Built from the industry, not around it.
PistonCMS started with a simple idea: independent repair businesses should have practical tools that help with the work, without paying for complexity they do not need.
“I kept seeing small repair businesses forced to choose between software that was too complicated and workflows that were too manual.”
The idea came from seeing the problem up close.
My name is Ed, and I’ve spent most of my career working in the automotive and heavy-duty truck parts industry. I’ve worked directly with technicians, shop owners, owner-operators, and fleet customers helping them identify the right parts and solve real problems.
I am not trying to turn PistonCMS into a giant software company or tell mechanics how to run their shops. I am building it to be useful, fairly priced, and easy to work with — and I want customers to feel comfortable telling me when something does not make sense.
Over time, I kept seeing the same thing: smaller shops and independent mechanics were often stuck using complicated, expensive shop software, spreadsheets, or paper just to handle basic daily work.
A lot of software in the industry is designed around larger dealerships and multi-location operations. That can make sense for those businesses, but it leaves independent mechanics paying for complexity they may never use.
PistonCMS grew out of the idea that a smaller repair business should have a system that feels useful from the first day — straightforward enough to learn quickly, but capable enough to handle real shop work.
Make the daily work easier, not the software bigger.
The goal is not to impress anyone with the biggest feature list. It is to give independent repair businesses the tools they actually use and keep the workflow understandable.
Experience from the parts and service side of the industry.
Heavy-Duty Technical Support
Current work includes helping customers and repair businesses identify heavy-duty truck parts and troubleshoot technical issues.
Kenworth Dealership Parts Counter
Previous dealership experience included parts lookup and ordering support for technicians, owner-operators, and repair customers.
Operations & Team Leadership
Earlier experience includes managing people, inventory, and daily operations in the travel center industry.
ASE parts certifications
- ASE P1 – Medium/Heavy Truck Parts Specialist
- ASE P2 – Automotive Parts Specialist
PistonCMS is intentionally focused.
It is built for smaller automotive businesses that need solid tools without turning their workflow into a software project.
Independent Repair Shops
Keep daily shop work organized without adding layers of unnecessary process.
Mobile Mechanics
Manage customer and vehicle work from a phone when the job happens away from a front desk.
Roadside Service Providers
Keep estimates, invoices, customer records, and payment information accessible while on the road.
Side Businesses
Use a professional workflow without committing to oversized shop-management software.
Built with real-world feedback.
PistonCMS continues to evolve as the product is used in real workflows. Feedback about what works, what slows you down, and what is missing helps shape what gets improved next.
Tell me what would make it better.
If you are using PistonCMS, evaluating it, or comparing it to the way you work today, direct feedback is useful. If something is awkward, missing, or does not fit the way you work, I want to hear about it.
Send FeedbackUse PistonCMS on real shop work.
The best way to judge the product is to put a real customer, vehicle, estimate, or invoice through the workflow.