Used car platform Carzam plans December launch

Used car sales website Carzam is preparing to launch in early December, following lockdown related setbacks affecting its planned October debut.

The business, which operates from a preparation centre in Peterborough, is the brainchild of Big Motoring World CEO Peter Waddell and former Cox Automotive International president John Bailey.

It plans to sell ‘reasonably priced’ used cars purely online and deliver them to customers’ homes across the country. Carzam will launch with thousands of used cars on its website, according to its owners.

Peter Waddell – who has coined the phrase ‘from mouse to house’ for the site, said: “We are ready. The cars are prepared and being loaded onto the website and we’re just days away from launch.

“We are waiting for a final few things to fall into place but I have every confidence the site will be up and running in the early part of December.

“I am confident customers will be delighted with the cars they buy from us. They will look and feel like new. A used car is a new car to the buyer and with our quality preparation standards it will feel that way.”

Carzam has a senior management team with extensive motor trade experience. Waddell and Bailey have hired a number of other automotive industry heavyweights including former CarShop director Kirk O’Callaghan as its CEO.

Waddell added: “We’ve got a fantastic website that will sell good quality cars at competitive prices. The senior management team has fantastic experience at all levels of the motor trade – from wholesale to used car retailing. We are really excited about the launch.”

Carzam will join a growing market of existing online used-car platforms such BCA’s cinch, Volkswagen and Daimler-backed heycar, and Cazoo.

Carzam investor John Bailey said: “We are car people with extensive automotive industry experience. We have combined that expertise to create a used car sales website that will accelerate change in this industry.

“We have bought and sold cars as a team for a long time and can see the future is in digital car retailing. That’s why we are launching this site now and we have huge plans for the future.”