Home mechanics have a new ally they can call upon when their projects go wrong.

A Suffolk firefighter says he is bringing affordable, mobile automotive repair to customers throughout Hampton Roads with his business, Pitstop Service.

“It all sprang from a passion for automobiles,” said Glen Glover, who added that he has 26 years of experience under the hood.

“I have worked in independent shops, dealerships, for myself and in business with another guy, prior to getting into the fire department.”

Glover said he had simply recognized a need for a mobile mechanic who can perform the vast majority of automotive repairs on-site.

“You see the windshield repair people, the dent repair people — all those different services,” Glover said, adding that he would cover them all.

He said his business saves people time, money and hassle — things like having to schedule a ride for dropping off a vehicle and collecting it again from a shop.

“That’s downtime,” he said. “Time is the one thing you can’t make more of. How do you fix that? It’s providing a service to people in as convenient a manner as possible.”

Glover said his business also brings a personal touch by educating clients on the repairs he makes to their vehicles.

He said he is intent on being honest and up-front with customers. “I would rather tell you this is going to cost $1,500 than to tell you I can do it for $75, but it ends up costing you $1,500,” Glover said.

Glover said he is in the midst of getting his business license from the city and will be completely mobile.

“There’s definitely an advantage in having a shop for some repairs,” Glover said, such as when a pit or hoist is required; but he says he should be able to handle “the vast majority” of repairs.

Glover charges a base fee of $20, then $40 an hour. Shops charge between $75 and $100 for labor, he said, while “at the end of the day, the mechanics still only make $20 an hour.”

He said he would work his business around his duties as a firefighter. “I’m not chasing the dollar, I’m trying to help people keep a little more of what they make,” he said.

Glover can be contacted at pitstopservice@hotmail.com or 635-0134.