When your car breaks down in your driveway, or the parking lot at work, you can call a tow truck. Or, you can call Lee Hulbert, mobile mechanic, and he will come to you.
Lee’s At Your Service Mobile Mechanic has been serving the mountain area for 15 years. Many residents may not realize that there is another option to a tow, and then waiting for the repair shop to get to your vehicle. For cars, light trucks, even RV’s, Lee will come to your location.“People are surprised that this type of service is available,” says Lee. “Customers don’t have to take their vehicle to a shop. They can have it repaired at their home or place of business.”
Lee says he saw the need for this type of service when he was working at an auto repair shop in the area.
“The service is not necessarily less expensive; the benefit is the convenience,” he says. “Most repairs can be performed on-site.” And you won’t need a tow.
Raised in southern California, Lee spent his younger years racing his 1968 Barracuda at the Irwindale Raceway every week.
“I always worked on something, even as a kid,” says Lee. “I have repaired all kinds of vehicles and equipment, from chainsaws and lawnmowers, to cars, pickups, travel trailers and motor homes.”
Lee worked in the aerospace industry for 18 years, but decided to return to his love of working on cars. He went into the auto repair business, and moved to the Oakhurst area in 1996.
When someone calls Lee for service, he will ask them a lot of questions; gathering information about the problem in order to determine the proper course of action, and if special tools will be required.
“Most calls are from locals,” he says. “Calls from tourists come mostly in the summer and on weekends. People traveling through the area are very glad to be able to get their vehicles repaired on the weekend, promptly and without feeling that they were taken advantage of.”
Lee also gets referrals from previous customers and local businesses, mostly from parts stores.
“They are a good judge of the quality of work done by their regular patrons,” says Lee. “They are in a position to only recommend reliable services to their retail customers.”
Lee has been called out for the simple fix, and for the weird. He once had to remove the remnants of a ground squirrel from an accessory drive belt.
“The fur had gotten into the seal on the power steering pump causing a leak,” says Lee. “The customer was faced with replacing the pump, but after successfully removing the fur, we got the leak stopped.”
So the next time you head out in the morning, and your car won’t start, remember that you have options. But don’t call Lee for an oil change. “It is not cost-effective for the customer,” he says.
When asked for a few tips for motorists, Lee had this to say – perform the maintenance outlined in the owners manual; clean the inside of the windows, especially the windshield, to help reduce fogging; and rotate those tires, but only front to rear.
When Lee isn’t turning a wrench, he is adding his beautiful bass voice to choirs around the area. He and wife Karen sing with a number of groups, including: The North Fork Community Choir, Sierra Chamber Singers, Sierra Pines Church Choir, Western Gospel Band at Oakhurst Lutheran Church, Oakhurst First Baptist Church Worship Team, and the Great Western Fan Festival Choir in Visalia. Lee also sings with the West Coast Mennonite Men’s Choir, and any other opportunity that presents itself.
So keep this number handy just in case – 559-760-2618, or email leesatyourservice@gmail.com
You can also pick up Lee’s business card next time you’re at Napa Auto Parts.
