At present, Hong Kong has over 750,000 private cars, with more than 2,000 auto repair shops scattered across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. Generally speaking, ‘garage’ refers to workshops that do general auto repairs, while other services like tyre replacement, windscreen repairs, and car audio system installation are handled by specialists. 

How do auto repair shops operate?

There are no strict criteria for where garages can be located. As long as there are no railings in front of the shop, and the use does not violate town planning regulations or the building’s Deed of Mutual Covenant, any shopfront can become a garage. The size of the shop is determined based on how many vehicles the garage intends to service at the same time. Once premises are leased, the garage must install fire safety equipment according to regulatory requirements, such as automatic sprinkler systems, fire hoses, emergency lighting, and fire alarms.

In the 1960s and 1970s, many auto shops would dig a vehicle inspection pit into the floor of the shop so that mechanics could walk in underneath the cars. However, as building safety regulations were tightened in the 1980s and ‘90s, garages gradually shifted to raising cars up on jacks, just high enough to allow mechanics to squeeze in underneath. 

Since the 2000s, electric hydraulic lifts that were once exclusive to high-end garages have become common throughout all auto repair shops. Some garages use car scissor lifts, where you can simply park the car in the designated spot and the entire platform elevates, allowing both mechanics and customers to inspect the underside. 

Mr Yip, who owns a garage on Sheung Pak Street in Kwai Chung has been repairing cars for over 30 years. After trying his hand at various jobs, he spent several years as a garage apprentice, and after accumulating his own client base, decided to open up his own shop. 

Mr. Yip’s garage has a two-post lift, where the car is positioned between two columns, each fitted with a pair of lifting arms. Once the arms are aligned with the manufacturer’s recommended lift points, the vehicle can be safely lifted off the ground. Most auto repair shop lifts can support cars weighing two to three tonnes. The widespread use of lifts is why garages require premises with high ceilings.  

Why do garages cluster together?

It is not uncommon to see several garages or auto-related businesses clustered together. For instance, there is a car wash right next to Mr. Yip’s garage. However, Mr. Yip notes that there is no real need for garages to cluster together, as they are not typical retail stores where customers browse and comparison shop. Auto repair is a specialised service where most of the time, customers have to rely on the mechanic’s expertise. As long as prices are not drastically different from one shop to the next—usually within 20% of each other—most car owners prefer to stick with their trusted repair shop.

Mr. Yip reckons that the reason that garages and auto-related businesses tend to cluster together is because not every building’s shopfronts can host a garage. When a garage opens in a particular building, that signals that the landlord is open to this type of business, which attracts other garages to the area. He also points out that there is rarely intense competition between garages, as most customers have already chosen one based on online reviews or recommendations from friends. Sometimes, if a customer wants comprehensive servicing, garages might turn to other specialists in the neighbourhood for help. While most garages have the skills to handle a range of vehicle care services, they only take on work outside of their usual scope when they have spare capacity. For example, Mr. Yip specialises in repairs, so when a customer needs both engine work and a windscreen replacement, he will prioritise the engine repair and only take on the glass job if time allows. If there are other cars waiting in line, he will outsource the windscreen replacement to an auto glass shop.  

Although auto repair shops are usually located along minor streets or in areas with less traffic, one of their main challenges is staying ahead of traffic wardens. No matter how large a garage is, space is always limited, so mechanics unavoidably end up parking cars temporarily by the roadside. Even if they are aware of enforcement and avoid parking during restricted hours, they still run the risk of getting a ticket. Running a garage therefore requires staying alert, keeping a close watch on the street, being constantly aware of one’s surroundings, and sometimes racing against the clock to avoid being fined for illegal parking.  

The quirky jargon of auto repair shops

Hong Kong’s auto repair industry has its own unique jargon that is not found anywhere else. Many of these terms are direct Cantonese transliterations of English words, a legacy of the days when auto repair shops served mainly Westerners. For example, “啤令” (pronounced “bear-ling”) comes from the English “bearing,” referring to the ball bearing; “打南磨” (“da-nam-mo”) is derived from “dynamo,” which originally meant a direct current generator—although alternators have since replaced dynamos, the old term is still used for automobile generators in general. Even the carburettor has its own local twist, with the English “carburettor” morphing into the Cantonese “吸必打” (“kap-bit-da”).

Other parts get their names from their appearance or by poetic association. For instance, “monk’s head” refers to the ball joint in a car’s suspension system—the name comes from its smooth, rounded shape, which resembles a monk’s shaved head. The suspension itself is commonly known as “daam” (meaning “carrying pole”), with the front and rear suspensions nicknamed the “head daam” and “tail daam”; this comes from the image of an old-time farmer carrying a bamboo pole across his shoulders, with heavy baskets “suspended” from each end. 

The future of small garages

In 2007, the government began introducing registration schemes for vehicle mechanics and workshops, aiming to establish a regulatory framework for the industry. Since the trade encompasses a wide range of specialised skills that cannot be measured by a single standard, the government has taken a gradual approach. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department first launched the Voluntary Registration Scheme for Vehicle Mechanics in 2007, followed by the Voluntary Registration Scheme for Vehicle Maintenance Workshops in 2015.

Mechanics participating in the voluntary registration scheme must meet government standards across various areas, including technical skills, environmental protection, safety, staff training, service quality, and record-keeping. Registered workshops are required to employ certified vehicle mechanics, provide secure covered work bays, and adhere to the scheme’s complaint handling procedures and decisions. Therefore, these registration schemes serve more as a form of accreditation rather than a strict regulatory framework.

Mr Yip believes that as long as there are cars on the road, there will always be a need for repairs. The question is which types of garages will be able to survive in the future. In recent years, many new car manufacturers have introduced long-term warranties and maintenance packages. Moreover, the rising popularity of electric vehicles poses challenges to small garages’ ability to stay in business; when their components and control systems malfunction, they often need to be replaced entirely, so car owners are more likely to go to authorised service centres or large repair shops.

For many years, garages have been viewed as a “noxious industry,” with nearby residents often complaining about the noise and smells. As old tong lau are torn down and redeveloped, garages that were once a common sight in local neighbourhoods are gradually losing their place. New developments are rarely willing to rent ground-floor units to garages, making it even more difficult for auto repair shops in older districts to find suitable premises for relocation. Faced with these pressures, small garages are slowly fading from everyday life in Hong Kong.

Amidst Hong Kong’s ever-evolving skyline of glass and steel, these small garages offer a rare connection to the city’s mechanical pulse. They are not just cold, utilitarian workshops, but a local storybook written with wrenches and gears, each page marked with the street dust, sweat, and memories of generations of “garage boys”. 

This article was written by contract researcher Ng Cheuk Hang