It was many months in the planning but Qualitat directors Wayne and Josie Fenton say they enjoyed every moment of their recent 40th anniversary celebration which saw a gathering of former business partners, as well as past and present employees, suppliers, and customers at their Penrose premises located at 220 Station Road.
On this special occasion Wayne and Josie particularly wanted to thank and acknowledge their long serving staff members: Steve (26 years), Ron (combined 24 years), Vagn (20 years), Holly (18 years), Julian (11 years), Saravan (10 years) and Mo (8 years).
There were informal presentations by Wayne and Josie to acknowledge both the staff members and customers who have supported the company for more than 40 years, in particular Steve Cox who joined Qualitat from Giltraps more than 26 years ago. In recognition of his loyalty and dedication, Wayne and Josie presented Steve with a House of Travel voucher.  
Although Qualitat currently services and sells parts for all classic and current VW, Audi and Skoda vehicles – the company started life servicing and rebuilding air-cooled VW Beetles, Karmann Ghia coupes, Type 3 and 4 models and Kombi vans in the early 1970s.
This rebuilding business continued well into the 1980s because many other general garages weren’t confident at repairing the air-cooled VW engines.
Indeed – the rebuilding service was so unique, customers would drive their cars up to the service dept, have their engine swapped out for a loan one, and beetle off, while Wayne and the team rebuilt the old engine. The company also employed two full-time panel-beaters who did rust and restoration repairs on the air-cooled cars.     
As would be expected from a gathering of committed Volkswagen enthusiasts there were many of these unique and interesting air-cooled cars brought along for the day. Josie says that the many VW vehicles parked up and down Station Road and Rockfield Road gathered a lot of attention from passing motorists who slowed down to have a look at them.  
Qualitat Motors was officially founded on Monday October 2, 1972 at 271 Mount Smart Road, Penrose by former Five Star Motors employees Wayne Fenton, Wayne Talbot and Jim Phillips.
Josie Fenton joined the business in 1980 to source and import VW parts which has become a major part of the current business structure. At that time Qualitat added Audi parts and service to its programme.
Jim Phillips left the business in the 1970s due to ill health and Wayne Talbot retired from Qualitat in 1995, leaving Wayne and Josie Fenton in sole charge. In 1999 the company changed its name from Qualitat Motors and Qualitat Autoparts to Qualitat European Motors Ltd.
The company bought and moved into its current premises in 2005, which enabled the parts and service divisions to be stabled under one roof rather than the previous three buildings in Mt Smart Rd which it had outgrown. Josie jokes that while Wayne was away at the VW Nationals earlier that year – she went shopping – but for a new building instead of a new pair of shoes!
Since the move to Station Road in 2005, Qualitat has added Skoda parts and service to its offer and quadrupled its stock holding of parts for all three VAG brands from 1954 to 2012.
Qualitat has also invested heavily in more diagnostic equipment for its workshop to service current Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda models more efficiently.
The latest diagnostic machine has just arrived from Germany and it is able to recode keys, as well as provide the latest European factory software upgrades for engine, transmission, radio and convenience control features, which previously could only be done by VW/Audi dealers.