Cathal didn’t come up through a main dealer or a college course. He started in hospitality, moved into van sales, and taught himself diagnostics the long way — by doing the work and figuring it out as he went.
In this episode, we talk about what it’s like to build something from scratch, why he moved from mobile to workshop, and how he’s carved out a business focused on proper diagnostics, not guesswork.
YouTube – https://youtu.be/iil6wCsQIho?si=iWN-a5sVNq8bajHz
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/episode/2FxCmyGiqC8aJNagEE6Z8l?si=ed38a45e970b4248
From hospitality to home ramps
Cathal didn’t follow a traditional route into the trade. He started in hospitality, working in a five-star hotel, dealing with everyone from celebrities to everyday customers. The hours were unsociable and the pay was poor, but the experience shaped how he works today — especially when it comes to communication and customer service.
His first move into automotive came through car sales. He sold Toyotas and Hondas, eventually working for one of the biggest dealer groups in Northern Ireland. But with his first child on the way, the long hours and weekend shifts didn’t suit family life. He walked away from the salary and set up his own van sales business — buying, fixing and selling from a small yard next to his dad’s garage.
Starting from scratch
Cathal built the van business up steadily. At its peak, he had around ten vehicles in stock and was turning them quickly. When Covid hit, the market shifted in his favour. Demand for vans surged, margins improved, and stock didn’t hang around.
But he knew he couldn’t scale the business without tying up more capital. And more importantly — it wasn’t what he really wanted to be doing.
When customers started asking him to remove speed limiters and tweak software, Cathal saw an opportunity. Rather than pay someone else, he bought the tooling and learned it himself. Remapping became the new focus, and over time, he transitioned fully away from sales.
Professional from day one
From the beginning, he was clear on how he wanted to present himself. A clean van, branded workwear, and a professional image — something he felt was lacking from others doing the same kind of mobile work.
He landed on the name The Car Nerd one night while pacing the kitchen floor. It suited his style — obsessive, technical, and focused on getting things right.
At first, most of the work came through trade connections. Word spread quickly, and soon Cathal was doing more than just remaps — he was fixing what others had skipped over. AdBlue faults, DPF issues, and electrical gremlins became the day-to-day.
Mobile diagnostics and growing demand
The business moved beyond tuning and into proper diagnostics. Without formal training, Cathal relied on experience, curiosity, and a solid understanding of electrical systems picked up from his dad — who’s an electrician.
He invested in better tools and took a no-compromise approach to presentation. Everything from van cleanliness to customer communication had to be right. That early focus on standards set the tone for what came next.
From the road to a workshop
By 2023, Cathal took on a Top Gear Tuning franchise and moved into a permanent workshop just across the road from his dad. Two ramps, a dyno, and enough space to grow.
His wife now handles bookings and admin. He’s taken on two apprentices. The work is more focused — diagnostics, electrical repairs, coding and performance tuning. If something doesn’t fit the business, he’s happy to pass it elsewhere.
Not everything has scaled yet. Revenue is lower than during peak mobile work, but the structure is in place. The plan is to grow steadily, bring in skilled techs, and build something sustainable — without losing control of quality.
What’s next
Cathal is clear on the future: stay in diagnostics, develop a team, and keep learning. The name might be tongue-in-cheek, but the results speak for themselves. He’s not interested in noise or gimmicks — just solving problems properly and building a business that lasts.
For anyone in Northern Ireland looking for someone who actually understands vehicle electrics — The Car Nerd probably already has a waiting list.
