11:52 am, March 23, 2023
A loyal customer at a Honda dealership has bequeathed her pride-and-joy Prelude to the man who used to service her car.
Carol Russell left the sports car to Jason Crookes, aftersales manager at the Lincoln showroom, when she died.
Over the years, the two of them and divisional aftersales director Gavin Drakes became close friends.
Chats about her car during servicing visits soon evolved into Mrs Russell, who lived in Brigg, stopping in for a coffee and a catch-up, as well as regular chats over the phone.
The first outing in the car for Crookes, who serviced the vehicle for a number of years, was to carry out her wishes and follow her funeral cortege from the church to her final resting place in Market Rasen, next to her late husband, Dick.
It was Mr Russell who bought the Prelude for her after she fell in love with it at the Vertu Motors showroom.
Mrs Russell, who was in her late 70s when she died, had been a Honda customer for more than 30 years and previously owned a Civic Coupe.
Crookes said: ‘Carol often joked during our weekly chats that she wanted me to make sure the Prelude followed her to her graveside, so I had to make sure that happened.
‘I was overwhelmed when I was told she had left the car to me in her will.
‘I plan to maintain the car as she did and use it as often as possible. Carol would have wanted this – she always said that it is a car for everyone to see and admire, not to be covered up in a garage.
‘She will be greatly missed by me and everyone at Vertu Honda Lincoln. She always brightened up the day when she popped in, and over the years became more of a friend than a customer.’
She is the second customer to have left a car to a staff member at the dealership, with Drakes being bequeathed a classic Honda CRX a few years ago.
Chris Taylor, group operations director at Vertu Motors, said: ‘I’d met Carol on numerous occasions over the years since we opened the dealership back in 2000.
‘She was a lovely lady who had a true connection to her Honda Prelude and loved her visits to Vertu Honda Lincoln. Carol valued her strong relationship with our team. We will all miss her.’
Robert Forrester, chief executive of Vertu Motors, said: ‘This heart-warming story exemplifies the relationships we aim to build with our customers and the level of service we want to ensure they all receive.
‘I am pleased that Carol’s final wishes regarding her Prelude were honoured by Jason and supported by the team at Vertu Honda Lincoln. My condolences go out to Carol’s family at this very sad time.’
