Retail
Bright Idea: Mechanics Making House Calls
Wrench wants to take the hassle out of car repair.
By Andrew Fickes January 4, 2017
This article originally appeared in the January 2017 issue of Seattle magazine.
Need a quick oil change? Maybe a complete tune-up? A year-old startup called Wrench dispatches a certified mechanic to your home or workplace and eliminates the hassle and cost of having to drop off your car at the car dealer or repair shop.
Were 30 percent cheaper than a dealership and on par with an independent shop, says Wrench cofounder and CEO Ed Petersen. But were more convenient.
Petersen adds that the pitch to consumers is simple: Our goal is to make owning your car completely hassle free.
To request service, customers can visit Wrenchs website getwrench.com or they can use a smartphone app. Its most popular service is an oil change, which starts at $68. Wrench also offers memberships, which include quarterly visits for oil changes, tire rotations, safety inspections and fluid top-offs; memberships cost $14.95 a month for cars and $19.95 for trucks.
Last June, the Madrona Venture Group contributed half of a $1.2 million seed round. Managing Director Len Jordan says the big market potential, clear pain point and compelling solution sold Madrona on Wrenchs concept.
We like the market opportunity, Jordan says. There are more than 120 million cars on the road that are more than three years old.
So far, Wrench has serviced more than a thousand vehicles. Jordan says the startup is still in its infancy, so the focus is less on making a profit and more on establishing a presence. Demand, however, is apparent. Wrench expanded to car-happy Phoenix in November and is studiously eyeing other markets.
Wrench has a contract to service vehicles for Lyft, the ride-hiring service. And it hopes to expand its services to office and industrial parks; it already has deals with Bellefield Office Park in Bellevue and North Creek Business Park in Bothell.