About Mike

I started working around cars in 1951. It was at a Texaco station owned by a guy named Lenny Gonzales at the corner of Glenwood and Pacific, in Glendale, California. My job was to mop the lube bays, the islands and clean the restrooms each night. On the weekends I washed cars, and did the various duties that were mine. That station was still in operation with the same owner until around 1980 when they tore it down and Lenny went to work for Bob Hartig in Glendale.

In 1953 I worked in a Chevron gas station owned by George Mellon at Glenoaks and Central in Glendale. It was here that I started learning about the repair of the automobile, brakes, tune-up, general repair. I worked at this station on and off until 1961. George and I remain in contact today, and although retired is doing quite well.

In 1962 desperately in need of a job in Sacramento California, I took a job as an installer for a company called ATR in South Sacramento. This was the beginning of my career in the field of transmissions.
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In all of my time in the transmission industry I was taught that you could not run a shop honestly and survive. I was initially trained as a shop manager. Immediately I was taught that if the person pulls into the driveway he needs a transmission and it was my job to sell it to him. I was good!!! I had no trouble getting a job wherever I went.

I learned to rebuild or overhaul transmissions because even back in the 60's good help was hard to find and I would be in charge of a shop and it was my responsibility to see that the customer got his car back, repaired.
This didn't always happen. I would have cars that were worked on for days even weeks until I finally decided that I could do no worse and attempted to repair that mysterious little box and with success.

As time went on I found that I had trouble living with myself when I was continuously selling transmissions to people that might not have needed the repair and came to the conclusion that I could no longer manage a shop. I quit managing and started rebuilding only. This way I had no part in what happened with the customer, but I did have the control to give that person the best job that could be done and that I proceeded to do.

In 1977 I was approached by someone regarding managing a shop for a widow, whos husband, the owner had been killed in a car accident. I immediately said no. He went on to state that sales were not a factor, that I was to do only as needed for the customer. If a modulator line was disconnected, hook it up and so on. I thought to myself this is unusual, and after a few days consideration, I accepted the job with the conditions of honesty and helping the customer.

I worked for that place for 9 months. It was the busiest shop that I have ever worked in and they were doing a land office business, honestly, (what a concept).

I was driving 35 miles one way to work every day. If I left work in a good mood, I was in a terrible mood when I got home. At this point I attempted to find a job as a rebuilder in the West Valley where I lived. I approached 2 of the local shops, and I had set certain guidelines as to what I would accept. One shop simply stated he had heard my story before (being a good efficient employee) and sent me on my way. The second shop offered me a wage that was basically 1/3 of what I was earning and I could not afford that. It was at that point that with my wife encouraging me, Mike's Transmissions became a reality, June 12, 1978. The rest is history.

By the way, You Can Run An Honest Transmission Shop

I've been doing it for over 30 years now, with the help of a great crew and many people both in and out of the transmission industry. And customers like yourself to whom I am extremely grateful that you consider placing your confidence and trust in me and my shop.