Klingenberg said he first discovered ASC-CA in 1989 shortly after he purchased Eye Street Automotive -- which had previously been known as Golden Automotive.  He said he noticed the logo at the bottom of his invoices, which were purchased from the association, and decided he should find out what it was.

When he attended his first meeting, he said he was the youngest guy in the room by 20 years. He saw that as an advantage.  "You can get a lot of insight and wisdom from people who have been there and done that."

Klingenberg said he began participating, became the chapter representative for eight years, a state vice president for several years, and was elected state president in 2006.  The association, which is primarily a volunteer organization, has changed over the years to meet member needs. In January it hired a professional management company to handle paperwork and other back office duties, he said.

"It allows the shop owners that are volunteering to not have to worry about the paperwork, so we can attend more meetings and work on more things for the industry," Klingenberg said, noting that a group had just attended the recent meeting to discuss the so-called Super-Warranty, by which the state originally intended for car manufacturers to warranty emissions systems for 15 years or 150,000 miles.  The legislation now requests a recall system for problems within 10 years or 120,000 miles after car manufacturers lobbied that this was the useful life of a vehicle.

  
Klingenberg said ASC-CA is lobbying that a warranty be offered rather than mandatory recalls because it is afraid that otherwise, consumers will become conditioned to visit the dealer every time the check-engine light comes on.  "Small garages currently do 93 percent of all of the smog repair in California," he said.

Klingenberg said the association also continues to support state and national Right to Repair legislation.  "We would like it to be mandatory for the manufacturers to give us the same repair information that they make available to their dealers," he said.  While there is a voluntary information access program in place, it is not comprehensive and gives no long-term guarantee that the information will be shared, he said.  "Ford, GM, Toyota, and Honda have really stepped up but BMW won't give us squat," he said.  "On a new Mercedes you don't just install a new shifter and put it back on the road.  You need to be able to program it in order for it to work properly, so we need the information."

Other key issues the association is currently working on include health insurance, and funding for vocational programs, he said.  In addition, he said the association has built a very strong relationship with the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) in Sacramento, and with the bureau chief.  "They know we have a good pulse on what's going on, so they come to us and say 'What if…?' and we go to them and say 'What if…?'"

Klingenberg said the positive relationship also extends to many of the local BAR offices, including the one in Bakersfield.  "We have a very good relationship with the Bureau of Auto Repair here in town," he said.  "We call them and they call us.  The people there are very pleasant and work with us.  If you have a problem you can call them and they will offer you guidance."

While the importance of ASC-CA in representing the industry on these major issues can't be ignored, Klingenberg said he believes the most valuable benefit of participating in the association is the friendships that are formed and the camaraderie.  He noted that most of the association's 34 local chapters hold monthly meetings and the dates and locations are available on the ASC-CA Web site, ASCCA.com, or by calling the state office at 800-810-4272.

"You have people you can turn to when you need some guidance," Klingenberg said.  "If I have a Pontiac with a problem that we just can't figure out, I can pick up the phone and call another shop owner.  Or if a customer's car breaks down in another town I can pick up the membership book and find a shop that can help them without worrying about getting raked over the coals."  He said that he and other members around the Bakersfield area also often loan each other specialty tools.

The association continues to help with the details, Klingenberg said, including owning its own insurance firm to offer workers comp and garage owner's policies and having discount programs with Office Depot, with training companies, and with a merchandising company.

Klingenberg's Eye Street Automotive has five employees -- two in the office and three technicians -- working in 12 bays.  Klingenberg said it is a general repair shop but they do a lot of maintenance, brakes, and emissions system repairs.  In the last three to four years, the shop has also begun doing more hot rods, street rods, and restorations, he said.  "Why? One showed up and like fly paper the rest followed," he said.

Klingenberg said the restoration and hot rod work is used as fill-in work when the shop slows down a bit and helps keep business consistent.  He said they focus on street driven cars rather than show cars.

"The role of the general repair shop is changing," he said.  "You need to get into more specialization -- find a niche and focus on it."

The industry is becoming too diverse for a shop to understand every type of repair and have all of the equipment necessary, Klingenberg said, and it is also more important than ever to repair the car properly the first time.  "You can't be afraid to send it down the road, if you're not certain that you can repair it right the first time," he said.  "All you're going to do is spend a lot of money on work you can't collect for and make the customer mad."

Klingenberg said his shop's focus on maintenance came about because cars are lasting longer and breaking down less, so the emphasis has moved more to maintaining them.  In addition, he said about 50 percent of the shop's business is fleet work, which is more maintenance-conscious. 

 
The shop encourages customers to bring their cars back every 5,000 miles, Klingenberg said, at which time a free 27-point inspection is performed.  "We do a thorough once over and suggest what needs to be done today, in a month, or farther down the road," he said.  "It's surprising how many people will just tell us to take care of everything."

Klingenberg said the shop became a NAPA AutoCare Center in 1993 because he liked the national brand recognition and the parts warranty.  He said he also appreciates that his supplier,  Bakersfield NAPA, has really stepped up to provide training and support the local ASC-CA chapter.  He said he also buys from Fast Undercar because they have very quick service and also support shops with a lot of training.  He said the shop buys from other local suppliers, including Jim Burke Ford, Richland Chevrolet, Mark's Auto Parts, and Bart's Parts.

I've dealt with many of them for over 20 years," Klingenberg said, noting that he was a service manager at a local dealership for a number of years before buying his shop.  "They have good inventory, fast delivery, and if they have to order it for the next day it shows up when it's promised."

Whether it's partnering with a good supplier or partnering with other shops to affect the laws and regulations that will drive the industry, Klingenberg said shop owners need to take control of their own businesses.  "This is your industry, it's your livelihood," he said.  "You can't afford not to get involved."