Truett Ray
Owner of Shade Tree Garage
Email: shadetree@nc.rr.com
I'm a retired IBM Engineer/Programmer, who is living his dream of repairing and servicing BMWs all day every day (I'm trying to correct that every day part). Shade Tree Garage started in the blue metal tractor repair shop of the family farm and continues there today.
My qualifications include a degree in Engineering from North Carolina State University and an abiding interest in all things mechanical. While pursuing a career in programming at IBM, I operated a hobby business of selling Studebaker parts (don’t ask for Studebaker parts now, it was a previous lifetime ago), which involved becoming an authorized parts dealer for both Studebaker Automotive Sales Corporation and Avanti Motor Corporation as well as dismantling more than 250 Studebakers for parts.
My interest in BMWs started in the 1970’s with BMW motorcycles and progressed into BMW automobiles in the 1980’s. I am also a big proponent of the BMW Car Club (BMWCCA), to add to the knowledge and enjoyment of owning a BMW.
Owner of Shade Tree Garage
Email: shadetree@nc.rr.com
I'm a retired IBM Engineer/Programmer, who is living his dream of repairing and servicing BMWs all day every day (I'm trying to correct that every day part). Shade Tree Garage started in the blue metal tractor repair shop of the family farm and continues there today.
My qualifications include a degree in Engineering from North Carolina State University and an abiding interest in all things mechanical. While pursuing a career in programming at IBM, I operated a hobby business of selling Studebaker parts (don’t ask for Studebaker parts now, it was a previous lifetime ago), which involved becoming an authorized parts dealer for both Studebaker Automotive Sales Corporation and Avanti Motor Corporation as well as dismantling more than 250 Studebakers for parts.
My interest in BMWs started in the 1970’s with BMW motorcycles and progressed into BMW automobiles in the 1980’s. I am also a big proponent of the BMW Car Club (BMWCCA), to add to the knowledge and enjoyment of owning a BMW.
Dietrich Koch
Owner of Automotive Services (at Shade Tree Garage)
Email: dietrichk@nc.rr.com
Dietrich was born in Germany and immigrated to the US in the 50's with his family. Luckily, his family moved to North Carolina in time for Dietrich to graduate from High School in High Point and develop an interest in British sports cars, This lead to automotive training in Tech school and a budding career that covered all the european imported cars (ask to see his factory training diploma from Citroen) which culminated in BMW (true to his german heritage).
It seems that Dietrich has followed the trail of success with BMW in the US by starting in the heyday of 2002s and moving right on up to the very latest offerings from Munich. It would be difficult to find anyone with more experience or skill with BMWs than Dietrich.
Owner of Automotive Services (at Shade Tree Garage)
Email: dietrichk@nc.rr.com
Dietrich was born in Germany and immigrated to the US in the 50's with his family. Luckily, his family moved to North Carolina in time for Dietrich to graduate from High School in High Point and develop an interest in British sports cars, This lead to automotive training in Tech school and a budding career that covered all the european imported cars (ask to see his factory training diploma from Citroen) which culminated in BMW (true to his german heritage).
It seems that Dietrich has followed the trail of success with BMW in the US by starting in the heyday of 2002s and moving right on up to the very latest offerings from Munich. It would be difficult to find anyone with more experience or skill with BMWs than Dietrich.
Steven Beckmeyer
BMW Repair and Authorized Tire Rack Specialist
Steven is a fixture at Shade Tree Garage (having started working here while in high school and we need a picture that is not as old). He has worked on both old and new models and attended multiple training seminars. His ability to diagnose problems together with his methodical work ethic, allows him to quickly fix problems and save the customer money and time. When not at the shop you can find Steven enjoy his other passion bike polo.
Photo and bio need updating. He is too busy fixing cars like a boss for such things.
BMW Repair and Authorized Tire Rack Specialist
Steven is a fixture at Shade Tree Garage (having started working here while in high school and we need a picture that is not as old). He has worked on both old and new models and attended multiple training seminars. His ability to diagnose problems together with his methodical work ethic, allows him to quickly fix problems and save the customer money and time. When not at the shop you can find Steven enjoy his other passion bike polo.
Photo and bio need updating. He is too busy fixing cars like a boss for such things.
Ugo Vuotto
BMW Repair and Authorized Tire Rack Specialist
Photo and bio need updating. He is to_o busy fixing cars like for such things.
BMW Repair and Authorized Tire Rack Specialist
Photo and bio need updating. He is to_o busy fixing cars like for such things.
Randall Schneider
BMW Repair and Authorized Tire Rack Specialist
Photo and bio need updating. He is too busy fixing cars for such things.
BMW Repair and Authorized Tire Rack Specialist
Photo and bio need updating. He is too busy fixing cars for such things.
Tom Whaley
BMW Repair and Authorized Tire Rack Specialist
Photo and bio need updating. He is too busy fixing cars for such things.
BMW Repair and Authorized Tire Rack Specialist
Photo and bio need updating. He is too busy fixing cars for such things.
Christopher Truett Ray
Appointments/IT/Factotum
He is Truett's son and the first Shade Tree Garage employee back in the salad days when we still worked on Studebakers. He is just coming back after a 20 year stint as an environmental engineer at Hazen and Sawyer. He brings his managerial, IT, problem solving,customer service skills, and a desire to get things right at the garage.
Appointments/IT/Factotum
He is Truett's son and the first Shade Tree Garage employee back in the salad days when we still worked on Studebakers. He is just coming back after a 20 year stint as an environmental engineer at Hazen and Sawyer. He brings his managerial, IT, problem solving,customer service skills, and a desire to get things right at the garage.
Location:
We are located on the site of the Truett Ray's family's home and the Ray family dairy in between Raleigh and Durham. The cows have been gone since the 1980's, but we have converted many of the outbuilding for the purpose of car repair. Shade Tree Garage can attribute its name to the many majestic oak trees that shade the property.
We are located on the site of the Truett Ray's family's home and the Ray family dairy in between Raleigh and Durham. The cows have been gone since the 1980's, but we have converted many of the outbuilding for the purpose of car repair. Shade Tree Garage can attribute its name to the many majestic oak trees that shade the property.