Salem Automotive

The skilled car whisperers at Grease Monkey perform rejuvenating miracles on all areas of motorized horseless carriages. They'll gladly tackle a full-service oil change ($38 and up), radiator flushing ($90 and up), or automatic transmission servicing ($100 and up). The same professional care given to your car's inner workings carries over to its exterior. Relight a busted headlight or taillight ($10 and up), rotate a set of weary tires ($22), or clear the way for better windshield clearing with a wiper-swap (starting at $13 each).

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.

Solar Control Window Tinting swathes panes in professional films that diffuse sunlight and maintain even-keeled climates in cars, homes, and offices. Residential and commercial windows don sheer or dense privacy films from brands such as 3M and Piper, which block up to 99% of UV rays, trap warmth in the winter, and block heat in the summer, keeping energy consumption in check and environments comfortable. The coatings also protect art and upholstery from sun damage, and can reduce the number of flying shards should storms or soprano houseguests shatter windows.

Solar Control’s techs apply the same surface savvy to car windows, precision-cutting film to fit individual panes or covering vulnerable auto paint with weather-resistant urethane film. While technicians work on rides at the company's headquarters, drivers can settle into plush couches, peruse satellite TV channels, and join a free WiFi network in the waiting room.

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.

For the staff at Double Take Auto Detailing, maintaining a vehicle's appearance is just as important as changing its oil or feeding the tiny horses that live in its engine. That's why techs can shine up cars with three levels of auto detailing—Silver, Gold, and Platinum. All packages begin with a hand wash for the vehicle's exterior and to clean away dust and grime. Once cars put away their bath toys, the staff can perform more heavy-duty aesthetic services, including tinting windows and repairing minor dings by using a process that maintains the original paint job.

Since 1919, three generations of Ziegler family members and friends have overseen the vehicles that have made their way into Ziegler Tire. The 24-location auto shop, which began as a modest operation by brothers Oliver and Harold Ziegler, now enlists computerized diagnostic systems and ASE–certified technicians to scout and fix automotive maladies. The skilled technicians outfit personal and commercial vehicles of all types and sizes with new wheels and tires from brands such as Michelin, Dayton, Firestone, and Uniroyal and perform a vast repertoire of routine-maintenance services to extend the lives of automobiles and to stave off a resurgence of penny-farthing popularity.