Qualifications:

El Cajon has been home to Greg's Automotive for over 30 years. We have been dedicated to being the best auto repair since the day we opened our doors. At Greg's, only the best technicians are retained to properly repair and maintain your vehicle. We service most vehicles, including Chevrolet, Nissan, Toyota, Ford and VW. Our modern and well-maintained alignment equipment enables us to do all types of alignments, including four wheel or thrust line alignments.

Conserving water and resources is not new to Greg and company. We have been on the cutting edge of using low flow facilities (even though the property owner thought is was a passing fancy). We were switching to water based cleaners long before it was mandated and have been shutting off unused lights as a habit. In looking at the "green" aspects of our business, we have installed all energy conserving light fixtures, cut back the times our water based cleaning machines are on heating to the bare minimum. We had an energy conserving heater/air conditioner installed last Spring. The new shop had never had anything besides old window units.

Greg has been a certified Master Automotive Technician since first certifying in 1975. He later added Master Truck technician to his qualifications. Even later, he took and passed the new designation L-1, which is Advanced Engine Performance Tech. Greg has held a smog inspection license continuously since 1972. Since being in business requires much different skills than repairing vehicles, Greg has pursued and achieved the designation of Accredited Automotive Manager. This has required an ongoing commitment of approximately 500 hours of intense study.

Most of the technicians at Greg's are ASE certified. That includes two that are certified Master Techs. Mike and Greg are also certified in the advanced diagnostic designation, L-1. In addition, all of our techs are certified in at least one ASE category, such as Brakes, Suspension and Engine Repair.

Remaining a technician at Greg's is not  an easy task. Only techs with high morals and ethics are able to "stick" doing car repairs for Greg. Ongoing education is a requirement, as is adherance to all Haz Mat and especially environmental laws.

Short history of business:

Greg Kelly started Greg's Automotive in the summer of 1979 in East El Cajon as a master technician. The shop quickly grew and outgrew the original location. I moved to Johnson Ave in 1982. We kept growing, and Sheri came to work full time as we added technicians. Both Sheri and I have the only accredited degree in auto shop management, an AAM.

We have raised our children to adulthood and now have 5 grandchildren. We also have two shops but are looking forward to retirement in, oh, about 10 years. Meanwhile, we take as much time to spend with the grandkids as is possible. My techs appreciate a clean, honest business to work in. Mike has been with me for 27 years. They range down from there, through 10 years, down to our newest tech that has only been with us at Helix for a short while, but he fit right in.

The finances are recovering from the costs of the latest move, business is as good as can be expected, and our reputation is as good as ever. We all look forward to serving you in the future.

Certifications:

Affiliations:

Greg's Automotive has a significant number of customers that have been coming to us for over 30 years. Greg's has also served the consumers by participating in various Chamber of Commerce committees as well as being a member of local service organizations. Greg's Automotive has been an Auto Club Approved Garage Facility since 1984, and has won the Quality Assurance award three times from the Auto Club. Greg has served the repair industry and consumers by being a leader in the local chapter and State organization of the automotive trade association, Automotive Service Councils of California.

Trade Associations in the Automotive Industry

Trade associations in almost any line of work are important. Automotive associations fill the needs of education, political activism and business mentors. California has its group, Automotive Service Councils of California, or ASCCA, the oldest trade group of its kind. The national group is Automotive Service Association, ASA. Although there are no formal ties between these two groups, they do complement each other. ASCCA was directly responsible for the law that makes the automakers share tools and information with the independent automotive aftermarket. This effectively kept the manufacturers from having a lock on auto repair, breaking a chance for monopoly. The consumers of California benefited by having a vibrant and active aftermarket to properly service their vehicles instead of having to go to the dealer. The group offers insurance services specific to our businesses which allow us to hold down costs, both to us and you the consumer. There is also a local group, which in San Diego is Chapter 24. We meet monthly for informational seminars, fellowship and fun. Once a year Chapter 24 sponsors a competition between local high schools automotive departments at Cuyamaca College. The local chapter also lobbies our state representatives both here at home and in Sacramento.

ASA has a lobbyist in Washington, D.C. The national group has a management training group that puts on seminars and webinars throughout the country with nationally known speakers. The topics range from dealing with employees, business structure, phone skills and business management. Sheri and I have both earned the designation of Accredited Automotive Managers from ASA. These business skills have allowed us to not only stay in business for over 30 years, but has enabled us to make sure we operate in a good business environment that allows us to offer consumers the most for their automotive maintenance dollars.

Of course, these are only a small portion of what our trade associations do and offer us. But the bottom line is that they have helped us to grow and stay in business to continue serving you, our customers.

Our Auto Service Advisors:

Our service advisors are all specialists in doing one thing: making sure you vehicle gets proper repairs and maintenance, only what it needs and all at a fair price. Sheri, my wife of over 38 years, manages Helix Auto Care (soon to become Greg's Automotive Helix) She has been "immersed" in the auto repair business for a long time and knows so much about how cars work, it is pretty easy for her to explain what is going on with your car. She is also an Accredited Automotive Manager, as I am. The newest member of our team is Ray Sanchez. He is a promising young man with a 2 year degree in automotive science and skills. Ray has the intelligence and drive to succeed in the business, and he takes direction well. Teaching him our ethics was not a problem. He walked in the door thinking correctly. Marc Greve is our third advisor. Please note that we sound very much alike on the phone and he is usually better at identifying himself. Some people also think we are brothers. We are not but when it comes to making customers happy, we very much think alike. Besides, I am better looking than him.