New branch ready for city

Turners Auto Retail’s new Hornby branch in Christchurch is scheduled to open on April 16. 

It builds on the company’s existing presence in the region and will offer a full-service Turners Cars site, including vehicle buying and selling, and finance and insurance services.

While the primary focus will be on retail sales, the branch will also host one or two auctions per week depending on volumes. 

It’s a large site with about 200 cars available for sale at any given time with an extra 60 vehicles being prepared for sale, and customers will have access to Turners’ nationwide network of nearly 3,000 vehicles.

The Hornby branch is one of three new sites opening in Christchurch along with Moorhouse Avenue in May and Wairakei Road in July. As part of this shift, Turners’ existing Detroit Place branch will close in mid-July.

Turners has identified Christchurch as a key growth area, confident that its model of low prices and high-volume sales will continue to resonate with local customers. 

The Detroit Place branch has enjoyed strong customer support giving plenty of confidence to the decision to expand operations in the region, says Greg Hedgepeth, chief executive officer.

The company’s successful expansions into Nelson and Timaru have been well-received with “significant” market share gained in these regions in a short period.

Turners has been recognised as New Zealand’s most trusted used-vehicle dealership for five consecutive years since the category’s inception by Reader’s Digest. 

Hedgepeth says: “Trust is hard to earn but very easy to lose. We’re proud of our track record and remain vigilant in maintaining it. I know our Christchurch team will continue to deliver excellent value to the region, supported by a wider network dedicated to exceeding customer expectations.

“By focusing on the fundamentals and putting customers first, we’re confident our shift in Christchurch will be a success. 

“Our Detroit Place branch has already built a strong customer base and we look forward to extending that success with our new locations. We’re excited to grow within the local community and are committed to delivering our best from day one.”

Turners would like to extend its gratitude to Armitage Williams Construction, the head contractor on the project, as well as the many local sub-contractors contributing to the new site’s development.