The Bristol Press| www.BristolPress.com Wednesday, June 27, 2012 | PDF: 2012-6 June
By LIZ NEWBERG STAFF WRITER
PLYMOUTH — Any morning is a busy morning at Cliff’s Automotive. If you can’t catch him on the phone, you can stop by and find him under a hood.
“It’s a good kind of busy,” owner Cliff Jones said after another morning had just begun at his garage located on Main Street in Terryville, CT.
“Whether it’s oil changes, tires or getting their cars ready for the weather by checking things like coolants and tire pressure, it’s all about what the customers need. No matter what, I will always treat you good,” he said. While Cliff has a regular and loyal customer base that he said has become more like family friends over nearly 20 years he’s been in business, he treats everyone that comes into his garage with the same care and courtesy.
“There are basically two different customers,” Cliff explained. “There are those who come year round and maintain their car regularly and there are those who just want you to fix it as needed. No matter what they need, I treat them all the same.”
Cars are simply his lifeblood and it shows in the service he provides. And a true measure of a man’s passion is what he does in his off hours.
When Cliff isn’t under the carriage of a car or checking tire pressure, he’s tinkering around with his favorite pastime — racing ‘97 Mustang Cobra that he proudly says can reach 105 miles per hour in just 13.1 seconds.
“That’s pretty good for a car driven everyday on the road,” Cliff said.
His 7-year-old son is inheriting the same love of cars as his father and he never misses one of his dad’s races on the quarter-mile track in Lebanon.
But Cliff’s extracurricular activities don’t stop with his Mustang. He also has a composite motorcycle that he built from the ground up.
He and his son go on motorcycle rides together and joined over 100 bikers in a run organized by local restaurant Shoot Gates to raise money for a sick child whose family hails from the area.
While Cliff’s passion for all things automotive extends to all parts of his life, he said the best thing about his business are the customers he enjoys serving every day. “My customers are fabulous,” he said. “Word of mouth is a wonderful thing. We have great people here and we do it right and it shows.”
Cliffs Automotive is located at 410 Main St., Terryville, CT. Call the garage at (860) 314-9528 to set up an appointment or just stop by and say hello.
