Car Dealer Magazine: Issue 28 by Blackball Media

CarDealer. Issue 28 | July 2010

CarDealer Power THE BEST MANUFACTURERS

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THE BEST SUPPLIERS

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start Issue 28 | July 2010

THIS month I was lucky enough to sample the future of motoring – and the thing I found the most scariest? It’s not very far off at all. I’m talking about the demise of fossil fuels and life post oil. Even now, with millions of gallons of crude gushing out into the Gulf of Mexico, it’s very hard to believe the stuff could actually dry up. But it is disappearing. We’re consuming the black stuff at an extraordinary rate and with growing economies like China lapping up even more of it than ever before, we’re only going to run out of this liquid gold quicker. As much as we like to forget it, the internal combustion engine as we know it, is doomed. Cars may stir the emotions and set the hairs on the back off our necks on end, but if they’re only doing 15mpg they’re not long for this world. You think driving a 4x4 a few years ago was bad? Try driving a supercar in a few years to come. Car manufacturers are working furiously to find an alternative – some are making their current engines as efficient as possible, others like Honda and Toyota are going down the hybrid route. Then there’s the pure electric brigade, like the Nissan Leaf, and over-priced Mitsubishi i-MiEV. But you can forget all of them. Why? Well I am absolutely convinced they’re just a stop gap for the future. A brash statement, maybe, but what manufacturers really should be pushing for is a hydrogen filling station network in the UK, because having sampled my first fuel cell vehicle with Kia recently, I’m convinced there’s no other way to go. A fuel cell vehicle combines hydrogen with oxygen from the atmosphere to create electricity. This powers an electric motor and the only bi-product is water. The Kia we tried had a range of 425 miles from just £20 worth of hydrogen. And where do we get this magical gas from? Well, enough to power tens of thousands of cars is already being produced as a waste product by the chemical industry. All we need to do is pipe it to stations. Before trying this new technology I was probably as sceptical as you are reading this – but believe me this really is the next big thing. Kia says the production costs for these cars are coming down every year as more advanced methods are developed and by 2015 it hopes to be putting 10,000 fuel cell vehicles a year on the road. Yes, we do need to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, and hybrids and ultraefficient combustion engines do have a place – but that place can only be to bridge the gap between now and fuel cells. But one thing is for sure – motoring as we know it, and the way you retail those cars, is changing for good, and it’ll be here before you know it! Read more about the Kia on p40. CAR DEALER POWER WE love a bit of data here at CD towers – and our Car Dealer Power survey has given us the chance to crunch a shed load of numbers. We were flooded with responses from you to our special poll and in this issue we reveal the very best manufacturer to represent and the top suppliers to do business with in 11 categories. The winners of these awards should be very proud of their achievement – these are, after all, the only industry gongs that are voted for by those that really count… you! If you took the time to fill out our survey I’d like to thank you – we’ll be drawing the winners of the Aston Martin drive and other prizes out of the hat soon and will bring you news of that in the next issue. But for now, turn to our special Car Dealer Power section which starts on p43 to find out who’s won what. Have you worked out which car maker’s won yet?

James Baggott, Editor

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ignition Issue 28 | July 2010

dashboard 06 Feedback

Potential VAT rise is worrying you

09 Kia’s open points

Why marque’s struggling to fill city sites

10 Look who’s back

Ex-Codeweavers’ man’s new role

12 Results season

Inchcape and Vertu announce figures

14 Dealers backing BEN New fundraising plan for charity

16 On the Spot

Lifestyle Europe’s Peter Isted quizzed

18 Pendragon interview

UK’s biggest dealer group boss talks to us

21 Comment

Motoring.co.uk’s Terry Hogan’s latest musings

23 Big Mike 25 Finance

30 59

forecourt

29 Peugeot RCZ 30 Honda CR-Z 33 Bentley Mulsanne 35 Range Rover TDV8 37 Cult Car: Renault Clio V6 39 Sales Legend: VW Beetle

features

40 Car Dealer in Korea Driving Kia’s next generation models

43 CAR DEALER POWER

The best and worst manufacturers to represent

54 CAR DEALER POWER The best suppliers to do business with

59 Our 911 for 2011 challenge 62 Used car connection How new company can help you succeed

66 Auctions 69 Right Click 71 Dot Com 74 Recruitment 80 Used Cars

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feedback Your comments via email at james@blackballmedia.co.uk| From our website at CarDealerMag.co.uk | And from Twitter: Follow editor @CarDealerEd

Why we’re worried about a VAT rise Why we think a rise in VAT could spell disaster

Link: bit.ly/VATRISE I AM surprised that there is no mention of the damage the impending VAT increase will have on the independent used car dealer. The VAT on our margin is already hard to bear as it has no bearing on the ‘real’ net profit of each vehicle. It still amazes me that the government can take VAT on each used car sold even though the VAT was paid when the vehicle was sold new and I wonder how the UK compares to the rest of the EU in terms of VAT on used vehicles? Paul Kepke-Smith, via CarDealerMag.co.uk THE government has very few major options for raising revenue if the deficit is to be reduced, the only significant means available are: 1. reduction in public spending 2. increase in income tax 3. increase in sales tax An increase in sales tax (VAT) seems the most likely option since it has less of a direct impact on the consumer than increases in income tax. A rate of 19 per cent is now normal in many European countries (including Germany where I live). There is also the reduced rate of seven per cent, and there are plenty of zero rated goods. I think in all honesty this is the course the government is most likely to take. At least raises in VAT are across the board (and do not convey a competitive advantage to any other domestic retailers), but it obviously can impact on the profit margin of retailers since it pressures them to reduce prices. Dr. Julian P. Keogh, via CarDealerMag.co.uk

BBC Watchdog and HPI

Link: bit.ly/whichBBC UNTIL we make the recording of mileages on the V5 compulsory, it’s an uphill struggle against the clockers. I am not saying that it’s the cure but it would go some way towards it. I know why the lease companies don’t want the mileage recorded, because they make so much money on cars going through the auctions that don’t look anything like the 100K plus mileage on the clock. I arrived at an auction’s public car park one morning only to see three cars with their tailgates open with mileometer adjustment in progress. When I reported it to the management, they immediately called the police. Joe Dowd, via CarDealerMag.co.uk

Nissan Juke out of the box

Link: bit.ly/NisJuke I WILL be buying the top of the range All Mode 4×4 as soon as it is available. At last a home grown Nissan product that is not made for families. Unique in lots of ways and very good for that. It will be my first Nissan product. Here’s looking forward to next winter and driving it in real winter conditions in Scotland. Sandy Monteath, via CarDealerMag.co.uk

Which? Car slams dealers

Link: bit.ly/whichcars Well, THANKS A LOT WHICH CAR! As if it’s not hard enough to sell cars as it is already. I can’t express how frustrating it is to read things like this that are based

What’s the best ever M-badged Beemer?

From the Twitterverse Question, How do you make a small fortune in the Motor Trade Answer, Start off with a large one Via @BarrieCrampton Just received ‘Ghost Story’ edition. V. impressed with first ever read of publication. Love tone and diction. Cheers. Via @Bateman1972 Rolls Royce Ghost edition just turned up. Many thanks. Great article. Via @daily_classic Looking forward to reading my first ever issue of Car Dealer

magazine tonight – you may even get a sub out of it Via @zufﬂe We asked followers what the best ever M-badged BMWs were. Here’s what some suggested: Has to be the E82M. Hasn’t even been released yet but it is going to be the best M since the E30 - well in my opinion. Via @motormorph No question E28 M5. Z4M are, you mad? If you must, at least go for original Z3M breadvan with no TC. Via @stuartg917

Original M3 - no question. Proper car, built for a reason. Ignore everything after this. Via @HofmeisterKink M5 is a much better bet than M6. Has better heritage and iconic status. Also, 1st year depreciation much less steep. Via @1simonharris M535i pioneered the super saloon, about 10 years ahead of time and the Grandaddy of the M-car legend. In my humble opinion! Via @MajorGav

Get involved. Follow the editor on Twitter @CarDealerEd or @CarDealerMag to join the conversation on the minority letting the actual professional dealers down! Steve Roberts, via CarDealerMag.co.uk FINANCE options from franchised dealers such as mine offer the customers the best rates and peace of mind! A SIMPLE solution is to have finance products integrated within your website. Webzation’s Quoteware product will return a full CCA quotation against every vehicle. This demonstrates transparency and trust to the consumer as the cost of finance and different funding options are displayed. This positions your dealership in a different light to those that continue to ‘try it on’! as Steve says it is the minority but they don’t half cause some damage to the industry. James Tew, via CarDealerMag.co.uk

Nissan Juke to cost £12,795

Link: bit.ly/jukeprices I AM a Nissan dealer and am pleased to soon be offering

this model. We have waited for a while now to finally get the ‘nod’ and it couldn’t come soon enough to be honest! It’s going to be a fantastic car for us, and with the budget price tag, customers can have a real head-turner for a lot less than they would imagine. A crossover vehicle for the price of a supermini is just what the public want at the moment. I have followed the Juke and of course Leaf story in Car Dealer Magazine and can only see both of these as future success stories for Nissan. David Shepherd, via CarDealerMag.co.uk

Kia’s hydrogen fuel cell car

Link: bit.ly/fuelcells THIS is impressive stuff from Kia, and I can only imagine it getting better and more accessible over time. I own a MOT and servicing station, so obviously I will be interested to know how this will effect my trade? Steve Clarkson, via CarDealerMag.co.uk

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Kia admits it is struggling to fill key city locations Marque says it’s willing to help dealers meet the costs of starting urban sites KIA’S European senior vice president has admitted the maker has problems finding partners in UK cities. The notoriously difficult-to-fill sites around the UK include parts of London – in particular Croydon – the centre of Manchester and Birmingham. A number of dealers have been recruited recently though and these are in the process of being approved – Car Dealer can reveal that 15 are set to be appointed this year alone, taking the total to 170 – but there are still problem areas to tackle and this is well known with those at the top. Kenny Lee, Kia’s senior vice president for Europe, told us the maker had been trying hard to fill these key city areas. ‘We have tried to increase our dealer numbers and we need representation in the big cities, but we’ve hit some problems,’ said Lee. ‘The network in the UK on the whole is a good one, but we do need to expand.’ He added that assistance is available for potential new dealers to help fund these often expensive city start ups and that Kia would be happy to come up with a business model that was ‘suitable for all parties’.

dashboard

Hill

Net gains

Have you worked out where to spend your advertising budget?

kia’s european chief is aware of problems ﬁnding dealers for Uk cities He also explained how important the UK was for Kia – it’s the best performing arm in Europe and ranked up their alongside their top global arms. And he said despite the end of scrappage he still expects sales to rise in 2010. ‘We want growth this year,’ he said. ‘At the end of last year we were concerned about the market in the UK but the first half of the year has been better than last and even figures up to today show growth.’ Mr Lee expects the new Sportage – which will arrive in dealers this month – to play an important part in keeping sales buoyant this year.

The Ghostly effect ROLLS-ROYCE dealers are enjoying a big uplift of interest thanks to the arrival of the new Ghost saloon. But it is not just the new ‘baby’ Rolls-Royce that is selling well, because the larger Phantom has also seen an uplift in interest! ‘The Ghost is bringing people into dealer showrooms,’ sales and marketing director Jolyon Nash told Car Dealer. ‘But the heart of the brand is still Phantom. This model has benefited from the additional brand awareness generated by the Ghost.’ It is why Rolls-Royce sales were up 79 per cent in March, after a ‘horrendous’ first half of 2009. Rolls-Royce dealers are also playing a big part in this though, said Nash. Strong support for the posh brand’s recent training schemes means they’re all fully primed to take best advantage of opportunities offered by the Ghost. The Goodwood production facility is also used by agents to progress deals. ‘Once we get people visiting here, they are convinced,’ said Nash.

Car Dealer in Korea, p40 Car Dealer Power, p43

Glass’s fears for EVs GLASS’S has warned of dramatic falls in electric car RVs unless innovative solutions are adopted. The experts warn secondhand values could be well below conventional petrol and diesel models if key concerns are not addressed. These are currently focused on battery life and performance.

he first American department store mogul John Wanamaker once said: ‘Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted – the trouble is I don’t know which half.’ Of course, ways of evaluating marketing and advertising spend have now evolved to a sophisticated level, but still getting the most benefit from any spend (and finding out what works) has been the goal of every business – including those within the motor industry. How should you allocate your budget across the marketing mix? What proportion should be on print, or online, or on promotional activities? Obviously there is no single winning formula, or we would all be doing it. However, there are several key points that, if adhered to, can make the 50 per cent ‘There are several of wasted advertising spend points that, if become more apparent. Firstly, always use advertising adhered to, can or marketing media that make the 50 per can be easily tracked. Many cent of wasted businesses still make the advertising spend mistake of advertising their offers with no way of knowing become more whether or not they have been apparent.’ successful. The lack of any defined ‘offer code’ or even a dedicated telephone number for key offers means any response is notoriously difficult to evaluate. So try to give key offers a code that customers need to quote or mention when they get in touch with you. This is where the web can work very well for you. Why not try and promote certain vehicle sales as ‘Internet only offers’? The law allows you to draw a distinction between showroom deals and web deals – just look at any brown or white goods site and you will see several items labelled ‘Web offers not available in store’. Secondly, try and use all elements of your marketing mix (such as print, brochures, social networking and even telesales) to drive customers to your website. This is important as your website is obviously capable of handling requests for more information but could also be used to drive online sales in areas such as service, parts and accessories. For instance, having an online shopping facility has increased the revenue potential of many dealers, as it can lead to online fulfilment of purchases such as parts and accessories at a time to suit the customer. And don’t hang your entire marketing and advertising hopes on one way of doing things. Customer’s needs change, and your approach to fulfilling those needs must change too.

Who is Martin Hill? Martin is commercial director at Codeweavers. Learn more about how he can help you at Codeweavers.net or call 0870 443 0888.

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dashboard Dealer wins top gong from car manufacturer SPECIALIST Cars Kirkcaldy has won Volkswagen Retailer Excellence status in the latest awards. This success comes after the car dealer made the top 10 for the VW dealer awards three years in a row. It beat 215 other Volkswagen dealers, which took it to the awards ceremony at Whitehall Palace in London. Brand manager Paul Lanni picked up the prize, and said: ‘We are truly delighted to have received this award. It is credit to the team’s hard-work that we have achieved this title for the third year running.’ Lanni also praised sales manager Chris Smith, who won Sales Manager of Excellence status for the third consecutive year! Chris Craft, director of Volkswagen Group UK Ltd, said: ‘We feel it’s important to monitor the performance of the Volkswagen network and Specialist Cars is certainly becoming a regular at these awards.’

Tew back in the game as he takes Webzation job FINANCE industry big-hitter James Tew has joined Webzation as CEO. Experts in web technology, the firm specialises in the automotive and finance sectors – and is a natural new challenge for the highly regarded Tew. Things are already fast underway, he told Car Dealer. ‘It’s been a highly pleasurable first few months,’ he told us. ‘It’s great to be back in the sector.’ Previously, Tew was MD of Codeweavers, which he joined after many years at Jigsaw Finance. This considerable experience in the automotive financial services industry is already stimulating rapid development at Webzation; working closely with director Richard Tavernor, Tew says there are some groundbreaking products in the pipeline. ‘We’re talking products beyond the forefront,’ he said. ‘The guys here have come up with some genuinely pioneering new ideas, and we’re going to be rolling them out very soon – within the next few weeks.’ Any chance of a clue, we asked? As yet, it’s still tightly under wraps. ‘But if you think brand new ways of engaging with customers, very much on their terms, you won’t be far off.’

GADGETS

‘It’s great to be back in the sector.’ Tew says his new role will be focused on helping car dealers market cars using finance. ‘I intend to lead a whole raft of new tools to make finance easier and more profitable for the dealer, as well as more engaging and more experiential for the customer,’ he said.

‘My aim is to take the showroom products out of the showroom and onto car dealers’ websites.’ Tew promises this latest big move in the automotive finance industry will help car dealers use finance in new and more profitable ways to sell cars. ‘It sure is stimulating, thought provoking stuff we’re working on. It’s great, working with such forward thinking, like-minded people, and I can’t wait to debut our new developments.’

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Who said the humble mouse had to be boring? THE mouse. They always used to be boring little peripherals, sitting by the keyboard being dull. But not anymore, thanks to the MotorMouse! The Motormouse is car shaped, ergonomically designed, wireless, and set to 1200dpi for lovely, accurate clicking. Featuring blingtastic chrome wheels, the MotorMouse is sure to brighten up any dull office. It also comes with a mouse mat, and the world’s smallest 19mm USB receiver. An automatic power save function conserves battery life, and the mouse can be charged from the settings screen in your computer’s control panel. Caagis.com, £29.99 WE’RE becoming more and more reliant on sat navs, using them for everything from shopping to holiday making. The Garmin Nuvi 1370 makes for the perfect navigation companion, featuring maps of the UK, Europe and the USA. The slim design also features ecoRoute to help you reach your destination in the most fuel efficient way. There are speed camera and

speed limit alerts, Bluetooth connectivity for hands free phone calls, and lane guidance too. If you’re on foot, the Nuvi 1370 features a pedestrian mode, with an optional CityXplorer download to help you make your way around unfamiliar streets. Halfords.com, £249.99 BEING eco-friendly is sometimes difficult. The multitude of gadgetry we use in our cars means heavier draw on the battery, which is never good. However, Scosche has launched the new solCHAT, a solar powered Bluetooth speakerphone. The internal Li-Ion batteries store energy collected from an integrated solar panel, which works all day, even in overcast weather. It also comes with a backup USB charger for night time use. The solCHAT supports voice dialing, as well as the iPhone 3GS’s voice command feature. And a simple, user friendly design makes the solCHAT incredibly easy to use. Eoutlet.co.uk, £59.99 [Reviews by John Slavin]

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Social Media Confused about where to begin?

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dashboard Profits rise at Vertu thanks to scrappage VERTU has announced its end of year results which reveal a growth in group profits to £4.6m. This comes courtesy of a 7.6 per cent increase in revenue, to £818m. Scrappage played a big part in the improved profits for Vertu. Total new car retail volumes went up by 10.8 per cent, although the group also gained retail share in non-scrappage business. Not only did it sell more cars, but it also made more on each one. New car retail profit margins are now up to 8.5 per cent. On the used car side, it was even better. Vertu Group now makes 12.5 per cent margin on used car sales, which it says reflects rising used car values. Improvements in the used car market were another factor behind the boost in performance, said chief exec Robert Forrester. ‘2009/10 proved to be a much stronger period than anticipated,’ he said.

Inchcape announces rise in revenues for 2010 Used cars and aftersales play key role, but group warns 2010 could be tough INCHCAPE has revealed a 10.6 per cent rise in total revenues following a strong 2010 performance so far. Gaining share in the UK market has driven this, along with ‘stronger than expected’ new car revenues. Robust used car revenues and a good aftersales performance – which, interestingly, accounts for half of the group’s gross profit – further helped performance. After exiting 2009 debt-free, the Inchcape bosses say the firm’s cost base remains well controlled. They did, however, warn that the rest of 2010 could be more uncertain, as the new car market is weaker now the scrappage incentive scheme has ended. It means Inchcape may not repeat a like-for-like revenues boost of 12.4 per cent next time round. André Lacroix, group CEO of Inchcape plc, said: ‘We are pleased with our first quarter performance, as we enjoyed our second consecutive quarter of like-for-like revenue

Share watch

‘We are pleased with our performance.’ growth at constant currency since the start of the global downturn in the fourth quarter of 2008. ‘This strong performance demonstrates the strength of Inchcape’s global portfolio, as the group has seen stronger demand for new vehicles in several markets

around the world. Inchcape continues to benefit from its diversified revenue streams and is uniquely positioned moving forward to take advantage of the global industry recovery as we focus on our five group-wide priorities of growing market share and aftersales.’ Inchcape, he added, is also set to improve margins, control working capital and be selective about capital investments.

...in association with ASE-global.com

The ups and downs of results season O

ver the past month there has been significant movement within the listed UK motor retailer stocks, along with a flurry of results announcements (see above). Generally speaking the results disclosed for the first quarter of the year have been positive and this has led to an improved sentiment, although this has taken a knock in recent days. This may be the first impact from a lower-thanexpected new car footfall being felt during May. The most significant mover over the past month has been Pendragon, which saw a share price rise of more than 40 per cent during the second half of April in advance of its interim management statement. The majority of these gains have since been given up, with the share price declining after the announcement of the results and the fact that their chairman will be standing down. This boardroom reshuffle is nothing compared to the re-organisation at HR Owen following the appointment of its new chairman, Jon Walden. This month has seen the departure of the company’s chief executive Nick Lancaster along with three other

‘The HR Owen share price has been remarkably stable in light of this significant structural change, holding on to the majority of gains seen during April.’ board members. The share price has been remarkably stable in light of this significant structural change, holding on to the majority of gains seen during April. Given that the shares are thinly held this is not surprising, however it will remain to be seen whether any of the significant shareholders (including Bentley) choose to exit as a result of this change in direction. Lookers has continued its steady growth pattern with the share price having gained 25 per cent from the start of the year, albeit with a drop in the third week of May. The interim results for the first quarter

‘exceeded expectations’ leading management to look forward to a strong first half of 2010. Inchcape has also shown positive share price growth after a sluggish start to the year. A wider international perspective provides the opportunity for Inchcape to prosper should the UK lag behind the rest of the world in the speed of economic recovery. Vertu has released full year results during the last month which showed a positive picture, however this has not been reflected in the company’s share price. Despite robust results and positive statements from industry experts about how they are positioned to take advantage of opportunities during the current year the share price remains below its value at the start of the year. In addition, since listing at the start of April, Cambria has shown a steady decline to 80 per cent of listing value, albeit with very limited volume being traded and no company announcements having been made. If you have any questions on the above, call me on 0161 493 1930. Mike Jones, ASE director

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dashboard Nissan announces pricing for its Leaf

NISSAN has announced its Leaf electric car will cost £23,350 when it goes on sale here in February 2011. The headline-grabbing price confirms Nissan’s aim to make it a mainstream offer. ‘There is not a premium for EVs,’ said Nissan’s Simon Thomas. It is way lower than the Mitsubishi i-MiEV (around £10k less), and comes with a government grant of £5000 factored in.

Car Dealer Power, p43

Dealers missing out on online video DEALERS are missing an opportunity by not emulating Jeremy Clarkson and Top Gear on their own websites. Just seven percent of top dealer websites have a video feed, reckons web experts GForces. That’s despite independent internet monitors showing online video websites experienced a 180 per cent traffic rise in one year alone. Commercial director Tim Smith said: ‘It’s far more attractive to a customer to watch a short clip than it is to wade through text.’

Harratts opens city centre Peugeot site HARRATTS has opened the 12th dealer in its territory with the launch of city centre outlet Peugeot Leeds. It is big news for local employees – Harratts has taken over the territory of Robins & Day Horsforth and Evans Halshaw Central Leeds. These employees have been offered jobs at Peugeot Leeds. Stay up to date every day at CarDealerMag.co.uk

New BEN fundraising plan needs industry’s backing

Dealers urged to donate a £1 for every car sent to auction IT COSTS a staggering £11m each year to keep BEN running, reveal latest figures from the motor industry charity. Demands on it are increasing too, due to the economic downturn – so a new rallying call to dealers has been issued. BEN is asking large retail groups to donate £1 for each car they sell at auction, under the ‘Dealers backing BEN’ initiative. By doing this, they could raise more than half a million pounds each year – and it needn’t cost you that full amount, either. By deducting the donation from the sale price of each car, the net cost to the dealer will be less after taking into account VAT calculations. Nigel Williams, BEN’s head of national development said: ‘Dealers backing BEN provides a unique opportunity to support your industry charity in a very simple way, allowing you to get on with the business of

‘It provides a unique are set at approximately £1 per car, and all admin opportunity to is handled by the auction support your house, free of charge.’ Manufacturers and industry charity in importers are the largest a very simple way.’ single donor to BEN, which running dealerships while helping BEN to support your staff and their families when they need our help most. ‘Recently, the contract hire and leasing sector launched a similar scheme based on the volume of vehicles sold through auction. Donations

spends more than 86 per cent of funds raised directly on care and support. It says more than 15,000 people are helped each year – including 350 who live in one of BEN’s four care homes, one of which was used for the launch of our

Bangers4BEN rally last year. David Main, BEN’s chief executive, added: ‘BEN is the charity for people in your industry. For us to be effective, it is vital that you and those who work in your businesses know about BEN and the help we provide.’ Car Dealer Magazine is lending its support to this initiative and will later this year be running Bangers4BEN III, our annual fundraiser for the charity.

911 for 2011 latest, p59

Renault MD promoted to top European job

Cosworth works its magic on Impreza making it faster than a 911 Turbo!

RENAULT UK has a new MD after Roland Bouchara departs after four years to become European vice president. The new head of Renault UK is Thierry Sybord, who joins from Renault Netherlands. Formerly marketing director for Renault France, he too has been in his current role for four years, and is looking forward to arriving in the UK soon. ‘Naturally, I’m delighted to be taking on the challenge of orchestrating Renault’s operations in the UK,’ he said. ‘With an impressive market share increase this year, one of the youngest car and van ranges in the industry and our innovative range of electric vehicles just on the horizon, it’s an exciting time to be joining.’ Bouchara, who departs on July 1, says his promotion has been earned by the sterling work he has done in turning Renault sales around during the economic recession. And he added he couldn’t have done it without the help of dealers.

SUBARU has taken the covers off the £49,995, 400bhp Cosworth Impreza that hits 60mph in 3.7 seconds! Cosworth has tuned the five-door hatchback to make it as fast as a Porsche 911 Turbo, but it may still be a rarity for Subaru car dealers. Just 75 of the Cosworth Imprezas will be offered to UK buyers when deliveries start next month. It’s so fast because it has a 2.5-litre turbo engine tuned to produce a full 33 per cent more power. Subaru has timed it over the quarter-mile at 12.75 seconds. That’s thanks to all the Cosworth engineering – the Formula 1 engine manufacturer has completely redesigned the turbocharger system. Cosworth has also overhauled the suspension, with Bilstein and Eibach components. There are AP Racing

brakes behind Team Dynamics wheels. Subaru has fitted a better standard spec, with sat nav, leather seats and xenon headlights as standard. Three colours are available – silver, grey and red. There’s just one more question Subaru dealers will have to answer, over and above the £50k list price, though. Subaru has cut the threeyear warranty to 36,000 miles. This is probably in reﬂection of the hard use many will experience…

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Peering into the lives of the motor trade...

On The Spot Name: Peter Isted Age: 46 Job title: Managing director, Lifestyle Europe How is your business made up? Following a management buyout of HMG Holdings in 2001, Lifestyle has steadily grown to expand across Sussex, Surrey and Kent. Currently, we hold the franchise for five Ford locations and three Mazda, as well as two Renault. We also operate a Subaru showroom, alongside Ford Tunbridge Wells and run a significant Ford parts operation that stocks in excess of £2m.

Owned by? I own Lifestyle jointly with my business partner and current Lifestyle chairman, Marc Matthew. First job? I’ve always worked in the motor trade, starting out as an apprentice mechanic at 16. However, I did tell the boss that I wanted his job at the interview. From the outset, I knew I wanted to run my own business.

What made you get into the car trade? Anything with an engine makes me tick. I was always into cars and bikes and, with an older brother who worked at a garage, I had an early insight into how I could combine work and pleasure.

What was the first car you ever sold? A Fiesta. A 1.1 Popular Plus in beige. What a beauty! And I can still remember the registration number.

What’s your best ever deal? The best deal and the best decision I’ve ever made was to buy our initial five sites from the receivers. How many cars do you sell a month?

‘I love cars and I’m lucky enough to have a job I can also see as a hobby.’

Overall, we will sell in excess of 8,000 units this financial year and, of course, the scrappage scheme has been a great success for us with more than 1,100 units sold via the scheme.

What car would you buy for £30,000 and why (and it can’t be one you sell)? A Dax AC Cobra

What do you love about your job? Like I said, I

in java metallic blue with white stripes and a 5.7 Chevvy engine. They look great.

love cars and I’m lucky enough to have a job I can also see as a hobby, in some respects. I’ve been in the business for 30 years now, scarily, but I still get a buzz every day.

What do you hate? Emails. For some reason, I get far too many from indecisive people who’d rather not pick the phone up, speak to me and get an answer there and then.

Best sales tip? Simple, nothing’s changed over the years here. Get the acquisition price of the vehicle you’re selling right and you’ll maximise the overall opportunity. Also, never ever pre-judge people and always offer addons and accessories.

What car would you buy if money were no object and why? Ferrari 458 Italia. What a car! What would be your best tip for someone starting in the motor trade? In short, think big and have confidence.

What’s your ring tone? Well it was Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap but I thought that maybe didn’t fit the bill of a modern dealer!

What is the most expensive thing you’ve bought after your house? My motorcycle, an

and a 250 section rear end. Awesome.

What is the biggest threat facing car dealers? Getting customers back through the door after a purchase – dealers are all being reminded of this reality and how we must focus ever harder on existing customers, now that scrappage has run its course.

Have you any ambitions? You’ve always got to have ambition. Mine is to continue with my business partner and our team and steadily, strategically keep growing. We are currently looking at a number of options on sites in the south east so watch this space. Finally what’s your motto in life and business?

Treat others as you expect to be treated yourself and always have respect for all. And American Iron Horse Texas Chopper. I had it built in the states and it has an 1,850cc engine never accept being average.

Want to face the Car Dealer questions? it’s not as bad as it sounds. email james@blackballmedia.co.uk for details

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interview T

he recession wasn’t kind to Pendragon. As the UK’s largest car retail group with 300 dealerships, the downturn hit the business hard. Chief executive Trevor Finn was forced to make a series of cuts going into 2009, and during the year, but in 2010 things are finally starting to look up. In the first quarter his group announced it was back in the black, the difficult decisions had been made and were starting to bare fruit. Here, the boss of the UK’s number one car dealer group talks to us about his plans for growth, his hopes and fears for the car market in 2010 and his favourite car brand.

Being Number Trevor Finn is boss of Pendragon, the UK’s largest dealer group. Here, he tells JAMES BAGGOTT what it’s like to be top of the pile and talks about his hopes for the rest of 2010

2009 was a very tough year for the car industry, how do you think the rest of 2010 will compare? It is definitely going to be better. The main thing driving that will be the fact we won’t have the depreciation we had last year in the used car market. Not withstanding the fact scrappage has been taken out of the system if you look at the registrations and took scrappage out, in October to December last year we saw year-on-year increases. Scrappage has confused the picture but even taking it out, the market has turned from its worse point in the final quarter of last year.

What was your take on the scrappage scheme – was it the right thing to introduce when it was? I was very sceptical of the scrappage scheme but there’s no doubt about it – it worked. I am convinced it was self-funding. Most customers who bought under scrappage were used car buyers and we know that the VAT receipts on a new vehicle are much higher than those on a used one. If it was converting new car buyers into new then it was definitely giving a one-off boost to the Treasury. I think it did help the industry. As I said, I was sceptical, but I have to put my hands up and say I think I was wrong about it and that it was a success. Scrappage accounted for about four per cent of our volume which was less than the national average, but it had different effects with different brands. If you look at the data, Ford did very well out of it and we hold a lot of Ford franchises, so that was where the principal volume was. But we’re not weighted towards the Korean brands that did very well out of it which is why we saw a smaller overall volume compared to the national average.

What would you like to see the next government do to help the car industry out? Well, what we’d obviously all like to see is Jeremy Clarkson to be the next minister of transport. That would be the most popular choice in our opinion.

Brilliant! But on a serious note, what about things like the showroom tax – was that a bit of a kick in the teeth for the car industry? Well, it was a long time coming so it was expected. If you look at tax rates on empty business properties there’s quite a burden on many in this industry. The fact the government levies rates on empty buildings certainly doesn’t help business. There are lots of things if you look that could help not just the car industry but businesses in general.

Name Trevor Finn Job title Pendragon PLC chief executive officer Age 52 Family One son and two daughters Drives Jaguar E-Type (Sundays) Lives Derbyshire CV CEO Pendragon PLC 1989 -2010 MD Williams Holdings Vehicle Division 1982-1989.

growth is determined by the manufacturers and how they want to grow their market share and position themselves in the market. We have very little influence over that and can only grow using the tools that are provided. We’ve got a bit more influence over aftersales and used cars.

How important will used cars be to your group this year then? Historically we’ve always sold more used cars than new and that applies in the premium end of the market and the volume end. It’s a part of the business that has always been very important. The SMMT and commentators say the new car market is going to be flat, so that in itself probably means we’re going to sell more used cars than we did the year prior.

You’ve had a good start to 2010, returning to profit in the first quarter – will that be sustained? I think What problems and opportunities does being the UK’s biggest car dealer group present? It gives us benefits in that we see a lot of best practice across our group. We’ve got the breadth of visibility to see what’s going on. But then the biggest disadvantage we have is that because we’re so large our perceptions are distorted by our weakest link. We’ve got some absolutely first class businesses with excellent people, and quite often the business might not be recognised for that because a single business, single outlet or single individual may have let us down at some point. You’re as good as your weakest link, so that’s really our biggest disadvantage.

Does it give you good sway with the manufacturers you represent? We’ve been established for quite a long time and we’ll have notched up 25 years this year with quite a few of the manufacturers we represent. We’ve already been in business with others for more than 25 years, and that’s personally and as a corporate. When we’ve all been through what we’ve been through together – and you need to remember that it’s not just retailers that have had a hard time, but manufacturers too – then you appreciate the good times more.

so. We’ve got momentum in the business and we’ve got ourselves in good shape. We took some tough decisions going into the downturn, some more during the recession to hold it together going through it so from our point of view, things are looking up. And there’s no reason why in the absence of a major shake-up in the broader economy why that momentum won’t continue.

Are there any plans to grow Pendragon with acquisitions this year? It’s unlikely. If you look at where we are, we’ve got 300 outlets spread across the country. Lots of people are aspiring to grow their businesses, but we did our stint of that prior to recession. We downsized during the recession and the key to it now is to push more activity through the sites that we’ve got.

What about abroad – any expansion plans there? Not at the moment. We’ve still got our businesses in California that are going through a very similar cycle to the UK. They’re starting to recover and we’re seeing some positive signs out there. To be fair, we don’t have to go and buy anything to grow, and that’s because we’ve done our growing already and we’ve now got the right footprint.

Where is the growth going to happen for Pendragon now? We’ve got two major areas

There was news recently of some sites under threat of closure – is that still the case? Not really. We’re

that we’re in control of and that will be major growth areas for us and that’s aftersales and used cars. In the new car market, by and large,

about the right size, but when you’ve got 300 sites there’s always some movement and consolidation. Then there’s manufacturer requirements and

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r One property issues, but in the round we’re as stable as we have been for 20 years.

On a more general topic, what are your thoughts about alternative fuelled cars and how they’ll affect car retailing? Electric seems to be the direction everyone is going. It doesn’t quite do it for me as someone who likes cars, but not everyone is motivated by the same thing. For some people cars are a form of transportation and that’s it, to other people they’re a hobby, an interest, a passion. It depends where you stand on that as to where you stand on electric cars. But you don’t have to look very far into the future to see an electric Porsche 911 and would that be exciting to people if it performed? I’m sure it would. In terms of making money out of these cars and whether leasing is the way forward, well that’s a difficult call. We don’t know what the durability is going to be like, or what the running gear and systems are going to be like. A change in propulsion unit is a big change, but it’s not a transition from a horse and cart, is it?

So you are a big car fan yourself? Oh yes. I tell people I’m not, but I seem to have a few and I mess about with them all the time, so I must be. What do I drive myself? Well, you really need to ask something like ‘what do you have as private car?’ Or better still, ‘what is the favourite car that you own?’ Then I’d answer, at this moment in time, my E-Type Jaguar. What about the internet – is that where you see the most opportunities? It’s probably the biggest single, life-changing event I’ve known in my life. It’s changed everything about the business. The way people buy things is now totally different and we’ve had to respond to that.

Where do you see Pendragon in five years from now? In a similar space, a lot more profitable and more stable. We’ll have been through a period of consolidation and will have more throughput at our existing sites so I think in terms of performance we’ll be seen as a high performing, very successful enterprise. But that will only come as a result of us doing the business.

In light of that, what’s the biggest threat facing the car industry going forward? More legislation. Quite often it is used to drive change, which is fine, but it’s over what time scale that is implemented. Legislation is the biggest unknown that will change the shape of things for us.

What about the car brands you represent – any that hold a particular place in your heart? That’s a great question. A brand that I like is Cadillac. It’s brave, uncompromising and just a little bit crazy.

And finally, have you got one piece of advice for car dealers? Stay focused and stick to the basics. Which are? Sell parts, sell labour, sell cars… [CD]

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comment

Go on, isn’t it about time you Tweeted yourself? Terry

Hogan Y

ou might have been on Twitter recently, and seen the @CarDealerEd types blatantly promoting themselves whilst freeloading in some far off country, or living like vagrants in luxury cars. But it’s not all ‘media bods’ having a good time, there are ways you can use Twitter right now to promote your brand, form new business relationships or God forbid, sell some cars. And the good news is that this only the start. With some 15 billion tweets since it’s inception there is a mass of public opinion just waiting to be tapped into. Tools like Twitterfall can help you set up a search and leave it running in the background to get instant results for keywords in a given location. Imagine you are a BMW car dealer looking for a 730d LWB car for a customer. Set up a search for the car you want and see what people are talking about. Every time your search term, for example, ‘BMW 730 for sale’ is mentioned on a Tweet, you‘ll see the original message. You can then contact the Tweeter to see if you can help – they might be a buyer, a seller or a fellow dealer. But the whole point is you are targeting useful people in the right area with little effort. This is the real time web. It won’t be far off when the people at Twitter start monetising their content. For now they have lots of users, a lot of information of which the majority is just garbage. But within all this there are useful services waiting to happen. For businesses, it is also a great way of making

Car Dealer Magazine’s editor and Motoring.co.uk are on twitter – are you?

‘The whole point is you are targeting useful people in the right area with little effort. This is the real time web.’ new contacts and starting new relationships. Look at your competitors – they’ll have ‘followers’ who are useful to you. Just have a look, follow them and they’ll reciprocate nine times out of 10. The most important thing to realise is that the

‘new web’ is very much about now. We’re having to change a lot of the things we do to keep up with this constantly connected social space. And we‘re giving our users and our partners new tools to help them interact with us and their peers. The pace of change is increasing, and while I’ll admit that I thought the iPad was just a really, really big iPhone, it could be the medium to make the mobile web truly mobile and actually enjoyable. No more sitting on a train looking at a screen the size of a post it note! Follow us on Twitter @motoringcouk

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big mike

Why I just can’t stand the botch-job home mechanics T

his month, I’m going to get something off my chest. Sadly, it won’t be my man boobs – there are some things that even Big Mike can’t shift – but while it won’t necessarily give you any advice that helps you run your businesses more efficiently or maximise your profits (other columnists are, after all, available…) it will at least make me feel a hell of a lot better. My rant is targeted at home ‘mechanics’. Not the type of folk that maintain their own cars impeccably, keep their Haynes manuals oil-stain free and change the fluids in half the time or mileage interval the manufacturer recommends, just to be on the safe side. No, for such folk are absolutely fine – what a used car lacks in service history when acquired from such a punter, it usually more than makes up for in terms of its overall condition. Often, this is the kind of anal owner who cleans his wheels with a toothbrush, and swaps from glass to plastic cleaner when he gets to the patch of his windscreen where the tax disc holder is located. Were it not for the fact that such owners normally have base model Nissans or Volvos, I’d actively hunt them out for good quality stock. But for all the home maintenance freaks out there who are currently preserving 1.7-litre Volvo 440s and Almera 1.4SEs for the next generation of classic car enthusiasts, there is another bunch of clueless idiots who take it upon themselves to fix (or worse, ‘improve’) things when, clearly, they haven’t got a clue. If they were doing DIY in their homes, there’d no doubt be a really bad daytime television programme about them. Last week, I took a red Citroen Saxo in part-exchange. The boy-racer friendly VTR model, with more mouth than trousers, and a perennial favourite among the reverse baseball cap brigade, I was fairly confident I could rehome the thing without too much trouble, despite the fact it had horrific self-adhesive stripes going over the top of it, was in desperate need of a T-Cut, and had a couple of small marks to the body. It was only when I got up close and personal with the thing a few days later that I realised quite what levels of buggery-bodgery the previous keeper had stooped to. Even more surprising, though, is that he wasn’t your typical 18-year-old Barry Boy, but a respectable chap in his late Twenties with his own business, who was reluctantly selling his cherished hot hatch for a family model because his wife had something in the oven. The driver’s door rubbing strip, for example, had succumbed to a parking knock at one stage and been knocked off. Rather than do the obvious, and replace it properly, using a new part, matey-boy had simply put the old one back on, and instead of discreetly gluing it or possibly trying to reaffix the trim clips, attacked the door with a drill and three Philips screws, fixing it at a jaunty angle to further add to the amateurism. The self-adhesive stripes, luckily, came off without too much complication and only took a tiny amount of the paintwork with them – being solid red, the touch up was simple – and the body responded brilliantly

Poo Corner is looking bare, Big Mike sold his Favorit for an ‘obscene’ amount

to a cut and polish, making it look immediately better, but nothing, and I mean nothing, could quite prepare me for what the hapless dimwit had done to the sunroof. When he traded it in (against, incidentally, an Audi A4 Avant that now probably wears dreadful over-sized alloys and self-adhesive window tinting film), he proudly pointed out to me how he’d ‘fixed’ a leaking sunroof with a foam-based gutter sealant. The resultant mess had not only sealed the sunroof well and truly in its place, but had also spread itself liberally across the roof, sunroof glass and even the front edge of the windscreen. I can only assume that the bloke was completely rat-arsed when he attempted the repair job, or that he should have gone to Specsavers. If he’d had any clue whatsoever about cars, he’d have realised that the real fault was simply that the sunroof rubber had come loose from the bodywork slightly at one corner, and that by simply pressing it back into place he’d have saved himself a wet shoulder without the inconvenience of defacing his car. Luckily, Olaf – the man who runs my local car valeting centre (‘Get a polish from the Polish’ being their motto) – managed to get almost all of it off with a combination of a butter knife, a hairdryer, a bottle of white spirit and the sheer determination to complete a job properly that has put a number of British builders out of business. It looked marvellous, but not before I’d put hours of labour and a case of ‘Lech’ into the damned thing. Show me a grand, and it’s yours… Who is Big Mike? Well, that would be telling. What we do know is he’s had 30 years in the car trade and picked up some seriously funny tales along the way.

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Finance available subject to status. Indemnities may be required. Black Horse, St William House, Tresilian Terrace, Cardiff CF10 5BH.

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17:00:15

finance

...in association with

Sutton

Two more dealers join the SAF ranks FINANCE standards have received a boost after two big dealer groups achieved FLA SAF competency. Motorpoint and The Co-Operative Motor Group are the latest dealer groups to reach the high levels demanded by the competency assessment. Indeed, Motorpoint is actually the first UK car supermarket to be approved by the FLA test. More than 100 salespeople had to run through the online test in order for SAF approval to be granted. ‘With SAF approval,’ said Motorpoint MD David Shelton. ’We are confident that they will be able to discuss all finance-related issues with customers with even greater confidence in the future.’ Even more sales people at Co-Operative had to take the test for approval to be given – 129 of them! Group operations support manager Ian Beardmore said passing the test fitted in well with the group’s ethical stance. ’It is important to ensure our sales teams are competent to advise customers on the best funding options available,’ he said. ‘The SAF accreditation will give our customers the reassurances our team can do this.’ Black Horse drive Both car dealer groups use Black Horse finance – and their achievements marks a big step towards the finance house’s aim to put its entire sales force through the programme. That’s 10,000 car dealers! Indeed, to

further encourage this, Black Horse MD Chris Sutton is actually now chair of the FLA (see story on p27). ‘The SAF logo is a kite-mark for car buyers and gives dealership sales staff the confidence and knowledge they need to sell point of sale finance effectively and responsibly,’ he said. ‘As the leading provider for point of sale motor finance we see it as our responsibility to work with the FLA to promote the benefits of this quality standard to our dealer base, and in my new role as FLA chair I am more committed than ever to achieving this.’ SAF ideals Sutton also explained the idea behind the SAF test: ‘It helps to improve the uniformity of information which is offered, ensuring that a consistent approach is delivered from dealer to dealer. ‘This is in line with our own values regarding customers, with a commitment to making things simple and taking ownership to ensure continual improvement.’ It is certainly within car dealer’s interests to do so. ‘The FLA’s figures show that point of sale finance is the most popular means of funding a new car purchase, so sellers have an essential and trusted role to play in helping buyers make the decision which is right for them,’ added Sutton. ‘Ultimately it will also help to increase dealers’ bottom line, through finance penetration and increased motor sales, which is more crucial than ever in today’s economic climate.’

Money talks

Why leadership is so important

f this year’s general election has taught us anything, it’s the importance of firm leadership. In the days following the election result, the country entered a period of political limbo while the three main parties discussed who would form the next government. This delay and period of uncertainty concerned the markets and demonstrated that in the current financial climate what we need is stability and decisiveness. Outside of the political arena, within the motor industry, I believe that leadership can come in a number of guises. The manufacturers and large dealers can provide leadership in the current climate simply by continuing to have high aspirations for where they want to take their businesses and the high standards of service and product they commit to their customers. Trade bodies can similarly provide much needed guidance at a time when the industry faces a number of issues, including new legislation on the Consumer Credit Directive (CCD) and new rules for handling payment protection insurance (PPI) complaints. The FLA’s Specialist Automotive Scheme (SAF) is giving renewed confidence to car buyers and dealers alike. I’m delighted to have been given the chance to play a leading role in one of the industry’s key organisations, following my appointment as chairman of the FLA this month. The FLA are a hugely knowledgeable and influential body, and I am looking forward to working with them to ensure sure our voice is heard by the government. I believe that Black Horse also provides strong leadership in the industry, serving as a trusted advisor on issues such as the aforementioned CCD and PPI issues. There’s also powerful, practical ways in which we can help our dealers to increase their finance penetration and overall sales. This month we relaunched our successful Approved Dealer Programme (ADP), a scheme which is aimed at giving you a competitive advantage through our new range of point of sale marketing materials. The revised ADP has been developed based on consumer and dealer research to ensure the new materials and marketing initiatives deliver on every level. The availability of finance and consumers’ trust of lenders is becoming more important – so association with the market leader gives your customers the confidence they need in these shifting times.

Who is Chris Sutton? Chris is managing director of Black Horse Motor Finance

MOTOR FINANCE MADE SIMPLE blackhorse.co.uk

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finance W

Deal finder

Coupe-convertibles

ith the arrival of sunshine comes the dropping of tops. We have waited way too long for some decent weather – and the thrill of some British summertime enjoyment is going to the heads of some buyers. Yes, the annual rush for opentop motors has started! And there is no more popular option than the safe, secure and refined coupe-cabriolet.

Volkswagen Eos You don’t get many bespoke open-top cars in this sector, but VW offers one with the unique Eos. It uses Golf mechanicals but the bodywork is entirely unique and very good looking. It’s a particularly neat folding metal hard top too, even including a sunroof! VW still offers the deals, though. A good buy is the 2.0 TDI S, which retails at £21,175 with a £750 VW incentive thrown in. This is then available on a 7.9 per cent APR PCP finance rate, over three years, with a mileage cap of 10,000 miles a year. Buyers have to put down a deposit of £6,149, after which, it costs £249 a month for 35 months. At the end, there is a final payment

of £9,015 – it is the car’s excellent retained values that help keep the monthly payments low, but the final payment higher than the others. Proof that it’s a good investment despite the so-so finance rate!

Specification

Model: 2.0 TDI 140 S Price: £21,925 Engine: 2.0 TDI 140 0-60: 10.3s Max speed: 128mph MPG: 48.7mpg CO2: 152g/km

Ford Focus CC The Ford Focus is a real favourite with UK buyers – but only in hatchback and estate form. The problem child of the range is the CC model, which suffered at launch from a bulbous rear end, quickly adding problems of a leaky roof to this, too. Ford has since facelifted it in line with other Focus, but the model has never really captured buyers’ hearts. Thus, there are a raft of special offers available. A decent all-rounder is the Focus CC-2 2.0 petrol, on a two-year Ford Options scheme. Right away, Ford’s knocking £3,610 off the list price, to which the dealer will take off a further £839. This takes it down to £18,495; then, it’s £399

a month for two years. Whether it’s enough to tempt buyers is another matter. There’s no denying the idea of a practical open-top from the UK’s biggest retailer network – but the reality is not for everyone.

Specification

Model: 2.0 145 CC-2 Price: £21,745 Engine: 2.0 TDI 140 0-60mph: 10.3s Max: 130mph MPG: 37.7mpg CO2: 179g/km

Peugeot 308 CC We reckon Peugeot is set for quite a summer. The sexy RCZ is arriving in dealer showrooms (see p29) and is going to have people queuing up outside. It will be in short supply, too: so, what about those keen to get into something now? Well, enter the 308 CC! It’s a decent, cut-price RCZ alternative that has the added benefit of more interior space and, yes, the folding roof enjoyment. Peugeot is tempting them further with a sensational deal – four years’ zero per cent finance! To access it, all buyers need to do is put down £6,149 on the speedy 1.6 THP 156. Then, it’s £384 a month for 48 months. This buys a 1.6 THP 156 GT, a

very desirable trim and, in our view, a cracking engine too (it is, after all, shared with the Mini Cooper…). This could be a surprise CC hit of the summer – with the even cheaper 207 CC available too, Peugeot dealers could be in for some good times…

Specification

Model: 1.6 THP 156 Sport Price: £24,595 Engine: 1.6 THP 156 0-60mph: 10.9s Max: 134mph MPG: 37.7mpg CO2: 177g/km

MOTOR FINANCE MADE SIMPLE blackhorse.co.uk

Finance subject to status. Indemnities may be required

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...in association with Car makers are giving such buyers a further helping hand though, with some particularly canny finance offers out there. Such models may be in demand when the sun’s out, but the brands also want to ensure the sale happens on that rainy July afternoon when the buyer’s actually in the showroom. Hence, some real steals out there. But which is the best? Here, Car Dealer checks out three tempting offers.

Finance news

Car Dealer rounds up the latest stories from the world of car finance

Southern Finance bought by private bank SOUTHERN Finance has been acquired by private bank R. Raphael & Sons. The independent finance firm has been part of privately owned Lenlyn Group since 2005. Raphaels Bank is also a member of the group and its full acquisition of Southern Finance is said to ‘give the motor finance specialist the ability to extend its range of services for the retail motor trade’. Miles Roberts, joined Southern Finance as managing director in 2005 and was subsequently appointed CEO of Raphaels Bank in 2009. He is now set to become more involved in the

Southern Finance business again, as it becomes a division of the bank, and is excited about its prospects as result of the acquisition. ‘The motor finance market has changed radically over the last couple of years with the result that many motor retailers have much less choice when it comes to offering finance to potential customers,’ said Roberts. ‘Our goal with the acquisition of Southern Finance, making it a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bank, is to give motor dealers a more flexible choice that is more in tune with their commercial and customer needs.’

New chairman

FLA partnership

BLACK Horse MD and Car Dealer columnist Chris Sutton has been revealed as the new chairman of the Finance and Leasing Association. He takes over from David Betteley, JLR’s director of financial services. ‘I am very grateful to David Betteley for his strong leadership of the FLA over recent years,’ said Sutton. ‘I am conscious that this is an exciting time to take over from him. I look forward to working with the FLA team to make sure our voice is heard by the government and by our regulators, so that our members have the best possible business environment in which to serve their customers and so contribute to the economic recovery.’

FRAUDSTERS are being challenged by a booming partnership between the FLA and police body ACPO. The FLA has been working closely with ACPO since September 2007 to clamp down on finance fraud, via the Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service. In that time, there have been some 236 arrests and more than 1,700 cars (worth more than £33m) have been recovered. Head of AVCIS, DCI Mark Hooper, said: ‘Our partners, such as the FLA, are instrumental in helping us reduce vehicle theft and related offences, but this can only happen by removing cars as an asset for criminals.’

Car finance take up on the rise CAR dealer finance enabled more than 95,000 10-registration cars to hit UK roads in March reports the FLA. That’s a huge rise of 46 per cent compared with the preceding month. To put it into context, the total figure advanced out to customers to buy their new cars in March was £1.15bn, according to the latest figures available. This is further encouragement for the car dealer finance business, which is starting to grow fast after a sluggish 2009. Government incentives, such as the VAT cut and scrappage have helped the consumer new car finance market to grow by 10 per cent over the last 12 months. However, FLA head of motor finance Paul Harrison warned of the risk that it may not last,

due to politics: ‘The figures for March are encouraging – it is always a strong month for lenders and dealers alike because of the new plate. We expect the figures for April to continue the strong sales trend, particularly for used cars as buyers return to that market. ‘If we are to continue building strong financial markets we need stability and the right kind of decisive action from the coalition government. The UK economy is recovering from the worst recession since the war, and consumer confidence is still fragile. ‘We hope the new government will work with us to create a business environment that helps us to help our customers.’

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07:53 AM

[Forecourt]

Road tests in association with

Young pretender The TT has had a monopoly on the coupe market for too long. Now there’s another, cheaper option

sleek coupe with design cues to rival an Audi R8, built in the same factory as the Aston Martin Rapide but yet can be bought for £20k? Sounds too good to be true doesn’t it – but it’s not. This month, Peugeot’s hotly anticipated RCZ hits dealer showrooms and with it a tidal wave of customers. The car has been gathering quite a following since it made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2008 and it represents a huge leap forward for the French firm. Why? Well, this is a Peugeot that’s strolling into the Audi TT’s domain and who would have ever thought that coupe’s market dominance could be challenged? It helps that the Peugeot doesn’t just look good – but looks stunning! From the front, the car has the family nose – like a 308, or other generic Peugeot. It’s not really that inspiring at all. But, walk around to the side and it just gets better and better. Squat, aggressive shoulders, a beautiful profile and a roof with two gentle bumps targets the 30+-year-old male buyers that the RCZ is aimed at. This is the first car the French manufacturer has launched without the familiar three digit number name. The RCZ is a standalone model and is the first to carry the marque’s refreshed badge design. Inside is a comfortable, pleasant place to be with chunky controls, supportive seats and lots of visibility. The only real stand-out bad point in the cabin is the somewhat flimsy plastic which covers the transmission tunnel and flexes nastily when you release the handbrake. The rest of the car though has some classy materials. The two silver strips on the roof are aluminium and there’s high grade leather coverings inside (in the GT model) both combining to give the RCZ an expensive, upmarket feel. And that’s the clever bit – because the RCZ really isn’t that expensive at all. The entry-level model with

a 156bhp, 1.6-litre petrol, is just £20,450, rising to £25,050 for the 200bhp range topper. Compare this to the Audi TT, which starts at £26,370 and Peugeot already has the upper hand. Buyers just need to get past any badge snobbery they may be harbouring. For this test we tried the petrol GT model with 156bhp petrol. This level gives buyers 19-inch alloys and leather. Also included as standard are heated front seats, front and rear parking aid, auto-dipping mirrors for reversing, auto lights, come home lighting and auto wipers. The ride is a bit harsh on those bigger 19s, but we think it is worth it for the better looks. And on the subject of specs, Peugeot have been very clever here. You can have the entry-level car, with all the looks of the top end model for an extra couple of grand. The performance figures are not the most exciting with a 0-60mph time of 8.3 seconds and a top speed of 133mph. Having said that, it still pushes on pretty well. There’s good feel from the front wheels and in the right hands you can still have a bit of fun. However, it is at lower speeds and around town where it really excels. What’s more, it’s here buyers can show off those stunning looks to pedestrians who’ll stand there open-mouthed! Peugoet dealers must be feeling rather smug right now. They’ve got a car with the looks of a premium German manufacturer for a relative bargain price – and in these cost-conscious economic times, that’s a real winner. The only problem we can see is availability – Peugeot doesn’t anticipate a problem, but did tell us 30 per cent of this year’s UK allocation was already sold. And that’s before the more powerful 200bhp has got here. Our advice? Tell your customers to get their orders in quick… DUNCAN CHAPPELL

Peugeot RCZ GT Price: £22,750 Engine: 1.6 16v Turbo Power: 156bhp, 240Nm Max: 133mph 0-60mph: 8.3s Economy: 40.9mpg recommends ESP Formula 5W-30 top up packs for this vehicle. See Mobil-1.co.uk for details

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[Forecourt]

Road tests in association with

Eco-upe

Who said hybrids had to be ugly? Not Honda. Meet the new CR-Z, a coupe that makes green cool

Honda CR-Z Price: £16,999 Engine: 1.5-litre & electric motor Power: 124bhp, 173Nm 0-60mph: 9.9s Max: 124mph MPG: 56.5 recommends Fuel Economy 0W-30 top up packs for this vehicle. See Mobil-1.co.uk for more details

ne of THE coolest cars of the late 1980s was Honda’s ballistic CR-X. Short, squat and stubby, it was a road-going missile when fitted with the mesmerising 1.6-litre VTEC engine, famed stratospheric rev limit ‘n all. This model, more than any other, cemented the VTEC legend in Honda’s history. Now, the brand is hoping to repeat this trick, but using different technology. Enter the CR-Z: a short(ish), stubby and squat coupe, fitted with an even more hitech drivetrain. Yup, it’s the CR-Z IMA hybrid – Honda’s take on the coupe of the future. On looks alone the new Honda CR-Z demolishes the viewpoint hybrids can only be joyless transportation modules for those who put eco posturing before driving pleasure. This is a great looking car – sleek, sexy and distinctively futuristic. The cues to the CR-X are clear and intentional; it’s distinctive in its own right – and anything but ‘eco’ in appearance. Mind you, it’s not quite a full-on Prius-style hybrid mechanically, either. Instead, the ‘mild hybrid’ concept uses a 1.5-litre high-efficiency petrol, that’s ‘assisted’ by an electric motor. Yup, that’s the ‘Integrated Motor Assist’ part; Honda’s thinking is that electric power provides the boost of a larger engine when needed, while the efficient engine sips fuel at a much-reduced rate when not. It can’t, however, offer running solely under electric power. On the road, it feels strong and flexible as a result, the 9.9s 0-60mph and 124mph making it sound slower than it feels at the wheel. Sure, it’s no rocket ship. But what power there is can be easily exploited. Even better – and a first for a hybrid – it’s got a six-speed manual gearbox! This being a Honda, it’s typically light and positive in action. Through the corners, it’s fun to drive, as there’s a level of interaction not normally found in hybrids. It’s not necessarily overtly fast or sporty, but the steering is well weighted and responsive, making it ideally suited to urban driving. Here, the car’s compact size, fast-

reacting start-stop system and low-down torque make it nippy and frugal in equal measure. It even rides pretty well too, the extra weight of the battery pack in the rear giving it a planted feel even if the actual kerb weight is a relatively modest 1,147kg. Where it does strongly copy the CR-X is inside; forget 2+2 claims – the CR-Z is really only a two-seater and most of the time you’ll simply keep the seats flat and enjoy the extra load space. The instruments focus on economy. The 3D-layered speedo and rev counter look great, the green glow gradually going from blue then red as the revs build and economy falls. This is just one of many neat visual clues as to how green, or otherwise, your driving is. Hi-tech features include a three-mode driving system with normal, sports and eco modes, the latter cutting back throttle response and even tweaking power steering and air-con for maximum efficiency. So, the big test. Having established the CR-Z is fun and looks cool can it also carry off the green credentials? Well, the scores on the doors are 117g/km CO2 and an official combined consumption figure of 56.5mpg. Somewhere behind the Prius’s 89g/km and 72.4mpg or even the closely related Insight’s 101g/km and 64.2mpg. Driven normally the CR-Z easily scores high 40s mpg though. Thing is, on paper a Mini Cooper with a comparable 122bhp manages 127g/km and 52.3mpg without the need for fancy hybrid hardware and costs £14,100 against the entry level CR-Z’s £16,999. For all the cutesy eco driving displays and congestion-charge dodging the CR-Z isn’t really that green. Thus, as an out-and-out eco car the CR-Z fails to entirely convince, despite being congestion charge exempt. It is fun to drive and super cool to look at though and as a snazzy runabout with a difference more than a rival to the Mini and others. Can hybrids be fun? Yes, even if this one doesn’t really work the green agenda. DAN TRENT

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Road tests in association with

[Forecourt]

New statesman Rolls-Royce has the Ghost, now Bentley has a real rival – here Richard Aucock meets the Mulsanne

ew Bentley saloons don’t come along every day. Indeed, if you want to know what the last all-new Bentley range-topper was, you need to flick the history books all the way back to 1930. That’s when the 8-Litre was unveiled, a car that WO Bentley personally oversaw to the nth degree. Unfortunately, his attention to detail was combined with a global recession. Bentley was crippled, rival RollsRoyce pounced, and decades of Bentleys as rebadged Rolls-Royce followed. It ensured the company survived, sure, but it wasn’t the proudest of continuations. Of course, since VW bought Bentley, finally separating it from Rolls-Royce, the firm has been thriving. The last year or so has been a blip rather than a trend, and word is things are recovering again. It’s thus the perfect time, reckons Bentley, to launch its first all-new range-topping saloon since that fabled 8-Litre. Goodbye Rolls-Roycederived Arnage, hello Mulsanne. A car as all-British and all-Bentley as they come. Car Dealer Magazine attended the car’s international launch for the car, of which UK dealers will soon be second only to US outlets in snaring a slice of the 800a-year volume. It’s going to be a well-heeled set drawn in, too. Prices may start at £220k for the Mulsanne, cannily placing it right between the Rolls-Royce Ghost and Phantom – but Bentley expects most will add a good £50k on top of that. Such is the virtually limitless array of personalisation options on offer. It’s not all about the interior, either. The 6.75-litre twinturbo V8’s fuel-saving deactivation was detailed to us, along with its 505bhp and eight-speed auto’s ability to withstand the staggering 1,019Nm torque figure. Much of this comes in at idle, added the engine expert, with knowing understatement. It takes around 2,000 people a good nine weeks to build each Mulsanne, and the standards on display are ‘the best ever achieved’. The Bentley didn’t disappoint when it crunched up the gravel drive to the launch handover depot. Over 5.5 metres in length, it’s a huge car, with a stately and

elegant rear swoop (‘like a coupe’ is the intention). Yet there’s an understatement to it that trades back a RollsRoyce Ghost’s visual clout. Old money Britishness, if you like; imposing yet not ostentatious. We thought we’d mirror many buyers by being a passenger first of all (actually, said Bentley later, dealers report many more will use this as a driver’s car rather than a chauffeur wagon). From the very first tug of the chrome door handle, we were treated to a precision-fit, hand-crafted tactile masterclass. A tall, cockpit-like dashboard is dominated by wood paneling that really is wood, even the bits you can’t see. It wraps elegantly right around the cabin, creating a ‘ring of wood’ that Bentley head Dr Pfasdfegen apparently insisted on (despite the expense and complexity). Both auto shifter and three-spoke steering wheel are sporty, the seats are high yet pretty firm and supportive, and the reverse-swing dials are simply brilliant. With leather specially treated so it’s soft to the touch, and every bit that looks metal proving to actually be real metal, the impact of the interior is jaw-dropping. It can’t match a Rolls-Royce for rear comfort, but it’s still good – and we’d even say the slightly sportier control of the air-sprung ride is slightly more preferable. Yes, on the move, the Mulsanne is a thing of wonder. You’ll savour the ride yet be amazed at how it can also turn into corners so crisply, accurately and with so much confidence. The engine staggers with its immediate pulling power and utter mechanical refinement. Steering is just right, brakes are just so, everything about it oozes the quality you’d expect of a quarter-million-pound car. By Lord, is it fast, too. It may have taken 80 years, but the patience of the Bentley Boys has been worth it. With the Mulsanne, loyal dealers at last have a range-topper that epitomises the brand, and should help them staple their top-level credentials. If, in doing so, it means putting one over Rolls-Royce in the process, then all for the good. It’s not as if the opportunity comes round that often…

Bentley Mulsanne Price: £220,000 Engine: 6.75-litre V8 twin-turbo Power: 505bhp, 1,019Nm Max: 184mph 0-60mph: 5.1s Economy: 16.7mpg recommends New Life 0W-40 top up packs for this vehicle. See Mobil-1.co.uk for details

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[Forecourt]

Road tests in association with

Luxury barge

Range Rovers don’t just sell on their 4x4 capabilities, now they’re the ultimate luxury liners

Range Rover TDV8 Price: £77,880 Engine: 3.6-litre TDV8 Power: 271bhp, 639Nm Max: 124mph 0-62mph: 8.6 seconds Economy: 25.4mpg recommends Fuel Economy 0W30 top up packs for this vehicle. See Mobil-1.co.uk for details

he Range Rover is 40 years old this year. In that time, it’s turned from a luxurious Land Rover into a pinnacle of motoring, that bears comparison with the best Mercedes and Jaguars. Indeed, if you’re looking for an intriguing British alternative to a Bentley Flying Spur, the big Range Rover is a compelling choice. That’s been reinforced for the 2010 model year, which has helped create the best Range Rover there has ever been. On offer is a level of personalisation that’s almost an equal of, well, Bentley, plus a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine that would almost stand scrutiny with a Flying Spur. More than likely, it will share garage space with our other new road test this month, the Bentley Mulsanne. It’s a mark of how far Range Rover has come that buyers of one automatically consider the other. As well, not instead of… Despite the appeal of 500bhp, though, Car Dealer Magazine decided to be sensible for once, and instead tested the 3.6-litre TDV8 diesel. This is probably the bestseller of the range and gives the big Range Rover, which was launched in current guise back in 2002, the power to back up its size. It’s an engine not shared with other Land Rovers, which helps keep it a class apart. It’s also a total delight to use, giving you all the loved V8 potency, a pretty convincing V8 burble and loads of surging, never-ending pulling power. It really does enhance the classy air and surging refinement yet more. Coupled to a smart six-speed auto, this V8 is probably the choice engine in the Range Rover. Compared to the old BMW Td6 that lingered for too long in the Range Rover, it’s a class apart. Given all this extra pace, those driving it as if there’s still a Td6 under the bonnet will be glad of another change Land Rover has introduced – bigger brakes. They’re derived from the Range Rover Sport and stop the big beast as well as it now goes. There is more cornering safety too, with enhanced ESP including understeer detection and rollover stability control.

Not that this makes the Range Rover a sporting model to drive. Land Rover leaves such histrionics to the Range Rover Sport; the range-topping Range Rover is instead all about elegant refinement. The ride quality really marks it out, with air suspension giving a smooth, flowing quality that flattens everything beneath it and isolates passengers with regal comfort. It may, surprisingly, suffer a tiny bit in town, due to the larger alloy wheels, but it’s all relative really. Generally, it’s a very plush thing indeed. Air suspension also means it’s height adjustable, should the step up into the huge vehicle be too much. Handling is well controlled in corners, due to the air suspension’s computer trickery, but the steering is not mega-sharp around straight-ahead. It does also have a fair bit of initial lean into bends, before everything is stiffened up: combined with the size of the Range Rover, it’s not going to be a thing you’ll be throwing about. Besides, there’s too much to play with inside. The 2010 model has a cool hi-res TFT colour display screen in the dash for one: drivers will see sat nav directions, while passengers, on the same screen, can watch DVDs. This 2-in-1 brilliance is complemented by a new electronic dial pack, which is just plain amazing to stare at. Fiddle with the enhanced off-road Terrain Response settings and all these will be showing in the instruments, too. It’s quite something. As is, indeed, the centre console itself: with all this equipment comes a load of buttons, which means it’s pretty intimidating at first. Never mind. The Autobiography we tested offset it all with bespoke interior trims and details, plus a decadent leather rooflining. This was added to the Vogue SE’s distancesensing cruise control, and the Vogue’s standard sat nav and Logic 7 stereo. There’s no shortage of kit. We loved it. Special to drive, it’s the true off-road Bentley. Life begins at 40? Thanks to a well judged and timely facelift, it appears so…

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The UK’s leading online real time used-car trading network CarDealerIss28.indd 36

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[Cult Car]

Renault Clio V6 ‘So Volkswagen are building a 3-litre car are they? Well, then we’ll do exactly the same...’

enault is not shy when it comes to doing mad things with hatchbacks. Not so long ago, Car Dealer fell in love with the extreme Renaultsport Megane R26.R – roll cage, hardcore suspension, no stereo, two seats and all. It was every inch the roadgoing rally car, we reckoned. And we loved it. It did, indeed, take us right back to another famed two-seat Renault hot hatch, the 5 Turbo. In rally guise, this won the Monte Carlo Rally first time out back in the 1980s, and the Turbo II is an absolute icon. Why only two seats? Ah, well that’s because where the passengers normally sat, Renault had repositioned the engine… But both these monsters pale in comparison to perhaps THE maddest Renault ‘hot hatch’ of all: the Renault Clio V6. Mid-engine, 3.0-litre V6 powerplant plus widened, pumped, hardened styling that makes even a Pagani Zonda seem tame. Well, almost. The legend behind its creation is so delicious, we’d love to believe it’s true. Apparently, a Renault chief was at a motorshow, and heard a rumour that VW was to unveil a ‘3-litre’ car. This is industry parlance for super-economical models averaging three litres per 100km of fuel, or 94mpg. The eventual VW turned out to be the Lupo 3L. Somewhere, though, the message got muddled. Which led to Renault launching its own ‘3-litre car’: Yup, the Laguna-engined V6 Clio! Utter genius. Renault didn’t mess about either, recruiting TWR to carry out all the development and engineering work for the model that was to be launched in 2001. TWR, of course, also ran the OrangeArrows Formula 1 cars at the time, and used some techniques developed there to create the mad Clio. Only by doing this was it able to be so extreme; the exaggeration in this car was way beyond the normal parameters car makers work within. Such exaggeration actually meant a lot of

reengineering work. This is not just a wide-body Clio hatch, but in large part an all new car. Certainly the suspension needed lots of development, not least because the repositioned engine was driving the rear wheels rather than the front. TWR had its work cut out but it still, remarkably, made it all the way to production. However, sticking a 230bhp V6 in the middle of a short car like the Clio, driving a different set of wheels – basically, taking it way beyond what it was designed for – brought with it physical limitations even TWR couldn’t fully overcome. Here is another reason why the Clip V6 is idolised. Yup, its reputation for vicious handling goes before it… Many felt more comfortable going fast in the standard 172 hatch, a car that was almost as potent as the V6 anyway, because of the amount of speeddulling extra weight that it was forced to carry. This could actually have done for the car as nothing more than a weird curiosity, but Renault was still mad enough to have another go. The result of this was shown in 2003, with the Clio II V6. It had the new Clio front end, extensively revised handling and even a more powerful 255bhp engine. Now built by Renault rather than TWR, it was still tricky even if you weren’t nearing the limit. At least this time, though, you had a clearer idea of what it might have been about to do. It eventually faded from the new car price lists, but hasn’t disappeared from our consciousness. Thriving and ultra-dedicated owner support means it’s fast becoming a true cult car, and certainly still turns heads wherever it goes. Whether Renault will repeat such insanity remains to be seen: here’s hoping they do. Car Dealer Magazine, see, has started a rumour: VW is to show a 4-litre car in Paris this September… [RA]

Renault Clio V6 Price: £25,995 Engine: 2.9-litre V6 Power: 230bhp, 300Nm 0-60mph: 6.2s Top speed: 146mph

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CMY

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[sales legend]

VW Beetle

A sales legend that needs no introduction. So we won’t bother

he VW Beetle is the daddy of sales legends. No other car can beat its staggering sales total – Ford’s Model T may have been a pioneering car, which put millions on the road, but the Beetle beat its production record way back in 1972. And had another 30-odd years to go after that! You may already know from many a pub quiz, but the total sales figure still bears repeating: 21 million. Yes, 21 million. Such an amount of cars is barely comprehensible, particularly as VW seemed not to make a single major change throughout the car’s life. It did, of course – but the model you could still buy from Mexico in 2000 was, to the untrained eye, still pretty much the same as the 1930s original. Mind you, just as famous as the Beetle is its infamous route to production. It was the brainchild of one Adolf Hitler, who wanted a car to put his nation on the road, and fill up those amazing new autobahns he was building. His stipulation was to carry two adults and three children at 100kph – a good 60-odd mph, then – from one side of Germany to the other, with total German reliability and dependability. He set another big name the design challenge – Ferdinand Porsche. He of 911 fame followed his characteristic profile of rear-mounted engine, aerodynamic shape and absolutely assured build standards, to give Hitler what he wanted. Amazingly, the design team then undertook no less than 1.8 million miles of testing to prove the integrity of the car. The Second World War interrupted its launch, which was to be tied in with a special savings scheme for Germans. This would mean many more people could afford a car, by buying stamps each week to collect in a booklet. It was a bit like Green Shield stamps, ahead of its time and certainly generated enough interest to be a route to new car ownership that’s perhaps worth reassessing today...

Alas, for those who’d eagerly saved, it never fully came to be. Instead, the war-struck factory was taken over by the Brits, led by Army engineering whizz Dr Ivan Hurst. He tried to get forward-thinking British car companies interested in taking it over. Of course, as they were so forward-thinking and on the money, they refused, reckoning the car had no real commercial merit. Production thus restarted independently. Despite this obvious missed opportunity by homegrown car makers, UK dealers saw the Beetle early. The first one sold here was by J Gilder in Sheffield, back in 1953, and it soon started exploding across the country. It was this one car that led to the huge VW Group operation in the UK today, meaning tens of thousands of motor industry jobs can be directly related to it. The secret to the Beetle’s massive success was, of course, advertising. Once things were up and running, see, the reliable car was proving to be so popular in Europe, the company reckoned it could start selling it in the US, too. With the help of some brilliant advertising, it was an absolute sensation, and quickly forced the massive Wolfsburg factory to grow even larger. The world hadn’t seen anything like it – by 1972, 15 million of them had been built. Quite incredible, for a car that was also famed for its consistent, never-change style and development. Big news was the introduction of a clock. Huge news was a slightly larger engine. Bodywork changes or all new models? Why, the very idea… We love to mark legends here in Car Dealer Magazine, but the VW Beetle is a particularly special case. The entire VW story started here, and the whole Volkswagen business model and ideas have been built on the qualities it so brilliantly showed off. It’s the legend of legends, alright…

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Kia’s Korea

Driving future the

By James Baggott

We spent a week in South Korea with Kia at the end of May to sample some of the firm’s upcoming models – including a Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the new Sportage and next year’s Magentis. Here’s what we thought...

ia hopes to have Hydrogen-powered cars in dealer showrooms as soon as 2015. On our week-long trip to Korea we had the chance to drive one of the first models to be powered by a fuel cell from the manufacturer – and it’s seriously close to mass-production reality. The maker is committed to putting 10,000 fuel cell vehicles on the road a year by 2015 and judging by the Mohave SUV test model we tried at the firm’s Eco Tech Research Institute in Mabuk, it’s well on course to do that. But what was abundantly clear was that the dealer model will be very different indeed when these fuel cell cars are more prevalent on our roads. ‘Servicing will not need to take place as often as now,’ said Dr Kim Sae-Hoon. ‘Our fuel cell cars have very few serviceable parts – the air filter will need replacing and the coolant, but this could potentially be done DIY. And maybe only every two years.’ Before you start to worry too much, Kia said a large number of parts will still need to be looked at, such as the conventional serviceable items like tyres and brakes. But you do need to be ready for the change – this technology will be here before you know it. A hybrid Kia will be first in 2012 when a cee’d diesel hybrid will be on the market – then fuel cells will be next. A fuel cell mixes hydrogen and oxygen to create a chemical reaction that produces electricity to power an electric motor – the only by-product being water and heat. Kia has mated a super capacitor to the power train too which stores power and boosts the electric motor when needed. This is then regenerated under braking. Kia added that it predicts Hydrogen won’t have to be produced for many years to come either as there’s enough produced by the chemicals industry as a waste product to power thousands of cars around the world already.

Starting up the Mohave is still done by key, but there’s no explosion of noise as it fires into life. All you hear is a series of clicks and whirrs as the fuel cell prepares for propulsion. It’s virtually silent from the inside on the move too – the loudest thing on our test was the squeak of the leather seats – and from outside a slight generator-type hum can be heard. But even that’s so quiet it’s drowned out by the tyre noise as the car pulls away. Kia is actually having to engineer in a noise so that pedestrians can hear fuel cell-powered cars coming – and that won’t be the sound of a conventional engine either. Kia instead wants something completely different; a noise that would ‘mark it out as a fuel cell’. Even music was being considered for this, according to an engineer. Our test drive was short and restricted to relatively low speeds, but what was immediately apparent was just how real and ready this technology feels. Inside the car things look and feel just like a conventional model, apart from a kilowatt dial on the dash where the rev counter would be.

Performance from the 115kw motor is impressive for a car of this size. 0-60mph takes 12.8 seconds and it’ll hit a top speed of around 100mph. What’s more, on a full tank of hydrogen – which costs around £20 – it’ll do 425 miles. Because all that power is available immediately, it pulls away very smoothly and cleanly. However, there’s very little ‘engine’ braking when you slow down which does feel a bit disconcerting. And full-scale production of fuel cell cars from Kia is not very far off. The maker is already producing 100 a year for fleets and this capacity is increasing all the time. It estimates they’ll be commercially available by 2015 and cost in the region of £35,000 by the time they’re in showrooms. But before we get too excited there are obviously still obstacles to overcome – cold starting is causing issues as the water in the system turns to ice, while a hydrogen filling station network will be needed in the UK. However, what is clear is that not only are car manufacturers like Kia committed to getting this technology on the road as soon as possible, but that it’s not as far off as some people think…

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Above, the Borrego FCEV convinced us fuel cells are the future; From far left, the new Sportage arrives in June with a launch special edition; the sprawling Namyang R&D centre employs 10,000 people and it was there we got the chance to try the new Magentis – a year ahead of its launch

Magentis On our trip we also got to try the new Magentis due in the summer of 2011 – the Mazda 6-rivalling model Kia has dubbed its ‘game changer’. Aimed at 30 to 40-year-old males, the Magentis has been given an emphasis on ‘fun, value and style’. But what’s most impressive about it is its striking looks – it really is an eye-catcher and has an aggressive stance that looks great on the road. The Magentis is likely to be powered by a 166bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine or 115bhp 1.7-litre diesel unit with optional ISG stop start technology when it’s launched. Specification will be high with a panoramic sunroof, memory air ventilated seats, Bluetooth and a camera integrated into the rear view mirror all included. On the track we got to try a US-spec 2.4-litre petrol model. This won’t be coming to the UK, but was a good indication of the level of refinement the Magentis will offer. It’s a smooth drive especially when mated to the silky six-speed auto that will be on UK cars.

Inside there’s an impressive amount of space in the front and back, a classy dash and centre console with comfortable seats. The Magentis handled well from what we could gather on our short test and road noise was noticeably low. Expect it to be ‘affordable and competitive’ for the segment when it arrives. Sportage Debuting a few months later than sister firm Hyundai’s ix35, the Kia Sportage has its sights set on toppling the market-leading Nissan Qashqai. Kia’s best-selling model has been given a complete makeover for this challenge and it’s set to arrive on our roads this month. First to arrive in the UK will be a launch special 2.0-litre diesel 4WD model. This unit offers 146bhp and sprightly performance – expect it to be on a par with the 9.4 second 0-60mph time of the Hyundai. On the test track you can certainly tell it’s a tall car, but that’s not to say it was ungainly. Steering is direct with decent feedback and body roll is kept in check. It’s a comfortable drive too, although at times diesel clatter can creep into

the cabin, especially under acceleration. We’re told sound deadening will be improved by the time it reaches our shores though. Come October the full model range will be with us which includes a 2.0-litre diesel and petrol in 2wd and 4wd, alongside a 1.7-litre diesel and 1.6-litre petrol both only available in 2wd. Kia won’t reveal pricing just yet, but said it would be ‘competitive’ compared to the Hyundai – not to mention the added bonus of Kia’s panrange seven-year warranty. Although our drive was a short one, initial impressions of the Sportage were very good – it’s likely to sell on its superb looks alone, but coupled with those great engines and impressive driving characteristics, Kia could well have a model to beat that Qashqai with. Korea So what is Korea like? Well, not as you’d expect. What strikes you immediately is just how modern and new everything is. The capital Seoul looks like most of it has just been built, or is in the process of being built. Kia’s presence, alongside sister firm Hyundai, is huge. From the cars on the roads, to the shops in the malls. We visited the firm’s R&D centre called Namyang where we drove both the Sportage and Magentis on a dedicated test track. The sprawling centre covers an area the size of 500 football pitches, is housed in 100 buildings and employs an incredible 10,000 people. Power train development, crash tests, a wind tunnel and climate zone that can replicate wind, rain and snow are all housed on the site. We also dropped into the modern Hwasung plant – one of four the firm has in Korea. As large as a small town, this site employs 13,000 people and even has its own hospital, post office and fire station. We toured three almost entirely automated production lines that together produce 600,000 cars a year. What was quite clear about the whole visit though was just how advanced the Koreans are in a huge range of technologies. The maker is developing an electric car based on its Picanto for introduction in 2012, has a diesel-electric hybrid ready for next year and was incredibly far down the line with hydrogen fuel cell production. The Koreans are fiercely ambitious and from what we saw, they have every reason to be confident. They’ve finally taken their place at the top table on the world’s car manufacturing stage and are certainly one of the forces to be reckoned with in the future. [CD]

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inside p43 Part 1 Car Dealer Power

EMPOWERING DEALERS

We reveal the top 27 manufacturers in this year’s Car Dealer Power survey. How did your marque compare against the competition?

p50 Third place

the results... w

e asked for your opinions and you gave them to us with both barrels! and here are the results – the winner and losers of our first ever car dealer power survey. on the following 15 pages you’ll find out which are the best and worst manufacturers to represent in the uK – according to you, the dealers that represent them. hundreds of you logged on to our website to register your opinion over the last three months with an equal amount sending in surveys in the post. and the results were completely honest, unbiased and in some cases damning. because car dealer power is 100 per cent confidential, you saw it as an opportunity to register your opinion without fear of reprisals – and that’s led to some interesting feedback. we’ve been crunching the numbers for weeks and can now reveal the winners. however, you may be wondering why not all manufacturers are featured – that’s because we set a minimum sample size of 10 responses for each manufacturer before we included their results. we felt 10 was a fair enough size to get an accurate picture of what it’s like to represent a maker. to work out the results, we took a medium average score for each one of the categories we asked you to rate your manufacturers on and then converted this overall score to a percentage. whereas part one of the survey is all about the manufacturers, part two is the motor trade suppliers’ chance to shine – that starts on page 54. but for now, sit back, relax and delve into the results – they make interesting reading…

editor

Which car maker made it into bronze medal position in 2010?

p51 Second place So near, yet so far. We name the second best car manufacturer in the business

p52 Car Dealer Power Winner This is, the big one. We reveal the car maker that makes its dealers the happiest and most satisfied in the UK. Is it a surprise? You tell us...

Part 2 The Suppliers Who helps your business to run like a well-oiled machine? We reveal the UK’s most popular and effective suppliers

p55 Warranties p55 Web Design p55 Online Advertising p55 Finance p56 Lubricants p56 Recruitment p56 Provenance Checks p56 Used Car Valuations p57 Auctions p57 Lead Generation p57 Technology

why isn’t my manufacturer listed? THE following manufacturers were excluded from the survey because they didn’t receive a minimum sample size for inclusion. The reasons for this are varied – we know of at least one manufacturer that specifically asked its dealers not to fill in our survey. Why? We’re not sure. Other makers don’t have 10 dealers in the UK. Those excluded were: Abarth, Aston Martin, Bentley, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Daihatsu, Infiniti, Lotus, Mini, Perodua, Smart, Ssangyong, Subaru.

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EMPOWERING DEALERS

27 Fiat OVERALL SCORE

Faultless

29%

26 alfa Romeo OVERALL SCORE

31%

It’s second from bottom for Fiat’s sister firm and with the franchises run from the same HQ, that’s not a surprise. The marque’s dealers slated finance offers, forward planning, stock and bonuses and only rated the other categories as Average. ‘It takes too long to get paid bonuses – it’s just too complex,’ said one disgruntled dealer.

25 chrysler 35%

It’s been a tough 12 months for Chrysler, but dealers are concerned about their future under Fiat ownership. One respondent slated the maker as ‘completely out of touch with reality’ and it scored Poor or Average results in all but two categories. Dealers did like warranty and aftersales support, rating these Good, but there’s a lot of room for improvement.

24 honda OVERALL SCORE

good

36%

A surprise lowly position for the Japanese firm, especially considering rivals like Toyota scored so well. Dealers said offers were ‘unimaginative’, slated product launches and said too much was ‘riding on volume targets’. Warranty offers did score an Excellent rating, but four Poor and four Average scores were very disappointing.

Average

✔ ✔

Warranty offers Aftersales support

✔

supply of cars

✔

Forward planning

✔

stock levels

✔ ✔

requirements made on you Bonus structure

✔

return on investment

Faultless

excellent

good

Average

✔ ✔ ✔

Warranty offers Aftersales support supply of cars

✔ ✔

Forward planning stock levels

✔

requirements made on you

✔

Bonus structure

✔

return on investment

Faultless

excellent

good

Average

✔ ✔

Warranty offers Aftersales support

✔

supply of cars

✔

Forward planning

✔

stock levels

✔

requirements made on you

✔

Bonus structure

✔

return on investment

Faultless

excellent

good

Average

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

supply of cars Forward planning stock levels requirements made on you

return on investment

Poor

✔

Finance offers

Bonus structure

Poor

✔

Finance offers

Aftersales support

Poor

✔

Finance offers

Warranty offers

Poor

✔

Finance offers

A disastrous result for the Italian firm with dealers damning in their feedback. ‘It’s a dictatorship not a partnership,’ said one respondent with another adding: ‘They demand top brand requirements when really they’re a budget maker.’ With Fiat scoring Poor in five categories and average in the rest, it seems there’s some repair work to be done here.

OVERALL SCORE

excellent

✔ ✔

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EMPOWERING DEALERS

23 mitsubishi 38%

OVERALL SCORE

A rather disappointing set of results for the Japanese marque. Dealers were most unhappy with Mitsubishi’s bonus structure and forward planning – panning both with Poor scores. It wasn’t much better elsewhere with six categories only scoring Average marks. Only the maker’s warranty offers received a Good rating from the network.

22 suzuki OVERALL SCORE

44%

Dealers’ biggest bugbear was the supply of cars and stock levels with one respondent saying the situation was ‘beyond a joke’. The manufacturer also scored only Average marks for return on investment, bonus structure, finance schemes and forward planning. But it wasn’t all bad news: Suzuki did pick up one Excellent and two Good scores too.

21 vw OVERALL SCORE

excellent

good

✔ ✔

Aftersales support supply of cars

✔

Forward planning

✔ ✔

stock levels requirements made on you

✔

Bonus structure

✔

return on investment

Faultless

excellent

good

48%

Finance was a let down for Vauxhall with dealers demanding a better PCP product to help them get ‘a better take up on finance’. Stock levels were described as being ‘up and down’ which explains the Average score here, while bonuses and return on investment were also panned. It wasn’t all bad news though with Good scores in four categories.

Average

✔

Warranty offers

✔

Aftersales support

✔

supply of cars

✔

Forward planning

✔

stock levels

✔

requirements made on you

✔ ✔

Bonus structure return on investment

excellent

good

Average

✔ ✔ ✔

supply of cars

✔

Forward planning

✔

stock levels

✔

requirements made on you

✔

Bonus structure

✔

return on investment

Faultless

excellent

good

supply of cars Forward planning stock levels requirements made on you Bonus structure return on investment

Average

Poor

✔

Finance offers

Aftersales support

Poor

✔

Aftersales support

Warranty offers

Poor

✔

Finance offers

Warranty offers

20 vauxhall

Poor

✔

Warranty offers

Finance offers

45%

Average

✔

Finance offers

Faultless

Dealers were not happy about supply and stock levels with many blaming the scrappage scheme. ‘They dropped an almighty clanger in the last 12 months and didn’t order enough cars to meet demand,’ said one dealer. The bonus structure was slated as was manufacturer demands. Only under warranties was an Excellent rating received.

OVERALL SCORE

Faultless

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ CarDealerMag.co.uk | 45

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EMPOWERING DEALERS Faultless

19 seat OVERALL SCORE

53%

18 Renault

56%

The French firm has been on a rollercoaster ride in terms of volume in the last year, so this score is impressive. Dealers love the firm’s finance offers and were pleased with warranties, aftersales, supply, forward planning and bonuses. Requirements and return on investment weren’t rated quite as highly though. ‘We enjoy working for Renault,’ praised one respondent.

17 proton OVERALL SCORE

59%

The overall picture for Proton is a rosy one. Return on investment and requirements made by the manufacturer notched up Excellent scores, showing it’s not a hard task setting up a Proton dealership. Five other categories received Good scores with only finance deals and bonus structure letting the manufacturer down with Average feedback.

16 Ford OVERALL SCORE

Warranty offers Aftersales support supply of cars Forward planning

✔ ✔

Bonus structure return on investment

Faultless

Ford’s huge network of dealers enjoyed a bumper year in 2009 with the scrappage scheme bringing customers flooding into showrooms. Feedback flat-lined across the board with Good scores in all categories showing retailers are satisfied overall. ‘Supply during the scrappage scheme wasn’t great, but it did improve,’ said one dealer.

excellent

good

Aftersales support supply of cars Forward planning

✔ ✔

stock levels requirements made on you

✔

Bonus structure

✔

return on investment

Faultless

excellent

good

Aftersales support supply of cars Forward planning stock levels

✔

requirements made on you

✔

Bonus structure

✔

return on investment

stock levels requirements made on you Bonus structure return on investment

Poor

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Warranty offers

Forward planning

Average

✔

Finance offers

supply of cars

Poor

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Warranty offers

Aftersales support

Average

✔

Finance offers

Warranty offers

Poor

✔

requirements made on you

Finance offers

Average

✔

stock levels

Faultless

60%

good

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Finance offers

The Spanish firm received a mix bag of feedback with dealers generally happy. ‘We enjoy the SEAT brand and make money,’ said one respondent. Dealers liked the product range and forward planning, but stock levels and return on investment were given Average scores. However, six Good scores in key areas is something to be proud of.

OVERALL SCORE

excellent

good

Average

Poor

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

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EMPOWERING DEALERS

15 citroen OVERALL SCORE

61%

The French firm’s retailers just love the marque’s tempting finance offers that help drive customers onto their forecourts. They were described as ‘very competitive’. Good scores were achieved in five categories, including product planning, where one dealer said: ‘We receive wall planners to execute the best possible launch for cars.’

14 peugeot OVERALL SCORE

62%

Forward planning is Peugeot’s biggest strength with dealers pleased that they’re kept informed of up-coming model launches and offers. ‘We’re kept abreast of what’s going on all the time,’ praised one dealer. The manufacturer scored Good marks in all other categories with bonus structures described as ‘well established and easy to understand’.

13 audi OVERALL SCORE

Warranty offers

12 saab

supply of cars Forward planning stock levels requirements made on you

return on investment

Faultless

Aftersales support supply of cars

good

requirements made on you Bonus structure return on investment

excellent

good

Poor

✔ ✔ ✔

supply of cars

✔ ✔

stock levels

✔

requirements made on you

✔ ✔

Bonus structure return on investment

excellent

good

Average

Poor

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Aftersales support supply of cars Forward planning

✔

stock levels

✔

requirements made on you

return on investment

Average

✔

Aftersales support

Bonus structure

Poor

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

stock levels

Warranty offers

Average

✔

Forward planning

Poor

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Warranty offers

Finance offers

It’s been a truly tumultuous year for Saab, but a new owner has finally been found and dealers are positive about what lies ahead. ‘Things will improve now we’re not controlled by GM,’ suggested one dealer. Respondents were very happy with finance offers, warranties and the bonus structure with only stock levels letting the manufatcurer down.

excellent

Finance offers

Warranty offers

Average

✔ ✔

Bonus structure

Faultless

65%

good

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Aftersales support

Finance offers

64%

excellent

✔ ✔

Finance offers

Faultless

The first faultless scores are notched up by Audi, with forward planning and warranty support getting the very best recommendations. The firm’s retailers aren’t too happy about strict requirements laid down from the top and long lead times were said to be ‘a bit disappointing’. That said, Audi still scored Excellent feedback in five other categories.

OVERALL SCORE

Faultless

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EMPOWERING DEALERS

11 hyundai 66%

OVERALL SCORE

What a year it’s been for Hyundai! The marque’s gone from small fry to big fish and it’s all thanks to scrappage. Excellent scores were notched up for the maker’s bonus scheme, aftersales and warranty support, with Good feedback in five other categories. Only finance offers let it down with dealers wanting ‘more variety’ and some good PCP deals.

10 skoda

It claims to be the manufacturer of ‘happy drivers’, but what about its dealers? Well, considering the marque’s in the top 10, things aren’t going too badly! Its retailers love the firm’s finance offers, aftersales support and ability to think ahead rating all these as Excellent. And Skoda notches up six Good overall scores in the remaining categories.

9 lexus

8 mazda OVERALL SCORE

Aftersales support

Forward planning stock levels requirements made on you

✔

Bonus structure

✔

return on investment

excellent

69%

Keen finance offers were described as ‘first class’ and forward planning was lauded as ‘above reproach’. One respondent said: ‘We are always kept up to date with new products very early on.’ Dealers said the requirements set by Mazda were ‘realistic and not overlyfussy’ and it scored Good results in six other categories.

good

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

stock levels requirements made on you Bonus structure return on investment

excellent

good

✔ ✔ ✔

Warranty offers Aftersales support

✔ ✔

supply of cars Forward planning

✔

stock levels

✔

requirements made on you

✔ ✔

Bonus structure return on investment

Faultless

excellent

good

Average

Poor

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Warranty offers Aftersales support supply of cars

✔ ✔

stock levels

return on investment

Poor

✔

Forward planning

Bonus structure

Average

✔

supply of cars

requirements made on you

Poor

✔

Aftersales support

Forward planning

Average

✔

Warranty offers

Finance offers

Poor

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

supply of cars

Finance offers

Being at the forefront of hybrid technology is important for the luxury manufacturer’s dealers. ‘We’re seen to be green, which is good for the future,’ said one. Excellent results for warranty and aftersales support as well as bonus structure and return on investment are great achievements. And it scored Good results in four other categories too.

Average

✔

Faultless

68%

good

✔ ✔

Warranty offers

Finance offers

67%

excellent

Finance offers

Faultless

OVERALL SCORE

Faultless

✔ ✔ ✔

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EMPOWERING DEALERS

7 volvo OVERALL SCORE

Faultless

70%

6 porsche 71%

The sports car manufacturer just misses out on a place in the top spot, but it’s still an impressive performance for the marque. It notched up Excellent ratings for supply and stock levels of cars, forward planning, bonus scheme and return on investment, with Good ratings in three other categories. Only finance offers let it down with an Average score.

5 mercedes OVERALL SCORE

72%

The luxury car maker muscles its way into the top five with an impressive set of results. With four Excellent and five Good average scores, it seems the manufacturer’s retailers are a happy bunch. A good range of finance offers and decent levels of support for warranties and aftersales helped land the German firm Excellent marks here.

4 Jaguar OVERALL SCORE

Aftersales support

Forward planning stock levels requirements made on you Bonus structure

Faultless

With a product range as impressive as the Jaguar line up, it’s no wonder the manufacturer’s network is happy! Although slow supply of the new XJ has irked some dealers, the overall picture is positive. Seven Excellent ratings is a superb achievement with dealers particularly happy with attractive finance offers that are ‘well advertised’.

excellent

good

✔ ✔

Warranty offers Aftersales support

✔ ✔ ✔

supply of cars Forward planning stock levels

✔

requirements made on you

✔ ✔

Bonus structure return on investment

Faultless

excellent

Warranty offers Aftersales support

Average

Poor

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

stock levels requirements made on you Bonus structure return on investment

excellent

good

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

supply of cars

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Bonus structure return on investment

Poor

✔

Forward planning

requirements made on you

Average

✔

supply of cars

stock levels

good

✔ ✔ ✔

Finance offers

Forward planning

Poor

✔

Finance offers

Aftersales support

Average

✔

return on investment

Warranty offers

Poor

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

supply of cars

Finance offers

Average

✔ ✔

Warranty offers

Faultless

75%

good

✔

Finance offers

Warranty offers and aftersales support were given Excellent ratings, but more than one respondent said they’d like to see five-year cover offered soon. Retailers were delighted with the return on investment they get and the manufacturer scored Good ratings in six other categories. ‘Overall the support we get is excellent,’ said one dealer.

OVERALL SCORE

excellent

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EMPOWERING DEALERS

3 toyota Taking a place on the podium is a truly remarkable achievement for a manufacturer that’s been embroiled in such a difficult period. However it seems the way the maker handled the recall issues in the UK that’s curried favour with its dealer network. ‘There’s no doubt the recall period was very tough,’ explained one respondent. ‘Being all over the news for a bad thing is not good for anyone. But we received regular updates from Toyota, parts were shipped out to us quickly and customers went away happy – and it was also a chance to chat to them about new cars. I wouldn’t say it worked completely in our favour, but it was close.’ Another dealer added: ‘The handling of the recall programme was typically Toyota GB: Well handled and executed.’ This explains the Excellent scores for warranties and aftersales as well as in an impressive five other categories. Finance was singled out for the ‘competitive rates’ and ‘excellent PCP deals’. While the support from head office was even praised as the ‘best management I have ever worked for’. Only stock levels and bonus structures received a less than Excellent score, but both still notched up Good ratings.

Finance was singled out for the ‘competitive rates’ and ‘excellent pcp deals’. support from head office was praised as the ‘best management i have ever worked for’.

OVERALL SCORE Faultless Finance offers Warranty offers Aftersales support supply of cars Forward planning

excellent

Poor

✔ ✔ ✔

Bonus structure return on investment

Average

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

stock levels requirements made on you

good

76%

✔

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EMPOWERING DEALERS

2 Kia

OVERALL SCORE

You don’t have to delve deep into the figures to work out there were two key aspects that helped Kia secure the Runner Up spot: Scrappage and that incredible seven-year warranty. The manufacturer picked up Faultless scores in this survey for warranties and dealers said it has worked wonders as a marketing tool. ‘It’s the best in the industry and there are no doubts that it’s helping to sell cars,’ said one respondent. Another added: ‘The seven-year warranty certainly appears to be all it’s cracked

Faultless

Aftersales support supply of cars Forward planning

excellent

Poor

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Bonus structure return on investment

Average

dealers said their return on investment with Kia was excellent and, despite high volumes through the scrappage scheme, supply has been kept relatively in check.

✔

stock levels requirements made on you

good

✔

Finance offers Warranty offers

up to be and being the only maker to offer it means we’re attracting customers from other brands.’ Dealers said their return on investment with Kia was Excellent and, despite high volumes through the scrappage scheme, supply has been kept relatively in check. Finance offers, aftersales support and requirements laid down by head office also received Excellent scores. ‘The scrappage scheme was superb, but now the focus really is on whether we can retain those margins,’ said another dealer.

78%

✔

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EMPOWERING DEALERS

nissan

Faultless Finance offers

✔ ✔ supply of cars ✔ cars, forward planning, stock levels and the requirements laid down by head office. And Forward planning ✔ the remaining three categories – finance offers, stock levels bonus structure and return on investment – ✔ were all classed as Excellent.made on you requirements ✔ ‘Nissan coped with the recession very well,

excellent

good

Average

✔

Warranty offers

Aftersales support

issan wins our Car Dealer Power by an absolute landslide. Scoring an incredible six Faultless average scores is an amazing achievement and one that will have MD Paul Willcox smiling from ear to ear. This is an exciting time for the brand with a varied and interesting product range that includes some truly great cars like the 370Z Roadster and new Qashqai seen here. And there are some innovative models on the way too – later this year the compact 4x4 Juke will hit dealers, already likely to be a huge hit, and then next year the first relatively affordable and practical electric car, the Leaf, arrives. And that’s all before we even mention the halo car, the GT-R, which offers stunning performance at a bargain price compared to rivals. ‘Nissan has a great product range,’ said one dealer. ‘The Pixo was a good addition to the range, the Note continues to sell well and the Qashqai is just a dream. Buyers love it and that’s because we can offer good deals on it and, at the end of the day, it’s a great car.’ The manufacturer picked up Faultless scores for warranties, aftersales, supply of

Bonus structure taking steps to destock when needed, but supply of cars has still been good,’ added return on investment another dealer. ‘The finance offers are always well structured, the field team are excellent and I find new model launches are well planned and organised.’ And what was also clear was that the manufacturer’s retailers are even more positive about the future. ‘Nissan are improving all the time and building a very strong marque with great new products for the future. The Leaf is exciting and the level of interest we’ve had in the Juke has been staggering – I just wish they’d get on and launch it. We could sell loads of them now!’ So Nissan takes a very well-deserved and hardearned top spot in the inaugural Car Dealer Power survey as voted for by you: The dealers that represent them.

✔ ✔

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Poor

EMPOWERING DEALERS

OVERALL SCORE

91%

Faultless

Aftersales support supply of cars Forward planning stock levels requirements made on you

good

Average

Poor

✔

Finance offers Warranty offers

excellent

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Bonus structure return on investment

✔

Poor

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CarDealer Power

winner 2010 warranties

EMPOWERING DEALERS

CarDealer Power

winner 2010 web design

the suppliers n

ot all of you are franchised dealers – many of you make up the vital network of the uK used car trade and part two of car dealer power was your chance to have a say. here, we asked both the independent dealers among you, and the franchised agents that filled in part one, to tell us about the suppliers you use and how they perform. the companies you do business with on a daily basis can make a huge difference to how your business runs – and how successful you are. Find a decent web provider and you’ll get countless vital leads from your website, pick a decent lubricants supplier and you can add thousands to your bottom line in the workshop. car dealer power is about celebrating the very best in this motor trade supplier arena – as voted for by you, the very dealers that keep these firms in business. a win here is a vote of confidence, from their customers, and the very best seal of approval they’re every likely to get. to work out the winners in part two we weren’t just looking for the suppliers that were used the most, but were looking for those that kept their dealer customers the happiest too, so overall market share didn’t guarantee first place. instead we worked out the average score of each supplier and weighted it in favour of the companies that managed to record a consistently high score even when the number of responses increased. For example, a company that managed to score an average Good result with 50 responses scored more points than one that scored Faultless with 10 responses. like part one, to keep things fair we only included companies in the final stages that managed to record 10 responses. so, here they are, the best motor trade suppliers to do business with as voted for by you, the car dealer readers!

CarDealer Power

winner 2010 online advertising

CarDealer Power

winner 2010 Finance

CarDealer Power

winner 2010 lubricants

CarDealer Power

winner 2010 Recruitment

CarDealer Power

winner 2010 provenance checks

CarDealer Power

winner 2010 used car valuations

CarDealer Power

winner 2010 auctions

CarDealer Power

winner 2010 lead Generation

CarDealer Power

winner 2010 technology

WINNERS: A winner’s logo for marketing material is available. Please contact Car Dealer on 023 9252 2434 for more information.

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EMPOWERING DEALERS

CarDealer Power

warranties

web design

winner 2010

winner car care plan Runner up aa warranty

winner GForces Runner up codeweavers

TESTAMENT to a good firm in Car Dealer Power is its ability to keep customers happy even when it’s used by lots of you – and Car Care Plan manages that. Not only do more of you use the warranty provider than anybody else, but you consistently rated its customer service and products highly. ‘What I like most about Car Care Plan is that it is easy to get an answer on claims – staff are always available and happy to help,’ praised one respondent. AA Warranty was the second most popular provider and also managed to keep its average score up, but fell just shy of our overall winner.

THIS category was one of the hardest fought in Car Dealer Power. However, it was serial Eward winners GForces that claimed the inaugural gong. The firm specialises in stunning looking sites which are not only user friendly, but generate their dealers leads. One respondent said: ‘GForces are good for companies that want to get someone to sort it all and not worry about it – they produce good looking and effective websites.’ Codeweavers narrowly missed out with many rating their service as ‘Excellent’, but it was GForces’ impressive overall score that secured them the title.

CarDealer Power

online advertising

Finance

winner 2010

winner auto trader Runner up ebay motors

winner black horse Runner up santander

BY far and away the most used advertising portal by Car Dealer Power respondents, Auto Trader also top scored in the satisfaction stakes. The advertising powerhouse was praised for the responses it generated for dealers and was consistently rated as ‘Good’. What’s more it was used by more than double of you than its nearest competitor with some dealers adding the site was the best way to accurately value cars. ‘I find trade cars sell very well and our more general stock always finds a buyer on Auto Trader,’ said one respondent. eBay Motors came second with praise for its affordable pricing, but it was Auto Trader that comfortably took first place.

WITH finance playing such a vital part in your profit margins, it was little surprise this category received the most responses of all. It’s clear the market is dominated by Black Horse and Spanish bank Santander, which snapped up GE Money in 2008 and with it a huge slice of the car dealer market. But it was Black Horse that sealed victory in Car Dealer Power. The firm is not only used by more dealers, but also scored an average ‘Excellent’ response overall – an incredible achievement. ‘The service is second to none and we find applications are dealt with extremely swiftly,’ said one happy respondent.

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EMPOWERING DEALERS

CarDealer Power

lubricants

Recruitment

winner 2010

winner castrol Runner up mobil 1

winner JGa Runner up perfect placement

WE all know selling top-up packs as part of a service can make a big difference to your bank balance – but which firm offers the best service? Well, according to you, that’s Castrol. You gave the lubricants firm a resounding thumbs up, praising its products, supply and support. ‘The pricing is good and the delivery efficient – that’s all that matters to us,’ said one respondent. Mobil 1 came a very close runner up with you rating its products and services as ‘Excellent’ overall, but it was Castrol’s impressive overall average score that secured it first place.

FINDING the right staff for your dealership can be an unenviable task – that’s why many of you turn to recruitment agencies to do the hard work for you. But who should you ask for help the next time you need new bodies? Well, according to Car Dealer Power respondents that should be John Gibson Associates, more commonly known as JGA. The recruiters were used by a large number of our respondents with one saying they ‘never failed to find the right person every time’. Perfect Placement also scored highly with dealers praising their ‘Excellent’ service, but they were beaten into second place by JGA’s impressive all-round results.

CarDealer Power

provenance checks

used car valuations

winner 2010

winner hpi Runner up experian

winner cap Runner up Glass’s Guide

WITH just two main providers in the provenance check arena both HPI and Experian have to work very hard to keep their dealers happy – and the Car Dealer Power results prove that. The numbers of dealers using each was nearly identical, but HPI edged into first place with an average ‘Excellent’ result. Dealers loved the speed of checks, their accuracy and most of all the free seven-day Driveaway Insurance product. ‘Being able to offer customers free insurance so they can drive their car away immediately is marketing gold,’ praised one dealer.

SURELY the price of a car is the price of a car, right? Wrong. With all manners of factors effecting the price of the part exchanges you take in to the cars you’re retailing, getting it wrong can be a disaster. And it’s CAP that Car Dealer Power dealers trust more than any other to give them the right figures. It was a two-horse fight between the two biggest names in the pricing business, but CAP’s overall ‘Excellent’ rating by dealers, which was teetering on ‘Faultess’, secured the win. ‘It’s very difficult to value cars at the moment, but I find CAP usually gets it right,’ praised one happy customer.

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EMPOWERING DEALERS

CarDealer Power

auctions

lead Generation

winner 2010

winner bca Runner up manheim

winner autotrade-mail.com Runner up mFl-direct.co.uk

WITH new car sales likely to take a dip this year thanks to the end of scrappage, used cars are playing a vital role in dealers’ profitability. Whether its sourcing that stock or shifting part-exchanges, British Car Auctions is the choice for Car Dealer Power respondents. Decent coverage of the UK, good conversion rates and an impressive portfolio of retailers using BCA’s services were all singled out for praise. In close second place was Manheim, but it was BCA that takes top spot with one dealer saying: ‘Not only do I always find a bargain at BCA, but even the tea is good.’ High praise indeed.

A SIMPLE idea that does what it set out to do extremely effectively – that’s what you said about our Lead Generation category winner, Autotrade-mail. com. The trade-only website has 4,500 subscribers and helps put those buyers and sellers together to shift cars is real time. Many deals are completed on the site in seconds and the fact the firm has to turn away 30 per cent of applicants proves it’s a company that’s got its customers’ interests at heart. ‘We can’t fault Autotrade-mail – their professionalism and customer service is second to none,’ said one dealer.

CarDealer Power

winner 2010 technology

winner manheim Retail marketing Runner up Kalamazoo-Reynolds MARKET leader and rated ‘Excellent’ by the majority of respondents is Manheim Retail Marketing (fomerly Portfolio) which wins the Technology category. The multi-armed outfit offers dealers a huge number of services, but it’s the firm’s dealer management tools that won it this gong. ‘Keeping a track on what’s going on in my dealership is just easier thanks to them,’ said one respondent. And on average you rated the firm’s service as ‘Excellent’. Kalamazoo-Reynolds secured runner up spot with an overall ‘Good’ score.

EMPOWERING DEALERS

and finally... We know running a dealership takes up a lot time so the fact so many of you took the time to fill in the Car Dealer Power survey means a lot – thank you! But we know there was the carrot of a few prizes to help you put pen to paper, and don’t worry we haven’t forgotten about them. Up for grabs were three days in an Aston Martin DB9 courtesy of AstonEperience.co.uk worth £1,400, a bundle of goodies from Halfords worth £600, a voucher for a race day from Motorsport Vision and a Jenson Button canvas from CarsInPrint.co.uk. We’ll be picking the winners of these prizes in the next few weeks and contacting the lucky chosen few – so stand by your phones.

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Pict

DRIVE TRAFFIC Your website is your online forecourt. So it needs to work as hard as you do. It’s also got to be easy to navigate and rank highly with Google and other search engines that will drive traffic to your website. We’ve been building bespoke websites exclusively for the motor industry since 1999. A number of our sites for dealerships have won awards. And being automotive professionals ourselves, we know what your site needs to help you sell more cars. Find out more by calling 0845 2508820 or visiting www.ukwebsites.net Email: support@ukwebsites.net

Part of

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Pictures @dean_photo

911for2011

ur bid to trade up from nothing to a Porsche 911 in aid of automotive charity BEN has kicked off with a successful start – but things are about to get really tough from here on in. Why’s that? Well, making a profit from two cars you’ve been given for nothing isn’t exactly hard – now we’ve got to put our money where our mouths are and invest in a motor that can turn us a profit. Last month we told you how two very kind dealers – car supermarket group Motorpoint and London group M25 Audi – donated two cars to start us off. We picked up the MkIII Golf GTI below from Motorpoint’s trade-only Auction4Cars.com arm while M25Audi found us the S-reg 1.6-litre Audi A3. With two motors sat outside Car Dealer HQ annoying the neighbours, one thing was for sure – we needed to liquidise these assets, and quick. But this wasn’t going to be without its problems. As we reported last month, the Audi wasn’t as sound as we’d hoped. Being free, we expected some reconditioning work, but after driving the car back from Watford to our Gosport base, it was clear the 100,000-mile Audi needed more than a

little bit of tlc. The Audi did have MOT and tax until the end of November, but we really didn’t want to advertise it as sound, knowing it wasn’t ‘You don’t want to spend a fortune repairing that Audi,’ said James Litton from the Internet Car Lot, who we asked for advice on Twitter. ‘You could just be throwing money down the drain. I suggest you advertise it on eBay for spares or repairs – you’ll be surprised what you’ll get for it.’ So that’s exactly what we did. Taking the advice of our columnist and used car pro Big Mike (see p61) we wrote a long and detailed description for the auction website. We even produced a two-minute video of the car after we’d given it a thorough valet complete with cheesy soundtrack. But they don’t make listing cars on eBay easy for you do they? First problem was the description. For some reason gremlins insisted on changing the title of the advert to something completely different to what I typed every time I saved it. I think the IT department may have been playing silly buggers, because every time I clicked back something else was in the title box. Then there were issues with the pictures. First the uploader worked, then it didn’t. Then it deleted the best picture, then it appeared again. Then it crashed. Then it was back. Then it crashed again. To be honest, it’s a miracle my laptop is still in one piece after that episode. I kicked a chair instead... >

we’ve found homes for our first two cars as we try to turn £0 into a porsche 911 for ben. but, now the hard work starts...

two down

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911for2011 Then there was the description. I umm-ed and arr-ed about what to put in, what to leave out. Then I decided honesty was the best policy – this was going on eBay after all and mis-describing something on there is tantamount to genocide. Anyone would think feedback was given physically, not digitally. But despite the battle, the listing worked a treat. Interest in the car was impressive over the week with it clocking up 57 ‘watchers’. We started the auction at £499 and that was met within hours of the car going live. Bids were slow over the seven days but a frantic session during the last minute pushed the Audi up to the eventual selling price of £790.03p. Ok, this was well below the book retail price of an Audi of this age and mileage, but the devil’s in the condition – and feedback suggests we should be pleased with the return. The buyer came from Bournemouth the next evening to collect and was a trader, but one with a bit of mechanical nous. His plan was to recondition the Audi over the next few months, put a year’s ticket on it and flog it on. Sadly we didn’t have the budget, or luxury of time, to do the same – remember, we do want this 911 by 2011! As it had been advertised for spares or repairs our buyer simply paid and drove off – there was no last-minute haggling or kicking of tyres, but our buyer did forget to give me the 3p… I left 20 minutes after they’d driven off in the Audi to meet a friend in Portsmouth and stopped for fuel in a petrol station just down the road only to spot the buyer and the Audi with its bonnet up in the corner. Needless to say I did the decent thing and drove straight back out again

and on to the next fuel station…

GOLF LESSONS And so to the VW. The 1.8-litre was a little leggy with 180k on the clock, and it only had MOT until June. We’d stuck six months tax on it when we bought it, but were a little unsure of how to go about selling it. Again we turned to Twitter friend and car guru Litton for advice. ‘It’s worth trying to get a year’s MOT on that,’ he said. ‘You’ll get a lot more for it if you can.’ So we headed to a friendly local mechanic. To be honest, we really didn’t want to shell out £50 for an MOT when it could easily fail, so we asked him to check it over for us as a favour. With a little grumble, our spanner man did his duty to the BEN cause and it wasn’t long before he’d deduced getting it through an MOT would cost almost as much as we’d get for the car if we flogged it as it was. Estimating it was worth about £250 in its current condition, and £500 if we managed to get an MOT, spending £200 to put that ticket on it just didn’t make sense. So listing it on eBay was a no brainer. A long and detailed description was penned after an hour reading through the mass of receipts and history that had come with it. We even went as far as noting what had been done on each service and when, plus jotted down the mileages and dates of all present MOTs. We produced another short video – this time with a Super Furry Animals soundtrack – and embedded it in the listing and started the auction at £112.15, the price we’d paid for the tax. By the end of the week, three

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‘We did have to fend off a few stupid questions with this listing though. One potential bidder asked if we’d be happy to deliver it to Exeter. Er, no. No we wouldn’t.’ bidders had fought it out with the winner putting the Golf on their drive for £250. Happy days. We did have to fend off a few stupid questions with this listing though. One potential bidder asked if we’d be happy to deliver it to Exeter. Er, no. No we wouldn’t. Thinking about it, what I should of said is: ‘Yes we’d be delighted to deliver it to Exeter as long as you pay £500 for the car.’ That’s where my lacking sales skills let me down. Anyway, our buyer made contact quickly and only lived five miles down the road. He did eventually go away happy despite a major faux pas while I was handing it over. Just before he was due to get in and drive off I asked if I could check inside just in case I’d left something in the glovebox and he handed me the key. Slotting it into the passenger side door, it failed to open – then I remembered the lock on that side didn’t work, something I’d forgotten to mention when listing it on eBay. Whoops. Trying to cover my mistake, I handed him back the key uttering something about it being easier for him to do it – it was only when he took the key from my hand did I spot I’d given it to him complete with the barrel of the lock attached too... Lucikly he didn’t seem to mind – it was a £250 car after all – and he went away happy.

WHAT NEXT? Well, that is the killer question. Our pot is now up to £1,040.03p ready to buy the next car, but where we go from here is hard to tell. We’ve incurred

wants a 911 does he? In Big Mike: SothatBaggott case, he’s clearly not a pure bred dealer – for those of us in the trade Some top car know that the car you really want to drive is whatever’s in stock, is still tips for my yourself taxed, and doesn’t have any real profit in it. For that reason alone, Big Mike’s young last three cars have been a Rover 600, a 205 diesel and a Vauxhall Combo apprentices Peugeot with a 15-year-old wheelchair conversion. But if he really does want to get there, and start out along the way, what tips can a seasoned professional like me give him to help him? Here’s five. If he wants any more, he’ll have to pay me for them... 1. Look for cars with minor bits of trim missing. Badges, hub caps and rubbing strips cost pennies from breakers years, but put Daily Mail readers and their ilk off buying a car.

a few costs so far which include: £36 – eBay commission for Audi; £36 – eBay commission and listing for Golf (hardly seems fair that one) £112 – six months tax for the Golf. That’s a total of £184 which we’ll chuck into the pot to keep our grand total for BEN as high as possible. What I wasn’t bargaining for with this feature was the amount of time it’s taking up. I didn’t think about the amount of time spent cleaning, taking pictures, making videos, listing things, fending off stupid questions, would take up. What’s more we’ve worked out there’s going to be quite a lot more selling to do between now and the Porsche, especially as we have to buy the cars ourselves. If we can make an average of £500 a trade – a tall order, I know – between now and the £10k-ish we need for the 996 model we’re aiming for, we’ll need to sell another 18 cars. That’s a lot of dodgy questions on eBay to deal with… So what’s the plan? Well, we’re hoping a few of our dealer contacts will be able to help out with a tasty part exchange at a decent price. We’ve already got a rather hot iron in the fire, but are just waiting to find out if it’ll come off. By the time Car Dealer went to press we were still in the final stages of negotiation. In the meantime, if you’ve got a part exchange that you could let us have cheap that would make a healthy profit for BEN please get in touch. We need all the help we can get! To keep up to date with our latest ups and downs with our 911 for 2011 adventure and to find out what we’ve bought next, log on to our website by typing bit.ly/911for2011 into your web browser. [CD]

Once replaced, the car looks miles better and will sell for more. 2. Clueless sellers often give away bargains – especially on auction websites. Look for cars with little by means of description, then ask the seller a few questions. I picked up a low mileage Corsa with FSH this way, as he had neglected to mention either in the listing, and all the other bidders were too lazy to ask. 3. Dirty cars are often huge bargains. It’s amazing how many people can’t be arsed with their old car once they have a new one, so don’t even clean it before putting it up for sale. A valet costs £40, or is free if you do it yourself. It can add hundreds to a car’s value. 4. Buy unpopular cars. The usual favourites (Fiestas, Astras, Golfs etc) are in huge demand, and as such there’s

competition to buy them. Go for less obvious stuff like Alfa Romeos and Citroens – if they’re cheap enough, you’ll always make money. 5. Don’t buy anything too new – if you’ve got a four-to-six year old motor, there are hundreds of identical ones on the market, and you’ll need a damned good reason why someone should look at yours. If, on the other hand, you have an immaculate old Mercedes, BMW or Audi, somebody, somewhere is looking for it, and will travel miles to get it. So, Mr B, sell a Merc to a man from Germany and you’re quids in (I know, I did it last year). Buy a Focus and you may as well run it into the ground and forget the 911. Or just buy a Skoda Rapid instead – they’re just as much fun, and far rarer. Good luck!

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feature

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Making a connection Joining a nationally-advertised network of dealers could really put your business on the map. Quite literally. Customers will be directed to your door with this innovative web-based trade-in service. Find out how TradeMyMotor.co.uk can benefit you.

uying a business in a box doesn’t have to involve a takeover of an existing dealer. If you’re looking to expand your existing car retail business, then the idea of franchising may be of interest. The latest opportunity available in the car industry is TradeMyMotor.co.uk. They have tapped into the very lucrative online used car purchasing market to give dealers the chance to take on successful business models like WeBuyAnyCar.com. TradeMyMotor.co.uk gives dealers the opportunity to be part of a growing national brand that is aiming to take a large slice of the pie. If you’ve never considered a franchise before, TradeMyMotor.co.uk is worth a look – it really does have a lot to offer. Think ‘business in a box’. For an initial investment, you get the right to use the brand name plus all the systems and processes that are associated with this. Investing in a TradeMyMotor.co.uk franchise gives you national marketing – including a nationwide TV ad campaign – strong disposal routes, thousands of cars at trade prices, lead generation and a highly search engine optimised website that competes at a national level. But what sort of business is it? Operations director, Kevin Davies, explains that it’s essentially very simple. ‘Every car owner, at some stage, wants to sell their car,’ he says. ‘In all cases, they want the best price and they want no fuss, a quick sale and a professional service. TradeMyMotor.co.uk offers a user friendly website that allows customers to enter their VRM, add a few condition particulars, confirm the mileage and then receive a free online quotation with the option to book an appointment to sell their car at a TradeMyMotor.co.uk dealer near them. ‘As a franchisee you get quality leads and lots of people looking to sell their cars coming directly to you. You get to buy these at trade prices with the option to sell customers a new car from your existing stock and, where possible, sell add-ons such as warranties and finance. It’s a win-win situation that looks too good to be true.’ The good news though, is that it isn’t. In short, the concept works on the premise that there are millions who want to sell their car but just don’t want the hassle of doing it the traditional way. TradeMyMotor.co.uk allows and encourages them to quickly get a price for their car, from a few taps at the computer. ‘The key benefit to the seller is that they can do 90 per cent of the transaction while sitting in their armchair,’ adds Davies. >

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feature ‘The concept works on the premise that there are millions who want to sell their car but just don’t want the hassle of doing it the traditional way.’ How does it work? Customers enter their VRM into a search tool. This does a DVLA lookup which returns all the spec and engine data. The customer is then asked to fill in a few basics such as mileage and any additional options fitted. This information is employed to calculate a used value on the car and it is based on CAP data, an official, industry-standard value. TradeMyMotor.co.uk applies special algorithms that allow a built-in profit margin on each car. ‘Basically, nearly all of the groundwork is done by that stage,’ says Davies. ‘This takes people to the part they normally fear in car dealer showrooms – the announcement of “what it’s worth”! This may be more or less than what they were expecting, yet usually they would feel the onus to make a snap decision. Not with TradeMyMotor.co.uk: the potential vendor has time and privacy to think what they’ll do next.’ It’s a more compelling, less-pressured option that encourages more people to take the next step: arrange an appointment with their local TradeMyMotor.co.uk franchisee online for a final inspection and potential payout. And this is where you come in! For all the people looking to sell within your franchise area, you’ll be given their full details, including the particulars and price of the car in question. These customers have come straight to you, giving you the opportunity to appraise the buying proposition at your own pace. No more fish escaping the net, no more being lumbered with rotten old boots. Even better, all the cars are coming to you at trade price or, in some cases, below… Becoming a franchise gives dealers access to that trick TradeMyMotor.co.uk computer system which is at the heart of the proposition. Within the web-based setup, dealers are provided with all the ‘back end’ mechanics they need to run the business. As Davies says, an entire deal can be 90 per cent automated, and the internet package plays a big role in this. It’s a simple system in operation: once the customer has entered all their details, they click ‘send for quote’ and this information is automatically sent to the nearest TradeMyMotor.co.uk franchise. All the franchisee has to do is review the details, confirm the price, contact the customer and book the inspection appointment. Once the quote is agreed you buy the car. The system generates the hard and fast data such as VRM-generated information and mileage, plus the more subjective description information. ‘To help dealers make a good judgment here, TradeMyMotor.co.uk encourages customers to upload images: The system has a built-in image upload facility, so the incentive is there to post an inclusive set of imagery.’ This, says Davies, helps franchisees judge how honest the assessment of condition actually is. ‘They encourage customers to be as honest as they can here – and they warn them that, if they’re not, the final valuation of the car may be affected.’ This is where the usual trade-in valuation skills of car dealers will come to the fore, in explaining just why cars aren’t worth what people think they are. With the TradeMyMotor.co.uk systems, though, the risks of this being a surprise to the customer are automatically reduced – because you already have so much information to go on in the first place. You can thus factor this into your final calculation. As you can see, all this website methodology really has been thought about, and this includes the look of it, too. It’s been designed to be clean and modern, majoring in simplicity and user-friendliness. Buying the franchise also gives you the advantage of Google AdWords-supported nationwide campaigns, plus a fully SEO-optimised site that performs exceedingly well in search engines. That’s another benefit of being a franchisee, you see: you become an integral part of a big, powerful, UK-wide player. Could you hope to get such exposure on your own? There are also fewer risks for you once you’ve run through the whole process and bought a car. Of course, the intention is that you only get the motors that you really want, at prices that are entirely at your discretion. But what about if you want to then move a car on fast? Or what if you’re simply looking for an extra avenue for trade buying and selling? Well, Davies says, with TradeMyMotor.co.uk, you also become part of a national network of dealers and traders you can sell into. These relationships complement special agreements with the UK’s auction houses, which guarantees low selling fees. Dealers also get a free subscription to autotradebids.co.uk. It all means franchisees immediately become part of a much larger and supportive family. Another example of how the entire package really has been thought through. Davies is thus eager to get the message of TradeMyMotor.co.uk’s opportunities out

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If you want access to thousands of used cars, TradeMyMotor.co.uk puts dealers in touch with selling customers

to car dealers. But he will not grow just for the sake of it. ‘We’re keen on organic growth,’ he explains. This involves only taking on the right people. Who are? ‘Enthusiastic, positive, have strong communications skills and will relish the opportunity of working with a forward thinking company.’ He adds: ‘To be successful, the idea is to take on board what we have learned, and combine it with both your own experience, and your own contacts. Your success to date will be key to your success with TradeMyMotor.co.uk.’ Davies adds he’s always on hand to offer guidance to dealers throughout the franchise period, as proof of the strength of the relationship. But it’s only for those who are willing to put in the work their end, too. ‘If you want an investment that lets you sit back and not get involved, this isn’t for you. It’s hands on and may well be hard work. Rewards are there, but

they’re for the earning, not the taking. ‘We’re looking for dealers who can outperform the average – who can take our proven system and make the absolute best of the opportunities it offers.’ He would also like to see a multi-year commitment: proof that this is a business geared for the long-term. Davies wants, in time, many TradeMyMotor.co.uk territory locations, and to ‘change the face of the used car market’ in the process. Excellent customer service and ease of use, he says, will be an integral part of this. Even more compellingly, he assures car dealers’ initial investment will be low, as will overheads and operational costs. No wonder he’s so confident dealers will find the offer compelling. So, fancy being the local Trade My Motor franchise in your area? Well, best get in there fast, then, before one of your competitors does… [CD]

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auctions

Veyron sale creates huge interest at BCA Henstock Auction stations Looking for a low-carb motoring future

ny seller with a good supply of smaller, more economical cars to bring to the remarketing arena really has struck gold in the current marketplace. The continued threat of rising fuel prices and the ravages of the economy over the past two years has dampened motorists’ enthusiasm for bigger, thirstier cars. General demand for low emission cars is correspondingly high, but because we just don’t see high numbers of hybrid and low-carb vehicles reaching the used market, it ‘Motorists like the is difficult to gauge demand. savings offered The ‘low carb’ sector is largely populated by petrol- by eco-motoring electric hybrids, superminis but remain and the latest generation unconvinced of fuel efficient small about how to hatchbacks. Just 36 models currently obtain it.’ available at under 100g/ km (and therefore road tax exempt) means the numbers are small and choice is restricted. Most of these cars are retail models and tend not to reach the wholesale auction environment at all. As a result, cars in this sector tend to be keenly priced. But really it is the road fund licence benefit that is the major draw. For the professional buyer, it is just something else to factor into the profit equation and in reality the usual rules apply when it comes to valuation – make and model, desirability etc. It is difficult to gauge awareness among motorists of the benefits of low-CO2 motoring. Last year, BCA’s annual Used Car Market Report asked motorists what sort of car they would buy after the recession is over. Responses suggest a third of car buyers will be looking for ‘better fuel consumption’ and a fifth for ‘lower road tax’. When asked what type of fuel their next car would use, four per cent said they’d buy an electric-hybrid compared with 49 per cent for a used petrol car and 28 per cent who would opt for a diesel. Our research suggests motorists like the savings offered by eco-motoring but remain unconvinced about how to obtain it. Demand for hybrid-fuelled cars is niche at best while support for traditional fuels remains strong. More choice and better availability will be critical if low-CO2 is to become well established.

Who is Simon Henstock? simon is Uk network operations director for BCA. Find out more at www.bca-europe.com or call 0845 600 6644.

A BUGATTI Veyron generated a huge amount of interest when it appeared on a BCA auction floor recently. The 2006 supercar went on sale at the beginning of June in a Lex Autolease and Black Horse sale. BCA said it was one of 350 flash motors up for sale in the auction, which made it one of the most valuable sales of contemporary motors ever held in the UK. Robert Sturley, Lex Autolease area auction manager said: ‘We worked very closely with BCA to bring together a truly exceptional collection of vehicles to feature in the Fast and Furious sale. ‘The Veyron may have been the star of the show, but there were many other superb high performance cars on offer to

Top cars still selling well PREMIUM car values are continuing to thrive despite fuel prices hitting a record high across the country. Glass’s Guide reports values seem unaffected by posh luxury cars, supercars and SUVs being some of the least fuel-efficient models around. What’s causing this odd trend? The ending of the feelbad factor, combined with the slow rise of fuel prices that means many motorists have not noticed it. Glass’s says large 4x4s have recorded price rises TWICE that of regular family cars in recent months. Luxury cars and supercars are matching the two percent rise of eco family hatchbacks.

Supercars set to attract big bids tempt bidders.’ BCA’s Alan Gupwell told us before the sale had taken place: ‘We have already taken many enquiries about the Bugatti Veyron as they rarely come onto the market. ‘The Lex Autolease and Black Horse brand names have a strong following at BCA and this spectacular event is sure to generate a lot of interest.’ Unfortunately, the sale took place just a few hours after this issue went to press, but you can find out how much the car and its contemporaries made by logging on to our website at CarDealerMag.co.uk and searching for Veyron.

Record-breaking month for auction sales despite slow down AUCTION4CARS.COM has smashed its record for the highest number of cars sold in a week since it was launched 18 months ago. The fee-free car auction website found homes for more than 450 vehicles in the first week of May, smashing its previous record of 397 (which was set last November) – this is despite a widespread slow-down in vehicle sales across the main auction houses. Auction4Cars, a subsidiary of car supermarket giant Motorpoint, was launched in October 2008 to sell the company’s part-exchange vehicles exclusively to the trade. In its first full year, Auction4Cars sold 10,000 vehicles and is currently on course to sell some 15,000 vehicles in 2010. Neil Prescott, group disposal manager at Motorpoint, added: ‘While we have seen the market in general cooling because of an oversupply of vehicles, Auction4Cars continues to prove extremely popular, emphasising that our fee-free online car auction model is now firmly established among the trade in this country.’

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right click

...in association with GForces

Are we on a coalition course? I

n the run up to the election Labour invested £1.8bn of taxpayers’ money in British industry. The former Business Secretary Lord Mandelson initiated the spending campaign focusing on industrial seats in marginal constituencies. Lord Mandelson was said to be behaving like ‘a Bourbon monarch going round in his coach throwing out gold coins’ according to The Independent. Cameron and Clegg may find these commitments cannot be easily reversed. Loan guarantees totalling £650m were made to Ford and Vauxhall to ensure that the American-owned motor giants continued investing in car manufacturing and engine production in the UK. If for example the government performs a U-turn on a £20m grant to Nissan, the Japanese motor manufacturer may withdraw its plans to build 50,000 electric cars a year at the Sunderland factory. Dealerships benefited from a government sponsored 11-month scrappage scheme back in May 2009. In the wake of falling sales this incentive scheme did an awful lot to boost the new car market and drive production volume as a result. The fundamental question for dealerships today will be: ‘how will the government tackle the issue of consumer spending?’ After Labour drove our society into a deep recession many businesses now nervously await the solutions for recovery. In the recent programme for government, David Cameron and Nick Clegg stated that they considered business to be the driver of economic growth and innovation, and that they need to take urgent action to boost enterprise, support green growth and build a new and more responsible economic model. Peter Vardy, chief executive of the eponymous chain of car dealerships, said: ‘This is undoubtedly a tough economic climate for our industry. Scrappage has certainly helped but going forward it will be challenging for some dealerships – those that can raise the bar will thrive, those which don’t may struggle for survival.’ Vardy said his turnover had grown by 24

What does the coalition government mean for the automotive industry, asks GForces’ Tim Smith

‘The fundamental question for dealerships today will be: ‘how will the government tackle the issue of consumer spending?’ per cent in 2009 to £139m, while operating profit rose by 80 per cent to £3.5m. He said getting his buying and online strategy right had contributed to the growth, in an article in The Scotsman. Thankfully many dealerships today have proved 2010 to be a much stronger trading period than anticipated. Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders chief executive Paul Everitt said: ‘The level of collaboration between government and industry is set to increase significantly as the Automotive, Supply

Chain and Technology Councils work scrappage played a key to realise new opportunities from the role in dealers’ transition to a low carbon economy.’ fortunes last In the UK, cars and light vans account for year, but what around 16 per cent of CO2 emissions. The has the new government has committed to reducing coalition greenhouse gases by 80 per cent by the government year 2050. So far, many car manufacturers got planned for have been slow in doing much about our industry? developing their electric car product lines. The future of the British motor industry and renewable energy in the UK is clearly at stake and will require government incentives. Dealerships should be ready to embrace the advances in green automotives. It is too early to predict how quickly the economy will pick up in 2010 but the signs are promising. The next few months will be crucial for dealerships and only time will tell what impact the ‘new politics’ will have on the seemingly testing future for the dealer market.

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Confused about where to begin? GForces understand there are many articles, strategies and concepts being thrown about how to leverage these new technologies. We help cut through the noise and figure out what will work for your business.

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...in association with Really Good Domains

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As the nation surfs more than ever you can cash in R

egular readers of the dot.com column will know we like to comment on the latest studies which prove just how important the internet has become in all our lives. This month is no different after some startling research was released at the end of May. Published by UKOM (The UK Online Measurement Company) the research showed that Britons spent 65 per cent more time online in April 2010 than in April 2007. The UKOM is a cross-industry organisation that has been set up with the sole purpose to oversee and report on online audiences to stringent industry standards. Broken down into different sectors the results show that over the three years the biggest fundamental change to Briton’s internet habits has been the massive growth in social networks and blogs, at the expense of instant messaging. Since April 2007 social networking (like Facebook and Twitter) has grown relatively by a massive 159 per cent, this is in stark contrast to instant messaging which has declined relatively by 66 per cent. In contrast to instant messaging, personal email, which had been predicted to be a casualty of the social networking boom has actually grown, Britons now spend 88 per cent more time on email sites than they did three years ago. Like email, the portal website was another area that has prospered despite premature obituaries. Britons are spending 87 per cent more time on them than three years ago – 31 million hours in April 2010 compared to 17 million in 2007. Consequently the portals’ share of online time has increased, relatively, by 10 per cent from 3.7 to four per cent. A further interesting snippet of research came from a survey carried out by OFCOM which revealed that for the first time the web overtook TV as the most trusted source of news. Perhaps unsurprisingly the press was deemed the least trustworthy medium, with more people saying that newspapers were unbelievable, than believed the news published in them. Both pieces of research reaffirm just how important the internet has become – you only

‘the biggest fundamental change to Briton’s internet habits has been the massive growth in social networks have to work in an office which suffers some internet downtime to see how integrated the web is with all of us, usually as the panic sets in before the connection is restored. If Briton’s are spending 65 per cent more of their precious time online than in 2007 then it only makes sense that advertising and marketing budgets should reflect this seismic shift. Having a robust and strong online presence has become more important to dealerships than arguably

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any other medium, and partnering with proven online operators is vital for securing the maximum number of sales. Really Good Domains runs some of the biggest motoring websites in the UK, including the leading contract hire and leasing website, ContractHireAndLeasing.com, the most popular van website, TheVanWebsite.co.uk, and the most popular portal specialising in new and nearly new cars, SaveMoneyOnCars.co.uk. What’s more, the company has 10 years under its belt helping car retailers sell significant numbers of vehicles. So when you’re reviewing your marketing strategy be sure to prioritise the internet if you want to maximise your return on investment and give the people at Really Good Domains a call on 0161 482 7655 to see how they can help your dealership sell more vehicles.

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WinIT TrackIT KeepIT

Showroom lead management Deal optimisation Award winning CRM

Call NOW 020 7538 6688 WIN WIN WORLD LTD www.winwinworld.co.uk callmenow@winwinworld.co.uk

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“Building the future the time is now” 4/6/10 13:39:26

automation

Advertisement feature

...in association with Really Good Domains

M and M join up to provide a real Win Win partnership Michael Jackson and Mat Hutchin’s arrival at Win Win mean the dream team is now complete

for his involvement in the launch of many ichael Jackson, ex-Chairman and founder of Cox Manheim subsidiary successful web-based products including lead management, FSA Compliance tools and e-Goodmanners, has joined the automated VHC systems. WinWin World team as chairman. Mat said: ‘I have been in the business It is common knowledge that WinWin selling products to car retailers for more than World have been looking for a big hitter to 10 years now. WinWin is the first company take on this role for some time. I have come across that has everything the Michael Jackson is one half of the retailer needs in one place as a solution. father and son racing team – BM Racing – ‘Profitability and stability especially postsponsored by WinWin World in the early part scrappage is a real hot topic at the moment. of the 2009 racing season. I know of no other provider in the market WinWin managing director Nigel Pates said: ‘No one could be more qualified for this that offers a holistic solution dovetailed with position. Michael is recognised as the person who invented showroom lead management. His name is synonymous with sales controls and process. Just about every successful sales person in the motor trade will have been touched by his training techniques or methods at some point in their careers.’ Michael’s career goes back to sales director for Alfa Romeo in the 1980s. He founded Jackson Consulting Group in the early 1990s. business analysis and consultancy that can Jackson Consulting Group at its height directly influence the retailers performance. directly employed nearly 100 consultants My belief is that WinWin World is giving its and had training contracts with various clients the competitive edge in this unstable manufacturers and many of the top 100 market.’ dealers of the time. WinWin World provides a real win-win to Over the last few years Michael has become well known in motor racing their customers in the true sense of the word. WinWin World is the only complete solution circles racing Radical SR8s with his on the market where dealers are supplied son and co-driver Ben Jackson. Michael got to meet the WinWin with everything they need to increase sales team through a sponsorship deal and profit. WinWin World – founded in with the company October 2008 – is a pioneer in and has been asked the development of process to join the team a management software where number of times cost is directly linked to since. results. WinWin provides lead The dream management (WinIT), deal partnership now optimisation (TrackIT), finance includes Michael company integration (FundIT) Jackson at its head and customer lifecycle contact with Nigel Pates and tracking processes (KeepIT). as managing WinWin acquired the trading director (former Mat Hutchin businesses of Qbit Holdings Ltd MD of Qbit Systems Ltd), Justin Ashton late last year to obtain the industry leading and Mark Taylor-Jones who deal optimiser Track which was immediately were previously the senior re-named TrackIT to fit in with the WinWin family of products. management team Uniquely WinWin provide ongoing process for e-Goodmanners training and development at no extra cost and Mat Hutchin as to its customers. To find out more about director of sales. WinWin World email: Mat is well known callmenow@winwinworld.co.uk within the industry

‘Just about every successful sales person in the motor trade will have been touched by Michael’s training techniques or methods at some point.’

Michael Jackson

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[Recruitment]

JCT600’s recruitment drive JCT600 is once again expanding and says the latest round of growth has created 20 new car dealer job vacancies. The group has a problem though – it is struggling to fill the posts quickly enough! ‘It seems an unusual problem to have in the current economic climate,’ said group sales director Andy Couthurst. ‘But our business is continuing to grow and we are struggling to find enough outgoing, enthusiastic people to assist in providing excellent service in our car showrooms.’ It’s not as if the group is only after seasoned sales pros, he said. ‘A candidate that is presentable, confident and able to work flexible hours but with experience from a different industry could easily fit into one of our sales teams and rise to a new challenge.’ They can, he said, be young or old, male or female, highly trained or new to the industry. ‘There is no prescriptive formula for the right person to sell new and used cars, other than a love for dealing with people.’ An example of this approach is JCT600’s Gary Mouatt. The 48-year-old joined the company two years ago after spending 20 years working in a dry cleaning business. Following a successful spell as a sales executive

John Tordoff’s JCT600 are looking for staff

he has recently progressed into management after completing business management training and has been promoted to business manager of JCT600 Peugeot Menston. It is the JCT600 dealers in Bradford, Leeds, Menston, York, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Castleford, Hull and Newcastle that are looking

for the new recruits, added Couthurst. ‘We offer a competitive package, including a company car, and we’re happy to talk to people who have no previous experience of the motor industry or even sales. The main skills needed are an ability to listen to people, demonstrate fantastic products and the potential to learn.’

www.octanerecruitment.co.uk .PUPS 5SBEF 3FDSVJUNFOU JT POF PG MPOHFTU FTUBCMJTIFE SFDSVJUNFOU DPOTVMUBODJFT EFEJDBUFE UP UIF BVUPNPUJWF JOEVTUSZ "T B NPUPS USBEF TQFDJBMJTU XF QSPWJEF OBUJPOXJEF DPWFSBHF XJUIJO 4FSWJDF 1BSUT 4BMFT "ENJOJTUSBUJPO .BOBHFNFOU "DDPVOUT 8PSLTIPQ BOE #PEZTIPQ ."/"(&.&/5 0110356/*5*&4 -0$"5*0/ +0# 3&' #PEZTIPQ .BOBHFST b L b L #4 $BS -POEPO 71 )FBE PG 4VQQMJFS .BOBHFNFOU b L #4 $BS 4VSSFZ 71 "GUFSTBMFT .BOBHFS b L b L $BS #4 -POEPO 71 $BS 4BMFT .BOBHFS b L 5P b L #4 $BS 0YGPSETIJSF71 $BS 4BMFT .BOBHFS b L 5P b L #4 $BS -BODBTIJSF 71 (FOFSBM 4BMFT .BOBHFS b L #4 $BS 05& b L )FSUGPSE 71 4&37*$& 803,4)01 0110356/*5*&4 )(7 5FDIOJDJBOT /JHIUT b L 1MVT #POVT -JWFSQPPM 71 )(7 5FDIOJDJBO b L 1MVT #POVT $BSEJGG 71 .PUPS $ZDMF 5FDIOJDJBO b L 1MVT #POVT )FSUT 71 "VUP 5FDIOJDJBOT b L 5P b L QMVT #POVT -POEPO 71 8PSLTIPQ $POUSPMMFST b L 5P b L $BS #POVT -POEPO 71 *OWPJDF $PTUJOH $MFSL b L 5P b L #4 &TTFY 71 4FSWJDF 5FBN .BOBHFST b L $BS 1MVT #POVT ,FOU 71 4FSWJDF "EWJTPST b 5P b L 1MVT #POVT )FSUT 71 1"354 0110356/*5*&4 1BSUT "EWJTPST b L b L #4 4VSSFZ 71 "TTJTUBOU 1BSUT .BOBHFS b L 5P b L #POVT -POEPO 71 4"-&4 0110356/*5*&4 $BS 4BMFT "ENJOJTUSBUPS b L 1MVT #POVT &TTFY 71 $BS 4BMFT &YFDVUJWF b L b L 05& b L $BS #FSLTIJSF 71 #VTJOFTT .BOBHFS $POUSPMMFS b L $BS $PNN b L -JODPMO 71 #VTJOFTT .BOBHFS b L $BS $PNN b L #FSLTIJSF 71 $BS 4BMFT &YFDVUJWF b L $BS $PNN b L )FSUGPSE 71 #0%:4)01 0110356/*5*&4 2VBMJUZ $POUSPMMFS b 5P b L 1MVT #POVT )BSMPX 71 1BJOU 4QSBZFS b QI 5P b QI 1MVT #POVT 4VSSFZ 71 1BOFM #FBUFS b QI 5P b QI 1MVT #POVT -POEPO 71 #PEZTIPQ &TUJNBUPS b L 5P b L #POVT $BS &TTFY 71 #PEZTIPQ 3FDFQUJPO "EWJTPS b L 5P b L #4 $BS -POEPO 71

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Fuelling the Industry Be it sales or aftersales, trainee or experienced, permanent or contract, retail or commercial vehicle we have the clients and the know-how to develop you as an individual and put on the right track to your ultimate career goal, Below is a brief description of the roles that we currently have available, however please do send in your CV even if you cannot see a role of interest as we are a very fast-moving organisation and we have an excellent portfolio of clients who could well be requiring your experience and skill sets. Please send your CV in the first instance to: info@octanerecruitment.co.uk Service Advisor – Surrey/ Somerset..................................................... £18k ote 35k Dealer Principal – West Country . ......................................................... £45k ote 70k Fleet Sales Exec - Bristol ....................................................................... £19k ote 42k Fleet Director (CV) – North West ................................................... £63k Car & bonus Workshop Controller – Avon................................................................ £24k & bonus Parts Manager – Notts ........................................................................ £25k & bonus Business Manager – Swindon ............................................................. £18k OTE 50K Technician – Northants/ Bristol . .............................................. £18k + bonus – O/T Sales Manager – Oxford ....................................................................... £25k ote 50k Fleet Engineer (CV) – Manchester ....................................................... £35k & bonus Panel Beater – Banbury/ Salisbury ...................................................... £21k ote 28k Service Manager – West Mids ........................................................................... £30k

Octane Recruitment The Triangle Exchange Square Manchester M4 3TR

0161 838 5700 4/6/10 13:39:31

we’ll beat any

Quote

CAR DEALER MAGAZINE has relaunched its recruitment section with one amazing offer! We always strive to help the trade out whenever we can, so have decided the best way to do that is to give you the most affordable advertising in the motor trade. As part of that, we promise to beat any recruitment advertising price you’ve been given for motor trade print advertising. Simply show us a copy of an

invoice or quote and we will beat it – guaranteed! This offer is open to any car dealership, motor industry supplier or recruitment agency that wants to place recruitment advertising for positions they currently have available. To find out the details, just give us a call and we’ll explain how you can get an advert in our new section – we’re on (023) 9252 2434.

Call Jade on (023) 9252 2434

CarDealer. It’s your move

t. 08450 212123

www.justcarjobs.co.uk

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Recruiting Success in the Automotive Industry “Recruitment is a bit like a blind date” John Gibson Associates – The UK’s leading Automotive Recruitment Consultancy. With a Head Office in York supporting a national network of Regional Offices, each run by experienced Motor Trade Professionals who know the local market inside and out; ensuring we are the only providers of national coverage on a local basis. Specialists in working confidentially; respecting the identities of all our clients and candidates meaning that there are no embarrassing situations. Every candidate we put forward is pre-interviewed so that we are certain that not only do we find exceptional candidates for the job but also for the business environment – we take pride in our reputation for expertise and an outstanding professional service. Every vacancy we handle is a genuine client requirement and every candidate we put forward has been contacted, giving their consent to be considered for a vacancy. We’ve been established for over 25 years. Our track record speaks for itself; we enjoy an 85% level of repeat business and place more candidates in more jobs than anyone in motor trade recruitment. All this means that John Gibson Associates are the recognised and trusted brand in Automotive Recruitment. And because we are confident that you will be more than satisfied with our client services – all this comes with a six month guarantee.

hen looking to recruit, businesses need to appreciate the importance of Talent Management and its strategic priority. Planning for the future is critical. When a client takes those first steps towards recruitment they should consider what their organisation needs for the coming years and not just an immediate ‘fix’. Representation by a consultancy that not only knows the industry inside and out but also understands what your specific requirements are is imperative to say the least. Recruitment is not just about finding the person that is right for the job – it is equally as important to recruit someone who will complement the strengths of your current team and also help to cultivate and grow your business in the years to come. That is why we strongly believe that building a relationship and knowing our candidates is as equally important as knowing our clients. Having an understanding of a candidate’s experience, skills, motivations, achievements and their aspirations will generate an insight and an understanding as to which direction a candidate wants to take their career. And it will also enable the recruiter to fully appreciate the type of

organisation that they will be best suited to. As a consultancy JGA have consistently proved to surpass both our Candidates’ and Clients’ expectations, whether it be Customer Service, attention to detail, locating and attracting the quality of talent worthy of our business partners or finding the right career move for our candidates. A true test of experience and the ability to build trusting relationships is the generating and sourcing of quality candidates by not only searching through a database – it also requires a personal touch. It means using in-depth industry knowledge, utilising contacts and having empathy and a clear understanding of the client’s and the candidate’s expectations and needs. The recruitment process is a bit like a blind date – neither party knows what to expect. Using an established and trusted consultancy will give confidence to the process, ensuring it is efficient, seamless and satisfying in its results. Building and maintaining a good relationship with a candidate is building for the future – Look after your candidates, they are your future clients.

JGA cover all positions in the Motor Trade and it’s related industries – below is a selection of the different vacancies currently being handled by our network of Regional Offices – visit www.jgauk.com to see a complete list of genuine client requirements and take the next step towards your future success. Job ID Job Title

Location

14335 14325 14338 14243 14318 14323 14336 14223 14189 14262 14311

North Yorks Cumbria/Lancs/W.Yorks Yorks & Lincs North Yorks/North East Exeter Bristol/South West Manc/North West Manchester/Stockport CM Postcode Essex/Norfolk/Suffolk East London/Essex N.London/Beds/Herts Home Counties Berks/Bucks/Oxon Lincs SW Yorks/Lincs East Sussex Surrey/W.Sussex/SE.London SW England Doreset/Hants/Wilts ME Postcode E.Sussex/Kent/SE.London

GSM- DP Designate Audi Brand Director Service Manager Aftermarket Leader Prestige Technician Dealership Accountant Sales Executive Service Manager Fleet Sales Executive Vehicle Inspector Local Business Dev Mgr

Regional Office

Tel: 0845 644 3003

THE LOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE RECRUITERS

Web: www.jgauk.com Email: info@jgauk.com

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Trader