Sierra Mountain Times

 A look inside the new 10,000-square foot Sonora Subaru Parts and Service Center. From left to right is Larry Jones (mechanic), Andy Mellot (Service Manager), Ridge Schneider (owner) Jeff Fleming (mechanic) and Chad Benbow (mechanic).  

Story and photos by Thomas Atkins

For 23 years Ridge Schneider has offered Tuolumne County a unique service through Sonora Leasemobile Auto Sales, and with the recent opening of a new auto service and repair facility, he hopes to provide another helpful asset to the community. Located in downtown Sonora next to the Mother Lode Fairgrounds, the 10,000 square foot service center is the next step in the Schneider family’s automobile endeavor.

“For me, it’s just a logical extension of our business at Leasemobile Auto Sales,” said Ridge. “It’s been kind of a natural evolution to service all the people who are driving cars. We figured we might as well repair them too. We used to advertise that our cars were unbreakable…but now the truth is out,” he adds with a laugh. “And with the formation of Sonora Subaru in February of 2008, our former repair shop, “The Autofix”, which was located behind Enterprise Rent-A-Car for a number of years, couldn’t handle the demands. It was too small and we were forced to expand and find a bigger facility.”

This bigger facility came in the form of a massive vacant building on Southgate Drive which once served as the home of Bob Silva’s Dairy as well as a beverage distributing company. Although the new shop, which opened in October, is now called the Sonora Subaru Parts and Service Center, Ridge stresses the fact that it is not just for Subaru vehicles.

“We do have a large quantity of Subaru clientele because we are a factory authorized Subaru service, but we repair all makes and models,” he said. “All the Subaru people, they just figure it out. They are like sugar ants coming from everywhere and they just show up! But everyone else just sees a line of Subarus and they don’t know that they can bring their car here as well. We are trying to serve the community and maintenance is just as important now as it’s always been.”

But the shop is not only for those getting their cars serviced.

“We are trying to develop this local business into a one-stop shop for all the local body and repair shops in the county for all their Subaru parts,” said Ridge. “This will allow for all the other body shops in the county to get their Subaru parts through us…whether they need hoods or doors or bumpers.”

“And if we don’t have it, we can order it for you,” added Parts Manager Steve Orr, who has been in the auto business for 15 to 20 years.

“They really can’t get it anywhere except from Subaru anyway…and since we are right here, they don’t have to go to Sacramento or San Francisco,” Ridge continued. “Because we are in a large building, it affords us the opportunity to stock a variety of parts, and we try to stock as much as we can. So it really is a service to the community in that sense.”

Andy Melott, the Service Manager at Sonora Subaru Parts and Service Center, also provides a unique service to the car community.

“I’ll bring in cars for customers,” said Andy, who has been in the auto business for 24 years. “I’ve been doing it for eight years. I live in Twain Harte and I have no problem bringing a car in for someone. I’ll meet them somewhere or go to their house after work and bring their cars in. I can bring customer’s cars in on a daily basis.”

Because of this, Andy has had a steady stream of satisfied customers.

“Andy kind of runs the show down here, and I say kind of because the customers are the ones who really run the show,” said Ridge. “But he’s been devoted to them and they have returned the favor for eight years. This is due mostly to that customer service program where we will do our best to pick up your car if you need it and provide transportation if you need a ride.”

Yet no matter how the vehicles arrive at the shop, once they are inside, they are in good hands. The facility also boasts of Service Advisor John Nelson, who has been in the auto business for 36 years, ran his own shop for a number of years, and one of his specialties is Land Rovers.

“Between the staff here at Sonora Subaru Center there is well over a hundred years of experience in all areas of the auto industry,” said Ridge. “There are also five technicians all with extensive experience in repairing all makes and models, foreign and domestic.”

“We can pretty much do it all,” added Andy. “We do four wheel alignments, oil change and filters, tire rotation, wheel balancing, tire repairs, fuel injector cleaning, air conditioning services, coolant system flushing, transmission flushing, safety inspections and brake inspections. The shop even has a 15,000 pound hoist repair lift to accommodate basically one ton vehicles and above. Smogs are the only thing we can’t perform, but we are looking into that for next year.”

Starting next spring the shop is also planning on offering a free car wash and vacuum cleaning for vehicles being serviced.

“Once spring and summer roll around, when people come in for a service they will have a quick complimentary car wash and complimentary vacuum,” said Andy. “We try to give a lot back to the community. Whether it’s a car wash or sponsoring a Sonora Subaru soccer team for the youth, we want to be active in our community.”

The shop is also set up with a spacious waiting room offering customers a free coffee bar and Wi-Fi Internet.

“I am hoping to get a flat screen and a fireplace in here soon,” said Ridge. “I want the customers comfortable and happy.”

Growing up in the automotive industry, Ridge has tried to maintain the same value in his customers as his father did when he founded Leasemobile in 1969.

“In the 60s, my father, Bill Schnieder, was kind of a pioneer of auto-leasing in the Bay Area,” said Ridge. “He was actually the first president of the National Vehicle Leasing Association, and his business was really built around customer service.”

Being the first automobile and equipment leasing company in the entire Bay Area brought quick notoriety to Leasemobile, and over the next twenty years it expanded into five different locations. Ridge got his start at the family business at age 16 by washing cars on the lot, but he didn’t get seriously involved in the business until years later.

In 1975 Ridge and his wife Sally moved to Sonora where he was in the restaurant business until 1985.

“After ten years of that I finally decided to get involved with the family business,” said Ridge. “So I started leasing cars. I started in the Hillsdale Plaza, and then we were at the Indian Rock Center and in 2006 we moved to where the Old Dog House used to be, which is where we are now. Over the years I began selling used and new cars of all makes and models and we slowly kept expanding.”

The company has also been expanding within the family and Ridge and Sally, who recently celebrated their 33rd anniversary, have two children who have been helping at the company.

“Je and Ariel have been a tremendous help,” said Ridge. “Je has been working with me since he’s been out of high school and manages day to day operations at the dealership, and his younger sister Ariel has been a big help for years.”

After 23 years in the auto business Ridge shows no signs of slowing down. And with this year’s addition of Sonora Subaru to his business, his business boundaries have only expanded.

“It has been great getting involved in the Subaru business because Subaru owners love their cars!” said Ridge. “In fact this year it is called the Subaru love campaign because during a survey, “love” was the most used word by Subaru owner’s when they describe their car. The Subaru customer is a great customer because they all have such a high regard for their vehicle and they all want to maintain it properly. Subaru is a quality company with a quality product and the shop here wants to keep it that way. It’s great to work on a car that has some of the highest safety ratings in the industry. I mean, it’s not like a Yugo, which gets totaled if it runs into anything larger than a croissant.”

“By the way, what do you call a Yugo at the top of a hill?” Ridge asks.

I have no Clue.

“A miracle,” he laughs.

It’s safe to say that Ridge still has a sense of humor even in these challenging times.
And although times are tough, he says that Subaru is doing what it can to help out the economy as well.

“This year they have a campaign going in December that whenever a Subaru is purchased, $250 is donated to five charities – and three or four are located right in our county including Habitat for Humanity and Meals on Wheels,” said Ridge. “Also, one of Subaru’s attempts to help people during this economy is allowing buyers to lease a brand new Subaru for $179 a month. I am glad we can offer a Subaru repair service in town for those looking to do their initial service. And our shop will be having intervals where there will be free brake and safety inspections and some purchases at Leasemobile Auto Sales will receive free oil changes. So stop on by!”

For those interested in checking out the new facility, look for the historic locomotive next to the Fairgrounds as a landmark, due to the fact that there is no sign in front – which is currently being addressed, said Ridge, who enjoys working with the city and county officials. Turn onto Southgate Drive and cross over Sonora Creek until you reach the shop at 219 Southgate Drive. Sonora Subaru Parts and Service is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 532-5926.