MASTER TROUBLESHOOTER ONYX SHOP FOREMAN LEE BECK

very once in a while, a vehicle comes into the ONYX service center with a difficult issue that’s tough to diagnose. If nobody can figure out the issue, they don’t worry. That’s because they have a secret weapon: shop foreman Lee Beck.

Beck is well known throughout the Land Rover and Jaguar communities in the Omaha metropolitan area (and beyond) and has developed a hard-won reputation as the guy who can figure stuff out.

nard, a small town outside of Blair,” he said. Without chancing to work at the same place, they might never have met.

Beck enjoys working on Land Rovers and Jaguars and has watched the evolution of these vehicles over the years with awe. “The Jaguars have come a long way from when they started and are a reliable vehicle,” he said.

“I guess I like the challenge of getting to the answer and solving the problem,” Beck admitted with a modest shrug.

Fellow employee Troy Matthews hinted that Beck is somewhat of a legend when it comes to fixing cars. The two of them have worked together since 1986. Matthews said that despite Beck’s stellar reputation, he’s not a showboater. “He’s pretty much to himself unless you know him,” Matthews revealed. “He’ll open up if he knows you, but otherwise he’s pretty quiet.”

Beck largely credits his father for getting him started with a career in auto repair. “Basically, my father set me up my junior year of high school with a trade school, and I’ve never done anything else since then,” he said. “My dad pretty much chose that for me.” Beck isn’t sure why his dad steered him toward cars. His father was a federal meat inspector, so it wasn’t like he was carrying on a family tradition.

Reflecting further on his father’s influence, Beck shared, “He said, ‘This is when you’re starting school.’ I’m honestly not positive why I decided that was the route I should go, but I enjoyed it because I like working with my hands and learning how to fix things. It took a little bit to decide that’s the direction I wanted to go.”

When asked if he ever thought of changing careers, Beck confidently replied, “Not really, no.” He has always worked on cars and will continue to do so until he’s ready for retirement.

His automotive career also led him to Debbie, his wife of 39 years. They met when he briefly worked at the tire shop at Montgomery Ward in Fremont. “She was born in Omaha and grew up in Ken-

“The brand takes a little thinking,” he explained. “There’s no ‘This is what’s wrong.’ You have to analyze what is really going on. You have to start with actually seeing what the problem is and what it’s really doing. Then you have to analyze the circuits or components that are involved in it and then you slowly go down a tree of ‘this is where this is,’ and you keep going down the list. Does it stall, rattle, or make a noise when turning? First, you have to find out what it is really doing and then you go through the circuits and system to analyze where to go.”

The shop foreman continued, “The first Rover in ‘87 that came to North America had one computer, and now the ‘23 Rover has 45. So, the technology difference from when I started, you know basic vehicles, and now it’s all the different computers working and talking together—it is phenomenal.”

Because of his experience and position at ONYX, Beck frequently finds himself in the role of mentor to younger techs. “It can be challenging, but yeah, I enjoy it,” he said of “helping new techs feel empowered to troubleshoot on their own” before consulting with him.

And that can be tough, since all the new techs know that if anyone can figure out what’s wrong with a Land Rover or Jaguar, it’s Lee Beck.

When not troubleshooting, Beck spends his free time with his wife, their children, and grandchildren. As for retirement? Beck has no immediate plans and wonders if retirement is actually for him. “I don’t know yet, I haven’t decided,” he said when asked about plans post ONYX. “I’m almost kind of afraid of retirement. I work five days a week, 12-to 14-hour days. I was off for a week when I had my gallbladder out, and it was tough.”

Beck simply must keep his hands and mind busy, which makes Onyx a good fit for him. He enjoys his work, and the staff appreciates having someone with his level of expertise onsite.

For more information, visit onyxautomotive.com.