and they were super fast! They said I broke my tie rod and instead of just $50 or $75 for a tire it was $350! I was sad but oh well! fast forward 6 weeks and I hear something odd in my brakes so I take it in and they tell me I need all pads replaced and my rotors too, at a cost of $500. They had been so bad the rotors got ruined. I just couldn't understand, my car has 17k miles on it! So took it to the dealer for 2nd opinion and they said just from looking thru the tires they can tell the rotors were not bad, they did a very good inspection of all brakes and said they are perfect! He said the noise I heard was just the ABS. The dealer told me I had better find a new mechanic because my brakes are fine. Needless to say I won't go back and are now wondering if in fact my tie rod was broken!
Update, I picked my car up today and its running fabulously! Thank you marvin. I met him when I picked it up too and he has got to be one of the most friendly people and not scary at all. Even his employees are sweet. And I had to wait a total of ten minutes to get my car, he dropped everything to bring it to me. This is such a great business and such a good guy. If you need to get your car fixed, you must go to marvins.
Thank you Marvin.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/4/2008
I am the worst car owner this world has seen. I love and hate my car. Proud of the fact that I… Read more »
Marvin will stand up in my wedding. I found this guy randomly and he's always patched my 91 toyota corolla together with ease and at 30% of the cost of anyone else. He's also good between distinguishing between the "you need it for a smoother ride" and "you need that or you're gonna die" repairs. He also takes the time to show you the old parts so you know exactly what's going on (or at least you nod and pretend you know what's going on like I do).
In another random occurence, I ran into Marvin on the way back from Costa Rica in Guatemala City and he sat and talked with my fiancee and I for about an hour. Super nice guy!
Compared to the bad experiences I've had with other mechanics in the past, dealing with Marvin's Auto Repair was a walk in the park.
Marvin and crew did a fine job fixing a busted latch on my car door and he did it for less than what he had originally quoted me.
But here's the topper -- raise your hand if you received the gift of music from your mechanic. Anyone? Yeah, I didn't think so. After Marvin ran my card and handed me my receipt, he gave me burned CD with the shop logo on it.
"This is some salsa music that we play here on the boombox. The lyrics are in English."
We had a bit of small talk in the 5 minutes I was there, but music never came up. I was already set with the business card and key chain, but I can get down to some different tunes too.
So there is no track listing on the case. I popped the CD in the stereo this morning while my fiancee and I were getting ready to walk the dog. We wound up laughing our asses off and she nearly pissed herself.
Here's the playlist:
"Be My Lover"--LaBouche
"I've Been Thinking About You"--London Beat
"Bette Davis Eyes"--Kim Carnes
"La Isla Bonita"--Madonna
"What Is Love?"--Haddaway
"Go West"--Pet Shop Boys
"Hearts"--Marty Balin
"I Will Survive"--Gloria Gaynor
"Born To Be Alive"--Patrick Hernandez
"Maniac"--Michael Sembello
"Hot Stuff"--Donna Summer
"My Reason"--Demis Roussos
Not a salsa to be found. Did he grab the wrong disc? Is this a mix CD he created for his rainbow flag waving patrons? So many questions...
But yeah, Marvin is a fine mechanic.
I don't just give 5 stars away, especially for auto repair. I was so pleased with the service I received from Marvin's that I highly recommend taking your car here for any car maintenance (oil changes, radiator flushes, sudden car trouble, etc).
My car had a busted heater core & radiator fan. Marvin's repaired it for $350, which seemed very reasonable to me. A heater core is no joke - the dash has to be removed in order to replace it. I encountered this with my '94 Jetta and I got an estimate (from another shop) for at least $800. They had my car done within a day. Great turnaround.
The small waiting area has tons of magazines to read while you wait for an estimate and/or service. The staff here is very friendly. My car mats were vaccuumed! Marvin handed me a mix CD that was probably well worth the $350 spent as I had a smile on my face the entire time the CD was on! It is all your favorite 80's and 90's dance and soft rock hits! It is the best mix CD I have ever received!
I took my car to the VW dealership when it started to crap out on the Edens. Long story short, they quoted me $1200. I paid the stupid diagnostic fee, came home and logged onto Yelp. After reading all of Marvin's great reviews I gave him a shout. I told him exactly what the dealer stated was wrong, and he quoted me $550 over the phone. I brought my car in, dropped it off for one night and picked it up the next day as promised. Marvin not only explained what was wrong to me, he showed me and gave me back my original parts.
He was super fast, reliable, and didn't charge me a penny over his quote.
My car runs SOOOOO much better than it did even before the Eden's event!
I'm sorry to see that a few others have had bad luck with Marvin's. I will definitely continue to refer him and use him for my bug!
Marvin is the man! I can think of 3-4 times i was really in a pinch with my car. Marvin came through every time. He takes time to show you exactly what you do and don't need. He and his crew do great work and when he shows you the bill, you won't vomit in your mouth. Plus, as a bonus he always shows me the new parts he put on and the old parts he took off. I keep Marvin's number in my phone I advise you do the same.
Marvin's should instruct others on what a service business SHOULD be:
-fair, honest,
-accommodating
-fast
-trustworthy
-satisfaction-driven
There was a little electrical portion of my turn signal system that needed repair and he got it done with no appointment necessary and I got my car back in an hour. The men at the shop are very friendly and helpful. He also checked my oil and other fluids and told me i was OK on those and he did not recommend those to be changed at this point. I recommend him definitely.
They also have a very sweet, tiny little cat that lives in the shop, they cut a hole in the wall for the cat to go in and out at it's will. That earns them a star. I love cats.
Don't let the looks from outside Belmont fool you, Marvin's is a great Mechanic. I called to have my Maxima looked at and he was able to get me in the same day. That evening Marvin called back to break down the quote on what was wrong with the car and order of importance as far as repairs. The best thing is that he let me know what should be fixed right away and what can wait until later. Now the best part... the price of the repairs was such a good deal that we were able to get it all done. Car was ready the next day and drives better than it has in years.
Don't waste money and time going to a dealership. Marvin's is a great local shop that will meet your needs.
So, a quick update. Marvin still rocks my car world. He knocked down the rickety old building in front of the garage, so there's more parking, and he renovated the front building to be a waiting area, which has a very clean bathroom, tv and current magazines. Love it!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/23/2008
Marvin is awesome!
I've been taking my car(s) there for years, and he's never let me down. I don't… Read more »
Marvin has always taken care of me and my weary Honda CR-V. I've had to bring in my car a couple times, starting when my brakes got old, and since then I've always gone back. When I went to take in the car, I found that the engine wasn't working! Marvin was willing to tow the car to fix it. When the transmission went later on, he patched it up and held onto it while I was visiting family.
I left off a star because after that time, I found most of the parts they took out of my engine left in my trunk, which was disconcerting. But when I called the shop up to complain, Marvin brought me in, took out the parts, and had the whole car cleaned. Not too shabby if you ask me.
Marvin makes sure the job is does properly and that I understand what is being done and what I am paying for. I appreciate what he does.
I took the day off today and decided to make it a productive day and been putting off getting new brake pads for awhile. I called 2 auto places before marvin's and they were both busy for today. I called marvin and they said they would be able to take a look at it today. Turns out i needed new brakes as well. I also needed new windshield wipers and side lights. He charged me $350 for everything, new brakes, brake pads and calipers for front and rear and new lights and wipers. It was ready within a few hours and I also got my CD. I was pleased with the customer service and the price. I would definitely go back.
Marvin is great. He gave me a quote over the phone and put up with my frequent calls for updates, then charged me less than the quoted price. His shop did a great job on our 2003 Saturn Vue (ignition cylinder and switch replaced for $290) in record time. I was pretty nervous about the whole thing and Marvin was a savior. Thanks Yelpers!
I love this place. Apart from being annoyed when it's time to maintenance the middle-aged woman I drive around, I'm usually pretty excited to get back and I know that HAS to be pretty rare.
Why you ask?
Well, I trust them. I trust their work and there are always kittens at Marvin's. They're cute too. I wish I could say that I valued the first of those things more than the other but I can't. The good news is that my car is better for my small fixation on Bandido, the large orange mass that smells like motor oil and is, bar none, the most affectionate creature I've ever encountered.
I'm really torn about my review. I took my car in for a quote for repainting the front bumper. His quote was $75 higher than the dealer. But he said he would 'touch up' the rear bumper for free.
Unfortunately we had different ideas in our head about what 'touch up' meant. While it took a few visits until we were both happy with the results, he kept trying. In my opinion the final option should have been the initial option.
He was very nice, professional, fair in the final payment, and threw in a rental car for free. I'm not sure I would recommend him for body work but it sounds like he is a great mechanic.
I have NEVER had a great feeling leaving an auto repair place. Always overpriced or not done right. I have an older audi so not everyone knows how to work on foreign cars. I FINALLY found a place I will ALWAYS return to for any work needed. Marvin was GREAT! Checked my car out right away told me what the cost would be which totally shocked me b/c I was expecting more. He was extremely pleasant and honest AND the place even had a nice little waiting room with magazines to read EVERYWHERE. Didn't even get through one and my car was ready to go. BEST experience ever. Definetely 5 stars!!!
Marvin is fantastic! If you have an older import car that always seems to have something wrong with it, take is to Marvin. My crusty old Jetta has never run so well. He is the only mechanic I have been to that will fix smaller things he sees (replace headlight, clean engine, reposition brakes) while doing larger repairs - and doesn't charge you for it. I always leave feeling like my older brother has fixed my car for me.
This place is awesome! After an outrageous estimate I took it here after reading reviews. Not only was it reasonably priced, but it was fast. And while I was getting my car fixed Marvin let me drive a loaner car, so I still got all my errands done! In the end I was super satisfied and Marvin gave me this awesome mix CD! Really great people, and highly recommended!
My brother recommended Marvin's to me last year when I was given a quote by another mechanic which was way too pricey. Not only was Marvin's quote a lot less, he had it back to me much sooner than the other mechanic promised. He also gave me a loaner car so that I could get to work.
I highly recommend Marvin's!
When I first started going to this place, it seemed pretty good. They did a decent job with small things like brake pads. Also, one time they did work on my car, and gave me a "loaner" car so I could get to work. Then at one point they told me that both the left and right axles on my car needed to be replaced. When I changed jobs, I decided to try a mechanic I'd heard good things about that was on my way to work. Turned out that only the left axle needed replacement. I could have easily paid double if I hadn't gotten a second opinion. How many of us "lay people" would think to question something like this? In this case, I was glad I did. No more Marvin.
Marvin is a really really nice guy. I'm not entirely sure if his work was as top notch as I would've hoped, but he was nice enough to show me the replacement parts (no cheap generic parts either) he put in during my tune up. I'm not sure his mechanics are Euro-automotive trained though. They actually busted some of the beauty-caps on my wheels and secretly glued them together thinking I wouldn't know. sketchy.
They misdiagnosed my leaking windshield wiper fluid container as having a leak due to a cracked container when in reality one of the pipe clamps was just needed tightening. He didn't offer to repair the leaking fluid container when he made the diagnosis, so I can't fault him for giving me his impression b/c he never tried to take me on a ride and offer to replace the fluid holder.
He replaced one of my tail lights for free. which was really nice b/c everyone else charges for a procedure that's a few seconds and a few cents.
I think he'd be a good mechanic if you have an older car or a more ubiquitous car (honda/toyota/kia etc.)
I just picked up my car from Marvin's.
The back story is that I had initially taken my 2004 Honda CR-V to Fletcher Jones Honda for a 40K mile check. I knew that it needed some work done and they seemed fine. However, when I perused Yelp's reviews of F-J I had a panic attack. I called F-J, told them to put my car back together, I told them that I was not authorizing any work to be done and I just wanted my car back immediately. I paid the bill and left. I took the list of things F-J wanted to do and the price quotes and headed over to Marvin.
His diagnosis was about the same as F-J.
The quote from F-J for front pads and rotors was $325, brake fluid flush was another $135 for a total of $460.
Marvin replaced all four sets of pads, rotors, calipers and brake fluid flush for $625. The brakes should get me another 45K miles.
He enlarged the scope of work a little bit but I bet that F-J would have hit me up for another $300 for new calipers. I bet they would have charged me $1400 for the work Marvin did. Plus he's a really nice guy, he works fast.
I found out about Marvin's through this site when I did a google search. First of all, he was very friendly over the phone and even gave me a free estimate ($125 and he stuck to it!). I had to get my breaks serviced and ended up getting the best deal I could find! I called to several little shops and all the other chain stores but Marvins price and service beat them all. Marvin was VERY honest and they finished the job in less than 3 hours... they even dropped me off at home when I left my car so I didn't have to walk in the rain! A few years ago I got stuck with a $500+ bill for break services and "necessary" rotor services at Brake Check in Texas... Marvin at least was able to tell me when I should get those looked at and didn't force me to get them serviced that same day. He was very helpful and very kind!
Had some water damage when we had the huge storm a week or so back. Called all the local places and almost none could speak english on the phone. None of them would let me drop the car off overnight... All the prices I did get quoted were up towards 200 bucks to vacuum and shampoo the car. One place wanted 500 dollars to take out the carpeting and clean it underneath and put it back in. I have a 99 Ford Taurus and it is destined to be traded in on my next car purchase so I cannot forsee spending that much money on it. Marvin spoke perfect english on the phone, he understood my problem perfectly and he let me drop off the car afterhours. He quoted me 150 dollars and that is how much I paid him. My only complaint is that it takes a long time when you come to pick up your car. I went to the office and watched an entire seinfeld episode only to wander back to the garage to see Marvin working on another car instead of getting me out of there. Overall I am satisfied and would return for any other car problems.
Marvin actually made me get under my car with him so I could look at/touch what he was talking about. As a woman who knows nothing about cars, I appreciate the lesson. Also, the price seems quite reasonable.
I love Marvin's. I have been going for years and have sent friends there that really liked it alot, too. I even stop in just to say hi if I am walking by. Down to earth, reliable and understanding even when you don't have all the money at once for repairs. :) Go there and find out, you won't be sorry. I'm going tomorrow. :)))
I took my VW to the dealership and they quoted me over $3000 for repairs. I took my car to Marvin's and he did the work for $1300. He did the work very quickly and even beet his estimate by 1 day. I will take my car there again.
I concur with many of the positive reviews here. I took my car here twice when my preferred shop was closed, I was very happy with the service that I received and I felt it was at a great price. Unfortunately for Marvin, I am also thrilled with my current mechanic, so Marvin's is 2nd on my list, but they are a strong second and I recommend them. The funny thing is that I found business cards for Marvin's auto repair left in the strangest places of my car; I just laughed. One thing I noticed (which is why there aren't 5 stars) is that my car was stored "on the street" whereas other shops may have enough real estate to store it on their lot, but If my primary shop ever closes (unlikely!) then Marvin is next on my list.
