Gearing Up

By: Maria Cardinal - Freelance franchise contributor to RedHotFranchises.com

 

It was no small feat for the Russian-born couple, but Pavel and Oksana Stroh opened Pennsylvania's first Mr. Transmission/Milex Complete Car Care center last month on Route 13 in Bristol.

“Nothing came easy,” said Oksana.

Pavel arrived in the United States in 1995, learned English using lessons on tape and went to a technical school at night. He has a degree in engineering from a Russian college. Oksana took graduate-level international business and political science classes at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

The couple met and married in the United States. Both were working in computer science but, after having a daughter, they decided they wanted to open their own business.

“We had pretty established careers in computer science, but if you aim for something bigger, in this country, there are opportunities,” Oksana said. “With hard work, something good can come out of it.”

Both were commuting about an hour to their jobs when they decided auto care was the way to go for a business opportunity.

“People need reliable cars,” she said. “People want their cars to be the least of their worries.”

They searched for a franchise and settled on Mr. Transmission/Milex Complete Car Care, two brands run by the Illinois-based Moran Industries. Headquartered just outside of Chicago, the 51-year-old company supports more than 200 franchised locations bearing the brand names Mr. Transmission, Dr. Nick's Transmissions, Milex Complete Car Care, Multistate Transmissions and Alta Mere.

Pavel said the co-branding of Mr. Transmission and Milex Complete Car Care was a key advantage of franchising with Moran Industries because it made them more of a one-stop shop for customers.

Mr. Transmission specializes in transmission and drive-train repairs. Milex performs tuneups, oil changes and other routine maintenance services. It also repairs brake, air conditioning and electrical systems.

They said the downside of franchising with Moran was the lack of name recognition the company has in Pennsylvania.

“If the company was easily recognizable here, it would be much easier,” Oksana said. “But since we're the first one, we have to work hard to establish that name for the Bristol community. We have to do the best service possible. ... It's a big responsibility.”

Moran has provided its latest franchise with new equipment and a computer system. It also provided the Strohs with training and sent Pavel to numerous Mr. Transmission franchises to see how they operate and learn from their owners. It sends an operations director to the new site periodically to help with hiring, marketing and other activities.

It took the Strohs years to find a suitable Bucks County location. They finally bought a property at the corner of Bristol Pike and Beaver Dam Road, where a used car dealership and detailing shop had been located. They raised the roof, knocked down the wall separating the two businesses and created a four-bay auto body shop. A fifth bay is being built.

The only thing they hadn't counted on was their grand opening coinciding with the reconstruction of Route 13, which has reduced the road to two lanes and slowed traffic near the shop. Oksana admitted it would have been nice if the job had started after their business was better established or finished by the time the business opened. But she prefers to focus on the location's positives.

“It's right near the turnpike exit,” said Oksana, who added that plenty of motorists pass by every day. “In the long run, I think [the reconstruction] will be a benefit to us. It'll be a nice road and we'll have a sidewalk.”

FYI

Mr. Transmission/Milex Complete Car Care is at 1231 Route 13, Bristol, PA 19007. Call the shop at 215-781-0990.

CONTACT US

Do you know anyone who’s making a living as an entrepreneur of an interesting business or as an employee in an occupation he or she always had dreamed about? If so, e-mail janastasi@phillyBurbs.com or call 215-949-4170.

John Anastasi can be reached at 215-949-4170 or janastasi@phillyBurbs.com.