7:35 am, September 26, 2023
Winning a Used Car Award is a badge of honour, believes host Mike Brewer, as the deadline for nominations nears.
Car dealers have just a few days left before nominations for this year’s event closes on October 2 to be in with the chance of winning one of our special awards.
Wheeler Dealer star and Used Car Awards host Mike Brewer said the event, sponsored by headline partners Black Horse, is his ‘highlight of the year’.
In an exclusive video (above) to mark the impending nominations deadline for the big day – which takes place on Monday, November 27 – Brewer explains how dealerships can get their nominations in for one of 23 categories in just a few minutes.
Entry is free and is easy to do using our online form.
Brewer said: ‘To have a badge of honour that sits on their website or sits on their office wall that says that they are doing the best they possibly can do really does change their business. And it really does highlight that they are exceptional at what they do.’
Brewer said he loves the feeling he gets on stage when he’s stood in front of a room of excited dealers ready to hand out the top awards.
‘You can see the importance of these awards on everyone’s faces when you’re up there on stage,’ added Brewer.
There are 23 categories dealers can nominate themselves in, including:
- 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, sponsored by Visitor Chat
- Manufacturer Used Car Scheme, sponsored by AutoGuard Warranties
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.
And in addition, we’ll be presenting a trophy to the winner of the Days To Turn award, sponsored by Auto Trader.
Guests will also enjoy pre dinner drinks and a casino, sponsored by eBay Motors Group.
‘It is quite possibly one of the best nights out there,’ added Brewer. ‘Whether they win or not, it’s still a great night out.’
The next stages are:
- Nominations close: Monday, October 2
- Nominations revealed: Monday, October 9
- Shortlist revealed: Monday, October 23
- Awards night: Monday, November 27
Car Dealer takes the judging of the Used Car Awards very seriously which includes a mystery shopping phase for all those businesses that make our Nominations List.
Even Brewer himself helps out with the mystery shopping.
He added: ‘It’s not to be taken lightly. When you’re judging a business, you need to judge that business from the ground up. And that’s the way they react on the phone, including how quickly they react on the phone.
‘Whether you wander into that business in disguise, and kick the tires we want to see how the staff approach it. You know, I’ve had too many experiences in my time where I have mystery shopped, and I’ve walked into a dealer and the staff are sitting there on a computer, looking at their Facebook profile or playing solitaire. And that’s not what people want.’
Car dealers can nominate themselves for any of the categories listed. Businesses can enter more than one category and will be assessed by the judging team before they move to the next stage.
Entries must be in by October 2 and can be done online using our form.
