STP Diesel
Benito Diaz, Owner
Benito Diaz started out as a diesel tech at his local Ford dealership. Because he was a graduate of UTI with a certification in Ford diesel repair, they immediately put him to work helping out with the 7.3 and 6.0 Power Strokes. Between the dealership and another he worked at for 10 years, he gathered knowledge on the repair side and the business side. Benito studied how customers and their vehicles were treated, and he learned the right and wrong ways to do things. In many instances he found himself saying, “If I had my own business, I wouldn’t treat that customer like that,” or “why am I doing just the bare minimum when if we dig deeper, I know I’d find the problem.”
So, in June of 2014 Benito decided it was time to stop thinking about what he’d do and decided to quit the dealership, gathered up his tools, rented a 4,000 sq. ft. warehouse, and started STP Diesel the very next month. Benito’s brother joined him on the journey. His brother Antonio (Tony) was never into diesels previous to the shop opening. He was more of a high-performance Chevy trucks guy, but was more than up for the challenge to help his brother… and as Benito puts it they have been “rock’n and roll’n ever since.”
STP Diesel’s mainstay business is diagnostic and repairs, giving the customer a stark difference in how they’re handled by the surrounding dealers. “I’d often see the dealer’s attitude of it being okay to piss off a customer because there would always be more,” said Benito. “To me, every customer is as important as the next. I like that personal one-on-one conversation with our customers. That’s my favorite part about this business… knowing who I’m helping.” With that mindset, Benito, Tony, and the crew go over every system from electric to suspension in order to find any gremlin that lurks in the vehicle. In addition to being automotive sleuths, they’re one-stop-shop offering wheels, suspension, and basically whatever the customer wants. In 2017 STP Diesel moved to its current location where it’s split into two buildings growing to a combined 12,000 sq. ft. to be able to handle more customers comfortably.
As a Banks dealer, Benito feels confident in offering the products. “Since I want to know the customers, and basically treat them like family, I don’t want them stuck with something bad for their vehicle. While working at the dealer we saw a lot of Banks Six-Gun tuners on the trucks. I liked how they worked, and how they gave great power without destroying the truck. So, when we opened STP I knew Banks was something that I wanted to be a part of. We’ve even used the Banks intercooler and piping in our race truck and felt the difference immediately after installing it. We have a lot more positive feedback from customers with the Banks parts than we do with other brands, and the reputation kinda sells itself. I feel good looking in the customer’s eye when I install something from Banks.”
STP Diesel
11549 Brooklyn St.
Houston, TX 77093
(832) 925-8508
stpdiesel.com