MINI Repair Shop: Dealer standards, independent agility

In the final countdown episode before The Blend 2026, we’re talking Artificial Intelligence for independent garages. Tim Benson of Oldfields Garage joins us to discuss it ahead of his conference session on the topic.

If you’ve ever unboxed a brand-new dealer tool with little to no instructions on how to get it set up, you’ll know the frustration is real. But as vehicles become increasingly locked down, having genuine OEM access isn’t just an advantage anymore, it’s fast becoming essential.

In our very first in-person recording, borrowing the studio mics from our friends at the On the Ramp Podcast, host Mike Ruff sits down with Garage Hive Managing Director and the original visionary behind The Blend, Ray Dilsons.

Today, we’re hearing from Gary Wood of Intelligent Auto in Gateshead, a two-time winner of Small Garage of the Year at The Blend, and this year, he’s aiming for the hat-trick.

Scaling your independent garage from a couple of ramps to a double-digit team sounds like the ultimate growth milestone, but rapid expansion has a habit of exposing every single crack in your business. If you are still trying to hold onto the spanners while managing a growing headcount, you quickly find that the biggest bottleneck in the workshop is actually you.