Our History

History of Smith Specialty Automotive, LTD

We officially began business as Smith Specialty Automotive in 1997 at 2018 E. Spruce Circle because we saw vehicle computer systems becoming more complicated and some of the old guys were getting out of the business rather than learning new things. We built our reputation on fixing electrical problems on vehicles that others were not willing to. Deric Davis was our first employee and we worked together for several years, moving to behind Tire Town at the corner of Spruce and Rogers Road. While building our customer base, with a loose alliance with Tire Town we worked on vehicles for dealerships like Sunflower Dodge and Ancona Honda until the economic downturn after September 2001.  Many businesses had to re-adapt but we had fortunately continued to develop our reputation for doing quality work and continued to grow without the dealership work.

Some people that have been instrumental in our growth are Deric Davis, now working for the city of KCK, Steve Hunter, Technician from Louisiana, Cory Thrall, Service Writer from North Dakota, and Rick Scarff, Technician from Olathe, Janelle Spencer and Chris Costello, Service Writers. Donald Fulghum was a key member of our team for almost 8 years before opening his own shop in Grandview this year.

We moved to 808 N. Meadowbrook Drive, where OTRX trucking company began. We stayed there for over 5 years until we got our own building late 2008.  As a side note, OTRX began in 1985 and grew to over 520 trucks with sales near $64 million in 1997 and was Inc Magazine's business of the year.This local star in the trucking industry took a hit in 2001, went bankrupt within a month. They closed quickly and left the property vacant until Mike Hales Sr. purchased the property at auction.  We rented the property for over 5 years thinking that the larger facility would allow us to grow.  Mike Hales turned out to be difficult to rent from so we moved as soon as we could. During those years we are thankful for our loyal customers that continued to come in even though we were in a hidden location.  We jumped on the opportunity to purchase a building on Lindenwood Drive where Enterprise Rent-A-Car was for 15 years.

Over the years we have developed national associations like AAA, BBB, Bosch and NAPA to provide an umbrella of credibility and assure our customers that we are doing everything we can to provide the highest quality service.

We finally found a permanent home and moved in to 310 N. Lindenwood Drive, where Enterprise RentACar used to be. It's a miracle that the financing worked at the end of 2008 as we were diving into deep recession.  We are thankful for God’s provision and for First National Bank of Olathe.  We are also thankful for a cost-saving and visible location. Please stop in and see us.

Dave Smith | Smith Specialty Automotive, LTD.

Please Join Us:

If you presently do not have a shop for your regular service and repair needs, we hope you will give us a chance to earn your trust and loyalty. We would like to add you to our family of satisfied customers.

Meet our staff here.

See our shop here.

Read about our warranty and philosophy here.

See our certifications and credentials here.

Get 'social' with us on Facebook here.

Need an estimate?

From minor repairs to major engine or transmission repairs, our friendly, professional staff is ready to serve you.

1. We do our best to delivery same-day service.

2. Please call Bill, Jordan or Dave at 913-393-0700, or just drop by

3. You can reserve an appointment time using our convenient online form here.