A lot has changed in the three decades Russell Thienpont has owned his automotive repair business. One thing that hasn’t changed is Thienpont’s auto repair certification.
“When I bought the business, the first thing I did was buy technical service manuals and the second thing I did was get certification,” Thienpont said. “If you don’t know how it works, you can’t fix it because you won’t even know it’s broken.”
Thienpont’s auto-repair shop, East Carolina Import Services, earned Blue Seal of Excellence recognition from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
ASE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of vehicle repair and service by means of voluntary testing and certification for automotive repair and service professionals.
“While the testing doesn’t necessarily make me a better mechanic, it confirms I have the knowledge,” Thienpont said.
These days, service manuals contain more than a million pages, according to Thienpont. He just upgraded two online information systems to stay up to date with car repairs and his certification.
“The business has changed a lot in the last 30 years,” he said. “There are far fewer engines being rebuilt and much more electronics failures we have to diagnose and fix.”
To be eligible for this recognition, a company must have 75 percent of its automotive professionals ASE certified, and there must be a certified technician in each area of service offered.
ECIS has to annually renew its membership in the program and confirm its certification status.
According to ASE, “ECIS is the only independent car repair facility in a 50-mile radius to receive this distinguished award.”
ECIS specializes in all types of foreign-car repair, from Hyundai to Mercedes. There are two full-time ASE master technicians who handle all car needs, from simple services such as oil changes to complete overhauls and diagnostics.
“We look after our customers’ best interest as opposed to our own,” Thienpont said. “No matter what you drive, your car is important to you, and getting it fixed right the first time is what we at ECIS strive to do.”
For more information, contact Russell Thienpont at ECIS, 300 Hackney Ave., Washington, 252-946-3395.