High-tech auto body shop in Miami Gardens raises level

Tag : AUTO BODY

Even with the long line of warehouses and other businessesstretched out along the back strip of Northwest Second Court inMiami Gardens, one shop stands out with its bright orange fence andshiny steel gates.
Prestige Auto Body & Cycle is a new custom collision and body shopwhere the latest technology gives it a leg up on the competition.
Mukesh Rampersad, president of Prestige Auto, which opened threemonths ago, said his lifetime love for cars was bound to flourishinto a business.
''I've been building cars since I was practically a kid and I'vealways been a car enthusiast,'' Rampersad said.
The first step toward putting together Prestige Auto, Rampersadsaid, was to put together a first-rate team: general manager JavierCollazo, floor manager Jimmy Robertson, and business partner andinternational business developer Taimar Khan.
Khan, a native of Pakistan, says although cars are his passion, heknows the most important aspect of a successful business is goodcustomer service.
''Our goal here was to make this like a hotel and a hospital forcars,'' Khan said. ``For some people, cars are their most importantpossession. I know mine is. I want to be able to take care of yourcar like you would take care of it.''
Prestige Auto also features extra security at its shop: doubleperimeter steel gates with cameras and an Internet surveillancesystem that can be accessed anywhere, giving Khan and Rampersad theability to know where the cars are at all times.
The 20,000-square-foot shop is capable of holding 24 cars with morethan enough space for its five technicians. A hydraulic frame and a$20,000 laser alignment machine are just two of the gadgets used bytechnicians.
After working at other shops, Vishran Ramnanansingh, who paintscars, said working at Prestige is a dream come true.
''The quality of work here is much better than anywhere else I havebeen,'' Ramnanansingh said. ``Everybody here is versatile.''
The high-tech efficiencies lead to lower prices for customers, whocan expect to pay from $42 an hour for paint and body work to $75an hour for electrical labor.
Khan said the company is partnering with Sheridan Technical Schoolin Hollywood, which sends qualified graduates to apply for jobs.The first grad to land a job at Prestige was 20-year-old JuanGarces Jr..
''I feel like if it wasn't for Sheridan Tech I wouldn't knowanything,'' he said. ``And before I started here I'd never seen atop-of-the-line body shop like this.''
Prestige is working with Miami Gardens where the shop will hirefour people from the community. Khan said it's just one part of alarger vision.
``We are building kind of a training center upstairs and a newfacility downstairs that handles aluminum vehicles. One day a weekwe want to have training sessions for residents to learn business[management], body shop work, and office work -- stuff we know andthat we can help our community with.''