From Backyard Builds to Bellingham’s Best: The Story Northwest European Autoworks
Every great garage has a founding story. Ours begins in the backwoods of Ferndale in the 1970s, where a curious 12-year-old named Ron Ager was handed the family tractor and told to make it run again.
No formal training. Just a parts catalog, a manual, and an unshakable belief that he could figure it out—It worked.
That moment — and many more like it — would spark a lifelong fascination with the inner workings of machines, a passion for problem-solving, and eventually, a full-fledged business that’s become a trusted name for German and European auto care in the Pacific Northwest.
1972: Early Curiosity Meets Mechanical Grit
Ron’s hands-on education started young. He wasn’t just interested in how things worked — he had to know. By age 10, he was taking apart lawnmowers that ran just fine, just to see what was going on inside. By high school, he was rebuilding engines, swapping parts, and resuscitating vehicles from near-death. His first car was a 1953 Ford Ranch Wagon. It didn’t run, but that didn’t stop him. He got it going and drove it daily — blue smoke and all.
Then came the car that changed everything: a fire-damaged Datsun 2000 Fairlady convertible he picked up for $400. The wiring was melted, the hood was scorched, but the engine was intact. Ron rebuilt it from the ground up, painted it burnt orange, and drove it proudly to school. He didn’t ask for permission — he just made it happen. His dad, initially furious, eventually surprised him by registering the car and buying the plates.
1980s–1990s: Building a Career in Construction
Ron didn’t go into auto repair right away. Instead, he built homes — literally. By his early 20s, he was designing and constructing custom houses throughout Whatcom County. In 1982, at just 19 years old, he bought five acres and a shack with a hundred-foot chicken coop. He poured a slab, turned the coop into a garage, and started working on cars on weekends while building homes full-time.
Over the next two decades, Ron balanced both worlds — craftsmanship by day, car restoration by night. His weekends were spent rebuilding wrecked BMWs and buying up every 2002 he could get his hands on. By the time the early 2000s rolled around, he had already owned and repaired more than 80 cars. Fixing things — really fixing them — wasn’t just a hobby. It was a way of life.
2006: The Leap into Automotive Full-Time
In 2004, after years of success in construction, Ron started feeling the market shift. Bidding wars, tight margins, and a changing landscape led him to reflect on what really brought him satisfaction — and it wasn’t sales calls or spec houses. It was problem-solving. It was wrenching. It was cars.
So he spent a year developing a business plan. He got advice from retired business owners, poured over the numbers, and grounded the vision in reality. Many people told him not to turn his passion into a business. But for Ron, it was the most logical move.
In 2006, he opened Northwest European Autoworks. One lift. One tech. His daughter at the front desk. A modest start, but the mission was clear: do honest work, fix things right, and earn trust one car at a time.
2012–Present: Growth, Reputation, and a Philosophy that Endures
The shop grew steadily, mostly through word of mouth and a loyal base of enthusiasts who could spot the difference between someone who likes cars and someone who lives and breathes them.
In 2012, Ron met Matt Brendemuehl — a seasoned service advisor and fellow German car zealot — in what can only be described as a fated driveway conversation. Matt joined the shop, and together they built NEA into what it is today: a top-tier shop trusted across the region for its knowledge, transparency, and craftsmanship.
Ron still keeps a close eye on the business, even if he’s not turning wrenches every day. He still restores the occasional vehicle (with freshly painted parts, of course) and ensures the shop holds to its core standard: if we’re going to fix something, we’re going to fix it right.
