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Articles & Stories about CCM By Appointment Only Mercedes-Benz ML55 M-Class Memorandum Mercedes-Benz Certified Collision facility Alabama Automotive Report |
By Appointment Only
View Magazine CoverView Inside Story From the beginning back in 1980, Jeff Baggett sought perfection. With Classic Car, he just may have achieved it. Concentrating solely on high-end cars, Jeff is uncompromising when it comes to repairing these esteemed vehicles. He says, "There's no middle-of-the-road, no getting by.' And we use nothing but new parts to repair a vehicle." Those high standards drove his business and it wasn't long before word got out that Classic Car was very special place that took care of very special cars. His customers come from all over - Florida, Texas, California, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. It's not unusual for an out-of-state customer to bring a car in for repair and stay in a hotel until it's completed. Customers have even asked Classic Car to repair somebody else's repair in order to make it right. And it isn't advertising that spreads the word. "Our repaired vehicle is out advertisement," says Jeff. Jeff's wife Diane has been part of the business since the start, and son Christopher is now the manager. One of their biggest customers is the Mercedes Plant in Tuscaloosa where they manufacture the M-Class. The relationship with Mercedes began when Jeff repaired the cars of the transplanted Mercedes executives while the plant was still being built. They knew his reputation and Classic Car quickly became the shop for all Mercedes repairs. One of Jeff's first Mercedes projects was performing bodywork on eight pre-production models that were to be introduced at auto shows. In addition to the demand for flawless craftsmanship, Jeff had to keep these vehicles hidden from the prying eyes of the car magazines. He was successful on both counts. Classic Car was also asked to do repairs and restorations on the Jurassic Park vehicles, while the film was being shot. One of those vehicles is part of the eye candy in the lobby. In the beginning, Jeff did all the body work and painting. He even built his own paint booth. When it came time for a new one, he came across a photo of an all-glass booth. His research revealed that they were built in Europe with only six in existence and none in the U.S. Despite the costs, he determined that he must have one. Eventually, he did. With a booth like that, only the best paint is good enough, and for Jeff, that's Glassurit. Jeff has been with BASF for 16 years and declares, "Glasurit is the best paint line out there, bar none." Jeff is 100-percent devoted to each of his suppliers and expects the same commitment in return. Jeff gets plenty of use out of BASF business tools. He orders Glasurit monthly on line through bodyshopmall.com and he saves all kinds of time with COLORMAX2. Jeff also makes good use of BASF training; he and his Classic Car employees regularly attend sessions in order to stay on top of the latest technology. There's a sense of pride at Classic Car that's so strong it's almost tangible. You see it in the employees, the equipment, the finished work - even the very premises. That pride, undoubtedly, comes right from the top. Left Column At Jeff Baggett's Classic Car & Motoring Accessories perfections isn't an abstract notion, it's the standard by which they do business.
As you leave the main drag outside Birmingham, Alabama and turn on to a small road, you suddenly seem to be in the country. A long winding driveway leads to Classic Car & Motoring Accessories. But you don't know that yet since you there is no signage. A parked Mercedes or two, a Hummer, and a Porsche suggest that maybe this is the place, though it looks nothing like a body shop. You enter a sparkling lobby and front office with eye candy everywhere, including a Jurassic Park vehicle. Every Cue tells you that something unique is going on here.
Website: http://www.basfrefinish.com |
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| Call for an appointment: 1-800-814-9422 | 205-841-2153 |