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Fender Bender? He's the "Mender" Mario Buntich of Star Auto Group Body Shop

By Pablo Santibanez

Services for Real Estate Pros with Buildalegacygroup #01089189

June 28, 2007 05:48 PM

Mario Buntich is a friend and neighbor who owns and manages the auto paint and body repair shop Star Auto Group Body Shop in Glendale California.

Now a little bit of history (Disclosure) I have known Mario for years he grew up in the same town as my wife and I in a suburb outside of L.A. called (Eagle Rock) We all had mutual friends growing up. So as it goes you grow up and everyone goes their separate ways.

Years had gone by I would run into mutual friends from time to time, "What is Mario up to? last I heard Mario was living in Chatsworth?" Let him know I said Hey when you see him"

We recently moved to Santa Clarita at the time (7 years ago) and I being a Real Estate Appraiser was researching a property's value up the street from my home for an Appraisal assignment. As I am looking up data, I came across a familiar name on the city records "Mario Buntich, who lives a block away. So I said to myself what are the odds that this is Mario from my old neighborhood (30 miles away). No, it could not be?. Well curiosity got the best of me and I had to find out if it was him or not. So I walk up the street knocked on the door to learn IT IS MARIO! Is that wild or what!!! I asked, "When did you move here!, he asked me the same question. So we caught up for a bit, "have you seen so and so blah, blah, blah"

So what does all that have to do with Mario being the Fender Mender? I'm glad you asked.. Lets go back to the furture (2006) One day I was pulling out of a parking spot in one of my favorite stores Lowes in Valencia, California. I must have been thinking about some home improvement project when I backed out and scraped the front bumper of my 2004 Yukon Denali. I scraped the bumper along a concrete block wall I didn't see. I was mortified! It was a minor scrape but it looked horrible!

I called Mario that night and asked him when I could drop by his shop to have him give me an estimate on the Denali?. He said" I can walk down right now and take a look". Next thing I know there is a knock on my door. It's Mario of course, He looks over the car and told me he could have it fixed in a few days. He told me he would drop by the next day and drive the car in to have it repaired. I was not expecting that kind of service! Then a few days later he returned with the car completely repaired and on the date he said he would have it done!!. Now that is going way too far!! Actually doing what you said you would!! The price was also not what I had expected, he really took care of me!. He did not have to do all of this, but he did. That is likely why his business is growing.

Mario's a friend, but I do not believe he treated me much different than most of his customers. He did what he said he would and when he said he would do it. What more can you ask for? Thanks Mario. So if your in a fender bender and need a fender mender give Mario a call let him know you read about him on line.