Stephens Automotive was recently featured in the Toyota Service Magazine.

The article is reprinted below

“Specialized Toyota repair” is more than a phrase Joe Stephens uses to describe his Palatine, Illinois based company, Stephens Automotive Inc. It’s also a guarantee that his customer’s vehicles will receive top-notch care and parts. My customers depend on us to use Toyota Genuine Parts:’ says Stephens, who started Stephens Automotive eight years ago. “They’ve limited our comebacks and keep our clients happy.
“Customers who are informed appreciate genuine Toyota parts and expect to pay a little more for them. They know these parts last a long time’

Stephens boasts one of the most impressive garages in the Midwest. The 6,000-square-foot facility contains nine bays one including a state of the art parallelogram lift which is always busy. The shop proudly sports the Toyota STAR logo and colors everywhere and is immaculately maintained Each tool including a mind-boggling plethora of diagnostic and repair equipment is kept in its proper place at all times and you can almost see your reflection in the squeaky-clean shop’s floor.

The breathtaking facility is just one example of the professionalism that permeates every stage of doing business with Stephens Automotive, from the first moment when customers are warmly greeted upon entry to the end of the process when Stephens hands the keys back with a sincere “thank you” after a job well-done.
Stephens credits much of his company’s phenomenal success to his veteran staff, three of whom Charlie McMillan, Dave Donaldson and Bleau Cooper have nearly 100 years combined experience working on cars in a professional setting. Another tech, Ernesto Godinez, has five years’ experience. All four are ASE certified. (Stephens, who also turns wrenches, is ASE cer­tified as well.) Joe Bajko, Stephens’ accountant, has been with the company for eight years.

Stephens’ friendly, hardworking team has established a wide-reaching reputation for solving problems that other repair facilities can’t. “We’ve had five new customers per week for the past five years’ says Stephens.
“One of our trade secrets that’s good for both the customer and the shop is the procedure of complete check-outs for every car that comes in.” Techs spend up to 40 minutes inspecting 30 critical areas, free of charge.
“We tell the customer upfront what the car needs or doesn’t need, what’s new and old, and what to expect in the future. We don’t like surprises and know our customers don’t either. Doing things like this sells more work and keeps people safe and happy.”

Stephens Automotive works on 50 cars a week. Joe admits it would be hard to
maintain that pace without the help of nearby STAR Dealer Schaumburg Toyota, which supplies him with Toyota Genuine Parts one to three times a day. “Sometimes even the boss, Andy Komarski delivers parts when were in a pinch You don’t get service like that any where else.

Having a good relationship with our parts supplier is very important to us. Schaumburg Toyota doesn’t just deliver parts they help us solve problems and give us information on vehicles not normally available to us
“The auto repair business is tough these days.", Stephens continues. “You have to be on your toes at all times and in all areas of the business. Cheap parts cost you money and customers that is why Stephens Automotive is sold on partnering with his Toyota STAR Dealer.

Copyright 2003 Toyota Motor Company