12:23 pm, November 10, 2022
Finance provider Black Horse is to continue as headline sponsor of the Car Dealer Used Car Awards until 2024.
The deal will take Black Horse to 10 years of supporting the awards in total.
And the firm’s head of motor finance, Tim Smith, believes the awards are ‘a great celebration’ of the great and the good in the used car industry.
Speaking to awards host Mike Brewer in the video posted at the top of this story, Smith said the awards are ‘really important’.
‘There’s the motivation of winning and coming first, but also it’s about raising the standard,’ he said.
‘Everybody is trying to beat each other and replicate the people who are winning, and with that everybody is improving standards.
‘Dealers are always trying to get better and that means customers get better dealers, better value and better service.
‘It’s this ever-improving cycle that the Used Car Awards drive. Over the years, we have seen this continual improvement.’
The Car Dealer Used Car Awards sponsored by Black Horse return to The Brewery in central London on Monday, November 28.
During the night, the industry’s best companies and individuals will be celebrated. You can see the shortlist by clicking here.
Along with the ceremony, GardX will once again be laying on the official, ticket-only after party, while eBay Motors Group will be presenting the fun casino.
A special prize draw raising money for the automotive industry charity Ben will also be held.
Smith commented that the awards will be ‘a great way’ to mark an interesting year for the used car industry.
‘We at Black Horse have had a really strong year for volumes, and for our dealers they’ve had a good three quarters – selling good numbers of cars and making good returns on them,’ he said.
‘But as we head into this final quarter, things are getting tougher.
‘Dealers have a firm basis to head into difficult times where we’ll see the cost-of-living crisis really starting to bite.’
He added: ‘For dealers, it’s about being the best of the best – much like the Used Car Awards.
‘We’ve got to remember the positives out there and keep on trying to make sure we’re doing the best job.
‘What we always see coming out of hard times is dealers super-performing, and I think it’s going to be that kind of process throughout 2023.’
