Karosserie is a German word meaning carriage or coach builder. It conveys the old world craftsmanship that is the hallmark of Schneider Auto Karosserie Body & Paint.

Margrit Schneider opened the body shop 27 years ago. Walking into the building I was met with the logos for Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen. While they have a slight preference for these brands, they work on any car. There were many technicians working but the workplace was remarkably free of pollutant smells, grease and dirt.

Margrit said the shop has worked on 312 Ferraris and 61 Maseratis, and has never had a bad review for her work on these or other cars. Pride in quality workmanship, making the customer happy and insuring that the needs of the customer come before the needs of insurance companies are items included in her business model.

Margrit herself is an interesting woman. She received a “green’ business certification from Salt Lake City.  The company recycles and observes energy conservation practices. She is also chairwoman of KRCL’s board of directors and favors the Local First movement.

Some of her principle goals are to educate the public to the fact that everyone has the right to choose who repairs their cars. She says that insurance companies tend to try to dictate who to use so that they can negotiate with companies to get discounted parts and labor. She emphasizes that her shop has no contracts with any insurance company, but maintains good relations with all.

The evidence of quality is in her shop. Inspections are done on every car repair. I spoke with a service representative who said she enjoys working there because the business ethics are remarkably high. She was proud to be a part of Schneider Auto.

Schneider Auto is located at 1180 South 400 West in Salt Lake City.