Luscious Garage, a hybrids-only car repair shop, opens in Bay Area
The shop, called Luscious Garage, is owned by Carolyn Coquillette, who before entering the motor world got degrees in physics and English from the University of Michigan.
Luscious Garage maintains the environmental cues associated to hybrids with its environmental plan. The shop avoids Volatile Organic Compounds, offers re-refined motor oil, uses local suppliers and recycles scrap metal. Not only that, but it also relies on sunlight as much as possible, as well as using no paper. Ms. Coquillette even commutes by bicycle or bus.
[Source: Wired (thanks to Steve for the tip)]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
dencio 12:38AM (4/15/2008)
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David Fox 12:08AM (9/14/2007)
Perhaps not just a bay area first, but a world first?
Could be an extra lucrative business as plug-in conversions become more cost-effective.
Good luck!!
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T2 4:26PM (9/14/2007)
I looked at this website - it has some deficiences customerwise.
I would want to be assured that a firm targeting a large but niche market is going to be able to make servicing my Prius less expensive than at my dealer's garage.
Will they be carrying at least one of each of some of the more expensive parts e.g. ECU modules on the shelf, electric steering gear and electronic power modules. This is needed for speedy service.
And then what's their source for new parts ? Do they have a business arrangement with the regional Toyota parts depot or do they work through a local dealership in which case I would be expecting an additional markup ?
I would also be motivated to pay them a visit if they were able to demonstrate higher competency. This may be difficult to do today because with such a large population of hybrid cars every dealership probably has one or two good men (or women) who have climbed that learning curve.
Are they using ex Toyota trained mechanics (who we must assume want to specialise in Hybrids) or top notch licensed auto mechanics, of course (who have yet to change out an inverter and be aware of airlock problems, or check transaxle oil for contaminants, or an occasional screw up when not knowing the correct oil to use in which version of HCH CVT, Honda dealers have been known to slip up there- the wrong decision and the car will back in for a whole new CVT etc etc) ?
Interesting if some (Prius) owners could comment whether they would move to a third party service instead of trying with another dealership with their car for whatever reason.
T2
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soma 5:12PM (9/14/2007)
Yeah, I'm a Prius owner, and I'll comment on the previous post.
I don't know of any independent shop that keeps car computers in stock. They don't go out often on the Prius (although as with any vehicle, some have gone bad). Besides, you have to buy them from the dealer, anyway. Let them sit on the dealer's shelf. Dealers sell parts to shops for less than the dealer charges the public, so it all works out.
I took my Prius to Luscious Garage, and they had a part in stock that a couple of dealers did not. And the owner teaches hybrid classes to other mechanics - she seems more than qualified to me.
Besides, as you mention, even the dealer can mess up.
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