Please advice.

[hazel]

Last month my friend travel to Florida by car and his car was repaired there. While he was driving back home his car started smoking. He took his car to the mechanic, whom told him that the repairs done by the mechanic in Florida was performed incorrectly. The mechanic in Illinois gave him an estimate in which he stated that some of the repairs done in Florida were performed wrong and some wasn’t performed at all.
My friend sent a demand letter and the owner of the repair shop in Florida denied all liabilities.
=Should he file a small claims complaint in Illinois or does it have to be done in Florida?
=And if in Florida can he add all of his expenses for travel and cost to stay there?
=Is there any way for him to minimize his cost?
=He would prefer to file in Illinois and would like to know if that would be aloud by law?
=Can he prosecute the Florida mechanic for fraud because he charged my friend for the work that was never performed?

Thank you all.