Britain's car dealers are calling on manufactuers to supply them with a new series of small cars. Dealers overwhelmingly back calls for a new class of small cars to be introduced across Europe that attract lower taxes, insurance and parking costs, new research shows. Paris this year moved towards making SUV drivers pay more to park in the French Capital as they take up more space and other cities … [Read more...]
Newslines 9 February
Car dealers face becoming the focus of a new customers financial scandal similar to PPI claims of the last two decades. The Financial Conduct Authority is investigating cases of finance houses not paying out compensation to customers over now-banned ‘discretionary commission arrangements’ and the watchdog is using its powers under S166 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to identify … [Read more...]
Newslines 1 September
Isuzu UK says renowned Welsh rugby player Shane Williams has once again chosen the Isuzu D-Max as his vehicle of choice, opting for the prestigious top-of-the-range V-Cross version for the seventh consecutive year. This exciting partnership highlights the shared values of toughness, reliability, and a relentless pursuit of excellence that both Isuzu and Shane Williams embody. Bentley Motors … [Read more...]
Car sales slowly rising again
The momentum in new vehicle sales has continued with strong growth across electric vehicles, hybrids and petrol vehicles and is expected to continue through the summer months, said Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association. In May, a total of 145,204 new cars were registered, an increase of 16.7% from the same period last year, according to the Society of Motor … [Read more...]
Motorists returning to dealerships away from online
The cost of living crisis is driving car buyers away from online purchases and into dealerships – with many expecting to bag a better deal by meeting the retailer in person, new research shows. April’s Startline Used Car Tracker reports that 55% of people have become less likely to buy a car online because of pressure on personal finances with 31% preferring to view the vehicle in person and 17% … [Read more...]
Newslines 9 September
The BMW Group will launch its first vehicles featuring completely vegan interiors in 2023. This is being made possible primarily through the development of innovative materials with leather-like properties for steering wheel surfaces, which must fulfil demanding criteria when it comes to feel, premium appearance and wear resistance. October’s fuel cap price increase – if implemented - would … [Read more...]
Staff are letting down dealers, say buyers
Expectations among car buyers are almost always satisfied by dealers, but customers remain less happy with the quality of dealer staff, research has revealed. The finding comes from a unique deep dive into the experiences of car buyers just revealed by Autovia, Britain's leading publisher of automotive advice and information. Every aspect of the buying experience is examined in Autovia's 'Driver … [Read more...]
Dealers expect to recruit more staff
The percentage of dealers’ looking to recruit across all business areas is significantly up from Q2 this year, reports the National Franchised Dealers Association. In particular, 77.5% are seeking to recruit sales executives over the next three months and the same percentage intend to employ technicians. Additionally, 67.5% intend to hire service advisors. Employee engagement: all dealers who … [Read more...]
Car dealers want Government support after Covid-19
Car dealers want Government support for motor industry following Covid-19. A quarter (25%) of car dealers are keen to see a reduction in business rates as the UK recovers from the impact of Covid-19, one in five (19%) want to see current support measures phased out, rather than a hard stop and others are calling for motor-specific policies like changes to the diesel/petrol ban and support for … [Read more...]
Car dealers are optimistic of recovery
The UK motor industry has been hit hard by Covid-19, but car dealers are optimistic about the future of the sector. New research from the Britain Under the Bonnet report, from Close Brothers Motor Finance, reveals that short term confidence plummeted during April, but medium to long term optimism has begun to improve. At the beginning of 2020, 98% of car dealers were confident about business … [Read more...]