“In an aftermarket that’s becoming more fragmented than the cracks in a dry river bed, an import specialist will have to do anything he can to stay competitive. He’ll have to offer value to his customers that his competitors can’t or won’t. And he’ll have to find ways to draw people into his business, even if it means changing location.”

Written nearly 30 years ago, those words sound familiar in today’s environment as well. Understanding the future of auto repair – technological advancements, connected  cars, automated systems – continues to be a moving target.

In our March 1990 issue, ImportCar profiled several entrepreneurs who believed that partnering with like- minded service facilities in a car care mall was the best way for import specialists to service their customers. 

Complexity was considered the name of the game by many – and “ultra-specialization” with regard to import repairs was key to some.

“A person who has a background in repairing German cars may not be capable of performing maintenance on Japanese-built vehicles,” believed one auto mall owner and developer. “The more complex they get, the more of a nightmare they become.”