Story
From opportunity comes success
words TODD KUCHEL
PHOTOGRAPHY pete thornton
Michael Steinborner has a favourite expression, ‘From Opportunity Comes Success.’
Forty years ago, Michael embarked on a venture to start a Holden dealership in Gawler, for the success of which he remains grateful for every opportunity along the way.
Born and bred in the Barossa Valley, it was whilst growing up at Nuriootpa that Michael, aged 16, worked afternoons and weekends in his brother Bob’s barber shop, taking money, sweeping floors and selling cigarettes. It was during one of those shifts that a customer asked Michael if he had any plans after leaving school. The conversation concluded with Michael being invited to EH Hage & Co in Tanunda for an interview.
“I went down and met Mr Ed Hage, who was the founder of the business,” Michael recalls. “I took my report card and he never asked to see it. I was so glad he didn’t, because it wasn’t the best.”
All Mr Hage wanted to do was talk and see what Michael was all about, as a young kid.
“We still do that regularly today, when employing staff,” Michael adds.
Michael was employed as a clerk at EH Hage & Co in 1967, and quickly progressed to the service department.
With no computers, Michael was required to record customers details on paper, which helped him develop relationships and even remember the registration plates of customers’ cars.
“Just about every car driving up the road I could tell you who it belonged to.” Michael said smiling.
Michael had soon worked his way into new Holden and used car sales and built a reputation for fair dealings with customers.
“When I began in sales in 1971, you had to go out and see people in their homes,” Michael explains.
Michael shares how he would go out every day to call on customers, and then welcome them back to the yard for a test drive, often later returning to the customer’s home to do dealings with a nip of port over the kitchen table.
“You got to know people that way,” Michael says.
Michael’s first new car sale was a HG Kingswood on the runout of that model in 1971. However, used cars have always been his particular interest.
“I love the challenge of buying, trading and preparing cars for resale,” Michael shares.
Promoted to sales manager in 1981, Michael was then presented with an opportunity to open a Holden dealership at Gawler in partnership with Hage Holden in 1983.
“My wife, Heather and I had four young children, and it was a pretty big step financially for us, but we worked very hard to make that opportunity a success. We started trading on January 3rd, 1984, as Steinhage Holden Gawler.”
“The slogan ‘It’s well worth the trip,’ still brings people from across the state and now, thanks to the internet, from across Australia”
- Michael Steinborner
By 1994 Michael owned the business outright and had changed the name to Steinborner Holden.
Through the 1990s Steinborner Holden’s reputation for offering an extensive selection of used cars was well established. In those days the company specialised in low kilometre, ex-executive and lease cars, which enabled them to offer extremely good value for customers.
With further opportunities came four additional sites in Gawler that enabled an even larger range of vehicles.
“The slogan ‘It’s well worth the trip,’ still brings people from across the state and now, thanks to the internet, from across Australia,” Michael says.
The locations now include Barossa Mazda, Steinborner Mitsubishi and Hyundai, at Nuriootpa, Steinborner Ford, Mitsubishi and Hyundai at Clare – and four certified used car dealerships at Gawler. These include the main yard that continues to offer the certified Holden servicing and still showcases high-end examples of late model used Holdens in the showroom.
“The journey over the past 40 years has seen staff numbers grow from six in 1984 to well over 100 today,” Michael explains. “I have been fortunate to have some very good people work with me over the years and have been proud to watch a lot of them develop their skills and be successful as they have moved on to take up new opportunities.”
Michael is particularly proud to have an original staff member from 1984 still employed today. He also acknowledges the incredible number of valued customers that have supported the business over the years.
In recent years, Michael has welcomed his son Jarrod and son-in-law David into the business, enabling growth and providing Michael with some well-earned freedom. While Jarrod and David now operate the business, Michael enjoys assisting when needed with the buying, trading and wholesale of used cars.
Over the years, Michael remains passionate for Holden vehicles and is the proud owner of an impressive collection. Many of these cars Michael has sold and traded over his many years in the industry, whilst others have been purchased purely due to being unique and, or original.
Whilst Michael remains in the Barossa, he and Heather are currently enjoying their time travelling, by car wherever possible, enjoying their grandchildren and some well-deserved rewards from a long working life, full of opportunities.
