“I've been using ARS for years. They have always fixed my vehicles first time, no maybe we fixed it. They send you a bid with a list of the problems they found and the cost for parts and hours worked.”
Auto repair, Mendota, Illinois
Fixed
right
the
first
time.
ARS Auto Repair has kept Mendota on the road since 1999. Written estimates, straight answers, and work that holds, from a crew your neighbors trust with their keys.
5.0 from 86 verified reviews on CARFAX
Family owned since 1999
What we handle
The shop does everything under the hood.
Full-service repair for cars, trucks, and SUVs. Every job starts the same way: we look, we write it up, you approve it. No surprises.
WORK ORDER, WHAT WE HANDLEARS AUTO REPAIR · 307 PLAZA DR
Complete diagnostics
The one reviewers rave about. We chase the problem other shops missed until it is actually solved, then prove it.
Brake service
Pads, rotors, calipers, the works. One F-150 left here stopping like the day it was bought.
Oil changes & maintenance
Quick oil service with a look over the other things that matter, before they become things.
A/C & heating
We do not quit until the air blows cold and stays cold. Ask the Express van owner.
Steering, suspension & bearings
Wheel hubs, bearing assemblies, and everything that keeps you straight, quiet, and safe.
Batteries & electrical
Testing, replacement, and tracking down the electrical gremlins that drain a battery overnight.
Family owned
Since 1999
A Mendota staple, not a chain.
ARS Auto Repair is locally owned and has been fixing Mendota's cars since 1999. Reviewers mention Gene and the crew by name, say the shop treats them like family, and keep coming back for years. There are even puppy helpers around the shop, which one reviewer called an added bonus.
The habit that built the reputation: a written bid for every job, listing the problems found plus the cost of parts and labor hours, before a single wrench turns. That is why 111 drivers have saved this shop as a favorite.
0
years serving Mendota
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average rating, CARFAX verified
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verified service reviews
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drivers saved us as a favorite
“I won't trust my vehicles with anybody else.”2015 GMC Sierra owner · CARFAX verified service, March 2026
Word around town
86 verified reviews. Zero guesswork.
Every review below is from a CARFAX verified service visit, written by a real driver, in their own words.
“Very talented, knows their stuff. Found the issue that other places missed and it saved me a few thousand dollars. The owner took his time and explained everything. Will be going there from now on.”
CARFAX verified
“Gene and the ARS team always perform at the highest level. I would bring any of my vehicles here from many miles away for any significant service or repair.”
“They do great work for a fair price. Treat you like you're a friend or family. And the little puppy helpers are an added bonus.”
“They made sure the AC problem was really solved. They wouldn't quit until they found and fixed the problems. I fully trust these guys.”
“We truly appreciate the honesty, work, communication and friendly service done at ARS and will continue to use them for our service needs and recommend to others.”
“Communicates well, gives good estimates on price and completion. Great family owned business to work with. They do it right the first time.”
Read all 86 verified reviews, then come see why.
Call (815) 538-2412How a visit goes
Simple as a work order.
Four steps. You always know what is happening and what it costs before it happens.
Tell us what's wrong
Call or stop by 307 Plaza Drive. Describe the noise, the light, the leak, or just the feeling that something is off.
We inspect and write it up
You get a written bid: the problems we found, the parts cost, the labor hours. The full picture, on paper.
You say go, we fix it
Nothing happens without your okay. Then the crew does what it has done since 1999: fixes it right the first time.
Road-tested and rolling
We verify the fix held, walk you through what was done, and send you back onto Plaza Drive with confidence.
Find us
Right on Plaza Drive.
Easy to reach, easy to trust. Drivers come to ARS from across Mendota and the surrounding Illinois Valley, and plenty of them drive past other shops to get here.
ARS Auto Repair Inc
307 Plaza DriveMendota, IL 61342
Serving Mendota and the surrounding Illinois Valley
Free Wi-Fi while you wait
Quiet waiting room
(815) 538-2412
Good to know
Asked all the time.
Yes, every time. Reviewers mention it more than anything else: a bid that lists the problems found plus the cost of parts and labor hours, before any work starts. You approve it or you don't. That is the whole policy.
Almost certainly. Verified reviews cover GMC, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Jeep, Audi, Kia, Chrysler, and Mitsubishi, from a 2005 F-150 to an Audi RS5. If it rolls into Mendota, bring it by and we will take a look.
Call (815) 538-2412 and we will find the soonest slot that fits. Reviewers regularly mention getting in quickly and getting the work done in a timely manner. If it is urgent, tell us, and we will do our best to shuffle.
Yes. The shop has free Wi-Fi and a quiet waiting room, so bring your laptop or just bring a coffee and relax.
That is something of a specialty here. Multiple verified reviews describe ARS finding issues other places missed, including one that saved a driver a few thousand dollars, and an AC problem the crew refused to quit on until it was truly solved.
A quick call ahead helps us plan the day, and oil services are typically quick, including a look over a couple of other things while the car is up. Walk-ins are welcome when the bays allow.
Mendota, Illinois
Drop it off. We write it up.
(815) 538-2412Family owned since 1999 · 5.0 from 86 verified CARFAX reviews · 307 Plaza Drive, Mendota, IL