AFTER THEIR FATHER’S DEATH, TWO BROTHERS TOOK THE WHEEL

The expansion came as the economics of keeping a car on the road were changing across the country. The average vehicle is 12.8 years old, the oldest the national fleet has ever been, according to S&P Global Mobility. There are now 289 million vehicles in operation nationwide, roughly 3 million more than a year ago. And, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects roughly 70,000 automotive technician openings annually through 2034, driven largely by workers who retire or leave the trade. Put simply: more vehicles, older vehicles and more money being spent to keep them running.

S&P Global Mobility flags vehicles between six and 14 years old as the ones needing the most frequent repairs, and the 2015 through 2019 model years — millions of cars — are sliding into that window right now.

"People are keeping their cars longer these days, and that means they need repair shops they can trust,” said Mikel Berger, president and CEO of Greater Lafayette Commerce, which, along with Old National Bank, named the shop their Small Business of the Month for June. “Guaranteed Automotive has earned that trust over decades by treating people honestly and standing behind their work. That's the kind of family business every community hopes to have."

The bills themselves keep climbing too. A Bureau of Economic Analysis price index for vehicle maintenance and repair rose from 113.3 in 2021 to 154.0 in 2025, a 36% jump in four years. Most often, it’s cheaper to fix what you’ve already got.

“I’d say uncertainty, the ups and downs of the political environment can affect how customers make decisions,” he said. “Times can be challenging right now, so we make sure we have financial options available if people need them.”

It’s a version of something he watched his parents do. Before there was a shop at 3742 State Route 38, there was only a garage, and in it, two people who fixed what their neighbors couldn’t afford to take anywhere else.

Dustin and Clint grew up inside that.

Both brothers learned the trade from their father before either of them learned much else. Clint went on to Ivy Tech for a formal automotive degree; Dustin built transmissions with his hands, the same way John had, before he ever touched a balance sheet.

Later, Dustin became what mechanics call an R&R technician, removing a transmission and putting a new one back in its place. The business side came slower: somewhere around 2006, he began moving out of the bays and into the office, learning pricing and scheduling alongside the trade he already knew.

“We pretty much live by the shop,” Dustin said. “Live, work, work — since I can remember.”

Terri’s shift ran on a similar timeline, from the opposite direction. While John worked the floor, Terri handled the parts of the business no customer ever sees like the ledger, the order forms and the scheduling.

The shop as never had trouble finding that kind of work to do. Finding people who can do it is another matter.

Part of that shortage comes down to how technical the job has gotten. A technician today has to understand the sensors and onboard computers that now run a car’s brakes, its transmission, its safety systems — not just the engines and belts that used to define the trade. Some specialize in EVs specifically, working on battery systems and regenerative braking.

“We have great people, as far as customer service people, and, as far as technicians, we have some elite and premier technicians in the area,” Dustin said.

Trust is what Dustin credits for the shop’s reputation — built on giving customers the full picture of what’s wrong with their vehicle and letting them decide what to do with it, rather than steering them toward the most expensive fix.

“We try to live by the golden rule: treat people how you’d want your own mom to be treated,” Dustin explained.

That standard sometimes means turning down work. Dustin has said as much himself: doing right by a customer occasionally means telling them not to fix the car at all, even if that costs the shop a job.

It’s the version of honesty his father wanted the shop known for, and it’s the version Dustin has kept.

“It’s particularly nice when the owners live here,” said Lafayette City Councilwoman Eileen Hession Weiss. “They have the community’s best interests at heat because you see your customers in the grocery store, at church and everywhere around town. You have to look them in the eye”

Dustin and Clint have built plenty on their own since: a 4.9-star rating on Google, a customer base they estimate returns somewhere between 60% and 70% of the time, Dustin’s board seat with the nonprofit Cars for Keeps, an annual Boy Scout program Clint runs out of the shop.

“When we walk into your business, we know we’ll be greeted by a familiar face — someone who’s going to make sure the job is done right,” said State Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette.

But the standard underneath all of it is still the one their parents set, working out of a garage.

“We want to do what’s best for our customers and try to serve our community the best we can,” Dustin said.