Criteria Cars

21/11/2025

🚗 A Quick Question for my Amazing Customers…

Over the last 4 years, many of you will have received text messages from “Frankie” at the dealership, checking in after your purchase, asking for ratings, asking if you're ready to upgrade or sell your cars etc.

What you might not know is this:
👉 Most of those messages were actually powered by AI, working behind the scenes using the exact tone, service style, and friendliness you would expect from me. I would often step in after a few exchanges but they were mainly instigated by the AI

Now as a shareholder & director of that AI business, I'm personally doing some research to improve the experience even further for customers and other dealerships, so i'd love your honest thoughts…

💬 Did you know the messages were automated?
💬 How did they feel to you, natural? Helpful? Quick?
💬 Did they make it easier to stay in touch with us?

Your feedback will help us shape how we communicate in the future, so feel free to comment below or drop us a message privately.

Thanks as always for your support.

Ben

28/10/2025

❤️ A Personal Thank You, from Me

After almost 18 unforgettable years, the last car leaves the forecourt today and makes its way to a dealer in South Wales. So it’s time for me to say goodbye to Criteria Cars.

It’s hard to believe how much has happened since the early days, the long hours, the freezing forecourts, the handshakes, the test drives and, most importantly, the people. Over the years, many of you started as customers and ended up as genuine friends. Some of you have liked and shared my posts from the very beginning, and others have trusted me enough to buy 14 cars from me over that time, which still blows my mind.

I can honestly say I’ve loved every part of it (well, nearly every part!). The laughs, the challenges, the stories, all of it has made these 18 years something I’ll always be proud of.

Although Criteria Cars is closing, it’s not the end of the road for me. I’ll still be around in the motor world through Motor Mentor, helping people who feel unsure or nervous about buying cars elsewhere, offering advice, reassurance, and digital downloads to help them understand their consumer rights.

And for those in the trade, my new project MotorTrade.AI will focus on helping dealers strengthen their customer relationships and generate quality leads, something I’m really passionate about building.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me, trusted me, and been part of this journey. Not forgetting Shaun, Danny, My Mum, Dad and my Wife. You’ve all played a part in something special, and I’ll never forget it.

Ben 🚗

(pic, newspaper article Jan 2008)

04/10/2025

For about a year now I have offered digital downloads to assist consumers. Now after all your lovely comments, I’ve had this idea. I have made so many great contacts over the years, I could probably assist you from all over the country. Give me a follow and maybe I can still help you all at some point in the future. https://www.facebook.com/share/1FVvKAxqkD/?mibextid=wwXIfr

18/09/2025

🚗 2020 MINI Countryman 1.5 COOPER CLASSIC – Character, Comfort, and Cooper Cool

💷 £10,499

💡 Big MINI energy! Looking for something practical, premium, and packed with personality?

This Countryman Cooper Classic is everything you’d expect from a MINI, but with extra space and serious style.

🛠 Key Features:
✅ Satellite Navigation
✅ Bluetooth Handsfree + DAB Radio
✅ Cruise Control
✅ Air Conditioning
✅ Parking Sensors
✅ USB Port & Aux (iPodcompatible)
✅ Privacy Glass

📍 Grey, 5-door Hatchback
🛞 85,000 miles | ⚙️ Manual Gearbox
🛢️ 1.5L Petrol | ✅ ULEZ Compliant

🔧 Comes with Service History, Full MoT and an independent Pre-Delivery Inspection

This Countryman blends MINI charm with proper grown-up practicality.
Perfect for school runs, road trips, or just showing up in style at the local car park.

📍 Available now at Criteria Cars, Ely near Cambridge

📞 01353 863699

17/09/2025

Cracking new 5 star Google Review left for us last night, check this out;

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 20 hours ago - New

During many years of car ownership, maintenance and for a time in my youth, classic car restoration, I have developed a healthy scepticism of the motor trade in general. Of course dealers will also have a healthy scepticism of the public having to deal with unreasonable car purchasers and time wasters on occasion!
Therefore I am very pleased to report that Ben the owner of Criteria Cars made the purchase of a low mileage one owner Honda car for my wife and I a very professional, honest, and straightforward process. We had already honed down a narrow selection of the cars and model we would buy, before viewing Criteria Cars web page. As we live over one hundred and fifty miles away from Ely, Ben made the process easy for us by providing extremely detailed and accurate car photographs and descriptions on his web pages. The photos covered all panels of the car, the tyres, all the interior, as well as the boot and unusually as most dealers don’t do this, a clear close up of the engine bay. Providing such detailed photos makes good business sense for a modest business to avoid disappointment. Unlike many cars for sale on the web everything I could see from these web photos of the car turned out to be entirely accurate in real life, (Either by accident or design he included a couple of extremely minor paint blemishes in close up which he could have easily edited out if he had wanted). Good popular low mileage cars with a reputation for reliability sell quickly. Therefore having contacted Ben about the car I placed a returnable deposit on it and arranged an accurate appointment time with him beforehand.
As Ben runs a modest operation, it clearly makes sense to
give him a courtesy call on the day to confirm you are on your way or if you are delayed by travel disruptions…. At the appointment, Ben, correctly sensing I would be thorough, and not want salesman patter, left me with the car to check it all over and let the car do the selling to me. He was helpful to my wife and made her a cup of tea and we both felt at ease in his company. Unlike main dealers who are often coy with the paperwork and spend most of the time trying to sell you insurance and extras, Ben let me read the file uninterrupted and answered all my questions without being pushy. We took the car for a trial run and then confirmed the deal. The car was already priced very competitively, and I knew before going that the price wouldn’t be lowered. A new MOT and a minor service was included. I was surprised and pleased on collection after its service and MOT that the battery had also been replaced. I had commented on at inspection that it would probably be due for replacement within a year due to it being the original Honda one. We have now owned the car for nearly four months and have driven over three thousand miles in it. My local independent garage also has given it a complete examination and clean bill of health. If either my wife or I ever purchase another car I would certainly contact Ben again to see if he could source another good’un for us.

16/09/2025

🚙 2019 Jeep Renegade 1.0 LIMITED – Stylish, Smart & Seriously Cool

📍 Available now at Criteria Cars, Ely near Cambridge

💷 £9,999

Looking for a rugged head-turner with all the luxury extras?
This Jeep Renegade LIMITED ticks every box, comfort, capability, and charisma in one sleek black package.

🔥 High Spec Highlights:
✔️ Full Heated Leather Interior
✔️ Heated Steering Wheel
✔️ Satellite Navigation
✔️ Bluetooth Handsfree & DAB Radio
✔️ Cruise Control
✔️ Air Conditioning
✔️ Privacy Glass & Parking Sensors
✔️ USB + Aux Connectivity

🛠️ 1.0L Turbo Petrol
📉 ULEZ Compliant
🧾 Service history included
🔧 Price includes a Pre-Delivery Inspection & MoT until April 2026

📍 65,000 miles | ⚙️ Manual Gearbox | 🚘 5-door Estate

Whether you're cruising through town or heading out on an adventure, the Renegade delivers a unique blend of rugged charm and premium comfort.

🖤 Rare to find in this spec and condition, especially at this price!

16/09/2025

12/09/2025

Some great new arrivals:

02/09/2025

💥 2021 ‘New Shape’ Vauxhall Corsa SE 1.5 TD 💥

🚗 Incredibly Priced – Just £6,999!

📍 Available now at Criteria Cars, Ely near Cambridge

Looking for a sharp looking, modern hatchback that’s cheap to run and packed with tech?

This new shape Corsa offers massive value for money!

🔹 1.5L Turbo Diesel – 70.6mpg combined
🔹 ULEZ Compliant
🔹 Pre-delivery inspection + Full MoT
🔹 Service History
🔹 2021 plate – facelift model

⚙️ Key Features:
✅ CarPlay
✅ Bluetooth Handsfree
✅ USB & DAB Radio
✅ Cruise Control
✅ Air Conditioning
✅ 5 Door Practicality

💡 With low running costs, modern styling, and a price that makes it one of the cheapest 2021 Corsa models available, this is a no-brainer for anyone after reliable, economical motoring without compromise.

📍 96,000 miles
💷 £6,999

Snap up a new shape bargain while you can!

27/08/2025

🔥 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line 2.0 TDI Bluemotion Tech 4MOTION DSG 🔥

📍 Available now at Criteria Cars, Ely near Cambridge

Looking for the ultimate all-weather SUV that looks just as good pulling up at the gym as it does powering through country lanes?
Say hello to this Tiguan R-Line 4MOTION – powerful, practical, and properly loaded.

✅ 2.0 TDI – 4MOTION All-Wheel Drive
✅ DSG Automatic – smooth & responsive
✅ R-Line styling – sharp, sporty looks
✅ Recent new cam-belt kit 💪
✅ Service history included
✅ independent Pre-delivery inspection & MoT July 2026

💡 Spec Highlights:
🛰️ Sat Nav
📱 Bluetooth Handsfree
📻 DAB Radio | CD/MP3 | USB & Aux input
🅿️ Parking Sensors
🌬️ Air Conditioning
🎯 Cruise Control
🕶️ Privacy Glass
🛻 Tow Bar

📌 ULEZ Compliant
📈 Combined MPG: 47.1
🧾 Road tax: £145.75 / £265
📍 106,000 miles

💷 £9,299

This one ticks all the boxes for a smart family SUV or a capable all-rounder for active lifestyles.

Come see it before someone else drives off with it! 🚙💨

21/08/2025

🖤 Honda CR-V 1.6 I-DTEC BLACK EDITION – Stealth Mode: Activated 🖤

📍 Now available at Criteria Cars, Ely near Cambridge

Looking for something that turns heads without shouting about it?

Meet this rare Black Edition CR-V – sleek, stylish, and seriously well-spec’d. One owner. Automatic. Full leather. Shadowy good looks. It’s basically a ninja in SUV form.

🖤 Why this Black Edition stands out:
✔️ Stealthy body styling kit
✔️ One owner, always a good sign
✔️ Full Leather Interior for max comfort
✔️ Auto gearbox, smooth & effortless
✔️ Reversing camera + parking sensors
✔️ Sat Nav, DAB, Bluetooth, USB & more
✔️ Roof rails, rugged meets refined

📅 MoT until April 2026
🛠️ Includes service history and an independent pre-delivery inspection

📦 ULEZ Compliant & impressively economical – 55.4mpg

📍 Just 63,000 miles
💰 £14,499

📸 Pictures don’t do it justice – come see this understated Honda in the metal.

20/08/2025

🎉 Renault Wind 1.1 GT Line TCE – Top Down, Thumbs Up! 🌬️🌞

📍 Now in stock at Criteria Cars, Ely near Cambridge

🌀 The Renault Wind – yes, it’s a real car… and yes, it’s as fun as it sounds.

It’s quirky, it's rare, and it’s back on our forecourt for the third time, like a boomerang with alloy wheels.

We've sold this exact car twice before, and both owners have looked after it beautifully. It's now ready to make someone else's summer seriously cool.

🖤 Highlights include:
🚗 Rare 2-seater convertible
🔥 GT Line spec with half leather trim
📦 Bluetooth, USB & AUX
🌬️ Air Con to complement the open roof

🛠️ Full MoT, service history, new cambelt kit & independent pre-delivery check included

🛞 Alloy wheels & sporty styling
🚦 Cruise Control, because even fun needs convenience

💸 All this for just £2,999!

📉 ULEZ Compliant and returns over 44mpg

💬 It might be small, but it’s full of character, just like your favourite pub dog or that one aunt who drinks espresso martinis before lunch.

📸 Check out the pics – she's a looker.

🗣️ Fancy a viewing or test drive? Get in touch before someone else snatches this little legend!