Stirling Job 

[prev] …spec, too. So, for example, if you’re looking for a BMW 3 Series you may have a choice of several cars and choose one simply because it’s got leather seats or an in-built satnav. People are very targeted these days!

COULD THERE COME A POINT WHEN SO MUCH OF YOUR TRADE IS DERIVED FROM ONLINE SEARCHES THAT A PHYSICAL RETAIL UNIT BECOMES SUPERFLUOUS?
I think you still need a good presence for the local market. People still like to walk around and look at cars. It’s still very much a hands-on thing.

WHAT ARE PEOPLE DEMANDING THESE DAYS?
High spec and service history, which reinforces our decision to only source cars that have been looked after. The question 99% of people ask is ‘what’s the service history like?’. If the service history isn’t right, they won’t buy. Cosmetic defects can always be rectified but you can’t change a service history.

IS THERE A DANGER YOU’RE LIMITING YOURSELF BY TARGETING JUST THE HIGHER END OF THE MARKET?
There are thousands of, say, Ford Kas available, whereas some of the cars we sell are more limited. We will sell cars of which there may be only one or two of that type across the whole country. While that limits your customer base, what we have is a niche. We also source cars, so if there’s something we don’t have, or if a customer wants it in a different colour or with different wheels, we can use our contacts to find exactly what they are after.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR STIRLING CARS?
I don’t like standing still, so I would like to expand and get more prestige cars in. I like cars – and judging by our first two years, so do lots of other motorists!

STIRLING CARS (PETERBOROUGH) LTD 67 South Street, Stanground, Peterborough PE2 8EY. 01733 564953, www.stirlingcars.co.uk