By Sean Delaney
Ralph Razack and his Powershift Transmissions shop came to Emery Village due to events that followed the classic cliché, everything happens for a reason. Because Razack thought his future endeavour would be in a different location, and under a different name, until a few broken promises brought the well-known and reputable mechanic to Emery.
Powershift Transmission is about 17 years old, but Razack’s beginnings in the industry date back to 1987, when he began working at another transmission shop in southern Ontario. He worked there, up until they made him manager, and then quit his work and went to the United States to advance his skills. When he returned, he started working for a Mr. Transmission shop for 13 years.
“When I started working there, the boss saw how well I was doing, and told me he was going to sell the shop,” Razack said. “He said he would only need five more years, and then he would sell the shop to me.”
He continued working there with the intention of taking over one day, as owning his own shop became a reachable dream. Business was good, and he was the only builder in the shop. But in 2005, another employee who worked as the installer approached him and asked if he bought the shop, would Razack work for him?
Razack approached the owner about their verbal agreement and was told he had an offer that was $50,000 more than he expected to sell it for.
“He said, well, if someone offers you $50,000 more, wouldn’t you sell to them? And I said no, a promise is a promise,” Razack said. He had been with the shop for 13 years now and was intent on seeing their verbal agreement through and taking over the shop after the owner’s requested five years.
If the deal wasn’t going to happen however, Razack decided to move on. He had a colleague who owned a tire shop and found out that he too wanted to sell his business and retire. Again, on a verbal agreement Razack began renting the space for his own shop, as this owner told him he intended on keeping the unit as a rental property for his retirement. Two years later, that promise changed as well.
He approached Razack and said he too was looking to now sell the unit. Razack wasn’t ready but knew he could make the business work.
“So, I took a mortgage out on my house and bought the unit,” Razack said. “We’ve been doing great since the day I started here now.”
Razack said there have been a lot of changes in the mechanics of cars over the years, but outside of years that the pandemic keeps people isolated, he goes to seminars every year to keep his skills updated. And really, the transmission itself has remained a straightforward piece of equipment.
Low voltage, imbalanced tires and other neglected maintenance continue to lead to transmission issues in vehicles, and he knows he can rebuild and restore them to a quality customers can enjoy, and for much cheaper than most shops will offer.
“On average, we are 50 percent cheaper than going to the dealership,” he said.
The most important thing on new cars today, he said, is to ensure your tire pressure is correct at all times. But of course, it also doesn’t hurt to have a service connection that you know you can trust.
You can find Powershift Transmissions at: 151 Toryork Drive, Unit 18.
Or call them at: (416) 744-8844