Stefan Kennett

Stefan started with Auto Check in 2012 at its old location on Cliff Street. He was taken on to help manage the team as Auto Check got a facelift and moved to the bigger and better location on Bowen Road. Then when 2018 came around, Ron and Karen were getting ready to retire and Stefan became the proud new owner of Auto Check Automotive! In addition to running a shop he is an avid mountain biker, hockey player, guitar enthusiast and brew master….well, master-ish.

Jayne Hartwich

Jayne Hartwich joined our service team in 2016. She has been in the automotive industry for 17 years beginning in parts and equipment sales. Jayne excels at problem solving and has found her niche as a service advisor. In addition to being super mom to Jimi, she has been seen on stage singing and playing guitar but truly enjoys any opportunity to hit the green and swing her golf clubs when not on her motorcycle, go Jayne GO!

Dennis Eldstrom

Dennis Eldstrom joined us in the heat of COVID-19. Oddly, his timing couldn’t have been better. The level of stress in an essential, pandemic-stuck business had been elevating at an alarming rate, then, along comes Mr. Chill. Dennis’ calm demeanour and brilliant sense of humour is a pleasure to be around.

Darren Colborne

Darren is our resident jokester and newest automotive apprentice. After many years with Auto Check Darren has officially found his new spot on the shop floor. As a jack of all trades Darren has taken on most roles in the shop and has now begun the path to becoming a journeyman mechanic. If you have a question Darren probably has an answer and a joke to go with it. In his free time he enjoys fishing, hanging out with his fiance and dogs and you can find him live streaming under the username Relick357 on Youtube and TikTok.

Paul Walton joined the Auto Check team in the spring of 2013. Paul never shirks the tough stuff, he is a detail oriented, meticulous technician who loves a challenge. No job is too big or too dirty; head gaskets, timing chain and water pumps, engine rebuilds or replacement Paul does it all. After work he applies himself just as enthusiastically to life as he is focused on the job. He is a total “island guy” taking his family camping, fishing, boating, or skiing, pretty much anything outdoors, but most recently his son’s BMX activity has been the priority.

Paul Walton

Stefan Marschner joined us in the spring of 2018. He grew up in Germany where he trained as an automotive technician. That may explain his focus on efficiency and precision. He then worked on heavy equipment in Korea. While his repertoire is very versatile, he is able to work on any type of car which is why he is our resident Head Technician. He now loves living in Nanaimo with his wife and daughter. His serious demeanor hides a quirky sense of humour that we all enjoy.

Stefan Marschner

Kenneth Lai

Kenneth (also known as Kenneth DaMenath on Youtube and Twitch) became part of the Auto Check Team in early 2022. As the General Manager, he works very hard to keep the shop flowing and your cars ready on time! In the evenings and weekends you can see Kenneth eating fried chicken, camping in his Jeep or teaching Improv. With some experience working in both parts and service departments previously, Kenneth is eager to learn more and serve Nanaimo from his Spot in the shop.

Ryan Phillips joined the Auto Check team in the summer of 2022. Very quickly Ryan fit in and proved to be an invaluable member of our crew as a technician. He is always happy to help those around him and to take a moment to learn some more about the work he is clearly very passionate about. Outside of work Ryan is an avid hiker and self proclaimed super nerd: He loves DND, Video games and 3d printing models for his campaigns (sorry ladies he is married). We hope that Ryan continues to learn and grow eventually becoming a full fledge SUPER TECH of our very own!

Ryan Phillips

Karen Hovestad

Karen and Ron started the legacy of Auto Check Automotive in 1997. In those days it was Auto Check Radiator and Cooling. As the times changed Auto Check needed to adapt and has moulded into the full service facility that it is now. Karen loved her staff and had fun making TV and Radio commercials, earning herself the nickname “one take Karen.” Karen was definitely a car girl. She enjoyed her time spent as a member of the Pacific Coast Mustang association. She even got the opportunity to drive her Golf R on the Cowichan track, and most notably raced on the Mondello track in Ireland. Any customer that received a ride home from her wouldn’t be surprised to hear this since every courtesy ride home would have you pinned into the back of your seat or pressed into the locked seat belt as you arrived to your destination much earlier than expected. There was only one speed for Karen. This doesn’t just apply to her driving. Full throttle Karen had an insane vocabulary, could out talk an auctioneer and outsmart a scientist.

Karen was a joy to work with/for and didn’t mind taking on any task or getting her hands dirty. Working with your spouse doesn’t sound easy, Ron and Karen made it look easy. For the time that she was business partners with Stefan Kennett they quickly agreed on everything. Seemingly difficult meetings usually ended in smiles and a glass of wine.

In memory of

Thomas Lindenau

Many years ago, we were in need of a new apprentice. The gang at Auto Check is a close knit, smooth working team. We were very fortunate to find and hire Thomas into our fold. At the time we met, he was a 1st year heavy duty apprentice working in a camp in Alberta. His heart was on the Island and his passion was cars, so it did not take much to convince him to work with us in Nanaimo. Our “Bacon Friday” tradition was the icing on the cake for him. With no hesitation, he accepted the job and jumped in his truck to dash to Alberta to collect his tools and be back to start work ASAP.

It was the beginning of a mutually enjoyable relationship. Thomas was a little gangly, a little goofy but eager to learn and tackle any task. Perpetually cheerful and helpful, he was never out of sorts or unhappy. Outside of the regular 8 to 5 he took on mechanical challenges not just for necessity but for fun. He truly loved what he did, and it showed in his ever growing expertise. Over the years we have had many apprentices but none had ever displayed the promise and potential like Thomas.

The invitation to compete at Skills Canada and how well he did was validation in our belief in his brilliant expertise. Losing him was a tragedy for the industry, but as a personal loss, it has been devastating.