Old NW car dealers

[supra legend]

On the road from Hindley to Wigan there is a place that I think may still be there that always had RS turbo's and Cosworths in. I loved going past that place as a kid.

There was a place on the A6 in Adlington near Chorley who also used to have Cosworths.

The first Sierra Cossie I ever sat in was a 3 door on the A6 again in Westhoughton, Alan Darlingtons? I couldn't believe the dials had 170mph on!

[sider]

The place in Wigan - was it the original Ron Hodgsons garage?

[3024E]

YES,

Ron Hodgsons at Coppull

Brooklands motor company was at adlington, i bought my mk1 RS2000 there when i was 19 at £1750.00
ended up on bbc top gear on an 'escortosis' topic, it was the biker guy from bury that did it Steve berry i think...........

Sold the mk1 2 yrs ago for £11,000

Should have bought 10 of them........

[Pistonho]

There was a place on the A6 in Adlington near Chorley who also used to have Cosworths.

Was this the place that used to sell fast fords/hot hatches back in the 80's - I think it was called Coppull Motors.

[B1G GK]

Red Rose at Adlington wasnt it?

[3024E]

RED ROSE CAME AFTER BROOKLANDS

[Nolar Dog]

B1G GK said:

Red Rose at Adlington wasnt it?

Bought tons of cars from there.

Have we had "Warrender" in Bolton yet?

[Zingari]

Route 56 - Renalu dealers at Old Trafford. 'Get your kicks from Route 56' as advertised on Piccadilly radio!

Anyone remember Transound the car HiFi place I think near Withington when it first started. I think the owner used to have a Panther De Ville. Absolute butchers taking cars apart and talk about rip off if you didn't know what you were looking for!

I remember a mate of mine had a car alarm fitted by them that was supposed to be 'state of the art' Cost him £120+ in the '80s and when we took it apart the 'movement sensor' was like a weighted pendulum that had to touch a metal bar for the alarm to sound - WTF!

[Pistonho]

Nolar Dog said:

B1G GK said:

Red Rose at Adlington wasnt it?

Bought tons of cars from there.

Have we had "Warrender" in Bolton yet?

Warrender - they had a showroom next to the VW (Smith Knight Faye)dealer on Morris Street. Remember they were one of the first garages to bring in Jap imports....skylines/FTO/Evos and Scoobys. They were there for a few years and then I think moved to new premises in Northwich?

[Pistonho]

Found a very old copy of Auto Trader after a clear out of the loft. I have scanned a few pages of some dealer adverts in the new car section. Some may have ceased trading or trading under new names. The garage names should bring back some memories to those of you that were living in the North West in the 80's.

[3024E]

Pistonho said:

Nolar Dog said:

B1G GK said:

Red Rose at Adlington wasnt it?

Bought tons of cars from there.

Have we had "Warrender" in Bolton yet?

Warrender - they had a showroom next to the VW (Smith Knight Faye)dealer on Morris Street. Remember they were one of the first garages to bring in Jap imports....skylines/FTO/Evos and Scoobys. They were there for a few years and then I think moved to new premises in Northwich?

I think they moved a couple of years ago didnt they...



A friend of mine owned BELLCHARM MITSUBISHI in swinton back in the 80/90's

[B1G GK]

3024E said:

Pistonho said:

Nolar Dog said:

B1G GK said:

Red Rose at Adlington wasnt it?

Bought tons of cars from there.

Have we had "Warrender" in Bolton yet?

Warrender - they had a showroom next to the VW (Smith Knight Faye)dealer on Morris Street. Remember they were one of the first garages to bring in Jap imports....skylines/FTO/Evos and Scoobys. They were there for a few years and then I think moved to new premises in Northwich?

I think they moved a couple of years ago didnt they...



A friend of mine owned BELLCHARM MITSUBISHI in swinton back in the 80/90's

Warrenders went bumpety bump didnt they?
I think RC developments kinda came from the same stable as Warrenders.
I think Car Planet (not 100% I am right with the name or on this) has some links back to Warrenders.

[kiwijohn]

Hi Im new here, t is topic is interesting. Living now in NZ I dont get all the latest
news about garages closing but as a former employee of several garages. here's my list forgive me if I duplicate any names. Barbers of Bramhall (Vauxhall).Lookers Bramhall (Leyland).Drakesons Stockport(Lancia). Sydney Harrison Wigan(Peugeot). Rimmers Chorley (Chrysler Mercedes) Colmore Depot Stretford (B.Leyland.).Horwich motor house (BL) Southern brothers Bolton,Preston,Blackburn(BL) Timberlake,(laterBaldwins),Hattons, Wigan Warrington Southport St helens all BL. Watsons Wigan (BL) Mabs cross motors Wigan, Vauxhall, To mention a few

[sider]

Pistonho - excellent post there! Some classic names. I remember the days when Lookers were called Lookers GBE but never remember them just being GBE.

Not dead clear but is that mag dated 04-10 November 1982? If so, the day after, when the next copy was issued for sale was the day when i was born!!

Edited by sider on Wednesday 25th August 22:47

[sider]

Ad reminds me - Mount Motor Company - not the same one but does any one remember Mount Motor Co on the way out of Wigan, towards Westhoughton? Was a Mitsubishi dealer i think.

Also, Talbot Horizon - my Dad had a silver one of thsoe - 5 door, think it was a C reg. It was either that or a brand new Yugo! Wise choice i think.

Remember my Auntie had a Nissan Cherry too. Red one. (ad next to Talbot one).

Edited by sider on Wednesday 25th August 22:51

[dreamz]

cowleys?? i dont know where they were based but i remmeber our first family car was from them

bleasdale toyota - now a shoe shop

[headcase]

John Roberts in Warrington (on the site where rix is now) they used to specialize in hot hatches, you used to get a nice snazzy John Roberts sticker in red/white in the back window :P I think they used to have a branch off the east lancs too.

[crostonian]

As a child of the 80s with an Italian car obsessed father we used to frequent various Alfa dealers - Cubleys of Ainsdale, Westune in Horwich and Starting Grid Motor Co in Westhoughton, there was also one in Denton or Hyde but can't remember the name. Also remember him buying a Lancia off Grosvenor Motors in Preston on Ribbleton Lane and there being a Lancia dealer in Ansdell, perhaps this was the same as the Maser dealer mentionned on an earlier post.

On another note do any of you who have mentionned Fast Lane in Standish remember the Ferrari 328 GTS with the plate E328 GTS, they had it in the showroom with delivery miles on for several years. I remember seeing the Rs200 there also.

[Fane]

crostonian said:

- there was also one in Denton or Hyde but can't remember the name.

That was Woolley Lane Garage in Hollingworth.

[The Infidel]

sider said:

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??

Not only do I remember Fast Lane, I remember years ago when I was a wee nipper going in there to look at an old mini somebody had spent god knows how long covering with old pennies. And a bit later going looking at the RS200 they had for sale. Can even remember how much it was up for...£125K. That was more money than I'd ever even heard of back then! Also remember E328 GTS being in there, and being blown away when it appeared in (I think) Performance Car Magazine a short while later because I'd seen the actual car!

Edited by The Infidel on Wednesday 15th September 23:10