Interview with Dan Mantei, owner
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
A: At the age of 16, I can recall dismantling vehicles in my parents’ front yard with my brother, who is now my service writer, just to see what really happens under the hood. As the years progressed, so did our interest, experience and knowledge. I started working at Jim Paris, the location which is now Complete Auto Repair, about 35 years ago as a tire buster. I was recruited to work at the same location many years later as a lead technician. I eventually acquired the business from the previous owner and changed the name to Complete Auto Repair, and made the transition from long-time technician to business owner.
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
A: At Complete Auto Repair, we truly believe in the act of putting others’ needs before our own. We have based our entire business around this simple idea, from our daily operations to our annual contributions to the community. From the time a new customer sets foot in the door, we work hard to build a lasting relationship with them, we strive to earn their confidence and trust that we will take care of them and keep them safe on the road every day. I have handpicked the entire staff, which consists primarily of family because I believe that this is the best way to ensure the values that we strive to uphold through honest and caring service. There is more than 100 years of combined automotive knowledge among our seven employees.
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
A: The thing I like best about being in the automotive industry has been building relationships with our customers and proving to them that they are in good hands when they come to us. We treat our customers right and because of this they stay with us; we exchange gifts with many of them at the holidays because we both know that they’re more than just another customer in our computer. Our staff upholds our values and honesty with every job and because of this consistency, we have many long-time customers who are genuinely good people and they are happy to tell their friends and family about us because they know they can trust us to take care of them. I enjoy knowing that when we have a new customer, they will be back.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
A: Our biggest challenge is that we are quickly outgrowing our six-bay shop. With three full- time technicians and a consistently full schedule, we are often looking for an open bay or even a spot to park in our lot.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
A: We show support to our community through events such as the Carrie King/Troy Lyles Memorial Baseball Tournament, which supports a scholarship fund for deserving students. We enjoy contributing to Faith Mountains’ Taste of the Mountain summer bash, which is such a fun event.
Profile
Business: Complete Auto Repair
Address: 12301 W. Center Ave., Lakewood
Hours: 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Founded: 2010
Contact: 303-985-7199,
Employees: 7
