Family Cars NI: From Workshop to Forecourt

Josh Heron on Family Cars NI, hard-earned growth, and keeping car sales personal

At Logan’s Fashions Complex on Frosses Road, rows of affordable, well‑prepared cars tell only part of the story. Behind Family Cars NI is a far more personal journey— one shaped by early mornings in a workshop, lessons learned on the tools, and a belief that trust, transparency and reputation are the only things that matter when running a successful business.

 At just 27 years old, Josh Heron is the driving force behind the Northern Ireland dealership. While Josh only started his business in 2019, his passion for the industry stretches back much further. “I grew up around it,” Josh says. “My dad’s been selling cars for about 25 years now, so it was always part of life.”

Josh’s entry into the motor trade wasn’t glamorous. At 16, he knew he wanted to understand cars properly, not just sell them. He enrolled at tech in Ballymena and spent four years training as a mechanic, learning the trade from the workshop floor up. “I wanted to know how things worked,” he explains. “That mattered to me.”

Those early experiences didn’t just give him technical confidence, they earned him respect. Gradually, Josh moved from spanners to spreadsheets, taking on more responsibility for day‑to‑day operations assisting his dad before eventually launching Family Cars NI Ltd as his own venture. “In 2019, I decided to do my own thing,” he says. “Same principles, but my own thing.”

Affordable cars, honest margins

Family Cars NI Ltd has always focused on the accessible end of the market. “Our bread and butter are five to fifteen thousand pounds,” Josh explains. “That’s where most people are comfortable. It’s about value, not flash.”

But running a modern dealership isn’t without pressure. Despite major changes in the industry over two decades, Josh points out that one thing hasn’t shifted much at all: margins. “The margins on cars are pretty much the same as they were 20 years ago,” he says. “But costs—wages, overheads—have gone up tenfold. Staffing is the biggest challenge by far.” getting top quality staff is expensive, but then again, we want the best, so we have to pay the best salary.

Today, the business employs around eight people, with plans to grow further. That growth was one of the key reasons behind a major move. After spending years just outside Ballyclare, the dealership relocated to its current site to create space for expansion. “We’d outgrown the old place,” Josh says. “We were at capacity all the time. Here, we’ve got room for expansion—for staff, for offices, for more Vehicles.”

That stock usually sits at around 80 vehicles, sometimes closer to 100 during busy periods. The team at Family Cars NI Ltd carries out warranty, MOT prep, and repair work for both customers and warranty providers, helping maintain long‑term relationships rather than one‑off sales.

Customers who become friends

Those relationships are something Josh is particularly proud of. Ask him about his most memorable customer experiences and he doesn’t point to a single sale. “It’s the customers who become friends,” he says. “The guy who does all our CCTV bought a Range Rover from us 15 years ago. The guy who handles our electrics bought a Discovery years back. They come through the door—and they never really leave.”

That sense of loyalty reflects the approach Josh believes sets him apart from other used vehicle retailers. “Focus on great service,” he advises buyers. “It’s so easy nowadays to research vehicle types and other dealers. "Know who you’re buying from.” is Josh's best advice. His customer reviews on Google and Facebook etc say the same thing repeatedly.... great quality and value, great customer service.

Built on effort, not ego

Despite working in car sales, Josh is refreshingly honest about his priorities. “I’m not actually obsessed with cars,” he admits with a smile. “I enjoy the business side, the process, the people.” That pragmatism shows in his favourite answers: the best car he’s ever driven? “The one with the most profit.”

If he had to drive one car for the rest of his life, though, the answer comes quickly: a Land Rover Discovery 4. “Big, comfortable,” he says. “That probably sums me up.”

Josh doesn’t point to a single role model or industry legend. Instead, his philosophy is simple and relentlessly practical. “Just keep working. Keep the pressure on. Do more than you’re asked. Learn things before you think you need them—because when the time comes, you’re ready.”

That work ethic often goes unseen, he admits. Late nights on the laptop. Sunday afternoons catching up on paperwork. “There’s a lot that happens in the background that even the staff don’t see,” he says. “But that’s what keeps everything moving.”

Rooted in the community

Beyond the forecourt, Family Cars NI Ltd remains closely tied to the local community, sponsoring Ballymena Rugby Club, Ballyclare Rugby Club and Gracehill Golf Club. For Josh, that connection matters just as much as sales figures.

Open Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings, the dealership continues to grow steadily—without losing sight of where it came from. From an 11‑year‑old selling his first car under his dad’s watchful eye to a business owner building a modern dealership, Josh Heron’s journey is proof that in an industry often criticised for cutting corners, consistency and effort still count.

And as he puts it simply: “If you keep going, you’ll get there.”