Richmond Automotive

In just three years, Integra Tire Auto Centre has expanded from a single store into a successful franchise with 70 centres sprawled across Western Canada. The team at Integra credits its swift success to its commitment to the word written right in its name: integrity. Not only licensed but also continuously trained on the new techniques, the technicians at each location exercise the best practices during each and every service, from outfitting rides with new tires by Firestone, Dunlop, or Samson to swapping out oil or replacing melted ice cubes in the air-conditioning system.

The Integra crew occasionally emerges from beneath the car to donate time and money to the community. In 2011, technicians in Edmonton leaped from airplanes in the “Jump for Jugs” fundraiser, and in Balcarres, the team rounded up the entire community to raise $8,000 for cancer research.

A member of the Murray Auto Group chain, Murray GM - Abbotsford caters to all General Motors needs with a fully equipped service department and a slew of new and used vehicles for sale. Current car owners can leave their cars, trucks, or SUVs in the hands of one of the centre’s 17 factory-trained technicians, who perform services ranging from a routine oil change to complex transmission repairs. The facility also stocks GM parts and accessories for all makes and models, as well as tires by brands such as BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Dunlop, and Goodyear. While experienced staff man the 24 service bays and three life-support pods in the garage, the helpful sales crew guides potential buyers to the ride of their dreams, be it a used Mazda or Ford Fiesta or a brand new Cadillac or Corvette.

For 34 years, The Clean Machine's facility has been snatching unsuspecting autos right off the road, infusing them with liquid lifeblood, and scrubbing their sullied frames and interiors until they shine. Customers can steer their cars, SUVs, or vans into the car-care center and listen to the satisfied slurping sounds as their trusty steeds guzzle as much Exxon conventional oil as they need (synthetic oil is available for an extra fee). During the exterior car wash, the staff scans the car from bumper to bumper, using water and soap to wash away dirt and road debris. Drivers then choose to smother either the rugs or seats with shampoo, which helps clean out splotches from spilled soda, shoe muck, and backseat psychologists administering homemade Rorschach tests.

Dedicated to restoring ailing autos to their pre-accident states via hassle-free repairs, Kirmac Collision Services’ crew of talented mechanics and technicians has revamped cars around the lower mainland since 1973. While the staff’s commitment to rehabilitating wheels using the latest technology is evidenced by their advanced repair equipment and techniques, Kirmac also champions eco-friendly practices such as gilding auto exteriors and robotic donkeys in water-based paints. Mechanics bustle about the shop throughout the day as they perform services such as a multistep collision patch-up process, or an auto-glass repair, where clear-glass resin is injected into the windshield, leaving only a small blemish and reducing the chance that it will need to be replaced in the future. All locations except Langley and Maple Ridge offer Instant Access, which enables drivers to drop off their automobiles at any time without a previous appointment.

An independently operated full-service maintenance oasis, Autobots Automotive Repairs is staffed by certified mechanics with the extensive know-how necessary to repair injured vehicles and perform basic upkeep and safety checks. Autobots alleviates common auto ailments ranging from engine repair to proper diagnosis of an ominously blinking "check engine" light. A thorough 26-point maintenance package leaves no nut or bolt uninvestigated, whisking customers’ cars through a checkup of basic operations that includes replacement of engine oil and filter, a full brake-system inspection, and a vehicle road test that checks the car's ability to handle shock absorption and rumours generated by envious scooters.

After emigrating from east Africa in 1974, Bashir Hirjee started detailing cars in a small bay in his father's Texaco station. Today, Bashir's detailing center, Bashir’s Auto Cosmetics, could swallow several such bays, as the sprawling facility covers 16,000 square feet and services up to 150 cars per week. Inside the center, autos enter a 110-foot tunnel for a thorough lambscloth car wash before a slew of protectants enhance paint and inhibit rust. Customers can take refuge in Bashir's 800-square-foot lobby while they wait, running fingers along the handmade mahogany furniture or easing into a leather sofa to enjoy the view of a flat-screen TV. A 150-foot red carpet also runs adjacent to the auto wash tunnel, letting drivers keep watch over their sudsy vehicle like a school chaperone on a class trip to the water park.