Warren Woodley remembers vividly that he sold 12 new cars in his first year as a Volvo Australia dealer in Tamworth in 1971.

"In those days I was the general manager, the sales manager and the person who delivered the new cars and arranged the servicing," he said.

"I knew what colour car and what model each customer bought.

"The make was quite unknown in those days, but quickly developed its reputation through its safety features.

Mr Woodley said a new Volvo in 1971 sold for about $3700 and Woodley's were the first Volvo Australia dealer appointed outside the metropolitan area.

In 1973 he took on the Honda franchise and he said the cars were quickly accepted as being reasonably priced and good value for money.

"The 1970s were a good strong market period for us and a lot of other Tamworth businesses," Mr Woodley said.

"However, things changed dramatically in the mid 1980s when the motor industry was seriously affected by the economic recession.

"A lot of motor dealers in rural NSW went to the wall and we were also in the latter stages of a drought which didn't help at all."

Mr Woodley said his new car sales dropped by more than 50 per cent during the period.

"At the time I had reached a peak where I was satisfied with the excellent team I had collected around me but I was looking at a reducing market and there were two options available.

"I had to have more product to sell or had to start retrenching staff, and I was most reluctant to do that."

Mr Woodley said he had been following the progress of the South Korean manufactured car, the Hyundai, for about two years and thought there would be a market for them in Australia.

Hyundai was followed by Mazda in 1988.

Northern Daily Leader, Thursday, August 17, 1989.