Jay Walter Automotive
Jay Walton Automotive has set the standard in collision repair in Albuquerque, New Mexico for more than 30 years. As one of the nation’s exclusive NAPA Collision Care Centers, it’s an automotive repair center that has built its business on quality and integrity. This is evidenced by the fact that Jay Walton Automotive was the first auto repair shop in New Mexico to become an AAA approved shop way back in 1991.
Among the accolades awarded to Jay Walton Automotive is an ICAR Gold Class standard – a level that perhaps just 10 percent of body shops in the country have achieved. The shop has been honored with the Super Service Award from Angie’s List®. It also boasts of utilizing only ASE certified technicians – something its principal owner saw as very reassuring to customers – both repeat and new.
“Jay Walton Automotive is a full service auto repair facility serving the Albuquerque area for over 30 years. We are a family-owned and operated business that is committed to excellence and customer satisfaction,” says Randy Luce, owner of Jay Walton Automotive. “Our repair facility strives to exceed customer expectations and our customer reviews prove it, being awarded the Autochex Premier Achiever in Customer Satisfaction for three consecutive years.
Customers appreciate that Jay Walton Automotive offers the NAPA “Peace of Mind” warranty. This covers parts and labor on qualifying repairs and services for 24 months/24,000 miles. But since Jay Walton Automotive also provides its true Commitment to Excellence, this includes a lifetime warranty on all paint work. The shop is able to do this because it features a state-of-the-art computerized paint booth and color matching capabilities, which include in-house tinting and paint mixing. And for almost 15 years, the shop has used NAPA genuine parts and Martin Senour automotive finishes.
Luce notes in using Martin Senour, “We use the brand’s ‘greenest and cleanest’ paint available for our customers’ vehicles. It meets the strictest North American VOC (volatile organic compounds) standards; in this case, we use its VORTEX® waterborne basecoat. This is especially suited for high-volume collision centers like ours that specialize in high-quality repairs and refinishing that have to meet these regulations.”
But Jay Walton Automotive isn’t just about quality repairs; it’s about quality customer service as well. “Whether your vehicle has major damage or whether it is minor, our collision and mechanical repair teams understand the stress of not having your vehicle,” points out Luce. “Working directly with your insurance company and arranging for your rental car pick-up are just a couple of ways that Jay Walton Automotive helps to reduce stress.”
A Look at the Shop’s History:
The history of auto repair at Jay Walton Automotive’s Central Ave location in Albuquerque goes back to 1967 with a business called Auto Repair Service. Ironically, Randy Luce started work there in 1972 as a teenager. During this time, eventual owner Jay Walton was starting his career in the automotive field with Chevron Oil Company as a service representative. In 1974 he opened his first service station in Albuquerque, adding two more soon thereafter.
In 1982, Jay purchased Auto Repair Service and renamed it Jay Walton Automotive. He brought with him his commitment to excellence and soon expanded to a full-service repair facility. After hiring Randy Luce to work with him, Jay noticed Randy shared his commitment to excellence and promoted him to be his general manager. Randy served in that capacity for more than twenty years.
When Jay retired in 2007, he sold his business to Randy and his wife Sandi. In honor of Jay’s legacy, Randy and Sandi decided to maintain the shop’s name and they continue the commitment to excellence established by Jay.
In addition to providing their customers with full-service car care and complete collision repair services, Jay Walton Automotive has a full service custom shop. Luce Customs does everything from show quality paint jobs to complete custom builds and restoration, including fabrication and mechanical. Randy’s son, Caleb, runs the custom shop and is now in the process of creating a show quality re-build of a 1964 classic Ford Thunderbird. This will be a pro-touring car with extensive modifications. Ironically named “the Dir-T-bird,” it will be unveiled in the NAPA/Martin Senour booth at the 2015 SEMA Show in Las Vegas this November.
In summing up the mission of Jay Walton Automotive, Randy Luce notes “Our one stop repair facility will get you back on the road in the shortest amount of time possible. We are a family-owned and operated business that is committed to excellence and customer satisfaction.”
Jay Walton Automotive strives to exceed customer expectations … and its extensive collection of customer reviews proves it.
To learn more about Jay Walton Automotive, please visit their website at JayWaltonAuto.com