Steve Bull Specialist Cars

Devizes based Porsche specialist, Steve Bull, keeps his feet on the ground to provide no-nonsense servicing and repairs for Porsche owners, that value quality and workmanship over fancy showrooms .

- Brett Fraser

Steve Bull, owner of the eponymous Devizes-based Porsche specialist, is unapologetically old fashioned. He doesn’t really do social media and he quietly rues the fact that Porsche these days focuses more on the mass market than on the enthusiasts’ sector. And as for today’s crazy classic Porsche prices… ‘I’m an engineer and I know that the difference between the 964 that was £14,000 just a few years ago and the 964 that now costs £40,000 is absolutely nothing,’ he muses. ‘Nothing’s changed in the intervening period, it’s still the same car. It still drives the same and still has the same problems. You’re not buying anything extra despite spending all that money.’

But Steve’s adherence to old-fashioned values manifests itself most clearly in the way that he treats his customers. ‘It’s hardly rocket science, but I do believe that you have to give the customer the best service you possibly can. I’m not talking about a big fancy showroom with palm trees and 49 different flavours of tea, I’m talking about listening to their needs, honestly assessing their cars, and striking up a relationship where they know they can trust you.

‘And you have to go the extra mile on occasions. Many a time we’ve had someone come in with a problem that we spend an hour or so investigating the cause of. We haven’t charged them, we just have to hope that when they want that problem sorted, then they come back to us. Similarly, we’ve fixed minor issues for customers and not charged them – sure, it has cost us in terms of time and a few inexpensive components, but it generates enormous goodwill.