The Used Car Roadshow

Jason Dawe and Penny Mallory have been presenting The Used Car Roadshow on its travels throughout the UK during the summer. They have been meeting buyers and sellers alike, offering tips and advice and revealing just how to get more car for your money. The show is being broadcast on Sky’s Men and Motors channel and is scheduled to continue right up until just before Christmas 2005.

As a representative of Regtransfers, I was invited along to Ripley Castle near Harrogate on 7 August 2005 as a contributor to this episode of the show when the issue of number plates would be raised. As an invited ‘expert’ I was duly quizzed about the value of a selection of interesting number plates displayed on some of the cars exhibiting on the day. It went well I was told but at the time of writing I hadn’t seen my handywork.

Once filming had finished I was able to talk to both Jason and Penny and explain what Regtransfers is all about. It transpires that my knowledge and enthusiasm for number plates must have worked as shortly afterwards both presenters were after buying their very own personal registrations. Jason purchased: D4 WEJ andJA55 UND for use now and on a new car in future. He also bought D8 UTH for his wife Ruth Dawe.

We met up once again on Sunday, 4 September 2005 on Trax Day at Silverstone race track. When they broke for a brief lunch break I asked Jason what prompted him to by these particular number plates.

“I always admired nice plates and had seen some crackers over the years,” Jason enthuses. “After being shown the Regtransfers magazine at Harrogate I went straight to your website and searched around for hours and was amazed by some of the great plates and prices. A friend of mine, Malcolm Earp, bought a great plate,E4 RPM for his Mercedes. I thought it looked so good I decided to find one for myself and even more so for my wife. Her registration had the letters RTA (Road Traffic Accident) on it, which we didn’t like for obvious reasons and so it had to change.

"After finding one or two registrations on your website I called Len, your marketing manager, who came up with some really good alternatives. I was so happy with his ideas and the prices that I ended up buying three. The good thing is that although I change my cars quite often, the registration will stay the same from now on. An added bonus is that this has also solved the Christmas gift idea for my parents.”

Penny, on the other hand, bought just one registration BO55 TEA. This will be used in the near future (when she gets a new car) and represents a new business venture she is heading up with her husband, Paul Hembery and friend Nick Green. They aim to create a chain of British Tea Shops aptly named ‘Tea-Total’ and Penny says the number plate will be “a total and utter reward for all her hard work as well as a great investment. I didn’t think I would ever buy one, but it has been quite fun really. I didn’t even need to persuade my husband as he just loved the idea.” Penny concluded: “The whole buying process was painless, quick and easy and was sorted out in one friendly phone call by one of your sales negotiators named Ian.”

Both presenters have their own websites, Penny can be found at www.pennymallory.co.uk where she provides a comprehensive background that has brought her to where she is today - one of TV’s best presenters and motoring correspondents. Jason is not far away at www.jasondawe.com. A place that not only gives you a great insight into the man as a TV presenter, journalist and motoring correspondent, but is also extremely informative for anyone into buying or selling cars.

Just getting back to our last meeting at Silverstone on 4 September 2005, the one thing that struck me about both Jason and Penny was how nice they both were. That was until they ended up in a tug of war over a number plate I had taken along for their comments. It just shows how personal number plates can really change your outlook on life, and the photograph was taken to prove it.

Len Stout, Marketing Manager, Regtransfers