Vendor Newsmaker Q&A: Matt Curry

Jan. 1, 2020
Curry’s Auto Service in the Washington, D.C. area has partnered with Automotive Research and Design (AR&D) to form a new joint venture for hybrid vehicles called The Hybrid Shop (THS).

Named by Motor Age Magazine as the “2010 Top Shop,” Curry’s Auto Service in the Washington, D.C. area has partnered with Automotive Research and Design (AR&D) to form a new joint venture for hybrid vehicles called The Hybrid Shop (THS).

The company is currently assembling a nationwide aftermarket dealer network. CEO and President Matt Curry recently answered a series of questions about the program:

Q: What are the basics of your Hybrid Shop battery repair program?

A: We are offering The Hybrid Shop as a “fractional franchise,” meaning it’s a business within a business. We are establishing a network of top-end auto repair shops across North America with professionally trained and educated technicians to perform diagnostics, maintenance and repair of all hybrid vehicles. We offer a proprietary training program provided by AR&D and by Dr. Mark Quarto, a PhD, EE with 28 years of hybrid vehicle experience working as a lead technologist for GM. We also offer proprietary equipment that allows our dealers to “condition” hybrid batteries as an alternative to replacing them, saving our customers $1000’s and our system is much better for the environment as it produces no waste. Through our exclusive system we can restore up to 95 percent of a battery’s original power, energy and capacity.

Q: How did you decide to offer this program?

A: I met Dr. Mark and Chris Quarto at SEMA. Afterwards, Mark came out and trained us and demoed his equipment – we were blown away. His instructional ability, his passion and knowledge of all things hybrid and his training on how to condition the batteries was crazy cool. My techs, managers and I were all super excited about our new capabilities. After servicing over 20 cars and seeing how the technology works and the improvements we were seeing in MPG and in the overall performance we dove in with both feet.

Q: Who else is participating in this?

A: We have six dealers in the U.S. so far; we just kicked it off April 29:

  • Lloyds Tire and Auto; Santa Cruz, Calif.
  • Good Works Auto Repair; Tempe, Ariz.
  • 5Th Gear Automotive; Lewisville, Texas.
  • First Landing Auto Care; Virginia Beach, Va.
  • Toole’s Garage; San Carlos, Calif.
  • Baldwin’s German Autowerks; Novato, Calif.

Q: What types of expertise does your team bring to this initiative?

A: Dr. Mark Quarto is a PhD, EE and worked for GM for 28 years in their Hybrid/Alternative Fuel division. Mark is one of the country’s foremost experts on hybrid vehicle technology. Chris Quarto is CEO of AR&D and has a MS degree and worked in corporate America and internationally for over 30 years in M&A, operations and other areas. My CMO, Judi Curry and I are serial entrepreneurs, have 10 auto repair shops in the Northern Virginia, D.C. area. We were named top shop by Motor Age Magazine in 2010 and Best of Northern Virginia by the readers of Northern Virginia Magazine. Curry’s Auto Service made the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies three years in a row and the Washington Business Journal’s Fastest 50 DC companies two years in a row. Judi and I deliver the branding and marketing expertise to The Hybrid Shop.

Q: What is the scope of the potential hybrid battery repair market?

A: We teach our dealers how to repair everything on a hybrid vehicle, from the battery systems to the Power Invertors, DC to DC convertors and the MGU’s (Motorized Generator Units or transmissions). This is a multi-million dollar market with over 2.7 million hybrids on the road today that will more than double in the next three to five years. I feel this is the biggest opportunity available in the automotive aftermarket today. We expect to pioneer this industry and revolutionize the auto repair market.

Q: Which types of aftermarket businesses are eligible to participate in this?

A: At this time, we have added existing auto repair shops to our program.  I would be interested in speaking to collision shop owners who do a lot of hybrid work as well.

Q: What are the services being offered?

A: Consumers who own hybrid vehicles can save thousands of dollars by having their hybrid batteries reconditioned when its warranty is up instead of purchasing a new battery. Before conditioning the battery, The Hybrid Shop technicians will perform a comprehensive State-of-Health check to determine if the battery needs to be serviced. If so, the $499 charge will be applied toward battery conditioning. The Hybrid Shop at Curry’s Auto Services offers a 12-month/12,000-mile warranty.

Q: How much do motorists pay for the various services?

A: We charge $1,299 for a battery conditioning at Curry’s Auto Service.

Q: What are the requirements for becoming a dealer?

A: We are trying to get an elite network of dealers throughout North America. The cost is $50,000, which includes four days of onsite training, one five-day SAE class, one battery Gen 3 charge discharge unit, ongoing marketing, operational, technical and sales support, POS kit and ongoing Internet marketing solutions. Our dealers also get an exclusive territory in their area.

Q: What are the requirements for becoming an affiliate partner?

A: $35,000; these are only available in more rural areas and they don’t get quite the level of support as a full dealer.

Q: What are the costs for an aftermarket business to participate?

A: It costs $35,000 to $50,000 depending on whether or not they want to be a full or affiliate dealer. In addition, there is a small royalty fee paid every time the machine is used, $125 for dealers and $175 for affiliates.

Q: How is the training program set up?

A: Because we understand how hard it is to leave the shop, we hold an onsite four-day training program at the participating auto shop. They also get a five-day SAE credential class, ongoing technical support and three free training days per year.

Q: What equipment does an aftermarket business need to participate?

A: The Gen 3 battery charger/discharger, which is included. We also offer the All Test Pro transmission diagnostic tool for $6,500, which allows you to perform a predictive health analysis of the MGU and infrared camera to check the heat signatures of the cells.

Q: Are there aftermarket businesses already participating in this?

Yes. There are six so far and we just received positive affirmation from a dealer in Puerto Rico and we also had an inquiry from an auto shop in the Netherlands. They are very interested as well.

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