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wrmaltwo ctr-omen rm. July a. 2009 - is O O , O C O O O Canadmn Automobile Assocranon gets mto the mechanic busmess BYMumnAD/umu -47 . s Chroniclesraf , « 1 . ' * . . Finding a reliable and affordable place to , ‘ have your an repaired has not always been 6 p ' a simple task. And finding one that’s responsi- . -4, ‘ ble both with clients' trust and its environ- * " 4U . ' J , mentaloutputkeven moreofachallenge. _ ‘ : . .' , " . I H t That's precisely why the Canadian Auto- " ‘fi . a; ‘ .. . If” C t N mobile Association decided to get into the ' ' , fife . . A I}. . \ 3.. ' . .. ' If. R E garage game earlier this year. 3‘35 V ' ' R U _ - PA; Q . "We hadalot ofour members who may ' , . ' CA _ V594‘:TE 5 Qt M not have a family friend who is in the auto- W " “‘ \_ 3 1‘ a. 3:2,)", . 7 . i .. ( motive business or they don't really have s a”); ,A mus.» :3 y 3;... ‘ «if were: ‘ someone who they know to go to.” said / A " "J . _ g 4"” g f” -. fl; -. v . . Edyta Zdancewicz. spokesperson for CAA ' " f ""-“""""" ’ South Central Ontario. ' I , L "W M“ ”V” 5- , “We talked to our members and from , a ‘ ‘ V ; there we found going into our own car care ' ‘ . ' . ' . '1' service actually allows CAA to have a full 3, , - '3 y 93' g ; compliment of services for all of their car ' ~ g". ' ' L ‘ .‘ 1' care needs." a . ' : J CM opened a total of eight (hr Care cen- I f‘ t tres. including one in Kitchener and one in ,_ f :â€". Waterloo. in April, at: x if 3 3 Their goal is to expand to open 50 in total ~ . v: of; .r ‘ in south central Ontario in the next five 3“ '. _’2_ years. The focus on this area is simply a t .".‘;1_ , ; numbers game â€" out ofall of CANS five mil- ~ ' , ‘ ‘ 2' - , lion members across Canada, 1.8 million ' ' live in south central Ontario. ,1 Six of the locations. including two in Waterloo region. were previously Midas , franchises owned by the Buttinger family. ' The Buningers sold the businesses to the nonprofit auto club Earlier this year. but still own three other shops in the area. At the Waterloo location. the faces behind the counters and under the cars will look familiar to old customers All staff members from the Midas fran- chises were kept on when the garage mm from CAACu are Cam in Waterloo. from left: Mike McKay. Grant Smith. Frank Spies, Mid-sol Peter and Rob Hillcoat. changed ownership. \ mum mono "People have been sticking their heads in family after theiroontracts with Midaosrne the public as well.” said Hillcoat. who has That network is still there and members the door and saying. ‘You’re the same guys - up from renewal. They were all wellâ€"estab- worked at the garage for 17 years extent obliged to use the new centres if they great! We don't have to look for someplace iished and reputable garages, exactly what "They felt it was the perfect niche for call for help. but it is another option. . new." said Rob Hillcoat. manger of CM CMwaslookingfor. them.” "The industry is So diverse across the Care Care'sWaterloo location. "They were looking for a location where Before opening the shops. CM relied board. if you want to have some kind of CM purchased the businesses from the their members could go and open It up to solely on a network of sanctioned garages Continuation m 15 O litâ€"“ugh“, SUMMER l ’ I l i . ’ C ‘ SAVI N GS l l l i I " ‘ l l i l i . 1 “ 1 SALE