About Us.
We Started Where Most Great Things Do — In a Garage
We Started Where Most Great Things Do — In a Garage
Northstar Automotive Repair was born out of a simple belief: that people deserve honest, expert car care from someone who genuinely knows what they're doing and isn't afraid to tell you the truth.
Our story starts with Dawood Motala — not in a shop, but in his parents' garage in Gormley, fixing cars for family and friends who trusted him long before he had a sign above a door. Word spread the way it always does when someone does good work honestly — one neighbour at a time, one repair at a time.
From Pre-Med to Master Mechanic
Dawood's path to the garage wasn't the obvious one. He began his post-secondary journey in pre-medicine, drawn to the analytical challenge of diagnosing complex problems and finding precise solutions. But somewhere along the way, he realized his true passion wasn't mending the human body — it was understanding machines.
He traded his pre-med textbooks for a torque wrench and never looked back.
Dawood formalized his expertise at Centenial College, graduating as a certified automotive technician with a specialization in diagnostics — the discipline that suits him best. Diagnostics demands the same methodical, evidence-based thinking he once applied to the sciences, just pointed at engines instead of patients. Today, Dawood holds the designation of Master Mechanic and is a licensed Motor Vehicle Inspector — one of a select group of technicians in Ontario authorized to issue official safety certificates on behalf of the Ministry of Transportation.
When Dawood looks at your car, he isn't guessing. He's diagnosing.
Why We Started Northstar
After years of working in the industry, Dawood saw the same frustrations repeated over and over — customers charged for parts they didn't need, repairs that didn't fix the actual problem, and a general lack of transparency that left people feeling taken advantage of every time they needed their car looked at.
Northstar Automotive Repair exists to be the alternative to that experience.
We built this shop on three things: technical excellence, honest communication, and genuine respect for the people who trust us with their vehicles. We serve Gormley and the surrounding York Region communities — including Richmond Hill, Aurora, Newmarket, and Whitchurch-Stouffville — and we treat every customer the way we'd want to be treated if we were the ones handing over the keys.
What Sets Us Apart
Master-level diagnostics Most shops replace parts until something works. We diagnose first, repair second.
MVIS designated inspection centre Not every shop in Ontario can legally perform a vehicle safety inspection. We can — and we do it right. As an approved Motor Vehicle Inspection Station, we issue official MTO safety certificates on site.
A full-spectrum shop From oil changes and tire rotations to turbocharger installations, EV service, and diesel diagnostics — we handle it all. One shop, one team, every make and model.
Honest by default We don't upsell. We don't recommend repairs you don't need. We tell you what we found, what it means, and what your options are — and then we let you decide.
Come See Us
We're located at 14483 Woodbine Avenue, Gormley, ON and we're open Monday to Friday 9am–6pm and Saturday 9am–2pm.
Whether you need a quick oil change, a safety certificate, or a diagnosis for something that's been bothering you for months — we're here, we're honest, and we know what we're doing.
Book your appointment online or give us a call. We'd love to earn your trust.