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Saline Automotive Services: Making Vehicle Breakdowns Less Stressful

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Saline Automotive Services: Making Vehicle Breakdowns Less Stressful

Established in 2001, Saline Automotive Services has been “your local neighborhood trusted auto repair shop” for over 20 years.

Vehicle breakdowns and the repair process can be a stressful situation. From money to time without a vehicle, having a trusted repair shop is important. The Sun Times News connected with Saline Automotive to learn more about them, what they do and why they are one of Saline’s top trusted auto repair shops.

“Our clients are like family,” owner Carl Van Hoof said. “Our primary goal is to have their highest satisfaction achieved through honesty, communication, fairness and lasting quality repair. But what does that really mean to our clients? I believe it means we don’t try to sell to our clients. We simply inform them what they need to maintain their vehicles safely and for as long as they want to keep them running. I like to think we are advocates not salesmen.”

It’s a full service repair shop and one of the few shops that still service Domestic, Asian and European vehicles. They perform routine maintenance services such as oil changes(includes free tire rotation), Brakes, Steering, Suspension, Heating and Air conditioning, Electrical, Computer Programming, Engine Performance, Transmissions and much more.

With Saline Automotive, Van Hoof said there are a few things that a client can expect from them: loaner vehicles for only $25/day, free tire pressure checks, free code reading, clear and constant communication throughout the repair process, a commitment to stand by their work and a team that genuinely wants to help.

“We are not pushy, we only recommend what you need, free tire rotations with every oil change, and a down to earth honest evaluation of your vehicle,” he said. “We keep our equipment up to date and continue education for our technicians to keep up with the latest and ever changing technology! And most of all I think if you boil it down and simply put, We Care! I think our reviews reflect that.”

In looking back at its history, Saline Automotive was started in 2001 by Scott Sackett. It was located down by Victory Lane Oil Change, on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Monroe Street. In 2006, Van Hoof said Sackett acquired their current location at 116 W. Michigan Avenue, which was formerly DJ’s Auto. The shop is setback from the road, nestled in between St. Paul’s Church and the manual car wash just down the street from KeyBank. 

Sackett hired Van Hoof in 2013, after he moved to Michigan from Wisconsin to marry his wife Danielle, who is from Manchester.

“I worked closely with him over the years until Scott made me partner in January of 2019,” Van Hoof said looking back.

However, things took a tragic turn on April 5, 2020, when Sackett died of a heart attack during the COVID shutdown period.

“It was a bit of an adjustment period especially considering all that was going on,” Van Hoof said. “I couldn’t have done it without my supportive wife and three kids at home at the time. We were short staffed our first year and extremely busy along with every shop it seemed. Fixing the staffing shortage before the end of year though put us on a path for success.”

Van Hoof said he and his wife now have six kids, two girls and four boys. Saline Automotive is a family-owned shop, so he said it’s his hope to someday pass it on to his children, so they can also learn the business from the ground up.

Being a trusted auto repair shop has also helped Saline Automotive to expand. There are now two locations with the second shop located at where it all started out 23 years ago next to the Victory Lane Oil change.

Explaining some of the differences between the shops, Van Hoof said all drop off and pickups are at their main location at 116 W. Michigan Avenue. The second location right now is serving as extra bays and when fully staffed will be able to assist clients.

Even with the expansion, Van Hoof said, “Nothing has changed for our clients other than shorter wait times and faster service.”

To learn more and to verify whether or not they’ve earned being known as a trusted auto repair shop, check out their reviews or go see for yourself what Van Hoof says is their “dedication and commitment to serve you!!!”

Their website is at https://salineauto.com/ and they can be reached by phone at 734-429-2886