Car Dealer Magazine: Issue 87

revealed: best manufacturers & suppliers in the business

Business Publication of the Year

Horse

Issue 87 | June 2015 | CarDealerMag.co.uk | £3.50

. . .

R E POW

venden o k r a m S S O B D exclusive: FOR of the most e n o t u bo a s u talks to r... iconic cars eve

pecial s o c a n o m s e u q top mar

mustang icon

Meet the dealer selling GT500s to the super-rich

TRINKETS FOR THE oligarchs

the £500,000 watch – it tells the time and everything...

billionaires’ showroom

crazy hypercars to relieve roman of his millions

GET MORE

CHOICE OVER

80,000 VEHICLES*

FROM THE UK’S LEADING VENDORS

Start your search today manheim.co.uk

02 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

* Figure based on sales between 1st March to 31st May in 2012 - 2014. Figures exclude private sales.

MANHEIM

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IGNITION.

EDITORIAL EDITOR Colin Channon

colin@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @colinchannon

PRODUCTION EDITOR Dave Brown

dave@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerDave

head of design Graeme Windell

graeme@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @graemewindell

STAFF WRITER Rebecca Chaplin

rebecca@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @BelieveBecca

ADVERTISING ADVERTISING Manager Duncan Chappell

duncan@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerDunc

Advertising EXECUTIVE Cliff Culver

cliff@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerCliff

CREDIT CONTROL & ADMINISTRATOR Pippa Marsden

pippa@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerPip

SUITS MANAGING DIRECTOR James Baggott

james@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerEd

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Andy Entwistle

andy@blackballmedia.co.uk Twitter: @CarDealerAndy

Contributors Tim Naylor, Nick King, Mike Jones, Jonathan Such, Daljinder Nagra, Chris Lloyd, Nigel Swan, Stephen Hall, Sophie Williamson-Stothert, Jonathan Fleetwood

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Car Dealer is distributed to a database of up to 12,000 franchised car dealers, independents, service and repair sites, car manufacturers and suppliers. Advertisers are supplied with a print certificate every month.

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people can be cruel.

Welcome. Some Really cruel. Take those

beautifully suited and booted people at the Car Dealer Power awards, for example. ‘What?’ you cry. ‘Surely not?

They must be perfectly behaved.’ Please, let me explain....

We had two top-notch presenters on the night in advertising supremo Duncan Chappell and a certain magazine editor (although, to be fair, I did overhear someone refer to us as a poor man’s Chuckle Brothers).

The evening was going swimmingly – the food was good, the views from the top of the Spinnaker Tower truly spectacular, and we were having fun.

One winner was described as ‘flexible and friendly’ and, I mused aloud as I read out the commendation, it sounded like a girlfriend I once had.

‘That must have been a bloody long time ago....’ said someone from the back....

As I said, some people can be hurtful. I had on my best penguin suit and I thought I looked rather dashing – and far, far less than my 30-something years... okay, 40-something... okay, okay, 50-something and counting. Be like that.

That apart, the Power awards were great. You can see from the reports and pictures (from Page 29 onwards, if you can’t wait) that some of the big names from the industry joined us, and there were a lot of very worthy winners. As we said on the night, we didn’t choose any of the winners – you, the UK’s car dealers, did that, we just had the rather nice task of handing out the trophies on the night on your behalf.

Plenty of highlights from the night. Any lowlights? Well, there was Baggott’s opening speech. It went on... and on... and on... it was like having to plough through one of his columns. Only with the mag, you can turn over the page to something more exciting. There, we could only stare into space and take another swig of wine. Come to think of it, the Spinnaker Tower did say rather a lot of vino was drunk early in the event. Now we all now why...

conference time It was at the start of the year when we first revealed our intention of holding the UK’s biggest-ever automotive conference and expo. It was just after the suits came back from their American jolly on expenses (sorry, their official fact-finding tour at NADA) that they announced to the world the Car Dealer conference would be held at Silverstone on June 9.

Well, that day is almost upon us. There’s a packed agenda, with keynote speakers, workshops on all manner of subjects geared towards making life easier in your dealership, Q&A sessions with manufacturers and dealers, networking opportunities, the 150 top automotive Twits (is that what they’re called?) will be revealed... plus loads more.

And during the conference, there will be absolutely NO selling. It’s all about best practice and sharing information.

We also have a floor full of suppliers, ready to talk you through what’s new on the market. You can see who’s there from Page 16. Oh, and there’s coffee by the buckletload.

Hope you’ve already booked your place. And if you don’t know about the event (where have you been these past few months? Mars?) you can learn more from Page 11. It’s free to attend, but you can secure your place for the most popular bits by signing up first. On the day, it’s first-come, firstserved for the remaining seats – and you could be locked out of the talk you really wanted to hear.

And as that flexible and friendly girlfriend once told me, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

As ever, I hope you enjoy the pages that follow. If you think we’ve missed something, or you have a story worth telling, email me at colin@blackballmedia.co.uk or tweet me @colinchannon Hope you like this month’s efforts.

Colin Channon, editor

WINNER

CAR DEALER MAGAZINE Best Business Publication CarDealerMag.co.uk | 03

04 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

Join Car Dealer Club by visiting CarDealerClub.com Members get free legal advice worth £195 for a £39.99 subscription

INSIDE. ISSUE 87 I JUNE 2015

Dashboard Feedback Car Dealer Conference & Expo

99

Big Mike

Off-road action in Morocco Jeep is firmly in the spotlight with new cars and increased advertising.

We joined the company for an exciting desert drive in north Africa.

Real Deals Trading Up Finance

Forecourt Honda Civic Honda CR-V BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer BMW 1 Series

92

We check out hypercars at the Top Marques Show in Monaco.

69

Sophie Williamson-Stothert tests the latest Ford S-Max.

105

‘‘

Jaguar XE Your guide to the sales process.

Getting into a routine of capturing and measuring data is the key to online success.

Ben Garside

Mini John Cooper Works Ford Mustang

Features Monaco: Supercar dealer Monaco: Hire car hero or zero?

Monaco: Top Marques Show

65 Data File Car Dealer Club The Statistics Taking Stock Buyers’ Guide Auctions Market Insight

35

Suppliers’ Guide with Litton Key Notes with Traka Car Dealer Power 2015: Our winners gather at the Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth, to celebrate their success in the awards that are voted for by YOU!

Long-termers James Baggott

06 11 59 61 63 64 70 71 72 72 74 77 78 82 86 92

114 116 118 119 120 123 124 126 127 130

OUR EVENTS...

As voted for by dealers, the Car Dealer Power Awards are unique in the industry. Full coverage of this year’s event begins on page 35

The Car Dealer Used Car Awards, sponsored by Black Horse, celebrate the used car industry.

Check out our coverage of the 2014 awards at bit.ly/UCA2014

This year’s event is going to be bigger and better in every way – and it’s still free for traders and manufacturers to attend.

See pages 11-23 for details CarDealerMag.co.uk | 05

feedback.

Your comments via email to colin@blackballmedia.co.uk

Our website at CarDealerMag.co.uk

You reap what you sow Our columnist James Litton certainly caused a bit of a stir with his contribution to Car Dealer last month. On the topic of social media he wrote: ‘Twitter trolls and malicious Facebook groups have almost created a kind of anti-social media. Social media today is for the narcissist.’

He added: ‘I am bored of Twitter feeds populated by dealers tweeting out pictures of happy customers.’ His remarks provoked a lively debate (and if you’d like to see what he’s got to say this month, turn to page 124).

I should really have waited until this article was on the Car Dealer Magazine website – however, I feel so strongly about what has been said, I have decided to speak out now!

I will start by saying I don’t disagree with all James Litton has pointed out, ie the fact that social media has changed over the past four years, on this point I agree. However I can’t agree with his points about it being nasty and narcissistic! The majority of Facebook and Twitter posts are very social. Yes, there are nasty people everywhere, but you can’t possibly class social media as nasty!

I feel there are a number of narcissistic people active on social media – however, this is a very small minority. Social media has been very good to us. We embraced it back in 2011 and have never looked back. We have made loads of new contacts, customers and friends through Twitter and have found an easy way to sell vehicles through Facebook.

As for the statement that he is bored with his Twitter feed being populated by dealers tweeting pictures of happy customers, I can’t understand.

I follow a huge number of car dealers on Twitter and never see this. Anyway, it’s great PR, don’t you think?

I’m more than happy to meet James to help educate him with the way we feel social media should be used as a car dealer and show him that it can work. We have made thousands of pounds of profit thanks to Facebook and Twitter.

Yes, social media is changing and Twitter has changed quite a bit over the past few years.

However, it is still (at least for us) very social and sociable. To sum up, ‘you reap what you sow’ – that goes for social media, too! jimreidvehicle I agree, you get a return on what you invest. If you follow and engage with the right people, it pays dividends and more. I’ve met some brilliant new friends on Twitter and will no doubt meet many more. Things can’t always be measured in ££££££s – sometimes these are hidden in other ‘gems’.

Philip Nothard

James is a top bloke and I’m sure you guys have chatted on Twitter by now, but it’s only opinion - that’s what his column is for at the end of the day...

James Baggott

Quick way to dispose of a car?

Just had a customer PX a 64-plate Mondeo with 7.9k on the clock, Titanium X, fully-loaded etc.

Thing is, I am a pretty small dealer, and this thing has a massive load of my capital tied up in it, and I’ve never sold anything so close to being new before. Would anyone recommend a quick way to dispose of this with maybe a few quid as a sweetener over what I paid for it? Looking on AT it’s only Ford dealers and Motorpoint that sell these nearly-new Mondeos. Any advice welcome.

J4ck 100 Hi Jack, Just because you’ve never sold at this price range doesn’t mean you can’t sell it yourself.

I do understand about big capital being tied up.

Options I guess are ATM and see if you can get a sensible bid, call a couple of Ford dealers or if you can afford to hold on to it as stock, market it cheaper than Motorpoint or Ford dealers and you’ll retail it quicker than them. Good luck.

Umesh

Hi Umesh. Just read your post and the exact thoughts came to me, called about 10 Ford dealers, some said already overstocked, some said maybe interested, will call back and didn’t, one said bring it down so we can appraise.. it’s a brand-new car for God’s sake!

Got two bids on the phone, one for more than CAP, more than Motorpoint are selling them for and about the same as I probably would have retailed it for! I guess this is because the main dealers have margin to play with...

All going well I’ll be dropping it over to them this afternoon. One happy chap (hope I haven’t spoken too soon!)

J4ck 100

Picture of the month OUR annual Car Dealer Power Awards night is still very fresh in our minds – and as well as enjoying delicious food in convivial surroundings with some of the most highly-regarded players in the UK automotive sector, we were very lucky with the weather. The venue we use each year is the Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth, just a stone’s throw (and a short ferry trip) from our offices on the south coast. It celebrates its tenth anniversary this year and our guests were only too keen to get snapping and tell everyone where they were! (Picturex by Jon Reay)

More and more of our readers are joining the debate – and it couldn’t be easier to get involved!

Sign up to our forum at CarDealerMagazine.co.uk/forum 06 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

On Twitter: Follow @CarDealerMag

Forum: CarDealerMagazine.co.uk/forum

on social media I’d like to be campaign manager for Baggott’s Britain...

Top tweets

IF I might be James Baggott’s unofficial campaign manager, following his manifesto in the last edition of Car Dealer, I would also suggest the following: n Caravans may only be towed by 4x4 vehicles with engine capacities over 2.0 litres – and then only between the hours of 1am and 5am; n To enhance road safety and better driving, all steering-wheel mounted airbags should be replaced with a six-inch long sharpened stainless steel spike – that would focus the mind on NOT having an accident; n Driving at 22.5mph in a 30mph zone on the way to Tesco’s or the library or Elsie’s Blue Rinse Emporium would result in an immediately-effective three-month ban and a ride in the ‘I’m a Dibbler’ Taxi – a nice shade of silver with a blue-rinse edge; n All BMW and Audi vehicles to undergo weekly tests for functional operation of the indicators, given that most of them don’t seem to work;

It’s all happening in the workshop today – our P5B is starting to look the part. @mikebrewer

n As a refinement of James’ lorry policy, we must recognise that a certain type of car driver causes lorries enormous problems – so any motorist driving on dual carriageways at a ridiculously low speed must, when a lorry approaches to within 200 yards, immediately move over to the hard shoulder, stop and allow the lorry to pass without having to change its speed. The said motorist will then be immediately moved into the I’m a Dibbler category‌. n Modern air-conditioning systems and ventilations systems are developed for a reason, so any vehicle driving in autumn or winter with steamed-up windows will be stopped by hammer-wielding police officers who are empowered to smash the side windows to ensure a free-flow of air. n Cyclists riding with headphones will be stopped and their tyres slashed to reduce the possibility of traffic accidents.

I could go on...

Anonymous

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 07

DASHBOARD.

Picasso is the best car to have on your forecourt. bit.ly/picasso87

Ask HPI your questions answered

Should I buy a TT that has been written off?

I

The shaggy dog story with a yappy ending for BEN Congestion charge waived after we waded in

I

t was a pretty paw show when the owners of a car covered in fur to look like a dog were hounded for a congestion charge payment – because it had been driven a few yards into a hotel for a charity auction.

Staff at Blackshaws car dealers in Alnwick, Northumberland, had dressed the Suzuki car to compete in Car Dealer Magazine’s Bangers4BEN event.

Blackshaws’ furry Ignis looked the dog’s doodahs – it was so eye-catching that Italian police flagged it down during the trip so they could get a picture of their police dog next to it – and it was decided to auction it separately at BEN’s annual Ball to raise more funds.

William Blackshaw, the dealer principal, said: ‘We’re in Northumberland and the Ball was in London, so someone offered to put it on a loader and take it for us. When they pulled up outside the hotel, they were told the car had to go round the back so it could be driven into the auditorium for the auction.’

But as the car was driven off the trailer and it then poodled (geddit?) round the block to the hotel’s back entrance, it was snapped by a London congestion charge camera. And after the auction – where it raised an eye-watering £4,000 for BEN – it needed to be driven back on to the loader.

And it was snapped by the camera. Again.

The first Blackshaw knew of it was when he received an official-looking letter telling him he had to pay TWO congestion 08 | CarDealerMag.co.uk

charges. ‘I appealed against it, pointing out the car was on the back of a loader and was only being taken into the hotel to raise money for charity,’ he said.

‘But I received a reply saying the charge stood – and that I had to pay £130. They refused to budge.

‘It’s really disappointing. You try to do the right thing and raise a bit of money for charity, and this happens. Okay, it was on a road for a minute – but only to be driven into the auditorium. It doesn’t seem morally right. It grates a bit.

‘BEN offered to reimburse the £130, but that’s hardly the point, is it?’

So Car Dealer got involved to try to get some sense into the barking charge.

Blackshaws may have thought it was all Rover – but we thought the charge was a bit ruff, so we made some calls…

We spoke to those nice people at the Transport for London press office. Is this really what the congestion charge was brought in for? we asked. They agreed with us. They called William Blackshaw to tell him the charge was being refunded.

Paul Cowperthwaite, TfL’s general manager of road user charging, told us: ‘We have reviewed this particular case and, given the vehicle in question was auctioned for charity and spent a small amount of time on the road, have taken the decision to cancel both penalty charge notices as a one-off gesture of goodwill.’

Blackshaw added: ‘It’s great that common sense won in the end. I’m delighted with Car Dealer for sorting it.’

have just been offered a 2007 Audi TT which is a Category D write-off. Should I buy it?

And if so, what is it worth?

A Category D write-off is the lowest of the categories. This means the insurer deemed it uneconomical to repair, so will be the least damaged of any write-off. This could be because the parts that were damaged were particularly expensive to replace (unlike Germany, insurers in the UK are obliged to use new OEM parts) or it could be that one specific part was on a lengthy back order, meaning it was more cost-effective for the insurer to write the car off and sell as such, rather than pay and provide the policy holder with a hire car for a lengthy period of time.

We cannot say if you should or should not buy this car.

However, we would be very cautious about buying any categorised cars to retail. You do not say if this is being offered in a damaged of repaired state. If the car is being offered repaired, you need to consider that you do not know what kind of damage occurred to the car and the quality of repair that was made. Sadly, it’s likely this would have been repaired cheaply rather than to the manufacturer’s standards. We would not want to risk putting a customer into a car that may have safety compromises that we are not aware of. If it is being offered damaged, at least you can see the nature of the damage for yourself and can ensure it will be repaired correctly. However, written-off cars are notorious for on-going issues and it is up to you if you want to risk this and the potential damage to your reputation.

As regards value, this varies significantly, depending on the model. In a repaired state, a category vehicle is normally worth between 50 per cent and 70 per cent of the equivalent non-categorised car, but this will, of course, vary by model and age.

A sought-after late-model car may well be worth more because of its desirability, while a mainstream hatch such as a Ford Focus or VW Golf will be worth less because of the volume available and the fact buyers of these cars are more interested in safety and reliability.

In a non-repaired state, the value of the vehicle is very much down to the state of damage and the cost of repair. We would strongly advise you to cost the repair before bidding on the car.

‘A category vehicle is normally worth between 50% and 70% of the non-categorised car....’

Who are HPI?

HPI are the experts in provenance and vehicle data.

Every month they will be helping answer questions from you relating to finance, write-offs or car scams.

If you have a problem and need some help email us at HPI@blackballmedia.co.uk and we’ll do the rest

You couldn’t ask for a better selection of warranties. As the UK’s no 1 provider, our award winning range of GAP insurance, service plans and cosmetic warranty products is also designed to please customers and boost business performance.

Find out how easy it is to switch to us.

Call 0844 573 7591 or visit carcareplan.co.uk Car Care Plan Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 09

Rob is the 44 year old general manager of an independent used car dealership. On Monday morning, when he sat down at his laptop, he found he had received four highly qualified leads overnight showing named individuals and their contact details.

These people had already been prequalified as eligible for finance for specific cars on his forecourt by at least one of Rob’s providers. Two came through after browsing the leading car portals over the weekend and the other two directly off his own website.

Wouldn’t you like to be making your vehicles more affordable across all your digital channels, generating more leads and managing your finance all in one place, just like Rob?

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dashboard.

#CDX15

Have you signed up yet?

It’s free for dealers to attend – secure your place online at bit.ly/CarDealerConf

Don’t miss out! It’s a day packed full of workshops, keynote speakers, Q&A sessions with dealers and manufacturers, networking opportunities, top Tweeters... and much, much more. Turn over to see JUST how much more...

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 11

dashboard. car dealer conference & AUTOMOTIVE expo: JUNE 9, 2015

What’s happening, hour by hour Time

8am

9am

10am

11am

Midday

8am

10am

Midday

Expo opens – breakfast

Dealer group and manufacturer franchise meetings

Lunch & Expo

9am Keynote speaker Steve Fowler (Auto Express)

10am - 1pm IGA - MOT update with the DVSA

10am 10.30am

#CDX15

9.20am

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Keynote speaker Ken Ramirez (Renault-Dacia)

9.40am Keynote speaker Tim Smith (GForces)

Workshop: Point-of-sale finance in the digital age The way customers finance their vehicles is changing.

Blackhorse will give a masterclass on how to harness your technology to keep pace Workshop: Understanding your digital customer iVendi will show you how to best use the many streams of customer data now available

10.45am11.15am Workshop: How to protect your dealership Former British security service staff will be talking about some of the current scams facing dealers from criminal gangs, and show how you can protect your business against criminals, insider threats and thefts of intellectual property rights Workshop: Lead generation masterclass The Auto Network will show how lead generation can be a crucial weapon in every dealer’s arsenal

Workshop: The customer journey Motors will explain how to ensure you get the most from your marketing spend

Workshop: Employment law It’s a minefield out there.

Lawgistics experts will explain the most common pitfalls – and how to avoid them...

Workshop: Know your customers CAP knows everything when it comes to making the most of key data. It’ll be sharing its knowledge

Workshop: Right Stock, Right Channel, Right Profit Manheim will be hosting an interactive session on sourcing the best stock

11.30ammidday Workshop: Write-offs, repos and other cons HPI will explain what to look out for so that you don’t get stuck with the wrong car – and what to do if you do...

Workshop: The power of customer reviews Like ’em or loathe ’em, they’re a big part of the business these days – and the RAC will be explaining how to use them to the best advantage, even the negative ones...

Workshop: Using video to sell the modern dealership Experts from CitNOW will explain why everyone should be using personalised video to communicate with customers Workshop: The next generation of websites Interactive 360 content, VR, HD images and video... technology changes every day, and GForces will be explaining why you can’t afford to be left behind and what customers expect to see on your site these days

1pm

2pm

3pm

1.30pm2.30pm Women In The Motor Industry This unique, invitation-only session will see leading women in the motor industry give inspiring speeches and offer others a chance to network. Two exclusive talks from a leading franchised dealer boss and independent dealer will form key parts of this females-only session.

4pm

5pm

6pm 5.30pm

3.45pm4.15pm 1.45pm2.15pm Workshops, as 10am

2.30pm3.30pm Top 150 Dealers On Twitter Find out before anyone else who has made the Most Influential Dealers On Twitter list this year. We’ll be inviting every dealer who has made it into our top 150, we’ll hand out some special awards and there will be an exclusive Q&A session with Georgina Parnell from Twitter and Google’s Scott Sinclair.

Car Dealer Q&A Dealer Panel Another open session, which will see four of the UK’s leading car dealer group bosses discuss Workshops as topical subjects and 10.45am give their advice.

We’re keeping their names under wraps for now but we can guarantee that Workshops as they’re big players 10.45am and you won’t be disappointed.

2.30pm3pm

3.15pm3.30pm

Sign up online for free at – bit.ly/CarDealerConf

Close

4.50pm Keynote speaker Scott Sinclair (Google)

5.10pm Keynote speaker Georgina Parnell (Twitter)

4.15pm4.45pm

Car Dealer Q&A Manufacturer Panel This open session will see four manufacturer bosses give their best-practice tips and opinions on pertinent topics: Ken Ramirez, managing director of Renault/Dacia UK; Lance Bradley, managing director of Mitsubishi Motors UK; Nick Connor, managing director at Volvo Cars UK; Andy Barratt, sales director of Ford.

A-Z guide of all the exhibitors – see the following pages

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 13

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dashboard. car dealer conference & AUTOMOTIVE expo: JUNE 9, 2015

CAP: Looking forward to an event that no-one should miss ‘It is a day when everyone should gain increased insight into our industry’

W

ith just a couple of weeks to go to the Car Dealer Conference & Automotive Expo, excitement is building among the dozens of exhibitors and hundreds of delegates who will be attending the event.

And more details are emerging all the time about the various sessions and workshops that will be taking place at Silverstone on June 9.

CAP Automotive will be among the organisations staging a workshop session. It will be hosted by retail and consumer editor Philip Nothard.

Nothard, who delivered a wellreceived speech at our conference last year, has more than 27 years’ experience in the motor trade. He

joined CAP in 2010 and in his role as retail and consumer editor analyses pricing data and interprets market trends.

An authoritative and entertaining speaker, he will be discussing the dynamics of the consumer and

explaining why dealers need to be relevant and responsive.

And rather than being Nothard’s view on the dealers’ world, it will very much be a dealers’ take on what’s happening. Offering practical information and ideas that delegates can take away, this will not be a ‘theoretical’ workshop that can be hard to turn into practice.

And asked if he was looking forward to our conference, Nothard said: ‘This should certainly be an event that no-one should miss.

‘With the diversity of the delegates and exhibitors, this will be a day where everyone should come away with increased knowledge and insight of the industry.’

So much to see at Silverstone!

MORE than 70 companies have now signed up for the automotive expo at Silverstone on June 9 – and there will be so much to see and do on the day that delegates will struggle to fit everything in!

Emelye Dwyer, events co-ordinator at Blackball Media, said: ‘We have been bowled over by the level of support we have received from all sectors of the UK automotive industry.

‘We have an absolutely fantastic line-up of exhibitors who will be joining us at Silverstone and we can’t wait for June 9.

Just a couple of weeks to go now!’

Turn the page for your full guide to expo exhibitors

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 15

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226

AA Cars

AutosOnShow

theAACars.com is an innovative used car buying website. It is one of the fastest growing vehicle sales channels listing vehicles from 2,500 dealers, who benefit from the trusted strength of the AA.

AutosOnShow are leading providers of high-quality professional video and imagery solutions for the automotive sector and will be demonstrating how their unique imagery functionality can help dealers. n Tel: 02920 894731 n Web: autosonshow.tv n Email: info@autosonshow.tv

n Web: theAAcars.com n Email: enquiries@theAAcars.com

102

141

Auto Protect

Auto Trader

AutoProtect provides products including dealer warranties, GAP/RTI and SMART, as well as a range of vehicle protection products to vehicle manufacturers and retailers of all types and sizes. n Tel: 0871 384 1169 n Web: autoprotect.co.uk n Email: sales@autoprotect.co.uk

Millions of people use the UK’s largest digital automotive marketplace every day. Our data helps sellers understand buyers and our services help retailers buy, sell, market and manage their stock successfully. n Tel: 0345 111 0003 n Web: autotrader.co.uk n Email: enquiries@autotrader.co.uk

The number top left on each panel represents the stand number an exhibitor will have at #CDX15

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107 BEN

Blackball Media

BCA is Europe’s largest used vehicle marketplace, selling more than one million vehicles annually through physical and digital channels and delivering a range of specialist services. n Tel: 0845 600 6644 n Web: bca.co.uk n Email: customerservices@bca.com

BEN is the automotive industry charity.

BEN offers help with financial worries, illness, disability, bereavement, relationship problems and anything else that is causing difficulties with day-to-day circumstances. n Tel: 01344 876770 n Web: ben.org.uk/gethelp n Email: careservices@ben.org.uk

Blackball Media is an automotive services provider, publishing Car Dealer magazine and supplying content for international clients as well as PR and marketing services for car manufacturers and dealer groups. n Tel: 023 9252 2434 n Web: blackballmedia.co.uk n Email: editorial@blackballmedia.co.uk

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Black Horse is a leading provider of car finance with over 50 years’ experience, with a range of hire purchase and contract hire products. n Tel: 02921 387250 n Web: blackhorse.co.uk/dealerportal n Email: Finance.enquiries@blackhorse.co.uk

Bluesky Interactive are digital marketing and web design experts who partner with 21 per cent of the top 200 dealers. Their website platform handles 50,000+ vehicles, and supports bespoke responsive sites. n Tel: 0845 415 4853 n Web: blueskyinteractive.co.uk n Email: info@blueskyinteractive.co.uk

CAP experts understand automotive inside out. From design to its last day on the road, we touch almost every vehicle driven in Britain. This gives us a unique understanding of your world. n Tel: 0113 2232109 n Web: CAP.co.uk n Email: webcontact@CAP.co.uk

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BCA

Black Horse

8

CAP

110

Car Dealer

Car Loan 4U

Carcliq.co.uk offers an increasingly interesting proposition for dealers and consumers alike, with a consistent focus on delivering quality leads and driving a successful transaction. n Tel: 01923 431611 n Web: carcliq.co.uk n Email: Sales@carcliq.co.uk

Car Dealer is the biggest motor trade publication in the UK, with readers enjoying the glossy print edition as well as the free, interactive iPad edition. Voted Business Publication of the Year, 2012 and 2014. n Tel: 023 9252 2434 n Web: cardealermagazine.co.uk n Email: colin@blackballmedia.co.uk

Car Loan 4U supports thousands of happy customers through the car-buying journey each year. We’re now searching for the very best UK dealers, to grow our dealer network.

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CitNOW is a personal video presentation service; a series of simple-to-use apps that offer car dealerships the opportunity to sell cars and parts more profitably. n Tel: 0118 997 7740 n Web: citnow.com n Email: reply@citnow.com

As a corporate intelligence INTELLIGENCE LEVERAGED consultancy, we provide intellectual property protection, global asset tracing recovery, transaction intelligence, cyber & political risk management and bespoke research services. n Tel: 020 7112 8891 n Web: ciro-global.com n Email: info@ciro-global.com

driving success carcliq.co.uk

.com

CarCliq

Bluesky Interactive

143

Cartotrade.com

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.com

.com

.com

Cartotrade.com is the online car trading website run by the most experienced team, where only the most professional members of the UK motor trade buy and sell trade stock. n Tel: 01243 772200 n Web: cartotrade.com n Email: hello@cartotrade.com

CitNOW

n Tel: 01625 666690 n Web: carloan4u.co.uk n Email: mel.white@carloan4u.co.uk

CiRO

CiRO

Codeweavers

Cooper Solutions

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Codeweavers are technology specialists that have supplied creative dealer solutions for 13 years. We deliver a range of digital solutions such as our latest FCA Friendly solution Finance Finder. n Tel: 0800 021 0888 n Web: codeweavers.net n Email: contactus@codeweavers.net

Providing a range of integrated dealer management solutions.

Our online solutions cover fleet and used stock management, financial management and trade car disposal. n Tel: 08445 611 224 n Web: coopersolutions.co.uk n Email: sales@coopersolutions.co.uk

The UK’s largest trade-to-trade only online auction. Selling trade stock profitably and exclusively for franchised dealers. We are the specialists in online remarketing and that’s all we do. n Tel: 0116 2301444 n Web: dealer-auction.com n Email: kieran@dealer-auction.com

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Dealer Auction

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Dennis Publishing

Direct2Dealers

Classic and Performance Car offers a fast and fully optimised online platform for buying and selling high-performance and classic cars. n Tel: 0207 907 6874 n Web: classicandperformancecar.com n Email: matthew@ classicandperformancecar.com

The simplest way to source used cars direct from the public. Visit our mobile friendly website to sign up for our free service and start finding used cars.

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n Web: direct2dealers.co.uk n Email: info@Direct2Dealers.co.uk

Dragon2000

eDynamix

Dragon2000 were voted ‘Best Dealer Management System’ in the 2014 Car Dealer Awards. Their software includes sales, workshop, CRM, VHC and websites that link vehicle stock, online bookings and enquiries. n Tel: 0845 838 2000 n Web: dragon2000.co.uk n Email: dragon@dragon2000.co.uk

Helping dealers drive loyalty and service retention through fully-integrated web-based applications which include service, repair and finance plans, vehicle health check and contact management. n Tel: 0845 4130000 n Web: edynamix.com n Email: enquiries@edynamix.com

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 17

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HD Decisions from Experian is a prequalification software tool that matches the right people to the right products, without impacting consumers’ credit files.

n Tel: 01270 507 466 n Web: emac.ltd.uk n Email: support@emac.ltd.uk

The UK’s leading distributor of parts for all makes of cars and light commercial vehicles. Stocking over 155,000 different part numbers providing any part for any car.

Quality products at aftermarket prices. n Tel: 0203 474 0500 n Web: eurocarparts.com n Email: custservice@eurocarparts.com

n Tel: paul.speirs@uk.experian.com n Web: www.hddecisions.co.uk/Home.aspx n Email: 0115 9922753

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ExVtra.co.uk is an independent automotive classified website covering the UK market.

It specialises in automotive sales, for new and used vehicles, including vehicles sold by private as well as trade dealers. n Tel: 07533 898972 n Web: exvtra.co.uk n Email: info@exvtra.co.uk

Feedback Ferret is a complete solution to gather, analyse and report on customer feedback. Use Ferret tools to get the right information to the right people to improve customer experience. n Tel: 01628 681088 n Web: feedbackferret.com n Email: info@feedbackferret.com

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2015 Car Dealer Power award winner for Paint Protection and Product Innovation.

With a wealth of highly-successful F&I and aftermarket product, GardX is not just a paint and fabric protection company. n Tel: information@gardx.co.uk n Web: gardx.co.uk n Email: 01243 376426

Delivering the best-value dealer management systems to the automotive industry, harnessing the latest digital technologies to provide dealers with greater profit opportunities. n Tel: 0844 335 3914 n Web: gemini-systems.co.uk n Email, go to: gemini-systems.co.uk/contact-us/

GEN-3 Glasscoat Ceramic Paint Protection is approved by 12 major motor manufacturers across the UK and Europe, endorsements by Lotus F1, exclusives with Boeing and hypercar manufacturer, Koenigsegg. n Tel: 01753 215311 n Web: g-3glasscoat.com n Email: enquiries@g-3glasscoat.com

206 EMaC

Completely dedicated to service plans, EMaC’s unique total service approach will help dealers create an estimate £144m of revenue in service plan sales in 2015.

ExVtra

Euro Car Parts

Feedback Ferret

GardX

Gemini Systems

dealernetwork@rac.co.uk ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Experian

Freelance Plater Company FPC Vehicle Movements Ltd, also known as Freelance Plater Company, moves vehicles for the UK motor trade with professional, uniformed trade plate drivers. n Tel: 01452 542531 n Web: freelanceplater.co.uk n Email: mail@freelanceplater.co.uk

GEN-3

101

121 & 210 GForces

HPI

GForces is one of the leading software and services providers to the automotive industry. We’re looking forward to showcasing the technology and tools that can help dealers truly stand out.

HPI is part of a global force providing innovative technology solutions for the UK automotive industry, including HPI Check, HPI Spec Check, HPI Driveaway and HPI BID.

n Tel: 0844 846 4767 n Web: gforces.co.uk n Email: info@gforces.co.uk

n Tel: 0845 3008914 n Web: hpi.co.uk/trade n Email: sales@hpi.co.uk

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Gtechniq’s ‘Platinum’ dealership system and training programme brings quality, customer satisfaction, and innovation to the paint protection market. Platinum offers nanoengineered protective treatments.

The Independent Garage Association (IGA) is a prominent trade body for the independent garage sector in the UK. It acts as the voice of the industry for its members and speaks for the entire sector.

n Tel: 01327 811015 n Web: gtechniq.com/platinum n Email: platinum@gtechniq.com

n Tel: 0207 307 3402 n Web: rmif.co.uk n Email: gemma.stannard@rmif.co.uk

IGA

Gtechniq

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Instant Feedback

iVendi

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Instant Feedback is a leading automotive point of exit feedback system which gains the views from potentially ALL of your customers. The result: More sales, improved satisfaction and retention.

iVendi makes e-commerce solutions that make vehicle selling easier for dealers, vehicle buying easier for buyers, and vehicle finance easier for all. Its innovative products are in use at over 2,500 dealer locations. n Tel: 0845 2260503 n Web: ivendi.com n Email: info@ivendi.com

JudgeService is the UK’s largest online automotive survey specialist, supplying over 800 dealerships with customer feedback which helps to build their online reputation, drive sales and to create ‘raving’ fans.

n Tel: 01280 828100 n Web: instant-feedback.co.uk n Email: gary@instant-feedback.co.uk

JudgeService

n Tel: 01423 225166 n Web: business.judgeservice.com n Email: sales@judgeservice.com

It’s easy to get perfect, professional vehicle video and imagery every time with AutosOnShow.TV Take great HD photos and video Boost your sales, reduce the time it takes to video and image your vehicles and advertise your vehicles better - all with the easy to use AutosOnShow.TV App.

It doesn’t stop there...

Once you’ve created your vehicle videos and images, you’ll find our full suite of innovative features will enhance your assets further.

Enhance images with Automated Background Replacement

Research shows that our images are increasing vehicle views by ��% online

D

Before

After

D Pre-set the images you wish to be captured across all vehiclesD Easily achieve image consistency using our new AutoIMAGE™ AppD Automated Quality Control - Blur Detection & Colour Normalisation

Put the power of AutosOnShow.TV to the test. Speak to your BCA Account Manager,

email info@autosonshow.tv or call ���� ��� ���� AutosOnShow.TV is a BCA company

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 19

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For showrooms, workshops and vehicles, Kärcher has the products and know-how to help you keep all areas of your dealership safe and perfectly presented, maximising your profitability and CI compliance. n Tel: 07825 981770 n Web: karcher.co.uk n Email: jeff.hilton@karcher.co.uk

Manage, control and secure vehicle keys whilst still knowing who has that key all the time. From 10p per key per week. Now available with breathalyser units too. n Tel: 0121 559 9000 n Web: keytracker.co.uk n Email: sales@keytracker.co.uk

Lawgistics, the legal firm to the motor trade.

Helping car dealers understand the law for over a decade. Voted the firm that goes the extra mile at the Car Dealer Power Awards 2015. n Tel: 01480 455500 n Web: lawgistics.co.uk n Email: sales@lawgistics.co.uk

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KeyTracker

Karcher

Liquidline

Lawgistics

Manheim

Martec Europe

Liquidline bring satisfaction and refreshment to your business. We look to understand the specific requirements of your business and offer free demonstrations, installation and maintenance. n Tel: 0800 8499110 n Web: liquidline.co.uk n Email: sales@liquidline.co.uk

Manheim offers buyers and sellers a national network of 18 auction centres, as well as products and services that influence the wholesale and retail of over 750,000 vehicles in the UK.

The UK’s leading automotive sales, service and parts training and business improvement solution experts. Helping good people improve this industry and their performance in it. n Tel: 0333 323 1088 n Web: martec.co.uk n Email: chloe.taylor@martec.co.uk

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Media Motors is a software and website development company for the motor industry, offering bespoke and fully-responsive websites that make businesses stand out. n Tel: 01733 889329 n Web: mediamotors.co.uk n Email: info@mediamotors.co.uk

MediaBase Direct will be displaying their LEADR Data Capture solution which is a market-leading approach to securely, accurately and confidently securing lead information. n Tel: 020 8996 5182 n Web: mediabasedirect.com n Email: info@mediabasedirect.com

Moneypenny is experienced in looking after calls for the automotive industry. We will provide you with a dedicated receptionist to handle overflow calls or deliver a fullyoutsourced switchboard facility. n Tel: 0333 2021005 n Web: moneypenny.co.uk n Email: hello@moneypenny.co.uk

Media Motors

n Tel: 0844 8564545 n Web: manheimremarketing.co.uk

Moneypenny

MediaBase Direct

The Garage at Blakesley

Bushey Hall Garage

Stanbridge Motors

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Cleevely Motors

THE VOICE OF THE INDEPENDENT SECTOR We Lobby the Government on your behalf, give you access to the latest Technical Training, provide Business Support and Advice͕ ŽīĞƌ ƚŚĞ IGA Car Repair Plan and much more.

We have a friendly team available to take your call on 0845

305 4230 or email us at enquiries@rmif.co.uk

Make your voice heard.

Become an IGA member today. tĞ ĂƌĞ LJŽƵƌ ƚƌĂĚĞ ĂƐƐŽĐŝĂƟŽŶ ǁŝƚŚ ŶŽ ĐŽŵŵĞƌĐŝĂů Žƌ ƉŽůŝƟĐĂů ŝŶŇƵĞŶĐĞƐ͘ ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

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215

Motor Codes is the government-backed self-regulatory body for the motor industry, operating Trading Standards Instituteapproved codes of practice in the new car, car service and repair and warranty sectors. n Tel: 0800 692 0825 n Web: motorcodes.co.uk n Email: enquiries@motorcodes.co.uk

Motors.co.uk operates the UK’s secondlargest car search response network for motor dealers, with over 3.8 million monthly unique visitors and more than 295,000 used cars for sale (comScore, March 2015). n Tel: 0845 265 6001 n Web: Motors.co.uk n Email: sales@motors.co.uk

Motor Codes

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Motors.co.uk

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Movex Logistics

Neil W8man

Movex is a B2B vehicle logistic platform system with over 5,000 members, designed to make a smooth transaction between transport providers and motor dealers that need a vehicle moved. n Tel: 0208 551 1060 n Web: movex.co.uk n Email: daren@movex.co.uk

We provide solutions, advice and training for car dealers wishing to market themselves on social media. Come and check out our recently-launched Facebook For The Forecourt product. n Tel: 01224 900 106 n Web: neilweightman.com n Email: hello@neilweightman.com

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NFDA

The voice of YOUR industry, the only trade association specifically geared towards protecting your interests and also supporting and advising franchised dealers in the UK. We listen and we act. n Tel: 01788 538303 n Web: nfda-uk.co.uk n Email: louise.woods@rmif.co.uk

Parrot

Parrot offers hands-free communication systems for vehicles and is globally recognised in the fields of mobile connectivity and multimedia. n Tel: 07875 385865 n Web: parrot.com/uk n Email: maxine.stalker@parrot.com

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SSI Schaefer Limited 01264 386600 solutions@ssi-schaefer.co.uk www.ssi-schaefer.co.uk

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 21

Pentana Solutions

Perfect Placement

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229

With over 40 years of industry experience, Pentana Solutions works with automotive dealers, motor manufacturers and specialist suppliers around the globe to provide an innovative DMS alternative. n Tel: 01628 581821 n Web: pentanasolutions.com n Email: info.europe@pentanasolutions.com

Perfect Placement are multiple winners of Automotive Recruitment Agency of the Year.

With creative, innovative and market-leading recruitment for the modern motor trade.

We’ve got the power. n Tel: 01603 701 077 n Web: perfectplacement.co.uk n Email: Email via the website

We’re not just a systems provider, we’re the business partner of choice. Our focus is dealer profitability, enhancing customer experience and gaining competitive advantage. n Tel: 0121 697 6600 n Web: pinewood.co.uk n Email: enquiries@pinewood.co.uk

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Pro-Align reveal dealer vehicle audit and business opportunities with Hunter’s new Quick Check alignment and Quick Tread drive over tread depth scanning systems.

Helping deliver revenue generation. n Tel: 01327 323007 n Web: pro-align.co.uk n Email: enquiries@pro-align.co.uk

Find out about the RAC’s growing range of dealer initiatives – from the RAC Approved Dealer Network and its BuySure proposition for used car customers through to the newly free-to-advertise RAC Cars online portal. n Tel: 0330 100 3807 n Web: rac.co.uk n Email: dealernetwork@rac.co.uk

ScotspeedUK manufacture fully tailor-fitted carpet and rubber car, van and truck mats for any vehicle and for any budget. We also offer logo embroidery for added brand recognition for your dealership. n Tel: 01355 223052 n Web: tradecarmats.com n Email: alistair@scotspeeduk.com

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Sky AdSmart is a revolutionary new approach to TV advertising that now allows business of all sizes to advertise on TV for a minimum of £3,000.

SMA Vehicle Remarketing provides well-established, expert auction services including 30+ physical auctions each week, Live Bid, Buy it Now, transport services, vehicle stocking and vehicle refurbishment. n Tel: 0113 294 1111 n Web: sma-group.co.uk n Email: leeds@smag.co.uk

SSI Schaefer are the world’s leading provider of tailored storage solutions specifically for aftermarket automotive parts. Flexible design ensures maximum utilisation of available space within a cost-effective solution. n Tel: 07831 393 552 n Web: ssi-schaefer.co.uk n Email: james.skilling@ssi-schaefer.co.uk

117

Pro Align

SkyAdSmart

n Tel: 0207 032 3000, David Sanderson n Web: skyadsmart.co.uk n Email: skyadsmart@sky.uk

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RAC

Pinewood

Approved Dealer

SMA

Scotspeed UK

SSI Schaefer

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Supagard

The Auto Network

Supagard have been supplying vehicle protection systems to the automotive industry since 1988. Today they distribute their products via 15 manufacturer partners and are viewed as the UK’s market leader. n Tel: 0141 633 5933 n Web: supagard.com n Email: info@supagard.com

The Auto Network is an award-winning UK-based automotive marketing and lead generation specialist. We work with some of the industry’s biggest names and consistently strive to provide quality. n Tel: 0844 445 7865 n Web: weare.theautonetwork.co.uk n Email: weare@theautonetwork.co.uk

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The Car Finance Company

The Car Finance Company considers every application received, no matter what the customer’s credit history, and accepts more than 50 per cent of all applications. n Tel: 02392 448 500 n Web: tcfcdealers.co.uk n Email: marketing@thecarfinancecompany.co.uk

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Tradeouts

Traka

Trust My Garage

Tradeouts is the UK’s leading trade-only website for dealers and traders to buy and dispose of stock direct. Quick, easy and with thousands of vehicles for sale, check out Tradeouts now! n Tel: 01327 589 589 n Web: tradeouts.com n Email: sales@tradeouts.com

Traka Automotive is the most advanced, fully networked key management solution in the UK. It has been developed specifically for the automotive market to deliver improved security and increased productivity. n Tel: 0845 2252910 n Web: traka-automotive.com n Email: sales@etagsolutions.com

Trust My Garage is a consumer code that acts as a badge of quality for independent garages. Members comply with a strict code of conduct and become part of a trusted brand. n Tel: 020 7307 3406, Terry Gibson n Web: trustmygarage.co.uk n Email: terry.gibson@rmif.co.uk

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Warranty Assist is a dealer-orientated extended warranty programme who offer the UK’s highest level of dealer support.

Their aim is to make warranties clearer for dealers and customers. n Tel: 07876 447632 n Web: epgwarrantyassist.com n Email: sales@epgwarrantyassist.com

We have large dealer groups and many other quality dealers who choose us as their preferred warranty partner. So whether you are a large established dealer network or a single independent, we’re here to help. n Tel: 01733 889320 n Web: warrantyfirst.co.uk n Email: accounts@warrantyfirst.co.uk

Car Dealer Power Winner: Warranty Provider of the Year 2015. As the UK’s favourite warranty company, we have all of the tools you need to retain customers for life. n Tel: 01844 293817 n Web: wmsgroupuk.com n Email: dealers@wmsgroupuk.com

Warranty Assist

Warranty First

WMS Group

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 23

DASHBOARD.

Don’t expect to see miracles from Honda Sales growth will take us time, says the UK chief

H

onda is back! After years of drought, the flood has begun – the first of six new models this year have been launched.

But Philip Crossman, the MD of Honda UK, has warned: Don’t expect to see spiralling sales figures straight away.

He spoke to Car Dealer as Honda unveiled the new Civic and CR-V in Swindon, a stone’s throw from the factory (and rather nice cars they are, too). He said customers would have to get back into the habit of returning to the Honda showroom to see what’s new, after so long with nothing.

‘We need to get people returning to our showrooms. Of course, many of them will be Honda drivers already, coming back in to see the

Philip Crossman

by COLIN CHANNON @colinchannon new models, but I think we can attract drivers from Nissan, VW and Toyota, too,’ he said.

‘But it’s not going to be easy. Just because we’re bringing out new cars – and some very nice cars – we can’t expect people to just turn up at our showrooms and buy them.

‘Other manufacturers have introduced many models since we last updated our range. Some old Honda customers have been lured away and will be driving other cars.

Those manufacturers aren’t going to give up those customers without a fight. We need to get people to start thinking about Honda again, and coming to us to see if we have a

car for them. But it won’t be as easy as some people think. It’s a very competitive market. To be honest, I’m not expecting to see growth until September and by then we’ll have the new HR-V and the Jazz.

‘We are going to have to fight for our share of the market, but the difference now is that we have a very different armoury, very different weapons. But Honda is now pushing forward – and that’s good news for Honda dealers and Honda customers.’

There are six new models this year – but don’t expect that level of activity going forward. ‘Some manufacturers are refreshing

models every 18 months, and bringing out new models every three years, to catch PCP customers.

That’s not for us. It’s not good for the customer – they buy a new car, and then a few months later they hear about how that car is even better, so they feel as if they haven’t got the best, most modern car any more. It’s also not good for the usedcar market. It will drive used-car prices down.

‘I’m very excited by the HR-V – more excited about any car in the past 15 years. It’s great looking, it has a lot of space inside and excellent technology.’

The new models, p70 & 71

VISIT USON ON VISIT US

STAND 112 STAND P106

YOU WOULDN’T PUT DIRTY CARS IN YOUR SHOWROOM It doesn’t matter how immaculate your showroom stock is if the floor they’re displayed on isn’t up to scratch. But with the time constraints placed on busy dealerships, it’s easy to overlook tyre marks and grubby grout lines that let the overall impression down. Kärcher’s range of versatile scrubber-driers keep showroom and workshop floors clean, dry and perfectly presented with minimal time and effort - leaving you to concentrate on the rest of your business.

For more information on how Kärcher can make a difference, call 01295 752 142, email cleaning@karcher.co.uk or visit www.karcher.co.uk *The Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) water scheme encourages businesses to invest in technologies that save water and improve water quality. The scheme enables your business to claim 100% first-year allowances, i.e. tax relief, on investments in certain technologies and products including most Kärcher scrubber driers.

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

*

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 25

DASHBOARD. SWANSWAY

Site set to be redeveloped THE family-owned and run Swansway Group is to totally rebuild its Honda dealership on Queensway in Rochdale. The whole site is to be redeveloped giving the town not only a brand new state-of-the-art Honda centre, but an all-new Volkswagen Van Centre.

Group director Peter Smyth said: ‘There are a lot of exciting new Honda products on the way, so we decided the time was right to build a fresh new dealership to showcase the cars, here in Rochdale.’ Swansway, winners of the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Retail Group of the Year Award 2014, decided that while redeveloping their existing Honda site in Rochdale they would also develop a new-build Van Centre.

Vertu Motors spends ÂŁ8m to buy two more dealerships Move ‘will develop company’s Land Rover representation in the north’

V

ertu Motors has completed the acquisition of two car dealerships for a combined sum of ÂŁ8m.

The Gateshead-based company has bought Lancashire-based Bury Land Rover from a subsidiary of Pendragon for about ÂŁ7m.

Last year, Bury Land Rover reported revenue of ÂŁ41m and earnings before interest and tax of ÂŁ1.5m.

In a statement, Vertu said the move would ‘develop its representation of Land Rover across the north as the business will operate under its Farnell Land Rover fascia and management structure’.

The group already operates Land Rover showrooms in Nelson, Bolton and West Yorkshire, under the Farnell

name. In Bradford, Vertu negotiated with a subsidiary of Lancastle plc to buy the loss-making Bradford Jaguar business. The £900,000 deal, which is expected to close in the next couple of weeks, will be settled in cash from the group’s reserves.

Last year the dealership reported revenues of ÂŁ14.7m and a loss of ÂŁ0.15m. Vertu Motors chief executive Robert Forrester, pictured, said: ‘Since 2013, the board has considered it strategically important to balance the group’s representation of volume franchises, with increased exposure to premium franchises. ‘Today’s announcement is a further step along this path with further extensions of our Farnell Land Rover

and Jaguar brand. Bury Land Rover is an earnings-enhancing acquisition that will further support the profit growth of the group in the short and medium term. ‘Bradford Jaguar will complement our successful Land Rover operation in Bradford and will strengthen our Farnell brand in the north.’ The acquisitions bring the number of Jaguar dealerships Vertu operates to two, while the number of Land Rover dealerships run by the company now stands at five.

Paul Daly of UHY Hacker Young advised on the acquisition of Bury Land Rover for Vertu and said: ‘This acquisition represents a strong Land Rover opportunity that Vertu have added, enabling them to extend their territory in the north.’ Market Insight, p123

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Carbon Shield TechnologyTM Fuses liquid carbon to vehicle paintwork to create an impenetrable barrier against harsh contaminants and the elements.

LifeShine’s new Carbon Shield Technology™ outlasts other vehicle protection systems XS KMZI ]SYV GYWXSQIVW E WYTIVMSV TVSHYGX ERH TYX XLI WLMRI FEGO MRXS ]SYV TVS½XW Research shows that on average a dealership’s penetration rate increases by 13% when they switch to LifeShine* What’s more, with a lifetime guarantee from the most recognised and respected names MR GEV GEVI MX VIEPP] MW XLI IEW] GLSMGI JSV GYWXSQIV WEXMWJEGXMSR That’s the Autoglym way. Always has been.

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Swift International Research 2014

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GET YOUR SMART FINGER OUT AND MAXIMISE THE EXPOSURE OF YOUR USED CARS

For more information on how you can reach over 3.8 million car buyers each month* please: • Call 0845 265 6001 • Email sales@motors.co.uk • Visit media.motors.co.uk *comScore, March 2015

SELL CARS THE SMART WAY ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

RECORD MARKET SHARE! comScore, March 2015

DASHBOARD. NEW SERVICE

Motors.co.uk seeks experts DEALER experts are being urged to put themselves forward for a new consumer service launched by Motors.co.uk.

The car search network has recently unveiled the ‘Ask an Expert’ page on its website and is looking for additional automotive professionals to add to the panel of industry leaders.

The first phase of the innovative service offers car-buying advice on everything from jargon busting to test-driving tips.

A series of videos has been created to help customers make an informed decision, featuring talking heads from some of the best in the business.

It also includes a list of frequently-asked questions and a downloadable buying guide to help motorists on their car-buying journey.

Record revenues at JCT600 as company hits £1bn barrier

Bradford-based firm out-performs market with healthy rise in new car sales

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radford-based new and used motor retailer JCT600 drove record revenues of £1.025bn in the year to December 31, 2014, an increase of 13 per cent from the previous year’s total sales of £906m.

Operating profit before goodwill and exceptionals rose by 14 per cent to £23.2m in 2014, thanks largely to the firm’s continued expansion, with gross margins almost static at 11.7 per cent (11.8 per cent in 2013).

Chief executive John Tordoff said: ‘Following our acquisitions from Gilder Group in 2013, last year was about bringing the new businesses into the JCT600 fold, and furthering our aims to grow the best car retail business, as well as being the best place to shop for a car.’

Building on significant increases

in volume of new-car sales in previous years, JCT600 once again out-performed the market with the company’s new-car sales increasing by 12 per cent compared with the UK average rise of seven per cent, and, after significant increases in recent years, the firm consolidated its usedcar business with growth in sales of one per cent during the period.

JCT600, which now comprises 50 dealerships and represents 19 new vehicle brands, has dealerships

from Yorkshire and the north east to Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, and employs more than 2,000 staff.

Looking to the future, Nigel Shaw, group finance director at JCT600, said: ‘This year also looks promising for us.

With the election behind us, we can look forward to a more stable outlook.’

Originally founded in 1946, JCT600 remains a family firm with a long history in the motor industry. Current chief executive John Tordoff is the son of Jack Tordoff, who built up the company from a single garage over 44 years until he moved to the role of chairman in 2002.

Our picture shows John Tordoff (foreground), with directors, from left, Richard Hargraves, Simon Barrass, Katie Saunders, Nigel Shaw and Mark Taylor.

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 29 29/08/2014 09:25

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DASHBOARD. ACQUISITION

Hutchings in Hyundai deal THE Arrow Hyundai businesses in Swansea and Bridgend have been sold to Hutchings Motor Group.

It has not been revealed how much Hutchings – which already represents Hyundai and Vauxhall in Pontypridd near Cardiff – paid for the two businesses.

Hutchings has retained all staff.

John Hutchings, chairman of Hutchings Motor Group, said: ‘We are extremely pleased to have increased our Hyundai representation across the south Wales-M4 corridor, after operating our existing Hyundai dealership in Treforest since 2012.

‘The acquisition fits very well with our long-term strategy and we are looking forward to welcoming our new colleagues into the business.’

Clocking’s coming back... but now motorists are to blame Drivers are increasingly turning to mileage-adjustment companies

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locking is becoming a genuine issue in the usedcar sector for the first time in decades, reports motor trade bible Glass’s – but this time it is motorists rather than dealers who are illegally reducing mileage.

The practice is occurring where drivers exceed the contracted number of miles on fixed-mileage leases, such as a PCP, and want to avoid an excess-mileage penalty charge on returning the car, which can run into hundreds or even thousands of pounds.

Drivers are increasingly turning to mileage-adjustment companies who use specialist equipment to artificially reduce the number of miles showing on the odometer.

Because most of the vehicles involved have been supplied new and are less than three years old, there is no MoT certificate and often only one service stamp, so the paper trail doesn’t reveal the mileage has been altered.

Rupert Pontin, head of valuations at Glass’s, pictured, said: ‘Some drivers facing a PCP returns charge may consider clocking as an easy way of avoiding payment but their actions are illegal.

‘The issue tends to come to light when the car is prepared for sale either by the original dealer or another who has subsequently bought the car, probably at auction. They plug the vehicle into their diagnostic rig as part of their standard vehicle

preparation procedure and, depending on the model, an error code will show what has occurred.

‘This places the dealer in a very difficult position because it is next-toimpossible to prove when the clocking took place. It is often too late to take any action against the driver because the PCP returns paperwork has already been processed and, anyway, they will usually just deny they have clocked the car.’

Pontin said Glass’s had come across several cases of this type in recent months being reported by dealers and motor auctions. He said: ‘At this stage, it is very difficult to say how widespread this practice might be but we are certainly seeing an increasing amount of industry “chatter” about the subject and it is considered a growing problem.’

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Simply the Best in the Business

dashboard.

Around the world Dealer news from somewhere other than here

SWITZERLAND

CHINA

Bentley has opened its newest dealership in the Swiss town of Cham. In partnership with the AMAG Group, Bentley Zug is in the international economic corridor between Zurich and Lucerne. The new dealership is in one of Cham’s finest historical buildings in the heart of the town and reflects Bentley’s new global corporate identity.

A customer stunned staff at a BMW dealership in China… by using 100,000 bank notes in part-payment for her new BMW 730Li. It took 20 staff at the dealership in Zhengzhou six hours to count the money, worth about £10,600.

The unnamed buyer, who owns a food retail business, paid the rest of the cost of her car, which cost one million yuan (£107,000) with her bank card. The dealer was reported as saying that people often paid her using notes of small denomination.

USA

Towbin Motorcars in Las Vagas has earned celebrity status after selling boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr more than 100 cars in the past 18 years, including 16 Rolls Royces. He earns about $100m each time he steps into the ring to fight, so he can certainly afford to splash out on new metal...

SOUTH AFRICA

The country is forecasting strong sales this year, despite intense pressure on household disposable income. Toby Venter, chief executive of LSM Distributors, which trades as Porsche Centre South Africa, said the showroom expected sales of approximately 1,450 units this year, as customers continue to recognise ‘value for money’ when they buy a Porsche.

INDIA

Wealthy customers from the big cities are no longer dreaming of owning a super-luxury sports car such as a Lamborghini. According to an Audi India official, cities like Kochi, Coimbatore and Hyderabad are now contributing the highest sales numbers for luxury cars such as the Audi R8, A8L and RS7.

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SURVEY.

Suppliers ar Dealer Power goes from strength to strength. And its power, so to speak, comes from YOU – the dealers. For the past six years we have asked you to name the best manufacturers to represent and the best suppliers with which to do business – and you answered in your droves.

It is the ultimate litmus test of what car dealers are thinking right across the UK – no other survey in the industry does that. And because the survey is confidential, dealers are happy to tell us exactly what they think.

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This year, an unprecedented number completed our survey from all over the country.

Hundreds of them filled out paper and online surveys and it was clear to see they were as vocal and as opinionated as ever. This is great news for the manufacturers and suppliers who are looking after these dealers, but not so good for those falling short and under-delivering. On the following pages, we will be recognising the best suppliers in the business – the ones who offer fantastic products and unparalleled service to dealers. And then, from page 41, we will continue with the manufacturer awards.

Car Dealer Power is genuinely special. The winners are part of an elite club that is doing the job properly as recognised by dealers. The Car Dealer team has no influence or say in who wins these awards – dealers do that. We’ve got the easy job, and that’s handing over the trophies.

Winners and highly commended winners were invited to Portsmouth’s stunning Spinnaker Tower to celebrate their achievements. And over the following pages, you will find out which companies are doing the best job for their dealer customers.

Colin Channon, Editor

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 35

SURVEY. Warranty Provider of the Year

GAP Supplier of the Year

Winner: WMS Group

Winner: Car Care Plan

Highly commended: Car Care Plan

Highly commended: Auto Protect

Highly commended: Lawgistics

Highly commended: GMAC John Colinswood with Colin Channon

John Turney with Duncan Chappell

AS every dealer knows, warranties are a crucial element of the car-buying experience for customers. If the buyer is sold a solid warranty plan, it will bring a welcome peace of mind to the vehicle ownership process.

WMS Group has continued to grow and add more and more dealers to its portfolio.

Dealers love working with them, and with comments such as ‘It’s been a fantastic relationship right from the start’ and ‘I couldn’t recommend a warranty any higher’ it’s no surprise they took top spot in one of the most hotly-contested categories.

The two highly-commended winners, Car Care Plan and Lawgistics, also received plenty of support from dealers.

GAP is a key element of the finance and insurance offering from thousands of dealers right across the UK. Customers value it, dealers value it and of course, in the event of fire, theft or an accident, it comes into its own.

Our survey respondents said Car Care Plan provides excellent customer service and offers specifically-tailored GAP products at a range of different cover levels.

They have 40 years of industry experience, and are a partner of choice for 60 per cent of UK dealers.

Many congratulations, too, to our highly-commended winners, Auto Protect and GMAC.

Web Design for Franchised Dealers

Web Design for Independent Dealers

Winner: Spidersnet

Winner: Spidersnet

Highly commended: Bluesky Interactive

Highly commended: Bluesky Interactive

Highly commended: GForces

Highly commended: GForces Jo Wood and Miles Holmans with Colin Channon

As we all know, selling a car these days is all about bricks and clicks.

A dealer’s showroom needs to look the business, but so too does the website. Keeping up to date is key – the web may have been around for a while now, but technology keeps evolving and customers are ever more demanding, requiring mobile-optimised sites, finance calculation tools, plus clear images and slick videos of well-presented stock.

Spidersnet, with its twin aims of driving more quality traffic to dealers’ websites through search, and fully engaging visitors to deliver more inquiries, were worthy winners.

Top work, too, from our two highly-commended winners in this category, Bluesky Interactive and GForces. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Joel Message with Duncan Chappell

Independent dealers might not have the financial muscle of their bigger franchised rivals, but that doesn’t mean they can rest on their laurels when it comes to getting their web presence right. They really need to aim high and deliver the same levels of responsiveness and functionality as the major players of the UK automotive world. And of course, many of them do! All three companies nominated in this category deserve praise for the work they carry out ... and Spidersnet’s claims that no business is too big or too small is entirely justified, and helped them clinch a memorable double triumph on the night.

Bluesky Interactive and GForces were again very worthy highlycommended winners.

Dealer Marketing Agency of the Year

Finance Provider of the Year

Winner: MB Advertising

Winner: MotoNovo

Highly commended: Brand Plan Media Highly commended: Spidersnet

Highly commended: GMAC Highly commended: Black Horse Alan Crane with Colin Channon

Sadly, no-one from MotoNovo could attend. We’ll make sure they get their trophy very soon

There’s so much to think about when it comes to formulating a dealership marketing strategy, it’s no wonder a lot of businesses turn to the experts for help. Luckily there is no shortage of advice and guidance out there and all three firms nominated in this category are experts in this field.

Our survey respondents said MB Advertising was a ‘useful ally’, ‘tremendously helpful’ and one comment that made us smile described them as ‘the dog’s doodahs’. They’re experts at stretching a dealership marketing budget to deliver the biggest bang for anyone’s buck.

Many congratulations to Brand Plan Media and Spidersnet, our two highly-commended winners in this category.

NOT surprisingly, the finance category is always one of the most keenlycontested categories in the Car Dealer Power Awards.

Choosing the right finance partner is a massive decision for any dealership – and the sheer weight of nominations in this year’s awards demonstrated that.

With competitive rates, great incentive programmes and some of the fastest proposal and pay-out services in the industry, MotoNovo proved to be a very worthy winner.

Well done, too, to Black Horse and GMAC, our two highly-commended winners who each have a lot of loyal supporters in the dealer network.

Trade Insurance Provider of the Year

Motor Factor of the Year

Winner: Aviva

Winner: Euro Car Parts

Highly commended: Allianz

Highly commended: Dingbro

Highly commended: NIG

Highly commended: All Parts Peter Donaldson with Colin Channon

This is a category that will mean little to the average car buyer, but for dealers it’s a must . . . one of the necessary overheads that has to be taken into account when putting together a business plan.

A dealer can’t operate his or her business without it – but who to choose?

All three nominees in this category were praised highly by respondents but there can only be one winner. Dealers said Aviva – repeating its success of last year – was flexible and friendly, offering a wide range of policies that provide good levels of cover at a reasonable cost.

Congratulations are also due to our two highly-commended winners, Allianz and NIG.

Euro Car Parts sadly couldn’t attend – but we’ve passed on their award

this category attracted dozens of nominations for a wide variety of companies. Our winner Euro Car Parts offers ‘any part for any car’ and stocks more than 140,000 items with more than 180 branches nationwide.

As such, it seems entirely reasonable it should claim to be the UK’s number-one supplier of components such as brake pads, blades, batteries and bulbs, and was a worthy winner.

Euro Car Parts does not compromise on quality – all leading original brands such as Bosch, Pagid, Sachs and LUK are available under one roof.

Dealers praised its rapid service, quality offering and said the availability of the items they needed was excellent.

Dingbro and All Parts were highly-commended winners.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 37

SURVEY. Recruitment Agency of the Year

Online Advertising of New Cars

Winner: Perfect Placement

Winner: Auto Trader

Highly commended: CARS

Highly commended: Motors.co.uk

Highly commended: John Gibson Associates

Highly commended: RAC Cars Zara Szatso and Laurie Scott with Colin Channon

Gareth Hole and Richard Beagley with Colin Channon

Square pegs in round holes never really work. And that’s why it’s more important than ever for dealers to make sure that if a vacancy crops up within their business, they recruit the right person for the job.

Everyone associated with Perfect Placement shares the same passion, belief and drive, fully realising the importance of maintaining its position as the UK’s leading automotive recruiter by delivering exceptional service and constantly exceeding expectations.

All three of the nominees in this category can be proud of the efforts they make to ensure quality candidates are placed in suitable roles in dealerships of all shapes and sizes around the country, and CARS and John Gibson Associates are worthy highly-commended winners.

We had a fantastic response in this category from dealers, with a large number of companies receiving votes here – and not just the usual suspects.

However, Auto Trader repeated its success of the past two years after demonstrating it really is on the side of dealers.

Using multiple sources to find the right stock at the right price, and then getting that stock in front of as many buyers as possible, it helps dealers adopt the right strategy for the maximum profit and the speediest sale across every car on their forecourt.

Well done, too, to our two highly-commended winners, Motors.co.uk and RAC Cars.

Online Advertising of Used Cars

Used Car Valuation Provider of the Year

Winner: Auto Trader

Winner: CAP

Highly commended: Sun Motors

Highly commended: HPI

Highly commended: Motors.co.uk

Highly commended: Glass’s Rachel Doherty and Gemma Muirhead with Duncan Chappell

the advertising of used cars on the internet is huge. There are so many options for dealers to consider that Auto Trader can be very proud of their achievement – and of clinching a memorable double success on the night.

They hardly need any introduction – with a website that attracts more than 44 million visits each month, Auto Trader capture vast amounts of data and insight on what’s driving the market. And they use this intelligence to help dealerships right across the UK. There’s no denying their dominance in the used-car advertising sector.

And well done, of course, to Sun Motors and Motors.co.uk, both highly commended in this category. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

CAP sadly couldn’t be with us on the night.

We’ll make sure they get their trophy

There are so many variables in the world of vehicle valuations that it’s important for dealers to have someone on their side who really know their onions. After all, only by knowing a car’s true value, whether buying or selling, can any dealer hope to survive and thrive in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace.

CAP’s researchers are constantly collecting data on the UK car market – data which is collected, compiled and reviewed at its HQ in Leeds, and then produced in the company’s famous Black Book, which is the valuation bible to many dealers.

Congratulations are due to our two highly-respected, highly-commended winners, Glass’s and HPI.

Provenance Check Provider of the Year

Lubricant Supplier of the Year

Winner: HPI

Winner: Total

Highly commended: Experian

Highly commended: Castrol

Highly commended: Auto Trader – Vehicle Check

Highly commended: Shell Phil Peace with Duncan Chappell

David Udall with Duncan Chappell

THIS is an area of operating a car dealership that no business person can afford to ignore. Dealers need to be confident that any vehicle they take in on part-exchange has not been stolen or is subject to outstanding finance. They also need to know if the vehicle has ever been written off.

All that information can be supplied with the help of HPI in the important provenance checks category. This company takes great pride in the innovative and powerful solutions it provides – all underpinned by outstanding customer service. It’s a notable double for HPI, as they won this award last year too.

Auto Trader and Experian are very deserving of their highlycommended wins.

Engine lubrication might not be considered the most exciting area of the motor trade, but let’s not forget, all the nominees are involved in the world of motor sport which definitely is a thrill a minute! And, of course, as the saying goes, win on Sunday, sell on Monday.

And let’s also remember the products in this category are just as important as the engine components they lubricate. As in previous years, dealers chose a winner not just based on a company’s product range – point-of-sale materials and dealer support are in the spotlight too, and that’s why, with a constantly evolving range, and trusted by equipment manufacturers worldwide, Total clinched the overall prize.

Congratulations to Castrol and Shell, our highly-commended winners.

Paint Protection Provider of the Year

Auction House of the Year

Winner: GardX

Winner: BCA

Highly commended: Auto Protect

Highly commended: Manheim

Highly commended: Supagard

Highly commended: SMA Victor Coutin with Colin Channon

We say it every year – and that’s because it always rings true! – that this category is always one of the most keenly fought.

GardX does far more than just provide paint and interior protection products, although that is probably what it is best known for. It was founded 13 years ago and has expanded to become a multi-million-pound business with offices and operations in many of the world’s leading automotive markets. Working with such high-profile dealer groups such as Inchcape, Lookers, JCT600 and Perrys, there is no question it walks the walk as well as talking the talk.

In such a competitive category, Auto Protect and Supagard are very worthy highly-commended winners.

Craig Hurst with Duncan Chappell

Physical auctions are still going strong, despite the relentless march of the internet. Many dealers feel they simply can’t beat seeing a car in the flesh, and of course, it’s good to have a change of scene every now and again and sample the bacon butties served up by the auction houses!

BCA is very well-known in the auction scene in the UK and has been in the news a lot lately, changing hands in a deal reckoned to be worth around £1.27 billion. One of the key planks of its offering is its ‘partner finance scheme’ which helps dealers improve their cash flow, buying power, choice and profitability.

Well done, too, to Manheim and SMA, both highly-commended winners in this category.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 39

SURVEY. Trade-to-Trade Remarketer of the Year

Dealer Management System of the Year

Winner: Dealer Auction

Winner: Dragon2000

Highly commended: Autotrade-mail powered by Auto Trader

Highly commended: Kerridge

Highly commended: Sytner Web

Highly commended: ADP Jack Cooper and Mark Kelland with Duncan Chappell

Keiran TeeBoon with Colin Channon

For a dealer, finding suitable stock for the forecourt is a constant challenge. Happily, however, help is available if dealers want to dispose of cars they’re finding difficult to sell, or obtain a particular car to meet the requirements of a customer.

Dealer Auction is the UK’s largest trade-only online auction, offering more than 5,000 part-exchange / trade cars every month, exclusively from franchised main dealers and dealer groups. Users of the service told us they found it reassuring that all registered users are vetted to ensure the highest standards of professionalism are maintained.

Sytner Web and Autotrade-mail were fully deserving of their highly-commended wins.

Keeping a proper overview of everything that’s going on in a car dealership can be tricky at the best of times. Dealers need to have systems and processes in place to make sure that all the plates are kept spinning.

Our three finalists all provide first-class advice and support to dealers of all shapes and sizes, with their systems integrating seamlessly with dealers’ own IT infrastructure.

Dragon 2000’s solution, designed to be powerful yet easy to use, really helps dealers take control of their businesses, and enabled them to win this award for the second year running.

Kerridge and ADP were the highly-commended winners.

Consumer Lead Generation Site of the Year

Product Innovation of the Year

Winner: Carwow

Winner: GardX (Cosmetic Accident Repair Solutions)

Highly commended: Auto Trader Highly commended: Bluesky Interactive John Miele and Tom Livesey with Colin Channon

In an ideal world, a steady stream of customers would walk through the doors of a dealership, with their bank cards in their hand and a determination to buy a car. In reality of course, that is not the case and dealers need help sourcing those eager buyers.

All three of the companies nominated in this category excel in this field and Carwow, a small, young team, based in Holborn, London, run a consumer-facing website which matches people with a range of excellent, hand-picked dealers. This process saves buyers the hassles of haggling – as well as providing them with reassurance and peace of mind.

Well done to Auto Trader and Bluesky Interactive, both highly commended in a very competitive category. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Victor Coutin with Duncan Chappell

Anyone who has spent thousands of pounds on a new car will want to keep their vehicle in tip-top condition. And of course, in the event of an accident, an insurance company will arrange for the damage to be repaired so the car in question is looking as good as new again.

But what about those annoying dings, dents, scuffs and scratches that really get on drivers’ nerves but are often left unrepaired because they’re kind of liveable with and not worth sacrificing a no-claims bonus for?

That’s where the GardX CARS innovation comes in. Just one small premium from the customer gives them access to a network of more than 150 qualified technicians who use the latest mobile technology to offer a professional-quality repair service at a customer’s home or workplace.

Extra Mile Award Winner: Lawgistics

Colin Channon with Joel Combes and, below, Joel with Ian Gardener

We’re always keen to emphasise the Car Dealer Magazine team have absolutely no say whatsoever in who wins the awards we hand out. But we have to admit we were quite pleased when we found out who had won this year’s award. It goes to Lawgistics – a company we have been working with for a number of years now and, like us, is firmly on the side of car dealers in the UK. They are a legal consultancy providing specialist motor trade law advice and support to a range of clients within the retail motor industry.

Survey respondents said Lawgistics’ knowledge and experience in motor trade law was ‘invaluable’ and that members of the team were ‘always happy to help,’ no matter how complex or difficult a particular issue appeared to be.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 41

SURVEY.

Car of the Year

Winner: Mazda 2

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Our winning car comes from a manufacturer which is in the middle of a pretty significant product overhaul right now. In fact, between the months of March and September, the carmaker in question is launching five cars, more than it has ever done in such a short space of time.

Sales for the manufacturer of our winning car are running a healthy 17 per cent up year on year.

But what about the car itself? Well, we’ve had dozens of dealers telling us what a star it is. A rival to the Vauxhall Corsa and Ford Fiesta, it provides lots of standard kit, a spacious interior and strong performance.

Car Dealer Magazine’s own impartial reviewer described this model as ‘a wise supermini buy’ and added: ‘the car looks sharp inside and out’.

By quite a clear margin, the Car of the Year is ... the Mazda 2.

Duncan Chappell with Jeremy Thomson, managing director at Mazda Motors UK

Turn the page to see who topped the manufacturer survey

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 43

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survey.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 45

Thank you for voting us as your number 1 We were delighted that the motor trade community voted us their number one Trade Insurance Provider of the Year at the Car Dealer Power Awards 2015, for the second year running. It was all about our flexible and friendly service that provides good levels of cover at a reasonable cost.

We’re proud to be recognised as your motor trade insurer of choice.

If you want to hear about products and services available from Aviva, simply speak to your local insurance broker.

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Aviva Insurance Limited Registered in Scotland, No. 2116. Registered Offce: Pitheavlis, Perth PH2 0NH. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

SURVEY.

manufacturers elcome to the pages that will be the subject of many a debate across a boardroom table in the days and weeks to come. Some people in expensive suits won’t like the words and charts on the following pages (particularly if the results don’t make good reading). Others will be celebrating them.

But one thing is for sure. No-one will be ignoring them, The figures that follow come from you, the dealers. No-one else. You replied in your hundreds to this survey – and we thank you for

W

that – and this is the undiluted verdict of your opinion of the manufacturers you do business with day in and day out.

The rules for Car Dealer Power 2015 could not be simpler. No manufacturer is included in the pages that follow unless a minimum of 10 dealers took part in the survey.

Dealers voted across a range of 13 categories – they gave marks out of 10 in each – and their responses were checked and then double checked, and then audited.

I hope we make it crystal clear, we have taken the utmost care to prepare a mountain of

information and present it in a way that’s easily digested. It all adds up to a fascinating insight into the UK’s automotive scene.

Who has moved up the table? Who has moved down? And why do we think it has happened?

And what are the signs for the next 12 months?

We’ve taken a look at all of that – and that commentary is underpinned by the results that you, the dealers, sent us.

And that’s why all the manufacturers take the Car Dealer Power survey so seriously.

Colin Channon Editor

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 47

SURVEY.

27 Honda

28 Alfa Romeo Overall score qdown 2

28.7%

Overall score qdown 12

34.2%

Last year saw the Italian manufacturer’s debut in the Power awards.

It wasn’t anything to write home about then – they were 26th – so this year’s 28th spot won’t come as an earth-shattering shock to them. They’ll be happy that the overall score has increased from last year’s 20.4 per cent to almost 29 – at this rate of improvement, by the mid 2020s they’ll be a major player… But to be honest, there’s not a lot to be happy with as the bosses mull over the findings over a cappuccino. Dealers aren’t too happy with life, but at least they’re engaging in the survey, so there does seem to be a desire that they’d like things to be better, rather than merely shrugging their shoulders and doing nothing.

IT’S no surprise Honda are so far down the list. Anyone who reads Car Dealer carefully (and that’s all of you, we’re sure…) knows the manufacturer had admitted the past couple of years have been dead as far as new product is concerned. It’s the next Power survey that will make interesting reading. There are launches galore this year, along with a new look for dealerships. Honda say dealers have remained very loyal during the quiet time, and that the network has stayed profitable, so the bonus and ROI scores will make disappointing reading for them. But they’ll be hoping the six new models that are being unveiled throughout 2015 – and the push on PCP – will mean the Power 2016 results will be far, far more encouraging.

alfa romeo’s SCORES

HONDA’s SCORES

100

100

90

90

80

80 70

22

36

26

28

32

14

17

20

40

32

48

38

48

38

50 40 30

32 20

20

28

30

20

10

35

40 23

20

18

30

45

50

10

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

Fi na nc e

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

Fi na nc e

26 Fiat

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

0

0

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

40

60

42

PERCENTAGE

60

45

PERCENTAGE

70

25 Peugeot

Overall score NEW ENTRY

43.3%

Overall score qdown 11

48.5%

100

90

90

80

80

27 13

40

25

40

40

45

55 45

45

20

0

10

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

Fi na nc e

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

0 W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

Fi na nc e

50 40

50

PERCENTAGE

43

53

60

10

60

30

17

20

23

30

34

40

54

66

57

50

70

56

60

60

PERCENTAGE

70

60

PEUGEOT’s SCORES

100

50

FIAT’s SCORES

65

GOT to admit, this one – like Skoda on the page opposite – caused much head scratching at Car Dealer Towers, and sent us scurrying to the box to put a couple of fresh AA batteries into the Power supercomputer to make sure it hadn’t had an e-seizure. Peugeot have produced some nice cars this year, and we’d have thought dealers would be a right bunch of cheerful Charlies. But no, they’re grumpy Gordons. Not a lot to write home about with these scores – just figures that signify dealers are deeply unhappy. They don’t like Peugeot’s demands, bonuses, ROI, they think marketing and brand awareness is poor ... we could go on. Plenty here for Peugeot to work on. Major charm offensive needed, we think.

70

NOW you see them, now you don’t. Fiat dropped out of the charts last year, after their 19th place the year before. Now they’re back – although maybe there are people in an Italian boardroom somewhere wishing they were still out of sight... Those red boxes to the right look like mosquito bites and point to a lot of disgruntled dealers. The next 12 months will be interesting. Fiat are working on their marketing, and there’s the new 500X crossover the Italians reckon will be a major game-changer – a car packed with quality, technology and substance, they say. If it is half as successful as the bosses think, expect dealers to be delighted (and some motoring media types a little surprised). Time will tell.

scores

0-25% 26-50% 51-75% 76-99% 100% poor

average

good

excellent

faultless

23 Skoda

24 Jaguar Overall score qdown 3

55.7%

55.8%

Overall score qdown 21

55

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

42

40 In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

Fi na nc e

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

In te rn et Ne su w c pp ar ly

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

0 W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

10

0 Fi na nc e

20

10

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

30

20

45

50 40

52

60

65

PERCENTAGE

55

51

45

47

40

48

53

56

30

60

77

70

67

50 40

48

PERCENTAGE

70 60

50

80

57

90

80

60

100

90

60

100

60

SKODA’s SCORES

67

jaguar’s SCORES

72

OH DEAR. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. This is one of the biggest falls in Power history. Last year, Skoda were second in the charts, missing out on the top spot by a smidgeon. Twelve months on, and it seems as if dealers’ smiles have turned to scowls. On the product front, it seems as if nothing has changed, as there’s still a steady stream of cars heading off the production line that customers like. The Superb and the Fabia should push footfall to the showrooms. But there seem to be more than a few disgruntled dealers around, whereas a year ago they couldn’t keep the grins off their faces. Bonuses, manufacturer demands and forward planning are all major disappointments. A one-year blip, maybe?

77

THIS is going to be a big, big year for Jaguar. The launch of the XE should, if everything goes to plan, see customers flocking to dealerships – Jaguar expect this model, in time, to double the number of their cars on the road.

And because it will be the most affordable model in the Jaguar range, they’re hoping a fair few motorists will be test-driving their cars for the first time. That extra footfall should be manna from heaven for dealers and the figures will be interesting in a year’s time, if those extra customers have resulted in extra sales, extra bonuses and extra profits. Let’s face it, the scores can’t get a lot worse. For a premier brand, these totals are strictly second division...

21 Dacia

22 Mazda Overall score pno change

56.2%

Overall score new entry

56.6%

100

90

90

80

80

72

65

56

30

20

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

25

42

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

0 Fi na nc e

10

0 m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

20

In te rn et Ne su w c pp ar ly

50

30

10

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

70

50 40

20

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

70

PERCENTAGE

46

54

48

53

52

60

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

30

43

48

40

56

68

72

70

56

50

56

60

Fi na nc e

PERCENTAGE

70

82

dacia’s SCORES

100

80

MAZDA’s SCORES

74

A new entry for one of the newest brands on the market. It’s probably not an unexpected position, but the Renault suits will want to see some improvement in a year’s time. Dealers like the fact the cost of the entry model is bringing younger people into their showroom – a new car for under £6,000 sounds too good to be true – but the price also means there’s no room to haggle, so what the customer sees is what the customer gets, and there’s also precious little cash there for bonuses, which is a bone of contention. Stock management seems to be a major issue and ROI is a disappointment. The scores, it must be said, are pretty average across the board. But it’s still early days.

78

YOU’LL be amazed at a Mazda, says the old advert. But not as amazed at a set of scores from a manufacturer that boasts the Car Dealer Power car of the year. On the plus side, they’re a lot better than a year ago (a whopping 20 percentage points better, in fact). And Mazda will be expecting a major improvement by the 2016 awards. The Mazda 2 is good, Mazda 3 should gain traction this year, the Mazda 6 is popular, and then there’s everyone’s favourite sports car, the MX-5, which comes out later this year and will command more column inches than the royal baby, David Beckham and One Direction combined. So dealers should be happier by this time year next. Shouldn’t they?

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 49

SURVEY.

19 Ford

20 Seat Overall score qdown 7

56.8%

Overall score qdown 8

58.5%

90

90

80

80

45

52

55

72

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

In te rn et Ne su w c pp ar ly

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

0 Fi na nc e

10

0 aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

20

10

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

30

20

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

40

30

18 Renault

56

50

66

60

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

PERCENTAGE

50

55

55

59

50

63

59

59

53

59

60

58

58

50 40

Fi na nc e

PERCENTAGE

60

71

70

70

53

100

50

100

57

FORD’s SCORES

65

SEAT’s SCORES

56

THERE are lies, damn lies and statistics. So can someone explain why Ford, perpetually riding high in the sales charts, and producing cars that everyone swoons over, are marked down so much by dealers that if this were a league table, they’d be hovering dangerously above the relegation zone? Brand awareness is high, as you’d expect – everyone knows Ford, and we’ve been as guilty as the next car mag of mentioning the upcoming Focus RS, the GT and the Mustang, which gets us in a sweat just thinking about the fun, the raw power, the excitement.... But there’s a pretty flat lot of scores here. And, worryingly, the trend is on a downward spiral, from fourth place in 2013 and 11th last year. What’s gone wrong?

63

STRAP yourself in tight and prepare for the Seat Power ride. It’s full of ups and down and thrills and spills. And more than a few tears... In 2011, the Spanish car marker topped the Power charts. Of course, the only way from top spot is down, and they dipped, then rose, then slipped to unlucky 13 last year – and now 19th. According to our survey, there’s nothing that dealers can point to and say Seat are particularly bad at this and this. But then there’s nothing here to suggest they’re really good at anything, either. If the Seat suits are summoned to the headteacher’s office, they’d be told the exam results are okay, but there’s definite room for improvement. Not the cane, but no sweeties, either.

17 Citroen

61.8%

Overall score qdown 6

Overall score pup 8

63.0%

30

59

58

53

58

69 56

68

50 40

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m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

Fi na nc e

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

In te rn et Ne su w c pp ar ly

0 aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

10

0 W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

20

10

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

30

20

Fi na nc e

65

60

67

PERCENTAGE

65

58 48

45

45

40

70

69 59

60

62

50

74

PERCENTAGE

60

58

80

70

61

90

80

69

100

90

78

CITROEN’s SCORES

100

74

renault’s SCORES

74

SOMEBODY in Car Dealer Towers needs to buy a bandana, a glass ball and a little tent, and head to Blackpool Pleasure Beach to set themselves up as Rosie Lee II, the great visionary (what do you mean, some would be better at that than journalism....). A year ago, we said that Citroen’s 25th place would be forgotten in a year’s time, with a raft of new models on the way to placate dealers. And we were right. It’s a solid, if unspectacular, set of scores, but a major improvement on a pretty dismal total last time.

The Cactus should start selling in higher numbers now it’s becoming more visible on the roads, and Citroen told us in Geneva they’re looking to bring out more funky cars in future. Should be a brand on the rise.

70

THEY’RE a bit of a mystery. Why aren’t Renault doing better? They have some nice cars on the forecourt which are selling pretty well, they have a new look being rolled out in the much-vaunted Renault Store, and they have a solid following among UK motorists. Their overall score has increased a paltry 0.2 per cent in 12 months, while other manufacturers have seen significant rises. It seems dealers aren’t doing handstands over their bonus structure or ROI – and that’s putting it rather nicely – and they’re not overly-impressed by the requirements placed on them with the new CI changes. Seems a few visits to dealers to explain the Renault strategy may be in order…

scores

0-25% 26-50% 51-75% 76-99% 100% poor

average

good

excellent

16 Toyota

faultless

15 Mitsubishi

Overall score qdown 12

63.5%

63.6%

Overall score qdown 7

30

14 Volvo

46

57

60

68

69

65

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

Fi na nc e

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

In te rn et Ne su w c pp ar ly

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

0 W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

10

0

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

20

10

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

20

Fi na nc e

59

PERCENTAGE

40 30

30

30

50

47

39

57

48

50 40

70 60

59

77 67

77

77

PERCENTAGE

60

74

80

70

69

90

80

77

100

90

77

100

85

MITSUBISHI’s SCORES

85

TOYOTA’s SCORES

76

IT’S probably fair to say this page of the magazine won’t make happy reading for Mitsubishi – this is definitely one to quietly tear out and hide at the bottom of the cat litter tray. On the back of the Outlander PHEV success story, they probably thought dealers would be whooping and hollering. But scores have gone down since last year, with particular worries about the bonus structure, manufacturer requirements and, surprisingly for this manufacturer, forward planning. On the positive side, dealers are far, far happier with brand awareness – certainly, Mitsubishi have been all over the media for all the right reasons. There’s every expectation that the top 10 should be in their sights for 2016.

77

WE’VE seen rollercoasters with fewer highs and lows than the bar chart below. When Toyota are good, they’re very, very good. And when they’re bad... they’re total pants. Brand awareness, say dealers, is top notch. But marketing is poor. And while ROI isn’t bad at all, they feel hampered by manufacturer requirements. And as for that bonus score – people serving fries and Diet Coke at McDonalds probably feel happier about their earnings.... Two years ago, Toyota topped our poll with an astonishing 92.3 per cent, with all the scores in the 80s and 90s. It looked as if they had sussed the tricky relationship between manufacturers and dealers.

Last year they were fourth. So what’s gone wrong?

13 Nissan

Overall score pup 6

63.8%

65.4%

Overall score qdown 4

47 35

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

42

62

75 62

56

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

0 Fi na nc e

10

0 m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

20

10

In te rn et Ne su w c pp ar ly

30

20

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

87

50 40

30

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

75

PERCENTAGE

47

63

63 55

63

62

65

47

40

60

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

80

70

53

50

80

60

60

Fi na nc e

PERCENTAGE

70

72

90

80

82

100

90

76

NISSAN’s SCORES

100

79

VOLVO’s SCORES

90

A BIT of the good, the bad and the ugly here. The good is easy to see – scores in the 80s and high 70s are pretty impressive. But... when dealers are this unhappy about the bonus structure, they’re not too impressed with manufacturer requirements, and they’re not exactly doing cartwheels on their return for their investment, it probably means someone in a suit from Hertfordshire will soon be hotfooting it around the network to have a quiet chat about future requirements. A couple of years ago, Nissan were solidly in the top 10 and everything in their garden was rosy. When there’s so much good product emerging from the factories, the dealers should be a lot more content than this.

82

THINGS are looking up for Volvo. And they should be getting even better in the year ahead. Twelve months ago, the Swedish manufacturer were 20th in the Power survey – not bad, but not that good, either, for a company of their standing and reputation. This year sees them in a more comfortable position – but there’s still a way to go. With so many cars either hitting the showrooms or due to arrive soon, the suits will be hoping there’s a significant improvement in these totals when Power 2016 comes out. But the supply worries are a bit of a disappointment – and with significant CI improvements on the way, those manufacturer requirements and ROI scores just might take a bit of a hammering...

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 51

SURVEY.

12 Lexus

11 Vauxhall

Overall score pup 7

69.4%

Overall score qdown 4

72.4%

51

48

50 40

58

68

76

68

60

90 72

68

PERCENTAGE

55

70

30

30

30

84

78

78

78

81 68

50 40

80

56

60

46

20

10 BMW

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

In te rn et Ne su w c pp ar ly

Fi na nc e

0 W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

10

0 Fi na nc e

10

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

20

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

PERCENTAGE

70

90

90

80

90

100

90

81

100

78

VAUXHALL’s SCORES

86

LEXUS’ SCORES

81

WELL, do you want the good news or the bad news? Let’s start with the bad news (well, we’re journalists, and we like dwelling on sad things...) – this is a drop from last year’s seventh place. The good news? The score of 72.4 is 2.3 higher than last year. Which means Vauxhall have raised their game, but just not as high as some others. The manufacturer requirements score was low last year, too, at 60, and it has dropped again to 48, so someone needs to have a chat with the dealer network to get them back onside. But Vauxhall still score very heavily with dealers in some categories. So it’s not all bad news – and they’ll be happy they’re ahead of Ford in this table, even if they’re not above them in the table of the sale of vehicles...

84

THERE’S lots to celebrate for the luxury brand. They’re up seven places from last year for a start, and a whopping overall score increase of 25 per cent. There’s plenty of solid support from dealers in the figures below – when there are this many scores in the 70s and 80s, something’s going well. But look at those columns which look like little twigs compared to the trees on either side. Marketing at 46 per cent, brand awareness at 56 and internet at 30 suggest dealers are upset about the way the cars are being promoted to customers. And the ROI could be a little better. But get that right, and the network would comprise a very happy set of bunnies indeed.

9 Mini

74.1%

Overall score pup 6

Overall score new entry

75.2%

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

80

72

65

68

79

78

80

85

84

63

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

0 In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

10

0

Fi na nc e

20

10

In te rn et Ne su w c pp ar ly

30

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

40

20

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

59

50

69

60

30

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

95

70 PERCENTAGE

75

70

75

80 55

50

50 40

Fi na nc e

PERCENTAGE

60

80

80

70

75

90

80

82

100

90

75

MINI’s SCORES

100

82

BMW’s SCORES

82

MINI were in the charts two years ago – in 15th place – and dropped out last year, and they’re back this time... with a vengeance. A place in the top 10 is certainly not to be sniffed at – and look at that finance score!

But it’s in marketing and brand awareness where Mini scores surprisingly poorly. Everyone knows Mini, and the brand was everywhere during the London Olympics. Other manufacturers would love to have a similar place in people’s hearts. But perhaps that’s the problem – not enough has been done to tell the general public how the cars have moved on... Strange, though, that BMW scores rather better in these categories. Plenty to work on for Mini – but it’s still a pretty fair performance, for all the concerns.

82

STEADY improvement for BMW – they were 18th two years ago, 16th last year, and now break into the top 10. The score, too, is significantly higher than 12 months ago – it was just 52.6 last year. The accessibility score is still a disappointment, but compared to last year when it was just 28 – and, believe us when we say 28 is, to use a technical term, really pants – it’s a major improvement. Surprising, too, that dealers rate the internet so poorly. But it’s easy to dwell on the negatives. Anything above 75 is an excellent score, and there are plenty of red towers below that are Nelson’s Column compared to other manufacturers’ totals, so let’s be fair – it’s a good effort.

scores

0-25% 26-50% 51-75% 76-99% 100% poor

average

good

excellent

8 Kia

faultless

7 Hyundai Overall score q down 7

77.6%

78.1%

Overall score qdown 2

85

95

90

95

90

90

95

95

40

50

50

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

Fi na nc e

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

0 aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

10

0 In te rn et Ne su w c pp ar ly

20

10

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

30

20

50

50 40

30

6 Suzuki

90

60

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

50 40

70 PERCENTAGE

73

71

73

79

76

60

Fi na nc e

PERCENTAGE

77

80

70

77

90

80

80

100

90

82

100

76

HYUNDAI’s SCORES

78

KIA’s SCORES

86

IN real terms, as the politicians are fond of saying, there’s not a lot of change in the headline figure – last year it was 78.5 per cent. But just look at that chart below! There is so much that dealers love about Hyundai – with scores in the high 80s and 90s – and four things they absolutely LOATHE. When a manufacturer refreshes so many models in such a short space of time – and Hyundai have been one of the big players in giving its whole range a spring clean – it’s probably inevitable that stock management would be an issue. But the scores for finance, the bonus structure and ROI must be a bit of a worry – there’s plenty here to put on the agenda in the next meeting in the Hyundai boardroom.

81

FROM second place in 2013, first place in 2014... and now eighth. After so much back-to-back success, a place in the top 10 must seem a bit of a disappointment. It’s a strong and solid set of figures, no doubt about that. But there’s not a sea of scores in the 80s like last year. Is it a case of dealers getting complacent because they’re so used to things ticking over merrily? The warranty, for example, is heralded as one of the best in the industry, yet last year’s score of 86 is just 81 this time. Familiarity breeding contempt – or a real concern? Time will tell. And the bonus structure score has dipped from 85 to 71. Many manufacturers would die for these results. But they may not be good enough for Kia...

5 Mercedes-Benz

Overall score No change

79.3%

79.5%

Overall score NEW ENTRY

77

64

81

82

77

70

81

81

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

0 aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

10

0

Fi na nc e

20

10

In te rn et Ne su w c pp ar ly

30

20

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

90

50 40

30

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

77

70 60

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

63

40

80

PERCENTAGE

93 80

76

80

81

81 65

50

61

80

60

Fi na nc e

PERCENTAGE

70

89

90

80

83

100

90

82

MERCEDES’ SCORES

100

90

SUZUKI’s SCORES

86

WE’RE delighted to see this stylish manufacturer in the Car Dealer Power ranks this year – and, as Tony Blackburn might once have said, they’ve shot up the charts from nowhere and must have the top spot in their sights... (well, perhaps he didn’t). It means dealers are going to work at the moment with a spring in their step. Okay, they’re not going overboard about the requirements demanded by the manufacturer, but overall they’re a pretty happy bunch. Sort out some problems with new-car supply, and suddenly Mercedes are a serious player in our Power charts.

They seem to have mastered the mix of power, comfort and price – and the popularity of the C-Class shows no sign of waning anytime soon.

95

NOT a bad result for Suzuki, considering the year they’ve had... In the past few Power years, they’ve shot up and down these charts as fast as a fiddler’s elbow. After last year’s sixth place, they probably expected it was the year of a dive – but they have remained stable. It’s probably surprisingly that brand awareness is so low, as it seemed everyone was talking about Suzuki when the Celerio was tested by journalists and it failed to stop at 80mph. But the suits in the boardroom should be applauded for the way they dealt with something that could have turned into a real crisis, and it’s clear from the set of figures below that dealers are a contented bunch at the moment.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 53

SURVEY.

scores

0-25% 26-50% 51-75% 76-99% 100% poor

4 Land Rover Overall score pup 13

average

good

excellent

faultless

2 Volkswagen

80.0%

LAST year was a surprisingly poor one for Land Rover in the Power chart. Despite loads of new product hitting the market, and many, many very content customers, the manufacturer had plunged 11 places from the year before, and languished in 17th. This year, though, Land Rover is back where it will feel it belongs – among the elite. Last year there were four scores in the 30s; not so this time around, and with nothing under 74, this a strong set of scores from dealers, right across the board. Brand awareness is high, on the back of plenty of activity from JLR, and the Discovery Sport is likely to be hugely popular. After scores like this, Land Rover will be keen to break into the top three next year...

82.0%

Overall score pup 1

IT’S never easy to break into the top three in Car Dealer Power. So VW should be delighted that last year’s third place has become second place this time, and that they have increased their overall score by 1.3 per cent.

If only dealers had rated the bonus structure and the ROI, VW would have cantered to the ultimate prize, as the scores in all the other categories are impressively high. It’s a sea of red in our graph – scoring more than 90 per cent in any category is seriously impressive – after all, dealers are notoriously difficult people to please and impress – but VW manages to do a pretty good job. Sort out those two sticking points, and next year could see VW complete a 3-2-1...

LAND ROVER’s SCORES

74

80

83

78

75

75

82

83

84 75

PERCENTAGE

70

77

80

84

90

90

100

60 50 40 30 20 10

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

Fi na nc e

0

3 Subaru

81.3%

Overall score pup 20

62

59

72

84

79

85

88

82

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

In te rn et Ne su w c pp ar ly

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

0 aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

10

0

Fi na nc e

20

10

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n c u M ture s an uf ac tu r RO er I

30

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

94

50 40

20

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

93

60

30

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

82

70 PERCENTAGE

50 40

94

80

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

88

90

82

78

83

84

80

70

78

60

Fi na nc e

PERCENTAGE

70

83

90

80

77

100

90

81

VOLKSWAGEN’s SCORES

100

83

SUBARU’s SCORES

92

WOW! Serious improvement here, more than doubling last year’s score of 35.4 per cent and racing up the charts faster than a BRZ on the M1. Twelve months ago, Subaru got into the Car Dealer Power charts for the first time, and even though not a single category was rated more than 49 by dealers, it made it to 23rd. A rather different story this time around, which means the manufacturer has listened to its network, acted accordingly – and is producing cars which showroom staff enjoy showing off to customers. Having a bonus structure score in the 90s means dealers are pretty pleased with life – and if they’re content, it’s surprising how much effort over and above the norm they put in to sell even more cars...

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SURVEY.

1 Audi

82.9%

Overall score pup 9

THE Audi bosses readily admit they needed to start working with their dealer network, so they were all singing from the same hymn sheet. There was evidence last year that it was working – they rose from 17th place in this survey to 10th. And now the work they have put in has been fully justified, as they have leapt nine places to the top of the tree. And what will please the suits most is that the scores are high right across the board.

Last year, dealers marked them down on new-car supply. This year, on the back of a whole range of product launches, interest in the brand has never been higher, and customers are not being kept waiting too long to get their hands on their shiny new pieces of metal.

There are more launches next year, too, and in the next three or four years the entire model range will have been refreshed, which gives dealers plenty of reasons to speak to customers. The new R8 comes out later this year, which will generate plenty of media activity, and the new A4, which is already a core model and very popular. It’s no wonder Audi dealers are feeling pretty pleased with life at the moment... [CD] AUDI’s SCORES 100

PERCENTAGE

78

79

77

86

79

87

79

78

70

86

88

87

85

80

89

90

60 50 40 30 20 10

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

m an ag S em toc en k F t pl orw an a ni rd ng M re anu qu fa ire ct m ure en r ts st Bo ru n ct us u M an re uf ac tu r RO er I

In te rn et Ne w su c pp ar ly

aw B ar ra en nd e Ac ss ce ss ib ilit y

W ar ra nt y Af te rs al es M ar ke tin g

Fi na nc e

0

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 57

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0113 223 2109

ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͘ĐĂƉ͘ĐŽ͘ƵŬ Ϭϭϭϯ ϮϮϯ ϮϭϬϵ Λ W ƵƚŽŵŽƟǀĞ

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

big mike.

All Big Mike’s columns are on our website. Enjoy them here bit.ly/bigmike

Ah, the good old days of swapping an MOT certificate for a pint...

I

f I were a car, I would be MoT exempt.

That’s because any vehicle built before 1960 no longer has to undergo the annual roadworthiness test, which is hardly surprising to be honest, as anything from that era is crap anyway.

I can hear a few scoffs emerging from beneath beards as I say that, but honestly, truly, would you rather be in a crash in a modern car, or something built in 1959 with no crumple zones, no airbags and drum brakes, which may have got you into all that trouble in the first place? If it’s the latter, you’re clearly nuts.

What this recent piece of legislation does do, though, is drive home to me one thing, and that’s how important the MoT really is.

What? Big Mike, being all high and mighty about a piece of government legislation that adds red tape to the whole car ownership experience? Well no, not quite.

Where I’m going with this is the lack of importance that a huge number of car sellers seem to place on the MoT being short or not even present when they sell a car. Given how much tighter the test is now compared to how it used to be, it doesn’t half set alarm bells ringing with me.

You see, back in the day, I, too, had a happy-go-lucky approach to MoT tests. When I was a young man, starting out in the vehicle reassignment industry through a modern apprenticeship, getting an MoT was a fairly simple process that normally involved a thorough inspection of the sills and subframe mounts of any trade vehicle. If both were present and didn’t collapse if tapped with a toffee hammer, we simply booked an MoT at the local service station, and assuming the lights and brakes attempted to work, the tester would issue a slip of paper declaring the car roadworthy for another 12 months.

If, on application of the toffee hammer, the sills collapsed or the mounts threatened to demount, a combination of filler, plasticine and half-arsed welding that resembled a bucket of pigeon poo ensued, before the trip to the MoT station.

If the tester still wasn’t satisfied, then either me or my fellow apprentice, Stan, was dispatched with a handful of shillings to the Rat and Cleaver, where we were given free reign to have a pint using the company’s money.

The only proviso was that, while we were down there, we’d seek out Big Joe or his mate Reuben, and exchange a crisp pound note for a newly-franked but blank MoT certificate, upon which the relevant car details could be

Big Mike Our man on the inside spills the beans on the car business...

inserted when back at the ranch. Yes, it was all a bit, well, rogue, really. But back in those days the used-car industry was very much like that, and much as I’ve done the odd, ahem, ‘deal’ over the years, I think it’s all the better for cleaning up its act.

These days, swapping an MoT test for a pint simply isn’t possible, meaning the vast majority of tickets are entirely legitimate. That, in turn, adds a massive amount of value to a car – I make a point of putting a fresh ticket on anything with less than half a year’s ticket left to run, and I certainly don’t buy them down the pub.

It astonishes me, therefore, to see so many cars advertised online, especially on that well-known auction

‘...a combination of filler, plasticine and half-arsed welding... website, that are offered for sale with no ticket at all, excuses ranging from ‘I haven’t had time’ to ‘MoT expired, and I haven’t got round to getting it done again’. These vendors clearly believe that such a thing isn’t a major problem – but of course, it is.

Not only does a lack of MoT render a car illegal to be driven on the public road (unless it’s being taken directly to an MoT test station, without passing ‘Go’ or collecting £200), but it makes it impossible to tax, which in turn makes it even more illegal, if that’s at all possible, for any punter to drive it home – under the new laws, you can’t buy a car without renewing the road tax first, regardless of whether or not there are a few months remaining.

More annoyingly, though, the vast numbers of these cars offered for sale make forecourt stock with fresh MoTs look expensive.

There’s nothing more annoying than a smartphonewielding punter wandering up and showing you what they believe is essentially the same car, but the better part of a grand cheaper, when you know full well that a new catalytic converter and a brake overhaul, for example, would cost at least the difference to put right.

That little slip of paper is worth a lot of money, more so than ever before. Don’t buy a car without one – as these days, not even the trade does that. Unless, of course, it’s a ‘classic’, like me…

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 incredible tales along the way.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 59

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

REAL DEALS.

A welcome trip back to the Seventies when the Merc was king of the road Ah, those days when stacked headlights and seat belts put your car on a pedestal, sighs ANDY ENTWISTLE...

B

ack in the early 70s, if you wanted a luxurious saloon there were really only

two serious options – Mercedes or Jaguar. BMW had only just progressed from making tiny three-wheelers and Audi had only just emerged from the NSU name.

Jaguar made svelte-looking cars with great engines, but by this time their build quality was starting to suffer.

Mercedes, on the other hand, were in their heyday, making rock-solid cars with cutting-edge technology.

By the early 70s the fin tails had all but disappeared, replaced with a less-flamboyant but equally-attractive design. The W108 was a big step forward in luxury and the top-of-the-range model featured a 3.5-litre V8 which was good for a claimed top speed of more than 125mph.

One of the most luxurious saloons of its generation, the 280SE 3.5, which was introduced at the 1970 Amsterdam Motor Show, boasted many features that have now been standard for many years, but in the early 70s were ahead of their time, such as independent suspension all round, featuring double-wishbone up front and a

swing-axle at the rear, power-assisted recirculating ball steering and disc brakes all round.

Most importantly, the 280Se was one of the very last Mercedes to be hand built.

More than 300,000 W108 280s were built worldwide, of which only 11,000 were 3.5SEs. These cars were not only cutting-edge back in their day, they still cut the mustard today – and pose a much more imposing site in the golf club car park than any modern luxury offering from pretty much any brand.

Those stacked headlights set it apart and the refinement and comfort in the cabin are certainly more than acceptable in the modern age.

This particular car is currently at Bespoke Cars in Harrogate, finished in blue-grey metallic with MB Tex upholstery.

This particular example is described as being in ‘superb overall condition’. Although we haven’t seen the car, having covered only 96,000 miles we would expect it to be as described.

Supplied new by Mercedes distributor Woking Motors, this model came with a limited slip

differential. electric windows. tinted glass. seat belts – and still has its period stereo.

The car has had a complete respray in its original colour, all the chrome work has been rechromed – costing more than £4,000 – and it has brand-new rubbers all round, with the bill for all that work topping £10,000.

The only thing you will need for this car is a large garage and a wad of twenties stacked somewhere in the region of £16k high.

Tempted? We know we are. If so, contact Marcus at Bespoke Cars Harrogate on 07801 696969.

It’s in fantastic condition – and only 96,000 miles...

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 61

HPI. So much more than a check.

40 30 20

50

6 0 70 8 0

10

90

10 0

110 120

130 140

HPI Checks have been the lifeblood of the used vehicle market for years.

But HPI offers you so much more than the peace of mind these provide.

We are constantly developing products designed to help your business.

From ensuring the cars you sell are fit to sell as described, to helping you clinch the deal, we’re there to drive your business.

In a nutshell – No HPI. No buy.

Check for yourself at hpi.co.uk/trade or call us on 0845 300 8914

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

trading up.

Our cash conundrum ebay was really disappointing, so where’s the best place to sell our charity cheapies? asks ANDY ENTWISTLE

Q

uiet times for Trading Up. Having moved on a few cars last month, the recent spate of bad luck is still causing me jitters when it comes to sourcing stock. We can’t afford any more setbacks and a busy time in the office (have we mentioned the Conference and Expo we’re putting on in June????) has meant we’ve had less time to spend searching stock than normal.

The good news is the Mk1 Clio 16v is due back from the bodyshop shortly. This oneowner can has a great service history and is in good original condition. It needed a little bodywork attention to bring it back to above-average condition, so I’m expecting that to be on the market shortly.

But, where to sell her? That’s the

question. We’ve had the best results over the past few months through Auto Trader, but I don’t think this is mainstream fare.

Normally I would have tried my luck on eBay, but this just seems to be full of time-wasters and eBay doesn’t seem to be doing anything to stop this.

We recently moved on the ML320 we picked up via eBay. The car was in generally good condition, but didn’t come with the service history we were assured it had. It drove well enough, but without any provenance there was no profit in the car.

The car was sold twice via eBay, using the ‘buy it now’ option linked to an auction. In both cases the buyers didn’t follow through and eBay are doing nothing about this. It cost us sales

fees and lost us a potentially-genuine sale as the car was bidding nicely until the ‘buy it now’ button was pressed.

So how do we sell our cheapies – or things a little more unusual – without constantly having to deal with these messieurs? Answers on a postcard please.

In the meantime, following our run of bad luck, a number of you have been in touch to say you’ll keep your eyes open for a few pieces of stock for us.

Please keep this up. As I type, I’m waiting on a call from someone who might have something to donate to the cause...

STORY SO FAR...

Suzuki Vitara Paid: £1,500 Spent: £300 Sold: £1,950 Toyota Rav4 Paid: £2,000 Spent: £200 Sold: £3,000 Mazda MX5 Paid: £1,500 Spent: £200 Sold: £1,900 Jaguar XJS Paid: £2,200 Spent: £0 Sold: £2,600 Audi A6 Allroad Paid: £2,250 Spent: £500 Sold: £2,650 Ford Fiesta XR2 Paid: £1,900 Spent: £250 Sold: £2,650 Land Rover Discovery Paid: £3,600 Spent: £1,500 Sold: £3,500 Subaru Impreza Paid: £1,600 Spent: £650 Sold: £2,250 Rover Coupe Paid: £600 Spent: £0 Sold: £800 Peugeot 307 Paid: £500 Spent: £50 (on a battery) Sold: £700

Total £700

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• Motor Trade Liability

020 8805 7799 or 0844 620 1000 www.unicominsurance.com

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• Uninsured Driver Cover CarDealerMag.co.uk | 63

FINANCE.

Car industry is an attractive proposition for investors Mike Allen, head of research at Zeus Capital, discusses the appetite for businesses in the sector and prospects for future growth

T

rading conditions for automotive businesses are strong at present, particularly when it comes to the UK. As the cost of cars is often denominated in euros, European manufacturers are able to make a healthier profit when selling in the UK, thanks to the strength of the £.

With Russia and China’s automotive sectors also showing signs of slowing, the UK is rapidly becoming one of the most desirable places for businesses looking to grow their global market share.

Recent new car data for the allimportant trading month of March was the highest since 1999, driven by a healthy mix of consumer and fleet demand.

Because of the relatively healthy consumer confidence in the UK, resulting in strong trading patterns, most companies are cash generative and have ambitious growth strategies.

As such, the sector has become increasingly attractive to external investment, and with firms looking to accelerate growth, we have continued to see a steady increase in transactions across both private and public markets.

Automotive companies have been at the heart of the IPO market in the past 12 months, with both Auto Trader and Marshall Motor Group achieving successful flotations on the London Stock Exchange this year.

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Mike Allen says there is plenty of interest in the UK and US markets We have witnessed this first-hand recently, as we acted as joint broker to investment firm Haversham Holdings on its £1.27bn acquisition and reverse takeover of British Car Auctions.

This is Europe’s largest used-car marketplace, as well as the parent company of WeBuyAnyCar. It is also worth noting that an IPO is not right for every business.

Public-market investors tend to be interested only in companies with an innovative and differentiated business model, meaning that the benefits are most obviously seen for more niche offerings.

However, there are plenty of dealer groups operating outside of the top 20 largest groups by revenues that are currently making attractive returns that could suit private investors.

Interest levels are certainly increasing, following Warren Buffet’s decision to purchase Van Tuyl Group last year.

Because of the high-profile nature of the investment, the transaction has piqued interest in the industry, particularly among investors in the US and the UK.

In particular, it is a well-known fact that Buffett invests only in businesses with the potential to generate returns of in excess of 20 per cent, underlining to other investors the opportunity that the sector continues to offer.

However, because of the cyclical and fragmented nature of the sector, it is extremely sensitive to economic changes, as demonstrated by the industry’s sharp decline during the economic crisis.

It is likely this dynamic will never change, meaning that any future wobbles in the economy will often be difficult to manage. Businesses should therefore continue to diversify in an attempt to help manage this in the future.

Notwithstanding any cyclical trends or drastic change to the economy, valuations look undemanding at present, providing businesses in the sector to deliver strong growth figures.

The markets appear to be open to the automotive sector, but businesses should ensure they select the right path to maximise growth in the coming months.

HPI

Legal confusion for consumers

THE latest survey from the vehicle history check experts, HPI, reveals that a staggering 42 per cent of used car buyers don’t know who legally owns a car that has finance owing on it.

The truth is that a vehicle with outstanding finance belongs to the finance house, which has the legal right to repossess that vehicle at any time, without warning; one in four cars checked by HPI are subject to outstanding finance.

Nearly a quarter of those surveyed (23 per cent) assumed the car belongs to the person named on the vehicle’s log book, highlighting the extent of misconception among consumers.

ACHIEVEMENT

Mark is finalist in EY awards MARK Smith, chairman and founder of the Car Finance Company, has been named as a finalist in the London and South EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2015.

The EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme is all about discovering exceptional companies and business leaders.

Smith joins a group of 132 companies led by likeminded, entrepreneurial business leaders. Together they employ a total of 81,200 people and achieve combined revenue of £8.7bn. The winner will be announced in October.

..in association with

Why capturing and measuring data is key to online success H

ow many of you are aware that ‘Mobilegeddon’ happened recently? Even if you were aware, it may be good for you to have a look at your website’s placing in the current Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). You should do this for your most important search terms.

Google have apparently implemented their most powerful algorithm update since adding their Penguin algorithm in 2012. It was also described to me as being a far more significant development than the Hummingbird algorithm released in 2013.

This new algorithm from Google positions your website on their SERPs based on the mobile friendliness

Ben

Garside

TIME IS ‘If you don’t know what I’m talking about MONEY you could be losing business right now’ of your site. So, if your website is not mobile-friendly then the likelihood is that you will have lost some important places on Google – this could even apply to the results of your dealership’s business name.

Much of the above might just seem like jargon or waffle to you, but the fact is, if you don’t know what I’m talking about you could be losing business right now.

At this point you may want to get an update from your marketing team or website developers!

First, I would advise asking if your site is mobilefriendly. By this I mean; does the web browser automatically show a simplified mobile version, or is your website responsive like ours (firstresponsefinance. co.uk)?

(This is where, as you shrink the browser, it switches to a version with bigger buttons, larger, more readable text and fewer images. Google sees this when it trawls the worldwide web and scores websites based on how user-friendly they are. Google actually has a tool for checking this if you want to look for yourself.)

Second, I would advise asking about where your pages were previously ranking on Google for certain search terms and where they are ranking now.

This is a really important part of owning, running, managing and developing a website.

Most websites should be investing in Search Engine Optimisation, moving to the top of the search engine results pages, and if you are, then it is costing you time which obviously costs money.

With Google being the most used search engine on

Turn over page for more finance stories the worldwide web, it is the largest source of traffic for almost all websites. This means the time and money spent on SEO may have just been lost and if you’ve not been measuring your rankings then you will not know where to direct your future efforts.

As a marketing department, we are constantly looking at this data. We know exactly where we are on Google for every phrase, we know how many visits and visitors there are and how many of them turn into applicants.

We also know a lot more. This is a pivotal part of our website’s development so if you need assistance with your internet presence, we’re here to help.

Getting you into a routine of capturing and measuring this data is the key to your online success, so if you don’t do this already, feel free to give me a call.

Who is Ben Garside?

Ben is marketing manager for First Response Finance. Call him on 07817 518739 or email ben.garside@frfl.co.uk

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 65

DEALFINDER.

FINANCE. YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO...

HATCHBACKS CITROEN C4 CACTUS

VOLKSWAGEN POLO

THOSE looking for a funky-looking hatchback won’t be disappointed with the Citroen C4 Cactus. Not only does it have quirky enough looks to take on the Nissan Juke, but its Airbump technology also makes it great for city driving.

Buyers will need a deposit of £4,403.34 but Citroen are currently offering a £1,000 deposit contribution towards this.

The plan runs over three years with 37 payments of £165 with APR fixed at 4.9 per cent.

At the end of the term, buyers will pay an optional final payment of £7,283. In total, customers will pay £17,573.81.

This offer is based on the C4 Cactus with the smaller, turbocharged PureTech 82 petrol engine mated to a manual gearbox, in Flair spec level. Flair is the top of the range with a satnav, air conditioning and a reversing camera and more as standard.

THE ever-popular Volkswagen Polo is also currently on offer with a deposit contribution of £1,000. Customers will need to pay the remaining £3,030. There are then 35 monthly payments of £155 on this plan with representative APR at 6.7 per cent.

At the end of the term, purchasers have the option to pay the final payment of £5,742.75. There is also the option-to-purchase fee of £60 bringing the total amount payable to £15,257.75.

This is based on the Polo SE design 1.0 five-door. Customers will get a decent level of kit for their money with alloy wheels and a six-speaker sound system included for only £155 a month. The SE also includes air conditioning, an alarm, a touch-screen infotainment system and multifunction leather steering wheel.

A Multi Device Interface, including an iPod cable and the latestgeneration Lightning to 30-pin adaptor, is thrown in too.

Finance firm teams up with schoolkids for tree-planting project It’s a small way of off-setting our CO2 emissions and helping to preserve the environment, says CEO

C

lose Brothers Motor Finance has teamed up with a school in Doncaster to plant more than 150 trees as part of a scheme to reduce their carbon footprint and encourage young people to care for the local environment.

Pupils of all ages from St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School were given the opportunity to plant their own tree in the school grounds, each tagged with a unique identification code.

James Broadhead, CEO of Close Brothers Motor Finance, said: ‘Together, these trees will grow to become an important part of our local landscape, providing a vital habitat for wildlife and enhancing our surroundings for many years to come.

‘It is a fantastic opportunity for the next

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

by REBECCA CHAPLIN @BelieveBecca generation to learn about sustainability and the impact of CO2 emissions, and we are proud to be a part of it.

‘As a motor finance company we work closely with the automotive industry, which is one of the highest producers of carbon emissions, so this is a small step for us to start offsetting our CO2 and to help preserve our community and environment.’

Close Brothers Motor Finance, alongside Close Brothers Premium Finance, another part of the Close Brothers Group, joined with Carbon Footprint Ltd on the programme, planting more than 300 native broadleaf trees at schools close to

their head offices in Doncaster and Wimbledon.

Nicholas Collins, headteacher at St Francis Xavier Primary, said: ‘Planting these trees has been a wonderful experience for our pupils and it’s given them a practical lesson on the environmental responsibility we all share.

‘We are all really excited to follow the progress and growth as the plantation develops.’

In our picture, Charlotte Ridley, marketing and events co-ordinator at Close Brothers Motor Finance, helps a couple of youngsters plant a tree.

..in association with

Higher res column advert.pdf 1 12/05/2015 09:45:32

Looking for a Non-prime finance company with a difference?

MAZDA 2 The well-regarded Mazda2 is currently available for £209 a month over a 42-month plan.

This offer is for the Mazda2 Sport with the more powerful 89bhp. It features 16-inch alloy wheels, dusk-sensing headlights, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry and rear parking sensors all as standard.

The sought-after hatchback has been gaining popularity since its recent launch and was even awarded the Car Dealer Power Car of the Year award (read more elsewhere in this magazine!). It handles well, is fun to drive both in and out of town and is a quality car.

Mazda is offering the 2 with a deposit contribution of £750 on this plan. This means those opting for this hatchback will need to supply £2,332.50. The total amount of credit is then £12,562.50 and the optional final payment is £5,683.50, making the total amount payable for the consumer £17,544.

First Response Finance offer Non-prime finance with a Prime service

C

SUNDAY TIMES RICH LIST

IVENDI

£675m – and that means Sir Arnold Clark is still the top UK cars’ money man

Buyers travelling further to get hold of their ideal car

SIR Arnold Clark remains the richest man in the UK’s car retailing industry, according to the Sunday Times Rich List. He slipped 18 places down the list to 166th – not that we need to have a whipround for him, as the paper says the 87-year-old is worth £675m.

Last year, Arnold Clark made a record profit of £85.1m on sales of £2.91bn.

Other automotive individuals in the list include Lord Edmiston, the founder of the IM Group, who is 234th with £472m (£10m more than a year ago). Sir Peter Vardy is worth £175m.

Geoffrey Warren, who owns London’s Car Giant supermarket, is now worth £400m, up from £220m a year ago, and enough to see him rise from 421st in the list last year to 262 this time around.

Jack Tordoff, owner of JCT600, has £368m. That’s £15m more than a year ago, but he still slipped eight places in the list to 280. The founder of Euro Car Parts, Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia, has £300m, enough to place him 340th in the list, while Tony Bramall’s family wealth decreased by £1m to £208m, and he is now 464th on the list.

OFFERING motor finance onlineCMYis helping dealers attract customers K from well beyond their local area – with more than 60 per cent living more than 25 miles away and 10 per cent more than 150 miles.

The figures come from analysis of users of iVendi’s Car Finance Checker, an online tool that allows customers to prequalify themselves for motor finance online. James Tew, CEO at iVendi, said: ‘Most dealers attract only a few customers from outside of a 25-mile radius but once a business effectively becomes an online entity, its location matters much less to buyers.

‘Offering an online motor finance facility means the customer can essentially complete the whole deal to buy the car without ever having to visit your showroom. As long as the vehicle description and images are accurate, they’ll be happy.’

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

Get in touch today!

0115 946 6317

Registered in England No. 03560611. Registered Office: Chetwynd Business Park, 5 Regan Way, Chilwell, Nottingham, NG9 6RZ. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 67

Lubricants Supplier of the Year 2015 The Car Dealer Power Awards are unique as they’re the only ones voted for by those that matter the most our customers. If you would like to find out how we could work in partnership with your business please contact us:

01977 636228.

WINNER ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

www.total.co.uk lubesorders@total.co.uk

forecourt. driving experience

Although it holds seven people, it’s surprisingly good to drive – but getting the parking assist pack is a good idea.

plenty of choice

Ford S-Max

There are six engine models to choose from – but most owners will plump for the 2.0-litre diesel, which combines economy with oomph.

Ford has always produced good MPVs. So does this new-look model cut the mustard? Sophie Williamson-Stothert reports What is it?

Since the first model was launched in 2006, the S-Max has earned a reputation for being the most entertaining-to-drive MPV available.

Designed as a cleverly-packaged people mover for families looking for a practical car that’s fun to live with, the S-Max remains one of the most appealing seven-seaters we’ve tested.

What’s under the bonnet?

In total, the S-Max is available with a choice of six engines. The 2.0-litre diesel models are expected to be the most popular choice, and are available with four power outputs ranging from 118bhp to a rangetopping 207bhp. For drivers looking for a petrol unit, the S-Max comes with the choice of either a 158bhp 1.5-litre or a 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine with 238bhp. The range-topping Titanium Sport gets the most powerful engines in the line-up, with the 178bhp diesel also offered with all-wheel-drive. Mated to a manual

six-speed gearbox, the 118bhp 2.0litre diesel is the cleanest of the six, emitting just 129g/km of CO2, while being both smooth and punchy.

What’s the spec like?

Although the dimensions remain the same as the outgoing model, the new S-Max has benefited from a complete redesign. It sits lower, has a much higher window line and on mid- to top-range models, gets full automatic dimming LED headlights.

As you’d expect, the S-Max scores top points for its luggage space. There are three trims available: Zetec, Titanium and Titanium Sport. All models are equipped with climate control and parking sensors. Mid-range highlights from Titanium models include cruise control while the range-topping Titanium Sport gets leather trim, a panoramic sunroof, bi-xenon headlights and a sporty body kit.

What’s it like to drive?

While you won’t forget you’re at

the wheel of a seven-seater people carrier, the S-Max is surprisingly easy to manoeuvre and, thanks to Active Park Assist, available as an optional extra at £150, isn’t a hassle to park. It suffers from a little body roll through the corners but this is to be expected from a tall seven-seater and it redeems itself with well-weighted steering wheel and suspension that irons out uneven road surfaces.

The S-Max’s refinement has been significantly improved, with very little wind or tyre noise entering the cabin.

What do the press think?

Auto Express said: ‘Ford seems to have struck an ideal balance in making sure the S-Max fills two roles: one as a family load-lugger and the other as an engaging daily driver.’

What do we think?

The S-Max is crammed with plenty of tech as standard. For value for money, fuel efficiency and the latest safety equipment, the S-Max ticks every box.

the knowledge Model:

Ford S-Max 2.0 TDCi Titanium Sport Price: £29,945 Engine: 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged, diesel Power: 177bhp, 400Nm Max speed: 131mph 0-62mph: 9.7 seconds MPG (comb’d): 56.5 Emissions: 129g/km

target buyers:

Large families who require more seats and luggage space for weekend adventures

the rivals: Citroen’s C4 Grand Picasso, Volkswagen’s Sharan and the BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer

Key Selling Points: 1. Class-leading luggage space 2. It’s crammed with tech and driver aids 3. It has seven adult seats

Deal Clincher: It’s still one of the most engaging MPVs to drive CarDealerMag.co.uk | 69

forecourt.

Honda Civic

PLUSH INTERIOR

The interior looks classy and the infotainment system, Honda Connect, is new – and very easy to use.

sleek new look

on test

There are new headlamps and new daytime running lights, and the front bumper is new – but it still looks largely the same.

At last – Honda has some new cars. We send Colin Channon to try out the Civic...

What is it?

What’s the spec like?

The Civic is the family runaround car that has always looked stylish. And the good news is the 2015 version makes it even more stylish. There’s a new infotainment system, which is very easy to understand, and extra safety measures that means it has dropped a couple of insurance groups. And there’s a new Sport version, which is the same car but it just looks, well, more sporty.

Honda has always had the reputation of being well specced. And nothing has changed there.

The new Honda Connect infotainment system is now standard, and it’s good – a very clear and intuitive system with a seven-inch screen. It has a system called Aha which helps access radio stations, podcasts, audio books, restaurant search, that kind of thing. Just don’t tell people too loudly you’ve got Aha – you’ll sound too much like Alan Partridge… All Civics have City-Brake, which automatically stops the car if you’re travelling under 19mph and about to hit something. Great for those junctions and roundabouts when you think the car ahead is moving off, you glance to the right to see if it’s clear for you too, and then realise too late the driver in front has changed his mind and is still there. But the spec is good – the entry S level has Bluetooth and a DAB radio and climate control, the SE Plus gets fog lights, dual zone climate control, parking sensors front and rear, and a rear-view camera. There’s probably no need to move up to the SR, which adds a

What’s under the bonnet?

There’s a choice of three engines – the 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel, and 1.8-litre and 1.4-litre i-VTEC petrol versions. We had the 1.6 diesel version to try. It has plenty of punch from a standing start, but it’s on the motorway where it really excels – it’s effortless, and has plenty of oomph for overtaking, even at 70mph. And despite stop-start and twisty driving around the Wiltshire countryside, we still got 65mpg – down on the claimed 74mpg, bit still pretty impressive. It’s 47kg lighter than the 2.2-litre engine it replaces, and offers 300Nm of torque, and 118bhp. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

panoramic roof, privacy glass and heated seats, although the sat-nav is welcome (otherwise it’s a £610 optional extra).

What’s it like to drive?

Very nice. Some other manufacturers secretly admit Honda makes the best engines, so you’d expect them to be good. And they are. The drive is smooth, the gears smooth, the acceleration smooth – you get the idea… Inside, it’s classy. If I could have my wish, I’d get rid of that spoiler, mind. Having something right across the back window takes some getting used to…

What do the press think?

Auto Express says: ‘It’s reasonably priced, and mated to the punchy 1.6-litre diesel engine, so remains a solid choice for a family runaround.’

What do we think?

You get a lot of car for your money. Honda wanted a car that would get people going back into its showrooms – this just might just do the trick…

Honda CR-V ...and while he’s there, he takes the new SUV for a spin, too.

And it seems as if the two vehicles were worth the wait...

What is it?

What’s it like to drive?

A very comfy SUV. Being Honda, which makes more engines in a single year than Ford and GM Motors combined (that’s quite a statistic, eh??) a nice ride is a given, and this doesn’t disappoint.

Honda reckons if dealers can get people behind the wheel, they’ll like the CR-V enough to buy it.

And it’s easy to see why. It’s a very comfortable, well-equipped car. The materials used in the cabin make it very easy on the eye. The boffins say it’s six per cent quieter than the old model and that’s down to thicker seals on the doors and bonnet, better absorption materials and thicker carpets. It certainly feels plush and quiet, and it’s great around town and on the open road. The new nine-speed automatic gearbox is very sweet.

As you’d expect from a car like this, you’re seated nice and high, looking down on the world around you. And there’s space to spare – loads of rooms for the kids and all their paraphernalia.

What’s under the bonnet?

Two engines carry over from the old CR-V – the 2.0-litre iVTEC petrol and the 1.6 i-DTEC diesel, although the latter has been re-engineered to lower the CO2 emissions. Honda is particularly proud of its new 1.6-litre i-DTEC, a four-cylinder unit that has a two-stage turbo which offers more power but delivers almost 58mpg and reduced CO2. They reckon six out of every ten CR-Vs they sell will have this engine.

What’s the spec like?

HANDLING

Agile Handling Assist applies light braking to the inner wheels at a corner, and outer wheels after. No wonder it sticks like glue.

the knowledge

Model: Price: Engine:

Honda Civic SR £24,265 1.6 i-DTEC diesel SR manual Power: 118bhp, 300Nm Max speed: 121mph 0-62mph: 10.5 secs MPG (comb’d): 74mpg Emissions: 94 g/km

target buyers

Parents with children to run around – but who want a car on the drive that looks nice and sporty

the rivals:

The Ford Focus is the most obvious, along with the VW Golf and the Audi A3 Sportback.

Well, it’s Honda, so it’ll have lots of toys. There are four trim levels – S, which still includes a DAB radio, Bluetooth, immobiliser and alarm, dual climate control, cruise control and the like; SE adds fog lights, parking sensors front and rear, a rear-view camera and auto lights and wipers; the SR has sat-nav, heated seats and brighter headlights; and the range-topping EX has leather upholstery, a glass roof and keyless entry. City-Brake is standard across the range, as is the new Honda Connect infotainment system. Honda also introduces (as an optional extra on most trim levels) its Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control system, which uses radar and cameras to monitor what is on the road around you, and then predicts when cars are likely to cut in from another lane, and slows you down gently.

the knowledge Model: Honda CR-V EX Price: £34,670 Engine: 1.6 i-DTEC diesel auto Power: 158bhp, 350Nm Max speed: 122mph 0-62mph: 10 secs MPG (comb’d): 55mpg Emissions: 134g/km

target buyers: Families who want something that looks solid and drives well, on the school run or for trips further afield.

the rivals: Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage, and the Skoda Yeti

Key Selling Points: 1. The interior looks great 2. Nice high seating position.

3. More toys for your money

Deal Clincher: It’s one of the best-selling SUVs in the world. They can’t ALL be wrong...

What do the press think?

Auto Trader says: ‘The CR-V is a thoroughly sensible and practical 4×4 with low running costs. Some models may be a little pricey, but otherwise it’s hard to find any serious flaws.

What do we think?

It sells well around the world.

It’s no wonder, really – it’s a very pleasant car to drive.

There’s not a lot to dislike.

The base model starts at around £23,000, although we’d go for the SE automatic with the new 1.6 engine (and add the sat-nav option) which would set you back about £30,000. The extra safety toys, and the very clever cruise control, are all very well, but if you’ve never had them, you’ll never going to miss them, so the car salesman would need to be on top form to persuade customers to part with their hard-earned for those extras.

Key Selling Points: 1. The plush interior 2. That mpg figure 3. All the toys that come as standard

Deal Clincher: Looks nice, drives well – and Honda engines are great!

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 71

forecourt. the knowledge Model:

BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer 220d xDrive

Price: £32,540 Engine: 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged, diesel Power: 190bhp, 400Nm Max speed: 135mph 0-62mph: 7.8 seconds MPG (comb’d): 57.6 (comb’d) Emissions: 129g/km

target buyers: People who have grown out of their sports cars and need space for their family.

the rivals: Ford Grand C-Max, Citroen Picasso

Key Selling Points: 1. Those seven seats.

1. It’s packed with tech.

1. It’s one of the sharpesthandling MPVs on the market.

Deal Clincher: It’s one of the mnost powerful – but still boasts one of the best mpg ratings.

BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer

People carrier has that touch of class, says Sophie Williamson-Stothert What is it?

gadgets as standard.

Entry-level SE models are fitted with BMW Navigation, a 6.5-inch infotainment screen, and an electric folding rear seat with a sliding bench for easy access to the third row, What’s under the which can be folded into the boot bonnet? floor. Unfortunately, access to the third Five turbocharged petrol and diesel row of seats is slightly undignified. engines are available, with a choice of It does redeem itself with a 645-litre three or four cylinders and the pick boot space, though, which increases to of a six-speed manual or eight-speed auto gearbox. The four-cylinder 192bhp 1,905-litres with the third row of seats folded away. All models feature front 220i, which heads the petrol range, fog lamps as standard, as well as an is smooth through the changes. But automatic boot and Dynamic Stability for something a little more punchier Control. Sport adds 17-inch Star-spoke and economical, the range-topping four-cylinder 220d xDrive diesel churns alloys, exclusive door-sill finishers, a chrome exhaust tailpipe and sport seats out 190bhp and, paired to automatic with cloth upholstery. Step up a level box, can sprint from 0-62mph in just to Luxury and customers will receive 7.8 seconds. It’s also the only car in its sector to combine four-wheel-drive with 17-inch multi-spoke alloys, chrome exterior trim and leather upholstery seven seats. with contrasting stitching. The top-ofWhat’s the spec like? the-range M-Sport adds 18-inch M-Sport light alloy wheels, a sporty body kit, a It comes equipped with range of It’s BMW’s take on a modern MPV, offering the versatility and comfort of a standard people-carrier but combining those qualities expected from a premium German machine.

BMW 1 Series

What’s it like to drive?

It’s as happy on the motorway as it as around town, although the suspension is noticeably firm on uneven surfaces, which seems to defeat the purpose of owning a comfy people-carrier. On the plus side, little road or engine noise enters the cabin.

what do we think?

It is exactly what it says on the tin. It boasts all the qualities you’d expect from a family vehicle. But unless sportier characteristics and stylish tweaks are at the top of your essentials list, it would be hard to justify the extra cash over more mainstream rivals.

the knowledge

The facelifted 1 Series may look different to its predecessor but it maintains the same strengths, says Chris Lloyd What is it?

The 1 Series is the entry point into the BMW brand, offering sharp handling, powerful but economical engines and a driver-focused interior. This hatchback is available in three and five-door form.

Model: Price: Engine:

BMW M135i 3-dr £31,195 3.0-litre, six-cylinder turbocharged, petrol Power: 322bhp Max speed: 155mph 0-62mph: 5.1 seconds MPG (comb’d): 35.3 (comb’d) Emissions: 118g/km

target buyers: Buyers after the sportiesthandling medium hatchback with frugal but powerful new engines.

What’s under the bonnet?

As before, the 1 Series is available with a range of turbocharged engines varying from an economy-focused 1.5-litre 116d ED diesel, which is claimed to be capable of more than 80mpg – and emits low enough CO2 levels to warrant free car tax – to a rapid turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol M135i version that can sprint to 62mph in a rapid 4.9 seconds in automatic form. Other options include the 1.6-litre 118i and 120i petrols, the powerful 2.0-litre 125i petrol and 118d, 120d and 125d 2.0-litre diesels. An eight-speed automatic gearbox is available on several models in the place of the standard six-speed manual gearbox and buyers can also ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

multi-functional steering wheel and sports suspension.

opt for a four-wheel drive 120d xDrive five-door model.

Alcantara sports seats, powerful LED headlights and a racy bodykit.

What’s the spec like?

What’s it like to drive?

All models now feature a digital radio, climate control, BMW’s latest sat-nav system, Bluetooth, automatic windscreen wipers and headlights, front fog lights and selectable driving modes. Sport models add 17-inch alloy wheels, front sports seats, unique interior trim, customisable ambient lighting and a sports steering wheel.

M Sport trim includes 18-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension, cloth and

We drove the performance-oriented M135i, which offers true sports car performance.

What do we think?

In a class of relatively samey machines, the 1 Series stands out as being a distinctively styled, driver’s choice.

We found petrol and diesel engines responsive yet economical.

the rivals:

VW Golf, Audi A3 and Mercedes A-Class

Key Selling Points: 1. Impressive road holding but still comfortable.

2. Punchy but economical updated engines.

3. Sat-nav now comes as standard.

Deal Clincher: Even the 83mpg eco model feels sporty to drive.

BMW Retailer of the Year 2014

bmw.co.uk

The Ultimate Driving Machine

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS.

BMW RETAILER OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2014.

BMW RETAILER OF THE YEAR: SYTNER LEICESTER. BMW Retailer of the Year Corporate Sales BOWKER BLACKBURN

BMW Retailer of the Year Aftersales RYBROOK WARWICK

BMW Retailer of the Year Used Car Sales SYTNER NOTTINGHAM

BMW Retailer of the Year Customer Champion COOPER MALTON

BMW Retailer of the Year Marketing Champion KNIGHTS GROUP

BMW Head of Business of the Year NIALL MACFLYNN JKC

BMW i Agent of the Year DICK LOVETT BRISTOL

BMW Retailer of the Year Finalists: Owner Driver Category Winner JKC Regional Group Category Winner RYBROOK SHREWSBURY PLC Category Winner SYTNER LEICESTER

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 73

forecourt.

Jaguar XE LOOKS

Jaguar call it a sports saloon – although performance doesn’t quite match that

UNDER THE BONNET

The economical diesel units will really interest company-car users

the knowledge

Model:

Jaguar XE 2.0d 180 Portfolio Price: £33,675 Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel Power: 178bhp Max speed: 140mph 0-60mph: 7.8 seconds MPG (comb’d): 67.3mpg Emissions: 109g/km

target buyers: Those after a comfy upmarket saloon with strong economy

INTERIOR

It’s plush and comfortable with plenty of goodies as standard

on test

Could the new XE compact executive saloon really double What is it?

1. Low running costs in diesel 2. Reasonable comfort and handling 3. Strong refinement levels

The Jaguar may have sold the X-Type up until 2010 but the company wants to distance its new executive saloon from its dated predecessor, describing it as a completely clean sheet design that makes it the driver’s choice in its class. Jaguar appears keen to win the hearts of many company car users too, with the most frugal diesel model emitting just 99g/km of CO2 – meaning low company car tax rates – and offering claimed fuel economy of 75.0mpg. Despite its green credentials, this is no tardy budget model, sprinting to 62mph in a brisk 8.4 seconds.

Deal Clincher:

What’s under the bonnet?

the rivals:

BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class

Key Selling Points:

Likely to be a much rarer sight than best-selling German rivals ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

The XE is offered with five engines. New motors include two 2.0-litre diesels with 163bhp and 178bhp

and two new turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol motors with 197bhp and 237bhp, which put more emphasis on performance than economy. A range-topping supercharged 3.0-litre V6 is also available and is capable of sprinting to 62mph in a scant 5.1 seconds, courtesy of its muscular 335bhp output. Buyers can choose between six-speed manual and eight-speed automatic gearboxes for the diesel models, while all petrols come as standard with Jaguar’s smoothshifting eight-speed auto.

What’s the spec like?

Entry-level SE models include sat-nav, a digital radio, cruise control and 17-inch alloy wheels as standard.

Stepping up to Prestige trim adds leather upholstery with heated front seats and blue ambient cabin

We spoke to product planning manager Damian Lawton about the impact Jaguar hopes its new model will have The XE is a big new model for Jaguar that seems to be gunning for BMW buyers. How much of a change is it from previous comfort-focused Jaguar saloons?

Jaguar has always been a sporting brand. It’s been at our heart. I think we’ve historically owned that sports car saloon bit of the market in terms of our DNA and I think it’s right that we now can give UK customers an alternative.

They’ve had a choice of the core German three for at least a good five to seven years and now we have a Jaguar with that sporting DNA, with a great-looking design, something that will really stand out in the car park.

What I think Jaguar has always been able to do quite well, particularly when you’re test driving against the competition, is provide that real blend of comfort and handling. So if you’ve got to drive 300 miles and you want to do it in relative comfort and quietness, it can do it. If you want a blast on a Sunday morning and have a bit of fun, and maybe the kids aren’t in the back of the car ,you can stick it in Dynamic mode, which is standard in all of the cars, tighten the steering up and the suspension up and it will feel a different car.

Our brand is embedded with sports cars.

I think we can offer a blend of real sporting character and great driving dynamics when you want them, and a blend of luxury when you don’t. What’s that old expression from Sir William Lyons: “All our cars should look fast even when they’re stood still.” There should always be that feeling of latent power.

If you just look at the profile, it’s inherently sporty before you even set foot in the cabin. It’s when you’ll see the XE parked in the car park next to our competitors that you’ll realise that it’s very sporty and quite exotic.

What are the order books looking like?

Order books have been strong. I think particularly what we’ve been pleased about at this stage is the fleet content. And this is before anybody has driven a single car.

Are you expecting any problem in supplying enough cars to dealers?

No, we’re building an order bank as we do with all JLR products prior to launch. The retailer demonstrators will land in showrooms in May, so from that point on customers will be able to do test drives. Customer deliveries will start from mid-late June. We revealed the car back in October, and since then we’ve had a number of regional tours across the country where people can sit in and play with the car, so that’s driven the order bank.

What feedback have you had from those potential customers?

It’s been really interesting. The overwhelming feedback was that customers are wanting a change. They’ve had three or four great cars – all of a certain type – and they want an alternative to that choice list. Company car drivers are actively looking for something different. I think it’s the first Jaguar we’ve had for a long time that offers no excuses when you come to the rational arguments. Great residuals, best-in-class insurance, service costs lower than any of the competition. So there isn’t really any rational reason why you’d say ‘I won’t’ on paper.

Jaguar’s UK sales? lighting. Racy R-Sport trim adds leather sports seats – heated for the front passengers – sports suspension, aluminium trim inside, unique body styling outside, two-tone alloy wheels and powerful xenon headlights. Portfolio models gain perforated leather seats – with electric adjustment for the front passengers – dual-colour instruments and an upgraded sound system. The powerful 3.0-litre petrol is only available in its own sporty ‘S’ trim level, which includes heated, perforated sports seats, a body kit with 19-inch alloy wheels, an upgraded audio system and keyless entry.

What’s it like to drive?

Despite Jaguar billing it as a sports saloon, the initial impression of the XE – with the comfort

Do you still expect the XE to double Jaguar orders?

I can’t talk absolute numbers, but we did about 16 and a bit thousand cars last year, so yeah, it’s possible it could do that. What we’re clear about is protecting residuals. You’ve got to keep the supply and demand in check. You’ve got to keep a strong order bank to build that desirability.

We’ve had the X Type before in this segment. What makes the XE different to that model?

In its day, it was absolutely fine. The XE is in the same segment, but there’s zero comparison.

We had certain constraints in the development of the X Type, but there’s been no compromises with the XE. The engineers have been able to design it from the ground up, new chassis, suspension… We’re a sports car company, we want to engineer a sports saloon.

Is there a risk the more affordable, mass market XE will devalue Jaguar brand?

I don’t think so. We’re always going to be niche.

Even with XE arriving our relative sales volumes are going to small relative to the big German three because they’re in every niche. And we’re never going to be in every niche. We’ll plan to go into new segments in the future, but we’re never going to be as prolific as the big German three.

We’ve got three car lines – F Type, XJ and XF today – this moves us to four.

Does Jaguar need more mass market cars to ensure future profits?

I think it’s about the balance between volume and profitability and making sure we go into the right segments.

Christofer Lloyd finds out suspension on our model at least – is one of ease of driving. With light steering and a brake pedal that requires plenty of pressure, the XE feels particularly comfort-oriented, more so than an equivalent BMW. Refinement levels are high, though the ride could iron out rough surfaces a little better. The engine was also relatively refined and smooth, while offering more than enough power for most buyers. The manual gearbox in our car was slick enough too, though the steering doesn’t provide much feedback, discouraging faster driving. The XE does, however, offer plenty of grip around corners.

What do the press think?

Auto Trader wrote: ‘The Jaguar XE saloon is a

cracking addition to the compact-executive club.

Class-leading efficiency and emissions, alongside an engaging drive, are the plus points, but concerns remain around practicality and interior quality.’

What do we think?

The Jaguar XE is bound to be a big success in the UK with private and company car users, because of its sharp styling, powerful and efficient engines and low emissions. However, models equipped with the comfort suspension set-up do not live up to Jaguar’s billing as being the best driver’s car in the class, thanks to their lifeless steering. The sports set-up does improve the XE significantly, though it still isn’t the sports car Jaguar would have you believe.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 75

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forecourt. quick off the mark

The 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, twin-turbocharged engine is quick. Seriously quick. It makes for fun, fun, fun...!

Mini John Cooper Works Sophie Williamson-Stothert pops to Goodwood to drive the fastest production Mini ever built. And she loves it!

What is it?

What’s the spec like?

Mini aims to recapture the hearts of drivers in the performance market with a JCW version of its latest threedoor hatchback. The JCW is based on the foundations of the Cooper S, only it’s powered by a much more muscular engine and, weighing just 1,205kg, is capable of hitting 62mph in just 6.1 seconds in automatic form.

The Mini JCW is available with a range of bespoke equipment.

The JCW can also be identified by its race car soundtrack, delivered by the sports exhaust system. It’s crammed with tech, both under the bonnet and in the metal, featuring a limited-slip differential for added traction, upgraded suspension and race-tuned Brembo brakes. The JCW is also packed with a selection of other gadgets as standard including LED daytime running headlights, air conditioning, heated mirrors and windscreen washer jets, a digital radio, Bluetooth and cruise control with automatic braking on downhill gradients.

What’s under the bonnet?

The new sporty hatch is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, twinturbocharged engine and boasts a 10 per cent increase in power at 231bhp and 23 per cent more pulling power. The front wheels are driven through a choice of two six-speed gearboxes. Mated to the manual gearbox, the JCW can sprint from 0-62mph in 6.3 seconds, but go for the optional Steptronic automatic with launch control and this figure gets knocked down to just 6.1 seconds.

Both will go on to reach the same top speed of 153mph.

What’s it like to drive?

The JCW feels significantly quicker and more responsive than its predecessor, but it’s also surprisingly comfortable, mostly due to the active shock absorbers, which will set you back £240. The engine feels

happy through the rev range and the automatic gearbox swiftly changes up through the gears. Although it can be a little too keen to shift down when you squeeze the accelerator pedal in standard ‘D’ mode, the sporty burble from tailpipes makes this forgivable.

What do the press think?

Auto Express said: ‘The Mini JCW builds on what was already an appealing, charming and quick hot hatch. With performance stats that wouldn’t look out of place in the class above, tweaks to the engine, exterior and overall attitude of the JCW make it feel more than a step beyond what the Cooper S is capable of.’

What do we think?

With a starting price of more than £23,000 the Mini JCW isn’t the cheapest hot hatch on the market.

But Mini has managed to raise the bar once again in terms of driver excitement. We’d recommend you leave it in Sport mode for full effect.

the knowledge Model:

Mini John Cooper Works Steptronic Price: £24,380 Engine: 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, twin-turbo Power: 231bhp, 320Nm Max speed: 153mph 0-62mph: 6.1 seconds MPG (comb’d): 49.6 Emissions: 133g/km

target buyers:

Singletons looking for a sporty weekend car and ex-sportscar drivers who need something a little more refined.

the rivals:

Audi S1, Vauxhall Corsa VXR, Peugeot 208 GTi 30th Edition

Key Selling Points:

1. It’s the fastest production Mini ever built 2. It’ll power you from 0-62mph in under seven seconds 3. You can’t beat a Mini’s handling credentials

Deal Clincher: In fifth gear, it can power from 50-75mph in 5.6sec – that’s faster than a Porsche 911 Carrera S. CarDealerMag.co.uk | 77

forecourt.

Mark Ovenden Ford of Britain chairman and MD Mark Ovenden speaks exclusively to Car Dealer Magazine about the launch of one of the most iconic cars ever to hit the UK in right-hand drive guise. JAMES BAGGOTT reports

Who is buying Mustang?

I haven’t looked into too much detail the demographic of Mustang buyers, but I suspect they are people like you and I. They are petrol heads. They are people who have always dreamt of owning a Mustang and I’ve seen letters from people who are so excited they’ve got the chance to own a right-hand drive version. The first wave are the real enthusiasts and I think the next wave will be people who want one after they’ve been made aware of it.

Do you really think fleet buyers will want this?

I think some will, yes. We’re not going to be putting it out on special terms but there will be fleet buyers or people on salary-sacrifice schemes who will be interested in taking it.

Sometimes we talk of retail and fleet buyers as if they are two completely different individuals but at the end of the day they are just two individuals who look at a car and like it. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

What will be the mix of retail/fleet sales?

Well, I wouldn’t really want to give that out, but we think there will be a high proportion to retail to those people who say ‘that is my dream car and that’s what I want’. In some cases people may elect to buy a Mustang and forsake a family holiday or something like that because it is an emotional purchase. Nobody actually needs a Mustang, but people will want one because it says something about them.

The first 1,200 have no doubt been bought by fans. Will they run out?

Well, we don’t how many there are of them yet!

The first 1,200 have gone and we’ll see how we go next year. As I’ve said, the key is, as far as I’m concerned, to align production with demand – at all times I want precisely one less than there is demand for. This sort of vehicle will live or die on its residual values and we have to protect that.

What does success look like for this car?

Primarily brand. If you look at the volumes

we are selling they are not going to make a significant difference to our market share. The vehicle is, of course, profitable, but it won’t make a fundamental difference to the Ford of Britain profitability. It will make some, because otherwise we wouldn’t be doing it. One of the key benefits of it is to polish up the Ford oval in Britain. If you look at where we are – we are market leaders and have some great attributes in build quality and drivability and the value – but I want to add a little more sparkle to the Ford brand. There are three ways we can do that: one is with more SUVs, then we have performance cars in ST and RS, Mustang and GT, and then the final one will be Vignale as that comes through.

What would you say to people who think you have bitten off more than you can chew with Vignale and Mustang?

Watch us. I don’t accept that. Just look at the phenomenal growth we’ve had in commercial vehicles. As market leaders people say you can’t do any more, but the moment you start thinking that

“

Rivals could be cars, holidays, boats – I think you have to look beyond normal rivals.

you’ll only go one way. I don’t think we’ve bitten off more than we can chew. Within ourselves and our dealer network, we have the skills. The creation of Ford Stores will help. They will be primarily the place for Mustang to be sold and this will help lift the brand.

What do dealers think of Mustang?

They love it. I was at a dealer opening and two people walked in while I was there and said they wanted a Mustang and bought one. One guy was a loft converter, he walked in, wanted a Bullitt green fastback and ordered it there and then. The sales person must have thought she’d died and gone to heaven! Some dealers who are not Ford Stores are a little disappointed about not selling it, but they understand the rationale behind it.

Is there a danger Mustangs will be selling for a premium?

If we see an obvious speculator then we might have a look at it. But I can’t stop a retail buyer selling it for £5,000 more after buying it. To me

that would be real testament to the vehicle.

I might also get questions from my finance department about why we sold it so cheaply, but I think the price is good value and if you look at the Ford brand that’s what we’ve always done: Make available to the many what was sometimes the preserve of a few.

Are there any rivals to this car?

Rivals could be cars, holidays, boats – I think you have to look beyond normal rivals. Look at some German premium cars and Aston Martins, they are similar types of vehicle, but also some people may forsake the family holiday and treat

themselves to a Mustang instead. To me this is a purchase from the heart. It’s a rear-wheel drive V8 that looks beautiful and sounds beautiful and just makes you smile when you drive it.

What are your hopes for residual values for this car?

Well, I wouldn’t want to make myself a hostage to fortune. What would be good for me is if we do get stories about people paying £5,000 over list price for one, then I know the RVs will be in good shape! May 21-22 will be when the residual value setters get to drive the car so we’ll know then...

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 79

forecourt.

Ford Mustang It’s a car that buyers in Britain have been desperate to get their hands on for years, but is the Ford Mustang any good? JAMES BAGGOTT reports ENGINE CHOICE

The Mustang comes with either a 2.3-litre Ecoboost or 5.0-litre V8. If you consider for a minute the former, you should be banned from driving. Forever.

STYLING

The Mustang comes in either Fastback or Convertible guise. Some 82 per cent of buyers have gone for the fastback, with red being the most popular colour.

on test What is it?

What’s under the bonnet?

A large American hamburger, served up in a European baguette with double side of Across The Pond Cheese. This is the car we’ve all been waiting for in Europe – well, at least it is if you believe Ford’s marketeers. There’s little doubt the Mustang has a cult following – that comes with a 50-year history and more movie appearances that Clint Eastwood (probably), but is that enough for it to win the battle against something like an Audi A5? The Blue Oval thinks it is and insists this new car has been designed with our unique tastes in mind. Already, 2015’s allocation of 1,200 cars has been sold and the maker freely admits it’s more halo car than volume seller.

Well, you can see the European influence here, because it’s not all about a V8 – there’s a 312bhp 2.3-litre four cylinder Ecoboost option too. We know that feels like sacrilege – and to be honest, it really is – but if you actually care about CO2 in a Mustang (you shouldn’t) it produces 179g/ km and if mpg keeps you up at night (also, it shouldn’t) it’ll return 35.3mpg. That said, choosing the Ecoboost would be like opting for a salad in McDonald’s, so instead the 415bhp V8 is the only choice. It’s thirsty (as it should be) at 20.9mpg and kills many, many trees with emissions of 299g/km, but this is a Mustang and ordering it without a V8 should result in capital punishment. It’s quick – it’ll hit 60mph in a

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

SOLD OUT

The car is already sold out for 2015 with this year’s allocation of 1,200 snapped up. Next year we’ll get another 1,200, but will there be enough American muscle car fans to buy them?

shade under five seconds and go on to 155mph (limited). Oh, and it sounds good... the Ecoboost, not so much.

What’s the spec like?

It’s not bad, but we can’t help feeling it lacks the glitz of rivals. The multimedia system is easy to master, but a little fiddly on the move and some of the buttons lack a quality feel. But then this car is priced extremely competitively – the V8 is a fiver under £33k, which for a V8 is a relative bargain. Specification includes 19-inch alloys, xenon headlights, nine-speaker sound system and Ford’s clever voice-control SYNC2. Ford tells us 80 per cent of its customers ticked all the other options on the specification sheet which include

the knowledge

Model: Ford Mustang 5.0 V8 Price: £32,995 Engine: 5.0-litre, V8 Power: 415bhp, 524Nm Max speed: 155mph (limited) 0-60mph: 4.8 seconds MPG (comb’d): 20.9mpg Emissions: 299g/km

target buyers: They like American things. If they like cheeseburgers and call their cars ‘Convoy’, chances are they’ll want this.

the rivals:

Audi A5, BMW 4 Series, holidays

Key Selling Points: 1. It’s a Mustang 2. It’s a Mustang 3. It’s a Mustang

Deal Clincher: You guessed it, it’s a bleeding Mustang.

comfy Recaro seats and upgraded Shaker audio system.

Any rivals?

This is where it gets a little complicated. Ford insists the Mustang ‘has no rivals’. The first allocation has mostly been snapped up by enthusiasts who bought a Mustang because they’ve always wanted one, not because they wanted a coupe. So what happens when those first adopters run out? Well, when pressed, Ford admitted German coupes like the BMW 4 Series and Audi A5 would also be on the shopping lists for Mustang buyers. Stack the equivalent V8-engined offerings up against the Ford, though, and there’s an eye-watering difference in price.

What’s it like to drive?

our verdict

Well, it’s an acquired taste to be sure. It’s big and feels it, with a long nose that we found hard to place comfortably on the road. The Ecoboost engine particularly failed to impress. It makes an unpleasant noise and lacks the thrills a Mustang really should deliver. We’d go as far to say that buying an Ecoboost should go down as a very bad life choice indeed. The V8, on the other hand, feels like a different car. It sounds like a Mustang should and has the pace to match. The steering is a little light and the manual gearbox notchy, but they’re foibles you’ll probably put up with in the V8. The fastback is by far and away better looking and better to drive than the convertible too, so go for that.

We wanted to love the Mustang, we really did, but like an annoying aunt it’s really quite hard.

We can see why it appeals to Mustang fans – especially now in right-hand drive for the first time – but beyond them we just can’t see who’ll buy it. The Ecoboost looks good on paper, but on the road it’s a big disappointment while the V8 is fun in an American muscle car kind of way. But how many buyers want an American muscle car?

The Mustang might work on the streets of San Francisco, but will it have the same effect on a wet Scarborough seafront? The ace up its sleeve might just be the price – at £32,995 the V8 is a lot of car for the money. But that still wouldn’t make us buy one.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 81

Feature. monaco: top marques show

Super car dealer It’s the show where princes and billionaires rub shoulders – and spend money. So JAMES BAGGOTT put his wallet in his pocket, put on his best jacket, and joined them...

S

upercar dealer Clive Sutton and I are chatting when he suddenly jumps to attention like a schoolboy who’s about to be scolded by the headmaster.

‘It’s the Prince,’ he murmurs as he tucks his shirt in tighter and edges closer to the action. I haven’t the slightest clue what he’s talking about but then, out of the corner of my eye, I spot the commotion pouring through the door of the Grimaldi Forum, on the waterfront in Monaco.

It’s the principality’s top dog, Prince Albert, who’s wafted in to officially open the Top Marques Show with what appears to be an army of security guards and an entourage that would embarrass Kim Kardashian.

‘Sometimes he comes over and chats to us,’ explains a clearly-disappointed Sutton, as the Prince’s party wonders off towards a stand selling €750,000 watches. ‘We weren’t quite so lucky this year.’

Welcome to the madness of Monaco. I’m here to cover one of the most ostentatious car shows on the planet. A show where €1m cars are sold alongside €26,000 buffalo leather couches and ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

prehistoric water peppered with gold flakes. I’ve just walked through the front door and the first stand I stumble across is manned by none other than London supercar dealer and former Car Dealer Magazine award-winner Sutton. ‘We’re displaying a Cadillac Escalade and Mustang,’ he explains. ‘We’ve been to this show a few times before and it’s the perfect place to catch the eye of billionaires. You can’t show anything new to billionaires, but you can bring it to their doorstep and that’s exactly what this show is all about.’

Downstairs the stands are filled with a huge array of trinkets to tempt the super-wealthy. The sellers, so accustomed to dealing in hundreds of thousands of euros, simply knock off three zeros when they mention the price.

‘This watch is 250,’ says one seller about a diamond and ruby encrusted timepiece. It takes a few seconds for the fact it’s €250,000 to

sink in to my brain. Just as clever supermarket merchandisers have worked out they’ll sell more chocolate to stressed mums if they put it temptingly close to the checkouts, the team behind the Top Marques show have realised that lining the walkway to the cars with, quite literally, gold is the perfect way to help relieve a few oligarchs of their pocket change.

Sutton walks me through the stands of conspicuously un-priced luxury goods as he leads the way to his very own sheik-tempting trinket – a Ford Mustang GT500 ‘Eleanor’ – that’s hiding downstairs. This is the second year he’s brought the Gone In 60 Seconds star car to the playboy’s playground and this time he’s letting them drive it.

‘Last year we had the car on static display, but this year people interested in buying it can drive it around the streets of Monaco,’ he says. ‘I’m

“

You can’t show anything new to billionaires, but you can bring it to their doorstep Clive Sutton, the man who deals with people with money to burn. And journalists...

hoping that when they experience how good it is it’ll be easier for them to part with their cash.’

Sutton switched his supercar sales business – based in St John’s Wood, London – to an American muscle car specialist when the recession struck. This is the first interview he’s given for three years as he’s purposefully ‘kept his profile low’.

For years Sutton’s adverts could be seen in the national newspapers and specialist car mags alongside fellow supercar dealers like Amari,

Tom Hartley and Romans International. His showroom, in a high-profile London location, was a prime spot for selling the latest supercars to the rich and famous. Now that site is occupied by Overfinch while Sutton runs a quieter set-up from out the back.

‘The market fell out of the supercar business for us during the recession,’ he explains. ‘Before then we could sell the latest Ferrari for a considerable premium over list price. Now you can only get them from an official Ferrari dealer. The market

has changed. I saw that programme on Channel 4 the other week about supercar dealers and had a wry smile to myself. The business is very different to how they made it out.’

Sutton still sells the odd supercar, but they’re deals he likes to keep quiet. ‘I shifted a McLaren P1 recently and have helped broker deals on two LaFerraris,’ he admits, obviously happy for them not to be that quiet.

‘The LaFerrari street price is now around €2.3m plus taxes. The guys who got on the list have made tidy profits if they’ve sold, but remember they’re not even allowed to do that...’

While his supercar sales are still ticking over in the background, ever the entrepreneur, Sutton has spread his wings into American muscle in a big way.

He sells a host of ‘normal’ Americana but specialises in converting them to right-hand drive. Currently he can convert Dodge Ram 1500, GMC Sierra Derby, Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Suburban, Corvette C7 and the latest Camaro.

‘The right-hand drive conversions are very popular,’ he explains. ‘We’ve engineered them, and the parts, ourselves.’

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 83

Feature. monaco: top marques show It’s the Mustang where his pride really shines.

However, all is not quite as it seems. As we walk towards the GT500, sleeping quietly in a car park beneath the bustling show up above, Sutton explains it’s a replica.

‘They’re the very best replica GT500s in the world,’ he says. ‘We take a ’67 shell, ship it to Asia where the labour rates are low and in 10 months it is completely transformed.’

And he’s not kidding. Under the bonnet is a new 427 cubic inch, 7.0-litre Ford V8 – upgraded to fuel injection – producing 620bhp. That’s good for a top speed of 175mph with 60mph cracked in five seconds along the way. A new six-speed manual transmission, upgraded brakes and suspension are added too.

Inside, although the classic look remains, there’s now air conditioning, electric windows, sat-nav and a reversing camera. There’s even a fake can of nitrous in the back that’s really a sub-woofer.

‘This is a modern interpretation of a classic car,’ said Sutton. ‘It’s still got the looks, the sound and the drama of the GT500, but with added creature comforts. And the buyers of this want creature comforts.’

Those buyers need to stump up £170,000 for the pleasure of putting one in their collection, but Sutton hasn’t been short of sales.

‘We’ve sold 10 across the world so far which is great considering the build time,’ he says. ‘One of them went to Thierry Henry. He wanted it to look exactly the same as Eleanor from the film and that’s exactly what he got. Apart from an auto transmission – he specifically asked for that.’

Sutton’s reconditioning team can do a ‘Bullitt’ too. This is based on a ’68 Mustang – also shipped over from the States to his Asian whizzkids for a modern overhaul. These can be had for a veritable bargain price of £125,000. What’s more, buyers can opt for right hand drive too – something that’s often a deal clincher, says Sutton.

‘Shall we go for a spin then?’ he asks. Before he can change his mind, I’ve slammed the door and am turning the tiny key.

Inside, the Mustang is full of chrome. The dials are dipped in it, the doors trimmed in it and it helps the cabin shimmer in the sun. I immediately notice the pedals are huge and heavy – the clutch as hard as any unassisted race car I’ve driven.

I swash around the vague gearbox with the unnaturally long stick and eventually find first.

Easing the clutch up, feeding in some V8 rumble, it’s harder to drive than I imagined – especially with the world’s supercar spotters capturing every move I make on camera.

I’m petrified of scraping it on one of the sevendigit priced supercars sitting alongside and going viral on YouTube, but manage to get it out of the car park unscathed.

The steering is light and boat-like, but wafting it around seems to have little bearing on which way the nose wants to point. I ease into traffic in front of two wideboys in a Ferrari 458 Spyder ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Baggott in the Mustang.

And in his element...

“

Thierry Henry wanted his car to look exactly the same as Eleanor from the film... and give it more right foot than Sutton probably would have liked. The back drops, the long bonnet rises and a petrolhead-pleasing rumble barks out of the side-exit exhausts.

Sutton and I look at each other and grin like school kids. There’s nothing quite like a Mustang to reduce grown men to giggling wrecks.

‘It’s good, isn’t it,’ says Sutton.

‘Utterly brilliant,’ I reply.

As we approach the roundabout by the entrance to the famous F1 circuit’s tunnel, I’m hooked and can see why billionaires would be more than happy to throw £170k Sutton’s way.

I can’t help but be struck at how raw the car feels, how agricultural and how tough. The pedals strain my hamstrings, the noise assaults

my senses, while the smell of burnt and unburnt super unleaded fills the cabin. It’s a short, but intoxicating, taste of American muscle.

As I gingerly reverse park the Mustang back into its spot, I ask Sutton whether he thinks he’ll sell any at the show.

‘Who knows?’ he says. ‘But I do know this car is hard to resist. Upstairs there may be some super exclusive, hand-built hypercars. They’ve got the latest technology, more horsepower than frankly anyone could ever need and look like nothing else. But this is a classic – classic cars are in vogue and for rich people who love cars, Eleanor is a car everyone wants to own.’

I can’t help but think he’s absolutely right.

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CarDealerMag.co.uk | 85

Feature. monaco: top marques show

The full

Monte

Hire car hero or hire car zero? We got to Monaco a day early so decided to hire the worst car we could find for a mini road trip. JAMES BAGGOTT reports

E

vangelo really didn’t need to open his mouth. In fact it was the half-scowl, half-smirk that gave it away. A sort of cross between bewilderment and downright anger aimed at me, a lanky, scruffily-dressed Brit who was stood in front of his hire car desk with the temerity to ask for ‘the worst car’ he had. Evangelo did not like this.

‘We do not have bad cars!’ he finally managed to mutter, as his face unfolded from one of those eye-arching, mouth-deforming facial expressions that only the French can pull off. ‘All our cars are beautifully prepared and in great condition.’

I tried to explain to Budget’s proudest employee that this wasn’t a slight at the quality

��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

of his hire cars. We simply wanted the cheapest, nastiest and slowest model in his multi-storey car park.

Now, at this point you may also be wondering why snapper Fleetwood and I wanted a car with such unattractive features to explore the Côte d’Azur, so let me explain. I’d decided to head out to the Top Marques motor show – a showcase for the most exotic cars on the planet, based in the tax-avoidance haven of Monaco. We were here a day early so I’d decided to pass the time we should hire the worst car we could find and go off in search of the best road we could get to. Why? For the sheer hell of it, obviously.

Thankfully our flabbergasted Frenchman and keeper of the hire car keys was able to help

make this feature Car Dealer relevant too.

‘How about a Ford Ka?’ he asked.

Not rubbish enough, I replied.

‘Okay, what about a Lancia Ypsilon?’

Absolutely perfect, I said with an amount of glee no-one ever offered a Lancia Ypsilon had ever displayed before.

Evangelo tried to charge us €200 for the ‘pleasure’ of driving the Lancia for 24 hours, but I told him I didn’t want to buy it. He promptly knocked 30 per cent off the price – seemingly just to get rid of me – and we headed to the car park.

Those of you in the know – and being car dealers, that will be most of you – the Lancia

“

Evangelo tried to charge us €200, but I told him I didn’t want to buy it...

Ypsilon was badged a Chrylser here and ‘sold’, in the loosest possible sense of the word, to what can only be described as people with no selfrespect whatsoever. Word on the street was that if you listened really carefully you could actually hear the little city car depreciate, such was its ability to lose money faster than a Hatton Garden bank vault at Easter.

Somehow, though, sat in the south of France sun it was a little more acceptable with a Lancia badge. Sort of like how thrush is a little more acceptable than herpes. And what with Chrysler calling time on the ailing brand in the UK, our mini road trip would be a fitting send-off for a brand few people had any love for.

After laughing at how much the front CarDealerMag.co.uk | 87

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Feature. monaco: top marques show Court jester. The car or Baggott?

You decide...

“

Ypsilon are seven letters that fell out of the car designer’s Scrabble bag...

Driving downhill was much more fun end reminded us of the hideous PT Cruiser, we stuffed our bags in the back and climbed in to set sail for, well, somewhere good.

For inspiration of where to point the Worst Hire Car We Could Find, we consulted Twitter and soon followers told us the Col De Turini would serve our thrill-seeking needs. This section of the Monte Carlo Rally – made famous

by Paddy Hopkirk’s exploits in his iconic Mini, copious magazine photoshoots and Top Gear – climbs to 1,607m into the Alps and is known for its multitude of hairpin bends. What’s more, it was only around 50 miles away from Nice and sort of on the way to Monaco. Ideal.

On the way we come to the conclusion that the Ypsilon has the most ridiculous name in

motoring history. I mean ‘Adam’ is pretty poor, because in the book of names it can be found on page one, but at least it’s been spelt right. Mokka is equally utterly poor, but again even something that sounds like a rubbish hot drink is preferable to one that no-one can actually spell. I can only imagine Ypsilon are seven letters that fell out of the car designer’s Scrabble bag on the day naming really had to be signed off.

Despite the spell-checker’s worst nightmare of a moniker, the Lancia was coping pretty well with the French autoroutes. Like all hire cars I’ve ever driven, it seemed to have no red line (which was handy) while third, fourth and fifth gears were all pretty much redundant. It was also faster than everything else on the road. And that

included very fast things.

We reached the foot of the Col de Turini after a long and arduous battle with Google Maps that nearly resulted in an iPhone 6-Windscreen interface. But as the traffic eased and the road crumpled up into a squiggle on the map, poor technology was long forgotten.

Well, sort of. The steering in the Ypsilon was too light, the 1.2-litre engine wheezy and the choppy handling so Weeble-like that it felt like we could kiss the road out of the window as we rolled around every corner, but that didn’t stop us smiling like four-year-olds on a bouncy castle as we hustled our way up the pass.

And I use the word ‘hustle’ in the loosest possible sense.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 89

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Feature. monaco: top marques show

Such beauty.

The scenery, not the car...

“

The best views in the world

I feared stopping would let in the smell of burning bits of Italian car, so pressed on The Col de Turini rises up through quaint little French villages with views that only the south of France can manage to serve up. Not that we saw many. Our Lancia was travelling so fast it was all a woody green blur. Fleetwood tried to force me to stop every few hundred yards for pictures of the stunning views we were missing, but I feared that would let in the smell of burning bits of Italian car, so pressed on.

When we finally crest the pass, Ypsilon still amazingly running, we had a choice between two restaurants that thrive on car nuts enjoying the very same switchbacks we’ve just thrown the fastest hire car in the world around. The one with tables in the sun won and we settled down for iPad-thick steak and matchstick chips with mayo.

I listen to our strained little Lancia ticking and clicking in the car park as its boiling fluids cool.

Two cokes and a typically-poor French espresso later, we point it towards the descent. There are four roads to choose from, but we take advice from our table-cleaning waitress. ‘That’s the one you want,’ she says, smiling at our city car and pointing towards Moulinet. The descent is even better than the pre-lunch ascent. Hairpins in the Ypsilon are far more fun going downhill and we barrel down the twists and fresh-air turns and perfect our handbrake turns, safe in the knowledge we’d opted for the full damage waiver insurance. Within what feels like a few minutes we’re at the bottom, Ypsilon in one piece, Fleetwood’s nerves less so.

We roll into Monaco like paupers, high on adrenaline and dump the Lancia in the deepest car park we can find. Over €16-each pints (yes, really) in the Cafe de Paris in Casino Square we watch the principality’s rich and famous roll past in their polished supercars and chuckle.

Yes, our Lancia might be rubbish at attracting admiring glances around the F1 circuit, but when it comes to smiles per miles, we reckon our little hire car can compete with the best of them on the Col de Turini.

Actually, who are we kidding, we’d rather have been in a 911 GT3, but as a send-off to a brand that’s died a quiet death in the UK, I reckon our rubbish road trip works perfectly.

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Feature. monaco: top marques show

The Top Marques The Top Marques Show in Monaco is one of the most exclusive motoring showcases in the world.

Based on the water’s edge of the Côte d’Azur, it showcases the most expensive hypercars only billionaires can afford.

Here’s our picks.

Aeromobil 3.0

Flying cars are the ultimate toy for the super rich. It’s just a shame they’re not quite ready yet. This is the third incarnation of the Aeromobil and it’s a lot closer to production, however the authorities haven’t quite caught up. Legislation, it seems, is the only thing holding back rich people from taking off in their cars. Owners will need a pilot’s licence (obviously), but will be then able to take off on a grass strip of just 250 metres and land on 50m metres. Sales are expected to start in 2017.

Toroidion 1MW

The problem with electric cars is range. The MW1 does away with that issue by having a quick-change battery solution. The cell runs the length of the car and can be replaced by popping the flap at that front and driving it into the next battery, while the old one pops out the back. It was designed to race in Le Mans as a full electric car where fast pit stops would make it feasible. This is the road-going version priced at €1.6m. It’ll do 125mph in five seconds and 280mph in an astonishing 11 seconds. Allegedly.

Zenvo ST1

This is quite possibly the best thing to come out of Demark since bacon. And we love bacon. A rival to the Koenigsegg and the Bugatti Veyron, the ST1 has an incredible 1,100bhp and can top 233mph. Company founder Troels Vollertsen told us the 0-60mph time was officially three seconds but he’s done it in 2.7. It has a seven-speed auto box and the obligatory mad-looking doors. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Show hypercars Larte Design Elizabeta

If a standard Tesla is too tame for you, you’ll be wanting this. It’s a £23,900 carbon fibre kit that shaves 13kg off a standard Model S. Makers Larte Design have added a cool sound generator to the car so you can choose from Star Wars, Tron or motorbike sound tracks (and many others) as you drive and there’s a new carbon and alcantara interior to revel in. And that’s about all you get for your Ford Focus-sized investment.

Nimrod Katyusha

How much does this offend your eyes? A lot? Yes, ours too. We know very little about this because the company representative was more interested in stuffing his face with McDonalds than he was giving us any details.

Classy. That meant we couldn’t ask him if the designer was a three-year-old, or if the price tag of €400,000 was some kind of sick joke.

We can only suspect the answers to both would be yes.

Mazzanti Evantra

Costing a cool €751,000, the Italian-made Evantra features a naturally-aspirated 7.0-litre V8 that produces a massive 751bhp. It can hit 217mph, cracks 60mph in three seconds and looks positively bonkers with mad, rear-hinged doors. This is only the second one ever produced – the first was shipped to the Far East – and the maker is pinning its hopes on becoming the ‘next Pagani’.

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Feature. monaco: top marques show

13 trinkets only the You’ve got all the supercars you could ever want to drive. You’ve got the supermodel hareem. You’ve got a yacht in Monaco Harbour and a £30m flat overlooking it.

But somehow your life is still empty.

There’s still space in it for some very expensive trinkets to show off to your

friends, but WHERE WILL YOU FIND THEM? The answer, my ridiculously wealthy friends, is at the Top Marques Show in Monaco. We know you’re busy people so because we’re nice we popped down there for you and drew up a shopping list. Get a minion on it, NOW!

The £12,000 coffee table

The £12,000 book

You’re a monumentally rich person.

Monumentally rich people don’t read normal books. Oh no, they read ones that weigh 32kg, need two people to carry them and have thousands of pages. The Ferrari Opus is THAT book with a history of the brand and 60 per cent unseen content. Just 900 were printed, they come in carbon fibre boxes and are signed by five living F1 world champions. A weighty tome in more ways than one.

Naturally this isn’t just any coffee table. This is a 55-inch touchscreen coffee table that you can search the web on, look at pictures, play games and do other playboy things with. There are inputs for USB and games consoles and it’s all displayed in HD.

The £20,000 electric bike

The £15,000 chair and desk combo

You’re an important person, you sign BIG cheques. Sorry, we mean you instruct staff to sign BIG checks on your behalf. What you need is a pricey desk to do that instruction from behind. This leather and aluminium-riveted chair and desk combo has Big Boss Man written all over. Well, it doesn’t because that would be rubbish, but it does convey that message. And it’s expensive.

What more do you want?

Pedalling is for the poor, but you want to get fit – it’s the ultimate billionaire conundrum!

Thankfully, the Trefecta bike could be the answer. It’s got an electric hybrid system that can help boost your pedalling when you’re feeling lazy. It’ll do 100km on a threehour charge at speeds of 20kph, or off-road, where laws aren’t important, the derestricted model will do 80kph. Your iPhone doubles as a key and it’s dripping in carbon fibre.

The £35,000 sunlounger

Relaxing doesn’t get any more ostentatious than this. Meet the Remmus, a sunlounger designed for luxury yachts and uber villas. It has Bluetooth to wirelessly stream your music through built-in speakers, it automatically turns to always face the sun, can wirelessly charge your phone and when you get too hot, it can cool you down with cold mist. Can you put a price on cool mist? We think not. ��| CarDealerMag.co.uk

rich could afford The €750,000 watch

Yes, you read that right, Mr More Money Than Sense, this Julien Coudray watch might even make YOU think twice about getting out the platinum card. Actually, who are we kidding, of course it won’t. All you want to know is it’s just one of 15, is the only watch in the world made entirely from platinum and has an alligator skin strap. We’re afraid it doesn’t come with its own security team.

The water with gold in it

What’s that? The earth is covered in water?

Yes, we know, but has it got GOLD in it? We think not. These bottles of posh rain have been sourced from a glacier dating back 15,000 years. Flakes of 22 carat gold have been inserted because it’s apparently good for the skin. We drunk some and can’t help but think it made us feel a *little* bit heavier.

It didn’t really. Small bottles cost £18.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 95

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Feature. monaco: top marques show The £1,200 ankle breaker

Walking is for the poor. You are rich. You need motorisation like a well-heeled robot droid.

Thanks to the WheelLib you CAN be that droid.

It has a built-in gyroscope, can do 30km on a single charge at speeds of up to 12mph and moves as you lean forward and brakes when you lean back. We tried one out for you and can say it has huge potential for a nasty dose of gravel rash, but is amazing fun. Buy one for everyone, now.

The £450,000 bracelet and egg combo

We know what it’s like, you splash out on a watch us mere mortals would need a mortgage for, but you STILL get grief from the wife/ wives/girlfriend/mistress for buying it. Placate said female companion with this: The Bracelet of Venus. Not only does it have a Sky At Night name, but it also has more than 200 rubies, one eight-carat diamond and is made from 18-carat gold. It also comes in a gold egg.

The £26,000 sofa

You can’t sit your pricey pants down on anything. What you need is this – a sofa made from Argentinian Buffalo leather. It’s hand stitched in Germany (because that matters, apparently) and is a one-off, so you won’t go round Roman’s and find he’s got the exact same one. Awkward.

The £25,000 safe

Your trinkets are plentiful, but distressingly littering the bedside table. You’re worried a man in a striped jumper and swag bag might come and whisk them away. What you need is a safe – but naturally, being a squajizilionaire, it also needs to be gold. The Heindl Caudillo is exactly that. It has a 16-digit security code and a silent alarm for those annoying instances when someone has a gun to your head.

The £12,500 surfboard

You’re tanned, fit and dripping in dollars – what you need is an adventure sport to make you super cool. Enter, on the crest of a wave, the Jet Surfboard that doesn’t even need a crest of a wave to enter on. It has a 100cc engine wrapped up in its carbonfibre body and can hurtle along at 40mph thanks to 22bhp under your feet. Just imagine how cool you’ll look... [CD]

The £85,000 boat spa

When you’re loaded, your ‘friend’ count goes up so it’s simply impossible to get them all into a normal hot tub. What you need is one shaped like a boat, with 59 bubble jets, massaging streams and a name like Zeus. So far the firm has sold 10 to (mostly) Russian billionaires.

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Feature.

JEEP: MOROCCAN ROAD TRIP

s er eeper Jeep ! . . s creeper erokee Trailhawk h C e th s d n fi N E BROW arent ccan desert DAV ro o M a f st as the SUV’s p o t ju – ea n h ai rr te In the ape g lin economic landsc ge of the gruel n g le in al d ch an e em th -d to ly g risin equal and conquered an et m as h y an p m co

T

he iconic American brand Jeep is turning a corner – and so were we as we edged up a 45-degree incline in the scorching Moroccan desert.

In fact, all we could see through the windscreen of our Cherokee was the dazzling blue of the midday sky.

The extreme gradient meant we were pressed back in the seat of the car as if we were about to

start a rollercoaster ride, and although we might have been feeling a little anxious as we inched ever closer to the summit (after all, there could have been a sheer drop the other side!) we knew we could rest easy.

You see, our car, a Trailhawk version of Jeep’s iconic SUV, was doing all the hard work.

With the four-wheel-drive mode in low, the driving conditions set to ‘rock’ and the speed programmed to stay at a constant 4mph, all we

really had to do was steer. And even we can manage that!

The dry, dusty terrain beneath our tyres would have seen the wheels of many lesser vehicles stutter and spin, and even Cherokee seemed to falter for a fraction of a second as we tackled a patch of particularly broken ground, but there was never any doubt that we’d make it.

The steep ascent was part of a two-day desert challenge organised by Jeep, and to which Car Dealer was lucky enough CarDealerMag.co.uk | 99

Feature.

JEEP: MOROCCAN ROAD TRIP to be invited. The manufacturer was keen to show off the capabilities of the car and explain the progress it is making in terms of both product and sales.

It was an unforgettable experience in a remarkable car.

After all, off-road journeys probably don’t come much more extreme than those we embarked on in north Africa. From thrilling night-time driving in jet-black desert darkness to the painstaking navigation of rocky, dried-up river beds, Cherokee took everything in its stride.

And there was even time for an excursion into the nearby Atlas Mountains, which although described as ‘road driving’ in our itinerary, was far more similar to that hazardous desert terrain than, say, a trip up the A3 from Car Dealer Towers to London.

There’s no doubt Cherokee is a seriously impressive beast. Refined too, though, as we found out on the main roads back to base.

When it comes to Jeep in the UK, now part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles of course, the brand is making seriously impressive progress.

It’s almost as if a sleeping giant were waking up in terms of sales and brand awareness.

With new Cherokee launched in 2014 and its smaller sibling Renegade arriving this year, there’s quite a significant renaissance going on.

And Jeep was delighted to report that it enjoyed a very successful March. New car registrations rose by a staggering 397 per cent when compared with the same month last year.

The ‘Go Anywhere, Do Anything’ brand registered 2,190 new cars, compared with 441 in March 2014, giving Jeep a 0.4 per cent market share against 0.1 per cent last year.

It was the 19th consecutive month of year-onyear sales growth, and was Jeep’s second-best month ever in the UK after August 1997 – a time when there was only one registration plate change a year.

The impressive result is further put into perspective when registrations for the whole of 2011 (2,146 cars) and 2010 (2,078 cars) are considered. It also means Jeep was the fastestgrowing car brand in the UK during the first quarter of 2015.

Damien Dally, head of brand for Jeep UK, said: ‘Nineteen consecutive months of growth tells its own story.

‘But when you see the sheer size of the increase in March 2015, compared with where we were this time last year, you really get a feel for how firmly Jeep has put itself back into customers’ considerations. We are bringing a new choice to UK drivers – against some tough competition – and we are working hard to ensure this current success will continue.’

The message was backed up by another Jeep chief, Steve Zanlunghi, when we caught up with him recently. With all the activity surrounding the marque going on at the moment, Zanlunghi, head of the Jeep brand for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as managing director for ���| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Morocco’s mountains make a majestic backdrop for a mighty convoy

JEEP’S dealer network continues to develop Asked if the brand had many open points across the UK, Steve Zanlunghi told us: ‘Some of the biggest open points we have we just filled.

Sunderland is probably our biggest remaining one.

‘But having said that, we just opened a store with Vertu Motors, Robert Forrester’s group, in Newcastle, which is doing very well for us – that’s obviously not that far from Sunderland. We just filled Leeds with Arnold Clark, which was the biggest open point we had in the UK. By the end of the year, we’ll be 88 per cent full and all of our major open points

will be filled by the end of the year. We’re also looking at not just filling the open points but also upgrading the network that we have.

‘Back in 2012, we needed our dealers to survive. Now we’re at a point where we’ve invested in our products, so the dealers can invest in their businesses.

‘If they don’t want to upgrade or invest, then we’ll look at putting in different dealers or stronger dealers.’

“

It’s a busy time – it’s exciting, though.

The heat is on...

Fiat-Chrysler in the UK, is certainly a man with a lot on his plate. He told us: ‘It’s a busy time – it’s exciting though.’

Jeep dealers have experienced some tough times in recent years, but things are looking a lot brighter now, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Zanlunghi and his team.

He told us: ‘I’ve been with Chrysler Jeep now for coming up on 18 years and I’ve been a Jeep fan 25 years so this isn’t just a job, this is actually an honour for me.

‘And let me tell you something. For the 18 years I have been working in the car business with Chrysler, other than 20 months of my career, I’ve always worked in the markets with dealers.

‘I know the importance of dealers to the business, for sure. They’re very important because without the dealers who’s going to sell the cars?

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 101

Feature.

JEEP: MOROCCAN ROAD TRIP ‘In recent years we have put a focus on the dealers, because if the dealers aren’t healthy in the network, then obviously they’re not going to invest in their businesses or the brands they represent. One of the first things I looked at when I took up this position in 2012 was, all right, what do the dealers think of us?

‘Basically, we looked at the NFDA surveys.

No-one in the organisation had been looking at those. So we took a look, and we realised, Okay, the dealers don’t think that much of us. Has anyone thought to ask the dealers where the problems are? Maybe we should identify those problems and fix them. So that’s kind of where we started and how we started improving our scores.

‘When you get more than half your network saying, “Not for us, thank you very much,’ there must be a reason for that. So we dug a little deeper and realised that in 2012 they were losing over £120,000.

‘We thought, okay, if we want to keep on selling cars, we’ve got to make these dealers healthy and profitable. We realised we had to build a healthy network. And that’s kind of what we did.

‘We addressed a lot of the issues. We hadn’t spoken to our dealer council in five years, so one of the first things we did was reinstate the dealer council and now we have a really good working relationship with them.

‘We bounce ideas off them and get their advice.

‘What I told the team was, we can come up with ideas that we think are the best ideas in the world, sitting in this boardroom, but if a dealer doesn’t think a particular idea is a good one, or can’t execute the plan, we’re not going to sell any cars. We’re very actively involved in keeping in touch with our dealers.

‘The way I like to run the business in the UK is, look, we’re there to support the dealers in selling cars. Not the other way around. Everything we do, we do to sell a car or to help a dealer sell a car.’

As we mentioned earlier, Jeep is undergoing a pretty thorough overhaul of its product range at the moment.

The arrival of Renegade in particular has been tremendously significant. It’s a car that marks a series of firsts for Jeep.

It’s the manufacturer’s first entry into the small SUV segment, the first Fiat-Chrysler car to be jointly developed by Italian and American engineers and the first Jeep to be built in Europe but sold in the USA. Zanlunghi told us: ‘Renegade is huge because it gives us an entry point into the brand that we’ve never had before.

‘The trick is to get the customer in early in their life. Once you get them into the brand, those people become so loyal – especially to the Jeep brand. Those customers will obviously move on with their lives and two or three years from now they may well be in a different place in their life and they might upgrade to a Cherokee or maybe ���| CarDealerMag.co.uk

The hills are alive with the sound of Jeeps...

“

We are bringing a new choice to UK drivers and we are working hard to ensure this current success will continue.

JEEP HISTORY

even a Grand Cherokee.

‘So now we’ve got the full, natural walk all the way through the line-up.’ With the announcement earlier this year that the Chrysler brand will be exiting the UK, Jeep dealers can look forward to increased focus on the marque.

Zanlunghi said: ‘We want to keep the focus on Jeep. When we looked at the business case, we said, we can keep Chrysler alive, but we considered what would happen if we took the resources allocated to Chrysler and put them into Jeep.

‘We asked: Where would the biggest return be? And we made a decision to put all the resources into Jeep.

‘We want to sell around 10,000 vehicles for the

year and we think that’s a pretty conservative estimate. When we opened the order books in February for Renegade, we did 185 per cent of our target, so we’ve already requested additional production for the UK market and we’re cautiously optimistic about the car.

‘Product is key – product and then the experience the customer gets in the dealership.

And as we do in the US, we take a lifestyle approach to marketing. Ninety per cent of all Jeep owners go off-road in their minds but only three per cent actually do it.’

With the memories of negotiating the challenging terrain of Morocco’s Agafay Desert still fresh in our minds, we’d say the other 97 per cent are missing out in a big way... [CD]

AS World War Two raged in Europe, the US military realised it needed to update its modified Ford Model T-based reconnaissance vehicles. It developed a lengthy specification list and invited 135 vehicle manufacturers to bid on production.

The Willys-Overland Quad design triumphed and quickly became known as the ‘Jeep’. After the war, Willys trademarked the Jeep name and turned its military vehicle into an off-road workhorse for farmers, the Utility Jeep.

The first civilian Jeep, the CJ-2A, was built in 1945 and the basic design developed as the years went by. In 1953, Willys-Overland was sold to Henry J Kaiser for $60 million and the company immediately began investigating expanding the Jeep product range.

Jeep’s first real family-oriented model came in 1963 – the Wagoneer, a predecessor to the Cherokee badge we know today. But despite that and the CJ’s success, Kaiser lost money on Jeeps and in 1970 the maker was bought by American Motors Corporation (AMC).

Then followed the Chrysler years. One of the ‘big three’ American car makers, Chrysler fully bought out AMC in 1987.

In 1998, the Germans moved in. Daimler – owners of Mercedes-Benz – merged with Chrysler with mixed results. Product quality at Mercedes suffered in a costcutting drive, while Jeep’s product line was beginning to fall short of European rivals.

In 2008, things got even worse. Chrysler separated from Mercedes, the financial crisis hit and sales figures dropped dramatically across all of its brands. What’s more, Jeep had introduced three new model lines at the worst possible time – the Compass and Patriot ‘crossovers’ were already treading on the Cherokee’s toes when sales were solid, while the gigantic seven-seat Commander arrived as buyers were looking to go down in size, not up.

Bankruptcy followed, but some restructuring later and Jeep was back on form – thanks to help from both a US government bailout and a deal with Fiat.

It’s only now that we’re really seeing the results of the buy-out, but things are certainly looking more positive.

The capable Cherokee makes use of an Alfa Romeo platform and drivetrain, aiding its European appeal, while the Renegade we drove a few months ago is built in Italy alongside Fiat’s 500X crossover. Even the Grand Cherokee has upped its game – now providing a decent rival to the likes of the Land Rover Discovery.

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Guide to the sales process

Welcome S

o much has altered in relation to the sales process in the past few years, it’s been difficult to keep up.

Consumers don’t behave the same way, the pace of technological change has been astonishing, and we have been through some very tough times economically.

One thing hasn’t changed, however. Our fundamental job – which is to sell cars and provide great service to our customers.

Of course, those customers are far more knowledgeable than they used to be, thanks to the research they do on the internet.

In fact, when they turn up at your showroom, it’s quite possible they might know as much about a particular car you have on your forecourt as the salesperson who greets them!

And the other thing to bear in mind when you smile at them as they walk through the door, is that rather than trawling round dozens of dealerships looking for their ideal motor, statistics show that they will be visiting your business – and on average, only one other.

So that’s why it’s vital to make the most of all customer contact and make the sales process work for you. From capturing someone’s attention, to meeting their needs and closing the deal, the companies listed on the right are all ideally placed to help you. We’re sure you’ll find their advice on the following pages invaluable.

Coming up..

Dragon2000

P106

How clever software – developed by dealers, for dealers – will help you work smarter, not harder, to close deals.

Force Manager

P108

Supplying customer management systems to streamline the sales process and cut out unnecessary paperwork.

Warrantywise

P109

With astonishingly good feedback and Quentin Willson as a figurehead, this company is worth talking to.

Dealer Auction

P110

Offering trade buyers the opportunity to source and buy trade cars direct from franchised main dealers.

Dave Brown (@CarDealerDave) Production Editor

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 105

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Guide to the sales process

Don’t work harder – just work dragon2000

D

ragon2000 appreciates car dealers are busy people. It knows there’s a lot more to selling cars than waiting for customers to walk through the dealership doors, clutching a cheque book in a sweaty palm.

That’s why its mantra is so simple. It’s not about encouraging dealers to work harder to generate more sales. It’s about working smarter.

And it’s why it stresses to dealers not to concentrate on the cost of its DMS system (and, by the way it’s cheaper than most). Instead, dealers should concentrate on what it brings to their business – it shouldn’t be seen as a cost to the business, rather a tool to make them more money.

Mark Kelland, the commercial manager at Dragon2000, says its software has been developed by dealers for dealers.

‘That sits behind the whole Dragon ethos,’ he says.

‘Our MD, Mark Cooper, is ex motor trade. The software was designed and built around him using it for himself. We have only ever done automotive – our operations manager is ex Sytner Group, we understand the motor trade.

‘Mark started working for himself in car sales and he needed some software to work with, so he built a product that did what he wanted it to do.

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W: dragon2000.co.uk | T: 0845 838 2000 | ‘One of his best friends who ran a franchise liked it and asked if he could use it, too. And the rest, as they say, is history…

‘And his friend is still a Dragon2000 customer, all these years later.

‘The product has evolved over the past 20 years because we have listened to suggestions coming from our own customer base. If one, two, three dealers are asking for the same features, then that shapes and moulds the way the product evolves.’

And, Kelland says, what Dragon2000 is aiming to achieve is exactly what dealers want, too. ‘The utopia is one point of data entry. That’s what we mean by

about working smarter, not working harder.

‘With Dragon, everything is in there – the CRM, the actual vehicle stock, the invoicing, and new for this year, in-house web design. The primary thing for a Dragon customer with a Dragon website is that data flows backwards and forwards.

‘The stock is immediately live on the website, and the moment it is sold it’s off the website.

‘Things like customer enquiries from

OUR view

smarter

by Mark Kelland

E: sales@dragon2000.co.uk the website and customer bookings on the service side, they all come straight into the CRM. ‘Some people can have third-party websites, of course they can, but they receive only an email – someone has then got to re-key that information. If it’s a single point of data entry, everything is at your fingertips. It saves time and means salespeople can spend more time doing productive stuff.

‘I was talking to one of our dealers only this morning – he has a third-party website and he said one of his salesmen spends nearly half his time updating their website, and then passing that information on to their advertisers, such as Auto Trader and the others.

‘Think of the costs of that. Even if he is paying that guy only £20,000 a year, half his time is lost.

It’s not a case of losing £10,000 – it’s the £10,000 a year they’re paying him, plus the lost sales from the amount of time he should be spending prospecting, and doing the stuff that earns the company money, rather than the admin chores.

It’s that kind of key stuff that is so important.’

Dragon2000 is very much on the up, with its systems becoming increasingly prominent in the industry – there’s a reason, after all, why they won the Dealer Management System of the Year award at the recent Car Dealer Power ceremony.

Kelland says: ‘If you’re asking why we win when we pitch, the first thing is our software is incredibly flexible. We don’t charge our customers up front – there’s no X thousands of pounds they have to pay us. It’s a pure month-by-month rental.

‘We don’t tie our customers into a minimum

contract. We have confidence in our product and we try to install that confidence into them that they are not being tied into something.

‘If they join Dragon2000 they are simply committing month by month. There’s not money up front, or a minimum three-year period they are tied with us. If we’re not right for them, they are free to leave.

‘The flexibility, the economies of scale – we’re great value for money. Compared to some of our rivals, Dragon is probably one-tenth of the cost.

It’s massively different.

‘All our customer support, all our product updates, are built into the monthly repayment.

None of our customers gets left behind – they automatically get the newest, latest releases.

‘This month customers are getting the new Dragon VHC app – the Vehicle Health Check with the red, amber and green reports – and they can download it to their phone. Unlike our competitors, that’s free to our users.

‘With our customer support, people can pick up the phone and they speak to a human. We don’t do ticketing systems like some, and two weeks later someone calls you back. With us, you get an answer today.

‘We recognise the humanity of having someone on the end of a phone – we know it’s absolutely key, particularly that hand-holding exercise for new dealers.

‘Convincing them to use Dragon is the easy bit. We know it’s very much a hands-on process.

It’s all part and parcel of what they are paying the monthly rental for.’

top product, top service and a top price – it’s a winner all round SO how come Dragon2000 is so much cheaper than other systems? Surely you get what you pay for – if something’s cheap, it won’t work properly, will it?

Not so, says Mark Kelland. Not so at all.

He says: ‘Dragon isn’t a bespoke product – it’s off the shelf. But that doesn’t mean it’s inferior in any way. When people ask for features and product development... well, if it’s something the industry will use, and a practice that’s common, it’s something that should naturally be in the product, and then it should be available to everyone. So we will change the product to

make sure it IS available for everyone. Essentially, when we develop the site, we do it once but because the product is being sold many times over, hundreds of dealers get the benefit. We can afford to be cheaper than others merely because of the economies of scale that come from that.

‘We are supporting almost 1,000 customers, most of them here in the UK but we do have international operations. It’s all run from here at our headquarters in Northamptonshire and all our software and our support is in-house. It’s a cloud-hosted solution hosted by Rackspace – again, the very best solutions.’

Winning the Car Dealer Power award makes us tremendously proud, with recognition coming from our dealers.

In-house we like to think we are doing everything properly, but to get those recommendations coming back from dealers – with people knowing they are getting a proper product and value for money that does all the things it is supposed to do, and quite a bit more – well, that’s special.

It is a relationship between us as a supplier and them as a customer. If our software doesn’t do the things it needs to, it impacts on their business.

We don’t change things or add features just because we think it’s a good idea – it’s all about the way the market is moving.

Websites now need to be mobile-friendly.

We monitor the activity on our own website, and in the first three months of this year 63 per cent of all hits on the Dragon website were from non-desktop machines, either a mobile phone or a tablet.

We are telling our customers that if their sites are not mobile-friendly, potentially they’re not coping with up to two-thirds of web visits.

We tell dealers there is another way that doesn’t cost you thousands of pounds.

There has been all sorts of research that show when someone walks into the dealership, they have already been online, they have picked the cars they want, they know the spec – it’s not the uninformed customer that’s turning up in the way they did before.

Our job is to empower those dealerships as much as possible.

One thing we have found with the integrated website is the lead level coming off the site is much more responsive.

Customers are seeing leads 24 hours a day arriving directly into the system so they can allocate them to a member of staff and follow up on them while it’s a live lead.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 107

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Guide to the sales process

Simple to use, intuitive and fast FORCE MANAGER

W: forcemanager.net/automotive

T

here is one thing that everyone shares a hatred for – and that’s paperwork.

This is particularly true for sales people who love selling and hate reporting. For something that’s designed to monitor productivity, it can seriously slow it down, but it is an inescapable fact that management need reports to run a business strategically and efficiently.

However, Javier Peralta, ForceManager’s country manager for the UK and Ireland, believes their solution could transform the sales cycle, by reducing the reporting burden for sales staff, enhancing the quality of data that managers receive and helping sales staff beat their targets. But how can this be achieved? Car Dealer caught up with Peralta recently to find out more about how this new technology could improve sales for car dealerships.

So how is the ForceManager solution different to traditional CRM systems?

Javier Peralta: CRMs over time have become complex and clunky systems because they’ve been adding more features to the point of overwhelming users. In the past five years, mobility has become mainstream and as people are increasingly using smartphones and tablets, these complex CRMs don’t translate to small mobile devices.

What we have done is strip down the CRM to the basics by analysing what the sales reps need in order to do their work faster and smarter.

ForceManager is simple to use, it’s intuitive, and it’s fast. If you miss one of those three, reps will not use it. Those are the three principles we used in developing the software application.

How does ForceManager automate processes for sales staff?

ForceManager captures all of the sales interactions between the sales person and customers or prospects. For instance, how do sales people communicate with customers nowadays? Well, phone calls, emails and then face-to-face visits. We capture those three metrics automatically. And the good thing about it is we capture it without the sales person having to report it. The sales rep executes

‘‘

and ForceManager takes care of the reporting, allowing the sales people to maximise the time they spend selling.

What kind of impact could a car dealer expect to see from using ForceManager?

Because ForceManager is not about workflows and processes but focuses on improving sales performance, we’ve seen organisations across different sectors increase their sales by between 10 and 20 per cent. ForceManager enables sales staff to become more productive, helping them to exceed targets and sell more.

That seems pretty dramatic…

Look, if I’m a sales guy and this week I contacted 50 customers, my boss wants to know what I’ve done.

Normally, I would have to produce a report on that.

With ForceManager we eliminate reporting entirely, I don’t need to say ‘I’ve made a phone call to such and such a customer’, because ForceManager logs it and the same goes for emails and visits. With visits you would typically have a meeting and then come out of the meeting and have to report that visit. To do that on the go when you are out and about all

What we have done is to strip down the CRM to the basics by analysing what the sales reps need in order to do their work faster and smarter... ���| CarDealerMag.co.uk

day, it’s not doable. With ForceManager, you would check in, like with Facebook, using geo-location.

Then after the meeting I will dictate my report through the voice recognition feature.

My boss can access that information there and then. The time I would have spent on paperwork is instead spent selling.

When you look at it like that it becomes easy to see why the results are so impressive.

So a dealership could improve the quality of data it generates using ForceManager?

Yes. I talk to sales directors and CEOs every week and they tell me, ‘I have information, but I can’t access it, or it takes too long to access, or I don’t know what to do with it as there’s too much of it and not displayed in a meaningful way.’

This creates a state called Analysis Paralysis. What we do is, if you have a customer, you will find all their information and interactions with them in one place, logged chronologically.

It’s similar to the timeline on Facebook, showing who has done what and when.

So it improves management as well as sales?

Yes – our web app provides a dashboard that tells them everything that is happening in the field with customers. That information is then summarised in reports that can be customised. As an example, one of our customers in the automotive industry gets a report every Friday that enables them to identify and remediate any issues. As you can see, we improve the entire process for sales teams from top to bottom.

So much positive feedback WARRANTY WISE

I

t’s no wonder used car dealers occasionally feel that the odds are stacked against them – particularly when they compare themselves to their main dealer rivals, with more financial muscle and the backing of manufacturers.

But there are plenty of companies who provide valuable support and assistance to used car dealers and their customers to help level the playing field – one of whom is Warrantywise.

The Lancashire-based business recognises that used car dealers want to match the sales experience offered by main dealers – and a crucial part of that approach is the ability to offer a first-class warranty product that pays out.

Warrantywise ticks the boxes here with its 94 per cent claims payout ratio. All claims paid are published on the company’s website – and Warrantywise is the only company confident enough to do this.

Car Dealer recently caught up with Clare Ormerod, dealer sales supervisor, who told us: ‘Our payout rate is a lot higher than most on the market but it’s not just about paying the claims, it’s about dealing with customers in the right way from start to finish.

‘We offer a level of service that no-one else does.

We call all dealers’ customers to make sure they are 100 per cent happy with the level of cover provided and ensure they are aware of all the benefits available to them. Our warranty is not just parts and labour. It gives extra peace of mind by providing reimbursement of out-of-pocket costs plus free roadside assistance and recovery, travel expenses and car hire.

‘And our newly-launched Dealernet system is quick and easy for dealers to use if they want to purchase warranties on the go. All quotes, bookings, payments, point-of-sale orders and admin is done on the online system, making the whole process hassle-free from beginning to end.

‘It’s a flawless system. It’s just so easy for the dealers and saves them so much time – time they can use to sell cars!’

The effectiveness and popularity of Warrantywise

‘‘

W: wisedealer.co.uk T: 0800 001 4551 A GOOD, HONEST WARRANTY WARRANTYWISE’S eye-catching point-ofsale materials are quite a draw for customers – and can really enhance the forecourt of any dealership. Clare Ormerod told us: ‘We’ve got an extensive array of flags, signboards, window flashes, posters and Quentin Willson cutouts.

‘It’s good for dealers to advertise the fact they’re using an aftermarket warranty provider.

If customers can see the Quentin cutouts and all the point-of-sale materials, they will be fully aware they’re getting a good, honest warranty that will pay out.’ has led to a substantial increase in the number of trade sales recently – figures have almost doubled in the past year. And in the first quarter of 2015, figures have increased 49.9 per cent compared to 2014.

Ormerod told us: ‘We have an exciting year ahead too, with the new products on the way. We are launching a new corporate division targeting large dealer groups and main dealers.’

One key benefit of working with Warrantywise is that there’s always someone ready to talk to you.

‘Dealers can have confidence booking with Warrantywise for their customers because they know they’ll be dealing direct with their regional account manager. We cut out the middle-men as we don’t have any on-the-road reps.

‘We’re always available to talk rather than having to book appointments.

We offer a friendly, honest

We offer a friendly, honest and personal approach to every dealer – and their customers of course.

and personal approach to every dealer – and their customers of course.’

There are plenty of other great reasons why you should choose Warrantywise as a business partner.

We’d need many more pages to explain them all but two in particular are worth a mention.

First, the company’s long-standing association with TV star and motoring journalist Quentin Willson. Ormerod told us: ‘A key benefit of working with Warrantywise is that everything is handled under one roof at our headquarters. And if there are any complaints from customers or dealers they can email Quentin direct, who will step in if he needs to and make the final decision.’

And the second? The impressive online reviews the company receives.

On Reevoo, Warrantywise has 94 per cent positive customer feedback with an overall score of 4.6 out of five. And on Feefo, the company is a Gold Award holder, with 95 per cent positive feedback for the past 12 months. With so many happy dealers and customers on board, perhaps it’s time you talked to Warrantywise.

by Dave Brown (@CarDealerDave) CarDealerMag.co.uk | 109

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Guide to the sales process

Turn your trade vehicles into a dealer auction

S

elling trade cars shouldn’t be sidelined and every dealer can maximise their profit here, according to Dealer Auction.

The trade vehicle auction website wants to encourage dealers to consider their partexchanges as a continuation of the sales process.

Dealer Auction is the website that offers franchised dealers the chance to sell their trade vehicles and turn this part of the business into a real moneymaker.

The sales on Dealer Auction have been growing rapidly, with more than 5,000 cars now being sold every month. In 2014, 53,000 cars were sold on Dealer Auction and managing director Gavin Smith explained that more than 10 per cent of the franchised dealers in the UK were using their service. This number continues to grow as more franchised dealers recognise the value of

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W: dealer-auction.com | T: 0116 2301444 | offering their dealerships trade vehicles online.

Smith explained that car dealers are seeing the trade profit generated through the dealer auction platform as a genuine revenue stream to their business.

‘We don’t feel the sales process should end on the handover of the retail vehicle,’ he said.

‘We work very closely with our selling dealers to continue this process and focus on selling the trade vehicle for the maximum price.

‘As we have some of the best trade buyers across the UK, it enables us to maximise every dealer’s trade profit opportunity every time.’

HOW DOES IT WORK? Dealer Auction works hard to ensure the best trade stock ends up on its website, from £100 cars

to a £98,000 Aston Martin which recently sold there, they’ve got the best buyers for them all.

Smith told us: ‘It’s well known within the motor trade that some of the most desirable trade cars that you can buy are those part-exchanges that are generated from franchised dealers, which is why we allow only franchised dealers to offer vehicles on to our online auction platform.

‘The cars we promote are trade vehicles that the dealer has no interest in retailing themselves.

They will have known when doing the deal for a new or used car that it doesn’t fit their vehicle profile as a retail opportunity.’

In this situation, there is then the option to sell via Dealer Auction, which is a simple process, as he continued: ‘When that car comes into stock, the dealer has the ability to upload the information, the vehicle details, a full appraisal, accompanying images.

In a matter of minutes they can list that car and expose it on a time-set auction to an audience of other motor traders that hopefully buy that type of vehicle.’

Although only franchised dealers can list cars on the website, these are then marketed to both franchised and independent dealers.

They’ve now got more than 600 active franchised dealers selling on the website consistently and 4,000 registered users.

‘Any independent dealer can buy, and we charge a buyer’s fee of £25 plus VAT for any vehicle over £1,000. Any vehicle under £1,000, there’s no buyer’s fee.’

These savings

real moneyspinner E: info@dealer-auction.com continue, because there is no percentage taken and it’s always a fixed fee.

‘What’s even more important than that,’ added Smith, ‘is we’re no sale, no fee. So there’s an opportunity for a dealer to list a car on Dealer Auction without worrying about the cost if it doesn’t sell.

‘It’s free of charge and we don’t sign any dealers into any contracts, so there really is no commitment and no risk.

‘We only charge a dealer if they have the success that they desire. So if we sell a car for them, we charge a fixed fee of £40 plus VAT, for every car, regardless of the value.’

HOW DOES IT MAKE ME MONEY? Selling a trade car doesn’t have to be a snap decision to move unwanted stock off the forecourt. By utilising Dealer Auction, you can make more profit without any extra work!

This is thanks to the huge audience using Dealer Auction daily, from across the United Kingdom.

‘Dealer Auction will make them more profit because they’re exposing it to a bigger audience,’ said Smith.

‘This is a car they wouldn’t put on their forecourt anyway, and we might just get a man who’s got a customer in mind for it.

Plus geographically, a car that someone takes in part-exchange in Bournemouth might be a more desirable car in Northumberland. We want the guy in Northumberland to see that vehicle, bid for it and buy it!’

The quick turnaround means dealers are soon back in the money. Smith continued: ‘The car is going on a time-driven auction, like you’d see on eBay. You load a car on and it’s going to finish in two or three days’ time then the car is normally sold, paid for and collected, then that dealer has got the money back in their account. So it’s quick encashment of the funds and the profit that they’ve made from that vehicle.’

GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND If a car doesn’t sell on Dealer Auction, it’s not the end of the world. The team are there to support sellers after their auction has ended.

Customer service is second-to-none and something website users are thrilled with, explained Smith: ‘The dealers who use Dealer Auction love it, and they love the level of service we provide in terms of facilitating the sale.

‘Obviously not everything sells on the auction, not everything reaches the reserve price, so we’ve got a dedicated team of 11 people who are on hand to provide any potential buyers with information.

‘We negotiate on behalf of the dealer with the motor trader to get the price that they need to sell the vehicle.’

It’s a tailored service from start to finish with Dealer Auction. Once a dealer has loaded their car on to the system it’s over to their team.

‘We completely deal with everything until the vehicle is sold or has met the reserve price,’ he continued.

‘When a dealer is selling a car, they will remain anonymous until it’s sold, so it will only show the location not the details of the dealer that’s selling it. Any enquiries, any questions around that vehicle, come through to us at Dealer Auction and we deal with it for the dealer.

‘We take a lot of the effort that usually a dealer would have to deal with and make it more efficient for them.’

‘‘

We completely deal with everything until the vehicle is sold or has met the reserve price.

Any enquiries, any questions around that vehicle, come through to us at Dealer Auction and we deal with it for the dealer.

We take a lot of the effort that usually a dealer would have to deal with and make it more efficient for them.

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 111

The search is on.

When the price is right.

Nearly half of all Auto Trader stock is not priced to the retail market*, meaning it’s less attractive to potential car buyers. But pricing right doesn’t always mean being the cheapest. Reflect good value against the competition, to help more spotters find your stock. And turn browsers into buyers. We can’t tell you what’s right for your business, but we can give you the tools to help you make the best decisions.

For buying, selling, marketing and managing. We help you stay one step ahead. trade.autotrader.co.uk/managing *Auto Trader data, April 2015.

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What drives us is you CarDealerMag.co.uk | 113

DASHBOARD. FEATURE.

Ask Lawgistics

Regulations will take some getting used to

Car Dealer Club lawyers at Lawgistics answer dealers’ legal questions. Join for £39.99 a year to get advice like this when you need it

Q

I understand the counterpart of the driving licence is being scrapped. How is this going to affect my business?

If you are an employer, or if test drives, hire vehicles or even courtesy cars are a part of your daily business, you will be aware of the change that is due to be implemented on June 8, 2015.

You may already have a system in place that includes the fundamental checking of the paper part of the driving licence for your staff, potential customers or existing clients.

The DVLA will be abolishing the counterpart to the driving licence.

Currently, the role of the counterpart, as we all know, is to hold vital information regarding what vehicle categories the holder is authorised to drive as well as any penalty points.

Penalty points will now be recorded electronically and will be held on the DVLA’s driver record. This can be checked either online, by phone or post.

The government has produced a website that enables you to check what details are on a licence. However, you will require the driving licence number, National Insurance number and the postcode which is on the

A

Q

driving licence. It is unlikely that your potential customer ‘popping in for a test drive’ will know all the details required.

Of course as an employer, you will need to take this into account when hiring new staff members who drive vehicles as part of their job.

We have been informed that the Share Driving Licence Service, which is currently under development, will be available to assist in providing the essential information required.

This is due to be available before the counterpart is abolished and has been designed with businesses in mind who rely on the counterpart to carry out the necessary checks.

However, access to the service will only be granted if the consent of the driving licence holder has been given. Alternatively, your applicant can call ahead to the DVLA and give permission for their driving record to be checked verbally by a nominated person or company.

Please note, the paper driving licences, which were issued before the photo-card licence was introduced are still valid! These are gradually being phased out, when updating or renewing the licence, the DVLA will issue the photo-card licence.

.com

Customer wants refund – what should I do?

Q

We are being taken to court by a customer who is trying claim a full refund on a vehicle he bought from us five months ago for £6,995. We had the vehicle in for a minor repair shortly after the sale and have heard no more but the customer is now trying to claim it was not fit for purpose. They have driven just over 6,000 miles. How should we approach the case?

Unfortunately, some customers get a bit carried away when it comes to consumer rights.

In your case, and as you have

A

mentioned, the customer has managed to drive more than 6,000 miles in five months so clearly it cannot be claimed that the vehicle was not fit for purpose and so they are not entitled to receive a full refund.

After five months, they are also unlikely to be entitled to a partial refund but, if you want to save yourself the time of going through the entire court process, you could consider offering a partial refund which takes

account of the use the customer has had of the car.

This could, for example, mean you offer to buy it back at the current trade price. Section 48(C)3 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does allow for any refund to be reduced in this way.

Alternatively you could defend the case which will mean preparing a defence, going to mediation (which will be offered free as this claim is a small claim, ie under £10,000) and attending a hearing.

ADVICE

One of my mechanics is asking for extended time off when his baby is born in June. I have heard that new fathers can take more time off than before when they have a baby now.

Is this true?

Yes. As of April 5, 2015 the Shared Parental Leave Regulations 2014 were bought into force. This is a very detailed piece of legislation.

Put very simply, it means that both parents can share up to 50 weeks’ leave when the baby is born. Thirtyseven of those weeks will be paid as Shared Parental Leave Pay at the current rate of £139.58 per week.

The mother has to take the first two weeks off after the birth, then the 50 weeks can be shared between both parents. This can be in one continuous block, ie, one parent takes it all or shorter varying periods of time up to a maximum of three separate periods of time.

There are eligibility criteria for this so not all of your employees will be entitled to it and there is a specified way in which employees should be requesting parental leave so make sure you check this.

As with all new legislation it will take some getting used to and you might have to work closely with your employees and their partners to ensure you meet the Regulations. The Regulations do not replace maternity and paternity leave so you may find yourself working with both.

A

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WHY I JOINED car dealer club WANT TO UPGRADE YOUR MEMBERSHIP?

Lawgistics don’t just save time and money – they can help dealers MAKE some money too, say Cridfords

LAWGISTICS’ basic membership – which you receive as a member of Car Dealer Club – is a cracking deal, but what if you need something that has extra clout? Larger dealer groups or a dealer embroiled in a big legal battle may require some more firepower, and the good news is that Club members get discounts on Lawgistics’ other packages. You’ll receive a £100 discount off the small business package (normally £695) – perfect for sole traders, a partnership or a small dealer group – and £250 off the professional package (normally £1,295). This is ideal for franchises, a dealer group or a car supermarket and covers all areas of legal law and documentation. There’s a package for everyone with Lawgistics.

Cridfords have been running since 1987, where they trade exclusively in Porsches from their site in Ewhurst. Over the years they have been constantly broadening their knowledge of the marque.

As Car Dealer Club members, Cridfords have been able to use motor trade legal specialists Lawgistics, thanks to the versatility of the service they offer, for several issues.

Cridfords director Jonathan Leach told Car Dealer: ‘They’ve helped us in a couple of cases to clarify our legal position within the motor trade with customers and they’ve helped us with some VAT queries.

‘It’s nice to have someone on the end of the phone who can just point you in the right direction.’

Car Dealer Magazine often highlights cases where Lawgistics have been able to prevent car dealers from losing money. But in this situation, they were actually able to help Cridfords make some more!

‘It was a technical VAT query with an export car,’ said Leach. ‘They explained how to export a car without paying a VAT export tax. Lawgistics told us how we could save

paying VAT on the used-car margin, and it saved us a lot of money.’

‘We knew if you sell a car to a country outside the EU, you don’t have to pay VAT on your margin. When dealers sell a used car, the profit margin has to include the VAT element.

‘But if you sell a car outside the EU, you don’t have to pass that VAT element to the tax man. So, potentially, on a big profit deal, it could be worth thousands.

‘But obviously with anything involving Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise, you have to have your paperwork very, very accurate and straight and Lawgistics helped us ensure our books were absolutely right.’

Leach explained Cridfords had recently been working out the final details of this and also used Lawgistics for some of their other services.

He said: ‘They also run our warranty scheme. We self-warrant and they supply paperwork and all the legal bits for our warranty. Their service is very good and there’s always someone there to take your call. They’re very friendly and extremely knowledgeable.’

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DATA FILE.

Thestatistics n

SMMT Sales Data

n

Taking Stock

Figures issued on election day paint a positive picture Number of registrations recorded in April rose for a 38th consecutive month

F

igures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders on the morning of the general election underlined a robust new car market in April, with registrations up for the 38th consecutive month.

Demand rose by 5.1 per cent to 185,778 units – the month’s best performance since 2005. Year-to-date registrations for 2015 were up 6.4 per cent to 920,366.

April’s strong performance, which comes after a record first quarter for the sector, tracks a 12-year high for consumer confidence and continues a pattern of growth in new car registrations around general elections that dates back to 1979.

Demand is forecast to continue in line with this trend as new products, attractive finance deals and low interest rates inspire consumers and businesses to give the new car market their vote of confidence.

All but three of the past nine general elections have coincided with a spike in new-car demand in the three months immediately before and after polling day. Notable exceptions were during the recessions of 1992 and 2010, while the 2005 election period saw registrations dip as part of natural market readjustment after hitting peak volumes in 2002.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: ‘These figures highlight the current strength of consumer confidence, even at a time of political uncertainty.

‘We are confident the UK’s new car

market – so symbolic of economic mood – will continue to thrive, but long-term success will depend largely on economic and political stability in the months and years ahead.

‘The next government must act quickly to uphold economic certainty and reassure consumers and markets.’

Richard Lowe, head of retail and wholesale at Barclays, said: ‘The industry is still talking a strong story with consumer and fleet sales driving home good growth for April. Manufacturers continue to offer tempting deals, so as long as consumers aren’t distracted by the general election we can hope for a similar story at the end of May.’ The top 10 best-sellers for April were (starting at the top), the Ford Fiesta (10,294 units); Ford Focus (6,347); Volkwagen Golf (5,354); Vauxhall Corsa (4,951); Nissan Qashqai (4,697); Volkswagen Polo (4,674); Audi A3 (3,981); Vauxhall Astra (3,613); Mercedes C-Class (3,351) and Mini (3,000).

They’re no April fools – MG celebrate their success THE SMMT figures reported above revealed that MG Motor UK had its best April ever.

The company was pleased to see a 39 per cent increase on April 2014’s figures.

The British marque is also celebrating a 52 per cent increase from last year (year-to-date). MG’s registrations, from January until April, have pushed the manufacturer past the 1,000 mark, which means that in the first four ���| CarDealerMag.co.uk

months of 2015, MG has more than doubled the 2013 figure.

Matthew Cheyne, MG’s head of marketing, said: ‘The latest figures show the continual growth and success of MG’s sales. These figures are increasing month by month, and this is all before the new MG6 has officially landed. As our dealer network grows and dealers sell more, we will continue to expand as a company and we are still pushing for

at least 70 dealers by year end.’

Other manufacturers had reason to be cheerful too. Ford reported that its total vehicle sales increased in April, and for the year to date, compared with the same periods in 2014, as it stretched its total vehicle sales lead by more than 11 per cent over its nearest competitor.

A surge in commercial vehicle sales was a major factor, with registrations up by 39.5 per cent for the year to date.

SMMT sales data April/year to date

5

Top

Most-improved manufacturers in April Infiniti

+695%

Lotus

+261%

Jeep

+198%

SsangYong +96% Smart

+91%

5

Bottom

Worst-performing manufacturers in April Perodua

-100%

Chevrolet

-100%

Chrysler

-93%

Fiat

-22%

Alfa Romeo -20%

RENAULT +19.86%

HONDA -18.80% Figures supplied by SMMT

Marque Abarth Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Chevrolet Chrysler Citroen Dacia Fiat Ford Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Kia Land Rover Lexus Lotus Maserati Mazda Mercedes-Benz MG Mia MINI Mitsubishi Nissan Perodua Peugeot Porsche Proton Renault Saab SEAT Skoda smart SsangYong Subaru Suzuki Toyota Vauxhall Volkswagen Volvo Other British Other Imports Total

April 2015

2015

159 299 71 13,264 103 10,891 0 10 6,458 2,320 3,695 25,018 2,471 6,628 175 1,151 605 6,143 5,549 1,044 47 148 2,614 10,082 308 0 3,938 1,470 9,844 0 7,498 1,322 0 4,140 0 3,525 6,688 701 165 223 1,819 6,634 16,538 18,690 3,056 95 179 185,778

% market share 0.09 0.16 0.04 7.14 0.06 5.86 0.00 0.01 3.48 1.25 1.99 13.47 1.33 3.57 0.09 0.62 0.33 3.31 2.99 0.56 0.03 0.08 1.41 5.43 0.17 0.00 2.12 0.79 5.30 0.00 4.04 0.71 0.00 2.23 0.00 1.90 3.60 0.38 0.09 0.12 0.98 3.57 8.90 10.06 1.64 0.05 0.10

April 2014

2014

114 377 58 12,958 108 10,484 85 154 6,028 1,979 4,760 25,843 3,043 6,122 22 1,209 203 5,966 4,381 691 13 130 2,177 8,736 221 0 2,992 925 9,446 4 7,245 914 0 3,454 0 3,637 6,053 367 84 129 2,193 6,838 17,052 16,590 2,889 66 80 176,820

% market share 0.06 0.21 0.03 7.33 0.06 5.93 0.05 0.09 3.41 1.12 2.69 14.62 1.72 3.46 0.01 0.68 0.11 3.37 2.48 0.39 0.01 0.07 1.23 4.94 0.12 0.00 1.69 0.52 5.34 0.00 4.10 0.52 0.00 1.95 0.00 2.06 3.42 0.21 0.05 0.07 1.24 3.87 9.64 9.38 1.63 0.04 0.05

% change 39.47 -20.69 22.41 2.36 -4.63 3.88 -100.00 -93.51 7.13 17.23 -22.37 -3.19 -18.80 8.27 695.45 -4.80 198.03 2.97 26.66 51.09 261.54 13.85 20.07 15.41 39.37 0.00 31.62 58.92 4.21 -100.00 3.49 44.64 0.00 19.86 0.00 -3.08 10.49 91.01 96.43 72.87 -17.05 -2.98 -3.01 12.66 5.78 43.94 123.75 5.07

2015 687 1,737 335 58,183 510 50,915 2 106 31,716 9,849 21,744 119,822 19,635 31,494 407 6,103 3,327 28,408 26,154 4,730 135 523 17,344 50,393 1,167 0 18,899 9,440 56,091 0 40,411 4,052 0 24,733 0 17,683 25,419 2,011 787 1,173 12,009 36,844 91,714 79,078 13,647 261 688 920,366

Year-to-date (YTD) % market share 0.07 0.19 0.04 6.32 0.06 5.53 0.00 0.01 3.45 1.07 2.36 13.02 2.13 3.42 0.04 0.66 0.36 3.09 2.84 0.51 0.01 0.06 1.88 5.48 0.13 0.00 2.05 1.03 6.09 0.00 4.39 0.44 0.00 2.69 0.00 1.92 2.76 0.22 0.09 0.13 1.30 4.00 9.96 8.59 1.48 0.03 0.07

2014

534 1,953 315 56,724 580 48,421 2,646 744 30,206 8,800 23,542 120,719 21,308 29,225 138 6,683 919 27,574 21,479 3,731 56 317 14,664 42,535 767 5 12,759 3,652 47,254 16 39,678 3,054 1 21,110 1 17,660 26,360 1,657 513 799 13,713 34,570 91,344 72,861 12,798 268 289 864,942

% market share 0.06 0.23 0.04 6.56 0.07 5.60 0.31 0.09 3.49 1.02 2.72 13.96 2.46 3.38 0.02 0.77 0.11 3.19 2.48 0.43 0.01 0.04 1.70 4.92 0.09 0.00 1.48 0.42 5.46 0.00 4.59 0.35 0.00 2.44 0.00 2.04 3.05 0.19 0.06 0.09 1.59 4.00 10.56 8.42 1.48 0.03 0.03

% change 28.65 -11.06 6.35 2.57 -12.07 5.15 -99.92 -85.75 5.00 11.92 -7.64 -0.74 -7.85 7.76 194.93 -8.68 262.02 3.02 21.77 26.78 141.07 64.98 18.28 18.47 52.15 -100.00 48.12 158.49 18.70 -100.00 1.85 32.68 -100.00 17.16 -100.00 0.13 -3.57 21.36 53.41 46.81 -12.43 6.58 0.41 8.53 6.63 -2.61 138.06 6.41

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 117

TAKING STOCK. Remarketing specialist BCA reports on a healthy month – but with summer approaching, retail demand is likely to soften

Good figures – but there is no room for complacency Competition has been fierce and record levels were recorded for fleet and lease vehicles and dealer part-exchange cars, says Simon Henstock

T

he latest BCA Pulse report shows the headline average value of a used car rose by more than £350 in April. Both fleet and lease and part-exchange values reached record levels in the month, with the low-volume nearly-new sector also recording value growth month on month.

The headline average value of a used car in April rose to £7,872, up £348 or 4.6 per cent compared to March, although performance against CAP Clean fell by two points to 96.64 per cent.

Year on year, values were up by £319, a 4.2 per cent rise with average mileage and age falling over the year. Performance against CAP Clean was up by nearly a point compared to 2014.

Simon Henstock, BCA’s UK operations director, said: ‘Despite plenty of potential distractions in the form of the Easter bank holidays and the looming general election, buyer demand was strong across the range of stock on offer at BCA in April, reflecting an underlying confidence from the trade to acquire stock. Competition was often fierce, and average values reached record levels for fleet/lease

‘Despite plenty of potential distractions, buyer demand was strong’ vehicles and dealer part-exchange cars.

‘The nearly-new sector – despite being relatively very small – also saw average values rise.

‘There is no room for complacency, however, as volumes are higher and retail demand typically

softens as the summer approaches.’

Fleet and lease cars averaged £9,700 in April, climbing by £30 compared to March to reach a new record monthly average value.

Average age and mileage declined marginally over the month, while retained value against original MRP (Manufacturer’s Retail Price) fell slightly to 42.43 per cent.

Average values were up by £76 (0.7 per cent) compared to April 2014, with performance against CAP Clean down by half a point.

Average dealer part-exchange values improved for the second month running, averaging £4,348 in April, a rise of £164 (3.9 per cent) compared to March and the highest value on record.

Year-on-year values remain ahead by £366 (9.2 per cent), with CAP Clean performance ahead by more than two points compared to a year ago.

Nearly-new values improved month-on-month for the first time this year, although model mix has a significant effect in this very low volume sector. CAP Clean performance fell slightly to 99 per cent.

BCA dashboard Value month-on-month All cars vs March 2015

£7,872

Part-ex

vs March 2015

£4,348

4.6%

3.9% Variance year-on-year All cars vs April 2014

£319 4.2%

���| CarDealerMag.co.uk

Age/month

Fleet/Lease

60.47

£9,700

All cars vs April 2014

1.04

vs April 2014

0.7%

Mileage

All cars vs April 2014

54,713

805 Fleet/Lease

MRP vs March 2015

42.4%

Nearly new

vs March 2015

£20,673 2.3%

Buyers’ guide

Jaguar XF The XF was a real game-changer for Jaguar and made BMW and Mercedes take notice, says ANDY ENTWISTLE

T

he Jaguar XF was revealed to the world in 2007 and was a significant step change for the company, both in style and quality. Gone was the retro styling that had inflicted the S and X Type and in was a modern, fresh-looking car. It’s no secret BMW and Merc both took notice when the XF arrived.

Jaguar offered three diesel engines with the XF, and two petrol. The 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine has just under 200bhp and is the one to go for in everyday driving, being lower on tax and emissions and delivering over 50mpg. However, the 3.0l V6 diesel is a very powerful and refined engine, but suffers with poor mpg.

The performance XF-S originally came with a 4.2-litre supercharged engine, which was replaced by the new 5.0-litre supercharged engine rated at 464hp, and came with Adaptive Dynamics (computer-controlled continuously variable damping) and Active Differential Control (electronically-controlled rear differential). The XFR-S could hit 60mph in just 4.4 seconds, more than a match for anything the Germans could throw at it.

If you haven’t sat in an XF, the interior will be a surprise, too. No more dull, ageing interiors; instead, a modern cabin with some unique features such as flush-fitting air-conditioning vents in the dash,

which rotate open once the engine is started. Gone also is the gearstick and U-gate of old, to be replaced by a rotating gearshift dial called the JaguarDrive Selector which rises out of the centre console.

Another departure from the traditional Jaguar cabin ambiance is the use of pale-blue backlighting to the instruments, and switchgear. The high-quality feeling is retained and even the entry-level model is fully trimmed in leather. Real wood veneers are available, and were joined by aluminium, carbon fibre and piano-black lacquer trims to create a modern look. The on-board communication system is refreshingly simple to use, despite having a lot to offer.

The XF was launched with a variety of models including SE, Luxury, Premium and R. The Executive Edition and SE Business models were also available, aimed squarely at the company-car market with lower-tuned versions of the 3.0 L and 2.2 L diesel engines.

The biggest criticism of the XF is its poor rear head and leg room – it loses out in the rear to both the 5 series and the E class. But its boot is gargantuan and, most importantly in this class, easily swallows a set of golf clubs with plenty of room to spare.

The old days of poor Jaguar reliability seem to

have been put to bed. The XF is considerably more reliable than older Jaguars, although they are not without their problems and repairing an XF is not cheap. Common faults reported include: n Fuel filler flaps can stick; n Sticking doors (during extremes of temperature); n Tyre pressure monitoring system failure, caused by corroded sensors; n Electrical problems in early models; n Premature wear on rear brake disc pads; n Particulate filters failing on 3.0-litre diesel models.

The right buy Most people will be looking for a diesel, so the 2.2 is the pick of the bunch, purely down to its balance of performance and mpg, which helps keep tax down.

Look for an Executive edition for a well-equipped model, preferably in black or silver. If you fancy something different, hunt out a late-model XFR-S. These are starting to gain a loyal following and are a genuine alternative to the M5.

IT’S ROOMY

Don’t dwell on the restricted space in the back – point customers instead to the boot. It’s massive!

the pick

Most buyers are looking for the 2.2 diesel – it offers great performance and is pretty economical

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 119

auctions.

GardX appoints new regional account manager. bit.ly/gardx87

City Auction Group hail first fortnightly sale at Rockingham a success Three-quarters of the vehicles achieved more than 98 per cent of CAP

auction stations

It could be time to get vans working for you!

A

C

ity Auction Group is heralding its first fortnightly auction at Rockingham in mid-April a huge success, with the firm selling 300 vehicles, with a total value of £2.3 million.

City Auction Group says its data from the auction shows 75 per cent of vehicles sold at more than 98 per cent of CAP and that ex-daily rental vehicles performed exceptionally well. Demand was strong for 14-plate, small to mid-range vehicles with an average of 20,000 miles.

The top-five best performing vehicles were as follows: l Corsa Hatchback achieving the highest CAP value (122.4 per cent), l BMW Saloon (113 per cent), l Vauxhall Insignia (110.7 per cent), l Renault Kangoo Maxi (110.4 per cent) l Renault Twingo Pzaz (109.3 per cent).

It is worth noting, says City Auction Group, that small vans did very well, with the Renault Kangoo variants appearing twice in the top 10 CAP clean list, with the Renault Kangoo Maxi L121 achieving 110.4

Henstock

per cent and the Renault Kangoo ML19 achieving 107.2 per cent.

Michael Tomalin, managing director of City Auction Group, said: ‘The market has cooled off after Easter with demand dropping in line with seasonal norms. The market has changed a little this month.

‘We have seen an increase in demand for vans, as well as one- to three-year-old vehicles across small to medium segments, with average mileage.

‘Interestingly the Fiat 500, a hugelypopular car, achieved only 104.4 per cent and was beaten by the Vauxhall Corsa, recording the top CAP value at 122.3 per cent. A surprise entrant in the top 20 bestperforming vehicles was the Alfa Romeo Lusso Estate, which achieved a CAP value of 108 per cent.’

Natalie is new national sales manager CITY Auction Group has just appointed In her new role, Natalie will be Natalie Young as its new national responsible for developing director-level sales manager. relationships with franchised dealer Natalie has more 17 years of automotive groups and car supermarkets, as well sales and client management experience, as introducing specialist dealer group and has previously worked with Manheim part-exchange sales programmes to Remarketing, Auto Trader Digital and complement the current corporate sale Car dealer May 2015 24/4/15 10:53 Page 1 Mercedes-Benz Retail UK. events at Rockingham.

No cowboys.

Just Just trade trade professionals. professionals.

lthough this is ‘Car’ Dealer magazine, I do enjoy the challenge of going off-topic occasionally and talking vans.

Used van prices having been rising steadily as the UK economy has improved. Much of this was due to the shortfall of younger used LCVs destined for the used market from the major fleets and leasing companies, who understandably were cautious during the worst of the recession.

Then there were record numbers of small businesses being set up as the UK’s entrepreneurial spirit fired up.

With the parcel delivery and courier sector growing rapidly as the digital shopping revolution continues, values for panel vans of all types and capacities have been maintained at a high level and demand has risen for virtually every type of commercial vehicle, from Lutons to tippers.

Announcements about major infrastructure projects, road network improvement schemes and house-building projects have boosted the civil engineering and construction industries, and the very many businesses that service them.

One of the first assets small businesses, partnerships and sole traders are likely to acquire is company transport and that is invariably a van. The upshot of all this is that vans remain a good profit prospect, even as an infrequent sideline to the main business. For the used dealer who has the experience and ability to buy vans well and access to the right sort of retail customer, these are the sort of opportunities that should not be missed.

And with good-quality vans still at a premium in the used market, it makes sense to take advantage of BCA’s market-leading sales programme for LCVs. With access to the best sellers in the business, BCA brings the very best stock to the market every week, with a national sales programme and a great selection of stock. Check out our catalogues of commercials online at bca.co.uk and get vans working for your business!

Who is Simon Henstock?

Simon is UK network operations director for BCA. Visit british-car-auctions.co.uk or call 0845 600 6644.

Strictly Trade only (VAT No. and verified bank details reqd).

Purpose built 12 acre auction complex .

Enclosed and heated auction halls.

Fleet Car Sales every Monday & Thursday.

Excellent variety of weekly stock from premium sources.

Collection of vehicles 24 hours a day.

Fixed cost buyer’s premium.

Excellent on-site restaurant.

Call now for account applications.

Brindley Road, Stephenson Industrial Estate, Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 3HG T: 01530 833535 email: info@fleetauctiongroup.com www.fleetauctiongroup.com

���| CarDealerMag.co.uk

20%

INCREASE IN SALES

MAKE YOUR STOCK MORE DESIRABLE

with professional photography from Manheim Retail Services*

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0844 502 2301 www.manheim.co.uk/imagery *Figures based on days in stock from actual sales data Jan 2014 – Dec 2014

MANHEIM CarDealerMag.co.uk | 121

���| CarDealerMag.co.uk

MARKET INSIGHT.

A

pril was a relatively quiet month on the results front, with no significant results announcements. There were, however, a number of acquisitions in the month, with the listed players starting to dip into their war chests, principally for Jaguar and Land Rover franchises.

Following the recent listings of BCA Marketplace plc and Marshall Motor Group plc last month, it is pleasing to see a favourable reaction by the markets, with both companies enjoying gains post-admission.

Share price performance – April 2015 The sector continues to outperform the FTSE 100 index in the main, with four out of the six stocks enjoying share price movements since the turn of the year which are higher than the movement in the broader FTSE index. Inchcape shares continue to rise and finished the month at 832p, having traded at another all-time high at 846.5p midway through the month.

The continuing share buyback programme is no doubt a factor in this, together with the continuing strong prospects of their diversified worldwide operations. Cambria Automobiles continue to see gains in advance of their fullyear results announcement on May 12, which is expected to show trading substantially ahead of the prior year and strong growth across the board.

The new listed players saw varying increases on their issue price, with BCA Marketplace 7p (4.6 per cent) higher and Marshall Motor Group plc an impressive 41.5p (27.8 per cent) higher at 190.5p.

The disappointing news of Carcraft’s demise did not appear to move the markets, with the news of a competitor leaving the arena being tempered by an increase in the volume of used cars hitting the market.

Financial performance There were no significant results announcements in the month. Caffyns plc announced a change in the basis of the calculation of the defined benefit scheme, which will result in an exceptional increase in profit after tax of £7.09m in the year to March 31, 2015.

The company’s annual results will be announced on June 3, 2015.

..in association with ASE-global.com

JLR acquisitions are the flavour of the month ... while share prices continue to do well, says Mike Jones Share price movement from Jan 1 to April 30, 2015

Share price movement from Jan 1 to Mar 31, 2015

Pendragon

113.1%

120.8%

Vertu

91.1%

93.7%

Lookers

120.4%

110.6%

Inchcape

114.8%

109.7%

Cambria

121.3%

114.9%

Caffyns

96.4%

97.3%

Marshall

127.8%*

–

*movement since admission to AIM on April 2 remain fragile. New car sales targets imposed by the manufacturers are proving difficult to achieve, with a consequence being the high number of March self-registrations. This in turn may depress used car prices, and therefore profits, in the coming months.

Transactional activity There was plenty of action this month with Vertu Motors and Cambria Automobiles announcing

Outlook The publicity around the Carcraft insolvency may dent confidence in the sector, but the market is beginning to consistently outperform the broader FTSE index in the main, although confidence does

acquisitions. Vertu has acquired the trade and assets of Bury Land Rover in Lancashire for a cash consideration of £7.0m from a subsidiary of Pendragon. The consideration included goodwill of £7m, with the December 2014 management accounts of Bury Land Rover showing revenues of £41m and EBITDA of £1.5m, giving a goodwill multiple of 4.6. The acquisition is expected to be earnings-enhancing from day one and combines the Group’s Jaguar and Land Rover operations in the Bury and Bolton area.

Vertu also announced the exchange of contracts to acquire the business and assets of Bradford Jaguar in West Yorkshire from a subsidiary of Lancaster plc. The consideration includes goodwill of £0.75m and is estimated at £0.9m. The December 2014 management accounts of Bradford Jaguar showed revenues of £14.7m and a loss of £0.15m.

In another Land Rover deal, Cambria Automobiles announced the acquisition of the Land Rover franchise in Royal Wootton Bassett, Swindon, from T H White Limited for consideration of £7.56m.

The acquisition includes freehold property of £2.25m and goodwill of £3.0m, and the dealership’s December 2014 management accounts showed revenues of £32m, with Cambria estimating the profit before tax at £0.7m, giving a goodwill multiple of circa 4.2. The acquisition is expected to be earningsenhancing immediately.

Finally, Caffyns plc announced two property disposals in the period for £2.5m, which will be reinvested in the business and used to reduce borrowings.

Board composition and activity / directors’ holdings No director changes of note.

Inchcape plc continues with its share buyback programme, with purchases of 907,000 shares in the period.

Who is Mike Jones?

He’s the chairman of dealer profitability specialist ASE plc. You can read ASE’s column here every month CarDealerMag.co.uk | 123

data file.

James Litton Trader tales

Hats off to those real heroes of the garage

I

have said many times the thing I love most about my job is people. Cars? Couldn’t give a toss, but understanding what makes a customer or sales executive tick gets me all excited. The excitement of getting over the line at the end of the month is an extremely addictive drug.

Pressure aside, the fountain of ease in our industry cascades downwards. There may be exceptions, but most senior managers will be found elsewhere at weekends while the grunts are doing the dirty work at the dealership. Who would not want that job?

Technicians? Some might be cashing in on overtime but in most businesses they will still be home for Football Focus.

Add in working on their mates’ Vauxhall Corsa for pound notes on a Sunday, then it makes the oily hands a small price to pay.

Come in on a Sunday and you will not see me or another departmental manager at the garage. Instead, you will see a number of sales executives trying to make the best of missing their Sunday roast, safe in the knowledge they will be working more days than a junior doctor that week.

Still, we all have it pretty good.

The real heroes in our business are service team leaders and valeters. I think all service team leaders have a sadomasochistic side akin to that of a traffic warden. Nobody likes being told their routine service has turned into a brake fluid change, four tyres and a cambelt. They then dislike being told we only have one tyre in stock. For some reason, being told a technician has damaged an alloy does not get you on their Christmas card list, either. The final nail in the coffin is charging them a small fortune for the privilege. Service team leaders have to deliver this news with a smile. Not for me, thanks.

And as for those valeters – who would want to brave a British winter every day and bash out six cars?

Again, not I. It is important we remember these oft-forgotten souls. Replacing them is a nightmare and if you have good ones, love them like your mother.

‘Nobody likes being told their routine service has turned into a brake fluid change, four tyres and a cambelt.

Who is James Litton?

James is sales manager at Mercedes-Benz of Taunton. He always has something to say about the industry he loves. ���| CarDealerMag.co.uk

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Info: Get the exact options that were factory fitted to an individual vehicle to help you E-shot marketing identify and retail the best stock.

DP Publicity

Think Insurance

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Creative & branded design, with distribution and analytics from £95.

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Up to 75% bonus discount.

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Manheim Remarketing

Carfinance247

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Friendly welcome for all.

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Finance

Lead Generation

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Glenside Finance Ltd

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guide

Confessions

your real stories

the details of selected companies here Lead Generation

Stock

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Moneypenny

Maguires Garage

AutoProtect (MBI) Limited

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Training

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Admark

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The UK’s Best Used Car Warranty

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GlobalOASys

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Dickies

W: globaloasys.com T: 020 3322 2090 E: sales@globaloasys.com Info: The best and most automated stock-sourcing solution that dealers can get – with hundreds of vehicles available right now.

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Living next door to Alice led to trouble...

I

t was a very quiet Tuesday afternoon at our car lot. And I mean deadly dull. It was a day towards the end of a very warm July and all you could hear was the buzz of the odd bumble bee and the sound of our faulty air-con attempting to splutter into life.

All of a sudden, the summery silence was broken when my boss walked into the showroom and said: ‘Right, we’re going to do something about this. It’s pointless sitting round here when no-one’s coming in.

‘I’ve had these leaflets printed and I want you to head up to the local housing estate and deliver them.’

(I would name the estate but that would rather give the game away).

Walk around in the sweltering heat? Braving dogs and dodgy letterboxes, handing out bright orange leaflets that look as though they had been transported to us from the 1970s?

Well, yes, that’s what my boss had in mind. But he did say that I could pop home first and get changed out of my suit.

As I pulled up on my driveway, I bumped into my neighbour. Her name was Alice (I know, like the old Smokie song... ‘who the f*** is Alice?)

She appeared very cool and collected while I was wearing business attire in 90-degree heat. Not a good look. ‘Just off to the beach,’ she said. ‘See you later.’

‘Can I tag along?’

The words came out of my mouth before I’d even thought about them – but to my surprise, and great delight, she said yes!

So to cut a long story short, I swapped my suit for my shorts, jumped into her car and we had a lovely afternoon by the sea, although it was a bit of a trek to get there.

Needless to say, those flamin’ leaflets never got delivered but I figured my boss would never find out.

That was until I rocked up for work the next day. It was just as quiet as it had been the day before, and he gave me a list of names and addresses. I don’t know how he got hold of them, incidentally.

‘Right,’ he said, ‘these are the people you delivered those leaflets to yesterday. Ring them up and see if they liked any of the cars that were on there...’

‘As I pulled up on my driveway, I bumped into my neighbour.’

Tell us your story

Have you something to confess? We’d love to hear your tale of woe. Email the editor (you can find our details on page three) or post them on our new forum – simply type cardealermagazine.co.uk/forum into a web browser and get confessing!

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 125

key notes

..in association with Traka

The consolidation game Paul Smith looks at the trend for large dealer groups to continue getting bigger

I

t is clear from studying the activity of the larger franchise dealer groups over the past few years that the prevailing view is that biggest is best.

Arnold Clark – currently the seventh-largest group in Europe with revenues of 3.1bn euros – has been buying up independent groups like John R Weir and, most recently, Ness Motors.

Marshall Motors bought Astle Group and Crystal Motor Group before raising £40m through a recent AIM listing, presumably to fund an even more ambitious buying spree.

Acquisition stories abound.

Others, like Jardine, Sytner (Penske) and Inchcape, are already multi-country goliaths.

Across the Pond, last year the top 150 US groups owned 3,453 dealerships, 19 per cent of the US market (up from 16.4 per cent just a year before), representing 22 per cent of total US sales.

But it’s also worth looking at the other end of the market: in 1970 there were 30,800 independent dealerships throughout the US. Some 43 years later in 2013, this number had almost halved to 17,600, according to the National Automobile Dealers’ Association.

In the UK, there has been so much independent capacity lost in recent years that cracks are now appearing in areas like bodyshops, where there just aren’t enough across the country to handle demand. The management consultancy McKinsey & Company’s Innovating Automotive Retail study in February 2014 recorded an average

15 per cent fall in the number of dealerships in the US and Europe in the past five years.

However, there is a flip side to all this relentless quest for growth. As they snap up smaller independents and franchise chains, the independents who remain are benefitting from offering an increasingly-compelling alternative to the big franchise operators. Many of them are effectively niched – offering well-priced service, repairs and expertise in specific brands and types of vehicles.

They can also read the local market well because they make it their business to do so.

Many have been doing so through several generations of one family’s management, all living and working in the same area.

The big players have had it all their own way for the past few years. But many in the market believe these things are cyclical – and if this is the case, then it is high time the pendulum began swinging back in the direction of smaller players.

But what stands in the way of this swing may be speed of adoption of the next generation of

dealership technologies as well as digital marketing. The larger groups have the deeper pockets needed for early adoption of new technologies and new ways of reaching out to prospects.

McKinsey’s study also advocates manufacturers and large dealer groups explore a multi-format retail approach: separating test-drive centres, which can serve several dealerships in close proximity, from superstores which offer the extensive range of cars many customers are looking for early in the buying cycle. They also advocate smaller city-based dealerships to offer would-be customers the first experience of a car. Early pilots of this multi-format approach in Germany look very encouraging.

Through these and other formats, the consultancy argues, the dealer group can hope to have multiple touch points with the customer.

But this only really works if data from all these touch points can be integrated effectively and the data crunched to deliver real insight to dealership staff at the right time.

This demands heavy investment in the next generation of CRM and DMS-based solutions.

Encouragingly, from the point of view of the smaller independents, much of what they are trying to engender through change is a customer experience which is exciting, compelling and multi-faceted.

There is every possibility that smaller players can achieve many of these gains simply by continuing to focus on improving what many of them do well already – serving the customer well. Whatever happens, great customer service remains pivotal to winning and retaining their loyalty.

Who is Paul Smith?

ASSA Abloy recently purchased the electronic key management software provider eTag Solutions. eTag was founded by Paul Smith, who now heads Traka Automotive, part of the ASSA Abloy Group brand Traka. Traka is a leader in intelligent access control, key management control solutions and keyless electronic lockers.

Keys can make you money…

Find out how at www.traka-automotive.com The only viable key management solution for automotive POWERED BY

Email sales@etagsolutions.com or call 0845 225 2910

���| CarDealerMag.co.uk

the fleet.

LATEST FROM THE FLEET...

Second report:

VolkswagenTransporter Sportline 60 LWB It’s the perfect vehicle for Car Dealer Removals – even Dr Who doesn’t have this much space when he travels. But that radio... let’s be honest, everyone can have too much Jeremy Vine

I

t could be quite a dilemma when your daughter says she’s renting a flat for the first time, and moving in with her boyfriend. And that, by the way, could you help with moving all her stuff for her...

A dilemma, that is, unless you have a Volkswagen Transporter sitting in the work car park, just ASKING to be pressed into service...

After a little bribe to the video team to take it off their hands for the weekend (some people agree to anything for a drink and a KFC) and Car Dealer Removals was ready to swing into action. And boy, the van is good.

It’s a bit like a Tardis. From the outside, it looks like an ordinary van. Well, okay, not ordinary. Ours has 18-inch alloy wheels, colour-coded body trim, spoilers, great trim – and in black, it’s pretty striking.

But inside, there’s space galore. The second row of seats pop out to offer even more space. There’s so much room that emptying a daughter’s bedroom, plus several bits of furniture that somehow she’s persuaded her mother need to make the trip with her, is a cinch.

And it drives like a dream. Our Sportline

the knowledge Model: VW Transporter Sportline 60 LWB Price: £37,306 Engine: 2.0-litre BiTDI 180PS 7spd DSG Power: 178bhp, 400Nm Max speed: 119mph 0-60mph: 10.2s Emissions: 211g/km Optional extras: Electrically heated, adjustable and folding door mirrors (£138), Towbar with 13-pin socket (£576), bi-xenon headlights with daytime running lights, includes headlamp washer system with heated front washer jets and washer fluid level indicator (£1290) This month’s highlight Getting EVERYTHING in the back...

60 LWB is powered by a 2.0-litre BiTDI power plant and it rockets. It climbs to 70mph without pausing for breath, and cruises effortlessly along the motorway. And the visibility from the driver’s seat is excellent.

There’s no way from the elevated perch that it feels as if you’re driving something so big.

That’s the good news. However, there are a couple of niggles.

The entertainment system went in for a

tweak, as the sat-nav kept cutting out. It’s better, but a couple of times it conked out and reset itself after we had set off. Good job I knew roughly where we were heading, or we could have ended up anywhere.

And having no grab handles was a bit inconvenient. It is quite a climb into the cab, and while I admit I’m no spring chicken, I’m not quite ready for my Zimmer frame, either.

And it was quite awkward getting in.

There’s a rear camera, really handy for reversing into tight spots, but after selecting reverse gear, you need to push another button on the dash to get the camera to spring into life. Bit daft, that.

Worse thing of all, though, is the radio.

I’m one of those people who believes every new vehicle these days should have DAB as standard, and this VW comes with one. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the unit – an aftermarket system from Kenwood – is probably the most confusing I’ve ever seen.

We fiddled with the switches, and eventually gave up. So Radio 2 it was. All the way there and back. Yes, it was that bad...

Colin Channon (@colinchannon) CarDealerMag.co.uk | 127

the fleet.

LATEST FROM THE FLEET...

Fourth report:

Lexus IS300h

Fifth report:

Kia Procee’d GT

Seventh report:

VolvoV40

Plenty of room for furniture (and for the golf clubs, as well)

Power to the people! And the styling scores highly, too...

Our bronze beauty is put to the test on a bit of a booze cruise

If you read the report on the previous page (and it’s wonderful prose, you’d be mad to miss it...) you’d know I was in removal mode this month.

For the big stuff, the van was great. But kids being kids, I got a phone call from my daughter when I was on a course in Surrey asking if I could pop to Egham (like you do) to pick up some furniture she’d been offered.

Well, I was in the Lexus, and I was told I needed to get a coffee table, and TV unit and a thing with drawers. Don’t worry, I was told, it’ll all be dismantled and flat packed. Err, wrong. Some was. Some wasn’t. And I was in a saloon car, not an estate.

Getting to Egham through the rush-hour was no problem. The Lexus really is a comfortable drive, and it switches effortlessly between electric mode and diesel, so crawling through traffic is very peaceful.

Once you’ve got the hang of the sat-nav – and it takes a couple of goes to become accustomed to it – then it’s one of the better ones available.

And there’s plenty of room in the back. The seats popped down, and there was acres of space.

My skill with jigsaw puzzles came in handy to shuffle the odd-shaped bits of furniture around, but it all got in, with room to spare.

And, as I was on a course when I got the phone call, there was even room to lay my golf clubs on the passenger seat...

Colin Channon (@colinchannon)

I CAN’T help but feel a bit sorry for our Procee’d GT. The general consensus among those who drive it seems to be that, while it looks sporty enough, with just over 200bhp on tap it just doesn’t have the oomph to keep up with rivals like the Golf GTI and Focus ST. Having just taken it on a very exciting road trip to (cough) Milton Keynes and back, I’ve decided it’s time to go on record and defend the poor Cee’d and its apparent power deficit – largely because I don’t think it’s that badly endowed.

Okay, so a basic Golf GTI might be 10bhp up on the Cee’d, but it’s also a whopping £5,000 more expensive. That’s quite a premium for 10 extra horses, and frankly I’m not sure I’d miss them all that much.

What’s more, you have to admit that Kia have put more effort into styling than VW. The Cee’d is very striking indeed – particularly in 3 door Pro_ Cee’d form – while the Golf looks... like a Golf.

I do have some gripes, mind. For starters there’s no option of DAB radio, when rivals have offered it for at least five years now.

Then there’s the engine note. Ford and VW manage to make their engines sound meaty and alive at full throttle, but Kia just haven’t, and that’s a shame. On the whole though, the GT still does it for me.

Don’t listen to them, Cee’d, I still think you’re powerful enough.

Jon Reay (@JonReay)

THIS month the Volvo V40 has been working hard for Car Dealer, taking up the gauntlet as mule for the Power Awards and a Car Dealer Roadshow.

The first challenge was a very important task indeed, something we hold very close to our hearts here at CD HQ. Getting the booze to the Spinnaker Tower. Some 90 bottles to be precise, and, with all the rear seats laid flat, the V40 was the perfect car for the job. I say perfect, there’s obviously far bigger things on the fleet but these were all being used by other people. So the Volvo it was.

So if you were drinking that night, you have our mighty Volvo to thank. Cards in the post please care of Rebecca. There was no rest for our bronze beauty though. No sooner were its wine carting duties over was it back on the road carting far more precious cargo: Car Dealer ops director Andy Entwistle (I had to say that, he’s my boss) and events coordinator Emeleye Dwyer.

They were due to set up stall at Manheim Macclesfield and showcase our forthcoming Conference and Expo at SIlverstone on June 9.

The pair came back enthused at my little Volvo’s ability to swallow huge amounts of kit (the Car Dealer stand is pretty big) and at the same time return fantastic fuel economy.

I’ve been saying it to all who’ll listen for long enough that my little V40 is a brilliant car.

Becca Chaplin (@BelieveBecca)

the knowledge Model: Lexus IS300h Price: £38,495 (as tested) Engine: 2.5-litre 4cyl, 178bhp, plus electric motor Power: 178hp, 300Nm Max speed: 125mph 0-60mph: 8.4s Emissions: 109g/km Mileage this month: 1,041 This month’s highlight Getting all that furniture in the back – and it’s very economical at almost 50mpg. ���| CarDealerMag.co.uk

the knowledge Model: Kia Procee’d 1.6 T-GDi GT Price: £22,495 (as tested) Engine: 1.6-litre petrol Power: 201bhp Max speed: 143mph 0-60mph: 7.4secs Mpg: 38.2 (combined) Mileage this month: 950 This month’s highlight Having listened to everyone else, discovering for myself the Procee’d’s sporty credentials.

the knowledge Model: Volvo V40 Cross Country D4 Price: £36,045 (as tested) Engine: 1969cc, 4 cylinder, turbo-charged Power: 190bhp, 400Nm Max speed: 130mph 0-60mph: 7.1s Emissions: 104g/km Mileage this month: 1,006 This month’s highlight Now my colleagues know what I’m talking about when I sing the praises of KT14LHN.

longtermers

Seventh report:

Eighth report:

Ninth report:

Mazda6

MitsubishiASX

Giving the dealer fuel that I’ve bought isn’t much of a courtesy

Smooth ride, but I think my legs are just a bit too long...

Oh dear... Chris and Dave in a dust-up over the Duster

Whenever a long journey was on the cards, the Mazda, being so roomy and comfy, was often called upon. As a result we’ve clocked up more than 14,000 miles, which meant a service and spruce-up was due.

Mazda Magna at Downton is a stone’s throw from me, but not being a big dealer we had a twoweek wait for a courtesy car.

The car we were given turned out to be a staff car rather than a dedicated courtesy vehicle. I understand why dealers do this, but if you are using staff cars, make sure they’re clean and fully fuelled before the customer collects them.

Receiving a car with just two bars of fuel meant I had to fill up at the start of my day, not the end, meaning Magna got an extra few litres of fuel out of me. It’s little things like this that make the difference.

Then it was off to RA Bodyworks in Sandhurst.

John has been doing my paint for years and has never let me down – he’s an artist!

However, the Mazda colour is a new breed of four-coat finish, which is near-impossible to match, so a scratched door has resulted in most of the side of the car having to be resprayed to ensure a perfect match.

These new paints are becoming more common, so a word of warning when you are mentally pricing up the odd scuff on a car you may be taking in part-exchange...

Andy Entwistle (@CarDealerAndy)

I HAD a fairly long drive to a photo assignment and the ASX was in the car park, and the keys were on the desk – so when no-one was looking, I snatched them up and off I went. Well, when there’s a nice-looking car available, you just have to, right? There’s plenty to enjoy about the car.

The Kenwood sound system was good for handsfree calls and navigation, although to be picky the DAB tended to find a lot of blank stations.

The ride, though, was smooth, absorbing everything the roads – and the dirt tracks I had to negotiate – could throw at it.

The 4WD selector was simple and easy to understand, and the auto mode seemed to get the right setting without any manual input.

Couple of gripes – I’m quite tall so the seating position and the shape of the seats didn’t work for me and left me with a sore leg after a long drive. For longer legs it lacked support under the knees, but I’d imagine this wouldn’t be an issue for most people. The heated seats warmed up impressively quickly and were operated by a simple yet effective high-low switch. The switch was a little hard to find initially and, although my hands aren’t huge, getting to the switch was a little fiddly, down between the seat and the transmission tunnel.

There are loads of cup holders in the front, though – very useful when travelling with two caffeine-addicted adults in the front.

Jon Fleetwood (@jfleetwoodphoto)

THE Dacia Duster is normally assigned to Car Dealer Dave but as he’s been off on his travels abroad quite a bit recently, the keys have become available to anyone else who fancies putting it to the test.

I know Dave has been full of praise for the car, so I was keen to see what all the fuss was about.

And I’m sorry to say I don’t agree with him!

First off, let me get one thing straight – I love affordable motors. Unfortunately on this occasion, I’m making an exception.

This off-roader has so many design issues that I’m amazed buyers willingly part with £16,380 for our particular model.

Not only did I find the diesel engine gruff and noisy, but it seems that the rev counter doesn’t match the car, meaning you hit the engine’s maximum speed while the needle is in the middle of the dial.

This might sound trivial, but as the gears are so short, it’s an unnecessary irritation.

Meanwhile, the stereo volume control consists of plus and minus buttons, with Dacia apparently oblivious to the new-fangled volume knob!

Good points? An easy-to-use sat-nav, cruise control and pretty good levels of comfort inside the cabin. No complaints about visibility either.

And Dacia must be doing something right after all! The brand’s UK sales have just soared past the 50,000 mark.

Chris Lloyd (@ChristoferLloyd)

the knowledge Model: Mazda 6 2.2D 175s Sport Nav Tourer Price: £27,955 (as tested) Engine: 2.2-litre diesel Power: 173bhp, 420Nm Max speed: 137mph 0-60mph: 7.8s Emissions: 121g/km Mileage this month: 992 This month’s highlight Getting the paintwork restored to tip-top condition.

the knowledge Model: Mitsubishi ASX 4 Auto Price: £24,649 (as tested) Engine: 2.2-litre diesel Power: 147bhp, 360Nm Max speed: 118mph 0-60mph: 10.8s Emissions: 153g/km Mileage this month: 1,472 This month’s highlight Blimey, those seats are warm on a chilly morning...

DaciaDuster

the knowledge Model: Dacia Duster Laureate dCi 110 4x4 Price: £16,380 (as tested) Engine: 1.5-litre, turbocharged diesel Power: 109bhp, 240Nm Max speed: 104mph 0-60mph: 12.3s Emissions: 137g/km Mileage this month: 880 This month’s highlighT Putting the keys on Car Dealer Dave’s desk ready for his arrival back in the office...

CarDealerMag.co.uk | 129

bAGGOTT.

Have you got our FREE iPad app? Download it here bit.ly/CDMiPad

In Baggott’s Britain, the car industry can help beat the Battle of the Bulge N

early two-thirds of the UK adult population is now considered to be overweight. A recent study, which looked at data from 1980 to 2013, found that more people in the UK are either obese or overweight than at any time in the past three decades. Yes, decades…

Now I love a Big Mac as much as the next man, but sometimes, you’ve just got to take a look at yourself and realise it’s time to make some serious lifestyle changes.

Like stopping eating Crunchies for breakfast. But there’s no helping some people. I mean, Car Dealer is based in Gosport, named as one of the fattest towns in the UK, and I sometimes wonder if the (many) potholes are caused by pedestrians crossing the road.

Anyway, I think it’s about time the car industry stepped up to the (empty) plate and did something about it. Let’s face it, we’re part of the reason the population is getting tubby for a start, aren’t we?

Okay, so we’re not exactly American in waist sizes yet, but we’re getting precariously close.

So, inspired by Nissan’s April Fool, I’ve come up with some, quite frankly, brilliant ideas to make car driving a little more like exercise. Hear me out…

Nissan stated it was going to switch off all driver aids with a ‘GYM’ button in future models in a ‘bold development to attempt to help drivers improve their fitness levels’. By turning off the car’s power steering and electric windows, the button would ‘allow commuters to get their very own workout at the wheel’.

Okay, so it might have been an elaborate April Fool, but it did make me think. Remember when you had wind-up windows? They were guaranteed to make you sweat in the height of summer.

And no power steering would certainly improve upper body strength, too – especially in executive cars, which would take considerable bicep power to turn a corner.

Car designers should be forced to make it harder to get into cars. Let’s make doors heavier so it takes a bit more effort to heave them open. And while they’re at it, remove all electrically-operated tailgates and those struts that hold them up so drivers are forced to do that too. And make them heavier.

All multi-storey car parks should have lifts removed so drivers are forced to take the stairs, and fines should be issued to any driver who travels less than a mile in their car at any one time.

I have no idea how that would be enforced, but I’m the

Who is James Baggott?

ideas man. We’ll let someone else sort out the details. If I was given carte blanche by the Tory boys to really sort things out – and if our waistlines carry on the way they’re going, they’re going to be calling me, not the other way around – I’d get more extreme.

All city centres would have a car ban. And buses too, but only because everyone hates buses. A one-mile exclusion zone would be thrown around the city centre with ample parking on the outskirts. Boris-style bikes would be on offer for free to drivers, or they could walk the final mile to their destination.

Petrol stations would offer pedometers to customers and fuel duty would be excluded if they could prove they walked a minimum of 7,000 steps a day. The government wins with fitter people using the NHS less, hence being able to offer the cut in fuel prices. Now, come on, that one is good…

James ‘Clinically obese would Baggott be given a limit of EDITOR’S NOTE: Weighty discussion from the skinny one...

60mph on motorways’

And what about introducing a tiered motorway speed limit? An annual Driver Bleep Running Test – similar to that the forces use – would be set up by the DVLA. The better a driver performed, the faster they’d be allowed to drive on the motorway. The fittest would be given a pass for 85mph – and there’s not many better reasons to ditch the kebabs than that, is there?

Those classed as clinically obese would be given a limit of 60mph on motorways. This would rise the fitter they got – to the point they’d be allowed a 90mph pass if they ever ran a marathon. Other incentives to get fitter would include a discount on fuel, free healthy foods in service stations and free parking everywhere. Including airports.

And in Baggott’s Britain, fast-food outlets would be banned from motorway service stations while Costa and Starbucks would be forced to swap sugar for sweeteners, and offer only skimmed milk-based drinks rather than full fat (no one would spot the difference anyway).

Oh, and chocolate and crisps would be priced the same as cigarettes in petrol stations and hidden from view behind screens.

All sounds a bit extreme, doesn’t it?

Well, that it is, but it’s about time someone took action. And let’s face it, Cameron is going to be more focused on keeping Boris at bay over the next few years than he is with battling Britain’s bulge...

He’s the founder of Car Dealer Magazine and managing director of parent company @BlackballMedia, an automotive services provider. He now spends most of his time on Twitter @CarDealerEd and annoying the rest of us. ���| CarDealerMag.co.uk

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