Local Business: Coles Automotive
Living in rural Sussex the majority of us depend upon four wheels. Choosing the right garage to take care of our vehicles is an important decision.
That’s why many local people turn to Coles Automotive in Edburton. Not just because Coles are a family business with 25 years of experience, but also because their customer service is second to none.
Owner Alex Cole is a self-confessed ‘petrol head’ with a passion for rally driving. Back in 1985, after completing an engineering course, he launched Coles Automotive along with his father Jim, a recently retired airline pilot.
Rally driving came soon after; the teenager who tinkered with near derelict Land Rovers until they burst into life would eventually go on to win top European off-road rally championships.
The business grew from word of mouth and in 1987 Alex and Jim took over a workshop in Edburton. Coles flourished and Alex soon took on more mechanics, all with different specialisations and skills.
Coles Automotive is now a large garage with six mechanics, two workshops and a dedicated bodywork shop. Unlike many garages the workshops are clean, ordered and run like clockwork. Alex has fostered a pride and sense of workmanship in the Coles team; after all, these vehicles need to be safe as well as reliable. Customers come first and the fleet of brightly coloured courtesy cars emblazoned with the Coles logo is a familiar sight around Steyning. They also have six seater courtesy cars for larger families.
Front of house and often answering the phone is Richard Searles. Richard has worked with cars his whole career, most recently at Frost’s Vauxhall dealership. His cheery voice and ‘can do’ attitude is the start of a customers experience of Coles.
Both Alex and Richard are aware that main dealerships often sell expensive servicing packages to new car owners. To dispel the myth; going to your local garage will not invalidate your warranty, so always shop around. Coles will always give better value for money than a main dealership, with their hourly rates between 40-70% less.
Terry Bourne is the Coles paintwork specialist. He operates in an immaculately clean bodywork room across the yard from the main workshop. He specialises in accident repair work, dents, scratches, bumps and scrapes. He knows a thing or two about bodywork, having started in 1976! The laborious task of removing dents, priming and re-spraying until the bodywork is factory-perfect is a labour of love.
Marathon running is a habit for the team at Coles; Alex is a seasoned runner with more than 15 marathons under his belt. Terry is a keen member of Henfield Joggers and now Richard is in training for the Brighton Marathon in aid of The Warren Playgroup, a charity supported by Coles.
You’ll also meet Jill on the front desk; you may have seen her in the village driving Delilah, a vintage 2CV. Jill is married to Tony, the Coles diagnostics expert who has 30 years experience as a mechanic. You’ll usually find him under the bonnet of a car with laptop in hand – cars are sophisticated these days and it’s not all oily rags and spanners! Alex’s wife Kathy works behind the scenes to make sure the business is running efficiently. Coles is, above all, a local and family business.
Alex has not parted company with his rally-driving career. Having completed the Dakar (the most gruelling off-road race in the world) three times in the world famous Land Rover Bowler, he hopes to return to the sport soon. In the meantime he will continue to give local people a great Coles
service and, most importantly, peace of mind motoring. Some of the many happy clients of Coles include HJ Burt & Son, Truffles and Chalcraft Funeral Directors.
Pop in to see the team at Coles Automotive, Browns Meadow, Edburton, Henfield BN5 9LL or call Richard to find out about their services on 01273 857520. www.colesautomotive.co.uk
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