1:24 pm, June 24, 2026
A used car dealer celebrating 30 years in business says he now sells half as many cars as he did before Covid while making broadly the same amount of money.
Simon Shield, of Simon Shield Cars in Suffolk, marked three decades in business this year and reflected on the dramatic changes he has witnessed in the motor trade since setting up on his own in 1995.
Speaking on the Car Dealer Podcast, Shield said the secret to longevity has been staying independent, remaining debt-free and focusing on quality rather than chasing volume.
He said: ‘We’re selling half as many cars than I used to sell pre-Covid, or say 10 years ago, but what we’re doing is we’re getting decent margins because we’re not spending fortunes on repairing old junk that comes out of an auction.
‘It feels really bad because you think the forecourt’s empty, we’re not getting anywhere here. But actually, you get to the end of the year and you’ve made the same amount of money.’
On this episode of the podcast Shield talks in depth about the industry and how he has made a success of their business. You can listen to it in full by clicking play below or searching for Car Dealer Podcast on podcast platforms.
He also called for the introduction of a licensing system for used car dealers, arguing that it would help raise standards across the industry and improve consumer confidence.
He said: ‘There should be some sort of formal licensing system whereby you have to achieve a certain level of capability and you have to work from a licensed premises.
‘If you did that, you would get rid of a lot of the people who frankly shouldn’t be selling cars.’
The veteran dealer said the industry had become far more professional during his time in the trade but believes some operators continue to damage the reputation of the sector.
He added: ‘Overall, I think it’s much better. Dealers have upped their game.
‘But there are still people who are somehow trading and selling poor cars, not doing any work on them before they go out and taking a chance on it.’
Despite major changes elsewhere in the market, Shield admits he has yet to embrace electric vehicles and may never do so.
‘I have not dipped my toe in the electric car market yet,’ he said.
‘I’m probably only a few years from not doing this anymore and I’m not really planning to get involved.
‘I don’t really understand them and I think people that come to look at an electric car are going to expect a lot more information about that car.’
And while he has seen many other dealers expand into multi-site operations over the decades, Shield said he has never felt the need to chase growth for growth’s sake.
He explained: ‘All we’ve ever wanted to do is make a living out of the job.
‘I see businesses which have scaled up from what I’ve done and it’s been a real challenge for them.
‘To go from stocking 20 cars to stocking 100 cars, that step doesn’t earn you any more money.’
