Business

Startup Wrench Brings the Auto Mechanic to You

Customers can get vehicle repair and maintenance help from the comfort of their homes

11.11.2019 | by Reve Fisher
Photo by Hosea Georgeson on Unsplash
Photo by Hosea Georgeson on Unsplash

Wrench has created a service to address one of the most frustrating aspects of car ownership: auto repairs.

According to an AAA survey, two out of three Americans don’t trust auto repair shops: 76 percent said they had been told to buy something they didn’t need, 73 percent said they had been overcharged, 63 percent said they’d had negative past experiences and 49 percent have been concerned that work wouldn’t be done correctly.

“The idea came from pure consumer frustration,” Wrench co-founder and CEO Ed Petersen told Built In Seattle. “There are not many industries that people are more frustrated with than the auto maintenance and repair industry.”

Similarly to how you’d call an electrician or a plumber to come to your home to fix a problem, Seattle-based Wrench wants to offer the same convenience when it comes to your car.

Instead of dealing with the hassle of taking your car to a mechanic, spending hours in the waiting room, and possibly travelling to another repair shop to get a better deal, Wrench’s ASE-certified mechanics provide full-service vehicle repairs and maintenance at the location of your choice—both as a direct customer at home or a fleet consumer with several cars to manage.

Users first need to explain the maintenance or auto repair services they need, after which Wrench will send them a fixed quote. If they are not sure what is wrong, a Wrench mobile mechanic will go to the desired location to perform a diagnostic visit and write a quote.

For more intensive requests, such as rim repair or transmission work, Wrench refers customers to a network of partners instead of servicing the vehicle at the customer’s home.

Each service request comes with a customised quote or a fixed price, with savings up to 30 percent less than typical dealer service repair shops; a one-year, 12,000-mile warranty; and an extensive vehicle inspection with a report for the consumer.

“Busy consumers need a simple scheduling and vehicle diagnosis system to deliver repair and maintenance services without the hassle of the waiting room,” Petersen said in a statement. “With full-time, trusted mechanics and world-class operations supporting both vehicle owners and the staff that serves them, Wrench has provided convenience, competitive pricing and unmatched quality repairs to over 100,000 vehicles.”

For certain jobs, like transmission work or rim repair, Wrench refers drivers to a network of partners, rather than attempt to do that heavier work “in your driveway.”

The company has raised $20 million in Series C funding in a round led by Vulcan Capital, with participation from Madrona Venture Group, Tenaya Capital and Marubeni Corporation. The funds will be used to help the company expand its services, extend to new markets, and hire more mechanics in key areas.

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