Wight Motors History

Wight Motors Ltd was started as a Motor business by Stephen Day in 1926 in Pyle Street, Newport, and moved to the Ryde premises in 1931.  Originally built as a slaughterhouse, it was formerly known as the Theatre Royal Garage as it sat behind the local Theatre in the High Street.  The theatre burnt down in the late 1930's and is now the Nat West Bank building.  Wight Motors Ryde had showroom facilities in both Garfield Road  and the main High Street and both during and shortly after the 2nd World War, ran Daimler cars as the last remaining private ambulance service in the UK: it wasn't uncommon for mechanics to have to drop their tools and drive off to assist in an accident!

In 2006, we were proud to celebrate 80 years of service to the Island Motorist. Originally the principal Rootes Group Dealer for the Island, changes of Franchise in the 80 year history have included Ford, Buick, Clyno, Humber, Rootes group cars, Peugeot, Daihatsu and presently Toyota, Seat & Hyundai.

The Ryde Story...
At Ryde, large workshops linked both showroom areas which ran from Garfield Road where a showroom and petrol pumps were situated right through to the top of Lind Hill, almost opposite Ryde Town Hall. In the 1980's & 90's, Wight Motors ran a 30-strong car hire fleet which included vans and minibuses and also had its own bodyshop and motor retail shop. During the early 1980's, when Peugeot merged with the Rootes group, it was felt time for a change and the Directors took in the Ford franchise. After only 1 year, in 1984, changes happened again when Toyota, already a successful and growing Franchise at Sandown, was also installed into the Garfield Road showroom and within 5 years, another Japanese brand, Daihatsu, was established into the Lind Hill part of the building with the creation of a new showroom and service area.  After 10 years however, it was felt that there should be only one Toyota outlet for the Island, so leaving the brand operating at Sandown, yet another Franchise was ‘adopted' at Ryde –the Korean brand HYUNDAI.  Also, after 13 years with Daihatsu, it was felt that the Franchise was suffering with lack of model choices,  so the Spanish brand of SEAT, part of the VW group, was added to the Company and we continued instead as a Daihatsu service agent.  With increasing difficulty in finding enough parking as the new franchises grew, it was decided in 2005 to move the entire operation to the College Close site.

The Sandown Story – so far...
In May 1975, the company opened a new "Wight Motors" branch at College Close, Sandown and acquired the Toyota Franchise in May 1976. Extended showrooms were added, together with a bodyshop and large workshop facility. Wight Motors has now held the Toyota Franchise at Sandown for more than 30 years.  In 2002, Toyota designed a special "Retail Concept" within the existing showroom to encourage potential car buyers to purchase their new car in comfort, ease and style.  With our while-you-wait service, customers can now sit in a comfortable designated area whilst their car is in the workshop and enjoy watching TV, have refreshments, find information on an internet PC, test their games skill on a Playstation, read the paper, or perhaps just browse amongst the latest Toyota models. Children also have a special play area with beanbags and their own DVD TV to watch their favourite films. 

In March 2005, Wight Motors Ryde moved to Sandown into a brand new showroom & workshop facility with shared Franchises of SEAT & HYUNDAI alongside the already very successful Toyota operation.  A new name was created - "WIGHT MOTORS CARZONE" to encompass the 1-acre site facility which now displays at least 50 or more used cars and almost as many new cars & demonstrators at any one time.  Always moving forward, in 2007, a Toyota Business Centre specialising in commercial and fleet vehicles was added, giving the Island motorist the biggest choice of cars, 4WD's vans & trucks compared with any other local Dealer all on one site.

The motto "Forward" first appeared in the local Isle of Wight County Press newspaper advert placed by Stephen Day in 1926 and stated that "...every staff member must live up to their profession, aim to improve their skills and give unfailing courtesy and willing co-operation to clients and colleagues".  In all the years Wight Motors has served the Island motorist, we'd like to think that nothing has really changed that much and as far as company policy goes, with customer satisfaction still remaining our number one priority, our own motto of "Professional Service with the Personal Touch"  continues the dream of our founder.

Company Director: Mr. R.J. Butler FIMI  Mrs B. Butler
Registered in England No. 1958523
Registered Office College Close, Sandown Isle of Wight PO36 8EB
VAT Registration No 109 2036 04