Grand Rapids Auto Repair

Critters and car repair Customers coming to an auto repair shop want varying degrees of information.  Some customers may want to have an in-depth discussion of the needed repairs with an explanation of what, where and why. Others want their vehicle to be repaired. No explanation needed. I recently took my granddaughter to the Critter Barn in Zeeland. She loves petting the bunnies and watching them hop around. We were fortunate enough to have one of the staff members show us the newborn bunnies and share some information about rabbit genetics and behavior. It was very interesting to me and I appreciated the staff being willing to educate us. However, my granddaughter who is three, just wanted to pet the bunnies. That is what she did while I chatted with the staff member. We both left the Critter Barn with the experience/information that we valued and were satisfied with our visit. The goal when a customer comes in is to ascertain what their level of needed information is, answer ... read more

As I’m writing this, the sun is shining. Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog, has also predicted another six weeks of winter. Many of us are thinking about Spring Break 2021. What does it even look like this year? Hopefully you’ll be able to enjoy this long awaited annual pilgrimage to the south. If you are headed south, now is the time to think about vehicle maintenance. It’s not the fun part of planning for your vacation but it’s necessary. Why? Lessening the possibility of a break down on your trip. It is worth a little bit of investment before you leave. Performing the necessary maintenance and repairs before you hit the road alleviates some of the stress. I recommend scheduling your appointment soon as I have learned after 20+ years in automotive, trying to get an appointment the week you are to leave may cause its own stress. You do not need that.  Plan and call today to be prepared to hit the road. Head for the sand and sunshine with confidence! Also ... read more

Hi and welcome to my blog! I took a bit of a sabbatical that went a little longer than planned. Anyway, I’m glad you’re here! A little bit about me. I’m married to Jeff, one of the owners of Arie Nol Auto Center. Jeff has been here since 1976 when his dad, Arie Nol, started the business. I came on board in 2000 when Jeff purchased the business from his family. I have to admit up front that I don’t love cars but I do love business and people. I do have a lot of car knowledge because I work with an amazing team that I continually learn from. While this is a blog for an automotive repair facility, it is not necessarily an ‘automotive blog’. What type of content can you expect? It depends. Some weeks, it will have information about what is happening at Arie Nol Auto Center (referred to internally as The ANAC), issues we’ve seen with vehicles that are common and ways to avoid them, and sometimes, just a conversation about whatever needs to be chat ... read more

The past several weeks have been busy as people prepare their vehicles for long holiday trips. They've had any needed maintenance performed and potential issues addressed. This helps to alleviate some of the stress associated with a long trip by doing what you can to avoid a breakdown, is always a wise choice. It looks like the weather will be mild and continue that way through the holidays which makes travel plans easier. The shopping is done or maybe not. In that case, you'll run into me at the store Christmas Eve. The tree is decorated and the presents are wrapped and waiting for everyone to come over or be taken to your celebratory place. The menu is planned and you realize that with all the treats available, the new year resolution should include eating less sugar than you've been consuming lately. If you have small children, they may be worried about Santa being able to travel in his sleigh with no snow. You can tell them he has a Volvo wagon as a backup vehicle s ... read more