The AA has bought the used car classifieds website VCARS, four years since they formed a partnership which led to AA Cars.

The AA said this purchase is the culmination of that partnership and will see dealers gaining more immediate access to the AA’s 13 million customers as it officially moves onto the www.theaa.com web domain.

 Dealers will also benefit from the increased visibility offered by visits to the AA’s website, including the eight million who use the AA Route Planner on a monthly basis, it said.

The AA wants to grow its dealer proposition by further investing in the site and promoting unique initiatives such as: AA Breakdown cover on every car, thousands of AA member car reviews, car buying advice, AA Approved Dealers, AA Dealer Promise, AA Car loans and a history check on every listed car.

Simon Benson of AA Cars (pictured), said: “After more than four rewarding years of working closely with VCARS, we’re delighted to be bringing AA Cars fully into the fold.

"This not only gives our dealers the opportunity to benefit from the AA’s unparalleled online visibility but also a chance to build on the unique initiatives that only dealers using our site currently benefit from - such as free breakdown cover for the first 12 months, pre-sale vehicle inspections and a history check on every listed car.

“More of the customer’s car buying journey takes place online - we think it’s a very exciting time to be offering a complete toolkit for dealers looking to take advantage of this shift in purchasing habits.” 

AA Cars will be chaired by Martin Clarke, AA chief finance officer.

Paul Davis, former VCARs chief executive, will continue to work with AA Cars.