Member profile: SAI Group
Fiji Indian businessman Govind ‘Sam’ Achary lost everything in the 1987 Fiji coup, arriving in New Zealand with just $32 in his pocket. Today, his family-owned company, SAI Group, operates 13 Mobil service stations as well as a handful of other companies.
Glen August: Taking it to the next level
Bigger, better, faster – Glen August is delighted with his new SMART collision repair workshop in Petone, Wellington.
BNT cuts down on plastic
A plea for less plastic from a Queenstown workshop has prompted BNT to rethink the way its 55 branches package up local customers' goods.
Unitec: Faces of the Future
Automotive students studying at Auckland Unitec are provided with a state-of-the-art learning environment and an impressive array of tools, equipment and ‘automotive emulation’ technology teaching aids.
Member profile: Safe R Brakes
There's a wealth of history revealed in a tour of Safe R Brakes in central Christchurch.
Wairarapa Mitsubishi
In 2015, Brent Cooper swapped his mechanic's overalls for a suit and bought a car dealership in Masterton.
RADIATORGO: MEMBER NEWS
Bristols restoration goes global
The team at Upper Hutt restoration specialists Bristols Group Ltd have just taken out the top honour at Australia’s largest and most prestigious motor show, Motorclassica.
Wellington Motorcycles ready for summer
Wellington Motorcycles are bringing in the latest Indian models and a variety of quality used imports from Japan in time for riders to make the most of summer.
Road test: The Camaro HSV
Check out the GoAuto review of the new American-made Camaro being converted to right hand drive in Australia by the HSV team.
MAD ABOUT MOTORBIKES
Motorbikes inspire passion. As Stewart Rodwell of TSS Red Baron Motorcycles says, “Unlike cars, people want a motorbike, they don’t need one.”
BRING BACK TECHNICAL TRAINING IN SCHOOLS
One of the few people in the world to have researched the value of a tradesperson reckons people who can build or fix things have less chance of being replaced by robots or software.
LEGALLY, THE ANSWER IS YES.
If a customer brings his unregistered car to you for a warrant or repair, is the business liable for a ticket if you park it outside on the street when you’ve finished?
LUXURY CAR MARKET IN GOOD FORM
If the luxury car market is any indicator of wealth, either more Kiwis are now able to afford expensive cars, or the already-rich are buying another Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Audi for their garage.
ROAD TEST: AUDI RS4 AVANT
Audi’s fourth-iteration RS4 Avant does ballistic and benign in equal measures.
CE Blog: August
Craig Pomare speaks about the fuel market, the importance of safety, trade training and access to technical information.
Member Profile: Westlow Workshop
Customers are the most important driver of any business. There’s an art to attracting new customers and keeping existing ones.
Tow Woes: Police Impounds
MTA has begun lobbying government to change the way tow and storage costs are recovered when police impound a car on the roadside.
Road Test: Jeep Cherokee Trackhawk
Jeep Cherokee Trackhawk review courtesy of Tung Nguyen from John Mellor's GoAutoNews.
Member Profile: Evans European Panel and Paint
Owen Evans wants to be the best at everything he does and his business reflects that ambition. No car leaves his pristine collision repair premises until it has been restored to gleaming perfection.
Member Profile: Diesel and Turbo Wellington
Diesel engines in the 21st century are high-tech, high-spec, and need specialist care and attention.
Member Profile: Karori Auto Services
Craig Fair is taking a bold step– throwing everything he has into building a brand new workshop.
New Business Model: Toyota New Zealand
Car distributors in Australia and other countries are watching New Zealand closely to see how the new Toyota business model takes hold and succeeds.
Tyre Safety: Worn tyres linked to more crashes
MTA is encouraging members to talk with customers about the importance of tyre tread to safety.
Member Profile: Blue Cars, Auckland
A small Auckland company may be the next big thing in the electric car service market.