GIG Automotive Ltd

11/08/2026

🚗🇳🇿 25 THINGS EVERY KIWI DRIVER SHOULD KNOW… BUT SOMEHOW WE KEEP FORGETTING! 😂

Here at GiG Automotive, we love fixing cars.

What we DON’T love is fixing cars that have been introduced to a ditch, a lamp post, another car… or Dave from accounting. 🤦‍♂️😂

So here’s our 25-point Kiwi Road Survival Guide.

Save it. Share it. Print it. Tattoo it onto your forehead if necessary. 😂

🇳🇿 THE GI G AUTOMOTIVE KIWI DRIVER’S GUIDE 🇳🇿

1️⃣ CHECK YOUR TYRES 🛞
Tyres are the only thing connecting your car to the road.
If they look like they belong on a racing slick, it’s probably time for new ones.
And yes… 1.5mm is the legal minimum tread depth in NZ. Don’t aim for the minimum!

2️⃣ CHECK YOUR TYRE PRESSURES
Too low = poor handling, increased fuel consumption and more tyre wear.
Too high = less grip and a rougher ride.
Your tyres aren’t balloons. Stop guessing. 😂

3️⃣ LEAVE 4 SECONDS ⏱️
Not 4 car lengths.
Not “I can see their brake lights.”
Four seconds of following distance gives you time to react when Karen suddenly remembers she’s supposed to turn.

4️⃣ DOUBLE IT IN BAD WEATHER 🌧️
Rain? Ice? Fog? Snow?
Give yourself MORE space.
Because physics doesn’t care how confident you feel.

5️⃣ USE YOUR HEADLIGHTS 💡
If visibility is poor, turn them on.
And no, your parking lights don’t count as headlights. 😂

6️⃣ DON’T BLIND EVERYONE WITH YOUR HIGH BEAMS
High beams are fantastic… until you’re facing another vehicle.
Then they’re basically a portable sun.

7️⃣ CLEAR YOUR WINDOWS PROPERLY 🪟
If you’re scraping a tiny letterbox-sized hole in the frost and thinking, “That’ll do…”
NO.
You need to actually see.

8️⃣ DON’T DRIVE LIKE YOU’RE IN A RALLY 🏎️
New Zealand roads have corners.
Some of them are surprisingly committed to being corners.
Slow down BEFORE the corner.

9️⃣ WATCH FOR ANIMALS 🐑
Sheep, cows, horses, dogs, birds, possums…
NZ wildlife has absolutely no understanding of road rules.

🔟 WATCH FOR MOTORBIKES & CYCLISTS 🚲🏍️
Give vulnerable road users room.
Your car has airbags. They don’t.

1️⃣1️⃣ CHECK YOUR WIPERS 🌧️
If your wipers leave a pattern that looks like modern art, they’re probably due for replacement.

1️⃣2️⃣ CHECK YOUR WINDSCREEN
That tiny chip can become a massive crack at the most inconvenient possible moment.
Usually when you’re already late.

1️⃣3️⃣ DON’T IGNORE WARNING LIGHTS 🚨
If the dashboard lights up like a Christmas tree… that’s not your car getting festive.

Get it checked.

1️⃣4️⃣ CHECK YOUR OIL 🛢️
Engines need oil.
They don’t run on positive thoughts, faith and whatever was left in the sump 40,000km ago.

1️⃣5️⃣ DON’T IGNORE STRANGE NOISES 🔊
If your car suddenly sounds like someone has thrown a handful of spanners into the engine bay…

…it probably isn’t a new feature.

1️⃣6️⃣ WATCH YOUR BRAKES 🛑
Squealing, grinding, pulling to one side or a soft brake pedal?
Get them checked.

Brakes are one area where “she’ll be right” isn’t a maintenance strategy.

1️⃣7️⃣ DON’T TEXT AND DRIVE 📱
That message can wait.

The person you hit might not be able to.

1️⃣8️⃣ PUT THE PHONE DOWN AT INTERSECTIONS
Yes, even if you’re stopped at the lights.
Because the lights can change while you’re admiring whatever is happening on Facebook.

1️⃣9️⃣ USE YOUR INDICATORS 💡
They’re not optional decorations.

Tell people where you’re going BEFORE you go there.

2️⃣0️⃣ CHECK YOUR MIRRORS 👀
Every few seconds.

Not just when you hear a siren.

2️⃣1️⃣ DON’T TAILGATE
Getting 1.7 metres closer to the car in front isn’t going to make traffic disappear.

It just means you’ll hit them sooner.

2️⃣2️⃣ WATCH YOUR SPEED 🚦
The speed limit isn’t a suggestion.

And “I was only five minutes late” is not a legally recognised defence.

2️⃣3️⃣ BE EXTRA CAREFUL AROUND SCHOOL ZONES 🏫
Kids can behave unpredictably.

Slow down. Pay attention. Expect the unexpected.

2️⃣4️⃣ IF YOU’RE TIRED… STOP 😴
Coffee isn’t a magic potion.

If you’re struggling to stay awake, pull over somewhere safe and rest.

Arriving late is better than not arriving.

2️⃣5️⃣ GET YOUR CAR CHECKED REGULARLY 🔧
Don’t wait until something breaks spectacularly.

Regular servicing, WOF checks and keeping an eye on tyres, brakes, fluids and lights can help catch problems before they become expensive problems.

⸻

🚗 AND HERE’S THE BIG ONE…

Your car doesn’t care how busy you are.

It doesn’t care that you’re running late.

It doesn’t care that you “know a guy who reckons it’ll be sweet.”

And it DEFINITELY doesn’t care that you’ve been driving for 30 years. 😂

Look after your car and your car will look after you.

At GiG Automotive, we’re all about keeping Kiwi drivers safely on the road — without the fancy nonsense.

🔧 Honest advice
🚗 Independent service
❤️ Family owned & operated

Because at GiG Automotive…

GiG = God Is Good.

📍 GiG Automotive
🔧 Keep your car happy. Keep yourself safe.

SHARE THIS WITH THE ONE PERSON YOU KNOW WHO NEEDS TO READ IT.

You know exactly who they are. 😂👇

WOF, Full Mechanical Repairs

07/08/2026

🚗 THE STORY BEHIND GiG AUTOMOTIVE 🙏

You might have wondered… what does GiG actually mean?

Well, for us, it means something very simple:

❤️ God Is Good ❤️

But GiG Automotive isn’t just a name. There’s a story behind it.

Our owner, Mark, came to New Zealand from the Philippines and, like many people starting a new life in a new country, he had to work incredibly hard to build something for himself and his family.

When Mark first arrived in Christchurch, he worked as a general mechanic and would literally walk miles to work.

No shortcuts. No handouts. Just hard work, determination and a dream of providing a better future for his family.

Eventually, Mark saved enough money to buy his first car.

And here’s the funny part… that very same car has actually found its way back to us! 😄

After Mark sold it, it came back to GiG Automotive for servicing and WOFs.

Before GiG Automotive existed, Mark was also importing vehicles and selling them while working for another mechanic yard. He worked, saved, reinvested and kept pushing forward — all with the goal of building something of his own and providing for his family.

Then one day, the opportunity came up to take over the workshop on Blenheim Road.

It was a big decision.

But we took the chance.

And GiG Automotive became officially registered in 2015. 🎉

Fast forward to today, and GiG Automotive is still a family-owned and operated independent automotive business.

We aren’t a massive chain.

We’re a local family business, and every vehicle that comes through our doors matters to us.

Our goal is simple:

🔧 Give you the best service we can
🚗 Look after your vehicle like it’s our own
🤝 Be honest and upfront
❤️ Support our customers and our community
🙏 Keep building something our family can be proud of

There have been plenty of challenges along the way, but looking back at where we started, there’s one thing that has remained constant.

God Is Good.

If you’d like to know more about Mark’s story, the journey from the Philippines to Christchurch, or how GiG Automotive came to be, ask us!

And if your car is due for a service, WOF or just needs a little attention, give us a call and we’ll get you booked in. 🔧🚗

Take care, drive safe, and remember…

🙏 GiG — God Is Good. 🙏

GiG Automotive
Keeping Christchurch moving, one vehicle at a time. 🚗❤️

06/08/2026

💃🕺 When was the last time you took your car out for a TWIRL? 🚗✨

No… we don’t mean throwing your Corolla into a pirouette in the Countdown car park. (Please don’t. Security already has enough to deal with. 😂)

We mean giving your car a weekly TWIRL before it decides to perform an interpretive dance on the side of the road.

🎵 T – TYRES
Give them a spin! Check the tread, look for cracks or bulges, and make sure they’re pumped up properly. Bald tyres have less grip than your mate after one too many at the pub.

🎵 W – WINDSCREEN, WIPERS & MIRRORS
Can you actually see where you’re going? If your wipers sound like two cats fighting and your windscreen is dirtier than your teenager’s bedroom, it’s time for some TLC.

🎵 I – INDICATORS
Hazard lights on… now do a little lap around your car. If one indicator is having a day off, other drivers have no idea where you’re planning to go—and neither do you!

🎵 R – RUST
Rust is like that one w**d in the garden. Ignore it long enough and suddenly it’s taken over the whole place. Catch it early before it starts eating your car.

🎵 L – LIGHTS
Headlights, brake lights, reverse lights… make sure they’re all working. Winter isn’t the time to play hide and seek with other drivers.

🎶 So this week… don’t just take your car for a drive…

Take it for a TWIRL! 💃🚗

A five-minute check once a week could save you from a breakdown, an expensive repair, or becoming the star of someone else’s dashcam video.

At GiG Automotive, we’d much rather see you popping in for a quick check than arriving on the back of a tow truck.

❤️ Stay safe, look after your car, and remember…

The only thing that should be doing the dancing this winter… is you. Not your

WOF, Full Mechanical Repairs

05/08/2026

😂🛞 Be honest… are your tyres looking more like a full head of hair… or Uncle Dave after 30 years of “I’ll still keep it”? 👨‍🦲

Our tyres are like Image 1… nice and healthy with plenty of tread. 😎

But if your tyres are looking like they’ve got less than 50% of a head of hair left, it might be time to book them in for a hair transplant… also known as a new set of tyres! 😂

Unlike a bald head, worn tyres aren’t just a fashion statement—they can seriously affect your ability to stop, especially on wet winter roads.

🌧️ Less tread = Less grip
🚗 Less grip = Longer stopping distances
😬 Longer stopping distances = More chance of swapping insurance details with the car in front.

Don’t wait until your tyres are smoother than a freshly polished bowling ball.

Pop into GiG Automotive and we’ll happily check your tyre tread, give you honest advice, and get you safely back on the road.

Because we’d much rather fit you with a new set of “hair” than see your car sporting a new front bumper! 😉

👇 So… be honest…
How much “hair” do your tyres have left?
🟢 Full head
🟡 Receding hairline
🔴 Cue ball smooth 🤣

04/08/2026

04/08/2026

🥶🌧️ Ah yes… it’s that magical time of year when Christchurch gives us all four seasons before lunch! 🌦️😂

One minute it’s sunny, the next you’re wondering if you should’ve built an ark instead of driving to work.

A few friendly reminders from the team at GiG Automotive to help you survive another Kiwi winter:

💡 Chuck your headlights on when it’s gloomy, raining or foggy. It doesn’t just help you see—it helps everyone else spot you before you appear out of the mist like a lost sheep on Arthur’s Pass.

🚗 Stick to the 4-second rule. If you’re close enough to read the WOF sticker on the car in front, you’re probably a bit too close! Give yourself plenty of room because wet roads and sudden braking go together about as well as jandals and snow.

🛞 Check your tyre tread. Bald tyres in winter are about as useful as a chocolate teapot. Your tyres are the only thing keeping you connected to the road, so make sure they’re up to the job.

❄️ Take it easy on frosty mornings too. That patch of road that looks like water could actually be black ice just waiting to turn your commute into an unplanned figure skating performance.

Here at GiG Automotive, we don’t want to be your ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. We’d much rather be the team that keeps you on the road, gets you home safely, and saves you from an expensive “well… that wasn’t supposed to happen” moment.

So slow down, leave a bit more space, drive to the conditions, and remember… arriving five minutes later is a whole lot better than not arriving at all.

Stay safe out there, Canterbury. ❤️

And if your car starts making noises stranger than a seagull fighting over hot chips at New Brighton… you know where to find us!

17/07/2026

📢 Important Payment Update

To our valued customers,

Due to ZIP Buy Now Pay Later withdrawing from the New Zealand market, we are unfortunately no longer able to accept ZIP payments. This decision is completely outside of our control, and we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

The good news is we’re currently in the process of signing up with Afterpay and hope to have it available as soon as possible. We’ll let everyone know the moment it’s up and running! 🎉

In the meantime, we continue to accept:
✅ Cash
✅ EFTPOS
✅ Credit Card

Thank you for your understanding and continued support of GiG Automotive. We appreciate your patience while we transition to a new payment option and look forward to continuing to keep you safely on the road. 🚗🔧

15/07/2026

🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨

Hi… I’m the Mazda in the photo. 😢

I’d just like everyone to know that this wasn’t my choice.

One minute I was happily driving around… the next thing I know I’m suspended in the air, all four wheels have been confiscated, my oil’s been drained, and everyone keeps walking past saying…

“Ooooh… that’ll be expensive.” 😭

Please don’t let this happen to your car.

❓When was the last time you checked your:
🛞 Tyres?
🛑 Brakes?
🛢️ Engine oil?

If you’re scratching your head trying to remember… it’s probably time to book in!

A regular service keeps your car happy, your engine healthy, your brakes stopping, and your tyres gripping the road—so you don’t end up hanging around the workshop looking as miserable as me.

☎️ Call GiG Automotive today and book your service!

Because let’s be honest…

Cars prefer road trips over workshop lifts. 😂

📍324 Blenheim Road, Christchurch
📞 03 348 0042

Don’t wait until your car starts emotionally wheeling apart. 🛞🤣🔧

13/07/2026

🐶🔧 BARKLEY’S BEEN PROMOTED! 🔧🐶

Oi hoomans! Barkley here… 🐾

You might have noticed I’m not sitting at reception today. That’s because I’ve been promoted to the workshop! Apparently I’m now in charge of… oil changes! 🛢️😂

Don’t worry, I’m only sniffing the oil, not pouring it in. The humans still do the important bits (they don’t trust me with the socket set… yet).

🚗 Is your vehicle overdue for an oil change and service?
Why not save yourself another trip and get it done at the same time as your WOF?

💥 WOF + Service Combo from just $179! 💥

Whether your car needs fresh oil, a health check, or just a bit of TLC, the team at GiG Automotive has you covered… with a little help from yours truly. I’ll happily supervise, inspect any dropped snacks, and make sure every customer gets a tail wag on arrival.

📞 Bookings are essential!
Give us a call today on 03 348 0042 to book your WOF & Service Combo.

🐕 Barkley’s Workshop Tip: If your engine is making more noise than I do when the courier arrives… it’s probably time for a service! 😂

11/07/2026

🐾 WOOF! Important Announcement from the New “Receptionist” at GiG Automotive! 🐾

Hi hoomans! 🐶

My name is Barkley, and I’ve just started as the new receptionist at GiG Automotive. Please bear with me while I learn the ropes…

Things have been a little… RUFF! 🦴

I may:
🐾 Bark instead of answering the phone.
🐾 Chase the courier instead of signing for parts.
🐾 File your paperwork under “Things to Chew.”
🐾 Greet every customer like we’ve been best friends forever.
🐾 Occasionally approve payments in exchange for belly rubs and biscuits.

If you hear barking in the background, don’t worry… I’m just providing excellent customer service. If I accidentally hang up on you, I probably spotted a cat. 🐱💨

Thanks for your patience while I settle into the role. I promise I’ll be the goodest receptionist… eventually! ❤️🐕

From your four-legged Customer Relations Manager,
🐶 Barkley

GiG Automotive
📞 03 348 0042

P.S. The mechanics said if I stop stealing their lunch, I might even get Employee of the Month! 😂

Thank to Rawly Chews for keeping our lived fur babies calm and in prime condition with their all natural pet treats made locally from local ingredients no additives and no preservative
We look after ourselves why not out fur babies