Ken Bowen Motors is celebrating 70 years in business this year, including 50 at their Sylvania base.
Ken Bowen opened the business in 1947 first at Sutherland, where Tynan Motors now sits.
The business started by selling motorcycles but grew to a total service station before Ken starting selling vintage cars.
In 1967 the business moved to its Sylvania site where it remains to this day.
Rod and his brother Mike both joined the business full-time in 1980 to help relieve some of the stress from their father.
There has been four generations working for the business including Tommy, Rod’s son, who runs the workshop.
Tommy’s son Adam is just nine but already comes in to help on Saturday’s.
Rod said the brothers continued their father’s legacy of putting the customer first.
‘’Dad was a mechanic but he was a wonderful people person. If you had something wrong with your car, he wouldn’t stop until it was fixed,’’ he said.
‘’We have stories where a gentleman bought a car from off Dad in 1953 and he bought his granddaughter back in 2009 to buy her a car.’’
A lot has changed since the early days of the 1940s.
Back then cars were bought in pounds and guineas and people asked for petrol rather than unleaded.
‘’The biggest change has probably been the technology involved in the cars. People used to come in on a Saturday and buy oil or a spark plug for their own cars to do their own service, that doesn’t happen anymore,’’ he said.
‘’The cars and trucks have become a lot quieter, a lot smoother, faster and more economical.’’
Rod Bowen said going the extra mile for the customer remains their secret to success.
‘’The reason we’ve been successful is because the customer deals with the boss not with the sales manager or the receptionist.
‘’We have that personal touch.’’
