Used car retailer 2 Cheap Cars appoints Huffer founder Daniel Buckley as CEO

Daniel Buckley started in the role of 2 Cheap Cars CEO on August 15. Photo / Supplied

One of New Zealand's largest used car retailers has appointed the founder of streetwear brand Huffer as its new chief executive.

Daniel Buckley, who started the clothing line in 1995 while studying at university, took over the reins as CEO of 2 Cheap Cars at the end of last week.

The nationwide 17-dealership chain accounts for almost 10 per cent of every imported car sold throughout the country.

Company director Eugene Williams who founded 2 Cheap Cars in 2011, along with chief operating officer Yusuke Sena, said Buckley would support the business' expansion.

"We have had significant growth in recent years and the next stage for us is introducing the support and training infrastructure necessary to maintain the highest levels of customer satisfaction - Daniel's experience in retail and business management will be fundamental to us implementing that," Williams said.

Buckley, who sold out of Huffer in 2011, has been operating homeware business Everyday Needs with two retail stores and an online store since 2016. Prior to that he was running another clothing business he started, Thing Thing, which he sold in 2015.

Buckley said the principles of retail were universal and he would use his background and retail experience to steer 2 Cheap Cars through its next stage of growth.

He said, like the clothing industry, car retailers, needed to look at how they manage themselves on a social, environmental, cross cultural and ethical level.

2 Cheap Cars operates a vehicle buying business in Japan called Car Plus, which is how it has been able to grow its dealership present so quickly in this country. The offshore buying entity ensures the dealership is able to secure a wide range of product suitable for the New Zealand market.

In the past 12 months 2 Cheap Cars has opened three new dealerships in Petone, Hastings and Christchurch.