“Excellent young mechanic, thoughtful, dedicated and professional.”
Melbourne Walks - Meyer Eidelson
A month ago
Daylesford, Victoria
THE CAR YOU DRIVE
EVERY DAY.
AND THE ONE YOU
KEEP UNDER A COVER.
O'Tooles Automotive is Joel's workshop on Lake Road. Servicing, repairs and all makes, plus a standing interest in anything with a carburettor and chrome bumpers. Same care either way.
4.9 from 18 Google reviews
Not one review below five stars
What comes through the door
ONE BLOKE,
ONE WORKSHOP,
NO SALES COUNTER.
You speak to Joel, and Joel is the one who does the work. That is the whole arrangement. It is also why the reviews keep using words like honest, fair and reasonable rather than talking about a waiting room.
“I never feel that there's anything shady or dodgy.”
Fran Woodruff, Google review
Bonnet up on a VL Commodore. Not everything in here is standard.
- 01
Servicing
Logbook style servicing on the car you actually drive to work. Oils, filters, fluids, belts, brakes checked and a straight answer about what needs doing now and what can wait.
- 02
Repairs
Something making a noise, leaking, or refusing to start. Diagnosed properly first, then fixed, rather than parts thrown at it until the light goes out.
- 03
All makes
Japanese, European, Australian, American. New enough to need a scan tool, old enough to need a feeler gauge. It all comes through the same roller door.
- 04
Fitting and finishing
Not just mechanical. Customers have had bumpers and lights fitted here on the same visit as a service, rather than being sent somewhere else for it.
Not sure whether it is worth fixing?
Ring up and describe it. You will get told what is actually wrong and what it is likely to cost before anything is booked in, which is the part most people are really asking about.
0402 417 549The other half of the shed
OLD IRON GETS
THE SAME BENCH.
Plenty of workshops will service your hatchback and then look blank when you mention a four barrel. Look at what actually sits on the gravel out the front of this one. If you have something older, it is not a special favour here, it is a normal Tuesday.
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air
Out the front on the gravel, Lake Road
XA Falcon coupe
Bonnet scoop, stripes, and no apologies
1957 Chevrolet
Sharing the yard with an ex army Land Cruiser
1968 Chevrolet El Camino
Bonnet up, mid job
Restoration, a tidy up, or just keeping something roadworthy that was built before anybody thought to put a computer in it. Worth a phone call either way.
Talk to Joel
Not stuck in the past
A PROPER SCAN
TOOL, NOT A
CODE READER.
A love of old cars does not mean shrugging at a new one. The workshop runs an Autel MaxiSys Elite, so a modern car gets read properly instead of guessed at, and you get told what the fault actually is.
Diagnostics. Fault codes read across the car's systems, not just the engine light.
Service functions. The resets and relearns a modern car needs after the work is done.
ADAS. The driver assistance systems on later cars are supported by the same tool.
Most of the week
UTES, WAGONS,
AND WHATEVER
GOT YOU HERE.
The classics get the attention in photos, but the bread and butter is the ute you need back by Friday and the wagon doing the school run. Booked in, sorted, handed back with an explanation you can follow.
4.9
Google rating
18
Reviews, none under five stars
An ordinary day on the pad at Lake Road.
Straight from Google
WHAT PEOPLE
ACTUALLY SAY.
4.9 from 18 reviews
“Great Mechanic, Joel is a damn good guy not just great services but actually great mechanic and also went above and beyond and fitted my new bumper and light's”
Luke Westphal
5 months ago
“Joel is such a friendly man and he is always willing to go the extra mile. I really trust that he is honest and I never feel that there's anything shady or dodgy. As a person with limited Mechanical knowledge it is very easy to be ripped off and it definitely has happened. I trust Joel implicitly with my vehicle.”
Fran Woodruff
4 years ago
“Joel was very easy to deal with - did a fantastic job and nothings an issue for him. I think he went above what most mechanics do and he's very fair and reasonable”
Tracey Petrie
4 years ago
“Joel is a very knowledgeable man, his service routine is excellent and he also advises of any potential issues. Highly recommend him and will be returning for all auto servicing to be sure”
Frank McAteer
5 years ago
Look for the sign
DOWN LAKE ROAD,
NEXT TO THE
HONEY STALL.
There is no showroom and no reception desk. There is a painted board on the container, a concrete pad, and usually something interesting parked on the gravel. That is the place.
It is a couple of minutes out of the middle of Daylesford, on the way toward Jubilee Lake.
Directions and hoursGet in touch
BOOK IT IN.
The quickest way is a phone call
0402 417 549Joel answers it himself, so if he is under a car it may take a go or two.
Where
143 Lake Rd, Daylesford VIC 3460
Hours
- Monday8:30am - 5:30pm
- Tuesday8:30am - 5:30pm
- Wednesday8:30am - 5:30pm
- Thursday8:30am - 5:30pm
- Friday8:30am - 5:30pm
- SaturdayClosed
- SundayClosed