The Appeal of Personalised Service at Independent Mercedes Centres

We find that in the competitive landscape of automotive care, independent Mercedes service centres, such as ourselves here at AustStar Motors, distinguish themselves through the provision of personalised service, a feature that has garnered appreciation from our customers. We pride ourselves on establishing a more intimate rapport with our clientele, a stark contrast to the often impersonal and standardised approach found at many dealership service departments. This commitment to personal service enables us, as an independent centre, to develop a deeper familiarity with both the individual and their vehicle, leading to service recommendations and care that are closely aligned with the unique needs and history of each car.

The emphasis on personalised service here at AustStar Motors, extends beyond mere familiarity; it fosters an environment where detailed consultations and open discussions about the vehicle’s condition and maintenance requirements are the norm. Customers benefit from direct communication with the technicians who are hands-on with their cars, facilitating a level of detail and specificity in service explanations that can sometimes be lacking in more corporate settings. This level of engagement ensures that vehicle owners are not only well-informed about the work being performed but are also involved in the decision-making process regarding their vehicle’s care.

Moreover, the personalised service ethos that is core to our mission statement here at AustStar Motors often means that we can offer flexible solutions tailored to the specific needs and constraints of our customers. Whether it’s accommodating unusual schedules, providing custom advice on vehicle maintenance, or prioritising repairs based on the owner’s budget, we excel in adapting our services to suit the individual circumstances of our clientele. This flexibility, underpinned by a deep understanding of both the technical and personal aspects of automotive care, underscores the appeal of independent centres, such as ours, for Mercedes owners seeking a service experience as refined as their vehicles.

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12 Cars Apart

Our customer Rick recently purchased his 1971 Mercedes Benz 300 SEL 6.3 and booked it in for some air suspension work.  Surprisingly and totally unexpected, Theo noticed by the chassis numbers that these two cars were on the same export production line in Germany.  The chances of these two vehicles now being in the same place at the same time over 50 years later is a million to one.  Both cars were ordered from Mercedes Benz dealerships in NSW as tourist delivery vehicles.  This means that the customer purchases the car from the dealer and the customer then ventures over to Germany to the customer lounge where they wait for their car to come off the production line at the Sindelfingen plant. Well, picture the advertising back in the late 60s but I’m sure it wasn’t as glamorous as that.
1971 Mercedes Benz 300 SEL 6.3

As part of the tourist delivery vehicle option, the owners are then able to use the car to tour through Europe for 12 months and when they have completed their holiday it is then available to be imported into Australia without incurring any duties. Unfortunately, this option is no longer available but was used by many who could afford it, back in the day. Theo is very fortunate that his 6.3 has full documentation of its travels through Europe with all the services being documented in the service books. To compare the personalised options that the cars were ordered with one has Velour trim, sunroof with factory Webasto wind deflector and kilometers per hour speedometer. The other was ordered with leather, steel wheels with hubcaps. Each car was delivered with the rare option of the five piece luggage set which unfortunately are no longer with either of the cars. The standard options of these vehicles are factory air conditioning, central locking and air suspension.  Remember that it was the late 60s so most of these options were new and rarely available in most other makes and models.

Note the registration numbers are 24 numbers apart!!

1971 Mercedes Benz 300 SEL 6.3

1971 Mercedes Benz 300 SEL 6.3
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In October 2022 We Celebrate 30 Years In Business

Thirty years ago out of necessity, a business was born and sometimes when you are on your last $10 and two little boys to feed you do what you never thought you would have the strength and courage to do.  We opened a $25K overdraft, and set out to give Mercedes Benz owners a choice where they can service their vehicles.  Theo and I worked hard on the business, 7 days a week for the first few years.

Our anniversary isn’t just a celebration of our success , it’s a celebration of the trust based relationships we have built with our customers, our staff and the Mercedes Benz community in and around Brisbane.

Throughout the highs and lows of running a small business our passion and dedication to making our customers our number one priority has driven us to succeed and this is what our business is built on. This mission still continues today.

After a fire that devastated our workshop in 1993 and pregnant with our third child,  we were even more determined to move forward and it took us from our small shed in Deshon Street to our new building in Coorparoo.

AustStar Motors Fire 2 -July1993

In 1995 Andrew joined us from Mercedes Benz Brisbane and became a business partner a couple years later. Andrew’s Mercedes Benz knowledge is unsurpassed and his ability to troubleshoot problems and diagnose issues is remarkable.

We went from pen and paper to computers in 2004… the internet, emails and mobile phones.

Through the 2009 Global financial crisis and recently, the ongoing covid pandemic we kept all our staff onboard.  To say we are very proud of this is an understatement.

Static billboards turned into digital billboards.  Radio advertising morphed into Spotify advertising. Magazine and paper advertising has evolved into digital and social media advertising.

In 2021, we moved to our bigger and better Morningside workshop which gave us the opportunity to continue the dream, grow and re-energise our enthusiasm to our business.

AustStar Mercedes Service Centre

To our staff, past and current, many family members and friends, we thank you all for your dedication and hard work. We could not have come this far without each and every one of you.

We are grateful and humbled for our thousands of customers who have supported our business throughout the last 30 years. To our current 3000 active customers and future customers, we will keep doing what we have always done, providing a customer centric business for your ongoing Mercedes Benz service, repairs and maintenance.

The AustStar Motors story continues… stay tuned!!

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We Are Moving !!!

Finally, after having outgrown our current premises (to be honest probably 10 years ago)we are moving… but not too far away.

From the 19th July 2021 our new location will be at Unit 1, 185 Beverley St Morningside (corner of Lytton Road).  

We are across the road from Fort Knox Storage on Lytton Road and across Beverley St from the Fish Factory,  just to give you some well known landmarks to where we are heading.  We will not miss the inner city traffic of our Coorparoo workshop and look forward to easier access and closer proximity to the Gateway Bridge, Wynnum Road, Creek Road and Old Cleveland Road.

We will have 14 exclusive on site car parks, a bigger, brighter and better laid out workshop and much needed extended office space.  There is a great little coffee shop in our complex for everyone to enjoy!

You will see the same team there to help you out and make sure that everything runs smoothly for your service or repair.  Melita, Tina and Chris to help you with your enquiries, Dave and Theo to assist with service and repair advice and Andrew, Matt and the boys in the workshop.

Our customers mean the world to us, and it has been an absolute pleasure looking after your vehicle and we look forward to seeing you soon at our new location. 

If you’d like to book your next service or repair with AustStar Motors at our new location in Morningside please call the team on 3397 7158 or book here. 

 

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Independent -v- Dealership

AustStar Motors are not a Mercedes Benz dealership but a family owned independent Mercedes Benz Service Centre. We prioritise customer service and our customers’ needs. Above all else we ensure that you and your Mercedes Benz get back on the road as soon as possible.

While the dealership will give you all the glitz and glamour, the independent workshops will give you that true personal touch.

We do not try to up-sell, as the dealerships do on the day you have your car serviced. If we find anything of concern with your car, we report it, give costs and advise on urgency and priority. Then it is up to you, in your own time, to decide to have the work completed and budgeted for.

Don’t get me wrong, we need the dealerships. AustStar buys cars from them, parts and we also get advice from them. They play their part in the scheme of things.

Our point of difference is, we work for our customers and not a large corporation. We try to keep our costs as low as possible, so we can pass the savings onto you. Our team try very hard to get the best price for parts. By trying hard, we email our suppliers around the world to get the best prices for our customers. We can save you thousands of dollars on certain parts by taking the time to search for the best possible price. By doing this, we do not compromise on quality either. We are able to source genuine and original equipment parts to save our clients the heartache of not being able to repair the vehicle within their budget.

Another question we are always asked is, if we service our car with AustStar Motors or any other independent service centre, will this void my manufacturer’s warranty? The absolute answer is NO. Although, the dealerships will have you believe otherwise, it is untrue. The ACCC has all this information on their website. Please see our FAQ page for further information. Click Here.

In fact, we will notify you of any items that should be dealt with under the manufacturer’s warranty and suggest that you contact your nearest dealership and have it rectified by them at their cost and not yours. It might be bad business financially to do that but, as we have said before, we work for what is best for our customers.

Mercedes Benz vehicles, as with all makes and models, thrive on good log book servicing, ensuring your vehicle stays running at its optimal peak condition.

As we say….Your Mercedes, Your Service, Your Choice.

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