Garage visit 42 www.aftermarketonline.net JULY/AUGUST 2025 Ambassador Ant steps up for garages How garage owner Ant Jhally, a familiar face to the aftermarket, is now working to champion the whole sector in cooperation with LKQ Ant is already well known to fellow industry professionals, not least through his popular social media video posts. By his own admission, nothing is sugar coated and his perspectives of the aftermarket are a hit as he ‘tells it like it is’. But now the established influencer intends to raise the profile of garages to new heights after being named as LKQ Brand Ambassador for the UK and Ireland. He took up the post earlier this year, but he told Aftermarket magazine that he’s still “just a bloke that fixes cars” at heart. “I’m just a mechanic,” Ant said — sitting down for an interview about his new role just 20 minutes after completing an MOT. “I still run an independent garage. I’d say we’re a reasonably sized, normal garage but on steroids! Instead of having two ramps, we’ve got 15.” On his ambassadorial role, Ant says: “I’m working with them not for them — but it’s great to be dealing with a company who we already have a lot to do with. “As AAK we buy a lot of their parts, we use a lot of their training and buy their equipment. Now I’m acting as a kind of mediator, feeding back the ideas and practical things needed by everyday garages. “LKQ is a massive company but, ultimately, it sells car parts. Bringing the two together — our platform as an independent garage and a high footfall with their massive operation — means we can tackle challenges effectively, whether that’s stock or training.” Ant said the everyday issues he encounters means he can discuss them with LKQ and Euro Car Parts for the benefit of other garages. AAK started off as many garages do. Ant’s dad was a good mechanic who gradually managed to set up his own, rented unit. “He was 11 when he opened AAK, then called AAK Tyres.” If the young Ant wanted to see his dad, the best place for a catch-up was always at work. That’s where he saw the struggles of starting a small company and the work required to become an independent. “All the jobs you take on have to get done, but just because you’re a good mechanic doesn’t mean you know how to do all the other things that are needed in running a business. “I stood there when he was working on cars, holding the light, and listened how he dealt with customers. In fact, the garage was closer to my school than our house, so when I finished, I usually went to the garage and got a lift home from there. It was quicker than walking!” Over time, the garage grew by several additional units. Today, all 10 units are on the same industrial estate in Whitstable. From AAK Tyres to AAK Auto Services to AAK Autos the brand is now simply ‘AAK’. And now the business is bigger it’s been split into specific areas of competence. “Whatever needs to be done on a car can be done here. “We’re big on teamwork which is needed in dealing with cars that have become more complicated,” Ant said. AAK was also an early investor in EV tech, which Ant said was the right thing to do. But it’s still very much a family-run business. “I’m there on the tools, mom does the paperwork and my dad still comes in and does things.” There is also another father-and-son mechanic team working in the business.” Ant said one of the keys to business success is selecting the right team member for specific jobs that they enjoy doing and through which they thrive. AAK has 17 staff at present and its own training Ant with Andy Hamilton, president and executive MD LKQ Europe, and Ellen Plumer, head of awareness and experience at Ben.
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