Join Sam Grange Bailey (The Old Car Lady) for her conversation with Anthony Kearsley, a well-known classic car collector, star of Channel 4's 'Handcuffed', and owner of Auto Couture. This episode charts Anthony's incredible journey from selling Austin Maestros in the Lake District to dealing with the rich and famous at Jack Barclay in London.

Anthony shares hilarious and often unbelievable stories from his early days, including blowing up a customer's Metro, accidentally selling a Fiat X1/9 to a 17-year-old with no finance checks, and getting sacked for being "no good" at the job. We hear how his grandmother saved the day, landing him a new job at a BMW dealership and setting him on a path that would eventually lead to Seattle, where he famously sold Bill Gates an Audi instead of a Porsche 911!

Featured Stories

The Austin Maestro Launch - Started his career on the launch night of the Maestro in 1983.

The Blown-Up Metro - Mistook a customer's car for a demonstrator and thrashed it to Preston and back, blowing the engine.

The £3.5m Handshake - Shook on a deal to buy a Honda dealership for £3.5m with only £100k in the bank.

The £50k Rolls-Royce Cushions - A famous client complained her new Rolls-Royce Seraph seats were too hard. After two attempts and £50,000 spent on softer stuffing, Anthony finally told her what "hard" really was.

What You'll Learn

How a childhood spent selling imaginary cars in his uncle's Citroën dealership set the stage for a life in the motor trade.

Why having assets doesn't mean you have cash.

What it was like working in the US motor trade in the 90s (pure Pendle system).

How he turned down the Starbucks franchise for the UK in 1989.

Why he was ostracised by colleagues when he joined the Rolls-Royce division.

Key Questions

What was it like selling cars in the 1980s? It was a different world. Strict sales territories meant you couldn't sell to someone outside your area without permission. Cars were going up in value, and the launch of a new model like the Austin Maestro was a huge event. There was a real ceremony to the August 1st registration change.

Who were some of your most memorable customers at Jack Barclay? Shirley Bassey, Cilla Black (hard work!), Princess Margaret (horrendous), the Dalai Lama (who asked for a taxi), and Julio Iglesias. Anthony learned that with very powerful people, you must stand up to them and not be starstruck.

A Nod to

Pilkington's of Bolton - His family's BL, Peugeot & Citroën dealership.

Rayrigg Motors - His first job selling Austin Rover.

Bateman BMW Windermere - His second job, where he fell in love with BMWs.

Jack Barclay, London - Where his Rolls-Royce & Bentley career took off.

Auto Couture - His current business: autocouture.co.uk.

Get in Touch

📧 grangebaileys@gmail.com

💬 WhatsApp: 07405 813554

📸 Instagram: @the_old_car_lady

🎬 TikTok, Facebook & YouTube: The Old Car Lady

#AnthonyKearsley #AutoCouture #JackBarclay #RollsRoyce #Bentley #ClassicCars #CarStories #TheOldCarLady #WheelsAndDeals #MotorTrade

Produced By Worth A Listen Productions