BRADFORD car dealerships are geared up for a good year of sales, says the head of a local dealership.
Dillon White, head of business at JCT600’s Vauxhall showroom in Sticker Lane, says there is renewed consumer confidence in buying cars after the global recession.
He forecasts his Vauxhall dealership will sell around 4,000 vehicles during 2017.
The site, which was opened in 1989, sells new and used ranges of Vauxhall cars, including Viva, Meriva and Mokka, and vans worth between £3,000 and £30,000.
It has 70 staff on-site in roles including sales, admin and vehicle repairs.
JCT600 has been the Vauxhall representative in Bradford since 1955.
The Sticker Lane dealership underwent a £1.1 million rebuild last year, which included the construction of a new building featuring 1,000sq m of floor space and upgrades to its workshop.
The site’s showroom features a new cafe bar and a JCT600 children’s zone with iPad and gaming station.
Mr White , 45, has worked for JCT600 since 2001.
He says: “The car industry has a bit of confidence. People are treating themselves.
“People work very, very hard and want something to show for it. A car is a good way of doing that.
“We are quite a successful dealership in the Vauxhall network.
“There is a lot of new product coming through for Vauxhall during 2017.
“There is an incredible loyalty there from our customers, to JCT600 and our brand of Vauxhall. Our relationship goes back 55 years.
“We have had a very long-standing relationship with Vauxhall in this area.
“When we opened in 1989, our range featured Vauxhall Nova, Corsa and Bedford vans.
“With people investing £20,000 to £30,000 on a car, having peace of mind is vital.
“We have gone up a gear with the £1.1m investment. It is a huge investment that should see us able to look after our customers even better.
“We are up and running with it now. It kicks us forward and improves your enthusiasm and motivation to help people even more in the new dealership. For seven months we were in Portakabins.
“To have a state-of-the-art base means it’s an exciting time for us.
“We want to be the best place for people to buy a car from, work and the best dealership.”
Mark Taylor, group property director of JCT600, says of the Sticker Lane showroom’s revamp: “Vauxhall is one of our longest-standing franchises and, indeed, our Vauxhall site on Sticker Lane is almost 30 years old.
“We felt that rather than simply refurbishing the existing building, it was time for a total upgrade.
“In recent years, all of the leading motor retailers have focused on designing their showrooms to make customer visits as enjoyable as possible.”
JCT600 has other Vauxhall dealerships at Salts Mill Road, Shipley, and in Castleford.
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