Vehicle Trading Group (VTG) has acquired Trusted Car Buyers, an online car buying service that provides dealers with access to used car stock, direct to their door.

Andrew Hubbard, VTG chief executive, said: “We believe Trusted Car Buyers can take a sizeable share of the online car buying market.

“With the acquisition we have the opportunity to supply our dealers across the UK with another channel to purchase quality used stock.  Already, 34 of our dealers have become Trusted Car Buyers, as it saves them time and money. 

“Rather than having to visit an auction to buy stock, our dealer partners are presented with consumers who are selling their vehicles, via Trusted Car Buyers.  They have the opportunity to acquire quality stock and can fully assess and drive the vehicles, before agreeing to purchase.  What’s more, our dealer partners save on all the associated costs of buying vehicles at auction.

“We will be investing heavily in this area of our business, starting in the first quarter of 2015, with a multi-million pound marketing campaign, to build Trusted Car Buyers as a national consumer brand.  In the New Year, the brand will be advertised across national TV, radio and will be supported by a multi-channel online presence.

Trusted Car Buyers says it can "shake up the online car buying market, with a consumer promise that it will beat the price offered by webuyanycar.com". 

Lance Fisher, director of Trusted Car Buyers, said: “The partnership has resulted in an immediate, positive effect for both VTG and Trusted Car Buyers, allowing us to tap in to a large dealer base. 

"Already we have opened over 30 branches in literally weeks. For VTG, it has meant their dealers are seeing better quality and better priced stock, without leaving their forecourts.

“We are very confident that our promise to beat the price offered by webuyanycar.com will be well received by the public.

"Unsuspecting motorists are often unaware of the true cost of preparation required to bring their cars to a retail condition.

"Our promise is to only make deductions at trade prices.  Therefore if it costs us £50 for a tyre, it will cost the consumer £50 for a tyre too.”