Rex Kimball

A bad experience with an auto repair shop would naturally make one cautious about going to just any shop. Perhaps you or someone you know has had a bad experience. It might have started with clipping a coupon from the paper to get an oil change at a nearby shop for $20, but when you go to claim the coupon, you somehow end up paying a lot more than $20. Or the front desk person might inform you that your vehicle is on the brink of annihilation unless you cough up a lot more cash for repairs you weren’t even planning on. Maybe you know a little about auto repair—maybe you don’t. And if you don’t, it becomes especially difficult to know whether your vehicle actually needs those repairs or if the person at the front desk is just a salesperson who is trying to oversell you.

Crawford’s Auto Repair was specifically established to be different from these types of shops. It was founded by Brad Weiss and a partner who had both met while working at the dealership. They observed how the front-desk salespeople would add unnecessary services to the bill to increase commissions and profits. Many of these customers probably thought they needed those services if the dealership was suggesting it … right? Brad and his partner both had the desire to offer a more honest service where they focus on what the vehicle needs and communicate honestly with the customer.

At first, they tried to do it without front-desk people, but as the business grew (due in large part to their superior service and getting fantastic reviews online), they had to add more structure to maintain higher levels of operations. This meant having people at the front desk, but they still maintain a standard of honesty and open communication. Crawford’s doesn’t call these individuals “service writers,” as they are often called in the industry. Crawford’s calls them “service managers,” which is an important distinction. They are not paid by commission, and they are certainly not encouraged by upper management to sell unnecessary services. Combine that with expert technicians, and Crawford’s provides “Quality You Can Trust,” as their tagline states.

Eventually, Brad bought his partner’s portion of the business. Then Brad made his wife Leann part owner, making it both a family-owned and operated shop and a woman-owned business. Three years ago, they moved to a new location in Chandler, which is near Sun Lakes. So, if you need service for your vehicle, then bring it to the shop, and each technician will treat your vehicle like it belonged to their own mother.

Crawford’s Auto Repair, 450 E. Frye Road, Chandler, AZ 85225, www.crawfordsautoservice.com, 480-201-0720