In our final UK Blog Awards profile, we spoke to The Used Car Guy himself – Marcus Rockey. Bringing honest and informative advice to anyone looking at purchasing a used car, the Used Car Guy blog is a fantastic resource. If you like this, make sure you read the rest of our UK Blog Award profiles.

Marcus Rockey, The Used Car Guy

http://theusedcarguy.co.uk/

About The Blogger

My name is Marcus Rockey and I run a popular blog known as The Used Car Guy. The blog was inspired by a childhood and lifetime of working in the used car industry in Bristol. Over the years I have learned every trick in the book when it comes to buying and selling used cars. With a head full of secrets, tips, tricks and insider knowledge I decided to share my experiences with people that needed it the most, private car buyers and sellers.

My unique skill set is shared throughout my blog in the form of free guides about how to buy or sell a used car, unknown financing options, vehicle checks and a lot more. With over 5,000 Facebook followers and 8,000 unique website visitors every month, The Used Car Guy has become a go to resource for the UK’s private car buyers and sellers.

Cars and driving were my first love. Because my father was an international rally driver I grew up around some of the best cars imaginable. My favourite was his works Escort Mexico RS 1800. I remember the huge roll cage, seat harnesses and thick steel rims and tyres that seemed fit for a tractor much less a rally car.

First Car

I grew up in a village outside of Bristol, and all I longed for was the day I’d pass my test and get my first car. It was a 1980 Ford Fiesta 950cc in dark blue. No head rests, 4 speed gear box and 13 inch wheels. I loved my Fiesta and spent endless hours improving its look and feel. Unlike most teenagers, a big stereo system was not on my list of priorities. For me it was all about the joy of driving and escaping the boring village I grew up in. I spent endless evenings coasting the countryside, doing what I did best – Driving.

Current Car

Having spent my whole life in the motor trade I have driven more cars than your average guy or gal.
Today I drive a leased Renault Megan Scenic 1.5DCI Tom Tom in metallic grey. A car like this can only mean one thing can’t it? I have a young family. Safety and economy have overridden the thirst for speed and street cred.

My youngest daughter insisted on having a car with individual back seats, instead of the usual bench style seats you get on most hatchbacks or saloons. Plus we have two dogs and the Scenic has the perfect boot space for them too. My Renault does around 50 MPG, is ultra-reliable and is really the perfect car for the family. We’re due for an upgrade this August and I am thinking about the new Nissan Qashqai as a replacement.

Dream Car

Of all the cars I’ve driven over the years my favourite has to have been back in 1995. Vauxhall once made a Cavalier 2.0 GSI 2000. At that time the car was extremely popular. It was super quick (150 BHP), affordable and looked great.

Vauxhall manufactured the GSI in just five colours, metallic black, metallic dark blue and metallic silver, metallic red and metallic grey. They made a 2 wheel drive and 4 wheel drive version. But the two wheel drive was definitely faster because it carried a smaller load. The GSI was an honour to drive and it was the first time I had topped 130 MPH! If I could relive any car from the past it would probably be the Cavalier GSI.

My all-time dream car? There can be only one, a 1968 Austin Mini 999cc, preferably in white and in mint condition. I first fell in love with classic minis after watching the original Italian Job movie with Michael Caine. If by some miracle you haven’t seen the film, it’s a comic caper movie about a plan to steal a gold bullion shipment from the streets of Turin by creating a traffic jam. To get the gold out of Turin are three classic minis, red, white and blue, that transport the gold to safety.

Classic minis are iconic, classy and great fun to drive. Finding one in first class condition is damn hard. You can expect to pay around £30,000 for a pristine Austin Mini, should you be lucky enough. The Mini tells a story of classic British engineering coupled with style in bucketful’s. Much like my fiancé, they will always have my heart.

Thank you Marcus! If you are looking to buy a used car and looking for some advice, The Used Car Guy blogreally is a wealth of information. You can also find him on facebook and twitter.

That’s it for our UK Blog award profiles. Good luck to The Used Car Guy, Take To The Road, The Car Spy and Motor Martin at this year’s awards.