Our Story · SemCar Automotive Group, Capalaba
Built by an Engineer, Run by a Specialist
Call Us Today: (07) 3823 5844 or 0426 935 622
SemCar Automotive Group exists because European car owners in Brisbane deserved a third option: not the dealership with its price list, and not the generalist with a scan tool that reads the surface and guesses at the rest. A workshop where the diagnostic capability matches the dealer, the person on the phone is the person under the bonnet, and nothing is replaced until you have seen the evidence and the price.
Why Brisbane’s European Car Owners Drive Past Three Workshops to Reach Ours
Sebastian Maya, founder. Bachelor of Mechatronic Engineering and TAFE-qualified automotive technician.
Walk into most workshops with a Range Rover that needs a transfer case service, a Mercedes-Benz with an Airmatic fault, or a Volkswagen with a DSG mechatronic problem, and you will be sent to the dealer. Not because the work is impossible, but because the diagnostic platforms, the procedures and the parts knowledge that modern European cars demand sit behind a wall most general workshops never climb.
Sebastian Maya founded SemCar Automotive Group in 2023 after a long career in European car servicing, to climb that wall on purpose. He holds a Bachelor of Mechatronic Engineering alongside a TAFE-qualified automotive trade certificate, a combination that is rare in Australian independent workshops and that matters in a specific way: the engineering degree means he understands the electronic architectures inside a modern European vehicle, while the trade qualification means his hands have done the work for years. The place where those two worlds meet, ECU coding, module programming, ADAS calibration, air suspension and hybrid and electric high-voltage systems, is exactly where most cars now fail and where most workshops give up.
The result is a Capalaba workshop where the diagnostic capability matches the dealership without the dealer markup, and where the reason you get a phone call is that the technician has found something, not that a service advisor has been told to sell something.
The Third Option, Side by Side With the Other Two
Trust is easier to judge when the comparison is written down. Here is how an independent specialist actually differs from the two alternatives, on the things that decide whether a fault gets fixed once or three times.
| What matters | SemCar Automotive Group | Franchised dealership | General workshop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostics | Factory-level platform for each marque, every module read | Factory platform for that one brand | Generic scan tool, surface codes only |
| Who you speak to | The technician working on your car | A service advisor relaying the story | Usually the mechanic, often guessing |
| Quoting | Diagnosis first, fixed quote before any work, no upsell | Quote, plus recommended extras at pickup | Cheap per visit, expensive per fault when parts are swapped on a hunch |
| Pricing | Independent labour rates, typically 30 to 50 percent below dealer pricing | The highest rates available | Low rates, repeat visits |
| Warranty | Manufacturer warranty protected under Australian Consumer Law, logbook stamped, plus a 12-month workmanship guarantee | Protected | Protected only if the schedule and parts are documented correctly |
| Courtesy car | Free courtesy cars available, advance reservation required and subject to availability | Shuttle bus, or a courtesy car at a cost | Rarely |
The Credentials That Sit Behind Every Job
Claims are cheap in this industry. These are the ones you can verify, and each one changes what we are allowed to do to your car and how well we can do it.
| Credential | What it means for your car |
|---|---|
| Bachelor of Mechatronic Engineering | The founder understands the control systems, sensors and software architecture inside a modern European vehicle, not just the mechanical parts they drive |
| TAFE-qualified automotive trade certificate | The engineering is backed by years of hands-on trade work, so diagnosis turns into a repair rather than a report |
| ARCtick refrigerant handling licence AU60730 | Air conditioning regas and repair done legally and correctly, including the R1234yf systems in newer European cars |
| Approved Inspection Station 11377 | Queensland safety certificates issued here, by the workshop that already knows the car |
| Hybrid and electric high-voltage qualification | Independent servicing and repair of hybrid and electric European vehicles, including their high-voltage systems |
| Motor Trades Association of Queensland member, 2025 Industry Awards finalist | Operating to the industry body’s standards, and recognised by it |
| Factory-level diagnostic platforms | Manufacturer-level tools for Land Rover, Jaguar, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Volkswagen, so coding, programming and calibration are done the way the factory does them |
A Purpose-Fitted Workshop at 128 Steel Street
In September 2026 SemCar moved into Unit 2 at 128 Steel Street, Capalaba, a workshop fitted out around the way European cars are actually diagnosed and repaired: two-post hoists with the clearance a Range Rover needs, a clean floor, the diagnostic bench close to the bays, and customer parking at the door. The site is shared with Euro-Aus Performance, which operates alongside us under the same ownership, so two specialist teams work from one address with one reception. Land Rover, Jaguar and the European marques across this site remain SemCar’s work, done by SemCar’s technicians.
Trust Built in Capalaba, Trusted Across Brisbane
Customers come from the eastern suburbs, the Redlands, the bay islands and as far as the Sunshine Coast. Their words, from Google, unedited.
★★★★★
"We live on Russell Island and with no reliable, trustworthy mechanics, we found Sebastian, saw his outstanding reviews and booked immediately. Couldn't be more impressed with his friendly nature and expertise."
De-Ann Carlill
Renault owner, Russell Island
★★★★★
"The staff were courteous, knowledgeable, and transparent throughout the process. They delivered outstanding results in a timely manner, and I truly appreciate their dedication to quality workmanship."
Mariane Latorre
Mini Cooper owner
★★★★★
"If you're seeking trustworthy mechanics where friendliness, professional service, and fair prices align, Sebastian and his team at SemCar Automotive in Capalaba are the ones to trust with your vehicle's servicing or repairs."
Mou
Jaguar owner, Sunshine Coast
What Every Customer Can Expect
- ✓Diagnosis before any part is ordered. The factory-level read comes first, then the quote, then the work.
- ✓Plain language and no surprises. The technician explains what failed, why, and what it costs, in words rather than codes.
- ✓Manufacturer schedules and quality parts. Logbook stamped, warranty intact under Australian Consumer Law.
- ✓A 12-month workmanship guarantee. Backed by a workshop you can drive to, not a call centre.
- ✓Free courtesy cars available. Advance reservation required and subject to availability, so ask when you book.
- ✓Six ways to pay. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Afterpay and Zip, so a larger repair can be spread across instalments.
Questions You Must Ask Before Booking
Who owns and runs SemCar Automotive Group?
Sebastian Maya, who founded the business in 2023 and still works in the workshop. He holds a Bachelor of Mechatronic Engineering and a TAFE-qualified automotive trade certificate, and the technician who diagnoses your car is part of his team, not a call centre.
Which brands do you specialise in?
Land Rover and Jaguar are the brands SemCar built its name on, and we run the factory-level platforms for Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Volkswagen as daily work, alongside Porsche, Mini, Alfa Romeo, Skoda and Renault. Our European brands pages cover each marque in detail.
Will servicing at SemCar void my new-car warranty?
No. Under Australian Consumer Law you can use an independent workshop without losing your manufacturer’s warranty, provided the work follows the schedule and uses quality parts, which is exactly how we service. The ACCC explains your rights here.
How is SemCar different from the dealership?
The same factory-level diagnostic capability, without the dealer markup or the service advisor in between. You speak to the technician, you get a fixed quote before any work, and labour sits typically 30 to 50 percent below dealership pricing.
Do you guarantee your work?
Yes. Our repairs carry a 12-month workmanship guarantee, and because we diagnose before we replace, the part that is fitted is the part that had failed.
Do you provide a courtesy car?
Free courtesy cars are available, with advance reservation required and subject to availability. Courtesy cars are allocated in advance and are not automatically available on the day, so reserve one when you book your service.
Where is the workshop and who else is on the site?
Unit 2, 128 Steel Street, Capalaba, since September 2026. The site is shared with Euro-Aus Performance, which operates alongside SemCar under the same ownership, with one reception for both. Turn in at the black SemCar and Euro-Aus sign; SemCar is Unit 2, on your right.
Can you do safety certificates, keys and retrofits as well as servicing?
Yes. We are an Approved Inspection Station for Queensland safety certificates, we supply and program European car keys, and our Land Rover and Jaguar retrofits division activates and retrofits factory features by VIN.
Bring the Car to the People Who Read It Properly
Book below, or see the suburbs we serve from Steel Street on our areas we serve page and the full range of work on our European car mechanic page.
Book Your Service in Two Minutes
Tell us what your car needs and your preferred day. We confirm during business hours, usually within the hour. Courtesy cars are free of charge but must be reserved in advance and are subject to availability, so tell us below if you need one.
SemCar Automotive Group
Unit 2, 128 Steel Street, Capalaba QLD 4157
Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm
Call: (07) 3823 5844 or 0426 935 622 · info@semcar.com.au
Get Directions to Our Capalaba Workshop