DEALERSHIPS are to be turned into one-stop convenience stores in a remarkable new drive by Mazda to boost car sales in Britain. Services ranging from shoe repairs to mortgages are being lined up as part of an ambitious plan to help the Japanese manufacturer win more customers.

Personal equity plans and insurance packages covering travel and property will be on offer at dealerships in six months' time when Mazda Cars UK mounts a dramatic bid for growth. Under unique proposals to attract new fleet and private business, the companies' outlets will offer to organise repairs to customers' office equipment while cars are being serviced.

'We'll even fix watches, broken pens and attend to any dry cleaning they care to leave on the back seat,' said marketing director Chris Owens. Backed by Mazda's financial services division, the one-stop shop concept will be run by linking up dealer computer databases with a variety of local service providers.

A series of questionnaires is to be sent to more than one million customers and prospects to find out what other services customers might like to find at their local dealerships.