About Styx Worx Garage

We can offer rates at about half that of other repair shops for several reasons: First, we strive to keep operating costs at a minimum (see below for more detail). Second, by being selective about the services provided (see below for more detail) our rates don't need to cover the significant cost of infrequently-used, highly-specialized, vehicle-specific tools and software. Third, this is not my full-time gig. Working a corporate job 9-5, the repair business is small enough to be completed after-hours.

We strive to keep overheads to a minimum so that we can offer an affordable service to our clients. For now, we're still operating out of a shared workspace to avoid expensive lease agreements on commercial property. Additionally, we do not carry inventory. We prepare and source parts / materials specific for each job to avoid unnecessary inventory-carrying costs. Finally, as a small business running lean, we use open-source or free software whenever possible, without compromising on customer and data privacy.

Many other repair shops will not spend the effort to locate and repair the lowest-level cause of a problem and opt instead to replace the entire component or entire system that is defective. While this method may save time and may offer extended warranties on replaced components, doing so often comes at a higher cost. As a way to keep your cost down, Styx Worx Garage will often continue to trouble-shoot the lowest-level fault, which can save thousands of dollars in the overall repair. For example, an engine control module (ECM) may fail due to a single component on the printed circuit board. The individual component can - at times - be purchased for less than $1, whereas replacing the entire ECM would cost hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars and would require costly reprogramming. Similarly, cracks or tears in plastic trim can often be welded back together to avoid costly (often unnecessary) repairs.

Not at this time. This business has grown organically from an enthusiast's hobby into what it is today. Because I still have a corporate day-job, I've not had the opportunity to study as an apprentice in an established automotive shop to fulfill the ASE certification requirements. Instead, I've honed my skills over decades of wrenching on my own cars while leveraging skills learned in Engineering school, by reading technical manuals, watching thousands of hours of repair videos, and scouring automotive forums for specific issues. This non-traditional approach has allowed me to keep costs low and to offer for a wider variety of products and services.

There are some services we cannot offer. Certain low-volume, high-cost operations require specialized and costly tools so we typically leave these high-overhead services to bigger shops that can charge higher prices, or to specialty shops with specialty skillsets. While we continue to expand our service offering, we cannot currently perform common services such as: wheel alignments, electronic module reprogramming, computer calibration, windshield replacement, transmission rebuilding, frame straightening, metal bodywork, or wheel repairs. See the Services page for a list of service and repairs that we can perform.