Dell Autos has closed

[Sue]

Absolutely gutted to hear that Dell Autos in Hansler Road is closing tomorrow.

They have MOTed my ancient 1998 Micra for years, and have always been brilliant.

Wishing them all the best of luck in their retirement.

Wishing all their customers (including me) luck in finding another garage as honest, helpful, efficient and friendly as they were.

Edited November 8 by Sue
Changed heading as Dell has now closed

[MrsR]

That's such a shame - they have been brilliant over the years, always so helpful and reliable.

[BrandNewGuy]

Ah, that's a shame. Best wishes to them. They nursed my old 19-year-old Peugeot through many an MOT and were always friendly and helpful.

[teddyboy23]

Yes heard a whisper a few months ago.had many mots and services there. .heard dels will be replaced with a house?

[cookie]

There's planning permission for 2 houses.  Southwark planning site is too slow today to use, but found this link from Savills to auction the site:

https://auctions.savills.co.uk/auctions/19--26-november-2024-158/3335-hansler-road-east-dulwich-london-se22-9dj-13236

 

Edited to add that the inclusion of lower ground floor in the planning application description indicates that basements will be dug.  Looks like Fellbrigg/Hansler is up for some heavy construction traffic next year.

 

Links to planning documents:

https://planning.southwark.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=RZDIQMKBI2V00

Edited November 6 by cookie
additional info

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

Is Dell Autos closing down completely or just moving?

For whatever it's worth, for MOTs I've had good recent experience with The Test Centre in Deptford. They only do MOTs so they don't have any particular incentive to fail you and they usually have same day appointments. Open 7 days a week and late.

https://www.thetestcentre.co.uk/our-test-centres/deptford-branch/

Obviously you would still need a "normal" garage to do servicing and repairs etc.

[Eats Dulwich]

Steve used to joke that my old VW Golf kept them in business. I've got a more reliable car now so maybe that's why they are closing. Sad day. 

[Sue]

16 hours ago, Dogkennelhillbilly said:

Is Dell Autos closing down completely or just moving?

Closing down completely.

The lovely people there are all retiring.

16 hours ago, Dogkennelhillbilly said:

For whatever it's worth, for MOTs I've had good recent experience with The Test Centre in Deptford. They only do MOTs so they don't have any particular incentive to fail you and they usually have same day appointments. Open 7 days a week and late.

https://www.thetestcentre.co.uk/our-test-centres/deptford-branch/

Obviously you would still need a "normal" garage to do servicing and repairs etc.

Thanks, but Deptford is a long way to go to make two journeys to  take and collect a car!

Do they not do even relatively minor repairs if it fails its MOT first time?

Then that would require four journeys 😭

Wondering if there's already a thread on here for garage recommendations? People on my road WhatsApp group have recommended some local ones.

I'm particularly gutted because apart from the lovely people who worked there,  Dell was a five minute walk for me!

Edited November 7 by Sue

[Rockets]

1 hour ago, Sue said:

Closing down completely.

The lovely people there are all retiring.

Such a shame as Dells is fantastic - a decent local business providing a great service to residents.

[Penguin68]

I would recommend the Dulwich Test and Service centre that used to be in Hindemanns road and then moved to the little Trading Estate off Tyrrel Road. I've used them very happily for nearly 40 years. Paul and Reg Shires. 

[Turfite]

Another recommendation for Dulwich Test and Services Centre. Only been using them for a couple of years but wish I’d found them earlier 

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

5 hours ago, Sue said:

Deptford is a long way to go to make two journeys to  take and collect a car!

It's done while you wait. 🤷‍♂️

[CPR Dave]

That's a shame. I tried to take my car there for an a/c issue a couple of times this summer but they seemed to be closed on both occasions so I gave up in the end. Hopefully they'll enjoy their retirement proceeds from selling their site to a property developer!

The garage in Upland Road (Pitstop) is good for servicing and repairs. Kwik fit in Grove Vale is also good and they do the diagnostics tests too. 

[Azalea]

17 minutes ago, CPR Dave said:

That's a shame. I tried to take my car there for an a/c issue a couple of times this summer but they seemed to be closed on both occasions so I gave up in the end. Hopefully they'll enjoy their retirement proceeds from selling their site to a property developer!

The garage in Upland Road (Pitstop) is good for servicing and repairs. Kwik fit in Grove Vale is also good and they do the diagnostics tests too. 

Agree about Kwik Fit.

[CPR Dave]

They're good lads, and actually I had a repair they don't do and they recommended Pitstop Repairs as their go to for that issue. 

[Sue]

31 minutes ago, CPR Dave said:

They're good lads, and actually I had a repair they don't do and they recommended Pitstop Repairs as their go to for that issue. 

Sorry, which ones  are the good lads?  Kwik Fit?

[CPR Dave]

Yep. And Pitstop.

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

8 hours ago, CPR Dave said:

. Kwik fit in Grove Vale is also good and they do the diagnostics tests too. 

Kwik Fit buggered up an A/C leak diagnosis for me (saying there wasn't one, when there was) and sold a regas. The vehicle had to be taken to an A/C specialist for condensor replacement and a further regas. Not impressed.

[beansprout]

I use Autocar Repair in West Dulwich.. been using them for over 20 years. Excellent service… 

[Pugwash]

Have used Turners in Barry Road for a number of years since the retirement of Andrew Brock.

[Cluck'ed]

[louisemurray]

Love the guys at Pitstop

[selhurst]

This is a real shame and sign of the times in SE22.

I would recommend South London and Clutch, Bellenden Road, SE15

family run business who's been operating for many years and always can be trusted to do a fair priced job - repairs, servicing & MOT

https://www.south-london-clutch.co.uk/

Railway Arch, 200 Bellenden Rd, London SE15 4QJ

020 7252 8704

[Sue]

3 hours ago, selhurst said:

This is a real shame and sign of the times in SE22

I agree it's a shame, but it is not a "sign of the times", unless you think that up to now people have never grown older and retired!

[Penguin68]

Typically the way 'family run businesses' operate is either to have family members continue the business, or to sell on, either as a site (in this instance) or as a going concern. Either which way this is the way the owners create a 'pension' from the business. The number of suggestions as to alternatives makes me feel that the market for small repairing garages locally may be well served, so selling on the site makes the best financial sense for the owners. It's a sign not of the times but of normal business realities.