4:40 pm, December 28, 2020
Used Car Awards mystery shoppers have finished their task of assessing our nominated businesses.
The month-long process saw every firm up for an award in a multitude of categories subjected to a vigorous mystery shopping process.
Our experts enquired on cars remotely and, in some cases, in person to mark the dealerships vying for our top awards.
The businesses are now being whittled down to a shortlist of just five in each category, which will be revealed on Monday, January 4.
The final stages of the judging is now taking place with Used Car Awards experts – including host Wheeler Dealer Mike Brewer – ratifying the final places.
This year’s Used Car Awards will be held virtually with a video ceremony hosted by Brewer and Car Dealer founder James Baggott.
The ceremony will be broadcast on this website on Friday, February 5 at 6pm.
Used Car Awards: Nominations List
Our lead mystery shopper said: ‘It’s very apparent how dealers have adapted their businesses to the many issues surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘From updated websites, more improved use of video and personal videos sent via email and WhatsApp, we’ve been very impressed with the personal service offered by the best dealers.
‘Despite the pandemic, car dealers are rising to the occasion to offer a personal service that in this remote, digitally-focussed world feels all the more personal.’
Our mystery shoppers praised many dealers for ‘going above and beyond’ to get personal messages to them – some within minutes of making an enquiry on a used car.
‘One car dealer offered to drive the car down to us immediately,’ said our mystery shopping lead.
‘We loved the personal feeling service that many were able to offer us despite the interaction now being mostly virtual.’
Car Dealer founder James Baggott said the judging process had been ‘tougher than ever’ this year with ‘spreadsheet upon spreadsheet’ of data collected on our nominated firms.
He said: ‘We know how important these awards are to used car dealers up and down the country and we wanted to make sure that those that are named the leaders in their field really are the best at what they do.
‘The mystery shopping phase has been fascinating. We started the process just after the second national lockdown and it continued until just before Christmas.
‘The results are now in and the judges and I are working through them to pull together the shortlist. We’re looking forward to unveiling who has made the cut on Monday.’
The Nominations List can be viewed in full here by members of the Car Dealer website. Signing up takes seconds and by sharing your name and email address with us you’ll get instant access to the list.
The Shortlist will be released on Monday, January 4 and will also be reserved for registered members of the Car Dealer website only.
Dealer Awards (nominations revealed here)
- Dealers’ Dealer – sponsored by Dealer Auction
- Service & Repair Outlet – sponsored by Handler Protect
- Used Car Product – sponsored by Handler Protect
- Social Media User – sponsored by Marketing Delivery SocialStock
- Use of Video – sponsored by G3 Vehicle Auctions
- Used Car Website – sponsored by CarGurus
- Used Car Online Sales Experience – sponsored by Aston Barclay
- Specialist Used Car Dealership – sponsored by Mann Island Finance
- Used Car Sales Team – sponsored by CarGurus
- Used Car Dealer Principal – sponsored by The WMS Group
- Future Star Award – sponsored by Advantage Finance
- Used Car Customer Care – sponsored by RAC Dealer Network
- Used Car Supermarket – sponsored by City Auction Group
- Newcomer Dealership – sponsored by Automotive Compliance
- Used Car Dealership – Up To 50 Cars – sponsored by Black Horse
- Used Car Dealership – 51 – 100 Cars – sponsored by Black Horse
- Used Car Dealership – Over 100 Cars – sponsored by Black Horse
- Used Car Dealership Group – sponsored by Motorway
- Outstanding Achievement – sponsored by Trade2Trade
- Lifetime Achievement – sponsored by Lawgistics
Manufacturer Awards (nominations revealed here)
- Used Small Car – sponsored by City Auction Group
- Used Mid-Sized Car – sponsored by City Auction Group
- Used Executive Car – sponsored by City Auction Group
- Used Sports Car – sponsored by City Auction Group
- Used SUV – sponsored by City Auction Group
- Used AFV – sponsored by City Auction Group
- Used Car of the Year – sponsored by City Auction Group
- Manufacturer Used Car Scheme – sponsored by Warrantywise
You will need to be a registered member of the Car Dealer website to gain access to the Nominations List. Registration takes minutes and can be done by clicking here.
