Best motor mechanic in Cairns as voted by you

With nominations flying in for the title of Cairns’ Best Mechanic, here is the winner as voted by our community. We count down the Top 13 mechanics as voted by you, to find the best mechanic in Cairns. SEE WHO THE WINNER IS

LOYAL customers are the backbone of the business for mechanics in the Cairns region and you’ve come to prove your loyalty, with nominations flying in for businesses to take the title.

We’re counting down the Top 13 mechanics as voted by you, to crown one Cairns mechanic as our winner.

#13 Jay Loftus, GBR Auto & Repairs

Jay Loftus, owner of GBR Auto & Repairs.

His enthusiasm for four-wheel drives and camping led Jay Loftus to a career as a mechanic, starting his apprenticeship at the age of 16.

Now the owner of GBR Auto & Repairs, Jay has been qualified for 13 years and runs a “busy little business.”

“I’ve always loved working on cars and I’m lucky enough that it led me into an industry I’m passionate about,” he said.

“We have very loyal customers and I don’t think I’ve experienced a quiet period for the past two years, even through a pandemic.”

#12 Gary Tenni Automotive

Gary Tenni has had his business up and running in Cairns for 25 years.

The Redlynch workshop has a philosophy: integrity, fix it once fix it right, reliability, customer service.

With Google reviews boasting their friendly staff, reliable service and “above and beyond nature”, it’s easy to see why the Cairns community put them on our list.

#11 Chris Reid, Northern Service Centre

Chris Reid has been a mechanic since 1995, developing his interest in the industry thanks to his teenage fascination with fast cars.

Having owned Northern Service Centre since 2011, Chris said he’s very blessed with a loyal and large customer base.

“There’s a lot of competition as a mechanic in Cairns but I’ve managed to keep a big workload recently, being booked out for a month in advance or maybe more,” he said.

“It’s just me working the business at the moment but it’s good to know the customers are understanding and have my back enough to continuously recommend me.”

#10 Brock Neville, Cairns Customs

For Brock Neville, motor sports is his whole life, so it only made sense to work in the same industry as a mechanic.

Starting as a mechanic in 2008 following a school based apprenticeship and has done it ever since.

“I’ve raced everything you can, the motor industry isn’t so much a passion as it is an obsession for me,” he said.

“I live, eat and breathe cars. It’s what I do.”

Brock started at Cairns Customs and Car Sound six months ago, but believes his success in the region is because of the opportunity offered at the workshop.

“I’ve been blown away with the response I got here, I was brought on for more mechanical work to flow through the business and it’s a really good workplace for a mechanic to be able to learn and back themselves,” he said.

“It’s all about one-on-one time with customers, going over their purchases and being able to show them what we’ve done, that drives the business and make sure everyone leaves here happy.”

“I’m free to talk to customers about and concerns or issues and make sure they’re completely satisfied with the job being carried out,” he said.

“It makes me certain of my career, and being nominated by customers only lets me know I am doing a good job.”

#9 Ben Kragt Automotive

Ben Kragt Automotive has been known to the Cairns community for decades and remains highly recommended.

Ben Kragt started his business in 1978 and is still operating out of the same building he began in.

“I built our workshop shed in 1980 and nothing has changed and I think our customers enjoy that about us as a business,” he said.

“We have a very solid customer base, I’m now working on cars owned by the grandkids of my original customers.”

#8 Jap Motor and Carby Centre

Helen and Peter Moore have owned Jap Motor and Carby Centre for 22 years but said their loyal and dedicated staff have helped to make the business what it is.

“Our workshop supervisor has been with us since the day we opened the doors to Jap Motor and we’ve had our other staff with us for a very long time too,” Helen said.

“It’s really helped to build our reputation with our customers and give us that brand loyalty you need in a competitive market,” she said.

Helen spoke of the longevity of their customer base and how it’s transformed, having seen a regular customer bring in his granddaughter for her car’s first service earlier in the week.

“It’s longtime customers that have stood by our business that helped us grow and stay a strong name in the community, we’re very thankful for the support.”

#7 Richard Wood, OC Mechanical

Richard Wood has been the owner of OC Mechanical for six years in April and credits appearing on our list to his loyal customers.

“It’s a good surprise to know we’ve been short-listed, it’s good to know people are thinking of you,” he said.

Richard has been in the motor trade since leaving school, teaching at trade school in England and Australia to share his passion with those entering the industry.

“It’s what I love to do,” he said.

“I’m glad I’ve made a trusting impact on my customers to be mentioned for this title.”

#6 Hunter Automotive

Co-owned by brothers Glen and Clifford Hunter, Hunter Automotive is a born and bred Cairns business that started in 1996.

Glen said the brothers have always shared a love of cars, growing up around them and learning together.

“I learnt everything from my brother, I was his apprentice after I left school,” he said.

“We always talked about working together and we decided to buy a little business in the 90s, now we’ve gone from the two of us to a team of eight.”

“We have a good customer base, everyone that brings their car in becomes a regular and we’re very grateful for that.”

#5 Rob 7 Automotive Repairs

Robert Smith was born to be a mechanic.

“The only thing I ever wanted for birthdays or Christmas was an old car to take apart and put back together,” he said.

“I couldn’t wait to leave school to become an apprentice.”

Robert’s owned Rob 7 Automotive Repairs for just over 10 years and said his five-star google review rating comes down to the team’s belief that customer service is just as important as getting the car right.

“It’s about explaining exactly what’s wrong, going into depth for those curious customers, and honesty so people understand what we’re doing,” he said.

“If we do the job right and treat our customers well, our reputation builds itself.”

#4 Brad Williams, Wiltech Automotive

Following his father’s lead, Brad Williams has been a mechanic for about 30 years and said he always wanted to be one from the get go.

“I started a mobile business in 2014 but now we’re in a workshop and we try our best to make this place a one-stop shop,” he said.

“It’s good to hear positive feedback coming from the community, we try and offer good service and do everything we can for our customers.”

Brad said the business thrives on the mutual respect and trust between himself and his customers.

“We’re lucky enough to have a great customer base that follow our advice and now we have a positive enough rapport to the customers to be mentioned for best mechanics in Cairns, it’s really something.”

#3 Hales Mechanical, Mareeba

Tod Hales knew he had a good customer base when they pushed him to start up his business full-time.

Starting up Hales Mechanical full-time in 2020, it’s something he says he should’ve done earlier.

“Before I had my own business, I was working elsewhere and just doing my own thing on the weekends,” he said.

“I love the freedom to play by my own rules having my own business though and I have such a range of customers and vehicles to keep me busy.”

Tod said he loved playing with cars and fixing them since he was young, using his spare time to pull apart and rebuild motorbikes, he signed up for trade school in 2004.

#2 Doug Chellingworth, DC Mechanical Repairs

Doug Chellingworth has owned DC Mechanical Repairs for 10 years and knew it was always what he wanted to do.

“I grew up around cars, pulling them apart and fixing them, it was something I was raised around by my grandparents because my grandfather was a mechanic too,” he said.

“There was no other option for me, this was always going to be my job.”

Doug said it’s helping customers and knowing he’s done a job someone is pleased with that makes him love the industry.

“It’s the customer satisfaction that keeps us going and having regulars come back gives me that boost of confidence that I’m in the right business,” he said.

“You can’t please everyone but I try my absolute best.”

#1 Troy Knight, Torque Masters Auto Repair Centre

Cainrs Best Mechanic

Troy Knight has been a mechanic for more than 20 years but being voted number one on our list still came as a big shock to the owner of Torque Masters Auto Repair Centre.

“It’s amazing to be voted by the public as number one knowing there are hundreds of mechanics in Cairns, I saw we had been mentioned but I also saw a lot of other great mechanics on that list,” he said.

Troy became a mechanic in a non-traditional way, having never done a trade apprenticeship he started as a service advisor at a workshop and working on cars with the mechanics in his lunchbreak.

“I realised in my role I had to know what I was talking about so I could explain it best to our customers, I wanted to know what I was talking about rather than just reading it off a piece of paper,” he said.

“I did it for so long it became second nature and I eventually got accredited as a mechanics through trade courses.”

“I’ve worked at Torque for 14 years and owned it for the last eight, but we couldn’t do it without our great bunch of mechanics out the back.”

Troy attributed the success of the business to his focus on customer service and the loyalty of Cairns locals.

“Everything is changing with Covid and we’ve been rolling with the punches but we’re still busy all the time and it’s because we have a great customer base,” he said.

“People who come here are always happy, we don’t have upset customers, and it’s because we take the time to work with them.

“Even other mechanics, it’s a good industry community, we bounce things off each other and support each other, it’s about helping each other out.

“Cairns is a small town, I’ve lived here my whole life, but I love the place and the people are friendly, you wouldn’t want to go anywhere else.”

Originally published as Best motor mechanic in Cairns as voted by you