Following the sad passing of Mike Harfield, founder of Harfield Motor Services in Milford on Sea high street, we have received this fitting tribute from his friend, Richard Ludlow Fisher:
"I first met Mike well over thirty years ago just after I’d bought an old Sierra 4x4 somewhere else. He nursed it back to health just so that I could use it long enough to have it stolen and used for a ram raid in Lymington.
Mike helped with the selection of a replacement, which he and his team took on along with about a dozen more of my cars over the years since. He advised against a Citroen as it was too “French”. We often had the sort of conversation that brought out his enthusiasm and true love of cars and their various foibles that only true petrolheads can enjoy. If a vehicle needed new tyres he’d always give customers the choice of premium brands or budget alternatives, which he referred to as, “round and blacks.”
If he needed your car for more than a day he’d gladly keep it indoors overnight and often magically come up with a free replacement if you really needed it just so you could get around.
He always went out of his way to be courteous in the intensely challenging environment that only the motor trade seems to be able to throw up. He was very much a “hands on” proprietor as well and, if his staff were snowed under, he’d just roll up his sleeves and fix the problem himself.
Unlike so many others, Mike was always keen to try to repair rather than just throw away and replace parts that could cost his customers a lot more money. As a result of this approach he succeeded in maintaining a very strong and loyal client base whose individuals always came back.
It is a testament to his relationship with his staff that they have stayed loyal and developed with him over many years.
I had to take my wife’s car in for a service the other day and the garage seemed the same, smelled the same and, on the face of it, looked the same.
All the same great guys were repairing all the same sort of stuff in the same way but there was someone so obviously missing from the place.
So it really wasn’t the same after all."
Mike helped with the selection of a replacement, which he and his team took on along with about a dozen more of my cars over the years since. He advised against a Citroen as it was too “French”. We often had the sort of conversation that brought out his enthusiasm and true love of cars and their various foibles that only true petrolheads can enjoy. If a vehicle needed new tyres he’d always give customers the choice of premium brands or budget alternatives, which he referred to as, “round and blacks.”
If he needed your car for more than a day he’d gladly keep it indoors overnight and often magically come up with a free replacement if you really needed it just so you could get around.
He always went out of his way to be courteous in the intensely challenging environment that only the motor trade seems to be able to throw up. He was very much a “hands on” proprietor as well and, if his staff were snowed under, he’d just roll up his sleeves and fix the problem himself.
Unlike so many others, Mike was always keen to try to repair rather than just throw away and replace parts that could cost his customers a lot more money. As a result of this approach he succeeded in maintaining a very strong and loyal client base whose individuals always came back.
It is a testament to his relationship with his staff that they have stayed loyal and developed with him over many years.
I had to take my wife’s car in for a service the other day and the garage seemed the same, smelled the same and, on the face of it, looked the same.
All the same great guys were repairing all the same sort of stuff in the same way but there was someone so obviously missing from the place.
So it really wasn’t the same after all."
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I just wanted to say that I echo the above, Mike was a true Gentleman and nothing was too much trouble for him. He was the greatest.
ReplyDeleteWe also echo all above. Mike is much missed but what a tribute to his professionalism that the team are working so well and upholding his values. He would be very proud of them.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear Mike has passed on . He was such a lovely helpful person and a true professional . His garage has a first class reputation and we had our cars serviced and repaired there for over 30 years. Absolutely first class in every way. Very sad now to know he has gone.
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