Save money at the Auto Hobby Shop

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Camilla Griffin
  • 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz., --  Car maintenance can get pricey pretty fast, luckily for military members and their dependants the Auto Hobby Shop can save you some money.

"If you need it done, we will save you money." said Thomas Strong, 355th Force Support Squadron Auto Hobby Shop manager, about their services.

The Auto Hobby Shop is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Strong says the best times to take advantage of the services they provide are Wednesdays and Thursday mornings.

Most customers come in on Saturdays when the greater population is off from work.
There aren't many vehicle repairs that can't be done at the hobby shop.

"There is very little that we can't do," Strong said. "If we can't provide the service, we have some shops downtown we recommend to people."

Whether customers are picking up a wrench for the first time or changing the oil on a car they have rebuilt themselves, workers are always there to help.

Bay rentals are $6.50 an hour with a lift; without a lift, they are $4.50. Included in these prices are the use of any tool, as well as help from a mechanic.

To use the facility, a hobbyist must check in at the tool crib and a staff member will assign a bay according to the vehicle type and the work being performed. All bays are on a first-come-first-serve basis.

The shop has the ability to order parts, but they do recommend customers bring in their own parts to save on cost.

"The Auto Hobby shop is a great perk for military members," Strong said. "It saves people money, and gives them the satisfaction of doing it themselves."

If customers don't want to do it themselves, they can always have Robert Martin, 355th Force Support Squadron Auto Hobby Shop mechanic, do it for them.

The shop offers 13 indoor maintenance lift stalls and five regular stalls, an array of specialized automotive tools car wash and vacuum center and a paint booth.

They also provide services such as oil changes, transmission flush, engine purge and many more.

For more information, contact the Auto Hobby Shop at 228-4930.