Workshop Walkthrough: Oldfields Garage is an award-winning independent workshop. Based in Leominster, United Kingdom, Oldfields is a second-generation family-run business that has been serving the local community since 1991. Today, under the successful direction of Tim Benson, the workshop is expanding and adapting to the demands of a modern workshop and car parc. 

Recently, Oldfields invested in a major expansion project, adding a new workshop space to its existing facility. This area is dedicated to electric vehicles (EVs), diagnostic assessments and the growing demand for commercial vehicle (CV) servicing. With the addition of a 6.5-metre bed ramp, the workshop can accommodate large vans and motorhomes, opening new revenue streams. 

With a passion for their local community and a loyal, tight-knit network of customers, Tim and his 12 staff are committed to delivering a consistent, professional and honest service to customers. At Oldfields, part of that service includes the use of ALLDATA Repair. 

Challenge: Adapting to Complexity and Customer Expectations 

Oldfields, like all independent workshops, need to keep pace with rapidly advancing vehicle technology – or they will fall behind, losing business in the process. EVs, complex sensor systems and VM collaborations mean technicians can no longer rely on experience alone. 

Before subscribing to ALLDATA Repair, Tim and his team faced two persistent, frustrating challenges: 

Managing modern vehicle complexity: With components hidden, electronic systems integrated and diagnostic assessments critical, OEM repair information was needed daily. 

Setting realistic customer expectations: In the aftermarket, labour times and repair expectations can differ from OEM guidance due to seized bolts or aged components. By using ALLDATA Repair to reference OEM procedures, labour times and service bulletins, technicians can anticipate potential challenges and set realistic expectations to customers. It ensures transparency and builds trust. 

Solution: ALLDATA Repair the Heart of the Process 

Oldfields first trialled ALLDATA Repair two years ago. Initially, it was used sparingly as a diagnostic tool. Today, though, it is fully integrated into the workshop’s process and used multiple times a day by technicians. 

This process begins when a vehicle first enters the workshop, starting with a structured assessment. Fault codes, symptoms, and visual checks are matched against ALLDATA Repair’s OEM data and technical bulletins. This ensures technicians know the issue, the correct repair procedure and the expected labour time – information Oldfields can substantiate and confidently communicate to the customer. 

Tim said: “ALLDATA Repair has allowed us to redefine how we approach diagnostics. It is built into the first stage of our process. Spending time up front checking procedures saves far more time in the long run.” 

While complicated fixes stand out, such as a previously unsolvable fuel filter replacement made simple with an OEM procedure, Tim noted that the biggest change is in daily usage. Removing trims, door panels or accessing buried components is faster and safer, thanks to accurate step-by-step guides.  

And it’s not only the complex repairs where ALLDATA Repair delivers. Straightforward, everyday tasks also benefit from OEM accuracy – an important advantage under the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Order (MVBEO), which ensures independent workshops have equal access to genuine repair and maintenance information.  

This open access allows workshops, like Oldfields, to carry out both routine servicing and diagnostics confidently, without affecting manufacturer warranties. By working with authentic OEM data through ALLDATA Repair, Oldfields upholds compliance, protects customer warranties and operates on a level playing field with franchised dealers. 

ALLDATA Repair has been especially valuable for apprentices too, building confidence, preventing mistakes and boosting their learning. Tim described how apprentices tend to use the system differently compared with master technicians, often going straight to step-by-step guidance for routine but intricate jobs. 

Ed, an apprentice at Oldfields currently progressing through his Level 2 training, agreed: “I like ALLDATA Repair because I’ve got everything a master tech would use. For me, it makes it easier to look at little things, like I’m inside a car trying to get to a cabin filter and I can’t see it. ALLDATA Repair has all the trim procedures to get to it, glove box removals. It’s also got information for the bigger jobs: procedures for a DSG gearbox repair, for example, which had all the torques.” 

For Ed, ALLDATA Repair also provides reassurance as well as practical guidance: “It definitely gives me confidence that if I can’t find it myself, ALLDATA will. And because I’m used to digital systems, I think it gives me a bit of an advantage. As things get more complicated, that understanding will only make things easier.” 

This contrast highlights ALLDATA Repair’s flexibility. Master technicians may use it to cross-check or confirm a complex process they already know, while apprentices like Ed rely on it as a structured learning and confidence-building tool. Both benefit – but in ways that suit their stage of development. 

Results: Efficiency, Confidence and Keeping Business 

By introducing ALLDATA Repair into daily operations, Oldfields Garage has felt tangible improvements: 

Higher first-time fix rates: OE repair information ensures procedures are followed correctly, first time. 

Improved workshop efficiency: Technicians spend less time guessing or dismantling unnecessarily. 

Customer confidence: Clear, demonstrated explanations help set realistic expectations to the customer. 

New opportunities: Being able to check information before accepting a job gives Oldfields confidence to take on vehicles it might have previously declined. 

Focus on the right work: Knowing what a job involves helps Oldfields match it to skills and tooling. If a job isn’t a good fit, the workshop can decline it, allowing the company to concentrate on work that is more profitable and aligned with objectives. 

Staff development: Apprentices and seasoned technicians alike benefit from consistent access to the same trusted data source. 

Conclusion: Preparing for the Future – with ALLDATA Repair by its Side 

As Oldfields Garage continues to expand, nurture and thrive, the combination of new workshop space and ALLDATA Repair ensures it can handle the new challenges of EV servicing and repairs, alongside the traditional business received over the last 30 years. 

For Tim, the investment in ALLDATA Repair is as much about tomorrow as it is today – he explained: “If you want to develop and build a business, workshops need these futureproof tools. We’ve gone from using ALLDATA Repair occasionally to multiple times a day across the team. It’s transformed how we work – and it’s helping us prepare for the future.”