10:30 am, September 5, 2023
The Car Dealer Used Car Awards help businesses make ‘essential’ improvements by opening up new opportunities for growth.
That is the verdict of one reigning champion, who says the awards are ‘fantastic’ for the automotive industry.
Steve Dhesi, managing director of SUV Prestige, won our Used Car Dealer Principal of the Year prize last year and is hoping for more success in 2023.
His firm also scooped a gong in the Best Used Car Online Sales Experience category and Dhesi says the prestige of being a winner has made a noticeable impact on the business this year.
‘Winning both awards really helped promote our brand, both with our clientele as well as opening opportunities for growth and partnerships with other fantastic businesses,’ he told Car Dealer.
‘Winning Best Online Sales Experience helped with the recent shift into people more commonly purchasing vehicles online, and having the accolade to use in our marketing has really given us something to shout about, reassuring potential clients we really are the best at what we do.
‘Match the accolade with our excellent reviews and we are a sales force to be reckoned with.’
Last year’s ceremony represented SUV Prestige’s first wins at the Used Car Awards and Dhesi says hearing his name read out was a ‘hugely proud’ moment.
He is now looking forward to this year’s ceremony, once again sponsored by Black Horse, which is being held on Monday, November 27 at The Brewery in London.
Dhesi added: ‘We are hugely proud of the achievements of the team being recognised and I’m obviously ecstatic with my personal award.
‘Once back at base, we were able to celebrate our wins with our fantastic team and it was great to see their excitement at their hard work being recognised in this way.
‘Personally, I was overwhelmed with congratulatory messages and well wishes from our peers in the industry.
‘We will definitely be re-entering this year for multiple award categories. The business has expanded exponentially since last year.
‘The Used Car Awards are fantastic for the industry as they help recognise the hard work of so many dealers. The awards are a great way to network and recognise excellence within the industry.
‘Finally, it’s a great way to inspire essential improvements as times continue to evolve within the industry.’
To decide who will come out on top at this year’s Car Dealer Used Car Awards, dealers need to cast their votes.
To be in with a chance of winning one of our coveted trophies, our nominations form needs to be completed and it really couldn’t be easier!
Simply find the category that you’d like to nominate yourself or someone else for on the form and supply the details asked for.
Every entry is assessed and they’re all whittled down to make the nominations list.
To book a place at UCA 2023 and find out more about sponsorship, email our sales team.
More information can be found here.
Below are the 23 categories in which dealers can vote:
- Dealers’ Dealer, sponsored by AutoProtect
- Service and Repair Outlet, sponsored by Warrantywise
- Used EV Dealership, sponsored by Santander Consumer Finance
- Social Media User, sponsored by iVendi
- Used Car Online Sales Experience, sponsored by Codeweavers
- Specialist Used Car Dealership, sponsored by Automotive Transformation Group
- Used Car Sales Team, sponsored by Motorway
- Used Car Dealer Principal, sponsored by Heycar
- Future Star, sponsored by Northridge Finance
- Used Car Customer Care, sponsored by RAC Dealer Network
- Newcomer Dealership, sponsored by Moneybarn
- Used Commercial Vehicle Dealership, sponsored by Close Brothers Motor Finance
- Diversity & Inclusivity, sponsored by MotoNovo Finance
- Used Car Supermarket, sponsored by eBay Motors Group
- 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 Black Horse
- Outstanding Achievement, sponsored by Trade To Trade Underwriting
- Lifetime Achievement (10+ years), sponsored by GardX
- Used Car Website, sponsored by EMaC
- Use of Video, sponsorship available
- Manufacturer Used Car Scheme, sponsorship available
We’ll also be naming the best used cars in six categories – Small Car, Mid-Sized Car, Executive Car, Sports Car, SUV and AFV – plus the overall Used Car of the Year from those six, sponsored by G3 Vehicle Auctions.
In addition, we’ll be presenting a trophy to the winner of the Days To Turn award, sponsored by Auto Trader.
These are the key dates for this year’s awards:
- Nominations close: Monday, October 2
- Nominations (long list) revealed: Monday, October 9
- Shortlist revealed: Monday, October 23
- Awards night: Monday, November 27
