Mobile Car Valet New Zealand Limited, 216C Te Awa Avenue, Napier (2026)

10/08/2026

Five years ago, Mitch wasn't entirely sure we were legitimate. 😂

These photos popped up in our Facebook memories over the weekend.
They were taken five years ago, just after Mitch had completed his Mobile Car Valet training with us in Napier and was preparing to head home to Tauranga in his newly sign-written van and start his own business.

We sent Mitch a message congratulating him on reaching five years.

His reply was too good not to share:
“Wow… it’s honestly crazy to think that 5 years has already gone by. Time really does fly when you’re having fun.
I’m still absolutely loving every moment of it. ❤️
I can remember back to the very beginning when I was so sceptical, thinking, ‘Surely this has got to be some sort of scam!’ 😂
Fast forward 5 years, and I couldn’t be more grateful that I took that leap.
Pete and Kay, thank you both so much. Truly, I wouldn’t be where I am today without your system, your guidance, and everything you’ve taught me about getting off the runway and taking flight.
Now we’re flying… and the sky isn’t even the limit! 🚀✈️
Here’s to 5 years — and many more to come!”

We couldn't have written a better five-year update ourselves.

Starting your own business takes a leap of faith. We can provide the system, equipment, training and ongoing support — but ultimately it's the person behind the business who has to make it happen.

Mitch did exactly that.
Five years later, he's still out there doing it — and more importantly, still loving it.
Congratulations mate. Kay and I are pretty proud of what you've achieved. 👍

mobilecarvalet.nz
Your Business Journey Starts Here.

03/08/2026

FROM THE ARCHIVES #7

Cleaning Cars Without Water? Yeah Right!

By this stage our little car cleaning adventure had taken another big step.

We’d bought our first proper white van, and it was time to make it look the part.

Fortunately, I’d been a signwriter in a previous life, so I was able to do most of the van signage myself. I bought in the green leaf graphics and coloured circles, cut all the black lettering myself and applied the whole lot to the van.

Looking at it now, I reckon it came up pretty well! 😄

And there, proudly displayed on the side, was our new business name:

Waterless Car Valet.

Why Waterless?

Because we’d discovered what, at the time, seemed like our new secret weapon — a system that allowed us to clean vehicles with normal town, city and highway grime without using water.

No hose. No bucket. No pressure washer.

And yes — it really worked!

Heavily soiled vehicles were simply cleaned using a different method.

Back then, the whole idea of cleaning a car without water was certainly something different, and it gave people a reason to ask:

“How on earth can you clean a car without water?”

That question alone became a great conversation starter for our new business.

At this stage we were still mainly working from our home base. The move to becoming a truly mobile operation was still to come.

But the pieces were falling into place.

We had a name.

We had a van.

We had a system that made us different.

And we were beginning to work out where this little adventure might take us.

Lesson Learned:

Being different can be a very good thing — especially when what you’re doing actually works.

Your Business Journey Starts Here

mobilecarvalet.nz

28/07/2026

FROM THE ARCHIVES #6

Now It Started To Feel Real!

Looking back at these photos reminds me of a really exciting time.
We'd taken another big step.

We'd retired our original vehicle and replaced it with our very first white van.

We finally had uniforms.

Business cards.

The van was signwritten.

For the first time...

It actually started to feel like a real business.

Of course, looking like a business and having customers are two very different things.

Then, almost at the perfect time, two marketing opportunities landed in our lap.

We secured an advertisement in the Yellow Pages.

(For those under 40... you'll probably need to Google what that was! 😄)

At around the same time, GrabOne was taking off, so we launched our business with a GrabOne promotion.

Both worked far better than we'd hoped.

They gave us the springboard we were looking for and introduced Waterless Car Valet to a whole new group of customers.

Looking back now, I realise we were fortunate.

But we were also ready.

Sometimes opportunities appear when you least expect them.

The trick is recognising them... and having the courage to say "Yes!"

Lesson Learned:

Opportunity doesn't always knock twice. Be ready when it does.

Your Business Journey Starts Here

🌐 mobilecarvalet.nz

21/07/2026

FROM THE ARCHIVES #5

Blue Overalls – No Clue!

Looking back at this photo always makes me smile.

At the time it was taken, Mobile Car Valet didn’t even exist…

…because we hadn’t even thought of a business name yet.

In fact, the idea of becoming a mobile business hadn’t even crossed my mind.

Back then, customers brought their vehicles to our home base, where I worked hard to make every vehicle look its best before handing back the keys.

Looking at the photo now, another thing jumps out at me.

No gloves.

No safety glasses.

No protective gear.

Apparently I thought a big smile was all the protection I needed! 😄

If WorkSafe had seen this photo, they might have had a quiet word with me!

Thankfully, we’ve learned a lot since those early days.

Not just about health and safety, but about building a business, looking after customers and creating systems that others can follow.

Looking back, I don’t see someone who had it all worked out.

I see someone who simply enjoyed the work, treated customers well and kept learning every day.

Everything else grew from there.

Lesson Learned:

You don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin. Just begin.

Your Business Journey Starts Here

🌐 mobilecarvalet.nz

15/07/2026

FROM THE ARCHIVES #4

**“It’ll Be Fine…” She Said.

This photo takes me back to a South Island holiday in 2006.

We came to a road that I really didn’t want to drive.

Julie (my second wife) said “We’ll be fine”.

Well… let’s just say she was a little more optimistic than I was! 😄

Not long afterwards, our Commodore looked like this.

I remember standing there thinking,

“Crikey! How on earth am I going to get this mess cleaned up?”

Looking back now, it’s quite funny.

At the time, I had no idea that just a few years later I’d be starting a vehicle grooming business.

Funny how life works.

Sometimes the things that seem like a problem today end up becoming part of the story you tell years later.

Lesson Learned:

Sometimes the road you least wanted to take gives you the best story to tell.

Your Business Journey Starts Here

🌐 mobilecarvalet.nz

06/07/2026

FROM THE ARCHIVES #3

The Snot Box!
You Can't Miss a Bright Green Van...
Back in 2011, this was our entire marketing department.
One bright green van.
One footpath sign.

And a determination to make this new business work.

Back then we were called Affordable Car Groomers.
The personalised number plate already read A4DBLE, so the name seemed to fit perfectly.
Looking back now, I reckon the van probably did half the advertising for us.
You couldn't miss it!
(Some friends and family named this van "The Snot Box" I just couldn't figure that one out....)

The sign proudly read: Vehicle Grooming – From $45
Every customer mattered.
Every phone call was exciting.
Every booking gave me confidence that maybe this crazy idea just might work.

Today, things have changed.
The business has evolved.
The name has changed.
The systems have improved.

But one thing hasn't changed.....
The excitement of helping people build something of their own.
Every successful business has a first chapter.

This was ours.

Your Business Journey Starts Here
🌐 mobilecarvalet.nz

30/06/2026

FROM THE ARCHIVES #2

Sometimes You’ve Just Got To Work With What You’ve Got

This photo was taken in 2011.

There I was, buffing a Ford Falcon XR6 while wearing Holden overalls.

For those who grew up in New Zealand and Australia, you’ll understand the problem immediately. 😄

Back then the Holden vs Ford rivalry was alive and well.

Looking at the photo now, I can only imagine what the Ford fans were thinking.

But when you’re building a business, you quickly learn something important.

The customer doesn’t care what logo is on your overalls.

They care about the result.

In those early days, I wasn’t worried about having the perfect equipment, the perfect vehicle or the perfect setup.

I was focused on doing a great job and looking after the customer.

That’s still good advice for anyone thinking about starting a business today.

You don’t need everything to be perfect before you begin.

You just need to begin.

Your Business Journey Starts Here

🌐 mobilecarvalet.nz

22/06/2026

FROM THE ARCHIVES #1

The Fog Was Real... So Was The Uncertainty

This photo was taken in 2011.
A customer's car sitting in our driveway on a cold, foggy Hawke's Bay morning.
Back then there was no proven system. No owner/operators. No success stories to point to.
Just an idea, a willingness to work hard, and a belief that there had to be a better way than working for someone else.
Looking at this photo now, I can't help but smile.
The fog in the background is a bit like those early days.
I couldn't see very far ahead.

I didn't know what the business would become.
All I knew was that I was prepared to give it a go.

Every journey starts somewhere.
Ours started right here, in our driveway, on a foggy Hawke's Bay morning.

Your Business Journey Starts Here

🌐 mobilecarvalet.nz

15/06/2026

Started in our driveway back in 2011… and what a journey it’s been.

Today we have Mobile Car Valet owner/operators servicing areas including Napier and Hastings, with opportunities still available in other parts of New Zealand.

Sometimes one decision really can change your direction in life.

Happy Tuesday Everone 😊”

15/06/2026

Started in our driveway back in 2011… and what a journey it’s been.

Today we have Mobile Car Valet owner/operators servicing areas including Napier and Hastings, with opportunities still available in other parts of New Zealand.

Sometimes one decision really can change your direction in life.

Happy Tuesday everyone 😊”

Mobile Car Valet New Zealand Limited

10/08/2026

03/08/2026

28/07/2026

21/07/2026

15/07/2026

06/07/2026

30/06/2026

22/06/2026

15/06/2026

15/06/2026

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Category