Hadwen’s Prestige Collision Repairs

Tyden Hadwen has a clear vision for his business - high quality repairs for discerning prestige car owners, and this shop is thriving.

adwen’s Prestige Collision Repairs is a third generation business in Bowen Hills. Tyden Hadwen bought his father out back in 2007 when the shop last entered these awards and it took home a state award.
Dad Don? only stopped coming into the shop last year and has now finally and properly retired.
This is an old shop and certainly proves that these awards are not a beauty contest. Reception is welcoming but in need of a refresh. I feel a total refurbishment could really lift the business to the next level, Judge Powell says ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’. Aesthetics aside, this is an exceptionally well run, well equipped business with a loyal customer base.
Tyden has a clear vision and it’s a smart and sustainable one. He has plenty of work, and is passionate about the customer experience and repairing cars properly. He is also Subaru, Genesis and Lexus approved and so staff benefit from manufacturer and I-CAR training.
The reception is all glass and shows the workshop. “It’s always an emotional sale, they’ve scratched their new car or had a bingle. So we try to show them what we do, same with the glass fronted spraybooths, which we find puts them at ease,” he says.
Tyden is very positive about the industry: “It is thriving at the moment. Being an independent in a prestige market - there are great opportunities. There is a place for shops that care deeply about quality. People who buy prestige cars care about them, so there’s a big market out there for me.”
Tyden confidently walked away from being aligned with insurers: “I found them to be too price oriented and not as concerned about quality as they should be.” His vision is to work with OEMs and dealers and to that end went out and forged even better relationships with local dealers. The business now works with five dealerships and as well as working on any of their cars that need repairs, the main benefit comes from a great deal of referrals from them. “If someone is referred by a manufacturer or dealer that carries a lot of weight and also helps them if their insurer is trying to get them to go to a repairer within their network that they don’t want to go to because it isn’t what was recommended to them,” he says.
People talk about quality and customer satisfaction but are they always achieving it? Hadwen’s has a 4.8 star customer rating across 50 Google reviews which is exceptionally high. His customers rave about the service and travel long distances to get their car repaired there. Tyden clearly walks the walk and not just talks the talk.

Powell’s points

This is another well-presented older bodyshop with all the right tools and equipment to repair the prestige end of the car market. The design and appearance of the business leaves no doubt as to the high standard of repairs. As they say “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”.

Shop Stats

Size: 1800m2 total
Staff: 15
Type of repairs: All types
Avg cars repaired PW: 25-35
Avg key to key: Drive 2.5 Non-drive 9.5 days