There would be few more fit to echo that sentiment than Stawell's Steve Baird who has been a mechanic at Stawell Toyota for all of that time.

Friday, that will come to an end as after almost 48 years of continuous service Mr Baird bids farewell to his many friends, colleagues and loyal customers.

At 64, Mr Baird has decided the time is right, to focus on life after work and his body which has endured a labour of hard work for all of close to five decades.

"I thought I might have got to 49 (the end of next year) before I decided to leave, however things are getting too hard. I'm struggling with sore shoulders and a few problems like that," he said.

Mr Baird said being a mechanic has always been a physically demanding job and lifting heavy weights is becoming harder.

"It has got worse in the last 10 years, the vehicles are getting bigger, the Landcruiser bonnets are getting heavier and they have no supports to lift them up," he said.

Born and raised in Stawell it was the summer of 1966 when Mr Baird left the classroom for the Nalder Toyota workshop.

He has been a mechanic with the Toyota franchise ever since.

"I was nearly 16 when Wes Nalder had the business up where the library now is. I applied for a job there and got it," he said.

"I started before Christmas, straight out of school, no holidays, no time off, started working and been with it ever since."

Mr Baird has served under five different owners; Wes Nalder, Stan Balle, Max Howden, Bruce Howden and currently with Stawell Toyota.

"I was an apprentice for four and a half years and a full time mechanic from then until now," he said.

"There have been various different owners, but we've always been Toyota."

Mr Baird said he never considered the job he was doing then would become a life long career.

"I didn't really think of it that way, it was a job and I was interested. It was something where I would come to work, do the job and go home again," he said.

"I had been doing a mechanical course at school so that transferred on from there and I have been doing it ever since."

Mr Baird said his rapport with vehicle owners has always been positive, with one pretty simple goal a key indicator to whether he was doing a good job.

"It was always the basics of being a mechanic - the satisfaction of getting a job right, see it go out the door fixed," he said.

"That's probably the biggest thing, you think to yourself now have I done the job properly?"

Mr Baird said enhancements in technology have proven the greatest challenge. Cassettes have made way for CD players and sensor monitoring safety software.

"The biggest thing I have struck is technology. Electronics has changed so much in cars," he said.

Mr Baird has sound word of advice for people considering a career as a mechanic.

"If you have a background in diagnostics and that sort of stuff you could walk into any dealership and they'd want you," he said.

Mr Baird said several opportunities have arisen as a result of his prolonged dedication and commitment to the company.

One of the major benefits was being selected among a pit crew at Bathurst for a couple of years.

Mr Baird hopes to shift focus and return to one of his favourite past times - competitive running.

A winner at the 2010 Stawell Gift Baird suffered a hamstring tear seven months ago and is on the road to recovery.

When Mr Baird knocks off Friday, he knocks off for good.

"It has been a good job for me over all the years and now it has come to an end," he said.