St. Louis Park mechanic teaches drivers to do basic car maintenance themselves
A St. Louis Park auto shop is teaching customers how to handle some basic car maintenance themselves, even if it means they spend less money there.
Rogelio Osornio, a mechanic for 12 years, opened MN Luxe Motors about two years ago. Along with repairs, maintenance and detailing, the shop hosts a hands-on workshop once a month to help drivers understand what's happening under the hood.
"I always tell them, you don't have to come to us. But I want you to feel safe going to a mechanic shop and not be intimidated or not be scared," Osornio said.
The workshops were the idea of his wife, Cassandra Sanchez, who helps run the business and handles administrative work, marketing and social media. They began as classes just for women, and Sanchez turned the shop's logo pink for them. "I'm taking your logo and it's turning pink," she joked.
The workshops have since expanded to include classes for the LGBTQ+ community and for Spanish speakers. Sanchez said they saw "our sisters, our moms, our aunts" in the customers who came through the door.
The class covers under-the-hood basics, preventive maintenance and emergency car scenarios, and it includes one-on-one time with a mechanic to answer questions. The goal is to make car maintenance less intimidating and give people the confidence to recognize what their vehicles need in a safe space.
"We don't want to be just a car shop," Osornio said. "We want to be more connected to the people and give something in return."
That approach may mean customers spend less on certain services. But Osornio believes being transparent and treating people right builds something more valuable: long-term trust.
"The automotive industry is structured to where if a technician doesn't sell work, they don't really make that much money," Osornio said. "And for us, we're trying to do the opposite. We're teaching people how to do some of the maintenance themselves and save some money in the process."
The shop aims to hold one workshop a month, typically on a weekend, with room for about 20 people. Classes cost $20 to $30, but Sanchez said she is willing to make room for anyone interested in learning, regardless of their ability to pay.
Sanchez said some former participants have tagged the business in social media posts after changing their own air filters for the first time.
"That really gets to me whenever somebody is able to do something and feel empowered enough to open their hood and get their hands dirty," she said. "That's what makes it very fulfilling."
The next workshop is Sunday, Nov. 15, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. More information is available here.
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