One of the North West’s largest independent used car retailers – Cartime – is further strengthening its long-term growth with a £500,000 investment into its Bury-based aftersales facility. The project will create up to 10 jobs and bring state-of-the-art servicing technology to the region.
Established in 2012, Cartime operates across three North West locations, with sales showrooms in Bury, Rochdale and Nelson near Burnley, and a 70,000 sq. ft vehicle preparation site in Bury – which it is transforming into a more customer-centric aftercare centre. The car supermarket group stocks on average over 1000 vehicles.
The investment comes as the business continues to expand its footprint across the North West and enjoys buoyant online buying resulting from ongoing consumer-led innovations and flexible finance. By refurbishing its current preparation site, it will cater for increasing demand for vehicle servicing from within the region and customers taking advantage of its industry-leading aftercare packages; Cartime’s ‘Lifetime Warranty’ remains at the core of its success, supported by continual investment in people, technology, and breadth of quality vehicle stock.
Matt Kay, Founder and Cartime Managing Director, said:
“Further investment in Bury is part of our long-term strategy to tailor operations in-line with ever evolving customer needs. Rather than continuing to lease the showroom opposite our Cartime headquarters on Bell Lane, having a dedicated aftersales centre with a customer waiting area and staff based there better suits our current and future plans. The vehicle sales side of the business is well catered for with our three showrooms, website and customer care team, while this move extends our vehicle preparation and after-purchase support.
It’s also about giving our customers and staff the very best facilities, future-proofing our business, and creating new career opportunities locally. While we are expanding our customer base nationally through digital channels, our home is firmly in the North West, and this £500,000 investment demonstrates our long-term commitment to the region.”
Kay added: “The business has had a fantastic couple of years – we’ve continued to grow our sales talent, launched a new site at Nelson and invested heavily in technology, including AI to streamline online journeys. Continued re-investment underscores our confidence in both our own brand and demand for a more modern way to buy a used within the region.
“Despite the noise, the used car market still has real headroom – customers want value, immediacy and trust. With data-led stock availability and smarter digital retail, we’ll grow by offering well-prepared cars, transparent pricing and aftersales that keeps people coming back.”
Set to be completed in six to eight months, the new aftersales centre will feature:
- Advanced diagnostic technologyto support the latest hybrid and electric vehicles
- Streamlined workflows and expanded service bays to reduce turnaround times and improve customer experience
- Upgraded waiting areas, transparent service updates, and improved booking systems to enhance customer experience
- Eco-friendly, sustainability-focused technology to reduce environmental impact
Cartime’s services will continue as normal while the work is undertaken.
