Traditional service stations disappearing By Eve Thorsen Correspondent A familiar sign of America's love affair with cars might be on the wane. Service stations that once accompanied most gas pumps are becoming fewer and farther between. South Burlington zoning administrator Ray Belair said the trend is clear in the city, where one of the community's last service stations is under review for conversion into a convenience store with gas pumps. Owner Wesco Oil Inc. has been working on plans for its Williston Road University Texaco service station for months and has submitted several proposals to the city Development Review Board. Its latest plan includes two gas pumps under a canopy with a convenience store that would replace the service garage, now leased to Kevin's Auto Repair. The Development Review Board was scheduled to hear the proposal last week. The board tabled the hearing until May 6. Belair said the only other service station with pumps left in the city is Dave's Citgo, a little farther down Williston Road from Wesco's property. The reason the once familiar landmarks are becoming scarce is clear to Belair. "You used to go to a local garage and get your gas and your car worked on. The vehicles now are so high tech you need to go to a dealership," he said. "Those guys don't have money to invest in all the types of diagnostic equipment needed." High tech Sharon Bartlett, manager at Kevin's Auto Repair, can attest to that. "You have to buy certain equipment and it's very expensive equipment. For the inspections, you've got to hook this computer up to the car and go through this series of tests," she said. In Hinesburg, Doug Mead remembers working at his dad's service station on Vermont 116. Mead's father started the service station with one bay in 1941 and learned how to fix cars from scratch. When Mead joined him in 1970, the main tools he needed were socket wrenches and screwdrivers. Now he is co-owner of Hart and Mead Service Station with his brother, John, and their equipment needs are high tech -- and high cost. "Let's say your 'check engine' light comes on. You have to plug a computer scanner into the car, and the computer reads codes," Doug Mead said. "We just had to upgrade the scanner we've got, and we had to put $7,500 into it." That's not the only problem, however, Doug Mead said. "The biggest thing is being able to take enough time to get schooling on all the different makes and models." Personal service Dave Whitcomb who has owned Whitcomb's Service Center in Essex for 20 years, agrees that the high tech trend of cars has changed things for service stations, and he's noticed fewer around. However, he takes a more hopeful perspective. "I think there's always going to be work for us to do. People are still going to need oil changes and brakes fixed. There's a lot of things that service stations can do that people don't want to go to the dealership for," Whitcomb said. He also believes the personal aspect of a traditional service station is an important plus for customers. "You can usually talk to the guy that's fixing your car. You get a little more service than with some of the dealerships. You're not just talking to the service writers," he said.