Sure, the auto repair shop you recommended does a great jog repairing and maintaining the family car but I need someone who can help with my company’s fleet of trucks. What about that?

Not all auto repair shops are the same. How many mechanics do they have? Do they have the capacity to handle a fleet of vehicles?

Of course, even before you ask those questions, you’ll want to make sure the auto repair shop has the reputation you’re looking for in terms of quality service, as well as timely service. You want to know if they stand behind their service and repairs.

“Working for a customer with a fleet of vehicles is different than working with one customer,” said Denny Norton, the owner of Performance Unlimited in Ringwood. “With a fleet of vehicles, they really depend on their auto repair shop to help them make sure they stay up to date on each vehicle’s maintenance schedule.”

Fleet vehicles can sometimes face a rougher service life, too. Face it, the person behind the wheel doesn’t own the vehicle. Quite often, he or she will not bring the same attitude to maintaining or caring for the vehicle that they might to their own car.

When you consider the cost of a vehicle that is unavailable because it needs repair or maintenance, Norton said it’s essential that they get the cars in and out quickly.

“Still, if the auto repair shop doesn’t do the job right, you’re not helping them at all,” he said. “Either they’ll have to bring it back to you to do it again or they’ll break down on the side of the road and really have a problem.”

Additionally, with all the miles generally travelled by fleet vehicles, Norton said it’s crucial that the vehicles are in safe operating condition. The odds of an accident increase for every mile that you drive. While a personal vehicle may cover 20,000 miles per year, a fleet vehicle may do twice that amount.

The key is whether the auto repair technicians truly have the experience and training to do the job right. Norton said that, at Performance Unlimited, their auto repair technicians are well trained and have a wealth of experience. Additionally, they all take on-going classes and attend seminars to stay at the top of the technological wave in the world of auto repair and maintenance. Any shop that can’t say the same thing is probably not where you want to bring your family car, no less your fleet of vehicles.

“As a businessman myself, I know what it takes to stay in business,” Norton said. “That means I know the challenges my clients face, too. I know that a well-maintained fleet of vehicles is imperative to their success and that they can’t have anymore down time than is absolutely necessary. We work with our clients to make sure their vehicles are on the road when they need them.”

For more information about Performance Unlimited, call 815-728-0343 or visit www.4performanceunlimited.com.