Congratulations to Mike’s Collision and Repair Center for winning the Readers Choice award for best mechanical repair shop.

“It is a top honor for Mike’s to be chosen by our customers for this award. In return, we want to thank our customers for the work they bring to us and considering us for this award,” said Tim Knaak. “This is actually the third year in a row that we have won this award.”

Knaak became an owner of Mike’s in 1999. At that time, there were only nine employees. The main work at that time was mechanical and auto body. “We felt the need to diversify our services for repairs that no one was offering and to help widen our customer base,” said Knaak.

Today Mike’s has 30 employees, including their part-time help. There are three shop locations. Two are at 809 20th N. Street North in New Ulm. Their sandblasting and painting business is nearby on 19th Street North that includes a 60 foot sandblasting and paint booth which is mostly used for construction equipment. Mike’s also does commercial painting at off-site locations including residential painting.

One of the buildings on 20th North was a new addition about five years ago. It is used for services on semi-trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, buses, boats, etc. The main building includes the offices, auto body, and the mechanical shop which is managed by Brent Reinarts.

Reinarts has worked for Mike’s for 34 years. “I take pride in my work. I can do alignments on any car. In addition to the typical street car, I do alignments on muscle cars, show cars, antique cars or whatever they have to work on as restored cars can have a variety of things under them, usually not the same equipment that came from the factory,” said Reinarts.

In addition, the mechanical shop does oil changes, brake jobs, tire repairs, fluid changes, and suspension work. “I have been doing mechanical work since I was young and helped my Dad in his garage. I will take on anything mechanical and can figure it out,” added Reinarts.

Mike’s oil change program is an opportunity for a FREE oil change. After four oil changes, you get the fifth one free. “As an independent business, we can charge competitive rates to our customers,” added Knaak.

“Our goals for the future are simple. We want to continue our consistency with excellent customer service and quality workmanship. We want to exceed our customer workmanship standards while maintaining our excellent workforce and at the same time taking care of our families,” said Knaak.

Mike’s is open Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can reach them at (507) 233-4470. Or, stop in to see them, and check out their website at mikescollision.com for more information on their many services.