Our Team - Keith Burney
Keith
Burney
Service Manager
Nineteen Years Under the Hood.
Before Keith Burney was running the service department at Bob Stall, he spent nineteen years as a technician. Nineteen years with his hands on the work — the diagnostics, the engines, the actual cars customers were dropping off.
He's not a service manager who came up through corporate. He came up from the bay. That background informs how he runs the drive: he knows what's real, what's a worn part, and what a fair repair actually looks like before anyone writes an estimate.
Keith joined Bob Stall on May 30, 2024 — relocating from Oak Hills, where he'd built a 42-year career in the automotive industry. After all those years, he wanted to work somewhere that still felt like a family operation. Bob Stall fit.
Off the clock, you'll find him at the off-road race track — or at home, where he keeps seven GM vehicles in the garage. He doesn't just manage them. He drives them, services them, and races them. That kind of personal stake in the brand is rare in dealership leadership.
"Always look for a way to help a customer instead of a reason to say no."
— Keith Burney, Service ManagerIt's how Keith runs the service drive. After 42 years in the business — and 19 of them with his hands on customer vehicles — he's seen both sides: the customer who got the runaround and the customer who got real answers. He'd rather be the second story every time.
Forty-Two Years. Started Under the Hood.
Keith's credentials are unusual for a service manager. He's not someone who learned the trade from the office. He's ASE-certified, has formal Performance Engine Training, and spent nearly two decades as a working technician before he ever managed a team. When he tells you what's wrong with your vehicle, it's because he's done the work himself.
Certifications & Training
- ASE certifications
- Performance Engine Training
- 19 years as a working technician
- 42 years in the automotive industry
What He Brings to the Service Drive
- Technician-first leadership — knows the work, not just the paperwork
- Performance and engine expertise
- Looks for ways to help, not reasons to say no
- Decades of seeing what fails, what lasts, and what's worth fixing
Personal Stake in the Brand
- Owns 7 GM vehicles personally
- A customer of the same parts and service he runs
- Off-road racer — knows what high-stress driving does to a vehicle
- Came to Bob Stall for the family-owned culture
What You Get Bringing Your Vehicle In.
Keith doesn't run the service drive from a desk. He's spent 42 years in this industry, 19 of them with his hands on the work — and that experience shapes what customers can count on when they bring their vehicle to Bob Stall.
"Always look for a way to help a customer instead of a reason to say no."
That's the standard Keith holds his team to, and it's the standard he held himself to for the 19 years he spent as a technician. Repair recommendations grounded in what actually fails. Straight answers on what's worth fixing and what isn't. No upsells for the sake of upsells.
Bob Stall is a family-owned dealership — one of the last independent franchises in San Diego. The service drive operates on the same long-game principle the rest of the building does: customers who get a fair shake on the first visit are the ones who come back for the next twenty.
New to San Diego. Here for the Job.
Keith is new to San Diego. He relocated from Oak Hills specifically to take the service manager role at Bob Stall, and he's still settling into the new city. The dealership was the reason he came — the family-owned culture is the reason he stayed.
Bob Stall sits right in La Mesa, central to the East County, the South Bay, and the inland north — which means service customers from all over San Diego County are within easy reach.
When customers ask for a recommendation, Keith's still building his list. The early favorite? Old Town — the part of San Diego where the history of the city is still visible, and a good first stop for anyone new to the area.
He lives in Poway, which keeps him close to the freeways that run him into work every morning.
Favorite Local Spot
- Old Town — where the history is
Where He's Based
- Lives in Poway
- Relocated from Oak Hills, CA
- Joined Bob Stall in May 2024
- Works in La Mesa — central San Diego County
Off the Drive, On the Dirt.
When Keith's not at the dealership, he's racing off-road. Off-road racing is a different kind of automotive knowledge — the kind where you find out fast what's actually built to last and what isn't. It's hard on a vehicle, and it sharpens the eye for what failure points really look like.
At home, there are seven GM vehicles in the garage. Not for show — for use. Keith drives the brand he services, and the seven different vehicles cover most of the use cases he hears about every day at the service counter. That's a level of brand commitment most dealership managers don't have.
- - 42 years in the automotive industry
- - 19 years as a technician before becoming a manager
- - ASE-certified with Performance Engine Training
- - Owns 7 GM vehicles personally
- - Off-road racer — knows what hard miles do to a vehicle
- - Relocated from Oak Hills specifically for Bob Stall
Bring It By Bob Stall Service
Got a service question? A car that needs diagnostics? A repair you want a straight answer on? Keith's the right call. Forty-two years in this industry — 19 of them under the hood — and a yes-first philosophy at the top of the drive.
Keith Burney is the Service Manager at Bob Stall Chevrolet, located at 7601 Alvarado Road, La Mesa, CA 91942. With 42 years in the automotive industry — including 19 years as a working technician before stepping into management — Keith brings ASE certifications and Performance Engine Training to his leadership of the Bob Stall service drive. His approach is simple: "Always look for a way to help a customer instead of a reason to say no." Keith owns seven GM vehicles personally and is an active off-road racer, so he knows the GM lineup from the customer side as well as the technician side. He relocated from Oak Hills, CA to join Bob Stall in May 2024, and serves Chevrolet service customers across La Mesa, Poway, San Diego, El Cajon, Santee, and all of San Diego County. Call 619-460-1311 to reach the Bob Stall service department.