Top Repair Shops Drive Away With Quality Service Honors

    LOS ANGELES--June 11, 2001--Twenty-nine Southland vehicle repair shops have earned the Automobile Club of Southern California's Approved Auto Repair Quality Service Award for customer satisfaction and service quality.
    The awards were presented at the sixth annual Approved Auto Repair Awards luncheon Friday (June 8) at the Sheraton of Cerritos.
    Nearly one-third of the list -- 10 shops in all -- is located in Orange County. Three shops stand out among the others on the quality awards list. Jon Woods Automotive in San Diego, Automotive Technologies in El Cajon and Nick's Auto Care Center in Cypress have earned five quality awards.
    The honorees were selected from among 700 Approved Auto Repair facilities, which are independent businesses regularly inspected by the Auto Club. Only 4% of the facilities in this program qualify for the prestigious award.
    To earn the Auto Club's award, the shops received 99 percent or better customer satisfaction rates, operated a professional garage without facility or equipment deficiencies, and had no member complaints for an entire year.
    "These shops were already carefully screened to be included in our program and truly represent the highest level of quality in the automotive repair industry," said Ed Lindsay of the Approved Auto Repair program.
    "By exceeding our program's strict requirements, the winners demonstrate they provide top value and service to motorists at a time when cars are made up of complex electronics and computerized equipment."
    Sixty-nine Approved Auto Repair facilities also will be recognized by the Auto Club for the number of years that they have met the program's standards. Those with 10, 15 and 20 years' tenure as Approved Auto Repair shops will receive longevity awards.
    "The longevity awards demonstrate a tradition of service to the community," said Lindsay. "Year in, and year out these shops maintain high standards and keep up with the technological changes in their field."
    Four shops received quality and longevity awards: Guy Hill Cadillac and Miramar Automotive in Clairemont, Swedish Auto Specialist in San Marcos and Modesti's Independent Repair in Culver City.

	   Approved Auto Repair Quality Service Award Winners

    Facility Name                  City                  Award Years

  Automotive Technologies         El Cajon                    5
  Baron's                         San Diego                   2
  Bill & Jim's Auto Repair        Whittier                    1
  Castners Auto Service           Placentia                   4
  Craig Johnson Automotive        Rowland Heights             1
  Dieter's                        San Diego                   1
  Dikes Chevron                   Ventura                     3
  G & M Auto Repair               Canyon Country              2
  Good Guys Automotive            Yorba Linda                 2
  Guy Hill Cadillac               San Diego                   2
  Hansa Motors                    Huntington Beach            4
  Horsman Automotive              Santee                      4
  Jim's Auto Center               Fullerton                   2
  Jon Woods Automotive            San Diego                   5
  Karco Specialities              Orange                      2
  Kirby Oldsmobile                Ventura                     2
  Leisure World Auto Repair Inc.  Laguna Hills                1
  Miramar Automotive              Clairemont                  4
  Modesti's Independent Repair    Culver City                 1
  Nick's Auto Care Center         Cypress                     5
  Ralph's Automotive              Simi Valley                 3
  Rizzoli's Automotive            San Luis Obispo             1
  Rudy's Garage                   Costa Mesa                  4
  Salerno's Servicecenter         Redlands                    2
  Seaside Buick                   San Diego                   3
  Swedish Auto Specialist         San Marcos                  4
  Viking Independent              Laguna Hills                2
  Walt's Auto Service             Torrance                    2
  Weir Canyon Acura               Anaheim Hills               3