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South Island clean sweep

Dunedin takes out national AA Auto Centre of the year title for second time.
Posted on 26 May, 2026
From left, Grant Waters, the AA's regional manager – southern, Jared White and Mark Laughton, manager and owner respectively of Dunedin AA Auto Centre, and Jonathan Sergel, chief mobility officer of the AA  

Mainland has shone at the AA’s Auto Centre awards with Dunedin taking out the top gong overall.

The team stood out for its customer service, business performance, operational expertise and commitment to continuous improvement, says Jonathan Sergel, the AA’s chief mobility officer.

He adds: “Customers trust us to keep their vehicles safe and reliable, which is why delivering a premium service is always our top priority.

“Dunedin consistently showcases this and we’re proud to have such a stellar group of people representing the AA. Dunedin also won the title in 2023, so they’ve got a great recipe for success going.”

To ensure fairness in judging, AA Auto Centres are grouped into three population-based zones with factors such as customer experience, administration, audits and sales performance considered.

The centre in Nelson placed first in the town category and Rangiora was awarded first in the regional zone. Dunedin also took out the city title alongside its overall win.

The awards were presented at the annual AA Auto Centre conference held in Christchurch in May where delegates from the association’s 41 facilities nationwide got together.