AUTOINC. ONLINE - Shop Profile

Seyfer Automotive Inc. stands proud in its 40th year of service.

Don Seyfer, AAM, was overhauling his first flathead V-8 Ford engine at the age of 14, but that's no surprise: he came from a family of car people.

He joined the Saber's Hot Rod Club at 16, and shortly after high school graduation, badgered a service manager at a Ford dealership for a job as a shag boy. “I have always loved cars and working on them. I still do,” said Seyfer.

With 40 years of service, his firm - Seyfer Automotive Inc. General Repair and Mechanical Restoration - operates on the premise that quality enhances performance.

Seyfer started with four bays in his father's garage in 1961, but moved into a body shop with three bays in 1963. Working as sole owner, Seyfer later hired a friend in 1966 as a part-time helper and mechanic. Today, he employs four technicians plus an additional one to two helpers. His son, Donny, is part owner.

Chris Luthye, intern, finishes a timing belt.

Seyfer Automotive Inc., in Wheat Ridge, Colo., has 5,860 square feet of building space and 29,000 square feet for parking and storage. Its highly knowledgeable staff performs between 38 to 42 repairs a week with a four-hour labor per repair order goal. Employees are skilled in high tech areas of current late model repair as well as older vehicles. Seyfer said, “We work on a large cross section of vehicles from late model minivans to '60s and '70s muscle cars and '50s restored collector cars. I believe this diversity keeps our technicians fresh and always evaluating and improving their skills.”

Treating customers like family through honesty, current technology, and “good old days” craftsmanship and service are keys to establishing customer relationships, Seyfer believes.

Education has remained a life-long endeavor. Seyfer has earned his Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation from the Automotive Management Institute (AMI); served on the board of directors for The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE); and has served as past chairman of the board of trustees of its educational foundation, the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF). Both Seyfer and his son, Donny, are ASE certified technicians with L-1 credentials. And his son will soon receive the AAM designation as well.

Seyfer also has served as chairman for the development of ASE's and NATEF's Continuing Automotive Service Education (CASE) program.

Lee Garnett, ASE L-1, and Derek Latham, ASE-1, collaborate on an assignement. Emplyees of Seyfer Automotive are allowed to do so because pay scale is based on salary.

In addition, Seyfer served as director of the Mechanical Division of the Automotive Service Association (ASA) from 1989 to 1994. He also served on ASA's board of directors until 1998, and was ASA chairman from 1996 to 1997.

Seyfer believes such associations and alliances make for improved professional skills and enhance your image.

He and his son enjoy involvement in programs such as the Autocare radio show on the 630 KHOW station, the Wheat Ridge Economic Development Council, the Camaro Club, the Thunderbird Club newsletter, and the Ford Technical Dispute Settlement Board. They also serve on the advisory committee for the local Automotive Youth Education System (AYES) program.

In-house generated direct mail pieces and participation in organizations such as the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and the National Street Rod Association (NSRA) help generate attention to their custom, state-of-the-art projects.

When asked what he likes best about the job, Donny said, “I really enjoy working with so many really talented technicians solving problems that nobody else can fix. I like taking a vehicle and giving it new life, restoring it to just the way our customer remembers it.”

Future plans for Seyfer Automotive include moving to a larger facility that will improve general repair work flow and allow more custom work, restoration projects and performance enhancement effort.

Shop Stats

Name: Seyfer Automotive Inc. General Repair and Mechanical Restoration
Location: Wheat Ridge, Colo.
Square Footage: 5,860 sq. ft. (office 1,000 sq. ft.; shop 4,860 sq. ft.); 29,000 sq. ft., (parking and storage).
No. of Employees: 8
Business Philosophy:“Our corporate environment encourages our employees to treat our customers like family members. Even when our recommendations are not what they want to hear we are absolutely honest. We won't sugarcoat something so that they like us better. Our regular customers often comment that keeps them coming back. We are not afraid to tell them when a car needs to be retired or that a repair they request is not in their best interest or is not needed.”

Now in its 40th Year: Seyfer Automotive Believes Quality Enhances Performance

Shop Stats