Meet Your Master Mechanic – Justin Schofield

Ever curious as to what the first car of your local auto mechanic was? For Justin Schofield, ASE certified Master Tech at VIP Tires & Service in Sanford Maine, it was a Nissan pick-up truck. “Nothing fancy,” he says, proving this by the simple description, “it was primer gray.” There may have been a smile sneaking out one corner of his mouth as he talked about his first set of wheels. “As a kid, in order to have a car to drive I had to fix it myself,” he says. Justin is proud of his self-taught roots, as he really got down and dirty to understand and learn what makes a vehicle work.

His knack (and obvious passion) for auto mechanics pair nicely with Justin’s ability to problem solve – two qualities he says are important for a good Master Tech. Justin joined the VIP Tires & Service team over 4 years ago, with more than 20 years of industry experience already under his belt. Most of us, regardless of our understanding of auto mechanics, DO know that much has changed over time. Most dramatically, computers now run our cars, which has changed the way professionals like Justin work. Justin shares, “You still need to know what is what, but technology gives us better diagnostics.” We can now discover what’s wrong with a vehicle with greater speed and accuracy. But do remember, if the computer can’t tell your mechanic what’s wrong, their hands-on experience and problem-solving skills under the hood take center stage.

On this hot summer morning, Justin is already under the hood of another pickup. A customer came in with an air conditioning system that wasn’t working; Justin’s challenge of the morning: identifying WHERE the leak is in the system and fixing it. “There are at least three more A/C checks and repairs today, and none of them will have a leak in the same place.” That’s one of the things that Justin Schofield says he enjoys the most about being a VIP Master Tech – the challenge. No two days (or vehicles) are ever the same, and it’s almost impossible to prep for the issues that may arise in the day ahead.

Following in her father’s footsteps, Justin’s 11-year old daughter is starting to show interest in vehicles, although her inspiration comes from a different source: mud trucking with dad! Justin’s passion for working on vehicles even extends into his off-time. After he fixes up the truck, Justin grabs the family and heads to one of several speedways in the area for some quality time, and mud truck racing, of course! “It’s one of the less expensive motor sports out there. It’s just pure fun.” Justin says.

Why you can trust Justin Schofield to be your local auto mechanic:

Justin Schofield is straightforward and honest. His manager will describe him as “a nice guy who doesn’t sugar coat the issue. He just wants his customers to be informed of the issues, and what it takes to repair and maintain a vehicle.” As the leak in the A/C system of the aforementioned truck was discovered, Justin brought the truck owner out to explore under the hood, educating his customer in real time by showing him what was happening.

Where can you find Justin Schofield?

VIP Tires & Service
1238 Main Street
Sanford, ME 04072
(207) 324-1117