For couple Mattie Rickman and Rosco Snyder, a car is a lot more than just an engine and four wheels.
“A car is a personal thing,” Mattie said. “It helps you get to work. It keeps your kids safe. We like our customers to be informed about their cars so they can make an informed decision. I think that’s what sets us apart.”
Since the couple opened Snyder’s Auto Repair in Delhi Township in 2018, that’s exactly what they’ve done. They’re a full-service auto repair facility, serving all makes and models of vehicles.
“We’ve worked on everything from a 1936 Chevy Master Deluxe to a 2019 Dodge Ram,” Mattie said.
But what sets them apart from the competition is their extensive knowledge of a vehicle’s electrical components and computer diagnostics. Modern cars can have up to 100 individual computers called electronic control units, or ECUs, that control everything from the engine and transmission to the windows and doors. Small errors in the codes of these computers can lead to troublesome car problems.
“We’ve done a really good job of keeping up with the Jones’,” Mattie said. “We can repair the PCMs [power-train control module] themselves.”
But for Mattie and Rosco, Snyder’s is about so much more than modern, high tech car repair. The couple pushes back against the sometimes less-than-honest reputation that used car service is often associated with.
“We want to help raise the feeling that this can be a place of honesty,” she said. “This business doesn’t have to be shady.”
They offer pre-purchase vehicle inspections for their customers, sending them back to the dealership with a list of what needs to be fixed on the car so they can be sure they’re getting a good deal. They have also hosted women’s car clinics, events that provide local women the opportunity to learn how to change a tire, check their oil, and determine what to listen or look for in common car problems.
“As a woman, I feel like it’s nerve-wracking to take your car in to get fixed,” Mattie said. “We want to empower women with knowledge about their cars.”
As business owners, Rosco and Mattie pride themselves on going the extra mile for their customers, taking extra steps that many other car mechanics ignore.
The couple first met in Chicago and moved to Los Angeles, where they originally launched Snyder’s Auto Repair. But after a few years, they decided to move to Michigan to pursue a slower-paced, more family-focused life. Even though they’ve only been in Michigan for two years, the couple has already fallen in love with Delhi Township.
“We just want to be a part of making a community better, as opposed to just making as much money as possible and then leaving,” Mattie said. “When we opened the shop and we got our sign up, we had people coming just to introduce themselves. People come in just to say hi.”
Snyder’s Auto Repair is at 6165 Bishop Road in Lansing, 517.657.5544, snydersautocare.com.