Who are we at Fred’s Auto Repair?

Fred’s Auto Repair of Briarcliff is an auto repair shop right in your neighborhood. Fred’s has been at this same location since 1974 when Fred started the business. Fred grew up right down the street from the shop on Ridgeview Drive, with his 3 brothers and 2 sisters. Fred played at Ryder Park when he was a kid and just can’t believe the changes in the area over the years. Fred is an alumnus of Ossining High School. At the age of 16 a neighbor called and asked Fed if he would like to work for him, he grabbed the chance. This was at Scott Motors now Mount Kisco BMW. In January of 1974 Fred decided it was time to open up his own place and for the last 34 years, has had absolutely no regrets.

Unlike some other business owners, Fred is a “working” boss. For thirty years he has built a loyal following based on trust that spans generations of drivers. Fred wears many hats during the course of the day. One minute he is a New York State Inspector, the next he may be helping out in the office preparing estimates or talking to customers. Without warning his hat may change again as he repairs a car or runs out to retrieve a desperately needed part. Fred still operates his business with the needs of the customer in mind. The only thing that has changed over the years is the amount of hair on his head

The Team

First and foremost, we are a team, dedicated to each other as well as to our performance. Jokes and pranks seem to run rampant, keeping moral high, but we never let our jocularity interfere with our work…we are professionals with a combined automotive experience of sixty years! A happy shop is a good shop and a good shop is a happy shop. The combination of all these factors translates into happy customers.

The Weapons

We are armed with an arsenal of diagnostic equipment, the latest tools and an extensive computer library that puts most repair information at our fingertips. If we need a new tool we buy it. If we need more information we get it. For those rare bothersome problems that evade logic, there is Carquest and TechNet (a hotline that compiles dealership information with some very talented guys at the helm). If all else fails, there is the power of the Internet. We have the ability to chat with Master Auto Technicians from all over the world!

The Men

Ken Valentine, front office

Ken is the slim dynamo that answers the phones, schedules appointments and handles the clerical work needed to keep things going. Customer reminder notices, parts ordering and invoicing are only a small part of his daily chores.

Of all of Ken’s chores, ordering of parts has to be the worst. When a parts supplier tells him that we will have the parts at two o’clock and they don’t arrive, the technicians harass poor Ken until the parts do arrive. It has gotten to the point that when Ken says a part is going to arrive at a certain time, the technicians affectionately tell him to stop lying or that his nose is growing.

It still evades us what Ken likes to do in his spare time. We suspect that he has voodoo dolls of all of us at home to get back at us for the torture he gets put through. This may explain the aches and pains all of us are experiencing. If you mention that “Ken’s nose is growing” when you drop off your car for service, you will receive a 5% discount off the service, but please, only once per customer. All of this talk about Ken’s lying may be starting to give him a complex…we don’t want him to have to start therapy.

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