1. Overview & Scope
APV Mobile Mechanics ("we", "us", "our") is a premier mobile auto repair and roadside service provider operating across Hobart and Southern Tasmania. We respect your right to privacy and are committed to maintaining the confidentiality and security of personal information collected through our website (https://apvmechanics.com.au), phone bookings, online enquiry forms, WhatsApp messaging, and in-person mobile service appointments.
By accessing our website, booking a mobile repair, requesting a vehicle inspection, or providing information to our mechanics or staff, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.
2. Personal Information We Collect
To deliver reliable mobile automotive repairs and customer service, we collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for our business functions. The types of personal information we collect include:
Contact & Identity Information
Full name, phone number, email address, postal address, and service location address (home, office, or breakdown site in Hobart and surrounding areas).
Vehicle & Technical Data
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), vehicle make, model, manufacture year, registration number, engine type, mileage, diagnostic codes, and service history.
Financial & Payment Data
Payment transaction records, invoices, and billing history. Credit card payments are processed securely through accredited PCI-DSS compliant payment processing platforms. APV Mobile Mechanics does not retain raw credit card details.
Digital & Usage Information
IP address, browser type, device identifiers, geographic location data, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, and interaction data collected via cookies and site performance tools.
3. How We Collect Data
We collect personal information directly from you through various channels, including:
- Website Forms: Completing repair booking requests, vehicle rental enquiries, contact forms, or newsletter subscriptions on our website.
- Phone & Messaging: Calling our service team at 0424 411 375 or sending messages via WhatsApp, SMS, or email.
- In-Person Mobile Services: Providing vehicle details and authorization directly to our qualified mechanics at your vehicle's location.
- Automated Site Technologies: Passive collection via cookies, web beacons, and server logs when you browse our website.
4. How We Use Your Data
We collect and use your personal information for the following primary purposes:
Service Fulfillment
Dispatching mobile mechanics to your location, performing car repairs, engine diagnostics, brake replacements, oil changes, and roadside assistance.
Communication & Scheduling
Confirming appointment times, updating you on mechanic arrival ETAs, sharing repair quotes, diagnostic reports, and digital invoices.
Billing & Warranty
Processing service payments, issuing tax invoices, maintaining warranty records, and honoring service guarantees.
Customer Care & Quality Control
Responding to enquiries, measuring service satisfaction, training staff, and improving our mobile repair operations.
5. Data Sharing & Disclosure
Strict Anti-Spam Policy: APV Mobile Mechanics does not sell, rent, trade, or lease customer personal information to third-party advertisers or data brokers under any circumstances.
We may disclose your personal information only to trusted third parties in the following limited circumstances:
- Internal Staff & Mobile Mechanics: Authorized employees and contractors who require information to fulfill your service request.
- Essential Service Partners: Specialized automotive parts suppliers, towing operators, or technical diagnostic software vendors required to complete repairs.
- IT & Infrastructure Providers: Web hosting (Vercel), analytics services, payment gateway providers, and communication channels (email/SMS gateways).
- Legal Compliance: Government bodies, law enforcement agencies, or regulatory authorities when required by Australian law or court order.
6. Security & Storage
We take reasonable physical, technical, and organizational safeguards to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, modification, disclosure, loss, or misuse.
All electronic data collected via our website is protected using industry-standard SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption. Access to customer records is restricted to authorized personnel who require the data for operational purposes.
7. Retention & Destruction
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to satisfy the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by statutory Australian accounting, taxation, and legal compliance obligations (typically 7 years for financial records).
When personal information is no longer needed, we take secure measures to permanently destroy, delete, or de-identify the data.
9. Direct Marketing & Opt-Out
From time to time, we may send you service updates, vehicle maintenance reminders, or seasonal promotions. You may opt out of receiving promotional communications at any time by:
- Clicking the "Unsubscribe" link in any marketing email.
- Replying "STOP" to any SMS marketing broadcast.
- Emailing your opt-out request directly to apvmobilemechanics@gmail.com.
Please note that opting out of marketing messages does not affect essential operational communications regarding active service bookings or warranty notices.
10. Your Privacy Rights (APP Compliance)
Under the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), you have rights regarding your personal information:
Right of Access
You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you.
Right to Correction
You have the right to request that inaccurate, out-of-date, or incomplete data be corrected.
To exercise your rights, please submit a request in writing to our Privacy Officer at apvmobilemechanics@gmail.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days without charging a fee for submitting the request.
11. Third-Party Links & Platforms
Our website may contain links to external third-party services, including Google Maps, Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. We do not control and are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of external websites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party platform you visit.
12. Contact & Complaints (OAIC)
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to lodge a formal complaint regarding how your personal information has been handled, please contact our Privacy Officer:
APV Mobile Mechanics
We Come To You
Lodging a Complaint with the Australian Information Commissioner
If you are dissatisfied with our response to your privacy complaint, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
- Website: www.oaic.gov.au
- Phone: 1300 363 992
- Mail: GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001