Urbandale, Iowa--"The problem with the automotive industry right now is that everything is a challenge," said Mike Hopper, parts manager at Stew Hansen Dodge Jeep. "It is a challenge for the independent garage, and it is a challenge for the dealer, so we have to find a way to make those challenges a little bit easier for everybody."

Wichita, Kan.--When Rusty Eck Ford built its new body shop in 2004, the goal was to hit $300,000 in sales per month. After quickly obtaining that mark, it was bumped to $400,000, and after another growth spurt, Parts and Service Director Kent Haskett said the body shop is now reaching $500,000 a month in sales.

Topeka, Kan. -- Last year, Mike Starkebaum, owner of 4x4 Land, worked on more than 80 Jeeps out of the Kansas City metro area. With his truck and trailer, he said he personally made the 120-mile round-trip to pick up 75 of those Jeeps.

Through his connection with the Kansas City Jeep Club, Starkebaum said he realized that there were a lot of Jeep owners in the Kansas City area that did not have easy access to a shop that offered the kind of work he specialized in.

Harrisonville, Mo.--Recently, Danny Roberts Jr., owner of Roberts Tire Center, said he has become the bearer of bad news to a number of customers regarding the tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) on their vehicles.  Roberts, who said he sells about 1,500 new tires each month between his two stores, said many dealerships are not informing customers about TPMS when they buy new cars, which unfortunately requires customers to learn about them after the fact.

Omaha--CARSTAR franchisee Owner Greg Petersen said he was pleasantly surprised when his CARSTAR Northwest collision center was awarded Franchisee of the Year out of 280 stores at the 19th annual CARSTAR National Franchise Conference on June 29-July 1 in Baltimore. 

Sedalia, Mo. -- For most, retirement marks the end of going to work every day. For Ken Randolph, owner of K&C Precision Engine, it was just the beginning. Even before retiring from the Navy in 2004, as a nuclear-certified welder and machinist, he said he purchased a machine shop in his home town. 

Odessa, Mo. -- Everyday on I-70, thousands of tractor-trailers roll past the town of Odessa, 40 minutes east of Kansas City.  When trucks stop at the scales nearby, some trucks get shut down due to safety issues such as airbags, brakes, lights, and springs.  When that happens, John Gittinger, owner of Odessa Diesel Repair, said he has worked hard to make sure many of those service calls come his way. 

Merriam, Kan. -- As the saying goes, you have to spend money to make money. So, four years ago, Ron Butler, owner of Butler C&D, said he made an investment that allowed him to perform BMW approved aluminum repairs. The total cost cited by Butler: $65,000--which included a Celette dedicated fixture-frame bench, a Gesipa PowerBird rivet extractor, a Cebora Aluminum Power Spot welder, and a BMW toolbox with special aluminum tools.