A retailer director has spoken out against LingsCars founder Ling Valentine, saying that all members of the automotive retail community need to work together.

Andrew Sparshatt, sales director at Sparshatts of Kent, was retaliating to Valentine’s statement in the last issue of AM when she claimed that car retailers are too expensive.

Sparshatt says: “I’m sure when customers are unsure of which model to lease from her she suggests they go down to their local showroom and test drive the model in question.”

Sparshatt believes that dealerships provide customers with a service that entrepreneurs such as Valentine can’t compete with.

“We have trained staff as well as all the proper tools to deal with customers and their cars,” he says.

“Why attack us when we’re the people working on her behalf?

“I’m all for competition, but when will people like Ling realize that she and her customers need dealerships?”