BRILLIANT customer service and market-busting prices have kept pensioner Alan Clinch going back to the same car dealership in St Albans for more than 30 years – despite now living more than 40 miles away.

In his most recent visit to Evans Halshaw in Ashley Road, the 80 year old and his family snapped up an incredible six vehicles to bring the total number of cars bought from the dealership over the past three decades up to around 60.

Mr Clinch, who met his wife Avis when they both worked at the RAF base in Bedfordshire during the war, bought his first car from the dealership in the 1980s when the couple lived in Harpenden and, although they moved to Northampton soon after, he has returned to Evans Halshaw for every new car.

Over the years he has driven Novas, Astras, Chevettes and Corsas off the forecourt and back home to East Hunsbury.

In the past five years alone, Mr Clinch has bought five new vehicles for himself but Mrs Clinch paid for the most recent purchase – a silver Corsa with the new 60 number plate – as a present to celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary.

And the relationship with Evans Halshaw has continued throughout the family – four of Mr and Mrs Clinch’s five children and five of their grandchildren have travelled from as far as Hull to buy a total of 27 cars from the dealership in the past five years between them.

Mr Clinch, who worked in security at the Vauxhall plant in Luton for many years, said: “They treat us very well, we can’t praise them enough and all the children and grandchildren are very happy with the service as well.

“When we ring them they know who we are and call us by our first names.”

He added: “It is without question the cheapest by a good few hundred pounds, so it’s worth us coming all the way down financially as well as the fact we like them there.

“We sit in their office and we are well looked after.”

Daniella Webb, new car business manager at Evans Halshaw Vauxhall and Chevrolet St Albans, said of the Clinch family: “We would like to thank them for their loyal custom and we will endeavour to continue supplying cars to them for many years to come.”

And with 10 grandchildren, one great-grandchild and another on the way, there’s every chance of the family tradition continuing for more generations to come.