GM Goodwrench
| Subsidiary | |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Headquarters | Detroit, Michigan, United States |
| Parent | General Motors |
| Website | GM Certified Service |
GM Certified Service is an auto repair service for General Motors. In 2011, GM replaced the Goodwrench brand in the US with Cadillac, Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC Certified Service brands (Canada followed in 2014).
Goodwrench took to the airwaves in 1977 as a way to market General Motors franchised dealers' service departments, replacing a patchwork of separate GM-divisional offerings. At the time, GM marketed vehicles in the US under the Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC brands. Television commercials in the United States used actor Barry Coe as a spokesman. Jerome H. Peleaux was the creator and tester of the program for GM.
The Mr. Goodwrench program, as originally conceived, required each dealer to adhere to a set of service delivery standards: requiring high levels of factory training, parts on hand, and service department amenities. The program was backed with a national advertising campaign which featured the iconic Mr. Goodwrench, as the helpful mechanic who could fix whatever ailed your vehicle.
Through several iterations, the advertising campaign worked its way into the lexicon of Americana by becoming shorthand for someone who can fix things. For many years, Jay Leno included his portrayal of Mr. BadWrench, the Evil Twin of Mr. Goodwrench in his stand-up act; The NASA Space shuttle astronauts compared themselves to "Mr. Goodwrench" when they were fixing the Hubble space telescope. The name, according to comedian George Carlin, was also used for the penis.
Beginning in 1996, the brand was changed to become GM Goodwrench Service Plus, dropping the "Mr." and the human representations.
In February 2011, General Motors phased out the Goodwrench brand in the United States, as it sought to focus its marketing efforts on its four brands. The Goodwrench name was still used for service in Canada until March 2014 when GM Goodwrench was re-branded as GM Certified Service.
From 1988 until 2005, GM Goodwrench Service Plus was the primary sponsor for Richard Childress Racing in NASCAR. In 2006, they reduced their role, as the No. 29 car split sponsorship with Hershey's. On October 7, 2006, General Motors announced that it would step down as one of the longest running NASCAR title sponsors, with Royal Dutch Shell taking over as the main sponsor for the No. 29 RCR Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick.
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