Napa Auto care center
Pineville Tire and Service Center has a new name and offers new services as Carolina Tire & Service Center, but the same owner, Jim Seidel, said he and the same employees are continuing to offer their longtime commitment to service and are also adding a European feature to the business.
The former Pineville Tire, at 10822 Pineville Rd, is now one of thousands of NAPA dealerships across the nation offering high quality NAPA parts and superior mechanical services to effectively repair all makes and models of cars and trucks.
Instead of looking at franchise options elsewhere, Seidel said he visited with a colleague who had already made the transition from a new car dealership to an independently owned NAPA AutoCare Center and decided the business model would make sense in the Charlotte area.
"This is where our roots are," Seidel said, noting he purchased the dealership in 2008. "And Pineville doesn't need another empty building. We're trying to support the community, provide jobs, and I hope the community will support us."
As a certified NAPA AutoCare Center, Seidel said Carolina Tire & Service Center can provide the benefits of being affiliated with an established national entity while keeping the personal touch of a family-owned business. To be affiliated with NAPA, all technicians have to be Automotive Service Excellence certified and offer warranties on NAPA parts. “We are also excited of being a part of NAPA’s NASCAR family featuring their driver, Michael Waltrip”. "It's the brand name, the national advertising, the parts from them and, more importantly, their warranties,"
While the dealership already offered national brand tires like Continental and Michelin and maintenance services it sold, which accounted for about 40 percent of the dealership's business, Carolina Tire & Service Center is now offering service for all brands of domestic and imported vehicles. "We'll still service and maintain tires but will expand our base to import cars like Mercedes, Jaguar, BMW, Volvo, Saab and other domestic vehicles, like GM, Ford and Chrysler products," Seidel said, adding he recently hired a certified master technician to work on imports as well as purchased additional space aged diagnostic equipment. With the addition of their master tech the company has opened Carolina MotorWerks within the same facility where they are very capable of servicing European cars like Mercedes, Porsche, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Alpha Romeo, VW, Audi, Fiat, Maserati and more. “Our first client at Carolina MotorWerks was Steve Smith, # 89 with the Carolina Panthers” noted Seidel. This is a great way to start fresh out of the box noted Seidel on Smith as the start to the MotorWerks client list.
Services include air conditioning service, wheel alignment, tire sales, high end wheels, and service, computer diagnostic testing, diesel service and repair, state emissions inspection, tuneups, oil and lube changes, brake service, clutch repairs, radiator service, car battery replacement, timing belts and hoses replacement, major engine repair, transmission service and towing.
"It's really just a matter of changing from an auto repair shop to a nationally recognized name," he said. "We're not starting from zero. We already have a strong customer base. And we plan to see even more new customers now with the NAPA affiliation."
He said the auto care center will also offer Saturday hours, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., for customer convenience. Weekday hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Seidel said the dealership is still in transition now, adding new software programs and equipment, but the official changeover date was January 1st. He said a grand opening will be planned for mid to late March.
The Web sites for the businesses is www.carolina-
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