Today we’d like to introduce you to Usman Khan.
Hi Usman, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve been fascinated with cars and machinery since I was a kid, but my story really began when I was 16 and followed a YouTube video on how to change the oil on my mom’s old 2004 Honda Odyssey. I did it on-ramps on my downhill street, in the dark. That was my first of many experiences with fixing cars. I had learned a lot by the time I was 17 and had saved up enough money working at the local TJMaxx to buy my first car, a 1989 Nissan 240sx. I decided on the car after watching a bunch of videos of people modifying them, drifting them and driving them on track. I wanted something to drive and build at the same time. I found one on Craigslist that was faded cherry red, five-speed manual, and unmodified, which was hard to find at the time and impossible now. I got it for $1900, but it had issues with the idle and would die at red lights. I discovered the fuel regulator was leaking and causing a drop in fuel pressure when the engine would come back down to idle at red lights. I took the two bolts that hold the regulator off, fitted a new gasket and viola, my car didn’t die at intersections or stop signs anymore.
I spent the next year fixing little things and improving the car as time went along. I was convinced I was going to keep the car for a while, however that thought was short-lived due to a truck running into the vehicle while it was parked outside of my friend’s house. After gaining some experience on my 240sx and the next car I bought, I began gaining a lot more confidence in my abilities and would help my neighbors and friends fix their cars. When I was a freshman in college, I would spend my free time picking up Honda Civics on Craigslist that had overheated, or needed engine work, fixing and flipping them for profit. The years after that were much of the same, going to school, fixing and flipping cars, even being a mobile mechanic at one point. During the summer of 2020, I got an opportunity through a connection I had made in my car flipping adventures and took it. Thus, H&K Motors was born.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
This road was unpaved and had many obstacles, but I have a saying that I live by – Be more persistent than your problems. It’s simple, but I apply that to every aspect of life. Persistence and consistency can do anything. My parents gave me all the support in the world to follow my dreams and to be ambitious, especially my mother. If it wasn’t for my mom, I wouldn’t be the person I am today or be in the position I am. One of the biggest struggles was the capital needed to start a dealership, from the state fees to the licensing fees and getting the dealership set up in the various auctions. I was blessed to meet a great friend and business partner named Muhammad that helped me jump-start this entire business, and if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be doing what I am currently. Capital is only one of the problems you’ll run into when starting a venture like this; the other is when you simply need help. Again, I am extremely grateful to have great friends, and this friendship goes back to the 4th grade. You see, when I was doing that oil change on my mom’s old 2004 Honda Odyssey in the dark, my best friend Andrew was holding the flashlight the entire time and pulling the YouTube video up for reference. Me and him have been working on cars together since the beginning and still do every weekend when we tinker with the project cars at the shop.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about H&K Motors?
At H&K Motors, I try to make the experience very personable and relatable. When customers come to me for mechanic work, I understand that they want their vehicle fixed in the most cost-effective and safest way possible. However, when customers come to me to buy vehicles, I try to sell a vehicle that I would personally drive and be proud of. I feel what sets me apart from others is that I will always try and make sure my customers are satisfied with the vehicle they’re buying, and I will go the extra mile and remove defects from paint or take care of small things they might not like. On the service side, I always spend extra time on customers’ cars to make sure that I found the root cause of their problems. I don’t like the feeling of a customer coming back to me due to the car not working properly or the repair not holding up.
The thing I’m most proud of currently is that I am growing during a pandemic and struggling economy, it gives me a lot of encouragement to see where I’ll be when the dust settles and life becomes more normal. One thing I want people to know about my brand is that we are always willing to go above and beyond to make sure that you are satisfied with the vehicle you’re purchasing or the repairs being performed on your vehicle. One new service that I am excited to be offering soon is a detailing service that includes paint corrections and ceramic coatings to enhance the look of your car. All the cars on our lot get a detail and ceramic coating and we’ve decided it’s time to offer it as a service.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory is of me and my friends playing basketball all night on the mosque grounds. We would make teams of five and even had a tournament for a few years. It was always good fun and was something to look forward to every Friday.
Contact Info:
- Email: handkmotors@gmail.com
- Website: handkmotors.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handk_motors/
- Other: https://g.co/kgs/Bh4Rj4
Image Credits
Personal Pic: Mohammad Madani https://www.instagram.com/moham_mad_ani/ Car Pics: Charlie Chum https://www.instagram.com/chummycharles/
