Thunder Bay's Trusted Family Auto Shop

Honest work.
Fair price.
Done right.

We're Up Front Auto — a family-run shop Thunder Bay drivers actually drive across town for. No upsells, no surprises: just real diagnostics, expert repairs, and honest answers. Our family built this shop on one rule — tell you the truth before we pick up a wrench.

4.9
110+ Google Reviews
100%
Facebook Recommend
10+
Years On Front St.
CERTIFIED · LICENSED · INSURED

Walk in. Drive out. Sleep easy.

From oil changes to safety inspections, brakes to electrical — every job is done by certified technicians and signed off personally. If we don't think you need it, we'll tell you.

★★★★★
4.9 / 5 · Google verified

Licensed & Certified

Certified technicians, fully insured, vehicle safety inspections done in-house.

No Surprise Bills

Quote first, work after. You hear from us before any extra wrench gets turned.

Quick Turnaround

Most repairs done same day, so you're not stuck waiting around longer than you have to.

Family-Run, Locally Owned

A family-run shop that's kept Thunder Bay drivers on the road for 10+ years.

What we do

A full-service shop — without the dealership runaround.

Everything your vehicle needs, under one roof, from a team that's been doing this the right way for years. Domestic, import, truck, SUV — we work on them all.

Brakes & Rotors

Pads, rotors, calipers, lines, hardware. We diagnose first, replace only what's worn — and we'll show you the old parts.

Oil, Lube & Filter

Conventional, synthetic blend, full synthetic, high-mileage. Includes a multi-point inspection on every visit.

Wheel Alignments

Eats tires, ruins fuel economy. We straighten you out — 2-wheel and 4-wheel alignments to factory spec.

Electrical & Diagnostics

Check engine light on? We run real diagnostics on real equipment, then tell you what it actually means.

Tires — New & Used

Install, mount, balance, rotate, repair, store. Honest recommendations for Thunder Bay winters.

Safety Inspections

MTO-style safety certificates for resale, ownership transfer, or peace of mind before a long trip.

A/C & Heating

Recharge, leak detection, full HVAC repair. Stay cool in July, stay alive in February.

Spring & Fall Maintenance

Get ahead of the seasons. Tire swap, fluid checks, battery test, undercarriage inspection.

Muffler Service
Suspension Repair
Tune-Ups
Battery Service
Check Engine Light
Pre-Purchase Inspections
Belt & Hose Replacement
Fleet & Repeat Customer
About the shop

We don't sell repairs.
We earn trust.

Up Front Auto sits at 112 Front Street — directly behind the Shell gas station on Cumberland — and it's the shop locals quietly tell their friends about. We're a family-run shop that's served Thunder Bay for 10+ years, built around one promise that became the name itself: be up front.

That means real diagnostics before quotes. It means showing you the worn part, not just charging for it. It means telling you when a repair can wait — even if that means less work on the invoice today. The 110+ five-star Google reviews didn't happen by accident.

4.9★
Google Rating
110+
Verified Reviews
100%
FB Recommend

"Very genuine, trustworthy, upfront and comparably priced with other shops. Small business that takes care of you."

— Curtis L · Verified Review
How it works

Drop off in the morning. Drive away by close.

Most jobs are same-day. Here's exactly what happens between the phone call and the handshake at the front desk.

01

Call or stop in

Tell us what the car's doing. We'll book you in — usually within a day or two.

02

Real diagnostic

No guessing. We confirm the actual problem before we quote a price.

03

Up-front quote

You hear the price before the wrench turns. Approve it, or don't — your call.

04

Done right

Certified work, parts you can verify, and we stand behind it. You drive away knowing it's fixed.

What Thunder Bay says

Don't take our word for it.

110+ verified Google reviews. 100% recommendation rate on Facebook. Here's what real customers say — in their own words.

G
★★★★★
4.9
Based on 110+ Google reviews
JB
Joey Bergman
Google Review
★★★★★

"The service, quality in the work, and overall experience with this place is incomparable. Highly recommend this shop. Fair prices for exceptional work!"

SP
Susan Packota
Google Review
★★★★★

"Love these guys! They really are upfront."

MA
Madison Ainsworth
Google Review
★★★★★

"Top notch service."

CL
Curtis L.
Verified Review
★★★★★

"Very genuine, trustworthy, upfront and comparably priced with other shops. Small business that takes care of you."

JA
Jami A.
Verified Review
★★★★★

"Awesome service and very nice and friendly to get along with. I will definitely be returning."

LK
Lake S.
Verified Review
★★★★★

"Great service — above and beyond. Hard to find a good honest mechanic. This is one of them."

JB
Joey Bergman
Google Review
★★★★★

"The service, quality in the work, and overall experience with this place is incomparable. Highly recommend this shop. Fair prices for exceptional work!"

SP
Susan Packota
Google Review
★★★★★

"Love these guys! They really are upfront."

MA
Madison Ainsworth
Google Review
★★★★★

"Top notch service."

CL
Curtis L.
Verified Review
★★★★★

"Very genuine, trustworthy, upfront and comparably priced with other shops. Small business that takes care of you."

JA
Jami A.
Verified Review
★★★★★

"Awesome service and very nice and friendly to get along with. I will definitely be returning."

LK
Lake S.
Verified Review
★★★★★

"Great service — above and beyond. Hard to find a good honest mechanic. This is one of them."

Read all 110+ Google reviews
Find us

112 Front Street, Thunder Bay.
Behind the Shell.

Right off Cumberland at Front & McIntyre. If you've passed the Shell station, you've gone too far — we're directly behind it.

Address
112 Front Street, Thunder Bay, ON P7A 4K5 Directly behind the Shell — Front & McIntyre off Cumberland
Hours
Monday8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Tuesday8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Wednesday8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Thursday8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Friday8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed
Call to Book Get Directions
Up Front Auto112 Front St · Thunder Bay
Ready when you are

Stop guessing what's wrong with your car.

Pick up the phone, tell us what you're hearing, smelling, or seeing — we'll do the rest. Honest assessment, fair price, work done right.