Fifty Years on the Road: The McGillions Story

From a handful of cars beside a pub to a trusted family dealership in Sion Mills, McGillions has built its reputation on reliability, relationships and doing business the right way.

When Brian McGillion talks about the motor trade, he does not begin with engines, franchises or forecourts. He begins with people.

For him, the success of PG McGillion Motors Limited has always rested on a simple principle passed down through the family business: treat customers the way you would like to be treated yourself. It is an approach that has carried the Sion Mills dealership through changing markets, changing manufacturers and changing customer needs — and, in 2026, into its 50th year.

From a Side Business to a Sion Mills Landmark

The company, based at 132 Melmount Road, Sion Mills, Strabane, was officially incorporated in June 1976. But its roots go back even further, to the late 1960s, when Brian’s father, Patsy McGillion — also known locally as Patrick or Paddy — began selling cars from the side of a pub he owned.

What started as a side venture quickly proved more than a sideline. The cars sold well, the business grew, and in 1976 the family bought the premises in Sion Mills that would become the long-term home of McGillions.

“It was only a side business,” Brian recalls, “but it became very profitable, so he ended up buying this premises here in Sion Mills.”

A Family Business Built on Education and Work

Brian (53) was around the business from childhood. In those days, there was also a petrol station on site, and he spent nights and Saturdays helping out. Even so, his parents were clear that the next generation should get an education before committing to the family firm.

After completing his A-levels and a degree in business studies, Brian joined McGillions full time. By then, the dealership had already seen major shifts in the motor industry — and more were coming.

From Datsun and Nissan to Ford and Independence

In the mid-to-late 1970s, Patsy McGillion secured the Datsun franchise, later Nissan. It proved a defining move. At a time when many local buyers still gravitated towards British-made names such as Austin, Ford and Vauxhall, Japanese cars were beginning to make their mark.

“They were so reliable,” says Brian. “Ultra-reliable cars, great engines, great gearboxes.”

That reliability helped Datsun, alongside Toyota, gain a strong foothold in Northern Ireland. Later came Nissan, and then a long association with Ford, which would also bring its own period of transformation. The arrival of the Ford Focus in 1998, Brian says, marked “a sea change” in the market, shifting expectations around volume, stock and trade-ins.

Today, McGillions operates as an independent used car dealership, but Brian sees that as evolution rather than reinvention. The badge above the door may have changed over time, but the foundation of the business has not.

People First, Then Cars

Ask Brian what has changed most in the motor trade and he will point to brands, stock profiles and customer lifestyles. Ask him what has stayed the same and the answer is immediate: relationships.

“Fundamentally, the business hasn’t changed,” he says. “It’s a people-based business.”

That belief is reinforced twice a week, when staff meet on Monday and Friday mornings to review the week and look ahead. The reminder is always the same: look after customers properly, treat them with respect, and make sure they leave feeling they have received a good deal.

For many customers, McGillions is not simply a dealership. Some have been coming for decades. Others are the second or third generation of the same family to buy vehicles or return for servicing. Over time, customers have become friends.

A Loyal Team Behind the Forecourt

The same sense of loyalty is reflected inside the business. Although staffing needs have changed since the franchise days, McGillions still has a close-knit team, including two full-time valeters, three workshop staff, Brian himself and long-serving colleague Paul Coyle.

Paul has been part of the business since he was 14, starting out cleaning cars on Saturdays before working his way up. Brian describes him as the dealership’s right-hand man.

“He effectively runs the dealership for us,” Brian says. “He is the business, essentially.”

The workshop tells a similar story. Johnny, the chief mechanic, also started as a young Saturday worker before becoming an apprentice mechanic and training through Ford’s technician programme. John, another key member of the team, has been with the business for nearly 15 years.

That continuity matters in a trade where experienced mechanics and technicians are increasingly difficult to find. Brian says the business would welcome young people keen to come through the industry, but recruitment remains a challenge across the sector.

Newer faces have brought plenty to the team, too. Nicola McNally has been with the company a relatively short time, but she's already become an invaluable part of it. Among her many jobs, Nicola keeps the workshop running smoothly and efficiently, answers and directs every call that comes into the dealership, and is there to meet and greet customers the moment they arrive — often the first friendly face people see.

Tara McHugh has brought a welcome freshness to the dealership's marketing, moving it on from the traditional approach. Like Nicola, she's helped introduce McGillions to a whole new audience, connecting the business with people who might never have come across it otherwise.

Adapting to the Modern Motorist

On the forecourt today, McGillions typically carries around 50 vehicles. The stock ranges from nearly new cars under six months old to vehicles up to around six years old. Beyond that, Brian says, the dealership generally does not retail them.

That mix reflects one of the biggest changes in the business over the past decade. Where McGillions was once predominantly a new car dealership, used cars now form a much larger part of the operation.

“People’s lifestyles change and their vehicle needs change,” Brian explains. “So you try and make sure that is reflected in your stock.”

Long-standing relationships with suppliers in the wider UK market continue to help McGillions source quality used vehicles. For customers, the aim is to offer choice, value and confidence — whether they are buying their first car, changing for family needs or returning to a dealership they already know and trust.

Service Still Matters

While the forecourt is the most visible part of the business, aftersales remains a significant part of McGillions’ offer. The company’s activities include the sale of new and used light motor vehicles as well as maintenance and repair, including booking MOT’s and handling the full spectrum around it from pre-MOT checks, booking the test, taking your car on your behalf, and removing all stress and hassle, reflecting the practical role the dealership continues to play for motorists beyond the point of purchase.

For Brian, that continuity of care is central to the family-business model. Selling a car is one thing; keeping customers on the road, and keeping their trust, is what brings them back.

Looking Ahead After 50 Years

Half a century after Patsy McGillion moved the business to Melmount Road, McGillions remains rooted in the same place and guided by the same values. The motor industry around it has changed dramatically, from the rise of Japanese reliability to the shifting demands of the used car market. Yet the dealership’s story is less about chasing trends than adapting without losing its identity.

For Brian McGillion, the formula is still straightforward: good cars, good service and honest relationships.

“The basics of business are still the same,” he says. “It’s still a people-based business — treating people with respect, looking after them properly and making sure they get a good deal when they come in.”

Family, Trust and the Road Ahead

From cricket heritage and customer loyalty to classic cars and a reunited rock band, this family-run dealership remains rooted in community, character and care.

For a business built on cars, the story here is just as much about people. The dealership’s roots run deep: family, long-serving staff, loyal customers and a strong sense of place all shape the way it operates. Asked to sum up his story in three words, the answer comes quickly: “Family, trustworthy and integrity.”

Those principles, he says, were instilled by his father, who has been part of the business since 1976. “Family first, obviously,” he explains, “but look after your customers, and the business will look after itself.” It is a straightforward philosophy, but one that has shaped decades of trading and helped build the kind of loyalty many businesses can only hope for.

A family business in every sense

The inspiration to enter the motor trade was clear from an early age. As a child, the dealership was a dynamic place to be, with lorry loads of cars arriving from England at a time when few others were doing the same. His father became well known across Northern Ireland, and even further afield, particularly through the export of horse lorries, a sideline he continues to this day.

“He’s our inspiration,” he says. “I mean that genuinely.” The sense of continuity is visible throughout the business. Paul, one of the team, has been there since the age of 14, and Paul’s father worked at the dealership in its earliest days. Staff tend to stay, customers tend to return, and families often continue buying from the business across generations.

One memorable customer, who has since passed away, told him after completing a deal that it was the 26th car he had bought from the dealership. “That really blew me away,” he says. “I remembered him coming in when I was a young kid.” He adds that the story is not unique: some customers have bought upwards of 20 or 30 cars, with their children and grandchildren continuing the relationship.

Community at the heart

Outside the business, support for the local community matters. In Sion Mills, cricket carries a special heritage: it was there that Ireland famously beat the West Indies in the 1960s. The area also has strong local football clubs, including Sion Swifts and Strabane Athletic, while golf is well represented through courses such as Strabane Golf Club and Newtownstewart at Baronscourt.

Charitable support is part of the same outlook. Foyle Hospice is a major local cause, particularly because it relies heavily on donations, and the dealership has also fundraised for Marie Curie Cancer Care. “We support anyone that really looks for a charity,” he says, reflecting a practical, generous approach to community involvement.

Cars with character

For all the talk of business values, there is still plenty of pure enthusiasm for cars. The best car Brian ever drove, he says, was probably the first one he owned: a Honda CRX. “It was just such a unique car,” he recalls. “If I had one today, I would cherish it.”

There is also a lasting affection for old Datsuns and Fords. The business has kept a small collection of some of the last Datsuns and Fords it sold, later bought back from customers. “There’s lots of emotion attached,” he says, and it is clear these cars represent more than metal and mileage.

If he had to drive one car for the rest of his life, the answer would likely be a Land Rover, albeit with one condition: reliability. “Anyone that drives Land Rovers loves them,” he says. “It’s a love-hate relationship because of the myriad issues, but there’s nothing like them if they keep going.”

The road west

Time off can be hard to come by in the motor trade, especially when Saturdays are part of the working week. Road trips, therefore, tend to be carefully planned. One of the most memorable was a camper van journey along the Wild Atlantic Way, travelling down the west coast as far as Killarney.

“I’d never been to Kerry before, and I absolutely loved it,” he says. Living close to the Donegal border means beautiful beaches and weekend escapes are never far away, but for a proper road trip, he believes the west coast is hard to beat.

Advice for first-time buyers

For anyone buying a car for the first time, his advice is simple: do your research, but above all, find someone you can trust. “There’s so much noise out there at the minute,” he says. “If you looked at every single review of every car, you simply wouldn’t buy any car.”

Research helps buyers understand what they are looking at, but trust is what sustains a relationship after the sale. “Trust that they’re going to look after you,” he says. “Trust that they’re telling you everything you need to know about the car.” In his view, trust is difficult to gain and very easy to lose — and once it is gone, it is gone.

Recognition and customer care

That focus on customer care has brought recognition. The dealership once won a European customer care award through Ford, an achievement he remembers as a major moment for the business. “We were top,” he says. “That was a big thing for us because it was recognition of what we think we do.”

The award came in 2014, before the business moved away from Ford in 2019. He is also proud of the dealership’s genuine customer feedback, including strong Facebook reviews. Problems can happen, he says, but the important thing is not to shy away from them.

After hours: Rewire

Away from the forecourt, there is another side people might not expect. In Brian’s late teens, he played in a band with four school friends. Years later, one of the members suggested getting back together, partly for old times’ sake. Four of the five reunited, with the fifth joining occasionally, and the band now practises regularly and has started playing gigs again.

Originally called Wire, the group returned under the fitting name Rewire. Their sound is mostly rock from the 1990s, with some contemporary music added along the way. “Every day is a school day,” he says with a smile, noting that they will be playing over the summer.

Still open, still personal

Opening hours change depending on the time of year, but during the current season the dealership opens late on Mondays and Thursdays, from 8.30am to 7pm. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, hours run from 8.30am to 5.30pm, while Saturdays are 9am to 2pm.

Even outside those hours, it is not unusual to see him — or his 82-year-old father — walking around the forecourt on a Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. The open forecourt allows customers to browse at their own pace when the business is closed, something many people prefer.

It is a small detail, but it captures the wider story: a dealership that remains personal, visible and connected. Built on family, sustained by trust and shaped by decades of customer relationships, it continues to prove that in the motor trade, the best journeys are often the long ones.