Mach 1 is a truly stunning workshop. Beautifully adorned with Mach1 signage, tidy, organised and totally dedicated to turning out quality repairs for its predominantly Mercedes-Benz and Audi driving clientelle.
Mach 1 is a truly stunning workshop. Beautifully adorned with Mach 1 signage, tidy, organised and totally dedicated to turning out quality repairs for its predominantly Mercedes-Benz and Audi driving clientele.
The devil is in the detail seems to be the motto of the crew at Mach 1, a truly handsome repair facility in Mornington. The shop has been on its current site since 1985 and owner Michael Turner bought it in 2007. Turner has been an insurance assessor in a previous life and so he has an insight into what insurers like in businesses they deal with.
Having said that he doesn't depend on insurance company approval for his clientele. The shop isn't factory approved but the local Audi and Mercedes-Benz dealers certainly approve of Mach 1's work if the four ringed and pointy star grilles that adorn the shop are anything to go by. According to Turner, when they started specialising in Audi and Mercedes-Benz no one else in the area was fixing these brands and they were able to carve a strong niche. "A lot of our customers are older people who value quality work," said Turner. "Yes we have advertised in yellow pages, yes we sponsor the local football club but the vast majority of our work comes from repeat business and recommendations by our loyal customer base."
While Mach 1 is happy to fix any car it's generally the prestige crowd that insist their cars are fixed at Mach 1. Turner's biggest problem, like many other shop owners today, is finding the skilled staff capable of fixing these metal thoroughbreds to manufacturers' specifications.
The shop recently switched to Spies Hecker waterborne and reported an easy transition.
The ultra-sharp exterior sets the tone for the workshop. If were to criticise, the customer reception area could do with an update to complete the entire shop.
The panel shop is exceptionally clean and tidy and benefits from banks of excellent LED lighting. It's equipped with the latest welding equipment including a Car-O-Liner CTR 1200.
What does Turner love about working in this industry? "The finished product, the ability to return a vehicle that has been repaired correctly the first time. Also the fact that our customers keep returning with either their own cars, their family's or friends cars time and time again - that speaks volumes about what we do," he said.