Meet John Hickey of Hi-Tech Addison Auto Repair in Addison

Today we’d like to introduce you to John Hickey.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Since I was a little kid, I was fascinated with cars. The moving parts, the physical mechanics, and the overall concept of a car inspired me. By age 14, I had built my first working engine. The experience was highly educational.

I joined the Navy at age 17 to serve my country. While stationed on the USS Constellation (aircraft carrier), I stood extra duty watches to qualify for Top Watch—the position in charge of the engine room during any given watch. I was the youngest on that ship to achieve the position. I also served on the Frank Knox (destroyer).

When I got home from the service, I worked as a mechanic for a gas station, service center and area dealer to gain experience. I eventually met a fellow tech while working in Addison that had the same goal of owning an independent shop. We pooled our resources and opened Hi-Tech in 1993.

Has it been a smooth road?
The first few years were really tough to get the equipment needed. We worked 12-hour days 7 days a week to make enough money to purchase equipment and to establish our company within the community.

Life took a dark turn when my business partner got sick. I had to carry the shop for 3 years, working extra hours to keep up. After a very lengthy negotiation, my wife and I were able to make a deal to purchase my partner’s half of the business. I hired more mechanics and was finally able to breath.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Hi-Tech Addison Auto Repair story. Tell us more about the business.
We have ASE Certified and Master Certified mechanics. We can maintain and repair all foreign and domestic cars and SUVs with the exception of a few high-end exotic sports cars. We are Premiere rated with all fleet companies including Donlen and Enterprise, and we can repair trucks up to 2 tons and perform maintenance on trucks up to 4 tons. We also handle the majority of all RVs.

But most customers like to view us as the shop that can fix any problem. Our team has the ability to fix cars that other shops tried to fix, but couldn’t. While my employees have great skills, I’m most proud of their work ethic. Service sells and that’s what really sets us apart from other auto repair shops.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The automotive industry is shifting toward electronic driven systems. Our latest equipment purchase included robo-arms for changing tires and laser technology to balance wheels. We have an ASE Certified mechanic who specializes in electronics and computer systems, and another mechanic who is currently learning all he can about self-driving cars.

Over the next ten years we anticipate numerous auto shops closing that don’t have electronic and computer experts on site. The cost of the troubleshooting equipment is likely to go up, forcing the raining shops to charge more money to offset the digital changes. Unfortunately mechanic hobbyists will also fall by the wayside due to changes in technology.

Contact Info:

• Address: 739 W Fullerton Ave
  Addison, IL 60101
• Website: HiTechAddison.com
• Phone: 630-543-8324
• Email: HiTechAddison@gmail.com
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/HiTechAddison
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hi-tech-addison-auto-repair-addison

Image Credit:
© 2017 CJ Powers

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