Specialist 4×4 centre to open in Bury in £1.2m deal

Cartime, one of the North West’s fastest growing independent used car dealerships, is expanding its Bury-based operations after signing a £1.2m deal to create a specialist used 4×4 centre opposite its existing Bell Lane showroom.

The expansion will create up to 20 jobs for the local area, with recruitment now under way.

Cartime’s new 4×4 centre will replace Farnell Land Rover, which has recently relocated, and opens to cater for growing demand for used 4×4 vehicles in the region.

The firm’s latest sales figures report that its sales of four-wheel drive vehicles have more than doubled in the past two years.

The prestige used car supermarket sells more than 60 of this type of vehicle every month, making up 20% of its monthly turnover, and with increased stock it expects sales to increase three-fold.

Set to open next month, the new operation will include a fully refurbished, state-of-the-art customer sales centre and a selection of more than 250 used 4×4 vehicles displayed on the 19,000 sq ft site.

Its on-site aftersales centre and team of master technicians will specialise in servicing all makes and models of 4x4s.

Vehicles stocked will range from the hugely popular Range Rover Evoke, to the Audi Q7.

The used car dealer is also looking to expand into the electric four-wheel drive market.

Vehicles purchased via Cartime’s new 4×4 centre will enjoy the same warranty packages and finance options currently offered by the company, including the current option of a six-year warranty, servicing and MOT package.

All Cartime vehicles also undergo an industry-leading 62-point pre-sale check.

News of this latest expansion comes just weeks after Cartime announced it is opening a second used car sales operation in Rochdale, on Edinburgh Way.

This will take its entire business to three sites – two in Bury and one in Rochdale – and total vehicle stock from 700 to 1,200 vehicles.

Cartime managing director, Matt Kay, said: “Demand for used 4x4s in the North West is continuing to rise and we saw taking over Farnells’ vacant site as a huge opportunity for us.

“With more than 250 vehicles in stock at the site, we believe we will become one of the largest specialist used 4×4 centres in the North West.

Matt Kay

“The new dealership is ideally located adjacent to our existing Bell Lane sales centre and will be dedicated solely to the sale and warranty work of used 4×4 vehicles – filling the clear gap in the current market.”

He added: “2018 is proving to be a huge year of overall growth for the business.

“We’ve created a robust business model and invested heavily in our processes and technology to facilitate the expansion of our sales capacity – with new sales centres and vehicle stock.

“The Cartime business will have more than doubled in size by the end of the year.”