St. Louis–-When Walter Muench immigrated to St. Louis from Germany in 1955, it was natural for him to want to do what he knew best-–fix German automobiles, said his son, Ray Muench.
Shortly after opening Walter’s Foreign Car Service in 1958, Volkswagen began flooding the American market with the Beetle, and because Muench was one of the first certified VW mechanics west of the Mississippi, his son said he benefited from a lot of work flowing into his new shop. As the popularity of VWs and imports grew, so did Muench’s business.
“Most garages back then didn’t know what to do when a VW came in for service,” said Muench, current owner of the shop. His father’s familiarity with Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen lead him to also specialize in other European brands such as BMW, Audi, Saab, Volvo, and Land Rover, he said.
In the 1970s, as Japanese imports became increasingly popular, the need for a good Japanese specialist became apparent, and Walter’s took them on, too, though by this time other shops were quicker to learn the ins and outs of them, Muench said.
Muench, who took over the shop in 1990 when his father retired, said he believes a shop specializing in only European and Japanese vehicles still offers specific advantages to customers.
While his labor rate is lower than many independent garages, chains, and dealers, Muench said what attracts and keeps European and Japanese car owners is the expertise and reliable service that Walter’s offers. One of his technicians, James Nichols, has been with Walter’s for over 30 years; another, John McMahon, for over 20 years.
Muench was quick to point out that this collective experience also translates into value for customers.
Most customers who patronize Walter’s live within a five-mile radius of the well-maintained seven-bay shop, still in its original location after 51 years, Muench said. But since 1958, some of the most affluent suburbs in St. Louis have sprouted up around the shop, putting it in close proximity with those who can afford high-end German and Japanese autos, and also appreciate them enough to drive them for many years, he said.
“None of our customers are a number to us,” he said. “We know most of them by name, and, in some cases, we’re serving the second or third generation of the same families my dad had as customers years ago. They know us, too.”
Since the only advertising Walter’s does is in the Yellow Pages, the shop has relied on happy, loyal customers for an envious word-of-mouth campaign that has provided a steady stream of new customers, Muench said.
Even with three Bosch-certified service technicians, Muench admitted that there are challenges to keeping a shop like his profitable.
Keeping up with vehicle electrical systems that change with each model year and are seldom standardized from manufacturer to manufacturer is very frustrating, he said. He said he gives dealers the advantage here because they often get the information much faster.
Like most other shops, Walter’s relies on the Internet to research service specifications and processes, Muench said. The shop’s technicians use Bosch diagnostic engine analyzers, scopes, and meters along with Automotive Specialty Tools’ Retriever units and Autologic scanners for Mercedes and BMW, he said. Web sites provided by VW, BMW, and Mercedes offer needed service and repair information, in addition to WorldPac’s online forums, he added.
“We’ve come a long way from when the only difference between European and American vehicles was metric wrenches,” he said. He also recalled that when his dad opened the shop, it was the first in St. Louis to have Hunter alignment equipment, a brand it still relies on today.
Parts suppliers of choice are WorldPac and Al’s Auto Supply, Muench said. “When a supplier will rush an oil filter over so we can complete a job, I appreciate that,” he said. “That helps me get more jobs done per day.”
WORLDPAC, who supplies Bosch, NGK, and Denso parts to Walter’s, opened a local warehouse a few years ago and will also ship overnight free, he said.
Although appointment volume is down, the average price per RO has increased substantially, Muench said. The poor economy is a double-edged sword, he said, adding that customers are either putting off normal scheduled maintenance or, having decided not to purchase a new vehicle, investing some money in their car to make it more dependable.
Either way, he said he finds it necessary to remind customers of the importance of adhering to manufacturer-recommended service intervals for their vehicle to protect their investment.
Muench said he makes it a point to encourage customers with older vehicles to use a synthetic motor oil blend. Engine flushes are also required more often with newer cars, he said, adding that front-end and ignition problems are not uncommon for today’s VW and Audi models.
Being a specialist opens lots of opportunities for Walter’s, and because of the specialized nature of the tools required to work on imports, the shop will often collaborate with two or three other local shops-–sharing tools, discussing a diagnosis, and even doing the work for the other shop, Muench said.
In the future, Muench said he hopes to retain customers and add a few more. “If that happens, we’ll be doing fine,” he said, adding that European cars have always been more expensive to maintain, usually last longer, and have a higher resale value.
