About Molalla Auto Works
Our Mission
Molalla Auto Works is committed to being a leader in the automotive service industry. It is our mission to provide our customers with the best possible experience by using highly skilled technicians and the highest value in quality parts and supplies available. Molalla Auto Works strongly believes in, and is committed to, honesty and transparency. We will use these principals to guide us in our day-to-day operations and are to be the cornerstone for our interactions with customers, suppliers, and within our own organization.
Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway”. ~ Mother Teresa
Integrity seems to have become a “buzz” word in the modern world. And while the “buzz” word appears to have little meaning to some, Integrity means a great deal to us. Molalla Auto Works Management and Staff are expected to perform their duties with the highest level of honesty and integrity possible.
Services and Products
Molalla Auto Works is a full service maintenance and repair shop. We provide fully documented work (oil changes, filters, fluid services), as per the vehicle manufacturer required mileage/time interval, to maintain your vehicle warranty. We also provide diagnostic and repair services for:
- Air Conditioning & Heating systems
- Brakes
- Engine Performance
- Electronic Control Systems (Check Engine Light)
- Steering and Suspension
- Drivetrain (incl. 4 Wheel and AWD drive)
- Transmissions (Automatic & Standard)
- Electrical Systems
- Advanced Diagnostics
What Sets Molalla Auto Works Apart from the Others?
There are two key factors that make Molalla Auto Works an exceptional choice for your automotive service needs.
First – Possibly the most important factor driving the quality of our work is the way our technicians are paid. As many people are aware, the cost to repair a vehicle is typically guided by a “Flat Rate” system. This system indicates how much time a service or repair “should” take. Some shops pay their technicians on this Flat Rate system. I believe paying technicians under this system is fundamentally flawed. It creates an environment where technicians are always in a hurry to book as much time as possible. There is an old adage that states, “Hurried Work is Worried Work”. Molalla Auto Works does NOT use the Flat Rate system as a basis for technician pay. Our technicians are paid STRAIGHT TIME. Furthermore, it is understood by our technicians that the management does not dwell on how long the repair takes. The focus in on repairs being completed with the quality and care that insure the customer will not have a repeat failure. And while our technicians are paid straight time, we do use “Book Time” as a basis for repair cost for the customer. This insures that the customers receive reliable service at a reasonable price.
Second – Innovation is a driving factor in the automotive industry. Each year, the auto makers introduce new features into our vehicles that improve vehicle performance and comfort. To keep up with those changes, Molalla Auto Works is always looking for the newest tools and equipment that allow us to be decisively accurate in our diagnostic process and time efficient in the repairs. Among the most impressive diagnostic assets we have acquired is a PicoScope. The PicoScope is a lab scope (also called an oscilloscope) system designed specifically for the automotive industry. It allows a skilled technician to perform advanced diagnostics with 100% accuracy. In addition, the PicoScope system helps our technicians perform more routine tests (such as a compression test) in a matter of seconds. Tools and Equipment are important but they are only as good as the technician using them. Molalla Auto Works technicians are also provided with the training necessary to take advantage of the new tools and equipment we acquire. Technicians are also provided access to the training needed to help them keep proficient with today’s automotive innovations.
About the Owner
Darryl Howe is a local. He went to grade school, mid-high, and high school here in Molalla. He remembers when the Rodeo grounds were in the middle of town. He also remembers things like Year-Round school and running Stair Laps in the Mid-High gym. Darryl began working on cars in 1980 while still at Molalla High School. He enjoyed working on cars so much that he decided to make it his profession. In 1985 he completed the automotive courses at Clackamas Community College and became an ASE certified technician, specializing in nearly all service categories available (excl. auto trans) and continued to work as a technician for many years.