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Kuwais Al Shammari is a skilled car mechanic, renowned for his knowledge of almost all automobiles in Saudi Arabia. Image Credit: Screengrab

Abu Dhabi: What started as a hobby in the late 1950s became the livelihood of an 80-year-old auto mechanic in Hail, north-western Saudi Arabia.

Kuwais Al Shammari is a skilled car mechanic, renowned for his knowledge of almost all automobiles in Saudi Arabia. Some people refer to him as Doc automobiles of Hail and turn to him when their cars start making odd noises.

“From a young age I learned auto mechanics myself, it was a hobby, and for more than 60 years now I have been repairing most vehicles better than any agency. After years of work and experience in this field, I was employed by several companies, including Saudi Arabian oil giant Aramco,” Al Shammari told MBC TV.

Al Shammari’s long experience in mechanics help keep many old cars on the roads, the last of which was a 50 year old car he drives himself.

He said his garage would repair just about anything on wheels. As time went on, the garage expanded their repertoire to include diesel repairs, transmissions, light and heavy duty trucks, and more.

For Al Shammari, keeping people on the road in safe vehicles is a passion he’s spent a lifetime nurturing.

Over the past half century, he’s stayed up to date with changing auto technology, and is equipped to repair a wide range of vehicular problems.