Nothing much unusual about that, just as some car owners from here travel to Melbourne for the same reason.

But Stickels travels the Hume Freeway because he has trusted Mitchell with his “baby” for the past three years after a chance phone call to Telstra inquiries put the BMW 318i owner in contact with Border BM instead of his local BMW dealership.

The well-known presentation skills consultant, speechwriter and speechmaker was on his way to Sydney when he got caught in a thunderstorm just outside Albury- Wodonga and a faulty relay switch wouldn’t let him raise the driver’s window.

After Mitchell’s workshop made temporary repairs, Stickels was on his way. On his return journey Mitchell, who had ordered a new part, installed it and a permanent relationship between car owner and service technician began.

On Wednesday Stickels drove back to Wodonga for the service few cars ever see — the 500,000-kilometres — and when he drove his beloved BMW into the workshop the odometer was showing just that: exactly 500,000.

That is the equivalent to driving around the earth at the equator 12½ times.

Mitchell said many of his customers came from far and wide to have their cars serviced.

“One fellow comes here from Coffs Harbour,” said Mitchell, a former BMW individual dealer technician.

“Owen’s car is testament to the quality of build and the remarkable reliability of these cars.

“The head gasket was replaced at 300,000 kilometres and at one stage we thought it may need a new clutch, but after we pulled the gearbox out and had a look, we put it all back to together again,” Mitchell said.

“I still have the clutch plate I ordered for it in stock.

“Apart from the replacement of normal wear and tear items, the car is original throughout. And it doesn’t use a drop of oil.”

Stickels is no stranger to the region, having grown up on a farm in Baranduda.

“I learnt to drive at the age of five in a new 1950 Land Rover which we bought from Baker Motors.

“I also lived in Mount Beauty for a time and my partner Liz and I have bought land at Tawonga South where we hope to settle in the not-too-distant future,” Stickels said.

“I love the North East.”

Stickels’ hectic lifestyle takes him around the country and to New Zealand but just as interesting as his profession and his dedication to his beloved BMW, his second since 1994, is his illustrious past.

He flew Mirage jet fighters out of the RAAF base at Williamtown, NSW, was an instructor at Pearce RAAF base in Western Australia and commentated for the Australian rounds of the World Rally Championship.