Route 9 East: Automatic Sales
It's a good thing, too, because our love affair with the automobile is keeping Ralph Burns, owner of the Natick Auto Clinic at 193 Worcester Rd. in Natick, in business.
Burns' shop is a small, two-bay garage that offers a full range of repair and diagnostic services. Burns also sells used cars, a business he calls "more art than science."
Lately Burns said he's noticed an uptick in demand for his selection of used cars.
"Traditionally, the winter's a little slow," Burns said. "But with my used cars, there's definitely been an increase in demand. Whether that's due to the economy, people buying used and not new, I don't know."
On Feb. 1, Burns was waiting for a gentleman to come in and sign the final paperwork and pick up the keys to his old, new ride. It is the second car Burns has sold this week, he said.
Burns' business is a "balancing act" of repair and sales, he said.
Seasonal Slumps
The summer and winter are his busy months for auto repair, due to the temperature extremes. Summer means air conditioning work, while winter is a time for heater and defroster repair.
Burns said he does worry about the constantly rising price of gasoline. It costs him more in fuel surcharges to get his parts delivered or have his dumpster emptied than it ever has, he said.
Burns tries to buy cars that are in good shape and reliable, even if it means the car will spend less time in his shop once it leaves the lot.
More important to his customers than miles per gallon is the price and condition of the car they're buying, he said.
That attitude of fairness and honesty has earned him the respect of his clients.
Burns also said he isn't worried about the fortunes of the large corporations, including The MathWorks, Cognex Corp. and Boston Scientific, that are just down the road from him. Even if those companies go belly-up in tough economic times, their employees will still need his services.
"Everyone needs a car," he said. "Whether we sell them one or we fix the one they've got, they need us."
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