Old NW car dealers

[sider]

Anybody remember any names from the past?

I was giving my Dad a lift getting some stuff out of their garage when i found a box with old bits of pottery and glassware in, wrapped in newspaper. Some of the paper was dated as far back as 1988, and there were sections of the car dealer pages. I saw a big ad for Ian Skelly VW - branches across the North West.

Anybody remember any other old names??

Beech Hill was quite a big name in Wigan and St Helens - with a Nissan and i think Renault dealer in each.

I also remember Broughtons Peugeot and Talbot in St Helens from being little.

There have been a few that have gone over the past 2 or 3 years too - likes of Ciceley Continental in Preston, there but not really as that any more, plus others like Dutton James Renault in St Helens too.

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I also remember Skippers Ford in St Helens.

Caledonia was a big name of the late 90s/early 00's too - but i dont miss them with their constant maildrops!!

[Wacky Racer]

^^^^

Bought a new Ford Capri Mk 2 from Skippers in Burnley in 1977.....

also new Triumph Spitfire from Henley's Burnage, Manchester in 1973

Let's see......

Drabble and Allen...Jaguar/Manchester
Cliff Holden...Jaguar/Bury
Lockwood & Greenwood....Rover/Audenshaw
Hollingdrakes....Stockport
Henleys....Oldham & Victoria Avenue Middleton
Gordon Ford....Stockport
Quicks....Ford....Bury, Old Trafford, Ashton
Ian Anthony....Wilmslow

[CatherineJ]

Blimey Ian Skelly, yes I remember that one from when I lived in Yorkshire.

Rumour was not a very good dealer and I often heard them referred to by something less than complimentary.

Edited by CatherineJ on Sunday 8th March 19:36

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I've just been thinking of more in the bath! (i know i know!!)

Firsway Peugeot, Wigan (now Richard Rhodes)
HL Gorner Mercedes, Ashton in Makerfield - then Gorner TVR/Brabus (how priveliged to have the UK's only Brabus dealer about 3 miles from my house!!)
Makerfield Daihatsu (saw a wheel cover on a Fourtrak the other week with this on)
Jaguar House, Liverpool
Road Range, Liverpool
Gorner Skoda, Warrington - went bust
Savoy Honda, Wigan and Warrington
HW Moon - but at the original HW Moon Toyota place in Heskin, nr Chorley
Grahams Vauxhall, Wigan
DJ Motors, St Helens - 'old' Skoda, Sao, Perodua etc etc
Cubleys of Ainsdale - Saab and Alfa i think
Southport 2000 - Think it was Renault, then Peugeot - not sure what it is now
Rigby Turner VW St Helens - Murdered by VW UK when they found out they'd been selling imported cars out of the back door apparently
MS Ford Wigan, then MSF Wigan, the Gordons - as per what it was originally
St Helens Ford - very big round my way 5 yrs back - now one of the many Polar Ford places
A&B Motors Wigan (Vauxhall i think?)
Bramwell Hyundai and Mazda, Wigan

Remember when VW garages sold Audi too??

Sorry for all the local to me references!!

Does anyone know if Stan Palmer Ford/Subaru are still around in Carlisle?

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Wacky Racer said:

^^^^

Bought a new Ford Capri Mk 2 from Skippers in Burnley in 1977.....

also new Triumph Spitfire from Henley's Burnage, Manchester in 1973

Let's see......

Drabble and Allen...Jaguar/Manchester
Cliff Holden...Jaguar/Bury
Lockwood & Greenwood....Rover/Audenshaw
Hollingdrakes....Stockport
Henleys....Oldham & Victoria Avenue Middleton
Gordon Ford....Stockport
Quicks....Ford....Bury, Old Trafford, Ashton
Ian Anthony....Wilmslow

Whatever happened to Quicks? They used to be massive!

[sider]

Bellcharm - was that the Renault place in Bolton?? I think it's still there but heavily boarded up and vandalised and replaced by the Renault Direct Retail place near the Porsche garage.

[*Kosta*]

Stan Palmer still exist in Carlisle as a Scooby agent

I think CG Ford still exist, as do the Lloyd group

Edited by *Kosta* on Sunday 8th March 20:54

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More:

Intermoto, Subaru - Liverpool

[5 wh]

Strattons-Wilmslow
Route One Ford-Manchester
Portmann(Mercedes)-Manchester
TH Bennett (Mercedes)-Blackpool
Thomas Motors(Ford)-Blackpool
Bradshaws(Ford)-Preston

[darronwall]

5 wh said:

Strattons-Wilmslow
Route One Ford-Manchester
Portmann(Mercedes)-Manchester
TH Bennett (Mercedes)-Blackpool
Thomas Motors(Ford)-Blackpool
Bradshaws(Ford)-Preston

you must remember hargreaves and bailey? they used to peddle some lovely old cars

[5 wh]

I dont remember them-where were they based?

[A2Z]

Tom England VW (Crosby Liverpool) - Became Corkills and now ALDI.
John Goulder Renault - Birkdale (near the station)
Ryders Ford - Crosby Liverpool - Only just gone, were Liverpools oldest Ford dealer.
Camerons Rover / MG - Crosby - long since derelict

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There are all the old names associated with Peugeot and Robins & Day - i.e.:

- Glanden Motors, Preston
- Birtwistle, Nortwich
- Tom Garner Motors, Manchester (noticed that had gone the other day!!)

I also remember when MTB Jeep used to be a SEAT dealer, and when Bauer Millet were at their old place on Peter Street.

[sider]

M58 Ford too, in Skelmersdale.

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Also, not a franchise, but does anyone remember Fast Lane Sports cars in Standish?

The 2 owners went their separate ways, one to become Ron Hodgson Specialist Cars, on the other side of Wigan and now at Up Holland; whilst the other moved to Bolton and became Warrender, then relocated to Blackburn, eventually going under and relaunching as SP Motorsport i think, before moving back to Langtree Garage where FLSC were in Standish, and setting up Wicked Kit, again before going under. Not seen much of them for a couple of years since going under.

Also, another local name were Dimma, at Weaverham; now Adamsons Sports and Performance.

Anyone remember when Aidan Piers were quite big too??

[Davel]

Baldwins (British Leyland)- Warrington

Bramhall Motors (Ford) - Warrington

[darronwall]

5 wh said:

I dont remember them-where were they based?

they used to be on king st and alfred st in the cntre of bpool then later on they were opposite st georges school at what now is a carpet showroom,they were a alfa main dealers,also reliant,but always had many,many flashy cars and thinking back ,always had some real oddball stock,they moved to marton and became renault dealers and had a extra showroom built to the right of what now is the carpet shop and this was always full of italian and german exotica.
Do you remember when woodmans used to be a lada main agent by the footy ground?
also there used to be a maserati dealer on ansdell road opposite greens,the car radio shop,cant remember its name tho,may have been R+R but not sure,i can recall going looking at many,meraks,khamsins,kyalamis,and astons and the like,i wager you could buy half of blackpool now with the current value of their stock!! its now a cut price carpet shop!

[5 wh]

darronwall said:

5 wh said:

I dont remember them-where were they based?

they used to be on king st and alfred st in the cntre of bpool then later on they were opposite st georges school at what now is a carpet showroom,they were a alfa main dealers,also reliant,but always had many,many flashy cars and thinking back ,always had some real oddball stock,they moved to marton and became renault dealers and had a extra showroom built to the right of what now is the carpet shop and this was always full of italian and german exotica.
Do you remember when woodmans used to be a lada main agent by the footy ground?
also there used to be a maserati dealer on ansdell road opposite greens,the car radio shop,cant remember its name tho,may have been R+R but not sure,i can recall going looking at many,meraks,khamsins,kyalamis,and astons and the like,i wager you could buy half of blackpool now with the current value of their stock!! its now a cut price carpet shop!

Yes I remember them now,up near the(then)Co-op Hypermarket.They had a white Lotus Esprit with red velour,the first one I'd ever seen 'in the flesh'.I also remembered that they had a red BMW 323i touring car(stripped out interior,spoilers,bonnet held on with clips etc).I tried to get my dad to buy it but he didnt like it.This was probably around 1980.Thinking about it now they also had Reliant Scimitars there too.

I do remember Woodmans near the footy ground,my dad bought a few cars from there.I'd forgotted they also sold Lada's,not a good mix!

I dont remember the Maserati place,that must be a good few years back as well.

[5 wh]

sider said:

There are all the old names associated with Peugeot and Robins & Day - i.e.:

- Glanden Motors, Preston
- Birtwistle, Nortwich
- Tom Garner Motors, Manchester (noticed that had gone the other day!!)

I also remember when MTB Jeep used to be a SEAT dealer, and when Bauer Millet were at their old place on Peter Street.

Glanden Motors had the worst radio ads ever(usually on Red Rose Radio)