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October 6, 2025
GREEN BAY – Matt Weso said it’s important to him to make sure he always does the right thing, even when no one is looking.
It’s those thoughts, having some extra time on his hands and his four years of service in the United States Air Force, the 42-year-old said, that eventually led him to start The Rusty Nut.
Based in Green Bay, Weso said The Rusty Nut is a veteran-owned mobile mechanic service.
“I offer basic maintenance and more,” he said. “With a deep respect for hard work and honesty, I bring reliable, on-site repairs to your driveway or job site. I pride myself on integrity and attention to detail.”
Weso said if something in a vehicle can be unbolted, replaced and bolted back on, he can usually take care of it.
“If it requires a shop lift, obviously, I can’t do that,” he said. “I’m strictly a mobile service.”
Though The Rusty Nut is not an emergency service – “I don’t tow vehicles” – Weso said he’ll always try to help when possible, if the situation and his schedule allow.
“I’m basically by appointment, but of course, if you’re stuck somewhere [in the Greater Green Bay area] and your car doesn’t start, and I can help, I’d do the best I can,” he said. “Having said that, I don’t consider myself an emergency service. I don’t have the capacity to drive to Manitowoc if your car won’t start and help.”
Weso said his work covers everything from basic maintenance – like oil changes and brake jobs – to more complex repairs, including electrical and cooling system issues.
“It depends on the job – it’s case by case,” he said. “Some vehicles are only serviceable by dealers, so in that case, I’m honest and upfront. If there is a job I don’t feel comfortable doing, I’m transparent. I’d say I’m more of a technician than a mechanic. In my eyes, mechanics are at the top.”
All of the vehicle work, Weso said, is done onsite at a client’s home or place of work.
“I research local ordinances to see if municipalities allow mobile mechanics to work in that space,” he said. “I take my time and make sure the job is done right – the first time and with integrity.”
In addition to cars and trucks, Weso said he also offers repairs for UTVs and lawn mowers.
“My first customer actually had me work on his lawnmower,” he said. “I did a lube, oil and filter change. He asked me if I could handle it, so I researched to make sure I had the right tools to do the job and got it done.”
A big advantage
Another advantage of being a mobile mechanic, Weso said, is that without the overhead of a physical shop, he’s able to pass those savings on to his customers.
“At any mechanic shop, there is an hourly flat rate just to have your vehicle in the shop,” he said. “I also base my pricing on a flat rate, but I don’t have the shop overhead. I’d say most shops in Green Bay are running at $190 or more per hour for their hourly rate, but I’m less than $100. I don’t have the overhead costs a shop would have.”
Before each appointment, Weso said he researches the job to make sure he’s ready to go when he arrives on site.
“That might even include me coming to do a pre-assessment on your vehicle – that’s no problem,” he said. “I want to make sure the work I complete is convenient and stress-free for people. When I pull up to your driveway, I want your blood pressure to go down.”
Though tire service isn’t part of his current offerings, Weso said it’s one he hopes to provide as his business grows.
“Every oil change, brake job, shock absorber installation, etc. – [everything] I do gets me closer to being able to offer tire service, whether that’s a mobile service or [at] a shop,” he said. “I’m not sure where this road is going to take me.”
Weso said he plans to eventually acquire a trailer equipped with more tools to expand his service capabilities.
“I wanted to start with basic tools and equipment first and then work up from there,” he said.
For now, Weso said he’s focused on his mobile service and isn’t planning to open a traditional garage.
“You never know [about opening a brick-and-mortar location] in the future, but that’s not on my radar right now,” he said. “Obviously, the advantage to being mobile is keeping my overhead costs down… having a physical location increases your costs. I’m also not opposed to adding people to the business if that’s something I need.”
Weso said his days in the Air Force have prepared him well for vehicle maintenance.
“I figured if the need is out there, and I have the skills from my military and life experience, I want to help people,” he said. “In the Air Force, I worked on cars, vans, trucks, buses, forklifts, excavators, etc.”
Weso said he’s also working on his ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certification – a requirement of any reliable shop.
“I’m not just some guy with a dirty rag hanging out of my pocket,” he laughed. “I’ve gone through the process of becoming a legal business, got insurance, etc… I’ve already taken some pre-tests and scored well enough to pass. Continuing education is another thing I’d like to do to stay up to date.”
Filling a time void
Weso, who grew up in Shawano, said he joined the Air Force in 2001 – which eventually sent him out west, where he settled in Seattle.
“When I got out of the military in like 2005, I stayed in Seattle and worked at a tire store, eventually moving up to store manager,” he said. “That was supposed to be my career – I did that for 14 years. I eventually moved to Illinois, where I met my wife, Katie, and then came up to Green Bay.”
Weso said at the time, Katie was a massage therapist, and she eventually opened Elbow Grease Massage Studio in 2018 (2830 Curry Court, Unit 3).
“I started studying [massage therapy] and got my license, too,” he said. “It’s been going great, but I quickly realized I have other hours in the day when I’m free. I got this idea in my head where I wanted to help others, so that’s why I started The Rusty Nut.”
Because massage work is tough on the hands, arms, shoulders, etc., Weso said a typical day sees him working on clients for about four hours.
“With some free time on my hands, thoughts started swirling around in my head during the last three months,” he said. “Then in July, with Katie giving me a gentle nudge, I got insurance, an LLC, a bank account, etc., and on Aug. 1, The Rusty Nut was officially open for business.”
The Rusty Nut’s insurance, Weso said, is general liability insurance.
“That includes garage keepers’ insurance – where your vehicle is covered while in my care – and onsite and mobile coverage,” he said.
Weso said he uses a professional ALLDATA subscription – the same repair information trusted by dealerships and top shops.
“That means I have access to factory service procedures, torque specs and wiring diagrams, technical service bulletins [TSBs] and maintenance schedules for your exact vehicle,” he said.
To learn more, head to The Rusty Nut’s Facebook page.
