Articles by Carsguide.com.au

Dealer principal Brian Parsons, who has been in the industry for 40 years, says the family-owned business is proud of its modern, architecturally-designed premises on the Maroondah Highway.  Mr Parsons said the facility has been created with improved customer service and more efficient working practices in mind. The move is aimed at giving customers a better sales and service experience.
 "The open plan building dramatically improves interaction between departments, and has 75 per cent natural light, which in turn helps the team do its little bit for the environment,'' Mr Parsons said.
 Noting that this is the 10th anniversary of owning the business, Mr Parsons said his sales people were the most experienced in the business and the service technicians were all factory-trained.
 He said their years in the motor industry all added up to give them an edge when it came to customer care. 
New car manager Larry Morriss has been in the industry for 38 years, while service manager Michael Wilcox has devoted 32 years to the industry.
 Spare parts manager Ashley Climas has 20 years up his sleeve and used car manager David Gleeson has 37 years in the industry. Mr Parsons' son Ross works as a salesperson in the used cars division.
Heritage Holden has won the Holden Grand Masters award six times. This award recognises the top 30 dealers in Australia for sales and service.

The veteran car dealer has donated a vehicle every two years since the charity opened its doors back in 2004. The vehicles are predominantly used by staff to transport guests to the shops, appointments, events and meetings. The house acts as a home away from home for families with children staying at the Townsville Hospital. Mr Ireland said giving back to the community was an important part of life. "This is fantastic to be a part of because you can really see the benefit local families are receiving,'' he said. "It's amazing to see people who have walked into the hospital with so much fear with a smile on their faces because we have given them a hand.''

Despite some delays caused by the recent wet weather on the Gold Coast, the new showroom is on track to open in April.  The 900sq m showroom with ground-floor and mezzanine offices is being constructed on the site of a single-storey building at 71 High St that was originally constructed by Sanctuary Cove developer Mike Gore in the 1980s to house his Nissan dealership.  Brett Frizelle, joint dealer principal of the group, said the wet weather had left the showroom four to five weeks behind schedule but the company was still very pleased with the progress.  "It should open mid-April which we're pretty happy with given the wet weather,'' he said. "The building stands out so we're happy with that.'' The $2.5 million showroom is being built between the group's Mazda and Chrysler yards and will be one of the first in the country with the new Hyundai corporate design.  Frizelle's have temporarily moved the Hyundai dealership into the group's former Audi dealership site on the corner of Southport's Marine Parade and Nind St.  Last year, the group spent $9.57 million for a 1.5ha site at 4 Brabham Circuit in Robina's Automall. Mr Frizelle said the group was going through the planning phase for a development which would host Mazda and Hyundai

The move late last year was driven by the team's dedication to the many small businesses in the area. Torque Toyota marketing manager Sean Lim said the re-launch is all part of his team's focus on the specific needs of local businesses. "With many small businesses in our local area, we felt compelled to provide a service specifically suited to their needs,'' he said. "Torque Toyota recognises that SMEs have a unique set of requirements when dealing with fleet management. "Regardless of how big or small your business fleet, our dedicated SME manager Trevor Saddington and his fleet team have all the answers to your company automotive needs. "Apart from offering the range, reliability and value for money fleets needed to operate efficiently and cost-effectively, Torque Toyota maintains its commitment to fleet operators and the success of their organisation by responding to the many issues they face.'' The Torque Toyota team, part of the community for more than 20 years, consists of more than 100 employees who are proud supporters of local businesses, schools and sporting teams These include Hercules Road State School at Kippa-Ring, Redcliffe Leagues Club, Redcliffe Dolphins Rugby League Club, Norths Leagues Club, Kallangur Memorial Bowls Club, North Lakes Chamber of Commerce, North Lakes Rotary Club and the Redcliffe A.H. & I Society.

The car will be a focus at the Mater Foundation’s annual Little Miracles Ball on Saturday. The charity event at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre will raise funds to help sick children and babies at the Mater hospitals.  Patrons will have a chance to win a new Suzuki Alto GL worth $14,900 donated by Zupps Aspley, Mt Gravatt and Browns Plains dealers as well as Suzuki. The car will be won when one of 300 keys sold in a raffle on the night opens the driver's door.  Zupps marketing manager Edward Crossin said it was the second year the dealerships had donated a car. "There is a personal element for us too with staff members' children needing help at the Mater in the past.''  The ball will feature a three-course dinner and entertainment by a 16-piece orchestra and popular performers. Mater Foundation executive director Nigel Harris said the ball had been a highlight of Brisbane's social calendar for almost two decades. "Help us raise more than $210,000 to fund crucial research projects at Mater to improve medical outcomes for children, mothers and babies,'' Mr Harris urged. He said the heroes of yesterday and those of tomorrow are the inspiration behind the ball. Tickets are $175 each. Phone 3163 8000.

Leading importer Performax International has just named the Ascot dealership as the first one in Western Australia to carry their range of right-hand drive converted Corvette, Camaro and Mustang sports cars and the Chevrolet Silverado sports truck.The vehicles are imported and re-engineered to Australian Government right-hand drive specifications by Performax International.Performax has completed factory-standard conversions on thousands of its own and privately imported vehicles over almost 25 years at its factory near the Queensland Sunshine Coast. All conversions carry ISO 9001 Quality Assured certification.The formal appointment of Performance West as a Performax dealer was finalised late last year, but the company has been selling American vehicles for several months."We've already had excellent sales since taking on the dealership and are looking forward to another strong year as demand for these types of vehicles grow. WA buyers are becoming aware that there is now a one stop shop providing professional sales, parts and service at their doorstep." Performance West chief executive Peter Rullo said."The majority have been Chevrolet Silverado trucks, but we've also sold some Camaros and Corvettes. Companies that supply or service the mining industry and some recreational and small business operators make up the majority of Silverado owners. The Silverado is ideal for West Australian conditions with its 6.6 litre V8 diesel engine, four-wheel drive, luxurious comfort and substantial towing and carrying capacity. There simply isn't anything else like it for toughness, performance, comfort and practicality."Performax International general manager Glenn Soper said the dealer appointment would make it easier for West Australian customers to buy and maintain their American vehicles."These are big vehicles for a big State and we're proud to have Performance West aboard to introduce them to more WA drivers. Peter Rullo is a well-known WA businessman and motorsport competitor and his understanding of performance vehicles should give added confidence to our customers," he said."Performance West joins other recently-appointed Performax dealers in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. We now sell and support our range of American cars and trucks throughout Australia."The Chev Silverado has class-leading towing capacity of up to 10.2 tonnes. It attracts buyers from the building, construction and mining industries, plus recreational users who tow big boats, cars, horse floats or luxury vans.

The VACC has backed a new report into fuel discount shopper dockets – an issue the industry body has previously urged the ACCC to examine. “The new report by the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) substantiates what VACC has been saying all along – that so-called supermarket shopper docket discounts are a sham and they are a contributing factor to the demise of independent service stations,” VACC executive director David Purchase says. VACC recently released data showing that Coles and Woolworths control approximately 50 per cent of the Australian retail fuel market, through their retail fuel partners, Shell and Caltex. VACC’s statement says that, considering both these alliance partnerships were only formed in 2003, “their grab of market share has been considerable”. “Conversely, the demise of independent service stations has been extreme. In the last 40 years, the number of members in VACC’s Service Station Division has dropped from 3,050 to 215,” the statement says. “VACC shares concerns about the supermarket shopper docket discount scheme, expressed recently by the AAA which found the latest ‘double discount’ promotions on fuel by Woolworths and Coles over the summer short-changed motorists. We applaud AAA for highlighting this issue. “For many years, VACC has said the supermarket shopper docket discount scheme is a con. AAA reported that higher fuel prices were used to offset the discounts. VACC believes that Woolworths and Coles underpin their fuel discounts with higher grocery prices. Whatever smoke and mirrors are used, the bottom line is motorists are being dudded because the so-called discount is not a real discount. “We have previously called on the Government regulator, the ACCC, to intervene in this matter, but, in our opinion, it has been slow to act. As a result, Coles and Woolworths now dominate the market to the point where they can manipulate it and have too much influence,” Mr Purchase says. “We note Senator Nick Xenophon’s comments on the issue of supermarket shopper dockets and his call for Petrol Commissioner, Joe Dimasi, to be sacked. While we would not go that far, we do support his claim that there is too much ‘looking’ at petrol prices and not enough action. "We too have repeatedly been told by ACCC that it is ‘looking into the matter’; with all this ‘looking’, maybe it is time the ACCC bought a bigger mirror,” Mr Purchase says. VACC, the peak automotive industry body in Victoria, has repeated its call for greater Government intervention into supermarket shopper docket discounts. VACC represents more than 5,000 members in the retail, service and repair sector of the automotive industry, including more than 200 independent service station members.

The biggest space on their showroom shelf will be cleared to make way for the National Dealer of the Year award, but they will also have to find room for Commercial Dealer of the Year and Central Region Dealer of the Year. At the gala event in Sydney on the weekend, Volkswagen Group Australia’s managing director Anke Koeckler presented the awards to Barloworld dealer principal Darryl Pribut. “Barloworld Volkswagen Mascot performed incredibly well and is a deserving winner,” Ms Koeckler commented on the night. “However, recognition should be given to the entire Volkswagen dealer network. "2011 was a busy year for all of us and we would not have been able to achieve the sales figures we did without the commitment and hard work from all of our dealers.” A total of seven awards including regional categories were announced, with Albany Volkswagen winning its third consecutive “Western Region Dealer of the Year” trophy. National Dealer of the Year – Barloworld Volkswagen Mascot Commercial Vehicle Dealer of the Year – Barloworld Volkswagen Mascot Central Region Dealer of the Year – Barloworld Volkswagen Mascot Northern Region Dealer of the Year – Gold Coast Volkswagen Southern Region Dealer of the Year – Camberwell Volkswagen Western Region Dealer of the Year – Albany Volkswagen Rural Region Dealer of the Year – John Oxley Volkswagen

A roaring result in 2011 saw the VW brand leapfrog Subaru and Honda to hit number eight spot, while the group, incorporating Skoda, sold more than 48,000 cars.Just weeks into the new year they’ve opened a flash new headquarters at Chullora in Sydney - announced a battalion of product on the way. February will kick off with a new five-door Polo base model, while March brings a new a 112TSI petrol addition to the Skoda Yeti line-up.May will see the arrival of a dual-clutch Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo to join the manual model – with a sport-spec Fabia RS 132TSI following it later in both hatch and wagon bodies. The wagon train will continue with a petrol 77TSI engine in both a Fabia wagon and a Roomster wagon.The early months will see the entry-level Amarok ute load up a cab-chassis body and two new turbo 2.0-litre engines: a 118kW/300Nm TSI300 – the first petrol unit in the Amarok – and a 90kW/340Nm TDI diesel.Both engines are mated only to a six-speed manual transmission. But there’s also good news for auto fans further up the range. The dual-cab is about to match an eight-speed automatic with the new 132kW/420Nm turbodiesel with 4Motion permanent all-wheel drive system.The Volkswagen CC – formerly known as the Passat CC – arrives mid-year, with the Passat Alltrack softroader hot on its heels.The final months will bring the tiny Up in three and five-door bodies (the latter unveiled last week) to slot in underneath the Polo. Bringing up the rear will be the new Beetle, redesigned and repositioned to appeal to a supposedly ‘butch’ buyer.

For more than four decades, the family-owned and operated G Brothers Mercedes-Benz dealership has been a Northern Beaches landmark in Sydney’s Mona Vale. Now operated by four sons of the two original brothers, John and Vic Guberina, the family has recently added the new Volvo dealership at Pittwater Rd in Narrabeen. While Dean and Mark  Guberina – who count  50 years in the business between them - are the Mercedes–Benz dealer principals. Adam & Michael Guberina – who can claim 38 years in the business combined – are the dealer principals at the Volvo franchise. “We are thrilled to now also represent Volvo Cars on the Northern Beaches,” Adam Guberina said. “The Volvo range is more dynamic than ever and there is already a good following on the Northern Beaches. We love Volvo’s commitment to safety, quality craftsmanship, beautiful design and environmental awareness.” Mr Guberina said the name had enjoyed a long history of success over the decades. “G Brothers was first started by the two brothers, John and Vic Guberina, back in 1963 in Bassett St, Mona Vale,” he said. “They initially  grew up on and then ran a tomato  farm in nearby Warriewood Valley, and always had a deep passion for automobiles -- and in particular the three-pointed star. “From humble beginnings the business has grown over the years through nothing more than hard work, family spirit and very high customer loyalty. There have been a lot of successes, but the highlights would have to be winning the NSW Regional Dealer of the Year in 1979, 1996, 2004, 2005 and 2007 – and winning Australian National Dealer of the Year in 2007. Now two sons from each side of the family now run the business on a daily basis and offer a very unique personalised and family environment." Long term clients will tell you that they are not locked away in the back office - they are hands-on out the front, greeting customers and making sure the team is a well-oiled machine. And although John and Vic officially retired years ago, they haven't been able to completely tear themselves away from the business they love. "They also still pop into the dealership every day, often bumping into old clients and enjoying seeing the family grow the business," Mr Guberino said. With that kind of enthusiasm in the bloodline, he said there was never any question that the four sons would follow in the original G Brothers’ footsteps. “It’s in the blood,” he admitted. “And with four boys and six girls growing up  as the third generation, who knows -- there may have to be G Sisters branch some time soon.”