DON’T FORGET REGULAR CAR UPKEEP

If you haven’t driven past the corner of Neil and Thomas streets in the past few months you may be surprised to see Garden City Tyre and Mechanical has had a distinctive green makeover.

But while the exterior colour may be different, owner Jai Ozog said the faces inside are all the same — with his staff just as committed to customer service as the day he bought the business seven years ago.

The makeover is a result of the business becoming an independent retailer, allowing a re-brand while still offering expert advice and servicing in vehicle maintenance, tyres and brakes.

“We have 11 employees on staff and they all enjoy four-wheel-driving, camping and motor sports — so they can speak from experience when recommending a product,” Jai said.

With our lives becoming more and more busy, Jai said it’s inevitable that regular car upkeep can be forgotten.

“You don’t think about your car every single day, so that’s why we encourage customers to come in to ensure their vehicle is ready for any Christmas travels.

“We haven’t been as busy of late with regular services, but major fixes are right up there — so, it reinforces that if you neglect your vehicle it can come back to haunt you sooner rather than later.”

And while we all enjoyed tinkering under the bonnet in our younger years, he said cars had advanced so much you need the expertise of mechanics who are across the sophisticated electronics of today’s vehicles.

As well as an expansive workshop, customers will also be taken by the well-stocked showroom.

“We’ve just had a cracker of a month on wheels,” Jai said.

“It’s an accessory that dresses up a vehicle straight away and customers want to make a statement.

”So, I know they are very impressed by our range.”

As well as the rims, Jai said Garden City Tyre and Mechanical stocks a wide selection of 4WD, passenger and light truck accessories.

“Our dedication to service is at the heart of everything we do and as an independent business we can now offer products perfectly suited to our customers.

“It’s the personal attention that’s important to us — not the robotic feel that can sometimes come when you’re treated as a number instead of a customer.”

Jai said education was a big part of good customer service.

“We strive to help our customers appreciate that there’s more to a tyre than simply being black and round,” he said.

“You explain the many differences between quality tyres and cheaper brands and then they understand.

“Working with a customer to better serve their needs is what it is all about and that’s why our staff have a lot of training and are constantly keeping up with the latest releases.”

As a Toowoomba business, Jai said the focus was always about “keeping it local”.

“We like to help charities around the region and give back to the community that supports us,” he said.