With the convenience and connection of social media today, it would seem everyone would have a greater sense of community and belonging. Instead, many ache for the simpler days of the past, like what was seen in Mayberry of The Andy Griffith Show. The feeling of living in a place where everyone knows each other by their first name is almost unknown today. Every once in a while, though, we get a glimpse of that kind of living. If you’re looking for a hint of that hometown feel where people treat each other rightly and strive to get along, teamed with a modern sense of urgency and up-to-date skills and technology, Dealer Solutions Automotive in Huntsville serves up just that.
Owners Chris and Kathy Cunningham have been residents of Huntsville for over thirty years with their three children. They have been in business since 2010. Chris is a lifelong mechanic. Before starting their business, he was employed at a local car dealership in the service department for many years. He had a desire to branch out on his own after many changes at the dealership that left their work family spread out and going in different directions, and as he watched some customers unable to make repairs on their vehicles because of costs.
“I wanted to provide dealer quality work at a reasonable price,” said Chris.
Working with your spouse doesn’t come without its challenges, but the Cunninghams enjoy being a team in the workplace. “It’s a lot of togetherness,” said Kathy, the business manager. “A lot of people who see us say, ‘You work together? And then you go home together? That’s gotta be hard!’ No, not really. We do pretty good with it.”
Chris agreed. “It’s not bad,” he said. “Work stays at work, and home is home. Very seldom do we bring work home.”
Chris initially began working out of his neighbor’s garage and later opened up a shop in a commercial space. When the business outgrew that location, they moved to their permanent location on Highway 75 North in Huntsville. Kathy joined the team in 2014 with experience in IT, customer service, and administration in the insurance industry.
“I went through intense on-the-job training as our service writer,” she said. “I had learned my customer service skills in the insurance world. I had to learn about fixing cars.”
Chris acknowledges the skill and knowledge Kathy has attained over the last 10 years. “Now she can almost tell you how to fix a car over the phone,” he said.
Dealer Solutions is a full-service auto repair shop. They specialize in auto and diesel repair of all makes and models. This includes general maintenance, engine repairs, transmission work, alignments, accessories–everything from an oil change to lifts to major repairs and replacements. When it comes to what makes them stand out in the auto repair industry, the Cunninghams agree that it’s a partnership of quality work and family-style customer service.
According to Chris, with each customer, he considers whether or not a vehicle would be roadworthy for his wife and kids. If he doesn’t feel that the vehicle would be safe for his family, they work to determine the problem and how to fix it. That is their bar and standard when it comes to caring for their customers.
The Cunninghams are proud of the team they’ve built, which Chris refers to as a ‘tight-knit family’. The team consists of Buck Lewis, service advisor; David Guillory, lead technician; Lee Holl, technician; and Jorge Arizaga, technician. All technicians are ASE certified and factory trained. They’re also a NAPA Auto Care Center. Some of their employees are graduates of the CTE auto mechanics program at Huntsville High School. They’ve received multiple accolades from The Huntsville Item’s Reader’s Choice Awards over the years, being recognized as the top choice for diesel repair shop several times.
The team has over 80 years combined shop mechanic experience. With the right tools, equipment and technology, they’re equipped to take on jobs that present an abundance of issues for shade-tree mechanics and those that end up in the shop with a box full of parts in the back of their truck.
They work together to not only service their customer’s vehicles, but to educate them with honesty and transparency as well. “People ask me all the time, when it’s a major repair, ‘What would you do if it was your vehicle?’ There’s a lot of those kinds of conversations that we have with people,” said Kathy.
Chris noted that it depends on how much you love your car when it comes to major repairs compared with the value of the vehicle. They often get calls asking which cars they would advise their customers to buy, or to avoid, when they’re seeking to purchase a new vehicle.
They attribute their wide customer base to that personal touch and hometown care. Caring for the community is their driving force. They sponsor Huntsville ISD athletics, the fair and rodeo, and other youth and community organizations.
“Never in a million years did I ever think that many people would know me, just because I worked on cars,” he said. This is both a blessing and what helps to keep them on the straight and narrow.
“I don’t want to be the one hiding from you in the grocery store,” said Kathy, with a laugh.
If they could advise the public to handle any one maintenance issue to set their autos up for success, it would be making sure to stay on top of regular oil changes. “That’s what we see the most of,” said Kathy. “Going until the oil change reminder says for you to change your oil is detrimental over the long-term.”
According to Chris, with the varying factors of high heat, condensation, and dirt, oil changes need to be completed every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. He also noted that maintenance depends on how a car owner drives their vehicle – the amount of stop-and-go versus highway miles, towing something on the back of the vehicle, and other aspects should be considered.
The Cunninghams know how to keep a vehicle going for the long run. Chris still has his first truck, a 1949 Chevy pickup that was his grandfather’s. It’s fully drivable after Chris replaced the engine with a ‘78 Pontiac 400. In total, he estimates the truck has traveled nearly a million miles.
While the Dealer Solutions team recognizes they can’t make everyone happy all the time, they work hard to treat their customers how they want to be treated.
“Life happens to everybody. We do our best to balance your life and ours and provide quality service,” said Kathy. “We’re here to help you as best we can.”
Dealer Solutions Automotive is located at 1248 Highway 75 North in Huntsville. They can be reached at 936-438-4060. For more information, visit www.dealersolutionsautomotive.com.
Postcards Magazine
936-293-1188
PO Box 690
Huntsville, TX 77342
