Located in the backyard of Scott Air Force Base is the small town of Shiloh, Illinois, where Distler's Automotive Repair has built a thriving specialty in European vehicles. "We have quickly realized that servicemen and women love European cars. Being so close to the base has really helped drive our success," said B.J. Berger, who co-owns the shop with his wife Kim.
"Once someone has work done here, they tell someone, then they tell someone, and so on. Word-of-mouth advertising really brings in new business for us." B.J. started his career at Distler's as a technician and over time recognized an opportunity to compete directly with dealerships by focusing on honest service. "We like to think of our shop as the dealership alternative. We can compete by making sure our customers are not being forced into repairs they do not need — which brings them back to us for future work."
The shop is equipped with the Autologic scan tool, which provides coverage on nearly all European models, along with a Snap-on Verus Edge and other diagnostic tools. Kim's father Bob Distler opened the shop in 1975 and the family has kept it going ever since. "We have been family-owned since the beginning and intend to keep it that way," Kim said.
