Wrench to the rescue:
The main draw of Wrench, which expanded here from Seattle, is its convenience
A service called Wrench launched in metro Phoenix in November, making house calls that bring mechanics to homes and businesses. The service first launched in Seattle earlier this year before branching out.
People who need oil changes, new brake pads or other routine auto service can now avoid a trip to the auto shop to take care of those problems.
A service called Wrench launched in metro Phoenix in November, making house calls that bring mechanics to homes and businesses.
Co-founder and CEO Ed Petersen launched Wrench in Seattle earlier this year, and then branched out to Phoenix. He said business is going well and other Western metro areas should see the service soon.
“From a demographic perspective, Phoenix is a great fit for us,” he said. “The people of Phoenix get new technologies, are open to new ways of doing things.”
Head mechanic Brent Fetters also is from the Phoenix area, which played into the decision to expand here, he said.
Customers simply log on to the website, www.getwrench.com, select their make and model of car, and book an appointment for the type of service they need. If the service needed is known, such as new brake pads, Wrench provides an estimate for the cost and time ($338 for brake pads on a Subaru, done in 75 minutes).
Petersen said customers enjoy the convenience, especially those with multiple cars that can be serviced with one house call, rather than the owners making multiple trips to shops or dealers. The company can service all major brands of cars.
“To be blunt, no one enjoys dealing with their car,” he said. “Everyone knows they need to do maintenance on it. No one enjoys the inconvenience of dealing with it.”
Wrench provides estimates for the work but also can inspect unknown issues with vehicles, he said.
He estimates the company can repair 90 percent of mechanical issues onsite.
“We’ve replaced an axle before on a car,” he said.
Petersen, 45, and his other co-founders were not in the auto industry, he said. They all came from technology backgrounds, and realized they all shared a similar disdain for missing work for auto maintenance. They researched the viability of their idea and raised $1.2 million from a venture-capital group to roll out the business.
“We are not car people,” he said. “You would not find me on a Saturday with my head under the hood in the driveway.”
While the co-founders are particularly interested in the consumer side of things, they realized reliable mechanics were key to the success of their idea. That’s why they allow for individual reviews from customers of their mechanics. Wrench both employs its own mechanics and contracts with others.
In Seattle, the business serves an area roughly bounded by Tacoma, Everett, Bellevue and Seattle. Petersen said most of the Phoenix metro area is being served by the expansion, including Scottsdale and other neighboring cities.
The company plans to expand to San Diego, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles.