Service Advisor

Are you completely obsessed with customer experience, being able to find the right solution and going on to manage the end to end solution often with multiple stakeholders? This might just be the role for you!

We are currently looking for a full-time Service Advisor to join our team in and around the Epping, Ware and Bishop’s Stortford areas.

The ideal candidate needs to be either a huge petrolhead, have a proven track record in and around vehicles, customer service and or hospitality and simply have a credible caring way about them. Strong attention to detail, collaborative and highly organised are further key attributes here.

This isn’t a job, it is a lifestyle.

Full training where needed will be given, the salary will be based on experience and you will need to hold a full UK driving licence and know your way around Microsoft Office 365.

The role offers some flexible working and ongoing support and training with bonus targets and further growth opportunities within the business.

If you think this is for you please get in touch via the usual channels or message us below – we would love to hear from you.

We're in Braintree!

Among the other exciting updates we have also been busy expanding the Garage Queens network in the form our of our Area Partnership scheme. We are now very proud to announce the opening of our new car storage facility in Braintree. Located on another secure and discreet development just outside of Braintree it offers all of the security, features, and attention to detail that you have come to expect only in, err – Braintree!

Please join me by congratulating Tim (we like to keep it simple here!) Glover directly. I am sure he would love to show around!

And for anyone interested in discussing how the scheme could work for you, simply drop me a line and let’s grab a coffee.

Events Coordinator

There is a growing demand here at GQ for more regular events – that’s where (we hope), you come in!

We are looking for someone to help us set up and coordinate a regular events calendar. Including but not limited to unique events on our own turf but a curation what you/we believe are the must attend shows of the year. With a few road trips thrown in to boot!

The idea of having someone join the GQ Crew is very new and we are open to who or how it will take shape – is it part time, is it voluntary at first, is it a hybrid role while all the pieces fall into place? We don’t have all the answers (yet) but we are hoping whoever this might be is able to help!

Sound like a bit of you? We’d love to talk…

"Turn her over, would ya?"

“Turn her over, would ya?"

A concerning phase I often hear when some owners ask us to start their cars after a period of inactivity.

While we are happy supporting with almost anything this is something we ask not to be part of unless it’s done correctly. In fact, this actually does more harm than just leaving as is.

We call it exercise.

Simply starting an engine and letting it tick over is most definitely the worst. A short term running engine creates over fuelling and introduces moisture even when the water temp is up to ’normal'. It will generate rust in the exhaust system and dump lots of unburned fuel into the cylinders and also reduce the oil quality creating premature wear. The science goes on and on.

I know why owners ask. Hell, pre GQ I even did it to my own cars. Felt good, really good in fact. Like I was doing the right thing, at the time.

Since then we have built and evolved our exercise framework and mechanical specification over many years taking counsel from restoration specialists of different generations. It varies widely from an old engine say for the 1960’s with large tolerances and thick 20/50 to putting 0 something for a modern car in an old example. One will find the thin oil bypassing where the old oil won’t – knowing what someone may have incorrectly put in a car in the first place is often the starting point.

In extreme cases where owners haven't been on our care package or are joining us from the wild we deep dive in our post habitation post here.

Back to exercise once again. We are also very open and rather like the process to be a collaboration if one wishes. For example, we typically carry it out in two formats – one carried out on site around our private grounds, the other seeing us head out on the road for 20 miles or so. Either or is simply an owner preference.

Both work well but most importantly we only carry them out on request and with the owners permission. Each interaction is documented and shared in the logs with the owner followed up with supporting notes on the experience – a candid example of which is below.

It is such a complex and diverse landscape which must be carried out with a careful and considered approach to avoid issue or blame.

It still feels good though, just takes a little longer!

If anyone would like to agree the process together please do follow up via your preferred method of communication – we would love to support.

Tim and your GQ Crew.

Area Partner

Like the idea of building something of your own using the GQ recipe?

This opportunity is to invest in your future and have your own successful and rewarding GQ geography.

All the short cuts, training, support, infrastructure and most importantly the secret GQ recipe will be provided, all you need to bring is a positive, can do attitude, an impeccable customer service manor and an eagerness to succeed.

Think you have what it takes? Complete the below and we’ll schedule a discovery call to find out!

Festive Opening Hours

Unlike Jaguar, we are only closing for Christmas!

And given it’s so close, we thought we’d best get our opening hours up and out, too.

Naturally your booking app will mirror:

Tuesday 24th: CLOSED.
Wednesday: 25th: CLOSED.
Thursday 26th: CLOSED.

Tuesday 31st: CLOSED.
Wednesday 1st: CLOSED.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – thank you once again for all of your continued trust throughout 2024.

Photo credit: Fellow owner Harry out in the ‘Offender’.

The Penthouse, is open!

I’ve had all year to prepare for this week, yet here I am, sat in a roadside Starbucks frantically putting the finishing touches to your festive newsletter. Not to mention having not started my Christmas shopping, changed the tyres on Sid, fitted the new car seat, etc. etc. – know the feeling? 🤯

Meanwhile, it’s been another mad year and I am very aware that I broke my promise to write more. However, I come with jingle bells and aim to make up for it with your latest instalment from GQ HQ.

Let’s dispatch the boring stuff first, you’ll be pleased to know that unlike Jaguar, we are only closing for Christmas! You can check out our festive opening hours here – naturally your booking link is in sync. Swiftly moving onto the fun stuff now; lets window shop your fellow owners cars for sale while eating left over turkey sandwiches. It’s been 18 months since we started saying yes and helping you avoid the tyre kicking public, snarky auctions and general sinister point of view on anything used being sold.

Two highlights in particular spring to mind – selling the 900 mile Aventador and reconnecting a previous owner and her husband with their 1981 Mercedes SL380 (Photos below).

The fortuitous event with the SL came about merely via a late night google and has since ended up being reunited with the lovely couple, Mary and Wyn, and their now c40 year old children! One comment during their viewing stuck with me – “One Summer, we didn’t put the hood back up for 2 months as the european adventure rolled on”. Oh, the joys of pre ISOFIX.

On from there, and depending how large your stocking is you might wish to check out our latest product review. And if there is still space left, the Tipo184 should help fill a gap – she is big!

For anyone that keeps missing our meets, here is another reminder of our last and next event – Sunday 5th January. We are very much looking forward to getting up and out with you once again. (Mind you, slightly less so cleaning up the week after!).

Much like leaving Fergie’s Man United until last on Match of the Day, I can confirm that The Penthouse, is open! It has been the most anxious of times during the whole 10 year GQ journey making such a bold move. Naturally, if one has ‘Daddy’s trust fund’, these things could be done off the bat. But, when moving and shaking as best you can, an expansion can only be timed when a window presents. It was literally a now or never moment from a space point of view.

However, from what you are telling me, your trust and support is still growing. The icing on the cake was being able to use British steel which has been proudly pressed into the side of each RSJ. ...and what better way to test the load ratings than sending Sid up into the gods with our fingers crossed! (See below).

To help repay all the support, we wanted to find a way to thank you properly for referring your friends. This time with more than just a coffee – a proper paying referral scheme. Some of you will have already received yours so thank you, again.

Ooo, and while I have you – if anyone is looking for a new read this Crimbo I can recommend Chris Harris’ Variable Valve Timing. No spoilers, but I will say that it brought me to nostalgic tears. Twice. And for anyone reading this on the day, looks like it’s also available for download on Audible.

Pausing for a moment to sip the remainder of my third cold coffee, the first of the Starbucks staff have started looking at me funnily, I really must start wrapping this up with a few shout outs. Firstly, to the GQ Crew. They have been relentless in getting each and everyone to the party on time and looking their best – it really is a lifestyle job this and one has to fully embrace the completely random logistics that come our way each day. They are all indeed up for it, and have exceeded expectations – take a bow, gang.

The other, and I have something in my eye again here, is you – the owners. Referring, feeding back, suggesting, supporting, even offering to come and work at times. I am genuinely blown away. Thank you once again for your trust.

OK, the staff here are now flickering the lights and I can’t nurse another coffee much longer. So, as I close the MacBook on 2024 and before I move off to the next maintenance wash – Merry Christmas to each and every one of you.

I hope you enjoy the newsletter.

Tim and the GQ Crew.

Team GQ taking some much deserved time during the Christmas do!

Highlights Coming up in the next Newsletter: What’s On The Ramp; E34 M5 underbody restoration. Forbidden Fruit; I cover doing the GQ rounds in some golden era V8’s. Scrambled: We cover the upcoming Sunday Scramble with a new film crew! 🎥

Help us REALLY grow

Driving a small business forward can be a lonely place at times but one of the fellow in store owners hit me with a nugget of gold recently, “surely your sales team are your customers?”

Such a small mindset change is seeing me kick off the year with a new bust of positivity. And with so many of you offering to help us grow I thought why not list all the little big things that really add up.

So, here goes;

1. Refer a friend.

2. Google review us.

3. Follow, like, comment and engage with us on Instagram.

4. Follow, like, comment and share us on Facebook.

5. Follow, like, comment and repost us on X.

6. Follow, like, comment and repost us on TikTok.

7. Follow, comment and like us YouTube.

8. Follow, comment and share us on LinkedIn.

I know, a lot to ask. Nail one, a few or all will go a long way – we also pay out for successful referrals so you can either get paid, earn credit off servicing or simply discount your storage fees.

However, I am aware that helping someone grow isn’t about money so for now let me just thank you for coming this far and reading our content.

Tim and your GQ Crew.

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