Motorpoint is launching a fee-free car auction website for independent car dealers only. Auction4cars.com show 350-400 cars at any one time and cars sold will not be subject to a buyer’s fee. The car supermarket said hundreds of dealers have already signed up. … [Read more...]
New car ads don’t add up
October 11, 2008 By Leave a Comment
On a recent trip to America I got slightly side-tracked, paying more attention to the car dealers' and their newspaper ad's than the reason we flew across the Atlantic (something my other-half suggested I go to therapy for). … [Read more...]
Car buyers drive CO2 drop
October 11, 2008 By Leave a Comment
The European Union's goal of reducing CO2 vehicle emissions to 130 g/km by 2012 may be met by default, as consumers increasingly buy more fuel efficient cars. The car industry has called for more time and financial backing in order to meet the deadline but its argument may become … [Read more...]
Spreading the cost of car servicing
October 9, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Could be good news in these days of cost savings and tight budgets, there are some manufacturers offering service plans on their cars which will allow customers to pay a fixed monthly payment over an agreed term in order to spread the 3 yr servicing costs. … [Read more...]
Economic crisis will lead to ‘lots of dealer closures’
October 8, 2008 By 1 Comment
Britain’s economic meltdown could claim dozens of dealerships in the next few months. Closures are imminent as businesses seek to cut the cost of vehicle marketing, believes Subaru UK managing director Lawrence Good. “A massive reduction in the size of retail networks seems to be the only way out of the terrible situation facing our … [Read more...]
Venezuela, at least you know when you’re being robbed!
October 8, 2008 By 1 Comment
Venezuela has its problems that’s for sure, there’s the constant risk of armed street crime, carjacking, robberies on buses, kidnappings and believe it or not pamphlets impregnated with potent and disorienting drugs given out to tourists at shopping centre’s! … [Read more...]
Is that car a write-off?
October 6, 2008 By 3 Comments
As used car values tumble and the credit crunch bites, buyers need to be aware of the term 'Insurance write-off' as recent reports suggest a significant rise in vehicle write-offs in the last 5-10 years which will only continue to grow in current conditions. … [Read more...]
Dealerships close after tough September
October 6, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Reports are coming in of several franchised dealerships closing after a 22% drop in national new car registrations in September. Businesses affected include Streets Skoda, William A Lewis Volvo, Caffyns Vauxhall and Lookers Jaguar/Land Rover. … [Read more...]
New and used car sales, survival of the fittest
October 5, 2008 By 1 Comment
I was in an office with a very senior employee of a large dealer group the other day discussing our business and what the 'state of play' is and after the usual spiel which all motor trade people talk about i.e. volume, profitability, staff, finance, manufacturers etc. he made what I thought to be a very important statement. … [Read more...]
Prius get’s the thumbs up from eBay
October 3, 2008 By Leave a Comment
I have just come off the telephone with an old friend of mine who retails a lot of his cars on ebay motors. He recently told me about a Toyota Prius he's taken on board and I was intrigued as to what his thoughts were of this mainstream Hybrid and how much interest he was getting. … [Read more...]
Registration Decline: Or is it?
October 2, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Question: What other industry has such a vast discount structure when the UK grinds to a halt during a credit crunch? My local Subaru dealer, for September registrations only, are wiping a colossal £12,000 off the recommended retail price on the Tribeca SUV - no, that's not a typo. … [Read more...]
Carmakers will face tough CO2 targets
October 1, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Carmakers’ bid to delay the EU Commission’s deadline for dropped CO2 emissions has been rejected by EU lawmakers. They now face tough new targets for cutting carbon emissions after MEPs rejected industry pleas for more time to produce greener cars. … [Read more...]
Google warns car dealers of shifts in consumer behaviour
October 1, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Research by online giant Google into the car-buying process has revealed that an increasing number of consumers are now visiting just one dealership before making a purchase, and that the number of test drives taken in the last year has fallen dramatically. … [Read more...]
The business of redundancies
October 1, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Whilst it’s important to constantly appeal to the motor trade in general to reform and continuously improve, we sometimes forget that there are people, from all walks of life covering all aspects of the business who are first class professionals and who really do come to work every day to try and make a positive difference. … [Read more...]
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