The Isaac Agnew chain of VW main dealers is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year and to help mark this milestone, they are running a rather cool competition. They’re on the hunt for the oldest Volkswagen in Northern Ireland and they’re encouraging owners to share their Dub-related stories and photos. The eventual winner will bag a luxury break and there’s a host of other goodies up for grabs so it’s definitely worth getting involved.
Unearthing the most ancient example still running in the Emerald isle is likely to be no mean feat, which is why VW has specifically asked VW Heritage to support their quest. So a call goes out to all our customers – if you’re the owner of a particularly old VW and live in Northern Ireland get on to Agnew! The competition finishes on 9th October, so you’ll need to move fast.
As it happens, Isaac Agnew was appointed Northern Ireland’s first VW distributor way back in 1953 when the very first 13 cars were delivered to the province which is why they’re so keen to hear peoples’ Veedub-related tales. Said sales director Sydney Pentland: “We’d love to hear about Volkswagens you have owned and loved, going through the decades from the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s. Let us know about the journeys you’ve enjoyed in your Volkswagen, the memories your old car evokes and indeed, how many miles you clocked up.”
The story of Volkswagen and Isaac Agnew traces a path of growth from the original site on Chichester Street, relocating to North Howard Street (1964), then Lisburn Road (1972), and finally to the current dealership location on Boucher Road (1988). Throughout this time, a second Agnew Volkswagen dealership was opened in Mallusk in 1975.
Just to set the benchmark for the competition, Isaac Agnew recently part-ex’d a 1966 Beetle that has been in regular use. The customer traded it for a replacement 2013 model. During the 47 year history of this car it has covered a staggering 208,000 miles. The 1966 car will be displayed in the Agnew showroom from Wednesday, 25th September. Photos and stories received as part of the competition will also be displayed.
Whoever owns the oldest VW still running in Northern Ireland will receive the prize of a luxury weekend for two at Lough Erne Resort and Spa in Co Fermanagh. For two runners-up, there’s a second prize of £100 to spend on VW accessories including items from the Heritage collection. Said Sydney: “We may even throw in spot prizes for the best stories received!”
All you need to do to enter is to send your stories and photographs via email to 60years@agnews.co.uk, post on the Agnew Facebook page at www.fb.com/isaacagnewvolkswagen or Tweet @IsaacAgnewGroup. Alternatively, send in by mail to Tracey McClelland at Isaac Agnew, 1 Boucher Road, Belfast BT12 6HR. For every entry and story they receive, they will make a contribution to Marie Curie Cancer.
Come on, let’s see if we can find a VW Heritage customer winner!
Ian