| OUR FACILITIES | Ben's Workshop was designed to achieve a singular purpose: a technician- and client-friendly shop, functional and comfortable for the maintenance and repair of Mercedes-Benz automobiles. Construction began in August 1991 and was completed in March 1992. You can see the difference as you drive through our gated parking lot --- a 12,000 square foot building fronted with 16' concrete columns encased in swirling galvanized metal topped with a brilliant red canopy. Four bright blue ventilation fans perched along the roofline. Each element indicative of the thought put into Ben's Workshop, a distinctive, well-designed facility created specifically for its purpose. In 1991, we custom-designed this spacious and very functional 12,000 square-foot workshop. We set out to create a comfortable workplace that would not only attract and retain the best technical talent, but also match the expectations and demands of the owners of a world-class automobile. We've succeeded. Ben's Workshop is now the largest independent Mercedes-Benz workshop in the region, over 3,000 customers served in the last four years alone by an extraordinary group of skilled Mercedes technicians . Inside, our workshop is light and open with high ceilings and an impressive ventilation system, an inviting place-whether you work on cars or not. Come by and visit any time, we'd be happy to give you a tour. Need Directions? As a preface to that tour, here are several of the details that make Ben's unique: Foundation Our 12,000 square foot workshop was over-engineered from the ground up. It took three men four months to complete the building's perimeter wall. And 80 dump truck loads of compacted crushed limestone form the foundation for the shop floor. That slab gives us 16 large service bays and our technicians ample room to move around. Insulation Thick R19 insulation in the ceiling and R11 along the walls makes for cooler summers and warmer winters. This above-standard insulation is especially appreciated during Austin's extremely hot summer weather. It's a construction detail that, combined with a common sense professional wardrobe policy that includes shorts and short-sleeve shirts, contributes to a comfortable work atmosphere for both staff and technicians. Ventilation System (shown above) Four, big blue, 70,000 cfm roof-peak ventilation fans are capable of exchanging the entire building's air volume every 3 minutes. Nine, moveable-louver openings along the service bay walls add to the air flow. In addition, two 18' electrically operated, overhead shop doors provide maximum ventilation throughout Ben's Workshop . Lighting (shown at right) Eleven sky lights in the ceiling coupled with a metal-Halide lighting system provide full-spectrum light. This full-spectrum type of lighting eases eye strain, allows for meticulous under-the-hood work and contributes to a clean, organized workshop. Service Bays (shown at left) There are sixteen individual service bays equipped with seven Werther lifts. Imported from Italy, these durable, long-lasting lifts allow an unobstructed floor beneath the car to give our technicians complete access to all parts of your Mercedes' chassis. Thanks to this ingenious design, troubleshooting is easy and our efficiency increases. Star Diagnositc Computers (shown at right) These are diagnostic and workshop information computers sold by Mercedes-Benz of North America to aid in the service and repair of their vehicles. At this time, there are only approximatley 100 in the hands of independent shops (non-dealers). Two of these machines are at Ben's. Hunter Laser Camera Alignment Equipment (shown at left) The most advanced and accurate machine available for wheel and chassis alignment. Hunter Tire Mounting and Road Force Balancing Equipment (shown above left) The latest in tire mounting and balancing equipment. With these machines and the alignment machine mentioned above, Ben's can make your car run smoother and straighter than ever before. Car Exhaust System (shown at right) Long, black, flexible hoses suspended 16' overhead drop down to allow the venting of exhaust fumes from the building. Driven by a 5 HP squirrel-cage fan, it's a practical and simple balanced flow exhaust system that adds to our technicians' safety and comfort. Interior Wash Bay We use a natural gas fired pressure washer in our wash bay inside the building to clean engines and the underside of cars. Two hundred degree water delivered at 3 gpm (gallons per minute) at 1,500 psi (pounds per square inch) insures clean surfaces. That, in turn, allows us to complete jobs quickly, efficiently, and neatly. Parts Washer Our parts washer is a closed loop system that resembles a stainless steel refrigerator large enough to house an engine block. It works a bit like an industrial strength dish washer. The solvent is water mixed with a biodegradable detergent. The 195 degree water is delivered at 50 gpm (gallons per minute) at 45 psi (pounds per square inch). After the wash cycle, parts literally "flash-dry" in the washer. The grease, oil and particulate removed from parts during cleaning are trapped and recycled. Parts Warehouse 2,857 different parts. On hand, in stock, ready for repairs. And, given our volume requirements and excellent relationship with the Mercedes-Benz and independent parts distribution systems, we enjoy "next day" delivery on most parts ordered. Building Design Team Ben's Workshop was a collaborative effort among Ben Schotz (owner of Ben's), his father-in-law Hugh Lilly, and Morris Hoover of Morris Hoover & Associates architectural firm. Hugh volunteered to help out on the project and contributed the "build-to-industrial-spec" nature of the building. Hugh is a UT trained electrical engineer who owns Hugh Lilly & Company, Inc., an industrial service, repair and maintenance firm in Houston. Previously as Executive VP of Mid Valley Construction, a subsidiary of Brown & Root, he oversaw construction of power plants all over the world, including notable work in Mexico City, Puerto Rico, Florida, Indiana and Texas. Hugh is a specialist in "pressure vessels" and recently completed a significant project in the Hill Country for the LCRA. The project involved feed water heater replacement in La Grange requiring hoisting 250,000 lb. replacement vessels 30' above the floor into place. This was no mean feat, given that the power plant building itself was not designed to accommodate their replacement. Getting to Ben's Workshop Traffic on West Fifth Street seems to get ever more hectic. May we suggest that if you are approaching Ben's Workshop from the east, travelling west on Sixth Street, that you proceed past the Hartland Bank Building on Sixth Street, taking you almost to the point where you would pass under Mopac Boulevard (Loop 1), and use the turnaround provided there in order to get to Fifth Street. You'll find entering the flow of traffic on Fifth Street and working your way over to the right to take a right onto Pressler Street easier and safer this way. (Click on the map to see a larger version.) HOME | MISSION | PEOPLE | FACILITIES Ben's Workshop / 410 Pressler Street / Austin, Texas 78703 / 512.472.5555 / customerservice@bensworkshop.com / ©2007 BEN'S WORKSHOP.  All Rights Reserved.