Pete Ruggeri from M1 Autobody in Geelong is very well know in the Victorian collision repair industry for his outstanding technical skills and the work he carries out of behalf of the industry. The insurance assessors who think that even the tiniest corner can be cut aren't likely to forget him either!
How did you get started in the industry?
At age of 16 I started a panelbeating apprenticeship and at 21 I opened my own shop in the '80’s
What do you do now?
41 years later I’m still running my own shop, however now it’s a Mercedes-Benz Authorised Autobody Shop.
What do you most like about the industry?
What I most like about the industry is still the self-satisfaction of completing a high quality repair and exceeding our client’s expectations. Boring, but that’s it.
What has kept me interested in the Autobody sector for over four decades, is the building of special project vehicles. Currently I am rebuilding: Kombi Ute 1964, Mustang 1965, Mercedes-Benz “Roundy” 1956 and have just completed a rebuild of a 1971 Mini that I have put an R1 Motorbike engine in. It’s the designing, creating and engineering of these vehicles that I like. It’s not necessarily owning them on completion, it’s just the process.
What do you most dislike about the industry?
What I most dislike? Where do I begin LOL!! I think the greatest dislike will always be the lack of respect for the wide range of skill and knowledge our sector have to maintain to be successful.
Who do you most admire in our industry?
The person I most admired is sadly no longer with us. Tony Basic was a major insurer assessor, then an independent assessor when he saw an imbalance of power to small businesses. Tony was so incredibly knowledgeable about our industry and law relating to our sector. He taught me a great deal and I will be forever grateful.
Cars tell us your first, current and dream car?
My first car in the 80’s was a Datsun 180B
My current car is a Mercedes-Benz G350
My dream car would be a Mercedes-Benz G400