Nicaraguan Native Turns Passion for Fixing Cars into Diamond Bar Business

Harry Downs' began tinkering with cars around 1991.

After purchasing his first new car and later having bad experiences with auto mechanics, Downs, 54, began fixing it himself.

What began as a necessity turned into an interest and subsequently, a business.

"It was like a hobby that seemed like a good thing to do for a living," he said.

A little more than a year ago, Downs opened Honest-1 Auto Care in Diamond Bar.

Honest-1 has franchises nationwide, with the Diamond Bar location the first to open in California.

The company is known for its eco-friendly intiatives, which include recycling of automotive materials, pollution prevention, resource conservation, and providing services such as ECO tuneups and ECO oil changes

When Downs was researching franchises, he read about the company and its mission and liked that Honest-1 emphasized cleanliness and providing a female-friendly environment, he said.

Downs added that his experiences with bad mechanics makes him conscious of the perceptions and he wants to allay his customers fears about dealing with auto repairs, women in particular. He does not believe in pressuring customers, he said.

"If I see something wrong with the vehicle, my responsibility is not to do it or not do it," he said of making repairs.  "I show you what you need for your vehicle and once I've done that, I've done my job."

Downs' work in the auto care business is a far cry from the early days when the Nicaraguan immigrant arrived in Los Angeles and got his first look at how much the car culture is a part of Southern California.

"I remember standing on the corner watching cars go by and thinking 'I could never drive that fast,'" he said.  "Everybody walked or rode a horse where I came from."

Downs was born and raised in Pearl Lagoon, Nicaragua, a small town in the country's eastern region. The town was a former British colony, so Downs' native language is English. He speaks Spanish as well, which he learned in school.

"You could walk from one end of town to the other in about 20 minutes," he said.

The residents all knew one another, with everyone attending the same church and school.

"It was a very simple life, but it was good," he said.  "It was a lot of freedom."

In the mid 1970s, a civil war broke out that lasted until the early 1980s, Downs said.

The Sandinista National Liberation Front, commonly called the Sandinistas, overthrew dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle in 1979, establishing a revolutionary government, according to the Princeton University website.

Oppositional militias known as the Contras were formed in 1981, fighting against the Sandinistas' Junta with the support of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

Downs said in his town, Sandinista soldiers would come in the middle of the night, knocking on the doors of homes with men 17 to 30 and making them join the fight.

"There was no neutrality, " he said.  "If you were not with them, you were against them."

Downs had three small children, the oldest around two years old at the time of the fighting.

His wife Celia had relatives in Los Angeles who helped them come to America in 1985.

Downs got a job as a dishwasher in a restaurant, the Good Earth in Redondo Beach. Looking for a way to support his young family, he met a man who got him into selling life insurance.

He later sold cars and was a Rapid Transit District bus driver for 25 years before opening Honest-1. That steady paycheck enabled his wife of 32 years to go to school to become a registered nurse, he said.

The business is a family affair.

His wife Celia decorated the interior of the shop, which includes comfy chairs in front of a flat-screen television, a coffee and beverage bar, an Internet station, and a play area for children.

Daughter Kandy Little, 31, who formerly worked as a loan officer, handles the marketing.

Son, Harry Downs, Jr., 29, is a licensed mechanic who worked for a Honda dealership for 11 years before coming to work with dad.

The pair have two other siblings, Mendy and Cindy.

The younger Downs said he definitely got his interest in cars from his dad.

"I was the type of person who always liked to get my hands dirty or just get dirty in general," he said.  "My mom said 'just find something you like doing.'"

He said he loves the challenge of fixing a tough problem and enjoys working closely with his family.

"I see my dad now every day and my sister," he said.  "Working as a family, everybody is on the same page.  Everybody has the same goal in mind."

Little, who is the oldest of the children, said that there was a previous repair shop in the spot they occupy that didn't have the best reputation.  Some people who come by don't realize that it is a totally new business with different owners, she said.

The family has built a relationship with its customers and is working to do the same in the community.  Honest-1 has participated in fundraisers for local schools that sold coupon books for automotive services.  The company also is collecting pajamas through Dec. 31 for children in need for a national program.

"We do try our best to live up to the name," Little said.  "My dad takes pride in knowing that's our responsibility.  It's not just a job. It's our family named tied up in it."

HONEST-1 AUTO CARE
Address: 780 N. Diamond Bar Boulevard
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Satuday, closed Sunday
Phone: 909-281-1588
Website: honest1diamondbar.com