Rocky River Automotive

Lube Stop has been lauded by both local and national press outlets for its Sustainability Program, which decreases the environmental impact of the shop's auto services. Its signature EcoGuard oil change, for example, refreshes engines with re-refined motor oil. Lube Stop also recycles oil and antifreeze, and it plants two new oil-filter trees for every one it chops down.

Besides eight kinds of oil changes, Lube Stop provides multipoint inspections, tire rotations, battery replacement, and other maintenance and repair services. More than 240 employees—who receive continuous training to keep up with eco-friendly practices—helm the company's 37 Cleveland- and Akron-area locations, all of which offer E-Check emissions-testing stations.

Named Top Shop in the Country by Motor Age magazine, Rad Air Complete Car Care has been servicing roadsters in the Cleveland area for more than a quarter of a century. Beginning as a radiator and air-conditioning repair shop in Parma Heights, the locally owned auto franchise has expanded to 10 Northeast Ohio locations that perform such services as brake work, tune-ups, electrical repairs, tire and suspension maintenance, and fluid adjustments. Rad Air is a AAA-approved auto-repair center that offers a lifetime warranty on its work and advises clients on what repairs are needed, recommended, and on each car's birthday wish list.

The Kuhns' long line of entrepreneurship began in 1920 with a Sinclair Gas Station. Today, it's Jerry Kuhn's Kwik Car Wash, a full-service car wash that's been shining up Cleveland-area autos for the last 60 years. And the Kuhns are still at the helm with a skilled team—which includes Jerry's granddaughter—providing services such as soft-cloth washes, interior vacuuming, and tire dressings. The wash techs clean cars quickly with basic washes or can spend up to one hour executing more thorough detailing. During those more thorough details, they glaze exteriors with teflon sealants and rub in triple-coat shines to bring out the paint job's original showroom color. Then, they make the interior sparkle by shampooing the car's carpets and dreadlocks and wiping down the dash and console.

Whether behind a desk or inside a service bay, Motorcars Toyota's friendly staff and troupe of factory-trained technicians unite drivers with new and used Toyota vehicles and keep existing autos running smoothly. The techs keep convenient weekday service hours until 3 a.m., helping drivers coordinate state inspections and oil changes or kick off the car's birthday with some midnight maintenance. The shop's collection of Toyota factory parts withstands hard driving, and all services benefit future car buyers in the long run, as 15% of each repair becomes a credit toward the purchase of a new vehicle. While cars undergo outpatient repairs, a convenient stable of Toyota rental cars improves short wait times with 24-hour roadside assistance and access to the factory's latest makes, models, and variations on new-car smell.

SpitzerCares.org hopes to fund a million meals in 2012 through food pantries, shelters, kids’ cafés, and backpack programs. For every dollar it earns via community car washes, donations, and fundraising events, SpizerCares.org can provide four meals to northern Ohioans in need. Patrons can keep up with the organization’s progress online as a ticker shaped like an apple tallies the number of meals SpitzerCares.org has shelled out so far this year.

Hovering around a cracked windshield, gloved mechanics discuss swapping in glass from Carlite, AP Technoglass, and other brands, all of which are designed to meet the vehicle manufacturer's requirements for safety and quality. Other crews move past, loading gear into vans to service vehicles at patrons’ offices and homes. They repair chips from rocks flung by truck tires or pennies flung by the parade floats millionaires always drive. The techs wield a resin that can prevent the chip from spreading and weakening the windshield's integrity and also fix and repair everything from door glass to moldings and mirrors.