Meet Max Zima, Owner of Zima Automotive 

Max Zima is the founder and owner of Zima Automotive, a family-owned European auto repair specialist in Springfield, Ohio, with domestic repair also available. Before opening his own shop, he trained through the Chrysler Apprenticeship Program and spent years working as a professional technician. Today, he leads a team built around the same principle his father taught him growing up in Detroit: do the job right and treat people honestly.

A Detroit Garage and a Father Who Set the Standard 

Max's journey in the automotive industry started young, in a garage in Detroit, Michigan, working alongside his father and hero, Glenn Zima. Glenn taught him what hard work, honesty, craftsmanship, and doing things the right way actually look like in practice, not just in theory.

Those lessons became the foundation for everything Max would build later, in his career and in the company that carries his name. Max has said the Zima name means something to him, and that Zima Automotive should carry it with the same integrity, hard work, and respect Glenn represented.

That early passion carried him into formal training through the Chrysler Apprenticeship Program and a career in professional automotive repair. Max spent two years in the Chrysler Apprenticeship Program,  where he earned two degrees: an associate degree in applied science and an associate degree in general studies. He then worked in the industry as a certified technician from 1999 to 2007 before stepping away from automotive repair for a new chapter in life.

 Walking Away to Find His Purpose 

As the years went on, Max grew increasingly frustrated with an industry that often felt more focused on transactions than on people. Burned out and searching for something more meaningful, he stepped away from automotive repair altogether and moved to the Philippines to serve as a missionary.

He lived in the Philippines from 2007 to 2012. While he was there, he taught automotive repair skills, worked alongside local communities, and spent his time focused on helping people instead of fixing cars.



It was in the Philippines that Max found the thing that would change the direction of his life. He realized his true calling was never simply about fixing cars. It was about serving people. 

More than that, he came to believe God had already equipped him with a specific set of skills. The automotive industry became the door he had been given to build relationships, impact lives, and serve his community in a meaningful way.

Building Zima Automotive From a Garage 

When Max came home, he started Zima Automotive out of his own garage with little more than a vision and a toolbox. He was determined to serve people differently than he had seen the industry do it. He focused on building real one-on-one relationships with customers. Instead of simply selling to them, he educated them and treated every vehicle like it belonged to a member of his own family.

Word got around. Customers started referring friends, family, and coworkers, and the trust built through those personal relationships is what fueled the company's growth. 

Over the years, Zima Automotive grew from a one-man operation in a garage into one of the area's most trusted automotive repair facilities. And today, the shop is known specifically as a European vehicle specialist with domestic repair also available.

The Standard Hasn't Changed 

The business has grown a lot since then, but the foundation hasn't moved. Zima Automotive was built on relationships, trust, and service, not sales. Max still believes people matter more than cars, and that every customer deserves honesty, transparency, and a repair experience they can actually feel good about.

That belief is close to what became Zima Automotive's mission: to invest in the company's Character, Culture, and Creativity to change the way car care is done. For Max, that's never really been about fixing vehicles alone; it is about serving people and building relationships that last. It also means living out the values his father taught him. He uses the abilities he believes he was given to make a real difference in people’s lives.

His own goal from day one has been simpler still: restore good faith and trust to an industry where too many people feel talked down to. Sometimes, repair news is not what a customer wants to hear. Even then, Max wants them to leave feeling respected, informed, and confident that they were treated honestly.

Zima Automotive's official core values are truthfulness, respect, work ethic, humility, and accountability. Humility lines up directly with the personal values Max describes above. The others reflect how he leads day to day rather than a personal creed. That is intentional because the company values are meant to be lived by everyone on the team, not just Max.

Life, Family, and What Keeps Him Grounded 

Life hasn't always gone the way Max expected it to. Through seasons of challenge, loss, and rebuilding, he's learned that some of life's best moments come out of new beginnings. Today, he's grateful to have found his partner, Cassie, and the two of them are building a blended family together with their kids. 



That journey has only reinforced what he already believed: trust, communication, commitment, and grace are the foundation of strong families and strong businesses alike.

When he's not at the shop, Max likes spending time with his family, getting outdoors, and saying yes to just about any adventure that pulls him away from a screen. Whether he is hiking a new trail, working on a project, traveling, or spending time with the people he loves, Max values time away from the noise. He believes some of life’s best moments happen outside everyday routines. His faith, his family, and time outdoors keep him grounded, and they're a big part of why serving people matters so much to him.

Whether he is leading his team, working with customers, mentoring someone, or spending time with his family, Max follows the same guiding principles. Faith, integrity, humility, and service to others have shaped him throughout his life.

"I thought I was leaving the automotive industry behind. Instead, I found out that serving people through automotive repair was exactly where I was supposed to be. Everything I've built, from this business to the family I'm blessed to be part of today, has been rooted in relationships, trust, and a commitment to serving others." — Max Zima, Owner of Zima Automotive

 Want to Know More About the Shop Max Built? 

Max's story is personal, but the shop he built is for the whole community. Read more about Zima Automotive or call (937) 342-3911 to schedule your next visit and see the standard he set in action.