MAZDA’S newest showroom has opened in Perth with a $12.6 million sales and service development on the high-traffic thoroughfare of Scarborough Beach Road, Osborne Park in Perth’s north west.

Osborne Park Mazda, part of Automotive Holdings Group Ltd (AHG), is now the company’s 11th dealership on the major street.

The dealership has been built on the same corner site as its predecessor Jason Mazda, owned for more than 35 years by previous dealer principal Paul Lawrence and his family.

The Lawrence family, which sold the dealership to AHG in June 2013 for $13 million, retains the bulk of the land. The previous showroom and service complex was demolished and a new facility built on two land titles developed by AHG.

It took two years for the site to be redeveloped which involved Osborne Park Mazda operating from within the construction of the new buildings during that time.

Dealer principal Shane Marshall said the new development is state-of-the-art and has been designed in conjunction with the architects to be highly efficient and to future proof for sales and service needs.

For example, it has three levels of parking to ensure a smooth flow of vehicles from service, four wash bays that can handle in excess of 50 cars a day, sufficient parking for staff, new cars and serviced cars, and two “fast service” bays.

---

---

Mr Marshall said there was a growing need for rapid servicing of cars so he has designed each bay to have two technicians. This is in addition to 24 conventional service bays. Customers also have a large lounge area so they can wait for their car to be serviced.

Fast-moving service items are on site but other components are warehoused nearby by a contractor. This freed up space for the lounge and an open-plan service reception area.

Mr Marshall said the sales target – after the Christmas break – was 150 new cars a month plus about 65 used cars.

Initiatives by Mr Marshall aimed at increasing the efficiency of the business include collecting data – called postcard data – from existing and prospective buyers to create an ongoing database.

He will also introduce a concierge for the service department from February to ensure customers have instant assistance.

“It’s about doing things differently and to ensure the customer has the best possible service,” he said.

To thank customers, employees and their families and friends, the dealership recently held a family fun day.

By Neil Dowling