Profile: Lemon Garage in Vanderbijlpark
Just over an hour south of Johannesburg, in Vanderbijlpark, you’ll find Lemon Garage – a motoring treasure trove with a name as playful as its stock is serious. We browse the dealership’s tantalising line-up of cars and chat with its owner, Angus Webber.
The first impression of Lemon Garage isn’t rows of cars or the smell of polish, but comfort. A sofa, a stack of books and magazines, a coffee machine, and memorabilia give the cosy corner of the showroom the feel of a stylish living room. It sets the tone: this isn’t just about selling cars, it’s about passion.
From that sofa, the view stretches across a fleet of perfectly aligned machines. There is a smorgasbord of classic cars – each spotless, with neatly laminated spec sheets waiting for prospective buyers. The building next door houses further treasures; it’s an eclectic collection – a playground for enthusiasts.
At the heart of Lemon Garage is Angus Webber and his sons. Angus carries the easy professionalism of a man who spent 2 decades at Porsche South Africa.
Angus spent 2 decades at Porsche SA
He smiles as he explains the garage’s unlikely beginnings: “I’ve always been a car enthusiast. My family had a parts business, but it started before that. When I was 5, my older brother bought his first car.
“Whenever he serviced it, he’d give me the old parts – and he even bought me a toolbox. From then on, I was hooked. By 16, I was working part-time in the family business.”
In the early 2000s, Angus joined Porsche South Africa (Porsche SA). He started in the parts department before moving to the pre-owned division. “I thoroughly enjoyed that side of the business,” he recalls.
With the backing of Porsche SA chief executive officer Toby Venter, Angus helped elevate pre-owned sales into a business pillar of the Zuffenhausen-based brand’s South African distributorship.
“We even had our own Porsche pre-owned number plate made – the first dealership globally to do so.”
He also championed turning an entire building into a pre-owned hub, complete with a modernised layout and a small coffee shop. Initially met with raised eyebrows, the coffee shop went ahead – and has since become something of a legendary spot in local Porsche circles.
After a rewarding career, Angus decided to strike out on his own, however.
“I started at my dining room table with one car – a 996-series Porsche 911 Turbo, on consignment. Then came a Cayman GT4. After that, I borrowed money to buy 2 cars of my own.”
See also: Porsche 911 (930) Turbo vs (996) GT3: Classic Comparison
When buying ‘a lemon’ is anything but that
Fast forward to today, and Lemon Garage operates with a mix of consignment stock, selectively purchased cars, and carefully vetted trade-ins.
“The Lemon Garage name is tongue-in-cheek,” Angus quips. “In the trade, a lemon means a disastrous purchase. Here, when someone buys a car, we give them a framed certificate declaring ‘they’ve bought a lemon’. Of course, we don’t sell lemons at all – I’d happily recommend any of these cars to my friends.”
Every car is scrutinised before being put on display: service history checked, tyres inspected, overall condition assessed. Thanks to Angus’s long Porsche career, many of the cars are familiar old friends.
“Once I left Porsche, I realised a lot of Porsche owners also collect other marques – Volkswagens, Land Rovers, and so on. So they now approach me to handle those cars as well.”
Lemon Garage is a family affair
The family aspect is crucial. “My sons have fitted into the business perfectly. They love cars absolutely – and at dinner, well, I sometimes feel for my wife, because the conversation is always about cars!”
Today, Lemon Garage not only sells countrywide but also exports cars abroad. Angus is quick to stress that they always try to find local buyers first – but when international demand knocks, it’s hard to ignore.
Browse vehicles stocked by Lemon Garage on Cars.co.za
Find a luxury or classic car listed for sale on Cars.co.za
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