A special experience at the Sydney SuperNight came ahead of a major upgrade for the family business

The Zarate Mechanics team received an extra marketing boost recently with surprise branding on the Castrol Racing Tickford Ford Mustang at Sydney SuperNight – all part of Castrol’s 125-year celebrations designed to highlight its loyal independent workshop customers. 
“It is an honour to be a part of the Castrol family…I’m speechless,” Zarate Mechanics owner, John Zarate, said.
He said choosing the right partners with the best expertise, support and solutions was important to stay ahead of the game. 
“We need to provide the right advice and the right products to our customers, and the suppliers we choose help us do that,” John said. 
“When I choose suppliers, I’m looking for quality, respectful communication, and consistent and on-time delivery – if I can’t use a hoist I’m losing money, I’m losing business. Efficiency is key.” 
John said customers wanted to make sure their cars were safe and reliable and confirmed his team was well-equipped to support their evolving needs. 
“You name it we do it all,” he said. 
“When I say I use Castrol the look I get is like ‘ah.’ They’re content, everyone knows Castrol. 
“Quality always comes first, especially the lubricants that we use…I’ve never used any other oil when Castrol could do it.” 
Quality, hard work and family are the keys to business success, according to John. 
The popular family-run workshop from Arndell Park in Sydney is preparing for a major upgrade and relocation to keep up with growing demand.  
“The new shop is going to be a clinic. So clean. Customers will see how well we take care of our shop, and they know we will do the same with their vehicle,” John said.  
“We’re really growing through word of mouth.” 
With the industry facing faster-than-ever changes, John said he stays up to date by accessing the latest training courses, certification, supplier conferences, and trade shows.  
“Every day is a school day. We have to keep up with the changes and learn. I’m always learning. Even the smallest things matter,” John said.
Having taken stages one and two through the MTA, John encouraged other mechanics to get up to speed on Electric Vehicles. 
“It’s important to do it for our industry because we need more expertise across the board in independent workshops,” John said.
“You can take advantage of the government grants as well so it’s not expensive to do it. I would advise anyone starting out in apprenticeships to do EV courses.” 

To learn more about Castrol, visit www.castrol.com.au

For more about Zarate Mechanics, visit www.zaratemechanics.com.au