PERFORMANCE PROFILE

Classic Car Service — Recipe For Success

Start with a small business selling used Mercedes-Benz parts. Stir in two enterprising men, both named John. Toss in a dollop of good timing, and add a dash of great location. Flavor with a selection of vintage German cars, and stir until ready.

Voila! (or should we say Achtung?). What you get is a thriving business servicing German and other selected high-end makes, and a specialty in servicing classic models.

That’s exactly the recipe John Brownell and John "call me J.R. to avoid confusion" Roberts have used to build German Auto Specialists into the success it is today.

John and J.R. met some 20 years ago while both of them were working for a small company nearby that sold used parts for Mercedes-Benz cars. They became instant friends and recognized that the blend of John’s mechanical expertise and J.R.’s business management skills held the potential for a successful partnership. In 1981, they purchased the service equipment and other assets of the former company (without the parts inventory), and German Auto Specialists was born.

Right from the start, they agreed to focus primarily on the German cars they already knew so well. They had both the tools and the expertise to properly service these cars, and decided not to spread themselves too thin by trying to be all things to all people. Their suburban Philadelphia location proved to be home to many Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Audi and other German makes, so there has been no shortage of cars to service. By 1987, the business had grown, and the partners moved the business to their current eight-bay, 5,500-square-foot location.

John grew up with a love of German engineering, having owned and restored a number of vintage Mercedes-Benz models, including a 190SL and a 280SE 3.5 coupe. His passion led him to become a judge and recognized authority on these cars, and he became very involved with the local Mercedes-Benz club.

SERVICES OFFERED
German Auto Specialists offers a full range of mechanical services, including complete engine and driveline overhaul, chassis and suspension work, and service on all electronic systems, including ignition, electronic fuel injection and ABS. They have the latest diagnostic and service equipment for late-model cars. And, having been in this business for so long, they continue to have and use the special tools needed to properly service the many classic and vintage cars brought in for service.

A number of local restoration shops sublet mechanical work to German Auto, confident of the specialists’ work. Even local dealerships look to them for help on difficult problems. "Since German cars are built so well, we often see cars with 200,000, 250,000, even 300,000 miles on the clock," says John. "Typically, these cars haven’t been back to the dealer since the warranty expired. So dealership service departments are not likely to see the kind of high-mileage problems we deal with all the time. They’ll bring us cars with problems they’ve never encountered, and we have a great relationship with their service people. We help each other out all the time."

Customers’ older cars are a fascinating mix, including several treasured Gull-Wing Mercedes 300 SL coupes and roadsters, Porsche 356B and C models, a BMW 2002tii, a BMW M1, and a host of Porsche 911 models. They also have a following that includes the family of Mercedes 190/230/250/280SL roadsters. Several customers travel more than 100 miles, from New York and Virginia, for the careful attention of John, J.R. and their staff of technicians.

PERFORMANCE MODIFICATIONS
In addition to servicing customers’ classic cars, German Auto also performs all kinds of performance work on newer models as well, including engine modifications and chassis system upgrades. In the engine compartment, they install high-performance camshafts, high-compression pistons, improved carburetion and high-performance ignition systems.

On cars with more complex electronic systems, they install EPA-approved computer chips and, in fact, German Auto is an authorized dealer for a major chip manufacturer. They install high-performance air cleaner systems, and they offer premium clutch assemblies for customers who compete in speed events or simply drive their cars aggressively. A recent project was an Audi A4 Turbo in which German Auto installed Boge struts and a Supersprint low-restriction exhaust system.

There are even more requests for chassis system upgrades, often inspired by the more aggressive wheel and tire packages they provide. Many customers ask for stiffer, adjustable shocks or struts, along with lower, stiffer springs, high-performance suspension bushings made of polyurethane or similar material, anti-roll bars, and even chassis stiffening bars. Recent chassis jobs have included a turbocharged BMW 320i and a Volkswagen Jetta.

Because of John’s personal background and experience, he’s especially comfortable in recommending the kind of performance parts that will meet each customer’s individual needs. "It’s very important for any changes, engine or chassis, to be carefully integrated in order to achieve the desired results," he explains. "Most often, you can’t simply change one part and hope it will interact properly with the rest of the engine or chassis system."

"For instance, simply installing a high-performance camshaft will not necessarily yield improved horsepower and torque. If you want an engine to breathe better, we would normally recommend installing a high-performance exhaust header along with the bigger camshaft, and we certainly recommend a low-restriction air cleaner system to make the best use of the new cam profile and other related parts. With the replacement of ‘hard parts,’ we would also strongly recommend the installation of a chip or other modifications to the fuel and ignition systems to provide the fuel and spark necessary so that all of the engine parts and systems operate in harmony."

"It’s similar with chassis systems," he continues, "where we wouldn’t simply install stiffer, lower springs. We would encourage our customer to allow us to recommend appropriate shocks, bushings and other related parts so we don’t have to ‘mix and match’ and cross our fingers and hope the car handles better. We discourage our customers from specifying race-car type parts for use on the street, since they’ll be very unhappy with the results. Rather, we know these cars so well that we know which combination of parts and tuning will give the result our customer wants, and we make our recommendations accordingly."

BOSCH SERVICE CENTER STATUS
It should come as no surprise that in 1989 representatives of the Robert Bosch Corporation approached the partners. Their reputation had preceded them, and Bosch wanted German Auto Specialists to become an authorized Bosch Service Center (BSC). Since German Auto was already providing extensive service on various Bosch systems, participation in the BSC program was a natural.

In order to qualify as a BSC, a shop must meet a variety of standards regarding tools and equipment, training, warranty administration, and other criteria relating to Bosch products and systems. John and J.R. made the decision to participate, investing in the requisite tools, with both partners and other staff technicians attending technical and management classes at Bosch’s U.S. headquarters just outside of Chicago.

The relationship has proved to be a good one, with German Auto taking advantage of virtually all of the BSC programs and materials — sales and merchandising materials, technical support, and technical data and specifications on CD-ROM.

One program that has been especially useful has been the Bosch warranty program. J.R. explains that it’s a great sales tool, particularly for electrical products. "We promote warranty with every starter and alternator we sell," he says. "Customers are often surprised to learn that their new or remanufactured starter or alternator is covered by a full year’s factory warranty, including labor. Then we explain that the Bosch Ultimate Protection Plan provides free emergency roadside assistance 24/7 for two years after purchase. That always seals the deal for us."

Participation in the BSC program has been so successful for German Auto that they have sought out other credentials and certifications to help promote and endorse their business. The shop is an authorized Pennsylvania State Inspection facility, which brings many customers in for the mandated annual safety and emissions inspection.

Both John and J.R. recognize the importance of on-going marketing efforts in sustaining and growing their business. For that reason, they employ a variety of advertising and promotional vehicles to draw in both new and existing customers. They employ Yellow Pages advertising covering the five-county Philadelphia area. And they have an aggressive direct mail campaign, including service reminders and seasonal specials. Bosch point-of-sale materials round out their promotional package.

The two partners are in complete agreement in their market positioning. "We want to continue to do what we do best," explains J.R. "We know German and European technology inside out, and we feel that we can best insure our success and our customers’ satisfaction by sticking with what we know best."

And John and J.R. are always looking to the future. They plan to add equipment and invest in training whenever necessary to stay on top of automotive technology. "We’ll be here for many years to come," they agree.