Karri Buck – Consultant, Virtual Assistant, Paralegal
Are Those Monkeys With Wrenches Under The Hood?
I’ve had the pleasure of writing about boutiques, restaurants, realtors, the small business industry and why you should be a part of your local Chamber of Commerce (spoiler alert: because you help make your community even more amazing by joining!), but I’ve never had the opportunity to write about a mechanic. Until today.
Donnie Owen of Owen Automotive took the time to sit down with me and give me insight into an industry that goes largely unnoticed until it can’t be ignored. I think we’ve all been there. We’re cruising down the road happily jamming to our favorite song when we look at the dash and we see the check engine light come on, or we hear a grinding noise coming from our tire area or, if we’ve been really lazy in our upkeep, the sound of monkeys cutting loose with wrenches under the hood. No matter the sight or sound, we know what we need. A mechanic.
Let’s be honest. The auto industry doesn’t have the most stellar name. Used car salesmen and mechanics tend to make us want to visit the dentist instead. That’s where Donnie and his team come in. They are making a difference in their community by being an example of fairness, integrity and knowledge of their craft.
Donnie has been a mechanic long before some of you could drive. In 1998 he started into business with his dad at Owen Alignment after graduating from State Tech. He then moved on to working for Bill Hannah’s towing before opening his own shop 10 years ago. He has 8 employees on staff, one of whom is his own son. Another of his boys helps out from time to time as well. Gayle and Christie are his right-hand women. They do the intake, are the face of customer service and simply do whatever needs to be done to make your experience a good one.
Alignment, front end suspension and steering are the specialty at Owen Automotive, but if you drive a gas, 1 ton or less vehicle, they’re willing and able to fix what ails you. On average, Donnie and his team work on 185 vehicles a month. They do basic maintenance, such as oil changes, but they also replace bearings, fuel pumps, coil packs and beyond.
I asked Donnie what advice he has for us as a seasoned mechanic. His answer was simple. Maintenance. Bring your vehicle in for oil changes based on your vehicle specs, which is an average of about 5000 miles. Above and beyond that, you should get a comprehensive exam done on your vehicle at least twice a year. Owen Automotive does a basic overview when they do an oil change, but for just a bit more they’ll dig deep and check for any issues that simply aren’t visible to the untrained eye. It’s important to head these issues off. It’s equally important not to wait until the check engine light has been on for 6 months and you have a list of ten things wrong with your vehicle before you bring it in to get things looked at.
Donnie and his wife Abby, a local salon legend, have 7 kids. Some are biological, some are from the heart, but all are their whole world. One of their daughters, Kyah, had a rough start to life. Instead of dwelling on that, with the help of her parents, she has set her sights on changing her community. She is involved in raising money for Fayette Cares and donating socks, teddy bears or whatever else might be needed to organizations such as Carl Perkins. She’s helping raise awareness for abuse by doing what she can, right where she is.
With a heart like that, you know where it comes from. That same care and dedication is what you’ll find at Owen Automotive. Donnie’s theory is “whatever is wrong; fix it”. He’s not in this industry to be more of the same. He’s in it to save his customers money, to provide them with a safe vehicle to drive after repairs are made and to give his customers a reason to trust the industry. Though vehicles aren’t built the way they used to be; an honest, hard-working team of mechanics at Owen Automotive is ready step up and make your day just a bit better when you need them.
If that little orange light has been staring you in the eye or you can’t recall the last time you had an oil change, it’s time to call Donnie and his team. You’ll be glad you did. You can find them at 9565 US-64 just east of Oakland or you can give them a call at 901-734-5601.
~Written by Karri Buck~