“I don’t want to say it’s a whole new story. It’s a new chapter for sure,” says Rui Silvestre, owner of My Neighbourhood Mechanic in Toronto.

“Not a new story,” he expands, “because luckily all the team came over; it’s still the exact same team. So we’ve worked together for years. Like, we’re talking some techs that I’ve been with for probably about eight years. So it’s not a new leaf, but almost like a little spinoff from where we were before.”

Where they were before was High Park Master Mechanic, which had gained more than a little fame locally and within the industry due to its creative street signs and its massive efforts to build community connections, all inspired largely by the efforts of Josie Candito.

Silvestre is grateful for the opportunity to have worked with and learned from that experience.

“Just a great overall person,” he says of his old boss. “I’d personally been with Josie for about 16 years at Master Mechanic before she decided to retire. But we’ve worked together for a very long time.

“She would always put me in the spotlight. And not even just me – the whole team in general. She would always make sure that people knew that it’s not one person that could do this; it’s a team. Without a team, you’re one person, you can’t do it.”

But now, with My Neighbourhood Mechanic, it’s Silvestre who is front and centre and responsible for continuing to build on that experience and that philosophy.

“For me personally, I want to continue that legacy, that type of service, and the commitment to the community. That will always keep going, but to do it as well as someone like Josie, well, those are big shoes to fill.”

But things are off to a good start, he says. The key has been to take a collaborative approach from the outset – including the rare opportunity for the entire team to help design and build a brand new shop.

“So the team is happy. We were lucky; we were able to design this place from the ground up pretty much. So it was a clean slate. Everybody had their input as to what we should do, what would make it good. We’re about a 5,900-square-foot facility. We have a lot of brand-new equipment, state-of-the-art, with all their inputs and everything. It’s definitely a big change from where we were before.

“Pretty much everything in here is brand new, all painted to match our theme. We have a brand-new aligner. So that is all up and running. We have state-of-the-art tire machines.

“We offer pretty much everything digitized, so we’re almost paperless. Everything is done through digital inspections. All the techs have iPads. They all have their own designated software that they use.

“We have a total of seven bays’ workflow. It gives the techs a lot more room, because we were at about six bays before, but it was very tight – to the point where we were walking all over each other, even trying to go get something. So now they’re able to design their workspace the way they want it. Everything is customized to make it max in efficiency, max safety-wise, and just a good overall work experience for them every day.”

Going virtually paperless, Silvestre says, was a key decision.

“One of our struggles is always efficiency and [maintaining] the full transparency we have towards our customers, which we’ve always had. But with the digital inspections and the extra features that we can use, it just emphasizes that. It goes that extra step, so that the customer gets the knowledge – even in real time; if we want to, we can message them right from the station here. And it’s just a better overall experience for us, to continue that ongoing trust and relationship with the customer that we already have going.”

As focused as he is on continuing the shop’s commitment to the community, the conversation keeps returning to the team, and the renewed “contract” that the new shop presents to them.

“They’re all happy about this. They’re committed to the team as well. They all play their own part. They have great facilities here. Even their own little kitchen and lunchroom, which they got to design and build for themselves as well. So, they’re all pretty happy.

“We got lucky; we got this opportunity to just build. And at the end of the day, as a shop owner, I’m not here by myself. So yes, we know how we want it to run and that sort of thing. But overall, team experience, happy techs, happy workplace is a huge goal as well.”

None of this is to say, of course, that Silvestre doesn’t know there will be challenges ahead.

“The marketplace reality is still hard. As a tech, with everything changing, the types of diagnostics changing, the main thing that we have to focus on – and do focus on – is training. We can’t stand still. And me and my guys, we all know that we have to continue, develop, go to courses, stay up with the latest technology, have the tools and the knowledge to be able to adapt to those types of situations as well.

“In terms of hurdles, I think the hurdles have always been there, and they’ll always probably be the same in terms of issues. For example, there are certain files that the dealer just doesn’t let go of. We’re still limited; we have to go over to the States to get that type of information. So in certain cases, we are still limited, just like everybody else.

“But as a whole trade, we need to continue our training, stay on top of the technology. Because every two years it just changes all over again.”

Even while recognizing that, Sylvestre believes firmly that some of the decisions they have been able to make by having a completely new facility will help them meet those challenges.

“So now we have the space [that gives us] the time to go through certain diagnostics. The bigger space is a huge benefit for us. Now, I don’t have to limit the space I have in order to service our regular customers. We can get down and figure out all the problems that arise or problem cars that come by – and even help other local businesses. Sometimes we get some of their vehicles as well.”

Having some dedicated spaces – like a diagnostic bay – allows them to keep vehicles in place, rather than pushing vehicles in and out just to make room for less involved jobs.

Another key advantage is the opportunity to start fresh with new equipment.

He says a lot of research went into these decisions. Ultimately they chose much of the new equipment from Snap-on and its related brands, like John Bean. Sylvestri is grateful for the help he’s received in that process.

“Our Snap-on equipment dealer has helped us tremendously in making the right choices, explaining the options, and just guiding us through what equipment best fits our needs and what we were planning on doing here. NAPA has always helped us as well. They also give us some extra information on machinery and other equipment that we may need, and the  latest access to certain manufacturers that they carry as well.”

As much as Silvestre believes My Neighbourhood Mechanic has the pieces and partners in place, he still feels the pressure to succeed.

“If someone does not feel the pressure under these circumstances, they’re lying,” he laughs. “There’s always pressure, there’s always doubts, that sort of thing. The one thing I do have is the support of a great community around us. So we did stay in the community. We’re right around our old customers. They like what we stand for and who we are and how we do things. So, I think once we get the word out, everything will be okay.

“We have the proper staff, we have the trained technicians, we have an amazing customer service team in the front. We’ve all been trained by one of the greatest in terms of service – and what I personally believe the automotive trade should

be, in terms of how we deal with customers, how we do the work, to even just the way we stand behind our work.

“I think with those values, it’s just a matter of time maybe, but we’re bound for success.”

This article originally appeared in the July/August issue of Indie Garage. READ THE ENTIRE RECENT EDITION HERE

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Special Bonus Content! More About the Shop

My Neighbourhood Mechanic is located at 4 Cariboo Ave., in Toronto’s West End.

The street contains a mix of businesses, including some automotive, and is surrounded by mixed residential.

The facility is approximately 5900 square feet and includes seven lifts, including a 12,000 lb capacity four post lift located with the alignment equipment.

Large Equipment

• John Bean B800p balancer
• John Bean 77200 tire machine
• Hoffman 1025 tire machine
• Six two post service lifts (Most Atlas)
• John bean V2380 Imaging Diagnostic Wheel Alignment System paired with new 12,000 lb -four-post lift.
  

Diagnostic Equipment

• MODIS Ultra Integrated Diagnostic System
• Snap-on MODIS
• Snap on APOLLO
• Snap-on TRITON
• Autel Scanner
• Ross-Tech VCDS VAG-COM

Shop Management System

• SHOP BOSS with integrated Digital Visual Inspection and custom inspection sheets
• All techs have dedicated iPad