Rudi's Autohaus Stuttgart is a compact, five-bay Mercedes-Benz service and repair center with a customer range from San Diego to Orange County.

Herbert (Rudi) Rudloff, owner and quality assurance manager, has operated a shop since 1974, the last five at the present Kearny Mesa location. It's accessible from Freeways 163 and 805.

The customer-friendly shop takes pride in the fact that Mercedes-Benz provides a tremendous parts supply and that needs can be fulfilled quickly. There is 5,000 square feet of work space with an additional 7,000 square feet for parking.

"We have five ASC-certified technicians," says the personable Rudloff. "A maintenance man will provide rides for customers and pick up parts.

Our parts manager maintains up-to-date stock or finds parts as quickly as possible for specific jobs. Car loans also can be furnished.

"One thing about Mercedes and no other car supplier....it will replace parts overnight. If it's ordered by noon for a 1971 Mercedes model, we'll have the part the next day...and that's outstanding."

"Take a Ford or Chevrolet that is five to six years old. The customer will often be told a particular part is no longer available...it's obsolete. You have to go to a junk yard or after market to get it."

A extensive library of technical manuals is available to the staff, constantly updated through Mercedes of North America.

Employees are guided through specific codes for diagnostic systems. They are constantly updating the computers.

If a customer has an Autohaus Stuttgart license plate holder and needs emergency assistance, he or she can call an 800 number for free towing service.

Since the 1990s, Mercedes-Benz offers a greater range of models, suited for a growing demand. This makes Autohaus Stuttgart's position more interesting.

As Rudi points out, "Mercedes is a great and safe product and we help to keep it that way."