Garage One Automotive Repair is a family-run workshop on Wrights Road in Addington, Christchurch, opened in 2012 by husband and wife team Dale and Rei. Built around the idea that convenience and quality can intersect, the workshop offers a comprehensive range of automotive services under one roof — from routine maintenance to complex repairs — for petrol, diesel, hybrid and fully electric vehicles.
The service list covers vehicle servicing, Warrant of Fitness inspections, tyres and wheel alignments, diagnostic fault finding, automotive electrical work, air conditioning, and servicing for commercial fleets. Dale brought more than twenty years of experience as a qualified Automotive Engineer to the venture, while Rei's background as a Head Chef gave her the organisational skills to run the business like a well-oiled machine. The team has grown to seven fully qualified technicians, but the focus on cleanliness, quality workmanship and friendly, approachable service remains the driving force.
Garage One has also positioned itself at the forefront of electric and hybrid vehicle care in Christchurch, offering everything from battery diagnostics to software updates. Customer reviews consistently praise the honest, experienced advice, clear communication at every stage, and thoughtful touches like loan cars while work is under way. Owners can also sign up on the website for WOF reminders, or simply drop in for a chat.
On Wrights Road in Addington, Garage One has been looking after Christchurch cars since 2012. The workshop was opened by husband and wife team Dale and Rei, and has grown from a two-person venture into a team of seven. The original goal, though, hasn't shifted: top quality automotive repair combined with friendly, caring service, every time a car rolls through the door.
The workshop services petrol, diesel, hybrid and fully electric vehicles, covering everything from routine maintenance to complex repairs under one roof. Whether you need a regular service, a Warrant of Fitness, an alignment, or help tracking down an elusive fault, the aim is the same — high quality maintenance and repairs, with top-notch service to match.
Garage One's standards weren't dreamed up in a marketing meeting; they come from experience. Dale brought more than twenty years as a qualified Automotive Engineer, having worked in a number of different shops where he saw the best — and some of the worst — the repair industry had to offer. Those observations shaped the workshop he and Rei created: an obvious focus on cleanliness and quality, and a commitment to service that's approachable rather than intimidating.
Rei's background runs on a different track. A former Head Chef, she applies the organisational discipline of a professional kitchen to running the business like a well-oiled machine. Together they set out to be more than a workshop — trusted automotive partners, as they put it — and long-time customers seem to agree. One reviewer of a decade's standing credits Dale and the team with being consistently helpful and honest, recounting a fuel issue that saw the car towed in, and Dale waiting after hours with a loan car ready so the owner could still get home.
The service list is deliberately comprehensive:
As the industry evolves, Garage One has put itself at the forefront of electric and hybrid vehicle care in Christchurch. Its technicians are well-versed in the unique needs of these vehicles, offering a full spectrum of work from battery diagnostics to software updates — everything needed to keep an EV or hybrid running efficiently and eco-friendly.
What comes through again and again in customer feedback is communication. Reviews describe a team that explains everything well, keeps customers informed at every stage, and gives honest, experienced advice. One customer brought a vehicle in after a worrying inspection elsewhere: the team re-assessed it fully, established the repairs actually needed, and completed the work for far less than the price quoted by the other shop. Others remember the small touches — an electric loan car while work was under way, even polished wheels at handback.
Owners can sign up on the website for WOF reminders so the renewal date never sneaks up. Bookings and questions are handled by phone or email, or you can simply drop in for a chat at 89 Wrights Road — the team is, by all accounts, always excited to see new faces.
For Addington and wider Christchurch drivers looking for a mechanic who will level with them, service modern and traditional drivetrains alike, and treat both car and owner with respect, Garage One has spent more than a decade proving it can be exactly that.