Over the years the car trade has unfortunately been blighted by bad practices and fraudulent actions, one of the worst being clocked cars, which leads to nothing but misery for drivers and distrust and contempt cast upon all car sellers. A car is "clocked" if someone interferes with the odometer (the mileage reading) and while it’s not … [Read more...]
Garages failing to spot car faults
August 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment
An undercover investigation into UK car garages suggests the vast majority miss simple mechanical faults, consumer watchdog Which? has said. Which? took cars with four deliberate faults to 62 firms including both franchises and independent sites. Some 87% missed at least one problem, such as a deflated spare tyre or low brake fluid. All the … [Read more...]
If you always do what you have always done you will always get the same results
July 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Someone once said 'if you always do what you have always done you will always get the same results' (it was American success coach Tony Robbins - ed) and this is probably more relevant in the motor trade than any other business. Despite numerous attempts to evolve and change, if you ask veterans in the trade many will still say “we have always … [Read more...]
Car dealers slow to react as after-sales revenue declines
June 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Franchised car dealers are becoming increasingly concerned about the likes of Kwik Fit and Halfords offering the £99 service. In their eyes the investment in training staff in the latest technological advances and the perception of value added customer service mean that having to compete on price alone is putting them at a disadvantage. … [Read more...]
Reduction in automotive industry insolvencies in April
May 21, 2010 By 1 Comment
The rate of business insolvencies for the automotive industry fell from .12% in April 2009 to .08% in April this year, based on the latest Insolvency and Late Payment indices from Experian®, the worldwide information services company. In addition to witnessing a year-on-year decrease, the automotive industry cut in half the rate of insolvencies … [Read more...]
Traders need to ensure the wheels keep turning
May 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Working in the motor trade can be an expensive business. Traders and garage owners are often dogged by unseen costs and often feel they’re under constant financial pressure. For motorists, it may seem as if garages and dealerships are always making money and the thought of putting their vehicle through the workshop can send shivers down the … [Read more...]
Motor Codes reveals checklist for garage customers
May 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Motor Codes has unveiled a checklist for garage clients which it hopes could help individuals to not use anything but highly rated companies. The concept is to hopefully give consumers straightforward tips that should enable them to quickly distinguish the good from the bad. In a nutshell, it states that a good garage will certainly: • … [Read more...]
Used and abused
April 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Here at MTI we like to address all the issues surrounding the motor trade so here’s a piece of advice for all those thinking of buying an older used car in the near future, and by old I don’t mean a Ford Sierra or Vauxhall Cavalier but something that’s outside the manufacturer’s warranty and maybe on its second or third owner, typically … [Read more...]
Time to change?
April 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The car buying public will have some interesting choices presented to them during the slightly quieter times of the next few months. With showroom tax taking effect, rising fuel prices hitting the pumps and a potential decline in part exchange values finding a good deal may be harder to come by than for the last 18 months. When parting with your … [Read more...]
SMMT publish Motor Industry Facts 2010
April 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The full scope and scale of the UK motor industry has been highlighted today with the publication of “Motor Industry Facts 2010” the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ (SMMT) annual pocket guide to the motor industry. Illustrating the role of the UK motor industry throughout the full lifecycle of a vehicle, the 2010 booklet … [Read more...]
Taking the temperature of the trade and fearing the budget
March 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Prices at auction seem to be showing no sign of slowing as good quality low mileage cars remain scarce, and dealers are already feeling the effects of the end of scrappage and wondering how they will fill the gap. Buyers need to look carefully over the coming weeks and months for manufacturers offering their dealers incentives to shift more … [Read more...]
Female friendly garages take another step forward
March 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment
In an industry with a serious image problem and where 80% of the workforce is male, the prospect of a garage visit is daunting for many women who worry about being patronised, ripped off and baffled by motoring jargon they don't understand. Whatever the reality this is a very real perception for many women, so much so that many females are … [Read more...]
Every Kia now gets a seven year warranty
February 24, 2010 By 2 Comments
You may have heard that Korean manufacturer Kia is extending its unique seven-year warranty to all the cars in its model line-up. Previously the seven year warranty was only available on Kia’s European-built products such as cee’d and Sportage, but will now apply to every vehicle in the Kia range from the Picanto city car to the top of the … [Read more...]
Profit the reward for car dealer loyalty
February 13, 2010 By 1 Comment
Car buyers should certainly start expecting some innovative enticements in the coming months and years as more car dealers employ loyalty schemes to encourage customers to keep coming back. We are already starting to see evidence of dealers ramping up their efforts to build long term relationships with their customers and many are set to introduce … [Read more...]
Oversell the add-ons and something is going to crack
January 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment
We often highlight at Motor Trade Insider the fact that the actual selling of a car is only a very small part of how the modern car dealer attempts to gain a profit and apart from the aftersales route and traditional finance packages there are now masses of products which can be sold as 'bolt ons' but which can easily make the whole transaction … [Read more...]
Quentin trouble at the BBC
January 13, 2010 By 3 Comments
I’d like to get one thing straight first off, MTI quite likes Quentin Willson. I won’t go as far as to say we’re best mates with him but some of our “people” met him (even though Quentin didn’t actually realise it) at the recent Automotive Management Used Car Conference at The Birmingham Motorcycle Museum and found him to be a … [Read more...]
Round 1 – Kia gear up for the end of scrappage battle
January 5, 2010 By 1 Comment
There can be no doubt about the real beneficiaries of the UK scrappage scheme. It’s not the punter as in a lot of cases he may have got more than £2000 for his car under normal circumstances and probably would have got a bigger discount on new. It’s probably not the environment; I’m wearing gloves as I type this so I can see why they quietly … [Read more...]
Top 5 scrappage cars that didn’t deserve the crusher
December 21, 2009 By Leave a Comment
With the scrappage scheme coming to an end soon, we've scoured the country and asked our fellow traders to find out if there were any part-exchanges that just seemed too good for the jaws of the crusher. The results were surprising to say the least. It's not a bad thing getting an old-ruster of the roads for good but as we found out there were … [Read more...]
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