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By Austin Arnold, BGSU Icon intern
If you hear a clunk or feel a knock in your car, what should you do? You might want to start by getting it checked out at Kirtland's Auto Repair Center on the corner of Main and Jefferson.
For nearly 40 years, Kirtland's Auto has been fixing a wide variety of mechanical problems on vehicles. Everything from engine diagnostics to an oil filter change, the employees at Kirtland's Auto are busy Monday through Friday repairing cars. The guys who make up Kirtland's Auto Repair Center are manager Jim Kinn, who works alongside the owner Gary Kirtland and two full-time technicians. Kinn said it's not unusual if they end up working 10 to 12 hour days.
"We find it's better to over-schedule rather than under-schedule, so a lot of times it can be hectic in here and its go, go, go," Kinn said.
Most of the days are filled with general repair jobs such as oil changes, engine diagnostics, tune-ups, brake repair and motor repair.
45-50 oil changes a week
"We do a lot of oil changes, about 45 to 50 a week, but really many come in for something as simple as the check engine light coming on," Kinn said. "And if someone comes in for that, we'll check it out and then make an appointment if needed."
Sometimes when the check engine light comes on it's not so easy to pinpoint the problem, Kinn said, even with their high-tech diagnostic equipment that is updated every six months.
"When we hook up to a car's onboard computer system, codes pop up. Sometimes it can be one thing that comes up or it could be a series of 20-to-30 steps that you have to go through to try to find the problem," Kinn said. "Vehicles are becoming so specialized that it's getting harder for small shops to keep up with the technology and stay in business."
But there is something that a small repair shop can do to stay competitive, and that is what Kirtland's Auto is doing -- treating the customer right.
Customer number one priority
"Our number one priority is to take care of the customer," Kinn Said. "If you treat your customers right they will come back and tell other people to come in as well."
As well as repair, sales are another specialty of Kirtland's Auto. They have a local supplier that can usually deliver them parts within one to two days, which is critical to their operation Kinn said. Along with various parts, there is a large selection of used and new tires for sale. Most of the tires for sale are Cooper Brand Tires but there are other brands available as well. From 70-100 tire sales are made per month according to Kinn.
Parts and tires are not the only items on sale at Kirtland's Auto. The shop also has a number of vehicles for sale on the lot. Kirtland's Auto offers affordable prices on quality used vehicles. In fact, Kirtland's Auto has dubbed itself "The home of the mid-priced auto."
"We have been selling cars for our eighth year now and originally, when we decided to sell cars as a secondary business, we were planning on having three or four cars on the lot and if we sold one a month we would be happy," Kinn said. "Now we've usually got 25 to 30 cars on the lot and we sell about eight a month."
Kinn said that they are trying to build a reputation as a place to buy good cars, not a place that sells you a car that needs a lot of work.
"When we put a car on our lot, we check it thoroughly and make sure it's a good vehicle," Kinn said. "We decided not to adopt the junker clunker program that was put on by the government."
The prices of the cars on their lot range from $4,000 to $12,000 and most models are from the early 2000s and up.
"We are a very customer-oriented business, and we hold the same philosophy for our auto sales as we do as our repair shop. We take good enough care of our customers that in the past, we've had three members from one family buy cars from us because they like us and our business," Kinn said. "And if you don't like what we have on the lot right now, just give us a chance and in a month or two we might have something you'll like."
Want more info? Kirtland's Auto, 419-358-9340
or 419-358-4821
or on the web at www.kirlandsautosales.com
