Thuan Le is an 22-year veteran of the auto repair industry and owner of T & T Auto Repair, a Diamond Certified company. He can be reached at (831) 498-9133 or by email.
Thuan Le: Automotive Autonomy
By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter
MONTEREY — Like many auto repair professionals, Thuan Le regards his chosen trade as a lifelong passion. “I’ve been working on cars since I was a teenager,” he says. “Everyone in my family works on cars, so it’s something I’ve always been around and naturally grew to love.” Thuan founded T & T Auto Repair in 2008, and he says that while being a business owner has its challenges, the professional autonomy it offers is well worth it. “Prior to opening my business, I’d been working for someone else since the day I finished college. After a while, I got tired of that and decided it was time to do my own thing. Now that I have my own shop, I may be working a lot more, but I’m happy to be working for myself.”
Originally from Vietnam, Thuan immigrated to the United States in 1994, where he put down roots in the Bay Area. After 20 years in Monterey, where he resides today with his wife and two children, he considers the North Bay his adopted home. “Not only is it a beautiful place with great weather, the people who live around here are very nice as well,” he says.
Outside of work, Thuan enjoys activities such as flying remote-controlled airplanes, playing basketball with his son and going to the movies with his family. Often, however, he just likes to kick back and relax. “I work six days a week, so with only one day off, I have to be sure I take some time to recuperate,” he laughs.
When asked the first thing he’d do if he could retire tomorrow, Thuan says he’d do some long-deferred traveling. “I’d probably get an RV and go see the rest of the United States. After two decades in this country, I still haven’t been anywhere—I’ve been too busy working!”
Q: What was your first car?
A: A 1987 Honda CR-X.
Q: What’s your favorite season?
A: Summer, because I can go outside and fly my remote-controlled airplanes.
Q: If you could visit any city in the world, which would you choose?
A: I’ve always wanted to visit Paris.
Q: What’s your favorite holiday?
A: I love the whole holiday season, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.
Q: What’s your favorite food?
A: Steak.