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Trade buyers are now actively seeking older, higher mileage, small, economical cars to stock their forecourts, as buyers continue to look for bargains. There are now 2 district variety of customers, those who 'rent' their cars like our American cousins through PCP’s or other leases and those who pay cash. You may say that is how it’s always … [Read more...]
Motor industry being left in the dark as local DVLA office closures loom Most individuals and business owners that work in the motor trade will have been watching out for updates on the imminent DVLA Regional and Local Office closures with baited breath. Since the official announcement was made last summer, much speculation has surrounded the … [Read more...]
The recent truncated spell of winter weather has played havoc with traditional buying patterns. Just when the sun pops out from behind the clouds one step outside tells us it still cold and biting so buying a summery drop top is still not on the horizon. Whilst normally the queue for buyers of 4wd drives would start to dwindle at this time of … [Read more...]
Funding cars by PCP (Personal contract purchase) is rapidly becoming the norm, it is reckoned that as many as 60% of car buyers use a PCP to buy their next car and this figure is only going in one direction. Although many of us do not necessarily like the thought of another monthly commitment it is invariably better than to have an older car … [Read more...]
With March well and truly underway many dealers are caught in the crossfire of the car maker’s market share war! Some of our people are telling us that the targets are not only unrealistic but causing forced registrations as the manufacturers continue to incentivise dealers to pre-register new cars in order to grab more share. The effect of … [Read more...]
There is likely to be a short term rise in the amount of personal plates being acquired as buyers keen to avoid an unlucky 13 plate, but still wanting a new car, turn to private registrations to avoid the perceived bad luck. This sort of behavior, fear of the number 13, even has its own specifically recognized phobia, Triskaidekaphobia. The … [Read more...]
As March is now upon us it appears that the car makers scrap for market share is hotting up. Some of our dealers are reporting a 50% increase in new car orders year on year and indeed many have already achieved their March objective and it's only the 1st of the month! Whilst this means many sales execs will have a rather tasty pay packet, on the … [Read more...]
For people who care particularly about their cars, protecting and preserving the value of those cars is of the utmost importance. Of course, any car that is driven decreases to some extent in value (unless significant additions and upgrades are made). However, there are a number of steps that can be taken not only to minimize the decline in value, … [Read more...]
carbuzz.co.uk asked over 2,000 car buyers whether the upcoming 13 number plate would put them off buying a new car. Cars registered between 1st March and 31st August will carry the 13 number plate. There was speculation over the DVLA potentially allowing people to skip out the ‘unlucky’ 13 plate altogether and revert to the 62 plate, … [Read more...]
Here's a peculiar conundrum for you. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association new car registrations fell 8.5% in January to the lowest level for more than 20 years – Registrations fell to 918,280 new cars, and the ACEA said it is the slowest January since its records began in 1990. But in an amazing contrast, UK car … [Read more...]
Despite the bad weather we have recently had it looks like business is brisk although, on the downside, dealers are telling us that margins are under pressure. It is safe to assume that this is going to be a fairly important year and dealers are keen to ensure that q1 is set up to give them the best start possible. The competition with the new car … [Read more...]
These are frightening times for workers at Honda with over 800 redundancies being planned less than a year after they announced a multimillion pound investment at their Swindon plant. In periods like this you sit back and wonder what the future holds if this can happen to a giant like Honda, and at this point I have to declare a personal … [Read more...]
Buying a car involves careful thought and consideration. There's a lot to check, from service history to how economical it is, before handing any money over. Pushing all of the technical stuff aside though, colour, accessories and boot space are also what's at the top of the list in this girl's guide to car buying. Here, Isabelle, who writes … [Read more...]
The way we buy cars is changing rapidly and car dealers are struggling to keep up with how they deal with the needs of the modern customer. However no matter how much technology improves our lives and empowers us as consumers, there will always be those that will buy in the traditional way. The irony is that as we have just had a record year … [Read more...]
As yet another topsy turvy year in the motor trade draws to a close, there are many things to be optimistic about and many lessons learned from these uncertain times. Behind every stat there is a story. For example, on the face of it, we will register more new cars than last year with a probable 5% increase which on the surface is fantastic but, … [Read more...]
MyCarCheck.com - the UK’s No.1 vehicle provenance website - has saved millions of people from making an expensive used car mistake. As part of its mission to protect UK consumers it works closely with the police, the Association of Chief Police Officers’ Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (AVCIS) and the International Association of Auto Theft … [Read more...]
A guest post by Gary Bromelow, Solicitor, Saunders Law It all started in 1872 with the enactment of the Licensing Act of that year. Section 12 read: Every person who in any highway or other public place, whether a building or not, is guilty while drunk of riotous or disorderly behaviour, or who is drunk while in charge on any highway or other … [Read more...]
Administrators have been appointed at accident management company Drive Assist after they experienced considerable working capital management problems and subsequent cash flow difficulties. Alastair Beveridge, Ryan Grant and Simon Wilson, partners at Zolfo Cooper, were appointed joint administrators over Drive Assist (UK), Millennium Motor Group … [Read more...]
It’s ironic that the lead up to Christmas is the one of the quietest of times in a car showroom with lots of sales execs and service advisors twiddling their thumbs or putting out the crimbo decs. Let’s face it we are pretty easy to read in this country; the high street shops - possibly for the only time this year - are actually packed out … [Read more...]
K.I.S.S is an acronym that has become a little passé of late, much the same as 'we are not re-inventing the wheel' however in the motor trade I occasionally wonder if some people are actually listening. As I tour around dealerships in my day job and especially when business is tough, I always hear people announcing what imitative they will put … [Read more...]
We thankfully now live in age where we are more equal than we have ever been and although we have an awfully long way to go in many ways, we have to acknowledge the progress being made on things like rights at work, equal pay between men and women and your sexual orientation or religion not precluding you from similar opportunities. Perhaps this … [Read more...]
It will be interesting to see how the times new classified site driving.co.uk fairs in the current market. It appears it will be continuing the high end theme that has been a hallmark of the Sunday Times motoring section for many years. Interestingly the site will also combine the advertising of thousands of premium brand cars alongside reviews and … [Read more...]
From 1st November a new Europe-wide tyre labelling system will come into effect. It is being brought in to increase road safety, help make driving more cost effective and reduce the environmental impact caused by tyres. It will apply to all car, 4x4, SUV, van and lorry tyres. Similar to the labels used on white goods, the tyre labelling system … [Read more...]
The major car auctions in the UK are growing their business rapidly with more dealers committing their unwanted trade-ins to auction than ever before. In days gone by dealers would move most of their trade-ins on themselves mainly to local traders and other garages that may specialise in retailing older examples that the dealer themself would not … [Read more...]
Deciding what car to buy is obviously an important decision making process (we all know what happens when you get that wrong) but the “when” can be just as vital. There is generally always an optimum time to buy for any model and a selection of models within any brand which are slow sellers are therefore likely to attract a more attractive … [Read more...]
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