Allen Slaven of Maxi Auto: From four-day deal to 33 years
Allen Slaven was looking for a job in 1983 and a friend suggested Maxi Muffler. “I didn’t even know muffler shops existed,” says Slaven.
With no muffler or brake experience and only basic skills with farm equipment, Slaven made a deal when he applied for the job. “I told them I’d work for them for four days. If they weren’t happy with me, I’d go my way and they wouldn’t have to pay me.”
That was 33 years ago. A lot has changed since that first testweek on the job. Three years after starting with Maxi, Slaven became manager of the shop. He earned ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) Master Technician status, and his shop went from specializing in mufflers and brakes to offering full auto repair.
In 1989, Slaven moved his shop to Lafayette Road in Fort Oglethorpe, next to the K-Mart Plaza. “We started with three bays, then added two more in 1991,” he says of a business that grew quickly.
The other thing that’s changed, says Slaven, is cars and trucks. “Now you need two or three scan tools to check codes and diagnose. A lot of repairs require reprogramming of a car, and you need to go online to do that. For some makes, reprogramming requires two new keys that have to be programmed to the individual vehicle.”
In spite of the changes and greater challenges, Slaven says he’s happy doing the work he does. “I like meeting new people, and I like the regulars that make up a big part of our clientele. If I didn’t spend so much time out in the bays fixing cars, I’d be like a barber, listening to people’s stories while I work.”
The most satisfying aspect of his work, says Slaven, is getting folks back on the road in dependable vehicles. “There are a few cars that fight you all the way, but we can get most cars fixed pretty quickly. You can stop by or make an appointment, and we have a night-drop slot so you can leave your car after hours and drop your key in the slot.”
Any funny stories from years of wrestling with cars? “No, I take every situation very seriously.”
Well, maybe not every situation. “When I first started out, I worked with a fellow who liked country music. I would switch the station to rock and roll, and he would get so mad. One day, he unplugged the radio and I told him I’d just plug it back up. He said he’d cut the cord, and I told him I had a spare at home. He finally got so mad, he threw the radio on the floor and stomped on it and threw it in the dumpster. We’re still friends today.”
From those early times to the present, Slaven has never missed a single day of work. “People depend on me. It’s my job to be here for them.”
Slaven says what he wants people to understand most about his business is that he and his employees will do right by them. “We’re honest and fair with everyone,” he says. “We get you in and out as fast as we can and we stand behind our work.”
Maxi Auto is located at 2725 Lafayette Road in Fort Oglethorpe and is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. They can be reached at 706-861-3918.