This auto shop that works on Mercedes, Porsche race cars has a new home in Gig Harbor
After using every inch of their old space, Spec German has found a new home.
The small, locally owned company is a luxury auto repair shop that specializes in Mercedes-Benz and Porsche automotive services in Gig Harbor.
It recently moved to a larger building at 3523 57th St. Court, doubling the amount of cars they can service inside. They went from 2,500 square feet to now 5,000 square feet of space to work. Their new building used to house Parker’s Detailing and Turco’s Automotive.
Jacob Coen and Jason Edlin co-own Spec.
Coen works on the Porsches and Edlin works on the Mercedes.
They created the company in 2021, opening the doors of their first location on Hunt Street in Gig Harbor. Parker’s Detailing has since taken over that space.
Spec German does service repairs, oil changes, maintenance modifications, and diagnostics. They also do track prep for Porsche race car drivers, Coen and Edlin told the Gateway Monday, Sept. 11.
Before starting their company, they each had decades of experience working with these specific luxury car brands.
Coen worked at the Porsche dealership in Scottadale, Arizona and more recently Bellevue. He also was a technician at Dundon Motorsports in Gig Harbor.
Edlin worked as a technician at Mercedez-Benz in Seattle.
The two men met years ago and quickly became friends. They dreamed of opening a shop of their own together.
“It’s funny, because when Jacob and Jason met, I’ll never forget the day that Jacob came home and he had hearts in his eyes,” Jaimee Coen, Jacob’s wife said. “From that day forward, they’ve been best friends.”
Coen grew up in Gig Harbor and attended Peninsula High School. He moved back to the area about seven years ago with his family. Edlin grew up in Marysville and relocated to the Gig Harbor area with his family in 2020.
With both families living in the area and ready for fresh starts, they began seriously talking about making their dream happen.
Almost two and a half years later, business is booming.
Jaimee Coen works at the front desk and as the communications coordinator for the company.
They’ve also brought on a third technician, Luis Micheri, who worked at Porsche dealerships in Bellevue and Beaverton, Oregon.
“We’re in an interesting growth phase and even looking for a fourth technician to bring on,” Jaimee Coen said.
The brands are both very technical and they’d be looking for the highest level of candidates, Jacob Coen said.
New alignment rack
Their new space has six lift bays for working on cars. The former space only had three.
Now they also have their own alignment rack and tire machine.
Previously, they had to drive cars over to Dundon Motorsports to do alignment services.
There’s also office space for Jaimee Coen, a small seating area for customers and a break room for the technicians.
At the old space, the technicians ate lunch near their work station, she said.
Jacob Coen said the break room is something he’s getting used to. He still accidentally catches himself eating at his work station.
Spec German keeps all cars they’re currently working on inside the building overnight.
At the former location, it was like a puzzle trying to get them all inside. They could only hold about 12 cars. The new space can hold up to 23.
Former clients make the trip
Coen and Edlin have clients who travel to the harbor for Spec German services.
Aside from the clients they’ve met in the Gig Harbor area, they also have some from Seattle, Bellingham, parts of Oregon, and Boise, Idaho.
Some had services done by Coen and Edlin while they were working elsewhere.
On the Porsche side of Spec German, they do quite a bit of race car preparation.
They work on anything from full race cars, to road cars that are track day ready.
Spec German has a few sponsored cars that you can rent for track day use out at Pacific Raceways.
When Dundon Motorsports made the decision to strictly manufacture parts of Porsche race cars and end the service side of their business a few years ago, they gave their service clients to Coen.
That kick-started the Porsche clientele at Spec German.
They built their Mercedes clientele from the ground up, and it has quickly evolved over the last few years.
The ratio of Porsche to Mercedes clients has balanced out, Jaimee Coen said.
“Jason has a client that splits time living between Sequim, Washington and Boise, Idaho,” she said. “She’ll drive all the way from Boise to come see him.”
A more personal client relationship
When they first started the business in 2021, there was a need for luxury car services west of the Narrows Bridge, Jaimee Coen said.
Many drivers don’t want to cross the bridge to go to Tacoma, Jacob Coen said.
Spec German gives a more personal and intimate service than you may get with larger establishments, Jacob Coen and Edlin said.
Each technician at Spec German works directly with the client throughout the service. They’re able to call, text and email customers live updates throughout.
Sometimes larger corporations have the technician relay information to the service advisor, who relays it to the client.
“If there’s something that might be hard to explain verbally, we can take a video or picture for better clarification,” Edlin said.
Communication is heavily valued at Spec German, Jacob Coen said.
“If they’re having to reach out to us for updates, we feel like we’ve failed them,” he said.
It’s about developing relationships, Edlin said.
“A lot of our clients become great friends,” he said. “We can give a more personal touch than you get at some of the larger establishments.”
This story was originally published September 17, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
