VFC Engineering

Nov 07, 2024

I'm currently in a 2014 VW Tiguan and have religiously used dealerships in the past thinking I was getting the best work done there based on the high selling price. I was mistaken. Take any german vehicle here. They do amazing work above and beyond what is expected of them. They make sure you're informed and updated through the entire process and truly stand by there work. They even followed up weeks later to ensure that there were no lingering issues. On top of that, they are cheaper than the dealship in most regards and deliver higher quality work. Only downside is that you may need to leave you car there longer than ussual as it's a smaller shop and appointments can be sparse, but rest assure that they will take the time needed to fix your issue. 10/10

Aug 07, 2024

Finally had some time to rate and review. Was having issues with my 3 series and was anticipating bad news. Zach and Carlos diagnosed and repaired my issue. Now the car drives like new. Amazing! Plus the 3yr/36k warranty on the work- you just can’t beat that. Honestly, that’s just confidence behind their work. I’m bringing in my fleet. Thank you guys!

Apr 07, 2024

Great first time experience, great documentation

Dec 07, 2023

Bought a used 2014 x3 as an extra with 2 new/young drivers. VFC was great on the prepurchase inspection AND normal maintenance and minor repairs since then. I trust that they manage what needs to be done - not just looking at a list and doing/charging me. Trust matters and the value is good!

Dec 07, 2023

Great, knowledgeable and friendly team

Dec 07, 2023

I came to VFC for the first time after reading recommendations from online forums and was very glad I did. Zach was extremely helpful in advising me on a track day suspension setup and the whole project was done in a timely manner. Pricing was fair and a bit better than other shops in the Chicagoland area. For the level of work he puts into the proper alignment, I definitely feel it was worth it. I'll probably come back for routine maintenance in the future rather than paying dealer prices. I highly recommend!

Dec 07, 2023

Reliable service. Owning a German car comes with a price, and VCF helps to mitigate the pain as best they can.

Dec 07, 2023

Their employees drive the wrong way down the one way street and verbally accost people that live in the area. The managers encourage the behavior. So if you want to run the risk of your car getting into an accident due to willful negligence, this is the place for you.

Dec 07, 2023

These dudes rock, if you need an expert for your German auto hit them up!

Dec 07, 2023

Wish I had known this place a lot sooner. Good work, honesty, friendliness seems to be the end game. Thank you guys. My next car come to you shop.

Dec 07, 2023

we were having unsatisfactory experiences taking a car to the dealer for repairs, maintenance. on several recommendations from friends we took our car to vfc, and the service and personal attention we received blew our minds!! zach and his crew are absolutely stellar and we recommend vfc engineering 1000%!!>

Dec 07, 2022

Exceptional Cusomer service, knowledge and integrity. Most people take their cars to the generic “dealer repair place for their car brand - ie Audi repair” until they are recommended someone better. One of the toughest things about finding a good auto repair service is trust - trusting the workmanship and the bid. Zack Hillman, the owner of VCF Engineering, has earned my trust in spades. Their knowledge and care for European cars, in my case an Audi Q5, is first rate.

Dec 07, 2022

German car specialists Fast, Friendly and reasonable.

Dec 07, 2022

HIGHLY RECOMMEND this family owned business -- We've been bringing our euro cars to VFC since 2007. Quality service and superior integrity. We trust Zach and team. They take the time to walk us through the issue and the options to resolution. You will pay a living wage, VFC will stand by their work, and you will enjoy driving your car.

Dec 07, 2022

The best German auto repair shop around the Midwest

Dec 07, 2022

Took my Mimi JCW for an inspection, they gave me a list of things to change and it was over 1k in repairs, they took 4 days or more to give the the diagnosis, I had to call to rush them. they told me the server was out which it’s hard to believe, and then I took my car to mini Cooper and none of those repairs were needed, just the battery needed to be registered to the vehicle so I’ll charge accordingly since it’s an aftermarket battery, over all I felt they didn’t care much about me as a client just my money. I’ll be taking my car to the dealer from now on.

Dec 07, 2022

water pump replacement, oil pan leak, and carbon cleaning. Great work by honest people.

Dec 07, 2021

I was quoted and absurd price for an exhaust swap. 500-1500$ to do a bolt-on exhaust. Performance Eurowerks and NCA Motorsports (both reputable companies) quoted me $300 or less. I would not recommend VFC Engineering, they seem greedy.

Dec 07, 2021

If the following mirrors your experience with VFC, my opinion would be to stay away from these guys: I have taken two separate SUVs in for service at VFC. Each time, upon picking up my vehicle, the service writer told me they found a couple of problems with my car. They said that if I get the problem(s) they identified fixed NOW, the cost of repair will be lower. However, if I wait, the problem will become much worse and will cost me LOTS more money to fix, so I better act now! Sound familiar? Read on. I purchased my most recent SUV about one year ago, a Certified Pre Owned from the dealership that came with a warranty from the factory. VFC Engineering said my spark plugs were showing excessive fouling and I needed a coolant flush. They said if I get the work done now, the cost was approximately $1,000. If I wait, they said, the problem will get worse and will cost me much more money to repair. Given that my SUV was/is under Certified Pre Owned Warranty, I took it to the dealer for a second opinion. They pulled two of my spark plugs and showed me, there was no evidence of "excessive fouling" as VFC claimed. They also said I did not have any issue with my coolant. The work VFC Engineering did on my vehicles was adequate, I guess. However, they have lost my trust. If upon picking up your car from VFC Engineering the following sounds familiar 'watch out! You have this or that problem with your car. If you fix it now, the repair cost will be lower. If you wait, this that and the other bad thing(s) will happen so you better do the repair now!", at the very least I would consider a second opinion. For me? They have lost my trust. I will not be going back.

Dec 07, 2021

They do a great job with 993s and all air-cooled 911s! Zach and his dad are the best ... the only issue is word has gotten out about how good they are and they can get busy. Not cheap, but you pay now or pay later -- trust me on that one. I once had an issue on a big, complex and odd repair and they were truly the very best at remediating it. I have never trusted a mechanic so much. I have also used them for an X5 just out of warranty and they pinpointed a problem very quickly. Finally, prepare to waste some time seeing the "project cars" they are working on in the shop (928s seem to hang around for a while). They will also tell you what not to buy because of part issues -- forget that old 928 or 944 unless you will tolerate non-OEM parts!

Dec 07, 2021

This place is an amazing hidden gem in Ravenswood. If you have a German car, this is the place for any issues or needed repairs and required maintenance. They are practical, committed, knowledgeable and friendly. I would not take my car anywhere else.

Dec 07, 2021

👎DISRESPECTFUL!👎 My daughter was LAUGHED at, RIDICULED, and told told that the car part she needed DID NOT EXIST!! Talk about gaslighting...they also told her that she should have "actually paid attention and written it down" when she told you word by word what the dealership said...safe to say i'll never do business here

Dec 07, 2020

I've been servicing my Mini Cooper here for the past 5years. Highly recommended shop. They specialize in European cars. The fact that they are also involved into national championship car racing, and know how to tune-up their cars, gives me confidence that they are the best in class when comes to car diagnosis and repairs. I've got multiple repairs done on my car over the years, and VFC was absolutely the best choice for the job. No other car service dealership can match the experience and knowledge of those techs at VFC. Zach and Doug are a joy to talk and interact with. Thanks VFC !👍

Dec 07, 2020

This is the place! I have searched high and low for a good mechanic for my aging Passat, and after a few disappointing places, I’m happy to report that VFC surpassed my expectations by a mile! It is a small shop that really cares about their craft and their customers. I can’t say enough about their work ethics, they are impeccable. If you are searching for a great team of mechanics, here they are, give them a call.

Dec 07, 2020

We recently moved to Chicago and had a major repair to our car shortly after moving here. We didn’t know which repair places were honest so we took the car to the dealership. Months later we found a repair place with stellar reviews, VFC, and took the car in for a battery change. Turns out my original dealership put in a battery designed for an A3 rather than A4. Next we went in for an oil change. At the oil change, they found another major issue with the car. Zach explained it to us but it was a difficult decision based on the high cost. When I went to pick the car up, Zach went over everything and had pictures and parts to explain what happened and how things worked. It was a major education that I appreciated. Zach seemed to know everything about the car and even suggested I follow up on a class action suit I had filed a couple months earlier. If he hadn’t suggested that, I would have guessed they weren’t going to refund me. Excellent knowledge and super customer service. This is my permanent go to place as long as we have an Audi. When I find a business with quality and honesty, I put my loyalty there. So happy to find this place! Zach is fantastic.

Dec 07, 2020

First time I brought my car to this shop and it will be where i continue to bring my car!!! The shop specializes is European cars so if you're worried about your personal car or project you can trust these guys. Kind of hard to find but the nice cars parked around the building made it easy to find! Also a great sign for a shop!! 11/10

Dec 07, 2020

Great service!

Dec 07, 2020

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! I'm cheap, with a love of high-mileage, aging German cars, so since I enjoy pain, I'm glad to find a repair shop with people I trust. I've been taking my 1998 BMW M3 (240K miles) and 2013 BMW 328XI (170K miles) here for the past 5-6 years for all of my routine maintenance and major servicing. I have primarily worked with Zach and Carlos, who have always been professional, thorough and understanding of what I needed. Pricing has always been fair and they understand that not every German machine is a garage queen or track machine. I have never felt like a service or repair with VFC was not worth the $$ spent. If you want something done right, for less than dealership rates, this is the place in Chicago you need to take your car to, hands down.

Dec 07, 2020

I have had two major services done with VFC for my 2009 Audi A4 2.0 with Zach and his team. 1. A compete overhaul of the timing belt assembly and 2. complete replacement of the rear main seal. Both require a ton of attention to not only detail but expert know how as well. For me unfortunately both of these major services came within 6 months of each other and are not cheap fixes. Fortunately for me, I found VFC Engineering. These guys know what they're talking about and what they're doing. You see it the minute to walk into the shop on the wall of certifications that are on display for mastery of German Engineering Autos. VFC will expertly diagnose your issue and will give it to you straight with no chaser. Pictures and or video are also included in the diagnosis and repair report given to you after completion. They are masters of cleaning up bad shops cut corners, as seen in the pictures. When talking about your repair you will definitely hear "its not cheap, but I want to make sure its done right" and it absolutely is. If you live in the Chicagoland Area and don't take your German Auto here, you're only doing yourself a disservice, I cannot recommend this team enough. Thanks for everything and they will have my continued business.

Dec 07, 2020

I have no doubt in my mind VFC Engineering cares about the customers they work with. They've created a lifelong customer in one visit. Highly recommend.