Sometimes you see a new product or business and think, "Wow, that's a really good idea. Why haven't I seen that before?"

This was exactly the case when I heard about what Larry Smith was launching.

Smith is the affable owner of Autometric Collision, on the board of the Meadow Brook Concours, and one of Detroit's pre-eminent car nuts. His collection includes all manner of vehicles ranging from the advanced 1938 Stout Scarab (engineered by William B. Stout, the man behind the legendary Ford Tri-Motor airplane) to an original Mini Cooper (produced decades before BMW owned MINI) and a beautiful gold Ferrari Dino (rare to see a Ferrari in anything other than red).

A keen businessman, Smith envisioned a way to help make life more convenient and less costly for the average driver in Metro Detroit who needed cosmetic vehicle repairs.

Smith reached out to trusted Autometric suppliers to see if they'd join forces with him.

The result brings together in one location several companies that offer related services.

Autometric Collision, John R. Glass, and Dynamic Dents occupy most of a new 27,000-square-foot complex at 1728 Maplelawn, the main thoroughfare of the Troy Motor Mall. The doors of the first-class facility, which cost nearly $2 million, just opened.

The new building is Autometric's eighth location, a second for John R. Glass, and the first fixed location for Dynamic Dents.

"By having all of us in this one location, it'll be much easier for a customer to get just the service they need and save money. Much of what people need to keep their car looking good and safe can be done here," Smith said.

The three companies offer services including:

• Major auto body repairs and painting

• Paintless dent removal

• Automotive glass service, including windshield replacement

Jason Roth is the owner of Dynamic Dents, a company that uses specialized tools and techniques to massage dents and dings out of body panels from the backside of the panels.

"The scope of my work is limited, so the exposure my small company gets by being in this location is really valuable," Roth said.

His services are a quicker, less expensive alternative to the conventional bumping and painting provided by Autometric.

"If you don't want your car to look like a woodpecker got trapped inside the body, my shop is the one to try. Not everybody who offers paintless dent removal does the same quality of work," he said.

John R. Glass is a family business begun in 1969 by Bob Fender Sr. His sons, Bob Jr. and Mike, handle day-to-day operations.

Automotive glass work goes hand in hand with body repair, and because of the company's long association with Autometric, its presence in the new location makes sense.

"We also think that we'll do a lot of business with the dealerships at the Troy Motor Mall. Being in the heart of the area's auto sales hub has its advantages," said Bob Fender Jr.

Thinking about how to make the single location work even harder for their customers, Smith (who owns the building) recently leased space to Hertz.

All three companies exist to help drivers keep the cars they already own on the road for as long as possible.

Statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation show many Americans are keeping their vehicles longer. So, if you don't want your car, pickup or SUV from looking like a clunker, you now know where to go.