About Maughan Thiem Ford
History
The streets of Adelaide in 1912 certainly would have sounded, looked and felt very different from the way they are today. In 1912 it was barely more than a decade since the motor vehicle had made its first appearance in public and many people still thought it was a passing fad, never to replace the horse. But so popular was the motor vehicle becoming that it was soon necessary to impose minimal road rules, with the speed limit set at 10 miles per hour and 4 miles per hour at intersections. The police were given the task of enforcing these limits by timing drivers over quarter mile long speed traps.
The Maughan Thiem Motor Company was established during this period. The firm began as a partnership between Hubert Behrens and Eric Marshall, trading under the name Behrens and Marshall. At the time of its formation provision was made for Alfred Ross Thiem to join the partnership which he eventually did in April 1913. By December of that year, Frederick Milton Maughan had also joined the business and it continued to operate as a partnership until December 1920 when it was formally registered as the Maughan Thiem Motor Company.
The firm’s early years concentrated on repairing and servicing the very popular Model T Ford but by 1917 the company was buying and reconditioning used cars and trucks for resale to the public. The potential for selling accessories was soon recognised, offering items such as electric self-starters, ignition timers and vehicle lighting systems. Maughan Thiem always advertised itself as first in the field with the latest Ford accessories and quickly established a reputation for caring for the needs of Ford owners. The company was also Adelaide's sole Castrol oils agent.
As Maughan Thiem grew, so did its ambitions and it was not long before the firm was selling and servicing many different makes of motor vehicles. In the years up to June 1958, when the company was appointed a Ford dealer, it was agent for makes such as Enfield, Sterling trucks, Citroen, Stutz, Ruggles trucks, Graham-Paige, Nash, Willys and Singer. This period was one of enormous growth for Maughan Thiem with the original premises in Flinders Street soon being complemented by a showroom in Pulteney Street. Tenancy of an additional premises at Hindmarsh followed as well as a large showroom at Nailsworth.
Before all its various agencies were dropped in favour of the Ford franchise, Maughan Thiem moved into a further line of motor vehicle business. In 1954 the company started to sell products of the Rootes Group and found that the Humber, Hillman, Sunbeam and Commer vehicles sold well. However, shortly after taking on this franchise the company changed over to Ford and the Rootes dealership was relinquished.
The 1960s saw a dramatic period of consolidation for Maughan Thiem with several properties being sold. However, an opportunity arose that was too good to ignore when Dalgety & New Zealand Loan Limited, the oldest surviving Ford dealer, decided to withdraw from the Ford franchise. Dalgety's Wakefield Street premises consequently became available and Maughan Thiem took them over in June 1966. The company continued to trade from this site until September 1972 when the opportunity arose to consolidate all the operations at one premise at 1013 Port Road, Cheltenham.
After almost a century years of trading Maughan Thiem is now the oldest Ford dealer trading in Adelaide. The first eleven years of the firm's history were closely associated with the Model T Ford and the company has held the Ford franchise for the past 45 plus years. In all, Maughan Thiem has spent over half of its long life under the Ford emblem. Several other franchises have been added during that period as well.
Not a day passes in corporate life without a reminder that business survival depends on customer satisfaction. Many business consultants make a comfortable living preaching this message, but it is no revelation to Maughan Thiem. Customer service has always been the guiding motto of the firm and is a natural part of its day-to-day operations. Maughan Thiem's staff are dedicated to continuing the tradition of customer service set by the company's founders.
Today, the total operations of the business are overseen by Dealer Principal Peter Thomas and Finance Director Murray Forbes. Both Peter and Murray have worked in the business for many years and have a direct link with the company's first owners. This maintains the firm's original business philosophy and ethics, a formula which has ensured the continuing success of this dynamic and solid company. The future certainly looks bright for the customers, friends and staff of Maughan Thiem, the Ford and Hyundai dealers of Port Adelaide and Mount Barker.