To thank our customers, Performance Unlimited is giving away 40 free oil changes this year

What does it take for a business to thrive? What does it take for a business to thrive for four decades? That is a question Denny Norton could answer. He’s done it. Norton’s father, the late Denny Norton Sr., started Performance Unlimited from his garage in 1981. He opened a shop on Route 120, on the West side of town in 1982.

It is from the opening of that shop that Performance Unlimited begins counting the years of its success. But the Nortons have never lost sight of the fact that the years are a barometer of success; there are other ingredients that make success possible.

“The two key ingredients of success for a business are quality and customer service,” said the younger Norton, who has run the auto repair shop now in Ringwood since 2000.

Quality auto repair and maintenance service was a byproduct of the skills and experience Norton Sr. brought to his business when he left a new-car auto dealership in 1981. He was the premier auto repair technician at the dealership but was convinced that he could combine his wealth of expertise with a customer-focus people deserved.

Learning at his father’s side, the younger Norton became equally adept at unlocking the mysteries of superior auto repair and maintenance. It was also at his father’s side that he learned the importance of treating customers with the respect they expect and deserve.

The number of bays in the shop increased over the years and several moves to larger locations. In 1982, they had 2,300 square feet and four stalls. In 1985, they moved into a new location of 4,500 square feet and 6 bays. In 2006, they built their current 6,000-square-foot shop with 8 bays.

More bays require more auto repair technicians. Here, the key is in hiring people with the skills and experience to continue providing the quality Performance Unlimited customers have come to expect. Then, leading from the front, Norton has instilled an understanding of how to provide customer service that is equally important.

In celebration of the 40 years in business, Norton is giving away 40 free oil changes. It’s his way of thanking the people that helped to make those 40 years possible. It’s his way of saying that his respect for his customers is backed up by an understanding that they choose to bring their vehicles to Performance Unlimited. At Performance Unlimited, their side of the agreement is to earn that choice.