about us

HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO:

" I've been in the auto repair industry right here in Polk County for more than 25 years."

" My Dad was in it for 40 years and my Grandfather was in it for 50 years before that! "

" I've seen many changes take place in the industry, and in the automobiles we're working on. Technology and computers are important factors in collision repair today.

I know the importance of keeping up with these changes and I have invested in the equipment

to do so. "

* Chief Automotive "Velocity" Computerized Electronic Measuring System.

The "velocity" electronic/ laser measuring system is a state of the art system for determining the structural dimensions of a damaged vehicle. It does so within a very high degree of accuracy (less than 1mm, or the width of a dime) . It provides a detailed analysis of structural damages. This is a tool the technician uses to diagnose damage and restore the vehicle to factory specifications. It also creates an easy to understand, printed report, before, during, and after repairs.

*Computerized Paint Lab.

Waterborne basecoat is the latest coatings technology that’s typically used by manufacturers to create the original color on today’s vehicles. According to PPG, the introduction of its waterborne color toners for use in collision centers provides the enhanced ability to match a vehicle’s original finish.

“This is a major technological advancement with no downside,”. “It was a win – win situation, better for the environment, for the employees and great color matches.”

*CCC Information Services Computerized Estimating System / Insurance Company Interface.

We currently have 4 networked computers for our estimating system. This gives us direct communication with major insurance companies, using digital imaging to provide the companies with detailed photographs of collision damage along with the computer generated estimate.

This system also allows us to order parts via e-mail or fax to our parts vendors. Utilizing these procedures shortens the whole repair process.

Pro Spot i4 Inverter Welding System.

More than 10 different types of steel in one vehicle is not unusual. Steels such as AHSS, HSS, T.R.I.P. and BORON are extremely advanced with tremendous yield tensile strengths. The i4 technology is revolutionary compared to others in the industry. It not only measures, monitors, and automatically adjusts the weld current,it samples the weld 650 times per cycle, or one million times per second using the same technology used in the space shuttle and in most satellites. The Analog to Digital converter is extremely powerful and allows the i4 to deliver the exact weld current that is set by the operator regardless of outside circumstances such as low voltage supply, large welds etc.

" The most important thing a repair facility can offer is good " Customer Service". I don't settle for anything less than “GREAT Customer Service” for my customers. "

David Stewart

Stewart Auto Repair

*PPG paint performance guarantee, coverage against:

Peeling or delamination of the topcoat and/or other layers of the paint.

Cracking or Checking

Loss of gloss caused by cracking, checking and hazing.

Any paint failure caused by proven defective PPG automotive products which are covered by warranty.

Good for as long as you own the vehicle.

I first envisioned this shop in my youthful imagination when I was probably about 10 years old and my younger brother David was about 7.

You see we were both born in Columbia, South Carolina and our father and grandfather

were both associated with the repair of damaged or malfunctioning vehicles or as it was

referred to in those days as "the automobile business".

I can distinctly remember going to the barber shop to get a haircut, all those years ago, and waiting our turn to climb on the barbers chair. As we sat there waiting patiently

for our haircut we would listen to the conversations crisscrossing the room.

Talk of politics or the weather or local events and at some point during our visit

one of the adult customers in the shop would ask us the inevitable question "well, young man, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

I would ponder the question for a moment and answer somewhat non assuredly "a policeman"and then a few weeks later after being asked the same question again I would answer just as non assuredly "an astronaut" or "a fireman". Not so my younger brother.

When asked the same question as we inevitably would be, time and time again, my brother

would look the questioner dead in the eye and answer with all the confidence one could possibly imagine and declare very assuredly "I am going to fix wrecked cars like my daddy"

And believe me there was no shred of doubt in anyone's mind who witnessed these events that this young man of 7 years old would not do exactly that, and I am qualified to say so

because I was there. And this was not any single isolated occurrence either. In fact I do not remember a single visit to that barber shop whereas the outcome was any single bit different. As we became older I can remember conversations around the dinner table, in the evenings, and my brother having a million questions about cars that he would pose to our father and each and every one of those questions were given the time and consideration of an answer.

Over the years my brother and I learned a great deal about the inner workings of "automobiles" as our father and grandfather were virtual "fountains" of knowledge.

We made many visits to see our grandfather at our uncles repair shop and made many trips to body shops with our dad as he evaluated damaged vehicles and we learned a lot during those visits. What we also learned from them both was that the true measure of a man was not how big a home he had, or how fancy of a car he drove, but that honesty and integrity and doing what you said you were going to do, and honoring your commitments and having and showing respect for people and their property were the true measure of a man. And learning that has proven to be of the greatest value that we or anyone could ever be taught.

Chuck Stewart

May 11, 2009