CAP Senior Analyst Jason Owens writing on AM-Online talks of “signs of normality” returning to the motor trade markets. He states the start of the current downturn can be traced back to as early as autumn 2007 with worse than expected sales figures at the year end. He also points out the problems caused by rapidly declining vehicle residual … [Read more...]
Personal Contract Plans can bring peace of mind
December 30, 2008 By Leave a Comment
In order to protect against the growing threat of negative equity at least there are packages in the world of car sales which can offer peace of mind. Personal Contract Plans (PCPs) are naturally growing more popular and over … [Read more...]
Audi – some good news for a change
December 28, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Almost every car maker has seen sales fall significantly this year and apart from the obvious strugglers like Chrysler - 36%, Jeep -35%, Lexus - 32% even traditionally … [Read more...]
2008 – A year to forget, an insiders tale
December 26, 2008 By Leave a Comment
As years go I’ve had better. Take 2001 for instance, boy was that a good year for a case or two of Chianti, it was that drinkable I got through loads of the stuff. Then there was 2002, the town I was living in … [Read more...]
Car sales utopia – here’s to the future
December 25, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Let’s see where we are in the New Year, with dealerships closing down daily (we have heard of at least 20 more earmarked for closure in early 09) who will negotiate their way out of this recession best? Who will emerge strongest? … [Read more...]
Toyota to post first loss for 70 years
December 23, 2008 By Leave a Comment
These are certainly strange and interesting times we are living in. Toyota, the up until now powerhouse of the motor manufacturing elite, is expecting to make the equivilent of an eye-watering £1.1bn loss in their year-end next March. This has been blamed on global trading conditions and the surge in value of the Yen making exports more costly at … [Read more...]
The comeback may have started for 4WD’s
December 22, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Reports from some of our sources this week have reported a sudden surge in sales of used 4wd prestige products such as Audi Q7, VW Touareg and BMW X5 to name a few. This just confirms that even during a downturn in the market … [Read more...]
Short term survival assured – has the fightback started?
December 19, 2008 By 2 Comments
Old Dubya has decided that although his presidential legacy will be forever about going to wars with Iraq and Afghanistan yielding decidedly mixed results, and presiding over a worldwide recession created by US banks on his watch, he most certainly didn’t want to be remembered for being … [Read more...]
Solent Motors go bust
December 18, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Private car dealer group Solent Motors based on the south coast are the latest company to collapse with the loss of 100 jobs. The multi franchise group which includes Citroën and, Mazda … [Read more...]
Motor trade recession – everyone’s a haggler
December 18, 2008 By Leave a Comment
The motor trade has long been associated with haggling; indeed the nature of the business insists that it happens whether it’s a dealer trying to negotiate on a wholesale price, a customer trying to drive down the price on a new or used car … [Read more...]
UK car manufacturing – victims of their own success?
December 17, 2008 By 2 Comments
As much as we don’t like it, the fields full of new unsold cars currently expanding across the country has been predicted by MTI for some time. The government simply must help with some much needed financial relief whether in the form … [Read more...]
In 2009 the customer has to come first
December 16, 2008 By Leave a Comment
With Christmas fast approaching, be prepared for several postcards and envelopes to drop on your mat, and not just the ones with snow and baubles on. This year probably more than ever the Christmas promotion, which for most dealers starts just after Boxing Day … [Read more...]
Delaying the inevitable?
December 15, 2008 By Leave a Comment
In the 1970s British Leyland were given the equivalent of several billion pounds in government support in order to keep afloat and keep British workers employed. What happened? The company went under anyway and the cost not just in monetary terms took years to recover from. Was it just delaying the inevitable? … [Read more...]
New and used car deals – it’s all about the timing
December 14, 2008 By Leave a Comment
I'm feeling pretty low right now and I have been for quite some time, along with just about every other motor dealer I have the pleasure of knowing. We are going to form "The Miserable Motor Dealer Club", subscriptions … [Read more...]
Motor City Three – A loud wakeup call
December 13, 2008 By Leave a Comment
There you have it the US senate have rejected the $14bn bailout passed by congress after the failure to agree on pay levels for car workers in the US (although the White House may yet step in and bung a load of cash at them). … [Read more...]
Bargain of the Week – Alfa Romeo 166 Lusso
December 12, 2008 By Leave a Comment
OK, so it may look like it’s been parked in the Hall of Mirrors, but Alfa’s 166 is one of the best valued executive saloons for our £1,500 budget. There aren’t many around nowadays (maybe to do with the fact … [Read more...]
Old stock slashed to cost price still not cheap enough
December 12, 2008 By Leave a Comment
We have heard from various sources in the trade that some dealer groups may be instructing certain of their dealers to reduce older stock to SIV (stand in value, basically cost price) in what may turn out to be a vain attempt to shift old stock and generate some much needed cash. … [Read more...]
Motor City Three sweat it out
December 11, 2008 By Leave a Comment
It seems that the US Senate could still scupper the bailout proposals for the “motor city three” even though at $14bn its way below what was asked for and what many experts acknowledge is needed. Although the House of Representatives have approved the plan republicans are expected to counter this with a proposal of their own, prompting a … [Read more...]
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