Ells Auto Care, a mobile mechanic based in Bridgend, is setting out to challenge outdated views of mobile garage services, with ambitions to grow into a professional, multi-van operation supported by a strong digital presence.
Elliott ‘Ells’ Smart believes mobile technicians deserve the same respect as traditional garages, and he is determined to lead that shift by example.
“There is still a belief that mobile mechanics are a last resort or just there for breakdowns,” he said. “But I have got the tools, the diagnostic equipment and the experience to match any fixed-site garage, and I want people to see that.”
Ells Auto Care born from necessity
Now in its eighth year, Ells Auto Care began as a necessity-driven start-up. After being dismissed from a workshop when he left for a family emergency, Ells decided to take control of his future. With a young family and a wife managing mental health challenges, he started fitting jobs in around home life.
Despite leaving school at 13 and being dyslexic, Ells holds a business degree and quickly found a natural entrepreneurial rhythm. He has not looked back.
“I have gone from just getting by to having a plan,” he said. “I want to eventually build a small fleet of mobile vans and set up a call centre to coordinate it all.”
His 17-year-old son, Thomas Jay, is already working in the Ells Auto Care business and won Young Mechanic of the Year 2025 at Automechanika’s IAAF Garage Awards. He is completing his Level 2 and 3 qualifications while learning on the job under Ells’ guidance.
To support his ambitious growth plans, Ells knew he needed more than word of mouth and Facebook. He needed to level up the digital presence of Ells Auto Care. A respected peer pointed him to Garage Services Online (GSO), a specialist in websites for independent garages and technicians.
“When I came second in the Mobile Technician category of the national Top Technician Awards, the judges said not having a website was one of the reasons. That was the push I needed,” continued Ells.
Building the right site
Ells contacted GSO and was immediately impressed. “They just got it. I told them what I needed, and they nailed it. It’s working brilliantly, bringing in quality leads that match the services I want to provide. It is also saving me time and money.”
The Ells Auto Care site is already attracting the right kind of enquiries from customers within a tighter 20-minute radius, allowing Ells to focus on diagnostic and fast-fit work and run more efficiently.
“How you present your business online matters just as much as the skills you bring to the job,” commented Jim Lang, managing director of Garage Services Online. “We help garages like Ells Auto Care maximise lead generation and attract the right customers.”
For Ells, the website also plays a vital role in projecting the professional image he has worked hard to build.
He concluded: “Customers deserve the same level of service, whether it is in a workshop or on a driveway. The website reflects that and shows that mobile means convenience, not compromise.
“I am proud of how far we have come, and this is just the start. I want a fleet of vans out there, all delivering garage-level service on people’s doorsteps. The website will play a big part in helping us achieve that.”
