Jack’s Auto Clinic “downsizing”

By Gary Scott on October 9, 2015 at 1:10pm

Today is the final day of business for a long-time car repair service in Jacksonville.

Jack’s Auto Clinic opened in 1979. Current owner David Zink purchased the business from Jack Wagahoff in 1996. He cites increased costs of automobile repair technology as the reason the full-time business is going away.

Zink says he will continue to fix vehicles on an appointment-only basis from the Jack’s Auto Clinic building.

“I may not be able to change engines by myself, but other than that, most things are going to be fair game,” he says. “If it’s something I can’t handle, then we’ll certainly let the customers know, and hopefully they can find someone to take care of them. Just basically going to downsize.”

Zink says he’s enjoyed fixing the problems of West Central Illinois motorists.

“100 percent. I’ve been a tinkerer my whole life. In fact, my parents have wonderful stories of me taking the lawnmower apart at age six or seven years old. So, it’s been a long road for me, anyway, and not one that’s going to stop anytime soon,” Zink says.

“I do enjoy what I do very much and enjoy the public, too. It’s just time to make some changes.”

Since Zink purchased Jack’s Auto Clinic in 1996, the business has won the city newspaper’s Readers’ Choice Award for best auto repair service in Jacksonville 15 times.