Brunswick's Rapid Wrench & Lube offers more than just an oil change
By Adam Cook
Rapid Wrench & Lube promises to put its customers in the fast lane.
“Nobody likes waiting around,” says Andy Schmieder, owner of the fast lube and full-service auto repair facility.
“After the doctor’s office and the dentist’s office, the auto repair shop comes in a close third as everybody’s least favorite place to visit.”
Andy is driven to turn that reputation around and says, “I learned long ago, we’re not in the auto repair business, we’re in the relationship business.”
There’s no appointment necessary at Rapid Wrench & Lube. Customers can roll in and check “oil change” off of their to-do list and still have enough time to go out for lunch.
Andy, an ASE Master Certified Technician who worked as an auto repair shop manager, decided to open Rapid Wrench & Lube to start a new way of doing business.
For Andy, the most important tools in any garage are accountability and trustworthiness.
“I’m hands-on,” he says. “If there’s an issue, I always like to bring people out to the bay or take a picture. In other shops, one person works on your car and another person calls and tells you what’s wrong with your car. That’s no way for you to get the whole story.”
Rapid Wrench & Lube specializes in getting its customers back on the road and in the fast lane, but it’s never a rush job for Andy and his crew.
“Safe and reliable transportation is our goal,” says Andy. “There’s no high-pressure sell. Shops have a reputation of looking to find something wrong—that’s them. We’re accountable to our customers and their families.”
Rapid Wrench & Lube encourages people to stop by and not wait until their next E-check is just around the corner. A little preventive maintenance goes a long way. People can receive a free preliminary inspection for any concern they may have—from decoding the check engine light to deciphering the taps, clicks or rattles under the hood.
“I’m not going to charge someone to test drive their car or put it on the lift,” says Andy.
As a full-service auto repair facility, Rapid Wrench & Lube can diagnose and repair any issue on any vehicle, including steering and suspension, engine and transmission, heating and cooling and even electrical.
Andy can afford to do things differently.
“I’m an owner/operator. Most owners don’t work on cars, they pay someone else to work on cars, which forces them to run higher profit margins,” says Andy.
Instead, he says, his business structure is designed to earn his customers’ trust in the value of the of the work—on price and quality.
“We don’t look to be the cheapest price in town, but we’re willing to beat any quote by 10 percent,” he notes. Rapid Wrench & Lube also offers six- or 12-months same-as-cash financing.
Andy takes pride in what he produces and guarantees the work for 12 months or 12,000 miles. He believes you get out what you put in, and that’s a big reason he set up shop in the Brunswick area he’s called home his whole life.
“I want the bad stigma of auto repair shops out of people’s minds. I want them to be happy they got good service, happy they didn’t get ripped off and happy they helped me as a local business owner,” says Andy.
“Rapid Wrench is more than just an oil change, it’s the total package.”
Rapid Wrench & Lube is located at 1314 Pearl Rd. in Brunswick. The phone number is 330-225-1466. Hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Visit RapidWrenchandLube.com to learn more.