FG Barnes offers a wide selection of new cars including global brands such as Vauxhall, ORA GWM, Omoda and Jaecoo.
In addition to new cars we provide a range of quality used cars and vans at FG Barnes Used Cars as well as offering comprehensive servicing and parts (including MOT's) and Motability vehicles. Take a look at our part-exchange and financing options available!
We have a tradition of excellence from over 120 years of trading and offer fantastic quality, exceptional value and excellent customer service. Our company had an unlikely start back in 1899 - specialising in tar spraying machines!
Whilst working on a project at Petworth, young engineer FG Barnes heard of a small business for sale in Godalming. The first few years of business saw mostly maintenance of the local council's steam road rollers, but then the business began to grow.
Due to his engineering skills FG Barnes became involved in the maintenance of the new ‘horseless carriages' beginning to appear on the scene. The roads at the time had very different surfaces to the tarmac of today and Barnes worked on inventing a machine to spray and brush liquid tar onto a stone road surface. The machine then bound the stone particles together to form a dust-free surface which was quite an innovation at the time.
The engineering and car businesses grew and grew and after World War One, diversified into hire cars and a driving school. In 1920, Barnes got the agency for Vulcan cars and commercials and formed the first link with General Motors by becoming a Chevrolet dealer. By 1922, both sons joined the business and in 1936 they opened the site at Guildford.
The post-war years saw the passing of FG Barnes. His two sons then took over the company and continued to supply Vauxhall and Bedford vehicles. In 1971 a larger premises was sought in Slyfield Green and so the industrial estate expanded.
The grandson of FG Barnes continues to run the business today alongside Chief Executive Officer, Samantha Parkinson (pictured) We can confidently say that our business has been built up with care over many, many years.