Customer Service is Heart and Soul of A+ Japanese Auto Repair

What started out as a part time job sweeping floors and cleaning oil drains in the family auto repair business led Eric Sevim to a career as one of the area’s leading auto mechanics.

Family biz

Eric and his brother Adam took over the business, started by their parents Ray and Diane when they retired in 1997. The family of four purchased the warehouse that is now Sevim’s shop at 780 Industrial Road in San Carlos when the boys were students at Carlmont High School.

“We did this as a family,” says Eric, who runs the back (mechanical) end of the business while his brother runs the office.

“My dad Ray has worked as a mechanic in dealerships, specializing in Japanese auto repair, and decided it was time for his own shop. So we all moved into this empty warehouse and my mom quit her job at the Burlingame School District. We painted it and installed three car racks and an office,” says Sevim proudly.

Drumming up business, Sevim says was a grass roots effort. “We put flyers on cars and my parents would go to chamber mixers, while my brother and I would help with customer service and running the shop.”

Both Eric and Adam were Eagle Scouts, so hard work and hands-on projects came naturally to them.

“Adam and I got comfortable managing the shop, so after my parents retired, we carried on the business. “

Ray and Diane spent a year teaching their sons everything they knew about the business, with a special emphasis on customer service, which both Eric and Adam have made the cornerstone of A+ Japanese Auto Repair.

“2003 was a transition year, learning everything we could from our parents, then starting to grow the business. For the last 10 years we’ve grown 10-15 percent per year. We’ve gone from three racks (also known as hoists) to 10.

Hybrid specialists

The shop now employs five certified master mechanics and three shop assistants.

Asked why he continues to specialize in repair and service of Japanese vehicles, Sevim points to the Bay Area auto market.

“In this area, a lot of consumers were driving Japanese cars—they are simple, reliable, and many of them have similar design and parts, which makes our work more efficient and keeps the cost down.”

Sevim clearly knows his product, and his customers, well. An office staff acts as a translator between the customers and the technicians. Sevim says it’s important to get back to his customers as early as possible with a diagnosis or other information about their vehicle.

“Our goal is to get your car back to you in one day,” says Sevim, citing the statistic of 80 percent of repairs out in one day, 20 percent out in two days.

Of course, as a repair shop specializing in Japanese vehicles, Sevim and his crew have had to keep up with the changing technology in hybrid and electric vehicles.

“We all have specialized training and we are one of 14 Prius plug in vehicle shops in the country,” referring to Toyota Prius models made between 2004 and 2008 that have an extra battery pack in the trunk that require “plugging in.”

“In 2006, it was obvious that hybrids were really growing in popularity, so we now specialize in them. We know hybrids inside and out.”

Sevim estimates that 10-15 percent of the vehicles his shop services are hybrids.

But despite the name, A+ Japanese Auto Repair is happy to work on non-Japanese manufactured vehicles as well.

“80 percent of systems on cars are the same,” says Sevim.

Community outreach is key

Sevim credits some of his success to his community outreach efforts.

“Adam and I were both Eagle Scouts, so it makes sense to us to give back to the community, “ says Sevim.

He’s invited Boy Scout troops from Belmont and San Carlos into the shop to work toward their automotive merit badge. To qualify for the badge, the boys must learn to change a tire, be familiar with the major car systems and know how to perform an oil change.

Sevim also offers classes for women who want to learn a bit more about what’s under the hood. He even provides dinner.

“We do a general class about how to choose a repair shop, what to ask a mechanic, and other basic things like oil weight—exactly what 10/30 oil means.”

We stay involved in the community and in the San Carlos Chamber of Commerce.

“The community give so much to us---you cant just take---you have to give back,” says Sevim.

One thing Sevim is particularly proud of is being selected as the top shop in the Bay Area for 2013.

"The 175 winners competed with more than 10,000 nominees to be named the BEST of San Francisco Bay Area A-List," says Sevim in his Patch blog.

“We off a transparent auto repair process, honesty, ethical repair recommendations, and treat each client like they are a family member offering the best advice,” states the A+ website.

Ray and Diane would be proud.

For more information, go to http://www.aplusjapaneseautorepair.com/ or call (650)595-2277.

Editor's note: Eric Sevim writes an auto repair blog for Patch. Check out some of his recent postings:

A Local San Carlos Auto Repair Shop - Voted 2013 "Best Auto Repair Shop"

What to Do When Your Tire Pressure Monitor Light Goes On?