Since 1992
Print and digital marketing
By G.R. MacGregor
AUGUSTA — Al’s Certified Repair owner Al Sunderland has been in the automotive repair world since 1982, and he’s been the go-to place for car owners in the region for the past 16 years. But his quick pivot to the changing auto market now has also made him the go-to repair shop in New England for hybrid car owners.
Sunderland had worked on every vehicle and engine from Ferrari’s to lawn mowers, and was always looking for and anticipating the next great innovation in the automotive industry and the next engine that he would learn and work on. So it came as no surprise that when Toyota introduced the hybrid in Japan in 1997, and then Honda came out with the Insight, which became the first hybrid electric in the U.S. in 1999, Sunderland, who was working for a Honda dealer, took notice.
Still, little did he know that in August 2016, he would be signing a contract with The Hybrid Shop to operate a hybrid battery re-manufacturing company that remanufactures hybrid batteries and power plants. Al’s Certified Repair, at 316 State St., is the only Hybrid Shop north of New York City — there are only 17 in the country — which means that customers come to the State Street location from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont. And, of course, Maine. too.
It’s not easy to become the only Hybrid Shop in the region. To be certified, Sunderland had to have to have a business that is ASE (automotive service excellence) certified, successfully complete hybrid training and buy expensive and proper equipment.
A typical customer of Al’s Certified Repairs services owns a hybrid — any make — and visits Sunderland because the extensive training of those at the shop has made them experts on any hybrid problem or issue. That’s why Sunderland draws customers from hundreds of miles away.
The biggest problem with hybrid cars is that the batteries go bad. Hybrid batteries have a compilation of modules, and each module has its own cells, which produce 7.5 volts. Most hybrid batteries have 20 to 48 modules, and if a module goes bad it will “put the battery out of business” said Sunderland.
“Each manufacturer has different batteries and modules, so with the sophisticated equipment Al’s Certified has, we can pinpoint the problem and rebuild the battery to 95 percent of new,” he said.
“Because this is exclusive and proprietary technology we fix the problem,” he added. “Many of our customers went to a dealer first and found out replacement batteries cost two to three times more than what we can remanufacture them for, so it becomes a no-brainer.
“We also work on the hybrid drive systems, we rebuild the motor generator, the hybrid transmissions and inverter converters. We are the hybrid experts and if it has anything to do with hybrids we do it and fix it.”
Owners of non-hybrids have also been going to Al’s Certified Repairs for 16 years, it’s no surprise that he’s now also the must-go-to place for hybrids for car owners all over New England.
