10/21/2026
Today’s Rescue — Sometimes, It’s About More Than Fixing Cars….🚗
Saying “Yes” saved a new client $1,500.
Remember the story I shared last week about the woman from Pennsylvania whose Audi broke down while visiting family in Maine? Our team went above and beyond, found a way to repair her vehicle, and had her safely back on the road the very next day?
Well, today we were blessed with another one of those opportunities.
And I do mean blessed.
Because while no one wants to see another person stranded or in distress, these moments give us an opportunity to do what we do best.
Help people.
Not simply repair their cars, but offer a little kindness and compassion when they need it most.
And today’s story is a particularly special one.
An Unexpected Visitor
Just after lunch, an older woman, reminding me of my mom, appeared at the front counter of Atlantic Motorcar Center, visibly distressed.
Her Subaru had stalled while passing our workshop, and she’d managed to coast into our parking lot. Pretty fortuitous right?
Seems she had an appointment scheduled at another repair facility for the replacement of a rather expensive component, but with the car no longer running, she wasn’t going to make it.
And as we soon learned, the car was only part of what was troubling her.
She shared that she was had recently experienced a profound personal tragedy and was having a particularly difficult time.
Sometimes, people need more than someone to fix their car. They need someone to care.
Our Service Advisor, Jessica, recognized that immediately.
She took the time to listen, offer some reassurance, and explain how we might be able to help.
Jessica suggested that our new client make herself comfortable in our waiting room while we found an opportunity to take an initial look at her Subaru. She showed her the coffee, water, snacks, and other amenities we keep on hand for our guests.
And if we couldn’t get the car sorted out right away, we’d make certain she had a ride home.
Now, understand, we had a very full workshop today. Every bay was occupied, our technicians were committed to scheduled work, and we had other clients counting on us to keep our promises.
But it was clear that this woman needed our attention.
And sometimes, taking care of people means finding a way to do something that wasn’t on the schedule.
That’s When Ken Stepped In.
Our Shop Foreman, Ken, worked his usual magic, rearranged a few things, and found a way to get her Subaru into the workshop without compromising our commitments to other clients.
The engine computer was reporting a tremendous number of faults, but rather than simply replacing parts based on fault codes, Ken followed our diagnostic process.
After some careful investigation, he traced the problem to a faulty heater valve that was affecting one of the vehicle’s electronic communication networks.
And that’s where the story took a rather wonderful turn.
Once we’d identified the problem, we researched the component and discovered that Subaru had issued an extended warranty covering that very failure.
Ten years or 150,000 miles.
The repair she’d been expecting to pay approximately $1,500 for suddenly became FREE.
I printed a copy of the warranty bulletin and had the pleasure of walking into our waiting room to share the good news.
I explained what we’d found, that the repair was covered under Subaru’s extended warranty, and that we’d contact the dealership on her behalf to confirm everything.
You could see the relief on her face.
When I finished explaining, she reached out to thank me, and I gently took her hand.
I told her that I didn’t believe it was any coincidence that her Subaru had broken down right in front of our workshop, or that she’d found her way to us on such a difficult day.
I assured her that we would take excellent care of both her and her car.
And in that moment, I could see the stress and worry begin to melt away from her face, replaced by a quiet sense of relief.
Sometimes, simply knowing that someone cares makes all the difference in the world.
I’ve long believed that people sometimes find their way into our lives for reasons that go well beyond what we can see at the moment.
And I couldn’t help but feel this was one of those times.
Now, Let’s Get Her Home.
The Subaru dealership was extremely busy, but after we explained the circumstances, they graciously agreed to work her vehicle into their schedule as soon as possible if we could get it there.
One problem solved.
Now, how were we going to get this dear woman home?
She lived some distance away, and with everything she’d been through, the last thing she needed was another complication.
Enter Zac, one of our Quality Control team members and drivers.
Without hesitation, Zac stepped up and volunteered to drive her home.
Tomorrow morning, we’ll transport her Subaru to the dealership for the warranty repair. Once the work is completed, we’ll collect the car, bring it back to our workshop, verify that the original problem has been corrected, and reunite her with her Subaru.
And assuming the warranty coverage is confirmed as expected, that expensive repair will cost her nothing.
I don’t believe the other repair facility was aware of the warranty extension. It’s an easy thing to overlook unless you have the resources to reference, and I’m grateful our research brought it to light.
So, What Did We Really Accomplish Today?
Certainly, we diagnosed a difficult problem, discovered a warranty extension that could save our client approximately $1,500, and arranged to get her vehicle repaired.
But that’s only part of the story.
Jessica took the time to listen and care.
Ken put his considerable diagnostic skills and resourcefulness to work.
Zac made certain she got home safely.
And our entire team found a way to make it happen.
That’s what I’m most proud of.
After more than 40 years in the automotive service business, I can tell you there are days when this profession is challenging. Days when the phones never stop ringing, the workshop is overflowing, and there simply aren’t enough hours to get everything done.
But then there are days like today.
Days that remind me why we do what we do.
We’ve spent decades developing our processes, investing in our people, and building a culture around doing the right thing, even when it isn’t the easiest thing.
And today, I watched that culture come to life.
Not because someone told our team what to do.
But because they knew what was right, and cared enough to do it.
Sometimes, the most important thing we repair isn’t a car. It’s a little bit of someone’s faith that there are still good people in the world.
And today, thanks to Jessica, Ken, Zac, and the rest of our wonderful Atlantic Motorcar team, I think we did just that.
What a privilege it is to work alongside people who understand that serving others isn’t simply part of our business.
It’s the very reason we’re here.
With Gratitude,
Bruce
