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STAMFORD, Conn. You could say Steve Flett is steeped in the history of the Stamford automotive world. Born and bred in the city, he's been involved in the local car business for 35 years, working in various capacities at area dealerships.
"I was always interested in cars," he said. "I've been in the business in one facet or other since I started working."
Flett is the service manager at Riley Car Care on East Main Street, which is in the building that housed the Trans-Atlantic Motors dealership, one of Stamford's first car dealers. In a bow to that history, a vintage, mint-condition pickup occupies a place of honor in the showroom. But the rest of the operation is state of the art.
"You have to be," said Flett. "Technology has advanced so much you can't work on your own car anymore. Everything is computerized, and you have to diagnose problems that way. That also makes it even more important to have your car serviced regularly.
"Everything has gotten more complicated," he said.
Riley Car Care has three mechanics on staff, as well as a detailer to make sure the outside of a car looks as good as the mechanical inside is working. "We work on all makes and models," said Flett. "That's the way it is in a general repair business."
The business also sells a wide range of pre-owned vehicles and takes pride in finding the exact car a customer seeks. If they don't have it in stock, they have the ability to search for and order it.
And once it arrives, Flett and his crew will make sure the car continues to run perfectly for as long as the customer owns it. After all, he's got a lot of history to uphold.
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