Winter Auto Repair: Done Once, Done Right, Guaranteed

When the Great Recession of the late 2000s put a damper on his racecar-building business, Chris Winter noticed something interesting. Not only were people not as interested in having work done on supercars, but the general population was starting to hold onto their cars (of all kinds) longer than they had previously. With a background in general car repair, Chris decided to open Winter Auto Repair in Robbinsville, NJ, a shop driven by integrity that provides customers with high-quality work.

Unlike most other mechanics, Chris and his staff place an emphasis on being forthcoming and open with their customers. They will never prey on the naivety of a customer. Instead, they go out of their way to explain all repairs in great detail. “We will keep the part that needs to be replaced to show the customer. We’ll explain not only why it broke, but what made it break, and why we did the repair the way we did it. Every time we’ll go above and beyond in the explanation to make them comfortable and educated.” In addition, Winter Auto Repair offers a warranty on everything that is double what most other shops offer. They use high quality products that last longer, leading to high customer satisfaction ratings.

When a customer (or potential customer) calls into the shop, they will be thanked first, and then asked if they’ve ever been a customer (so the customer profile can be pulled up quickly if they have). If they have not, the staff will ask for the caller’s license plate number so they can identify all the proper parts for that specific vehicle. This allows them all the specifications of the vehicle in advance of any visit. This also allows the shop to make sure they have the proper parts in stock before the car is brought in, making for an even better customer experience. Upon arrival, regardless of the purpose of the visit (even an oil change), the vehicle will be taken for a test drive, given a computer scan and assessed. A report of all issues the car is having will be created and rated on a scale of 1-to-5 based on importance and safety concerns, then recommendations and an estimate for the work are given to the customer. “It’s sort of like going to your doctor for a physical,” Chris says. “We give the car a physical check-up.” This approach loses money for the shop, but giving the car a full evaluation is part of the customer experience, and it prepares the customer for what to expect in the coming year regarding the vehicle.

If there’s ever an issue with the work that’s been done on a vehicle, the customer is asked to come back in, and Winter Auto Repair bumps them to the top of the line of vehicles waiting for service to get the issue figured out as quickly as possible. If it was a misdiagnosis on their part, they will only charge the customer for the price they should have initially quoted. They also guarantee all parts and labor because they are a NAPA Auto Care Center, meaning NAPA will guarantee all of their services for two years or 24,000 miles at any NAPA Auto Care Center in the country.

Despite a love for automobiles and the various vehicles he sees and gets to work on regularly, Chris says that his favorite part of the work he does is building relationships with his customers and their families. “I like seeing the kids that are now driving. I’ve been working on the parents’ car; now I’m working on the kid’s car. They know they can trust me so I’m getting second and third generations of drivers. I’ve watched them get married. I’ve had customers invite me to their weddings.” This is more than a customer- mechanic relationship. When you bring your vehicle to Winter Auto Repair, you’re not just getting your car fixed, you’re leaving the shop with peace of mind that someone else is looking out for the safety of you and your family. And that feeling is priceless.

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