Meet the team: Steve Johnson, General Service Manager

Our latest team member for you to meet is Steve Johnson, General Service Manager for Mercedes-Benz of Exeter. Steve cut his teeth in the motor trade in the North West, before he and his wife moved to Devon 7 years ago and has no intention of leaving! He enjoys renovating the home he shares with his wife Linda and supporting his beloved football team, Manchester United.

Where are you from? I am from a little village in the North West of England called Out Rawcliffe about 12 miles from Blackpool.

Most memorable day at work you’ve ever had? It’s difficult to pick one particular day as I love my job and often tell people that I am “living the dream”.

Have you always been in the motor trade? I wanted to be a mechanic from the age of 14 and spent many hours pulling things apart to see how they worked (much to my Mum’s annoyance!). Working at a small family run Ford dealership for 17 years gave me an excellent insight into all areas of the business, the perfect grounding. I worked for Mercedes-Benz in the North West for 12 years prior to moving to Devon.

Best holiday you’ve ever been on? Last year in Lanzarote, my first (believe it or not) with my wife Linda.

Favourite Mercedes-Benz model? My favourite Mercedes-Benz has always been the E63, a wolf in sheep’s clothing! 

How many attempts did it take you to pass your driving test? It took me two attempts to pass my driving test. During my first test I failed to spot an unmarked crossroads in Preston and was happily motoring along. The Austin Mini Metro I was driving suddenly skidded to a stop (my examiner had jumped on the brakes!). I was still confident in my ability to drive and was enraged when I failed!

What radio station are you listening to when you drive? I always listen to Talk Sport, I enjoy the banter and hearing about how well my beloved Manchester United are doing.

Favourite place to visit in the South West? The South West is a beautiful place; I love the blue sea (I didn’t know the sea was really blue until we came down here, being used to a murky brown!).

Favourite TV Show to binge watch? If I had to pick one I would have to say Game of Thrones.

Favourite Band/Artist? My favourite band would be Coldplay.

Tipple of choice? Jack Daniels and Coke

What would be your Karaoke song? I would not inflict my singing on the world, my X Factor aspirations are fading... First concert you ever went to? The first concert I attended was Genesis, The Invisible Touch Tour 1992 at Roundhay Park in Leeds.

If the world ends tomorrow, what would you choose as your last meal? If the world ended tomorrow, I would like to enjoy a rump steak with peppercorn sauce.

What are you most looking forward to this year? I think the next few years are going to be very interesting for the Mercedes-Benz brand, the recent sales rate has meant that we have seen a huge growth in the cars we have available to service. I am looking forward to continuing to work with the best service team I have ever worked with.

Finally… Jam then cream, or cream then jam? The “northern” way, jam then cream To learn more about the services offered by Steve and his team, visit our Service & Repair pages.