Auto Tech and Body: Bridging Collision and Technical Repair

Jan. 1, 2020

4 min read

Auto Tech and Body technicians repair shop profiles repair shop repair shop automotive aftermarket

Like a colossus astride the Pompano Beach, Fla., repair market, Auto Tech and Body bridges both technical and collision repair with a state-of-the-art facility. As envisioned by owner Jay Ghanem, however, this shop is designed to encompass much more than just customary car upkeep. A high-end lobby denotes taste and culture, technicians are certified to do recall repairs for every manufacturer of vehicles sold in the United States and Canada and the upper floor of the building actually functions as the South Florida Community Center.

"I've always been mindful of my community," explains Ghanem, a Lebanese transplant. "When I built this complex, I donated around 2,000 square feet on the second level. We have a conference room that can seat 16 people and a community space which can hold up to 60 people."

Coming to the U.S. around 20 years ago, Ghanem graduated from school in nearby Boca Raton, Fla., with a degree in electrical engineering. Following his interest into the auto repair industry, he opened his first shop 12 years ago, but found business so good he soon had to move into a bigger facility. After he quickly outgrew that location, Ghanem decided to design his own "dream shop," which opened in 2006.

"I always had a good eye for art, appearance and image from my mother," he muses. "And it's funny, during construction I had so much criticism, even from architects and interior designers. They always thought an automotive shop should have lots of stainless steel and metal. This doesn't have to be the norm; I just wanted to create a comfortable, warm space for people to walk into. And people usually go with what they feel. If they feel comfortable about the shop or (individual), that's where they'll leave their vehicle." And the community center isn't just altruistic, it's advertising. Citizens attending events must pass through the tastefully appointed two-story foyer, creating a deep impression of competency and class.

"Anyone coming to my shop isn't just a customer, they're a business source," Ghanem observes. But in aiming for the high end of the market, he hit the mid-range market dead center.

"I built this facility to cater to Lamborghinis, Bugattis and Ferraris, but our target market is the average car," Ghanem reports. "An exotic can take months to repair, especially if it has physical damage. To get parts from Italy can take up to four months, versus doing mechanical service, maintenance or even collision repairs on a Honda or Chevrolet, which will take us only two or three days. But if we had built a facility catering just to Chevys, we wouldn't have been able to adapt to the high end later on."

Crucial in servicing such a wide variety of cars is Ghanem's constant quest to "stay ahead of the curve" — keeping his technicians trained on the latest vehicles and the newest technology. For the former, his body shop does repair work for many area dealers, exposing his technicians to some of the latest models. For the latter, Ghanem's unique facility again comes in handy, doubling as an in-house training center.

"We invite instructors to our community center to hold seminars, then we contact local dealerships and repair shops to register their technicians for sessions here instead of sending them to classes elsewhere for training," Ghanem explains. "And the technicians love the hands-on training; usually these seminars are held in some hotel conference room. Usually we have a turnout of 20 to 30 technicians, and when we're done, my technicians are trained almost for free — besides providing the space, we also provide the breakfast and lunch. If we were to send my technicians off all the time, I don't know if we could afford to stay in business."

About the Author

Robert Bravender

Robert Bravender graduated from the University of Memphis (TN) with a bachelor's degree in film and video production. Now working at Masters TV, he produces Motorhead Garage with longtime how-to guys Sam Memmolo and Dave Bowman. Bravender has edited a magazine for the National Muscle Car Association, a member-based race organization, which in turn lead to producing TV shows for ESPN, the Outdoor Life Network and Speedvision. He has produced shows ranging from the Mothers Polish Car Show Series to sport compact racing to Street Rodder TV.